To succeed as a freelance writer, you need more than good sentences. Five skills make the difference: time management, editing and proofreading, search engine optimization (SEO), working with a content management system (CMS), and adaptability.
Freelance writing can be as rewarding as it is stressful. If you are thinking about becoming a freelance writer and want more of the rewarding side than the stressful one, these are the skills to build. Here is what each one means in practice.
Time management
Being self-employed gives you a lot of freedom. You choose when you sit down to write. The other side of the coin is that this freedom can work against you if you cannot manage your time.
Spending an hour or two a day on your favorite video game or TV series is fine. But when you start to forget that you have a deadline to meet, you end up rushing to get the work done. Make a schedule and really stick to it. If a deadline is already close, these tips on writing on a deadline can help.
Editing and proofreading
Writing, editing, and proofreading go hand in hand. Everything you write must go through an editing round before you send it to the client. Read each sentence and ask whether it serves a purpose. Then check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes, for example with the Spell Checker. Remember that every time you add something new to your work, you need to edit and proofread it again. A proofreading checklist helps you catch what is left.
Search engine optimization (SEO)
With millions of websites out there, your clients need their content to stand out in search engines. Search engine optimization (SEO) is one way to make content easier to find. The basic idea is to use the search terms, or keywords, that readers type into a search engine, so that the search engine understands what the page is about.
SEO does not mean stuffing keywords into a text at the cost of readability. Listing hundreds of words on a page does not make it rank for each of them, and search engines treat that kind of keyword stuffing as spam.
Some clients ask for a certain keyword density: the number of times a keyword appears divided by the total number of words in the article. If a client gives you such a target, follow it, but use the keyword only where it reads naturally. A text that answers the reader's question well matters more than an exact number.
Content management system (CMS)
Building a website from scratch costs a lot of time and money. Many people take the easier route and build their website with a content management system (CMS). A CMS makes it simple to set up and customize a small or medium-sized website. Knowing how to use one is essential, because clients may ask you to manage the content of their website as well, not just write it.
Adaptability
As a writer, you must be able to adapt to different types of content and to the different platforms they are published on.
Clients will often ask you for many kinds of writing, each with its own purpose. Some examples:
- Promotional pieces, such as a landing page for a new product or service
- Blog posts that bring visitors to a website
- Proposals and other business documents
- Social media posts that make a brand better known
Be flexible and open to change. That is how good freelancers stay in the game.
Does this list of skills seem overwhelming? Don't worry. Take your time, polish one skill at a time, and you will soon be on your way to a successful freelance career.