Make no mistake, it can be tough to stick with a job which
initially offers little pay, and no health benefits. This is the real
world, and bills need to be paid, health issues need to be handled and,
let's face it, fun needs to be had with the money that we earn. Giving
up can seem like the most logical alternative when you just can't land
the writing jobs that you desire.
However, if you persevere through the tough times, you can earn more money through your freelance writing efforts.
Stay Relevant, Get Work
Clients want to feel as though they can count on contractors to be there when they need them the most. This means that you should check your messages and respond in a timely manner. If you have been freelance writing long enough, then you have seen job postings on both Elance and oDesk,
which reference the fact that they want to hire a contractor who communicates well, and checks their messages. This would not not be mentioned in the job posts if it were not an issue. Now, does that mean that you have to be logged in to your oDesk account 24/7? No, but if you are just starting out it pays to show enthusiasm and timeliness in regard to addressing the concerns of your clients.
I've been through stretches of time in which work was sparse. One of the things I've noticed, however, is that work comes flowing back in from former clients soon enough. If you do a great job on your article and blog submissions the first time around, there is a very good chance that they will turn to you again in the future. Make sure that you do not get lazy if the writing jobs do not materialize at a furious pace. You do not want to get caught off-guard or unprepared when it is time to get to work.
Maintain A Blog When Work Is Slow
Think about it. Many of the clients that you work for on oDesk are asking for blog articles for a reason. Blogs can be highly profitable if you provide quality content consistently. You spend hours writing blog articles for other people, so why not put that same amount of time and effort into content for your own website? So, it only makes sense to create a blog on a topic that you are interested in writing about. There are several reasons why maintaining your own blog should be a priority when paid writing jobs are not coming in regularly.
1.) Blogs Improve Your Writing
The more that you write, the better writer you will become. When you spend time focusing on your own blog content it allows you to stay on top of your game. If you own a blog, then it is your responsibility to make sure that you have useful and engaging content. Your work ethic will then transfer to paid jobs when they come your way, and this leads to more consistent work from clients.
2.) They Provide Evidence of Writing Skill
Those who are new to freelance writing often encounter clients who need to see examples of published work. They want to see evidence which suggests that you're worth the money to hire. You should make it a practice to mention that you own a blog, and that you regularly contribute to it, whenever you apply for writing jobs. This lets the client know that you take your work seriously.
3.) Networking and Linking Opportunities
Clients who work with you over an extended period of time will begin to trust you to directly contribute to their blogs. They might ask you to create website content in exchange for link building opportunities, if your blog contains information that they find valuable. Some people require writers to have extensive knowledge in using WordPress. WordPress is widely viewed as the most straight-forward and free blogging tool available. Take advantage of this fact and start using WordPress. This will open up completely new doors for you to make even more money writing.
Increase Visibility
Increasing your online visibility is a way to make yourself much more relevant in the freelance writing world. When regular work slows down, you need to take initiative and improve your chances for securing future work. This means you'll have to write articles for a blog which is not generating income yet. Additionally, it means that you will have to spend hours researching the best ways to market the services that you have to offer. While this might not be as exciting as writing for a paycheck, you will thank yourself when those paychecks start to grow in size. Unpaid work of the present, can lead to lucrative opportunities in the future.
Daily Grammar Practice:
Semicolon
This strange and eerie sound; what could it mean?
In this case, the semicolon is used to separate two distinct ideas. In this sentence it is actually separating a dependent and an independent clause. You should use your judgement to determine instances when it might be best to simply create two separate sentences, however.
This should be considered to ensure the fluidity of your writing.
However, if you persevere through the tough times, you can earn more money through your freelance writing efforts.
Stay Relevant, Get Work
Clients want to feel as though they can count on contractors to be there when they need them the most. This means that you should check your messages and respond in a timely manner. If you have been freelance writing long enough, then you have seen job postings on both Elance and oDesk,
which reference the fact that they want to hire a contractor who communicates well, and checks their messages. This would not not be mentioned in the job posts if it were not an issue. Now, does that mean that you have to be logged in to your oDesk account 24/7? No, but if you are just starting out it pays to show enthusiasm and timeliness in regard to addressing the concerns of your clients.
