The Life and Times of a Freelance Writer
Jennifer Escalona tells it like it is
My Best Advice to New Freelance Writers
In: Finding Freelance Writing Jobs| Freelance Writing| Freelance Writing Questions| Writing Jobs| Writing Life
3 May 2010Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits. – Thomas Edison
Somebody has been talking me up. Lately, I’ve had shiny-eyed prospective new freelance writers popping up out of the woodwork to ask me how to get started. So hi there, new writers! This post is for you.
What are my two top pieces of advice to potential freelance writers?
1.) Specialize
2.) Successful freelancer writers don’t just write for money, they run freelance writing businesses. And running a business is a lot like work. If you’re ready to make a fortune in your first year and you’re allergic to 60 hour weeks, then this profession might not be for you.
If that didn’t scare you off, here’s some of my best advice to new freelancers on how to actually get started:
The Quick and Dirty Guide to Landing Freelance Writing Jobs, Part 1
The Quick and Dirty Guide to Landing Freelance Writing Jobs, Part 2
The Quick and Dirty Guide to Landing Freelance Writing Jobs, Part 3
Here are some books and ebooks you should purchase and devour (I don’t read a ton of ebooks so this list may grow at a later date):
The Well-Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman
Web Writer’s Guide to Launching a Successful Freelance Web Writing Career by Jenn Mattern
And here are some blogs you should read religiously.
If you don’t use an RSS feed reader, start doing that today. Believe me, you’re going to need it in your career.
This blog, The Life and Times of a Freelance Writer
I also recommend following my Facebook group, “Jennifer Escalona – Writing Job Leads (Now with Wisdom!)” Maybe you’ll find a job and learn a little something in the process.
Finally, do you know why I really wrote this blog post? So that the next time somebody asks “Hey, have any freelance writing tips for me?” I have a place to send them. As a freelance writer, you’re going to be busy hustling to make a living. Every little shortcut you can make for yourself is another billable hour you can charge somewhere down the line.
Now get to work, newbie. Freelance writing careers don’t start themselves. And before I forget…
Welcome to our world!
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Your source for full-time and freelance writing, social media and community management jobs in the Atlanta area and beyond. Subscribe via email or RSS for unadvertised jobs as well as jobs from hidden (and not so hidden) places around the internet. Now with words of wisdom here and there from freelance writing and social media old salt Jennifer Escalona.
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8 Responses to My Best Advice to New Freelance Writers
Christina Crowe
May 9th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
Heh, by now you’re probably getting tired of me. But everything in this blog is AMAZING. I went through December 2008 in your Archives all the way to April of 2009. I don’t know how I could have missed this blog in the past while searching for writing opportunities. But I am trying to limit my comments.
To be honest, I never even knew serious freelance writers ran their own businesses. I always thought freelance writing was simply blogging and submitting articles to article directories (like Demand Studios and eHow) for residual income . But a business? I had no clue! I can’t even describe how excited I am right now to begin the endeavor. I hope everything works out.
Thanks so much for your help so far and, please, keep writing in this blog! I would be utterly lost without it.
Once I’m done with this blog (for today), I’m going to check out the others on the list.
Jenn Escalona
May 11th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
I’m not tired of you at all! I love your insightful comments and am challenged to answer them with just as much insight. Damn you for making me think so much!
Also, those other blogs have a lot more content (I’ve written for some of them, too!) and I hope they helped you. Please feel free to ask questions here or email me if you run into any snags on your path. I had a lot of help from my friends getting started, and I want to help the ones that come after, too. Good luck, Christina!
Thea Easterby
May 21st, 2010 at 10:50 pm
Hi Jenn
This is my first time on your site. Very impressed so far!!
As a new freelancer myself I am sure I will get a lot of great information out of this particular post. I am looking forward to having a search around the rest of your site as well.
Cheers
Thea
Jenn Escalona
May 23rd, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Thanks so much! Let me know if you have any questions.
P.S. Jones
June 6th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
Ha! I love subversive blog writing. But yeah, that one about the sixty hour weeks and this is a business, totally true! I love what I do so those sixty hour weeks weren’t (aren’t?) so bad. But if a newbie think she’s just going to spit out some writing and make a ton of money, I’d like to talk to her again in six months and see how you’re doing.
Jenn Escalona
June 6th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
Tell me, P.S., how many people have you had ask you about freelancing, then suddenly drop off the face of the earth when everything you tell them to do starts to sound like work? I’m sure you’ve had just as many as I have. If I thought everybody would take my advice as if it were a rare and precious jewel, I would be oh so sweet and nurturing, but since they don’t, I have an automated message. That said, folks are always, always free to ask me questions beyond what’s mentioned in this FAQ, but as a businesswoman, it behooves me to save my time with a little device like this. (And too all new freelancers reading this – IF you work hard and become successful – sooner than you think you’ll be writing an FAQ just like this, too!)
Ashley
July 10th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
I’m not sure how I missed this post because this blog is definitely in my RSS feed. Better late than never I suppose. I am a newbie just starting to look for ways to branch out from random article writing. This list is a great starting point
It’s nice that so many of you established freelancers are willing to help others succeed!
Jenn Escalona
July 12th, 2010 at 10:03 am
Thanks for the kind compliment, Ashley! Let me know if you have any questions!