I know you’re frustrated. I know you’re worried about the future of your career. I know that finding a stable job is harder than ever and that it’s easy to feel like your future is bleak. But there is a solution: freelancing.
Freelancing can be an incredible way to make money while still being able to use your journalistic skills.
The trick is knowing how to approach the work and market yourself so that you can be successful instead of always struggling for cash. After more than two years of freelancing, here are my best tips:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Freelancing offers a viable and fulfilling career path for journalists. |
| 2. Freelancing provides freedom and flexibility in choosing assignments and work hours. |
| 3. Freelancers can build a diverse portfolio and expand their professional network. |
| 4. Freelancing requires self-discipline, organization, and proactive client acquisition. |
| 5. Freelancers can overcome challenges by leveraging their skills and adapting to market demands. |
Word-Of-Mouth Is The Best Advertising
Word-of-mouth is one of the most powerful forms of advertising. It’s how you got your first job and it’s also how you’ll get new clients. It’s an invaluable tool in any freelancer’s arsenal and can be used to your advantage if you are the know-how.
Word-of-mouth is effective because people trust their friends, family members, and colleagues more than they do ads or marketing materials from companies/organizations.
When someone says something nice about you or your work, people tend to listen because they know that person has their best interests at heart (and probably won’t lie).
When I was starting as a freelance writer, I would tell everyone I knew what I was up to my friends at school, my co-workers at my old day job and soon enough word spread around town that this guy named John who used to write for the local educational supplement was offering writing services now. And guess what? People wanted those services.
Building a successful freelance writing career in the agricultural industry requires a unique set of skills and strategies. Check out our guide on How to Become a Freelance Writer in the Agricultural Industry to learn valuable insights and tips from experienced writers in this field.
Don’t Be Afraid To Take The Risk
You may be afraid of taking the risk. You’ve worked hard for your current job, so why would you jeopardize that? But freelancing is a risk worth taking.
If you don’t, then you will never know what could have been. And if you do fail, well…you can always go back to your current job.
The important thing is that if things don’t work out in one way or another at least then you’ll know what not to do next time around and be better prepared for it all.
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone
If you’re someone who has a hard time leaving the safety of your comfort zone, freelancing is not going to be easy.
It’s a lot more than just sitting in front of your computer and composing words that you know will pay some bills at the end of the month. You have to get out there, try new things and ask questions and sometimes even fail.
I’ve learned that if I don’t ask for help or advice about something as simple as how much money I should be making from my freelance writing gigs (or any other question) then it could cost me in ways that are hard to quantify.
That being said, asking for help doesn’t mean you aren’t smart or capable; it means that you recognize those around you have skills that can benefit both parties involved in the transaction you’ll get better at what you do by simply talking about it with others who have been doing something similar for years longer than yourself.
Plus, all those questions might lead them down paths they didn’t realize existed before connecting with someone who wants their services as well!
Have Faith In Yourself And Your Capabilities
We all know that self-doubt is the enemy of success. This is doubly true for freelancers, as you are responsible for everything from setting hourly rates to managing your expenses.
However, the key to overcoming doubt is faith in yourself and your capabilities. If you think that you can do it, then chances are pretty good that you will.
So believe in yourself: if you want to be a journalist and write articles for a living, then go ahead and do it. You’re capable of anything.
Are you interested in combining your SEO expertise with the booming tourism industry? Discover the steps to becoming a freelance SEO expert in this field by reading our comprehensive guide on How to Become a Freelance SEO Expert in the Tourism Industry.
Adopt A Regular Schedule
When you have a schedule, it’s easier to stay focused. You can tell yourself that no matter what happens, at 3 PM I’m going to get up and walk around the block, or I’m going to sit down and write for an hour.
This can help you stay productive because it gives you a purpose, and motivation will follow suit. It also helps keep your health in check.
Maybe you’ve noticed that when we don’t have regular routines (or if we’re sleep-deprived), our bodies are more likely not only to get sick but also feel like garbage for no reason at all.
When we do have routines and/or are getting enough sleep, however, and especially if those things come together our bodies feel better overall (sometimes even when they’re sick).
Finally, having a routine helps keep us happy: maybe nothing makes us happier than knowing exactly what time we’ll be doing something fun or relaxing later on!
Focus On One Thing At A Time And Do It Well
This is my favorite advice to give to writers looking to freelance because I’ve seen how much of an impact it can have. And it’s also something I practice myself, especially when I’m writing for multiple publications or clients at once.
