If yes, there are a zillion opportunities for you and me out there. Coz, I am a freelance content writer too. Though, honestly, I prefer to call myself a communication enthusiast.
Now for some backstory. I took up content writing precisely two years ago when I quit my job at a corporate. Leaving my secure job wasn’t exactly a planned move back then, rather an impulsive decision, an almost impending disaster. Within six months I exhausted nearly all of my savings leaving me with no option but to start earning for my survival. At that point in life, content writing was one of those few things that I was convinced I had some experience in and therefore, decided to give it a shot. At least for the sake of sustaining my day-to-day necessities. But then the journey to becoming a freelance content writer wasn’t as easy as I thought.
Listed here are a few of the major roadblocks that I faced and how I battled them to trudge forward. Hopefully, it will be of some help to other aspiring freelancers out there.
Who will give you work?
Deciding to be a freelance content writer was a hundred times easier than actually finding work. Especially, when you have a battalion of people discouraging you for the lack of experience in the field and for also being too young to venture out on your own.
Initially, I wasn’t sure how I was going to reach out to potential clients. Fear of failure engulfed me, and I kept postponing the plan for another day, up until a friend walked up to me and said, “It’s either today or never.” His words shook me up, and I gathered enough courage, found a few write-ups of mine which trust me was nothing more than 2-3 blog posts I had written for a photographer’s work and a few posts from my blog. I compiled them neatly, cleaned up my resume and shot out a few e-mails to my contacts offering my content writing services.
Who were these contacts?
A few friends I knew were working in advertising agencies, some agencies that I had interacted with while at the corporate job and my family members.
And then I waited.
Finally, one person contacted me asking if I had experience in writing scripts for videos. That brings me to Rule #1 BE HONEST. I immediately responded. I was honest that I had no prior experience but also added that I was keen to give it a try assuring them that I could do a good job. And there, as luck would have it, I landed my first content project. And since then, there has been no looking back. Till date, honesty has always worked in my favor. I am open about my strengths, weaknesses, areas of interest and areas I know I won’t be able to pull off. And the results have almost always been remarkable.
And finally, how do I sustain work? One, I research the internet for agencies and corporates who might need content writers and drop my work profile to them. Ensure you send samples of your work. That adds credibility to the claims that you make in your email regarding your skills. And, constantly follow up. Everyone is busy and do not intentionally mean to ignore your work or your e-mail. Second, word of mouth through people who you already work for. Third, freelance websites though personally, I haven’t yet benefited from them.
How much to charge?
When I started freelancing, I dug through the internet to find the fees of freelancers in India and got almost no meaningful information. I was afraid of charging my first few potential customers too less or too much lest I lose out on the opportunity. That’s when I met this gentleman, a filmmaker who had some priceless advice to give and till date continues to be my mentor. He said, “A fee is a value that you give your work. It is not what someone else thinks what it should be worth. The buyer will always want it at the best (read: least) price possible. You should know the worth of your work and stick to it.”
Inspired by his words and with no other credible reference, I set my own fee structure and am in a position to explain to my client exactly why I am charging the amount that I am. This also brings me to Rule #2 DO NOT BEND OVER MORE THAN YOU CAN. Often, for the sake of getting a job, we bend over backward, agreeing to a fee that the client wants. That can be harmful in ways more than one. Firstly, that gives the client the wrong idea that you will work for much lower rates than you initially quote and secondly, you might be left feeling that you didn’t receive the true worth of all the effort that you put into the job. Honestly, it’s not like you can set various quality standards for your content work based on the price range you charge. Therefore, quote for what your work is truly worth and do not let yourself be over-negotiated.
And here’s the truth. The freelance content industry has talent working at all price ranges. From rupees Rs. 0.5/word to Rs.10/word or more…You will make your place in the grid too.
Never let go any job that comes your way?
I think this is not the right advice for various reasons.
Don’t bite more than you can chew: You do not want to end up accepting more work than you can actually deliver. Therefore, systematically planning your work and saying an occasional ‘no’ to projects is completely non-lethal.
Creativity has varying frequencies: All creative people are not on the same plane. At times, you will also come across an agency/team/person whose creative frequency doesn’t match your own. In such situations, letting go might be better than giving in or compromising.
Create your niche: This one is supremely important. Do not try to be the jack of all trades! Along your creative journey, you will discover the areas you are good at. You could probably be a good technical writer but an average copywriter. You could be excellent with social media posts but terrible with thought leadership pieces. Knowing what you are good at and accepting work accordingly is essential in the long run.
Per word pricing?
This is one thing that goes against my personal philosophy. Till date, I haven’t suggested a fee to my client that prices my work on a per word basis. More than the words, I believe the ideation and research that goes behind the final work is of more worth. And hence, prefer quoting a fee for the project as a whole than for each word that is produced. But then, it’s just my personal opinion.
Mentor and networking?
Yes, yes and a yes!
You will find mentors along the way. Hold on to them and make the best of them. These people needn’t necessarily be those who are always ready to give advice. Sometimes, they are just another one of us who is doing a great job and who you can silently learn from.
And networking, that’s at the crux of this job. You have to network – meet new people, tell them what you do and strike conversations. You never know where the next door of opportunity would open up for you.
And for Rule #3, IT’S ALL A LEARNING PROCESS. I have realized that there is always going to be someone who is doing better work than I am. There is always someone whose creativity will inspire me. Instead of seeing them as competition or looking at myself poorly, I have made a conscious decision to follow their work and learn from them. When I meet a new person or client, I am open to the idea of learning – a new way of working, a new style of writing, a new method of thinking. I know if I don’t learn, I will reach my stagnation soon. And personally, I think that’s the last thing I can afford.
Does it mean a lot of free time? Sometimes, yes and sometimes, no! There are days when I work 14-15 hours to complete tasks, and then there are days when I have a lot of free time in hand. Unlike at a corporate job where you complete tasks at your table and leave for the day while freelancing, you have to do everything – from sending quotes, to processing invoices, finding new clients to doing the creative job. So, yes, this one is a mixed bag.
Rule #4 IF YOU ARE NOT SELF-DRIVEN, FREELANCING MAY NOT BE YOUR THING. There is no boss out there to push or motivate you. You are on your own and need to set your own deadlines and targets. And more importantly, stick to it. So, be ready to discover that self-motivation before you get started.
Kommentarer