Scott Oldford Site

Tag: freelance writing

  • How Writing for More Clients Helps Your Freelance Writing Career

    How Writing for More Clients Helps Your Freelance Writing Career

    A good freelancer knows when it’s time to say goodbye to a client in order to take on a bigger opportunity — but a good freelancer also knows that putting all of your eggs into one large client basket isn’t necessarily the best idea.

    Do you always have to drop a client when you start working for a new one?

    This month, I explain why keeping a few of my favorite clients helps my career.

    Here are my numbers for June:

    Completed pieces: 58

    Work billed: $5,586.47

    Income received: $4,119.11

    Here’s a fun fact: I wrote just about 40,000 words in June — the same number of words that I wrote in June of last year. I wrote 58 pieces this June, and 54 pieces last June. I also billed $5,805 in June 2015, which is slightly more money than I billed in June 2016.

    The difference is that in June 2015, my year-to-date billings totaled $30,515. This year, they’re $34,288. My earnings continue to grow, year over year.

    The other difference is that in June 2015, I wrote for eleven different clients. In June 2016, I wrote for seven clients. Adding higher-paying clients to your portfolio means needing fewer clients to hit your monthly income goal.

    I could probably reduce my client load even further, but I don’t want to. Let’s look at why.

    Keeping my byline in the conversation

    At this point, the majority of my income — and the majority of my workload — comes from two clients. My other clients take up less than 25 percent of my writing time. They also bring in less than 25 percent of my income.

    Why do I keep writing for these additional clients? First, because I’ve been working for each of them for years now and I have a good relationship with their editors. Second, because I can complete their assignments quickly and easily; these no-stress gigs are fun to write.

    Most importantly, however, I keep writing for these clients because they keep my byline in the conversation.

    Having bylines in two publications is great. Having bylines in six or seven publications is better.

    My readers don’t know how long it took me to write a piece or how much I got paid to write it. All they know is that they read something worth commenting on or sharing on social media.

    The more writing I do for high-quality publications with strong readerships, the more my work is shared and discussed — and more people have the chance to see my byline and become familiar with my writing.

    I also like writing for multiple publications because it gives me more opportunities for referrals.

    The more editors I work with, the more people I have to recommend me or connect me to gigs — and because I have a larger chance of another editor reading something of mine, liking it and offering me a job.

    I know that my two biggest clients won’t last forever. When it’s time for me to start looking for a new client, I’ll have a larger pool of resources to draw from.

    I’ll also continue earning income even if one of my big clients goes away.

    A year of routine

    In last June’s Tracking Freelance Earnings, I wrote about wanting to change my writing routine to make more time for exercise and breaks — and to make sure I got up and got out of my pajamas right away, instead of working in my PJs until noon.

    I’m happy to inform you that this new routine stuck. I’m still working off the same basic schedule and work plan that I built for myself last year, and giving myself time to wake up, have breakfast, do my yoga practice and get dressed before I start my workday.

    I’m also giving myself a lunch break, which has evolved into a lunch-and-half-hour-walk break. It’s great to spend that half hour outdoors, away from my computer.

    Sure, there’s the occasional day that I wake up to an email that has to be answered right away, or a revision request that a client wants ASAP, but I’d say I get to keep this routine at least 90 percent of the time.

    I’m still doing pretty well with keeping regular hours, too; I rarely write in the evenings anymore, although I still end up doing a little bit of work over the weekend.

    I’d love to see where I am a year from now. Ideally, I’d like to be pretty much where I am today: writing for clients I really like, earning more money than I did the year before and sticking to a routine that keeps me healthy and productive.

    What about you?

    How does your freelance career compare to where it was last year? Where would you like to see it grow next year?

  • 5 Ways to Set Yourself Up for Full-Time Freelance Writing Success

    5 Ways to Set Yourself Up for Full-Time Freelance Writing Success

    A year ago, I received a check for my first paid writing assignment.

    In college, I wrote for free for the student newspaper, a few travel blogs, and Thought Catalog. I had a ton of experience, but it took me a while to figure out how to get paid for my work.

    I didn’t understand what my writing was worth until this past January. Since I wasn’t thrilled with my day job, I decided to commit to freelance writing as a side hustle in 2016.

    Luckily, I was already in supportive writing communities. I also found invaluable online resources to help me pitch my ideas.

    Last month, I left my marketing position to pursue freelancing full time.

    The following five steps helped me manage the jump from part-time to full-time freelance writing.

    1. Find a system to track your income

    Tracking your income from the beginning is incredibly important.

    It helps you keep a record of your work. It helps you track down any delinquent clients that haven’t paid you. It also shows your progress as you accept more assignments at higher rates.

    To this day, I still use a Google sheet. As an extremely organized person, it works for me. I break columns down by headline, publication, rate, date published, date paid, date hired, date invoiced, and published link.

    Before I found this method, I was writing everything down in a notebook. Tracking dates helps me understand how quickly (or slowly) a publication completes edits, adds my story to their editorial calendar, and pays me.

    As your business grows, consider using more professional services, such as Freshbooks or Quickbooks. You might even want to outsource your accounting altogether, or maybe hire a virtual assistant to manage your finances.

    2. Create income goals

    I started with a freelance writing goal of earning $1,000 a month. Although I didn’t meet that goal in January, I exceeded it in February.

    But I found myself working too much in certain weeks, while other weeks, I’d hear crickets from my clients.

    Then, I set a weekly goal of $400. That first week, I remember only making $12 until Thursday, where I was hired for a $1,250 assignment over the next two months.

    By this point, I was focusing on developing steady relationships with editors (more on that below). Rather than cold pitching editors constantly, I pitched ones I previously worked with. Additionally, I wasn’t afraid to pitch higher-paying publications.

    My day job was a safety net if I didn’t meet my weekly goal. I also live in an area with a low cost of living, so my expenses are fairly minimal. However, I usually met my goal.

    3. Build an online presence

    During the last week of December, I created a free website with Wix. I published it on New Year’s Day.

    I also focused on improving my social media following, focusing on growing my Facebook writer page. Even today, I’m constantly inviting new friends to like my page.

    On Twitter, I started participating in Twitter chats. Once you’ve participated in one for a bit, consider finding out how to host or moderate it. Or even create your own! There are also hashtags worth following like #writing #amwriting, #writingcommunity, #instawriting, and #writinglife.

    Social media is crucial for writers because creating a platform for an audience to follow you helps clients find you.

    The larger your following is, the more potential you have to connect with future clients online — because you never know when someone who follows you on Twitter or Facebook might need a writer.

