Skills You Learn as a Freelance Writer

Hey, you guys!
I have been neglecting my personal blog because other things have taken priority. Since the pandemic has started, I found myself out of my day job, and have had to make up for the lost money in other ways. I have been full-time freelance writing, and it is fantastic. I am learning some amazing skills that I never knew I possessed.

Here is a list of skills I have learned through a few months of full-time blogging.

1. Negotiation- There are times when people from all over the world message me at any time of day and ask for me to write for them. That’s great! However, sometimes it’s almost like haggling for what I am worth.

“Hey, Kayla, can you write me a 35-page eBook with a book description, format it for me, and advertise all for less than $100? Let me know if you’re interested.”

HAHA. Is this a joke? A sick and cruel joke? No, it usually isn’t. For the first year, I was focused on small clients, doing small work so I could get my name out there. I now charge much more for the work that I give, and it is vital to stick to your prices. Writing is never just writing, and if you want to make it your career, you need to stick to your pricing guidelines and negotiate within reason.

2. Time Blocking- This was incredibly new for me, a person I had met who had created her own business was able to meet with me and give me all of her best tips and tricks to running this kind of business. She looked me straight in the eye and told me I was allowed to take the mornings and drink my coffee until I was done, every single damn day. At first, I struggled with this, I felt so guilty for not answering my clients right away even though some of them would send me messages at 3 am every morning.

• I wake up at 8 am and do not look at my phone or laptop. I sit and stare into space, thinking about the future or whatever the heck I feel like thinking about.

• At 9 am to 10 am, I look through my messages and create a to-do list. Prioritizing what needs to get done first.

• From 10 am to 12 pm, I work on my first few articles.

• At 12, I take a break. I go for an 85-minute walk and eat my lunch. I take the time to get away from my writing, not checking my emails, and not checking my messages.

• 2 pm to 6 pm I finish working on my articles and finish with the bigger projects I work on.

• Then I am done. For the rest of the night, I stay away from my computer. I take the time to read my favorite books, watch movies, find new T.V. shows, I do yoga with my family, and most importantly, I breathe.

3. Cutting Ties- I have learned through this job that I can cut some clients free. I learned to be very strict with my working hours. I know some of my clients are in a different time zone, and I fully understand that. I clearly state my hours and state when I will be answering emails. Some people will not understand this and will continue to message and message until you respond. If someone does not respect your work hours, you can cut them loose.

Freelance writing may not seem like a real job to some people, and it may seem incredibly comfortable, but it isn’t. You have to force yourself to sit and work every day, force yourself to work with clients directly, and you have to prioritize your jobs every day instead of letting a manager do it. It is mentally hard some days, and sometimes my favorite part of writing is not writing at all.
To book me for any projects you can visit my profile.