It's freelance writing today. I have some helpful guides I have amassed
in my short time as a freelance writer which I believe will be instrumental to
a successful freelance writing career.
In the spirit of sharing knowledge is why this post is emerging (but of course you might have read a lot of what you will be reading here somewhere, somehow) so this is why I am neither a freelance writing coach nor a guru freelance writer. If you are one who loves proves so much, and you will want a proof of my earnings; well, sorry, you won't get it. All you will get from me is that I have earned from upwork, and people have been earning from other similar freelancing platform as well. Sure, I had earned more if I was committed, focused and perhaps know as much as I do now. I am volunteering myself for all your questions and possible supports. Actually, I want this post to run like a forum where everybody has got a voice, but please respect the opinion of others -- consistentwriters blog is not a place to settle scores! I will be glad to read your thoughts, opinions and constructive criticisms in the comment box. Thank you.
In the spirit of sharing knowledge is why this post is emerging (but of course you might have read a lot of what you will be reading here somewhere, somehow) so this is why I am neither a freelance writing coach nor a guru freelance writer. If you are one who loves proves so much, and you will want a proof of my earnings; well, sorry, you won't get it. All you will get from me is that I have earned from upwork, and people have been earning from other similar freelancing platform as well. Sure, I had earned more if I was committed, focused and perhaps know as much as I do now. I am volunteering myself for all your questions and possible supports. Actually, I want this post to run like a forum where everybody has got a voice, but please respect the opinion of others -- consistentwriters blog is not a place to settle scores! I will be glad to read your thoughts, opinions and constructive criticisms in the comment box. Thank you.
A lot of information has escaped into the cyberspace about freelance writing with the most laying claim to certain figures they had only earned in their dreams. I want to believe the lots of people guilty of these false claims have only achieved their mischievous intentions. Get me this once and for all: any source quoting a figure you will earn a month or a year from freelancing is leading you on. Any source claiming just any freelance writer earns on freelancing sites is leading you astray. Some few facts I have fetched from freelance writing are that;
ReplyDelete> You're in control of your earnings.
>Your earnings are directly proportional to the proficiency of your writing skills.
> Your earnings are not based on hard work but smart work.
> You will have to be patient while being persistent.
> You will need a social proof.
For whatever sake I will not go into details of the highlighted facts above. But if you're consistent with me going forward, you will find all of the above to be true.
If you have any question in respect of what I have up there, please drop them in the comment box.
My next publishing will be how to register and build a professional freelancing profile.
Earlier on I promised that my next publishing will be on profile building. Of course, I will be doing that. But first, I am compelled to put forth some few lines to get your minds prepared. One of the beauties of technology is that physical presence in businesses is no longer compulsory. And who will agree with me that freelance writing is a business? If you already know this true, then succeeding in the freelancing world will be a breeze.
ReplyDeleteTowards a successful freelancing career, reputation and credibility are very essential. Your client could be anybody but what conjoined all the clients I know is that they want the result for the dollars spent. Often times this is why they are helpless to clauses like ‘Native speaker’, ‘excellent grammar’, ‘good command of the English language’ among other clauses. In essence, what they are implying is that they require a writer who is super skilled in writing. ‘Super skilled’ is no exaggeration of words: it only lends a cause as to why I stated earlier that not just any writer earns from freelance writing. Your grammar must show super skills. Your word choice and usage must depict that super skills. Your punctuations must be appropriate. If you’re using idioms or colloquialisms they too must be used appropriately. No spelling mistakes. Correct use of tenses. These and more makes a skilled and/or professional freelance writer.
Skilled being thrashed out, I am getting back at reputation and credibility. I might not be right, and, of course, it is my opinion, but if you must start a freelance writing career about this time, be ready to show proof. Why this will be necessary is that you’re just starting and your reputation by the way of reviews is zero; so you will be using the social proofs to boost your chances of landing jobs. Have you been featured on Huffington or other authority websites? Do you have any of your works that have made it for publishing on widely read magazines? Have you won any writing competition? Have you guest post on any authority blog? Or do you own a blog for yourself? You might have heard or seen the big writers lay claim to four figures in just a month, but little did you know that their blog is one money spinner. Most of them got contacted by those big clients via their blogs and it could only have been a successful blog. Those clients must have studied their style and tone coupled with readers responses--and discovered it dovetail with their writing needs. Or just perhaps they want to fly it high that their pieces were crafted by one of the big names. Any reason at all.
