Comments on: How to Make Money as a Freelance Writer: 15 Writing Business Essentials

By: Alison

Alison — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 23:26:15 +0000

Thanks for the great tips! Getting my first few clients felt so easy, but turning it into a sustainable business was definitely a struggle. It’s a lot of why I started calling myself a content marketer rather than just a freelance writer.

By: Tatiana Ivanova

Tatiana Ivanova — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 11:30:26 +0000

Thank you for the tips, Stefanie! I especially liked the idea to dedicate a significant part of your time to your own education.

By: Tarnya

Tarnya — Fri, 11 May 2018 11:11:01 +0000

Amen! to getting the client to pay half up front, or at least a portion with part payments throught the project. I am working on implementing this. It means I get something to help with my cash – flow. It is especially useful if there are delays from the client side.

By: Stefanie Flaxman

Stefanie Flaxman — Wed, 09 May 2018 20:11:18 +0000

In reply to Icy Sedgwick. Great point! I think it always comes back to gauging whether or not your friend is the right fit for your services (if you'll be able to provide value for where they're at right now.) If they are, helping them out with free work can be win-win. :-)

By: Icy Sedgwick

Icy Sedgwick — Tue, 08 May 2018 14:26:34 +0000

I’ve found that doing free work for friends often results in paid work for others thanks to word-of-mouth!

By: Chris O'Brien

Chris O'Brien — Mon, 07 May 2018 07:56:37 +0000

Have a go to plan for common issue!!!

this totally separates the amateurs from the professionals.
I’ve freelanced for 10 years. Easily 99.99% of clients get into a project, and when they see the great work you’re doing, can’t help but ask for a little more.

One thing I’ve found that helps.
On your quote or agreement, after the final price. Add in a section for common optional extras. An extra page for X dollars, or more rewrites for X dollars.

I’ve found that being open about what is and isn’t included up front really helps out with those conversations towards the pointy end of the project.

By: Lisa P Sicard

Lisa P Sicard — Sat, 05 May 2018 07:40:51 +0000

Stefanie, excellent advice! I like the establish the terms of service, policy and payment terms beforehand. I try o set the expectations up as well. And I set them up lower than I anticipate so I can over deliver.
It’s so important today to set it right from the get go.
I believe #10 is so important today as things are changing rapidly in most fields. I’m in marketing and it’s changing every day now. You really have to be aware of these changes if you are helping others to increase their bottom lines.

By: Stefanie Flaxman

Stefanie Flaxman — Fri, 04 May 2018 19:41:50 +0000

In reply to Eva. Once you start taking on clients, I think it's natural for your work life and personal life to get blurred a bit -- and the sooner a service provider recognizes the benefits of establishing boundaries, the better. :-)

By: Eva

Eva — Fri, 04 May 2018 05:53:58 +0000

Hey, Stephanie –

I really appreciate the distinction you made between being friendly with your clients and being friends with them.

While I have some client relationships that have over time developed into real friendships, knowing where to draw that line is super important for those of us who struggle with drawing boundaries between our work and our personal life.

Thanks for sharing!
Eva

By: Stefanie Flaxman

Stefanie Flaxman — Wed, 02 May 2018 20:03:50 +0000

In reply to Jane Rucker.

For sure. Sometimes the level of drama in a situation is directly related to how much you’ve prepared. That’s why gaining experience in your field is so important — it helps you prepare. 🙂