I'm ending my Content Challenge early. Family and professional demands blossomed suddenly--both good things, to my way of thinking. I'll scale back to weekly posts that focus on the freelance writing and content marketing world. 

Those of you who are interested in Airbnb and other vacation rental topics, please visit our Walker's Riverside Properties website. You'll find real estate stats and information as well as vacation rental posts.

I'll see you in a week. 

The original freelancers were mercenary soldiers hired for their "free lances."  At first glance, they don't bear much resemblance to today's freelancers hired on a contract basis and working from home. However, they share one noticeable trait. Both freelancers and "free lances" belonged to a veritable army.

According to the Freelancers Union, there were 57 million freelancers in the United States in 2019. Website Builder says that, as a group, freelancers spent more than a billion hours each week freelancing and contributed $1 trillion to the economy. 

If your interests lie specifically in freelance writing, how can you set yourself apart from the freelancing hoards? Content Challenge #4 examines 10 signs that indicate you might thrive as a freelance writer.  ​

 There is no magic formula for success as a freelance writer, but having certain traits and honing specific skills can help you jumpstart your career and keep accelerating.
Freelance writers who thrive are:
1. Compelled to write. Regardless of how busy they are, people who make great freelance writers find time to write. I don't mean that they're writing a novel destined for the bestseller's list. I mean that they routinely write something, whether that's a card, note, newsletter, article, or poem. If you rarely write, you aren't a good candidate for freelance writing.
2. Adaptable. Writing is a process. It's also fluid. Each iteration includes changes. Sometimes the project is so fluid that the actual result looks vastly different from the first draft. A successful freelance writer expects to make changes, makes them graciously, and learns to factor in the time and expense that making them requires.
3. Trustworthy. I have never met any of my clients face-to-face before being hired. Only a handful have interviewed me via Zoom before contracting with me. A few called to speak with me. Essentially, these companies hired a stranger after reading my profile or proposal on Upwork and reviewing some work samples.  
By contracting with me, they trust that my work quality will meet their expectations, that I will bill them only for the work I've done, and that I'll meet their requirements and deadlines. Great content marketers guard the trust their clients place in them.
4. Inquisitive. Creating content means learning new things. If you like the adventure of discovery, content writing may suit you to the proverbial T.
5. Meticulous about their craft. Excellent freelance writers set high standards for themselves and their writing. They balance the reality that language is constantly changing with the fact that the goal of writing is effective communication. 
6. Knowledgeable. As I mentioned earlier, freelance writing is huge and growing each day, thanks to technological advances and a pandemic. Successful freelancers understand the market as a whole and have identified their place in it. They also understand the nuances of difference between writing for the web and writing for print. 
7. Self-disciplined. Whether they are copywriters, content marketers, journalists, ghostwriters, or some other type of writer, great freelancers work diligently on every project for each client. They know how to slot time for each project, limit interruptions, and get mentally focused. 
8. Willing to take the time to research. No freelancer understands every topic. Research is a given. Terrific freelance writers thrive on careful research done efficiently.
9. Careful to meet deadlines. Meeting deadlines gets tricky if your clients live halfway around the world. Nevertheless, clients expect you to adjust your schedule to meet their deadlines on time, even if that means submitting work no later than 2:00 a.m. A successful freelance writer accepts this as part of the job. 
10. Careful to follow directions. Content writers who thrive assume that their clients mean what they say. So, they faithfully follow the guidelines for word length, style, and format. 

Does the list describe you? While you consider that, also consider today's content marketing, no-strings-attached CTA: 

You Accept the CHallenge, Too! 
​
If you've thought about freelance writing and believe you might thrive as a freelance writer, take the first steps to enter the field by learning more. The Freelancers Union site contains a wealth of information. If you're interested in content marketing or copywriting, Copyblogger is an excellent resource, as is the Content Marketing Institute. 

Go ahead, take the first step. 

Our dog Pepper is old--closing in on 14. She's the topic of the 2nd Content Challenge post and the inspiration for today's YACHT call-to-action (CTA). Click here to see Content Challenge post #1.

Born in a litter of seven, Pepper was rescued by our neighbor who saw free "German shepherd/lab" puppies advertised. When he went to pick one out, he was surprised to learn that they were skinny and living under a shed. He brought one home and discovered that it was quite sick. A trip to the vet revealed that the puppy was "riddled with parasites and might not survive." A dog lover, our neighbor went back and rescued the whole litter. We helped pay for the vet fees and claimed Pepper and another female. 

If you look closely at the picture, you'll see Pepper's beautiful blue eyes and light tan eye patches. Her sister, who we named Cally, had distinctive tan eye patches and a very broad chest. So, we're convinced that our "shepherd/lab" pups' heritage also included Rottweiler, possibly with some Siberian Husky mixed in for good measure. 

We taught Pepper and Cally the basic commands--sit, stay, come, and heel--but it took lots of persistence. Eventually, after several years of taking daily walks, Pepper could respond correctly when I told her to turn left or right. That was about the extent of their "trick" stash. Rolling over, playing dead, and catching a ball or Frisbee were not in their wheelhouse.

Pepper is rather timid, afraid of thunder and fireworks, and hates to be scolded. One of her most endearing traits has always been her desire to stay out of trouble. She generally heeds commands quickly.

Without our teaching her,  Pepper learned to "direct" us to Cally--who figured forgiveness was easier than permission--when she decided to wander into a neighbor's yard. If I asked Pepper, "Where did Cally go?" she'd look guilty and sad, as though she didn't want to be a snitch, and then turn her head in the direction Cally went.

Cally died just over two years ago. We knew that dogs often grieve when another dog dies. So, we wondered how Pepper would fare. Her naturally "sad" look became a little sadder, and she lost a bit of weight, but otherwise seemed fine then, and she does now.

Actually, the old girl has surprised us by rallying, even adding a couple of "tricks" to her repertoire in her senior years. Now, instead of waiting for us to let her back in from outside, she stands on the front porch, faces the door, and barks.  If it takes us more than a few seconds to let her in, she barks again--louder this time.  

We always gave both dogs treats at night when they came in from outside, as long as they came right away. After Cally died, we enhanced the treat giving for Pepper. She usually gets a treat whenever she comes back inside. Lately, she's discovered that if you can convince someone that you really need to go out every few minutes, you get lots of treats throughout the day. That's good thinking, especially for an elderly dog.

What's the link between an old dog learning new tricks, me enhancing my freelance content marketing, and you?

Just this: good, old, sad-eyed Pepper demonstrates that you're never beyond learning something new. If a geriatric dog with arthritic joints and bad breath can keep learning, so can we, regardless of our profession, age or personal situation. 

You Accept the CHallenge, Too, by learning something new today. It could be something as simple as using a search engine to answer a question you don't know how to answer. If you're a student studying for an exam or any professional researching a topic in your field, you already have this challenge covered.  

Watch for another edition of the content marketing challenge tomorrow.