Guest Post: Advice for New Freelancers by Angelita Williams

Whether you’d like to make a few dollars on the side or wish to try your hand at freelance writing full time, you’ll want to read over these few bits of advice for new writers. Also, when you’re done reading, consider visiting Freelance Writing at http://www.freelancewriting.com/ and The Freelance Writing Jobs Network at http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/ These sites offer far more resources and help than I can in these few paragraphs.

Although you might pick up your first few gigs through friends and coworkers, eventually you’ll have to strike out on your own. Finding jobs is perhaps the least rewarding aspect of freelancing, because there’s no guarantee that the search will lead to a paycheck.

In order to make this process less time-consuming, I recommend creating a basic gig-seeking routine. Take a day to set up a feed reader that will collect every job posting from sites like the two I’ve linked above as well as Craigslist. That way, you’ll be able to scan these postings once a day and “favorite” any jobs that seem worth your time. Also, you’ll want to have a good idea of how quickly you work and what your rates are for various tasks. If you can establish these early in the process, that will make your bidding less stressful. Then write a basic email template that you can use when introducing yourself and bidding on the job.

Once you do land a gig, be sure to communicate with your clients as clearly as possible. They might know exactly what they want, or they might expect you to show them through the process. If you can determine your client’s expectations quickly, then you can serve them accordingly. Establish deadlines, agree upon rates and a billing schedule, and never hesitate to ask for clarification if you don’t understand an assignment. Finally, be sure to explain to your clients that writing is a process and that they are now a part of that process. I’ve found it is helpful to emphasize this aspect when a client seems worried about an initial draft.

As you work on the project, make sure you are as organized as possible. Know at what points during the day you are most productive and schedule your writing time to take advantage of your productivity. Track the time you devote to certain tasks, either using a writing notebook or task management software. The more detailed your logs, the easier it will be to prepare your invoices. Deliver your invoices as scheduled, and insist upon being paid promptly, just as your client would insist that you submit your work on time. Finally, back up all of your writing and records.

And, of course, write! The more you write, the more income you stand to make, though you’ll want to be careful not to take on too much at one time. Find a level of work at which you are most comfortable writing. The key is to balance all of the above tasks so as to make a decent income without overwhelming yourself.

This guest post is contributed by Angelita Williams, who writes on the topics of online college courses. Read more of her articles on her blog at http://www.onlinecourses.org/blog She welcomes your comments at her email Id: angelita.williams7@gmail.com