Tools for Writers Who Want to Freelance
Every craft comes with its tips, tricks, and tools, and freelance writing is no different. We live in an age where entire empires can be run from a single mobile phone. When it comes to scheduling, self-promotion and client care for freelance writers, a lot of the legwork has been taken care of via these free, fantastic online tools, which form the cornerstone of my own freelance writing and editing business.
Tools for Freelance Writers #8
Boomerang for Gmail* has lots of interesting features, but best of all is its ability to return emails to the top of my inbox based on the amount of time passed, or if a recipient has failed to reply. For me, this means it’s easy to follow up with clients regarding their manuscript delivery dates, payments due, or simply checking in to see how their latest novel is selling. It’s client fulfilment and account keeping rolled into one.
*If you aren’t already using Gmail, I’d strongly encourage you to make the switch. Google won’t stop short of world domination, and plug-ins like Boomerang give Gmail an edge few can compete with.
Tools for freelance Writers #7
We spend a fortune on websites and business cards, but our email signatures (which ‘touch’ our network up to 50+ times a day) often consist of little more than a phone number and web address. Do you have a great headshot? What about your social media links? And I don’t just mean a long list of URLs no one wants to click, but stylish buttons, your latest blog post, inspirational quotes…the works. WiseStamp allows you to completely customize your email signature; you can even integrate Google Analytics to measure engagement and click-throughs. If you want the world to take you seriously as a writer, wow them from your very first interaction.
My rate of new social followers has doubled since implementing the WiseStamp signature below.
Tools for Freelance Writers #6
When you’re working on five or six novels at a time, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Freelance writers need to stay on top of manuscript delivery, invoices sent and payments received. Delivering on schedule builds a sense of trust with your clients, and allows you to plan your workload to avoid the rush jobs. Toodledo is a free scheduling site that allows you to list jobs according to due date, payment status and priority. For project-based work the interface is clean, clear and easy to use.
Note: Since initially writing this article, platforms Asana and Notion have also emerged as excellent organizational tools.
Tools for Freelance Writers #5
What’s a freelance writer’s most treasured possession? Their little black book. These are the clients who know the value of your work and continue to return over the years. But it’s impossible to stay in touch with everyone, all the time. Maintaining a newsletter is a wonderful way to remain top of mind, reinforce your position as an authority on writing, expand your network and most importantly, offer value to your followers even when you aren’t working on their projects. With drag and drop layouts, Mailchimp is super easy to use and a great way to take stock of your thoughts and achievements over a given period.
Tools for Freelance Writers #4
As a freelance writer it’s important to stay top of mind with clients, position yourself as an expert in your field and broaden your reach so as to connect with as many potential clients as possible. Social platforms are an effective way to achieve all of the above. But who can be bothered, right? I have a book to write! Thankfully, sites like BuzzSumo allow you to find the Net’s most viral content based on niche search terms. Once upon a time I hired VAs to search the web for content I could share with followers; now I have an endless list of great writing articles at my fingertips.
Tools for Freelance Writers #3
We’re writers not designers. But that doesn’t mean our web banners, special offers and e-brochures should look like Microsoft clip art gone wrong. Alas, Canva to the rescue. It’s an easy-to-use online design interface with loads of free templates and stock images. You simply pick out the size of the artwork you need, drag and drop the elements you want, and export. Voila, you have fun, fresh artwork that doesn’t look homemade.
Tools for Freelance Writers #2
When it comes to finding clients and promoting your writing, networking is everything. Similarsites allows you to enter a web URL and generate a list of sites similar in terms of scale and content. Imagine the possibilities! Want to promote an article to various niche blogs? Now you have a target list. Perhaps you want to do some market research to see who’s offering services similar to your own, and how they’re doing it? No need to trawl Google; everything’s condensed into one place. For super results, hire a VA to contact the websites on your behalf and delegate the leg work.
Tools for Freelance Writers #1
Drumroll please…What’s the #1 freelance writing tool I pin (almost) all my writing success upon? Fiverr. I spent a great deal of time and money listing myself on freelance sites like Odesk and Elance, which invited me to pitch for jobs worth an average of $50-$300. Aside from being poorly paid, I was often competing against 50+ other applicants. What a waste of time. Broke and desperate, I went on Fiverr to offer writing and editing for the cost of a coffee. At first it felt a little demeaning to work for so peanuts, but I soon realized those five-dollar gigs were actually lead generators or sample edits that would convert into projects that were more financially viable. To this day Fiverr continues to connect me with writers from around the world more effectively than expensive marketing campaigns or time-consuming pitches.
Further Reading on Great Tools for Writers:
9 Tools That No Serious Online Writer Should be Without: Creative tools to make your content strong.
8 Online Productivity Tools For Writers: To ensure you make the most of your time.
The Creative Writer’s Toolkit: 6 Tools You Can’t Write Without: A literal list of tools, software, and tricks of the trade.
What online tools have led to your freelance writing success?
Pop a comment below to share your successes, or ask for help with tasks you’re struggling with.
Evernote has changed my life, lists and planning on steroids!!!
Great tips in this article I’ll be checking out buzzsumo & similarsites.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about Evernote – thanks for the hot tip!
Awesome article, Kate!
Glad you liked it! 🙂
Wonderful article! I’m bookmarking this one so I can come back. Thank you!
Thank you Mary! Glad you liked it 🙂
Just got to read this now Cate, as promised, and it’s excellent. Lots of really useful sites that I’d never even heard of. Thanks for sharing! Nicci x
I’m so pleased to hear that Nicci, thanks for checking it out. It’s great for writers to support one another. 🙂
Great article! Very useful tools! I’m excited already!
Thanks Maya! Us freelance writers and editors need to stick together 🙂
Great ideas, Cate, as always! 😉
If you liked Similarities, you might also like Unplag plagiarism checker. I personally use it for editing and content creation. Can’t believe some writers still use Google to find similarities… Hope they’re doing well in 20th century 🙂 🙂 🙂 Just kidding. But these tools are really awesome.
Thank you Miss Leona! Glad you enjoyed the article. There are so many new tools for freelancers coming out every day – it’s hard to keep up! I will definitely check out Unplag – sounds great.
Thanks for this list, Cate; it looks like there is so much useful stuff to be explored here. Buzzsumo looks like it might be a lifesaver, as I strive to make a noise in blogland and elsewhere; my day job requires a comprehensive email signature, but I like the addition of an image, so I’ll be checking out Wisestamp. Finally, you have made me think again about Fiverr: I hadn’t considered the ‘trial job’ aspect.
Thanks Duncan. Each of the tools remains invaluable to me – I hope you find them equally useful. Wisestamp is a definite gem. 🙂