Most people, whether they are working for an employer or freelancing, want to feel like they are working toward something better. They may be trying to get a better salary or qualify for a promotion. Whatever the individual’s personal “carrot” hanging on a stick in front of them, they need something to keep them motivated on the job. The same thing is true for freelance writers. We have an idea of what “success” means to us, and while what it looks like is as unique as the writers themselves, part of it usually involves a writer stretching him or herself [Read more…]
Connect With a Potential Client Through Your Cover Letter
March 26, 2010. 3 Comments
Have you ever thought about why you would write a cover letter to someone? It’s not simply a way to let them know that you are forwarding your freelance writing resume and/or samples for their review. Your cover letter is a way to introduce yourself to the potential client and invite him or her to enter into a discussion about whether you can effectively work together. If your goal is to invite further discussion, you need to add something more than a simple laundry list of your qualifications. By all means tell the client something about your background, but share [Read more…]
Are You Busy?
March 21, 2010. 2 Comments
I personally hate getting asked this question by clients. The truth is that I am busy. My family is probably a lot like yours – we enjoy eating and living indoors – so I make sure that I stay busy. When a client asks that question, they are really trying to find out whether you are too busy to talk to them about a project. That is an entirely different question. I’m never too busy to talk to a client or a prospective client about their writing needs. To tell someone that you are too busy to talk to them [Read more…]
The Job Pyramid and What it Means to You
March 18, 2010. Leave a Comment
The job market is shaped like a pyramid. Consider the pyramid shape for a minute. It’s broader at the base and gets narrower as it rises to the top. The same thing is true when you are looking at freelance writing jobs. If you are looking at entry-level opportunities, there are many of them out there. I’m just talking about numbers, not whether they would be a good fit for you or whether they pay a rate that you would feel comfortable accepting. One of the reasons that I like checking out leads on Indeed.com is that this job search [Read more…]
Complaining About Your Freelance Writing Clients
March 3, 2010. 10 Comments
3 Things to Consider Before Outsourcing Your Freelance Writing Work
January 5, 2010. 7 Comments
Credit where it’s due: At Freelance Folder yesterday Laura Spencer wondered if it was OK to fake it with our freelance writing. Should we accept projects we know nothing about and risk not giving in our best work to our clients. In the ensuing comment discussions many writers suggested outsourcing the projects outside the realm of our expertise. Freelance writers outsource projects for a variety of reasons. To help alleviate project overflow. As replacement when vacationing or ill. To handle projects outside the realm of the freelancer’s expertise In most cases outsourcing makes good business sense. Writers who outsource while [Read more…]
6 Tips for Receiving Feedback from Your Freelance Writing Clients
November 6, 2009. 4 Comments
Client feedback is essential for freelance writing success. Even though we may not want to receive constructive criticism, not to do so could mean the end of our business. Look at it this way, even negative feedback offers the opportunity for improvement. Soliciting feedback from clients is just good customer service. Some freelancers aren’t sure how to take criticism, or what to say to a client who offers unsolicited advice. What follows are some tips for receiving feedback from your freelance writing clients. 1. Say “thank you” When your clients offer feedback, say “thank you.” Don’t take issue, don’t take [Read more…]
Freelance Writer Rates: A Client's Opinion
October 23, 2009. 8 Comments
Recently, I had the privilege of chatting with Ryan Roberts, the founder of E1even, a web development agency. Ryan has hired a number of contractors, including freelance writers, and has given me permission to share his thoughts with our readers: What is your experience with hiring contractors and negotiating rates? “As someone who frequently hires contractors, I offer a rate for the work that is based on the person’s talent and skill set. It seems like most freelancers/contractors hit you by asking for the moon. Eventually they back down on the rate they are asking for in anticipation of getting [Read more…]
The Best of FWJ: 15 Posts About Finding the Best Freelance Writing Opportunities
October 21, 2009. 2 Comments
It used to be that my name was synonymous with freelance writing jobs, or helping freelance writers to land jobs. Now I’m learning there are people who feel I’m only for the promotion of content “mills” for freelance writing jobs, and that’s so far from the truth it’s silly. I’m about keeping freelance writers busy and employed. I’m for encouraging freelance writers to make the choices that work best for them, but to also aim high. Because I won’t knock writers for starting with content sites, and because I won’t pretend I never wrote for content sites, my name is [Read more…]
Top 10 Freelance Writing Job Ad Red Flags
October 9, 2009. 30 Comments
When you troll the job boards every day you learn a little about the tactics many shady or very low paying employers use to find freelance writers. As someone who has been reading freelance writing job ads every day for over a decade, I can tell you some things haven’t change. The good news is that after all this time it’s easy to spot poor opportunities. Perhaps you’ve come across these red flags: Top 10 Freelance Writing Job Ad Red Flags 1. Perfect for Work at Home Moms, Retirees or College Students Jobs are perfect for writers, not situations. The [Read more…]
You’re Hired! Don’t Blow It…
October 27, 2008. 8 Comments
by Deborah Ng As freelancers we know there’s no better feeling than knowing we were chosen to do a job out of dozens, if not hundreds of applicants. Something about our writing styles set us apart from the rest, and that has us walking upon air. With some writers that pleasure is short-lived. Even though landing the gig is the hard part, they find it tough to keep interested in their assignment. So if you want to turn your clients into repeat clients, and you want the gig to be something steady, it’s best to be on your best behavior, [Read more…]
New Laptops and Clean Slates
September 8, 2008. 6 Comments
by Deborah Ng Did you ever notice how some gigs start out as a dream but once routine sets in they lose their luster? Many times they don’t have the same spark as they did the first couple of weeks. I think computers are like that too. At first they’re shiny, new and uncluttered. They take a few minutes to boot up and navigation is quick and easy. Eventually we start adding files and spilling coffee and soon things are sluggish and unattractive. Just as it takes longer for our laptops to boot up or images to load, we might [Read more…]
Is the Customer Always Right?
July 22, 2008. 11 Comments
by Deborah Ng You can’t please everyone but you should always try and please your boss. Every time I talk about putting one’s client’s needs first, I get a few voices of dissent. Whether you agree or not, your client is the one paying you to do the job to his specifications, it’s in your best interest to make him happy – even if he doesn’t always make you happy. I might not have always agreed on the “customer is always right” philosophy, but I never let him feel otherwise. If someone is paying me good money, I’m not about [Read more…]
