It’s early October, which means that the build-up to Halloween has already started. I’ve been enjoying some scary movies lately and I’ve been thinking about the fact that everyone is scared of something, whether they admit it or not. My list includes heights, large bodies of water, clowns – the usual stuff. I can also admit that I used to be intimidated by clients, both existing and prospective ones. There were a lot of gigs I didn’t apply for simply because I didn’t have the nerve to. When I got hired by people to write for them, I was scared [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for September 15, 2010
September 15, 2010. 3 Comments
Good morning! It’s time for our weekly quote. Here’s one from Ralph Waldo Emerson. A chief event of life is the day in which we have encountered a mind that startled us. Here’s to encountering a mind that will startle you today! New Around the Freelance Writing Jobs Network Book Writing and Publishing FAQ – Should I Self-publish or Go with a Traditional Publisher? Freelance Writing Jobs Content Writing Jobs Article Writer – Poker Web/SEO Content Writer (Minnesota/Telecommute) Android Writer for DroidForums.net Subject Expert Writers Business and Finance Writers Web Content Writer for Litigation Support Company (Online) Article Writer Blogging [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Business Multipliers… Are You Using Them?
July 14, 2010. 3 Comments
If you’re asking the right questions, you’re opening doors to additional opportunities.
Those five articles may have turned into ten articles, some additional web content, a better squeeze page, a white paper or special report for list building, a regular blogging gig, assistance in constructing additional content for inbound link creation and who-knows-what-else.
Those questions are business multipliers.
What Do You Value as a Freelance Writer?
June 17, 2010. 2 Comments
At first glance, it may not appear that your freelance writing clients and your values are related. The types of gigs you go after, the people you decide you would like to work with and what you have decided is most important to you are very closely related. Good Income As a freelance writer, if you have made a decision that you want to make a lot of money (and there is absolutely nothing wrong with deciding that making a high income is one of your goals), you will make a point of seeking out clients who have deep pockets. [Read more…]
Do You Interview Potential Clients?
June 9, 2010. Leave a Comment
When you are communicating with a potential client, do you take the time to interview them to make sure that both of you are a good fit. I admit that when I first started out, anyone with a pulse and a checkbook looked good to me. At that point, I was more concerned with getting someone to hire me than thinking about whether our working together would be a good fit. Over time, I started reading freelance writing jobs more carefully to get an idea of what the client wanted before I applied. When I got a response back about [Read more…]
Top 10 Things Freelance Writing Blogs Tell You That You Already Know
May 23, 2010. 9 Comments
Originally this post was to have been called “Are the Freelance Writing Blogs Telling You Stuff You Already Know?” so we could have a big discussion about how redundant and unoriginal we all are. Let’s face it, every freelance writing blogger says the same thing, we just use different words. We all want to convince you we’re the best in order to get your traffic, but most of all have the same background, got the same sort of start and now we’re each competing to give you information you already know. None of you are dumb. You don’t need hand [Read more…]
How To Assess The Financial Health Of Your Writing Business
May 9, 2010. 5 Comments
by Sharon Hurley Hall Doing a financial health check is an essential part of running a successful writing business. In fact, it’s the only way to be sure that you are meeting your goals and targets. But how do you do this successfully? Here are some suggestions. Set Your Goals Before you can assess your writing business, you need to have something to measure it against, so set some goals for the business. These might be reaching a certain income target each month, or for the year as a whole, or working a certain number of hours each week, or [Read more…]
Avoiding the Bobby Brady Approach to Specializing as a Freelance Writer
May 7, 2010. 6 Comments
There was a reason you didn’t see many members of the the casts of the Brady Bunch or Partridge Family move on to bigger, meatier roles. It’s because most hiring agents couldn’t see any of these kids past their Bobby Brady or Danny Partridge roles. No matter how hard these actors tried to shake these old gigs, they were destined to be seen only as former child sitcom stars. Oh sure, they find work now…playing their former roles in sequels and reunion movies or doing reality TV, but it’s not like they’re doing much else. That’s what happens when you’re [Read more…]
Twitter Branding: Are You Confusing Your Followers?
