Freelance writers need to concentrate on the clients and work that is in front of them at the time. That being said, you should never stop marketing. And when it comes to marketing, you need to know who you are trying to get in touch with and which markets you want to break into. With all of this in mind, I urge you to chase your dream projects on a regular basis.
Ask yourself this question: what is my dream freelance writing project? Although I have many answers to this question, one would be to write for Sports Illustrated. Is this a project that I chase day in and day out? Of course not. That being said, I like to think that I am working towards this goal by building my sports writing portfolio and making connections in the industry.
What makes a project a dream project? In my situation, Sports Illustrated has been one of my favorite magazines since I was little. For this reason, I would love to see one of my stories appear in the publication. Of course, the amount of money that they pay writers is also something that is quite appealing.
Listen up: your dream project is not going to be one that is easy to attain. In fact, it will probably take a lot of time and hard work to reach your goal. But remember, it is important to have goals to strive for over the long haul. This does not mean that you should give up on other goals, but you should always have one “big goal†that can be called your dream project.
You can have one dream project, or many. No matter what, make sure that you know what this project is and that you chase it when possible. I may never write for Sports Illustrated, but it is something that I think about a lot. Hopefully I am taking the right steps toward making this happen.Â
Do you know where your freelance writing career is headed? Just like the rest of us, the answer is probably no. After all, it is impossible to know exactly what the future will bring. That being said, you do need to have some idea of what you want to happen in the future. This way, you can do whatever it takes to steer your career in the right direction.
Here are three questions to ponder if you are having a difficult time deciding where you want your career to go:
1. What areas do you want to expand into? For instance, you may be a freelance writer specializing in web copy. This is good for now, but in the future you may decide that you want to get involved with feature articles for print magazines. You should have expansion goals so that you are always increasing your workload and capabilities.
2. Do you want to keep your freelance writing business the same size? Or do you want to grow as big as possible? This is an important question to ask. As one person, you can only do so much. If you want to increase your output, you have two options: work more hours or hire others. I like the size of my freelance writing business and have no desire to work more hours or hire others on a regular basis. That being said, others are interested in growing their business day in and day out. Do you?
3. Are you interested in additional streams of income? If you want to make more money your answer should be yes. As a freelance writer, you can look for additional income streams within your career or by branching into parallel fields such as blogging, creating niche sites, etc.
You will never know for sure where your freelance writing career is headed until you get there. But this does not mean that you should keep your eyes closed and hope for the best. Ask yourself the three questions above so that you can more or less control the direction of your career.Â
As a freelance writer, you should have an idea of what you charge for particular projects. While your freelance writing rates can and will change over time, you need to make sure that you have an idea of what you are dealing with at the present. This will go a long way in helping you to stay organized, while also making your life easier when quoting potential clients.
Do you ever find yourself saying, “I’ll lower my freelance writing rates for you?†If so, you need to dig deep and determine why you are doing this. It is not uncommon for a buyer to want to negotiate a lower price. In fact, I have found that this happens more times than not. But remember, you are in charge of your freelance writing career. You should never feel pressured to lower your price because you think that the buyer will walk.
You need to think about it this way: if you lower your rates you are saying two things to the buyer. First off, you are telling them that your “set†rate is too high. After all, if you are willing to negotiate down in price you are admitting that you are charging too much. Additionally, when you lower your price you are also saying that you are not worth a higher amount. Remember, you are a professional. You have the right to set your own fee schedule and then stick to it at all times.
When you stick to your guns, you may be surprised to find that the buyer still selects you for the job. In fact, you may gain a lot of respect by nicely saying “my rates are fair and I cannot offer a lower price.†In the long run, this sort of self confidence will work in your favor. It will also allow you to feel better about yourself.
Does this mean that I never lower my rates? Of course not. There are times when I do this. For instance, if I want to get my foot in the door with a large client I may offer a slight discount. And remember, if you are going to lower your rate for a good reason, you still need to make sure that you are working at a reasonable hourly rate.
