Over the past few months, I have noticed more and more freelance writers and webmasters taking shots at one another. Generally speaking, I notice this in two places.
First off, I usually get a couple of emails per week from fellow freelance writers or webmasters who do not like me for one reason or the next. Some of the mail is downright funny, but other times, there are accusations and threats that are out of this world. Obviously, there is no place for this in the freelance writing world; or any other industry for that matter. From all of these emails, I have come to the conclusion that most of these people are simply jealous.
Moving on, if you check out forums such as Digital Point, you will notice the same thing. There are a lot of members who do nothing more than lurk around the forums waiting to shoot down other people, as well as their ideas and dreams. Once again, it is only a small group of people who act like this, but all in all, it can be annoying to say the least. It is people like this who scare away those who have legitimate questions and concerns.
Personally, I feel that the best way to deal with people like this is to simply ignore them. When I get an email stating that my freelance writing income is nothing special, there is no point in writing back. Simply put, I run my career the way that I best see fit, and use this blog as a way to help others.
It always amazes me that some people feel better by tearing others down. If you are being targeted by these jealous types, make sure that you do not get down on yourself. Instead, laugh it off and move on. You are not going to better your career by dealing with people like this!Â
Do you make your phone number available to freelance writing clients? This is something that the majority of writers neglect to do. Instead, they would rather communicate with clients via email. While there is nothing wrong with this, sometimes a quick phone conversation is much better.
The first year or so of my freelance writing career, I used my cell phone for work and personal use. Since I was only receiving a couple calls a week, this was no big deal. But as my freelance writing career continued to expand, the number of clients who wanted to talk on the phone also grew. For this reason, I decided to put in a business line. There were two reasons that I did this:
1. To keep my personal and business calls separate. Before, when my cell phone rang I had to guess whether or not it was a business call. But now, since my business line is for professional calls only, when the phone rings I know it is time to talk business. Unless it is a telemarketer on the other end, of course!
2. Having a business line looks more professional to both prospective and current clients. And by putting out a professional appearance, you have a much better chance of landing new work.
As a freelance writer, you do not necessarily need a separate phone line for business. But when you feel that you are getting too many phone calls and that you want to take your business to the next level, you should definitely look into adding another line. Sure, it will cost some money, but in the end it offers many benefits that will help your career.
How do you prefer to receive payment for the freelance writing projects that you complete? If you want to give yourself the chance to make as much money as possible, you should be open to several different payment methods. After all, the more flexible you are, the more clients you will be able to work with.
Personally, PayPal is my number one method for receiving funds. I receive approximately 95 percent of payments this way. Although there are some freelance writers who do not like PayPal, I urge you to give it a try. Sure, there are some horror stories about this service, but in the end it is the most efficient way of getting paid.
From time to time, I also receive money via check and bank wire. During most months I receive two to four checks in the mail, as well as one bank wire. The bank wire is a great method for receiving money because you don’t have to do a thing. Simply sit back and wait for the money to arrive in your account. Additionally, checks are not bad either, but you do have to spend time going to the bank to make a deposit, etc. The nice thing about being paid by check is that you will not get hit with any PayPal or bank wire fees; this means more money for you.
Be open to any method that a client offers. You do not want to lose out on a lucrative job because you can’t agree on how to receive payment.
