10 Feb 10 Freelance writing – Have You Read Your Job Description?

If you thought by choosing freelance writing as a career you will just write, write, and do nothing else then let me prick the balloon. Your client wants many more things from you. Do not get scared, you will not be asked to do any fancy stuff like coding, scripting, PPC campaigns, and all.

Then what other works a client will demand?

Basically, you will be asked to do stuffs related to writing only. And in my career, primarily I have been asked to do following types of work (other than writing):

Many clients have asked me to do like keyword research, for writing purpose only. This actually is not all that bad. It helped me conceptualize the article or press release while researching.
At times, clients also asked me to submit articles to various social bookmarking sites. I helped my clients with 2-3 submissions, at max. I do not think I would have agreed to submit an article to 100 or so social bookmarking sites. It would have been waste of time for me, but for 3-4, I never said no.
Clients may also ask for content suggestions, and about other things he can do to meet his goal. This in fact is an opportunity in disguise to cross sell other services that you offer. If you are writing only articles for your client then you may suggest him to use press release to get some link juice, or may be forum posting and all.
I have also given some marketing and SEO suggestions to my clients. Depending upon your background (I have my background in marketing), you can either say yes or politely say no.

Word of caution

Do not say no to your clients’ request, at least not directly, if you can help him. And also do not ask for money for every suggestion that you offer—I know people who do so—because it looks cheap. For that work you may get paid, but it will reflect badly on your professionalism. You may lose the client.

If the work is going to take hours of your work then say this to client, and if it is going to take hardly 10-15 minutes then do not bother. It also depends upon your relationship with your client.

Tags: 15 Minutes, Background, Balloon, Campaigns, Caution, Content Suggestions, Disguise, Freelance Job, Job Description, Marketing, Press Release, Professionalism, SEO, Social Bookmarking Sites, Submissions, Suggestion, Waste Of Time, Writing As A Career, Writing Career, Writing Job

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28 Oct 09 Why Not to Become a Writer

Writing is easy, and you get instant recognition doing, isn’t it? Wrong! Freelance writing is anything but easy, and it is not a way to get instant recognition; if you are in it for this then look somewhere else, you have knocked a wrong door. In this post, I will tell you why and when you should not take writing as a career. You should not take writing as a career if:

You want to get rich quick

If anyone told you that writing is the quickest way to amass millions then he has made fool of you. Chances are that you may not ever be able to amass millions doing this. Not everyone who picks pen or strokes keys become millionaire.

You want an overnight success

If the bank balance and fame of J. K. Rowling have pulled you into this career then give it a second thought. This is not a profession where you become a superstar in one night. Ms. Rowling never became one in one night. She worked hard to achieve what she got, and many, I mean countless many, even never get half her success despite double her effort.

You want to sign a deal soon

Do not kid yourself in believing that you will land in a five-book contract as soon as your first book release. Getting a book deal or even a smaller gig is not an easy task. It takes days, if not months to get the first gig. If you are fortunate, you will get it quickly.

You believe you are the best

Writing career is not for you if you have paranormal self-esteem. Rejections are rule in writing, and if you cannot deal with countless rejections then do not join the party. You will be censured even when you are right. You need to have thick skin to survive here.

You cannot manage everything on your own

As a writer, you will have to do many things on your own. It means it will be you only who will be fixing a meeting, pitching your idea, selling your idea, executing your idea, and handling finance. Do not think that you will get a literary agent or a manager from the day one.

If you do not demand any of these then welcome aboard, writing is fun and exciting.

Tags: Bank Balance, Best Writing, Book Contract, Fame, Freelance Writing, Gig, J K Rowling, Literary Agent, Many Things, Millionaire, Ms Rowling, Overnight Success, Profession, Rejections, Second Thought, self-esteem, Strokes, Superstar, Thick Skin, Writing As A Career

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28 Oct 09 Why Not to Become a Writer

You want to get rich quick

You want an overnight success

You want to sign a deal soon

You believe you are the best

You cannot manage everything on your own

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