Are you at a point in your freelance writing career where you feel like giving up? This happens all too often, but it is part of the game. Although you may feel like cutting ties with your career and moving onto other things, you should consider the following before you take the final step.
1. Ask yourself why you area doing this. Are you giving up because you are not making enough money? Because you just aren’t cut out for being a freelance writer? Because somebody told you that you are making a mistake? Everybody has a reason for becoming a freelance writing, as well as a reason for giving up (if it comes to this). Just make sure you are quitting for all the right reasons.
2. Can I try one last time to make things better? There is a good chance that you don’t need to give up on your dream of being a freelance writer. Instead, all you have to do is change a few things here and there and your career outlook will begin to look better. You cannot expect every aspect of your career to go smooth. Sometimes you need to make changes to realize that you are in the right line of work.
3. Have a plan for the future. You may have already decided that giving up on freelance writing is the best thing to do – there is nothing wrong with this. Just make sure that you have a plan for the future. You don’t want to leave this career path in the dust if you have no idea what you want to do next. By doing this you will find yourself in the same position soon enough.
The point of this post is to make you think twice before giving up on your freelance writing career. Success may be closer than you believe!
When you pickup a new freelance writing client one of the first things you will discuss, in addition to project details, is payment. Not only will you talk about how much you charge, but also about how you want to get paid. All of these details are negotiable, and you should be doing what you can to get the best deal possible. That being said, you need to know where to draw the line. In other words, there is a fine line between negotiating and becoming a pain in the neck.
Once a client explains the project to you, you should be able to get back to them soon enough with a quote. Obviously, you want to base this on your standard rate. But feel free to stray away from this if the job calls for it. Remember, no two projects are the same.
The negotiation process usually comes into play when the client does not want to pay your standard rate. While there is nothing wrong with opening the lines of communication, you need to realize that there comes a point when the job is no longer worth it. Take for instance a freelance writer who charges $1k for a 750 word sales letter. This is a solid price, but maybe the client only wants to pay $500. Are you willing to work at this lower rate? Would meeting in the middle at $750 be fair to both parties?
It can take a while to become proficient in the art of negotiation. In fact, this is something that I am still learning. All you can do is try to get the best deal for yourself while being as fair as possible to your new client.
If a client is not interested in working with you at your standard rate you need to do some negotiating. The same holds true if they low ball you from the get-go. Some negotiations will lead to both parties being happy. Others will shut down the job before it ever gets off the ground. As a freelance writer you should be ready to negotiate here and there. This is part of your job.
When I got my start as a freelance writer I thought I had one job and one job only: to produce high quality content. While this is very true, you need to consider that other things can and will come up from time to time. You may be surprised at how much you have to do for clients, outside of producing content.
Don’t get me wrong, writing is your main job and you should learn how to do it well. But as you begin to grow your business you will find that clients want more from you. While this may sound scary, it actually works out in the long run because it gives you the chance to earn extra money.
So, what other “tasks†may I be asked to take on? More and more of my clients are asking for help marketing their content – this is especially true among those who are posting online. While it is not something I specialize in, I have picked up some skills over the years. Do not be surprised if your web based clients ask for help in this area.
Other clients want basic advice on what type of content is best, how often they need fresh content, etc. With this, you become a “writing consultant†of sorts. In addition to producing content you are also in the business of advising clients on what they should and should not be doing.
Of course, what you do as a freelance writer comes down to your comfort level. If you don’t want to help with marketing, for example, you have the right to say no. I have found it is best to help when possible, but to also let clients know that I do not specialize in other areas. This helps to keep expectations realistic.
Your job as a freelance writer will change from client to client. Do you help with any tasks outside of content creation?
