Freelance Writing

Time after time I hear from people who say they are going to start a freelance writing career “any day now.” But guess what? I will hear from these same people months later telling me that they have yet to make any progress. Listen up: if you are ever going to be a successful freelance writer you need to take the leap and get started. Sure, there is risk involved and it can be scary, but in the long run you can never earn money unless you actually get started.

What are some of the main reasons for procrastinating? As mentioned above, many aspiring writers are afraid of what the future may hold. More specifically, they are afraid that they will fail and their dream of being a writer will die. If this is something that is holding you back, you need to find a way to forge ahead. Remember, there are going to be tough times and failures no matter what career path you choose. Just because you fail early on as a freelance writer does not mean that your entire career is doomed. In fact, there is something wrong if you are never running into obstacles.

If you constantly find yourself talking about becoming a freelance writer but never move forward, you have to ask yourself whether or not this is something that you really want. You may be excited about working for yourself in a field that you enjoy, but do you truly want to make the sacrifices and changes necessary to become a successful freelance writer? If you cannot confidently answer yes, you may not be cut out to become a writer at this time.

For those who truly want to work as a freelance writer, get started today. Decide that you are ready to make the leap, and begin to take the proper steps without delay. Remember, you do not have to move forward at a high rate of speed. As long as you are making progress towards your end goal, you will reach the pinnacle soon enough. You do not have to rush to become a freelance writer, but if you want to join this industry, you do need to get started.

Since talking about the benefits of starting a blog, I have received a few questions about how much success I have with ChrisBlogging.com. Although this blog is far from being the biggest or most well known, it is something that I enjoy immensely. To go along with this, it has grown quite a bit as of late.

Last month, ChrisBlogging.com received approximately 5,000 unique visitors. Is this a lot? When compared to some blogs on freelance writing and making money online, the answer is no. By overall, it is not too shabby. Personally, I do not keep close tabs on my traffic. Instead, I judge the success of the blog by how many people I help. And judging by the emails I have been receiving as of late, this is quite a few.

If you follow the blogging industry, you are well aware that the number of RSS readers a blog has can be a big deal. I am a regular reader of many blogs that boast a readership of 20k or more. As you can see by taking a quick peak at the right sidebar, my RSS number hovers right around 220. While this is far from 20k, I have been making some progress in this area. If you have yet to sign up, you can do so traditionally or you can opt to receive updates via email; either way works.

Just like my freelance writing career, I set goals for the progress of ChrisBlogging.com. By the end of the year, I would like to increase traffic to 7,500 uniques per month. To go along with this, I am hoping to crack 350 RSS readers. These may seem like modest goals, but for somebody who does not know much about SEO or technology, they are just fine for now!

So many aspiring freelance writers want to make big money that they forget to take care of the basics first. Before you can reach a high level of success, you need to make sure that you have put the proper building blocks in place. This may sound time consuming and boring, but in the long run it will help you to make the most of your career.

Here are three building blocks that you must put in place before attempting to advance your career:

1. Simply put, you need basic writing skills. This includes the ability to compose with flow and structure, as well as other details such as spelling and grammar. No, you do not have to be perfect in this area, but it will definitely help. Time after time I receive emails from aspiring writers asking me to read over their latest work. After the first line, it is obvious that they did not take this building block seriously.

2. To be a successful freelance writer, you need to have communication skills. Depending on your past experience, this is something that you may already have. Since I worked in sales before becoming a full-time freelance writer, I was already comfortable communicating with others via phone and email. To go along with this, my sales past makes it easy for me to cold call potential clients. Of course, you can develop your communication skills over time regardless of your past.

3. The way that you market your services will effect how much work you receive. This building block needs to be solid, and remember, it can and will change from time to time. When I first started working as a freelance writer, my marketing plan was not nearly as advanced as it is today. But guess what? The plan that I put in place during my first week on the job is one that I still fall back on every so often.

These three building blocks will give you the best possible chance of growing a successful freelance writing career. Before you jump ahead of yourself and begin to dream about hitting it big, make sure that you have these details lined up.

This is not the first time that I have addressed this question. But since I have received so many emails in the past week concerning low paying freelance writing jobs, I figured that it was time to revisit the topic.

