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Introducing, You Reign
Tags: Inspirational, Entrepreneur, Freelance Writing, Small Business, Mental Health Awareness

Okay guys, give me a chance here.

As a writer, I’m used to writing a certain way and blogging is absolutely not that. Yeah, the aspects are similar, but in Writing, you have to keep up this level of professional. While with blogging, you have more freedom to roam, I’ve realised. So, I think I’ll just try to talk a bit about myself, so you will at least know who the heck I am.

I’m a teenager from the Caribbean, looking to inspire and relate to many of you out there. I’m a small-town girl and I just wanted a place to be free. If you see a lot of cursing around that’s part of my charm. Lol. I’m gonna do my best not to sugar coat shit, so they’ll be a lot of my terms in here.

I’m an #Author, #blogger and Freelancer Writer. Yes, I know, a lot. Okay, to put it simply, I want to create a Personal Brand, to do that, I’m hoping to use Instagram, a Website, maybe YouTube and here of course. There are many other platforms out there that I mess around on, but they don’t really work for my personality.
Can I Afford to Take This Assignment? Four Questions to Ask Before You Do
By: Tricia Nelson
Tags: Writing, Writing Tips, Writing Life, Freelance Writing, Writer

Can I Afford to Take This Assignment? Four Questions to Ask Before You Do Tricia Nelson Jun 22·2 min read

Photo by Andrea Davis from Pexels

Rethinking the “Exposure & Experience” Racket

We’re in a cultural moment where the bold act of quitting is in the zeitgeist, and the high opportunity cost of gigging is under a microscope. We’re long overdue to reconsider the utility of the low-paying freelance writing assignment.

Many of us are aware of the mindset of needing to “pay dues” before one can even think about establishing a solid career as a writer. This way of thinking usually comes with an expectation of some level of exploitation — financial or otherwise. And it’s so 20th century.

May I suggest an approach to writing (as side-hustle and hustle-hustle) that respects the artisan as much as it honors the craft? Personally, when I find myself inspired to pursue opportunities — out of curiosity, ambition or, most importantly, the chance to earn extra cash — I’ve learned to ask myself four pointed questions to determine if the project is worthy of my time.

1. What will I gain?

If the answer isn’t something other than writing clips and experience, then it’s worth thinking twice about taking on the assignment. Time could be better spent cultivating a personal website, blog, Medium following or social media presence as a more enriching means to a similar or a better outcome.

2. Is it necessary for my portfolio?

Upheavals in media/publishing mean there’s no longer one established path for growth. There are roads to legitimacy from listicles, Q&As, games, tweets, posts and whatever the future holds for written knowledge transfer.

3. Will this cost me?

Time is currency — literal and figurative. Assess the compensation vs. level of required effort; will the hourly take-home pay be less than minimum wage? (More often than not, when I’ve done the math, the reality has been appalling.) If so, it may be better to simply volunteer your writing talents to an agency or charity you’re passionate about.

4. Will this be work?

The saying goes, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Does the opportunity bring up feelings of enthusiasm or dread? If the experience looks to be unpleasant, just know it’ll be a money-loser, whether or not the pay rate is competitive.

Reclaim. Your. Time.

If the year 2020 taught us anything, it’s that tomorrow is never guaranteed and time is a stone-cold thief. So, why squander it on an unworthy writing gig?

Tricia Nelson is a member of the Los Angeles Editors and Writers Group, professionals who offer the full range of editorial, writing, and publication services.
The Complete Guide To Getting Filthy Rich As A Freelance Writer
By: Daniel Rosehill
Tags: Passive Income, Freelancing, Freelance Writing, Scams To Avoid, Online Courses

The complete guide to getting FILTHY RICH as a freelance writer

Sports cars, Rolexes, and private jets. Follow my guide and they can be yours. Yes — even as a freelance writer! Daniel Rosehill Mar 15·11 min read

Are you feeling dejected today?

Trying to shake off a vague sense of tiredness, perhaps?

Ennui as the French call it. Melancholy as the old-timers did. Can’t shake the feeling that you’re stuck in second gear?

Perhaps, dear writer, you’re simply dealing with clients trying to haggle down your rates like they’re buying tomatoes at a Middle Eastern supermarket?

You know how it makes you feel.

Devalued. Dejected. Underappreciated.

Trust me. I’ve been there. And I’m on your side here.

You know you’re worth more than this — a voice in your head keeps saying. And I want you to begin trusting that voice. Because that voice is speaking the truth.

Hell, I know it too. That’s why — against the best advice of just about everybody I’ve ever met — I’m sitting here about to spill the beans on a centuries-old secret of the trade with you, dear internet stranger.

Dreaming of ballin’ in a Ferrari but worrying how your $50 articles are going to add up to enough to pay rent? I thought so. I used to worry about that too.

But before I show you how to get from A (your sucky life right now) to B (untold millions and the kind of life I have) I wanted to get you riled up with some images. Because, ya know, pictures speak louder than words and all that.

