Archive for Writing

3 Tools You Need to Be a Freelance Writer

August 4, 2011 Kecia Writing No comments

With the internet at your fingertips, it is a lot easier nowadays to become a freelance writer. However, there are a few tools you may want to consider having at your disposal before you begin looking for writing assignments.

1. An Online Portfolio – This would be a website that portrays your skills as a writer. If you are just starting out and do not have any formal experience, you can still use a site to display writing samples. Samples alone are sometimes enough to get you hired. When it comes to building a portfolio for your writing, you can choose to purchase a domain  name and hosting or go the free route. Sites like Weebly.com allow you to sign up and create web pages for free.

The advantages of having your own website domain name and web hosting are greatly worth the price you will pay for them. For one, it makes you look more professional. You have more flexibility in choosing the name, and you won’t have to settle for a subdomain (Such as yourname.weebly.com). Also, you can create a professional email address off your domain that will allow you to correspond with your clients. Some people find Yahoo and Gmail accounts to be spammy, so having your own domain name in your email address can be much more beneficial.

2. Word Processor – This is the software you will be using to create your samples as well as content for your clients once you start receiving orders or assignments. Most computers come with a word processing program such as Microsoft Word. If your computer does not have this type of software, consider downloading Open Office, which is a free alternative. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the software before you begin writing content with it. You never know how beneficial all the added features are until you get in and play around with them!

3. Organizational Skills – The third “tool” isn’t a materialistic one like the previous two are. However, if you cannot stay organized, you will find it difficult to find success as a freelance writer. You must be able to keep track of your clients, deadlines, and order specifications. Failure to do so can lead to missed deadlines and loss of high paying clients. Using a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel (or an alternative spreadsheet program) or having a planner near your computer will make it easy for you to keep track of things so that you can be professional and on time with your work.

Now a Writer for QualityGal!

June 8, 2010 Kecia Upfront Pay, Writing No comments

I applied for QualityGal early last week, and completed my test assignment over the weekend. Monday, I received an email stating that I was approved as a writer! I haven’t begun to claim assignments just yet, as finals are next week and I want college out of the way before I become more focused on my writing work again. I requested payment on my test article, and I should have the money by the weekend. I plan to follow up this post in a few weeks after I’ve been paid and have written a bit more for this site. I will definitely let you all know if they are worth your time. I’ve heard plenty of recommendations for them though, so I am sure I’ll have good things to say!

Rejection…

June 4, 2010 Kecia Writing One comment

I had my first rejection this week…I was turned down to write for WiseGEEK. This probably wasn’t the best time to apply, as I have the weight of summer semester on my shoulders while trying to learn a new writing style and produce high quality articles that meets very strict standards. However, I made it through the first round of testing, and thought I was going to be okay….

But I was wrong! After the second batch of articles, they decided that I hadn’t improved enough from the first batch, though I made sure not to make the same mistakes twice. I can still say they are a good company, as the review and payment times for both sets of articles were super fast. However, it’s definitely one of the first places you should apply to if you are just starting out as a freelance writer.

This was definitely a blow to my writing ego, but I am not taking it too bad. Honestly, I’m on with several other companies, and I’ve won numerous projects from job bidding sites, so getting one rejection can’t be too bad, right? If anything, it just keeps me grounded by not allowing me to think I am the best writer on the planet (though I never thought that to begin with! :P )

Landing Gigs on Job Bidding Sites

August 3, 2009 Kecia Writing No comments

Many freelance writers get their start on job bidding sites…I know this because I was one of them. The first place I signed up for when I wanted to write online was Scriptlance.com. I eventually branched out to GetaFreelancer.com and Elance.com, but Scriptlance was my main focus for the first 8 months or so of my writing journey. Though the pay isn’t the greatest starting out, I have managed to land several gigs from these sites, some of which become longer projects. Previous clients from these sites still contact me with work they need completed.

- Showcase your abilites.

For these job bidding sites, people are coming to get quality work at the most affordable prices. These people are putting their money on the line to get what they want, but the majority will need to be swayed in regards that you are the best person for the job. Each of the job bidding sites allow you to create a profile and portfolio to present your abilities to the buyers. Having an empty profile will drastically reduce the changes of you landing a gig. It is important to fill every field of your profile, and upload several of your writing samples to the portfolio. If you don’t currently have any samples, sit down and write them. You have to be able to show these potential clients your writing talent before they will hire you.

-Bid Often.

Job bidding sites are a numbers game…one in which the more jobs you bid on, the more jobs you will win. Set a goal of how many jobs you want to submit your bid to each day, and stick with it. My personal goal was always 3, though sometimes I did more or less. The more you get yourself out there, the more likely you are to stay booked up with work. You can always turn down the less interesting/lower paying gigs in favor of the better ones.

-Present Informative, Interesting Bids

Few people will be able to land gigs by placing a bid along with a incredibly short “Let me have the job” line.  The option to add a message with your bid should be taken advantage of. I use this text box as a cover letter to be sent along with the dollar amount I wish to complete the project for. In the message, I outline my abilities as they pertain to the project, clarify my bid and the time it will take me to complete the job, and include anything else that could help me land the job. Have a general template that can help you speed up the bidding process, but be sure to tailor it to each job listing, as some buyers will ask specific questions to the writers. Sending a well thought out message will make you sound more interested in the project.

-Don’t Expect to Get Rich

Job bidding sites usually offer low paying gigs, which some people are okay with in order to get experience and clients under their belt. When I first got started, I didn’t realize people out there would pay $10-$15 or more for one article, so I thought the $5 rate I was working for was pretty darn good. If you are going to get your start on these kinds of sites, you cannot go in with the mentality that you will make top dollar for your abilities. Many of the buyers are seeking decent work for the lowest price possible. It is extremely possible that you will be outbid many times by someone who lives outside the USA and is willing to write for $1/article.

That doesn’t mean you can’t receive nice paying gigs on these sites. I’ve had clients from Scriptlance pay me $5-$8 per article or blog post. Nowadays, however, these projects are like a needle in a haystack. They are out there, but may be few and far between.

All in all, I wouldn’t recommend quitting your full time job to gain work off job bidding sites. However, they are beneficial if you are just getting started and are looking to expand your portfolio and gain some clients.

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