Every freelance writer knows that you won’t get hired if you don’t have a decent collection of writing samples. Understandably, prospective employers like to see what you can do before they commit to paying you.
You could send an email loaded with writing samples, but it’s much easier and more professional to build an online writing portfolio. These are becoming the current standard for freelancers, whether the proposed work is going to be online or not. [Read more…]
There is no doubt that there are tons of writing benefits. For us who make a writing living, the foremost one is making money to pay the bills.
But there’s more to writing than having an income, and science has something to say about that.
In an infographic put together by Global English Editing, the health benefits of writing are outlined. The premise is that writing benefits not only the mind, but the body and spirit as well. [Read more…]
Close to 54 million Americans are considered freelancers and that number is expected to grow 50% by 2020. While the freelance world can be alluring, there are many things you should consider before jumping in and applying for writing jobs.
The legal aspects of freelance writing are often overlooked, but they are nonetheless important to understand. Starting a successful freelance career is difficult enough. The last thing you need is added legal trouble. Avoiding the three following legal pitfalls will prevent you from receiving correspondence threatening legal action or a visit from the IRS. [Read more…]
Being a full-time or even a part-time freelance writer or blogger can suck up a lot of your time. Not only is it something that can be time-consuming, it’s also very tedious after a while as well. Just the thought of continuously writing for hours upon hours per day is enough to make a person cry!
However, as someone who has personally written and published well over 3,000 articles over the past several years, I know what it takes to keep at it strong! In this reference guide, I will provide you with a few useful tips and tricks for getting the job done, while also making some money in the process.
Most freelance writers will only write for clients and look at making money on a project by project basis. The option is also there to create a website of your own, while also putting your time, work and effort it’s a long-term business model as well. If you are already a great writer, why not build something amazing with the skills you currently possess?
Starting a new website or blog is easy and there are plenty of low cost hosting solutions out there for you to choose from. This means you can start a new website or blog, while also having a great domain name for just a few dollars per month. With a site of your own you can also write about whatever topics you like, while also adding content on your own schedule.
In this beginning, this will likely be a slow process, as it takes a lot of time to create a big site that ranks in the search results and receives traffic, but it will also make you a much better writer in the process. This can also help you learn more about SEO, which is a much-desired skill from companies when hiring freelance writers.
To learn more about creating a blog and how to pick a niche topic and even make money with your site, I recommend you take a look at this blog monetization guide.
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, it can be very tough to simply write, write and then write some more. When it comes time for you to start writing, I highly recommend that you try and remove as many distractions as possible. This includes turning off the television, not going on social media and shutting off all notifications on your phone. Just a few interruptions during the course of writing one 500 article, could quickly turn a simple 15-minute project into more than an hour!
It’s also important to free your mind and bring a relaxed environment around you when writing. Some people like to listen to music, but I prefer classical or any type of music that doesn’t include words. This simply makes it easier to write while not hearing someone else’s voice to distract me.
Another quick tip is to find ways to break apart your day and simply get away from the computer and writing. This will also give your eyes a much-needed rest as well. Something as simple as walking your dog every couple ours or getting offline and doing some coloring can make a huge impact on your productivity and how your brain works. You can actually view this infographic on the benefits of coloring, which has some surprising data on how a few minutes of coloring per day can help relieve stress and improve creativity — all big contributors to how well you write content.
Lastly, my third tip for getting the most out of your content writing is to try and turn your existing clients into long term clients. While you might be looking at your freelance business on a project by project basis and how much you can make per article… there is a lot of wasted time and effort in between each new client. It’s much more beneficial to secure long term clients and have recurring income coming in month after month. This will also help with your writing productivity and structure as well, as you will know exactly what the client wants.
I pointed out earlier that freelance writers are in great demand, and that there are also plenty of them to go around. The better you can portray yourself, your skills and professionalism, the more likely you are to secure more profitable and longer term deals. When possible, try to negotiate with your client on a monthly bulk order at a discounted rate. This will allow you to keep more focus on your best writing, while also having guaranteed money coming in month after month. You can follow each of the steps laid out in this freelance writing infographic to give yourself an edge against the competition.
Make 2017 Your Best Freelance Writing Year Yet!
With over a billion active websites on the internet today, content is something all of them need. However, just because content is being created and pushed out to the masses, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s that good or provides value. Just like there is a massive amount of websites that need content, there are also plenty of freelance writers out there to provide it for them. That’s why it’s extremely important to make sure you are not only delivering the best work possible but to also standing out from the crowd.
For many, sticking to the 9-5 is still very much the preferred option. It offers stability and routine. However, for a growing number of people, there are many aspects of working freelance and from home which are extremely attractive.
Working from home offers a great sense of flexibility, allowing you to be your own boss and work around a schedule of your choosing. On top of this, you are fully accountable for your own successes (and failures), which is a liberating feeling for some. [Read more…]