I don’t bat an eye when I see this things because it’s all I know now. But you probably take the bus so …..

👇 STUFF THAT COULD BE YOURS IF YOU KEEP SCROLLING 👇

Sports cars:

A super flashy Ferrari

Luxury yachts:

A luxury yacht

Private jets:

A luxury private jet

Insane quantities of beer:

Totally insane amounts of beer

SOOOO much ice cream:

Nachos EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK!

Andwho. Enough with the spammy intro and the clickbait.

You want the roadmap I’ve promised.

The secret formula that writers around the world speak of in hushed tones. They call it The Money Printer. Those who know about it guard it jealously from prying eyes.

And today I’m disregarding the advice of my closest advisors and sharing it with the world.

Interest in this blog might be so astronomical that I’ll have to take down this link soon and deprive the world of this great knowledge.

So don’t delay and keep reading — right now!
Filthy Rich Writer Review
By: Zeke Vincent
Tags: Copywriting, Freelance Writing, Filthy Rich Writer, Entrepreneurship, Online Courses

Photo by Damir Spanic on Unsplash

Filthy Rich Writer Review

Let me start by saying that I have never seen myself as a writer. The thought had honestly never crossed my mind. Sure, I did okay in my English classes growing up and even enjoyed some of the papers I had to write, but I never saw myself as a writer. Then one day my wife came to me and told me about a copywriting course by Filthy Rich Writer called the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy. I had hit a dead-end in my career as a machinist in the aerospace industry and had just fallen flat on my face in my quest to become an engineer. Curse you Calculus II! Needless to say, I was looking for something new. So when my wife brought this course to me I was skeptical for sure, but I decided to watch the intro video.

As I watched Nicki Krawczyk (founder of Filthy Rich Writer and the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy) talk about her experience as a copywriter I slowly began to warm-up to the idea of being a writer. She has been a copywriter for 15+ years, has worked for some big companies, and really knows what she's talking about. She made it sound fun and doable. I thought about all the cool companies I could work for and how much I wanted the flexibility of working for myself.

I signed up and found out I’m a pretty good writer and I like writing! The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy gives you all the things you need to become a copywriter. What I like most, is everything is explained in a straightforward manner and is easy to understand. Also, it lets you go at your own pace and find your own path to success. You get access to the private, student-only Facebook group with tons of other copywriters, including student coaches. This is a great place to discuss ideas and get feedback on your work. I have felt accepted and supported as everyone in the group is really nice and helps each other. On top of that, once you have the material it’s really yours to keep so you can reference back to it at any time.

I'm currently working on a pitch for my dream company to work for! I’m super excited and after I send this pitch, I have a huge list of other companies I would love to work for just waiting for me. I have really enjoyed this course and would recommend it to anyone looking to make a career change.

Watch this free intro video and see if copywriting could change your life too!

The Comprehensive Copywriting Academy Free Intro Video

This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.
How Undercharging Your Work Is Keeping You Stuck
By: Sakshi Udavant, Luna
Tags: Freelancing, Personal Growth, Creativity, Writing, Freelance Writing

Some Common Reasons Why We Undercharge Our Work

I don’t have anything special to offer.

My skills are average.

Others are so much better than me.

I don’t deserve to get paid that much.

I still have a lot to work on.

Other variations of I am not good enough.

I was just like you. I thought there was nothing special about me. I was an ordinary poet, a part-time blogger, yeah, sometimes my work moved people, but that’s just normal. However, I was the only one who saw me like that.

With every new project I took up, I found clients who were willing to pay me twice what I was getting earlier. Even though it sounds like a dream come true, it actually left me baffled. What was wrong with people? Why were they so willing to throw all their money at an average writer like me?

After many high paying projects and several weeks of contemplation, I finally realized what was happening. There was nothing wrong with them. The only problem was my self-deprecating mindset. Turns out, I was severely undervaluing and undercharging my work. Just like you.

Let’s keep the concept of self-worth aside for a moment. Let’s see this from a whole new perspective.

(Since I haven’t worked in other freelancing fields like graphic designing or web development, I have no idea about what you all currently charge. So, feel free to substitute your skills and respective rates here.)

Say, you wanna make $10K a month and you charge 0.02 cents a word. To reach your goal, you’ll need to write a whopping 500,000 words. Assuming an average blog post is anywhere around 1K-2K words, you have to write 250–500 blog posts in a month — 16 blog posts in a day!

So, unless you plan on working all day, all night with no food, sleep or bathroom breaks, this is highly unrealistic.

Even if you miraculously manage that workload, you’re going to be overworked, suffer a severe burnout, and hate every single minute of it. Imagine what it’s like to hate every minute of what you love doing the most!

One major benefit of increasing your rates is the availability of time. The higher you’re charging, the fewer projects you’ll have to work on. Which obviously means more time to focus on you, your family, friends, hobbies, and an occasional nap.
Pricing and Value: Is it true with Content? — Journal Of A Content Strategist
By: Nischala Agnihotri
Tags: Freelancing, Content Writing, Startup, Freelance Writing, Pricing Strategy

I have seen most often with consumer goods, manufacturers hit the market at a high price. Eventually, they slash the prices during high adoption. This provides value to the customer. They find value in purchasing a product at a lower price but, has claimed higher worth in the past.

