3 Things Every Writer Should Do to Help Other Freelance Writers
Yes, it can sometimes seem lonely to be working alone as a freelance writer in your home office, kitchen table or wherever you work. But it doesn’t have to be. There is an entire community of writers out there to cheer you on, help you out when you need it and listen to you vent. I’ve written lately about how to network with other writers, so today I want to take that a step further and talk about helping other writers.
We are actually not each other’s competition, because each of us offers different strengths and expertise. My perfect client is most likely not the same as your perfect client. And even in the cases where the same clients would be great for multiple writers, I honestly believe that there is plenty of work out there for every writer. Helping each other is win-win for all.
I would not be where I am in my career without referrals, writer friends who have talked me off a ledge on a few occasions, and someone to call when I’m celebrating in my kitchen over landing a new client or writing a story that I’m proud of. I don’t think it’s possible for a freelance writer to reach their fullest potential without the support of other writers, and there is no reason that anyone needs to try.
But the writing community is definitely one of those things that you get what you put into it. So today I’m going to share three things that every writer can do to help other writers. And I promise that if you do these things regularly, karma (in the form of other writers) will come around and help you out when you need it – whether it’s a job lead when the bank account looks lean or a sweet email complimenting you on a great story that happens to come on a blue day.
Send Job Leads and Referrals – One of the hardest parts of content marketing writing is finding the exact clients who need your very specific strengths and skills. But if us writers keep our eyes open for each other and pass along gigs as much as possible, then we all come out ahead. The next time you run across a client who has a gig that isn’t your specialty, take a minute to think if you know any writers who might be a fit. If so, connect the writer and the editor (after checking with both parties, of course), and hopefully you will have both a happy writer friend and a happy editor.
If you don’t know anyone offhand but are a member of a writing community, such as ASJA or Freelance Success, consider asking them to see if anyone else is interested. If you are looking on job boards and see an ad that you think would be a fit for another writer who you know, take a few minutes to copy the link and send an email to the writer. I cannot tell you how grateful I have been over the years for the many writer friends who have quickly shot over emailed links to writing job ads that matched my niches.
Congratulate Fellow Writers – My dogs think I’m crazy when I jump up and down to cheer when an editor gives me a compliment on a story I’ve worked my tail off or I land a dream client. But it’s much more fun to celebrate with someone. So if you know a writer who landed a great gig, or you see a story that really moves you, drop them an email. Everyone loves compliments. A few quick words can really make someone’s day and make them feel much more a part of the writing community.
Mentor Another Writer – I am positive that somewhere in your career another writer or an editor has taken extra time to help you along. Maybe it was advice another writer gave you over coffee, or perhaps a writer friend took the time to give you feedback on a pitch that you just couldn’t sell. We all need mentors and not just when we are starting out. Every time you move up to a higher-profile publication or even to a different type of writing, such as content marketing, you can often benefit from someone taking the time to give you personal advice.
Yes, mentoring another writer takes time away from paying clients. Yes, it can be frustrating if the person doesn’t take your advice, or you don’t feel you are appreciated. But I think that if every writer is committed to going out of their way to help and mentor another writer (even in a small way) twice a year, then the writing community would be much stronger for it. Every time that I mentor someone, I end up learning something myself from the experience. And if we all commit to giving to each other, then odds are that the next time you are looking for support as you take a big step up, there will be someone with an outstretched hand waiting to help you make the climb up.
How have other writers helped you throughout your career? Any other ways to help other writers that you have done?
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Your post hit so close to home and is excellent. Connecting with other writers has always been a part of my freelance career since the very beginning. Writers helping other writers is especially important since that is how we make it better for all of us. How encouraging to hear another writer say it so well!
Hi Angie, That is great that you have found it to be helpful to your career. I honestly would have thrown in the towel or lost my mind long ago as a freelancer without other writers. And my career would be nowhere the same without the leads and wisdom that I’ve gotten!
Love, love, love this post, Jennifer, for many reasons. I am a strong believer in the principle of ‘pay it forward’ — what goes around comes around.
I’ve been on the receiving end of many a kind compliment or word of advice — YOU spent close to an hour with me on the phone one day, brainstorming together and offering advice and ideas. 🙂
I completely agree with you that there’s more than enough work to go around and try to help fellow writers whenever I can.
And you’re absolutely right, you never know when fate will smile on you. I got a note just the other day from a fellow writer who’s an email friend, saying that she had picked up a local lifestyle magazine, read an article she really liked, then realized that I was the author. So she sent me a note. Made. My. Day.
We all have times of feast and times of famine–my goal is to lesson the times between, for myself *and* for my fellow writers. Looking forward to thanking you for your friendship and guidance in NYC next month!!
What a sweet story about another writer sending you a nice note! It’s amazing how much something so little can mean.
When I first started as a freelance writer, I got connected to an established freelance writer through a mutual friend. I just had a few questions on things like what would be considered a normal hourly rate, how to price projects, how to handle research on certain types of writing. Just basic stuff. The writer was very…um, how can I say this nicely…well, unhelpful.
She told me she wasn’t comfortable sharing any of that information with me because it’s a “very competitive” industry. After that exchange, I felt embarrassed for even asking. It took me quite a while to realize this wasn’t the prevailing attitude among other writers. Thank goodness! And I vowed that if I ever got decent at this freelancing thing, I’d do whatever I could to assist any writer who ever approached me for help. I’m happy to say that even though I’m not earning a full-time living at this yet, I have been able to help the few writers who have approached me for advice.
I have no idea how successful that first writer is (honestly, I don’t even remember her name) but how awful to have to go through life feeling so “on guard” and competitive all the time. I firmly believe that there are plenty of slices of the pie for everyone who wants some. (For the record, I always like mine with whipped cream. :o)
MMMM Whipped cream and cherries for me!
That really stinks that was your first experience asking for help. Yeah, I’m assuming that she is isn’t on the receiving end of many favors with an attitude like that. I think that the fact that there is more than enough work for everyone is even more true now with content. And especially true with clients wanting such specific skills and expertise in a writer. I’m so glad that you used that first experience to do the opposite. And that you’ve been able to help.
You are totally right – you don’t have to be the world’s most successful freelancer to help others because we all have superpowers and strengths and connections that we can share. That is a VERY good point that I think many people don’t realize.
I believe that networking with other writers and passing on work to them, if it’s not your field of expertise, or you are just too busy to take on more work, is good to do.
Often what goes around comes around, there’s no need to be selfish and “hoard clients”.
There is plenty of clients and work out there for all writers to benefit from.
Very good point! Each writer can only take so many clients and hoarding doesn’t do any good!
Jen, a couple of years ago, you pointed me to a client you saw advertising for an editor in my niche. You thought that perhaps the company needed writers in the interim. I have now been writing for them for two years.
I so agree that there is plenty of work for everyone and get great pleasure from introducing my colleagues to my editors.
Excellent post!
Awww! I am so glad that has been such steady work. That’s exactly the type of thing I would love to see other writers do all the time because honestly it took me ONE MINUTE to copy paste the link from the job board and send it to you. And look how much that one minute of my time has been worth to you.
[…] competition.We are all in this together, and I honestly believe that every writer should strive to help other writers. This is the thing – writers know which editors need writers as well as which editors are gems and […]