Patience is very important no matter what business venture you are getting involved with. Even the largest companies in the world had to go through growing pains, times of doubt, etc. Of course, there are others that took off from day one, but they are few and far between. When it comes to a career in freelance writing, this is something to keep in mind. Patience is essential if you are going to stay within this career field for an extended period of time.
As I have mentioned in the past, a freelance writing career can take months to get up and running. While I found some success after only three months, it was hard to make it that long without giving up. After all, I went from a corporate job earning a solid living to hoping that something would break my way so that I could pay the bills. Without patience, I would have been searching the classifieds after a month as a freelancer.
Of course, there is a big difference between knowing that you need to be patient and actually doing so. To hang in there when everything seems to be going wrong, you need to keep in mind that every job has its ups and downs. If you were to quit your freelance writing career and start applying for office jobs, what would happen? That’s right, you would have to deal with rejections, low offers of pay, and much more. Simply put, you may have a guaranteed income, but being a freelance writer is not the only career with uncertainty and doubt.
Overall, be patient when starting a freelance writing career. Before you ever start, come to the realization that you will be tested time after time. But remember, if you stick around, you will get to reap the rewards in the end.Â
I know that a lot of people read this blog because they are interested in freelance writing. And even though I am glad to help through my experiences, there are other great blogs out there as well. One of my personal favorites is Michael Kwan’s Beyond the Rhetoric. Michael touches on everything from freelance writing myths to getting past haters who have nothing nice to say.
If you love reading blogs on freelance writing, this is one to add to your daily reading list. For over a year Michael has been churning out content that not only teaches about writing, but is also lighthearted at the same time. When it comes down to it, you will never get bored reading what he has to say.
Go back a couple months in the archives and start reading. When you are done, you will have a much better understanding of freelance writing, blogging, and the internet in general.
As you know, obtaining freelance writing work can be difficult. But at the same time, the actual writing process is not always a walk in the park. In fact, this can be every bit as trying if you do not stay organized and work through each project in a logical manner.
When planning your freelance writing work, there are several things that you should keep in mind.
1. For the most part, never trying completing a job in one day. While this may be possible for smaller projects, anything that is of substantial size should be broken down into separate components. For instance, if I have to write a 750 word sales letter, I will work on it as follows.
Day one: research the topic, collate information, and set up the file.
Day two: begin the writing process, and see how far I can get without additional research. Day three: complete additional research, and finish the first draft.
Day four: make changes, and work out any kinks.
Day five: proof the final copy, and send to the client.
As you can see, it is easier to spread this work out over five days than to do it all at once. Not only does it make the job easier on me, but it also helps to ensure the highest level of quality.
2. Never bite off more than you can chew. Even though it is nice to garner new freelance writing projects, you do not want to have too much work. While this sounds silly, it can be a serious problem. Imagine if you had 5 sales letters due on the same day. You would have to complete the five steps above, five times over. Of course, before you turn down any job make sure that you carefully consider what you are doing.
3. If possible, spread your deadlines throughout the week. It is always nice to have one or two projects due each day as opposed to five or more. I have been in this predicament, and it can make for a long workday; sometimes heading into the early hours of the morning.
Once you secure a freelance writing project you are halfway home. Just remember, you are being hired to write compelling copy. You cannot simply be happy with getting the job. You must also deliver quality work on time.
