Staying organized is very important. To do so, I keep a freelance writing schedule by my side at all times. This may sound like a bit much, but it isn’t. In fact, without my schedule/to-do list by my side I would be lost for the most part. For new freelance writers this may not hold much weight. But once you begin to obtain more projects and increase your client base, it is very important to stay organized through the use of a schedule.
Does this mean that you should schedule all of your freelance writing work? In some cases yes, in some cases no. On my schedule I have a list of all the projects that need to be completed on a given day. Additionally, I usually work in the same order everyday. This is not necessary, but for some reason it helps me to work more efficiently.
Of course, there are days when it is difficult to follow my freelance writing schedule as much as I would like. This happens when a new project comes into a play, or a client asks for an edit, etc. In this case, my schedule changes a bit, but even then it allows me to see what needs to be done for the day to be a success.
In addition to the jobs that I need to complete, my freelance writing schedule also outlines my marketing plan for the day, as well as details surrounding my own projects, such as this blog.
In the past, I worked without a freelance writing schedule. And it is safe to say that many of you do the same. Soon enough I found that I was forgetting projects, and making things too difficult on myself. Upon implementing a schedule all of this stopped. In turn, I became more efficient and found it easy to manage my time.
I strongly urge you to keep a freelance writing schedule if you do not already do so. This is as easy as writing a to-do list on a sticky note and posting in next to your keyboard. For most freelance writers, the time that it takes to keep a schedule outweighs any drawbacks of doing so.
Over the past few weeks I have been working on a special project in addition to my usual freelance writing duties, etc. The end result is “The Full-Time Freelance Writer Report.†Generally speaking, this is a 25 page report that touches on many aspects of starting and sustaining a successful freelance writing career. As you can imagine, I could write hundreds of pages on the topic of freelance writing, but the point of the report was to be sweet and to the point. After all, most freelance writers do not have the time to read hundreds of pages. It is much easier to get the right information while passing over the fluff.
While I am not charging to download the report, there is one catch (but not really). In order to gain access to the download page, as well as the password, you must first subscribe to ChrisBlogging.com via email. Upon doing so, the download page and corresponding password will be emailed to you.
But what if I already subscribed? In this case, all you need to do is send an email to info (at) chrisblogging.com with the subject “password.†From there, I will send you the link to the download page and the password that you need to gain access.
Several people have already asked why I am not charging a fee. Simply put, I don’t want this to be seen as nothing more than another e-book. Instead, I want people to download the report and feel confident that it will help them in some way, shape, or form. And if it doesn’t help, you didn’t lose any money in the process.
If you have a spare moment, link back to this post or pass it along to your friends. The more downloads the better!
Remember, freelance writers do more than write. One of your main tasks outside of writing is customer service. Within this, you need to make sure that you agree on project details with each client before moving forward. This may not sound important, but it is. If you and your client are not on the same page, you are more than likely causing problems for yourself down the road.
What project details should you agree on with your clients? In my opinion, there are two areas on which you should concentrate:
1. Price and payment. How much are you charging for the job, and when you are getting paid? This is an important detail to every freelance writer no matter the project. Do not be shy when it comes to discussing payment. It is better for both parties to know the exact fee and payment details before getting started. In an ideal scenario you will receive payment upfront when dealing with new clients. But in some cases you may have to negotiate on this.
2. What exactly are you doing for the client? Details can be misconstrued if you do not have the right conversation before starting. You need to collect information on what the client wants from you and then double check it with them before getting started.
For instance, a client may ask for a 500 word sales letter, send you the money, and then tell you to get started. And while this looks good on the surface, you still don’t know what they really want. What topic are you writing on? How many headlines and sub-headers are you supposed to use? Do you need to add images or graphs? These are all details that need discussed upfront so that you do not complete the project just to find that you were totally off base.
Believe it or not, most clients also want to agree on the above details before starting a project. Just as you do not want any delays or misunderstandings, they more than likely feel the same way. If you keep an open line of communications and concentrate on the two details above, you will get off on the right foot with each and every freelance writing project that you accept.
