So, you want to learn more about freelance writing? If you are reading this blog post it means that you are online – and this is a great place to start. As you know, the internet is full of information on anything and everything that you can think of. This definitely holds true when it comes to freelance writing.
Here are three ways you can use the internet to learn more about freelance writing:
1. Read blogs and websites, such as this one. I offer a lot of information on freelance writing including tips on getting started, how to market your services, and much more. Of course, my blog is only the tip of the iceberg. There are many others that offer just as much information. While you don’t want to waste your entire workday scouring the blogs of others, when you have some time this is a great way to learn.
2. Read what others are writing. I enjoy writing sports related feature articles. For this reason, anytime I get the chance to read a story by one of my favorite sportswriters I take advantage. If you have a particular interest, find others who are writing about it and see if you can take any cues from them.
3. Find a mentor or join a freelance writing course. If you are looking for a mentor or need one-on-one help, the best place to turn is the internet. You may be surprised at how many people are willing to answer your questions if you just ask – a simple email can open up many opportunities.
To increase your knowledge of the freelance writing industry, use the internet to your advantage.
Thanks to the success of my freelance writing course over the past couple of years, I have had the privilege of working with many readers on a one on one basis. Some have gone on to become full-time freelancers; others are still working their way to the top. Although every member is unique in their own way, they all share the same goal: to learn as much about freelance writing as possible.
In this post, I want to introduce you to another program: the 6 Figure Freelancer Course.
This course is managed by a friend of mine, Wes Young. Let me give you some more information on our relationship before moving forward. Several years ago when I was starting my freelance writing career Wes hired me as a content writer. While sending consistent work, he was always the type to offer additional information on everything from writing to SEO and everything in between. I guess you could consider him one of my “mentors from the early days.â€
As I have noted in the past, the more help you get when starting your career the better off you are going to be. While my freelance writing course has a lot to offer, it is safe to say that it is entirely different than this one. I have my own way of teaching and presenting information, just as you have a unique way of learning. You will find that jumping into another program, such as the 6 Figure Freelancer Course, can really help move you along.
Here is some more information on the guy in charge:
1. 10 years experience as a freelancer
2. Author of a traditionally published book
3. Successful ghost writer of two books, and counting
4. Written over 500 freelance articles for various publications
If you want to learn more and maybe even get started, visit the 6 Figure Freelancer Course today. This is just one more resource that can help you grow your career.
As a freelance writer you should strive to learn and progress, day after day. If your freelance writing career is not progressing it means you are standing still. For many, it is difficult to tell if they are moving in the right direction.
Here are three things you can look at to measure your progress as a freelance writer:
1. Income. Are you earning more money this year than you did last year? Do you see your income trending upwards, for the most part? If so, it is simple to see that you are making good progress. For most freelance writers, income stats tell the entire story.
2. Clients. You can also judge your progress by the number of clients that you have. Along with this, consider the types of clients as well as the projects that they are offering you. For instance, you may not have more clients than you did in the past but those you are working with are giving you more work due to your past performance.
3. Set goals. Have you reached your short and long term goals? Are you on track to do so? When you have goals for yourself you can easily determine if you are making progress. I strongly believe in the importance of setting goals. Do yourself a favor and write out a few goals that can help you advance your career.
In closing, you always want to be taking your freelance writing career to the next level. If you are moving forward, instead of looking back, you should be able to reach your goals in no time at all. Of course, you don’t want to stop there!
If you work as a freelance writer long enough you will eventually have a client go missing on you. They are here one day, asking you questions and communicating, but gone the next. While this is not very common, I have faced this situation a few times in the past.
When a client goes missing it can be very frustrating. This is particularly true if you are in the midst of completing a job for them. For instance, you may be halfway through a task and looking for some final direction before finishing things off. Worse yet, you completed the entire task, sent it off to the client, and are now looking to get paid.
The best thing you can do is attempt to contact the client the same way you always have in the past. If you usually communicate via email, use this method; the same holds true for making a phone call. Of course, you may have to change your contact strategy if it is not working. There is nothing wrong with checking in with a client on the phone if they go missing. After all, you are doing a job for the client and need them to be accessible.
Unfortunately, there may come a day when a client goes missing and never returns. In my experience, if this is to happen it will be when payment comes due. I completed a feature article for a client in early November 2009, but have yet to hear from him since. This is despite the fact that I have called and emailed several times.
When a client goes missing there is not much you can do. Just hope that they are temporarily out of communication, as opposed to gone for good.
There are a lot of people who want to get involved with freelance writing but have an extreme fear of failure. Unfortunately, this is not something that is easy to help with. I would love to be able to show all these people the way, but fear is something you must conquer on your own. If you are scared about jumping into the freelance writing industry you need to take the time to pinpoint the problem and work on a solution.
