Any freelance writer who has been in the business for a while knows how the ups and downs of the workload works. There are days and weeks when you feel as if you will never work again. Clients that have come to you regularly seem to have disappeared and the search for new ones is slow to prosper. This can and does happen quite often but it's important to remember that it doesn't last for long. All too soon you will be so flooded with work that you may have to turn down offers for work.
These ups and downs can get annoying but it's a good idea to take advantage of those lulls in between jobs. It can be over before you know it. If you work on other things like music, fiction or anything at all, use your free time to focus on that. It can be hard to make time for yourself so when you have some, unwilling or not, make good use of it.
Whatever you do, don't assume that a week without work means that you will never have freelance writing work again. It also doesn't mean that you shouldn't hit up job postings and apply for new projects. Devote an hour or two a day to job hunting and things like maintaining your website and myspace page. Promotion can be done regardless of workload. In fact, a low workload makes it easier to take care of those types of things that otherwise go overlooked.
~Trina M. Lee
www.TMLWritingServices.com
Friday, June 6, 2008
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Writing Is All About Your Determination
It's astoundingly common for freelance writers to hit a snag or two or many along their writing career journey. All too often new writers come blazing onto the scene filled with excitement and ready to work. But then they discover that jobs don't find you simply because you tout yourself as a freelance writer. Writing jobs are something that you must pursue. This can be frustrating and rewarding. But it requires some commitment.
It can take some time to land that first freelance writing job, especially when you don't have a current portfolio of writing samples. You may be required to start with a low paying job and work your way up rather than aiming for the highest ones from the start. Experience certainly helps. Once you have one paying job it opens the door for more to follow. Hanging in there for that first writing job is essential.
Many would be writers throw in the towel within the first week or so of little success. Job hunting in the freelance writing world takes some real dedication. If you're searching among online listings then consider how many writers are also applying for those jobs. It can take a while to land that first worthy writing gig.
What really matters is your determination as a freelance writer. It can take years to reach the level of success that some writers claim to have reached. Do you have it in you to last that long?
~Trina M. Lee
www.TMLWritingServices.com
It can take some time to land that first freelance writing job, especially when you don't have a current portfolio of writing samples. You may be required to start with a low paying job and work your way up rather than aiming for the highest ones from the start. Experience certainly helps. Once you have one paying job it opens the door for more to follow. Hanging in there for that first writing job is essential.
Many would be writers throw in the towel within the first week or so of little success. Job hunting in the freelance writing world takes some real dedication. If you're searching among online listings then consider how many writers are also applying for those jobs. It can take a while to land that first worthy writing gig.
What really matters is your determination as a freelance writer. It can take years to reach the level of success that some writers claim to have reached. Do you have it in you to last that long?
~Trina M. Lee
www.TMLWritingServices.com
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Free Writing Samples - Do or Don't?
An issue that many freelance writers are constantly faced with is the "free writing sample" issue. Many clients will request one and at the worst, expect one. When is it a good idea? And when should you say a polite "heck no"?
1. You need to build a portfolio. This is a time you may want to consider doing a few free articles or editing jobs. Nothing outrageous of course, just enough to show your skill. You are giving work away for free though so let the potential client know that you plan to show it in your portfolio as a sample to others as well.
2. You already have an established freelance portfolio. This may be one of those times to say no. If you have plenty of creditable experience to show this person and they demand free work, it's better to walk away. This is a livelihood for most freelance writers. Doctors and lawyers don't work for free when they have families to feed, why should we?
3. It's a well paying job that would do wonders for your freelance writing career. Consider a free sample. If you know the potential client is legit then it may be worth your time. Decide what the position is worth to you.
4. The job is coming through a freelance job site or bid site. These are often the lower paying of the freelance writing jobs out there. Rates tend to be lower than the work is worth. If the articles only pay $5 or less less there is no reason you should have to submit a free sample. The price alone is highway robbery after paying the site commission fees. If you choose to use these sites for work that's fine. But don't sell yourself so short as to give work away for free.
Consider this: every writer that bids on that job may be asked for a free sample. In the end the buyer has so many he doesn't need to choose or pay any one of them. Just a thought.
Freelance writing is a rewarding profession. However, it's also a challenging one that requires plenty of persistence and thick skin. Do what you have to do in order to secure the freelance writing job that guarantees you success rather than a loss of wage and time.
~Trina M. Lee
www.TMLWritingServices.com
1. You need to build a portfolio. This is a time you may want to consider doing a few free articles or editing jobs. Nothing outrageous of course, just enough to show your skill. You are giving work away for free though so let the potential client know that you plan to show it in your portfolio as a sample to others as well.
2. You already have an established freelance portfolio. This may be one of those times to say no. If you have plenty of creditable experience to show this person and they demand free work, it's better to walk away. This is a livelihood for most freelance writers. Doctors and lawyers don't work for free when they have families to feed, why should we?