    4. Schedule your time strategically

    If you work a traditional 9-to-5 job, determine possible times of day to work on freelance projects. Are you a morning or a night person? Can you dedicate your lunch hour to freelancing? Consider working over the weekend if you don’t have plans.

    Within those time blocks, prioritize timely tasks over others, and don’t cram in too much. Your quality of work might suffer.

    I use a Passion Planner to schedule my days. I’m also a fan of basic yellow pads for to-do lists. I’m constantly writing down things to do and remember. Likewise, I prioritize the most important and timely tasks.

    Fortunately, my day job had flexible hours. If I had a larger assignment that required more time, I could leave work early to go home to work on it.

    I may not have been able to do this if my job weren’t so relaxed. However, before transitioning to full-time freelancing, it was sometimes difficult to balance time. I typically worked over the weekend.

    5. Foster relationships with previous clients

    If you’re pitching publications, focus on editors you’ve previously worked with rather than cold-pitching new ones. If you were successful with the first assignment, previous editors will know your work and trust you for future assignments.

    Not only are you more likely to receive a response, but you’re also more likely to be hired.

    The more you write for a publication and build a rapport, the more likely they’ll start turning to you for a more permanent role. Maybe they’ll come to you with a timely assignment. Maybe they’ll consider you for a regular contributor role.

    Once you’re more in tune with your earnings, scheduling, and clients, you have a better understanding of improvements need to be made.

    Have you made the leap to full-time freelancing? How did you set your financial goals?

  • Freelance Writers: How to Take Time Off (Yes, Really!)

    Freelance Writers: How to Take Time Off (Yes, Really!)

    No doubt about it, the freelance life has some perks.

    You can work on a deck with a glass of lemonade or even put together some prose at your local museum.

    Sometimes, you can set your hours and make time for a mid-morning yoga class or make a doctor’s appointment for the middle of the day.

    But despite these perks, it’s hard to really, truly get away as a freelancer. Sure, you can work from a hammock (full disclosure: I am typing this from a hammock on my back porch right now).

    But you’re still working.

    But getting away — not just from your typical surroundings, but also from your phone or email inbox — is possible.

    Here are a few tips for taking a real vacation — or as close to one as you feel comfortable taking.

    Pick your destination with unplugging in mind

    It’s hard to ignore a blinking message light on your phone.

    What does that little green flashing light mean? Does it mean your editor hates the piece you submitted? Is a new editor excited to work with you on a time-sensitive piece?

    It could mean anything, really, and it’s tempting to succumb to temptation and check your messages, even when trying to “disconnect.”

    The surefire way to avoid this notification anxiety? Go somewhere your phone doesn’t work.

    It’s not too hard to find a campground with no cell phone service, data connection, or Wi-Fi. Even just a weekend where you’re disconnected can go a long way towards unwinding.

    Of course, it might also make you a nervous wreck who drives 30 miles for a data connection twice a day just in case. Some people find it less stressful to “unplug” somewhere they can check in once a day or so for five minutes and turn their phone off the rest of the time.

    A “disconnected” vacation doesn’t have to mean being disconnected 100 percent of the time. Trial and error is the best way to figure out what works best for you.

    Communicate ahead of time

    If you don’t normally work on the weekends, going far out of cell phone reception for one weekend isn’t likely to be something that requires advance communication with clients.

    But if you’re disconnecting for a longer period of time, it’s important to communicate when you’re going to be unreachable. And this doesn’t mean just slapping up an auto-reply on your way out the door saying you’ll be gone for the next month.

    If you’re heading away from cell phone reception for more than an afternoon or so, look at the calendar to see which clients might need to get a hold of you during the period you’ll be away.

    Are you expecting to receive edits on a piece soon? Is it a client’s busy season where they frequently send you last-minute assignments? There’s definitely a bit of guesswork involved, but it’s important to consider what might happen while you’re away.

    A lot of this depends on how long you’ll be gone for. If you’ll be gone for an afternoon, you likely don’t need to do anything at all, since you can respond to your messages in the same evening.

    But if you’ll be gone for a month, you’ll have some serious work to do ahead of time.

    Tie up loose ends

    Before you leave town, let your clients know you’ll be mostly unreachable. Be sure to do this well ahead of time. Don’t just send an email blast to every editor you’ve ever met.

    If an assignment is due soon, try to turn it in early, letting the editor know when you’ll be unreachable and that you’ll be happy to address edits before you leave or after you return.

    Likewise, if you’re expecting edits on a piece soon, let the editor know a few weeks ahead of time so you can hopefully complete any necessary editing before (or after) the trip.

    Of course, from time to time, you’ll still have to spend some time working on the road. But using this system can definitely cut down on the amount of time spent working when you’d rather be relaxing.

    Dealing with a freelance disaster

    No matter how well you prepare, the occasional freelance disaster is inevitable. What do you do if this happens while you’re disconnected?

    If you’re completely disconnected, you likely won’t know about the disaster until you return to the land of Wi-Fi and cell phones. The thought of this makes some people’s skin crawl, but others find freedom in the idea.

    Whether or not being completely disconnected works for you is something every freelancer has to figure out for themselves.

    But if you’re checking in once a day or every few days, you might just check in one day to find trouble brewing.

    The extent of such a potential disaster largely depends on your line of work. If you work as a PR consultant and your big client has a major problem and needs spin control pronto, you’ll likely have to jump into work mode for a significant length of time.

    But if it’s just a client who needs a quick copy edit? That’s easy enough to refer to a trusted freelance colleague.

    In order to minimize stress if a disaster requires you to respond to while on vacation, be sure to have what you need with you on the road. Bringing any passwords you might need and important documents on a flash drive can make responding to the situation much easier. Also consider storing important documents on the cloud for any access anywhere.

    Another great option to consider is using the buddy system.

    Use the freelance buddy system

    Working in an office comes with a built-in backup system. If you’re out of town, you can set up a voicemail message and email auto-reply saying when you’ll be gone and asking people to contact another team member with urgent needs and concerns.

    Freelancers don’t typically have these built-in systems available. But that doesn’t mean you can’t create your own. Knowing other freelancers, especially those in your field and those who write for similar clients, is invaluable.

    Take some time to get to know other freelancers and consider working out an arrangement with those whose work you trust and respect.

    Leave their information as an “in case of work emergency” contact, and work out with them ahead of time what they will do if they are contacted on behalf of one of your clients.

    Of course, you need to trust this person and everyone needs to be clear on expectations.

    But it can be a great way to get a reprieve from your phone and email while leaving any work concerns in the hands of someone you trust.