For many, fear stems from the potential of failure. In other words, those who never get started with freelance writing are worried that they have no chance of success. In turn, they think about this career all the time but never make any progress. There are definitely going to be bad times as you are getting your freelance writing career up and running – this is to be expected. But can’t the same be said for every career?
To get over your fear you must first know what the problem is, and then begin to look for a solution. For instance, if you are worried about your lack of experience you can start writing part-time as a way of gathering clips and learning more about the industry. This way you will be more prepared when it comes time to transition into full-time writing.
Remember this: no matter what fear you are facing there are ways of dealing with it. Take your time when searching for a solution. There is nothing wrong with being scared about jumping into freelance writing. But there is something wrong with letting this fear get the best of you. Every freelance writer had to take the leap at some point. When are you going to gain enough confidence to do the same?
If you are a freelance writer you know exactly what the title of this post means. Simply put, you have “stuff†that you need to get through the workday. It may not be a lot, but no matter who you are there are probably a few things that you rely on.
I realized just how important my stuff is over the past week or so. I am in the process of moving into a new home. As I was packing up my office this weekend it was easy to see that there are a few things I rely on as a freelance writer.
No matter what, I need my computer. While this is true for me, most other freelance writers feel the same way. If I don’t have my computer there is no way to get work done – it is as simple as that.
Along with my computer, I also need my paper files, USB drives, and to-do/goal lists. The nice thing about all this is that it can be nicely packed into a couple of boxes. This just goes to show you how easy it is to be a freelance writer on the move. I don’t have any inventory or an advanced system holding me back. Instead, I can take my business anywhere and have it set up in no time at all.
The point of this post is to make you realize how important some of your stuff really is. While you need to keep all of your belongings in a safe place, there is no denying that some things are higher priority than others.
Do you have all of your stuff organized so that you can easily get at it when need be? If not, try to get better organized today. My past move made me realize just how important some of my stuff is to my success.
Are you interested in web content writing? This is one area of the freelance writing industry that is quite lucrative. Along with this, there are always companies and webmasters on the lookout for writers.
This weekend, I received a couple of emails asking how to find web content clients. While this is a broad question with many answers, I am going to throw out two methods:
1. Online job boards. One of the best ways to find web content clients is through sites like Craigslist, Elance.com, Freelancer.com, and All Freelance Writing. Yes, it will take time to check these sites everyday. On top of this, you will be stuck sifting through hundreds upon hundreds of listings. But if you truly want to find clients in need of web content, this is something that you have to do.
2. Cold emails. This is one method of generating web content clients that many freelancers swear by. The process goes something like this: find a website that you are interested in; contact the site owner or anybody else who you can find an email address for; explain your situation and what you bring to the table; hope that they are in the process of looking for freelance writers.
The thing to remember about cold emails is that this is “hit or miss.†You may send 25 emails with no response just to find that the next two people are interested in hiring you. In other words, be persistent if this is how you are going to find new clients.
3. Referrals. I have found this to be the best way to drum up new online business. Do you currently have any web content clients? If so, ask them to pass your name around to others who may be interested in your services. You may be surprised at what this can do for your business. Word of mouth marketing is essential to growing your business. Make sure you do good work so your current clients pass your name along to others.
Hopefully this advice can help you find more web content clients in the near future. It may be too basic for advanced writers, but those just getting started should find it helpful.
Do you take the time to speak with other freelance writers when you get the chance? Or do you run the other way because you don’t think they have anything to offer? Over the years I have found that there are many benefits of staying in touch with other writers. Below are just a few:
1. No matter how much experience they have, you can learn something from every freelance writer. You should be interested in advancing your career, day in and day out. Ask questions of other writers, and take their advice to heart. You don’t have to listen to everything you hear, but you may be surprised at how much you can pick up from others.
2. Teach. It is great to learn from other freelance writers, but you should be willing to return the favor if at all possible. If somebody asks you a question, make sure you answer them as best you can. When you help somebody else they are more likely to do the same for you in the future.
3. Ask questions. Instead of beating around the bush when speaking with other freelance writers, come out and ask questions that have been on your mind. This gives you the chance to dig down to the deep details that have been bugging you. An experienced freelancer can probably answer all your questions – no matter what they may be.
4. Make new friends! Through my years as a freelance writer I have learned a lot from others. And along with this, I have come to make many new friends. This alone is reason enough to open up and speak with others anytime you get the chance.
By now, you should be able to see why it is a good idea to speak with other freelance writers. Do you make a habit of doing this?
