A Quick Guide to Freelance Writing Success

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freelance writing success

Everyone who enters the realm of freelance writing goes into it with the idea of being successful. Some may think it’s as easy as pie. Others may think it will take time. Seasoned freelance writers will know that the latter group is more accurate.

While there is no step-by-step foolproof guide applicable to all writers that will lead to freelance writing success, there are certain principles, which, if followed, can help new freelancers reach their goals. Even experienced writers who want to become more successful in their chosen field can benefit from these principles. [Read more…]

Freelance Writing Success: Are We There Yet?

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Success can be kind of a slippery word. Like beauty, it’s in the eye of the beholder. We all want to be successful in our freelance writing career, and there is no shortage of resources telling us how to do it.

Some of the information is readily available online, including the posts that the team here at Freelance Writing Jobs brings you on a regular basis. If you are wondering, “how do I….” you can find multiple answers to your question by checking out freelance writing blogs and websites. You also have the option of going to your local library or bookstore to find more information about writing. There are even magazines devoted to becoming writer, how to become a better writer and how to find writing markets.

When it comes to what defines freelance writing success, each person has a different answer, and that is how it should be. As you change and grow, your ideas about success will change. I remember working at my first full-time job in the early 1980s and thinking that I would be successful if I was able to make $200 a week. (I was making $150 a week at the time.)

Over the years, my ideas about success have changed, and I’ve changed and grown as well. I realized that one person’s success can look quite different from another individual’s notion of what that is like. I have two beautiful daughters, and one of them has special needs. What this means for our family is that how we define success will be very different, but no less valid for each one of them.

For your writing career, how you define success may be different at different stages. It needs to be based on your skills and abilities, your financial needs, and your values. Some people choose this type of work because they want or need to have a flexible schedule due to medical or emotional issues or because they are caring for children and/or their parents. Other people come to freelance work because they want to be experience the joy and challenges of running their own business. Both of these types of  people are successful, because they are doing something that works well for them and that fits in with their values.

What do you value, and what does success look like to you?

Do You Care About Your Clients’ Business?

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How much do you care about your clients’ business? And what does caring have to do with getting hired for a freelance writing gig? Plenty.

I believe that success is based partly on having a certain amount of raw talent but it’s mostly about showing up, doing the work and developing good relationships with the people you work with. Part of having a good relationship with your clients is caring about them and their business.

You may be hired to provide a writing service, but what you are really doing is helping your client solve a problem. They may be looking to draw more traffic to their web site, increase sales by putting out a brochure that persuades a prospect to contact the company or put a human face on their company by asking you to write blog posts.

If you were the client and you had the choice between two writers of equal ability, would you hire someone who only did what they were asked to do (no more, no less) or would you give the nod to someone who took the time to ask about your business and what you are trying to accomplish?

Let’s not get so caught up in trying to be cool that we forget to care about the people we work with. They are the reason we’re in business, after all.

What’s More Scary: Fear of Failure or Success?

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Fear of failure is something that I think most writers live with. In order to work, we have to either be answering ads, pitching our services to prospective clients, sending our queries or writing and marketing our own products. Sometimes we get the gig, and other times we don’t.

Most of the time, we realize that we won’t get hired for every opportunity that we go after. Sometimes we can roll with the punches and shake off getting turned down for a gig, while at other times it can be upsetting to find out what the client didn’t feel that we were a good fit for the opportunity.

There isn’t any surefire way to conquer fear of failure entirely, but I like to use pictures in my mind to deal with it. I think of Failure as a creature that looks something like a dragon. Not sure why I chose that particular image, but the fact that it’s a mythical creature probably has something to do with it.

When I start to talk myself out of going after an opportunity that I know I am qualified for, I think about the thing that I’m afraid of – Failure – and I mentally start to stare it down. All I can do is present myself in the best way that I can, and after that point, the decision is out of my hands. The client decides whether I’m someone they want to work with or not.

I think it’s more challenging to deal with fear of success. It has to do with change. Deep down, people don’t like change. You may have gotten hired for the gig, but now you have to prove that you can perform at a higher level. When you pull it off, there may still be a part of you that doesn’t feel deserving of the money, recognition, prestige, or what have you. The success you have achieved is stressful.

I don’t have any magic solution to the issue of fear of success. I know that taking action is a way of dealing with fear. If there is an opportunity you want to go after, do it. If you get hired, give the client your best effort every time. And don’t let fear – of either failure or success – hold you back.

When Good Article Writing Goes Bad

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On the outside, writer ‘A’ appears to be successful. Their byline appears in multiple publications, they make a decent living as a freelance writer and they can roll out most articles with minimum effort. That’s a good thing right? Maybe not. Writer ‘A’ has got what I call “By Rote Disease.” It’s a common affliction for many freelance writers.

