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No matter where you live, landing lucrative writing assignments

doesn’t need to be difficult. The secret to a profitable

freelance writing career is to start small and build it from

there. Another secret… you must remember to promote your

business on a REGULAR basis. Don’t shoot off a few ads or

letters, then wait three months before launch another campaign.

Promote your business DAILY.



So here’s your first technique: Approach your local newspaper

editor. Ask if they need a freelancer to cover city council,

school board, and/or county board meetings. If they do, you’re

on your way earning a living as a writer because you’re about to

earn tons of clips. You’ll also start making valuable business

contacts. More on that later….



Armed with your local clips, you can start approaching bigger

freelance markets. Markets like small and mid-sized magazines

that are hungry for new articles. Start querying them and wait

for their response. (Technique 2)



While you’re waiting to hear from your magazine queries, chat

with few of the mayors, city council people, school board

members, etc. that you’ve met at your meetings. Most of them are

business people. Ask if they need a freelancer to update their

brochures, write ads or direct mail letters, or if they need a

writer-for-hire for a project they have brewing. You’d be

surprised how many business people will take you up on your

offer after they’ve witnessed your diligence and accuracy while

covering their meetings. (Technique 3)



Now target local businesses and contact them. Offer to write

their marketing materials. (Technique 4)



To start attracting more commercial clients, run a small ad in

your local paper. As your expertise increases, place more ads in

surrounding papers. (Technique 5)



Join your local Chamber of Commerce. You’ll meet even more

business owners who may need a freelance writer and you’ll make

invaluable contacts. (Technique 6)



Send out a direct mail piece advertising your writing services.

If you’re not comfortable writing direct mail, you can put

together a newsletter. Target the businesses you’d like to work

with and make sure you contact them on a regular basis.

(Technique 7)



Another technique to keep the money rolling in as a freelance

writer is to keep lots of irons in the fire. Along with the

magazine queries and copywriting, always have a book in the

works and send publishers proposals for it.



Another idea: I know one local freelancer who has cultivated a

devoted clientele who has her write all their correspondence…

including Christmas letters. Your projects are limited only by

your imagination. (Technique 8)



Make goals each day. Decide how many queries you’ll send out.

Decide how many sales letters you’ll mail. How many words are

you going to write in your book? How many new contacts are you

going to make this week? Make your goals… then follow through

with them. (Technique 9)



Ask and you may receive. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you

want. If you’re a stringer for your local newspaper, ask the

editor if it’s possible for them to run a small ad promoting

your business at a discount (after all you’re a staff writer.)

If you write for local businesses, ask them to recommend your

writing services to their friends. (Technique 10)



Never tell anyone your phone number. GIVE it to them. Print a

bunch of business cards and whenever anyone asks for your phone

number, give them your card instead. (Technique 11)



Network. Make friends in the freelance writing. Give each other

leads and help each other become the best writers you can be.

(Technique 12)



Carry your latest project with you. If you’ve written a book,

bring it wherever you go. If you just finished a big copywriting

project, have it nearby. Got an article in the latest issue of a

magazine or newspaper? Better bring it with you…. Nothing sparks

a conversation faster than “What ‘cha been up to lately?� Then,

next thing you know, you’ve got a prospective customer.

(Technique 13)



I know, I know… I promised twelve strategies to start making

money ASAP as a freelance writer. But I got on a roll and

thirteen (I’ve heard) is an unlucky number so here’s one more

strategy.



Read. Read everything you can get your hands on. If you write

novels, read novels. If you write direct mail, read EVERY piece

of direct mail that lands on your doorstep. If you write ads,

read ads. Read what your competition is writing. Read what your

friends are writing. Make note of what “works� for you and what

doesn’t. Then write something better.



Read e-mags that will help you make your writing as sharp as

possible. Perfect your craft, become the best writer you can be,

promote your business, and you’ll have more work than you can

handle.



So there you have it. Fourteen fantastic strategies to land

lucrative writing assignments and make a great living as a

freelance writer. The possibilities are endless. Find out what

works for you, then run with it. You just may find yourself

earning a very nice income.




About the author:


Beth Ann Erickson makes it easy to launch a successful freelance writing career. Learn the secrets to writing irresistible queries. To receive your free e-book, "Power Queries" visit: http://FilbertPublishing.com