Freelance Writer & Speaker

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. I will write on any topic which is not lewd, rude or crude. I do request to preview the assignment prior ot accepting. If I feel it goes against my grain or it is not the right job for my exprertise, I will quickly refund the up-front money I requested. Sometimes, that happens, but very rarely. Still, I'd rather be honest. I believe clients can respect that.

I enjoy the research and will produce a flowing product with good SEO placement.

I can gear copy writing to soft sale, info only, or call to action.

I also edit works and provide ghostwriting as if it was my own.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. You must have a good grasp of your audience and purpose before you hire a freelance writer. Give clear instructions and expect a bit of tweaking. Good freelance writers include that in their price to make sure the product is exactly the way the customer envisions it.

There are no inside secrets - just hard, honest work to do the best I can to produce an end product which will make my clients grin when they receive it. Words are wonderful - thoughts can be stated so many ways. Writing well is knowing how to put the puzzle together so the picture is clear.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. Ask the same questions as if you were hiring an employee. Ask for references, samples of work (but not that they submit a project for free to prove themselves).

Ask their fees and how they prefer payment. Set up terms and milestones so everyone is on the same page, literally.

Ask them to give you feedback and if they have any questions to make sure the assignment is clear.

Ask them when they can have it completed. Set a specific date.

Ask for two to three ways to contact them. Reciprocate by giving them your contact info up front.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. I prefer transparency. I will stay in touch, finish on time and make sure what my client envisons is what I produce. If I need clarity, I would rather ask than second guess. Often times what a client envsions is hard to convey, so I include one revison in my price quote. I believe in an ongoing working relationship. The more you work with a client, the easier it becomes to see his or her point of view.
Over half of my clients are repeat customers for whom I have done other writing or editing assignments.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. After they ask, "How much?", most ask for my experience and then my advice. Many request samples, which is fine. I would if I were in their shoes. I also ask if I can use them as a reference and use a snippet of what I did for them as a sample. Most have no problem with that request.
I do not work for cheap - this is my day job. But I will work within a client's budget to the best of my ability. I prefer to not work by the hour but by the project. It seems more fair all the way around.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. Basically I wish they would realize that writing is time consuming, as is the research and editing. Many are looking for a deal, but you get what you pay for. It is unfair to ask someone who is a professional to work for 2 cents a word or a dollar an article. They would not work for that. Writing is a skill and an art. It is a craft you learn over time. I attend workshops, conferences, e-shops and am involved in several critique groups in order to keep my skills toned. Writing changes, so do the rules. As in any profession, you need to stay on top of what is fresh.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I have been a writer since I was a child. It has always been my passion. However, life and circumstnces took me in a different direction for many, many years. My bosses tell me I was good at what I did, but my heart always returned to my pen in the wee hours of the night.

I believe Providence steered me back to what I absolutely love to do. I feel blessed that I can actually make a living by writing. Not many can say that. I know- I worked for the money, not the passion, for too many years. I write, not just for my clients, but for God who has granted me the talent and the opportunity.