Symptoms include:

  • Writing articles by a formula
  • Nodding off during an assignment
  • Creating work that is competent but typical

“By Rote Disease” is not serious for most writers and can be cured by re-igniting the writing spark  that lives inside of each keyboard tapper. There are many reasons why “By Rote Disease” attacks a writer – often it stems from sheer boredom. When a writer becomes an expert in their niche they are 10 times more likely to become victims. A writer is also more susceptible to contracting this disease when they focus more on making money writing than on writing.

Many writers walk away from their full-time jobs to join the exciting world of freelance writing. They are lured by the promises of relaxing days outside under a tree with words pouring forth onto their laptop like a waterfall. They imagine skipping through the tulips on the way to their mailbox to pick up large checks for work that was more pleasure than pain. They see themselves interviewing the leading experts in a particular niche and becoming “besties” with them. Then reality hits:

  • Lots of work doesn’t necessarily translate to tulip skipping.
  • Thinking about the phone bill can put a damper on creativity.
  • Becoming an expert in a niche can mean being so sick of writing about it you want to scream!

This is when the disease sets in and writers turn off the creativity and turn on the robotic lede-paragraph-quote-paragraph-quote-side bar-paragraph-close formula. The copy? Clean. The sources? Stellar. The passion, interest and spark? Gone.

Light the Spark

The quickest way to get over “By Rote Disease” is to simply get out of your comfort zone – which can be scary for writers. Writers build up a reputation, following and list of contacts that makes the job easier, but can potentially stagnate their growth. Moving out of your comfort zone can be as dramatic as moving onto a completely new niche or as easy as taking on a different perspective.

One of the quickest ways to set the writing spark on fire is to learn more about a subject. The great thing about writing is the world is constantly evolving and there are always new ideas and theories being floated about everything. There is always a conference, a new book, etc. popping up. Instead of waiting for a bandwagon to drive by, create your own by investigating and writing about the new things that are happening in your particular niche.

Another great way to freshen up your work is to hit another genre on the side. It’s not like you’re cheating on your niche, it’s more like an open relationship kind of thing. You hook up with a few other interesting niches or genres and bring what you learn back to your main squeeze.

If all else fails, change your location. Get out of the basement and into creation. Hit the library, the park, a bookstore, your back porch…Anywhere that’s not your office. Utilize a perk of freelancing and be open to creating and being inspired by a new location.

All writers run into a lull every once in a while. Great writers recognize when the copy is getting stale and shake things up. Now, get out there and write something great!

When Freelance Writers Need a Wake Up Call

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In order to encourage the freelancer writers in this community, I like to keep the tone light and positive. Though I don’t take the “in your face” approach to blogging, I’ll agree that there are plenty of times when freelance writes need to have the truth laid out for them in order to view all sides of the picture. With that in mind, I’d like to discuss some of the things that aren’t so pleasant and hopefully inspire struggling freelancers to re-evaluate their career choices and goals.

To be perfectly blunt, there are times freelance writers need a wake up call. If they’re struggling all day, every day, and no money is coming in, there’s something wrong. This doesn’t always mean they’re not in the right career, but oftentimes it does.

Let’s explore some of the reasons freelancers may want to reconsider their career choice, or, at the very least, come up with a new business or marketing plan. Most of us chose freelancing to have a positive experience, if that’s not happening some self and business evaluation is necessary. Struggling freelance writers would do well to explore the reasons behind their lack of success and decide what they’re going to do about it.

Here are a few situations when freelance writers need to rethink their strategy – and maybe even their career choice.

When they’ve been doing this for years and still earning $5 an hour

Simply put, freelancers need to profit from their work. Most of us think it’s nonsensical to put in a full day’s work and only receive enough in return to pay the bare minimum bills, if that. Indeed, in the “real world” we expect cost of living increases and the ability to put at least a little bit into savings. If you’re trying to make a living as a freelance writer but only barely earning pocket change, you need to rethink your earning strategy. Some writers feel the flexibility and work at home lifestyle are perks that make up for extremely low pay. Consider that eight hours of work is eight hours of work -regardless of whether you’re home or in an office. Your time is worth something. In order for our clients to value our time, WE need to value our time. The beautiful thing about freelance writing is that we don’t have an employer telling us how much we can earn, or how much of an increase we may (or may not) receive. We make our own rules, and that includes the amount we wish to receive per gig.

Wake up call: You’re not earning enough money…why is this? Is it because you’re not choosing the right kinds of clients or setting the right amount for your rates? As freelancers we should always make the choices that are best for us and our situations. However, if your freelance writing lifestyle isn’t contributing to a better situation, you need to analyze why. Sometimes it’s a simple as raising your rates, other times, it’s because you’re only focusing on entry level opportunities. Take a deep breath and make the changes that will enable your bank account to grow with your career. This can include a client overhaul, a new specialty, a new business plan and especially, a raise in rates.

