Members of my freelance writing course are probably tired of answering this question: which projects do you enjoy the most? This is something I ask at least once per week. Sure, it may be overkill, but it is a very important question to answer time and time again. When you know which projects you enjoy you can focus on finding those that fit the mold.
What you enjoy working on is up to you. Just because I enjoy writing feature articles does not mean you will feel the same way. Every freelance writer is unique in the types of projects that they like to take on.
Try this exercise. Write down all the different types of freelance writing projects you have completed over the past few months. From there, rate them on a scale of 1 – 10 with 10 being most enjoyable. This will give you a good idea of which projects you enjoyed, which ones you don’t want to take on again, and which ones are somewhere in the middle.
This does not mean you should only accept projects that you enjoy; at least not for beginners. When you are trying to build your career you want to get experience in a number of different areas. How will you know if you like or dislike writing sales letters until you give them a shot? You won’t. Until you have a solid base and know for sure that you can generate clients that offer the projects you enjoy the most, be open to anything and everything that comes your way.
If you do not know which projects you enjoy the most try to figure this out over the next few days. It is an important question to answer because it will go a long way in helping you shape the direction of your career.
So many people want to become a freelance writer but never get started. They keep telling themselves that “now is not the time.†Making excuses is easy. There is no denying that it can be difficult to take a leap of faith and decide that now is the time to become a freelance writer. But if you have the courage, you will be taking the first step in finding a career that you truly enjoy.
Here are three reasons why now is a good time to become a freelance writer:
1. Your job may not be as secure as you think. This may or may not be the case with you – only you know where you stand with your employer. But remember, when you work as a freelance writer you don’t have anybody who can cut off your entire income within a matter of seconds. You are in charge of your career. For most, this is very refreshing.
2. There are many markets to get involved with. With so many clients out there you should be able to find a freelance writing niche that you enjoy. This can be anything from web content to feature articles to sales material and much more. Don’t let anybody tell you that the freelance writing industry is small; this is definitely not the case.
3. The potential for big money is available. You don’t have to stay put and get paid whatever your employer decides to offer. There is nothing wrong with the “security†of knowing that your paycheck is coming from the same place every month, for the same amount. But if you really want to take control of your income, becoming a freelance writer allows you to do just that.
Do any of these reasons hit home with you? If so, quit thinking about becoming a freelance writer and do something about it.Â
A lot of you guys and gals have expressed an interested in learning more about the freelance writer – client relationship. If this is something that is on your mind you are not alone. It is important for your clients to feel comfortable with you at all times. Not only does this make things better for them, but it does the same for you along the way.
Feeling comfortable means something different to every client. This is why you need to be open to every type of relationship. Some clients may want to feel 100 percent comfortable calling you on the phone at any time of the day to ask a question. Others may not care about this, but want to know that you are always on the same page as them. Simply put, it is part of your job to know what your clients want and then to make them feel at home with you at all times. This is often times easier said than done.
It is important to remember that it takes time to forge a solid relationship. In other words, don’t expect a new client to feel comfortable with you from day one. It should be your goal to make this happen over the course of many weeks or months. Soon enough you will begin to realize that you are comfortable working with the client. From there, you can only hope that they feel the same way.
How will I ever know for sure? Don’t be afraid to ask your clients for feedback. There is nothing wrong with sending a quick email asking a client if they are comfortable with your relationship and the work you have been doing for them. This is the number one way to learn exactly where you stand.
Hopefully this information will help you realize just how important it is for your clients to feel comfortable with you.Â
