I used the 2016 New Year to shock my freelance writing career into full-time. I'd already been dabbling in freelancing for almost a year part-time, but I was being paid pennies and only just starting to realize it. In January of that year, I started this blog to vent some of my frustrations and … Continue reading Freelance Writing Business Tips for the New Year
Category: Avoid My Mistakes
How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome
Two days ago, I was searching for "ghostwriter wanted" job listings and came across the blog/business website of a fellow ghostwriter. Curious, I read through the post. It was a narration of a phone call she'd had with a potential client. A woman had called to ask the cost of services. The ghost responded that … Continue reading How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome
How to Survive the Freelance Holiday Slump
December 2016 marked my first holiday season as a full-time freelancer, but my monthly income report looks more like a part-time freelancer's. Why? It's hard out here for a (pimp) freelancer during the holidays, especially if you mostly work for independent clients like I do, and not big companies. The only reason I made … Continue reading How to Survive the Freelance Holiday Slump
How Long Does It Take to Become a Freelance Writer?
If you're thinking about starting a freelance career, especially if you want to drop a 9 to 5 job and start freelancing full-time, one of your biggest initial questions/worries is how long it's going to take you to establish yourself. You have bills to pay, mouths to feed, all that jazz. Switching a stable job … Continue reading How Long Does It Take to Become a Freelance Writer?
Dos and Don’ts of Client Phone Calls
I hate talking on the phone to people I don't know. Hate it. For one thing, meeting new people just makes me nervous. I can't help it. Second, I'm not a big talker unless I know the person very well. In person or online, this doesn't matter. Online, I can take the time … Continue reading Dos and Don’ts of Client Phone Calls
To Contract or Not to Contract
Running your own business is HARD. Things you never really thought of when deciding you wanted to be your own boss keep popping up like an obnoxious fifth grader grinning in serial killer fashion and shouting, "Hi! Hey! Hi! Look at me, lady, look at me!" inches from your nose so you can smell … Continue reading To Contract or Not to Contract
How to Avoid Crummy Clients
The second freelancing contract I ever signed was a nightmare. Why? Well, let's just get it out right now: some clients are a pain in the butt. It shouldn't be so surprising. There are great people in the world and there are jerks in the world, and both sorts of people hire freelancers. This … Continue reading How to Avoid Crummy Clients
Clarification of “Content Mills”
In a previous post about knowing when to take the next step in your writing career, I told you that freelancing sites where you create a profile and apply to the site's personal job board were sometimes referred to as content mills. While some people do define these sites as such, I have just come … Continue reading Clarification of “Content Mills”
How I Found My Niche
Niche is one of the scariest words you will hear when trying to start up your writing career. I heard it for the first time when researching how to get started as a freelance writer. I met with a lot of frustrations during that time; the number one problem being that all the people who … Continue reading How I Found My Niche
Know When To Move On Up
More specifically, know when to ditch that freelancing site and strike out on your own with your profession. There are plenty of freelancers who absolutely damn freelance sites like Upwork and Freelancer. However, I have noticed that many such freelancers are copywriters who started freelancing after leaving another full time job that gave them experience … Continue reading Know When To Move On Up