Comments on: 12 Things to Do BEFORE Applying for a Freelance Writing Job

By: Le migliori risorse per diventare un migliore scrittore freelance | Lavorare sul web

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:26:04 +0000

[...] per intervistare e scrivere racconti, “10 Popular Article Writing Questions,” e “12 Things to Do BEFORE Applying for a Freelance Writing Job.“ Esso include altre categorie di suggerimenti su come gestire il business della scrittura [...]

By: Le migliori 6 risorse per diventare un migliore scrittore freelance

Le migliori 6 risorse per diventare un migliore scrittore freelance — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:21:44 +0000

By: Katherine

Katherine — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:51:13 +0000

Can anyone recommend a few freelance-writing-job sites especially for those who are serious about the “six-figure” aspect? I wind up one frustrated and furious freelancer after sorting through eight pages of content mills who think they’re doing you a favor by offering $20 for three hours’ work!
Katherine´s last [type] ..Time to Say a Few Words

By: shannon

shannon — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 01:41:07 +0000

Do you need any FEIN numbers or registration with the state? Or is it strictly monies coming directly to the writer and submitting at the end of the year amount of money earned through writing?

I have a blog and am getting my posts organized and am starting to comment on other blogs as well… Just in the beginning stages, but interested in learning how to network with other writers and begin to gather as much information as possible…

Any information will be helpful..

thanks

By: We Get Letters: Deb Finally Reads Her Email | Freelance Writing Jobs

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:41:23 +0000

[...] week I wrote 12 Things to Do Before Applying for a Freelance Writing Job. Hope it helps [...]

By: Roxie

Roxie — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:05:22 +0000

I have a suggestion to add: Get a book on freelancing.

Most freelance writing blogs offer great advice, but the time spent searching and loading pages and browsing in general can lead to wasted time for one, and books often have a certain level of authority that you can trust, whereas on the web sometimes bad advice is circulated or suggested.

I picked up “Six Figure Freelance” by Kelly James-Enger first, and then picked up “The Writer’s Digest Guide to Magazine Article Writing” to brush up on some skills; it’s phenomenal… to the point, and very comprehensive.

I also started reading magazines differently when I started, looking at everything I regularly read as a potential opportunity. You have to keep your eyes open when you are selling yourself in business, because no one brings opportunities to you as they might in a bigger company. You have to find them yourself. If you watch CNBC weeknights at 10pm, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch (I recommend this to everyone), you’ll get the right opportunistic, go-getter mentality; that show is very informative, and its extremely motivating!

And I would also say, have good ideas when you submit yourself. They don’t have to be full pitches, but one or two mentions of “I would suggest a piece on…” or “another idea I think would be good for your readers/publication” in each cover letter goes such a long way, because editors like writers with ideas.

My goal if I really want to work with a client and get regular work with them is to become indispensable to my editor, because of my skill, ideas, follow-through, and the fact that I think ahead and often go a bit above and beyond. Part of my job is to make their job easier. So, I have this alert mindset of “have ideas,” “be indispensable,” “think ahead,” ETC. These types of philosophies have proven very successful as I’ve implemented them.

By: Kendra

Kendra — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:57:22 +0000

Great advice on the writer’s website (with samples, etc.). I think it’s where I got the idea. I found an easy (and free) way to do that on Google Pages. I was able to list my experience on one side of the page and links to samples on the other. I add links to Linked in and Twitter, etc. as I go. I even have a hidden (free) counter (StatCounter) so I can see who is checking out my page. When I apply for jobs all I have to do is send them a link.

By: Erin

Erin — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:27:01 +0000

Can anyone suggest any good freelance writing forums?

I look at craigslist’s and it was a bit of a no-go in terms of what I’m looking for.

By: krista

krista — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:08:46 +0000

@ Ann G. Wow! Most of my clients are awesome about giving me a break, as long as I give them lots of notice. Of course, I usually end up putting in longer hours before I leave and after I get back to get everything done, so it doesn’t really work out that I get much extra time off, if that makes sense. Still, I’m grateful they’re all so flexible.

