Are you afraid to ask other freelance writers for help? If so, you are missing out on a great resource for high quality information and leads. Early in my career I spent a lot of time sending emails to other freelance writers, and of course, talking to them on the phone. This is not to say that you should rely on others for every step and detail, but there is nothing wrong with asking for help from time to time.
What do I do when asked for help by a fellow freelance writer? This all depends on what I am being asked, and how much I feel I can assist. Just last week I spent an hour on the phone with a new freelance writer who I had never met before. She sent me an email asking for help, and I answered as many questions as I could while also letting her know that I would be glad to speak by phone if she would like. Within a couple of minutes we were having a conversation, and I hope that I was able to help in more ways than one.
Many freelance writers do not ask others for help because they have no idea how to go about doing this. If you are stuck in this situation, keep the following tips and details in mind.
1. Do not feel like you are bothering a freelance writer by sending an email. The worst that could happen would be that you do not hear back. From my experience, most freelance writers will do what they can to help others. With that being said, you want to make sure that you ask precise and direct questions. Not only will this help to ensure that you get the answers that you are looking for, but it will allow the recipient to help you out without having to read too much into your inquiry.
2. If you are friendly and respectful you have a much better chance of receiving a reply. As I have mentioned in the past, many “freelance writers†send me emails telling me that my income is nothing compared to theirs. But guess what? Two lines later they are saying, “By the way, can you tell me how you earn so much?†If you want a response, make sure that you are friendly; it will go a long way.
You never know what type of relationship you are going to strike up by sending emails to other freelance writers asking for help. I have met many people this way, and have sent plenty of work to those who have contacted me.
Remember, if you never ask for help you are never going to receive it!
Sunday is the day of rest, right? If this is true, why do so many freelance writers work on this day of the week? While I would like to say that I am not one of them, in most cases it would be a lie. This is not to say that I work every single Sunday, but in most cases I put in some time in one way or the next.
What are the benefits of working on Sundays? For me, there is a couple. First things first, I can get an early jump on the week. By working a few hours on Sunday, my Monday work load will be much less daunting. Additionally, by cutting out some of the work that I need to do early in the week, I can spend that free time marketing my services, working on other projects, etc.
Another benefit of working on Sundays is the ability to move through my work without many distractions. During the regular work week there are emails coming in at a high rate, as well as phone calls from clients to answer. But on Sundays, since most people are not working, I can do my own thing without many outside distractions. I don’t mind answering emails or telephone calls, but being able to go through a day without having to worry about this is nice.
If you are going to do some freelance writing work on Sundays, make sure that you do not overdo it. Early in my career I was working seven days a week. Although I was getting a lot done and it helped me to get to where I am today, it was also difficult in many ways. Instead of working a full day on Sunday, try three or four hours. This way you can get some work done without having to give up your entire day. After all, everybody needs to rest!
As a beginning freelance writer, try this tip. Choose three markets that intrigue you, and then concentrate on finding work within them. By focusing on three topics, you will be able to take advantage of many benefits.
When choosing topics, make sure that they are ones that you enjoy. After all, you do not want to get stuck with projects that are not up your alley. Of course, you should never turn down work that you think you are capable of completing. This is why I suggest choosing three topics. By doing this, there will always be plenty of companies and publications to call on.
Even though I have been a full-time freelance writer for a few years, I still dabble in the topics on my list from early in my career. They include: sports, small business, and insurance. Within a couple of months of starting my career, I also added real estate to my list. This is a subject that has always been of interest to me, and since I landed a few jobs in this niche early on, it only made sense to expand.
I know it can be difficult for new freelancers to choose three topics that they want to write about. The reasons for this are well documented: you do not want to narrow down your choices so far that you cannot find work. And of course, you may not know which topics you want to write about.
Remember, this is not law. It is simply a solid suggestion that will give you some direction during the early days of your freelance writing career. By all means, do not feel like you can only take jobs that pertain to the three topics on your target list. I have accepted a large share of projects over the years on subjects that were not particularly interesting to me. But as long as I can learn something and the project meets my pay requirements, it is worth a shot.
