HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR POTENTIAL AS A FREELANCE WRITER

WAKE UP EARLY

Even on days when you don’t have any immediate deadlines to worry about, try and wake up no later than 9 a.m.- if possible much earlier. Surf the internet, read a magazine, a newspaper, or book, make breakfast, shower, listen to music, research, or anything else that helps you stay on your tips. It’s a good professional practice to be available as the people you work with are getting into their offices, because you never know what needs doing and who’s mind you’ll be on. It’s just good practice for when you need to be up stupidly early for something important. Of course, you have to take into consideration the time zone your client is in and also know their schedule.

DO MORE THAN JUST WRITING

An easy way to grow your income as a freelance writer is to offer more services. But, there’s a catch to that –Don’t put your foot in all trades. What clients are seeking is a writer that has more skills than other writers. This may mean:

WordPress
how to source images
Editing
Social media management
proofreading
copywriting techniques

These are extra services on top of your writing services that you can offer to prospects. So, if you are negotiating with a client about a project, you can sweeten the deal by providing these types of services.

DON’T RUSH OR FORCE YOURSELF

Do not force yourself to trawl for any idea worth developing. Don’t just write for the sake of it. If you are going through a block, give yourself some space to revive. Take some time off and relax. Relaxation helps you increase your productivity; you might even have your EUREKA moment while you are at it.

The luxury of taking your time isn’t afforded to everyone, but if you’ve got the means to exist comfortably, then it’s worthwhile to slow your roll and wait for inspiration to strike, which gets easier the more culturally literate you become. Remember, getting accepted is just half the battle; you’ve got to write about something after that.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

A scenario that shows itself again and again all too often involves me waking up, sitting in bed as I begin working, and getting so into my work that I forget to eat until the afternoon when I’ve been up since nine. It’s a terrible habit, and leads to feeling lethargic and clammy and too many missed breakfasts; I recommend keeping a variety of quick meals on hand so that you can satisfy the glitch in your belly without spending too much time off-topic.
Take in food that has a high vitamin and iron content and try to go for walks if you’re too lazy to join the gym. It takes little effort to avoid processed foods, get sunlight, mild exercise, get the right amount of sleep from time to time, etc.
Writers often develop caffeine addiction. A cup or two of coffee may seem okay, but try and avoid energy drinks, sodas, and soft drinks. Drink lots of water and keep yourself hydrated at all times.

READ MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU SHOULD

Reading is essential if you’re going to be a freelance writer. There are two basic ways writers improve their craft: practice and study. Writing frequently is good practice, while reading widely is useful for research and getting a sense of how writing should be done. Reading exposes you to other writing styles, voices, plots, and thought processes.

As you read more, your vocabulary grows, and your language and communication skills become more developed. You consciously or unconsciously learn new words and new ways of using those words. This enhances your overall writing capacity.

People who read regularly are more creative and open-minded than those who don’t. When you read widely, you explore different topics from different angles, you link different actions to many possible outcomes, and you discover a new solution for problems.

All knowledge known to humankind has been recorded in books and other written materials like business books, newspapers, magazines, and historical accounts of people, places, and incidents. No matter what information you are seeking, the answers can be found in reading. And don’t just read one book. Read many books and sources. Even reading blogs and websites can greatly enhance your research and quench your need for information. Reading will provide all the details and background information you need to form new ideas and support your existing ones.

DO NOT WRITE FOR FREE

If you want to make freelance writing your profession, you have to demand decent pay for the services that you offer. We hear a lot of writers going unpaid in the name of exposure, but you deserve to be appreciated for the time and effort you put in. So, don’t shy away from standing up for your times worth. In short, differentiate between writing as a hobby and writing as a profession.

PITCH  IN YOUR IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS

When you start working as a freelance writer for a client, there might be an initial workload for you to go through. But once you figure that out and things seem to calm down a bit, you should try and make suggestions and pitch in ideas of your own. While not every client needs more content ideas, there a lot of that would benefit from them. This will show them your interest and enthusiasm and motivate them to engage with you more.

So are you ready to perform to your fullest as a freelance writer? Let us know through the comment section which of the above techniques were helpful to you.