skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Welcome back to the Blogathon, day 7!
Yesterday I posted about the importance of knowing what a market pays before you pursue it. When you write for money, it makes no sense to me to work without knowing what you'll you're going to paid for it.
However, what happens when you're approached by a new client or market that asks what you charge? You don't want to throw out a number, say something like, "I have no clue," or promise to get back to there person. You need to know your hourly rate.
But how do you know what to charge?
There are several methods to help you determine what to charge:
- One method is to figure out what you want to make in a year, and base your hourly rate on that overall figure. This works best for seasoned freelancers. (Laura Laing, in her fascinating book, Math for Writers, devotes a section to helping new freelancers determine their hourly rates. If you're serious about freelancing full-time, it's worth a read.)
- A second is to determine what the markets you want to write for usually pay, and base your rate on that.
- A third is to determine what other freelancers charge for that kind of work, and base your rate on that.
- Another is to consider your level of experience and your value to potential clients, and base your rate on that. As with the first method, this is more useful for experienced freelancers, or those who have a unique, in-demand skill set.
If you're a new freelancer, or a more experienced one getting started in a new area, I suggest a blend of methods two and three. Do some market research to determine what clients typically pay for the work. Let's say you're a freelancer who wants to branch out into copy editing, and you discover that agencies pay copywriters $15 to $25/hour.
Then you search the web for other copywriters after checking say, six websites, you find that they charge between $30 and $45/hour, depending not the project. As a new copywriter, your initial hourly rate for clients might be $30/hour, based on your research. As you gain experience, you can always raise your rates.
Get the idea? Do the research and determine your rate for freelance work before a client asks you about it. You'll look more professional and feel more confident about going after work.
Today's assignment: Determine your hourly rate for freelance work.
**Readers, this is the first time I've ever blogged seven days in a row...it's actually the first time I've ever blogged more than three times in a week! What do you think? Are you following the blog? Do I have new readers out there? Are you hoping I'll cover a specific topic? Hello? Anyone? Bueller? Please comment and let me know.
And finally, for my usual book plug: If you want make more money as a freelancer, I highly recommend my books on freelancing:
And the 2014 Freelance Success/Word Count Blogathon continues!
Today's topic is one that new freelancers often feel uncomfortable with. It's the idea of talking money--with potential clients, editors, and other writers. Here's an excerpt from an email I received from a relatively new freelancer a couple of weeks ago:
I recently wrote an article for a small local magazine and the editor said she'll be publishing it soon. I'm embarrassed to say I don't know how I'll be paid. What do I do now?
I suggested that the writer send an email that said something like,
Thank you for letting me know about the piece; would you let me know what I'll be paid for the story, and when I can expect payment?
The better solution, though, is to be talk money from the get-go. As a freelancer, you're not just writing because you love to write; you're doing it for the money. So it's reasonable for you to ask about money upfront. Let's say you're interested in writing for a publication, website, or blog. You check the writers' guidelines and can't find anything about pay. (That's a bad sign, by the way--the market may not pay at all, or may pay very little.) Send an email that says something like:
I'm interested in writing for your site, but didn't see your payment guidelines anywhere. Can you let me know what you pay freelancers? Thanks for your time and help.
Once you have your answer, you know whether the market it worth considering--and you won't waste time with a market that doesn't pay enough to be worthwhile for you.
Today's assignment: never say "yes" to an assignment without knowing what it pays. Even new writers deserve to get paid!
**If you're a new reader of my blog, you may want to check out one of my books on freelancing: Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets is written for brand-new freelancers in search of their first clips. Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition is a freelancing classic that helps both new and experienced writers boost their bottom line. And my latest book,Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition, shows how to break into the ghostwriting/content marketing field.
And the Blogathon continues! About 100 bloggers are participating, so check out some of the other blogs when you have a chance.
On Sunday, I asked whether you were a lazy writer. (And admitted that I am.) Today's topic is a lazy-writer technique I like to use and yet many freelancers overlook it. It's reaching out to former clients.
Your former client may have been an editor you did last year. A ghostwriting client you worked with three years ago. Even a reprint market that bought rights to a story several months ago. Regardless of who the person is, you've worked with them before--and I will assume you did a great job, right? So why wouldn't this person want to hire you again?
He very much may want to hire you again--and may even have an assignment for you--but he may have forgotten about you. By touching base with him, you remind him about your existence. That's the purpose of touching base. You don't have to come right out and say, "Give me work!" even though that's your end game. Simply getting in front with him may result in an assignment.
Your assignment: look through your old assignments from a year or two ago and make a list of former clients to touch base with.
**If you're a new reader of my blog, you may want to check out one of my books on freelancing: Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets is written for brand-new freelancers in search of their first clips. Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition is a freelancing classic that helps both new and experienced writers boost their bottom line. And my latest book,Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition, shows how to break into the ghostwriting/content marketing field.
Hi, readers, and welcome back to the Blogathon, day 4!
Yesterday I explained why it's smarter to find a market you can write for more than once, and then come up with ideas specifically for that market instead of coming up with and idea and then market-shopping for it. It's a technique I'm actually using right now as I'm looking to add a few new "regular" markets to my client list.
But there's another technique I use when querying that helps set my queries apart from about 90 percent of the ones my editors receive. I demonstrate familiarity with the publication I'm pitching. In other words, I let her know I've read her magazine, whether it's print or online.