By: The Peculiar Club » BEFORE You Apply for That Freelance Job

The Peculiar Club » BEFORE You Apply for That Freelance Job — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:18:26 +0000

[...] October 6 posting by Deborah Ng is great for beginners and advanced freelance writers alike. It’s all about the things you need to do BEFORE you apply for a freelance writing [...]

By: Rupa

Rupa — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:15:40 +0000

Thanks, Leigh. That’s an interesting approach. I guess it would require a lot more investment in terms of time and effort to establish different niches, but in the end it allows you the freedom to work in any area you want to.

By: Ann G.

Ann G. — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:38:21 +0000

Here’s something I never thought of and now find myself in this situation. My mom’s from England and three of her four sisters still live there. I hadn’t seen my aunt in 12 years and she’s here with her husband for the week. I have four contracts and none of them stated anything about the necessity of taking time off.

Now that I need a week off, none of my employers are thrilled to give me a week’s break and some have said if I blow a deadline, I’ve voided the contract and they’ll replace me. I live 40 miles from my parents, so it’s not that quick a jaunt to take a lunch break and spend time with them. In the end, I got to spend time with this this weekend, but it looks like that’s it.

When signing a contract, I highly recommend considering how you’ll take time off and if it is something your employer is willing to work out with you when the situation arises.

By: mithi

mithi — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:14:38 +0000

The post is really good which gives the new comers the path if they want to do a career in writing.

By: Andy Hayes

Andy Hayes — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:12:14 +0000

13. Get a website. Or a blog. Or both. Neither is expensive in this day and age, and having a web presence singals professionalism.

14. Get a professional email address. Plenty of sites (Gmail, Pobox, etc.) offer a very cheap or free service. Would you want to do business with lazydude101@yahoo.com? Does funkygirlNY@hotmail.com inspire confidence?

By: Darren

Darren — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:03:57 +0000

“if you’re background isn’t in writing”? oops…

By: Leigh

Leigh — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:51:05 +0000

Rupa:

I do all kinds of writing, but I have different sites and marketing methods that I use for specific niches. So it is possible to be “niche-less” in one way, but reap the benefits of having a niche in another way. Niching is really the best way to identify your target market, set rates, and market to potential customers. I have different sites for medical, legal, real estate, and SEO writing, so I appear to be a niche writer while still accepting assignments on several topics.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:29:01 +0000

Thank you this advice. I will search the site for information on “how much should I get paid?” I developed a price list for my services but it took me awhile. There is a lot of “conflicting” information on the internet. I think it comes down to “what do I think I am worth?” and “am I confident that I will get paid the amount that I ask for?”

By: Rupa

Rupa — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:31:17 +0000

Deb, Thanks so much for these practical tips.

Do you have any suggestions for how to narrow down a niche when somebody is still experimenting with different types of work?

I started out a few months ago and thanks to this website and a couple of others, I have landed a few average paying, steady gigs. But they’re all different- ranging from online catalog writing to SEO copy. Since I very much wanted to add a few solid projects to my beginner’s portfolio, I jumped at every opportunity I saw fit and now am quite happy with the way things are turning out. I still don’t make enough to support myself with freelancing income, but I do enjoy the variety and the experience I am gaining along the way. Besides, the variety helps me tackle writer’s block too and I feel like I can confidently take on more work in any of the categories if one or more of my clients were to cut back on projects.
I have read about why it’s important for writers to find their niche or two. But, I am wondering what are the disadvantages of not having one? And how long can a beginner go without a niche? I know this depends on the person, but, do you know of any successful niche-less freelancers who are Jacks of all even after years of writing? Thirdly, what is the best way to determine one’s niche? I am thinking, the first factor should be how much you enjoy writing for that niche. Followed by rates, competition and potential for growth…

Would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks again.

By: RL David

RL David — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:28:37 +0000

I would add that once you find jobs to apply for, you should do a little research on the publication that you’re applying to. You should be able to mimic their style and tone, then showcase that when applying.