Where do you find work besides DP ? I've heard of the standard elance/ getafreelancer etc sites, anyone have other suggestions ?
Seconded Diamond Fox! Have a website or even a blog with purely your own writings (promote it using your signature links). Join writing forums. Join Writers' networks. Participate in forums. And yes, you can write some PLR articles and sell them on forums and other sites as well. Edit: You'd have got more expert advices if the thread would've been posted in copywriting section. And yes, Jenn (jhmattern) can better guide you as she's an expert and an absolute guide for writers, and she responds to all such queries very well. Regards,
i have tried using getafreelancer, scriptlance and elance!!! its a fish market where people are jus tryin to cut down on each other's market and compromising on quality!!!!!!!!
If you're really serious about making a nice income as a writer, forget about most forums and freelance job boards. It's alright to keep your eyes open for the occasional gem of a gig that may pop up, but most pay crap, and aren't going to pay for high quality work (although they'll have no problem demanding it for pennies). I already posted on this issue and how you can get higher paying freelance writing jobs. The below link might be worth having a look at: How to Get High Paying Freelance Writing Jobs
I wholeheartedly agree with Jenn. If you plan to make a career out of writing or would like to earn more than $1/article and can't stand working for scraps you NEED to learn a few things. Forget forums. Forget the majority of freelance job boards. They aren't generally worth it if you plan to make a serious income freelancing. You need to pick a niche to specialize in (something you are experienced in or know a lot about). Writers that specialize can command higher rates and find better gigs because they aren't your typical run of the mill generic content writer. You should also consider creating a professional website to showcase your work, list important information about yourself (such as fees, etc.) and basically give potential clients a chance to get to know you and your writing style. Jenn's article goes into more detail, but I wanted to touch on a few points that I thought were critical. If you want to find more work - and better paying work - you need to learn to market yourself and network network network!
There are potential clients on forums, but they will often contact you directly after you've established a reputation for quality. Of course there are far fewer potential clients willing to pay $0.10 per word than the ones that want $0.01 per word, but they are out there. Networking is huge as is specialization. You might also consider breaking out of simple articles and into other fields of writing that might be a bit more lucrative. (Although I prefer articles, myself. ) Rebecca
Some other ways to find work are: - Direct Mail pieces or local coupon mailings: don't throw them away. - Local Newspapers - Non-profits The basic plan is to "sell" yourself to the local crowd. Review the direct mail pieces you receive in the mail. Here's a few questions I ask: - Do any of the coupons or mailings entice me to buy? How? If not what can be done better? - Does the advertiser have a website? Visit it - does it have a compelling benefit statement? Is it inviting its visitors to do something? Make notes of what you can do to "BENEFIT" the business - how you can make them more profitable, get more sign-ups, have a more effective "web presence" etc. whatever you can do for them. Do the same with the local newpaper - look at the advertisers. Ask questions, visit their yellow page ad (if they have one), visit their website. Analyze - what can you do to help them. Make a proposal, send it to them certified or priority mail. Follow-up with a phone call. For the non-profits, do the same as above, but you may want to provide your services for free or at a lower price. This is a good way to get established. Most of the businesses in my area have no clue on what it takes to market effectively with their website: no ezine offer, no way to capture a visitor's information, etc. It's the standard build it and hope they will come. There is loads of work for writers in the business web arena besides forums & freelance sites. It may take a little more work, but the rewards are worth it. Jeff
Word of mouth works great. If you do an excellent job your reputation will take you far. It only takes getting your foot in the door to start. Give your clients excellent articles and you will have plenty of work on your plate.
The content of the article of "jhmattern" is extremely wonderful.I am sure writers will find several new insights of the writing world and guidelines.
Jenn's advice is actually helping me to earn more money now!!!! I usually lurk on this site and would love to post more, but I'm always trying to figure out how to re-market/re-package my skills, well, I took her advice: "Your low rates and portfolio may be hurting your credibility. Higher paying clients aren’t likely to take your work seriously if you charge too little and have a portfolio only filled with short, general, SEO articles for unknown sites". This advice has made a world of difference for me. I was always too "scared" to charge more, and would only put in short articles because I thought that was the best thing to show off--quick and easy, but once I increased my prices and added in longer articles as well as various press releases I had done, people seemed to want to pay me the higher rates. I am a confident writer who knew I should be paid for my quality writing, but I never knew how to ask. Jenn's simple statement and the fact that I admire her overall skills is the best thing I have done! Hope this inspires another "scared" writer. Demand your due.
It's always nice to hear when something I say actually helped someone, so thanks for sharing. And congratulations on improving your rates and projects.
Look for their ads by going to message boards, blogs, ads in the search engines, and doing keyword searches. Many of them are advertising, just like everyone else.
I've used freelance sites initially, but now I'm mostly relying on my old customers. Almost all of my contracts are repeat business. Regards, George