29 Aug 09 Freelance Writing Checklist Part -2

Taking our discussion on freelance writing forward, I will give you some more items that you need to include in your Freelance Writing Checklist, before you jump on the bandwagon. Without wasting our precious time in stretching the introduction, let us begin with the checklist items.

Is your résumé ready?

Sounds familiar? Yeah…every job requires you to have a résumé, and freelancing is no different in this regard. You will need an up-to-date résumé throughout your freelance writing career, and particularly when you are starting out when you have no portfolio to show. Your résumé will tell your prospective client about your experience.

How good is your cover letter?

You cannot do without a cover letter ever in your freelancing write. You will need this every day and for every project you bid on. It is a thousand times more important than your résumé. You need to know that you are not alone when you apply for an online writing gig. You are competing with hundreds of freelancer who is vying for the gig. Hence, to get noticed, you need to have a very attractive cover letter properly outlining your skills and experiences.

The things written above were good enough for any freelancer, but what makes a cover letter more important to a freelance writer is the fact that through your cover letter your prospective client will get the first glimpse of your writing; hence, if it is very impressive then consider your job half-done.

Do you know how to apply?

Well, doing this is not very difficult. It is just time consuming. Before you apply for a gig, you need to find out how the employer or the freelance board through which you are applying wants your application to be.

Some boards just need one cover letter, which you post with your bid, while others may ask you to write a brief introduction while posting the bid, and the rest of the details in a private message.

There is one more difference. The difference is in the way your client will accept your samples: some will ask you to send them links to your sample, while others will be okay with your attachments, and you will also find a handful of clients who will ask you to paste a brief article in the body of a private message. It is also not uncommon to find a client who wants you to write a custom sample for him on the topic or on the subject chosen by the client himself.

Get these things ready, I will be back in the next installment with some more checklist items. Meanwhile, I will also request you to tell me what you feel about the items I have listed above.

Tags: Bandwagon, Cover Letter, Experiences, First Glimpse, Freelance Writer, Freelance Writing Career, freelancer, Freelancing, Gig, Job, Online Writing, Precious Time, Private Message, Prospective Client, Regard

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02 Aug 09 10 Everyday Tips to Increase your freelance Earnings

Do not get mislead by the title, I am not going to share any magic tips or rather there is no magic tips, tricks or shortcuts. Nothing can substitute hard work, but if the work is done in a proper way, and in the right direction then the magnitude of the return will make the effort look less strenuous.

In this article, I will share some tips that will help freelance writer in increasing his or her earning potential.

Tip 1

Introduce yourself: No one will know who you are until you will tell them who you are, and the best way to do that for a freelance writer is to write a compelling introductory paragraph that can be sent to prospects.

Tip 2

Article marketing: If you are a freelance writer, chances are you must have written many articles for your clients, which you or the client posted on various article directories to promote his business. Why can’t you do it, and why don’t you do it to market your writing services?

Tips 3

Burbling: Do not get confused. I want you to write powerful blurbs for every service that you offer.

Tips 4

Contact your past clients: Prepare a list of clients with whom you have worked in the past, but haven’t contacted for last six months or since the work got over, and send them a personal e-mail. This will remind them of you and your services, and they may get back to you with some work. Always remember, out of sight is out of mind.

Tips 5

A client a day contact program: Contact one existing, past or prospective client every day.

Tips 6

Hire a guru (mentor): Freelance writing is one profession in which to succeed you need a continuous flow of new and exciting ideas. Befriend with a person who keeps himself up-to-date with the latest happening. Leverage his expertise to build your writing career.

Tips 7

Start multiple Blogs: Categorize your writing services, and start one blog each for each category of services. For example, you can put blogging and article writing into one category, and article marketing and social media submission in another. Make a list of writing services you provide and categorize them.

Tips 8

Chart the uncharted water: Read the magazines, books and periodical that you have never read before. This will infuse new ideas and bring variety to your writing.

Tips 9

Write an e-book: Prepare your own information product. Start today and prepare an outline of two e-books that you should write.

Tips 10

Stay Positive: I know, you are thinking whatever, but this is as important as any other tips written above.

Tags: Article Marketing, Blurbs, Burbling, Career Tips, Continuous Flow, E Mail, Guru, Introductory Paragraph, Leverage, Magic Tips, Magnitude, Mentor, Out Of Sight, Profession, Prospective Client, Prospects, Right Direction, Shortcuts, Six Months, Writing Services

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22 Jul 09 Freelance Writing: Write Your Way to the Bank

Freelancing is not an easy job, not because you cannot write, but because there are too many writers vying for too few openings. This is a classical case of buyer’s market; hence, as the textbook says buyers will set the rule and will expect you to follow them. Everything said and done, you still have the power to decide and influence the buyers’ decisions provided you can highlight your talent, and tell your prospective employers how you can help them. Seeing the nature of this market, it is easier said than done.

In the real world, you will find it extremely difficult to make your voice heard midst all the chaos, but the good news is you can do it, and do it by doing what you know best. I mean, by writing.

Freelance writers have one big benefit over freelancers of other fields, and the benefit is his or her ability to write. Unlike other freelance professionals, who struggle to write promotional materials for themselves, freelance writers are cut out to do exactly that. If you are a freelancer, I feel it is needless to say that your ability to write is the sole reason for your existence then why not use this ability to seize clients’ attention?

The matter written in the body of your e-mail is the first point of contact between you and your prospective client, so make it as better as you can. The quality of this initial contact will increase the possibility of your getting hired, yet most of the freelance writers never take this seriously.

As a freelance writer, you need to understand that every word that you write is in itself an advertisement for you. Hence, choose your words with much caution when you are writing mails to your existing client or prospects. Before going through your samples that you have attached with your application, your prospective clients will read the cover letter or the mail that you have written, and the prospect will only decide to click the attachment link, if he or she is impressed with what and how you have written your e-mail.

If you are a freelance writer or aspire to be one, always remember to take every communication with your client seriously, and use every opportunity you get and show how well you can write. Unlike other freelance professionals, for you, promoting yourself is easy. You are cut out to do that!

Tags: Caution, Classical Case, Cover Letter, E Mail, Easy Job, Freelance Professionals, Freelance Writer, Freelance Writers, freelancer, Freelancers, Freelancing, Midst, Point Of Contact, Promotional Materials, Prospective Client, Prospective Clients, Prospective Employers, Prospects, S Market, Sole Reason