Stop the Copy and Start the Brandy

It’s becoming all too often that freelance writers are popping up out of nowhere, clicking the first link that pops up on Google relating to their freelance writing project, and go ahead with rephrasing that article to make it “original.” I’ve got no problem with competitors and their tactics, especially writing strategies like these. The client might be asking for a greater deal of originality and broadness than something their NUMBER 1 COMPETITOR has rated for the term, and that article that the noob freelance writer wrote from is probably well memorized by the client. This is when I suddenly get a new client!

The profession of a freelance writer is never the same for anyone that enters the field. As well as having several types of market places – blog articles, journalism, sale copies, advertising, scripts, reviews, etc. – each writer has their own style. When a freelance writer for hire learns to take control of their style and apply it in their writing, it creates personality. Personality, in the end, will be what creates the brand of your writing and what clients think of you.

For those that stick to just rewriting what has already been said, they are stuck at a pretty flat base. There is money there, yes, but it isn’t a lot. These are the guys making a couple cents a word at most. Why? It doesn’t have the flavor that anyone is willing to take serious. Someone high on crack would probably write more affluently if they went back and sorted out the bends after the high went away. That crackhead would probably be making more money, as well. It is because he has a style that is all his own, and it gives him a unique – very unique – brand that I hope not too many other writers could learn to adhere.

I’m not saying you have to be a genius to take that one article and make it into a new masterpiece, but you shouldn’t just be looking into how you can rearrange it to make it pass Copyscape. Do a bit more research, bounce off of wild terms that might come up with a lead to some enlightening knowledge on the topic, read a book on the topic, scan articles and image databases, ask friends, but don’t just stick to nearly copying that one article.

It takes more time, and it might not make you as much money at first, but if you give it time and let your reputation, skill, and show personality and brand through your writing, you will get bigger and better clients that want your image in their writing, no matter what style your writing is (unless incomprehensible, dying from incorrect spelling and grammar).

I use to be a noob, too, writing for a couple cents a word. I applied a little more “attitude” into my writing, and immediately saw a jump on return clients, and the amount of times they told me I don’t charge enough for my services let me know it was time to increase my rates.