Hi Anne,
I am writing because I need some advice. As a freelance writer with her own business (set up very recently), I am always applying and bidding for work. At the moment, I am not getting responses back despite applying and for many of them. Furthermore, I have been checking and rechecking my applications for spelling mistakes and checking to make sure I am qualified for the job, I am still at a relative impasse.
I know the recession has made things difficult but this is getting a bit annoying now.
Any advice would be appreciated!
Many thanks
Miss Ngozi Nwabineli
www.assuredangelwriting.com
Hi Ngozi,
The first thing to know is that people looking for writers online usually reply only to those they think they might hire. Not polite, but certainly the way it is.
Although spelling etc. are important, it’s more important that you demonstrate you can solve their problem. They need a particular kind of writer. If you can show you’re that kind of writer you’re much more likely to get a response.
Addressing their problem is more of an art than a science and lots of ads don’t give you a clue. You just have to do the best you can.
I see from your phone number and website that you’re in the UK. You don’t say if most of your applications for writing gigs are going there or if you’re also applying ’round the world. If you’re using my job postings most of those are in the U.S.
U.S. employers tend to be quite provincial. You’ll have to make it super easy for them to hire you and pay you – a paypal account is probably the best known method.
I’m glad you’ve got a website. That’s the first step. But it’s more about you than about how you can solve a problem for a prospective client. As you say there, first impressions do count, so put your willingness and ability to help right up front.
It’s not clear if there’s just one of you or more than one – either is fine, but make it clear. If you can write in French as well as English say so clearly – and if you offer translation, spell that out.
A degree in Law may mean you have the ability to make the law understandable to the lay person, or that you have the ability to make sure lawyers get the kind of writing they need. Or both – show us. Same thing for Business Administration. Use your writing skills to demonstrate why that should make me want to hire you.
Contact info should be on every page.
Look at your website as if you wanted to hire you as a writer – what would you want to see.
Look for writing work beyond the postings. Job Postings Here Are The Tip Of A Great Big Iceberg!
Hope this helps!
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Miss Anne and Miss Ngozi –
Thanks for sharing this with us all. I found myself reflecting on how many jobs I have bid on and the number of responces I have received, even when I included “please let me know either way” in my cover letter.
I also found myself doing a mental check to see if I was succfully hitting all of the pints that Miss Anne was pointing out. I found a couple of things I want to tighten up on the next letters!
Again, I am thankful for finding this website, it’s been a great help, source of encouragement and source of useful information over the years.
This is one thing I reminded that I am Thankful for.
Kathleen
P.S.
Best of luck Miss Ngozi!
Kathleen, as you’ve discovered things like “let me know either way” don’t work – keep pitching and keep looking elsewhere for gigs. Work to not take the lack of response personally, it isn’t.
I think this is a question a lot of writers have, especially right now. So many people are looking for work–writing and otherwise–that employers are overwhelmed with responses to their ads. A month or so ago I read an article that said the biggest complaint most job seekers were voicing (and it applied to all job seekers, not just writers) was lack of response. I must confess that during one of my stints as an editor, I did, in fact, let one query go without a response because I was in the midst of transitioning out of that publication. Lack of response from an editor/publisher may be due to any number of reasons. Also, I think writers must keep in mind that many fields connected to professional writing have been hard hit during the recession, which means the competition for writing gigs is that much fiercer at the moment.
T´s last blog ..Thanksgiving & Other Writing Prompts
Good points, although I don’t really believe in competition… I’ll blog about that soon.
i am frist time writer how much should i charge for gov writing
Thomas http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com/2009/02/setting-your-freelance-writing-fees-part-1/ will give you a whole series on setting fees. See if that helps.