How to Increase Your Freelance Writing Income by 25% or More (Part I of II)

I've been a freelance writer since 1993 and have learned a few tricks of the trade. I wrote an article in 2006 entitled "10 Lessons I've Learned from 19+ Years as a Freelancer & Recruiter in the Editorial Industry."

Well, as is always the case if you're learning and growing, I've learned more tricks of the trade to pass along. I'm quick to discard what doesn't work, and keep what does.

Following are five ways to increase your freelance income by at least 25% -- if you make them a regular part of your writing routine.

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1. Don't read your own material online. Why? Quite simply, because it wastes time. A lot of my work is done virtually, but once I hand the project off to the client, it's rare that I see it again.

Sometimes they use it as is, and sometimes they rework it. Usually, it doesn't carry my byline, so I have no way to search for it unless I go to the client's website and type in certain key phrases I know it should contain.

But, I rarely, if ever do this.

But, article directories, press releases and blog posts are a different thing. I've built up quite a body of work in these arenas in the past couple of years. And you know what? I've found that I have a tendency to read my writings online - as if I don't already know what it's going to say.

Colossal waste of time! And not for nothing, when I read a piece, I invariably spot a phrase I wish I'd written differently, or gosh darn it - a typo or misused word (eg, who's for whose).

So, I've made a concerted effort in the last month or so to say away from my work online - eg, articles submitted to online directories, blog posts and press release.

Of course, website pages are different - you can - and should - update these. But, this type of nitpicking kills precious, income-producing time.

2. Incorporate "Template Writing" Into Your Writing Routine: What is this? Quite simply, where you create a formula (a template) to use for writing you do on a regular basis.

I outlined how you can increase your income by up to 50% using template writing in the article, Increase Your Freelance Income by 50% Immediately -- How "Template Writing" Can Help You Become a Prolific Freelance Writing Machine.

If you regularly write, for example, restuaurant reviews, how-to articles, product reviews, press releases, etc., creating a template will speed up your output.

In the freelance writing game, the more you produce, the more you make. Income is almost always directly linked to production. As most of us are not Stephen King-royalty-and-residual-blessed, we have to grind out copy.

As I state in the subtitle, template writing can turn you into a freelance writing machine! The second part of this article will discuss three more ways you probably haven't heard of to increase your freelance writing income - by at least 25%.

Tomorrow's Post: 3 More Ways to Increase Your Freelance Writing Income by 25%: How to turn into a freelance writing machine (Part II of II).
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