I know that a lot of people read this blog because they are interested in freelance writing. And even though I am glad to help through my experiences, there are other great blogs out there as well. One of my personal favorites is Michael Kwan’s Beyond the Rhetoric. Michael touches on everything from freelance writing myths to getting past haters who have nothing nice to say.
If you love reading blogs on freelance writing, this is one to add to your daily reading list. For over a year Michael has been churning out content that not only teaches about writing, but is also lighthearted at the same time. When it comes down to it, you will never get bored reading what he has to say.
Go back a couple months in the archives and start reading. When you are done, you will have a much better understanding of freelance writing, blogging, and the internet in general.
As you know, obtaining freelance writing work can be difficult. But at the same time, the actual writing process is not always a walk in the park. In fact, this can be every bit as trying if you do not stay organized and work through each project in a logical manner.
When planning your freelance writing work, there are several things that you should keep in mind.
1. For the most part, never trying completing a job in one day. While this may be possible for smaller projects, anything that is of substantial size should be broken down into separate components. For instance, if I have to write a 750 word sales letter, I will work on it as follows.
Day one: research the topic, collate information, and set up the file.
Day two: begin the writing process, and see how far I can get without additional research. Day three: complete additional research, and finish the first draft.
Day four: make changes, and work out any kinks.
Day five: proof the final copy, and send to the client.
As you can see, it is easier to spread this work out over five days than to do it all at once. Not only does it make the job easier on me, but it also helps to ensure the highest level of quality.
2. Never bite off more than you can chew. Even though it is nice to garner new freelance writing projects, you do not want to have too much work. While this sounds silly, it can be a serious problem. Imagine if you had 5 sales letters due on the same day. You would have to complete the five steps above, five times over. Of course, before you turn down any job make sure that you carefully consider what you are doing.
3. If possible, spread your deadlines throughout the week. It is always nice to have one or two projects due each day as opposed to five or more. I have been in this predicament, and it can make for a long workday; sometimes heading into the early hours of the morning.
Once you secure a freelance writing project you are halfway home. Just remember, you are being hired to write compelling copy. You cannot simply be happy with getting the job. You must also deliver quality work on time.
What type of freelance writing income do you strive to earn? If you work as a freelance writer on a full-time basis, it is safe to say that you are hoping to earn at least as much as you would at a 9 to 5 job. The problem is that many aspiring writers have a difficult time breaking the income barriers that they set up for themselves. This is a very common problem among newbies, and the main reason that many quit before too long.
Before you start a freelance writing career, you should have two questions on your mind:
1. How much money do I need to get by each month?
2. What is a realistic monthly income goal?
Let’s start with the first question because it is definitely the more important of the two. Generally speaking, as long as you are making enough money to cover your bills you will be able to sustain your freelance writing career until you begin to earn more. For example, if your bills total $1,500/month you need to make sure that you earn at least that much money. Of course, if you have some cash in the bank you can make less and still get by.
Moving onto question number two, you need to set a realistic monthly income goal to work towards. Even when you are making enough to cover your bills, you will be thinking about how much money you would really like to earn. After all, who wants to spend all of their income on nothing more than bills? Without going into all my monthly expenses, I strive to earn at least $4,500/month from freelance writing alone; this does not include other internet related ventures. This gives me more than enough money to pay my bills, invest some, and save the rest for whatever I want. Luckily, I usually earn at least a few hundred dollars more than my monthly goal.
One quick note: read over question number two above once again. Do you notice the word “realistic?†Sure, it would be nice if I could earn $15,000/month through freelance writing. But guess what? At this time, that much money is not realistic. Maybe in the future it will be, but not right now. The bottom line is you do not want to set goals that you have no chance of reaching in the foreseeable future.
When working for yourself, there are always going to be barriers standing in your way; especially when it comes to income. By answering the two questions above, you will be able to take the first step to breaking the freelance writing income barrier.