Whether or not you accept low paying projects depends on many factors. In my opinion, if you are struggling to find work and are not insulted by working for lower wages, you should definitely move forward with this type of project. After all, it is better to build your skills and get paid, if only a little bit, than to sit around and hope that a big time project falls into your lap.

One thing that people always forget to include when emailing me this question is what they mean by “low paying.” A $5 per article job may seem like a joke if you live in the United States and rely on your freelance writing income to support yourself. But on the other side of the world, this could be considered an above average payment.

When pondering this question, make sure that you are being honest with yourself. In other words, make sure that you are not being unrealistic in how much money you want to earn. While it would be nice if I could earn $1/word on every project that I take on, this is far from realistic. I cannot expect to earn this much from everybody, and remember, not every client has a large budget.

If you spend time on any of the freelance writing message boards, you will have no problems finding a large influx of people who are against writing for low wages. While I agree with them to a certain extent, new writers need to break in where they can. As of I have said in the past, my first job was writing 400 to 500 word articles for $1 apiece. Was I crazy for doing this? Looking back, it is easy to say that I was not earning what I was worth. But at the time all I knew was that I had to get my foot in the door. That project gave me valuable samples which I used time after time to secure higher paying jobs.

Don’t let anybody influence whether or not you accept low paying jobs. Set a minimum that you are willing to work for, and then go from there. Soon enough you will have a solid grip on what the market can bear, and how much you are worth as a freelance writer.

As I have mentioned before, there are many different types of freelance writing projects available. The more that you are willing to consider the better chance there is that you will get your career moving in the right direction. With that being said, one common question comes to mind: what is better, writing for the web or print publications? As you can imagine, the answer to this question varies greatly. The best way to answer this question is to consider the factors that are tied to each option.

Writing for the web has become very popular over the past few years for several. First and foremost, the old cliché “content is king” definitely holds true when it comes to the internet. Every webmaster needs content in order to succeed, and if you can offer a quality service at an affordable price you will be able to find plenty of work.

Additionally, many freelance writers find it much easier to locate work online. In most cases, work can be found on forums such as DigitalPoint, bidding sites such as GetAFreelancer, or through a personal website. This is in contrast to print jobs that usually only come from a query letter of some sort.

On the down side of things, most of the work that is completed online will be in a ghostwriting capacity. In other words, your name usually will not appear on the work. If this is going to be a problem for you, staying away from writing for the web may be a good idea.

When it comes to print publications, you will almost always receive a byline. In fact, I have never written a magazine or newspaper article in which my name has not appeared next to the work. If you like to see your name in print, this is the way to go.

Additionally, many people feel that they are not a “real” freelance writer unless they can physically show off their work. While this is far from being the truth, it is the mind frame that many writers have.

On the downside of things, as noted earlier, it can be more difficult to break into print publications. Not only can it be more difficult to break in, but the work that goes into this can be quite extensive. After all, it can take a lot of time to write a killer query letter.

But which one pays better?

When it comes down to it, most new freelance writers will opt for the markets that pay the best. Although this feeling usually goes away after you are established, there will always be something inside telling you to chase the highest paying jobs.

Generally speaking, there is no way of saying which pays better, web or print. At this time, I have one web client that pays me $.20/word for daily content. Is this my best paying job? No. But with that being said, it offers a lot because the work is not backbreaking.

Of course, there are hundreds of print publications that pay better than $1/word. As you can imagine, this is just about as good as it gets. But even though the pay is great, you need to weigh the time and effort it will take you to break into these markets.

Personally, I like to keep a good mix of both web and print clients. This gives me the ability to work on a wide range of projects, while also taking advantage of the benefits of both options.

Last month, my freelance writing income totaled $7,532.21; a number that I was quite happy with. While I would love to earn this much every month, you are probably well aware that there is no such thing as a steady income when you are working as a freelance writer.

Historically, the internet tends to slow down during this time of the year. This is due in large part to the weather warming up, and more people spending time away from their computer. With that being said, my income usually stays pretty much the same during the spring and summer months. After all, people always need content, right?

