Freelancing for Newbies
by Carl Turner
Freelance writing has been a fantasy of mine for many years. When I was a lot younger than I am now, I did not have the time or the income to pursue freelance writing full time. If you are a new writer or an unknown writer, attempting to write for a living as your only source of income it will probably not succeed unless you do not mind not eating and not paying the bills.
This does not mean that you cannot make a good living freelance writing. It just means that you should not quit your day job before you make a name for yourself and figure out a couple things like your niche market and your particular style or your voice.
A lot of people who fantasies about freelance writing are under the impression that you have to take some expensive course to learn to write. My personal advice is a lot more practical. The best way to become a good writer is to simply do a lot of writing. You have to write every day. Even people who have been writing for many years can loose some of their unique abilities if they stop writing for a considerable length of time. Writers have to write every day. It is just that simple; if you want to be a good writer, you have to write.
Another thing that a new freelance writer has to remember is to learn the business end of writing. Anybody can call him/herself a writer, but not everyone gets published and that is the difference between a writer and a published Author. In order to get recognized, a writer needs to be published.
A good rule of thumb to take into consideration when choosing a potential publisher is the advertisements the publisher has in their publication. The advertisements will tell you a great deal about the type of readership that a particular publication is targeting. This information is invaluable when it comes to targeting your audience. Having a good idea of what type of content a publisher will be interested in will save you a lot of the time and disappointment you experience when your work is rejected due to a conflict in relevance to the publishers reader interests.
Another good tool is to join a writer’s workshop or start your own writers group. Getting feedback from other writers is a valuable and cheap tool for many writers. It also helps to be a part of a group that shares in your writing experience. Writer workshops can also be a very valuable place to network. There are many different methods writers use to be productive. Over time you will find what works for you. The method that works for me is to simply choose a subject and start writing. Some people need to be where it is quiet, some people need a lot of stimulus, and others need to be near nature. You have to figure out what works best for you. Just remember that your writing productivity should not depend totally on outside stimulus. You need to develop a level of discipline where you can produce the material regardless of the circumstances.
Finally, set deadlines and productivity goals for yourself. Deadlines are important because they will help to move you along. Without a deadline and a productivity goal, a new writer is not likely to get any work done and never get published. Last but not least, do not let rejections make you give up. Everyone experiences having her/his submissions rejected from time to time. If you cannot handle rejection, maybe freelance writing is not for you. Good luck!
Tags: freelance, getting started, writing
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Entries (RSS)
September 8th, 2009 at 6:51 am
I’d like to add another bit.
When something you write actually DOES get accepted, cooperate with your editor. Don’t argue.
It’s okay to disagree as long as you have a good, non-emotional, reason for differing with your editor. Too many people fall in love with their own words. As a result, you may resent changes from outside. But realize that your editor’s job is to make your work more salable and to help you polish a FEW rough spots (most of the polishing should already be done — by you).
The hardest thing you’re likely to experience will be if your editor wants to cut parts out of your child. Just remember that even War and Peace was much longer in manuscript form than the final version that was published. Same for Gone with the Wind. Improvement often comes, not from what you put in, but what you cut out.