If you are good at writing, you can make it as a freelance writer. Well, that’s the idea, anyway. The hope.
The truth is not that simple.
Successful freelance writing does require impeccable writing capabilities, that is true. But writing skills, alone, are not enough. Being amazing at writing will get you a few clients here-and-there. Not repeated work. And not enough for a full-time position. You need a range of skills if you want a successful freelance writing career that is sustainable.
When I first started my freelance writing career, I thought being a strong writer was enough. I learned the hard way that it wasn’t true. I had only one contract for the first couple years. Fortunately, I wrote fast enough that the pay was enough for my living expenses. But, that didn’t change the fact that I was reliant on that single contract.
That contract didn’t have much work for a few months one of those years. And that affected me a huge amount since it was my only source of income. I realized that I needed more contracts and more work to offset the slower times.
Some of these essential skills I developed through the single contract. But I didn’t learn the others until later as I expanded my own knowledge. As I developed these skills, I began taking on more contracts. This granted me more varied experience and further developed those skills.
Developing these skills is not difficult. It takes time and a bit of effort.
You don’t have to master these skills before the work comes. Not every contract requires the same level of knowledge in these areas. You will come across positions that suit your current level of understanding.
Regardless, you need these skills on top of being fantastic at writing. Even at a basic level. Do not make the same mistake I did and spend years with only a strong writing capability. Take the time and start learning these 10 skills necessary for a freelance writer.
Editing/Proofreading
You are already fantastic at writing. There is a strong grasp of grammar and syntax. Plus, you construct sentences well. And you are capable of adopting different tones and styles in your writing.
Having the knowledge of writing does not negate the need for editing and proofreading. You are human. Mistakes are inevitible.
You must be capable of re-reading your work and going through it with a fine-toothed comb. Catch these mistakes before sending in your final deliverable. The spell-check on the computer catches some mistakes. As does a grammar-assistant website or application.
These tools don’t catch everything. Do not become reliant on them. Use them, and then check your work yourself for mistakes.
This was something I wasn’t good at when I got started. My early work got sent back often with grammatical errors and other edits. These edits were simple. They were also obvious. Looking back at them, I felt stupid for not catching them beforehand. But, I wasn’t editing or proofreading my work. I was writing it, relying on the spell-check, and sending it in.
It didn’t take long before I developed the ability to edit and proofread. After that, my work wasn’t getting returned.
Well, it still was, on occasion. Usually, it was because of a miscommunication, though. And, if it was because I missed a new edit or stylistic change, I remembered that for future work. Work got returned less and less. By the time that first contract ended, my work wasn’t being returned at all.
Research
Another skill you need as a freelance writer is research capabilities. You plan on producing high-quality content, regardless of your familiarity with the subject. For that, you need good research.
Researching aids in writing about subjects you are not familiar with. Even when you are familiar, research still plays a big role in creating a helpful article.
Aside from my few personal articles, I researched each post. I have plenty of experience in freelance writing. But researching ensures my articles are helpful. And, it ensures I don’t forget any of my points.
Rills are a mix of familiarity with search engines and vetting sources. Being familiar with search engines makes finding your sources faster. You know what you are searching for. And you understand the terms necessary for bringing up the sources needed. Then, with vetting skills, you verify that the sources you found are reliable.
Having content that is well-researched aids in your personal brand development. Readers and clients who trust that you deliver accurate pieces rely on you more.
Technical Knowledge
Freelance writing is remote. Which means it involves a computer, at the very least. Depending on the task, a tablet or mobile phone is also necessary.
The point is, you need technical knowledge for success.
At a basic level, this involves strong typing skills. Typing is how you make your money as a freelance writer. If you’re typing at 30-60 words per minute, writing your content takes longer. After it’s written, you still proofread and edit. The entire content creation process takes longer because typing takes so long.
Aim for a typing speed around 60-75 words per minute.
A quick typing speed ensures you write content fast. And aids in your efficiency.
Technical knowledge also pertains to familiarity with different software. Have a strong understanding of word processing systems, like Google Docs. Mastering these tools ensures you know where everything is. Personally, I use Google Docs. I understand formatting, editing, collaborating, etc. on that platform.
Understanding content management systems (CMS) and web languages aid you in varying situations. Knowledge of a CMS, like WordPress, lets you publish and edit online content yourself. This is particularly useful when you have your own website. In that same situation, knowledge of web languages lets you troubleshoot minor issues.
