Beginning Freelance Writing

There is nothing wrong with being a beginner in any field. All of us are at this stage at some point. However, by having a beginner mindset, you can have serious problems. Such mindset is basically characterized by the attitude that since you are a beginner, you have to take everything that comes your way until you become an expert.

Beginner Freelance Writers’ Mistakes

Very often, as a result of beginner mindset, freelancers make such mistakes as:

• Accepting low paying
• Writing for content mills
• Sending free examples to clients

Such a mindset is usually isolated just to the freelance writing profession. For instance, such professionals as lawyers, doctors, etc. start to demand solid pay once they are employed. Sure, experts in such fields often make double and even triple what beginners make, but you will not see any beginner working for free. You should realize that there is not big discrepancy between what a professional makes and what a beginner makes.

However, in the freelance writing industry, experts can easily get about $300-$400 per one article, and on average $150+ per hour. But you will easily find beginners who get paid $10 per article.

Tips for Beginner Freelance Writers

It Damages You Psychologically

Being damaged does not feel good at all, and you should not put yourself in such situation by doing things you can avoid as a beginner freelancer when you find freelance job.

By taking low paying gigs and writing for content mills while reading about other successful writers you will just make yourself feel unworthy. To console themselves, many beginners justify such a position by saying they are beginners. But multiple freelancers remain in such a position for years and eventually end their careers feeling completely unsatisfied.

It Does Not Improve You

If somebody gives you anything for free, chances are bigger that you will not tell that person about the drawbacks of what he/she gave you. But if you are paying a premium for service, you will want to make sure you get the very best, and if it is not perfect, you tell it to the person and demand perfection.

Paying attention to customers’ feedback is a great and fast way to improve yourself in the writing field and find better job opportunities.

You Burn Out

The most common way writers attempt to justify low paying work is trying to complete many assignments in a short time. However, this is not practical. I do not know anybody who can complete ten or even five good articles in one hour. It is just impossible.

By combining the low pay, you actually do not have a choice but to continue writing without any breaks, even with ridiculous compensation, so you simply burn out at the end of the day.