New freelance writers can
get their start with contract sites, also known as bid sites, such as Elance, GetAFreelancer or Ifreelance. Using these sites can help one
deal with issues associated with freelance writing, such as, the need to make
money, the ability to create an online presence and reputation.
Like everything else in
life, it takes money to make money. After a small start-up fee, one can begin
choosing and bidding for projects that appeal to their interests. Many
established freelance writers scoff at the notion of using a bid site. For new
writers, however, they provide an important foundation for continued growth and
success, not to mention a certain level of stability.
Many of these sites work in
a fashion that recommends writers to take on a premium membership for an
additional charge. Features included in
many premium memberships include a broader range of projects to bid on and more
storage space for clips and highlighted bid proposals.
Bid sites allow one to build
their own personal website, creating an opportunity to expand one’s web
presence. This profile should include an archive of previous articles, sample
clips, resumes, bios and photos.
Once your profile is set up and you begin bidding on projects, it is only a
matter of time before project managers start selecting you for stories on your
highlighted bids. Then you start
completing the assignments, your reputation enhances, your portfolio
strengthens and the money starts rolling in.
BJB - Not our standard format, but nonetheless useful.
Thank you for your insightful post. I always thought what were the advantages to upgrade a freelance account. Do this upgrade give you less competition to writing jobs versus the free account?
ReplyDelete