Mission-and-Vision-ProWriter-Featured
Company

A Look at ProWriter’s Mission and Vision for the Future

by Dave Polykoff
July 20, 2020

The problem we set out to solve

Dusten and I have run a content agency, Presto Media, for over 5 years. During that time we worked with bloggers, brands, and publications that needed highly-vetted and specialized writers who could not only write quality content but write it efficiently and consistently.

This meant we needed to hire a lot of writers.

At first, we hired writers from the typical places you would expect. UpWork, ProBlogger, FreelanceWritingGigs.com, etc.

The problem was, we’d get hundreds of applications back from our job post, but:

  • They all were sent via email – so it became a game of flagging and filtering emails as they came in.
  • Applicants either did not possess the writing skills we required or did not properly reflect in their application that they possessed them in the first place.
  • Applicants would ghost on us after we reached back out to hire them.
  • Applicants did not properly read the job listing details and employment discussions became more complex than they needed to be.

To make things worse, when we talked with our writer network we discovered that while the employment side of the relationship had its problems, so did the freelance writer side.

During our discussions, we discovered freelance writers wanted 3 main things:

  1. High-paying freelance writing job opportunities from credible brands.
  2. A way to showcase their writing experience (without needing to know how to build a website).
  3. Education and community to help them launch and/or grow their freelance writing career.

When we initially launched, our focus was on solving the first two problems seeing as this not only helped writers but also helped employers as well.

If we could help writers showcase and verify their writing experience and skills, that would help employers not only filter through qualified applicants faster but also help them feel more confident in their decision to hire the writer.

We have since invested into ProWriter products like the Portfolio and Jobs board to help solve this problem.

These products allowed experienced writers to showcase and verify their writing experience and skills from our Portfolio product. Use that clout to land their next writing gig from our Jobs product. And then manage their relationship with their client with our Messages product.

We found experienced writers were able to sign up and use these products right away.

But for the majority of other writers who signed up, this was not the case, and here’s why…

What we learned we needed to solve along the way

As we continued to release products like Portfolio and Jobs, we saw there was a roadblock in being able to use our ProWriter solutions – already having a writing career to showcase.

The main problem wasn’t the ability to showcase your career, it was the ability to launch one.

Many writers who signed up to ProWriter were not able to complete their portfolios because they didn’t have bylined articles to add to it yet – and didn’t have the education and competencies to land the writing job to earn them the bylines for their portfolio.

Quite the double-edged sword.

It became more apparent that we not only need to help experienced writers grow their writing careers but also help new writers launch theirs.

This made us revisit problem #3: Writers wanted writing education and a community to help them launch and/or grow their freelance writing career.

This was something we always planned on introducing into ProWriter but with the feedback we received over the first few months of ProWriter’s launch, we saw it was necessary to expedite it on our roadmap.

ProWriter’s vision for 2020 and beyond

ProWriter focused on building tools for writers like our Portfolio and Jobs products. But now, we are focused on building community and education.

This means we are focused on providing a platform and foundation for writers like you to learn from professional writers, SEO experts, and journalists to help you launch and grow your freelance writing career.

To establish and grow the ProWriter community, we’ll be introducing forums, chats, and Facebook Groups to the ProWriter website.

  • Forums: Publish and respond to forum post questions from your freelance writing peers to help you learn from the ProWriters around you.
  • Chats: Establish real-time connections with your writing community to get industry news and advice as soon as you need it.
  • Facebook Groups: Connect with your ProWriter community on Facebook and share posts, news, and tips on the go.

To provide freelance writing education we’ll be introducing freelance writing courses, webinars, and podcasts.

  • Courses: Learn the foundational steps and skills to launch and grow your freelance writing career from the experts at ProWriter.
  • Webinars: Watch to learn the latest industry best practices in blog writing, SEO writing, and how to land that next writing gig.
  • Podcasts: Listen on the go to learn from fellow ProWriters on how they launched their writing career and turned it into a full-time business.

It’s our mission through these tools, community, and educational products to help freelance writers launch, grow, and manage their freelance writing careers.

But we can’t do it alone. We need your feedback to ensure we’re providing the resources you need and expect.

If you have 1 minute to spare, please send me a direct email to [email protected] with what you hope to see from ProWriter in the coming months.

Or, use the below questions as a starting point:

  • What is the biggest problem you face in your writing career?
  • What is the most time-consuming part of finding jobs, writing articles, and managing clients?
  • What freelance writing skills do you want to master?

We are here to help freelance writers succeed in their careers. And we’ll continue to build this community together.

how to pitch a guest post
Writer Tip

How to pitch a guest post: 6 questions for writers

by Dusten Carlson
July 13, 2020

If you’re a freelance writer working on building your portfolio, guest blogging is a smart way to go. But how do you find potential clients, and more importantly, how do you get the job? That, my friend, all comes down to the art of the pitch.

How to pitch a guest post:

There’s no formula for a perfect pitch that lands you a guest post gig every time. Even if there were, the site’s owner has a schedule too, and may never see your email. But there are some things you can do to better your chances, and some definite no-nos to avoid.

First thing’s first — you’re not alone. Crafting a job-winning pitch is something every writer struggles with.

Until you get to a point where you can sell your services on networking or name recognition alone, it’s a slog. So where can you turn for help?

Well, it depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. Do you want to become a columnist at the New York Times? Do you want to craft SEO content that helps small businesses stand out in search? Do you just want to write a fun listicle at Buzzfeed?

Where you’re at in your career, what your ultimate goals are, and who you’re looking to pitch all change the calculus of how to pitch.

There are dozens of articles on this topic all over the web, some better than others. For the purposes of this post, we’re going to focus on the general best practices that should help you no matter what you’re pitching.

To help you get there, we’ll give you 6 questions you should ask yourself before you click “send” on that pitch.

We’ll also cover some red flags that immediately disqualify you no matter who you’re pitching, including the downside to using pitch templates.

Pencils up!

Question #1: Who are you pitching?

We know how it goes. You sit down, you pick 20-30 good targets for a pitch, you find their contact email, you send them a note.

But you have to do a little more than that next time.

Remember that ultimately you’re pitching a person. A human being is going to read your pitch and make a decision about whether or not to hire you. Whatever you can do to make a human connection in that first sentence, you should do.

Try to find the site’s owner, manager, or editor on LinkedIn. At least look at the About page and see if you can glean details you can use when you introduce yourself. Learn about them and use what you learn to make a connection.

I see right through this tactic when I read a pitch that starts on a more personal note. And still, I fall for it every time.

Applicants who have done some looking into me and the company seem like they’re more serious, and I’ll at least check out what they have to say.

It might feel a little creepy. But opening with something like “Hello from a fellow racquetball player!” is not the same as “you have cute kids!” or “your house looks just like mine!” which, yes, would be extremely off-putting. Trying to establish a connection on a shared hobby is perfectly harmless.

This isn’t always easy to do, of course. Some email addresses you’ll find are just “contact@” addresses.

But a person who represents a brand is still reading the applications.

If you can’t figure out who you’re pitching, try to glean something about the values of the company or the owner of the company you’re pitching and talk about how it resonates with you.

Be resourceful. Be genuine. Sending a generic email to every email address you can find only shows that you’re hoping for any job. This approach shows that you actually want this job.

Question #2: What do they publish?

Anyone you’re going to pitch has put out content before.

So what’s it like?

How much of it have you read?

What topics have they already covered?

Make sure you read up on the potential clients you’re pitching as much as possible. Not only do you want to make sure you don’t pitch them something they’ve already covered, getting familiar with what they’ve been putting out so far will give you ideas on how to sell yourself.

What I mean is that if you have a certain background or skillset that isn’t showing up in what they’ve published so far, the pitch would be a good place to talk about it.

There are good ways and bad ways to do this, of course. I wouldn’t advise saying something like:

“I noticed you don’t use keywords. You’re missing out on a lot of business! I’m an SEO writer, hire me and I’ll write good keyword content!” 

