Want to Get Paid for Your Writing?
When I’ve mentioned to family and friends that some of my income comes from writing, there’s an element of surprise. After all, aren’t writers broke? My response is that earning income from writing has a lot in common with earning money in other careers – working smart and being willing to hustle can help open doors. It’s not luck, it’s having a system that makes it more likely that ‘big breaks’ or opportunities pop up.
Earning Money with Freelance Writing
I know that some Couple Money readers are looking at earning more on the side and freelance writing is one way to do so. Unfortunately some people wonder how to make the transition into being a freelance writer. Unconventional Guides came out with a new release that delves into the nuts and bolts of building a business from writing, aptly titled The Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing.
What’s Included in the Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing?
Like other Unconventional Guides, this newest release has several components to it.
- The Ultimate Freelancers Guide: Amber Adrian, 10 year freelance writing veteran, created a 55-page guide with practical steps for crafting a pitch, sample rates for a variety of writing projects, and how to manage yourself as a business professional. She also goes into topics like when and how to raise your rates.
- The Big List or Links and Resources: A comprehensive list of vetted resources and online tools every freelancer should have on speed dial.
- “Rejection Be Damned” Tools for Success: Within the half dozen smaller and more targeted guides, topics like overcoming writer’s block and being an introverted freelancer are covered.
If you decide to plunge in with the Editor in Chief package you get some big bonuses, including:
- Sample Pitches and Letters of Introduction. You’ll get your hands on actual pitch letters and LOIs that have successfully landed freelance writing work in legit publications.
- Bonus Author Interviews. You’ll get the transcripts of eight Q&A’s with successful freelance writers from all genres. Each interviewee shares their personal secrets on how they land their best business, how they got their first gig, and what unconventional methods they use to get their writing out to the world.
- 44 minute audio interview with seasoned travel writer Kristin Luna who lands bylines in heavy-hitting publications including Newsweek, Forbes, Redbook, Self and Glamour, and has contributed to several Frommer’s travel guidebooks.
Depending on how much time, you’re investing into freelance writing, you may opt for the Pen for Hire edition to test the waters out. Either edition you decide to go with, once you buy an Unconventional Guide you get lifetime updates.
Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing– Overview
Interested in learning more? Let me give you an overview of the 55 page guide that serves as the backbone.
Getting Started and Setting Yourself Up
Adrian opens up with the mindset of becoming a successful freelance writer and quickly jumps into getting started by creating a very basic site to serve as your online presence, finding a niche to gain some experience, and sending your first pitch. The idea is not to simply think about being a writer, it’s about getting work and building up your resume and skills from day one.
Speaking of pitches, they and letters of introductions are covered in the first section. Adrian gets into how to pitch and how to research for different publications. She also jumps into how to find and hook clients by doing interviews with other experienced freelancers. After all each writer has a different style, you may find that you are more phone networker or perhaps you like using online social media tools like LinkedIn.
The guide gives a bird’s eye level view of the different types of writing opportunities available to freelance writers including blogging, content marketing, and magazines. Adrian finishes up the section with how to nail your job – vetting and interviewing sources, making your deadlines, and working with editors.
Getting Paid and Other Practicalities
Paying the bills is usually a big concern for writers and Adrian address it in her next section. Making the transitions varies from person to person, but most test the waters out before taking the plunge into full time writing. This section goes over how to figure out how to charge – by hour, project, or retainer, and how much to charge.
Once you’ve become established and you’ve built up your portfolio, you inevitably wonder how to raise rates, which is included in the guide as well. The section also discusses taxes and contracts, both huge and important to a freelance writer.
Getting Out of Bed Every Morning and Facing Your Fears
This section tackles the realities of being a freelance writer on a daily basis. How do you stay motivated and productive when you’re the boss? How do you overcome fears and writer’s block when you’re working on a deadline?
One of the biggest challenges with being self employed is dealing with the ebb and flow of projects. Sometimes you are just swamped with business and then it seems like it’s been forever since you got a new client. Adrian shares tips and advice on how to deal with the slow periods.
Thoughts on Earning Money as a Freelance Writer
I found The Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing an informative guide for those considering making the transition into becoming a full-time freelance writer. If you want to grab a copy, please click here and pick the edition that works for your situation. If you’re curious about starting a business, but you know writing is not for you, please check out the complete list of all the Unconventional Guides on his site.
There is much more to the multimedia, I only wanted to give you an overview of the main guide so you can get an idea if this is for you. I hope you find my review helpful. Whatever you decide, I wish you success on your freelance writing. If you have any questions about the guide, please email me.
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