    And, of course, you can return the favor when they go on vacation.

    What do you do to prepare for an unplugged vacation?

  • 4 Ways Pro Freelance Writers Boost Confidence to Defeat Impostor Syndrome

    4 Ways Pro Freelance Writers Boost Confidence to Defeat Impostor Syndrome

    The kids are finally asleep, the decaf coffee is hot, and you have a list of prospective freelance writing clients pulled up on your hand-me-down laptop…and then the panic sets in.

    What if this person laughs off my email pitch?

    Who’s possibly going pay me to write for them?

    What makes me think I could be good at freelancing?

    Congratulations. You’re officially a freelance writer because you’re dealing with a bout of impostor syndrome!

    Impostor syndrome is a well-documented psychological phenomenon in which someone who’s qualified in a field starts to experience extreme feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy about their performance.

    And without years of experience to reassure them they’re qualified, newer writers often succumb to impostor syndrome to the tune of decreased performance, accepting low rates, or even giving up on their business before it gets started.

    And that’s simply unacceptable.

    Let’s look at four ways established freelance writers overcome impostor syndrome whenever it pops up — even long after their newbie days are over.

    Redefine confidence

    As a freelance writing mentor, I’ve noticed a major problem in how new writers develop confidence. When new writers experience fear, they often think it’s a sign you’re doing something wrong, when in fact it’s just a sign you’re doing something new.  

    Far too often, we think of confidence as our permission to do what we’re doing, Gina Horkey, the entrepreneur behind the 30 Days Or Less to Freelance Writing Success course, says. But that’s the opposite of how real life works.

    “Confidence is just the belief that I can do something,” says Horkey. “It’s not proof that I’ve already done something. It’s the possibility. And when it’s low, it means I’m letting fear win. When it’s high, then I’m letting my belief in myself win.”

    The next time you feel fear and you wish you were feeling more confident, remember that confidence is a result of success, not a cause of it. It’s up to you to step forward and try new things, even when you’re feeling afraid.

    Take action to scare away fear

    When Andrea Emerson first started freelancing, she wasn’t worried about finding clients because she knew how to get into her prospect’s head. In her previous job, she’d been in charge of hiring freelance writers.

    But she was worried about generating enough work to sustain her in the early days of her business, and keeping her workload consistent over time.

    Her solution? Taking action.

    “I’ve found that taking action is a great antidote to fear—even if you start with teeny tiny steps,” says Emerson. “In terms of keeping my workload consistent, I persuaded clients to move to a retainer arrangement as soon we’d completed a successful project or two and I sensed they had a recurring need for content.”

    Horkey agrees that taking action is a huge part of not feeling fear. Her husband quit his job to be a stay-at-home dad the year before she made the leap from predictable income to variable income, so it was all riding on her.

    “I try to always do something when I get scared, because I know that fear is paralyzing,” she says.

    “Taking that next step forward is the only way to work through fear. I don’t think I’d have gotten to this point without constantly busting through fear, doubt and uncertainty,” Horkey admits. “Fear will always be there, it’s just stronger during some times more than others.”

    Reframe your fears

    “Mindset is huge when you’re your own boss, and often the defining factor between success and failure,” Emerson says. “Prospective clients can sense confidence or fear in their interactions with you. They’re incredibly drawn to the former, and repulsed by the latter.”

    Emerson also emphasizes the extent to which confidence is rooted in knowledge and training.

    “Confidence comes from recognizing your skills and the tangible value they can deliver to clients,” she says. “It’s also a byproduct of understanding your prospects — what they need and how to deliver it. It turns out, for instance, that content marketing generates 300 percent more sales leads than traditional marketing. Prospects with big marketing budgets know that, and also know they can’t get those kinds of results without writers. That bit of industry knowledge is a great confidence booster.”

    While much of a newbie freelance writer’s opportunities and client interactions might change from day to day, Horkey credits staying positive as one of her top fear-busting habit recommendations.

    “I used to focus on ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’” she says. “But now, I’ve flipped it on its head to ask, ‘What’s the best thing that can happen?’ Now I’m not expecting the worst; I’m wondering if the best thing that can happen makes it worth it to try!”

    Combine fear with persistence

    At the end of the day, that rad cat poster from the 1980s was right: You just need to “Hang in there!” But more than a passing motivational tip of the hat, you need to make a personal connection with persistence.

    As a generic phrase, “Be persistent” is annoying and trite. But when you look at day-to-day struggles, it’s an effective in-the-moment practice to say to yourself, “This intimidating client phone call is a small blip in my journey. This situation will be over soon, and I’ll be glad I stuck it out.”

    What’s at the heart of this fear is the drama of not knowing you’ll make it through, the “Will she or won’t she?” of every movie. What you can do today is decide you will, which eliminates the sense of conflict and allows you to focus on the long term.

    “I’m not ‘fearless’ because I’m making money online,” says Horkey. “Often my fears are now bigger than ever. But I’m not about to let them stop me.”

    The cure for impostor syndrome will be different for every writer. But it’s vital that we all understand that it’s normal to experience, and there are indeed cures out there for each of us to try.

    Do you struggle with impostor syndrome? How do you boost your confidence?

  • 3 Skills That Will Help You Get More Freelance Writing Jobs

    3 Skills That Will Help You Get More Freelance Writing Jobs

    While writing ability is a major factor in landing freelance writing gigs, your way with words isn’t the only thing clients and editors look for when hiring writers.

    There are several “non-writing” skills that make you more attractive to potential clients.

    To uncover them, I spoke with people who work with freelancers and asked about what they look for when hiring content creators.

    Here’s what they had to say.

    1. Ability to work independently

    Clients and editors value freelance writers who don’t need a lot of hand-holding.

    “Writers need support and direction, but they should not need hand-holding after writing a few articles,” Owen Larkin, President at SnowPak.com said. “I need people who can do work without requiring a lot of my time.”

    Clients and editors pay you to write, sure. But the underlying reason for them hiring you is to make their lives easier.

    They want someone who can handle their content needs to free up time for them to run their business or publication. If you’re always reaching out with questions or issues, you’re doing the opposite of why they hired you.

    Strive to be more independent when you’re working on an assignment.

    Figure things out by doing your own research instead of asking the client or editor. Got a question about a company? Check their website, read their press releases, or look at their help page. Need more info on an employee? Visit their LinkedIn profile.

    The key is to minimize unnecessary emails or phone calls.

    Another way to avoid too many clarification emails is to scope out the work thoroughly at the beginning of the project. Determine the information or resources required to complete the assignment, then ask relevant questions early on.

