If you accept clients without requesting that they sign an independent contract agreement or a freelance writer contract, you may want to seriously reconsider the next time you take on a new project. Many freelance writers will not even touch the subject of contracts because they do not want to insult the client and lose a potentially great gig. However, this shouldn’t be the case at all. In fact, any upstanding and legitimate client should show no hostility or hesitation when asked to sign an agreement for the writer.

Why You Should Request a Contract

1. It protects you from being scammed: While some writers still get stiffed from illegitimate clients even after an agreement is signed, a client is typically less likely to disappear without paying you if you have a contract in place. The threat of legal action if the agreement is breached is enough to force some hesitant clients to cough up the dough.

2. It leaves a paper trail: Similarly, if your client does try to disappear without paying you, your contract will help you if decide to take the matter up in court. Clients tend to stiff writers because they do not believe that the writers have time or money to go after them. Fortunately, a written and signed agreement should give you enough ammunition to pursue your case and get what you deserve.

3. It shows good faith for everyone: A signature is like a handshake in that it finalizes the project. It means that the client has every intention of awarding you the job and paying you promptly. It also means that the writer has every intention of completing the task to the best of his ability, for the amount agreed upon in the contract.

4. It lists all terms and conditions: A signed contract actually helps you as a writer. Everything is laid out in front of you, all of the terms, conditions and expectations regarding the work that you have been asked to complete. There should be no question or dispute later down the road when a client claims you did not follow his instructions if you stuck to what was stated in the initial contract.

5. It ensures you are paid fairly: Some clients tend to assign a writer a small number of pieces, only to request additional articles and revisions later. While it is fine to complete more work, you should be compensated for each piece and extra revisions that are not included in your contract. Your workload will increase, so your pay should be subsequently higher as well. Some writers include one or two rounds of revisions at no charge, but when a client starts asking for 10 or more revisions, the time spent rewriting each article can make the writer’s hourly rate hardly worth their time.

Image via Wikipedia

What You Should Include in Your Contract

Writing agreements do not have to be pages long, nor do they need to be formal. A simple listing of your duties, your client’s duties and the price should be sufficient. By asking your client to type “I agree to the terms listed above,” you are requesting that he provide his electronic signature to seal the deal. You may also consider including the cost of extra services such as additional revisions or future pieces. Keep in mind that, even though the signature is electronic and does not need to be notarized, courts still view them to be legal and binding.

The Bottom Line

You should absolutely use a writing contract or agreement any time you accept work from a client, whether it is for one article or 100 articles. You would not take a job outside of your home without your employer requesting you sign paperwork, so why should your home business be any different? These agreements protect everyone involved, not just the writer, so a client should have no problem signing one. If he agrees without hesitation, you can move forward with your working relationship feeling more at ease. If he seems hesitant or flighty, it’s best for you to move on and find a more accommodating client.

Mallory Hall has been writing for several years. A mother of two, she enjoys crafting articles around topics such as the freelancing life, parenting health, nutrition, personal finance and the law. You can find her for hire at Guru.com or on Textbroker.com under the author name “M. Hall.”

The Writing Contract: To Have or Not to Have? is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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I know there are a lot of writers out there that are new and really just don’t know where to start.  There are many writers who are not new but aren’t sure how to move away from the content mills to more private clients.  There are many writers who just need a few tips to take them to the next level.

And for those writers, I’ve put together a little ebook (well, not totally little) with some of my best blog posts.  But it isn’t just my already written blog post – each post has additional information and a TO DO list to help you put the advice into action.  And yes, there is some totally new information in there, too.

And what will it cost?

No money – just a tweet or a Facebook like! Just click the button below:

Freelance Writing Tips for New Writers is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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If you have been reading this blog for awhile, you might remember me talking about the cool kid that I wanted to get the attention of.  If you don’t remember that read about it here (it will open in a new window so go read it).

Well, I was looking at that post the other day and I thought that I should give you an update.

What happened? Well, I did indeed get the attention of that cool kid.  He gave me the input that I wanted about my blog.  We’ve chatted a few times.  And he’s now one of my clients!

