I was talking with a fellow freelance writer a few days ago and the subject of Freelancers Getting It Wrong came up, like it tends to do. You can’t really blame anyone for discussing how writers can get it so wrong, so often. It’s prolific. This particular case was another of those “How dare they”…
Author: lwidmer
Finding New Freelance Income
I sit here nearly three years out from the most prolific, stressful writing years of my entire freelance writing career. From 2020 through much of 2022, I was so busy I had no time to enjoy anything. These days, I have pared down the client list to three trusted, long-term clients who are wonderful to…
7 Sh*tty Things You Don’t Have to Take as a Freelancer
A show of hands (or comments, in this case) — how many of you thought freelancing would be easier than it turned out to be? For the record, my hand is up. Funny thing, though. It’s not necessarily the work that is hard. It’s the people. Oh boy, is it the people some days. While…
How to Build a Niche Writer
I’ve been having an online back-and-forth discussion with another writer regarding the impression — the false impression, in my opinion — that a writer can write about anything. The message I keep hearing is akin to this: Addiction counseling? You bet. Non-durable manufacturing? Bring it on. Finance? Move over. While I admire the confidence (you…
NDAs and Clips: A Writer’s Guide
I saw an interesting post recently regarding the nondisclosure agreement (NDA). In it, the poster was asking how to show prospective clients the kind of work one handles if the NDA is in place. There are a few disturbing issues with the original post, but let’s start with the first issue. #1: The poster wondered…
Freelance Writer for Hire: Really?
Here we go again. If you’re a freelance writer, you’ll recognize this. A while back, these emails were circulating within the freelance writing community. Antonio Michael (brwdev@gmail.com) Hello, I am Antonio Michael, an academic consultant., I have a speech distorting condition called Apraxia. I got your contact details online and I need your service. Can…
Freelance Offer: Fame & Fortune or Bait & Switch?
Randy Hecht is the consummate writing professional. She runs a very successful freelance business, Aphra Communications, and works with international businesses handling technical and shareholder-facing content. But even the most professional freelance writer runs into things that are inexplicably awful. Randy and I often compare notes behind the scenes regarding freelance life, clients, lousy gig…
Freelance Writing WTF: This Job, Not That Job
Sometimes in freelance writing, you just have to go with your first reaction, hence the WTF in today’s post title. Because it’s a true WTF moment. This is the message I received on LinkedIn offering me a freelance writing gig. And it’s bad enough that it’s perfect for my ongoing This Job, Not That Job…
Wednesday WTF: Freelance Writing or Serfdom?
When it comes to freelance writing, there’s little that leaves me speechless these days. This post on a Facebook forum sure did. The Post I’ve been writing for a “national magazine” which no one has heard of, for a few years now strictly on freelance basis for the quarterly publication. My editor/publisher only pays per…
Freelance Files: Is This Client Worth It?
It’s been a while since we exercised our client-vetting skills, which is what this Is This Client Worth It segment is about. If we see real scenarios and how it turned out, we might get better at vetting potential clients. Let’s consider this scenario: The client reached out via an established contact. He needed a…