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Writing for the Web: Counsel for the Indian
Freelance Writer
Freelancing is an art that you need to master when you decide to pick up the mighty pen at your own will. Gone are the days when writers would be content with the measly amount and response received for their articles.
With the booming economy and advancement in information technology, there is no limit to the opportunities that can knock on your doors.
Let us assume you are a writer with a lot of potential and creativity, who is looking for that big break. You have also written some exceptional articles that just need the stamp of approval from the potential editors and subject matter experts from around the world. Now, all you need to get the spotlight is to polish the strategies that you apply.
The first and most important best practice to remember is to have a positive attitude and not to put all your eggs in one basket. This rule is similar to the one followed by finance investors. Imagine if you put all your earnings in one kind of investment such as stocks or shares, if that does not click, you end up with nothing.
So, while sending your articles for submission send them to as many different prospective publishers as possible. You can submit your articles to newspapers, magazines, blogs, freelance writers websites, and so on. Make sure your articles for each of these users is as different as chalk and cheese. Here, you are also playing the game of ‘being a phone call away’ by being in contact with these clientele.
As the Internet has its pros in terms of offering numerous freelance opportunities, you should also be alert to fraud employers who may show you the moon and then, fly away. It would be a very good step to research more about your prospective client to understand the kind of work done by them, their list of clients, and so on.
Don’t forget to understand and track the requirements of the client. Who would be your target audience? What are they searching for? Can you make a difference to their already busy existence? Make Google, Reference.com, and Chillibreeze your best friends. Visit websites that offer keyword-searching tools. One good example is overture.com. These sites list the keywords that most users search.
Next, plan your article around the keyword and add some amazing insights to the topic. Be the subject matter expert that the readers want. The words and the overall language including the grammar need to be clear and not specific to any particular audience. The English language is unique in its own way; there is the UK English and US English. Make sure you are using the version requested by your client.
If you are writing about fashion, be the first one to report about the latest coat or style in town. Alternatively, if you’re writing about festivals, track the upcoming festival and provide a unique perspective on it. Most global audience are keen to learn about India and its beautiful culture, heritage, and festivals.
If you’ve been a lonely soul, go out and start networking with other colleagues of your age group and possibly, profession. Become members of forums that are a breeding ground for writers of all types ranging from fiction to technical to science. These forums also list the names of employers who are looking for writers to work on freelance basis. You can also publish your blogs as most search engines do crawl and catch the keywords on the blogs.
You need to keep a flexible attitude while doing freelance work. Some employers are genuinely honest to pay you what is expected, while, others may need a little more prodding to pay. You can always ask for incentives or rewards that may satisfy some of your expectations such as flexible timelines. You can always track the general rate that is applicable for your kind of work. You can calculate by hourly rate x 40 hrs = monthly salary. The payment is usually done via online transfer wherein the amount is transferred directly to your bank account.
Once you get the job, congratulations! You need to prepare an estimate of the number of hours that you would utilize for the job. You also need to be in constant contact with the relevant employees who may help you bake the cookie perfectly. Be nice and see how they co-operate with you by offering reference documents, if required.
Deal with the clients in a professional manner that means respecting their time, submitting articles on time, being polite, keeping all lines of communication including phone calls and e-mails to the point. You can also be friendly depending on the response of your client. In case of doubts or queries, make sure you list the points that you want to clarify.
Keep the relevant employees and your boss informed about the status of the work from time to time. Using these strategies would definitely mark your place on the information super high way with goodies to match!
Chillibreeze's disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article.
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Priyanka writes for chillibreeze.
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Developing India-centric content for a new web portal targeted at NRIs