Freelance Writing Business Blog

Top business books for freelance writers

Although I have been a successful freelance writer for nearly 20 years, I continue to read books related to self-employment and the business of freelance writing. Here are my top choices.

1. If you're exploring the idea of going freelance, or you need some encouragement and ideas as you build your business, choose one the many books about self-employment by Paul & Sarah Edwards. My favorites include:

• Working from Home
• Getting Business to Come to You
• Secrets of Self-Employment
• Why Aren't You Your Own Boss
• The Practical Dreamer's Handbook

2. Although geared toward a wide range of small businesses, Jay Conrad Levinson's series of marketing books may give you some ideas, in particular, Guerilla Marketing for Consultants and Guerilla Marketing for Writers.

3. A number of books are targeted to freelance writers, although most address writing for magazines. Among the books that address writers who serve corporate clients:

• The Well-Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman

• Steve Slaunwhite's Start and Run a Copywriting Business
• Bob Bly's Secrets of a Freelance Writer, Third Edition: How to Make $100,000 a Year or More

4. I also learn from the marketing and business tactics used by graphic designers and other creative agencies. A good resource book for this is Cameron Foote's The Business Side of Creativity. I also find inspiration in the annual business and self-promotion issues of HOW magazine.

Have you found other books useful to running your freelance writing business? Share these resources with other writers by entering a comment on this post.

Inspiration for a New Year

The transition to a new year is always a time of reflection and planning for me. And when the news is full of economic pessimism, it can be hard to be optimistic about the potential for a freelance business. 

But an eternal optimist -- and a realist -- you must be if you are to be successful over the long term. That's why I think you will find inspiration in the book Creatively Self-Employed.  Here is an excerpt from the review I wrote on Amazon:

If you are dreaming of self-employment as a writer or artist, this book will give you realistic insights about the repeated struggles involved, from making money to loneliness to discipline to dry spells. If you are already established as a freelance creative, you will find reassurance that you're not alone in going through these common ups and downs. And all readers will find a celebration of the freedoms and joys that come with a freelance life, which can quickly become taken for granted.

Read more about Creatively Self-Employed.

 

Self Discipline and Freelance Writing: Guest Post

Launching your career as a freelance writer can be a difficult endeavor, and many who venture down the path of the freelancer soon find themselves overwhelmed.  There are deadlines to meet, content to produce, and clients to satisfy.  All romantic notions aside, freelancing and working from home is a job—and it needs to be treated as such.  Here are a few self-discipline guidelines to apply to your life if you’ve made the move from the office to the home office. 

Have a dedicated space for your work.  This is probably the most important part of working from home.  You need to have a dedicated space to work from where you can spread out your notes and other materials, free of distractions.  Hopefully, you have a dedicated home office or spare room.  You should not try to work in an area where you will be disturbed often.  Even though you’re at home, you’re still working.

Maintain business hours.  For the night owls, you can certainly work whenever is best for you, but the thing is you really need to be available for clients throughout the day.  After all, as a freelancer you are running a business.  If you want your business to be successful, you must think about keeping a regular schedule to answer emails, find new clients, and market yourself in addition to your regular workload.

Set realistic goals.  It is very easy as a freelancer to bite off more than you can chew.  If you are fortunate enough to have a lot of work coming your way, set up long term projects so that you manage your time wisely and don’t get burned out before reaching the finish line.  Setting goals for yourself can help you feel a regular sense of accomplishment, which is very motivating indeed.

Build your portfolio.  Keeping track of your publications and clients, as well as having a fully functional online portfolio can really help you to attract a bigger client base.  Work on adding to and updating your portfolio regularly to help generate more business and work for yourself.

Keep learning.  Whether you need to learn a new format or want to improve your vocabulary, lifelong learning is the cornerstone of all successful business people.  You will constantly need to learn new things and be able to change and adapt to meet market demands.  Make lifelong learning a habit that you don’t give up. 

About the Author

This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of masters of science in marketing. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com

 

 

Teleclass: Time Management for Writers

As a freelancer, it's easy to become overwhelmed by all of the tasks on your "to do" list. And too often, these tasks become distractions that take away from your productive -- and billable -- writing work.       

