At What Stage Should a Writer Start a Freelance Writing Blog?
March 8, 2009 by Deb
Filed under Freelance Writing
So I have a gripe. And just like the (now defunct) post “Freelance Writing is Not a Work from Home !!!! Job”, it’s about the folks who just wake up one day and decide they’re going to be a writer. Specifically the folks who have been freelancing for two weeks and feel they’re qualified to give advice with their own freelance writing blog.
I hesitated before writing this post. When you think about it, what makes anyone (me included) qualified to write a blog offering freelance writing advice? This blog didn’t start out that way, however. It was just a leads blog for a couple of years, and after that I started offering some writing tips. Did six or seven years of freelancing (at the time) make me qualified to share what I know? Sometimes I still wonder.
I think it’s great folks are sharing a passion for writing and want to help others succeed. That doesn’t mean every one who has an essay accepted at Demand Studios or Associated Content is now qualfied to tell others how to make a living as a freelance writer.
The world wide web is a big place and there’s room here for everyone. I love reading new writing blogs and often look for new blogs to add to my feed reader. I cringe at a lot of what’s out there, however.
So I’ll ask you…what qualifies a writer to give advice? At what stage should a writer give freelance writing advice?
Two things that qualify a writer to give writing advice: experience and a track record of success. A writer with two weeks of experience has neither…and it usually shows.
I cringe when I read some writing blogs too. I am new and thinking of putting a blog on my site but not to dish out advice… my hope is to drive some traffic to my site and get new clients that way.
I don’t think you have to be a writer for many years to dish out advice as long as you are very successful. But how the heck do we know who is actually successful? I feel like a lot of people who run writing blogs are making more money off of other freelance writers than their clients!! They sell e-books talking about how to make money writing online, teach e-courses and have mentoring programs that are pretty expensive I might add. Granted there are some great e-books out there but I feel like some writers are just out to make a buck off of other writers. Maybe I am cynical though. This is one of the few writing blogs that isn’t trying really hard to sell me something which I really appreciate!
@Kathleen – Thanks for your kind words, but actually, I am selling an ebook.
It really depends on the person. A person may have two-weeks of freelance writing experience – but on the other hand, they could have years of corporate writing experience or business experience. In this case, I think they are qualified to offer advice. I started my first blog in 2005 – after four years of freelancing. But if a newbie wants to start a blog after only a few weeks — I say “go for it.” I’ve read a few blogs by new writers, and they haven’t been too bad. Granted, they may not cover deep freelance writing topics (that comes with experience). They usually cover easily researched topics such as “how to find clients,” “how to improve writing skills,” etc.
Writers with two weeks of experience could have excellent blogs, and writers with two decades could have poor ones. It depends on how the blog goes. There are probably some things that newer writers have some fresher experience with that older writers might not remember/deal with.
While chances are a new writer isn’t going to have much worthwhile to say, that shouldn’t stop them from writing. If anything, It’ll give him practice and his site a little more weight when they _do_ have something to say.
I have no problem with newbie’s offering freelance advice. Perhaps it’s based upon their combined experiences as professionals in whatever that allows them to ‘offer advice’ I’ve been writing my blog for a mere 10 months, but, I’ve been writing for decades&reading…applying ‘tips’ from other great writers in the field for just as long.
Do I offer advice to freelancers? At this point,only if it’s validated by the more seasoned/successful writers whose advice has worked for me…
Do I feel qualified to offer my two cents? Sometimes yes, sometimes no…depends on the subject matter.
Clara.
I think there’s a clear distinction between writing advice and business advice. You don’t need professional recognition and success to be a talented writer who knows his or her craft, but I, personally, wouldn’t take business advice from someone who’s just starting out as a freelancer. As my mother used to say, experience is the best teacher.
I’m not so sure you can boil someone’s usefulness down to something as general as experience. Just like in any employment situation, there are those who have twenty years of experience but are entirely worthless and those that have three years of experience who show that they can be great team leaders, supervisors and managers. While experience plays a large role in what types of advice a blogger can offer, personally I need much more than “I’ve been at this for x amount of years” to make me keep reading someone’s work. Sometimes, someone new to a field, even a field like freelance writing, can bring something new to the table. They may bring with them a level of creativity or a different perspective that is exactly the kind of thing that would help others be ahead of the curve instead of merely followers to someone going through the same motions as every other writing blog out there.
While resources and insight are valuable, as I often find here at FWJ, advice is generally useless.
I always think of what Baz Lurhmann said in that song about sunscreen: “Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.”
Therefore, while I’ve been known to blog from a soapbox a time or two, or try to communicate what I’ve learned… I almost never take advice, so why would I give it?
Why limit this question to only writing? As a mother of 4 children ranging in age from 13 to 6, I hesitate to take advice from a mother who has a six year old and a two year old. I think that I am more experienced than they are and although I read their advice, it is ultimately up to me to decide if it rings true for me. I think it has to be the same for writers as well. If you read advice that makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to follow it no matter how much of an expert the adviser may be.
