One Writer’s Secrets to Freelance Writing Success
by Karen Banes
I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember.
I was the quiet kid at school and always put my hand up to be stationery monitor. I don’t think the teachers ever worked out that I was doing it so I could get my hands on extra copies of the hardback books we were supposed to use for French and Spanish grammar notes. The hardback format made them great for writing stories in wherever you were.
Fast forward about 15 years, and as a recent graduate in my early twenties I started submitting stories and articles to magazines and anthologies. The internet was becoming a thing (or at least a thing I’d heard of) but I didn’t have access to it, so I was sending submissions off by snail mail with stamped addressed envelopes for my rejections to come back to me in.
Soon I got my first short story published in a (very) small press publication. The editor liked my piece. She paid me for it. I was clearly a fantastic writer and I was naïve enough to think it would all be smooth sailing from there.
It wasn’t. That first sale was a fluke, and it was a while before I made another one.
How Using the Internet Helped Me Get Started as a Freelance Writer
Writing regularly was harder than I’d thought it would be, and getting published regularly was even harder.
I took a “correspondence course” (because online courses certainly didn’t exist) with The Writer’s Bureau (which surprisingly still exists) and learned a lot. I got a few more stories and articles published, but real life kept getting in the way.
Then I had two babies quite close together and didn’t do a lot of writing for a while.
By the time I got back into writing, I had internet access and that made a huge difference. I started following forums about writing, submitting to online publications, and using the web for research. I started a blog (back in 2007 before everyone had one), and started getting published, and paid, on a regular basis. I’ve worked as a freelance writer ever since.
Can You Cross Into Different Writing Niches as Your Interests Change?
I started off in travel writing, but progressed into writing about family and parenting when I became a parent myself and went back to school to study for a degree in Child & Family Studies.
Then, after years of running my freelance writing business, I started writing about the business side of freelancing and being a “solopreneur,” a word many spell checkers still have a problem with even though it’s now widely used.
I now mainly write about business/solopreneurship, but that often spills over into personal development, productivity and lifestyle design. Unlike many writers, I think you can cross into different niches easily as your interests change.
In fact I just wrote an article about how to break into a new niche as a freelance writer. I also do some agency work, producing web content for businesses and brands, where I could be asked to write on almost any topic, depending on the clients’ needs.
I’ve always written fiction alongside my non-fiction and have had several short stories published, but I definitely want to write more fiction in the future. There’s a novel that’s been on the back burner so long even I can’t remember exactly what it’s about. One day I’ll get back to it, and probably realize it’s not very good, and then start something completely new.
The Best Way for a Writer to Market is Proactively
I have one main website I use to promote my freelance writing services, and a blog about solopreneurship that I use to promote my Kindle books about freelancing and online business.
Both serve as a showcase for my writing, too, so I do get potential clients approaching me direct. However, I find the best way to market is proactively.
I pitch publications I’d like to write for, businesses I could create web content for, and content agencies (who always need extra writers on their books) or other solopreneurs I meet online who might use my services.
I also guest post sometimes, write at Medium.com, network on social media, and approach local businesses direct. If I’m offered an opportunity that’s likely to lead to connections with potential clients I’ll take it.
I’ve even done speeches at local business groups, even though I really don’t like public speaking, but I recently got a dream gig (for a foodie travel enthusiast like me) writing content for someone I met at one of those speaking gigs. She had set up a food and heritage tour company in my local area, and wanted me to write about it—after sampling the tour, food and drink of course.
One thing I find with writing online, is that success breeds success.
These days, I’ll sometimes get approached by someone who has seen my writing online and followed a link in my bio to my site. Obviously that simply doesn’t happen until you have your work (and bio) out on a lot of sites for people to find you.
The Good Thing About Content Marketing Work
Content marketing work for business clients seems to pay best, although it can also be the least interesting in terms of the topics you have to write on.
I’ve produced online content on everything from travel (for an online travel comparison site) to makeup, to educational toys, to personal finance.
I tend to do this kind of work through a content agency, but occasionally I’ll pitch a company direct if I can see they might be able to use my services.
Why Writers Should Consider Coaching
One service I offer to other writers is what I refer to as mini-coaching packages.
Writing coaches tend to charge a fortune for a high-end, one-on-one, face-to-face coaching experience, but not everyone wants that level of commitment, and not everyone can afford it.
I offer mini packages where I will critique a piece of writing or a series of blog posts, or offer feedback on a new blog or website. It’s quick and affordable, and all happens by email.
I love doing it as it gives me the chance to help newer or less experienced writers, expand my network, and do something that’s very different from my freelance work.
Why I Branched Out Into Writing Non-Fiction Books for Writers
The books [about being a solopreneur] were simply a way for me to share everything I’ve learned along the way, that I wish I’d known at the start.
I’d put a lot of it into articles, but decided to try and pull it together in a series of short Kindle books that would be cheap to buy, quick to read, and easy to act on.
I never expected it to be quite as satisfying as it has been. It feels so good to get a great review or a message from someone who has really benefited from one of my books.
In terms of balance, it’s always freelance work first, then my own projects. That’s not just because I want to make my clients a priority, but also because I find working on freelance projects and my own projects requires a different kind of energy.
I can get my freelance work done, and feel like I’ve run out of energy, but then I start working on my own blog or a new book, and the energy flows again. A change really is as good as a rest, I suppose.
Why Writers Must Have a Reliable Idea-Capture System
I think it’s vital for writers to have a reliable idea capture system. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it works for you.
Lots of writers use fancy software or apps. I use a combination of physical and electronic folders (and the electronic ones are all backed up to Dropbox).
Ideas are so fleeting and most writers get so many of them, it’s vital to capture them and store them. Just make sure they’re recorded and you can find them again.
My ideas folders include outlines for articles, snippets of information I want to research at a deeper level, potential titles for stories and articles, and images or screen shots of things that spark an idea.
Keep Your Motivation Strong by Writing About Something that Interests You
Like everyone, my motivation ebbs and flows. Some weeks, or months, I’m super productive, and others, I’m really not.
One thing about freelancing is that, after any commissioned work is done for the day, week, or month, you are free to do something that interests you.
When I’m not feeling fired up about work, I usually plan to pitch a brand new market, research something I’d love to write about, or write a blog post (for my own blog) on something I do feel fired up about.
I also remind myself of those days raiding the stationery cupboard and congratulate myself that I’m actually doing exactly what I always wanted to do.
Advice for a Young Writer: Practice Writing and Submit to Paying Markets
If a young writer came to me for advice, I’d probably gift him or her a copy of my Kindle book How To Start Your Freelance Writing Career From Scratch.
If I only had a few minutes to impart some useful information, I’d probably suggest reading an awful lot of quality writing in the niche or genre you want to write in, followed by a lot of practice actually writing, followed by finding the courage to submit that writing to paying markets.
If you do those three things, you’re probably way ahead of most other people who say they want to be writers.
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Karen Banes is a freelance writer specializing in entrepreneurship and parenting. She writes articles, website content, ebooks and the occasional award-winning short story.
Her work has appeared in a range of publications both online and off, including The Washington Post, Life Info Magazine, Transitions Abroad, Brave New Traveler, and Copia Magazine. Her Kindle books focus on freelancing, entrepreneurship, and productivity.
Find out more about her at her website KarenBanes.com, or check out her books at Amazon. You can also connect with Karen via her blog, TheSavvySolopreneur.net, or via social media. You’ll find her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.
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