What Sets You Apart from the All Other Freelance Writers?
November 28, 2007 by Deb Ng
Filed under Freelance Writing
In today’s competitive world, it’s not enough to be as good as everyone else. The Internet has blown the competition wide open and freelancers now have to vie for gigs with people from all over the world. What are you doing to set yourself apart from the rest?
Become an expert. If you’re knowledgeable about a particular topic, turn that into “expert” knowledge. Visit the library and read all you can. Take some classes. Establish yourself as an authority. If you’re not already niche blogging about a particular topic, consider doing so. Having the authority to speak well on a particular topic will put your resume at the top of the pile.
Have good references. Don’t underestimate the importance of having good references. If it’s a toss up between you and another writer, it’ll probably go with to the person with the best references. This means making sure you’re not flaky with any of your projects and making sure your employers respect your and your work enough to give a glowing report.
Keep your reputation in check. Don’t be a pain in the butt. Don’t miss deadlines or disappear for weeks without checking in. If your known for being someone who meets challenges head on and hands in clean work, your good reputation will be enough to get you the gig.
Ten or fifteen years ago it was easier to land more work. Gigs usually went to those in the generally vicinity of the newspaper in which the ad appeared. Nowadays ads appear online and anyone with an Internet account can apply. Now, it’s not enough to be the best in your town or city, you have to be the best in your field. Take steps to build your reputation and set yourself apart from the others, and the good gigs will be yours.
What are some of the things you do to set yourself apart from the rest?
Good editing is important, too (unfortunately there are no formatting tools with which to highlight the corrections below):
Keep your reputation in check. Don’t be a pain in the butt. Don’t miss deadlines or disappear for weeks without checking in. If your (you’re) known for being someone who meets challenges head on and hands in clean work, your good reputation will be enough to get you the gig.
Ten or fifteen years ago it was easier to land more work. Gigs usually went to those in the generally (general) vicinity of the newspaper in which the ad appeared. Nowadays ads appear online and anyone with an Internet account can apply. Now, it’s not enough to be the best in your town or city, you have to be the best in your field. Take steps to build your reputation and set yourself apart from the others, and the good gigs will be yours.
I just listen.
90%+ of the time the client has their grant proposal already written in their head. The gig is all about listening to what they say, organizing it, and spitting it back with good grammar.
This may not work with other assignments, but if the client has some idea how it should I reccomend listening to them as much as possible.
In regards to becoming an expert … research, research, and more research. The niche I am carving out for myself is Chernobyl and Eastern Europe.
For Chernobyl, I have exhaustively researched the topic for several years, made friendships with people who used to live there, and even traveled to the Chernobyl Zone myself! In addition, I serve as an editor for the English-language site and forum of the website Pripyat.com (founded by former residents of Pripyat – the city where Chernobyl workers used to live). I still don’t know everything about the topic, but I can certainly be viewed as an expert.
For Eastern Europe, I have done continuous research. Though this may not sit well with some folks here, I am the Feature Writer at Suite101.com for Eastern European/Russian Affairs. I know the pay is an issue, but the responsibility forces me to write more than I did before. It also forces me to regularly research different topics associated with the area.
I have used all this knowledge and continued research to write at my own blog, Chernobyl And Eastern Europe. It’s still a work in progress, as are my blogging skills, but it is a start. Plus, these are topics not typically covered in blogs. I started my blog several months ago, and have seen a slow, steady increase in readership (though still very small).
All this work, including the blog, has helped establish me as an expert. The blog has enabled me to make some good contacts that would have otherwise been difficult, if not impossible to get.
Good point, Erik. If the client asks you to cover point A, B, and C in an article, why would you take a different approach and go with X,Y,Z instead? It’s all about giving them what they want.
This is a great list, Deb. I could add only this: be professional. Nothing should be taken personally – this is strictly business. Never get into a pi$$ing match with a client no matter what’s been said. A) It’s unproductive, and B) it’s unprofessional. Never wrestle with a pig; you end up dirty and the pig loves every minute of it.
Erik and Lori – both of you add great points to the list. And Jodee, I think it’s ok to offer a suggestion if you feel it would make things better, but the client makes the ultimate decision – and your client is always right.
My niches help me to get work. I get about 75% of positions I apply for that have to do with Elementary Education or Spanish/Latino studies (which happen to have been my minors, not just my interestes).
Great tips.
But I’m wondering-is it possible to become an expert in more than one niche. I love Allena’s niches, but how does one become an expert in more than one?
I second Lori about being professional. Of course, there are other ways to show your professionalism aside from abstaining from fighting matches. You could consistently beat your deadlines, use a professional signature line and email address (NO CaliforniaGurl718 or WritingFiend07), and carefully proofread your email correspondance (not just the actual assignment; even though that is what you’re being paid for, poorly written emails make a bad impression).
I completely agree with Lori; even when I recieve rejection emails or questions about why my rates are what they are, I courteously reply to them just as professionally and attentively as I did when first contacting the potential client.
The longer I’m around this online freelancing world, the more I realize that it’s not so much who you know, but rather your reputation. That is, the reputation you make for yourself. If a potential client doesn’t see you fitting into the currently advertised position, they’ll more likely remember you in a favourable light if you leave them with a pleasant taste in their mouth. Unless, of course, you’re into wrestling pigs.
Great post Deb!
Good list, Deb. I’d say the two big things that set me apart are my passion for the topics I cover and my level of dedication.