    Just be careful not to ask too many. Sending someone a long list of questions can be a turnoff. I usually stick to three to five questions when I scope out an assignment, and I phrase them in such a way makes it easier for my client to answer.

    For instance, instead of asking, “What tone or style would you like me to use for this piece?” I would say, “I noticed most of your content is written in a casual tone. Would you like me to adopt the same voice or style for this post?”

    This way, they can just respond with a “Yes” or “No, and here’s why…”

    Keep this in mind for your next assignment. Rather than bombarding your client or editor with a ton of questions, do your research first. Or better yet, map out the project thoroughly in the beginning, and phrase your questions in such a way so they’re easier to respond to.

    2. Industry knowledge

    All the people I reached out to said domain knowledge or experience is a key factor in their hiring decisions.

    “Between two freelancers with equally good writing skills I’d choose the one who has experience in creating texts on the topic that I need,” said Anastasia Sidko, Content Manager at SEMrush. “It is especially important when it comes to technical or very specific texts — deeper knowledge of the subject would be a significant advantage for the writer.”

    You’re better off covering just a few topics instead of trying to write about anything and everything. Find your niche and own it.

    When you specialize, you become an expert. And clients are willing to pay more for services rendered by an expert or thought leader, rather someone who just dabbled in their industry.

    Being an expert also enables you to earn more per project (or per hour). If someone pays you, say, $400 to write an article, and you know the topic so well it only takes you an hour instead of two to finish the post, then you’re essentially making more per hour.

    3. Nurturing the right connections

    In addition to industry expertise, who you know can also be key to getting hired.

    Poornima Apte, former Editor-in-Chief at Specialty Retail Report and GIFT SHOP Magazine, said that she often prioritized industry knowledge and connections over writing ability. “Editors can always fix poor writing but connections to sources are invaluable.”

    Great content — and great client or editor relationships — can’t exist in a vacuum.

    To take your writing and freelance business to the next level, you need to network and get to know other people outside your comfort zone.

    Get on the radars of industry experts and influencers. Attend events. Connect with people on LinkedIn or Twitter. Take part in Twitter chats, meetups or other social programming in your industry.

    If you’re working on an assignment, find ways to connect with real people instead of just doing research on your own. For example, instead of relying solely on Google, why not find and interview an expert to quote in your piece?

    It takes more than writing talent to become a successful freelance writer.

    If you’re struggling to land gigs, do an assessment of your own “non-writing” abilities and see if there’s anything you need to work on. Perhaps you need to communicate better. Or, maybe it’s a matter of narrowing down your niche. Be honest with yourself, identify your shortcomings, then take steps to improve.

    Can you name other “non-writing” skills that can help freelance writers land gigs? Share them in the comments.

  • What I Did to Earn $5,000 in One Month as a New Freelance Writer

    What I Did to Earn $5,000 in One Month as a New Freelance Writer

    I know why you’re reading this.

    You’re exactly where I was about a year ago: Feeling lost. Wondering how you’ll find success as a freelance writer.

    Ready for some good news?

    You can make serious income from writing work. I’m talking “pay your bills and still have plenty left to support your Whole Foods addiction” money here, people.

    I’m not going to sugarcoat it — I had to hustle like crazy at first to make it happen.

    But once I understood the process, the money started pouring in, and I made more than $5,000 in my fourth month as a full-time freelance writer.

    How, you ask?

    Good question. Here’s what I did:

    1. Set crazy goals and worked hard to achieve them

    Full disclosure: I didn’t exactly choose to become a freelance writer.

    I got fired from my full-time job, and suddenly having no source of income motivated me to make freelance writing work for me.

    I knew it was going to be tough, but I was confident in my ability to succeed. So, I told myself that I’d out-earn my previous salary within four months.

    Deep down, I knew it was a crazy goal. But I set it anyway, told myself that it was achievable, and woke up every day with the drive to make it happen.

    And it did happen. I got fired in April 2015, and four months later, made $5,172 from freelance writing work in August 2015 alone.

    If I’d allowed myself to be held back by a negative mindset, it wouldn’t have happened.

    Set an income goal that seems crazy to you but is still achievable. Having a clear goal to work toward will help you grow your business quickly.

    2. Picked a niche

    I worked as a B2B copywriter for IT companies for a while before I became a freelance writer, so I chose that as my niche.

    And you better believe I plastered “B2B Copywriter for IT Service Providers” all over my freelance writer website and social media profiles.

    Why?

    Because a freelance writer known as an expert in a specific niche usually gets more high-paying clients than one who isn’t.

    Think about it. If you were hiring a writer, would you want to work with one who specialized in your industry or one who wrote all sorts of content?

    You’d want the specialist. Every time.

    Your potential clients feel the same way. So pick a niche, and start marketing yourself as an expert in that niche.

    Keep in mind that you can pick multiple niches if you want — the specialization part is what’s important. And you don’t need a crazy amount of expertise on a topic to make it your niche. As long as you can deliver what clients need, you can learn as you go.

    3. Built a strong freelance writer website

    I had a basic portfolio website for a while, but I knew that wasn’t going to cut it if I wanted to make serious money as a freelance writer.

    So, I learned everything I could about WordPress and built a freelance writing website.

    Seems like common sense, right?

    It is. Lots of writers do have a website.

    The problem?

    They create their website from the perspective of a desperate job-seeker who is writing a resume — not an expert business owner who knows how to get results for clients.

    Those writers might as well give themselves a neck tattoo that says “PLEASE UNDERPAY ME.”

    I know that’s harsh, but it’s true. Clients tend to make assumptions about your value based on your website.

    I don’t want you to make the same mistakes that hold other freelance writers back, so keep these tips in mind when you’re creating your freelance writing website:

    • Write your website copy in a way that brands you and attracts your ideal clients. My website has the word “badass” right in the headline because that’s how I talk. That kind of tone sets me apart, and I’ve found that my audience (B2B business owners and marketers) appreciates the straightforward approach. It might offend some people and drive them away, but it doesn’t matter — those people wouldn’t be the right clients for me anyway.
    • Leave out meaningless adjectives, and speak directly to the client’s needs and pain points. No more wasting valuable space on your site talking about how “disciplined” and “passionate” you are as a writer. Clients don’t care about that  they care about what services you can provide for them.
    • Choose a clean design and make sure your site is user friendly. Avoid cluttering your site with unnecessary images and giant walls of text. Instead, use white space to draw the reader’s eyes to the important points. And if you want to find out what people really think of your website, try a free user testing tool like Peek.