On many of the freelance websites, you will be competing with the big names as well, those who have got reviews that you lack. They are even ready to work for less (for reasons beyond me.) And believe me, a client will most likely pick them over you (if s/he will factor the reviews that prove a point and the lesser charge.) So, you can see why you’ve got to know your onus? Can you now see you will have to possess something other freelance writers lack? It could just be your ability to manage your clients’ emotion or your magic wand to seal a repeat job with them.
Up down here I have successfully established that you’ve got to prepare for a career in freelance writing.
You may have questions, let me have them through the comment box.
BUILDING YOUR FREELANCE WRITER'S PROFILE
ReplyDeleteFreelancer.com, Upwork, Fiverr, peopleperhour -- are some of the freelancing platforms around. You will have to do your due diligence to find out about the platform that bests suit you. However, I am active on Fiverr and Upwork. I am most active on Upwork because of its flexibility and the level playing ground it presents for every freelancer to compete for jobs coupled with its no ranking system.
Having decided on the platform, armed with the basics (i.e. your PC and a modem), you already signed up or you reactivated the quiescent account, building a professional-looking profile should be next. Since there are different platforms, it is only expected that the modus operandi of profile building will be different as well. Nonetheless, all of them share similarities.
You should be all smiles in a picture that will be accompanying your professional-looking profile. If you must appear in glasses, plain one of course. As much as it is not a must you appear in a suit, a polo shirt where you fly your collar is a poor attempt at professionalism. Alternatively, and depending on the platform, a LOGO depicting your skills can do.
To achieve 100% profile completeness on a platform like Upwork, although unnecessary on other platforms, you may want to consider the below.
Take tests. These tests are free on Upwork but chargeable on Freelancer.com. I will strongly advise you to take tests that are in sync with the services you're offering. For instance, if you're offering services as an article and content writer, in addition to taking English tests to ascertain your proficiency in spellings and grammar, you may as well take article writing test and SEO writing test. The test will usually take 40 minutes of your time. Upon completion of the tests, please choose the option “yes” to display your score (if you have a high score); but if not, please choose the option “no”. There is, however, the chance to retake the tests, but that will be after a month or so.
On a platform like Fiverr you will not be required to take a test. Having updated your profile with the relevant information, what's next is to create gig(s). Gigs are the services you will be rendering on Fiverr like article and blog post writing, e-book writing, copywriting, press releases, etc. To create gigs, head over to the drop down arrow on your profile at the top right corner; you're selling so click on the icon “selling”; from the list of the options displayed you can see‘create a gig’.
P.S. I do understand my explanations may not be comprehensive enough; whenever and wherever you're stuck on any of these two platforms, screen-grab the page and quote this comment.
CONTINUED POST ON BUILDING YOUR FREELANCE WRITER'S PROFILE
ReplyDeleteBuild your sample portfolio. Your previous works -- in relation to the services you're rendering -- will find their place here. If you have not written any piece before now that should qualify as a sample, no problems, just leave that part blank. However, if you have a blog or website, you may want to use the write-ups you got on it for some sample works. Basically, any piece you have the right of use.
Focus on one or few skills. Skills should be kept at a maximum of three. Having a profile announcing you for up to five skills will only make you appear like a mediocre. My profile, for example, reads “Professional Article and Content Writer + Proofreader”. That's what I do on Upwork. So with a headline as such I looked more serious, don't I? And clients will take me as one, right?
Add Certificates. I do mean certificates that are particularly in relation to your skill sets. If you've got bachelor's in English add it here (relax, you won't be asked to upload any document.) For me, I don't have an honor in the English language, but I got few certificates from the essays I have participated so far -- so I added the details of a few of them.
Take out time. What you're required to do here is a simple compare and contrast. When you place a bid on a particular job, you can access the profile of freelance writers who had placed bids prior to yours. Compare your competitor's skills with yours. Observe and study their profiles. Is your profile strong and convincing enough? Or is it confusing instead? Are your headline, description, profile picture, and word usage appropriate? Is there something missing on your profile?
To a certain degree, I have done justice to profile building. But very quickly, your profile is you; you're your profile. Only an “s” wrongly used on your profile can send the wrong message. Take your time to certify your profile of blunders. To get this done, there is this free app called Grammarly. Actually, it is an editing and proofreading app. There is the online version of it, as well as the browser extension which can be downloaded to your browser (Mozilla and Chrome).
As earlier communicated, should you encounter any problem, attach to it a screenshot and quote this particular comment. Questions, contributions, constructive criticisms are all welcome.
