The internet has made being a professional writer that much easier. While many writers use freelance sites to coordinate their gigs, many are switching over to writing services companies that take their areas of expertise and match them with clients. Writing services usually either have writers submit content that can be purchased, or clients request specific titles and writers fill them. Either way, these kinds of services have opened up many opportunities for writers, but it can take some hard work to make them really pay off. Here are some top tips to making your writing pay:
Be Patient
As a new writer on one of these sites, it can take a while to get established. After all, if you haven't work with many clients yet, how are they supposed to know what kind of quality you can provide? On some of these sites, this means that most jobs will be closed to you, and some of the jobs you see will be lower paying. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to simply be patient... and accept some of these jobs. They may not pay a lot now, or be that fun to write, but they will certainly pay off in the long run. The more you do these kinds of jobs, the faster your reputation will grow, and better jobs will come.
Be Personal
Even though you're online, remember that you're working with actual clients. Don't be afraid to do a little bit of networking! Ask questions, thank clients for their time, and be social. If you're not a faceless writer to the client, they're more likely to develop a relationship with you, which can go a long way. It also will likely mean better ratings and possibly more work. It's just a little bit more writing, and after all, that's what you're good at, right?
Be Persistent
One of the hardest things about starting out at a writing services company is finding jobs you can pick up. Often, the jobs that are open to newer writers get snatched up fast, so you'll want to make sure that you're checking the job board as regularly as possible. Set a timer to remind yourself, or set the board as your home page. Often, sites like these do set up email alerts when there are jobs, but don't expect them to still be there by the time you've read the email. It really pays off to do a manual check regularly.
Be Punctual
The last thing you want to do when you start on a writing services site, is to lose track of deadlines. If you're not used to dealing with deadlines, this may be a big shift, so make sure you have the time to finish the work when you pick it up. Usually, there's a way to extend your time when something truly gets in the way of finishing the article, but remember that your clients probably have deadlines too, and keeping them waiting hurts everyone. Starting off, I suggest picking up jobs you know you can start on immediately. This is a great way to make sure nothing gets procrastinated.
These tips should help you in getting established at a writing services company. Once you open yourself up to more clients, you should find that you're getting more work more often, and at better rates. If you follow these guidelines and always submit your best work, you should find that working for a writing services company can really pay off.
