Ten Ways to Advance Your Freelance Writing Career

The world of the web and its driving, never-ending need for content opens up a multitude of opportunities for budding writers and freelance writing careers. Content management sites like AssociatedContent and Constant-Content provide excellent places for freelance writers working from home to get a notable start. Whether it is working solely for content management sites or bidding, there are ways to make more of a freelance writing career, to increase viewership, offers, and sales.

Some of these suggestions are small, obvious changes, reminders really, that can have a big impact overall. Others are more ambitious undertakings, but all of them are aimed at one thing: improving a freelance writing career.

Obejectives are presented in no particular order because each are important at different levels to individual freelance writers.

1. Organize your time.

Have at least a general routine that outlines when you will write. Devote blocks of the day (if not specific times) to writing. Learn to ignore unimportant interruptions and include a contingency plan for unavoidable road-blocks, like illness or friends and family who show up unannounced because they don't think you "really work".

2. Organize your space.

Working in a clean, reasonably organized environment is more efficient time-wise, and mentally beneficial as well. Resources are easier to locate and getting down to work will be faster when the mess of the previous day doesn't need clearing before you can start. A place for everything, everything in it's place, will go far.

3. Avoid the traps of the 'Net'.

Research and networking, necessary communication is one thing, but unproductive surfing, emailing and aimlessly wandering on the net are another entirely. It is easy to get sidetracked and waste precious research and writing time. Pay attention and catch yourself when you feel yourself starting to stray. Save unproductive web browsing for the free-time block in your schedule. If necessary, strictly limit the number and/or amount of times you allow yourself to spend emailing. Separating business from personal email accounts is a good idea.

4. Niche writing

New writers hear this advice often: find your niche. Writing to niche markets reduces your dependency on research and the time spent searching, allowing you to produce more in less or the same amount of time. Keep open all doorways and be willing to write as needed on a variety of topics to pay the bills, but look for a niche market that is in demand for a large majority of your writing.

5. Explore new markets.

The more places to sell your writing, the more potential money there is to make. Search for new markets for your writing, and do not try to rely on only one or two purchasing sources. This way, you do not have to start over completely when one market's need is filled. This may mean fearing less and pushing outside your comfort level, but it is necessary if you want your writing career to grow.

6. Blog more.

Some blogs can actually make you money and once established, this is a good avenue to explore with your blog. However, making money blogging relies on being able to show a well maintained blog with good traffic. In the meantime while you build up to this, use your blog in the way that will be ultimately most beneficial to you- as a means of self promotion. Write in your blog about any freelance writing topic; give snippets, then point to the good stuff- content here on AC or elsewhere. Get noticed by publishers and content buyers. Provide links to your freelance writing everywhere so you can easily be found.

7. Build a website.

It need not be cutting-edge or expensive, it just needs to be there as a promotional tool and a way in which you can be contacted. Link to your work on the internet abroad, and provide samples of your freelance writing. Show what you can do, then tell potential clients where you can be found.

8. Post profiles.

Use social networking and freelance writing sites to post profiles of yourself and the work you do. The more exposure you have, the more people will find you. For difficult niche marketing, being visible might just make you one of only a few locatable freelance writers available for a given topic.

9. Improve your talents as a content writer.

Writing freelance web content is different than writing for print markets. Even if print markets are your goal, you'll want some understanding of web-based markets for the sake of versatility and self promotion. Unfortunately for many of us, this means re-learning a lot of what we learned in school. Web based articles are shorter and get quickly to the point. Keywords, phrases and density all matter. Each article is meant to tell a part of a story, not the whole book. Incidentally, this can bring in more money, as several smaller articles may be necessary.

There are many places to learn more about freelance writing for the web, free online courses and paid classes, but also utilizing the tools available through sites like AC where you can get paid while you learn. With the ever changing atmosphere of web content writing, often a site like AC is the best place to learn and change with the times.

10. Read more.

Read something everyday. Almost any notable writer will tell you that good writers read a lot. Often, freelance writers get too busy writing and never stop to read the work of others. But reading gives insight into style and voice, among other important writing characteristics. When you write five or ten articles in a given day, it's easy for your voice to stagnate. Even clients who value your work highly will need you to be able to make their sites sound fresh and new over time. Developing that ability will help you remain a marketable resource and open you to jobs requiring versatility.

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Ten freelance writing enhancements may have been the goal, but here's a freebie number eleven to govern them all: Make a Business Plan.

All intentions are great, and with a world of swarming good ideas any freelance writing career can be a success. But if it's not down on paper your plan will lack conviction and direction. More time will be wasted thinking about doing things, coming up with good ideas, yet accomplishing nothing. Freelance writing careers flounder this way. Each morning is spent trying to regroup and decide again where to go from here. With at least a rudimentary plan of action, you will be able to track your goals and freelance writing progress, determine what is currently working and where adjustments need to be made. A year from now, you'll be able to use this plan to see where you were now versus where you are then, and prepare for the next step towards building and maintaining a profitable freelance writing career.