A lot of my blog posts go into depth about how to start a freelance writing career, how to market your services, how much money you can earn, and other similar topics. Sometimes I forget that there are more basic things to think about; especially for those who are starting a freelance writing career. For instance, learning about the many details of freelance writing is very important. You are never too old or too experienced to learn. I have been a freelance writer for many years, and I still take the time to learn as much as possible.
Learning about freelance writing is relatively easy. I found this out as I was starting my own career. Here are three things that I did:
1. I used the internet as much as possible. Anytime I had a question about freelance writing, no matter what it was, I turned to the internet to find an answer. This led me to many quality websites and blogs, as well as others who I am still friends with today. The internet is the place to turn when you have questions about freelance writing.
2. Books. Even though there is tons of information available online, you don’t want to overlook the hundreds of good freelance writing books that are out there. Even though this means spending some money, it is for the advancement of your career.
3. Talk to other freelance writers. I have said this many times over. You have to speak with others who know more about the industry. When I was starting out as a freelance writer I had a few “mentors†who would answer my questions, point me in the right direction, etc. Do whatever it takes to find somebody who can help you in this capacity.
There are many ways to learn about freelance writing. The three ways above will allow you to take in information from day one.
In the past I have talked about how cheap it is to be a freelance writer. Once you get setup and have what you need there are not many expenses that come about. That being said, don’t be tricked into thinking that you will never spend money. Just like any business, there are expenses that will come about from time to time. Some of them you will see coming. Others will pop up on you out of nowhere.
It is very important to save money in your business bank account for freelance writing expenses. This way you have the money available to pay for anything that comes up. You may also want to start saving more if you are aware of a large expense in the near future. For instance, you may be in need of a new computer and printer within the next few months. In this case, you should set aside extra money every month to ensure that you have what you need when the time comes.
I don’t want to preach on this subject too much. After all, I am not a financial planner and everybody has their own way of budgeting. But I do want every freelance writer to remember that expenses can and will present themselves over the course of the year.
Freelance writing is a very cheap career, and if you are lucky you won’t have to part with much money. But if an expense does come about, you need to be in position to take care of it without much hassle and stress.
There is a good chance that you are not having a lot of success because your freelance writing marketing plan is out of order. This is something that many struggling writers never think about. Instead, they believe that there are not enough clients to go around. As a freelance writer you will face competition from others. It is how you deal with this that will determine the success you have in the near future.
If your marketing approach is not producing results you have to make the necessary changes. Those who do will find themselves in better position. Those who don’t may get left behind for the time being.
What are you doing right now in terms of marketing? This is the first question to answer. If you know what you are doing you can easily chart what is working and what is not. It should not be difficult to pinpoint where you are excelling and where you are struggling.
Now that you know where you stand, you can map out a better future. Do you need to put more time into cold calling? How about query letters? You should have a clear path once you begin to change your approach. If you don’t, you are still doing something wrong. The bottom line is simple: your marketing plan has to be one that you can rely on to move you from stage to stage. If something is missing or you are not confident in your plan, it is important to make changes and go through a trial and error process until you find the right ideas.
Is everything working for you right now? If so, don’t mess with your freelance writing marketing plan. Once you settle in and find results coming your way there is no reason to make a change. This post is more for freelance writers who are having a difficult time generating new business due to a problem with their marketing plan.
