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The prospect of becoming a freelance writer is both exciting and a little bit scary. Let’s face it: the freelance writing community is a big ocean full of bigger fish (a.k.a. experienced writers) and you as a newbie have to somehow manage to take a deep breath, jump in and hope you don’t immediately sink or become a larger fish’s dinner. The mere thought is enough to make any newbie cower in fear of the unknown.
As someone who has spent a majority of time dangling my toes in the edge of that proverbial ocean, I can wholeheartedly say that the experience is well worth it. However, I have also spent a fair share of time in the freelance ocean struggling against the undertow. There are a lot of things I wish I had known before I started, that would have made my journey a little smoother. But I suppose that’s the blessing of hindsight.
If you are just starting out, I’d like to share with you some things that I learned that just might make your experience a little easier. Before you dive into that intimidating ocean of freelance writers, take some time to familiarize yourself with some life rafts that dot the water.
1. Freelance writing will not be easy, nor will you become rich. Every newbie freelancer has aspirations of becoming the next Carrie Bradshaw or the next assistant at Vogue. These are great fantasies for when you are standing on the line at the bank daydreaming, but they are not reality. Dream jobs do not fall out of the sky. An editor from Conde Nast will not call you at home and ask you to pen a piece on the new Manolos. Not going to happen.
What will happen is work, and a lot of it. You will work on copy for things you have never imagined writing about. Pieces on such varied topics as hybrid vehicles, male enlargement devices and rhinoplasty, will begin to fill your portfolio. You will be paid for these gems, but you certainly won’t be running out with your new found millions and quitting your day job (not yet anyway).
Expect to write about a wide range of subjects, and know how to use the internet to search for reputable sources of information (note: Wikipedia is not a source you want to rely on for your information).
2. You need to know your worth as a writer and you need to know what rates are acceptable. Sure, you’re excited to write and you will take on any project that comes your way. However, it is important that you know the going rates for particular kinds of freelance writing, editing and proofreading jobs so that you are getting what you are entitled to. You wouldn’t be willing to work at McDonald’s if they paid you $2 for every 200 hamburgers you flipped, would you? Well there are a lot of freelancers out there who sell themselves short by taking on writing jobs that require 10 articles at two dollars a pop.
We all have to start somewhere, but being taken advantage of is never a good way to begin. If you are worried about lack of experience or published clips, try writing for a site like Suite101. You will be able to get some web-published clips and some good experience writing for the web. Another good way to build up your portfolio is to offer your writing services to volunteer organizations. While these are commonly non-paying, they are quite reputable and will give you great clips and references for future projects. Even better, you will get to feel all warm and fuzzy inside that you did something nice for someone!
To get an idea of acceptable rates, check with the most current version of the Writer’s Market book. This book will become your bible and it is advised that you spend the $25 each year and pick up the newest version. The book offers a wealth of advice from market listings, freelance market rates and helpful articles pertaining to all things freelance.
3. Providing samples of work means you are giving away your work for free. Working hard to write a quality piece, only to have someone take it from you with nothing more than a thank you is unacceptable. Do not work for free. If a client wants to see how your write, provide him/her with clips of your work (see #2). Freelancing is a job, just like any job, and when you work you are expected to be paid for your services. If a potential client will only work with you under the context of a freebie, walk away.
4. It is much easier and satisfying to write about what you know and what you are interested in. Chances are high that the first piece of writing advice, solicited or otherwise, that you were given regarding your freelancing endeavor, sounded something like this: write what you know. This is a very good piece of advice and should be something you try to adhere to when you can. Of course there will be times when a client wants copy written about colon cleansing or forex trading, and of course you have to write about these topics that you no nothing about and have no particular interest in whatsoever.
However, when pitching ideas, stick to the things you enjoy. It is much easier to write about something that you are personally interested in, not to mention the research behind the piece will be less time-consuming. You are more likely to produce more work of a higher caliber when it is about something you know.
5. Freelance writers who are not organized and cannot manage their time should consider another career path. You will be juggling multiple projects at any given time. It is essential that you keep track of all your deadlines on one central calendar (I find the large desk ones work best). You also need to keep track of payments from clients. You should create a system, even if it is a simple notebook where you devote one page to each project/client, in order to keep up with billing out clients and recording payments.
As a freelance writer, I know that I need to start querying for publication. So why am I so hesitant? I guess because it is my nature to get stuck in a comfort zone and not really know how to advance beyond it. And of course the fear of rejection also is a bit of a barrier.
However, I don’t have anything on my writer’s plate for this weekend, so my GOAL is to query. And I already have an idea and a market in mind. I am ready to put all those lessons I’ve learned to practical use and get some experience. I’ll post progress as it’s made.
Is anyone ready to jump aboard the querying ship with me?
I am a natural blogger-type. Why? Because it comes easily for me to translate my thoughts into a first person dialog. I like imagining myself typing out the words, conversation-like, and having someone on the other end of the so-called blogosphere interpret them as friendly and meant for them alone. It’ s personable and chatty. The “I” speaking to the “you” seems much more likely to be persuasive, seem much more authoritative and comes across as much less intimidating (in my opinion).
