All Recent Posts

7 Ways Freelance Writing is Like Acting

It has occurred to me more than once that people who act and those who write have a lot in common. Check out this list to see if you agree: 1. A lot of people think they can do the job. How hard can it be to dress up and pretend to be someone else or put a few words on a page? Well, the truth is that neither one of these jobs is always easy. There is work involved, and it can be challenging. 2. There are many more people who want to do the job than those who are actually working. The unemployment rate for actors sits at around 90 percent on a permanent basis. Writers are either working or pitching for their next gig – most of us are constantly... [Read More...]

How You Leave a Gig is Just as Important as How You Started

We talk a lot here at Freelance Writing Jobs about how to find work and how to treat clients at the beginning of your working relationship. How you behave at the end of the gig is just as important. Sometimes your relationship with a client ends because you have decided that it’s time to move on. You may have found higher paying work elsewhere or you may have decided not to work with that client for personal reasons. In other situations, the decision to end the working relationship is made by the client. They may not have any more work for you, or may need to stop handing out assignments due to economic reasons. It’s possible that... [Read More...]

Will Taking a Low Paying Freelance Writing Job Hurt Your Career?

I spotted a thread on a discussion forum in my online travels recently that caught my eye. The subject was whether taking a freelance writing job that pays at an entry-level rate is a good idea or if doing so will hurt your career. I have always been of the opinion that it’s better to be working than not doing so. My family enjoys eating and living indoors, so that’s a prime motivator for keeping busy. Simply because someone takes on a project that pays lower than they would normally accept doesn’t mean that they have done the one thing that is going to mess up their entire career. I’ve never had someone who has hired... [Read More...]

Is it Luck or Hard Work That Spells Success?

I’ve been thinking about luck and freelancing lately. I’ve noticed something that I tend to do, and I’ve decided that I need to give myself an attitude adjustment. Here’s the scoop: I’ve caught myself explaining to people who have been kind enough to ask about my writing career that I’ve been very lucky. A friend of mine gently reminded me that I have worked very hard and that luck had nothing to do with it. She’s right. When I was trying to get started, it took awhile for me to get to the point where I was working regularly. Rather than blame the situation on “bad” luck, I figured that I... [Read More...]

Monday Markets for October 19, 2009 Are Up

You can see the October 19, 2009 edition of Monday Markets here.  Read More →

Freelance Writer Rates: A Client’s Opinion

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 at least some work. When I’m... [Read More...]

The Letter-Resume: An Alternative to the Standard Resume Format

If you are responding to an ad or are preparing a pitch for a potential client but you don’t want to include a formal resume. There is are a way that you can tell the client about your experience without using one: the resume letter. Here’s how it works: Start your letter off in the usual way to introduce yourself and explain why you are making contact with the client. Then include a list of points from your resume that show the client why you are a good fit for the ad you are responding to or the role that you are interested in filling for them Finish with a good closing, thanking the client for taking the time to consider you and... [Read More...]

The Freelance Writing World: Big Enough for Everyone

I consider myself to be a feminist, and have been since the ’70s. Not in the “women of the world unite; all men are evil” way, though. I like and respect men, and I think that gender shouldn’t be the reason why girls and women shouldn’t be able to define success in any way that they choose. When it comes to the world of freelance writing and writers, I don’t think there is any “one size fits all” definition of success. When I started writing, I thought it would be wonderful if I could make enough money to buy groceries every week and help out with some bills. I achieved that first goal and much more,... [Read More...]

The Elephant in the Room: Asking for More Work After a Mistake

One of our readers posted this question in comments and has kindly agreed to my answering it in a post. “I missed a deadline with a client once because I was moving and my ISP was giving me the run-around. It was the worst. I can tell my client is now standoffish, but I’m not sure about how I should approach him to ask for more work. Keep in mind assignments with this client has went well and I completed projects sometimes weeks before the deadline. Should I just let him go or try?” The short answer to this question is that you should try. Building and maintaining good working relationships with clients is the key to a successful... [Read More...]

Resume Roundup: Some Posts You May Have Missed

I’ve been getting some questions about resumes for freelance writers lately. Not everyone who you are interested in working with will want to see a resume. Some prospective clients will want to see it to get an idea of who you are and what kind of experience you bring to the table. You can’t judge the quality of a gig that you are applying for by whether the client is asking for a resume. (I don’t remember if Deb has ever asked to see mine.) Some of them would rather see samples of your work to get an idea of what you can do for them. I started with one client when I received an e-mail asking if I wanted to work for him. For... [Read More...]

Bringing Community Back: FWJ is Giving Away $150

// Once upon a time there was a blog. This blog had several thousand visitors each day. They shared. They chatted. They commiserated. It was all good. Soon some mean people came by and began scaring away the happy chatters. The vibe changed from warm and fuzzy to not so much fun anymore. The owner did her best to build up community, but she was so busy with her projects and her job it wasn’t happening. She put a comment policy into place but the damage was already done. She had a reputation for having a community that liked to bicker. She wants to change that. If you remember the days when FWJ was a huge, lively community of writers... [Read More...]

Your Freelance Resume: Focus on Experience

One of our readers has recently started working for a new client and is wondering how soon to list that experience on a freelance writer’s resume. Here’s my take on it: Working as a freelance writer is not the same thing as being an employer. When you are preparing a resume for a job using a chronological format, you list the names of your previous employers and the dates when you worked there. When you are preparing a freelance writer’s resume, keep in mind that you are working for yourself, and the way you tell a prospective client about your work experience is a little different. A prospective client is more likely to ask... [Read More...]

How To Stay Motivated in Your Job Search

I thought I would try something different for this post. I found about this new tool that lets people make their own animated movies. I made my own short film about staying motivated when you are looking for freelance writing gigs. Hope you like it!  Read More →

How Often Should You Update Your Resume?

A resume is an important job search tool for freelance writers. Not all prospective clients ask to see one. For those clients who do, we want to present ourselves in the best possible way, and an updated resume is a must if we want to do that. How often should this important document be updated? Ideally, you will update your resume when you have new experience or updated skills to add to it. I’m the first person to admit that I’m not always right on top of things when it comes to my resume. I do take a look at it very few months and make changes as necessary, though. When you take a look at your resume, do more than just add your new... [Read More...]

Google Alerts as a Job Search Tool

When it comes to looking for freelance writing job opportunities, I’m of the “Leave No Stone Unturned” school of thought. Along with checking out job postings and preparing pitches for potential clients, you may want to consider signing up for Google Alerts. The process is very easy. You visit the Google Alerts page  and fill out the online form indicating whether you want to receive Alerts from Google News, the Web, blogs, or groups. Choosing “Comprehensive” gives you Alerts from all sources. Next, set up the frequency you would like to receive Google Alerts. You can choose to get them once a week, once a day or... [Read More...]