avatarJohn Teehan

Summary

The article outlines five key indicators of success for freelance writers, including higher-paying assignments, more engaging work, better clients, an improved work-to-income ratio, and sustained enjoyment of the job.

Abstract

The article "5 Signs Of Freelance Writing Success" provides insight into the freelance writing profession, detailing how writers can gauge their success. It emphasizes that success is often marked by an increase in payment for assignments, reflecting a growing recognition of the writer's expertise and value. As writers progress, they gain the ability to select more intriguing projects that align with their interests, such as cybersecurity, food, games, or art. The quality of clients also improves, with professional and respectful relationships becoming the norm, replacing those with unreasonable demands and poor compensation. A rising work-to-income ratio indicates efficiency and better financial reward for the writer's time. Lastly, maintaining a passion for the craft is a crucial sign of a thriving freelance writing career. The article encourages writers to persevere, as these positive changes signal that they are on the right path.

Opinions

  • The author believes that low-paying jobs are a common experience for beginner freelance writers but should not be accepted indefinitely.
  • It is suggested that writers should expect to encounter tedious assignments initially but will have the opportunity to choose more interesting work as they establish themselves.
  • The article conveys that problematic clients are an unfortunate part of the early freelance experience, but learning to identify and avoid them is a skill that develops with time.
  • The author opines that record-keeping is essential for freelancers to track their progress and ensure they are being fairly compensated for their time.
  • Enjoying the work is presented as a fundamental aspect of freelance writing success, and a lack of enjoyment may be a sign to consider other career paths.
  • The author expresses confidence in the benefits of a freelance writing career, despite its challenges, and encourages writers to continue if they see improvements in their work and compensation.

5 Signs Of Freelance Writing Success

How to tell you’re doing well.

Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash

How can one tell?

If you think about it, the signs should be obvious. But if you’ve ever wondered or questioned how you’re doing on your road to success as a freelance writer, here’s a summary of how to recognize success.

You’re Getting Assignments That Pay More

Most of my assignments in my early career didn’t pay as much as I’d have liked. I was a nobody scrounging for work on various freelance sites, spending hours upon hours on jobs that paid a flat rate of $20 or $30.

Although I hate to say that, it’s kind of true that this comes with the territory. Very few freelance writers can start out earning high rates. In most cases, freelancers must learn the ropes on their own through trial and error, and many people are willing to profit from your inexperience.

When you recognize which jobs aren’t worth your time and figure out how to land better-paying employment, you realize that things are beginning to change for you.

Keep going. Pay attention to opportunities. The higher-paying jobs will start to appear once you’ve grasped your worth as a freelance writer.

You’re Getting Work That’s More Interesting

You might have had a few interesting assignments when you started as a freelance writer. I did. In fact, I thought that freelance writing would be a fantastic career because my earliest jobs were so engaging. You might have had a similar experience.

First off, you weren’t mistaken. Writing for a living is a fantastic career.

However, you made a mistake when you assumed the task would always be exciting.

Photo by Matias North on Unsplash

You’ll probably discover that many of the jobs you receive when you start out are dull or tedious. You might find yourself writing about condos, plastics manufacturing, or estate law. While they can be important topics for some people, these are hardly the kinds of assignments that a writer for The New Yorker would take on.

On the other hand, these assignments pay and occasionally pay relatively well. They need to be written by someone. Why not you?

Yet, as your career progresses and you have more freedom and security to choose the assignments you want to do, you’ll notice that the writing projects grow more and more engaging.

I like writing about cybersecurity. The more of those types of jobs I get, the better. I also like to write about food, so obtaining a writing project that involves food is a win for me — as long as it’s not for one of those awful recipe websites. The same is true of games and art.

Your interests may lie elsewhere for you.

The point is when you’re finding you can pick more engaging assignments or see these assignments coming to you because you’ve established this as a niche, then you know your freelance writing career is on a good path.

Your Clients Are Better

Some of my first clients I detested. Perhaps it was due to the low pay.

Most likely, it was due to the gradually growing scope of the assignments, i.e., unpaid additional work.

One early client hired me to upload and edit some language lessons they had written for their WordPress website. Then they began requesting translations beyond the initial assignment’s parameters. And because this was for Japanese language lessons, they wanted the Japanese portions to be written in roman letters, kana, and kanji — whether doing so fit the context or ability level of the lesson.

And no, I wasn’t given any extra pay. In fact, the client advised me to show more gratitude for my compensation as soon as I indicated I should be paid more for the additional effort.

I let them go.

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

This kind of thing happened a few more times until I eventually developed the ability to spot troublesome clients more efficiently. I now have some awesome folks I work for who are very clear about what they want and how they want it. They provide productive criticism and pay promptly. Some even recommend me to other businesses.

Life is too short for bad clients. Fire the undesirables. The good ones will eventually come along.

Your Work/Income Ratio Is Rising

I previously described how I would put in a lot of time on assignments that would ultimately pay very little. This frequently happens to new freelancers.

Simply look at your average hourly rate if you ever question whether your career is moving in the proper direction. Compare your current notes to the hourly average from the previous year. (If you don’t keep these sorts of records yet, you should start now.)

If you’re earning more without having to put in too many more hours, you’re doing great.

You Still Enjoy What You Do

Do you sit down at the beginning of your workday (whenever that may be) with joy or dread?

Everything will be okay if you enjoy what you’re doing.

Photo by George Bakos on Unsplash

There isn’t much else to say about this. If you hate what you’re doing, and you’ve hated it for a while now, then it may be time to find something else.

After a few years, if you still have fun working as a freelance writer, keep at it. You’re succeeding.

Go With the Flow and Full Speed Ahead

If you’ve been freelancing for a while and not seeing any tangible reward, it may be time to pursue other paths. That said, despite the challenges, I firmly believe in the benefits of being a freelance writer.

If you’ve been at this for a while, and seeing your compensation improve, your engagement increase, and your enjoyment holding steady, then those are some pretty sure signs that you’re doing great.

You’re succeeding.

Keep on keeping on.

Cheers!

About John Teehan

John lives in Rhode Island with his wife, son, and dog. He specializes in tech, health, business, parenting, pop culture, and gaming. Visit wordsbyjohn.net for more info and rates. Twitter: @WordsByJohn2.

Interested in the freelance lifestyle? Check out The Freelance Creative by JohnTeehan. John shares advice and tips for a successful freelance career — drawing from over twenty years of personal experience. Available in book form or as a Kindle Unlimited read.

Freelancing
Writing
Freelance Writing
Success
Careers
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