Be a little savvier; humble-brag about your skills, but let them connect the dots.

For example, take a look at their previous coverage. It might give you an idea for a pitch, as well as an excuse to talk about your competencies.

Instead, your email should sound something like this:

“I’ve noticed you’ve covered this topic back in 2018, but a lot has changed since then. For instance, [points A, B, and C]. I think your readers would benefit from another take on this topic, and I’ve not only written on this topic before, but I use more recent SEO best practices that have helped previous clients climb in the rankings.”

Getting a sense of their brand voice will also help you (if you get the job) to write better content they’ll be happy to publish.

Also, you might want to check out their social media profiles. See how they interact with their audience, or make announcements. If they post memes, that would suggest they’re comfortable with a more casual, humorous approach from time to time.

The point is, there’s a lot you can learn from the content they’ve already put out there, both in terms of what they like and how you can help them improve.

Last tip: Whoever you’re pitching may also have submission guidelines already. Try to find them. (Pro tip: a lot of more popular publications and blogs make these guidelines kind of hard to find to discourage casual pitches, so it may take some digging).

Question #3: Ask yourself, ‘how can I add value?’

There’s only one thing an employer is thinking when they read a pitch:

“How will this add value to my audience?”

Sure, maybe they ask it like “how will this help me drive sales” or “how will this help me go viral” but the core of what they’re asking is all about how a potential reader will benefit.

Because if the reader benefits, this is how your client will feel:

After doing your research on who you’re pitching and what they like to write about, you  should have something pretty specific and insightful to open your email with.

But that just gets you a seat at the table.

To close the deal, you need to demonstrate how you can add value.

You don’t need to try and skate around the fact that you want this employer to do something for you. You want their money, or exposure, or both. They know this already. What you have to do is justify why they should give it to you and not everyone else who has sent them a pitch.

Maybe the value you bring is a fresh angle on a topic they’ve covered, or something relevant to their audience that no one else is talking about yet. Maybe you bring a special insight to the topic that will make their content more unique.

The point is, focus on what their readers will find value in, and how you can provide it. An employer is not going to help you if you can’t explain how you can help them.

Question #4: What will make them ‘bite’?

I’m sure this will be a controversial point, but go with me on it for a moment: Whoever you’re pitching, pitch your best idea right away.

I hear the critics already. Some writers might be afraid to share their “best idea” with a potential employer because that employer could always just take the idea and run with it themselves.

Well, here’s the truth about that…

… Yes, that could totally happen.

I know.

BUT. If you’ve worked through questions 1-3 by this point, you should have a pretty bespoke idea for each pitch, right?

If a pitch is so generic that you can send it to 100 different outlets, then it’s probably not exciting enough to appeal to even one of them.

The point is this: Pitch ideas are cheap. Execution is everything.

Pitching a compelling topic is your chance to show off. It’s an audition. You need to give an employer something to picture. Something that they’re excited to share with their audience.

If they like the idea enough, they’ll hire you to write it.

The worst-case scenario is not that they “steal” your idea and assign it to someone else.

The worst-case scenario is that you pitch vague, generic concepts, or promise great ideas for content after they hire you, and they delete your email.

Question #5: Can I deliver flawless copy?

We’ve made this point in other posts, but it bears repeating often: Your client is not your editor.

You are a writer. The reason freelance writing is a career at all is that writers have a skillset their employers don’t have: the ability to write well.

So, it should follow that you actually bring the skillset that you were hired for to the table.

Freelance writing can be difficult. When you’re starting out, you likely take lower-pay jobs, and you need to work as quickly and efficiently as possible. You don’t always have time to give each piece of copy the once-or-twice-over it deserves.

Not only that, some writers rush in with a half-formed idea and write without any sort of outline, hoping they figure it out as they go.

Sometimes that works well enough and saves you time. But more often than not, it results in a choppy piece of content your employer has to fix.

If you turn in copy that your employer has to fix, it almost guarantees you will never work for them again.

What do you think takes up more time? Crawling the web, “cold calling” for opportunities? Or taking the time to knock each piece of content you write completely out of the park?

Pitch the clients you actually want to work for. Then, deliver them flawless content they’d be crazy not to publish. Invest in recurring opportunities with those clients, not the “cold calling” approach.

Question #6: Am I easy to vet?

So, to recap:

  1. You’ve made a connection
  2. You’ve studied their content
  3. You’ve shown how you can add value
  4. You pitched a great idea
  5. You can turn in flawless copy

If I’m reading this pitch, I’m feeling pretty good about who you are and your ability to create great content. There’s just one nagging thought left in my head.

“How do I know I’m not going to be catfished again?”

I’m going to let you in on a little secret.

This happens a lot.

A lot.

Everyone who has ever hired a writer has a horror story (or 12) about a well-written pitch, good writing samples, and customer reviews that sound great, only to hire the writer and receive a first draft of copy that looks like the result of a keyboard being thrown down a flight of stairs.

I have to be honest and say I don’t know what accounts for this. Some of it might be the grind on freelance writers earlier in their careers. They feel pressured to turn in copy quickly, collect their check, and move on to the next opportunity.

Maybe there are well-written pitch templates that they just drop a potential title into and that’s enough to convince some employers to hire them.

I have also encountered writers who run their own mini-agencies, paying less-experienced writers 1 cent per word or less to do most of the heavy lifting. That writer then punches it up a little and puts their name on it.

The freelance/employer dynamic is a little broken. There are plenty of employers who can’t explain what they want, skip on pay, and berate and abuse writers. But keep in mind that there are good employers who also get burned in this dynamic.

The solution? Make it easy for an employer to verify that you are who you say you are.

It’s something we’ve written about before, and indeed, it’s a grounding assumption of ProWriter’s own business model:

Employers need the confidence that you are who you say you are and can do what you say you can do.

One thing that those potential catfish applicants have in common is that for all intents and purposes, they don’t exist online. No social profiles, no website, nothing.

An active digital footprint is an asset, and that trend is only going to increase in the coming years.

My advice? Put a picture, your name, your website, and your social channels in the signature of your email pitch. Be easy to find and verify.

You don’t need every profile on the planet, just a couple. Or, you can just use a ProWriter profile, which pulls together all of your links and includes third-party identity verification.

TL;DR: Be a real human!

Pitch templates: a HUGE red flag for me

At this point, you might be thinking something like “okay, this advice makes sense, but you’re asking for a huge time commitment boost to my pitching game and that’s just not realistic.”

I get it. Like I said above, I understand the grind of the freelance writer’s first couple of years.

But let me tell you something about the competition, i.e., the people you’re competing with for the jobs you want so badly.

They’re not really a threat.

As a former editor, it wasn’t uncommon for me to receive 500 or more pitches when I posted an ad on Upwork, Problogger, or other boards.

Even if I wasn’t actively looking, it wasn’t uncommon to receive 15-20 a day.

Almost all of them wound up in the trash.

Why?

Because most of them look like this:

Where to even begin with how wrong this is?

  • It makes a generic attempt at connection, but doesn’t even name our business
  • It promises “exclusive” value, but doesn’t explain what that value is
  • It’s a “cold call,” skipping any interest in who we are and just asking us if we’re hiring
  • It gives me the homework of coming up with angles they can write for me
  • It’s not well-written
  • I have no idea who wrote it and no way to vet them.

This is obviously just a copy/pasted template blasted to everyone on an email list in a desperate attempt to get a gig.

If anyone who saw this pitch hired this writer, I will buy them a steak dinner and get their story.

My guess is the same as yours: that no one bothered, and I will eat alone.

Here’s the point

If you feel like this post is asking you to put too much into your pitches — that you don’t have time, and that this is too much effort for anything other than a sure hire — know this.

Yes, pitching is a slog.

Most pitches go unanswered, or get a “no.”

But you would be stunned how low quality most pitches are.

A Point Visible survey found that a lot of pitches editors get are so bad, they don’t even bother to read them, and that nearly half of submitted content is terrible quality.

