“Big money” is obviously relative. For some freelance writers, this could mean at least $50 per hour. For others, this could be at least $100 per hour.

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No matter what figure you consider big money, you can reach that goal. It may take a bit more work than you’re currently doing, but with these four simple tips, you will increase your worth.

Make sure you’ve got the writing chops.

First things first. You’re a writer. Therefore, you need to make sure that you know what you’re doing, that your writing skills are above par.

Go one step further. Make sure your writing skills are so good that clients can’t help but be impressed.

Additionally, know what kind of writing fits client requirements. Learn how to write copy for landing pages if you are targeting that niche. Learn how to write well-researched articles if you want to reach out to clients who need this type of content.

Be honest with yourself. How good a writer are you? What areas can use improvement?

Train yourself to write fast.

Really fast. The faster you write, the more work you can take on, and the more money you can earn. However, do not lose sight of the fact that, on its own, writing fast won’t lead to big money.

You can be a blazingly fast writer, but if the quality of your work suffers, then you’re better off writing slowly and delivering excellent work.

Read Only if You Want to Write Better and Faster

How do you train yourself to write fast?

Go easy on yourself when writing the first draft. Just go ahead and write as quickly as you can. Once you’re done, edit and polish your article. It may be difficult in the beginning, but once get the hang of it, you’ll write even faster.

Don’t get stuck on research.

Here’s another way to help yourself to write quickly. Focus on what’s most important: the writing.

Yes, research is necessary in many cases. If you’re not an expert on the topic you’re working on, then you’ll definitely spend more time on research. However, do not spend more time than you have to on this activity!

You don’t need to spend hours and hours on research and ground work. Just get the information you absolutely need to get the job done well, and get on with it!

Note: research may include reading background material, looking up stats, interviews, and so on. You may have to do some tests to determine just how much research you need to do (on average).

Avoid quoting per hour.

We often see hourly rates in job ads, don’t we? That works most of the time, but if you want to earn more for a project, don’t give an hourly quote.

Instead, mention a flat fee for the whole project. The trick is to do the math so that the flat fee you quote gives you the hourly rate that you want.

Follow the advice of expert negotiators: quote a fee that gives you leeway to negotiate. Also determine beforehand the lowest amount you will accept.

These are ways freelance writers earn more. Although it does not encompass everything, it is a good start. Do you have your own success stories? Share them with us, and help fellow freelance writers earn more!