Five Essential Questions For Freelance Writers

The other day a new writer on my subbing list apologised for pestering me with questions. I told the writer to forget it, as it’s better to ask than to go wrong and have to fix it. I think there are five questions that writers should always ask to get the job done and to help them to further their writing careers. Here they are:

What do you want me to do?

Getting the right information from the client is the key to getting the job done right. I always ask questions until I’m sure I understand what’s needed. That means that I don’t have to spend time on rewrites later in the process. Asking questions saves time and effort, so it’s worth clarifying the brief before you start writing.

What’s the deadline?

Every client has a deadline in mind. As the writer you need to meet that deadline, but it’s also important to find out if there’s flexibility if you need it. Some of my clients want everything yesterday, while others would rather wait a bit longer to get a good job done. Knowing which is which helps me to plan my work and keep everyone happy.

When will I get paid?

This is the eternal question for freelancers. It’s nice to have clients who pay a deposit and the rest on completion, but not every client will do this. I always request a deposit from new clients. Established ones have a little more leeway. However, some clients pay every two or four weeks, and you need to be aware of this so that you can manage your cash flow.

What other services can I offer?

Don’t be content with simply doing the job that the client has paid for. You have other skills, so see how they can add value for the client and offer to do another job. At best, you will get more money coming in. At worst, you will have let the client know that you have a wide range of skills so the client can consider you for future work.

Will you recommend me to others?

When your client is happy, ask for a testimonial. You can even offer to write it (after all, that’s your skill) so that the client can approve it. The more testimonials you have, the more appealing you are to other clients.

(Photo: ppdigital)