As my freelance writing business continues to expand I am always looking for ways to work in a more efficient manner. This leads to more time in the day for additional projects and marketing. Many freelance writers have a difficult time working in an efficient manner. I think this is something that everybody deals with at some point in their career, freelancer or not.
Here are three things that I have done to become a more efficient freelance writer:
1. Rise early. This has worked well for me, even though some freelance writers are against it. By waking up early in the morning, usually around 6 am, I have the chance to get a big jump on the workday. If you are sleeping away the better part of your day you should try getting up early a few mornings. You may be surprised at how much more efficient this makes you.
2. Use a to-do list. As I have said many times in the past, if you want to become a more efficient freelance writer you need to rely on lists. My to-do list keeps me on track from the moment I wake up until I stop working for the day. It is very important to know what is on the agenda, as well as the order in which you should work.
3. Try out different processes. You may think that you are working efficiently until you try something else and realize that you have been missing the boat. Change is not always a bad thing. Experiment with different ways of approaching your day. Remember, you can always go back to your original plan if your changes don’t work out.
As you become a more efficient freelance writer you will find yourself earning more money and having more fun.Â
As I search open freelance writing positions on a regular basis, the following statement (or something similar) is popping up more and more: you will get paid X dollars for accepted work only. When I see this I never apply for the job. It simply isn’t worth the hassle for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, when I begin working with a new client I like to know for sure that I will be paid. Asking for upfront payment is one way of making sure that this happens. With the type of job detailed above, not only are you not getting paid upfront but you may never receive a dime from the “client.†Instead, you are only receiving payment for accepted work.
The question is: how is the client going to decide what to accept and what to reject? This is subjective, and can end up burning you big time in the end. I have spoke with many freelancers who have put many hours into similar projects just to find that the client hates the work and will give them no chance to edit it. The end result is a lot of lost time and no money.
It is my practice to avoid jobs that have this type of clause. Since I always ask for upfront payment of some sort, these positions would not work out for me anyway. Not to mention the fact that I find them to be too big a risk.
Do any of you have experience with these types of jobs? If so, I would love to hear how things worked out for you. Feel free to share in the comments section so we can all learn from your experience.
There are many ways to get paid as a freelance writer. The ones that I am most familiar with are PayPal, bank wire, and check. Many freelancers do not like to be paid by check, but I have found this to be quite popular among many clients. Even though there are both pros and cons of payment by check, I usually don’t have any problem with this.
Pros
1. You don’t have to pay any sort of fees. When I receive payment via PayPal or bank wire I have to pay a fee. Even though it is only a few dollars here and there, it does add up over the course of the month. In fact, there are some months when I pay more than $200 in fees. This is the cost of doing business, so I don’t fret over it. That being said, with payment by check this never comes into play.
2. It is a simple process. Receiving a check is easy to do. Tell your client who to make the check out to and your address, and you will receive payment in a few days. This is easier when compared to other options, such as a bank wire, which requires bank account information.
Cons
1. It is not instant. Unlike PayPal and bank wires, payment by check takes a little bit more time. Of course, the mail is pretty quick in the United States. Even clients on the other side of the country can usually get me a check within three days. But all in all, you still have to wait.
2. You have to go to the bank to deposit the money. This is not a huge disadvantage, but something that you will have to do when you receive payment by check. With PayPal and bank wires the money arrives in your account without ever having to leave home; many freelance writers love this.
There are pros and cons of payment by check. Even though you may not like this payment option as much as the others, you should never turn it down. It is better to get paid by check than not at all.
