Hacks to Become a Successful Freelance Writer

As a freelance writer, you will probably face some issues that can decrease your performance and income. Those are not unsolvable problems, yet can really be irritating. But when you know the best parts of a freelance work you will never want to change it. Being your own boss and having the freedom to choose when, where, and how you want to earn your money is an incredible feeling, isn’t it?

The benefit of freelance writing is that it has many options. And it is crucial for you to find your own way of managing all the aspects of work. Still, there are several things that can be confusing to all writers and need to be specified at the beginning of the journey. No matter how experienced you are, something always appears, from writer’s block to miscommunication with clients, that will make you say: “I wasn’t ready for that!”

So, what do most writers struggle with?

• properly setting up the workflow
• learning to interact with clients
• pricing

Workflow

First, it would be smart to decide if freelance writing is even your thing. Not everyone can manage their work without office routine. On one side, you have freedom of choice, on the other, creating your own perfect schedule is hard. You can find a lot of articles with useful guidance on how to fight procrastination, time management techniques, and everything a writer needs to be effective. What’s more important is why procrastination can affect you.

The main reason you procrastinate is that you unconsciously think that the task is too difficult or you can’t do it perfectly. Understanding these roots of procrastination can help you avoid it. How can you stop doubting?

1. Find out your taboos and main niches. That will ease the choice. If you know what kind of work is depressing for you, you can decline those kinds of tasks. If it’s not an option for you, then practice is the best solution. With time you will feel that it is easier for you to write pieces that seemed so difficult in the past.
2. If you’re starting a new project on a topic you never worked before, examine not only articles, even if those were written by experts in the industry. Do some research on forums. There you can learn the slang people use in this field. On forums, all the problems of required target audience are on the plate for you. You can easily take any topic and write about it as it is already formulated and people are searching the answers for it.

Clients

No need to tell that communication between customers and their writers is not always as sunny as we want it to be. Clients can be picky and nagging. To have a productive discussion, let’s ask ourselves a big question: “What do clients want?” First of all, they want your content to work, to sell their product and make money. They may be confused by some other features of work, but let’s all remember the main goal of content writing.

Your client may have specific requirements for the text, unreal expectations, or some sort of “vision”. But you are the professional in the room because they need your skills. It doesn’t mean that you should set your rules without discussion, but you can explain why they should listen to you and accept suggested ideas.

• Your goal is not to write a novel or conduct thorough research, your goal is to sell the product or service. The needs of the audience are a top priority. If you give them what they want, you can easily build in the message to sell the product.
• Be relevant. Don’t be afraid to offer some creative ways of problem-solving. Your every article must be problem-solving. Even if it’s entertaining, then the lack of entertainment is your audience’s issue.

Pricing

How to set the right price? The question that is driving crazy every writer in marketing. If you ever did a research on the market you know that there are no fixed prices. Some writers have the temptation to set the low rates to get more clients, but that’s the road to nowhere. You will have a lot of orders and absolutely no time to relax. If you’re not a newbie in writing, you know that it’s very easy to overbook yourself and live in permanent stress.

The fair rate for your work is a complex thing. It depends on your skills and experience, the intensity and intricacy of work. But at the end of the day only how you value your time spent on work and how much money the client is ready to pay matters.

There are no strict rules to become a successful freelance writer. Your path is unique and you should enjoy it. Encourage yourself for small everyday victories, practice avoiding mistakes, and appreciate your efforts.