There are many websites that publish freelance writing jobs on their sites. As a freelance writer, you can bid for the writing jobs that are available. If your bid is selected, you get the opportunity to complete the job. The payments are made through online virtual banks such as PayPal and e-Gold, wire transfer or checks. The market is huge and you can bid for writing jobs on more than one site.
Many outsourcing or freelancing websites operate the same way, with minor differences. In this article, we shall explore three prominent websites in the industry.
Elance -
Elance has a very simple design which doesn't confuse the users. It is very easy to search jobs and obtain a comprehensive results? page. The specialty in Elance is that they show the number of bidders by their name and relevant information, except for the amount bided for, unlike in some other freelance websites. The advantage in this method is that you can see who your competitors are, their reputation etc before determining the amount you want to bid for. At Elance, you can either browser or search for freelance writing jobs. But in order to bid for a project, you will need to have a registered account at Elance. Registration with Elance can be chosen over two packages. One is a free package with restrictive advantages while the other is subscription with more services and facilities. For part-time freelance writers, the basic package is recommended. Once the account is created, you can create your profile. Unlike other websites, Elance has an admission test to be passed before submitting bids.
RentACoder ?
RentACoder has a professional interface and is quite straight forward compared to many other websites. It offer jobs in many categories and is one of the safest sites when it comes to payment transactions as payments for every project goes in to escrow before the start off of the project. RentACoder also, has a special team of facilitators who act as arbitrators in any case of dispute that may arise between the coder and the buyer. So all in all, it is a very professional site which works according to strict rules and regulations. If you choose to become a part time freelance writer on RentAcoder, it is vital that you read through their FAQ and other related articles on how everything works around the site. RentAcoder is a global community in its true sense because wherever in the world you are, you can work and get paid on time.
Guru
With a clear cut interface, Guru provides a high usability for freelances to navigate and find jobs. Just as any other website, you will need to create an account and a profile before you can start. In order to find a suitable project you could either browse through writing categories such as Writing/Editing/Translations or simply search with a keyword such as ?proofreading?. As with all other websites, make sure you evaluate the deadlines and allow yourself sufficient space. Also, make sure that you place a worthy bid amount because the website will deduct a percentage from what you earn as a service fee.
One of the great misconceptions about freelance copywriting is that you can write when you want to. ?What a great job you've got', people say, ?you can work when and where you like and choose your own hours'. This sounds fine in principle, if it weren't for that dreaded word that rules the lives of all freelance copywriters ? ?deadlines'. I haven't missed a deadline in ten years of commercial writing, but you need to stay on top of things to do this.
As a first rule of thumb, if you can't organise yourself to meet your client's deadline, then you will struggle to make a name for yourself as a copywriter. As with other service-based careers, you're only as good as your last piece of work ? and busy, stressed out clients won't wait around for you to get a handle on how to manage your time. With that in mind, here are five tips to help you better organise yourself.
1. Write a weekly timetable
Every Friday afternoon, it's a good idea to draw up a timetable of quotes to send, briefs to take and projects to write for the next week. These will be based on deadlines and arrangements you've agreed with clients, and should include an extra day of ?cushion time' before the deadline date in case you encounter any problems.
Number each job by priority and have an equivalently numbered job bag for each set of notes and materials ? so you can find everything you need and crack straight on when the time comes. You can create and print out pro-forma timetables in Word. Finally, stick it up on the wall where you can see it.
2. Write a monthly jobs board
Buy a budget dry wipe board from any office supplies retailer, and make columns for: current clients, jobs and deadlines, quotes sent to clients, invoices outstanding, and invoices to send.
You can use your numbering system to identify each job bag again, and this will help you manage client projects that go beyond your weekly timetable. It also helps to put this on the wall to quantify at a glance, the amount of work you have to do. (A year planner with daily dates is another good pin up).
3. Manage client expectations
A very experienced graphic designer once gave me a very good piece of advice. He said, ?No client will ever mind if you're too busy to do their job, they will always come back to you because the amount of work you're getting suggests you know what you're doing. However, if you agree a deadline that is too tight ? just to appease the client ? you will not do a good job and they will never come back to you".
This is a great piece of advice. If you honestly say to the client, ?I've got several other projects on at the moment and will need at least three weeks to do your project justice' ? they will usually agree to this, because they want you to do a great job. Always manage their expectations of what you can deliver when, and don't compromise quality in order to rush a job.
4. Set aside a fixed time every week for administrative tasks
I do all my invoicing, phone calls, quotes and admin stuff at certain fixed times of the day. I never mix these tasks with copywriting time, as this leads to bad copy and confused administration. Separate different tasks, put everything in its place and keep it there ? then you will work more efficiently.
5. Communicate with your clients
Don't agree a deadline two weeks in advance and then disappear off the client's radar. It's good to keep them updated with your progress to make them feel confident you're doing a good job.
It takes five minutes to send a ?catch up' email saying ?I'm making great progress with your project and am on target for delivery at the agreed time'. Your clients will appreciate this and it will inspire confidence in your standards of service. It also buys you time with nervous clients, as they aren't compelled to constantly contact you for progress reports.
As a freelance copywriter, it's essential to manage your time properly ? for both your clients' and your own sake. If you make a bad job of your organisation, you'll probably make a bad job of your copy too.
Both David Drake & Laurence James are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
David Drake has sinced written about articles on various topics from Writing, Jewelry and Writing. Get the real insider secrets to . David Drake is the author of the ebook. David Drake's top article generates over 1600 views. to your Favourites.
Laurence James has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health Care, Brochures and Internet Marketing. An English graduate from the University of Birmingham and professionally trained journalist at postgraduate level, Laurence James has been for over ten years.. Laurence James's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.