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Freelance Idea File: Ideas for Attracting Clients

Posted on by lwidmer

How many times have you heard (or asked) this question: Where do I find clients? Today, we’re going to answer it. If I had a quarter for every time I’ve fielded that question (and asked it myself — we’re all beginners at some point), I’d not have to write for a living. It’s a legitimate…

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Guest Post: When Clients Try to Set Your Freelance Writing Worth

Posted on by lwidmer

I love Mika Doyle. Mika is one of those beginning freelance writers who is carving out a career, but doing it the right way. I’ve watched her from the sidelines as she’s built her freelance foundation, and it’s exciting to watch. Mind you, she’s gone through the same tough cycles and struggles like we all…

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Idea File: Getting Freelance Ideas from Articles

Posted on by lwidmer

Have you ever read an article that left you with more questions than it answered? Right there is a fountain of freelance writing pitch ideas. I’ve read articles that never answered the one question I was hoping they would, and the ones that just brought up four or five questions. Did the writer do a…

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This Job, Not That Job

Posted on by lwidmer

A late start today. Maybe it’s something about the change in season, the warming up of the atmosphere, the budding flowers …. maybe that’s what brings the lousy job offers out in droves. Whatever the reason, the bad jobs are floating to the surface with alarming regularity right now. The This Job, Not That Job…

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When to Give Up on a Freelance Writing Prospect

Posted on by lwidmer

A good while back, I was doing my usual marketing — send the LOI, follow up, try to get a conversation going …. you know the drill. One contact in particular stood out in a weird way. He’s a guy who’s moved his way up the food chain at his company from assistant to director….

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Tuesday Idea File: Creating Freelance Pitches from Headlines

Posted on by lwidmer

Welcome to our second Tuesday Idea File day. I’m rather glad we’re going down this path. As I mentioned in the comments section in last week’s post, it was something I struggled with at the beginning of my freelance writing career. No matter what career stage you’re at, there’s no need to struggle. [bctt tweet=”With…

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This Job, Not That Job

Posted on by lwidmer

Ah, Spring, when a young writer’s fancy turns to thoughts of …. Work. Finding work. Hey, when aren’t we finding work? Alas, for every new bud pushing through the ground right now, there are an equal (if on excessive) number of lousy job offers making their way to your handy job board. Which begs the…

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The Return to Balance: A Freelance Writer’s Quest

Posted on by lwidmer

Last week we had an important and lively discussion over the Fight for Truth and what the freelance writer’s role was. One point in particular drove a ton of discussion — presenting all sides of a topic. My stance was/is that presenting dissenting views shouldn’t be avoided, but embraced. It’s common practice in journalism to…

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Tuesday Idea File: Finding Freelance Pitches in Releases

Posted on by lwidmer

Here’s a novel idea: let’s have a day just for ideas. Sort of makes sense, doesn’t it? And since it’s Tuesday, I think Tuesday is a good day to discuss another freelance writing idea. So welcome to this semi-regular blog feature. Today, I’d like to talk about how to make a press release your friend….

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What Freelance Writing Isn’t

Posted on by lwidmer

Today is the day after my favorite day: St. Patrick’s Day (and the anniversary of this ol’ blog). If I’m here, I’m probably sporting a rather-not-do attitude. So this post is scheduled in advance. Last week when I was looking through LI forums and Twitter, I noticed a lot of the same old, same old….

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  1. Devon Ellington Avatar
    Devon Ellington

    Where I live right now, people don’t like to pay writers.

    So the bulk of my clients are far away. Because I’m not working for them for free, even though they try to bully me daily about how “exposure” will help. No. It just reinforces that they don’t have to pay for quality, and what they’re getting for free — let’s just say there are companies I don’t do business with because their marketing materials are so bad I don’t trust they’d have quality in anything else.

    Most of this bad advice I notice either comes from hobbyists or those whose partners foot the bills or who make their living at what they consider a “real job” and dream of a writing life that doesn’t exist. Or from wanna-be writers in other jobs who never actually get around to write more than an article every couple of months and are thrilled if it gets them five bucks and a by-line. If they had to turn out content every day, most of them wouldn’t last a week.

    But most of the people who earn a living off this bad advice are those that are creating the advice and selling it to those in the categories above.

    They write advice about freelancing, but those are their only actual credits. You don’t find their bylines in a variety of situations. Only on advice articles.

    That’s what pisses me off.

    Reply
    1. lwidmer Avatar
      lwidmer

      Agreed on all counts, Devon. And I’ll add this: the people who use these excuses don’t take this job seriously. They should be viewing this from a different lens — they should consider this their only source of income, even if it isn’t. Writers should be working at this as though their entire livelihood depends on it. It may someday. Or it does right now.

      If you want to succeed — really succeed — you have to view this as your only option. And you have to want to build the best career, business, life you can. We all have it in us. Those who try harder and are open to change are the ones who make it. It’s not rocket science.

  2. Ranee Tomlin Avatar
    Ranee Tomlin

    Lori, I apologize. This isn’t a response to the question you posed at the end of your post, so it’s not really part of the discussion. Instead, it’s a random comment. Now that the mea culpa is out of the way:

    I’ve been reading your posts for at least a year. I mean, really reading your posts. Looking forward to your posts. Opening them immediately instead of saving them for days or deleting them when I’m buried.

    I also subscribe to a lot of other freelance writing blogs and newsletters, so I have a wide frame for comparison. And you are the one I love above all others. Everything you write makes sense. It’s honest and never manipulative. It’s practical, relevant, authentic, thoughtful. It’s based on long and legitimate experience, and it gives me a role model of a freelancer who knows the stuff and walks the talk.

    Freelance writing is a demanding path, and you’re the best guide I know. Thank you. Now, back to your regularly scheduled discussion . . .

    Reply
    1. lwidmer Avatar
      lwidmer

      Ranee, you’ve just made my day. Thank you! I appreciate the compliment — I hate the manipulative, sell-me-something stuff that’s out there, so this is a doubly nice compliment!

      I’m so glad I’m doing something that resonates with you. Please let me know if I ever veer too far away from that path. And feel free to tell me what you want to hear! This blog is basically yours (I’m just the steward).

      Would love to hear more about your story and your path. Feel free to email me through my website. I respond pretty quickly when I’m not busy with client work!

    2. Ranee Tomlin Avatar
      Ranee Tomlin

      And thank you! In a cacophony of online voices, I’m glad to have one that I truly trust. I’ll share my summary story with you soon, so that you can get a better idea of why I especially appreciate the guidance you provide. And it will be nice to give you a person behind my name, which doesn’t always happen in the blogosphere. Till then!

    3. lwidmer Avatar
      lwidmer

      Yes, please share, Ranee! I would love to have a conversation and get to know you. 🙂

      My contact form is best (I try not to put the email address online) — http://www.loriwidmer.com/contact

      Just send me a quick hello and I’ll share my email address. Life stories don’t often fit in those little contact boxes. 🙂

    4. Paula Hendrickson Avatar
      Paula Hendrickson

      I agree, Ranee. You know why Lori’s blog is the best and most trustworthy? Her goal is to help other writers, not sell them something. Plus, she’s super smart!

    5. Ranee Tomlin Avatar
      Ranee Tomlin

      You nailed it, Paula. Thanks for saying it so well!

    6. lwidmer Avatar
      lwidmer

      Geez, you guys! You’re far too kind. If it weren’t for the people who come here, this blog wouldn’t be much of anything.

      Thank YOU for making it what it is.

    7. Sharon Hurley Hall Avatar
      Sharon Hurley Hall

      Agreed, Paula. Lori’s is one of the few voices I trust for online writing advice.

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