Most freelance writers cannot imagine themselves going back to a corporate setting where job stability – and salary – is practically guaranteed. As we found out in our survey, The State of Freelance Writers in 2015 , the main issue that freelance writers face is uncertainty in income.
For sure, all of us have faced this problem at least once. There are those periods when we are flush, but there are times when we just don’t know how we’re going to manage.
During these times, it’s easy to fall prey to desperation and depression, but there are ways to handle things. When you’re in dire financial straits, you can either “give up” or find solutions.
Let’s be positive and choose the latter, shall we?
Earn extra money fast(er)
Offer other writing services
Whatever the reason for your financial problems may be, you can earn extra money by diversifying your offerings. For example, if your focus is blogging for B2B, why not consider taking on B2C writing jobs? This will not only give you more jobs/clients, but also add to your portfolio, which can be useful down the road.
Other potential money earners:
- Academic writing services. There are legit services like CustomWritings, which provide assistance to students, without actually doing their homework.
- Writing for local businesses. Go out of the house and pay close attention to the businesses in your area. You might find “We’re hiring” signs. Even better, be proactive and offer your services to the owner if you think you can help them.
- Proofreading services. If you only do writing jobs, consider taking on proofreading gigs. If you don’t have a lot of experience, start with those with requirements such as grammar, spelling, and sentence structure check. You’ll be a shoo-in for these jobs.
Hustle for “ASAP” writing gigs
For really quick money, look for gigs that say “ASAP” and “URGENT”. Even if the job titles don’t have that label, read the entire ad carefully. There are many ads that explain the urgency of the job in the body and not the title. Not only can you get the payment faster, you can also charge a higher rate because of the quicker turnaround.
Surveys
In the past, we’ve received negative feedback about mentioning taking paid online surveys as a way to earn extra income. Regardless, taking online surveys can help when you really need money. However, the warnings about online surveys cannot be ignored. There are a lot of scams out there, and if you aren’t careful, you might end up in a worse condition than when you first started.
Take a look at sites like iPoll, Global Test Market, and Swagbucks, as they have good reviews. Do a search for “paid online surveys reviews”. If you run across a paid online survey site, always do a Google search to find out what people are saying about it.
Note: some of these sites pay cash while others pay in gift cards.
Get on Fiverr
Don’t stop reading just yet. Fiverr may not be an attractive option, but small amounts add up – enough to get you through the month, for example. Additionally, realize that $5 is the base amount for services rendered. You can charge higher by upselling.
For example, if the client wants a faster turnaround, you can charge more. Provide other options and perks – for extra fees – so that clients know all that you have to offer. Write compelling copy. You won’t have problems with that!
Hang in there
Lean periods will come, but they will also go. Before they come, save up. But if you don’t have enough savings when things get tight, buckle down and hustle!
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