freelance writing Archives

October 7, 2020

Why My Focus is on Freelance Editing (+ Why I Stopped Freelance Writing)

Freelance editing is what I am made to do!

My focus is now on freelance editing instead of freelance writing.

Do you think you’re made for editing instead of writing?

I have always loved words and I have always loved writing.

When I first started blogging and got an offer to write an article a month for Dear Blogger, I decided to try my hand at freelance writing. This was all before Wording Well was born… back in 2013.

When I founded Wording Well in 2014, I started out offering only freelance writing services. It wasn’t until later that I began offering editing services. Looking back, I realize that I should’ve had my focus on freelance editing all along. It’s what I love to do most of all!

Is freelance editing “your thing”?

If you want to become a freelance editor, check this out!

There are so many awesome things about being an editor. These are 12 benefits of being a freelance editor that I get to enjoy EVERY DAY.

How I Built Up My Freelance Editing Reputation

I used to get free books from authors I met online in exchange for my promise to write a book review for them.

I did this for many authors. Most of them were relatively unknown… but I really lucked out when the famous author, Lisa Jackson, saw that blog post, sent me a Tweet, and then took me up on this offer!

I was thrilled when she sent me an autographed book because she has been one of my favorite authors for years!

Lisa Jackson's autograph on my copy of "Tell Me"

While reading books published by authors I met online, I noticed that many of them didn’t have a good editor. I ended up editing their books for them!

At first, I did this for free. This is how I started to build my reputation as an editor. (Remember, I was an unknown editor back then!)

Why I Began to Diversify My Services to Focus on Freelance Editing

After editing for free for a while, I realized two things:

1: It takes a lot of time to edit a novel. (It takes longer to edit a novel than reading it does!)

2: My time was valuable. Read More

June 21, 2018

How to Make Money as a Writer (Infographic)

How to Make Money as a Writer in 2018

People wonder if freelancing is a lucrative career or if they can make money from writing.

I know many freelancers who support themselves simply by writing, so the answer is YES!

YOU CAN EARN A LIVING FROM WRITING!

There are the tons of people who contributed to my “Freelancer in the Spotlight” series. They ALL make a living from freelance writing!

And I’m sure you’ve heard the stories about all the bloggers who make a million dollars a minute or the copywriters who are able to write from their second home in Mexico? You see their friendly faces in advertisements that pop up in your Facebook feed, promising to give you instant riches if you just sign up to a program for a gazillion dollars a month.

But you don’t need to take their programs. You can take ones that have been PROVEN to work.

Take Elna Cain, for example. She teaches others how to make a living from freelance writing. (Look at her course, How to Write Your Way to Your First 1K.)

Then there’s Gina Horkey. She teaches people how to achieve freelancing success in 30 DAYS OR LESS! She also teaches people how to make a living from being a virtual assistant… also in 30 days or less!

Can you do both? Sure, you can!

There are many opportunities to make money as a writer in 2018. You just need to know where to look!

Opportunities for Writers in 2018 and Beyond

From blogging and copywriting to editing and freelancing, there are jobs to suit all different types of writing skill and interest.

The infographic by Global English Editing (below) shows you all the opportunities you have as a writer in 2018 and beyond. It provides you with a detailed summary of your options, as well as examples of just how those successful writers make their money consistently.

You will notice that blogging is mentioned too. That’s because blogging is a means to an end (the end being MAKING MONEY, of course)!

How Blogging and Freelancing Go Hand-in-Hand

I’m pleased to present you with a guest post today from Ryan Biddulph, the nomadic dude who lives all over the world… island-hopping, traveling to new and exciting places, encountering strange people (like the guy who stole his $1 flip-flops!) and living life on his terms as a blogger, an author, and a freelance writer.

I met Ryan online when he first became an author. Ryan and I have a lot in common. We are both authors, bloggers, and freelance writers.

He, however, is a bit more famous than I am (wink wink!) because he has been featured on Forbes, Fox News, Entrepreneur, Richard Branson’s Virgin Blog, John Chows Dot Com and Neil Patel Dot Com.

Ryan has also written and self-published 126 bite-sized e-books, which he sells on Amazon!

