Before accepting a new freelance writing project you need to ask the client many questions. Two of the most important are: when does the project begin? When is the due date? If you do not ask these two questions you are going to find it difficult to work effectively. While most clients will bring this up because they want you to meet their needs, there are times when it can be overlooked.
In my experience, most projects begin the moment that all the details are finalized. In other words, I don’t have too many clients award me a job and then tell me to get started the next week. Instead, they want me to go ahead at once to ensure a timely completion.
The more important of the two questions is when the project is due. This is the date that you want to be most concerned with. You never want to agree to a completion date that you are not comfortable with. Trying to meet an impossible deadline will put a lot of pressure on you. The due date is always negotiable. But remember, you want to make the client happy. I always do what I can to agree to a completion date that works for the client. When this is not possible I ask for a couple extra days, and this is usually not a problem.
Every freelance writing project is different. Some jobs will only take a day to complete so I agree to a quick turnaround. Others are much more in-depth so the client will agree to give me as much time as I need.
As you are finalizing the details of a project make sure you talk about both the start and completion date. This will show the client that you are on top of things, and ensure their happiness in the long run. Not to mention the fact that knowing these dates will allow you to better schedule your days.
Members of my freelance writing course are probably tired of answering this question: which projects do you enjoy the most? This is something I ask at least once per week. Sure, it may be overkill, but it is a very important question to answer time and time again. When you know which projects you enjoy you can focus on finding those that fit the mold.
What you enjoy working on is up to you. Just because I enjoy writing feature articles does not mean you will feel the same way. Every freelance writer is unique in the types of projects that they like to take on.
Try this exercise. Write down all the different types of freelance writing projects you have completed over the past few months. From there, rate them on a scale of 1 – 10 with 10 being most enjoyable. This will give you a good idea of which projects you enjoyed, which ones you don’t want to take on again, and which ones are somewhere in the middle.
This does not mean you should only accept projects that you enjoy; at least not for beginners. When you are trying to build your career you want to get experience in a number of different areas. How will you know if you like or dislike writing sales letters until you give them a shot? You won’t. Until you have a solid base and know for sure that you can generate clients that offer the projects you enjoy the most, be open to anything and everything that comes your way.
If you do not know which projects you enjoy the most try to figure this out over the next few days. It is an important question to answer because it will go a long way in helping you shape the direction of your career.
So many people want to become a freelance writer but never get started. They keep telling themselves that “now is not the time.†Making excuses is easy. There is no denying that it can be difficult to take a leap of faith and decide that now is the time to become a freelance writer. But if you have the courage, you will be taking the first step in finding a career that you truly enjoy.
Here are three reasons why now is a good time to become a freelance writer:
1. Your job may not be as secure as you think. This may or may not be the case with you – only you know where you stand with your employer. But remember, when you work as a freelance writer you don’t have anybody who can cut off your entire income within a matter of seconds. You are in charge of your career. For most, this is very refreshing.
2. There are many markets to get involved with. With so many clients out there you should be able to find a freelance writing niche that you enjoy. This can be anything from web content to feature articles to sales material and much more. Don’t let anybody tell you that the freelance writing industry is small; this is definitely not the case.
3. The potential for big money is available. You don’t have to stay put and get paid whatever your employer decides to offer. There is nothing wrong with the “security†of knowing that your paycheck is coming from the same place every month, for the same amount. But if you really want to take control of your income, becoming a freelance writer allows you to do just that.
Do any of these reasons hit home with you? If so, quit thinking about becoming a freelance writer and do something about it.Â
