Having your own freelance writing business is a great way to earn a living. Who wouldn't want to quit their job and become their own boss, especially when there are so many rewards? Last time, we talked about the freedom of choosing where you work and choosing your own hours. This time, lets look at the benefits of being able to choose your clients, choose what kind of writing you want to do and even choose how much money you can make.
Choose your clients. When you first start your freelance writing business, you are most likely going to take nearly every client you find. In fact, that's a great way to learn what type of writing you like to do best. As you develop your skills and your business, though, you will probably find you prefer certain types of work and certain types of clients. Some freelancers love working with large corporations doing highly technical articles, others are happiest knocking out articles on the Internet for small businesses, while still others love working face to face with local clients. When you're a freelancer, you meet so many different people that you are sure to find some clients that you absolutely love to work with- and a few that you just might decide to "fire" rather than ever talk to them again. Some clients are one-shot wonders and others become regular, ongoing clients. A select few even become friends. TIP: Try to garner a few regular clients, along with a variety of newcomers and one-shot wonders. That way you always have a steady stream of income coming in and you always have variety.
Choose what kind of writing you do. When you freelance, there are so many different types of writing you can do. In a single day, I might write a couple of press releases, an article or two for an online marketing campaign, a product description for a website and do some work on a sales letter. The next day might find me writing website content, setting up an email autoresponder campaign and doing some work on an e-book. One thing is certain, when you are freelancing; you never need to get bored. You can do something different every day. There is also huge variety in the things you write about. I've written articles on everything from acne to estate planning. I've even had to write some "lighthearted" articles espousing the finer points of Rwanda and Somalia! Talk about a challenge- and an adventure. Before that project, I never knew there were finer points to either of those locations, but believe me, there are! TIP: You can choose a specialty- either by topic or by project type- and as your reputation as an expert grows, so will your paycheck!
You Choose What You Charge. When was the last time you had a job where you got to pick your own salary? When you're a freelancer, you're in charge of how much money you make in two ways. First, you decide how much you work. If you want more work (read money), you take on an extra client or two? If you need some time off, you schedule your projects to be completed in two weeks instead of one. You're the boss, so you can set your schedule to meet the income you want to make. The other way you're in charge of your own salary is by setting your own prices. Obviously, you will need to get some experience under your belt, but once you do, the sky really is the limit. While a 500-word article might pay $20 and take an hour to write when you are beginning, once you get the hang of it, you can knock out a 500-word article in about 15 minutes or so. That's $80 an hour. Not bad wages, huh? If you were asked to set your salary at your last job, would you have even dreamed of asking for 80 bucks an hour? With a freelance writing business, you can earn that- and a great deal more. There are plenty of freelance writers that really are making six and even seven figures a year. I'm not there yet, but I'll sure let you know when I am.
Freelance writing is a fabulous career and starting your own freelance writing business is easier than you think. With a computer, an Internet connection and a system for finding clients, you can be up and running- full time- sooner than you think.
Posts
Writing Gigs - Here's where to go
14 years ago
