Freelance Business

Are you trying to build your freelance writing career around price? Do you figure if you offer the lowest rates, you’ll be more successful than all of those writers who “charge too much?” Have you ever lowered your rates just because you saw cheaper services getting picked more often? Do you assume more freelance writing jobs equals a better writing career? Uh oh. You may

I’m sure you’ve seen the ads for freelance writing jobs where you’re asked to write and send a custom sample. Something like: “Must include a unique sample article (at least 300 words) on paying down student loan debts, following the article format at XYZ.com. Applicants who do not submit a sample will not be considered.” Every time I see something like this I can’t help

Writing contests can sound appealing sometimes, right? You can do something you love, pit yourself against your colleagues or peers, maybe win a prize of some sort for the effort, and get a little bit of attention in the process. Then again, that sounds a lot like work when you think about it. I’m not a huge fan of writing contests. That’s not to say

I took most of this week off from client projects to devote time to my own, and I’d like to talk today about why you should consider it too – investing in your freelance writing future. We’re not talking about investing money (at least not much). We’re just talking about time – your most valuable asset as a service provider. Why should you reserve some

I was doing a bit of blog reading this morning, and came across this quote in regards to freelance writers bidding low on writing jobs when they’re new: “A novice copywriter can start with a low price at first. Companies will eventually increase the pay of a copywriter who always submits quality work.” I see this being said to new writers of all varieties all

With new businesses launched all the time, and new websites launched every day, there’s a huge demand for freelance copywriting services. I’m talking about marketing copy – copy that sells or persuades a reader or visitor to do something (from clicking a link to requesting a quote to signing up for an email newsletter subscription). Do you think you have what it takes to succeed

Chris Bibey of ChrisBlogging.com recently had an interesting post that I’d like to expand upon: Can Freelance Writers Work 7 Days a Week? I doubt anyone would say you “can’t” work seven days per week as a freelance writer – the real question (and one that Chris addresses regarding burnout potential) is “should you?” My view is this: No. Most people should not try to

I nearly always prefer bylined projects when it comes to writing content. At the same time, I do quite a bit of ghostwriting as a freelance writer. Today I want to talk a little bit about ghostwriting, why I sometimes avoid it, and why I occasionally love it. Problems with Ghostwriting The obvious drawback to ghostwriting is that you get no public credit. If you

If you frequent freelance writing blogs, you may have come across ChrisBlogging.com. The blog is run by Chris Bibey, and it’s one of very few blogs I try to check in on regularly. While Chris shares good advice on everything from the day-to-day life of a freelance writer to specific types of writing work available, he’s probably best known for being the blogger who shares

You’ve probably come across the freelance writing debate of writing for the Web versus writing for print markets before. Some people still look down on Web writers, and think if we don’t write for print markets, we’re not “real” or “professional” writers. I think those views still exist solely out of ignorance. What do you think? I think one of the biggest problems the print-only

If there’s one thing that successful freelance writers have in common, it’s confidence. It’s tough to succeed on your own in any line of work if you don’t. Here’s why: If you’re not confident in your abilities, you’ll struggle to “sell yourself” to clients. If you’re not confident in your work, it’s unlikely that you’ll charge what you’re worth, raise your rates when you want

Do you want to improve your Web content writing skills or learn how to become a Web content writer, branching out from other types of freelance writing? I was recently asked how a writer could learn more about Web content writing, from someone previously more involved with print formats. If you’re in a similar boat, here’s what I suggest: Read Web Content When you’re learning

Stop believing in freelance writing myths says Chris Bibey of ChrisBlogging – he recently exposed some common myths on his blog. All I can say is “Shhhhh Chris!!! The more people believe that crap, the better it is for the rest of us!” 😉 I’m just kidding of course. Chris makes some good points. I’d like to add one. Chris says: “It takes too long

Should freelance writers share information about their freelance writing income publicly? Some writers do so regularly on their writing blogs. Others refuse to ever share details about how much they make, and how they do it. What’s right for you? Let’s explore the issue. Is Talking About Money Really Taboo? I’d argue that disclosing income information hasn’t been “taboo” in the freelance writing profession for

Many writers markets are listed in online collections, from paid writers market listings to various free listings on blogs and freelance writing sites. The only problems with those sources are that they often feature the same writers markets, and they’re frequented by large numbers of freelance writers, meaning more competition for the writing gigs. I f you’re tired of coming across the same writers markets,

If you write content for the Web, you probably already know about certain Web writing basics, like using short paragraphs, bold sub-headings, and lists to help make your articles “scannable” to readers browsing them for something specific. If you’re writing for clients, and they ask to have you write in plain text with HTML, do you know how to do those things? Here are a

I love swipe files. In my case it’s more of a combination of a swipe pile and collection of swipe bookmarks, but anyway…. If you’re not familiar with swipe files, it’s basically a collection of information that you can use for inspiration in your writing. Here are some of the things I keep in my swipe file: Magazine headlines if I think the format is

Some recent personal discussions with a few colleagues got me thinking about ethics a little bit, and how they apply to all of us as freelance writers. We talk a lot here at All Freelance Writing about how to be a successful freelance writer. Now let’s talk about some ethics-related (and just common sense) issues, and how poor judgment can actually kill your career as

I’m finally working out some of my service and writing rate changes for the new year. These are my two biggest changes: Press Release Writing – I’ve always offered press release writing at ridiculously low rates (compared to other PR professionals; not compared to content writers offering them). I did that ($99 this year) as a marketing strategy (I’d bring in clients with press release

Christmas is right around the corner now. Are you still not sure what to get for the writer in your life? Here are a few last-minute gift ideas for writers to help you out: Gift Cards / Certificates – Easy, and they don’t need to be shipped. Pick up a gift card for your writer’s favorite book store, or an online book store like Amazon.com.

There are several different ways to make money with articles as a freelance writer. Here are a few ways articles can help you make money online, whether as a full-fledged business model or as some side income: Make money writing articles for clients. Pros – Direct payments, Income can come quickly Cons – Limited rights usually limit earning potential per article, Deadlines Make money writing