Do you have a passion about a certain topic (or several of them) as well as a love of writing? It could be the right time to transform those interests and skill into a freelance writing business.
You can make good money and enjoy a comfortable lifestyle with such a business. Don’t go into it without the right tools for success, though. Here are eight freelancer tools that professionals swear by. [Read more…]
by FWJ 3 Comments
Young freelance writers who are just starting out experience the same fear of disappointing a client and never finding another writing job again. Doubt is paralyzing, crippling, and terrifying. It’s the one feeling you must rid yourself of if you ever want to fulfill a long career as a freelance writer.
It takes years to brand yourself, build trust and establish a stable clientele. However, all this could be jeopardized in seconds if you make career-ending mistakes. This article discusses habits and psychological traits and highlights other mistakes you might be making that is costing you clients.
It takes years to brand yourself, build trust and establish a stable clientele. However, all this could be jeopardized in seconds if you make simple yet career-ending mistakes. Click To TweetPicture this—
You’re in the middle of an interview. You’re excited but not stressed. So far, everything has been going smoothly. You’ve established rapport with the interviewer, impressed them with your sense of humor and feel for the language. You even bonded over the latest episode of your favorite TV show.
The job is in the bag, it seems. [Read more…]
by FWJ 2 Comments
As with most professions, freelance writing takes skill, but the main difference between success and failure is how you sell yourself. There are many people who can do what you do. Unless you have built a brand of your own, based on a unique perspective or skill set, there are probably thousands of people in the world who can do your job with as much or more skill. The difference is marketing and communication, both of which can distinguish you from others in your industry, if you know what to do. [Read more…]
Thanks largely due to the fact that more information is at our fingertips now than at any point in human history, we’ve entered into an age where both of the following statements are true:
As freelance writers, we have to work on a myriad of projects – from content writing to blogging to content marketing. When it comes to blogging and content marketing, visuals are more important than ever.
According to a study reported on by Slate, roughly 38% of people who click on an article or blog post online don’t actually make it past the headline. Of those that remain, a further 5% only ever read the first paragraph – IF they don’t have to scroll, that is. If they do have to scroll, they don’t even make it that far. [Read more…]
by FWJ 2 Comments
If you’ve got writing chops and can offer your service to others, you can make a comfortable living – despite the belief that all writers are starving artists. However, not everyone is successful in their writing ventures. It all depends on the time and effort you’re willing to put into the career and the kinds of jobs you pursue.
There are thousands of different writing jobs out there, many of which you probably didn’t realize existed. So, here are some alternative freelance writing jobs you may not have considered. [Read more…]
by FWJ 2 Comments
Editor’s note: This post was written by S.E. Batt, a freelance writer and author from the UK. He loves cats just as much as he does writing, even though the two conflict with one another on a regular basis. You can follow him at @Simon_Batt on Twitter.
Freelance writers are known for being picky about their tools of the trade. From pens and paper to phone apps, we have a reputation for always having something on standby to scribble down ideas, inspiration, or even entire pieces on. One of the strongest workhorses in a freelance writer’s armory is the faithful word processor, which often finds itself taking on the mainstay of the work.
When offered the prospect of choosing a word processor, a lot of writers would trip up on the fact that you can ‘choose’ a word processor. Every writer out there just uses Microsoft Word, right? While a very solid and reliable choice, Microsoft Word is not the only word processor out there.
We’re not talking about Notepad and Wordpad, either; there is fully-fledged software out there that does just a good a job (and in some examples, an even better job!) than Microsoft Word, with the advantage of either being cheap or totally free. As for what you choose, however, that’s down to your own personal preferences and workload demands. [Read more…]
The New Year is a time to look for new challenges, and one way to change things up is to enter a writing contest.
If you have been busy slaving away over a hot keyboard, working in your own version of a writer’s cave (mine is in a corner of my living room because I found that I work a lot better if I get some sunlight during the day), you tend to get used to going it alone. If you communicate with your clients through phone-mail or IM, it becomes normal for you to deal with people you have never met face to face. Stepping away from your desk to attend writers conferences makes good sense for a number of reasons.
[Read more…]
Whether you had a steady stream of writing gigs or a tiny trickle, you undoubtedly learned some lessons on what to do—and not to do—as a freelance writer in 2015. While we have yet to celebrate Christmas, it’s never too early to think about creating a better (new) year.
As you write your way into 2016, here are some New Year’s resolutions for you, the freelance writer, that will help you create a freelance writing career you’ll love. [Read more…]