How? By mentioning the section of the magazine I think my piece belongs. I might say something like, "Interested in this piece for your 'Healthy You'" department?" Or, "I think this story might work well in your "Time-Savers" section--let me know if you agree?" I want the editor to know that I'm not pitching blindly--I've studied her pub and really want to write for her.
Another way you can do this is to mention a recent article, like, "I enjoyed your piece on clutter-busting tips in the April issue and envision a similar approach with this piece on money-saving strategies." (And note that a little flattery never hurts!)
So, your assignment--before you send a pitch out, make sure you demonstrate your familiarity with the market you're querying.
**New to freelancing? Want to make money writing articles but not sure how to start? In
Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets, I share how I approached ten different freelance articles for different markets as a new freelancer. You'll find actual query samples, contract advice, and learn how to do everything from interview a source to write more compelling articles. It's the best book I've seen for brand-new article-writing freelancers!
Welcome back to the Blogathon!
When I started freelancing, I used to find a story idea and then locate a potential market for it. When I found a market where the idea looked liked it would fit, I wrote a query and pitched it.
That strategy worked for me for years--and led to me writing for more than 30 national magazines during my first few years of freelancing. When I started writing about freelancing, I recommended that freelancers take a similar approach.
Well, I was wrong. Or at least that approach is.
Today, I've flipped that script. Instead of starting with an idea, I start with the market. I find a market that I think I can write for more than once. With the market in mind, I start coming up with ideas--and I pitch the market until I get an assignment (or give up--more on that in a future post).
So don't start with an idea. Start with your target market instead. It's much easier to write for a market over and over than continually market to brand-new ones--and choosing markets over ideas makes you more efficient as a freelancer.
Your assignment? Locate a market that you want to write for--and start brainstorming ideas for it.
**Want more smart, proven freelance advice? Check out one of my books on freelancing:
Welcome back to the Blogathon, readers!
Pitching is an essential part of freelancing, but coming up with query ideas takes time. So why not mine your hard drive?
In other words, take advantage of old pitches that didn't result in assignments. Take a look through your queries from a year or two ago (or even older) which didn't sell and get them back into circulation. Maybe something in the news has given you a time peg, or there's a new study you can include in your pitch.
After all, an awesome pitch won't do you any good sitting on your hard drive. Tune up your old pitch, make sure it's slanted to your target market, and hit "send."
Today's assignment: find at least one "old" query, tune it up, and send it out--and let me know what happens!
**Are you a new reader of my blog? Welcome! You may want to check out one of my books on freelancing: Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets is written for brand-new freelancers in search of their first clips. Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition is a freelancing classic that helps both new and experienced writers boost their bottom line. And my latest book,Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition, shows how to break into the ghostwriting/content marketing field.
Hi, readers, and welcome to the 2014 Freelance Success/WordCount Blogathon!
Question--are you a lazy writer?
Don't be offended by my asking. Because I sure am.
I tend to pitch my regular clients over and over, instead of looking for new markets. (It's on my list.)
I tend to stay in my freelance niche of health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness (along with writing about successful freelancing) instead of considering new (and marketable) niches.
I tend to go to see other freelancers doing something very well (say, amassing 20,000+ followers on Twitter) and think, "I need to do that!" And then... I don't.
And when I've accomplished what I need to for the day, I'm happy to mentally "punch out." After 17+ years of freelancing, I don't associate a 40-hour workweek with success anymore because I know productivity is more important than putting in a certain number of hours at your desk.
So, yeah, I'm lazy. And sometimes that's a good thing:
- If I think a story needs three sources, I'll interview three--not five, or six, or even eight the way I might of early on in my freelance career, looking for the "perfect" quotes.
- If I think the second draft of an article is good enough to submit, I'll do a quick proofread and turn it in instead of tinkering with it until it sings.
- When I'm ghostwriting the first draft of a book chapter for a client, I don't even attempt for perfection--because I know that my client will want to make changes.
So my "laziness" is sometimes a freelance asset. But it's time to shake things up with the Blogathon. During this month, I'll blog all 30 days of June (yikes) about successful freelancing. We'll be talking about working more efficiently; exploring new markets; getting more work from current clients; making more money; and even managing the emotional ups and downs of freelancing. And each day, I'll give you an assignment to help you enhance your freelance career. Complete the assignments, and I promise you by month's end, you'll be looking at more clients, more money, and more satisfaction with your chosen profession.
So here's the first assignment:
Ask yourself if you're a lazy writer. (You don't have to admit it openly like I did.)
Now list three ways in which you're a lazy writer:
1.
2.
3.
Now, for the hard part. Come up with three solutions for those three ways.
Here's how I'm completing this assignment:
1. I write for the same markets over and over.
2. I'm stuck in my comfort zone, writing about health and fitness constantly.
3. I only blog once/week.
And here are my laziness solutions:
1. I will pitch at least four new markets (one/week) for the following month.
2. I will pitch at least four ideas that are not health- and fitness-related for the following month.
3. I will sign up for the Blogathon and blog 30 times/month!
Feel free to comment below with one of the ways you're a lazy writer if you want to make yourself accountable for solution, and tune in tomorrow for another post!
**Are you a new reader of my blog? Welcome! You may want to check out one of my books on freelancing: Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets is written for brand-new freelancers in search of their first clips. Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition is a freelancing classic that helps both new and experienced writers boost their bottom line. And my latest book, Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition, shows how to break into the ghostwriting/content marketing field.
