5. The Writing’s on the Wall

WHEN IT COMES to establishing and maintaining a career as a freelance writer confusion reigns supreme. There are no categorically right or wrong answers, unless of course you read William Strunk Jr.’s The Elements of Style. Writing on a freelance basis is mostly about trial and error.

Work smart, earn a steady income and benefit from the best possible reputation by avoiding these pitfalls …

Saying no to work – If it’s a viable option, look into outsourcing assignments to a writer friend, whom you trust, for little or no commission. Just because you don’t have the time to complete a project, doesn’t mean you can’t help out someone you know. Hopefully they’ll think of you when they’re in the same situation and return the favour.

On the flip side, avoid saying ‘yes’ all the time – No one fully respects a ‘yes’ person. Don’t let yourself be easily influenced or pigeonholed.

Not factoring in research time when quoting for a job – Always remember to give an estimate on how much time it’ll take you to research a project or subject, and factor this into your quote, or include it in a contingency.

Poor proofreading and self-editing – Too many great writers stumble when it comes to checking their work. Granted it’s challenging to proofread your own work as you already understand your meaning and the eye tends to gloss over words and even sentences that you’ve written. Tough as it is, there are no excuses for badly finished copy.

Relying on job boards for work – You’ll need to be much more proactive to generate enough work and income.

Entering bidding wars – If you do choose to look for work on job boards and bidding sites calculate your rates based on what you need to earn in order to meet your outgoings. Don’t forget to factor in things like holiday and sick days which, as a freelancer, you won’t be paid for.

Letting others tell you your worth – Set your rates and stick to them. If you devalue yourself why shouldn’t others devalue you? Negotiate hard, but never go below what I like to call your ‘get out of bed rate’.

Being thin-skinned – You need to be able to take criticism. For the most part critical people are trying to be kind. Listen, and avoid making the same mistakes next time; another editor or client may not be so forgiving.

Not responding to clients/following up leads in a timely fashion – This is suicide for your reputation and if it leads to you losing out on work it probably serves you right.

Putting all your eggs in one basket – Just because a client has lots of work to offer you now, doesn’t mean they won’t look elsewhere in the future or change tact. You need to plan for a rainy day and line up diverse and exciting projects as much for the benefit of your sanity as your bank balance.

Flippancy – Think things through thoroughly before you act on them. This means assessing and filtering what you put in front of clients and the world. Always represent your best self.

Failing to diversify – In order to expand your repertoire you’ll need to grow as a writer. To be the best writer that you can be you have to be willing to put yourself out there and embrace new challenges. This will, in turn, help you justify increasing your rates once you’ve mastered a new skill.

If you notice the market changing or demand increasing in certain areas, aim to be one of the first to adapt. If you think you might excel in a related field, give it a try. There’s nothing wrong with having several strings to your bow and evolving your business model.

Distractions – TV and socialising are great, but not when they become an exercise in procrastination. Ensure your work area is calm, tidy and quiet. Whenever necessary, prioritise work over fun.

Forgetting who you’ve sent query letters to and what about – The best way to combat this is to make a database of prospects, detailing their name, publication, date of contact and the topic of your query. This will also help you to follow up a few weeks later.

Not speaking up – If you don’t understand a brief, there’s nothing wrong with saying so. It’s unforgiveable to turn around and say you don’t understand further down the line when you’ve messed up.

Clichés – Being a writer is all about expressing ideas uniquely. As tempting (and easy) as clichés are, leave them well alone.

Not reading – Whether you have a passion for poetry, classics, blogs, newspapers or fashion magazines, reading in any form is good for developing your skills and improving your vocabulary. It’s essential.

Not adhering to a loose writing schedule – This doesn’t have to be rigid, but there are many great benefits that can come from establishing a routine. Write a little every day. Identify which time of day you’re most productive and try to set this time exclusively aside for writing.

Taking your clients for granted – Don’t underestimate your clients or customers. Don’t ever think that they need you more than you need them.

Conducting poor research – Writing about topics you know is the easiest way to make a living as a freelance writer. You’ll need less research time and will be experienced in getting your point across effectively and succinctly, making the process faster and relatively hassle-free.

The further into the unknown a subject takes you the more you have to rely on secondary information, which runs the risk of being incorrect. The worst thing you can do is follow this uninspired formula: Google, copy, paste.

Complacency – It really is true: if you’re bored of what you’re writing the resulting text is going to bore readers. Don’t play it safe, always look to innovate.

Taking on more than you can complete – This is simply a case of knowing your limits. When lack of time or knowledge are working against you, being upfront about your availability and capabilities, while managing your time effectively, is the only way to deliver on each and every project.

The hard sell – Congratulations you have a book, play or song out in the public domain! There are several acceptable ways to gently encourage people to engage with your product. But telling them repeatedly why they should buy it is a great way to alienate potential customers.

Being afraid of failure – Accept that you might fail as a writer. Once you’ve done this you’ll realise that you’ve already figured out the worst that can happen, and often it isn’t so bad. Move on and try not to make the worst-case-scenario a reality.

Getting overly attached to your phrases and ideas – Yes, you should defend your work and ideas but if a client thinks something should go, save it for another project.

Squaring off with clients – While they may think they do, clients do not always know best. How hard you can push back really depends on what you’re being paid for. If you’ve accepted a ‘writer monkey’ job your opinion isn’t relevant. But if you’ve been hired in a creative writing role, you’ll need to find a way to make your voice heard.

Lying – Don’t say you can do something you can’t. You’ll be anxious the whole time and will ultimately be found out.

Being too trusting – While most people are nice and an absolute pleasure to work with, don’t be fooled into automatically thinking they have your back. This is especially true when it comes to working with strangers, and ensuring you get paid.

Getting bogged down with the insignificant – Soliciting work, writing and marketing your writing should be your only priorities. How many Twitter followers you have and Facebook likes is all well and good, but don’t prioritise vanity at the expense of your bank balance.