    Put yourself in a potential client’s shoes. What are they really looking for when they hire a freelance writer like you? Use your answer to guide you when you’re creating your website.

    4. Cold-pitched my target audience

    Several years ago, I worked as a door-to-door salesperson.

    That’s right — I had to knock on people’s doors and try to sell them cable and internet services.

    My salary was so low that I depended on commission to pay my bills, so I had to hustle.

    Now, I know what you’re probably thinking:

    No wonder you recommend cold pitching. It must be easy for someone who worked in sales!

    But I’m going to let you in on a little secret: it’s not easy.

    It’s terrifying.

    But is it worth it?

    Totally.

    In fact, cold pitching helped me earn $800 in my first month as a freelance writer.

    Now, I didn’t just send pitches to random businesses. I mostly used LimeLeads, a huge database of leads, to look up B2B/IT businesses in my niche.

    But you don’t have to use LimeLeads — you can find potential clients using social media and Google. Then, send each of them a tailored pitch.

    Here are a few tips that’ll help you write effective cold pitches:

    • Include a link to your freelance writing website in your pitch. Your site should have your niche defined in the headline so that potential clients know immediately that you specialize in their industry.
    • Focus on how you’ll get results for the company you’re pitching. Don’t talk about yourself too much in your email. Instead, talk about how you’ll help the company get more customers, build their audience, etc.
    • Avoid pitching like you’re a desperate job seeker. Instead, write like you’re a confident business owner (because you are!), and you’ll be able to demand respect and higher rates.

    Keep in mind that you’ll get rejected tons of times — that’s just how cold pitching works. Most of the cold emails I sent at the beginning of my career were ignored completely.

    But after a while, I started getting responses. Some of those turned into clients.

    So don’t get discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. If you approach cold emailing correctly, you will be able to get new freelance writing clients from it.

    5. Outsourced strategically

    I’ve got a confession to make. I’ve always hated editing.

    Mostly because I’m a perfectionist, which makes self-editing is a huge time suck for me.

    I realized this early on in my freelance writing career, so I started paying an editor to look over all my work, even though I was a broke newbie.

    Yes, outsourcing costs me money, but it saves me far more money in the long run.

    I think about it like this:

    Editing doesn’t make me any money or help me grow my freelance writing business. When I cut editing out of my workday completely, I open up more time to work on tasks that make my business more profitable, like writing or marketing.

    Figure out what tedious tasks you can outsource to make your freelance writing business more profitable.

    Time is money when you’re a freelance writer, so you need all the time you can get.

    6. Rejected low-paying clients

    When you start out, it’s tempting to take whatever work you can get. And if you don’t have any connections, you may have to settle for some low-paying clients at first so you can pay the bills.

    But you shouldn’t do it for long.

    Why?

    Because filling your schedule up with low-paying writing work takes away the free time you could spend marketing yourself to high-paying clients. And before you know it, you end up caught in a vicious cycle of accepting whatever pay you can get.

    Here’s a better idea based on what I did to grow my income quickly:

    Figure out the bare-minimum amount of money you need to survive every month. Once you’re making that amount from your low-paying clients, stop accepting any new low-paying work and spend all of your free time working on marketing yourself and pitching to high-paying clients.

    That way, you can avoid getting stuck in a rut and start growing your business —and your income.

    7. Built a strong social-media presence

    First of all, realize that you shouldn’t immediately expect a flood of high-paying clients from social media. You’ll have to spend some time building a presence and making connections first.

    Here’s a three-step process I used to land clients through social media:

    • Connect with target clients. For example, if you specialize in writing blog posts about marketing, you might connect with content marketing managers at marketing agencies. They’d be the people most likely to give you work.
    • Start liking and commenting on your target clients’ posts. By doing so, you’ll start building relationships with potential clients and get on their radar.
    • Send a client-focused pitch. If you do this after you’ve built a relationship with the potential client on social media, it works like a charm. Be personable and talk about how you can help their business in your pitch. Even if they don’t hire you right away, there’s a good chance they’ll keep you in mind for later or send you a referral.

    I know it’s tempting to send sales pitches to potential clients the moment you connect with them, but don’t do that. You’ll find those clients much more receptive to working with you if you’ve spent significant time building a relationship with them.

    Which of these tactics will you use to increase your freelance writing income? Let’s talk about it in the comments section!

  • 5 Important Questions to Answer Before Freelance Writing Abroad

    5 Important Questions to Answer Before Freelance Writing Abroad

    The idea of life as a digital nomad is incredibly seductive.

    As we tap away on laptops in the comfort of our living rooms, more and more independent journalists, copywriters, bloggers and editors are thinking, “Why can’t I do this abroad?”

    With the prospect of working next to a tropical sea or exploring the ancient cities of Europe — all while furthering your career — it’s no wonder people are intrigued by location-independent work.

    But there are practicalities to consider.

    Simply being a freelancer won’t necessarily facilitate enough freedom to become a digital nomad, and while travel is usually a desirable goal, committing yourself fully to globetrotting may not be the best option.

    If the convenience and ease of remote working has you thinking about traveling as you earn, here are some things you’ll have to think about before setting off as a traveling freelancer.

    1. Is your client base strong enough?

    It’s pretty likely you’ll have to look for new work while abroad, but having a few clients you can rely on —  either for steady work or referring others —will make working abroad much less of a headache.

    This lifestyle may well open up new opportunities for you, especially as there will be huge scope to widen your writing experience by providing stories to travel magazines and websites.

    But heading out entirely into the cold probably isn’t a good idea if you are trying to craft a lifestyle rather than a short holiday.

    Do you have a fairly reliable stream of income?

    Are your clients happy with your work enough that they’ll be willing to forgive any issues you encounter getting an internet connection? Will you need to increase your skills in order to create new opportunities to earn money?

    These are all questions it’s best to answer before you go, so you don’t find yourself on the other side of the world without the career you had been carefully building in your own country.

    2. Are you prepared to make sacrifices?

    We are inundated with images of perfect foreign shores. Yet, while there are amazing experiences to be had from travel, there’s nowhere in the world where you can permanently escape the realities of everyday life.

    You may spend a lot of uncomfortable days traveling  between locations, lose the sense of security of having all your things around you, have to carry as little as possible, go weeks without speaking to loved ones or have real trouble finding a suitable place to work.

    If you can make it work abroad, any transitory issues will be well worth it.

    However, if you’re the sort of person who likes their creature comforts and you don’t have the budget to make life as easy as possible, it may be worth considering working abroad on a short-term basis in order to see if it’s for you before committing.

    3. Will accommodation be an issue?

    Simply having a place to sleep that’s clean and not completely awful may be all you need if you’re only going to be  away for a short time.

