As a freelance writer, you need many things to succeed. Some of these details you think about everyday, but others may slip through the cracks. One thing I found out early on is that you need a reliable phone and internet connection in order to succeed. While this may not be 100 percent true for everybody, it is in most cases. Simply put, most freelance writers communicate with their clients via the internet. That being said, I talk on the phone with clients, freelance writing course members, and other professionals a few times per day.
If you do not have a reliable phone and internet connection, you should do something right away to change this. If you live in the United States, it is not difficult to get your hands on both of these. Of course, there are other parts of the world where it is a bit more difficult to find both services at an affordable price.
Can I use my personal phone line for business use? For about one year, I used my personal cell phone for freelance writing business as well. Soon enough, I wanted to take my business to the next level so I purchased a separate line. Although this costs more, it gives a professional look and allows me to better separate my personal and business lives.
If you do not have a reliable phone and internet connection, start shopping for a solution right away. As a freelance writer, it is essential that you have access to the internet for finding jobs, communicating with clients, and much more. And even though you may not use the phone as your primary means of communication, you never know when a client or potential buyer will want to speak with you in real time as opposed to email.
As of late, I have been thinking a lot about how to become as productive as possible. Many freelance writers think that becoming more productive means working more hours. This can be the case for some, but not everybody. After all, you can only work so many hours before you begin to burnout.
I have found that one of the best ways to increase productivity is to start your day off right. Of course, this means something different to everybody. That being said, the three tips below can help any freelance writer to increase productivity by starting their day right:
1. Do not sleep-in. I know, I know. Some of you guys like to work at night, and sleep during the day. If this is the case, and it is working for you, continue with this lifestyle. But personally, I like to keep a more “normal†work schedule. Over the past few months I have been experimenting with what time I wake up in the morning. I have found that 630 am has led to the most productive start. While this may sound early to some of you, it works out perfectly for me. Simply put, you need to do your own experimenting in order to find what works best for you.
2. Don’t start working until you are awake! It is one thing to get up early, but another to be on top of your game. Trust me, if I was not capable of writing quality content at 630 in the morning I would not be getting up this early. For some, all it takes is some breakfast and/or coffee to get up and moving. No matter what, you need to be energized and in the right frame of mind when you begin to write.
3. As I have said in the past, you need to know what tasks you are responsible for in a given day. I keep track of this by putting together a to-do list at the end of every workday. This way, when I wake up in the morning and head to my office, I can look at this list and know where to start. This saves a lot of time trying to get organized, and in deciding a work order.
By starting your day off right, you will find that you are becoming a more productive freelance writer.
Imagine what it must have been like to be a freelance writer before the internet. Your only option was print projects such as feature articles, corporate material, etc. In other words, there was no such thing as web copy, keyword articles, and other projects that are exclusive to the web. To go along with this, freelance writers had to find clients the good old fashioned way: cold calling and query letters. After all, there was no email. Additionally, the lack of email meant that submitting completed projects had to be done via fax or mail.
Are you getting a better idea of the benefits of the internet to freelance writers? As you can see, the online world has forever changed the way that writers tackle their career.
This all leads to the question of: which is better, web or print freelance writing? The answer you get will depend on who you ask. I don’t take one side or the other. I enjoy writing for the web, but at the same time I never turn down a print job (for the most part). Simply put, I have found them both to be lucrative and enjoyable.
Most new freelance writers agree that finding web work is the easier of the two; and I have to agree with this to a certain extent. That being said, many of these aspiring writers never break into print projects because they don’t put in the time. If you want to write for a magazine it takes more work than finding a webmaster that needs a couple keyword articles. You have to put together a query letter, show samples, and of course, find an editor that has a need for you.
Do not feel that you have to choose between web and print freelance writing. You can easily do both, as I do, and make a nice living along the way. In fact, it is fun to take on both types of projects because it keeps things fresh. As you know, there are many projects that fall within the broad headings of “web and print.â€
Many freelance writers like to take on the label of writing “web only†content. While this is fine for some people, you are limiting yourself by doing this. Keep an open mind to both types of projects, and it will help you to secure more work and a higher income.Â
