Five Tips for Freelance Writers from a Freelance Writer

There is an old axiom that says a writer should write about what he knows, so as a freelance writer, here are some tips about being one.

1.  Write about what you know

Duh, didn’t I just say that? But seriously, in general you should try to take on assignments that match your knowledge base. Sometimes, when you are trying to put food on the table, you may be tempted to take on that technical assignment that pays more, even though you normally write about finance. But if you have to spend too much time on research for a topic you are not familiar with, you will end up making less on a per hour basis.

2. Be ready to write

The worst enemy against writing (and your bank balance) is procrastination. Make sure your desk is clear, your coffee is poured, your computer runs properly, your notepad is handy, your phone and IM are off, your lucky troll is in his proper place, etc., etc. Whatever makes you comfortable and productive. But once they are in place, write, and do nothing but write. Constant jumping up and down ruins concentration and loses time.

3. Take a break

Despite what I just said do this in a controlled way. An hour and a half to two hours is probably the most that a writer can devote to non stop writing. Get up, stretch, get some water, go to the bathroom; but get this all over at once so you don’t go back to the constantly jumping up syndrome as above.

freelance writer
Take Small Breaks In Between To Avoid This

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4. Be Professional

This is your business. Get up, get dressed, go to your office, close the door and work. I know one writer who showers, dresses and goes out to the local coffee shop for a latte. Her walk back is her commute to work and once she goes through that door again, she is strictly at work. This goes for phone interruptions, neighbors and other intrusions. Just pretend you are sitting at your desk in a corporate hi-rise building; would any of this intrude on you?

5. Be Responsible

You are head of your business. Whether you like it or not, you are the CEO, CFO, CIO as well as HR Manager and Facilities Manager. My personal solution is to take one day as an “admin” day and attend to business details. I prefer Monday, but Friday may be a more relaxing way to sort of ease away from your true “work” which is writing. I pay bills, balance accounts, do computer system maintenance, do client outreach or new marketing, clean up my desk and my office.  If any of these duties are repugnant to you, you should seriously consider outsourcing.  Hate bookkeeping? You can easily hire someone to handle your accounting and give you reports that you won’t look at. If you are just about computer illiterate, outside of knowing your way around the keyboard, hire a kid from your local college to come in once a month and clean up your files, install automated backup systems, etc. Housework turn you off? Take a half day off, go to the beach or the park and have someone come in to straighten out the mess.  If these routine duties are not attended to on a regular basis, one day something is going to burst at the worst possible time, like when a deadline is looming.

These five tips are the most practical you will ever have about running a freelance writing business. Forget colored pencils for inspiration, cute quotes on your bulletin board, or crystals in your pocket, just organize, concentrate, and write.

For individuals who wish to plunge into freelance writing, getting started is truly the challenging part. to figure out the best way to break into freelance writing, do a people search for the best freelance writers online and uncover various techniques on how to be an effective writer.

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Article by Rahul

Hello I am Rahul and I am co-owner of Port Usb Hub & Blog Aspire . I am currently brushing up my skills in Blogging, Seo, Wordpress, Earning Money Online & Google Adsense. If you like my article you can follow Port Usb Hub on Twitter Subscribe to Port Usb Hub via RSS or EMAIL to receive instant Updates.
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