One of the most rewarding aspects of being a freelance writer is building relationships with clients. Probably 95% of my clients have been good to work with. There have been a few that weren’t the best fit for me, or something wasn’t right with the project. But for the most part, I’ve been fortunate to work for some really great clients. What makes a great freelance client? Great clients like your work. If you find yourself encountering clients who are constantly dissatisfied or asking for significant revisions, maybe you’re not on the same page with the expectations of the...

Now and then people will ask me for advice on how to get started on Elance. I’ve written about this before, but here are a few other ideas that new Elance providers should keep in mind: Read the job description (the whole thing). I’ve hired people on Elance myself, and it’s always immediately apparent which ones have actually read the entire job description (and put some thought into how to respond) and which ones are just sending out mass-produced auto-replies and copy-and-pasted responses. Be sincere: Employers respond well to people who sincerely care about the project. Show that...

I recently completed my 7th month of full-time self employment as an online freelance writer. I love being a full-time freelancer. I love the freedom, the flexibility, the variety, and the rewards. I love building relationships with clients and delivering great work. Part of me is still a little surprised that things are going as well as they have – I was saying to my wife the other day, “I can’t believe we’re getting away with this.” Two years ago I signed up on Elance – I was looking for some new challenges and to make some extra money on the side (in addition to...

This is the video that I made for the Elance Cloud Commute YouTube contest. Someday it won’t be called “outsourcing” or “online freelancing.” It will just be called “work.” No commute (or cubicle)...

It’s easier than ever before to be productive and in control of your schedule as a freelancer. Here are several (free) online tools that I use to help me with my business: Toggl: Toggl is a free, fantastic time tracking tool. Anyone who’s in the billable hour business (or who wants an easy way to keep track of how they’re spending their work time) should use this. It’s fast, it’s easy, it’s seamless. And if you pay $5 a month, you can access advanced features like hourly billable rates, total billable amounts, and others. Remember the Milk: The ultimate “to...

As much as I love freelancing, there are days when it’s really hard. Silent clients. One of the hardest things about working online with clients all over the world is that sometimes you don’t hear back from your clients as promptly as you would like – or even for weeks at a time. I struggle with this when it happens; I often assume the worst. “Did I say something wrong in that last e-mail? Did their business suddenly collapse, and now they can’t afford to pay me? Did they not like the work and they’re not sure of how to say it?” Disappearing projects. It...