In this freelance writing business, the two of freelance writing jobs and freelancing dollars are a couple. The issue now is that both have gone on vacation. So, a freelance writer has been missing the couple so greatly. You see, there will be different reactions to this from different freelance writers: Frustration. Confusion. Outright quitting. And sometimes, unnecessary persistence.
Motivational speakers will often hammer on persistence and its importance for personal development and general success; well, they are right in their own way. MOTIVATIONS are what a motivational speaker gives you, one of which is "be persistent". But in this post, I will try to provide you with SOLUTIONS. Solutions to what then? Well, solutions to remedy the problem of no freelancing job hence no freelancing dollars.
As earlier been communicated, "unnecessary persistence" as I have chose to call it may work in every other situation except for when the jobs are not coming in for a freelance writer. Now someone should not get me wrong: In the freelance writing world, it used to be some kind of investments before earnings -- that is how it is there if you don't already know. Those commitments on the part of the freelance writer will include but not limited to investment of time and energy; the cost of buying a jet speed internet data; and down here, investment in electricity. (most freelance writers here in Nigeria often relie on generators, and do not forget that generators do not run on water).
If you've been making those commitments above -- and it is seeming like you'll be doing this ritual for a long time without the jobs coming in anytime soon -- please remove persistence from your mind already. I might just want to suggest patience. Be patient while you give your freelance writing business a SHORT BREAK. The below are what you should be found doing during the period of the "short break" in preparation for a "relaunch" of your freelance writing business.
#1 Do your due diligence. A lot of factors might have been responsible for why you are not getting or no longer getting those freelancing jobs. Sometimes, it could be that you're doing something or everything wrong, and at other times you aren't even doing nothing wrong. The moment you observed those jobs are no longer coming, the first thing I would recommend is that you should honor whatever doubt that crosses your mind. Take, for instance, you might have this feeling the problem is in your profile. Perhaps it is just one word on it that is sending the wrong message. Once you agree the problem is in your profile and you have made necessary corrections, relaunch your freelance writing career and take notice of how soon or how late the jobs start driving in. Maybe you have not heard this anywhere prior now, but towards a successful writing career, there would a lot of experimentations going forward.
On the other hand, the result of the adjustment made to your profile may be unproductive. Try this instead: make sure you're now on the job adverts board. Now, under a particular job advertisement rummage around for the reviews the job advertiser has got so far. Click randomly on the identification accompanying those reviews with a 5-star rating (but bear in mind that your main objective is to land on the profile of another freelance writer -- very well one who is offering the same service as you). What is more is that you should take notice of some information in your profile that should be introduced or otherwise removed.
As you can trust, your profile at times may not be the problem. You are submitting your proposals early enough. You're quoting the right price and your proposals are stellar too. It could just be that the client received too many proposals out of which he has to choose only one (or few) freelance writers. My point succinctly is that you should at least find out the reason you are no longer getting interviewed and act accordingly. And more so, you may be innocent in all of this, after all, so stay calm and take it cool with yourself and your freelancing career.
#2 Conduct Extensive Research. I may be wrong, and in no way am I an ambassador or a promoter of this model, but the majority of freelancers on Fiverr are using a dummy account. In a plain language, their claim of themselves is all false. My point is that some people conducted their research and came to the understanding that most job advertisers across the sea can be very biased towards us who are down here. And in all honesty, the research conducted is very true.
Nigeria's GMT is 5 hours ahead of America's EST for instance, and on most of the freelancing platform that I know, from my observation, Americans dominate the market. About the time some of us might be sleeping or busy with some other engagements, may, in fact be the time the job board is crashing down with a lot of jobs, amongst which there will be some urgent jobs that require someone who is readily available and who can turnaround very quickly or within a time frame.
Recently, a freelancing platform announced an upward review in the price they charge clients and freelance writers. Actually, it is 2.75% for clients and 20% for freelance writers. I am active on this platform as well but it will not be long before I bid them a farewell. I do not have a thing against the team of this platform -- they have the prerogative to run their business the way they are pleased. But my point is that I have researched alternatives -- and I am already establishing my presence on them.
#3 Upgrade your Skills. The most important skill for a writer (not only a freelance writer) is the language skills. And I do mean the English language. You have got to be excellent in your punctuation, vocabulary, grammar, spelling, word choice, and word usage. A lot of times wrong punctuation will send the wrong message or even confuse the reader altogether. If you continue to use a particular word, and your readers take notice, they might just take it to be that you are not an authority or considers it to be outright fluff or filler. For the practical aspect of my point; I am a content writer on Upwork. Soon I got a wrap around content marketing. Maybe soonest I would add content strategy. At your own end you might be a blogger as well as one who manages a Facebook page; say you have some 20000+ members. Now you can upscale your skills in social media management and combine it with the experience you have already, and trust me the gig sells.
#4 Earn Certificates. To prove you are an authority in your choice nicyo, you may need to flaunt your professional certificates. Some are paid for while some can be earned without a fee. Of the ones I know you can earn for free is HubSpot inbound marketing. Alison.com likewise allows you to take some courses for free after which you could earn a certificate for free or a certain fee.
NB: You well may know of some other sources that issue professional certificates, for free or for a fee, please let me have them in the comment box.
#5 Diversify. The catch behind why you're no longer getting those jobs could be that it is high time you diversified. Even the established writers do not depend on a stream of income. Some of them run popular blogs where they promote affiliate products and/or services, with commissions of course. They also double as a freelance writer. They have their eBook pulling in some money as well. Money comes from consultation and some even run paid academy.
But a newbie writer may not have any of the above. My recommendation will be that you should learn the act of eBook writing and publish your first eBook or add to your list of already published books. There are several platforms aside Amazon kindle where you can publish your eBooks for free. If you're into creative writing, submit your work for short story contests, and there are a lot of them like Etisalat prize for fiction which closed not too long. If you had entered for the Etisalat prize for fiction, and your work is selected, you could be some $25000 richer amongst other privileges you will enjoy only because you're a winner of a big brand like Etisalat.
If you think you got the balls as well, there are Christian magazines, Agriculture websites, culture websites, travel websites, etc. that you can write for that pays well. Some of them you may pitch and others you may not. Just follow their guidelines.
The truth is, the freelance dollars will cease at one point or the other in your freelance writing career. But this should not be anything that will cause worries or panic. It is the reason I decided to float this post with a view of creating some sense of belonging for writers who might feel like they are the only one currently experiencing freelancing dollar scarcity.
And while I reeled out some helpful tips on how to manage the situation, I also established that all of this may, in fact, become a blessing in disguise. Shortage of freelancing dollars will come, anticipate it.
Leave a comment. Thank you.
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