Archives for November 2014

How to Make your Freelance Writing Business Look Bigger

November 30, 2014 by Jodee Redmond Leave a Comment

As your freelance writing business grows, how much thought have you given to the kinds of clients you want to attract? If your goal is to work with larger companies, you will need to start taking steps to create the right image to attract them. Clients at this level want to know that you have the experience to handle larger projects and your business can be depended on to deliver the project on time, and on budget. Here are some tips to help you make your freelance writing business look bigger than a home-based venture so that you can make it appealing to a wider variety of potential clients.
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How a Freelancer Can Take Time Off (Without Losing Clients)

November 30, 2014 by Jodee Redmond 1 Comment

Were you drawn to life as a freelancer so that you could be independent and leave the 9 to 5 grind behind? Did you think you would have a flexible schedule that would let you take time off whenever you wanted? What no one probably explained was that as an independent contractor, you would probably end up working more hours than someone who works for an employer, especially when you include administrative and marketing tasks into the mix. The idea that a freelancer can take time off is one that can become increasingly foreign and more than a bit scary once you start getting more involved in the business.

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What is Academic Writing and How Is it Different From Other Kinds of Writing?

November 10, 2014 by FWJ 1 Comment

Academic Writing and Other Kinds of Writing

Some freelance writers specialize in certain niches. They are subject matter experts. Others are more versatile and write about a variety of topics.

Whichever kind of freelance writer you are, we can all agree that there are different types of writing that have different requirements. For example, writing for business to business (B2B) needs a different style from business to customer (B2C).

Then there’s technical writing, grant writing, and academic writing, among others. Let’s take a look at academic writing and how it is different from the other types of writing. [Read more…]

Are You A Freelance Writer? Read the Ultimate Secret to Enhancing your Freelance Writing Career

November 5, 2014 by Christopher Jan Benitez Leave a Comment

The path to a profitable freelance writing career is paved with trials and tribulations. One of the most difficult challenges that a freelance writer has to overcome is finding – and getting – a high-paying writing gig. Due to the competitive nature of freelance writing, seldom do writers get a job that pays good money. As a result, some are forced to take up low-paying jobs in order to work their way up until they find a more profitable writing job.

If you’re one of these writers, it’s time to stop getting gigs that have low payouts and get a writing job that pays you the amount of money you deserve! All you need is to find the ultimate secret to boost your freelance writing career to heights you never thought possible.

Are you ready to find out the secret?

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Writers, Do You Take Care of Yourself?

November 5, 2014 by Noemi 3 Comments

Working from home was my dream job, and it still is. I am living my dream, and it allows me to earn a decent living. It’s not always easy, but it’s even better than I had expected.

Then recently, it was brought to my attention that I haven’t been taking care of myself the way I used to. It took me a while to accept and understand that, but here I am writing about work at home writers taking care of themselves.

I’m writing this post for two reasons:

to ask what you do to take care of yourself so we can all learn from your experiences;
as a reality check for those who, like me, forget.

How can freelance writers take care of themselves

Having healthy eating habits

I used to be really bad with this as I would get so caught up in work that I would forget to eat proper meals during the day. If I did eat, it would usually be in front of the computer. I’d usually make up for it at night, when I went out with friends. That meant lots of greasy food and drinks.

Since I got really sick about 2 years ago with acute pancreatitis, and I had to stay in the hospital for more than a week, my eating habits have changed. I learned, the hard way, that taking a break and eating properly is worth more than ‘getting more work done’.

Getting exercise

If you remember, three weeks ago, I shared that I made a promise to myself that I would go out and walk at least twice a day. This was something I always said I’d do, but never got to do because I always had more work to do.

I’m happy to share that I’m actually doing it, and I feel better.

It’s just not about losing weight or being fit. It’s also about getting out of the house and physically distancing yourself from work, which can result in a better mindset when you get back to your computer.

Pampering yourself

We all have our own ways of pampering ourselves. I like getting a massage and getting my nails done. I also like to do a little bit of shopping for special items now and then. What I like most is to travel.

These things can be seen as rewards for meeting deadlines, doing a good job, and so on. The more important thing is that you feel rejuvenated after treating yourself.

Interacting with people in ‘real-life’

This is my biggest challenge. I am perfectly happy to stay at home and just chat, text, or call. My reasoning is that I don’t need as much social interaction as other people do. And this is true.

There are some negative effects of not meeting people face to face for a long period of time, though. Over the years, I’ve ‘met’ several work at home writers who have had problems with depression, needing clinical treatment even.

While other factors may have played a role in those cases, one thing about depression is the default reaction is to withdraw even more. One becomes more averse to social interaction.

That being said, studies have shown that doing the opposite – meeting friends and family – actually helps ease depressive feelings.

If you’re feeling disconnected and feeling down a lot lately, ask yourself this: “When was the last time I met with a friend face to face?

If it’s been months, then maybe it’s time to try. At least try. It won’t kill you.

Your turn

So, FWJ folks, have you been taking care of yourselves? In what manner? Maybe you can relate to the things I shared above and are struggling with them. Would you like to share in the comments ? Maybe we can help each other out.