April 20, 2010. 11 Comments
In the past few months I’ve noticed several freelance writers changing their Twitter handle more often than some of us change toilet paper rolls. I think that’s because when we’re confused about what to call ourselves online, or how to present ourselves to clients, we continue to reinvent ourselves. Here’s something to consider: if you’re confused about your branding, your followers are even more confused. If they don’t know what to call you, they may not call you at all. Hear me out on this one Defining Yourself on Twitter I don’t believe there are any hard and fast rules [Read more…]
10 Habits of Successful Freelance Writers
March 26, 2010. 3 Comments
For most of the Freelance Writing Jobs community, it’s not enough to be a freelance writer. You want to be a successful freelance writer. However, freelance writing success isn’t found on a job board or even a blog. You can find your success by cultivating good habits and working hard to get ahead. The most successful freelance writers know what it takes to be the very best: 1. Focus The ability to complete projects without succumbing to distractions is important. When you’re constantly stepping way from your work space to check on kids, see what’s to eat or watch the [Read more…]
Seasonal Freelance Writing: Preparing for Summer Vacation
March 20, 2010. 3 Comments
Summer is the best time for freelance writing. Freelance writers can work anywhere there’s WiFi and even plenty of places there aren’t. We can also rearrange our schedules for summer vacation or to coincide with outings or pool time. Summer is the time of year when my office working family members and friends don’t wonder if I really have a job, they wish they had MY job. Summer can also be a frustrating time for freelance writers because they can’t always do the activities they like because they have to meet deadlines. So if you’re spending too much time on [Read more…]
Your Freelance Writing Clients Know You’re Lying
March 17, 2010. 15 Comments
Freelance writing clients are smart cookies. Most of them know when they’re being conned or lied to. In today’s public and open world of freelancing, you can’t call in sick and head to the beach. You can’t claim an aunt died when you really just want a few days off. If you’re going to lie to your clients, keep in mind that in most cases they’ll find out. Don’t Invite Clients to View Your Personal Details if You’re Going to Be Dishonest As freelance writers we work hard, but we still maintain flexible schedules. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t [Read more…]
Top 10 Freelance Writing Time Suck Tasks
March 9, 2010. 12 Comments
If you’re a newbie to freelance writing, you’re no doubt looking forward to getting down to the writing. I’m here to tell you most of running a successful freelance writing business has nothing to do with writing. We all spend a huge bulk of our day handling a bunch of time sucking tasks which doesn’t always make freelance writing seem like that attractive a career choice. Still, they’re necessary for success. Here are my Top 10 Freelance Writing Time Suck Tasks. 1. Email I’m sure I’m not the only blogger who receives hundreds of pieces of email each day. I [Read more…]
What Message Would You Wear on a T-shirt?
March 3, 2010. 2 Comments
Photo credit: taliesin from morguefile.com I like T-shirts with slogans on them. If I see a display of shirts at a store or a kiosk, I do stop to check them out. I usually find at least a couple with slogans that I find funny or interesting. The T-shirts we choose to wear give the person who sees them an idea of who we are without our having to say a word. I remember the ’70s as being a time when T-shirts with messages were very popular. Customers could go into a store and look through a book of transfers [Read more…]
The Dark Side of Freelance Writing: Burnout
February 25, 2010. 9 Comments
Not everything about freelance writing is bunny slippers and bon bons. Sure, we have the best life. We have flexibility and the abililty to work anywhere we please, pick and choose our own clients and set our own rates. With all the perks, freelance writing also has a dark side. We already explored what happens when clients don’t pay in a previous “Dark Side” post. Today we’re going to discuss another topic we don’t touch on enough here at FWJ, burnout. What is Freelance Writing Burnout? I think every freelancer has experience burnout at one time or another. For me, [Read more…]
How to Raise Your Freelace Writing Bar and Get the Big Bucks
February 22, 2010. 3 Comments
You know from reading this freelance writing blog and others the most often asked questions have to do with rates. Specifically how to charge more as a freelance writer and how to raise rates on down the line. It’s easier said than done. We can all say, “raise your rates” or “charge what you’re worth” but many writers either aren’t sure how to go about doing that or lack the confidence to move ahead with their freelance writing careers. I can’t give you confidence, but I can throw out a few things to consider. I don’t believe in a one [Read more…]
How to Research Freelance Writers for Freelance Writing Jobs
February 22, 2010. 2 Comments
We share lots of tips for freelance writers here at Freelance Writing Jobs but we don’t often delve into the client’s point of view. Since several members of the FWJ community have asked about how clients qualify writers, I felt this worthy of exploration. “But Deb,” you might be saying to yourself, “You’re a mere blogger. How are you qualified to talk about hiring freelance writers? You’re not a client. You work for clients.” Those are very good questions. Blind trust is never a good thing, and we should always ask to see what isn’t obvious. The truth is, I’ve [Read more…]
Do Not As I Do….My Top 10 Most Embarrassing Freelance Writing Moments
February 14, 2010. 9 Comments
We talk a lot about the importance of being professional, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t make some gaffes once in a while. I don’t think I’m alone, either. Plenty of freelance writers have unprofessional and even embarrassing moments. I’ll bet even some highly paid best sellers did a few things that don’t make them very proud. While they’re usually inadvertent errors, it doesn’t make them any less embarrassing. Can you relate to any of these? My Top 10 Most Embarrassing Freelance Writing Moments 10. Pretending I knew how to do something I couldn’t Several years ago, [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs You’re Not Feeling: 3 Tips for Getting Through the Clunkers
February 13, 2010.