Image by caribb via Flickr

How did that happen?  Well, I like his page on Facebook and one day I saw that he was putting up a new request for a writer on ELance.  I don’t use bidding sites because I’ve never had good results from them.  They aren’t my thing (of course, I know that they do work so watch for a special guest post in the next few weeks from a writer who IS getting results).  I asked him if he’d consider letting other writers apply and explained that I don’t use bidding sites and he said for sure and that I should contact him through his site contact form and he would send me the specs and I could put in a bid.  He sent out the specs and…

I panicked!  I really wanted to impress him and I just got scared.  So I put it off for a day or so and then he contacted me and asked if I was still interested and that he’d like to pick someone for the writing job very soon.

I got my act together and put in the bid and 15 minutes later I got a reply back from him saying that he wanted me to do the job and he loved my proposal.

Well, I was so damn excited I broke out in tears!  I laughed and I cried and my husband didn’t know what was going on.  When I finally told him about the writing gig he was like, “Ya so?” because he didn’t realize that this was the COOL KID!  The COOL KID was going to hire ME!

I finally calmed down and replied that yes, I would love the job.  I did an ebook for one of his niche sites and he loved it.  In fact, he actually mentioned me in a blog post as the writer of his ebook and of course, I very quickly took a screen cap to add to my testimonials page!  :)  But then I started getting emails like crazy from people who wanted me to write for them because I’d written for the cool kid.  It was really crazy for awhile.

I’m working on my second project for him now.

So, I’d say I got his attention.  Am I going to tell you who it was?  No – you have to guess!  or maybe he’ll stop by here and out himself.  Who do you think the cool kid is?  Is it you?

What Ever Happened to the Cool Kid? is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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I think that if you are serious about your freelance writing career, reading should be an important part of your continuous learning.  And I don’t just mean reading blogs.  Blogs can be a great source of information but try breaking out of the blog reading for a change and read a book or a writing magazine.  You might be surprised at what you pick up.

Cover via Amazon

One of my favorite books about freelance writing is My So-Called Freelance Life: How to Survive and Thrive as a Creative Professional for Hire, by Michelle Goodman.  If you are looking for something that isn’t strictly dry, how-to type of stuff this is one book you’ll enjoy.  Michelle Goodman has a great sense of humor and she manages to give out some pretty good information, too!  Anyone who is still working the day job while trying to establish a career as a freelance writer will find loads of value in this book.  Even if you have already made the switch from part-time to full-time writer, you are still going to find some gems in this book that can help your further your career and you’ll have some good laughs in there, too, when she talks about those things that have happened to you!

I love that this book is not just all practical stuff.  Goodman talks a lot about the stuff that gets skimmed over in other books, like developing friendships with other freelancers.  Some people might not think this is a big deal but when you spend a great deal of time online you need to have people to talk with that understand what you are going through and can help you celebrate your successes.  Of course, she also covers some very practical information like invoices and taxes.  As much as I’d like to avoid that stuff altogether, it is a big part of working from home and you need to make sure you are crossing your t’s and dotting your i’s!  And Goodman remembers that there is this important thing called life/work balance so she includes some great tips for making sure that things don’t sway too much either way.

Goodman breaks the book into three categories:

You Fled the Cube, Now What?
Sell, Baby, Sell
Your So-Called Life

If you are thinking about becoming a freelance writer or are starting to go full-time or are somewhere in the middle, this book will be a great read.  It will enhance the reading that you are already doing online and give you a closer look at what the freelance life is really like.

Book Review: My So-Called Freelance Life by Michelle Goodman is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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Ok – I’ll admit.  Money is definitely nice and it is part of the reason why I submitted a post for the JobMob blogging contest.  But I’m finding that there are some other benefits, too.

Exposure

Exposure is something that anyone who works online needs and freelance writers especially need exposure if they want to get more clients.  When you are in a blogging contest, more people read your work and become aware of your services.  Since my post went live yesterday on JobMob I’ve gotten lots of compliments on the quality of my writing.

