How to Work as a Freelance Writer

(update of 2016 blog post)

In the past week, the question of how to dive into the world of freelance writing has come knocking at my digital door twice. This isn't a new occurrence—over the years, at least four others have sought my advice, some via Facebook and a few brave souls in person.

This type of inquiry is a double-edged sword for me. On one hand, I absolutely love the instant recognition and connection between writers. On the flip side, I can't deny that answering these queries is time-consuming, non-paying, and feels a bit like inviting potential competition into my creative space.

A Worker Deserves Her Wages 

These types of requests remind me of the life coaching inquiries I received after becoming a certified life coach. Most coaches offer 20-minute free sessions we call consultation calls. I had quite a few email inquiries which would lead to booking such a call. After a time, I realized it was my right to refuse to answer emails or hold free calls from those who might have been more-or-less snooping about the career with no real intention of working with me.

It's difficult to decide how to handle free work. (I've had people suggest they'd like me to help them write a book, and when I bring up price, I don't hear from them again.) At this point in life my writing is more than a hobby. I deserve the pay due me. 

All freelancers dig for work and often clients want us to take a test, provide samples of our work, and so on. This kind of request comes with no guarantee of getting the gig or pay. It's a risk. A gamble. But we want to earn from our passion, so we often take the risk. Sometimes it works out, other times we are the loser. 

But ongoingly, we dig for work, we research, we look for new clients, and apply for opportunities using the Internet as our playing field. 

Hard Work, Low Pay 

No one will hand you work or cash. You will have to keep developing and taking risks. You'll need to learn to accept rejection and criticism, and to be humble enough to be corrected. There is no salary with the type of work I do. 

For me, there has always been more work put in than payout in my work as a freelance writer. I trust God to reward me in heaven some day, I suppose. So my advice is if you want to become a freelance writer, don't give up your dayjob or your breadwinner spouse!

Set Boundaries 

You'll need to decide what boundaries you'll set. My boundaries have changed as of late. The requests on Constant-Content are fewer. The addition of ChatGPT AI may be to blame. I suspect the pandemic has affected many businesses' cashflow allowing them a budget for article purchases. 

Fewer of my articles are selling. That causes me to lose motivation.

Some clients ask for several re-writes which rarely pays off for the time spent. (I set written boundaries for private clients on the number of rewrites or edits allowed.) 

The Risk and Gamble 

At times, project requests within Constant-Content reqired no query. Multiple writers could independently create content on a shared topic anticipating that their respective articles might be selected. In the event of non-selection, the article could then be offered for sale within the writer's portfolio.

With the system used on Constant-Content, a buyer has the right to reject the submission. That experience has often been disappointing to me. 

In summary, t's not easy to tell another how to become a freelance writer because it's such an organic experience for each of us. 

Writer's Cramp?

Some call it writer's block, I'm calling it writer's cramp.  

When I arose this morning I was ready to write.  It made me think I'd worked through my latest writer's cramp.

When I've thought of the term writer's block, I've always had the picture of someone sitting in front of a blank screen needing to write something and having no ideas or inspiration.  I guess I could say I've felt that now and then. 

A writer's cramp, on the other hand, is more frightening.  For me, it might set in while I'm sitting there doing what I must do--web surfing and collecting ideas I'll put into a fodder folder.  My eyes become blurry, my neck begins to ache, and my self-talk begins to get negative to the point I can no longer carry on.  

With no writer's cramp, I'll go to the fodder folder, review the ideas, and start writing on one of them.  Don't worry, this isn't about plagiarism.  The material in my fodder folder acts as starter fuel. I'll use it to start on a topic, and before long, my mind spews out fresh new ideas.

With a writer's cramp, I'll look through my fodder folder and have zero inspiration.  Not only that, my head may start to hurt.  With writer's cramp I simply can't write. Worse than that, I don't want to write. I want to give up the notion and run away.

One of the perks of being a freelance writer today is I can do both research and writing without ever leaving home.  It is a good era for writers (especially introverts or lazy types).

Unfortunately, though, most of us also spend a fair amount of free time on our computer for entertainment.  So we end up sitting for enormous amounts of time, in the same chair, in front of the same screen.  When we reach a point of wanting to flee our computer, we know writer's cramp has set in.

Worse, when I suffer from writer's cramp, I'm not only unable to write, I want to quit the profession altogether.  With writer's cramp, I'm tempted to run out and find what appears from my standpoint to be a real job, with real pay, and real people to interact with.  

So I'll usually go on a rampage, searching the job boards, and applying for jobs.

Writer's cramp can be painful because what we thought we once loved, we suddenly despise.  We get brain freeze from too many words, grammar rules, and we never want to edit a single thing again!  Worry about slow sales sets in, and doubt about the career grows.

If you were to ask me if I create a plan or put myself on a writing schedule, I'd probably tell you I don't.   Much as a runner with a leg cramp can't run, a writer with writer's cramp can't write.  And we never really can predict when we will become cramped.  Schedule or no schedule, it's not only mentally unhealthy to work with a cramp, it may be impossible.

I don't like really long blog posts, so I'm going to end this one here.  Stay tuned for a continuation where I'll let you know how I work through writer's cramps.