Five or six years ago, I wrote a bunch of articles for a construction website. I probably don’t need to tell you I know nothing about the construction. The client paid well and they gave me plenty of material for research, but the work was dull, dull, dull. I perservered though it was one of the most boring freelance writing jobs I took on, ever. Many freelance writers are at a point in their career when they can pick and choose projects. However, plenty can’t afford to be so choosy. This post is for them. What happens when you’re not [Read more…]
40 Lessons Learned in Ten Years as a Freelance Writer
February 11, 2010. 13 Comments
As I was writing 40 Lessons Learned Over Ten Years of Blogging yesterday, I was inspired to also note my lessons learned as a freelance writer. 2010 marks my tenth anniversary as freelancer and while I may not have taken a traditional approach to my career, I still believe there are some important lessons to share. Don’t jump into it blind: When I’m asked to give tips for new writers, my first tip is always to research before beginning. It’s not enough for a writer to wake up one day and say, “I know. I think I’ll write. Yeah…that’s it.” [Read more…]
Free Samples and Writing on Spec: Should You?
February 9, 2010. 23 Comments
Many freelance writers aren’t a fan of writing on “spec.” That is, to create an assigned article for a potential freelance writing client or publication without the promise of acceptance. This usually happens when a publication doesn’t want to commit to a new writer without giving him or her an audition first. When you encounter a freelance writing job ad looking for a specially prepared (and possibly unpaid) sample, that’s almost the same thing as writing on spec. I call these request “special samples.” Special samples are writing requests beyond the clips that are submitted with the initial query or [Read more…]
Should You Trust Freelance Writing Clients with Personal Information?
February 8, 2010. 7 Comments
How much information should you give to your freelance writing clients? This is a question popping up often as more freelance writers launch their careers. Specifically, freelancers are a little wary about giving clients their addresses or social security numbers. I find it interesting, because we have no hesitation when providing these details on a full time job application, doctor’s office form, or when applying for credit. We’re more suspicious of potential clients than we are someone at the mall requesting our details on a credit application in exchange for a free bottle of Pepsi. Should you give a potential [Read more…]
Some Quick Tips for Balancing a Full Time Job While Building Your Freelance Writing Business
February 4, 2010. 13 Comments
If I had to pick one of the most difficult aspects of freelancing, it would have to be building a freelance writing business while still working full time at my day job. I did this for two years, from 2000 to 2002, and also in 2008 and 2009 when I had a full time social media job. As much as I love to write, sometimes the last thing I wanted to do after a full day of work was to come home and work again. Plus, many clients want to talk on the phone during business hours, something I couldn’t [Read more…]
Setting a Freelance Writing Rate Equal to the Task
Today’s freelance writing clients are looking for a lot more bang for their buck, especially those looking for web writing. Many aren’t looking for a mere writer, they want someone who uses SEO, builds traffic, moderates and responds to comments and more. Before accepting a project and setting a rate, always find out what the job entails and set a freelance writing rate equal to the task. Straight writing is one thing, but if your client is adding bells and whistles, make it clear the rates are going up. We all know interviews, research, mileage and expenses are often added [Read more…]