Each of us has our own path to success. We shouldn’t feel that we need to walk in each others footsteps to gain experience and fulfillment.
@Deb,
I know
I was actually referring to people who write thoughtless posts just to advertise their e-books! They try to make it sound like advice but it typically goes like this: “You have to market to be a successful writer…. Buy this e-book and I will tell you how!” I won’t name any names though.
I think I’m bad about offering advice, whether I’m really competent to do so or not. I’m just opinionated, I guess.
And therefore, I’ll go forth and opine! I think Marjorie’s right when she writes, “I think there’s a clear distinction between writing advice and business advice. You don’t need professional recognition and success to be a talented writer who knows his or her craft, but I, personally, wouldn’t take business advice from someone who’s just starting out as a freelancer.” That’s exactly right. I want advice on the business side of things from someone who’s been freelancing for awhile, but I’d rather have writing advice from someone who’s been writing (successfully) for a long time. Ideally, of course, we’d be able to get advice on both from people who manage to combine the two.
Two things came to mind after this post. First was Stephen King’s assessment that J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter) is a brilliant writer and that Stephenie Meyer (Twiligth) is a lousy writer. I’ve read both series. J.K. Rowling is clearly British and that stands out in her writing. Stephenie Meyer targets her audience extremely well and I read her four books in three days, so she must be doing something right. I really disagree with him, and don’t trust his opinion because some of his books have been horrible.
But, this brings me to one of my biggest pet peeves. During my years reviewing books, I was sent three in a row that were how-to guides on marriage. My husband and I are nearing our 20th anniversary, so I think I have a little more insight than others on staying happily married. I still wouldn’t call myself an expert though.
After some research, I found that all three authors were single. One had been married and went through a divorce about 10 years earlier. The other two, completely single and had never met “Mr./Mrs. Right” but one had a psychology degree and the other based her insight on her dating experiences.
You can give advice using your experiences, but that still doesn’t make you an expert.
@ Ann G: Well put! And for some reason I immediately thought of male OB/GYNs who are considered experts in their field. LOL! You can study and have experience working in an area and have expert status but there is a different kind of knowledge comes from having “been there and done that.” I do think that both are valid.
This post reminded me of many years ago when I enrolled in a writing class at a local college. The instructor waltzed in and informed her eager students that she was an insurance salesperson by day (nothing wrong with that) and a “writer” by night. Although she’d never been published, she was certain it was just around the bend. She said, “Let’s learn from each other.” After looking around the class, and seeing blank stares, I didn’t feel an ounce of hope.
I left the class that night and asked for my money back. I was there to learn from someone who could tell me (from experience) how to get to where I wanted to go, and I think that’s what most writers who are seeking publication desire in a blog–help in how to get there.
I hope that’s what my blog (www.xanga.com/writeonwriteon) offers.
@Jodee – Thanks. My own thoughts on a male OB/GYN, I always find they are more careful than women. Not sure if it’s just this area and the fact that I use healthcare that is linked to UVM’s medical school, but the men are always extremely careful about what they do, warming everything up, including their hands, before they touch you.
With my first pregnancy (1992), I had a woman doctor. I lost that baby during the 4th month of pregnancy. After it happened, she had to do a D&C because I was hemmoraging. When the procedure was over, her comment was “At least you didn’t have this baby. He probably would have been retarded.” I was horrified that she said that and filed a complaint with the state.
My next pregnancy (93). I had another woman doctor. She was good, but when I’d get over emotional, she’d tell me to tone it down or I might risk the baby’s health by being so anxious. So still wasn’t happy.
With my daughter a couple years later, I had a man. He was fantastic. He’d call up every week just to make sure I didn’t have questions and to check and see how I was doing. When my daughter was born, he gave my husband and I a gift for the baby. It was a totally different experience.
I think that this really depends on the tone of the blog and what stage of writing the reader is in. While I don’t think that a newbie should be writing a blog that claims to give “expert advice”, I don’t see anything wrong with a new person blogging about the experiences that they have along the way.
Karen’s example of not wanting to take advice from the mother of a two year old and a six year old when you are the mother of teens makes sense, however the mother of a brand new baby may find her advice useful, and might feel like she can more easily relate to a mother with a younger child. For me as a newbie, most of the time I am looking for expert advice, but sometimes I like to hear the experiences and ideas of writers who are where I am right now.
@ Anne G: I’ve had great care from male and female OB/GYNs, as well as some not-so-great moments from both genders. I think it really depends on the person. The comment that doctor made about your child was inappropriate, to say the least. A miscarriage is hard enough as it is. (I’ve had more than one.)
I remember asking my doctor about how I would *really* know it was time to go to the hospital before I had our oldest daughter. He started telling me what labor would feel like, and a part of me wondered how many babies *he* had given birth to. When he was finished, he assured me that no one had ever missed her own labor. He laughed out loud when I volunteered to be the first!
