By Lilian Okado

Can I really succeed as a freelance writer?

Considering the global economic downturn no other time is this question more frequently asked. Many are worried about the possible demise of online jobs as offline opportunities diminish and hard times set in. With this in mind it is reasonable for an aspiring writer to wonder whether a writing career is worth pushing or getting into knowing full well that loads of companies around the world are aggressively scaling down.

It is apparent that there already exists a huge market of already established writers on the web who have more experience and undoubtedly may command a significant share of the spoils. However let me point out the not so obvious: opportunities (read writing opportunities) are usually better in a down economy. So there is no perfect time to get started. I’m sure you have heard the phrase: “There’s no time like the present.”

Nevertheless we cannot ignore the fact that a receding global economy causes people to react and opt to seek out an extra income on the internet. Whether residing in an ailing market or not, the rules of success in any career remain the same.

As a freelance writer success is only inevitable if you keep the following three things in mind:

a) Develop you writing skills: This simply means spending 90% of your time writing and researching. It means improving how you write, your speed, your creativity, your relevance with the goal of becoming an authority in your subject of interest.

The more you write it follows that, the better a writer you become in terms of quality; and the better a writer the more diverse and dynamic your writing can be and in turn the more marketable you become.

In part 1 of this series, I spoke of ‘specializing’ which can also be referred to as ‘developing your writing niche’; I must point out that this is a very critical aspect of every writer’s career as it helps you become an expert on a particular subject(s).  Nevertheless, it also very important that as a writer you are able to write on just about ANYTHING.  Versatility enables a writer to survive through any economic downturn because they do not have to rely on clients seeking web copies and sales letters but also on those clients that seek blogging articles, article rewrites or eBook writing.  Hence it is OK to specialize but as a newbie writer one cannot be too choosy and should focus more on creativity.

b) Write to please your clients: As a freelance writer, your client’s needs come first. If you do not deliver the goods, you will not receive payment for them hence it becomes your priority that your work is a clear representation of what your client wants.

As a freelancer over the years I have come to realise that most of my work comes from old clients who keep coming back because of the quality of my past work. If you can build a reputation of pleasing all your clients then you will able to guarantee for yourself a good and steady income..

c) Practice discipline: To be a successful freelance writer you must understand your limits. Do not go insane trying to please a client yet you know full well that you are unable to meet their requirements for a specified job.  Maintain your  professionalism and enlighten them of this fact. I have been caught in these situations many times as have many other writers where I received a job description but because of my workload was unable to complete it in time. Luckily I had an understanding client who accepted my sincere apologies, but that may not be the case for you.

So maintain and manage your writing deadlines and details always maintaining high quality work. Saying no may cause you to lose out on a couple of bucks but it will gain the trust of many a client whilst allowing you to preserve your online credibility as professional freelance writer.

So there you have it; the answer to the all too common question. YES, you can succeed as a freelance writer. All it takes is some patience, creativity, passion and a heart to match that passion.

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