If you take nothing else away from this article, chew on this:

Whenever the competition is this bad, it means there’s an opportunity for good writers like you.

More resources for writers

If you want some more technical advice on this topic, especially with regard to finding opportunities using search, this post from Neil Patel ain’t bad.

If it’s not obvious by now, I would advise skepticism toward blog posts offering “pitch templates” for the reasons outlined above. Using a template you found online is like using another writer’s toothbrush.

It just isn’t right.

You can use a pitch template to get an idea of how to pitch, but ultimately, you need to figure out what works for you and custom-pitch each outlet.

If you want to learn some SEO skills to humble-brag about in your pitches, you can check out this free guide ProWriter put together specifically for writers. “SEO” can come off as kind of a buzzword when you talk to clients, so don’t oversell it.

The smart position is to look like you know enough about it to be a good writer for digital. Don’t try to push yourself as some kind of guru. There are a lot of people that do, and it usually engenders suspicion, not confidence, in employers.

We post bonus SEO tips on our social channels, so find and follow us @prowriterhq.

If you’re new to writing and/or need a professional online writing portfolio, ProWriter has a free one you can create here.

Lastly, we have a newsletter that aggregates job posts from all over the web every Monday. We also offer other free resources for writers in each issue. You can sign up here.

Freelance writer frustrated
Getting Started

Frustrated with ‘how to become a freelance writer’ articles? Try this

by Dusten Carlson
July 6, 2020

There’s a lot of advice online about how to become a freelance writer, but how much of it actually helps writers when they’re starting out?

Writers figuring out how to start freelance writing with no experience should keep a tight focus on two things.

If you made it here, it means you’ve decided to take your first steps toward becoming a freelance writer.

Maybe you’re in school looking to build up some experience. Or you’re a stay-at-home parent ready to get back to work now that the kids are a little older. Maybe you have a job and are looking for some extra cash.

Whatever your story, your first step was probably Googling something like “how to become a freelance writer” or “how to start freelance writing with no experience” and we’re one of a dozen or so tabs you have open in your browser.

That you?

It’s okay, we’re friends here.

Maybe you’ve already read some of those articles before you clicked on ours. Did they leave you with questions like:

“What the heck does this mean?”

“How does this help me when I’m just starting out?”

It’s understandable. We’ve read most or all of the other tabs you have open, too. We work with freelance writers for a living, so we’re always looking to test new pieces of advice and turn them over to our community if they’re awesome.

But I’ll be honest — I wonder if a lot of the advice out there is actually helpful for writers just starting out.

Most of the resources out there for writers range from generic common sense (i.e., “just sit down and write!”) to too good to be true (i.e., “I make $10,000 a month working from my porch in Costa Rica and so can you!”).

The point is, most advice is not very goals-focused.

And if you want to be a freelance writer, your first goals are pretty simple:

  • Find out what it takes to be successful.
  • Find jobs and start making money.

Sounds like you?

Keep reading.

Learn to spot and avoid bad writing advice

I want to offer a bit of free dad logic that applies to everything in life, including learning how to become a freelance writer:

Just because you read it on the internet doesn’t make it true.

Like I said above, most advice for becoming a freelance writer seems to fall into two camps.

  • “Write every day.”
  • “Read constantly.”
  • “It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”

Does this sound familiar?

Creating a discipline of writing even when you don’t feel like it is important. And reading is key to developing communication skills that you transition over into your craft. It’s also true that a successful freelance writing career is like Rome — not built in a day.

But how does this advice help you land your first paying job? What if you want to make money sooner, not later?

Then you’ve probably run into the other camp.

  • “Start a blog and monetize it!”
  • “Learn a niche!”
  • “Grow your social media presence!”

Again, not bad advice on its face.

Starting a blog and monetizing it is a strategy for long-term recurring revenue that freelance writers should explore. Learning a niche can arguably help you stand out if you want more specialized jobs with less competition. Growing your social media presence certainly can’t hurt.

But if these all sound like long-term commitments, that’s because they are.

What about right now?

“I want to know how to start freelance writing. What are the first steps?”

Again, none of the above is bad advice. But it’s light on detail, isn’t it? It doesn’t help with your immediate goals, does it?

Maybe a more specific version of that free dad logic is this:

Just because you read it on the internet doesn’t mean it will help you.

What do you need to know that will actually help you when you’re just starting out?

Here’s the rub.

You’re not going to find all of the answers in a single blog post.

I know. But before you rage-quit the window, hear me out.

There are tons of successful freelance writers out there. Many of them do make really good money (six figures-good), and some of them really might write from the breezy porch of their Costa Rican estate.

But almost all of them learned their craft through hard work, resourcefulness, time, and networking.

They’re also a shrewd group. Now that they’ve made it to the Captain’s Lounge, they’re not likely to share their secrets freely.

So be skeptical of promises that sound too good to be true:

  • Unlimited income potential!
  • Get paid to write what you’re passionate about!
  • Take off as much time as you want!

BS, BS, BS.

Freelance writing is a craft. It’s tough to learn it, because most of what you need to know is learned on the job. Trial and error.

This means that a lot of new freelancers spend a long time doing bad jobs and not getting paid or not getting paid what they think they’re worth.

Sounds like a real drag, huh?

Still want to become a freelance writer? Keep reading.

Two main things a new freelance writer should focus on

It took a long time getting here, yes, but instead of trying to offer you an “ultimate guide” of some kind with every last detail you need to become a freelance writer, we’re going to do something else.

Because, if you haven’t figured it out by now, there is no complete, ultimate guide to becoming a freelance writer, and it takes some time to unpack a lot of the unhelpful advice out there.

But it was worth doing because it cleared the runway to focus on what really matters:

  • What it takes to be successful
  • Finding jobs and making money.

The theme of this article, and really ProWriter’s entire blog, is first steps.

  • What should you expect from your first 12-18 months as a freelance writer?
  • How do you avoid getting trapped in low-pay Upwork jobs?
  • What do you need to do right now to set yourself up for higher-quality, higher-paying jobs down the line?

The two things you need to focus on at the expense of almost everything else are simple.

  • Become what employers are looking for.
  • Broadcast it strategically.

“Uh oh, this sounds like more generic advice.”

Don’t worry, we won’t leave you there. Stay with me.

How to BECOME what employers are looking for

No. 1 thing new freelance writers should focus on: learning the skills that show an employer you’re right for their job.

One of the biggest hurdles to success in freelance writing is developing the skills that show an employer you can handle their job and then making it easy for the employer to pick you over other applicants.

Writing is not as simple as just sitting down and “using your voice” or waiting for inspiration to kick. It’s a creative pursuit, but that doesn’t mean employers want to pay for an unorganized stream of consciousness.

Whether you’re writing press releases for tech startups, blog posts for brands, email copy for a marketing campaign, a technical manual, an opinion column, or listicles about TV shows from the 80s —

Every piece of copy needs to have a purpose and a goal.

In order to execute on that purpose, you need to learn what makes content tick.

  • What’s the format of a press release?
  • What kind of email subject line makes people want to open the message?
  • What makes prose easy and enjoyable to read?

Each piece of content has a purpose and a goal.

Executing on that goal means successfully guiding readers through the content.

Freelance writers need to have the skills to execute on that goal.

This might sound daunting, but honestly, you can do a pretty deep Google dive on most of the skills you need over the course of a week.

Of course, you’ll get better over time when you actually put these skills into practice, but do some targeted research into the fundamentals.

Some topics to research to BECOME a well-rounded writer are:

  • SEO and keyword use (stay away from freelance writer blogs; try marketing blogs)
  • Readability (learn what the Flesh Kincaid test is and what it likes)
  • Titles (CoSchedule and Buzzsumo have good resources)

Go down the rabbit hole on each of these and you’ll be surprised how many resources you come out with.

Once you have those skills and start putting them to work in your first gigs, you need to figure out how to spread the word about what you can do and help employers find you faster.