It is about keeping the quality absolute and reducing the price.

Well, interestingly, this is not perceived right with ‘content as a product’. But, let me tell you it remains true with content too.

Think about all those international bestselling blogs that you follow. The highly successful blogger over the initial years publishes frequently. May a blog post a day.

But, this could be reduced to two per week, one per week and maybe one per month, and so on. However, their subscribers would still increase. This is because of the quality of their content most likely increases. The audience receives higher value from spending less time on their blog.

It is not the other way round. Many businesses are apprehensive about losing subscribers when they reduce the frequency.

That’s not true.

Share the blog where you have noticed this.
Why People Quit Being Digital Nomads (Three Ways To Avoid Burnout)
By: Eva Gutierrez
Tags: Travel, Freelancing, Digital Nomads, Freelance Writing, Traveling

There’s a feeling you get when you see your bed after you’ve traveled for a few days, weeks or months.

It’s a sigh of relief, a conclusion to your travels. Without knowing, it’s the reason that you want to continue to travel again. Just like going to the gym, you worked out (traveled) and now you need to take a rest to get your stamina back up. Once you’ve rested, then you’re ready to hit the road again.

When you don’t have that rest, you become exhausted.

After four months of backpacking, I hit a wall. I was in Europe and regardless of how old and historic a castle was, I couldn’t bring myself to go on another tour or see another landmark. I was burnt out and emotionally exhausted.

This is extremely common.

It’s the reason experienced digital nomads preach the necessity of living in one city for at least three months.If you move too quickly while trying to work, you’ll fall flat on your face.

To avoid this burn out:

Stay in one placefor 3+ months. Don’t travel like a backpacker who is living off of savings. Travel like someone who needs to prioritize a good Wifi connection. Find a co-living place to stay, this way you have an instant communityas soon as you land in a new country. There’s nothing more distracting than the feeling of loneliness. Prioritize your work whileprioritize adventure. This balance is different for everyone. I had a really hard time letting go of my work and feeling good about a day spent adventuring, for some reason I felt a lot of guilt. Now I’ve realized, that life isn’t just about business. It’s also about climbing volcanos at 2am and spending time around people who are only available to you today.

The digital nomad lifestyle isn’t for everybody, just as writing, freelancing or entrepreneurship isn’t.
Writers Can Make Money With These Three Untapped, Unique Methods
By: Junie Rutkevich
Tags: Medium Partner Program, Writing Tips, Freelance Writing, Make Money Online, Earn Money Online

Writers Can Make Money With These Three Untapped, Unique Methods

Content writing is one of the best ways to earn online, even though there’s an upsurge in the number of writers.

The number of websites has sky-rocketed and quadrupled over time, and with the increasing revenue generated from these sites, it’s not uncommon than the number of writers is also getting high.

Content writing is also the most important media globally and will die only with this world.

Why?

Because it is based on human natural power of expression. All human being make use of voice and voice uses words to express everything they do. So a very common myth that video will take the place of articles is absolutely groundless.

Image found in therelationshipblogger.com

If you have writing skills or even if you can train yourself to have writing skills you have a Goldmine that you are not looking at. This is the goldmine of online profit margins potential.

However, for beginners it is a tough task unless someone cultivates the virtue of patience.

Hence the reason why I write this story. I haven’t really been a fulltime writer all my career life, but I’ve been around this kitchen to know untapped nooks and crevices any writer can take advantage of.

I’m not going to promise it’s going to be easy though…
How to Build a Succesful Freelance Writing Career from Scratch
By: Kickstart Freelance Writing, Copywriting Career
Tags: Esl Writers, Freelance Tips, Blogging Training, Freelance Writing, Article Writing Tips

Image credit: Thirdman

If you want your writing career to take off, you need to be willing to study your craft even if it means going back to school. In this case, you just need to take a course that will give you a proven road map to follow and guide you where to direct your energy for maximum output.

For example, I bought an article writing course in 2016 for $20. In 2020, I felt I had outgrown article writing and bought a B2B writing course for $200. I’m glad I did.

Did you notice something?

There is a 4-year gap between the two courses. The reason is I wanted to implement what I had learned in 2016. I know it sounds funny.

Avoid Shiny Object Syndrome & Stay Focused

Image credit: Pixabay

Let’s get real: you need to stop jumping from one shiny object to the next aka Bright Shiny Object Syndrome (BSOS). Let’s face it. Sometimes you’ll see a new writer is still halfway through one course and then they switch to another.

You may think you’re making tons of progress but in the real sense, you’re making your writing journey way more complicated. This lack of focus tricks a lot of new writers.

I’m glad that the course I took in 2016 had a proven road map that made my writing journey easy. It’s only recently that I had a growing interest in B2B Writing and decided to buy the course.