BIDDING FOR JOBS (1)
ReplyDeleteThis post is strictly on how to bid for jobs on freelancing websites (for those freelance platforms where you can only land jobs by placing bids). The bid is a written expression of interest in an advertised freelancing opportunity. The carrier (or the medium) through which the expressed interest will be delivered is what is known as a proposal. As earlier communicated, I am most familiar with Upwork's system. So, on Upwork, you may access available jobs by engaging the "find job" icon or by clicking directly on your chosen skills set (take, for instance, you earlier chose article writing and web content writing as your skill set, i.e. the services you will be rendering, then what is next is to check below your account's home page to find the icon "my categories"; just below "the my categories" you will find your skill sets. Click on each of those skill set to access available jobs).
Before you go about placing bids on jobs, I consider some information quite necessary.
1. Beware of scams. Being that I was new then, this randy client hired me from upwork and subtly guided me to Skype. Actually, I had bid on his job after which he requested for my Skype ID. Now Skype is a communication app. Well It all went down to the fact that I worked for nothing. He went blank. Some lessons I have learned from this experience, and from the experiences of other freelancers alike being numerous, so I care to share.
2. Never ever agree to be paid outside the freelancing platform. In fact, a platform like Upwork frowns at this. Additionally, while placing bids on jobs, do not include your Skype ID (even if the job advertisers requested for it in their job brief). When cases like this arise, inform the client through your proposal that you will make available your Skype identity in their next reply to your proposal.
Note: please understand I stated that you should not agree to be paid outside the hiring platform and not that you cannot be interviewed outside the hiring platform.
Upwork -- and pretty much other freelancing platforms -- have rules for both clients and freelancers. You don't want to mess around. Maybe you don't know, but your account will get suspended notwithstanding you got hundreds or thousands of dollars in it.
Whenever you observe something fishy about a job advertisement, please engage the "flag as inappropriate" icon on the top right corner immediately.
3. No milestone = no work. "Escrow" is a system that has been put in place to protect both the client and the freelancer. Before you accept to work for a client, ensure (s)he assigns you a milestone. Recall I did make mention of Escrow the other time, well, Escrow is the umbrella name under which the milestone that will be assigned become enforceable. Milestone works this way: assuming you were to write some articles for a client that is worth $50, the client will assign a milestone in your favor of value $50. In much clearer term you got a pending pay; upon finishing the task, and turning in a stellar and satisfactory submission, the client will release the fund and it will become active in your account and ready for withdrawal in three days or thereabout.
Also, kindly be aware of some job advertisers who will assign you a milestone entirely different from what you both agreed upon.
BIDDING FOR JOBS (2)
ReplyDelete4. Be especially careful with clients with UNVERIFIED PAYMENT METHOD. The simple logic here is that the client does not have a VERIFIED payment method so how does he want to pay you? On the other hand, or perhaps the client is new and want some jobs done quickly (although I don't know how long it takes before a payment option is verified) -- you may apply for the job anyway, but that should be how far you have gone with the project at least for the time being. You might be lucky the client get verified minutes, hours, or days afterward, so he could just assign the milestone and then you get down to work. But I tell you, if the information accompanying your client's profile reads that he has registered months or years ago, and (s)he is yet to have a verified payment method, you got a red there. Aside the fact you will be saving energy and time you had otherwise used in bidding for other jobs, you will also be saving your connects! (and you know you got just 60 connects for the whole month -- 2 connects goes with a job proposal -- to mean a before-the-month exhaustion of those connects will be tantamount to spending the rest of the month connects-starved!)
5. 100-word sample or no sample at all! Do not repeat my mistake: there was this client who requested that he will like to have a feel of my writing prowess. He came up with three products review (each 200 words) which he promised to pay, and so will assign me more tasks should he is satisfied with my turnaround. He never did. Very succinctly, if you got samples on your profile (or not), and a client requested for a sample of your previous works, if you have them on your profile, then just guide them to the section of your profile where they will find those samples. If you do not have samples of your previous works on your profile, but you have them perhaps on your PC, forward it to your client as an attachment still as a part of your proposal. There is an icon below the blank page labeled "cover letter" wherein you're expected to type your bid, just below the page you will find the option "attach a file".
There are, however, some peculiar circumstances. To prove a point to your client, you may include in your proposal just some few words of what will later make up the piece of your client. There have also been instances where clients will request that freelancers write them a sample (of the writing project they want to contract out). In such instances, I will recommend that just 100 or fewer words should be written. But if perhaps the client claims s(he) is not satisfied, please let go.
6. Understand the difference between fixed price jobs and hourly price jobs. It is only my personal opinion, but I've found the fixed price method to be the most used. For starters, I would recommend they use the fixed price option for many reasons ranging from flexibility to unplanned circumstances. If it is the hourly price option you feel suits you, well, it means you will have to download time tracker (available on the homepage of your account). It also means for the time you'll be carrying out the task you may not be open for other personal businesses, as the time tracker will be grabbing your desktop screen as often as it will. Do you know what that implies? You can't have an open tap of your social media or any other program for that matter, strictly the client's task.