That leads us to No. 2…

How to BROADCAST it

No. 2 thing new freelance writers should focus on: making it easy for an employer to pick you from a stack of 500 applications.

As someone who used to be a freelance writer and later became someone who has hired hundreds of them, I can say at least one thing with total confidence:

Both freelancers and employers have a hard time finding what they want.

As a freelancer, it’s a grind pitching and applying for every job listing you can find. It’s dispiriting to get so few emails back, especially when you’re just starting out.

As an employer, it’s utterly overwhelming to be bombarded with 500 applications from bright-eyed, bushy-tailed freelance writers. Many of which you will never read because you have deadlines of your own.

More than likely, you’re going to settle on the first 2-3 writers that just seem like they can do the job and then take your chances.

Broadcasting is all about putting yourself into an employer’s shoes, and making it easy for them to pick you.

This means being smart and strategic about how you present the information the employer needs, which includes:

  • I have the skills you need for this job
  • I can demonstrate it

Some of the ways you can BROADCAST you’re right for the job:

  •  A brief, friendly cover letter that focuses on the skills you have. Tailor them to the job described to help the employer “connect the dots.”
  • Skip saying things like “I’m willing to learn” or “I’m deadline-driven.” Employers don’t have the time to teach you anything, and meeting a deadline is an expectation, not a skill.
  • Include relevant writing samples. Quality over quantity, and organized neatly on a professional website or writer profile.

“Okay, good tips, but what if I literally don’t have any experience yet?”

You’re not going to like this, but it’s true: You’re going to need to spend some time creating some portfolio pieces.

These should not be Word Documents uploaded to a Google Drive, either. Your samples need to be organized on a professional website, or a professional writer portfolio (the easier route unless you have experience building websites).

If you don’t have experience yet, you need to treat getting your first gig like an American Idol audition, and not the kind that makes Katy go —

WUT

Try to make your samples look as close to what would be published as possible. Include relevant fair use images from a site like Pixabay if they fit the topic. There are numerous self-publishing platforms out there, including:

  • Medium, where you can write about anything.
  • Thought Catalog, for more creative or lifestyle content.
  • BoredPanda, really nice if you’re also a photographer.

You can also try to pitch Huffington Post of Buzzfeed Community. You wouldn’t be able to say you’re a HuffPo or Buzzfeed staff writer, but it would give you a URL with your name on it that will get an employer’s attention.

If you’re looking for something more specialized, you can search for websites in the niches you’re interested in and ask if you can guest post on their blog in exchange for a byline.

I would only pitch concepts here, not finished pieces. But if you go this route, you should have some self-published work on the topic as well that the editor can review.

The point is, you need to be able to broadcast your ability to do the job you’re applying for, and the best way is to show them that you’ve already done it, even if it’s just a portfolio piece.

Key takeaways and more resources for freelance writers

The TL;DR is this:

Instead of focusing on BS advice, focus on two things becoming the kind of writer employers want to hire (this means not skipping out on learning the hard skills), and broadcasting it strategically.

If you’re new to this, there are only two tips for how to become a freelance writer that should guide your first 12-18 months:

  • You need to have the skills to stand out from 500 applications and pitches the employer is looking at.
  • You need an easy, all-in-one solution for showcasing your portfolio and experience.

Don’t worry about the mansion in Costa Rica yet. Focus on these two points and give it 12-18 months. By then, you’ll know whether you want to stick with this or not.

If you’re looking for more resources to help you get started, ProWriter has a free SEO skills resource here, and if you want an attractive portfolio designed to emphasize your skills and experience over time, you can sign up for a free ProWriter writer portfolio at our homepage.

If you have any questions for me, or feedback about this blog post, I’d love to hear it! Find me on LinkedIn.

ProWriter is building a community that helps freelance writers launch, grow, and go pro. Come and join us.

What makes a good writer? Tips for writers
Career Help

What makes a good writer? 5 important things to focus on

by Dusten Carlson
June 29, 2020

There’s a lot of advice floating around blogs and social media about what it takes to be a good writer. But it can be difficult for new writers to figure out what to prioritize. Which tips create a map to success, whatever that means for you?

Our advice? Skip generic advice.

Let’s start from scratch here. What makes a good writer?

Becoming a good writer requires a combination of learning hard skills and becoming more disciplined in your creative habits. Although natural talent and creativity are part of the secret sauce, a lot of promising writers fail to launch because they rely too much on passion or waiting for inspiration and too little on cultivating professional skills.

We’ll get to the skills here shortly, but first, I want to spend some time on the mistakes most writers early in their careers make.

First things first: Avoid these writing mistakes

I want to focus on this first in part because I believe the cliche that everyone has at least one great novel in them.

I also think that the reasons that prevent most people from becoming writers at all are mostly self-inflicted.

Whether you want to write the great American novel, become a successful columnist, or design marketing campaigns that inspire people to take action, the first step is deleting everything pop culture has ever told you about these jobs from your brain. 

Successful authors conjure mental images of quiet lives spent in cabins by lakes, or in cottages in English countrysides. Admittedly modest lifestyles, but ones where money isn’t really a worry and most days are spent listlessly drifting between your fireplace-lit reading nook and your typewriter.

The truth is, most authors make about $26 an hour, and their days are mostly comprised of research, fact-checking, follow-ups, and outlines. The workflow more resembles the tedious building of a house than composing a beautiful symphony.

This is “deadline face”

Let’s do columnists. A lot — a lot — of ink has already been spilled by better writers than I about the Carrie Bradshaw myth. TL;DR, a Sex and the City lifestyle is not doable on the average columnist’s salary.

No one is rolling out of bed to write a quick column and then spending the rest of the day at brunch, either. The real-life Carrie Bradshaws of the world grind.

Disappointing, I know

What about creatives at fancy ad agencies? Long gone are the leisurely smoke- and gin-filled meeting rooms of the Mad Men era, if they ever existed as depicted on the popular AMC show.

Ad agencies today are packed with underpaid Millennials working grueling schedules and experience some of the highest burnout and turnover of any industry.

Real employees, most of the time

Sure, all this makes most professional writing jobs sound like they’re human meat grinders. That’s not our intention.

What we’re trying to get across here is that writing, in all of its forms, is a job. 

Before we can offer our advice on what’s important to focus on, it’s important to understand the context of where we’re coming from.

To set the stage for becoming a good writer, we have to weed out some of the romanticism most people associate with a career in writing. That will help you focus on what matters early on so you can develop the necessary raw skills and hopefully, ultimately, become the good writer you want to be.

We have to eat our veggies before dessert.

That means worrying a lot less about “developing your voice” (whatever that means), not waiting around for inspiration to kick in, and avoiding the trap of relying on your natural abilities to shine through no matter what.

Your “voice” is going to develop the same way your muscles grow when you exercise. Inspiration isn’t going to show up enough to pay the bills, and when it does, it will hardly ever be on your schedule.

A natural writing talent is an asset — but a professional writer who has taken the time to develop the right skills and disciplines will run laps around a writer with no skills and no discipline. They will be more successful even if they don’t possess as much raw talent.

If you’ve made it this far, that means you’re serious about learning what it takes to be a good writer. That’s great! Here are 5 foundational things to focus on.

5 tips to turn beginners into good writers

So you’ve lost your romantic notions about what makes a good writer. Now what?

Hopefully, two things have happened. One, you understand that the path to becoming a successful writer (whatever that means to you) is hard work.

But…

Two, hopefully you realize that it’s actually doable.

If you thought that success was a matter of waiting to be discovered and only a fortunate few make it into that club, this should come as a relief.

I’m sure you’ve heard about how JK Rowling was sent no less than 12 rejection letters from publishers before her first book was published.

Ouch.

Try to actually picture that. Try hanging your hopes on one publisher. Then two. Then three. All the way up to 12. Imagine hearing “no” every day for a year.

Most of us would have given up, right?

All that’s standing between you and your version of success as a writer is your own work ethic. Don’t wait around to be discovered (it doesn’t happen), and don’t let “no” discourage you (you’ll hear it more than you hear “yes”).

