Growing a strong, sustained freelance writing business means being able to dedicate consistent time to the effort. That’s not always easy when you’re surrounded by distractions.
Many who enter this business do so because it is convenient. Working at home, setting your own hours, and not having to worry about paying for childcare are fantastic benefits. However, it’s impossible to be successful without being focused. These productivity hacks for writers will teach you how to eliminate distractions and give you the edge up in a highly competitive marketplace.
Create Focused Times for Work
Treat your freelance writing as a business. While you may not work 9 to 5, you should still be putting in the time necessary to achieve your desired income. For that reason, it’s best to build focused times into your schedule for specific tasks, such as networking, finding work, skill building, and writing.
Make the Most of Your Time
When you have that time set aside to work, make the most of it. Eliminate distractions in your workspace. You’ll get more done in a short period of time. Apps can help you do this. Strict Workflow, for example, is a Google Chrome extension that blocks access to social media sites for 25 minutes. There’s a five-minute break, and then another 25-minute session to follow. OmmWriter is an app that creates a distraction-free writing environment. Though it is not free, it does get you working quickly.
Create an Effective Writing Process for Yourself
Customize your writing practice to make it comfortable and enjoyable. Here are some tips:
- Create an outline. This can help to focus your writing so it starts and ends on target.
- Learn to build keywords and any other SEO elements into your writing as you go instead of spending time afterward trying to mesh them into place.
- Write the way you speak. Throw English class essays out the window. Effective blogging creates a personal, friendly style. Unless you’re writing a research document for your client, keep things light and relaxed.
- Create an account with a free image source you like, and use the same one routinely for efficiency. Plenty of options exist, including Flickr search, StockSnap, and Pixabay.
- Use editing tools to ensure your finished work is your best. Free options exist, as well as paid versions like Grammarly. Word is useful, but try implementing other tools in addition to it.
- Automate the social sharing component of the work to save time. This is critical for efficient blogging. Hootsuite is a common tool for this.
With these tools, building a profitable freelance writing business is possible. However, even with these productivity hacks for writers, it’s important to recognize the importance of dedication to the craft. Always learn and grow. Read and develop your skill. Learn from your mistakes and criticism. The best way to succeed is to consistently build relationships with clients. Put time into freelance writing, and it will become the business you want it to be.
About the author
Sandy B is a full-time, professional freelance writer and copywriter with more than 10 years of online experience. She is also a published author of seven, top-reviewed, in-print books on Amazon. These focus on financial topics such as retirement planning, bankruptcy, business finance, estate planning, and personal credit health as well as organic gardening and clean living. She’s ghostwritten content for hundreds of clients on topics ranging from health to finance, business services, online and offline marketing and much more.