Skills

Since people are going to be judging your writing skills on the basis of that post you really want to put your best into it.  I took several hours to compose that post and I think that it is one of the best pieces I have ever written.  It was a good exercise to find out what I am really capable of.

Social Media Skills

I’ve always wondered what kind of results I could get if I really put my full effort into it and I’m finding out that I can do even better than I thought.  I was hoping for 300-400 visits to that post before the contest rankings went up yesterday and ended up surpassing myself by almost hitting 500 (only 2 away!) visits.  I wasn’t sure what I was capable of.  Now I know.

Contacts

People comment on your posts in a blogging contest so take advantage of that.  Most of them have a site of their own so make sure that you visit their sites, comment on their blogs, and connect with them where ever they hangout.  When you connect with them, send them a message to let them  know who you are!

Money is great and if I do win I’ll be thrilled.  But I’ve already found that there is so much more to participating in a blogging contest!

Blogging Contests Have More Benefits Than Just Money is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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As I mentioned earlier, I’m on a bit of a guest posting binge!  Since the last post I mentioned I’ve had two more guest posts go live:

10 Reasons Your Writing Blog Isn’t Helping You Get Jobs 

If you have a writing blog and you are using it to attract clients (on your resume, in job requests, on social media, etc.) you have to be careful what you post.  These 10 tips should help you make sure your blog is client worthy.  If you’re still not sure and would like some professional feedback, my services are available.  Contact me and I can give you a blog audit that will help you make your blog a place you are proud to direct clients to.  Prices are negotiable.

Writers – Are You Filling in Your Profiles?

How many times have you joined a site that lets you fill in your profile and you set it aside until later and then forget about it?  Or maybe you just don’t think it is worth your time?  This post will change your mind!

Don’t Forget To Check Out These Guest Posts is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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Image by atconc via Flickr

~This guest blog post was writing by Victoria. She is a fairly new freelance writer who has got into the swing of things fairly quickly. Currently, she is doing some work for a Danish floor sanding company by the name of Gulvafslibning Priser. ~

We all can see that the economy is taking a turn for the worst right now. Just look at how the gas prices and unemployment rates are rising. So many people are becoming homeless because they cannot manage to pay their bills on time and the government just does have the funds to be able to help everybody out. So, what is it that people can do in order to keep their heads above the water? Simple, just do what stay at home moms have been doing for years –  freelance writing.

If stay-at-home moms are able to provide for their families by writing why can anyone else not do the exact same thing? Think about it. They are actually saving a lot of money by doing this. Not only do they save money in gas but they also save money when it comes to day care expenses and things of that nature. Just back in 2007 the gas was very reasonable; however, just a couple months into 2007 they had risen drastically and they have not stopped rising since. Also, if you have kids that go to daycare think about all the money you spend each week. Imagine being able to have that extra money to be able to pay off a mortgage , pay a light bill or even being able to treat that special someone out to a romantic dinner.

Of course, freelance writing is not a get rich scheme so don’t assume that it is. It is something that you have to work at and you have to remain disciplined in order to make the amount of money that you need to survive. However, once you get it under your wing it will come quite naturally to you. Also, experience comes in handy too. Imagine making $30 an hour for simply doing something that is fun and interesting at the same time.

Why Freelancing is a Good Route to Take is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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Click here to visit I Need a Writer!

Hi all!  I know I said I was going to be taking a bit of a hiatus from this blog but I just wanted to quickly stop by and let you know that I and a couple other writers have opened up new writing services.

It is not terribly different from other services out there but we are working through WriteSwap.com.  Through WriteSwap we are guaranteed to get the money from the work we will do and clients can have some control over the work they ask for.

Our site is called I Need a Writer! and you can either order packages that we have already put together or you can request a package – you can even request a specific writer to work on the package for you.

Some of the sample packages you’ll find:

• I Need A Writer!: Brand New PLR Package
• I Need A Writer!: Single Blog Post – Bathroom Renovations / Redesign
• I Need A Writer!: Single Blog Post – WAHMs
• I Need A Writer!: 5 Hight-Quality Articles On ADHD
• I Need A Writer!: Set Of 5 Diabetes Articles or Blog Posts
• I Need A Writer!: Coffee PLR Set

If you have to hire a writer, come and check us out or if you know someone that is looking for writers send them our way!

