The income range of freelance writers spans from less than $100 per month to more than $10,000 per month. As you can imagine, it would be much better if your freelance writing income was at the top of that scale. Luckily, when most people start a freelance writing career they are well aware that there are many potential downfalls that they are going to have to deal with. In other words, nobody thinks that freelance writing is a get rich quick scheme. And if you do, you should definitely reconsider this notion.
To give you an idea of how a freelance writing income can progress, I am going to talk a little bit more about my success over the years. In my first month as a freelance writer I earned less than $100. And although this was nothing to write home about, it was encouraging nonetheless. Even this small amount showed me that there was money to be had if I put my mind to it.
From there, I set one goal and one goal only. For the next 4 to 6 months I wanted to increase my income each month; even if it was only by a few dollars. Luckily, I met this goal with plenty of room to spare. At the end of my fourth month as a freelance writer I tallied my income, and to my surprise, I earned a little more than $2,800. One month later, this increased to more than $3,500. While this may seem like a lot of success early on, there are many freelance writers who have moved up faster and further than me. In fact, I would venture to guess that my income is not even among the highest in the industry.Â
At this time, my freelance writing income fluctuates from month to month; as you would expect. The majority of months I finish with somewhere between $6,000 and $8,000 of income. Of course, I have to pay taxes out of this, etc. When I add other money to this, such as income from blogs, you can see why I rave about what the internet has done for me over the past few years.
If you are an aspiring freelance writer, or blogger for that matter, take the time to realize that you are not going to start at the top. By setting goals and working hard to meet them, your freelance writing career will grow month after month until you have reached a comfortable income level.
My Associated Content posts have been getting a lot of hits, so I wanted to add another quick one. I have talked a lot about what Associated Content has to offer, how much I earn, etc. But for some reason, I have yet to say why you should sign up.
Here are three reasons that all freelance writers should consider becoming a content producer for Associated Content.
1. You can make a name for yourself. Believe it or not, some Associated Content articles get tens of thousands of page views. As you can imagine, if your articles become popular, you are going to get exposure. In turn, this could lead to other freelance writing jobs in the future.
2. There are no other services similar to Associated Content. You can write about whatever you want, and if it suits their criteria, you are more than likely going to make money. No, you do not get paid the best rates, but any money is better than no money.
3. Associated Content is perfect for everybody. No matter if you are a part-time freelance writer, full-time freelance writer, or just dabbling for fun, Associated Content will suit all of your needs. There are no requirements on quantity or deadlines to adhere to. Write when you want, take time off when you want.
Hopefully, these three reasons will show you why every freelance writer should give Associated Content a try. Remember, until you submit a few articles and experience the community togetherness, you will not totally understand what Associated Content has to offer.Â
After my post on dealing with angry clients, in which I talk a bit about getting paid in advance, I have had some inquiries as to whether or not this is a good idea. If you want to check out that post, head over to https://www.chrisblogging.com/dealing-with-angry-clients/
Anyway, there are two ways of looking at getting paid in advance. Whereas there are many benefits of this, there are also some downfalls that may or may not bother you. And in some cases, you are going to have to work with your client to find a happy medium that is mutually beneficial.
First off, let’s talk about the benefits of getting paid in advance. Obviously, it is nice to have the money up front because you know that you will not get scammed in the long run. For a lot of people, this is the number one reason that they like to ask for an upfront payment; and I do not blame them. If you have ever completed a large freelance writing project, just to get stiffed in the end, it can be a huge disappointment. Not to mention the fact that it can greatly affect your income.
Another benefit of up front payment is that you have the money available to you if need be. If your freelance writing career has yet to take off, the more money that you have access to the better off you are going to be.
On the other side of things, you need to be aware that getting paid in advance for freelance writing has some downsides as well. For instance, what happens if you get paid in advance, and the client hates what you send them? Sort of like what I chronicled in the blog post listed above. When this happens, you are sitting in a bad spot. It is nice that you have the money, but if your client is angry you will be forced to work things out with them. And if you do not, they are going to want refunded right away. Again, this opens up a whole new can of worms. Should you have to refund the entire amount? What if you already spent the money?
A lot of freelance writers are in the habit of wanting to ask for payment in advance. Personally, I play this by ear. If I have been working with a client, and am confident that they will like my work, taking prepayment is something that I will feel comfortable with. But with new clients, I usually like to hold off until the job is done.
I have found over the years that breaking payments down is a great way to agree on terms with your client. If you have a $500 job, ask for $250 up front and then the rest upon completion. This will keep both you and your client safe, and will start the relationship off with mutual trust.
As a freelance writer, you need to decide whether or not prepayments are something that you want to deal with. It is not a decision to take lightly!