    But if you plan to travel or settle abroad on a more long-term basis, good accommodation will be essential. There’s not much more likely to ruin your motivation and working habits than worries about where you’ll be staying that night, or living somewhere that depresses you.

    Renting locally may be the most sensible and economical option if you plan on staying in certain areas for months at a time. Renting locally will also give you a much more authentic experience in an area, letting you really get to know a country. If your budget is extremely tight, house-sitting gigs or couch-surfing with the locals may be a way to facilitate your wanderlust on a shoestring.

    Whatever you choose, it’s important to remember your surroundings will make up a huge part of your peace of mind; even in the most beautiful locations, staying somewhere that feels unsafe or unpleasant will have an impact on your enjoyment of this lifestyle.

    4. Do you have an emergency fund?

    Traveling on a shoestring may seem romantic (and would probably create loads of great writing material), but make sure you have the funds for any emergency that may crop up.

    Being stranded, ill or completely broke in another country doesn’t seem like so much much of an adventure when you have no idea how you’re going to get out of the situation. Traveling needn’t involve having oodles of cash, but you do want enough to ensure nothing can go seriously wrong.

    Keep some money squirreled away for emergencies only, avoiding the temptation dip into it if you ever fancy a treat.

    5. Have you got patience for paperwork?

    Unfortunately, becoming a digital nomad is one of those fun, adventurous and exciting things that involves an awful lot of incredibly boring bureaucracy.

    Whether you’re sorting out taxes, trying to get visas or tackling any number of unexpected pieces of officialdom, if this is the sort of thing that drives you mad, committing to this lifestyle might be more trouble than it’s worth.

    A few hours of mind-numbing form filling could be far from enough to put you off, but it’s important to be aware that a footloose and fancy-free lifestyle still comes with its own annoyances.

    Have you taken your own writing work abroad? What other questions would encourage writers to ask before they pack their bags?

  • Tracking Freelance Earnings: May Income Report From Nicole Dieker

    Tracking Freelance Earnings: May Income Report From Nicole Dieker

    We’re getting close to the halfway point of the year, which makes it a good time to check in with our freelancing goals and see whether we’re on target. This month, I take a look at my progress and ask freelancer Jessie Kwak to share hers.

     

    First, my numbers for May:

    Completed pieces: 64

    Work billed: $7,074.31

    Earnings received: $9,463.57

    Between January 1 and May 31, I’ve billed $28,701.68 worth of work and received $27,674.24 in freelance checks. That’s well over my $5,000/month income goal — I’m averaging about $5,700 a month in billings — and I have enough work already booked that I can predict I’ll continue to hit and/or exceed my income target.

    Nothing is guaranteed in freelancing — my client relationships could change at any time, just like they’ve changed in the past — but I’m very happy with my 2016 earnings, both current and projected.

    I also set a goal to keep my workload manageable. I haven’t been as successful with this goal as I have with the income goal; you might remember me writing about working long hours in April. However, May was a much better month for keeping reasonable hours, taking lunch breaks, and ending work by 6:30 p.m. — and it looks like June will be the same.

    Lastly, I set a goal to make this column a collaboration. With that in mind, I’d like to introduce another freelancer and her set of 2016 goals, as well as her progress towards achieving them.

    Q&A with Jessie Kwak

    Jessie Kwak is a freelance writer and author who writes everything from B2B marketing copy to short stories and novellas.

    I interviewed Kwak in February to learn more about her 2016 freelance goals. I haven’t had the chance to share this interview with you yet, so read it below and then keep reading to learn about Kwak’s progress.

    ND: What is your current freelance life like?

    JK: Right now I work for about five-six clients, with some recurring blogging deadlines every week, and some [clients] giving me projects just as they come up. I’m definitely getting better at understanding my workload and scheduling out my deadlines so that I don’t get as overwhelmed — but of course it still happens sometimes that several clients need something all at once.  

    Along with my freelance client work, I also write fiction. I try to get at least an hour or two on the schedule every day for fiction writing and marketing, but paying client work always takes priority for me. Most of my day is spent in my home office writing and researching, though I do sometimes have phone interviews and meetings scheduled in there, too.

    And some days, when I get everything done early, I like to cut out in the afternoon and hit the climbing gym or go mountain biking. It’s nice being your own boss!

    What would you like to improve about your freelancing career?

    Right now I’m working on becoming more efficient in my writing. I’m getting good rates from my clients, but if I squander my time dithering on research or puttering around when I should be writing, my hourly rate totally tanks! I’m pretty happy with my clients and workload, though I’d like to narrow down on my niche even further.

    What steps are you taking to help you get there? Have you had success so far?

    This is my third year of freelancing, and it seems like each year has had a theme. Year 1 was, “Say yes any time someone offers you money for words.” Year 2 was, “Come up with standards in terms of types of clients and pay rates, and only say yes to those people.” Year 3 has been all about narrowing that focus even farther, and being really ruthless about saying no to clients that don’t fit into my niche.

    For me, [that niche is] B2B software companies who want to hire me for ongoing content marketing work (blogging, case studies, white papers, special reports, etc.) I’ve had to let go of some clients I enjoyed, but it’s been worth it in terms of sanity.

    I’m also starting to say “no” to one-off projects, because the amount of time spent onboarding and getting to know a new client just isn’t worth it if all I’m going to do is a single article or brochure and never hear from them again.

    Do you have an income goal for 2016?

    In 2015 my freelancing income surpassed that of the desk job I left to start freelancing, even after accounting for the higher rate at which that income is taxed. It felt amazing to realize that! In 2016, I’m less interested in growing my income, and more interested in growing my free time so I can spend that time writing fiction.

    That said, I’d love to boost my income to $70,000 this year, but I view writing fiction as an investment in future earnings, so I’m OK with some stagnancy so long as I can become more efficient with my time and carve out those hours for fiction.

    What steps are you taking to hit your income goal? Have you had success so far?

    The mechanics of boosting income and free time are the same: take on better-paying projects from better clients, and learn to work faster. The biggest thing I’m doing this year to boost my income/free time is to narrow down on the type of clients I work with. Since I’ve started specializing in working with B2B software companies, it’s been easier for me to charge higher rates. And since I’ve got a full client list already, it’s been really easy to quote higher rates to potential clients.

    That’s a catch-22 of freelancing. The more booked up you are, the more confidence you have to ask for the rate you want. When I was first starting out, I’d say yes to a $50 article that required two interviews because I needed to pay rent. Now there’s no way I’d take a project like that!

