Remember, freelance writers do more than write. One of your main tasks outside of writing is customer service. Within this, you need to make sure that you agree on project details with each client before moving forward. This may not sound important, but it is. If you and your client are not on the same page, you are more than likely causing problems for yourself down the road.
What project details should you agree on with your clients? In my opinion, there are two areas on which you should concentrate:
1. Price and payment. How much are you charging for the job, and when you are getting paid? This is an important detail to every freelance writer no matter the project. Do not be shy when it comes to discussing payment. It is better for both parties to know the exact fee and payment details before getting started. In an ideal scenario you will receive payment upfront when dealing with new clients. But in some cases you may have to negotiate on this.
2. What exactly are you doing for the client? Details can be misconstrued if you do not have the right conversation before starting. You need to collect information on what the client wants from you and then double check it with them before getting started.
For instance, a client may ask for a 500 word sales letter, send you the money, and then tell you to get started. And while this looks good on the surface, you still don’t know what they really want. What topic are you writing on? How many headlines and sub-headers are you supposed to use? Do you need to add images or graphs? These are all details that need discussed upfront so that you do not complete the project just to find that you were totally off base.
Believe it or not, most clients also want to agree on the above details before starting a project. Just as you do not want any delays or misunderstandings, they more than likely feel the same way. If you keep an open line of communications and concentrate on the two details above, you will get off on the right foot with each and every freelance writing project that you accept.
If you are going to become a freelance writer you are sure to run into many myths during the early stages of your career. In fact, you may run into these before you ever decide to take the leap. During this time, you need to make sure that you ignore these common freelance writing myths. If you don’t, there is a good chance that they could scare you away from chasing your dream.
So what are some of the more common freelance writing myths that you will come across?
1. Freelance writers don’t make good money. I am tired of this one, but guess what? It is never going away. Simply put, you should completely ignore this statement. Just like any other industry, there are those who earn a lot and those who do not. That being said, there is nothing standing between you and earning a nice freelance writing income.
2. Becoming a freelance writer is hard work. I agree that becoming a success and earning money can be time consuming, and that it takes a devoted professional. But at the same time, it is a myth that you have to break down many walls in order to get started. Even if you have no experience, you can call yourself a freelance writer and begin to market your services in no time at all. This does not mean that you will become a success, but you can get started quickly and easily.Â
3. The competition is so fierce that you will never find quality clients. Again, this is downright ridiculous. There are plenty of clients to go around, and if you offer quality service you are going to find a few that enjoy working with you. Competition can be fierce; there is no denying this. But don’t think that there are so many freelancers that you have no chance of breaking into the business.
These common freelance writing myths have been around for many years. The best thing that you can do is ignore them. Thinking that any of the above myths are true is only going to slow down the progress of your career.
Has a potential buyer asked you for samples? If so, there are a few things that you can do. First off, and the best option, is to give them exactly what they want. If this does not work, there is a good chance that you do not have a sample that is related to what they are looking for. In this case, any sample may do; but this is something that you will have to ask the buyer.
Obviously, you want to give the buyer what he wants. If this means samples, so be it. Even if you cannot meet his exact needs, open up a conversation to see what else you can offer. Believe it or not, many clients will take any samples that you have. Simply put, they want to make sure that you can write quality content no matter the subject matter.
What samples are you going to offer? On my desktop, I have a folder full of a variety of samples. When a buyer asks for one, I know exactly where to look. From there, I find the sample that most closely resembles what I am being asked for. If nothing works, I head to other folders to try to find something better.
When a buyer asks for a sample you should have something to send. In other words, saying that you have nothing to show is not a good idea. Fortunately, most freelance writers, even though who are just starting out, have a few samples on hand. And remember, as you grow your career your collection of samples will grow as well.Â
