If we were to tell you that working as a freelance writer is actually harder than getting a full-time job, you probably wouldn’t believe us. In reality, you may be thinking that working from home or a communal space would be a lot easier. After all, the main thing to be keeping in mind is that you are working at your own pace. There isn’t really any pressure of submissions, or deadlines that you received from your boss. You can also take a nap or break whenever you want, and run some errands at any time of the day. However, that isn’t always the case.
Ask any freelancer about working independently, and if they are honest, they will paint a very different picture for you. Freelancing, as independent as it is, does creep into the freelancer’s personal life quite a bit. For comparison, you need to weigh working full time at a company with freelancing to get a better idea. Firstly, working at a company means that you will already have a dedicated workspace, equipped with a computer, desk, internet, and other facilities. Secondly, you have better income security as compared to a freelance position, which can be a little erratic at times. Thirdly, your routine is completely fixed, as you would only be at work for a portion of your daily time, which is usually 9-5.
Why Use Digital Tools?
The perks mentioned above might detract you from wanting a freelancing job, but that shouldn’t discourage you one bit. For the most part, freelancers employ a work = money philosophy. That means that the more one works, as in the number of clients, or projects running in parallel, the higher your income will be. There will need to be some initial investment from your side as well, which can be obtained from your savings when you worked a regular job. On balance, you would need some work experience to back your skills as well, as you do not want to be offering Blog Editing Services if you haven’t written a single blog in your life.
Regardless of your motivations, it is necessary to continuously improve your arsenal, which is going to serve you in the short and long term. Just as the key to any successful business is evolution, the same rule applies to freelance too. In this competitive atmosphere, the key to staying ahead is to make improvements and pick the right tools for the job. For that, you can look down below for some of the best ways to tune up your writing abilities and streamline your work process.
Proper workspace
If you’re going to be working freelance, there needs to be a proper place that you can work from, as the standards for productiveness are the same in any case. Sitting on the couch on your laptop is as comfortable as it gets, but that can also lead to a strained body, and promotes poor posture. Therefore, a good desk, paired with an ergonomic chair is the best investment you can make as far as furniture goes.
Additionally, the device you use to work on also needs to be up to mark. You might be more accustomed to typing on a desktop, but the feel and productivity boost that you can receive from a mechanical keyboard is irreplaceable. Unlike laptop keyboards, which are designed to be as compact and silent as possible, mechanical keyboards have a tactile click and require some force to actuate. If that isn’t your thing, then you can opt for low force switches as well. If you head over to your local computer store, you might be able to try out some of these switches out, and see what’s best for you.
Similarly, the place you work is also has a significant impact on your overall performance. Working in the corner of a room with no ventilation or natural light can lower your productivity levels, as it doesn’t let your body and mind feel at ease. You can improve your workspace by placing your desk closer to a window, and opening the window every few hours if the weather permits. That will allow fresh air into your room, and get rid of the stale air that feels uncomfortable.
Grammarly
Perhaps the best tool that directly impacts your writing, Grammarly is a browser extension. You can use it to correct your writings and gain insights into the way you write. On its own, you can use it as a tool to correct your words while typing on the internet. As useful as it is in that context, its potency lies in its ability to correct entire documents with ease.
When you access the extension from your browser, you get an option to upload a document of your choice to edit and proofread. As soon as the document is uploaded, you can set goals that the tool will use as a reference while pointing out the errors. These errors can then be corrected by following the insights given and can be used to improve your writing in the future.
Dropbox
The solution to coming out on top is to prepare yourself for the worst. Your PC is your main source of income, but it isn’t exactly irreplaceable. If your PC gets a software malfunction, you can go out and buy another one, if you have the money to do so. What isn’t replaceable though, is the data you have stored on your PC. Even though hard drives aren’t exactly prone to failure, having the peace of mind knowing that your data is backed up is a great thing to have. You might think that a physical backup drive would be more convenient, but by uploading your data online, you can easily access your files from anywhere on earth.
Timer or Stopwatch
In the world of business, time is money, and for that reason, it is necessary to find ways to improve your working by measuring how long it actually takes. Now, you might argue that the quality of work is dependent on time itself, but the important bit here is to avoid spending too much time on things that do not warrant it. Simple tasks should be executed posthaste so that you have plenty of time left over for the hard tasks.
The next time you are working on a project, try to measure the time it takes for you to complete it. You can use a timer that starts as soon as you start typing, and stop it when you have finished proofreading it. You can note it down, and compare with the relative difficulty of the task. The next time you attempt a similar task, use a stopwatch and try to beat the previous time you set.
E-Reader
It is impossible to think that you can be a good writer without reading some books or literature on your own. We would even say that the books you read, go on to become the words you write. Reading is an excellent way to enhance your lexicon and broaden your knowledge. As carrying physical books around wherever you go can be cumbersome, it is best to invest in an e-reader. You can store hundreds of titles on your e-reader, and easily take it with you anywhere. If you’ve received a particularly difficult assignment, an e-reader will allow you to download literature on the matter and study the topic with greater freedom.
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