After serving for a year as editor of a start-up weekly newspaper/digital media company in northwestern New Jersey, I was informed in early May that the company would be shutting down. Over the years, I have held freelance writing positions at a number of publications, including newspapers, magazines, websites and business journals. Here are some tips I have taken away so far serving on the other side of the desk, and from experts in the freelance circuit.
1. Don’t Strike Out. One obvious difference between having a full-time writing job and turning to freelance is that articles are no longer assigned to you. It’s now up to you to pitch article ideas to publications. “When you freelance, you really have to grind hard. You have to constantly be coming up with ideas for different publications, formulating relationships with editors to stay on their radar so that eventually once you do get a good relationship with a publication, they will start passing you these assignments. I think that’s the whole difficult thing, and I think that’s the one thing many people who had a staff job overlook,” said Donya Blaze, managing editor of Mediabistro.com and a former freelancer herself.
She explained that you want to be proactive, constantly pitching ideas, and that too many writers sit back and wait to get assignments in their inbox. But it’s not enough to just make a pitch – it has to be a great one.
So, what makes a great pitch? According to Blaze, the pitch needs to show that you know the publication inside and out – know what was published this month, last month, even last year. “I think really knowing the publication, knowing the columns, knowing if there’s a distinct layout for a column, if the column always uses the same format, does the column always need a big picture, the word count of the column. You have to really know those things so that you can come up with the best ideas for them, and you’ll really make friends with the editor if you show that you can do that.”
In addition, Blaze said that your pitch is an example of your writing, so make sure the pitch is in the tone of the publication. “If the pitch isn’t written well, the editor will think you’re not going to write the piece well. So, you should write your pitch in the same style, like the voice you would use in a finished article, and that should also match up with the publication as well. If the publication has a light tone, then your pitch should have that tone. Conversely, if the publication is more hard-hitting or more investigative, then in your pitch, you should probably sprinkle in some things to show you can handle that type of work,” she said.
2. Remember Who’s in Charge. When switching from full-time writer or editor to freelance writer, get rid of your ego – if you have one – immediately. You are now at the mercy of the client. This is a whole new mindset that might take some adjusting, especially if you are used to holding management roles and often getting your way.
3. Market Yourself. Build a strong online presence by starting a website and blog, and update them daily. Also, use social media. Susan Gunelius, president and CEO of KeySplash Creative, recommends spending time daily on social media activities – whether it’s Facebook or LinkedIn. “Social media and content marketing don’t have to be overwhelming. You really can make a difference in building your freelance business by spending as few as 30 minutes per day on social media activities. Of course, the more time you spend, the better, but if you can only commit 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the afternoon, and 10 minutes in the evening, that’s OK,” she said. Gunelius also suggests when creating Facebook and LinkedIn profiles to lead off the pages with your strengths, so they’re easy to find, and to set the pages so your profiles are viewable – and searchable – by the public. In addition, make sure to take time to solicit recommendations on LinkedIn and answer questions on LinkedIn Answers.
4. Money Bags. OK, you may not be making tons of money at first, but when you were working full time, you didn’t have to worry about submitting invoices. When you are hired for freelance assignments by a client, make sure to ask if they want the invoice in a certain format, what information needs to be included and when it should be submitted. Most clients require: name, address, phone number, Social Security number, date submitted, client name, name of assignment(s) listed separately with amounts, date handed in, and total amount on the bottom.
5. Know the Sites. You don’t always have to create the pitch; sometimes the client advertises for help. Some useful sites to check out are www.freelancewritinggigs.com, the Blogging Jobs folder on the About.com Blogging site, www.aboutfreelancewriting.com, Mediabistro.com and Journalismjobs.com.