If you’re just starting out, here’s our advice. These tips are practical, but we also wanted them to be as specific as possible for people who want to become good writers that can make a living.

We skipped stuff like “read a lot” or “write with passion.” Good advice, but I think it distracts from some of the practical steps writers need to take at the start of their careers to develop the skills they need to be truly competitive.

I’d love to hear your feedback. If these tips helped you, please give me a shout on LinkedIn. Or, feel free to tell me where you think I went wrong here. I’m a big boy, I can handle it.

No. 1 — Learn the hard skills for whatever you want to write

I’ll keep saying it until someone proves me wrong — natural talent is not enough.

Whatever you want to write, whether it’s a press release, an SEO-optimized blog post, a graphic novel, a clickbait listicle, the great American novel, or even a tweet, everything has a format and a structure.

This is why “just sit down and write” isn’t always the best advice. It implies that you already have everything you need in your toolkit, and can rely on your creativity and discipline to find success.

Natural talent is not enough. Learn the hard skills and structures for whatever it is you want to write. #writertip Click To Tweet

Creativity and discipline are important, but they’re not the whole pie. People have already figured this stuff out; you can stand on the shoulders of giants here.

There’s no need to rely on trial and error through your screenplay. It’ll be a mess.

Whatever you want to write, if you want to be a good writer, learn the hard stuff — the structure, what works, what doesn’t. Once you put in your time, you can get more creative.

No. 2 — If you’re a writer, you’re a business. So learn business.

Being a good writer is about so much more than just good writing, though.

I preferred my creative writing courses to Intro to Business back in college too, but I’ll be the first to admit I wish I’d paid more attention to the latter.

Whatever kind of writing you do, if there’s going to be money involved, you’re going to need to learn some basic business skills on the fly.

Whatever kind of writing you do, you're going to need to learn some basic business skills as well. #writertip Click To Tweet

Don’t diminish or skip this — everything from contract negotiation to figuring out how to pay your taxes will become part of your routine. You might need to build a website, or a portfolio of your work to attract clients. You’ll need to find creative ways to market yourself.

You’ll be the talent, the manager, the publicist, and the accounting department all in one.

No. 3 — Don’t sacrifice readability to style

A writer once asked me to review a creative writing sample for a YA fantasy novel she was working on. After reading a few paragraphs I said “you have some interesting ideas here, but it’s really dense, there are a lot of words I don’t know, and I don’t really know who or what this story is about.”

She replied, “Yeah, it’s supposed to be impenetrable.” So I handed it back and said, “Well, then it’s probably not supposed to be YA.”

It’s not just a problem for aspiring novelists. I run into a lot of writers who try to impress with a big, sweeping vocabulary and complex sentences, even in relatively straightforward “how to” articles.

But unless there’s a justifiable reason for it, you should write everything for a general audience. I’m sure you’ve heard that familiar cliche about The New York Times being written at a 5th-grade reading level (it’s actually 10th grade, but who’s counting).

You should write everything for a general audience. #writertip Click To Tweet

You definitely have your own stylistic quirks, and that’s okay. Maybe you’re verby, or like using lots of metaphors. I’m not saying you should water your writing down to some arbitrary standard of mediocre prose.

Just water down you to a level where everyone can understand what you’re saying.

Oh, and “it’s just my style” is not a justifiable reason.

No. 4 — Reverse engineer your career path from your ultimate goal

In addition to writing skills, business skills, and readable copy, you need a goal.

Start big.

But then, break the goal down into component parts.

What steps do you need to take to get there? What skills do you need to develop, what city do you need to relocate to, who do you need to make connections with?

To be a good writer, you need a goal. Start big. #writertip Click To Tweet

Is there someone who has achieved what you want? What did they do to get there? What have they said publicly about the challenges they faced, and what can you learn about that?

Follow them on social media. Can you learn anything about their habits or attitudes or work ethic from the content they post? (Hint: writers never stop writing, so the answer to this is yes, yes you can).

No. 5 — Make it a habit

I promised we’d avoid generic advice, but bear with me on this one.

Whenever you see advice like “just sit down and write!” whoever’s saying it isn’t telling you the whole truth.

When I tell writers they need to make writing a habit, they roll their eyes and smile. “I know, I know,” they say as though I’m telling them to schedule a dentist appointment.

But what if that advice sounded more like a warning? What if instead of a gentle reminder to be proactive with your health, it was a dire plea to change a lifestyle habit that is already destroying your health?

I think this is the mindset aspiring writers need to adopt. Because nobody is waiting for you to finish your book, your graphic novel, or your column. If it never comes out, nobody notices. Nobody knows what they lost because they don’t know what they could have had.

Except you.

The only person who can help you find success as a good writer is you.

The only person standing in your way? Same person.

“Make writing a habit” is an implicit admission that we are our own worst enemy, creatively speaking. Don’t let the enemy win!

More resources for writers

I hope you found this advice helpful.

If you’re looking for more resources for aspiring writers, or paying gigs to help kickstart a creative career, subscribe to our newsletter.

You can also set up a free writing portfolio here.

Product

Introducing the ProWriter Freelance Writer Jobs Board: Find, Apply, and Earn

by Dave Polykoff
June 23, 2020

One of the largest pains we hear from our writing community is the daunting, timely, and daily task of finding credible writing jobs they actually want.

As freelance writers ourselves, we certainly feel this pain too.

Every morning you open 10 browser tabs of different job boards and spend the next few hours scraping through them all to hopefully find 2 to 3 gems you actually care about.

This doesn’t even take into consideration the time it takes to apply to each of these jobs.

But don’t worry. Your feedback was taken to heart and we’re very excited to announce the launch of our aggregated freelance writing jobs board.

This jobs board aggregates the prime writing opportunities from around the web including:

Our goal with the freelance writing jobs board was to eliminate the time it takes a typical freelance writer to source great writing opportunities from around the web every day.

This first iteration of the jobs board gives you that time back so you can spend more of it writing and earning money!

How do you find these freelance writing jobs?

Every morning before 8am EST, we scrape through the web to find newly posted freelance writing or editing jobs since the previous morning.

This means ProWriter’s aggregated freelance writing jobs board is updated daily with fresh writing jobs to search through.

The daily feed of new freelance writing jobs was a key piece of feedback we received from our writing community. While others update their job listings once or twice a month, we wanted to ensure you had fresh job listings to review every morning.

We then import these writing jobs one-by-one into our ProWriter freelance writing jobs database with all of the job listing details that we could find within the original job listing post.

The details we look to capture for each job listing include:

  • Employer name
  • Employer website
  • Job title
  • Job description
  • Job industry
  • Job location
  • Job duration
  • Position
  • Employment type
  • Average article payout
  • Average article minimum word count

We look to find freelance writing jobs that will resonate with freelance writers of all talent levels and interests. We know not every job is perfect for every writer but one job is perfect for at least one writer.

Your feedback is also key to how we evolve the writing jobs board so if you have any preferences or suggestions, please feel free to reach out to us!

How do I view and follow these job listings?

First, go check out ProWriter’s freelance writing job board at ProWriter.co/jobs.

Again, we update this page daily, so feel free to come back every morning and search through the list for your perfect writing job opportunity.

Speaking of search, we have a search bar at the top of the page where you can enter a keyword, industry, or topic to find all job listings that include those words.

Once you find a job listing that looks interesting to you, click on it to view the job listing details page.

On a job listing details page, you will find all of the important information around the writing opportunity that I listed above.

If you’re interested in learning more about the company behind the job listing, you can click on the “View company” button to be taken to their website.

If you want to apply to the job listing, then click on the “Apply to job listing” button and it will take you directly to the original source of the job listing where you can complete the application.

Is ProWriter affiliated with the job listing?

The quick and simple answer is “no” we are not associated or affiliated with these job listings.

Furthermore, the employers that publish these job listings are not compensating us for distributing them on our site nor do we get any compensation if you apply to the job or get hired.