New Service – Team of Writers Available is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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Come and visit me at A Dynamic Life

Hi all!  :wave:

I’ve done something fabulous.  I’ve been given permission (by myself, because who else would give me permission for something like this) to take off as much time from blogging here as I need to.  Seriously.  Writing in this blog is becoming a job and that just defeats the purpose of why I quit my job.  I didn’t quit my job to do more stuff that I am not enjoying.  I quit to be able to do stuff that I like.

It’s not that I don’t like this blog. I do.  I’ve put a lot of work into it and I love what it has become.

But I need a break and I’ve got permission to take one.

So, The Social Freelance Writer is officially on hiatus.

But I will still be around.

In fact I’ll still be blogging.  If you really need your fix of me you can find me at A Dynamic Life and I do hope you’ll come and check it out.  It’s about kitties and pregnant teenagers and stupid people and all sorts of random stuff.  Yes, it is my personal blog.  It’s not the blog you want to read during “learning time” – it is the blog you want to read when laughing until you snort coffee out your nose sounds like an idea.

So you’ve got no reason to miss me.

And don’t worry – I’ll be back here eventually. And maybe randomly.

Cheers!  Have a good summer!

I Have Permission is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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I’m going to try to do something a little different with my Sunday Reading series.  Instead of just linking to a bunch of blogs I’m going to try to introduce you to the blogs and their owners.  I’m going to tell you what I know about them and why I like reading them.  And hopefully, you’ll meet some people that you haven’t met before.

Get Paid to Write Online

This first blog has been mentioned here before several times.  It is the blog of Sharon Hurley Hall, my mentor.  Well, I guess we’re kind of past the mentorship relationship now, but when I first started writing it was Sharon who helped me out.  We met on this site called Writing Up.  It’s also where I met Dana Prince (maurleymauve) and a few other great writers.  And if you need someone to coach you on your freelance writing business, Sharon does offer a coaching service.

When I first started reading Get Paid to Write Online, Sharon was still on Blogger but shortly after that, she moved to her own hosting.  And the blog you see now has become a great place for those who want to learn how to make a living writing online.  Not only does Sharon write her own blog posts but she has some great guest posters like Dana Prince and Dan Smith.

Go and check out some great posts at Get Paid to Write:

• How To Write A Winning Blog Post | Get Paid to Write Online
• Freelance Writing Questions: How To Bid Successfully | Get Paid to Write Online
• Pep Talks, Procrastination, and Gratitude | Get Paid to Write Online
• Research Your Writing With Blekko – A Review | Get Paid to Write Online

Your Words, Your Voice

This is the blog of Lisbeth Tanz, another freelance writer, an educator, and a post.  You know, I’m not really sure how Lis and I met online but I do believe that it might have been on Twitter.  Oh – or maybe through the Ultimate Blog Challenge?  Hopefully, she’ll remember more than me and come and clue us in.

Anyway, I like her blog because she has an ability to blog about things in a different light. She’s unique that way.  And she is truly there to help people.  She isn’t one of those people that claims to care and then never respond to questions on posts or never responds to tweets (I’m getting pretty frustrated with that).  Lis loves people.

Want to see why I love her blog?  Check out some recent posts:

• » Get Out Of Your Own Way
• » Are You A Hoarder?
• » Give Your Blog Some Personality
• » Know Your WHY for Blogging

So, check out a couple of my favorite freelancers and enjoy some reading!

Related articles

• Sunday Reading #12 (daniellemcgaw.com)
• 50 Reasons Freelance Writers Should Be Using Social Media (daniellemcgaw.com)
• Sunday Reading #11 (daniellemcgaw.com)
• Appearances Do Matter (daniellemcgaw.com)
• Sunday Reading #10 (daniellemcgaw.com)

Sunday Reading #13 – Freelance Writer Blogs is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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