When you’re juggling multiple projects, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and lose focus. And if your work suffers as a result well, that’s not good. So how do you avoid this trap?.
By focusing on one thing at a time (and only doing that one thing). For example: Say you’re working on three pieces of writing simultaneously: one long-form piece for The New York Times Magazine; one short-form piece for The Ringer; and another short-form piece for BuzzFeed News.”
Get Paid Effectively
When you’re freelancing, you have to expect that sometimes your work won’t get paid. Not getting paid is a fact of life for many freelancers, but it doesn’t have to be.
Be sure that you get paid on time, in full, and in the currency, you agreed upon (if it wasn’t already). Also, make sure that there is a contract between yourself and the client so there are no surprises later on down the road regarding what was supposed to happen when.
If possible try making payments electronically through PayPal or Stripe so there is some protection against fraud if either party tries claiming money back at a later date using chargebacks or other methods which can take months before getting resolved by credit card companies.
Always Pay Yourself First
This is the single most important thing you can do for your financial future. If you don’t have a budget, create one and set aside money from each paycheck to go into a savings account (or multiple savings accounts if you have specific goals or areas of interest).
You can even do this before depositing your checks into your bank account! The sooner in the process that you pay yourself first, the better it will make it easier for your brain to accept that this new habit is normal and necessary.
The amount varies based on how much money you earn per month and how aggressively or conservatively you want to save/invest.
In general, though, I’ve found that setting aside 10% of my income (after taxes) is enough for me since I’m not trying so hard to get rich quickly through investing options like stocks or mutual funds (I’m more interested in building wealth over time).
Whatever percentage works best for you depends on what your ultimate goal is as well as what YOUR risk tolerance looks like; try starting smaller than 10% if needed but don’t be afraid of increasing it later if needed!
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Guard Your Energy Like A Crazy Person
Journalist, if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, then it’s time to get your shit together. You are the master of your energy system, so it’s up to you to keep it running in tip-top shape. This is especially true for freelancers who often work from home and are alone much of the time.
I am a self-proclaimed crazy person when it comes to guarding my energy like a precious gemstone (I don’t guard anything), but I still try my best not to burn out or get sick because I know how important it is to take care of myself. Here are some things that have helped me stay sane while freelancing:
Set boundaries around your work schedule and stick with them as closely as possible. Block out specific times each day for working on projects and make sure there isn’t too much overlap between personal tasks such as exercising (which also requires energy) or sleeping (which requires… more energy).
Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed; if something needs doing but doesn’t necessarily need immediate attention from you, delegate responsibility for those tasks elsewhere or put them on hold until later in the week
When you’ll have more bandwidth available for handling things in bulk rather than piecemeal style throughout every single day at random intervals throughout each 24-hour period which feels like there aren’t enough hours left over between now and forever before we all die here together thanks anyways see ya later!
Consider Spinning Your Wheels
You might be thinking, “She’s telling me to spin my wheels? That sounds like a terrible idea.” While it’s true that spinning your wheels is usually not a good thing, in this context, it has a more positive meaning.
Freelancing is all about working hard and trying new things and sometimes you have to do both at the same time. You may need to spend some time doing work that doesn’t pay well or isn’t related to journalism so that you can gain experience and build up your portfolio.
While freelancing is an emotional roller coaster, don’t be afraid of failure; as long as you are willing to keep learning and improving yourself, freelance journalism will be possible for you!
Level Up Your Networking Skills
One of the most important skills you can have as a freelancer is networking. It’s vital to get your name out there and build relationships with potential employers, collaborators, and clients.
But how do you do that?. Well, like any other skill, networking can be learned and improved upon. Here are some things I’ve tried:
- Get involved in industry events and meetups (here’s a list of conferences).
- Attend training sessions on how to network effectively at conferences or online via webinars or YouTube videos (this one is great).
- Practice by going up to people who work in your industry at parties/meetings/conferences/etc., introducing yourself, shaking hands confidently, and then finding something interesting about them or the business that makes them want to talk more with you!
Crafting effective freelance proposals is crucial for winning clients and growing your business. Explore our comprehensive Freelance Proposals Template Writing Guide to learn the best practices and techniques for creating compelling proposals that stand out from the competition.
Promote Yourself
There are plenty of ways to promote yourself and your work as a journalist.
- Use social media. The most obvious way is to use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms to connect with other journalists and industry leaders. You can also create an Instagram account for your freelance career if you’re into visual storytelling.