Formatting
As a freelance writer, you won’t be writing the same sort of content for every job. Sometimes, you’ll be writing blog content. Others, website content or ad copy. You’ll write newsletters, tutorials, case studies, or biographies.
Each of these writing types requires different formatting. And, within each type, each client has different formatting expectations. One blog post requires long paragraphs. Another wants bullet points and short paragraphs. You must be capable of adapting to each of these different formats.
Understanding formatting also makes your content look professional. With it, you understand word font, margins, and sentence spacing. Part of this requires understanding your preferred word processing system.
I mentioned earlier that I use Google Docs. I have no issue handling formatting on that. But on Microsoft Word? I don’t have much familiarity with that system. I can write with it and change the basics, such as font size and style. But when adding headings, subheadings, titles, margins, and more, I’m not sure how to do it.
So, get familiar with your preferred system. And make sure you understand the different formatting requirements. This ensures your content looks consistent and professional.
Communication
Freelance writers interact directly with clients. You are not sourcing jobs through a sales person. For this reason, communication skills are one of the top 10 skills you need as a freelance writer.
Effective communication with clients ensures you complete your projects smoothly and satisfactorily. Listen to your clients and determine their needs and expectations for each project. If you aren’t understanding the vision your client has, ask for clarification. Make sure you are both on the same page before you begin working.
As the project progresses, communicate that progress with your clients. Give them updates and request clarification for any issues you’ve come up against.
Sending the content you’ve done so far gives you immediate feedback from the client. If you are going in the wrong direction, you have plenty of time for fixing the issue and changing course. If not, at least you get confirmation before you finish the entire project.
Effective communication also involves being responsive. When clients reach out to you, don’t wait several days before responding. Answer within a responsible amount of time. During the work week, strive for responding that day or the day after. Over weekends, respond on the first working day. And, if you’re on vacation, set up an automatic response that explains you are away.
Always use professional language in your communications with clients. Be assertive, but polite, when discussing payment. And be honest in your proposed timelines. Do not lie to clients to get the project. Be upfront and clear about your abilities.
All of this supports the formation of long-term and positive relationships with clients. You want a good reputation. Part of that means having good communication with all clients.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
A lot of clients are looking for content that propels their business’ online presence. They are looking for SEO results that improve their online visibility. You must understand SEO practices as a freelance writer since it is heavily tied with what we do.
At a basic level, you may have heard about keywords and keyword research. Having keywords in content is important for SEO. But, do not get into the bad habit of keyword stuffing. This means adding as many keywords as possible, even when they are unnatural within text. Most content, depending on length, needs keywords used 5 to 10 times. Having more doesn’t improve SEO results.
Beyond keyword inclusion, SEO involves such things as using headlines for making text navigable, adding alternative text to included images, and using descriptive links. Crosslinking aids in SEO, as well. These are links between different articles or pages within a website.
Learning the basics about SEO doesn’t take long. Only a few afternoons. It didn’t take me long when learning the basics. I began with no understanding of SEO. My first contract had a keyword and a limit for including it in content, but I didn’t know the reasons behind it. But, it wasn’t long before I learned the importance of it.
Without a good understanding of SEO, it doesn’t matter how good your content is. Anything you write will remain lost in the vast realms of the internet.
Self-Promotion/Marketing
Promoting ourselves is not something many of us feel comfortable doing. Most of us learn not to promote ourselves, actually. This flies in the face of the skills you need as a freelance writer. For freelancing, you must be comfortable – and capable – of self-promotion and marketing.
I’ve talked more in-depth about marketing and personal branding on this blog. So, if you need more guidance when developing these skills, check there.
Anyway, this skill helps you with establishing your reputation. Having a professional website is crucial for finding freelance writing clients. It consolidates all your writing samples and portfolio in a single place. Clients can easily reach you through a professional website.
Also, consider starting a blog. It helps with SEO on your website so potential clients find you easier. Plus, it demonstrates your expertise in your chosen niche.
Social media accounts are also beneficial for promoting yourself. Use them for connecting with clients and engaging with your target audience.
Finally, there is networking. I have also discussed this in a few different articles. Anyway, networking aids with cross-collaboration between other freelancers. Along with getting your name and services out there for potential clients. Attending both virtual and in-person conferences expands your professional network and client base.
Time-Management/Organization
Yet another subject we’ve discussed in detail.
As a freelance writer, good organization and time-management is an important skill. Freelance writers make their own schedule. You balance many clients – with many deadlines. Without this crucial skill, you won’t meet your deadlines. This has a negative impact on your reputation. And will result in challenges as a freelance writer.
