Novice Freelance Writing

Would You Be a Good Freelance Writer?

Is freelance writing a good career choice for you? While it's hard to come up with a simple answer to that question, starting a freelance writing business may be an option to consider if you can answer "yes" to the following questions:

• You love to write and have been told you have natural talent in this area.
• You enjoy researching and learning about topics that are unfamiliar to you.
• You're very persistent and can handle rejection well.
• You take criticism as an opportunity to improve your skills, instead of becoming angry at the perceived insult.
• You're able to work well on your own with minimal supervision.
• You can easily juggle working on multiple projects at one time.
• You can budget your money well enough to cope with the stress of an uncertain income.

Commandments for Novice Freelance Writing

If you've decided to pursue a career as a freelance writer, it's helpful to remember these commandments for novice freelance writing:

• Be confident. It's natural to feel a bit insecure about your abilities as you're trying to start a freelance writing business. However, you need to be able to project confidence in your skills to be taken seriously as a writer. If necessary, give yourself a "pep talk" before speaking with a potential client.
• Be ethical. As a freelance writer, plagiarism is never a good idea. If you're being paid hourly, it's also not a good idea to pad your invoice in order to bill for more money than you're entitled to.
• Be detail-oriented. Don't rely on an editor to catch your careless mistakes; it's your responsibility to turn in work that is done to the best of your ability. Read through everything you write at least twice and always double check the spelling of names or places.
• Be on time. Contrary to popular belief, deadlines really do make a difference. If you promise to have an article written on a particular day, make sure it is finished on or before your deadline. Punctuality is a highly valued trait for a successful writer.
• Be assertive. Talking about money makes many people uncomfortable. However, as the owner of your own writing business, you'll eventually run into someone who doesn't agree with your writing fees or fails to pay an invoice on time. To get your money, you'll need to learn how to stick up for yourself.
• Be committed. To the outsider, the life of a freelance writer looks ridiculously easy. After all, how hard could it be to type in your pajamas all day? But, earning a living from your writing abilities is hard work. If you're not determined to reach your goals, there will be many days when you feel like giving up and looking for a "regular" day job.
• Be balanced. When you work at home, the lines between your professional and personal life start to become blurry. Although this isn't necessarily a bad thing, working too much can put undo stress on your mental health. Remember to take some time to rest and recharge your batteries! A writer suffering from a bad case of burnout isn't going to be able to work effectively.

Networking Sites for Freelance Writers

Novice freelance writing can be difficult, especially if you don't happen to know any other people who share your entrepreneurial goals. Fortunately, the Internet has made it easier than ever to connect with both beginning and experienced freelance writers. To get started, LTK Freelance Writing recommends checking out the following helpful Web sites:

• Writer's Weekly
• Absolute Write
• Writer's Digest Community
• Writer's Net
• Freelance Writing
• Writer's Beat