Don’t get me wrong. I also understand about the professionalism that comes across when I write in the third person. In academia and other more serious avenues of writing, third person writing is the only acceptable way to go.
I suppose it all depends on your audience and the medium in which you are writing for. Blogs are perfectly acceptable as written in first/second person. Advertising is only truly effective when you write your ads in the first/second person. Think about it. How strange would it sound it your product’s tagline was addressed to “he” or “she” as opposed to “you”? Chances are strong that the product would flop instantaneously.
Another real wall that has built up against using the third person for me is that academically speaking, I am an English Major. However, while half my college career was spent writing Lit papers (third person, naturally), the other half of the time I was focused on creative writing where I was encouraged to write in the first/second person. My entire creative writing portfolio is comprised of first/second person pieces! I am clinging on for dear life to the only kind of writing I feel naturally more comfortable with.
I guess my biggest worry is that somehow the quality of the articles I write in the third person will lack intimacy with my audience. I have it so embedded in my brain that third person writing is boring, dull and for lack of a better term, “stuffy/academic”.
However, as a writer I must learn to accommodate the “rules” of the medium where I am writing. Specifically speaking as far as Suite is concerned, I need to re-wire my brain to think in terms of the third person. This is going to be a challenge. A BIG challenge, but one that I need to acclimate myself to.
Any hints/exercises on how to train my brain to write in the third person narrative?
Sometimes as writers, no matter how hard we try, the words just don’t come. We have the idea in our heads, but for some frustrating reason, they never get translated onto paper (or onto the web). This is when I like to sweep the words aside and do something completely creative that requires the use of not a single word.
What is it? Photography.
I am not a good photographer, nor do I even know how to use all of the settings on my camera. As a matter of fact, I don’t even know what half the buttons are for. All I do is see something I am inspired by and “click” it, hoping that the picture speaks for itself. Usually I go back and take a look at what I’ve captured and about 50% of the time, the pics convey the impression I was going for.
Doing this activity helps my brain stay creative, yet also spurs another kind of simultaneous creativity that does not require the puzzling together of words.
Finding a non-writing activity that helps you stay creative is important when you need some inspiration. If photography isn’t your thing, consider painting, drawing, coloring, sculpture, collage, scrapbooking, playing an instrument, meditating, practicing yoga, you get the idea. Anything that forces your mind to work in a different but equally creative way will help you gain perspective on your writing and get those juices flowing.
I need to get thicker skin. I know, I’ve said this before over and over. It’s definitely one of my biggest challenges as a writer. It’s difficult not to take everything so personally, especially when advice is given that pertains to my writing and how to make it better. I’m speaking specifically about my Suite review which my editor just sent me via email. Boy was it extensive! First and foremost, I am honestly appreciative of the time that they take over at Suite to give everyone a thorough evaluation. It is something that I doubt other sites do. It is also a priceless way to get feedback on your work. However, it is still hard not to take suggestions personally, as some kind of reflection of my own inadequacies.
So, areas that yours truly must work on include:
1. Title/Subtitles.
2. Keywords.
3. Choosing more specific subject matter.
4. Limiting the amount of links contained within my articles.
5. Writing in the third person.
I am aware of most of these areas being problematic for me. I just keep getting in the mindset to write a certain way and I can’t seem to fully embrace web writing. For me, I’ve got a creative writing background which encourages first person narrative (which works perfectly in a blog setting, but not so much with web articles). Also, I am used to writing from an academic standpoint so most of my articles are structured with a beginning (intro of what I am going to cover in my article), body (the meat and potatoes of the article) and the conclusion (the summary of the article). Evidently this is no good. I know the keywords and the title/subtitles are also going to take some time on my part to get a handle on. As far as titles go, I am use to using catchy, fun play on word titles from print writing. But of course this doesn’t fly in web writing either (damn search engines!).
I have a lot to work on and I feel a bit discouraged. I had hoped to apply for a FW position, but now I feel the likelihood of that panning out would be slim to none. I guess I’ll just try to absorb all the advice and take it for what is it meant to be: constructive criticism.
Without blabbering on too much about my history: I have an Associate’s Degree in Business and I am several credits (literally maybe 5 or 6 classes) short of earning my Bachelor’s Degree in English/Creative Writing. However, due to some personal issues, I dropped out in the Spring of ‘07 and have no desire to resume my education. A lot of people think this is stupid, and have flat out told me. I had a 3.98 GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society as well as the English Honor Society. I just couldn’t handle the pressure, juggling school and a full time job. Something had to give, and since I value having a roof on my head, I just could not afford to shell out $500+ a credit ($1500+ per class) at this point in time. However, it wasn’t only the money issue that kept me from completing my degree. I really thought I needed to get out there in the world and see where I stood, writing-wise. I had no clear idea what I wanted to do and I wanted to see what opportunities were out there for me. Besides, the idea of writing one more paper on Shelley, Keats or Dickens just wasn’t going to help me out there in the world of publishing. Truth be told: clients don’t really care if I can write a paper about the Renaissance Poets and their contribution to modern society. Even if I did get an “A” on the paper.