Some of his top-sellers include:

7 Steps to Build a Full-Time Income-Earning Blog

How to Land Guest Posts on Authority Blogs

6 Tips for Work-at-Home Entrepreneurs

10 Tips to Be a Smarter (and Richer) Blogger

How to Become a Successful Home Based Marketer

How to Build a Profitable Blog through Twitter

How to Become a Successful Freelance Writer

How to Find Your Writing Voice

How to Create and Publish a Successful eBook

7 Tips for First Time eBook Authors

10 Strategies for Increasing Blog Traffic through Automation

6 Tips to Grow a Rabidly Loyal Blog Community

… and many more!

Be sure to check out his books later, after you read this post!

Snazzy titles of bite-sized #ebooks 🙂 Be sure to take a peek! #bloggers #freelancers

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Take it away, Ryan!

Peanut butter and jelly.

Frick and Frack.

Bert and Ernie.

We all love a good match.

Blogging and freelance writing, like the above duos, are perfect together.

When I asked my buddies if they wanted me to write a guest post for them, Lorraine was all over the opportunity like bees to honey. Or like feisty critters to the house where Kelly and I are currently living in Thailand, with centipedes, scorpions, tarantulas and foot-long Tokay geckos!

Anyway, I love the blog topic we both agreed on because Lorraine and I are freelance writers as well as bloggers. I see a few parallels between running a thriving freelance writing business and a successful blog.

Let’s dive into these parallels. Read More

November 14, 2016

6 Ways for How to Search for Clients as a Freelance Writer

Being a freelancer has its pros and cons.

Working from home is the biggest pro for many people. Not earning enough (or not earning at all) is the biggest con.

While it’s great to be able to set your own hours, work in your pajamas (yes, I’m guilty of doing this!), and not have to deal with commuting, it is often hard to get started on the path to success.

You have to find your own clients.

Income varies from month to month.

You have a lot of competition. There are many other freelancers out there, willing to do the same type of work as you, often for a smaller amount of money!

So… even when things are going well for you, you still need to remember to actively look for work. Your client(s) might suddenly decide they don’t need you anymore… or cannot afford you anymore.

What will you do if that happens?

Find more work, right?

But how?

Here are 6 Ways for How to Search for Clients as a Freelance Writer:

1 – set up a writer website

2 – contribute to blogs (and sites that pay)

3 – choose a reputable job board

4 – keep bidding and emailing

5 – make cold calls

6 – pool your resources

We will look at each of these in more detail now, and by the end of this article, you’ll have a whole shitload of ideas and things you can do to find your next client!

And if you *really* want to succeed in the freelancing field, I highly suggest you take Elna’s course, Write Your Way to Your First $1k.

6 Ways for How to Search for Clients as a Freelance Writer

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September 11, 2016

5 Freelance Mistakes That Are Killing Your Creativity

Very few freelancers experience success. Whether you are a pro or a novice freelancer, this article is for you.

It discusses your freelance creativity, which is an essential component to freelancing success.

Clients and hiring managers seek out freelancers who can think outside the box. They look for freelancers who not only can write (and write well), but who can come up with creative ways for writing about common topics, teaching others, and conveying the message of the business’s brand.

If you have been freelancing for a while, you have probably made your fair share of mistakes.

If you are a novice freelancer, you might be making these mistakes right now.

Check out these 5 Freelancing Mistakes YOU might be making #freelancers

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Because most freelancers don’t know what these mistakes are, they don’t even realize that they are making them! However, when they see a drop or decrease in their clientele, freelancers realize something is missing. That missing link is their creativity.

Today’s guest is going to share with you 5 freelance mistakes that might be killing your creativity.

Meet Aamir, who has a great expertise in the field of freelancing. He has had the privilege of training at least 300 freelancers. He has not only worked with freelancers, but has worked with and served hundreds of clients all around the world.

Aamir Khursheed headshot

He has learned that what sets freelancers apart from others is not just their skills but their creativity.

Take it away, Aamir!

Creativity is Your Greatest Asset as a Freelancer

Clients are continually looking for freelancers who have two feathers in their hat: skills and creativity.

Working closely with so many freelancers has led me to notice certain things. One thing I have noticed is that successful freelancers avoid making mistakes that have caused newbie freelancers to lag behind or fail.

Freelancers who are aware of such mistakes have avoided them and taken their creativity to the next level of success.

You would have a decent share of mistakes if you have been freelancing. However, if you are a novice, it is conceivable you might not have made all the mistakes yet, but probably you will if you don’t realize what they are. Read More