6. Watch out for the pitfalls
It would be nice if freelance writing were always as easy as sitting around in your pajamas, typing away with your feet propped up.
It isn’t, of course – it’s work, and it has its risks. Try to avoid these common pitfalls:
Scams: Scams are one of the biggest dangers for new writers. If you work through an established content site that has good reviews, you shouldn’t have a problem.
But there’s a risk in accepting assignments from job posting boards.
You may not get paid for your work. Sometimes, the client will tell you they don’t want the article, and then they’ll publish it under their own name.
There’s not much you can do about that. And never, ever pay for a job lead. Legitimate sites share in the profit when you sell an article, but they don’t charge you to find the opportunities.
Plagiarism/duplicate content: Plagiarism is the biggest no-no in the writing world. It’s stealing, and it will get you permanently banned from legitimate content sites. Intentional plagiarism is easy to avoid: Don’t copy someone else’s writing.
Duplicate content is trickier. Search engines like content that’s unique. Content that’s too similar to someone else’s will get your article pushed to the bottom of the results heap, and clients don’t want to pay for articles no one will ever see.
You can solve this problem by running everything you write through a plagiarism-detection program.
Freelance writing can be a legitimate home business. But never forget that it’s real work. To earn a regular income, you have to take it seriously. Start each day by checking content sites for orders that you can fill quickly, without having to do a lot of research.
Proofread thoroughly, accept feedback and make edits gracefully, and don’t stop until your client is happy. That’s what makes the difference between a freelance writing career and a freelance writing hobby.