How I Got Started in the Writing Business
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by Yvonne Perry
Many times, people ask me how I got started in the writing business and what I would recommend to those who are just starting. I’ll share my story with you in hopes that you will be able to glean information and encouragement to step out and follow your dreams.
I’ve always been one to follow my inner guidance and take advantage of the opportunities that come my way. That is pretty much what I did to get started as a freelance writer. My work as an administrative and executive assistant required good writing skills so I naturally had a reason to keep them honed. I began doing pro bono writing assignments for volunteer organizations that I was working with and pretty soon, I had people asking me to write for them.
I didn’t know how to start my own writing business, but I knew I had to have a company name. I chose Write on! Creative Writing Services. I read everything I could find about freelancing and starting a business. The next logical step was to create a Web site and begin to advertise via email and printed ads. I connected a Google ad to my Web site and waited for projects to start coming in. Things were slow at first and every prospective client wanted to see samples of my writing. I pulled every document I had written over the past five years that could show my skills and I posted them on my Web site. I gained a few clients but I was no where near ready to leave my day job.
Next, I joined the pool of freelance writers at www.guru.com and took any project I was awarded. Having to bid for jobs allowed me to gain confidence in my ability to market myself. Many times I didn’t win the bid for a project I really wanted, or the pay was minimal, but I did manage to build my writing portfolio.
I joined writers at Meetup.com and in Yahoo groups as well as the Chamber of Commerce and other business networking groups in my area. That’s when I learned that networking is imperative to the success of a business. Besides, it’s a win-win for everyone. Networking is a fun and effective way to meet people and build your business while helping others build theirs. There were weeks when all I did was network and market my business, but it has paid off. Today, many of my clients are a result of some networking effort I have made.
Soon, it was time to leave my day job and brave the frontier as a freelance writer. There were times when I questioned my sanity, and if it had not been for my husband’s financial and emotional support, I would have been back in a corporate job pronto. I am glad I persevered. I now have an excellent base of repeat clientele as well as new clients who find me on the Internet, through a networking contact or from referal from a satisfied client.
In 2005, I expanded my writing business to include eight qualified writers to take projects when I am overbooked. These writers have diverse interests and skills, which allow Write on! Creative Writing Services to offer fiction, technical, copywriting and other genres, while allowing me to focus on my strength and interest for non-fiction. You can read a bio about each writer at http://www.yvonneperry.net/Meet-the-Writers.htm
There is nothing quite like being able to work from home, but it does requires discipline. I am a very organized person able to multi-task several projects at once. I am working on three books right now, and I have contracts for three more this year. I also take on smaller projects like resumes, bios, case studies, press releases and articles while managing the book projects. If you are not able to manage your time and keep your self on schedule with deadlines, then freelancing is probably not a good option for you.
If you are interested in writing full-time and making a living at it, you might be interested to know how busy my daily schedule is. I begin writing at 10 a.m. and end around 6 p.m. I constantly focus on client projects, but I also continue working leads and looking for networking, advertising and marketing opportunities. I work weekends if I have deadlines approaching or if I need to update my website or blogs: http://yvonneperry.typepad.com/ghostwriters/ and http://yvonneperry.typepad.com/weareone/. I write about three thousand words per day and I rarely write anything for which I don’t see an immediate purpose. I try to make my writing serve double duty. If I update my bio, I may use it as my elevator speech at the next networking meeting. If I post a message a blog, (my own or someone else’s) I will probably convert the post into an article for my newsletter. If I write a press release, it may go on the writing samples page of my Web site.
The best training for a freelance writer is to have a college education with a major in English, writing, journalism or business; however, I have none of these. I do have a love for writing and I am creative in my written expression. I have a good command of the English language and grammar. I use the spell check feature, a thesaurus, a dictionary, a writing handbook, reference books, and online tutorial sites to guide me and improve my writing. What a freelance writer really needs is experience and you are only going to get that on the job or by trial and error. I believe the best things you can bring to any endeavor, job or otherwise, is to have passion, a great business mind and a willingness to step out in faith. Freelancing definitely requires it.
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