When they’re receiving nothing but rejection

Nothing is more frustrating and disheartening than rejection. Usually our stock answer to freelance writers regarding rejection is to consider themselves in good company and remember it’s a way of life for this career. However, we can learn a lot from rejection. Sometimes an editor will add a useful note to a rejection letter telling us why we’re not a good fit and offering tips for submitting or applying again. Sometimes a second pair of eyes on our cover letters and writing samples tell us what we need to know too. When we receive rejection every time we apply and absolutely no one is biting, it might be more than a typo or a bad fit.  I’m not one to tell people to give up, but no gigs after five years of trying might be telling you something.

Wake up call: If no one wants to hire you, it doesn’t necessarily mean you might not be a very good writer, but that might well be the case. I know writers who have applied to hundreds of jobs over several years and only find work paying small residual change for places without a strict acceptance policy. If this is you, consider whether or not you’re cut out for writing, or if this is the result you’re looking to achieve. If you belong to a writing community, ask trusted members to critique some of your best writing. I know it’s hard to hear criticism, but it’s often necessary in order to know what we’re doing wrong (and right.)

When all their spare time is spent working

There are two main reasons writers spend all day working. The first is because they love what they do and lose track of time. The other is that they’re trying to earn enough to make ends meet and the only way to do that is work 15 hours a day.. .and even that’s not enough. So now we have a problem, we work at home in order to have freedom, but we’re chained to our desks 80 hours a week. Is it worth it?

Wake up call: If you’re working all day because you want to earn $60,000 a year, you may want to rethink your approach. It’s one thing to work four to eight hours each day to earn that much, it’s another to spend every waking hour with low paying gigs in order to pay the bills. It’s time to work smarter not harder. Instead of taking a $7 project, find a similar project paying, say $30. Now you’re earning quadruple the rate and you can reach your goal income in less time. Every six months to a year, reassess your situation and see if you need to increase your rates again.

When they’re not happy

Damn it, it’s not enough to be “boss free.” Your happiness counts for something too. If you hate your job and hate writing, why are you doing it? It’s funny how we fantasize about leaving our office jobs but we’re much more hesitant to leave a work at home lifestyle because we don’t want to give up the flexibility.  To be honest, I had more time when I worked in an office job because I left my job at 5:00 each day and didn’t go near it on the weekends.

Wake up call: Um, hello? When did your happiness become so insignificant? If you’re not enjoying yourself, explore why. Is it a particular client? Decide whether or not he’s replaceable. Is it because you don’t enjoy writing?  Decide whether or not this is the career for you or consider other types of work from home opportunities. Is it because you’re lonely? Make sure to find time for friends and family. Go to lunch with “the girls” or have a movie night with your friends.

Understanding the Reasons Behind Your Lack of Success

Maybe other freelance writers can weigh in her too, but for me examining why I’m not a success always helps me to achieve success. Every now and then when I have a dry period of potential clients aren’t so receptive to my queries, I do a little analysis to see why. I go over my writing samples, cover letters and resume. Every now and then things need updating, you know?

Something else I learned is that a second set of eyes helps us to see what we’re missing. Understanding the reasons behind our lack of success will help us to determine whether or not we’re doing the right thing or going about things the right way. The important thing to remember is you’re not a failure if you decide this life isn’t for you.

We’re freelancers because we want to enjoy life. When we’re not happy or not successful we’re not enjoying anything.

What are some of the wake up calls you received regarding freelance writing? What did they tell you and what action did you take next?

Luck v. Hard Work

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Does everyone tell you you’re lucky because you’re able to make a successful living as a freelance writer? Are constantly reminded of your “luck” because you’re able to work at home, support your family and still have some money left over for fun? Do your fellow freelance writers discuss your luck at finding high paying clients or having a kickass marketing plan?

My friend, that’s not luck. It’s your hard work paying off.

I don’t know why we write off someone else’s success as “luck,” especially when it’s clear that person put a lot of time and effort into reaching his level of achievement.

  • Luck is overnight success. Hard work is finding success after working every single day for months and years.
  • Luck is wining the lottery. Hard work is blogging eight hours each day to build up traffic, community and revenue and finally seeing rewards years later.
  • Luck is landing the first client you contact upon starting your career. Hard work is keeping that client even five years later.
  • Luck is receiving a reward from no effort on your part. Hard work is a steady buildup leading to something even more rewarding.

I think we’re inclined to say people are “lucky” when they’re more successful because it makes us feel better about not achieving the same level of success. Maybe it’s time to stop griping about other people’s “luck” and make our own.

