Bidding For Work
When you start freelancing then you may, like me and many others underprice your services. Many writers have only one or two clients and will continue to take low paying work from them because it is constant - that's fine as far as it goes but I have found that it pays to spread your net wider.
Getting More Work
If you want more work then you have to go out and get it. For many writers this means bidding for work on sites such as Guru and Elance. It is also worth testing out writing forums, digital point has a name for attracting writers and people who want writing services from the bottom of the pile - however, it is possible for writers to find jobs where the pay is reasonable. Take care when posting on these forums, posts that have spelling and grammar mistakes or only contain responses such as hire me, and a link to your site will not get you far. If you see something you think might be worthwhile then pm the person who is looking for a writer - I have found a couple of good writing gigs this way.
Get yourself known on the internet by keeping more than one blog and by linking to other blogs and commenting on what other writers have to say. The internet can be a cold and lonely place without some interaction so go out of your way to comment and to join sites such as Blog Catalog - I got a guest post this way and it is an excellent means of getting your name and your writing known. When it comes to bidding for work and getting more work I am finding that visibility is often the key.
Sue Jeffels
2 Comments
View Printer Friendly Version
Email Article to Friend
Reader Comments (2)
I've been checking out Odesk as well, as a bidding site, but I'm not sure yet if I like it.
No, I haven't had any luck on there yet - it's the same old story people wanting to pay $2 or $3 for a 500 word article, as most of them think $20 an hour is too high - at least the couple that I have had contact me.