The employers behind the job listings may or may not have an existing ProWriter account, but the jobs we post are not affiliated with an account they may already own.

While all of the current job listings are sourced from external brands or job boards, we have plans to introduce job listings from our ProWriter employer users.

Speaking of…

What can I expect from this freelance writing jobs board in the future?

While the current iteration of the freelance writing jobs board provides value to our writer community by eliminating the time it takes to search through dozens of job boards, we also have some very exciting plans for it in the future as well.

Some of those future updates to look out for include:

  • Job listings from ProWriter employers
    • The jobs board currently focuses on aggregating job listings from external sources, but soon ProWriter employers will be posting their job listings directly onto our job listing page.
  • Messaging employers directly
    • If you apply to a job listing that was posted by a ProWriter employer directly onto our job listing page then that employer has the ability to message you using ProWriters messaging system. You can discuss the writing opportunity, follow up with files and additional requests, and land on terms you both agree with to kickstart your new writing opportunity.
  • Managing jobs you have applied to
    • You will be able to easily keep track of the writing jobs you have applied to – whether they are jobs from external sources or ones posted by ProWriter employers directly.

We look forward to continuing our mission toward helping freelance writers start and grow their freelance writing careers through the best writing tools, resources, and education.

If you have any feedback or suggestions on what you’d like to see in this jobs board then please feel free to reach out to me directly at [email protected]!

ProWriter online writing portfolio tips
Getting Started

3 things employers want to see in your online writing portfolio

by Dusten Carlson
June 8, 2020

Trying to figure out how to become a freelance writer? Start by building your online writing portfolio.

But be warned — freelance writing is competitive.

In this post, we’ll cover what you need to know to stand out, including:

  • Why ‘social proofing’ matters to employers
  • How to show proficiency and experience in a freelance writing niche
  • Some free (or cheap) resources to help you close writing skill gaps

Anyone can become a freelance writer.

There’s no college degree or special certification required. If you have good communication skills, the bar to entry is practically nonexistent.

Let’s say you’re a college student looking for experience, a stay-at-home mom seeking to enter the workforce, or a 9-5 professional who wants to make some extra cash on the weekends.

As long as you have a solid internet connection, you can start picking up gigs and making money.

But there’s a problem.

Because freelance writing is easy to get into, the market is overrun. It’s extremely competitive.

So what can you do to stand out? What gives you a competitive edge over other freelancers vying for the same jobs as you?

Aim for the 1 percent pool of qualified applicants

Let’s take a moment to talk about the employer side of this equation. We work with employers of freelance writers, and hire writers for our own projects all the time.

To be perfectly honest, most applications are automatically disqualified.

Why?

They lack a professional website or online writing portfolio.

Despite earnest cover letters from well-intentioned applicants who seem like genuinely awesome people, when you don’t include any examples of your writing, you won’t get very far with employers.

The second tier up attaches an original sample in a Word doc or a link to a Google folder containing sample files. Better, but still a little slapdash.

If you want to be a successful freelance writer, it’s all about the portfolio. You won’t even get a ticket to the table without it.

The top 10 percent tier of applications contain a well-written cover letter (nothing formal, just an email introduction of 300 words or so) detailing who the applicant is and why they’re right for the job.

They also include some kind of professional portfolio, whether that’s a link to a personal content writer website, a list of relevant links, or even a well-organized LinkedIn profile.

But even 10 percent of 250 or more applications (not that uncommon, believe me) is a big pool of competition. Even if you skate past the 225 other applicants, how do you get past the 25 semi-finalists and into the final 3?

How do you get into the 1 percent pool?

Let’s say you’re still in that 225 group. If we’ve impressed anything upon you, hopefully, it’s that if you want to be a successful freelance writer, it’s all about the portfolio.

You won’t even get a ticket to the table without it.

Once that’s taken care of, you need to figure out how to stand out from what is still a pretty competitive lineup.

Employers are busy. It can be really easy to get lost in an application pool of a dozen or more. And you have to consider the fact that the top 10 percent of applicants are the cream of the crop.

So what do employers look for in the top 10 percent of applications to move their hiring decision to the final few candidates?

One of the biggest parts of my work with clients is to try and help them find the right talent for their projects. They share many of the same headaches when it comes to finding and vetting freelance writers.

I’ve personally pored over thousands — thousands — of applications and spent countless hours trying to figure out which applicants are the right fit for a job.

With all of that experience, I feel pretty confident when I say that applications that ultimately lead to a job offer have 3 main things in common.

If you’re looking into how to become a freelance writer, or just looking for ways to stand out and get closer to that final shortlist of applications, these tips will set you up for more successes down the road.

No. 1: You are who you say you are

Do you remember the MTV show Catfish? The one where a couple of filmmakers use simple Google searches to determine whether or not someone’s online significant other is actually who they say they are?

Employers can also do that.

And they do! It helps them eliminate unqualified applicants.

People are leading increasingly online lives, and our digital footprints matter in everything from college admissions to rental applications.

While you don’t necessarily need to have your own professional website, you should show up in a Google search in some of the expected places: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

This is called “social proofing” and you’d be surprised how many applicants leave it out.

Here’s a hypothetical example: Say a guy named Joe Anderson applies for a job, includes a well-written cover letter, and a dozen links to articles he has “ghostwritten”. He doesn’t include a link to a website, online writing portfolio, any social media, or anything else that would help us verify his identity.

He doesn’t even have a photo of himself attached to his Gmail account.

It’s absolutely critical to know who you’re hiring. It’s one of the reasons ProWriter requires social proofing in its online writing portfolios.

So we go searching on Google for “Joe Anderson writer.” Because he has such a common name, we don’t find anything that obviously would belong to him. Maybe he doesn’t have much of an online presence at all.

In any case, we’re about at the end of the time we’re going to spend trying to figure this out. After all, we have 250 applications to get through.

Can you see the problem here?

How do I know he wrote his ghostwritten samples? What if he just grabbed random links off the internet?

That’s not to say you should never include ghostwritten examples. Just help the employer verify that they’re actually yours.

Include them in your online writing portfolio, or LinkedIn. Use a clear photo of your face online. Make sure that the photos of you on your various profiles clearly belong to the same person.

It’s absolutely critical to know who you’re hiring. It’s one of the reasons ProWriter requires social proofing in its online writing portfolios.

Make it easy for employers to find you online. That, and verify with confidence that you are who you say you are.

You’d be surprised how often we get catfished.

No. 2: You can do what you say you can do

Part of establishing that you’re the real deal is demonstrating that you’re the right fit for the job.

It’s something you have or you don’t.

You either have relevant experience writing in a particular freelance writing niche, or you don’t. That simple.

If you DO have that experience:

  • Where have you written on the topic before?
  • Can you include samples and links?
  • If they’re ghostwritten, can you provide a reference we can verify?

If you DON’T have that experience, you might be asking the question we’ve all asked ourselves at the beginning of our careers: Every job I’m looking at requires experience, so where do I get experience?

By playing to your strengths.

Let’s say you have a professional or educational background in a particular industry. You’re just starting to try your hand at freelance writing for some extra cash.

Play to your strengths. Follow your skill, not your passion. Click To Tweet

Your subject matter expertise can be a major asset. If you have a degree in finance or have done work as an accountant, that can catch the eye of an employer. Depending on the industry and job, it might actually matter more than writing experience.

A good writer who doesn’t know anything about gardening won’t do a very convincing job providing blog posts for a home and garden blog. If you did landscaping for a few summers in college, you might have an edge!

As entrepreneur Scott Galloway puts it, follow your skill, not your passion.

What if you’re attempting a career shift?

If you want to use freelance writing as an opportunity to shift into a different career, you might have some trouble. If you want to pivot out of finance into something like sports writing, you might need to build up writing experience taking finance writing jobs while pitching sports outlets.

And if you’re brand new at all of this and have no experience whatsoever, it’s going to be tough. It’s not the answer you’ll want to hear, but you need to spend some time building up your portfolio.

