I get the “freelance, but…” question at least once a month. There are two main concerns: (1) I’d like to pursue a freelance writing career but (2) I’m afraid I won’t be able to find enough work.
In order to secure your freelance writing success, here are five top secret tips:
1. Compose an essay
This is a major deal. For freelance writers, writing is the only job. If you want to read this, you will have to turn the words. This is something I’ve learned to accomplish through the years, and a good day for me is 1500 to 2000 words a day. Having a word count of less than a thousand signifies I’m in danger, and I need to quickly increase the word count.
Everyone I know who is a professional writer does so on the fly. However, you must keep meticulous records of your writing output when you first begin. For at least six months, keep a word count journal. It will be easier to spot when you’re slacking after that.
I maintain a log if I see that my word count is slipping.
Write!
Send Your Work Out There
Your writing should be sent out to those who can afford to buy it. This is a business transaction, and you should treat it as such. Send it on its way. If you don’t send out your work, you’re a hobbyist, not a freelance writer. Once you obtain feedback, you may try to enhance your success rate.
“Send out your work” if you’re just starting out means sending out requests and proposals, along with building a blog/website to get your name out there.
3. Market Research
Enough now. Knowing who’s buying and selling is critical to your success in the market. Writer’s Market is a good resource. You should not, however, place your trust in these listings. Get the publications, read them, then submit them stuff that’s comparable to what they’re putting on the page.
Identify a New Market Every Month
Choose a market. Send out inquiries and proposals to that market on a weekly basis for a month to focus on it. If they haven’t taken the bait you’ve thrown out, give it a month or two before going after them again.
If you’re a copywriter, you should focus on a single website or a collection of related websites.
The Ten Percent Goal
Take on the title of Mr. or Mrs. 10%. This means that you should assume that 10% of your writing will be sold.
WRITE to TEN PERCENT, as you can see, has brought us full circle. You now understand why it is necessary for you to produce a large volume of written work.
As a general rule of thumb, 10% is the norm. As an example, you’ll write a lot of words if you’re working on a novel. However, only 10% of those words make it to the printed page.
In the case of a website, 10 percent applies. 10% of your content will be published online once you’ve completed all of your initial draughts, headers, and outlines.
“Ten percent” is one of my favourite expressions. It’s a great way to unwind. In order to keep writing, you can’t fixate over a single word. That is not to argue, however, that your goal is not to surpass the 10% mark. You are the one who can and will overcome it. You may, however, affect the timing and luck of “beating it,” but that’s about all. Take charge of your own destiny by acting.
So there you have it. It’s unnecessary to stress about whether or not your work will sell if you stick to these five pointers, since they’ll guarantee your success.