My April income came up short when compared to last month, but did work out to my second highest total of 2008:

Number of Completed Projects: 11
Payment by PayPal: 10
Payment by Check: 0
Payment by Bank Wire: 1
Total Income: $5,842.42

As you can see, my income was approximately $1,700 less in April than March. What do I attribute this to, you may ask? Well, the first thing that I see is a drop off in the number of completed projects. This month I was only paid for 11 projects, whereas last month this number was more than 20. With that being said, the level of work that I completed in April was pretty much the same as always. The only difference was that some clients did not send payment as quickly as usual. As I am happy with the clients that I am currently working with, there was no reason to pressure them for payment. I am 100 percent confident that they will send the money this month.

What is in store for May? At this point, I am reasonably confident that I will exceed $7k in income this month. Is this going to be easy? Of course not. But with that being said, as noted earlier, I do have some payments coming this month for projects that I completed at the end of April. Even though $7k or more would be nice, as long as I hit $4,500 you won’t hear any complaining from me!

To stay up to date with my progress and learn to earn a living through freelance writing, subscribe to my RSS feed. Additionally, if you have a spare second, I would appreciate a Stumble and/or Digg. My income report is always the most popular of the month, and I want to keep things that way! 

Many people are under the impression that they need a lot of past experience in order to become a freelance writer. While there is no denying that this can help, it is far from being a prerequisite. Experience is one of the most common topics that aspiring writers want to discuss with me. Everybody has a unique background, some with experience and some without, but my answer to them is always the same: experience can help you early on, but it is not necessary in becoming a freelance writer.

But prospective clients are asking for samples?

This can be a difficult issue to deal with. As you probably know, before a client will bring you onboard they usually ask for samples of your work. If you have nothing to send them because you are new to the industry, how do you get around this? Even if you have never been a freelance writer before, there is a chance that you still have some samples lying around. Have you ever written a term paper for school? How about an article for a past employer? Anything that you have composed in the past can be used as a sample; it does not have to be a past freelance writing project.

Additionally, there is nothing wrong with writing a sample or two before you start to search for clients. No, you do not have anybody asking for these pieces and you won’t get paid, but it would work to your advantage to have a variety of samples that you can send on demand. Chances are that a client will want to see your style and ability; in most cases they will not care who you completed the work for.

Do you have a lot of Experience?

Of course, if you have a lot of past experience, you will definitely want to play this up when you are jumping into freelance writing. For instance, many people who have experience writing for a daily paper before eventually move into freelance writing. If you have this type of experience, you definitely want to let clients know about it. The same thing holds true if you were responsible for writing related tasks at past jobs.

As noted earlier, writing experience is not necessary, but it can be used to your advantage. There is nothing wrong with touting yourself as an experienced writer if you think that it can help you to more easily transition into the freelance writing world.

There is no reason that a lack of experience should hold you back from chasing a career as a freelance writer. Anybody can put together a few samples, and in turn begin to build a career from scratch.  

When putting together a freelance writing query letter, you are more or less attempting to sell yourself to a particular editor. If you do this with success, you have a good chance of landing a gig. The question is: where do you draw the line between selling yourself and going overboard? Remember, you are writing a query letter not a sales letter.

Here are five details that you want to include in your query letter. By touching on these areas, you will be able to sell your services without being overbearing:

1. Show your experience first and foremost. This can be tricky if you are new to freelance writing, but even then, if you are creative it is possible. Editors want to see that you have experience as a writer; this will put them at ease when assigning you a project.

2. Although writing experience is important, if you can show that you have relevant experience you will be in a much better position. For instance, when querying sports publications I always include information on my two in-print sports books. This shows that I have worked within the niche in the past, and that I am more than capable of doing so again in the future.

3. Do you have connections that you can call on to spice up the piece? This is a big plus, and one that may get you the nod over your competition. When you can include an interview or quotes from a big name in the industry, editors will definitely consider working with you. Don’t think you have any connections? Chances are that if you think long and hard you can come up with a few people who you can easily get in touch with; it just takes some creativity.

