Ten Signs That You Might Thrive As a Freelance Writer: Content Challenge #4

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.  ​

What Makes a Great 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. 

Today's YACHT CTA

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

You Accept the CHallenge, Too! 
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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.