The advent of internet technology has witnessed the growth of many online opportunities. It is now possible to get money by offering your services to a global market as long as you have an internet connection.
To succeed as a freelance writer, one has to have more skills other than writing skills. You are running a business, after all. Apart from writing, you’re managing yourself. It can sound overwhelming, but with some work and experience, you’ll be all-rounded and able to succeed.
What skills do you need to get the most out of your career as a freelance writer?
A freelancer is self-employed. That means you manage your finances. Apart from managing income, it would be best if you had business acumen. You also need to gain knowledge on how to grow the business and sustain it.
As an accountant ensure the following are in order
Ensure that you develop skills like record keeping. The documents help measure progress with time and support when making decisions on how to grow the business. Set goals that you can achieve for your career and check on progress periodically.
The most important skills that you need to have are organization and time management. As a freelancer, it is dependent on you to organize yourself, be on-task, and efficient. It is not easy and can be a little tricky. But there are tools that you can be using to stay organized:
Freelance work means juggling multiple jobs at the same time. Stay organized to ensure you are on track, have an established writing routine to deliver on your projects.
A freelancer has to be all-rounded. Writing can be the main focus, but having editing skills is commendable. Being a good editor improves your quality of work. To be a successful writer, you need a good editor. Developing editing skills can be fundamental. Having well-written pieces will attract more clients. It also acts as a portfolio showcasing your work.
You can also edit the works of others in our careers. You can take some editing classes, which could help land you additional jobs to supplement your writing income.
It is the best way to connect with clients. It can be scary for many freelancers since they work mostly alone, and they barely pursue opportunities to connect with others. Networking helps freelancers to get clients by recommendation or referrals. Don’t worry; you need not do all the networking in person; meeting people online is still a viable option. Use the many opportunities that you have to make connections.
It is an integral part of any business. Freelancers also need to have these skills. Running your own business leaves all responsibility on you to ensure that your services and capabilities get the proper marketing. Some of the tools that you can use to market yourself are:
A website: it is essential to have one. Potential clients use this platform to find out what services you offer and decide if you services that cater to their needs.
A blog: it can be a useful tool for freelancers as it works as a form of content marketing.
Social media: Maintain a presence in social media such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Develop some graphic design skills. They help in marketing yourself. Great looking work usually impresses clients. You can use several tools for graphic design that are available like PicMonkey and Canva.
Having an excellent freelancing career requires more skills. Ensure that you invest in learning and gaining additional capabilities that can boost your freelance writing. The process may take a while, but be patient and consistent with the time you’ll see the results.
