A while back, there was an odd exchange happening on a forum I frequent.
One of the forum members asked a pretty general question about, you guessed it, how to find more work. The writer did give a snapshot of her background, and stated, amid a bit of complaining about her lot in life, that she needed to know what to do next to “guarantee” clients.
Oh, Lucy. Lemme ‘splain something.
Without revealing this member’s entire post (or identity), I’ll share some of the things that could be going wrong for her. See if you agree:
1. Grammar issues.
“At the age of XX, freelance writing has dried up.”
How old is freelance writing exactly? Apparently, not terribly old, based on this member’s post. However, what she meant to say was that her opportunities have dried up, not the entirety of the freelance writing world. Dangling modifiers happen. Just don’t let them happen in front of clients or when you’re asking other writers for help in understanding why you can’t find work.
2. Blocking.
The writer’s response when someone pointed out that her grammar could use some attention was to get offended and say the comment was uncalled for. Not true. When one asks for advice and guidance from a group of writers, they’re going to tell what they see. And if one listens, it will be beneficial. It may sting because one made a simple mistake, but it’s valuable feedback.
Not the only instance of blocking, either. Why is it people ask for advice, then spend the next twenty responses saying “Tried that” or “No, that doesn’t work” or “I can’t, my dog just died.”
It’s fear. It’s fear of moving forward. Or it’s laziness and wanting it to be a lot easier than it is. And dabbling at something for one day isn’t trying. It’s slapping a bandage on a broken leg and thinking you’ve fixed everything.
3. Riding the Excuse Train.
Yep, she hopped right on board. There was blame all around, too. It was all the deaths all around her, her location, the 2016 election (not even kidding), and she even played the Age card. The defeatist attitude was just oozing from my monitor (there’s a visual for you).
I think I signed off caring when the writer said she just didn’t want to market. There was a long explanation of how many books she’d read, how many things she’d tried, but how she hated it and thought it’s just best not to bother.
With marketing being the larger part of the freelance writing career, good luck with that approach.
4. The request for a free ride.
I love when writers brainstorm on specific ideas that another writer can take pretty much to the bank. However, our friend here didn’t want do necessarily do those things (even though it was part of her original request), but rather find those things that would deliver instant results. When links were shared on the very info she’d requested, she referred to blocking. When someone pressed her on why marketing was essential, she again explained how that just didn’t fit with what she wanted to be doing. But help me. Please.
Surprisingly, the forum members are kind. None suggested she get a different line of work. But clearly, that was the only way this writer was going to earn money. If you don’t do the work needed to get the work you want, it’s not going to come to you via osmosis.
5. Using only tunnel vision.
When one comment came from a writer who said he rarely met any of his clients, I don’t know who was more shocked: our wayward writer or me when she expressed her own surprise at that notion.
In the 17 years I’ve been a full-time freelancer, I have met maybe five clients in person. I know of four offhand. And none of those meetings were required.
So let’s recap.
- If you’re presenting shitty grammar/sentence structure, you’re not going to attract high-paying clients who stick with you.
- If you ask for help, listen carefully to the suggestions. Then act on those that fit with who you are and what you want to accomplish.
- Your excuses are burying you, not every other thing you think is getting in your way. YOU are getting in your way.
- No one, including other freelancers or anyone offering you training or work, owes you anything. You get out of your freelance writing career exactly what you put into it.
- You do not have to live anywhere near your clients. You don’t. Ask the writer in Idaho. The one on the Cape. The writer in Barbados. The one in rural Ontario. The writer in Alaska.
There are plenty of mistakes we all make every day. Some of them harm our business, some of them embarrass, teach us, whatever. It’s not the end of everything to make a mistake. That end comes when freelance writers either fail to acknowledge their own issues or embrace bad behavior.
What are some examples of mistakes you’ve seen?
6 responses to “Freelance Writing Marketing Mistakes You Didn’t Know You Were Making”
As a writer from rural Nova Scotia, I second the fact that you don’t need to live near your clients! Some clients have refused to work with me because I’m in Canada, but it’s usually because they don’t understand the tax rules. I started in 2007 with really not a clue on how to succeed. I NEVER would have dreamed of asking someone to give me a step-by-step list. If it was so easy everyone would do it I figure. And when I get lazy questions like that from people I can tell they’re probably not going to make it. They are looking for an easy way to make money and freelance writing isn’t it! One question I got was something like, “My maternity leave is ending, and I don’t want to go back to work. Maybe I’ll do freelance writing. Who do you work for?” I was lucky enough to be well established by the time my son came around. I can’t even imagine trying to build a career from scratch with no writing background while breastfeeding and changing diapers. Oh, and I did need to have childcare in place part-time so I could actually, you know, work. 😉
Krista, yes. You are living proof! Truth is I know a writer who worked (and may still work) from BC and her clients never knew. She had the benefit of a US-based bank account and a relative who would transfer her money to her Canadian-based account.
Do the tax rules apply to foreign clients?
You are right — if the questions are lazy, that’s a warning that the ship is sinking before it embarks. I love too that you’ve nailed exactly the attitude about freelancing to outsiders. It is NOT easy, and they quickly figure that out. It’s building a business from scratch, then maintaining it.
Oh, I started very part time at freelancing when my daughter was one and my son was six? Good for you to have been established. That’s the reason I was very part time — kids. 🙂
Oh my that must have been hard with a one-year-old! I remember trying to get some work done with my son here and it just did not work out. LOL I was really lucky and actually back tracked to part-time until my son went to school this year.
So, to answer your question, the U.S. and Canada have a tax treaty. I just fill out a different IRS form and don’t get money withheld. At the end of the year I square things up with the Canadian government. It’s actually really simple. I just think some clients are hesitant because they don’t know the rules so they get nervous when I can’t fill out a W-9.
That’s it? Wow. Some people get so stuck in their paperwork! Yes, that should be ridiculously simple.
And hard = impossible. I wrote during her naptime. 🙂
That writer reminds me of this woman, claiming to be a single mother with young son, who constantly posts on our Nextdoor group asking for free things. First they needed furniture. Then Christmas presents for her son. Then something else. While some people “donated” things to her, others shared information about businesses near her who were hiring. She had an excuse to reject every single suggestion. These day’s she’s posting questions about where to get her eyebrows waxed, what to order at a certain restaurant, where to find the best tiramisu in town (I kid you not!), so I hope it means she found a job!
I hope she has too, Paula. That’s crazy! Introduce her to Freecycle. She can be picky with strangers. And she’d be doing people a favor helping them get rid of things they don’t want.