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5 Lessons to Become an In-Demand Freelance Writer


Man looking at the kindle.
Instagram: @seasonalfriend

I am a freelancer. I am doing alright. Nothing too fancy to boast about here.

I finished my college five years ago, a basic journalism course that ran for three years. They taught me a ton of terms, like ‘Masthead’ and ‘Libel.’ Hardly useful.

We even had professionals and successful journalists addressing us far from the podiums on how the future of journalism was on our shoulders.

I think three girls in the first row took them seriously.

Don’t get me wrong. The college course was good enough. But nobody had much insight on how to be a financially successful writer.

Nobody ever taught us how to go from day-job-working-on-a-novel to full-time writer.

So I left my job and started looking for the answers myself.

(I am still working on my novel though.)

Being a successful one-man army is more than making my cup of coffee and sticking to my to-do list.

In fact, half of the job is about client management than actual writing. I definitely recommend an assistant if you can afford it.

Until then, let me share 5 lessons I have learned that can help you become an in-demand writer.

1. Volume Wins

The game of online writing is simple. Gary Vaynerchuck has been saying it for over a decade.

Volume wins.

The rule stays constant no matter which platform or format you pick to publish your content, months and years of consistent volume to win.

2. Demonstrate what you Promise

There is nothing better if you could prove what you are promising to a potential client.

There are already enough sleazy writers.

Once someone sees that you have produced similar results for someone else, the chances that they too would like to invest in you is tremendously high.

3. Communicate

Treat your clients no less than your spouse, and if you’re a lousy partner to start with, treat them better than them.

You need to address all the doubts of your client. Make sure they review and agree to your terms and conditions before working with you.

Here are a few things you should consider communicating:

  • A clear list of the client’s tasks you will work on.

  • A deadline for your project. Both the date and time by which you would submit the project.

  • The price, the payment method and the number of revisions included in the price. You should also mention the extra costing and consequences if the project goes outside its scope, which it often does.

  • The best mode and time to communicate with you.

4. You can’t go viral on Command

If a client says that he wants to go viral, you must sit him down and break it to him that there is no secret to virality.

Sorry, Sir!

Except, of course, a consistent content that’s helpful to their audience.

I have ghostwritten about 500 articles for various clients and about only 50 of them have performed well, out of which 11 of them have gone viral.

That’s not luck. That’s spinning the wheel 500 times and not hitting the mark 450 times. But when it hits, it makes up for the rest.

5. Almost all Growth Hacks are bullshit

In the initial days, I have spent hours figuring out the master’s spell to get more views and subscribers.

There is only one thing that actually worked. Consistently creating useful content.

Cross everything else.


Have a question or want help with your content marketing? You can directly message me to get in touch. Seasonal Friend helps small businesses in creating useful content — the kind that helps businesses reach their goals.

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