3. It's a well paying job that would do wonders for your freelance writing career. Consider a free sample. If you know the potential client is legit then it may be worth your time. Decide what the position is worth to you.
4. The job is coming through a freelance job site or bid site. These are often the lower paying of the freelance writing jobs out there. Rates tend to be lower than the work is worth. If the articles only pay $5 or less less there is no reason you should have to submit a free sample. The price alone is highway robbery after paying the site commission fees. If you choose to use these sites for work that's fine. But don't sell yourself so short as to give work away for free.
Consider this: every writer that bids on that job may be asked for a free sample. In the end the buyer has so many he doesn't need to choose or pay any one of them. Just a thought.
Freelance writing is a rewarding profession. However, it's also a challenging one that requires plenty of persistence and thick skin. Do what you have to do in order to secure the freelance writing job that guarantees you success rather than a loss of wage and time.
~Trina M. Lee
www.TMLWritingServices.com
Monday, May 12, 2008
When To Say No
As a new freelance writer it can be tempting to grab every scrap that comes your way. Because of this there are many writers working for much lower than they should. This is turn creates a domino effect causing many buyers to refuse to pay higher. Rather than refusing to work for little, writers are compromising their integrity and professionalism.
Freelance bid sites are notorious for low paying jobs. True, many decent projects can be found there though just as many insulting $2/article jobs can as well. Do yourself a favour and don't even read those ads. It's a waste of your time and intelligence. There comes a time when freelance writers have to take a stand and demand more. These buyers come to writers for a reason. Because we have skills they do not. Why should they not pay for time and talent?
Turn your attention to higher paying markets like magazines or newspapers. The income is not as regular but it's higher and the experience speaks volumes for your resume in ways a $2 article cannot.
The fact remains that we all have to start somewhere. It's realistic that many of us will accept some of the lower paying positions over time. However, the point is to refuse to allow those jobs to hinder your growth. There is more to freelance writing than cheap labour. Set your standards and stick to them. Sometimes it's better to walk away from a job than to do what you know simply is not worth it.
~Trina M. Lee
www.TMLWritingServices.com
Freelance bid sites are notorious for low paying jobs. True, many decent projects can be found there though just as many insulting $2/article jobs can as well. Do yourself a favour and don't even read those ads. It's a waste of your time and intelligence. There comes a time when freelance writers have to take a stand and demand more. These buyers come to writers for a reason. Because we have skills they do not. Why should they not pay for time and talent?
Turn your attention to higher paying markets like magazines or newspapers. The income is not as regular but it's higher and the experience speaks volumes for your resume in ways a $2 article cannot.
The fact remains that we all have to start somewhere. It's realistic that many of us will accept some of the lower paying positions over time. However, the point is to refuse to allow those jobs to hinder your growth. There is more to freelance writing than cheap labour. Set your standards and stick to them. Sometimes it's better to walk away from a job than to do what you know simply is not worth it.
~Trina M. Lee
www.TMLWritingServices.com
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Always Write
Being a freelance writer certainly isn't all it's cracked up to be. Not for most of us anyway. It involves a lot of work, possible rejection and perseverance. Those unpredictable dry spells can really be a drag as well. It often seems like work comes in giant loads, more than you can handle before tapering off to virtually nothing before the next giant wave hits. It's not an easy way to live but many of us do it because it's what we love. Or it should be. If you don't love what you do for a living, you're doing the wrong thing.
You may be a full time freelance writer or perhaps writing is a part time thing for you. Whichever it is, be sure to write regularly regardless of jobs. Down time is perfect for honing your skills and brushing up on your marketing techniques. Write up a few queries and send them to magazines that interest you. Work on fiction if it's another avenue of writing you enjoy or simply hit the job boards a little harder than usual. The point is: having no job doesn't mean that you cannot be working.
Freelance writing and making the most of your freelance services is key in your career. There is so much more to your writing than the job itself. Look into all aspects to promote yourself and get the attention of those who need freelance writing services. Promote your website through classifieds ads or directories as well as search engines. There should never be a time when a writer has nothing to do.
~Trina M. Lee
www.TMLWritingServices.com
You may be a full time freelance writer or perhaps writing is a part time thing for you. Whichever it is, be sure to write regularly regardless of jobs. Down time is perfect for honing your skills and brushing up on your marketing techniques. Write up a few queries and send them to magazines that interest you. Work on fiction if it's another avenue of writing you enjoy or simply hit the job boards a little harder than usual. The point is: having no job doesn't mean that you cannot be working.
Freelance writing and making the most of your freelance services is key in your career. There is so much more to your writing than the job itself. Look into all aspects to promote yourself and get the attention of those who need freelance writing services. Promote your website through classifieds ads or directories as well as search engines. There should never be a time when a writer has nothing to do.
~Trina M. Lee
www.TMLWritingServices.com
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Home Office - Is It For You?
