Let's face it: There are some fun articles to write for clients and there are some tedious ones. ANd then there is some questionable stuff that makes you question your morals. BUT...Someone gives you a job and you write it. Right? I'm not so sure. Most people do their jobs on a daily basis without the option of giving the boss the old, "naaah...I'd rather not." Why should freelance writers be any different? Hmmm....The content of an article is paramount. That has been proven by now and with the new Google algorithm which is making dreams come true for some and killing some dinosaurs that refuse to change the way they do business. It has become evident that original, quality content is more important now than ever. A reader will quickly notice, even with an adequate amount of research done by the writer, if an article has quality content. Especially if they have read one or two better articles on the subject already. This is a death call for a freelance writer who is getting paid to provide quality content on blogs and articles for business sites. A writer can quickly ruin the reputation of the business or client he is writing for, and in turn, their own writing abilities.
You Can Say "NO" for the Good of Your Reputation, the Client and Your Sanity
For this reason I usually won't accept jobs on certain, but limited, subjects. I think a professional freelance writer should be true to themselves and their clients. Just like any one else calling themselves a professional. Right? I don't know squat-zilch-nada about computer programming. The bottle is empty, as they say. If I don't understand the basics of something I can't write with authority. Authority is the key to content. I never take an assignment that I can't research for a half and hour and still be asking myself, "what the hell is this stuff about?" There are a few others, as well, like some medical stuff. Yuck. Those are the main two, though. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a against a little hard work and research but there are some places that some writers just belong and those are my two.
Don't Sell Out!
Another recommendation I would make is to never sell out your morals for a freelance writing job. If the content is something I wouldn't want my teenage daughters or mother to read, I just won't write it. Again, please don't misunderstand me here. I am not a prude and I don't even consider myself conservative. I have a pretty open and mature relationship with my daughters and mom but there are just some things I won't do. I was once asked (here on this site) to write descriptions for a series of pornographic videos. I thought about it. I did. But in the end I just wasn't comfortable with it. The price was right. The client was open and friendly but it just wasn't me. It didn't pass the daughter/mom test.
That being said I will write about almost anything. Fun and boring, weird and typical. And there will be some things that we just won't find interesting to write about. I had to do an article on the importance of accreditation in performing arts schools and it was tedious for me. However, I learned some stuff and the client loved it. That's really what it's all about, isn't it? I got paid for it, I educated myself and the client has returned for additional articles on similar subjects. A success.
The most fun I have had writing articles are the ones I am currently doing for a private client at Elance on Army Training and TRX. Break Studios and Yahoo! have a lot of fun stuff to write about as well.
Authority is the key to content but enjoyment is the key to being prolific and making money.
If a freelance writer can accomplish this on most occasions then they are truly loving their work. However, the difficult ones that require some research and have yourself asking "what the hell?" will have to be done sometimes when work is slow or if you're hoping to win a new client. The key to this is to do your homework and turn out quality articles with solid, original content.
Do you have opinions on this? Please comment and hit the other buttons below!
No comments:
Post a Comment