Most people would love to make a living from freelance writing. If you tell people that you are a freelance writer, chances are that they will respond by telling you about their own desire to be a freelance writer. People often imagine that working as a freelance writer is some glamorous affair involving interviewing celebrities and writing up reviews on luxury items. The reality is that making money from freelance writing is far removed from the idealistic picture that many people paint.
A freelance writer can be defined as anyone who sells their work to others, even if it is on an ad hoc basis. But making enough money to sustain yourself in the world of freelance writing is hard and can even be a little soul destroying. However, you can make money as a freelance writer so long as you are dedicated and committed to making it a success.
With the arrival of the internet, there is now more work than ever for aspiring freelance writers. Every web site needs content, and finding good content that is ripe for search engine optimisation (SEO) is a hard thing to come across. So if you have a talent for this type of work, then you can make a feasible income from freelance writing. And even though the magazine market may be shrinking, there is still some freelance work to be had, so long as you are in it for the long haul.
The best way to achieve your goal of making money from freelance writing is to write everyday. The most infuriating thing anyone can do is start boasting about working as a freelance writer without actually doing any writing. You must have come across such people, they tell long tales of work that they are chasing up, projects that they are researching and yet when you ask what they have actually written, the answer is zero. Nothing. No one can make a living from nothing, so start writing today. Keep a word-journal and make a record of the amount of words you are writing each day. This simple task will open your eyes to what freelance writing actually entails. And, by writing a little everyday you will become better and your success rate will improve.
To be a successful freelance writer you also have to remember that as well as being a freelance writer, you are also a sales person, a PR guru and a marketing professional. Without these other elements, your freelance writing career may never take off at all. You have to know how to approach magazines and prospective web sites in the correct manner so that they are interested in what you have to show them. You have to make your writing appeal and stick out from the millions of other submissions that are received and this takes practise and a lot of research. A career in freelance writing is not for the faint hearted, so if you are not ready to push yourself you may find your freelance writing career a very short one. But by steadily working, submitting and applying yourself mercilessly to your chosen craft, you will start to gain commissions and see your work in print. And only then when someone asks you what you do for a living, can you confidently say that you are a freelance writer.
Zoe Lea (c) 2005
Zoe Lea is owner of UK based Lea Writing Services, and writes articles, web content, features, sales copy and more. Her articles and literary short stories have been internationally published and she currently advises people on how to break into the world of freelance writing, having done the job herself for a number of years. For more information visit the site http://www.leawritingservices.com Or email contact@leawritingservices.com
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