How many times have we dreamt of quitting our day jobs and freelancing? Sipping margaritas while working on a laptop at a beach resort is a great reason to freelance, but before you head off to buy some of that sun tan lotion, read the following to see what it really takes to get a freelance career going.
Get Serious: If you really want to start your own business, and this applies to any field, then you need to get serious about it.
Freelance writing can be a very lucrative business, if you set your mind to it.
If you're dreaming of a career where you can get up at 10am, and yet put big monies into your pocket, then you might not be ready to take on a full-time freelance career.
Freelancing is a business and like any business, the only way to succeed is by working hard.
If money is not an issue, then you can write just about anything you want to.
But if like the most of us, you are in it to earn a living; then think twice before accepting low paying jobs that take the entire week to complete, and instead, set yourself up to finding some good paying jobs.
Have realistic goals: Create for yourself daily, weekly and monthly goals and stick to them.
If you plan to make $200 a day, then you will need to apply yourself to finding jobs that will pay you a decent fee.
You can write 2 short articles and earn that money, or 10 blogs.
It's all achievable; depending on what you enjoy writing and where your skills lie.
As you get better at what you do, increase your goals and your fees too.
Put a value to your time: Most of us pick a figure we feel comfortable with - say, $30 or $ 50 an hour, and we stick with it; irrespective of how long we've been writing.
In fact, novice writers often forget their hourly value and charge low fees per project.
Say you charge $ 50 per article for a magazine, and it takes you 3 hours to research, write and revise it.
You're per hour rate has already fallen to 1/3 your value.
Time is money and you need to invest in it wisely.
Don't undersell yourself: This connects with the earlier point.
Don't reduce your worth or value, just to get a job.
It's always harder in the beginning to build a client base, but stick with it and you'll see results.
It's never easy to command a higher amount from a client, once you've valued yourself at a very low figure.
Place a value on work and don't go below this mark.
Keep busy: If you are to make a decent living as a freelance writer, you need to be busy, constantly.
One way to do this is to take on a variety of jobs - newsletters can provide a steady stream of income.
Web page writing can be lucrative as can writing for larger publications such as magazines and newspapers.
Another way to do this is to specialize.
Become really good at one or two things and you'll always be in demand.
And finally, as a BONUS point- always invest in excellent customer service.
Say thank you to clients who've hired you, as well as those who've decided to give you a miss.
I've got a lot of clients who initially declined my bids, but then came back to me, just because I took the time to thank them for viewing my work.
Go the extra mile- that's what will put you way ahead of the competition.
© 2009 Usha Krishnan Sliva
Get Serious: If you really want to start your own business, and this applies to any field, then you need to get serious about it.
Freelance writing can be a very lucrative business, if you set your mind to it.
If you're dreaming of a career where you can get up at 10am, and yet put big monies into your pocket, then you might not be ready to take on a full-time freelance career.
Freelancing is a business and like any business, the only way to succeed is by working hard.
If money is not an issue, then you can write just about anything you want to.
But if like the most of us, you are in it to earn a living; then think twice before accepting low paying jobs that take the entire week to complete, and instead, set yourself up to finding some good paying jobs.
Have realistic goals: Create for yourself daily, weekly and monthly goals and stick to them.
If you plan to make $200 a day, then you will need to apply yourself to finding jobs that will pay you a decent fee.
You can write 2 short articles and earn that money, or 10 blogs.
It's all achievable; depending on what you enjoy writing and where your skills lie.
As you get better at what you do, increase your goals and your fees too.
Put a value to your time: Most of us pick a figure we feel comfortable with - say, $30 or $ 50 an hour, and we stick with it; irrespective of how long we've been writing.
In fact, novice writers often forget their hourly value and charge low fees per project.
Say you charge $ 50 per article for a magazine, and it takes you 3 hours to research, write and revise it.
You're per hour rate has already fallen to 1/3 your value.
Time is money and you need to invest in it wisely.
Don't undersell yourself: This connects with the earlier point.
Don't reduce your worth or value, just to get a job.
It's always harder in the beginning to build a client base, but stick with it and you'll see results.
It's never easy to command a higher amount from a client, once you've valued yourself at a very low figure.
Place a value on work and don't go below this mark.
Keep busy: If you are to make a decent living as a freelance writer, you need to be busy, constantly.
One way to do this is to take on a variety of jobs - newsletters can provide a steady stream of income.
Web page writing can be lucrative as can writing for larger publications such as magazines and newspapers.
Another way to do this is to specialize.
Become really good at one or two things and you'll always be in demand.
And finally, as a BONUS point- always invest in excellent customer service.
Say thank you to clients who've hired you, as well as those who've decided to give you a miss.
I've got a lot of clients who initially declined my bids, but then came back to me, just because I took the time to thank them for viewing my work.
Go the extra mile- that's what will put you way ahead of the competition.
© 2009 Usha Krishnan Sliva
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