Discover new ways to better manage your time and produce more work in the teleclass Time Management for Writers, led by Michael Stelzner, the highly regarded author of the definitive book Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged. 

The live class will be held on October 23, 2008, but you can also order the audio file later. Better yet, consider ordering the complete 2008 White Paper Teleclass series and enjoy substantial savings!

Learn more about this class and the series: Time Management for Writers

How effective are your marketing efforts?

When was the last time you really looked at your marketing activities to determine whether you are doing the right thing, at the right time, with the right focus?

Find out how your marketing measures up: Marketing Scorecard   (click on the "free marketing resources" tab)

This is just one of the great resources available from Robert Middleton, who I consider to be one of the best authors and teachers for self-employed professionals, including freelance writers.

While you are visiting his Action Plan Marketing site, be sure to explore all of the many other valuable and insightful products and tools available.

You'll get great ideas that will help make your marketing efforts more effective for a long time to come.

Teleclass: Pricing Your Services as a Freelance Writer

Figuring out the right fees to charge for your services is an ongoing and often mysterious challenge for freelance writers. 

Learn how to earn what you're worth in the teleclass Pricing Your Services as a Freelance Writer with guest Steve Slaunwhite, whose latest book about freelance writing is The  Everything Guide to Writing Copy.

The live class will be held on March 19, 2008, but you can also order the audio file later. Better yet, consider ordering the complete 2008 White Paper Teleclass series and enjoy substantial savings!

Learn more about this class and the series: Pricing Your Services as a Freelance Writer

Janice King featured in freelance success article

The article "Broaden your reach with copywriting" in the October 2007 issue of The Writer magazine includes an interview with me about the advantages of becoming a freelance copywriter. This article also features advice from other successful freelance copywriters on finding clients and making the transition from writing books and magazine articles. 

You can find this issue at newsstands now or order your copy online. 

Enhance your learning with the Exercises Guide for Copywriting That Sells High Tech

Do you want more ways to learn copywriting skills? Are you looking for guidance on practicing the techniques presented in the book Copywriting That Sells High Tech? Are you a course instructor looking for ideas about student assignments?

The Exercises Guide for Copywriting That Sells High Tech is now available for direct purchase. It is packed with questions, explorations, and practice activities that will help you get the most from the book -- now and as you work on new projects in the future.

To order the Exercises Guide, choose one of these options:

• If you already have a copy of the book and just need the Exercises Guide: Exercises Only

• For a value-priced package that combines the Book & Exercises Guide: Package

All payments are processed through PayPal. The Exercises Guide is delivered as a PDF download, available immediately after your payment is processed.

A note for course instructors and trainers: Do you want to use or adapt these exercises for a course or training seminar? For a free copy and permission, send a brief description of your planned use, college/university/company name and course name to: info@writinghightech.com.

Teleclass: Fundamentals of Writing White Papers

If you've been looking for a good way to learn about writing white papers, you'll find a great resource in the teleclass Fundamentals of White Paper Writing, led by Michael Stelzner, a well-known author and white paper writer.

This class is the first in a three-part series: July's class will cover white paper elements and in August Mike will discuss advanced writing techniques. When you sign up for all three classes at the same time, you can get a great price of just $69 (a combined $87 value; other bundle options are also available).

The first live class will be held on June 21, 2007, but you can also order the audio file later.

Learn more about the class and audio file: Fundamentals of White Paper Writing

Teleclass: Writing Case Studies and Success Stories

There's nothing quite like the credibility a business gains when satisfied customers tell the story of how a product or service is delivering benefits and results.

That's why case studies (also called success stories) are such popular and treasured documents in marketing -- and why they are well-paying, recurring, and enjoyable projects for freelance writers.

Learn how to write and and promote case studies in the teleseminar The Case for Case Studies (Why You Need Them and How to Write Them). Featured speakers are Steve Slaunwhite and Casey Hibbard, both highly experienced case study writers. The seminar is led by Michael Stelzner, part of a series of teleseminars with topics useful to freelance writers.

The live class will be held on May 24, 2007, but you can also order the audio file later.

Learn more about the class and audio file: Writing Case Studies