BIDDING FOR JOBS (3)
ReplyDeleteIt is often opinionated that information is power. So far, I have supplied as much information as have ran through my head in respect of submitting proposals. Now, onto the main business of successfully placing bids on jobs. As always the key points will be numbered.
1. Carefully read and understand the job brief. The job brief is an information about a client's job. Clients have come to realize some freelance writers are actually not reading the job brief to comprehension. What they do now is to include a certain phrase in the last part of the job brief and instruct freelance writers to use the phrase in any part of their bids. Sometimes they can even become specific as to wanting such phrases in the introductory or concluding part of a bid, of which failure to abide by this instruction may thin chances of landing the job.
2. No copy-paste proposals. For references' sake, a proposal or bid is an information detailing clients writing projects. Many freelance writers are in the habit of copy-pasting proposals, most of which are not in tandem with the projects for which they're submitting them. Take your time to tailor your proposals to each job upon which you'll placing bids. Copy-paste proposal rarely goes far.
3. Do not ignore any information contained in the job brief. Whatever information no matter how small or inconsequential should not be ignored. If you're not cool with any of the information, forfeit the proposal altogether (only my recommendation!) If a job brief is instructing that you attach your writing sample(s) alongside your proposal, but although you have your samples in the portrait section of your profile, simply attach the file(s) instead of referring the client to the portrait section of your profile.
4. Be time conscious. It even sucks if you have a snail network. As you craft your piece, factor in time. I have seen just one job advert that attracted nothing less than 70 proposals. What this implies is that the job advertiser may only be reading the first 10 proposals. Do you catch the drift?
5. Use your discretion. Questions have repeatedly being asked about the length of a proposal, well, so far, no satisfactory answers. Only what I can offer is that, did the job advertiser had a novel for his/her job brief? If yes, then am afraid you too may have to write at least a quarter length of the advertiser's advert. However, this is in no way a rule of thumb; you're always in charge.
6. Ask questions. Some job adverts can hide a lot of necessary information like the rate they are willing to pay, the length of the piece you'll be responsible for, if you'll be writing SEO articles or non-SEO articles, blog posts, product listings, product descriptions, or product reviews. Basically, any information that you think is missing.
7. Avoid tasks that can get you stuck. Some job will advertise that they're looking for a blog writer while cleverly wielding in blog publisher, blog posts re-writer, and blog posts editor. I do not have a thing about this kind of job advert, and, in fact, this one is not the only example of undefined or complicated job adverts, but you can avoid getting stuck, can't you?
BIDDING FOR JOBS(4)
ReplyDeleteThe Framework of an Effective Proposal
Kindly be aware I am not implying that the guides below are the most effective, or that they will necessarily land you the job; they just have worked for me at least so I think they might work for another as well.
1. Be creative. Some methods that have worked for me is starting my proposal thus: ...in reference to your job brief... I understand from your job brief that you want carefully crafted articles... or I am interested in writing for Mr. A or abc.com (for clients who reported their names or company's name in their job brief).
2. Less about you, more about your client's project. It is not bad to flaunt your writing skills. It is nothing wrong to show you're suitable and capable for the client's project. But it should be less of all these. It really doesn't matter who you claim to be; but how about explaining to the client how you will deploy these arsenals for a blast turnaround? You got skills, we know. You got experiences, we know that as well. Only what is not known is how you will get the job done. Do you care to discuss that in your proposal?
3. Sell yourself. Simple that! In your proposal, all that's required of you is to sell yourself while not selling others out. In a clearer term I mean DO NOT DEMEAN OTHER FREELANCE WRITERS ALL BECAUSE YOU DESPERATELY WANT TO GET THE JOB. If you do -- although am not your client -- but if was to be your client, then I already know what to do.
4. Certify your proposal of grammatical dysfunction before getting it across. Check for misspellings, poor vocabularies, incoherent sentences and paragraphs, and every other inappropriate word, word choice, and word usage.
5. Easy does it. I do think the proposal you're sending across was only to assure the job advertiser of your suitability and capability for their jobs while prompting them into making an informed decision. Your proposal should not coerce (although it can gently compel) your client into making a decision.
6. Do not over claim. If you're a freelance writer who wants to go far, you gotta be honest. Just state only the things you're capable of in your proposal. Your claims can be tested, you know?
There could be more if you questions are asked, but the above is all I got for now as far as bidding for jobs is concerned. Ask your questions (if any).