I'm speaking to the freelance hopefuls in the group today.
I got some really good questions yesterday from a new freelancer. I thought I'd share the Q&A here:
1/ What strategies did you use to find your first clients?
It’s all about your network. Determine what niche you want to work in. Then, reach out to people you know in that niche and ask them if they need help or if they know of anyone who needs help. Keep building relationships.
For job boards, try these suggestions from Samantha:
2/ How can I effectively build a portfolio as a ghostwriter when much of my work is not published under my name?
You can reach out and ask your client for permission to include it in your portfolio. You can also write into your contract that you can use ghost-written work as samples. Sidenote: Always charge a premium price for ghost-written work. Your byline goes a long way in helping you land new clients. Another idea is to publish your own blog/medium and/or create spec work.
3/ What were the main challenges in transitioning to full-time freelance writing, and how did you overcome them?
Learning the ins and outs of building a business. Not only do you have to be a great writer, but you have to be good at marketing and sales. I think it’s worth it to join a community, take a course, or scour websites of industry-leading freelancers.
4/ At what point did you feel confident it was time to go full-time?
I’m not a huge risk-taker when it comes to my livelihood. I started out by moonlighting. When I had enough clients to replace my income, I made the full transition.
5/ How do you stay organized and manage your time with multiple projects?
I plan my content calendar for the upcoming month during the last week of the previous month. I schedule in time for breaks and any potential new client work. Don’t overpack your schedule. I also use tools to manage my business projects. Tools like Moxie and Harlow can help with business management. Tools like Trello and Asana help with project management.
6/ What is your long-term vision for freelance writing, and where do you see this field heading? Are there any skills or trends you think are important to focus on?
This field is shifting because of AI. Keep up on AI trends and learn how you can use it to speed up production. That said, also fine-tune skills that AI can’t do—deep reporting, interviewing, good writing (lol), original research, etc.
Thanks,
Ashley
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Expert Interview | Kat Boogaard
1/ Do you recall your first (a few firsts) writing project? What was it like, as in freelance or in-house, what niche etc.?
I did quite a few writing projects throughout college and even in my in-house marketing job. But as a freelancer, my first paid writing gig was writing one article per month for a local women’s magazine (in print!). I was paid $50 for every 500-ish-word article and was absolutely thrilled. Some of my other early projects were writing blog posts for a storage unit company (for $40 per post!) and product descriptions for fitness trackers as part of a content mill. Not exactly a glamorous start.
2/ Your blogs have a theme of making freelancing topics relatable for people with traditional jobs. Is this something you aimed at, or it naturally evolved as such?
My niche as a paid writer is the “world of work,” which means I write a ton of advice and content geared toward people who are employed in “traditional” full-time jobs. But on my own site, most of what I publish is aimed at fellow freelancers who are trying to start or grow their businesses. I worked in a traditional full-time job prior to freelancing, so I do try to write content for existing freelancers as well as people who are considering taking the leap.
3/ On the same note, develop your voice is often an advice for freelancers to stand out. How to develop that voice/flavour when working with multiple clients?
One of the compliments I receive the most is about my writing style, which is always flattering. My own writing voice tends to be pretty casual and conversational, with a decent dose of humor and sarcasm peppered in. Obviously, when doing client work, I need to adapt to my client’s tone and style guide. But honestly, most of my clients found me because of my own voice and style—they see my work in other places, enjoy it, and want to do something similar with their own content.
From reading your work aloud to taking notes about the approach of other writers you admire, there are tons of tips for finding and refining your own voice. But my go-to one is usually something along the lines of “stay patient and commit to the process.” Finding your voice is a journey, and an oftentimes-long and constantly-evolving one at that. Keep experimenting to find what feels right for you. I go back and read some of my old stuff and chuckle because I don’t think it sounds like me at all.
Sharpen Your Writing Skills 📝 | 4-A Framework
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