After you learn the ropes, it will be easier to compete for the jobs you really want.

Now, if you’ve demonstrated you are who you say you are and have relevant experience for the job, an employer like me is still looking for one more thing…

No. 3: Do you know how to write?

Anyone applying for a writing job would already know how to write, right?

Wrong!

As with any skill, there are plenty of people who think they can write who simply can’t. That’s not usually who employers run into.

Instead, employers often run into applicants who are good writers. They’re just not good at writing for the internet.

They don’t understand SEO, they don’t know how to optimize a headline, and they don’t know how to increase the depth of experience on a web page.

(if that sounds like you, skip ahead to the Resources section).

Complicating matters, there’s good writing for blog posts, as well as good writing for sales copy, for press releases, for email campaigns, for ads, for websites, and more.

Every form has its own skill set and best practices. One good writer can’t automatically take on any writing job.

You need to make sure you have the raw writing skills for the jobs you are applying for. Prove you can “walk the walk.”

What if you don’t have samples yet?

Let’s say you’re looking for jobs doing press releases. Do you have a relevant degree, internship, or job experience in public relations? Did you take a course online you can produce certification for? Surely you have a sample.

Maybe you want a job writing SEO webpage copy for websites. If you don’t have the experience, what online courses have you taken? Do you have certifications? Failing that, do you spend a lot of time reading SEO blogs? Can you produce a sample?

Make sure you can demonstrate that you have the writing skills to competently handle every job you apply for.

Key takeaways

These might sound like obvious points. But because of how oversaturated and competitive the freelancing industry is, a lot of writers will apply for every job they see.

Naturally, this overwhelms employers with unqualified applicants. It makes their job search harder. It’s more unlikely that they’ll find who they need.

I can tell you this because I am one of those employers.

Again, here are the top three things that make the difference and move job applicants into the final 1 percent pool:

  1. Strong social proofing 
  2. Relevant experience
  3. Solid writing skills

If you focus on these three points and continue to strengthen them with experience and education, you’ll be much more successful than 90% of the people you’re competing with.

Resources that might help

Right now, Ahrefs is offering its blogging school for free. It’s more tailored to business owners who use their SEO tool, but it has a lot of great insights for writers that can help you understand the purpose of writing for the web, as well as talk the talk with potential clients.

ProWriter also put together a complete guide on SEO writing specifically tailored to what writers need to know. You can check that out for free here.

Lastly, we also recommend setting up and completing a ProWriter online writing portfolio. ProWriter makes it easy to demonstrate social proofing, relevant work experience, and writing skill to your potential employers. Also free!

 

ProWriter Freelance Economy Covid-19 Survey
Uncategorized

This is how freelancers are managing unique COVID-19 challenges

by Dave Polykoff
April 14, 2020

We asked over 1,000 freelance writers all over the world how they’re doing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. They also shared:

  • Industries where the work has dried up the most
  • How freelancing will change 3, 6, 12+ months from now
  • Pearls of wisdom for younger freelancers unsure of what to do

It’s been several weeks since the COVID-19 pandemic radically changed daily life the world over. Most of us are sequestered in our homes adjusting to new realities and trying to stay healthy as the story continues to develop.

While the complete effect of social distancing on both the spread of the virus and our economy is not yet fully understood, many are out of work and facing an uncertain future with more unemployment claims filed than at any point in our history.

Out of the millions of workers impacted by the pandemic, freelancers are in many ways among the most vulnerable.

From “gig economy” breadwinners to contractors with revolving sources of income, widespread economic shutdowns do more than just compromise earning potential; they leave exposed professionals who don’t have the same protections salaried or even hourly employees may be able to take advantage of.

That’s why we wanted to do a quick pulse check on the freelancer market.

We sent a survey to over 1,000 freelancers, mostly professionals working in content marketing, graphic design, writing, and editing. Responses came in from affected countries all over the world.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”ProWriter sent a survey to thousands of freelance writers to see how this pandemic is affecting the gig economy. Here’s what they said…” quote=”ProWriter sent a survey to thousands of freelance writers to see how this pandemic is affecting the gig economy. Here’s what they said…”]

They gave us a boots-on-the-ground look at what kind of work has dried up or picked up, how concerned they are about their finances, and what kinds of opportunities they see on the other side of the pandemic.

Many also offered great advice for freelancers less secure in their careers who might be struggling.

If you’re a freelancer reading this, hopefully, you’ll come away strangely encouraged (we did) and if nothing else, know that you are not alone in what you’re facing right now.

How hard has the freelance market been hit?

Roughly half of the respondents (46 percent) said that they had lost work due to economic slowdowns caused by the pandemic. Many freelancers told us that steady work had started to dry up or that contracts fell through at the last minute.

“I’ve had one digital marketing client that was just on the cusp of signing a deal and has now completely stopped responding to me,” said one of the respondents.

For others, the loss of work was absolutely devastating. “Eighty percent of our retainer revenue was lost in 48 hours,” said one agency marketer. “We have several content creation contracts and every one of them canceled (hopefully temporarily) because of closing their businesses.”

(Click the image above to share to Twitter)

Like so many others affected by the outbreak, many freelancers are worried about their financial prospects.

Half said that they do have some emergency savings. But a majority of those without a nest egg are looking at limited options.

For example, roughly 56 percent of freelancers we surveyed do not have full-time employment elsewhere to rely on when freelance opportunities dry up. Among that cohort, 64 percent do not have a partner’s income or family help to fall back on, either.

Despite these numbers, only 23 percent of respondents said they are somewhat or extremely concerned about their professional income and earnings prospects during the course of the pandemic.

What freelancers are saying:

“Frankly, this has been a positive shift for me career-wise because it’s forced me to think more creatively and take some risks.”

— Jana, Portland OR.

Nearly 37 percent were only moderately concerned, with the rest feeling fairly optimistic.

Though public stimulus policy will certainly help the struggling cohort, most of the freelancers we talked to had what we can only describe as a kind of noble grit about their situation.

“Dwelling on stress doesn’t actually make the problems go away,” said Jessica, a full-time artist and writer in Mexico City. “If you’re not making money and there’s nothing you can do about that, put your energy into a passion project. Doing that will only make your life better.”

Where is the work right now?

Many businesses are in the midst of making difficult cuts to stave off recession hardships. Because of this, it’s tough to get a real idea of the actual economic impacts on various markets right now.

Still, many of the freelancers we talked to saw work diminish in some of the same industries. Others pointed out impacts that may become a bellwether for other freelancers looking for work.

Most respondents said their online publishing gigs (ranging from “celebrity puff pieces” to viral listicles) had either reduced workloads or disappeared overnight.

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Other markets that seem to be struggling include travel, food service, and nonessentials. One writer remarked that the hospitality industries are “practically non-existent right now.”

Casey, a writer and editor based in Ontario, said that the legal field has been a surprise casualty. “Work based on legal decisions is drying up fast because most courts and administrative tribunals have stopped hearing non-urgent cases.”

Some writers said that while direct client work had taken a hit, agency work was still flowing. A Vermont-based writer said that they have more work than ever.

“The content has changed to go with the times, but more and more people are online, so I have more work,” they said.

Rita, a freelancer based in Chicago, said that while she’s moderately concerned, she hasn’t seen a dip yet that falls outside the norm. “Last week, I had almost no work. This week, I’m overloaded again. It’s about the same as usual; feast to famine and back every other week.”

What does the future of freelancing look like?

One of the questions we asked freelancers is how they think freelancing will change, both during and after the pandemic.

We asked for both positive opportunities they see, as well as fears and anxieties (not directly related to their health) keeping them up at night.

The responses were polarized. Freelancers seemed evenly split between optimistic outcomes and worrying challenges ahead.

What freelancers are saying:

“There is work, but you must go out and build relationships to find it. And for the love of everything, stop taking less than 5 cents per word.”

— Elizabeth, Nashville TN.