Before you write off someone else’s good fortune as “luck” research what went into the end result. I think you’ll probably find out it wasn’t luck at all.

Which Trait is Most Important to Freelance Writing Success?

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If you think about the people you know (or know online) that are successful freelance writers, what do you think they have in common? This question can be a bit challenging because freelancers come from a number of different backgrounds. They can be any age, and while some have studied writing in university, others hold degrees in other subject areas. Some successful freelance writers didn’t go to university at all.

For some people, writing is something that they have done from the time they were old enough to put pen(cil) to paper. For others, and I’m in this category, the road to a freelance writing career was long, winding, and broken in a few places along the way. (I now realize that every choice I made and all the jobs I’ve had in the past have helped me to get to this moment – and it’s all good.)

I’ve given this matter some thought, and I the most important trait that a freelance writer can have is dependability. Yes, it helps to be familiar with the style of writing the client wants, but a person who is reasonably intelligent and a bit adventurous can figure it out if the client can provide an example of what he or she wants.

Having a good base of knowledge in a particular subject area is also good to have. If necessary, we can conduct research to obtain the level of understanding needed for the projects we take on. A lot of projects require a certain amount of research anyway, since we need to tackle the project from a certain angle to meet the client’s needs.

You can have degrees up the yin yang and be a complete Brainiac in the subject area involved, but if the client knows or doesn’t believe that you are going to show up when needed and stick with the project until it’s done, they are going to hire someone else.

When you are talking to a potential client, tell them about your work ethic and that you pride yourself on working diligently until your clients are satisfied. That doesn’t mean that you let clients go through multiple revisions without charging more for your time (which is a whole different discussion) or keep going on a project if the client thinks they are a magician (they just disappear one day).

It’s about telling the client that you are both on the same side and that you are committed to doing your best work every time you get hired, because that’s the way you roll.

What trait do you think is most important in a successful freelance writer?

3 Truths About Freelance Writing

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There are many myths floating around about freelance writing and working from home in general, and you have probably heard or seen them already. Comments like it’s easy to write for a living, anyone who can put together a sentence can be a writer and you can make big bucks your first day as a freelancer (one of my personal favorites).

Rather than perpetuating myths about freelance writing, today I’d like to share some truth, or at least the truth as I see it.

Clients are not an interruption to a freelancer’s schedule.

I’ve had clients want to talk to me but tell me they hesitate because they don’t want to “distract” or “interrupt” me. A client is not an interruption to my work – they are the reason I have work. If they have a question, concern or a comment about something I am working on or I’ve done for them, I want to know about it, and I don’t ever want them to think that I’m “too busy” to listen.

The guy (or gal) paying the fee is never a pain in the a$$.

Yes, I told a client this once when he had a concern that he was being too demanding. (He wasn’t.) Everyone you work with has a slightly different work style. Some people are all business, and only talk about the job at hand. Others want to chat first before talking about work stuff. Every so often, you run into someone who becomes a friend as well as a client and you share details about your life more openly with them.

Whatever the person’s work style is, the fact remains that if they are paying me to do a job for them, then they deserve to have the job done the way they want, and if they need communicate often or ask for updates or whatever, so be it – which brings me to the third point I wanted to make:

It’s not about me.

I can ask questions or make suggestions but ultimately, I’m getting paid to give the client what he or she wants. If I can’t do that or I don’t like something about the terms of the gig, I can choose not to work with that person anymore. Sometimes the fit between a freelance writer and a client just doesn’t work out. It doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with either party, just that the working relationship wasn’t a good one. The best choice may be to admit that fact and move on.

What truths about freelance writing would you like to share?

Stretch Yourself When Applying for Freelance Writing Jobs

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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 in their work. Very few people would be content doing the same kind of work day in, day out, for the rest of their working lives – especially if the rate of pay stays the same.

If you want to get the higher paying freelance writing jobs, you need to stretch yourself. Going after a bigger or better-paying gig can be a bit nerve-wracking, but this is a good sign. You need to get outside your comfort zone if you’re going to grow as a writer, and if you wait until you have no butterflies to do it, you will have missed out on some wonderful opportunities.

Sometimes you need to seek out these opportunities by sending out pitches to clients you would like to work with or applying for gigs that pay more than what you are currently getting. At other times, the chance to stretch as a freelance writer comes to you when a client asks if you are interested in taking on a type of project you haven’t tackled before.

When that happens, try not to get too hung up on the “what if I mess this up?” thoughts. If the client didn’t think you could handle it, they wouldn’t have approached you. Ask questions to make sure you understand what the client wants, and give it your best shot.

One of the advantages of doing this kind of work is that we have variety in the projects we can work on. If we don’t give ourselves permission to try something new every so often, we will just stagnate in our working lives.

What projects have been a stretch for you and how did you feel once they were completed?

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