7 Ways To Earn More As A Freelance Writer


Written By: Nancy Parker

If writing is your occupation, then you know how challenging it can be to find freelancing jobs on a regular basis. Then, even when you do find jobs, getting the most money possible out of them is another difficult task. So, what can you do to increase your earnings as a freelance writer? Well, here are seven tips to earning more from your freelance writing business.


1. Diversify – You do not want to put all your eggs in one basket. If you are dependent on only one client for your income, you will be in a whole lot of trouble when that company goes out of business, hires a full time writer, or just decides they do not need your writing anymore. The trick is to make sure you write for a variety of companies and clients. Also, do not limit your genres of writing. You can dabble with blog posts, journals, magazine articles, white papers and copywriting or extend your services into editing and proofreading. If you can have a lot of projects going on at once, it will greatly reduce your chances of being completely out of work (and money).

2.    Go for the long term – If you can get a steady income going with one company, you will be a lot better off than a one-time big payoff. Sometimes you have to start small, slow and steady, but it ends up being well worth it. If you have a choice between two gigs and one is long term, then it is usually best to choose the long-term option.

3. Watch for red flags – You don’t want clients who are looking for ways to squeeze in freebies. Watch out for red flags like startup companies and people that are asking you to go above and beyond your contracted writing duties. Your time is valuable; do not do extra work for the same pay.

4. Apply at once – Again, your time is your paycheck. Do not waste it applying for freelance work a little at a time. Set aside a defined chunk of time each day or week, and apply for everything you can get your hands on at once. That way you will get it over with and not drag it out through your day. It is both more efficient and more effective.

5. Money – Now, here is a sticky subject. You need to know what your writing is worth and how much you really need to make. That way, when you enter negotiations, you have a strong base to fall back on. Set up a minimum hourly/per word rate and do not go below it. Employers will respect you for that and you will inch closer to your financial goals. Now, do not get cocky and overprice yourself, but do set up reasonable standards. Once you know how much you need to make, you can really set down some writing goals. For example, you need to earn Rs.40000 in a month. For that you will need to write 80 articles worth Rs.500 each or 40 articles worth Rs.1000 each. Setting goals also helps you to keep your work consistent.

6. Developing a niche - Writers who have a niche (like health, tech, or finance) are perceived as experts and, naturally, are paid better. If you have extraordinary research skills, you could make for a great report writer or if you run a successful blog, you could offer your blogging expertise to your clients for a premium. If you can gain expertise in a certain type of writing or a subject, you can expect to earn more. Of course, pick a niche that pays well and is in demand.

7. Outsource – Some writing jobs take a combination of creativity and drudgework. If a particular assignment is taking too much of your time, why not delegate it to someone else? That way you will be able to retain clients and manage your writing tasks more effectively. If you do this wisely, you will end up being more productive and making more money by spending a little.

Writing can be a hard, monotonous job at times. However, if you love to write and hope to make a living as a freelance writer, you need to maximize your earning potential. With these seven tips, you can achieve the financial stability you need to lead a comfortable life as a freelance writer.



Nancy Parker was a professional full time nanny and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like health, Parenting, Child Care, Babysitting, nanny background check tips etc. You can reach her at nancy.parker015 @ gmail.com

4 comments:

  1. Hi...Suchi

    Found your blog while searching for freelancing rates other Indian writers are charging or should charge (of course no luck). Anyways, nice blog and good advice.

    I too am a freelance writer and i must say despite having experience and knowing for sure that i can right well. Finding a client, who will pay even Rs250-300 for a quality 500 words article is a challenge.

    I recently applied for a job and this lady wanted quality articles. Since she was also ranting about how unfairly writers are treated i thought she might be paying good. But no, turned out when it comes to preaching her words, she had entirely different set of words. Also, I have a feeling she wants freelancers to do her work for her as she never mentioned the company but kept stressing that she's busy and don't have to write articles herself.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We turn entrepreneurs and business people into published authors and transform weak words into information that sells. For mighty Ghost writers contact us NOW!

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  3. pratima kumari sinhaOctober 12, 2012 at 5:48 AM

    it is so interesting that you are talking about the main points and I am agree with and want some freelance work to write article!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I recommend getting a good freelance portfolio of your works going. I recently read a great article on the subject called "Building a Freelance Portfolio - 20 Tips to Success". This article give 20 top tips on how to develop and maintain a portfolio that potential clients can peruse. Well worth a look:

    http://www.jobstock.com/blog/building-a-freelance-portfolio-20-tips-to-success/

    ReplyDelete

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