By Kathryn Lang

“Your work is always on time and on count.”  I had to smile.  Never in my life would I have thought this would be a compliment.  Normal acts of business should be expected.  Being on time and following the described job should be the rule and not the exception.  His paper was new, so I decided to email a few others that I had worked with in the past.

It seems that following the job, getting it in on time and having basic good grammar were some of the top problems facing editors around the globe.  Freelance writers may be artists, but freelance writers are also running a business.

Developing Professionalism in the Art of Freelance Writing

1.    Be reliable – getting work in on time is important.  Editors need time to go over the work. The articles may need to be trimmed or tweaked to fit into the publication.  Additional writing may be necessary to make the article right or complete.

Being reliable will not only get you a one time paycheck but it will likely give you more paychecks through the same editor and other referrals.

2.    Follow the guidelines – every job will come with a description.  It should tell you what to write, what slant to take and how many words should be included.  The job description might also include limitations (like no bullets) or requests (like use a quote or add links).

If the job description is not clear then ask questions up front.  Writing is one of those times when more is not necessarily better.  Editors want what they ask for and giving them the thing that is requested will make you top on their lists for future assignments.

3.    Check spelling and grammar – the article you writing may be going to an editor but the less that editor has to do then the more that editor will want to work with you in the future.  You want to write right and not right write.  Little errors will make a big difference when it comes time to find writers in the future.

Three simple steps can make your writing stand out from the crowd.  Being on time, doing what is asked and providing clean work are the things that will make editors come to your door.  Keep your creative style but make that style professional so that your writing will become a business that provides you with the income to fund your dreams.

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Kathryn Lang is a freelance writer in Alabama. Her work has been published in regional papers, travel magazines and national religous publications along with multiple websites. She has been writing for pleasure since she was able to write and writing as a career for the last several years.

www.successfulfreelancewriter.com
www.proverbs31life.com
www.kathrynlang.com

Posted under Articles and Tips, Marketing Your Freelance Business