How To Use Freelance Writing Opportunities Effectively: A Quick Guide
Starting out as a freelance writer can be tough. The market is riddled with competition, the pay rates are horrible, and landing jobs is a tough nut to crack. Coupled with the unavailability of good, creative jobs, the dream to create ripples in the sea of writing can soon seem too distant to be true for anyone who is just beginning to chart the waters.
However, if you want to be a successful freelancer, there is one thing you should remember: it is all about the experience. Since you do not have a conventional nine-to-five job, your resume depends on how you perform in the assignments that you pick up. Thus, here is a guide to tell you how to use freelance writing opportunities effectively.
How to use freelance writing opportunities effectively:
- Communicate:
Hiring a freelancer equates to a risk for many clients. The hired professional may fall behind on deadlines, or in many cases, leave the project incomplete by quitting halfway through. Know that by giving you an assignment, clients entrust you not only with their time and money, but also their faith. Therefore, communicate with them. Give them updates on the project, and keep them apprised of any developments. Additionally, if you find yourself unable to complete the task or meet the milestone, try to tell them well in advance so they can prepare themselves.
- Give your inputs:
Do not “yes-boss” the client at every step. If you feel you can make the project better by altering something that was specified previously, tell the client why and how you want to try it out. Show them that you are as invested in the job as they are.
- Give them more:
Write five hundred words instead of the pre-decided four hundred. Accompany the text for the brochure with an infographic. Offer to make revisions time and again. Let the client know that you are not in it solely for the money, but because you value the opportunity they have given to you.
- Pick up jobs you are interested in:
When starting out, most freelance writers make the mistake of picking up measly jobs for the extra buck, and to expand their resume. Remember: if you get comfortable doing certain kinds of jobs, it will only be so long before you get nothing but those. If you pick up jobs that do not respect your talent, you will eventually find yourself stuck in a cycle picking up similar ones. Clean up your table, and find jobs that are better suited to your qualifications.
- Expand:
Freelancing is about learning. Every job you pick up should add to your pile of lessons. Try out new genres; practice writing something you were never comfortable with; expand into new horizons of learning and marketing. The more you value yourself, the more you will be able to show.
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