With the internet expanding constantly, new jobs and opportunities are opening up. Nowadays it’s easier than ever to find an expert in a specific field, give him a job and let him finish it by a predetermined deadline. Those people are called Freelancers and day by day the number of those individuals is rapidly increasing. Why? Because being a freelancer is the perfect thing for those who don’t like their boss circling around their desk, who prefer and are comfortable with working away from ordinary 9-5 offices. As a freelancer, you are the master of your own time, your routine, and when and where you are going to work.
A freelancer is a person whose income is based on a per-job or per-task basis, mostly short-term work. He is not employed in the specific company, nor does he have any connections with it, whatsoever! Another word that directly correlates with the term Freelancer is remote. You can work in your residence, park, coffee shop, restaurant, etc – wherever you are most comfortable to work from.
There are more than a billion people who are doing some sort of freelancing job! Since the 2000s, the number of freelancers has increased by more than 500% and is still increasing! 55% of freelancers have regular full-time jobs with freelancing becoming their side hustle routine. How widely spread and how highly it impacts the world economy is not very clear but the facts are saying that somewhere between 23 and 43 trillion dollars are being contributed to the world economy from freelancing jobs!
Now that we introduced you to the term freelancer and showed you that from a statistical point of view it has become a well-known job category, we would like to cover some of the most important steps towards becoming a good freelancer.
1. Select the area you are good at
The fact that you are able to write and have specific writing skills doesn’t mean you should apply and accept any projects that you are not familiar with. Instead, take your time, evaluate what is the field you are specifically good at, focus on it, improve your knowledge and stay focused on that. We are all aware that you want to stand out and take as many jobs as possible, but that could be a two-edged sword. Slow progress and quality work is the best way to lift your game with the clients.
2. Do the research
We are lucky to live in a digital world where everything is in the palm of our hands. You should get the most out of it and never stop seeking to expand your horizons; learn as much as you can! That way you will surely stand out as an expert in one niche and, step by step, you will attract positive attention.
3. Online presence (portfolio)
The easiest way to let your skills speak for you is to have a portfolio online where you will upload and sort all of your previous work so the eventual new clients can have an insight into how good you are! That’s the thing about freelance writing – the client needs to know your skills and your work before hiring you. It’s not a big deal, you have a few great freelancer websites where you can upload your things, such as Freelancer or Upwork. Of course, it is better if you could make a website on your own where you will gather all your work. It is more professional and gives great confidence to employers. Even if you don’t have any resources, you can write your views about some ideas or topics just as if you were writing for someone.
4. Meet the deadlines
No one loves delays! The same is with freelance writing. If you want to gain respect and make your name recognizable in the world of content writers, the first lesson you should learn is always meet the deadlines! The trust your customer has given you can easily be disrupted. It is okay if you can’t do it on time but make sure to ask your client about the shortest possible postponement and make sure you get it in this time.
Pro tip: If you get the postponement, do your best to finish your work as soon as possible so you leave a good impression.
And be sure you don’t rely on postponements. If you and the deadlines aren’t friends, then you won’t make any progress in this business.
5. Grammar is key
We don’t need to go into the details of how important this is! As a writer, the best possible way to stand out is to have everything under control regarding spelling and grammar. Once done, you should go through your article a couple of times to find any issues because we do mistakes, and that’s fine, but do your best to deliver your work typos-free.
6. Do not take criticism personally
We are sure you consider yourself an impeccable writer but, trust us, even the best ones can have a bad day. It can happen you are distracted by something in your life, the deadline is approaching and you want to stick with the agreement. That way you can miss the topic, or you can simply have poorly written content. This can lead to rejecting the article and your goal in this kind of situation is to not lose your enthusiasm. No hard feelings here, you are just doing your job the best you can.
If you can’t meet the deadline, it is better to miss it than send a bad piece of work. There is nothing wrong with rejecting the project as long as you do it in a well-mannered way. Keeping positive relationships is essential for obtaining further jobs and your honesty and good conduct will be acknowledged by the client.
Conclusion
As a freelancing branch, content writing can really help you evolve as a professional, correct your habits and skills, as well as connect you with the right people. Who knows, maybe writing will be just a step towards something big for you. Therefore, examine the tips we provided and make yourself a clear goal of what and how you want to do in order to succeed as a writer.
