Find the Missing Pieces to Your Freelance Writing Career Puzzle

by Suzanne Lieurance, the Working Writer's Coach

Creating a successful freelance writing career is a lot like putting together a puzzle. Unfortunately, many writers just never figure out all the pieces to that puzzle!



An appropriate business model is one of the BIGGEST pieces to any freelance writing career.

Have you included a specific business model in your career puzzle?

Or are you still trying to create your career by offering to write anything and everything for anyone and everyone?

Without a model to follow, you have no real focus for your business. Plus, you'll never establish yourself as a real expert in any one or two areas. You'll be known as a generalist instead of a specialist. And I don't know about you, but when I need help with something important, I don't look for a generalist. I search for a specialist! I'll bet most publishers and business owners who need writers do, too!

Choosing a Business Model

So how do you choose a business model that's right for you?

Well, first you list the types of writing you really LOVE to do.

Don't decide to follow a model for building a resume writing business, for example, if you just hate writing resumes!

Once you've made a list of the types of writing you love to do, then get some career training in the model that appeals to you.

If you like to blog, for example, find out how you can become a professional blogger!

If you want to use your writing skills to sell affiliate products, then learn how to do that.

If you want to become a children's writer, then take some courses in children's writing.

Include ALL the pieces needed for a successful freelance writing career if you hope to solve the entire puzzle.

Try it!
Suzanne Lieurance is an author, freelance writer, certified professional life coach and writing coach, speaker and workshop presenter. She has written over two dozen published books and hundreds of articles for newspapers, magazines, and other publications. She coaches people who love to write build freelance writing careers through her Quick Start Freelance Writing program.




6 comments:

Unknown said...

Good advice for launching a writing career, Suzanne. I'd like to suggest the following to beginning freelancers; Find a mentor/coach to help you to hone your writing, publishing and marketing skills. Many authors offer consulting and manuscript content editing services.
Debra Toor, www.ecostoriesbydebtoor.com

Karen Cioffi said...

Suzanne, as with all businesses, including writing, preparing a business model is a must. It really is about focus.

Suzanne Lieurance said...

Hi, Debra and Karen,

Yes, a mentor/coach can be invaluable to a writer.

One of the things I help people most with as a coach is focus, Karen, so you're right about that, too.

Happy writing!

Karen Cioffi said...

Suzanne, Hee, hee.

Shirley Corder said...

Good suggestion Suzanne, to figure out the writing we enjoy. It is easy to get caught up in writing whatever comes your way, especially if you're good at it. But when you consider how much time we spend writing, how important it is that we enjoy it too!

Anne Duguid Knol said...

Finding focus hard--but am gradually improving. Changing focus is apt to help me return revived to writing something I've been avoiding. :-)

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