    The last time a potential new client contacted me, I quoted them almost twice what I currently charge my lowest-paying client, and they said yes. I was blown away — both at my audacity and by their agreement. I never would have had the guts to quote so high if I was desperately relying on winning them as a client.

    What is the hardest part of freelancing for you?

    Despite all my big talk about rates above, negotiating and talking about money is the hardest part for me. I’m pretty shy, and building up the confidence to believe that I’m worth what I’m charging has been tough. I just keep going back at it, and the more I do it, the better I get.

    That’s one of the great things about freelancing — you can learn a lot through trial and error. If you do your best but still screw up, it’s not that big of a deal. I’ve had awkward client breakups, but I went on to work with clients who really loved me. I’ve definitely quoted too low, but then I went on to quote higher to the next client. You can constantly experiment and get better at your craft and more confident as a negotiator each time.

    What do you feel like you do really well as a freelancer?

    I’m great at research and getting to know a new product or industry, which is a huge selling point. Most of my clients are in really esoteric fields, and they honestly aren’t expecting to find someone who’s an expert and also a good writer — they just want a good writer who’s knowledgeable about B2B sales and willing to research the hell out of their industry.

    I’m also really organized and really reliable. If I say I’ll have something to you on Monday, I’ll have it. This sadly seems to surprise some of my clients, which makes me think that if you want to make it as a freelancer, the ability to nail deadlines is almost better than being a good writer. Apparently a lot of people are flaky out there.

    Basically, I try to make myself as easy to work with as possible. After the first few assignments are turned in, my clients generally start to trust that I’ll work reliably with minimal hand-holding, and that’s a huge relief to them. They want to hire freelancers who make their jobs easier, not who require tons of micromanagement and editing!

    What advice do you have for other freelancers?

    First up, you need to treat your business as a business. Expect to hustle, and work evenings and weekends sometimes. Expect to invest time and money in equipment and marketing and a kick-ass website. Expect to have lean months and abundant months, and budget accordingly. Expect to keep track of your finances. Expect to deliver exceptional customer service. You wouldn’t open a coffee shop without these expectations — why start a writing business without them?

    Next, don’t sit around waiting for the right opportunity to come along — just get started, and experiment as you go. I’ve had friends tell me they don’t have the experience to get hired as a freelancer, they’ve only written a bunch of press releases (or something like that). It blows my mind — that’s experience, and they’re completely discounting it! You don’t need a degree, or someone to tell you it’s OK to start freelancing. If you really want to start freelancing, you’ll do it. But it’s also OK to realize that you although you like the idea of it, you don’t really want to be a freelancer. It’s not for everyone.

    Lastly, when you’re getting started, cast your net wide — but always be looking toward niching down into an industry or a type of writing. You might be surprised at what you like to do! If you’d told me two years ago that I’d specialize in content marketing for B2B software-as-a-service companies, I’d have said, “What the hell does that mean?” But by trial and experimentation, I’ve found a niche I like, I’m good at, and pays well.

    May 2016 update from Jessie Kwak

    Last month, I got in touch with Kwak and asked if she had any updates to share on her freelancing goals.

    ND: I’m curious if you wanted to share a quick update on how your goals were going. I really liked your interview and I’d love to share how your year has gone so far.

    JK: It was really fascinating to read through that interview and check in with my goals. Here’s an update:

    One of my big goals at the beginning of the year was to narrow down my niche and start taking on bigger projects. I was doing a lot of blogging, and the constant deadlines were starting to wear me out! As of April, I dropped all my pure blogging clients, and have been starting to land some bigger projects, like white papers and an ebook. Right now, the bulk of my work is for three clients: copywriting for a big local website agency, writing regular reported articles for a B2B software company, and doing a variety of work for an editorial consultant who works with education technology companies. I still take on random projects for other people from time to time, but I’m not planning on picking up any more regular blogging contracts.

    One thing this has done is created space in my schedule for writing fiction. I’m able to take at least one day off a week to work on fiction, which is letting me get so much done! Just this month I published a novella, Starfall, and turned in a draft of a novel set in the same world, which is coming out with a small press next year. I’ve worked hard over the last few years to level up my freelance career in order to balance it with fiction, and I’m excited to be closer to that goal.

    How has your freelancing year been so far? If you set freelancing goals at the beginning of the year, have you met those goals? Did anything unexpected happen? I want to hear your updates!

    Also: I’m looking for volunteers for my Pitch Fix column. If you have a pitch that’s striking out, email me at dieker.nicole@gmail.com.

  • 3 Ways to Be More Productive When You Sit Down to Write

    3 Ways to Be More Productive When You Sit Down to Write

    When I started freelancing back in 2010, all I knew was that making money online as a writer and editor was possible, and I’d be able to figure it out along the way.

    While I certainly had my share of challenges (and a few awesome resources like The Write Life to help me out), I did have one thing going for me: A journalism degree. Because of my journalism coursework, I knew how to write well and quickly.

    Knowing how to “write fast” makes a huge difference in your ability to earn more income. As a writer, you don’t get paid for your ideas; you get paid for the content you produce.

    If you can become more efficient at the actual craft of writing, you’ll be able to produce more in the same amount of time, which means you’ve got the potential to earn more.

    So how can you become the blazing-fast writer with the healthier bottom line?

    1. Learn to touch type

    The average person can type 36 words per minute (WPM) on a regular keyboard. The average person who can touch type — type without looking at the letters on the keyboard — can do an average 58 WPM. That’s nearly twice as fast!

    Here’s the thing: It’s not unthinkable that you could double the touch-type average. On a slow day, my typing speed is 112 WPM. Getting words from my head through my fingers and onto the screen is no longer a limiting factor in my productivity.

    In fact, it’s not that uncommon for me to write 1,000 words in 20 minutes or less when I’m familiar with the subject matter.

    Just think about what your effective hourly rate would be if you could charge a flat fee for each of two or three 1,000-word posts that took you an hour in total to write.

    Take the free typing test at TypingTest.com and find out how you stack up. Then, look for opportunities to increase your typing speed. Free training is available online, including at the test website.

    When you’re away from your keyboard, use any mental down-time — like when you’re sitting at a traffic light, waiting in line, or stuck in a meeting — to practice typing. Song lyrics, snippets of conversations (real or imagined), even your mental to-do list can be discretely tapped out on an imaginary keyboard, or invisibly “typed” in your mind.

    2. Use outlines

    Outlines are hands-down one of my most important productivity tools. They’re taught in English class for a reason: Developing an outline is a tremendously efficient way to write.

