If you tap into the unconscious expectations your audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told, then you will be streets ahead of the rest.

Time is money for freelance writers, so the more you can streamline your writing processes the more time you save, and the more money you'll make.

Full-time freelance writers will spend the equivalent of a working week on writing.

Most novice freelance writers in the US would be safe charging between $15 and $25 per hour for large project work. That situation obviously changes depending on your experience, command of the language and your location in the world.

The short story, or an article, is the ideal vehicle to begin a writing career. Personal events can provide the fodder for your first article, even if they aren't particularly memorable or exciting. Concentrate on mastering a style and communication.

Try not to be too fancy with words or thoughts. You can flip open the dictionary or thesaurus when you need it. Just have fun and enjoy the exercise. You don't have to please anyone but yourself at this level. When you feel more confident, tackle the novel, win that Pullitzer Prize, but for now, just write your article..

If you're in the first five years of your writing career, enjoy your writing. Don't put too much pressure on yourself.

Here are some tips for getting focused on developing your freelance writing career and staying that way:

At the least, if you feel you cannot write it yourself, engage the services of a freelance professional, who will work with you to produce a worthwhile summary of your experiences in your chosen area of interest or competence. Ultimately however, developing your writing skills is not a bad idea, as it would enable you do more writing than you could if someone was taking notes from you.

The importance of verbal and writing skills in this information age cannot be stressed enough. The reward of disciplined writing is the most valuable job attribute of all: a mind equipped to think.

One of the best ways to get ideas is to write anything right now. Graham Green forced himself to write at least 500 words daily, whether he felt like it or not. Creative inspiration can strike at any time, but it strikes more often when there is work instead of waiting. Just start writing and you'll have more creative writing ideas for your articles.