Before you accept any freelance writing project you will want to work out the payment terms with the client. In many cases, this can throw a wrench into your plan of moving forward right away. The main reason for this is not seeing eye to eye with the client on how you are going to get paid. While this can come up from time to time, it is not a problem that you should have to deal with. Instead, you should accept as many forms of payment as possible in order to ensure that this issue does not hold you back from obtaining a new client.
I know of several freelance writers who only accept payment via PayPal. They do not want to receive checks, and are afraid of bank wires because they think it will compromise their financial information. Personally, I think that this is a dumb move. If you do not accept checks you can forget about doing business with most magazines and bigger companies. Simply put, the majority of them pay by check because they have an accounting department that is big enough to handle each and every invoice that they receive. By only accepting PayPal, you may be missing out on a lot of work.
You have probably noticed on my freelance writing income report that I accept payment via PayPal, check, and bank wire. While PayPal is definitely the leader, I usually receive a couple of checks and wires each month as well. And guess what? If I only accepted PayPal, I would be leaving several thousand dollars on the table each month. Obviously, this is not something that I plan on doing.
Why don’t you want to receive certain forms of payment? Sure, it can be a hassle to drive to the bank to deposit checks but do you want to lose a client over this? Your answer should be no.
All in all, it should be your goal to make things as easy as possible on your freelance writing clients. When it comes to accepting payment, this means being open to receiving your money in many different forms.Â
What is the freelance writing leap: this is when you decide to quit your day job and go “all out†in order to chase your dream of becoming a full-time writer. While this is easier said than done, there comes a time when you either decide to take this leap or stay behind your entire life. Before I move on, let me say that there is nothing wrong with being a part-time freelance writer. I know many people who work in this capacity, and most of them enjoy writing as their side job.
For those of you who are ready to take the leap, there is one word to keep in mind: preparation. You need to make sure that you are prepared for every possible detail that could arise. Even those that may seem far fetched can and probably will come into play sooner rather than later.
Unfortunately, while many people prepare for a full-time freelance writing career they end up scaring themselves back to their day job. This is something that you need to avoid at all costs. Is it scary to leave a secure environment for the life of a freelancer? It sure is. But even if you know that you can make a solid income as a writer you will still experience some fear. The bottom line is that you are going to be scared no matter what position you are in; this is normal. The key is to avoid letting this fear hold you back from accomplishing your goals.
To prepare for the freelance writing leap, you must organize and detail every step that you plan on taking. This includes everything from when you are going to quit your day job to where you are going to work. Trust me, the better plan you have the more confident you are going to feel when it finally comes time to make the big move.
If you have tried to make this move before but have yet to do so, you have to determine why you are shying away. Through my experience, the number one reason for not taking the leap is fear of not earning enough money. This is a legitimate fear, and there are only two ways that you can get past it. First off, you can work as a part-time freelance writer until you build up enough clients and income to ease your fear. Or you can simply ignore it altogether. When I moved into the capacity of full-time freelance writer I did a bit of both. Ignoring your fear may not be the best idea, but it will definitely help to make the leap a bit easier.
There is no reason to be embarrassed if you are afraid to leave your job to become a full-time freelance writer. This is a difficult step to take, and you are not the only one having a tough time. If you have any suggestions on how to do this or questions on moving forward, leave them in the comment section. Hopefully everybody can help each other to take the leap soon enough!
As a freelance writer, you need to remember one thing: you are not exactly working for yourself. Yes, you are self-employed but at the same time you need to make sure that you are giving clients what they want. Time after time, I find myself asking what I can do for my clients. And in many cases, the answer is not world changing. Instead, it is something small that could make their business run a bit more smoothly.
Here are three things that you can do for freelance writing clients that will show just how much you care:
1. Ask if they need anything else. In addition to sending the work that is requested of me, I always ask clients if I can do anything else for them. Most clients say “thanks but we are set.†But in some cases there are things that I can do to make their life a bit easier. Remember, when you offer additional help you are showing the client that you care about their future.
2. Send your client a gift or card from time to time. This is something that companies, both big and small, do time after time. For instance, you could send out a card and/or box of chocolate to clients this Christmas. While it may cost a few bucks, it is well worth the time and money in the end. Believe it or not, clients appreciate these small gestures of gratitude.
3. Make yourself available. If you want to be known as a high quality freelance writer you should make sure that clients can always get in touch with you. No, this does not mean that you should work 24/7, but it does mean that you should be available during business hours to promptly address questions and concerns. If you want to take things to the next level, give clients your email address and business phone number.Â
To show your clients that you really value their business, test the three ideas above. They will definitely help you to make the most of your freelance writing career!
