5 Ways to Maximize Your Earning Potential as a Freelance Writer

Freelance Writing Tips

So, you’ve forgone that 9-5 job for a variety of reasons: irritating co-workers, fixed salary, hassles brought upon by traffic, etc.

You found another money haven in home-based freelancing which frees you from all those nuisances. The thrill of finding and landing lucrative writing gigs is pure ecstasy, right?

Now, you want to make even more money. You’ve grown tired of the mundane $0.02-0.05 per word rate.

I know exactly how it feels to be locked down at a certain rate. The good news is you just need to do a few tweaks to your usual routine. What are those exactly?

1. Strive for Good Relationship Management

I work on the order, turn in, and get the payment –that was how barbaric I was when I started as a freelance writer. All my clients receive is the mundane "thanks!” remark via Skype or Gmail.

It has to go beyond that. Soon enough, when you run out of workable clients or writing orders, you’ll need additional jobs for contingencies or additional income.

Freelance writing is not a one-and-done thing. When you leave a lasting impression on the client, tons of opportunities like rehires, referrals or unexpected bonuses come your way.

The following actions reduce your likelihood of being purely transactional.

1.      After every engagement, express heartfelt gratitude for the writing opportunity.

2.      Maintain a database of all past clients.

3.      Organize a list of clients you believe you’ve served really well and mediocre ones. Put really satisfied clients on top of your priority list.

4.      Reconnect with the clients. Do small talks like asking how they’re doing or how your submission aided their business cause. Send some news they can use like trends in their industry or useful hacks.

5.      Ask. (I’m wondering if I can do anything to help you again)

I almost forgot. If you have comrades in the field of SEO or web design, you may also want to refer them. I’ve made a lump of money from finder's fees.


2. Offer Add-Ons

A majority of editors and webmasters make articles and blogs more visually compelling to get more reads. Slideshows and video presentations accompany your submission, but it’s often done by the client himself or another contractor.

Make your writing package. Position yourself as the best person to make those side works since you know your piece wholeheartedly. Sell the benefits it entails.

If given the opportunity, I’d love to take on the slideshows and video presentations as well. Knowing my article by heart, I know its main strengths best.”

“If you do the math, you get to save more with my package. Separate freelancers charge a starting rate of $20 for slideshows or videos. With my all-inclusive package, you’ll save up to $5-$10 –a bit immaterial, but it still matters, right?


3. Quote on a Project Basis

Rookie freelance writers accept projects at an hourly rate. That’s okay considering their skills are raw and it may take time before they finish a project.

However, once you immersed yourself in different writing niches and your fingers are typing at a mind-boggling speed, it’s time to look for project rates.

For example, you’re asked to write a food review for a recently opened pizza parlor. Don’t say “I charge $25 for 3 hours.” Instead, tell the client that for you to write a decent, enticing review of his business’ wide array of pizzas, you’ll be charging $75.

By quoting a project rate, you’re freeing yourself from being locked at a particular client in a period. If you were able to finish the review within 1.5 hours, then you’ll be able to use your spare time to work on other writing orders.

4. Create Realistic Income Goals

If you don’t have a concrete goal, you cannot determine how much effort you’ll put into writing. Productivity is critically important in freelance writing with all the surrounding distractions at home or in your workspace.

Know how much money you’d like to make in a month, and then split it into daily, mini-goals. It will enable you to estimate how much effort or the number of projects you need to complete (e.g., 5 writing orders x $50-$60). Anything outside your target is a perceived bonus.

Print your target and stick it to the most noticeable area of your workspace. Merely seeing it will fire you up.


5. Strike Better Deals with Existing Clients

It’s easier said than done, but always doable with good negotiation. First, you have to expect that there are great chances clients will disapprove of it by nature. Second, there have to be sufficient and appropriate reasons for your proposed rate hike.

Here are steps to ask for a rate increase like a gentleman:

-Ask yourself if you’re really doing a great job for the client. Did his SEO metrics drastically improve because of your content? Or at the very least improvement on average page visits? However, don’t sound as if you’re aiming for the bigger slice of the cake.

-If your answer is in the affirmative, do you also have add-ons to offer like helping the client in his social media campaign, image optimization, promoting the content on your personal page, or a newly learned skill backed with certification?

-Now comes the hard part. You need to package it into convincing words. Consider this example: “To be able to serve your needs better, I took up an SEO course from Moz. This will enable me to ease some load off your shoulders. This, in turn, will require me to charge an additional (insert amount) for the add-on service.

-A sudden unconscionable increase will do you no good. Aim for 20-30% price increments. Notify clients of the change at least a month before its implementation.

Final Words...

Everyone wants to get more from their efforts. For freelance writers, there are three seasons: abundance, drought, and something adequate. The majority of the above-mentioned tips require you to be on the best terms with the client. Nevertheless, it’s through good customer relations that we get to achieve sustainable success, right?


Monica Morgan
Monica Morgan is a free-spirited woman having vast experience in article writing. She loves to travel to Asian countries, writing reviews on each of them on her website Hqessays. She prefers using diverse writing styles to properly engage with a wide array of readers.


Gangadhar Kulkarni

Gangadhar Kulkarni is an internet marketing expert and consultant having extensive experience in digital marketing. He is also the founder of Seogdk and Director at DigiTechMantra Solutions, a one-stop shop for all that your website needs. It provides you cost-effective and efficient content writing and digital marketing services.

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