These Freelance Writing Mistakes Can Cost You Clients

What NOT to do to succeed as a freelance writer

Eileen Ystheim
4 min readJun 3, 2022

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Photo by Ivan Samkov from Pexels

As a freelance writer, you know it’s crucial to produce high-quality content. But even the best writers make mistakes sometimes. In this article, I’m highlighting some of the most common freelance writing mistakes and how to avoid them.

Not Charging Enough

This is a mistake that many freelance writers make, especially when they’re first starting out. They undervalue their skills and experience, and as a result, they don’t charge enough for their services.

If you’re not charging enough, it will be hard to make a living as a freelance writer. You need to be able to cover your costs and make a profit to continue doing what you love.

Not understanding the client’s needs

Before you start writing for a client, it’s important to understand what they need and want from your work. If you don’t take the time to understand their needs, you could end up writing something that doesn’t meet their expectations.

So how can you make sure that you fully understand the project? First, ask the client questions. If there’s anything you’re unclear about, ask for clarification. It’s better to ask too many questions than too few.

Second, take a look at any existing materials the client has provided, such as a style guide or previous content. This will give you a good sense of the client’s preferences and what they expect from your work.

Failing to edit your work

Once you’ve finished writing, it’s important to edit your work before sending it to the client. After all, you want to make sure that your work is free of any errors before the client sees it.

Editing your work can help you catch any mistakes you may have missed when writing. It can also help you improve the overall quality of your work. If you’re not sure how to edit your work, a few resources can help, such as online guides or editing services.

Later down the line, you can hire your own editor or proofreader. It will improve the quality of your work, and it will also free up valuable time

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Eileen Ystheim

Journalist gone freelance. Wrote my way to 100k. Helping others do the same with books & courses. Neurodivergent. Crazy cat lady. Fueled by coffee & creativity