5 things a freelance writer should not do

OK, so I’ve been in this game for almost 4 years now, and have learned a thing or two about the industry. I’ve found plenty of lists of things a freelance writer should do, but not so much advice on the things to avoid. Here is my own take on how to survive in the freelance writing world, whilst still retaining a modicum of sanity.

1.      Don’t take it personally

If you’re a new freelance writer or copywriter, chances are you’ll get knocked down more times than Chumbawumba. Take it with a pinch of salt when someone tells you that you’re not good enough, or when you have to write 50 bids just to get one fairly uninspiring job offer. Things will come right, and you’ll find your own niche eventually.

2.      Don’t lose self respect

If you’re serious about being a freelance writer, you need to have some respect for the skills that you have. When you see a job advert asking for 50 articles for $50, just say no. Don’t be drawn into proposals for articles that the client will pay ‘between £5 - £20 per topic, depending on the quality’, as they will invariably find a reason to pay you the bottom end of that scale. Agree a price and make sure they stick to it.

3.      Don’t lean on addictive substances

What’s your poison? Coffee? Cigarettes? Mines coke… the sort that comes in a 2l plastic bottle, not the class A substance. Take care of yourself and try to avoid getting hooked on anything as a habit. We writers spend long enough sitting on our backsides without pumping ourselves full of rubbish too.

4.      Don’t work for idiots

Easy enough to say when you have a full book anyway, but even if you’re struggling for work, don’t demean yourself by sticking with a client who makes your life hell. Demand a fair price for the work you put in, and if they are too inept to give you a decent project proposal that you can understand, demand that they pay you for your time rewriting or reviewing an incorrect piece.

5.      Don’t become a hermit

Pressing deadlines, money worries and a downward spiral of loss of self-esteem can all add up to freelance writers spending rather too much time at the computer and very little in the outside world. I’ve learnt the hard way that the best and most efficient work is done after a bit of fresh air, exercise and (dare I say it) human company.