    Even though it might seem like it’s a waste of time, making an outline sets you up to write incredibly more quickly when the time comes.

    Even if you’re just jotting down three bullet points on a topic you know well, having an outline will save you all kinds of time when you’re doing the actual writing.

    Think about it: How long would it take you to come up with a 900-word blog post if you had to sit down and type it from the beginning, without making any notes to yourself? Maybe an hour?

    Now imagine how long it would take you to sit down and write 900 words if you already had a two-sentence overview and three bullet points with one or two sentences to explain or expand each one. Much faster, right?

    Once you’ve drafted an outline, you already know what you’re going to write about and you’re already pretty familiar with the subject matter because you’ve already researched it (or you specialize in that niche).

    You’ve effectively set yourself up to blaze through the assignment.

    The time it takes to sketch out an outline plus the time it takes to write it up is almost always less time than if you’d sat down and written the whole thing from scratch.

    3. Leave clues for yourself

    Many of us go into freelancing for the flexibility. Flexibility is great — it’s one of the biggest perks of being a freelance writer — but it also comes with the understanding that you won’t necessarily have six to eight uninterrupted hours for working each day.

    The trouble is, interruptions and irregular working hours can completely kill your productivity if you don’t handle them properly.

    The way I deal with my on-again, off-again work schedule is to leave myself clues when I leave my keyboard.

    If I’m wrapping up for the day, I jot down the first two or three things I need to do when I get back to work. If I’m leaving an outline unfinished, I’ll make notes at the bottom of the document about what I need to research next. If I’m in the middle of typing up an article, I don’t need to do anything because I’ve got my outline to tell me where to pick up.

    Whether it’s a comment in a Google Doc, a short “do this next” list, or highlights on the scratch pad where you brainstorm, plan your next steps before stepping away from any task.

    Do it while you’re already in the thick of the project, while the next steps are pretty obvious.

    Then, when you come back to work, you won’t waste time getting reacquainted and then figuring out what to do next. You already figured it out for yourself!

    What’s your favorite strategy for being more efficient as a writer?

  • 7 Must-Have Resources for Your First Year as a Freelance Writer

    7 Must-Have Resources for Your First Year as a Freelance Writer

    When I kick-started my freelance writing career last year, I scoured the Internet for resources. I asked every freelancer I knew well enough for their recommendations.

    I didn’t know much about how to make it in this field. I needed every piece of advice I could find!

    Although I’m close to my first anniversary as a paid writer, I’m still constantly searching for these resources.

    I’ve compiled a list of resources that have benefited me professionally for other novice freelance writers looking to improve their skills.

    1. Your dream publication’s website

    This seems obvious, but it’s so-often overlooked.

    Sometimes, publication editors offer specific directions on how to pitch to them, such as Jessica Reed from The Guardian and Rachel Krantz at Bustle. Although these editors can be specific, the basic principles apply to others.

    You might be making some mistakes these editors don’t like, and guess what? If both The Guardian and Bustle don’t like it, chances are other editors won’t, either.

    2. Jessica Reed’s Pitch Clinic

    Every week, Guardian editor Jessica Reed reviews a pitch submitted by a freelancer to Medium. If you want to someday score a byline in the British publication, pay close attention.  Reed breaks down each pitch and provides critical feedback section by section.

    At the end, she’ll grade the pitch from A to F.

    If you’re interested in submitting a pitch you’re working on, you can email her — your query will remain anonymous.

    3. BinderCon

    BinderCon is a professional-development conference for women and gender-nonconforming writers. Its nonprofit, Out of the Binders, holds conferences twice a year in New York City and Los Angeles, offers workshops, and hosts a podcast, The BinderCast.

    At the first BinderCon ever, held at NYU’s campus in Manhattan, I signed up for speed-pitching sessions with prestigious editors at The Atlantic and Guernica. It was my first experience pitching an editor, and it happened to be in person.

    As expected of a newcomer and a college senior, I completely flunked both opportunities. But, I received some critical feedback I likely wouldn’t have gotten over email.

    To better understand BinderCon’s sessions, check out Women Who Pitch: Freelancing In The Digital Age on Medium. It’s a recap of a freelance writing panel from the most BinderCon in Los Angeles in March 2016.

    4. Morning Coffee Freelance Writing Newsletter

    Although this isn’t exactly a pitching resource, it’s an easy way to find and score freelance gigs to supplement your income. If you’re lucky enough to land one of these side jobs, the experience will likely benefit you as a novice freelance writer.

    The newsletter recently experienced an ownership change. Curator Brian Scott, who recently revived Online-Writing-Jobs.com, has passed the torch — and while there are some changes, you can still expect to learn about paid opportunities.

    In between jobs last fall, I responded to a Morning Coffee listing for a fashion blogger.

    Although I already had solid blogging experience, I wasn’t well-versed in fashion. But the site invited me on as a contributor based upon previous writing samples. I’m paid a small fee, and my posts go through very little revision and editing.

    It’s an excellent source to create my own passive income, based upon however many posts I decide to publish.

    5. Poynter Institute

    The Poynter Institute is a journalism education nonprofit located in St. Petersburg, Florida. Its News University offers training, both online and in-person, at varying prices.

    However, there are a ton of free webinars available with a free membership.

    I started listening to free webinars while completing homework in college.

    By day, I work as a copywriter for a real-estate marketing firm. I’m attracted to real estate-based webinars like How to Use Your Housing Data on Your Beat and How to Cover Housing Stories in Your Community. Because of Zillow’s sponsorship, these replays are available free of charge.

    6. Pitching Shark

    A college friend who also happens to be a freelancer shared this email newsletter with me early on in my freelancing career. It’s written by Sulagna Misra once a month.

    Last fall, I reached out to Sulagna about a pitch that was rejected a dozen times: A few months prior, I interviewed a woman tribal activist while studying abroad in India. She provided me a few tips, but it wasn’t until her next newsletter that I found the biggest advice: She introduced The Establishment’s call for pitches.

    Based upon what I had learned from this newsletter and its creator, I honed my pitch and sent it over to an editor at The Establishment. Despite previous rejections, my story found a new home with a warm welcome. It took me ten months to find a home for this one!

    7. The Freelancer by Contently

    Alongside The Write Life, I started following Contently’s blog, The Freelancer, when I started my career. The site’s articles constantly help me improve how I pitch stories.

    I frequently find fellow freelancers covering topics I never considered, such as the best email subject lines and why an editor isn’t responding to my pitch.

    Here of some of my favorites.

    Contently also offers an online portfolio system to compile your writing samples.

    What other resources would you recommend a novice freelance writer?