The thing is to take a good course with a proven road map and implement what you’ve learned before taking another course. Avoid the shiny object syndrome. Become a student of your craft.

When you get closer to the top; you’ll get high pay for less amount of work, less stress, and less to worry about — doing what you love and getting paid well for it.

Freelance Writing & SEO Copywriting Training

Image credit: WriteWell

Since 2018, I’ve helped naturally talented writers like you — learn how to write well and make money online — writing articles and blog posts.

Are you looking for a course that will give you a proven road map to follow and guide you where to direct your energy for maximum output?

Well, I’m excited to announce a brand new course that is freaking awesome!

In Freelance Writing & SEO Copywriting course, you’ll learn about:

Article writing\ freelance writing

Blogging & blogging tools

Publishing your writing samples under your byline

The pros & cons of writing for content mills

SEO copywriting & marketing

Productivity & productive networking

How to transform yourself from a new ESL writer to an established writer

Overcoming fear and pulling the trigger

Writing clients

Writer pay

How to earn more from writing

How to keep your client pipeline full

I don’t understand how a writer can’t keep money in the bank and food on the table…after a Training like this.

Ready to pursue your writing dream?

Click here to join.
“Long Walk to Freedom!”
By: Taiye Kolade Ikulagba
Tags: Tkwrite, Nelson Mandela Quote, Freelance Writing, Justice, Stories

“Long Walk to Freedom!”

I was waiting at the entrance of the courtroom with shivering legs and hands trying to stay composed. As usual, he arrogantly looked into my cracked eyes with the typical audacity he demonstrates whenever he brags about his vein privileges and power.

But now he wouldn't just lift his head even slowly to see those eyes to catch a glimpse of the emotions in them, he looked away instead, and then, just then I knew I had conquered him.

It wasn't about the judge finally ruling in my favor after four agonizing years of trying to desperately prove the truth right.

It wasn't about seeing those men in carton-brown uniform and black beret walking him out of the court and into the Black Maria.

Nor was it about me presenting those inculpatory pieces of evidence that finally nailed him to the cross

It was him looking away like he had never done before. Unlike now, he would always search for my eyes so his untrue words could fill my head.

He is on his way to maximum prison to spend the rest of his sorrowful life behind bars made of hot irons - the type that wouldn't let you hold them while you look back at life.

He’s done for! No longer would he say “only God can judge me.” The truth right here has done that. He would await the rest in eternity while I reminisce on my “long walk to freedom.”
Mohammed Akel — Best Freelancing Services
By: Mohamed Akel
Tags: Freelancing, Writers On Writing, Mohammed Akel, Freelance Writing, Freelancing Services

Freelancing services sought after the rising of digitalization. These services are delivered in the fields of bookkeeping, accounting, teaching, social media management, and writing. Here people are at their best to deliver these significant services in respective fields. Content writing services can also be delivered as freelancing services, here the writer has to write blogs and content for the websites, they have to write different articles on required topics. Mohammed Akel living in Atlanta is one of the eminent writers. He has written unique and impactful articles on many issues most of them are related to the nation’s social, economic and political condition. Motive of his influencing writing is to aware of the people. He is also a very experienced freelance writer who delivers his best services to many business organizations.

Mohammed Akel writes on innovative and new technologies. His main area of writing concern is digitalization and emerging technology. He has got a lot of experience in this field. Through content marketing, he has delivered unsurpassed services to several marketing firms. Digital marketing is the world’s renowned platform to promote and expand businesses. A quality and rich content is the soul of the website, it can attract millions of users to your website. Content must be clear and amazing to convey the business idea to the users. It enhances the SEO rating and improves your business outcome.

Mohammed Akel also delivers his consultations regarding freelancing services, especially in the writing field. He helps many upcoming writers to pursue their career in freelancing services. Through freelance writing services, writers have the opportunity to earn from home. One can earn according to his work in freelance writing services, the extra money will be paid for extra writing service. Here the writer is independent to get work and accomplish at the desired time. There are brightwork scopes in this service.
Don’t You Feel Angry As A Ghostwriter?
By: Marifur Rahaman
Tags: Better Writing, Startup, Freelance, Ghostwriting, Freelance Writing

Don’t You Feel Angry As A Ghostwriter?

Earning money. It’s a thing for which you have to do things that you don’t like. I chose freelance writing as my career. And, I’m quite happy. It keeps my stomach full and ensures that I have a roof to sleep under. But there are moments that fill my eyes with tears.

I Feel Like A Surrogate Mother

You spend sleepless nights to craft a piece of article. You go the extra mile and add more and more value to your article. You scissor the inconsistencies. And then what? When you submit the article, you see someone else’s name in a big font under it. No I’m not talking about writing for companies — that is bearable. I’m talking about writing for individual people. People who can’t write but they have money. And I need the money. What do I sell in exchange for the money? My visibility.

