The world of a freelance writer

What it really takes to be a freelance writer...

When I’m asked what I do for a living, I often reply, “I’m a business consultant and writer”. No matter the person who inquired, the former is all but ignored and the later followed-up.

Typically, I’m then asked what I write, who I write for, how long I’ve been doing it, and of course, am treated to some anecdote personal or otherwise about being an aspiring writer. After the yarn has been spun comes the sooner-or-later question about getting into writing for a living.

Before I go any further, allow me to pour a cold, bubble-bursting dose of reality – the money isn’t very good; what’s more, it isn’t easy.

What it really takes to be a freelance writer are two things – cockeyed optimism (otherwise known as hard work) and readable writing (otherwise known as skilled writing). In order to write for a living (if you’d like to call it a living) you’ll need to be disciplined and be able to write interesting, cogent pieces…along with this, willingness to network.

The best way about being a freelance writer is to be consistent; consistent in looking for work, consistent in networking, consistent in honing your skills, consistent in research, oh and consistent in writing daily. (Notice the last and first items on the list; it begins with looking for work and ends with writing – get the hint?)

Having this list in mind, where does one find work?

Start with your local and regional print and online publications. They are often trying to grow, keep relevant, or in need of content. You may not get paid, but getting published and building a name on which to trade is important.

There are a plethora of websites in which to find writing gigs, but you’ll have to qualify them yourself. Some are go-betweens, linking publishers with writers, some are directories. For instance, Helium allows writers to create a profile and bid for publication by writing a piece following the publisher’s guidelines. Guru works much the same way, but actually matches writers with gigs (though you have to be established).

The Writer’s Market is a well respected directory, and you need a paid subscription to access the markets, but it’s worth it.

Then there’s Craigslist, you can find writing gigs there, but you have to be discerning because there are a number of scams; while site like Freelance Writing Gigs offer both searchable writing gigs and support/advice for all types of writer and genres.

If you’re looking to make a little extra pocket change, Blogger.com and HubPages.com are a great place to self-publish. They’ll not only provide you with free space, they also provide you a monetization tool with Google AdSense and other affiliate programs. But you’ll have to drive traffic, something you can do by letting friends and family know about your blog and building a following.

Sites like Windows Live Spaces don’t offer the same incentive but they are part of the Microsoft search universe, so the only real benefit is making yourself as ubiquitous as possible.

All in all, you can make money writing but it takes a lot of time, blood, sweat and tears to really begin to see a return on your investment.

-- Owen E. Richason IV

Contact:

owenedward4@aol.com