- Become a thought leader in your field. If you have expertise in a certain area of journalism, then share it! Make sure that people know about the issues that matter to you through writing blog posts or creating podcasts where you discuss them at length (or even just asking questions).
- Write a book about your passion in journalism this could include anything from tips on freelancing or how-to guides for finding stories within specific topics like health care or politics…the possibilities are endless!
Expand Your Expertise
Expanding your knowledge is a great way to increase your expertise, and will give you an edge over other freelance writers. If you want to write about something that is outside of your wheelhouse, here are some ways to do it:
- Take a course on the subject. This will help you learn more about the topic and master it so that you can confidently write about it for clients.
- Read books about the subject. You can even ask for book recommendations from people in the field if you don’t know where to start!
- Practice writing articles using this type of content as inspiration. Then ask friends/clients/other writers what they think of them so far before making any changes based on their feedback
This way they’ll feel like they’re part of creating something great with us instead of just being told what’s wrong with something without any insight into how we might fix it together instead.”
Are you new to freelancing and looking to understand the fundamentals of proposals? Our article, Freelancing 101: What Are Proposals?, provides a clear and concise explanation of what proposals are, their importance, and how to create them effectively.
Final Thoughts
Freelancing is a viable option and you can do it without extensive experience in the field. I hope we’ve provided some useful resources and advice that will help you on your journey as a freelancer.
Yes, there are challenges, but if you stay positive, work hard, and keep learning new things about journalism and the world around us then being successful as a freelancer is attainable! Thank you for reading this post, dear journalist
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources for further reading on freelance journalism:
What Is Freelance Journalism?: Explore this comprehensive article that provides an overview of freelance journalism, including its definition, benefits, and how to get started in the field.
Five Ways Freelance Journalists Are Changing the Media Landscape: Discover the significant impact freelance journalists are making in the media industry with this insightful Forbes article, highlighting five key ways they are shaping the media landscape.
The Challenges of Being a Freelance Writer: Gain valuable insights into the challenges faced by freelance writers in this Medium article, covering topics such as finding clients, managing finances, and maintaining a work-life balance.
People Also Ask
What Is Freelancing?
Freelancing is a type of work that you do on your own, without an employer. You are an independent contractor, which means that you are in charge of your success or failure.
You can make more money than you would work for someone else because you get to keep all of your earnings.
However, there are some downsides to freelancing: You don’t have any benefits like health insurance or paid vacation time and you won’t get any unemployment if you run into trouble financially.
How Long Does It Take To Become A Good Freelancer?
It takes about 2-3 years to reach the level of a professional freelance writer/journalist. You need to learn how to write for different types of media, understand who your readers are and their expectations of you, learn how to research and work with clients, etc. It’s a long process but incredibly rewarding.
What Kind Of Skills Do I Need To Become A Successful Freelancer?
You will need two things: writing skills and communication skills. You should be able to write grammatically correct texts that are easy to read and understand. You should also be able to communicate with your clients politely regardless of whether they are satisfied with your work or not.
The ability to listen politely is also important because sometimes your client may ask you something unreasonable but still expects you to fulfill his request anyway! This can be tricky.
Can I Make A Living As A Freelance Writer?
Yes, absolutely! I’ve been writing professionally since 2017 and have been freelancing for eight years. I’ve also worked in marketing and sales, so I know how to write copy that gets results.
What Are The Benefits Of Being A Freelance Writer?
There are so many benefits to this career path that it’s hard to narrow them down! Here are just a few:
- The flexibility to design your schedule and work while you travel
- Being able to work from anywhere in the world
- Your clients will be happy because you’re an expert in your field
How Do I Get Started?
Getting started is easy! Just sign up for a free account at [company name], and you’ll be able to see all the writing jobs available in your area. You can also post your job listing if you’d like to hire a writer.
Do I Need Any Special Equipment Or Software?
Nope! All you need is a computer with an internet connection, and you’re good to go. We recommend using Google Chrome as your browser because it has great spellcheck functionality, but any browser will work just fine!
What If I’m Not Sure How Much To Charge For My Services?
Don’t worry about it! There are plenty of factors that play into pricing—your location, the length of your writing assignment, and whether or not there’s an urgency involved—but our system will help guide you toward pricing based on what’s best for both parties involved in this transaction (the client who needs content written and the freelancer who wants money).
The final price is always up to you, though we do suggest keeping it reasonable so that clients will keep coming back again and again!
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.