What did you say? “Don’t be grouchy”? Yeah yeah, I know. I’m here after thoroughly knowing what I would experience. So, here I am, sucking it up. Let’s give birth to a new baby that I can’t call mine…
How To Get Writing Clients From Facebook
By: Richard Spiecker
Tags: Freelancing, Facebook, Writing, Writing Tips, Freelance Writing

Facebook is one of the best places to get clients. By far. In this post, I will write a step-by-step guide for you to get clients. If you commit to this every day, you could get your first client from Facebook within 10 days.

1. Turn your profile page into a professional page. Eliminate any personal things on your profile. If necessary, create a new profile page specifically for your business.

As for your Facebook banner, turn it into a professional mugshot with a short headline describing what you do.

2. Create a new Facebook Group under your business name. Inside the Group, you want to share helpful tips and information. No selling (yet).

3. Add the Group link to your profile page. Ideally, when people visit your profile page, they should see your Group link and some of them will join.

4. Join as many Groups where your potential clients hang out as you can. Let’s say if you specialize in writing for dental clients. You should join all groups where dentists are part of.

5. Add value, value, value. Every day, you should comment in these Groups to offer helpful tips related to your profession. Don’t try to sell anything. Just add value. If you add incredible value, people will visit your profile to see who you are.

And of course, they will see your Group link.

6. Nurture your Group. While you are building your Group as you add value to other Groups, you should nurture your own Group with helpful content. Deliver information that will help them grow their businesses. Ask them questions. Answer any question. And so on.

7. Announce a webinar. Don’t overthink this. Just announce that you will offer a webinar on a helpful topic. If you write content, you can say — “3 Secrets of Getting 40% More Shares From Your Content.”

After sharing three secrets in the webinar, you announce that you will take on only five clients for this month. Send them to the purchase page.

8. Repeat and rinse. This method works very, very well. You should try it for yourself. After all, it’s free!
Why Many Writers Never Earn Full-Time Income
By: Richard Spiecker
Tags: Freelancing, Writing, Prospects, Freelance Writing, Clients

Learning how to write is important. Unfortunately, the graves are filled with talented writers abandoning their dreams because they couldn’t make a full-time income to pursue that passion.

And the world is filled with mediocre writers (maybe undeservingly) earning six figures and beyond. The reason is simple. Freelancing writers who are able to earn full-time income understand that they must make time to prospect for new business every day.

It’s part of the game.

Famous direct response marketer, Dan Kennedy, once said, “Never go home until you have talked to at least one new potential client each day.”

True, true. What if you don’t feel comfortable talking to a prospect, or if you have no idea what to talk about? Here’s my suggestion: Start small. Simply contact any person with a small relevance to your niche. It doesn’t matter if they could become your client or not.

Simply ask them to make time for an “informational interview” where you are considering becoming a freelancing writer, and you want to learn more about the industry.

This is a simple request, and it will open many doors for you. In general, people love to help others. If you are genuine in asking for more information, people will offer their time.

Eventually, you will narrow down the picture and understand what kind of prospects you should approach. And then, start talking to at least one of them every day!

Just think: How many times have you talked to a potential client in the last month? Now, do you think talking to one every business day would change your career? Certainly!

Try it for yourself.
Please, for the love of God, be yourself.
By: Lisa Fourman
Tags: Freelancing, Beyourself, LGBTQ, Freelance Writing, Just Be Yourself

I sat down this evening after my shift at my call center job with every intention of practicing my cold emailing game before I started reaching out to people.

Instead, I find myself writing this blog post with the intention of bearing my soul. Lately, my anxiety has been at an all-time high and it has been affecting every part of my life.

I feel like I’m battling an up-hill battle with what I feel like I can handle at work and it hurts me in more ways than one. We are a team and I feel like I’m not carrying my weight when I don’t pick up calls as quickly as others might.

I’ve had this fear as well that I’ll get punished if I go to my boss with these thoughts. I know that’s not the case but I still feel it.

I believe this is what held me back as a beginning freelancer as well: I was afraid that the blog posts I wrote wouldn’t hold up as well as my clients were expecting them to.

I didn’t believe in myself when I was a freelancer the first time around and there are still some days when I feel like this even now. It takes me time to shake off the fears at times and that is when it hurts the most.

I want people out there to feel like they aren’t alone. If you feel afraid to come out of the closet because of the fear of judgment or failure, it’s okay. We all have that fear but it hurts even more to feel like you can’t be yourself.

That’s why I decided to be a freelancer: I wanted to feel like I can be myself and feel in control of my schedule. I am more in control of my schedule with my current job, sure, but I’m not in as much control as I’d like.

As someone in the LGBTQ+ community as well, I want to work with companies that allow me to express myself more fully than some of the more traditional companies would.

I want to write about the topics that most people would find to be off the beaten path. I want to talk about the things that make some people blush. I want to talk about the injustices faced by the LGBTQ+ community.

I want to talk more about how my Christian family kicked me out essentially. I want people to feel like they aren’t alone and I want to work with the companies who understand that and want the same thing.