Unless I’m in a real financial bind, I try to only take on projects I really care about. Doing so helps me bring my clients a higher quality of work than they’d get from someone who only sees the project as a paycheck.
I frequently get emails from people who have found one of the legal blogs I write for and ask how long I’ve been an attorney, which I find to be a lovely compliment since I’ve never gone to law school.
The other big thing I get compliments on is my availability. My regular clients know I’m not a 9-5er and appreciate that I respond to their emails and requests even during non-traditional working hours. I’ve scored more than a few gigs based on recommendations and word of mouth, many of which have been based on my availability to tackle an evening rush job. Of course, I charge more for this type of work, but they don’t seem to mind.
@Amy – Time can be another issue. Lots of freelancers enjoy their freedom but if you’re not available when your clients need you it can be a problem. In our business reputation is everything.
I rock. Just kidding. What may set me apart is simply that I try to be nice; well, not even that I try — I think I am just pretty nice. There’s something to be said for basic manners. I know it may seem like a tiny little non-significant part of any career but honestly; who do you want to work with? When I think about that myself I realize that while I put weight on lots of stuff I really love people who get along, stand up for and help others, and are just all around genuinely kind. Whenever I talk to someone new I try to be as decent to them as I would be to my best friend. Unless they give me reason otherwise. Have my clients all liked this? Not sure. Hmmmm, ok, enough gushy nice stuff.
Good post. I liked reading everyone’s comments too.
Sandra,
Look for natural cross-overs. I was fairly strictly in the financial niche, but added telecom in 1995 as telecom via ATM and call centers (and a former co-worker relationship with an editor at a telecom mag) became more of a critical part of the financial services industry. Within four years, I was writing more telecom and tech than financial services. The dotcom bust forced a refocus on financial services until tech started recovering a couple of years ago.
All this from a former sportswriter — WHO REALLY LIKES FOOTBALL (just a note for Deb)
From all my regulars – they say the one thing that sets my work apart is that if they give me a target of 500 words and ask for a certain number of topics, I’ll go way over that word count to ensure I have covered everything they’ve asked for in depth, even when it means more work for the same rate per article.
For example, I’ve been working on hotel summaries for a travel website and they want 300 words to cover hotel restaurants, room descriptions, amenities, and area attractions. I’ve had some of these descriptions go up to 800 words, even though I know I’m not getting double the pay. In the end, I’ve heard that many of their other writers quit because they refuse to go over the suggest word count without getting more money. This has tripled my word load, but after just filling up my 300 gallon propane tank (I’m in New England – heating my home isn’t an option) at the staggering rate of $3.39 a gallon, I need all the work I can get my hands on.
Ugh. That should read “tripled my work load”. Morning is not off to a great start. Word to the wise – carpet shampooer cleaning solution is a MESS to clean up. My bottle sitting happily under my sink developed a pin hole leak at some point and I discovered it today. First, the damage it does to wood cabinets is astounding, but it also takes forever to clean up. My bottle is now being stored in the garage.
Sandra — Phil beat me to it. I was going to say that a lot of time there are natural crossovers. I started writing about engineering topics largely because so much of my life is spent with engineers and I can “speak” their language. That drifted to technology topics. And so on.
Thanks Sue and Phil.
I guess my problem is two fold:
1. I am writing on subjects I know a lot about from my own interests but not necessarily through former jobs. I am an English teacher and want to make the switch to writing. But I don’t want to just focus on educational writing.
2. The niche I am writing in is VERY competitive and not a lot of money, at least right now.
I know that if I move in to copywriting versus editorial writing is would be more lucrative.
Thanks for your tips.
Oh, one more question.
How did you drift? Job boards, pitching, did someone approach you?
Wow this is a great topic!
I think honesty is always the best policy.
A month ago, I applied to a gig and stated that I needed a flexible working arrangement, I also provided a great deal of interesting tips for the potential client. It all looked very promising, until I saw the gig re-advertised using some of my info. in the ad.
The client basically wanted someone to work as an intern and therefore accept lower pay with longer hours.
… One month later, I heard from the client saying she was interested in my proposal and stated she had been away on business. It looks like that intern didn’t work out
Well, a few weeks ago I was offered another position which I gladly accepted and must say, I enjoy working for the company.
So in a nutshell, I had to tell the other person that I was offered a new opportunity and therefore could not dedicate enough time to her project.
That’s how the story goes I’m afraid.
Jennifer,
I agree with you about basic manners. Common courtesy is very much lacking these days.
Sandra,
As to “how did you drift..” keep your eyes open for opportunities. Again, I knew the editor of the telecom pub and suggested an article on a wireless ATM (new at the time) similar to the one I was doing for a financial pub. Depending on your niche(s), you just have to put your thinking cap on about what would be natural (or not too much of a stretch), then pitch it — perhaps again and again. I’ve been doing that with one prospect for months who does nothing about complain about the freelancers he has now (hello).
Sue and I might travel in similar writing circles. Wnile I don’t speek engineer (even though I went to Purdue), I do spend a lot of time trying to interview technical types, then de-geeking the info to make a readable (for a somewhat technology-oriented audience) copy.
I would like to point out that many times employers do not want you to go over the assigned word count. You are not doing them a favor. I have seen this quote attributed to several people, but someone said, “Sorry I did not have time to write you a shorter letter.” You can underpromise and overdeliver on deadlines or responses to inquiries, but heaving over extra copy is often not appreciated.