I don’t think there are a certain number of years you need to complete as a freelance writer before you can give advice. I think if you have advice to share from your own experiences thusfar, then share it. There will always be someone coming up behind you that is lesser experienced and can learn from you.
It is the rare writer that creates (and maintains) a blog whose core audience is other writers. After more than a decade as a professional writer, I find little useful “tips” or “advice” on writing coming from fellow writers. The same is true of any profession.
Another reason why there are so few useful blogs about writing written by writers is so simple, it is frequently overlooked: they are busy writing for clients.
Many blogs by writers, be they newbies or vets, are boring with little graphic appeal and no “stickiness.” Why? Because they are written by writers and they include information other writers are not seeking.
Writers, like most people, seek out information they need and they aren’t able to find close at hand. That’s why the latest writing jobs, “math for writers,” or “tax tips for writers” draw a crowd while language or skill-based articles frequently fall flat.
The one exception to the previous rule is when other specialists touch on writing. For instance, I’ve found articles about “how to write a killer lede” from a marketer often entertaining.
In the end, if you want a useful blog for writers, jettison the tips and focus on the “I’ve been there” insights and a writers’ bread-and-butter: job leads. Whether you’ve been writing for two weeks or two years doesn’t matter.
I think you do need to have a level experience but more importantly — you must have a good knowledge of the industry, the ability to perceive what your audience wants to learn, and also be an excellent and likeable writer.
If you have those elements then a lack of vast personal ‘hands on’ experience should not prevent you from producing excellent, well-written advice that people would be interested in reading. Make up where your own experience falls short to interview others, discuss other posts, and round out what you can offer overall.
Is writing about freelance writing different than any other niche? Many writers start with a personal interest and limited experience on a topic, then go on to a research and knowledge phase to really learn the topic well, and then become an expert and write it.
I would say that even if you don’t have oodles of freelance writing experience and a stream of published works under your belt you can be qualified to offer freelance writers advice, provided you have replaced your own lack of experience with a heavy dose of real-world knowledge.
Blogs that offer advice do little if the advice is general in nature. I’d rather read blogs with a direct purpose. I work on Elance so I read this blog: http://freelancemoney.wordpress.com
I can get direct advice on how to get writing jobs. Works for me.
Yani
How about this one: I have more than two decades of writing experience and work full time as a freelancer. I’m often approached by women who want to be successful freelance writers and want me to give them advice. Sometimes they also want me to get them “in” with one of my clients. I’m always happy to help – to tell them what they have to do to get serious clips and build a portfolio so they can get better and better jobs. But do they want to do that? Of course not – that’s too much like work!! They want me to ask my editors to hire a completely inexperienced (and no, Associated Content doesn’t count, nor does blogging, nor does any site where you are an unpaid columnist) writer. As if my editors would appreciate me wasting their time! I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t bother with advice – I just recommend a book or magazine. And I sure as heck wouldn’t listen to any advice from anyone who hasn’t had at least some significant publishing credits.
Freelance writers at any stage of their career can offer tips. I’ve been freelancing for more than 15 years, have over 1,000 published credits and sometimes learn tips from relatively new writers that barely have any clips. Since their experiences may be different than my own, they may be able to offer a new way of doing something or something of substance that can useful to me down the road. It never hurts to listen to fresh ideas…
Don’t forget… at one point, all successful writers had only two weeks experience.
The key to new writers offering tips is bringing fresh insight. For instance, a tip about writing the “killer lede” might not be as intriguing as “what travel writers miss” coming from a travel agent turned freelance writer. In other words, bring something new to the table rather than rehashing time-worn topics.
There are three things that qualify a writer to give advice. One is success, and two is experience, and three is knowledge.
If you have success, then you can give others advice on what they can do to follow in your footsteps. Frankly, some advice on how not to follow your footsteps to your failures would be welcome as well.
Experience is closely related to success only it comes more from memory. Something along the lines of, “I’ve seen this before, and this is where it always ends.”
Knowledge is having a skill and sharing it. If you are a terrible freelance writer who has never made a penny, but you know how to use an em dash, or a comma, then feel free to give advice to those who don’t.
I’ve started writing Adventures in AP Style just to hopefully get some writers (and clients) to understand exactly what is actually in the Stylebook because I get stuff all the time that obviously comes from someone who has never seen the cover, let alone read it.
Experience and an understanding of your freelance intentions.
You can’t talk about what you don’t know. And you also need to know what you are trying to accomplish and what you are capable of providing, on a freelance basis. If you don’t understand those aspects of your career then no one else will either.
Early on for me in my writing career I started a writing blog to share my journey. I wasn’t trying to say I knew it all but was learning some interesting tidbits along the way that I wanted to share. I’m still writing in that blog and it’s a lot of fun to go back and read what I experienced two and three years ago. I’ve read a lot of really valuable writer blogs and some not-so-hot ones as well. I think information and knowledge are power but I also caution people to really do some research before believing everything you read online too!
Cheers
I have a ‘writing blog’ but I don’t really give advice. I share what I’m learning along the way.