In the end, I want to move past the fear that I’m not putting enough into the team and writing about it does some good but I need to do more.

I will always feel like I’m not doing enough but sometimes taking one step at a time is all it takes. Please, if you feel like you aren’t good enough or you aren’t doing enough, please say something.

Please reach out for help if you need it. Don’t try to work through it alone. Don’t feel like you must do everything on your own because it doesn’t work like that. You’re never alone, no matter what it may feel like. Period.
The Biggest Lie About Success (Why I Took A Major Pay Cut)
By: Eva Gutierrez
Tags: Freelancing, Life Lessons, Strategic Planning, Success, Freelance Writing

Success isn’t a linear path.

I’ve built a careeroff of getting paid to learn about topics I like learning about. For example, I write podcast show notes for iTunes Top Rated podcasts and a multimillion dollar agency’s podcast. I spend an hour listening to a podcast and then I write an article based off of the content.

I listen, I learn, and I get a pay check.

As a freelance writer, you would assume that my next step is to start charging more for each article I write.

“Raise your rates until somebody says no.”

This is practical advice but it’s not the only advice to follow.

Yes, I should raise my rates as my skill level increases but I should also look for opportunities to learn about what I’ll need to know in six months, one year, five years, etc. from now.

This means that I’ll accept a lower paying job. For example, I recently started working with one of my client’s as her virtual assistant. I get paid $10–$15 an hour, which is a massive difference in what I get paid for writing content.

Once I explain my reasoning for this, people have one reaction.

“That’s brilliant.”

Through working with her, I’ve been able to see what a six figure entrepreneur’s schedule looks like. I’ve gotten to be the mediator between brand and influencer. I’ve been able to see rates that were previously behind a curtain. Not only have I learned what to expect as my writing business grows, I’ve learned what I need to do to make my future assistant’s job as easy as possible.

If you look at just the numbers, it would seem like I’ve failed. I’ve added a $10-$15 an hour job to my week when I’m used to getting paid quadruple.

In reality, I have never been so successful.

I work as a freelance writer and supplement my free time learning what I’ll need to know in the upcoming future, and getting a paycheck for it.

When we give success the filter of starting from $0 and moving progressively higher, we are the demise of our own potential.

Other examples of a non-linear progression that make you more successful than others:

Letting your business’s Instagram account lose followers-From the outside you have less of a following but your account has more engagement and you’re closer to having 1,000 true fansthan an account with 100,000 uninterested followers Selling everything you own and living as minimally as possible-It looks like you have nothing but you’re going to be 10x more connected to the reality of life, able to go wherever opportunity calls, and aware of the burden of material items Taking a month out of work to go and solo travel the world-You’re taking a pay cut but the personal development and life experience will put you ten fold above your peers

Our potential lies in what we don’t know.

And if that means you get paid less than your normal rate in order to learn how to do it, that doesn’t mean you aren’t on the path to success.

If anything, you are speeding past everybody else solely focused on their bank account, and not the bigger picture.

And that is the truth.
I’m packing up my bags and trying the nomad life
By: Maryy Cho
Tags: Nomad, Scandinavia, Solo Travel, Solo Female Travel, Freelance Writing

Packing up your life and leaving everything and everyone you know behind doesn’t just sound scary — it is! But it’s something I’ve wanted to do since high school and I made it my mission to do it.

Hello Medium, nice to meet you! My name is Mary and I’m a mobile and web app designer, as well as a freelancer in digital marketing. I love my life in Orange County; I love what I do, the company I work for, my friends and my family. I’ve always been a curious person… I question things, google things, and if something fascinates me, I make it my mission to learn everything about it… for me, thats food, culture, nature, people, animals, design… the whole world!

High school was where I first heard what a foreign exchange student was. My friend was hosting a student from Australia and I literally sat next to him all night and asked him everything about this foreign exchange program.

After that day, I asked my parents if I could do it my senior year.

Nope.

College hit.

Nope.

So I made the decision to teach English in Seoul, Korea after I graduate.

What happened during college? I had a boyfriend of 7 years, started freelancing in social media management and designing apps. All this made moving to a different country and leaving it all behind so hard.
How Much Should A Freelance Writer Charge Per Word?
By: Nebojsa, Nesha
Tags: Freelancers, Freelance, Freelance Writing, Freelancing

Photo by Rajiv Perera on Unsplash

Every now and then you stumble upon some version of this question on some forum or Quora.

Quot homines, tot sententiae. (Latin)

“So many men, so many opinions.”

Or, we can put it like this:

So many freelance writers, so many prices.

This one may work for freelancers just fine, but what about the clients who are supposed to hire them for writing tasks? They would certainly appreciate some additional and more precise information to help them offer a fair price. At the same time, freelance writers should know where they stand in terms of their expectations and the market’s limits.

Better To Charge Per 100 Words Than Per Single Word

It’s much simpler this way, don’t you think?

The native writers usually charge around $10 for 100 words.

