Mara Burke is a work-at-home freelance/ghostwriter from Albertville, Alabama. She is a wife who has always loved to write. When she’s not caring for her home and homeschooling her two sons, Mara spends her time writing for online companies including: All Custom Content, All Private Label Content, and ArticleMojo. She has also written for the Patterns Patch website which provides information and cross-stitch patterns for the cross stitching niche.
How long have you been working as a writer?
I’ve been working hard as a freelance writer for the last two years. Prior to that I had worked as a staff reporter for a couple of newspapers but it had been a while.
How did you get your start?
I began my “professional” career when I was in high school where I was the editor of my high school newspaper. I also wrote sports articles for my local newspaper. I went on to work as both a writer and editor for the college newspaper, and then for the local newspaper.
At the college I attended, they didn’t have a degree program for journalism, so I did the next best thing. I worked hard at earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. I went on to be a managing editor for a weekly newspaper, and then a staff writer for a tri-weekly newspaper.
During the last job at the newspaper, there were some things that happened that shook my faith in my writing ability. Because of that experience, I gave up on the thought of writing as a career. So I turned to the business world and worked as an administrative assistant. Still I longed to write again.
A few years ago a friend of mine suggested that I do some paid posting to bring in a little bit of spending money, and that’s really what started me down the writing road again. The paid posting led to my writing for others.
What motivated you to become a writer?
I’ve always loved the written word. I feel it can express emotions and thoughts much more clearly than speaking, in many cases. Sometimes it’s hard to convey just what you mean, especially with people living away from friends and family. Writing allows you to put words to paper, make changes, and then clearly communicate what needs to be said.
I also needed to find a way to help support our family because my husband’s work wasn’t very reliable at the time. Freelance writing allowed me an opportunity to work from home, continue homeschooling my boys, and bring money into the home.
How do you market your services?
Right now I’m working for other people as a freelance/ghostwriter. However, I’m working on getting my own website set up for marketing my writing. I hope to have it up and going soon.
What tools and steps did you use to establish your business?
Freelance writing sort of snuck up on me. Since I had given up the thought of writing, except to write poetry for my own creative outlet, I was surprised when one person I was working for asked me if I wrote. I told them yes and the rest, as they say, is history.
How would you describe your typical day?
In my life, there is no such thing as typical because I also homeschool my two boys. We try to get school work done before lunch, but that doesn’t always happen. I feel like I have to be available for them so I don’t get much writing done until school time is over.
When my husband returns home from work he can help answer questions and keep the boys busy. That’s when I can get started writing but often find myself waiting until they’re ready to sleep before getting the lion’s share of my work done.
How do you find balance as a writer working from home?
It’s not always easy to balance writing and working from home. Unfortunately, to get everything done I’m often writing late at night. This means I don’t often take care of myself the way I should. However, I have been blessed to work with some great people and organizations, so the trade off is definitely worth it. Besides, if it takes me losing a little bit of sleep to stay at home with my boys, I’m ready and willing to do that.
What are your struggles and how do you overcome them?
Struggles, boy do I have struggles!
Time management is a biggie for me. I’ve found that I really am more productive after the kids have gone to sleep, however that often means I don’t get the sleep I need. I almost feel like I did when they were babies and didn’t sleep through the night.
Another one is staying focused with all of the noise that two boys can make. Again, staying up later and working then seems to be the best work-around for that problem, too, personally.
I think in a way, I also struggle with insecurity. I’m not sure my writing is “good enough” at times. I guess I also use that as an excuse to procrastinate in getting my website up and running and not applying for more freelance writing jobs that I’ve seen advertised.
What is the most difficult part about being a freelance writer?
I find I have a hard time knowing when it’s a good time to try to get more work. Should I stay working only with the current people I’m working with or should I seek additional work?
What’s the best or most rewarding part about being a freelance writer?
The most rewarding part of being at home with my boys, I can homeschool them, and still help bring in money for our family finances. I also am doing what I always dreamed of even if it’s not in the way I always thought it would be.
What advice or tips do you have for people aspiring to start their own freelance writing business?
Get a website as soon as possible. This is one area I wish I had taken care of earlier. Now I feel like I’m behind and struggling to catch up. Choose a domain name that is easy to remember and easy to spell. If at all possible, get a .com domain name instead of a .net or .org name because they’re more easily remembered.
Don’t sell yourself short. There are many freelance job sites that list low-paying jobs. Decide on what is the least you feel comfortable receiving for the work you do and then stick to it. Your writing ability and experience is worth more than $20 for 50 400-600 word articles. Look for jobs that will allow you to be paid well for your work.
Write about what you love. Even if you work for someone else to begin with, be selective about the topics you choose to write about. And don’t forget to proofread your work before sending it in or submitting it one of the many article submission sites. If your work is replete with errors it might keep people from choosing to have you write for them.
Don’t forget to network with other freelance writers through forums, Twitter, or other avenues. Be careful which newsletters you sign up for as many of them will just fill your email box and won’t provide valuable information.
If you’re just getting started, don’t look down on beginning to work for a company rather than on your own. If you can, find a mentor to learn from.
Finally, read, read, read, and write, write, write. Reading other good writing will have a positive effect on your own writing ability. Then try to re-write the articles in your own words. This is how Benjamin Franklin did it, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better writer in any century.
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