One of the most obvious perks of being a freelance writer is working for yourself. Being your own boss means making your own hours and having the freedom to work right out of your home. Eliminating a long commute to the office is nice but is it realistic for you to run your writing business out of a home office? Not everyone can do it.
First of all, do you already have a home office set up or will you need to acquire one? Most of us have what we already need to get started. Internet connection, phone line and a reliable computer is about it. Some people may find that they need a printer and fax machine regularly as well. A nice thing about home offices is that it allows you to write off a percent of power, internet and other stationary expenses.
Distraction is the main thing that hinders most work at home writers. If young children are home or you have animals, it can get annoying and difficult to work. Trust me on the animal thing. When you have cats knocking things down, climbing curtains and doing all of the fun things they do when you're out during the day, chasing after them involves getting up from the computer. Do this enough times and you may just pack up your laptop and head to a coffee shop instead. Try creating an office space in your home that is off limits to all but yourself.
If you have the financial ability to do so, you may wish to consider renting an office outside the home. By having a place to be at everyday, it alleviates the temptation to lay around in your PJs all day. As glorious as that sounds, it puts a real cramp in your productivity. Even if you don't have a separate office, avoid the pajama thing. If you feel like a professional writer, you work like one. Pajamas don't do much to endorse that feeling.
Create a schedule for your home office time much like you would any other work day. By staying too flexible you risk only sitting down to write when you feel like it. And as much as we all love our freelance writing career choice, like any job there are "I don't wanna" days. Keeping a firm schedule makes productivity a priority.
Keep your office space free of anything that isn't work related. Eliminating the distraction level is essential.
~Trina M. Lee
www.tmlwritingservices.info
First of all, do you already have a home office set up or will you need to acquire one? Most of us have what we already need to get started. Internet connection, phone line and a reliable computer is about it. Some people may find that they need a printer and fax machine regularly as well. A nice thing about home offices is that it allows you to write off a percent of power, internet and other stationary expenses.
Distraction is the main thing that hinders most work at home writers. If young children are home or you have animals, it can get annoying and difficult to work. Trust me on the animal thing. When you have cats knocking things down, climbing curtains and doing all of the fun things they do when you're out during the day, chasing after them involves getting up from the computer. Do this enough times and you may just pack up your laptop and head to a coffee shop instead. Try creating an office space in your home that is off limits to all but yourself.
If you have the financial ability to do so, you may wish to consider renting an office outside the home. By having a place to be at everyday, it alleviates the temptation to lay around in your PJs all day. As glorious as that sounds, it puts a real cramp in your productivity. Even if you don't have a separate office, avoid the pajama thing. If you feel like a professional writer, you work like one. Pajamas don't do much to endorse that feeling.
Create a schedule for your home office time much like you would any other work day. By staying too flexible you risk only sitting down to write when you feel like it. And as much as we all love our freelance writing career choice, like any job there are "I don't wanna" days. Keeping a firm schedule makes productivity a priority.
Keep your office space free of anything that isn't work related. Eliminating the distraction level is essential.
~Trina M. Lee
www.tmlwritingservices.info
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Build Your Portfolio
The first step to any writing career is just that, writing. In order to build a viable portfolio that will help secure you some clients, you need to have something to put in it. This is where writing for free comes in. If you have no current work experience then you may have to do some low pay or non-paying jobs just to get those samples. Of course if you have articles on http://www.associatedcontent.com/ or http://www.helium.com/ those may serve as work samples as well, depending what the project is that you are going for.
Find a place that you can host your portfolio online. If you have your own website that's great. Just add a link that you can refer clients to. http://www.freelancewriting.com/ also has a section where you can put your portfolio online for potential clients seeking a writer.
Keeping a blog is also a great way of showing off your personal writing style as well as keeping a continuously updated source of writing. Provide clients with a list of links to various types of writing rather than just one to show that you can excel in more than one area. If you focus only on one type of writing that's fine too. But make sure that you are well informed and on your way to being an expert. Flexibility is best when freelancing.
Marketing your work is just as important as the work itself. Start by preparing the best portfolio you can. You want to market the best representative material possible. Dedicate time to your portfolio and it will help do some of your marketing for you.
~Trina M. Lee
www.tmlwritingservices.info
Find a place that you can host your portfolio online. If you have your own website that's great. Just add a link that you can refer clients to. http://www.freelancewriting.com/ also has a section where you can put your portfolio online for potential clients seeking a writer.
Keeping a blog is also a great way of showing off your personal writing style as well as keeping a continuously updated source of writing. Provide clients with a list of links to various types of writing rather than just one to show that you can excel in more than one area. If you focus only on one type of writing that's fine too. But make sure that you are well informed and on your way to being an expert. Flexibility is best when freelancing.
Marketing your work is just as important as the work itself. Start by preparing the best portfolio you can. You want to market the best representative material possible. Dedicate time to your portfolio and it will help do some of your marketing for you.
~Trina M. Lee
www.tmlwritingservices.info
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
