The life of a content writer can be as harrowing as it can be exciting at times. Typically, one can expect highs and lows in business, especially when first attempting to develop a name for yourself. Even though business may be coming in spurts, you can remain steadfast. As with any endeavor, it is critical that you remain vigilant from the start. Only after overcoming initial resistance, will you truly be able to experience the wealth of rewards that come along with expertise in your chosen field. Write through the Lulls I’m sure by now you have heard the old adage “Writers write.†I’m here to tell you that your professional success, as well as your personal fulfillment is directly connected to the extent to which you learn to internalize this maxim. When times are good, writers write; when times are bad writers write. Luckily for copywriters and bloggers, your writing is never in vain. Learn to keep an organized archive of all your writing. Be meticulous. Separate the published work from the unpublished work. Separate your freelance work from the work you plan to publish on your own. Your goal should be to maintain an ever growing and dynamic archive of quality, unpublished works, so that you can always be ahead of the game. Prepare for the Flood While not having success can be difficult, a great deal of freelance writers really begin to struggle once a certain level of success has been achieved. If you consistently put out quality writing you WILL develop a customer base for your writing. It certainly doesn’t happen overnight, but eventually people will recognize quality (especially with the torrent of crap that is currently flooding the market). Your job is to be prepared for when you have multiple clients and/or projects going at once. Again organization is the key here. Create a database to keep track of your current customers. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just a simple waiting list. Be sure to communicate clearly with your clients. Let them know their position in the waiting list and the time frame in which they can expect their product. Never promise what you can’t deliver! While some customers may be turned off by a long wait time, most folks will appreciate your honesty and quality and are likely to become repeat customers. Overpromising to your clients will almost always lead to the loss of a client. For tips on how to reduce client wait-time consult the above section entitled “Write through the Lullsâ€. heh.
Great tips! As a writer just delving into writing for the web it's heartening to know that quality and drive will most likely endure, as the same goes for the literary world. I especially like your idea to organize the published from the unpublished, as to arm oneself with an archive of ready work. Thanks!
Excellent tips! Even when I am working on projects that do not involve any writing of my own, I have disciplined myself to write for AT LEAST an hour everyday. Also, I find that reading about a wide variety of different topics is helpful in keeping your thought process fresh.