On the other hand, you can find freelance writers who charge as low as a dollar or two for the whole article. It hurts me to even do the math how much that is for 100 words.

I consider the price of $5 for 100 words to be the most acceptable and fair for a freelance writer. Based on my experience it usually takes you up to one hour to write a 500-word article. So, if your hourly rate is $25 per hour, you can do the math.

The catch is that freelance writing prices can vary a lot. You can get an article for just one dollar or you can pay $100 for it.

Freelance Content Writing Prices vs. Freelance Copywriting Prices

Just to clarify, I’m talking about the prices for the content writing. When it comes to copywriting, that’s a completely different thing. Why? It’s not the same when you are writing content for a website and blog posts. Those are “traditional” content writing gigs. On the other hand, you have the landing pages and other sales-oriented materials that can easily cost you thousands of dollars. Of course, these copywriting pieces of creative work are supposed to ensure the high conversion rates. That’s why you have to pay a lot because you expect a lot in return.

When we talk about freelance content writers and copywriters, there’s so much more at stake than just semantics. That’s why I have to stop here and simply say, copywriting is a completely different ball game. As a freelance copywriter, you may charge per hour, but you should forget about the prices per word basis for obvious reasons.

Your Freelance Writing Price — Your Freelance Thing

Long story short, it’s up to you to decide how much you’re going to charge per word. Just make sure both parties are happy with the price.

There are no rules. There are countless exceptions to the rules.

Here’s something I learned working as a freelance writer. This may be the only part of my article that my fellow freelance writers would actually like:

You can’t make the whole word like your writing, just one guy who is supposed to pay for it.
Sharn Rayment // Freelance Digital Producer & Copywriter
By: Sharn Rayment
Tags: Cv, Digital Producer, Portfolio, Freelance Writing, Copywriter

I work with major brands and broadcasters to produce high quality, engaging digital content, leading the process all the way from the initial concept to the very final post.

Over the past seven years I’ve worked on the biggest entertainment shows in the UK, including Love Island, Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing on Ice, Geordie Shore, Celebrity Big Brother and more, helping to take their digital content offering to the next level.

With a background in journalism, I specialise in producing attention-grabbing copy and possess a wealth of editorial expertise, spanning everything from great tweets to gripping news stories. I’ve written pieces for the likes of Metro, i-D and Fashionbeans, establishing myself as a fast and accurate writer.

But that’s not all. I’m also a dab hand at Adobe Premiere Pro and Photoshop, turning out high quality video and visual content to meet brand briefs and requirements. Plus, I’m an experienced self shooter, bringing creative ideas to life from start to finish.

Just check out my own TikTok with over 56k followers to see what I can do with a camera phone and some creative thinking! Or keep on scrolling for an overview of my professional work…
Zero to Dream Job in 90 Days!
By: Kathy Blackwell
Tags: Amazing World, Writers On Writing, Freelance Writing, Whales, Stories And Culture

Zero to Dream Job in 90 Days!

Day # 11 Whale Tales

I hope you will forgive me for going off topic from the job search in this post tonight, but I want to tell you about something rather magnificent that has happened!

Have you ever been on a whale watch? Living on Cape Cod, I am thrilled every time I go, like it is the first. The anticipation builds as the boat chugs out to sea and you start to look for the telltale signs; groups of seagulls overhead, other boats, a dark bump in water in the distance. And then you see one and the gasps come out of the crowd, even if you think you can hold yours back! The whales are often in the distance, but sometimes they come close to the boat and it is a feeling of utter joy and amazement to be so close to such a magnificent creature.

I have also had the good fortune to look a whale right in the eye. As part of the Whale Stranding Network years ago, my son and I each assisted in a whale stranding and helped to keep pilot whales wet until the tide came up and then helped get them back out into the water. While my partner and I worked to hold our whale up as the tide started to come in, I remember him saying “Here’s our chance to kiss a whale”. We each took a turn kissing his rubbery head and looking him in the eye. It was a miraculous moment I will never forget.

Yesterday, a diver near the tip of the Cape was diving for lobster down below, with his boat mate in the boat up above, when he felt a bump and everything went black. He says he realized he was somehow inside a whale and thought about his family, as you would if you found yourself inside a whales mouth! After less than a minute, the whale rose the 35 feet or so to the surface, opened his mouth, shook his head and flung him out into the sea!

The sea is all around us here and people still make their living from fishing, aquaculture, viewing whales, seals and now great white sharks from tour boats. The relationship between humans and the sea has always been full of stories and legends such as mermaids, selkies, monsters and dolphins saving people in trouble. Never have I heard a story of a human in a whales mouth, at least not since the Bible story of Jonah and the Whale or Gepetto and Pinocchio in the blue whale in the Disney movie. It’s pretty fascinating if you ask me!

I watched “Whale Rider” tonight, a movie about the indigenous Maori people in New Zealand, their legendary connection to the whales and how the animal kingdom has messages for us, if we listen. In thinking about the extraordinary event that occurred at the tip of the Cape, I can’t help but think about what the message might be to we humans from the whales. I will be listening.

