7 Traits A Successful Freelance Writer Has To Thrive

A freelance writer is a writer, who writes blog posts or any sort of content for someone for a price, rather than working at a newspaper or magazine. When you become a successful freelance writer, you will be considered an expert in your chosen field and you can then command a lot of money for your work. Successful freelance writers need to understand how best to engage with potential clients to produce work, that both the client agrees is good and for which the writer receives payment in a timely manner.

It used to be that the only way to make money online was to either work for a company, an organization, or treat it as your full-time job. But now, freelancing is on the rise and it's become one of the most sought after skills on the market. It's no wonder why - the job market is on the decline and freelancers are sought after, so they can earn more, than what is required of them by the state. As a freelance writer, the internet is your home. This means you could make a decent monthly income. Here are seven traits any freelancer must have to thrive.

Flexibility

You must be able to work as little or as often as needed. Work hours may vary from day to day, but weeks to months are more common. If you are not able to work for extended periods of time, you will not survive long as a freelancer. The job market is a very competitive place and you will most likely work alone.

Being a freelancer has a lot of benefits. You get to decide when and if you work. You do not have to spend time commuting to an office every day. The job can be very casual and you do not have to deal with the stress of dealing with an employer.

But of course there are also some downsides. There is no security and you are highly dependent on your income. There is little room for advancement and you are at the mercy of your clients. But as long as you have the basic traits listed in this article, you should be able to survive and do well as a freelancer.

Ability To Build A Network

You must have a strong network of contacts. This is very helpful for both your career and your daily life. A strong network will allow you to get work done faster and with less hassles. It will also help you find clients and refer them to other people. It's useful to get recommendations and testimonials. If you do not have a network, you should try to build one.

You might be able to get referrals from people, who already have a reputation and a following, that you can use as a starting point. There may be other ways to get clients. You could join a club or association for freelancers to exchange ideas and tips.

Drive And Ambition

You have to have a lot of drive and ambition. You will face lots of rejection and a long road to success. You have to be willing to work hard and to take risks. When you get a client, you must put all other considerations aside and give your full attention to the project. This could make or break your career.

You should have a portfolio of work, that you can send to potential clients to give them a better idea of what they're looking for. You should have a blog or some other way of sharing your writing online. You should have a professional headshot, that you can use for business documents and emails. All of these things will help you succeed as a freelance writer.

Must Love To Read

You should read a lot of books, articles, newspapers and magazines. This is how you expand your mind and stay up to date on current events. Reading is part of your job, and your education. You should use the skills you read about in order to become better at your craft. The more you read, the better you will become.

You should have a notebook or some other place you can write down ideas, that come to you. Ideas for stories, articles, blog posts, and so on. You should record facts and stats about the things you read in case you forget them.

Independency

You must be able to work independently. You cannot be a team player. If you are part of a group, there must be some way in which you can work together, but you cannot rely on others to do the work of a writer. No one can write like you can and the only way you can get work is to offer your services for hire.

It is also important to be honest with yourself about your writing. Is it good? Does it meet the standards, that a publisher or client expects? If they're not satisfied with your work, you're not going to have the motivation to continue. You must always be able to refer back to the standards, that you set for yourself. If you do not have those standards, you will not be able to produce reliable work.

Education

It doesn't matter if you have a journalism degree, or even if you have a first-aid degree, as long as you know how to write and you have the drive to succeed. If you have a bachelor's or master's in creative writing, that would be even better. These are just some of the requirements for your education. There are others, but these are the most important ones.

When you have developed these skills to the degree that they are, you will be ready to enter the job market. The key is to continue developing and expanding your knowledge and skills. You cannot stop learning. If you do, you will become obsolete. You will not be able to keep up with the times and you will not be able to survive.

Professionalism

You must be willing to take on any and all clients. This can be a very competitive field and you have to be willing to undercut the other freelance writers in order to get business. You must be prepared to write at any time, day or night and on any subject. You cannot expect your clients to understand or anticipate your every need.

You cannot be too aggressive with the way you present yourself. This is a service-based field, not a sales one. When you write, you are an expert in your field. Your clients value your work and want to use you and pay you in order to use you. The most important thing is honesty. Be yourself, but be professional. A professional writer is successful.

The first few projects will probably be the most difficult. Be prepared to work hard. It will get easier. The money will be good and the hours are usually reasonable. As long as you are consistent and work hard, you will be able to overcome any initial obstacles, that may stand in your way.

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