I've been through stretches of time in which work was sparse. One of the things I've noticed, however, is that work comes flowing back in from former clients soon enough. If you do a great job on your article and blog submissions the first time around, there is a very good chance that they will turn to you again in the future. Make sure that you do not get lazy if the writing jobs do not materialize at a furious pace. You do not want to get caught off-guard or unprepared when it is time to get to work.
Maintain A Blog When Work Is Slow
Think about it. Many of the clients that you work for on oDesk are asking for blog articles for a reason. Blogs can be highly profitable if you provide quality content consistently. You spend hours writing blog articles for other people, so why not put that same amount of time and effort into content for your own website? So, it only makes sense to create a blog on a topic that you are interested in writing about. There are several reasons why maintaining your own blog should be a priority when paid writing jobs are not coming in regularly.
1.) Blogs Improve Your Writing
The more that you write, the better writer you will become. When you spend time focusing on your own blog content it allows you to stay on top of your game. If you own a blog, then it is your responsibility to make sure that you have useful and engaging content. Your work ethic will then transfer to paid jobs when they come your way, and this leads to more consistent work from clients.
2.) They Provide Evidence of Writing Skill
Those who are new to freelance writing often encounter clients who need to see examples of published work. They want to see evidence which suggests that you're worth the money to hire. You should make it a practice to mention that you own a blog, and that you regularly contribute to it, whenever you apply for writing jobs. This lets the client know that you take your work seriously.
3.) Networking and Linking Opportunities
Clients who work with you over an extended period of time will begin to trust you to directly contribute to their blogs. They might ask you to create website content in exchange for link building opportunities, if your blog contains information that they find valuable. Some people require writers to have extensive knowledge in using WordPress. WordPress is widely viewed as the most straight-forward and free blogging tool available. Take advantage of this fact and start using WordPress. This will open up completely new doors for you to make even more money writing.
Increase Visibility
Increasing your online visibility is a way to make yourself much more relevant in the freelance writing world. When regular work slows down, you need to take initiative and improve your chances for securing future work. This means you'll have to write articles for a blog which is not generating income yet. Additionally, it means that you will have to spend hours researching the best ways to market the services that you have to offer. While this might not be as exciting as writing for a paycheck, you will thank yourself when those paychecks start to grow in size. Unpaid work of the present, can lead to lucrative opportunities in the future.
Daily Grammar Practice:
Semicolon
This strange and eerie sound; what could it mean?
In this case, the semicolon is used to separate two distinct ideas. In this sentence it is actually separating a dependent and an independent clause. You should use your judgement to determine instances when it might be best to simply create two separate sentences, however.
This should be considered to ensure the fluidity of your writing.
My name is Zachary Costas, and I'm a freelance writer, blogger and certified English teacher.
I own a blog which is geared toward helping aspiring freelance writers to earn more money through freelance writing websites such as oDesk and Elance. When I first started writing to earn money, I found that frustration was a nearly daily occurrence. I knew I had the ability to write quality content, but I routinely found myself becoming frustrated with the process, while falling behind on my bills. After some trial and error, I figured out some ways to earn more money much more effectively.
My blog is my platform for sharing my personal experiences regarding the world of freelance writing. Take a moment to read my articles, and feel free to leave any comments or questions that you might have. In addition to my articles, I post a Daily Grammar Practice to help people to improve their writing.
Here is the link to my blog: http://write4profit.com/blog/
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zachary_Costas
I own a blog which is geared toward helping aspiring freelance writers to earn more money through freelance writing websites such as oDesk and Elance. When I first started writing to earn money, I found that frustration was a nearly daily occurrence. I knew I had the ability to write quality content, but I routinely found myself becoming frustrated with the process, while falling behind on my bills. After some trial and error, I figured out some ways to earn more money much more effectively.
My blog is my platform for sharing my personal experiences regarding the world of freelance writing. Take a moment to read my articles, and feel free to leave any comments or questions that you might have. In addition to my articles, I post a Daily Grammar Practice to help people to improve their writing.
Here is the link to my blog: http://write4profit.com/blog/
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