When you realize that some freelance writers make up to $200 per hour on average for ghostwriting articles, you may feel disappointed. With such rates, a writer can work only one hour per day and still make over $6000 in a month without making any sacrifices when it comes to home maintenance, friendships, and hobbies, or other business endeavors. When you think about your own writing routine, you realize that you have to work several hours per day if you want to make enough money to get you through the month. Your hourly rate gets higher as you gain experience and your clients gain confidence in your skills, but you’re still far from the average $60 per hour.
This is not an issue you’re facing alone. Freelance writing is an extremely competitive industry that is open to millions of international participants. This great flexibility offers many chances for people from all countries to make money, but it’s also a problem. Beginners and non-native English speakers accept lower rates, so they contribute towards the trend that makes clients offer less. Thus, you have to complete huge volumes of work per day if you want to get a decent income.
Is there a way to make your future in freelance writing brighter? Of course there is! First, you need to learn how to deal with the content overload you’re facing. Then, you’ll start increasing your rates as you make progress. We’ll teach you how.
1. You Need to Stay Away from Distractions
Productivity is something you have to work on. You’re spending most of your day in front of the computer screen, but how much of that time you’re actually devoting to your work? Do you catch yourself getting carried away when browsing through social media? You open Facebook to have a 5-minute break, and you suddenly realize you spent an entire hour browsing through the feed. You need to protect yourself… from yourself. Browser extensions like LeechBlock and StayFocusd will prevent you from wasting too much time on distracting websites.
2. Perfect Organization is Key to Success
The way you organize your working schedule has an immense effect upon the overall performance. Freelance writing is a flexible job; you can work in the morning or in the middle of the night as long as you meet the deadline. Monitor your productivity levels and notice when you do your best work. Then, organize your writing schedule around the portions of the day when your productivity peaks.
3. Have a Scheme
As a freelance writer, you probably have one or two subjects you’re focused on. Some writers prefer educational content, and others write beauty or technology reviews. Whatever your niche is, it allows you to develop a scheme that will make your work much easier. If you observe the articles you’ve already written, you’ll probably notice the scheme: there is an introduction, body (where you share tips, solutions, or arguments), and a conclusion. When you become aware of this organization and you construct a template, you’ll be able to use it for each new post you write.
4. Consider Outsourcing when You Can’t Handle the Overload
Sometimes your efforts to organize your time and write as many pages as possible throughout the day are not enough. Your clients want more posts, and you simply cannot handle the overload. If you realize you have to sacrifice at least one task to take care of the rest, you should remember there is a solution that will help you deliver everything on time: outsourcing.
There are online writing services, like AssignmentMasters for example, which pair you with expert authors in a relevant niche. You can hire this service for a price lower than what you’ll get for the task, so everyone will end up being happy.
5. Find the Right Tools to Support Your Work
Now that you know some techniques that help you handle the content workload, it’s time to select the tools that will support you on that mission. Here are some suggestions:
● ZenWriter – distraction-free, full-screen writing environment that keeps you focused on the work. Once you install the software to your computer, you’ll start working in an inspiring interface that helps you preserve your attention on the project you’re completing. You won’t find any fancy icons and functions that would motivate you to “experiment” with the design; just write your text like you’re using a plain notebook.
● Google Calendar – the simplest, most effective online calendar you could possibly use. It’s necessary for organizing your working schedule, so you’ll never miss a deadline. As soon as a client gives you a new task, write it down on the due date. Then, evaluate the number of days or hours you’ll need to complete that project, and plan the days before the deadline accordingly. Balance that task with the other projects you’re working on, and you’ll never face a chaotic situation again. You can count on Google!
● HelpScout – this is a customer service you might not be aware of. As a freelance writer, you can use it to talk to your clients and make the busy inbox as stress-free as possible. You can create custom views, automate actions, and send bulk replies.
All tips and tools listed above are essential for your success in the freelance writing industry. Once you get more productive, your clients will appreciate your work much more. If you realize that you can start making more money for your work, you can ask for a raise. Knowing the fact that you’ve been making valuable contributions to their projects, your clients will be willing to pay a higher hourly rate.
And don't forget to make sure to secure your online media!
Linda Craig is a dedicated writer and editor for the Assignment Masters writing company. Her main professional goal is promoting writing skills among a wide range of professionals in the UK.
I hope you enjoyed these solutions to content creation overload.
Interested in more frugal business tips and content marketing?
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Edited & Published by Mike Schiemer
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