In my opinion, going to school is fine if you need someone to stand over your shoulder and tell you what to read, what to write and how to form ideas. However, I’ve learned through personal experience that the only way to get better at writing is to write. It doesn’t matter what you write about as long as you (pardon the cheesy phrase) just do it.
What are your feelings about education as it pertains to writing? Does it help? Does it harm?
As time goes on, I am noticing that being a freelancer is quite a challenging thing. I am working hard to build up my reputation which is paramount to me at this point in my career. However, there are certain aspects that are more challenging than I had expected. Two in particular:
1. Pay Range. This is by far the most unbalanced industry in terms of pay scale. I’ve encountered clients who were only willing to pay below minimum wage and clients who were willing to pay what I asked for. The problem is that as a freelance newbie, the question of pay is a touchy one. Part of you thinks no one is going to hire you for a project at the “going rate” because of your lack of practical experience. At the same rate, you quickly learn that you are ultimately only going to be paid what you are willing to ask for, so I’ve been doing a fair share of research regarding basic rates for freelance projects. At least now I have somewhat of a firmer idea as to what I should be asking for.
FYI- If you are looking for the rates for editing/proofreading projects, the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) has a great list of commonly charged rates.
2. Client Drama. Dealing with people is difficult. Dealing with difficult people is a nightmare. As a freelancer I am my own boss and so I have to defend myself, my work, my rates and my choices accordingly. I need to be aggressive as far as not allowing myself to be scammed into working low pay jobs and I need to be confident in rate negotiations.
Thinking back to when you started out in this freelance world, what were some of your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
So it goes, an Elance client contacted me for a project I bid on way back in December. She awarded to someone else (no surprise here, she awarded it to the lowest bidder) who proceeded to complete half of the project and then fall off the face of the Earth. She asked me if I would be able to complete it. It’s a heavy research project, but it’s about gathering destination wedding information for various locations. I’m waiting for her to get back to me with the specifics (how much work is done, how much is left to do, will I be responsible for completed her unfinished portion, what is the turn around time and how much is she willing to pay me) before I can give her a set in stone answer. I’d really like to do it, but I don’t want my time to be taken away from the book project either. If she is willing to give me a month to do it and the pay is decent, I’ll probably take it. After all, I’ve got a vacation to pay for!
So this leads me to my question of the day…(forgive me if I’ve asked this before, it’s just that situation keeps popping up) How do you get a feel for your workload? How do you know when you are taking on too much? How do you juggle multiple projects and still manage to have them ready on deadline? And finally, do you think it’s better to take on too much or too little?
photo courtesy of Jupiter Images
One of the biggest challenges I face as a freelance writer is not being able to focus on a single, viable idea. Oftentimes I will sit down to write and the floodgates will open with no way for me to latch onto one solid topic. I like to refer to this as the opposite of writers block, this excess of graspable ideas.
While at first this sounds like a pretty good problem to have, it soon becomes obvious that all the ideas in the world aren’t going to amass into a great piece of writing unless you are able to tightly grab onto one and let the other ones go. Trying to get all of your simultaneous ideas down at once is a sure-fire way to write an article that is all over the place and difficult to follow.
So how do I take a piece that is very large-scaled and essentially an overview of a topic and pick out a portion of it to write a 500 word article on? What kind of brainstorming or outlining tips work for you?
It’s been suggested on a number of occasions from a number of different people that I should try mind mapping. I tend to sometimes do my own version of that when I am brainstorming for ideas, but I can never seem to whittle down a broad topic to a much smaller and condensed one. For instance, I’ll write a piece about the history of domestic dogs which will be very broad and general instead of focusing on the history of golden retrievers.
I know as far as content, it is only a matter of time until I am forced to write very specifically otherwise my writing can’t evolve. I just don’t know how to get myself to that point.
What tools, techniques, tips etc. do you find work best for pulling the so-called meat out of a topic and turning it into a great niche piece?
photo courtesy of Jupiter Images
Craig’s List is a great source of leads for potential writing jobs, so I am told. I haven’t landed any jobs through this method yet, though I check them often and there are some great opportunities out there. HOWEVER, it’s been brought to my attention from reading other freelance forums that there is a trend happening when an exceptionally well-paying and authentic job gets advertised on CL. Certain freelancers who stumble upon these CL jobs will flag the post, thus removing the job from the listings and keeping other potential freelancers from applying. I think that’s just a selfish way to eliminate the competition. Clearly these freelancers don’t have what it takes ability-wise to stand on their own so they need to cheat.
What are your feelings about this issue? Have you landed a great job from Craig’s List?
photo courtesy of Jupiter Images.