Time-management and organization go hand-in-hand. And learning them isn’t difficult. Start by writing a list of all the projects you have and their deadlines. Estimate how much time you need for each project. On a calendar or other planning device, map out your projects. Determine how much time you dedicate to each one. And make sure you schedule them all within their deadlines.
From there, you have a working model of your time. Make sure you leave enough time each day for self-care. There’s no point in working yourself to the bone. Maintain a good work-life balance. If you took on too many projects for the amount of time you promised, remember that for the future. Take on a smaller work-load. Or alter the deadlines you promise clients.
As you progress, visit your schedule and make sure it still works. Update clients as necessary. And make changes to your schedule as needed.
There are also productivity tools that aid with this. They log the number of hours you put into each project so you can track yourself. You may also employ task management systems that keep everything organized. They track your hours and make communication with clients easier.
As you find what works best for you, remember to never multitask. Multitasking takes your full attention away from each project. Instead, dedicate your time and focus to the project at-hand during its scheduled time.
Perseverance
We’ve talked a lot about finding success as a freelance writer. Part of finding success also means finding failure. You won’t get every project. You won’t get repeat service from every client. You’ll have clients ghost you.
I’ve experienced each one of these. And it is disheartening. Now, not so much. But when I was first starting out, each rejection was a punch to the gut.
Oh, I hated it. I thought about lowering my prices. Especially after a prospective client told me that the $0.05 per word rate I offered was too high. According to them, most freelance writers were offering $0.01 to $0.03 per word. I considered shortening my deadlines. Anything so I was getting new projects and new clients.
Even now, with the advent of AI, I’ve wondered if I’ll have to lower my prices. It’s more out of fear. But still. AI is capable of decreasing the amount of available jobs. Meaning I will have increasingly fierce competition.
In the long-run, though, decreasing deadlines or prices isn’t worth it.
Remember earlier when I mentioned the importance of honesty? That also includes being honest with yourself. Rejection is a natural part of being a freelance writer. It’s a natural part of being self-employed in any field. Don’t let that rejection force you down a path that is not natural.
Perseverance is a critical skill because it keeps you moving forward in spite of the inevitable rejections.
There is nothing wrong with your deadlines and prices. Not everyone likes them. But there are people who find them reasonable. Focus on pleasing the people who align with you. Don’t try pleasing everyone.
Problem-Solving
When you are self-employed, you run into varying challenges. Sometimes, you’ll have a client pay late. Other times, you’ll have a difficult client. Or you’ll have computer issues right when there is a pressing deadline.
That is why you need problem-solving skills as a freelance writer. With problem-solving capabilities, you’ll tactfully navigate varying issues. You’ll demonstrate poise and professionalism to clients. In spite of there being challenges that you’re facing.
When faced with a challenge, you become frantic without problem-solving skills. Being frantic erodes the trust that clients had in you before. You don’t want this reputation for losing your cool. Any potential clients won’t be confident in your abilities. And your current clients will likely not return.
Not being capable of problem-solving ruins your chances of success in freelance writing. Even when you are strong at SEO, writing, and all the other above skills. Poor problem-solving overrules them, leading to a negative reputation and negative professional outcome.
The Importance of Continual Learning
This isn’t one of the ten skills you need as a freelance writer. But, it’s a personality trait that is important, nonetheless.
I’ve mentioned how easy it is learning the above skills. Well, if you won’t learn, it doesn’t matter how easy learning them is.
Let’s say you’ve already mastered these 10 skills. Great. Awesome. But you still need continual learning. Freelance writing is an area that continually evolves. New technologies, best practices, and trends always crop up. Both as they pertain to freelance writing, and as they pertain to your chosen niche(s).
Set aside time regularly for online courses, reading, and other learning tasks. Keep yourself abreast of everything going on. And embrace new technology.
I didn’t do this. I mentioned my concern with AI, already. Well, I never learned new AI-based tools that could support me in my writing. Now, I’m running into several clients who want writers that embrace and use AI writing tools.
Unfortunately, because of my stupidity, I didn’t stay up-to-date. I must learn those tools after-the-fact. And I’m stuck playing catch-up. Playing catch-up is not a good place for a freelance writer. Time will tell how detrimental of an impact my dumb decision has on my livelihood.
Don’t risk it becoming a potential issue. Continually learn and stay competitive within the current marketplace.
Are there any essential skills for freelance writers that I missed? Let us know your opinion and experiences!