4. For more in-depth pieces, you will want to sell your research skills. You can do this once again by talking about past projects that required extensive research, interviews, etc. This will not always be a benefit that you want to include in your letter, but more times than not it will help your situation.

5. Feel free to add information on past accomplishments such as awards. If you are going to do this, make sure that you don’t go overboard or come across as if you are bragging. This can be hard to avoid, but you must make sure that you resist the temptation.

Does this seem like a lot of information to include in a query letter? If so, you are right. Remember, your letter should be no longer than one page. Although it may seem impossible to include all of these details, you can make it happen if you take your time and put your mind to it. 

Freelance writers often times struggle when it comes to setting fees. Just like any other business, you need to have a fee schedule and then stick to it day in and day out. This is not to say that you can never change your rates, but you do need a schedule to fall back on when a potential client gets in touch with you.

One of the biggest issues that you will face as a freelance writer is getting clients to pay the rates that you set. Even if they think that you are being fair, most clients will ask for a discount just to see if they can get it; this is common in almost every industry, not just freelance writing. The question is: what are you supposed to do when your freelance writing fees are contested by a prospect?

1. Many freelance writers are of the school that they give their fees and only work with those who accept them. In other words, there is no negotiating. While there is nothing wrong with this, and I know many freelancers who feel this way, I am not one of them. With that being said, I do not lower my fees for just anybody. In order for this to happen, a special situation has to present itself. If you feel that your fees are fair and inline with what you offer, you have every right to stick to your guns and only do business with clients who are willing to meet this demand.

2. Should you have to explain yourself to potential buyers? This is a highly contested question among many freelance writers who I speak with on a regular basis. It is not uncommon for a prospect to ask why you are worth what you are asking. No, you do not have to answer this question, but if you decide to move in this direction there is a very small chance of you receiving the project. Instead, you may want to use a “canned” response such as: My rates are on par with others in the industry. Additionally, I bring X amount of experience to the table, and have completed several projects within your niche in the past. With two quick sentences you can show that you are not overcharging, and that you are more than an average writer with no experience.

Early in my freelance writing career, I always got annoyed when a prospective client would tell me that my fees were outrageous. In fact, I heard this so much that I almost began to believe it. Listen up: do not let others tell you how much to charge. You know how much you are worth, and it is your business. Just as your client sets their own fee schedule, you have every right to do the same.

Nowadays when a prospect tells me that I am overcharging, I briefly explain myself (as noted above) and then wait for their response. If they want to move forward at my agreed upon price or negotiate a bit, that is fine. But for those who still think that I am out of my mind, I tell them to keep me in mind for future work and then move on.

If your freelance writing fees are not being contested you may not be asking enough money. Although that may sound silly, it is the truth. Remember, you are the one who runs your business. Set your freelance writing fees as you see fit, and then work from there. 

Although you can earn a lot of money as a freelancer, you should consider moving in this career direction for the “fun of it” as well. When it comes down to it, being a freelancer in any capacity can be a fun and exciting position in many ways. Personally, I would never consider continuing my work as a freelance writer if I were not having a good time.

The question is: how is being a freelancer fun? There are three things that come to my mind when I think of fun and freelancing:

1. It is fun to work with a wide variety of people. As a freelance writer, I have clients all over the world. One second I may be speaking on the phone with a client in Ireland, and the next via email with somebody in a bordering state. Additionally, freelancing gives you the chance to learn about many different industries. There are some days when I write one article on the insurance industry and then another on travel. This diversity keeps my days fresh and fun at all times.

2. I find that it is a lot of fun to work at home and set my own schedule. Can this ever be a pain in the neck? Sure can. But for the most part, having my office a few feet away from my bedroom is a great benefit of being a full-time freelance writer. Many may not feel this way, but until you give it a try you will never know for sure.

3. As a freelance writer I have the chance to wear many different hats. To me, this may be the most exciting part of freelancing. Writing content takes up the majority of my time, but my responsibilities definitely do not end there. I also enjoy other aspects of this career such as marketing, accounting, client communication and much more. The chance to “do it all” is a huge benefit of being a freelancer.

As you can see, becoming a freelancer (writing or not) can be a great career thanks to the fun that you can have. And of course, the money is not bad either!