Getting Started as a Freelancer

Can Anyone Be A Freelance Writer?

If you are thinking about getting started as a freelancer then there are a few things you should know before you start. While I have to agree with Deborah NG that not everyone is cut out to be a freelance writer plenty of people think they can. Whether you can be a freelance writer only you can answer; only you know whether you write on a regular basis and only you know whether you are prepared to put in the hours that becoming a freelance writer takes.

Freelancing is fun but it is also hard work. Once you start getting writing work you can't just sit back and wait for the money to roll in - you have to look for more work. Freelance writers have to promote themselves as well as bid for work and complete the projects that they already have. If you only write a thousand or two thousand words a day then you may have a hard time making a living in freelance writing.

How Much Will I Earn?

Many beginning freelancers ask this question. How much you can earn depends on how much bidding and promotion you are prepared to do and how many hours you are prepared to put into writing. When you are writing for money you have to plan your work and proof read it - you may have to do some significant research on unfamiliar subjects; and you may get scammed by clients who just don't pay up.

Most of the freelance writers that I know started small and as their expertise and reliability was noted they got more work. Take a look at Sharon's blog and at Dana's work. Both of these are now successful freelancers with their own writing teams but they got there by dint of a lot of hard work. So if you are thinking of getting started as a freelancer be aware that you will need to work hard. You can begin with a blog; that's how I and many other writers got started. Then you can try places like get a freelancer or digital point forums, I have picked up a couple of repeat clients there. If you are still game then good luck; but remember it is not for everyone.

Time Management

Is It You Or Is It Time

We read about time management and most of us try to apply some sort of time management technique especially if we are writers. But is time really the problem? The fact of the matter is that whichever way you swing it there are only 24 hours in any one day. The real problem it seems to me is not so much time but what you or I do with that time. Perhaps we need to organize ourselves, manage ourselves, rather than try to beat the clock..

Manage The I And The Time Will Take Care of Itself

Perhaps we should stop trying to manage time; after all it was there before we arrived in this world and it will no doubt continue for some time after we are gone. Maybe we should just opt for managing the I and let time go its own sweet way

Writing Days

Every day is writing day when you are dependant on freelance writing for most of your income. As well as freelancing I also do some work at my local university and on those days I do less writing. Students aren't always considerate and will telephone when they know that I am working at home.

As I wrote elsewhere it is not always easy to structure you day in the ways that you might prefer. When you work from home a good deal of the time there are always incidents and people demanding your attention no matter how many times you may say Tuesday is one of my writing days.

Writing White Papers

White Papers

White papers are papers or articles that present answers to problems that people may be facing. Just recently I have posted a couple of these papers and they do seem to have brought some extra traffic.

Sharing Knowledge

One of the huge advantages that the internet offers is that anyone can share their knowledge to benefit both themselves and other people. Most writers I know will happily share any expertise that they have with their readers. This kind of sharing attitude can make the internet a good place to be for writers and anyone out there in search of information.

Keep On Keeping On

Sometimes life gets tough and what we might want to do is bury ourselves under the duvet and sing Make the World Go Away. Have you ever felt like that? I know I have often. As writers we do have writing to sustain us and to write through our anger and our sorrows. Burying ourselves might seem like a good idea but in doing this we are not being responsible - sure do it for a day or so but then get back on the roller coaster. The difference between those who get by and those who don't is that they keep on keeping on.