5 Common Problems Faced By Newbies In The Freelance Writing Business


In an effort to escape from the rat race, many people are turning to freelance work. To newbies in the industry, this career choice offers increased flexibility and better hours. In addition to allowing the writer to control their future, freelancers can literally work at home in their pajamas. Although writing can be a lucrative career choice, there are some common problems that every independent contractor will face.

  • Getting Paid
  • Writers who find clients through online forums and classified ads may have problems with getting their payment. Without an escrow account, there are no guarantees that a client will actually pay. To deal with this solution, writers can send in invoices more frequently or use a middle-man site that offers escrow accounts.

  • Uncertainty About the Future
  • As an independent contractor, every writer writer will have some concerns about their future. Especially in the slow months of December and January, writers may have a dearth of projects. To stay ahead of the game, writers should send messages to old clients and bid on new projects to get some work into their inbox. Networking, finding regular clients and saving a nest egg can all help writers to stay afloat during slow periods.

  • Dealing With Boring Projects
  • If writing was always fun, writers would not get paid to do it. Often, projects exist because the client cannot do it or does not want to do it. Due to this, many of the writing projects may be boring or uninteresting. Each writer will ultimately have to choose if they want to take tedious projects. If the pay is good or the writer is short on projects, a boring project is better than having no work at all.

  • Distractions Are the Enemy
  • Working home requires commitment and focus. As an independent contractor, the writer does not have a boss that holds them to a specific deadline. In order to be successful, writers must learn how to limit the distractions in their life. Creating a to-do list, organizing projects and using a set schedule can help writers to stay on track.

  • Spotting the Red Flags
  • In a perfect world, writers finish a project and get paid. With some clients, completing a writing project can be impossible. Certain red flags can alert writers to a particularly troublesome client. Exceptionally low wages and a refusal to use an escrow account are all signs that the client may not be the best. Over time, experienced writers will learn how to spot different red flags and can avoid working with troubled clients.

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