Having been ’round this freelance writing block a few times (yesterday was the 15th anniversary of this very blog), I’ve come to spot things that, on the surface, may not seem obvious. But once you look under the surface, even just a little, you start to build a healthier level of skepticism. And believe me,…
Freelancer’s Intro to Inbound Marketing
It’s always a good day when Jennifer Mattern shows up on the blog. Jenn, who runs All Freelance Writing and Freelance Writing Pros, is one of the most business-savvy freelancers I know. She’s a no-BS blogger who tells you what you need to hear, but does so with the intent of helping you improve your…
The Sentence That Can Save Your Freelance Writing Bacon
We see a lot, we freelancers. We see countless job postings promising “Make money freelance writing!” that turn into some pretty questionable terms just after the initial “We want you, freelance writer!” call to action. They do want us. However, they want freelance writers who are willing to compromise on quite a lot in order…
Spotting Lousy Freelance Client Prospects
At first, the excitement is almost palpable — a new client prospect has reached out. You respond quickly (but not too quickly — don’t want to seem too eager). They write back. The dialogue has begun. Maybe it moves to the phone at that point. If so, you talk about project needs, your background, their…
Freelance Game Plan: March
Rabbit! First of a new month, eh? I decided in January to offer up one post per month in which we can focus on something really actionable. January was all about finding clients. February, how emulating success freelancers can score you some serious street cred. So what can we do this month to boost your…
Your Freelance Career, Murdered (& how to bring it back to life)
There are some self-inflicted wounds that just leave you wondering if there’s a death wish involved. I saw an insane exchange on a writers forum recently that had me thinking the writer was either 1) way too sure of himself, or 2) really that foolish. I’m leaning toward a combination of the two. In the…
4 Things to Stop Doing That Will Grow Your Freelance Business
Just when you think nothing can shock you, something else does. A friend of mine moderates a LinkedIn group. The group has specific rules regarding what you can and cannot post. For example, one cannot post a thread that’s a link to that person’s blog or website or anything that is intended to be self-promotional….
Freelance Game Plan: February
I know, I know. It’s midway through February and I’m just getting to this. My apologies; a good bit of work came in all at once. I started with this Freelance Game Plan idea last month with the idea of giving us a bit of a monthly kick in the pants to change something up,…
Is Negative Branding Killing Your Freelance Biz?
Picture this: You’re on a public forum where lots and lots of company execs hang out. You can post anything you want to attract attention, build name recognition, draw people to you. Here’s what you choose: I’m sick and tired of prospective clients asking me the same questions! No, I don’t want to send you…
All Freelance Advice is Not Created Equal
Sigh. (insert large exhale here) A writer friend alerted me to a few posts and tweets seen recently that offer “writing tips” from freelancers that can help nearly any writer find more work this year. I guess the word “freelancer” is pretty loosely defined these days. I’m not saying only veteran writers have great advice…