The Most Important Thing to Look for in a Freelance Writing Mentor (Part III of III)

This article is the final part of a three-part series originally entitled, 5 Things You Must Look for in a Freelance Writing Mentor.

In Part I, we went over the first two things to look for, eg, tech-savviness and variety of projects. Part II discussed why your freelance writing mentor should give you specific answers to specific questions, and why they should be able to give it to you straight.

Following is the final thing - the single most important thing you should look for in a freelance writing mentor. It is, not surprisingly;

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5. Experience: I left this one for last because it seems obvious, but is perhaps the most important.

A mentor should have a certain number of years under their belt - I'd say three at least. Why three? The first year as a full-time freelancer, you are learning the ropes. You will make pricing mistakes - eg, undercharging (overcharging never seems to happen because most freelancers don't have the luxury of doing this).

Other mistakes that will happen during the first year:

**under-estimating how long it's going to take to complete a project;

**setting up an invoicing system;

**dealing with clients who don't pay on time, or don't pay at all;

**marketing for new clients;

**upselling old clients;

**expanding service offerings, etc.

There is so much to learn during the first year that a mentor with only a year's experience won't have encountered - hence, dealt with - enough situations to advise you on how to deal with it.

I've been a freelancer since 1993, and I've basically been through it all. BUT, there are still situations that pop up that cause me to go, "Hmm, how do I resolve this?"

No mentor will ever know the answer to every situation, but a seasoned one - one with 3+ years - will have enough experience to draw on to be able to give you some guidelines as to what to do when "x" happens.

So, what about the second year? During this time is when most freelancers will experience either growth or a drought. Eg, they will figure out how to effectively market their services and complete projects at the same time.

When you freelance, marketing is an on-going thing. Many freelancers make the mistake of marketing only when they have no work. But, during the second year, going into the third, is when most figure out a few marketing methods that work well for them. Then, they put it on autopilot (eg, market all the time), while still completing incoming projects.

The second year is when most figure out the peaks and valleys of freelancing as well. Many panic when there's no work. Conversely, they will also overextend themselves by taking on too much for fear of a drought.

Figuring out how to balance it all and still have a life doesn't usually happen until the third year. So, you want a mentor who has seen all of the seasons of freelancing - at least a couple of times before you ask them to mentor you.

Good luck choosing - and choose wisely.
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5 Things You Must Look for in a Freelance Writing Mentor (Part I of III)

Over the years, I've been asked many times by freelancers if I would be their mentor. I'm always flattered, but have never done it simply because I don't have the time. I usually refer inquirers to my website and blog, as it is all about the business of freelancing.

For those who want one, following are some things to look for in a freelance writing mentor.

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1. Tech Savvy: You want a mentor who is tech-savvy. They don't have to be Bill Gates tech-savvy, but at least be up on the latest technology.

How do you determine this without outright asking? Look for their website, their blog, see if they publish a newsletter, or air material via a podcast.

Also, scour their writings. Have they written on tech, referred to it in a newsletter, eg, "I recently attended a teleseminar," etc.

Why is it important that your mentor be tech savvy? As I discussed in the article Lessons I've Learned from 19+ Years as a Freelancer & Recruiter in the Editorial Industry, "I had to know enough [technology] to be able to stay competitive. This meant not only getting a [web]site, but learning how to update it myself."

Technology saves you time and money - two things freelancers are usually very short on. If you don't have a website, how are you going to sell yourself? Potential clients expect one nowadays - it's like trying to do business without a telephone.

Updating Your Website: You always want to have the latest sample on your site. Also, things like media blurbs, speaking engagements, testimonials for clients, etc.

All of these are individual updates - and, it can get very expensive to have someone constantly update it. So, learning enough HTML, or creating a site with a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) software like FrontPage will save you thousands of dollars over time.

2. Variety: I don't necessarily mean across genres, although this is a nice bonus, but I mean variety in the types of projects they take on.

For example, I do freelance writing, editing, copy editing, word processing and copywriting. I also create newsletters, brochures, postcards, write sales letters and provide web content.

Why is variety important? Quite simply, clients will approach you with different projects once they are pleased with your initial work.

I started doing brochures and newsletters because clients started requesting them. For example, years ago I had a client who was a web marketer. She initially hired me to copyedit her web content.

One time, when I turned a project in, she asked me if I could develop a monthly e-newsletter for her prospect list. She asked because she liked the way I copyediting her material. Basically, I rewrote a lot of her stuff - rearranging material for more impact and deleting material that I thought was excess.

When she asked, I said sure. Although I had never developed a newsletter for a client before, I knew what they were and also that I could go on the Internet and find good samples.

NOTE: Never turn down work that you can easily find out how to do. Most small business owners (who are the majority of my clients) are very busy and usually whatever you come up with will be so much better than they expected that they will be forever grateful.

The web is packed with templates, how-to information, easy-to-use software, etc., that it is relatively easy to pick up a new skill/software and teach yourself how to use it - usually within a matter of hours.

This is another reason you want a mentor who is tech-savvy.

I heard a quote on the radio the other day that's stuck with me. It went, "Years ago, workers advanced in society based on how they performed their job; today, workers advance because of what they know, not what they do."

Technology has made this so, so true. So, choose a mentor wisely.

Tomorrow: Part II of this article will discuss two more things you should look for in a freelance writing mentor, and the third part will reveal the number one thing you want to look for in a mentor - and why.
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Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.
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