For the most part, I love the fact that I get to work from home.
I get to walk my dog, wear sweatpants, and don’t have the office interruptions that are productivity’s worst nightmare. I can really knock out some writing assignments with long, uninterrupted stretches of silence.
Things I Wish I’d Known When I Started Freelance Writing
I started freelance writing about two and a half years ago. I was doing it on the side, and eventually, I realized that with the referrals I was getting, it was feasible to make it my full-time gig.
Read moreJuicy, In-Depth Lessons on Creating Effective Copy
Do you see that title? It’s wordy.
Just like the posts I want to share with you today.
Part of my daily work as a freelance writer is putting together long, in-depth pieces on…you guessed it…writing.
Where to Find Freelance Writing Gigs
OMG, I need more freelance writing work.
Whether you’re just starting your freelance writing career, or if business is a little slow, you might feel the above sentiment.
Read moreThe Ultimate Cure for Writer's Block: A Love Story
Every now and then, I get stuck. I have days where my brain goes into full-on meltdown mode, and throws a tantrum like a tiny child in the toy store—flailing and crying and completely refusing to do anything but what it’s supposed to.
I guess you could call it writer’s block, but I just call it an off day.
My Favorite Writing Strategy EVER (A how-to!)
Writing Conversationally
I’ve had a few clients come to me specifically because they wanted me to create content with a nice, light, readable tone.
It feels conversational, and therefore, it fosters a connection with readers right off the bat. It’s not robotic or overly formal—which is a problem many businesses struggle to overcome with their audiences. They sound more like a faceless organization than real human beings running a company.
The One Email You Need to Send to Every New Writing Client
As a writer, your time is money.
Thus, waste less time = make more money.
One of the biggest time wasters is going back and forth with a new client over all of the minutia of your new gig. There are questions that need asked and answered, documents that need signed, and details that need ironing out.
8 Tools That Take Your Writing From "Meh" To "WHOA"
Let’s face it: Writing is hard.
Lots of people don’t feel confident about their writing abilities—so if you fall into this category, you’re not alone.
How to Get Better Testimonials (And Where to Leverage Them)
I don’t know about you, but most of my new writing gigs come by way of the people I currently work with. I have them write testimonials for my work any time we wrap up a project, and then I use those in my marketing efforts moving forward.
Read moreHow to Make Your Brand Voice Speak Your Customers’ Language
You already have your brand’s voice defined, but when it comes to writing, can you speak your customers’ language, too? Finding a way to do both isn’t always easy.
For example: When I sit down to write a blog post for my personal website, I know that it’s not going to be in the right tone for every person who might read it. Some of my clients want a funny, conversational tone, while others want a more serious and formal writing voice.
Read moreFreelance Writers & Content Managers: What Each Wish The Other Knew
Content managers and freelance writers work together all the time, but do they always see eye to eye?
Nope.
Sometimes freelance writers expect better guidelines from content managers. Other times, content managers expect freelance writers to have a stronger grasp on their brand.
Read moreThe Struggles of Freelance Writing
Now that I’m more than two years in to my career as a freelance writer, I think it’s safe to talk about my share of struggles. I’m feeling good about this, guys.
Why? Because it’s easy for me to say, “Freelancing is amazing! I love my job so much and everything is wonderful!”
2015: In Review
This year marked my second in self-employment, and it was a good one.
Wearing the many different hats of bookkeeper, marketer, financial planner (on top of delivering a service) makes it easy to lose sight of all that’s going on and everything you’ve accomplished—so this activity is a first in hopefully what will be an annual recap.
Read moreCommunicating Your Value Proposition and Rates as a Freelance Writer
Pricing is of the biggest areas I’ve wrestled with in my freelance copywriting business.
Why? Because explaining to a potential client why they should hand over their hard-earned money is intimidating. You have to ask for something, which for many people like me, is hard to do. But over time, I’ve realized there’s a smarter way to tackle the pricing issue.
Read more3 Surprising Places You Can Get More Clients
Everybody likes a steady stream of new clients. Why wouldn't they? It keeps quiet that little nagging voice in the back of your mind that whispers, "Your freelance career isn't sustainable. You'll have to go back to an office job one day. All your clients are going to leave you." That voice is so annoying.
Having regular new clients helps you sleep better at night. It's makes you feel like your services are valuable and sought after.
Read moreCut Time Onboarding New Clients with this Simple Strategy
When I first started freelance copywriting, getting started with new clients required a lot of time and energy. I didn’t have a good process in place, so there’d be lots of back and forth emailing and calling between clients and I—just so that we were both on the same page before jumping into the project.
As time went on, I realized I was throwing away hours and hours of unnecessary time, and sometimes for no reason. Clients would go another direction or get tied up with something else, and then all that precious time went POOF! Gone.
Read more