Successful freelance copywriters figure out the best ways to land good clients. This post discusses one strategy that will definitely boost your results. It’s written by Omaha-based healthcare freelance copywriter Matt Seidholz, and Matt originally shared it in the forums over at the Freelance Writers Den. Boosting Freelance Copywriting Cold-Call Results This is based on my experience trying to […]
What Is the Best Use of My Time Right Now?
If you want to be successful in life — whatever success means for you — and if you want to be happier, ask yourself this crucial question many times a day: “What’s the Best Use of My Time Right Now?” Ask this question to determine: What to do more of What to do less of […]
LinkedIn Profinder for Freelance Writers: Pros and Cons
Should a freelance writer like you consider using LinkedIn ProFinder? Many freelance writers are wondering if LinkedIn ProFinder is worth the cost and effort. Troy Lambert has used the service and shares his perspective in this review… We all know freelance job boards like Upwork are tough places to find good paying freelance gigs. It […]
How Deep Work Makes You A Better and More Productive Writer
Applying “deep work” principles allows freelance writers and nonfiction authors to get more high-quality work done in less time, and that’s what we’re all about here at Productive Writers. So What Is Deep Work? Cal Newport’s highly successful (and highly recommended) book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World came out in […]
Secrets of Successful Meetings with Freelance Writing Clients
As a freelance writer, you will occasionally or frequently have meetings with clients. It is vital that these meetings are well planned and well run; otherwise both you and your clients will waste valuable time. I’ve had hundreds of phone meetings and face-to-face meetings with freelance writing clients. I’ve learned the importance of following the crucial […]
Setting Challenging Yet Realistic Writing Goals for 2017
The right goals are crucial for success in your writing career, and creating and implementing the right goals are a key focus here at Productive Writers. I adjust my goals and create new ones periodically throughout the year, and you should, too. However, in our culture the beginning of a new year is the main […]
Your Complete Guide to Mastering LinkedIn
LinkedIn is THE essential site for business professionals, period. If you want to be a successful freelance writer, you need to be on LinkedIn and you must have a complete profile that sells you and your services. LinkedIn is also an excellent place to network with people who can help you, and it can be a very […]
Lost All Your Freelance Writing Clients? Do This…
Are you a freelance writer? Got all the clients you can handle? Great! But there can come a time when you lose important clients, perhaps all of them. Or perhaps you’d like more clients? Better clients? Let’ see what veteran writer and editor Tom Mangan has to say… Help! All My Clients Ditched Me! A […]
Successful Writers Need Free Time Alone
Want to be a more successful, creative, and productive writer? Want to be happier? Then you must have free time alone, free time to reconnect with who you are and what you really want in life, free time to just release and relax and recharge. When you do return to your normal activities, you’ll be fresh […]
The Ultimate Guide to Freelance Success
Yuwanda Black is a successful long-time freelance writer whose new book — The Ultimate Freelancer’s Guidebook: Land the Best Jobs, Build Your Brand, and Be Your Own Boss — has just been released by Adams Media, a mainstream traditional publisher. Yuwanda graciously agreed to a Q & A covering the key aspects of her freelance writing career […]
When Freelance Writers Should Work For Free
Do you want to be a successful freelance writer? Then you need to be paid well for your work. I’m a strong advocate of freelance writers earning what they’re worth, but sometimes you should give it away for free. Why? Because giving it away for free has several potential benefits… Gets Attention from Potential Clients An […]
Freelance Writing Daily Best Practices
Note: In this post, freelance writer Mark Ellis describes how he developed his own best practices to maximize the quality and output of his freelance writing. I think we can all learn how to be more efficient and productive. Read on… A few years ago, I started freelance writing for a living. I’d waited for that moment […]
7 Easy Ways to Stop Automatic Negative Thought Cycles
Most of us occasionally — or more than occasionally — fall prey to automatic negative thought cycles: periods (more than a few seconds) of generating unproductive negative thoughts that tend to loop and build on each other, leading to an agitated and unproductive mental state. These automatic negative thought cycles create havoc with both your […]
The One Big Reason You Need a Freelance Writer Community
(Guest post by Carol Tice, Den Mother at the Freelance Writers Den community) Have you ever wondered why some freelance writers earn a lot, while most barely scrape by? It’s not that these few writers have extra IQ points. It’s not that they’re more brilliant wordsmiths. They have something special going on, though. It makes them […]
Where Smart Freelance Writers Network In-Person
Are you a freelance writer who wants to network in person with potential clients that can pay you the good money you deserve for your writing services? Then you must use your brains and go where you your potential clients go. In this post I target freelance writers who want to write for businesses and […]
Why I Did Not Help a Fellow Freelance Writer
I did try, really try, to help him, but… He made it too difficult. The Background on the Freelance Writer Website Fail … A few weeks ago, I was taking a short breakfast break from a major freelance writing project. While looking at a list of freelance writing jobs, I see one that pays really, […]
7 Myths of High Productivity
We all want to be more productive in our freelance writing businesses. Increased productivity — of the right type — leads to increased income and increased satisfaction from our work. That’s why I’m happy to share this excellent infographic from Quill.com. It does a great job laying out seven important myths of higher productivity and […]
Your College Textbook Supplements Income: 11 Crucial Factors
You can make a good income writing instructor’s manuals, student study guides, test questions, Internet exercises, and many other types of supplements for college textbooks; I make at least $50 per hour, and often more. However, you have to know the right formula for getting those high-paying assignments from editors, and getting those same editors […]
College Textbook Publisher Financial Health: Pearson Higher Education
Major college textbook publishers like Pearson Higher Education are the ones that hire the vast majority of freelance writers to write supplements and other curriculum components. Pearson Higher Education/Prentice Hall Now it turns out that Prentice Hall, an imprint of Pearson that you are likely familiar with, has given me a lot of work since […]
Revise The Existing Textbook Supplement or Just Redo It?
Many of the textbook supplement projects you’ll do as a freelance curriculum creator involve updating a supplement to reflect changes between an old edition and a new edition. I have several such projects right now. The big question: when should you just revise the existing material and when should you just start over and treat […]
Test Bank Revision Problem I See the Most
I’ve written many thousands of multiple-choice questions, true- false questions, and essay questions in my 20-plus years as a freelance writer for higher education publishers. Frequently I’m hired to revise an existing textbook supplement, often a test bank. This occurs when a new edition of the textbook is issued and test questions have to added, […]
How Freelance Writers Land Great Clients on the Phone
Do you dread talking to potential clients on the phone or on Skype? Most freelance writers have some anxiety about it — and that’s natural. But you can definitely improve the odds of landing the freelance writing project by following the advice below. You’ll be better prepared and that will make you less nervous. Here’s […]
How the 80-20 Rule Affects Freelance Writers
As a freelance writer, you have likely noticed that some of your writing and marketing activities bring outsized results, while other activities give you a very small return on the investment of your time and energy. There’s a reason for that… 80-20 Rule = The Pareto Principle The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto […]
Why Are Freelance Writing Niches So Important?
I’m a strong advocate of freelance writers specializing in one or more niches as a key way to boost their income. That’s why I created the short self-guided course “Find Your Freelance Writing Niches: Make More Money for Less Work.” I just published a succinct SlideShare presentation that lays out the key reasons why you’ll make […]
Setting Your 2016 Freelance Writing Goals
I think goal setting is important, especially for my freelance writing business. I’ve written several posts about goal setting and the best ways to achieve goals, but this time I’m focusing on what other freelancers have to say. I’ve perused many of my favorite blogs and chosen the following recent posts for the wide variety […]