Nuts & Bolts
Business of Freelancing

Getting Started As a Freelance Writer

By Melissa Dittmann

How do you carve out a freelance career that ensures you stand out from the bunch? Freelance writer Ruth E. Thaler-Carter should know—she's been freelancing as a writer and editor for nearly 30 years for local, regional and national magazines, newspapers and newsletters.

Thaler-Carter spoke November 18 at the WIW workshop "Getting Started as a Freelance Writer," on finding markets, setting rates, networking and managing a freelance career. The event was held at the Bethesda Chevy Chase community center, with over 30 individuals in attendance.

Editors want writers who have knowledge of their publications, original ideas, low rates and well thought-out and relevant query letters as well as writers who provide well-written and accurate articles that are turned in by or before deadline, Thaler-Carter said.

To help market yourself to editors, Thaler-Carter offered the following advice:

• Research the market. Collect at least three issues of the publication that you want to write for to determine what they typically publish. Consult the latest issue of Writer's Market to identify what the publications buy from freelancers, how much they pay and who to contact with a query. Then, verify the contact names with the latest issue of the publication via their masthead, which lists the editorial staff and their positions.

• Promote yourself. "Being a freelance writer means selling yourself," Thaler-Carter said. "You have to get out there and convince [editors] to use you, convince them that your writing is better than others and convince them to use you again."

  Establish your own Web site to highlight information about your writing background and post samples of your articles. She also recommended having a business card and letterhead-which includes your name, address and phone number.

• Create an office. Whether at your home or a rented space, you should have basic office supplies, such as a fax machine, computer, printer and separate e-mail and phone number. To avoid mixing your personal and business lines, set up caller ID, two separate phone lines, a separate ring tone or voicemail. This will also help endure that an editor never gets a busy signal.

• Be professional. That doesn't mean you have to trade in your pajamas for business attire if you work from home. But when you present yourself to clients on the phone, e-mail or in-person, make sure you are professional so they will take you seriously. Also, be sure to answer the phone professionally—a separate phone line or the phone features listed above can help accomplish this.

• Establish guidelines. "Learn to tell family that this is work and they can't interrupt to ask you to watch the dogs or play solitaire on mommy's computer," Thaler-Carter said. "Don't be turned into the neighborhood babysitter, carpooler or errand runner."

• Build your skills. "One way to make more money in freelance is to have one or more skills to offer," Thaler-Carter said. For her, that meant learning desktop publishing. In addition to writing and editing, she offer layout options, too. She advised taking computer courses in page layout programs, Web site building or proofreading to expand your jobs.

• Get it in writing. Thaler-Carter suggested having a contract before starting an assignment. If the editor does not provide one, be sure to draw up a letter of agreement yourself that the editor and you both sign, which includes such information as what the publication has agreed to pay, the expenses they will cover and the rights to the article, she advised. Sample contracts are available through WIW or National Writer's Union (www.nwu.org).

• Scout for work constantly. Even if you land a steady monthly or weekly assignment for a publication, don't assume it will last forever, Thaler-Carter said. "Keep your eyes open to new work assignments. You have to constantly be finding projects, even when you're established."

  Thaler-Carter advised finding work through family or friends or getting involved in professional organizations, hobby groups, community volunteer work and, of course, by sending out query after query to publications.

  "In D.C. there is an association for anything that you might want to write about—from kites to phobias," said Thaler-Carter. "There are publications that will publish anything that you can think about."

• Stay connected. Thaler-Carter recommended joining writing associations—such as Washington Independent Writers and Editorial Freelancers Association to tap other writers for advice, support and maybe even collaborate on assignments.

Thaler-Carter has published the advice from her freelance writing seminars in a booklet, "Get Paid to Write! Getting Started as a Freelance Writer," available through her Web site at www.ruthwrite.com.