#79 days to go!!
The Two Ways you can Charge your Clients by Filipino Virtual Assistance (FVA)
By: K ___
Tags: Freelance Writing, Freelancing, Freelancer Blogs

One of the hardest things to decide when you’re a newbie in freelancing is how to set your rates, whether you charge your client per hour or per project. But, how does that work and how will you do that? It’s difficult, right? Let’s look at these options below and check if it helps you with your problem.

Charging per hour

Charging per hour means you will be having a fixed regular wage for the number of hours your client is requiring you to perform. The beauty of charging per hour is that it can help you in coming up with your pricing strategy once you’re already intermediate and expert in freelancing. Once your experience in freelancing increases, your charge rate per hour will also increase.

On the other hand, if you perform the work quickly and competently, you’re not going to get paid more when you charge per hour. The disadvantage of this is when you become quicker and better as you go along, you’ll not be paid well the better you become.

Charging per project

Charging per project works better on many levels because you can charge more and still keep the client happy because you’re providing a great value.

Clients hired a freelancer because they always think that freelancers can accomplished the task in less time to complete than they can accomplish.So, if you give them a total price for the entire project (incorporating time spent on the task plus all the extras like email and phone correspondence etc) then, you will deliver the accomplished job the way you and your client stipulated.

One good side of it is that timeframe will not be a requirement because only you know how long the project will take you to finish it. Remember that you’ll be faster and better the longer you’re a VA so tasks won’t take long to accomplish.

Setting your rates…

Setting your rates depends on your expertise. When you’re new and you don’t know how to charge your client, consulting experts is one of the best options. But, if you really need to give your rate right away, consider the following factors:

Do you think you’re good at what you do?

Have you worked hard to gain your skills and experience?

Do you think your skills are valuable in terms of saving or making people money or giving them more time?

Are a lot of other VAs offering this service or are you a specialist in this area?

Then, think of your worth and charge.

You are a modern business minded individual, you have skills and you are trained to fulfill tasks as a freelancer. Position yourself well and the client will realize your worth, don’t settle for less for the sake of getting hired. But, you can grab projects offering lower costs to have experience of the tasks. Just make sure that the project is worth the effort.

Please visit https://www.fvaconsultancy.com/the-two-ways-you-can-charge-your-clients/ for more info!
Boost Your Immune System Now for a Healthier Tomorrow
By: Neeru Singh M.D.
Tags: Wellness, Immunity, Health, Covid 19, Moms

You’re wearing a mask and you’ve had your flu shot. You’re doing your part to keep others safe. We thank you! Now let’s focus on keeping you healthy this season, too.

Below are impactful, simple ways to prime your immune system for a season of wellness.

Wash hands frequently. Wash hands thoroughly.

This is a crucial line of defense against germs and infection. Be sure you wash up the right way, whether you’ve been out in public or are hanging out inside with friends and family members.

If you drink, consume alcohol in moderation.

This is particularly relevant during the holidays. Holiday obligations, schedules, and festivities can put a strain on your immune system and suddenly self-care slips on your priority list (it happens to all of us). If you do drink, make sure you’re familiar with and considering CDC guidelines on moderate alcohol consumption.

Maintain a healthy diet.

That means focusing on balanced meals with immune-boosting nutrients. Make a goal to eat 5–7 servings of fruits and veggies most days, so you get plenty of vitamins and minerals needed to boost your immune system. And, consider a healthy protein source, whether plant-based like beans, nuts, seeds, and lentils, or animal-based like chicken, yogurt, eggs, and fish.

Get your rest.

This means adequate sleep (aim for 7–9 hours) and regular periods of mindfulness (disconnect, unplug, and slow down in general). We recommend combining the two — disconnect from all screens at least an hour prior to bedtime. Relax with a warm bath or meditation app to get your body in sleep-mode.

Stick with your exercise routine.

Regular exercise contributes to overall good health, and by extension, helps to maintain a healthy immune system. While a balance of cardiovascular activity and strength training is ideal, a baseline of exercise is a healthy goal through the holidays. And you don’t have to go crazy: a brisk walk often does the trick. Opt for rest mixed with brief periods of activity if you’re already sick.

Avoid indoor gatherings, especially this year.

We’re in the middle of a pandemic and we’re in the depths of cold and flu season. Stay away from indoor get-togethers with folks outside your household. And if you must be inside, wear a mask and keep more than six feet apart.

Don’t smoke.

Not only does smoking compromise your immune system in the short term, it also puts you at increased risk for disease and cancer over the long term. The American Cancer Society offers a great ‘Guide to Quitting’ to help get you started. Check-in with your primary care physician and get set up with the support you’ll need to keep going.

Mind your stress level.

This is a tough one! Still, we recommend finding moments to chill out through the holidays. Carbon Health’s Sarah Borish, Ph.D., shares her tips on combating stress this season in her latest article.

Liked what you read? Learn more by downloading the Carbon Health app or visiting carbonhealth.com.