I’m honoured to announce that this month, I was featured on Underpinned’s Freelancer of the month! It inspired me to write this post on tips for freelance writers and what I have discovered on my journey.
1. Use Voice-activated reader
As much as I enjoy writing, when it comes to proofreading/ editing, they are deffo my least favourite part of the process. But thankfully, since discovering the mind-blowing feature of voice reader on Microsoft word, I have come to like the process a little more, as it reads my work back to me and is therefore a little easier to spot mistakes compared to if I was just reading.
2. Freelance Writers Should Sign Up To Newsletters
I’ve come across so many great opportunities by signing up to newsletters. Here’s a list I’ve conducted. It makes the process so much easier. I also have a newsletter for freelance creatives! I share a free mini-course on 5 secrets to becoming a successful freelance creative to those who sign up! As well as a free customisable invoice template! Sign up via the form below:
3. Start A Blog
I would strongly recommend having a blog, where you post regularly if you are a writer. It shows your clients that you genuinely enjoy your craft and you can build out your own audience through your blog. It is a helpful marketing technique, as well as a way to practice your skills outside of client work.
4. Freelance Writers Should Learn SEO
Digital writing is where it’s at now! Learning SEO should be part of your skill pack as it is attractive to clients. Although print is not dead, it is declining and more and more people are looking for online stories.
5. Freelance Writers Should Develop Resillience
If you are pitching to publications/ clients as a freelancer generally, you shouldn’t take it to heart if you’re not accepted. There are several reasons why they may not take you on at the time and it’s most likely nothing to do with you.
Often budgets or timing are a big factor as to why you may not be commissioned. If you are pitching to a publication to get commissioned, and they don’t accept your idea for that article,-keep pitching- especially if it’s an editor who provides feedback or responds promptly- this isn’t always an easy find!
6. Freelance Writers Should Find Your Niche!
The riches are in the niches! Through finding a niche you can become an expert in this area and people will approach you based on this- it’s a great way to get referrals too.
Through finding a niche in black hair, it’s become easier for me to find clients and develop more expert knowledge in this field, compared to if I didn’t specialise in one specific area.
7. Time Management Skills!
This is also a skill that has transformed the way I work and helped me to reduce stress significantly! Digital Calendars, like Google calendar, helps a lot to organise your time and also let clients know when you will be able to work on their projects.
I find it much handier than physical diaries because you can access the calendar from any digital device- so its more practical. As long as I have my phone, I have my diary!
8. Follow The Writing Style Of Your Client
Adding to this freelance writers tips list, as a freelance writer, your client may give you a brand guideline to adhere to when you write for them. Make sure to perform enough research around the brand and their tone so you can best deliver to the brief they have requested.
The more you;re able to adapt to different tones of voice, the more varied your skills you will have and this can widen your vocabulary.
9. Read Often
Speaking of vocabulary, reading often is a great way to do this. Whether it’s reading books or reading articles, try to make time to read often so you are expanding your knowledge, as well as being exposed to different writing styles.
10. Listen To Podcasts
Another good way of expanding your knowledge is through listening to podcasts in the niche industry that you write about. You can do this whilst working or even just when running errands. There are some really great business podcasts out there.
11. Build A Strong Portfolio
I’d always recommend having a domain-owned website as this helps with your professionalism and can host examples of your website, but there are also portfolio sites that are also useful to have to share with clients.
It’s always useful to have a portfolio with your best work at hand to share with clients when you pitch to them.
12. Invest In Yourself
It’s important to recognise that for any business, there will be some investment required. Thankfully, usually freelancing in particular there’s little investment required compared to product-based businesses.
Research into the service you are offering and what tools you’ll need in order to develop in your craft and business.
If you’re just starting on your freelance journey, you can check out my Beginner Freelancer E-course which is a comprehensive strategy designed to help you set up and build your freelance business.
13. Always Come Prepared To Meetings
Every time you have a meeting with a client or potential client, make sure you have everything prepared for that meeting.
Whether it’s brainstorming beforehand what the meeting will be about, or even writing down a few questions to bring to the meeting so that you have all your queries answered in that meeting and don’t have to chase up with a series of emails afterward.
The more prepared you are, the more professional you appear.
14. Celebrate Your Wins
Sometimes it can be easy to slip into the rut of focusing on things that have not gone as planned. But it’s important to celebrate your wins, no matter how small they may be.
It shows that you are making progress and progress is always good!
15. Connect With Other Freelance Writers
The nature of freelancing mainly means working alone. But it really helps if you have other freelance writers that you can connect and share ideas with.
Online community groups are a great place to start. I have a Freelance Creatives Business Building Group which you are more than welcome to join and connect with other freelancers!
16. Create A Marketing Plan
Mapping out how you are going to approach potential clients and how often you will do this in advance, helps takes the pressure off of you to do everything at once.
Distribute your energy to pitching according to your schedule to alleviate stress and make your marketing plan more effective.
Will you be using social media strategies to market your services? How often will you post and what type of content will you share? These are all things you should be considering in your marketing plan. This is a worthy mention on this freelance writers tips list.
17. Freelance Writers Should Prioritise Pitching via Email
I have found that pitching via email is the most effective strategy for reaching and landing clients. I’d say this is because it is more professional than pitching by social media for example.
Plus, in an email, you’re able to go into more detail about your business, portfolio, etc. It’s also easier for clients to refer back to your email, rather than a social media inbox, for example.
18. Download an Email Tracker
I really wish someone told me about this gem of a tip when I first started my freelance journey as it would have saved me so much time!
Did you know that you can download a browser extension that tracks emails you send and notifies you when recipients open your email? It’s basically like Whatsapp Read receipt but for emails.
This tool has become especially useful for times when I’m pitching to potential retainer clients or pitching article ideas to publications. If I notice that someone has opened my email but hasn’t replied yet, I will use that as a cue to follow up sooner than I would if I hadn’t had the tool.
And if they still don’t answer after a few follow ups, at least I know that they have seen the email through the notifications.
This helps me personally feel more at rest, than wondering if it has gone to their junk mail. This is the email tracker I use personally.
19. Freelance Writers Should Niche Down
This is another key point to add to this freelance writers tips list. I’m a firm believer that the riches are in the niches! Niching down helps you to position yourself as an expert and even gives you the advantage of raising your rates too!
When you spread yourself into offering a range of different services, you limit how much you’re able to hone in in one particular area. As they say, a jack of all trades is a master of none! I have found this to be true and is what led me to niche into black hair as a freelance writer.
20. Start With The Hardest
When you start work, your most likely to have the most energy so starting with the task you find the hardest is the best way to make use of this energy.
The more you delay starting on the hardest piece of work, the more you procrastinate and by the time you get to it, you may find that you don’t have the energy for it.
However, when you start on the hardest thing first, you can get it out of the way and can enjoy the easier pieces of work.
21. Freelance Writers Should Work Outside of Home
This is the final point on this freelance writers tips list. Working in the same environment all the time can get boring, frankly. It’s good for your mind to switch it up sometimes. So, why not try working at a cafe, or even hotel lounge from time to time.
Different environments can help your creative juices flow better too.
I hope these freelance writers tips help your journey. If you have any more tips, please do comment them below!
