Chris, how do freelance writers spend their days? I can’t tell you how many emails I have received asking this same question. Every time I get an email like this it gets me excited. Why? Simply put, if somebody is asking this question they are probably very close to making the leap into the freelance writing industry. With that being said, this is a difficult question to answer because no two days are ever the same.
Even though it would be impossible to show everything that I do throughout the day, here is a basic outline. Keep in mind that this changes from day to day.
6:45 am
This is when I get out of bed on most days, including the weekends. Of course, this changes based on what I have going on that day, as well as what I did the day before. I love getting up early because it gives me plenty of time to work, while also giving the feeling that my productivity is at its highest.
For the first hour or so of the day I read and respond to emails, get together anything I need for the day, and take a look over the to-do list that I created the day before.
7:45 am
At this time I begin to work through my list of items that need to be completed for the day. How long does this take, you may ask? Well, this all depends on the length and depth of the list. As I am writing this, there are nine items that need to be taken care of. Some of them are as extensive as writing a feature article, and others are nothing more than research.
On most days, I have all of my work out of the way by 11:00 am. This is when I move away from my freelance writing tasks, and start to work on other projects such as this blog, sites I am developing, etc. For the most part, this lasts until 4:00 pm.
4:00 pm
Generally speaking, this is when my day ends. Of course, I usually find myself back at the computer for a few hours in the evening to check email, read message boards, or research new ideas. Before closing everything down, I always make sure that my to-do list for the next day is complete. I like having this done the day before as opposed to having to deal with it in the morning.
As mentioned above, the amount of time and order that I work changes on a regular basis. But if you are interested in my basic freelance writing work schedule, this is it.
Let me introduce you to what I like to call “high profit freelance writing.†Have you ever heard this phrase used before? My definition of this is not hard to understand. Generally speaking, high profit freelance writing for me is all about finding jobs that equate to an acceptable hourly wage. Let me explain in more detail…
I know some freelance writers who like to charge clients on an hourly rate; this has never been my style. In my opinion, having an hourly rate causes more problems than good. When a client touches base with me, I collect all the details of the project and then give them a per project price. But when I am doing this, I actually have an hourly rate in mind that I am hoping to earn.
For example, a mid-sized business recently contacted me for a quote on a 500 word sales letter. While I could have given them a fee within a matter of seconds, I instead took the time to gather details to make sure that the job would fit into the high profit category. After receiving these details, I came to the conclusion that the project would take approximately two hours to complete. Since I usually charge between $100 and $200 for this type of project, it was obvious from the get-go that I was going to make a lot of money on the deal. By charging $100 for the project, my rate would have worked out to $50/hour; charging $200 would have been $100/hour. Both of which are more than acceptable by my standards of high profit freelance writing. I offered to do the job for $150, and the client quickly accepted. In the end, it took me about two hours to complete the job; just what I had estimated.
Of course, not all of my freelance writing projects are this profitable. But fortunately, some of them are. When deciding whether or not to accept a job, you need to consider this high profit theory. I never accept or turn down a job until I write down a project cost estimate, time of completion estimate, and then work out the hourly rate. After doing this, it becomes much clearer as to whether or not I should move forward with the project.
If you can regularly accept projects that work out to an acceptable hourly wage, it is safe to say that you will make a solid freelance writing income from day one.
Working as a freelance writer means that you must be your own collection agency. In other words, there is nobody else to collect money from clients; this is your job. Luckily, most clients are good about paying what they owe on time. But just like any industry, there are going to be times when a client tries to stiff you. In order to decrease the chances of this happening, follow the five points listed below:
1. Demand a certain percentage of payment up front. This does not have to be the entire amount, but should be substantial. Most freelance writers agree that anywhere from one-third to one-half payment is fine. In the past I trusted people entirely too much. In turn, this resulted in several projects that I have yet to be paid for. You are much better off demanding some money up front. Explain why you are doing this, and work with the client to agree on reasonable terms. Once a client pays you once, you know that you can trust them in the future for the most part.
2. Keep in mind that situations do arise that will push payment back. Even if you mark on your invoice that payment should be made within 30 days, this may not happen. Some companies only cut checks once per month, and others are simply slow. If you do not get paid right away, do not accuse the client of scamming you. Instead, send a nice notice.
3. If possible, sign a contract with your client. As you probably know, this is not necessary or possible with every job that you take. After all, you are not going to draft a contract for one keyword article. But from my experiences, larger jobs should be backed by a contract. In most cases, you may not even have to do this as your client may beat you to it. Of course, before you sign a contract presented by a client, you should make sure that you agree to the terms.
4. Talk about payment with your client before you start the job; this goes along with number one above. Not only should you ask for some money up front, but also get an idea as to how you will get paid. Will the client send you a check? Do they use PayPal? These are all details to consider. When you open the lines of communication before the project starts, the chances of a problem later on is much less.
5. Although not always easy, try to dig into the clients past. With the help of the internet this is not as difficult as it once was. You won’t believe how many times I have had somebody contact me, just to ask around and find out that they are a fraud.
These five tips should help you to get paid soon after completing a freelance writing job. Just remember, every situation is different and should be dealt with accordingly.Â