In the positive outcomes camp, many saw the economic disruption as an opportunity for the freelance market to grow.

As businesses adapt to remote work, they’ll find that freelancers are an excellent and cost-effective resource they can turn to for a variety of jobs they may have relied on in-house, salaried workers for.

Many are also seeing a surge in demand for content related to the pandemic itself.

“As a writer, there are a host of opportunities to write about COVID-19 and all of its impacts. Demands have actually gone up,” said Gary, a writer based in Los Angeles. “There seems to be no shortage of demand for content, so I am keeping extraordinarily busy.”

But many freelancers are worried that massive layoffs will create more competition as formerly-salaried professionals begin seeking freelance work.

“I think (worry, really) that a lot more people will be working from home, and that the platforms will be flooded with new talent and people willing to work for less,” said Jessica, a freelance writer and editor from Coudersport, PA.

What freelancers are saying:

“You have time now, and lots of it. Build your portfolio. Write that fiction story you’ve had tumbling around in your mind for years. Journal your thoughts in a daily or weekly blog.”

— Jeanette, Boise ID.

Industry vets like Keith, a freelance writer with 18 years’ experience, worries that writers just starting out will have a harder time. “The competition just got a lot harder. The crisis might help well-established freelance writers. Anyone else might find it difficult to land gigs.”

However, some writers, though moderately concerned, think there will be an opportunity to make up for lost time. “I really believe that the economy will surge after this,” said Alicia, a part-time writer based in New York. “I am hopeful that I will make up any lost income.”

What younger freelancers should be doing

Lastly, we asked the full-time industry vets to provide some advice for the freelancers who are just starting out, haven’t built up a reliable client base yet, and might be more worried about their prospects.

Many responses recommended that new freelancers focus on new opportunities and keeping busy.

Ultimately, we identified 5 key takeaways from the responses for freelance writers to focus on:

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Though it might be tempting to make compromises to keep the lights on, some responses cautioned against this.

“Stay calm, showcase your talents clearly, and don’t reduce your rates just because of the current global situation,” said Jake, South Africa-based writer. “You’re worth your rates (probably even more than your rates). Don’t belittle your worth simply due to an epidemic.” 

Some respondents who work with freelancers suggested that this might be the time to carve out a niche.

“Specialize!” wrote Jason, a Marketing Strategist from digital media firm Mediastead. “There are hundreds of thousands of freelancers hustling for $50 jobs writing blog posts. The more niche your services, the more likely you will get high dollar value monthly retainers.”

Above all, most veterans wanted younger freelancers to feel reassured that there will be a tomorrow.

“Don’t panic.,” said Mandy, a writer based in the UK. “Every year there’s a time where work load is low. What we do know is that this will be over at some point.”

How to keep the conversation going

At ProWriter, our mission is to foster support for freelance writers by establishing a community designed to increase their knowledge and skills, build reputations for quality and professionalism, and establish rewarding careers.

Our thanks go out to everyone who participated in this survey. Efforts like this help us engage with the real challenges facing freelance writers so that we can better serve our growing community.

We’re always looking for feedback on how we can help freelancers with the problems they are actually facing. If you have some thoughts or feedback, or want to get in touch with us, you can do so here.

Content Strategy

Most Recent Google Update Favors Original Content

by Dave Polykoff
February 10, 2020

Content marketers avidly follow every adjustment Google makes to its algorithm, and one of the most notable changes they saw most recently is that the algorithm favors original content. Content that’s an easy rehashing of what’s found in other places won’t work as well.

How this impacts content marketing strategy

For many content marketers, this change encourages a shift in how they pitch, develop, and publish content. They’re now looking to see what they can add to what’s already out there and to be more unique.

What does this mean from a tactical perspective?

It means that smart content marketers are developing entirely new stories, an original angle on an existing trend, or commentary on work that’s already out there.

They’re also looking for new statistical research to include, or they’re conducting a unique interview that adds to their narrative.

If marketers come across an article from another source, can they still use it? They can pass it on to their readers as long as they attribute it to the original source with links. That action also helps build credibility.

The impact on keywords

At this point, keyword strategy is also changing for content marketers. Keyword stuffing – adding as many keywords as possible into an article so they’re flagged by the search engine – doesn’t do the job as well as it once did.

Instead, writers are encouraged to add keywords into an article as they make sense and relate to the copy. Original articles with natural keywords are the goal.

This change is ultimately a good thing

There are a few reasons why Google is making these changes. At the top of the list is the fact that they believed the way the previous algorithm worked encouraged content that was less valuable to readers.

They’re likely hoping that this will ultimately provide higher quality information. When that happens, everyone wins.

Getting Started

These Tips Will Make You Better at Landing Blogging Jobs

by Dave Polykoff
February 3, 2020

You’re focused on earning a bigger paycheck as a freelancer, but you can’t find clients. Or when you apply for jobs, someone else is selected for the position.

Those situations aren’t fun, but they don’t have to bring an end to your writing efforts.

While finding clients can feel overwhelming, there’s no reason to panic. We’ve got a brief list of things that successful bloggers do to land more work. Some of them may work for you.

Engage in job boards

In order to apply to jobs, you’ve got to know who is hiring. That’s where job boards come in. They offer an indispensable service for writers because they collect a list of potential clients all in one place.

As another bonus, most of the listings on job boards clearly state the details of the job including the focus area, the word count, and what they’re paying. That makes things more efficient for everyone.

If you see the perfect job, act fast.

There’s a lot of competition for the best jobs on a job board. If you see one that’s a good fit, don’t sit on it.

It means something to a potential client that you’re eager enough to be one of the first respondents to their ad.

In addition, sometimes they receive so many answers to a job post that the first ones they read make the biggest impression on them. Everything else is a blur.

If you get in early, you’ll have a better chance of being considered.

Put your best foot forward in your application

There are a few ways to make a stellar impression on your application. For starters, when you’re responding to an ad remember that everything you write for your application is a sample of your work. Be sure that these are clearly written and error-free.

Secondly, when you’re writing your cover letter, don’t shy away from showing off all your expertise.

Are you great with SEO? Do you have a working knowledge of WordPress? Do you have a track record of creating engaging content with metrics that back up your claim? Mention it.

Include samples

You also want to make sure that each application includes samples of your work and/or a link to your portfolio. Don’t skip this step. It shows you’re experienced, capable, and ready to take on their job.

Before you know it, you’ll be developing your blogging client list and you’ll have just the amount of work you were hoping for.

Writer Tip

Build Readability With These Three Tips

by Dave Polykoff
January 27, 2020

Bloggers, writers and other content marketers know that engaging content is the name of the game. If their content is boring or turns people off, it is game over.

Readers that aren’t interested in a story aren’t going to finish. They’ll leave the page mid-read, which not only means that they won’t learn as much about your organization, it can kill your site’s search engine rankings.

How do you get readers hooked? It is a skill that content marketers can learn and then master with practice.

Short and simple well-written content build readability

Quick, punchy and easy to understand sentences are the building blocks to readability. Luckily, you don’t have to guess at exactly how short something should be. Break up your text every 80 to 100 words and you should be fine.

In addition to being shorter, the content should be well written. If the content contains endless, wandering sentences that don’t seem to have a point, why should readers continue to the end of the page?

Leave the reader with something they didn’t have before

In addition to a shorter structure for your content, be sure that the content itself provides the reader with something new. Something they need that can’t be found on every other site.

Original, compelling content will keep people reading through until the last paragraph. As long as they’re getting information that they find is valuable, they’ll stick around.

Use graphic elements to break up text blocks

In addition to short paragraphs and interesting information, use graphic elements between areas of text to keep readers moving through your page. Place them every 200 words or so.

What kinds of graphic elements? Photos, pull quotes and subheadings work well. These elements also help people scan through the article and understand the news, advice, and information you’re trying to tell them.

As you use them, you’ll see that graphic elements act like bread crumbs, leading readers to the destination you’d like them to reach — the full end of your story and any calls to action you have.

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