Here's What You Missed in AMA Session with Satarupa B. Kaur: Blogger & Content Strategist
Any aspiring writer would love to take up freelance writing as a career option. We get to hear about this cool earning opportunity from online resources. But we are hardly well informed about the real world of freelance writing, its pros and cons. We were lucky to have Satarupa B Kaur to guide us. Having worked in a diverse set of cultures from USA, Dubai, and Australia and finally India, Satarupa has been a writer forever. From tech to parenting to branding, she has fingers in multiple pies.
She chatted with us in the Aspiring Writers Community in an Ask Me Anything session about freelance writing.
Here are 10 hand-picked questions asked by the members and their responses by Satarupa.
#1. Hey Satarupa! I have been trying to find some genuine website to write with and alongside earn some good money through it, but Google has ended me with some really useless sites. I even run my own page at FB but that's also not rewarding. Help me with some useful solutions.
Satarupa: Hello. Good to know you've been looking around. What I would suggest is, try hunting out some populated writing groups on FB. I'll share some on this thread. You will get good clients who are reliable. But you'll have to negotiate and use instincts to pick them. Also, update your LinkedIn profile and blog, and write to publications having print as well as web branches. Pitching is the key and it's tiring but that's the best way to tap clients at the outset.
#2. Is there any way to get a freelance project without bidding?
Satarupa: I've never bid, trust me. That's no more a deal.
#3. I want to pursue the career and want to earn through it but I cannot move out. I need work from home. Whom to approach and how?
Satarupa: Go ahead and think over if you can write original content on anything and everything, to begin with. Hunt on Facebook, Naukri.com etc. There are excellent leads. Once you find something, go ahead and apply or email. Be earnest and you can begin by writing a sample for the client once things move forward.
#4. I'm a beginner in the field of writing. I am basically an Instagram writer. I got published too in three anthologies. But now I'm looking forward to earn through my writings. Can you please suggest me something?
Satarupa: Showcase your work and approach clients after you shortlist your interests. Try Bonobology, Polkacafe and Women's Web. They pay as per quality and sometimes when they don't pay, they offer amazing exposure.
#5. Is knowing SEO necessary to get writing projects?
Satarupa: SEO is a self-learnt skill. It just means using relevant words a given number of times. At the outset, clients give your directives and once you start, you easily get the hang of it. Unless you want to be an SEO pro, there's no need to learn SEO the hardcore technical way.
#6. One of my employer who I happened to work with a year ago, has gone absconding after I delivered an assignment of 32 articles for 50 PPW. He didn’t respond to any of my follow ups on email, phones, texts at all. Before this, we only communicated via email. Is there any way we can address apprehensions related to money? What can be the possible documentation to fence any kind of breach in freelance writing? Please suggest!
Satarupa: Dear, this is one aspect Indian freelance writers have been battling without any result. I have been cheated myself but I've been lucky to get hold of money via personal connections and social media connect. The safest way is to always work with companies and clients who are owners of the business or service in question. They will have a formal agreement subject to the jurisdiction of the location that's relevant. However, the problem comes with working with middlemen who outsource work personally. In such cases, you have to have an agreement from your end drafted legally and get it signed by this client. This way if there is a problem, legal aid comes to play. But the easiest way is to work when payment is made in advance and for payment that is promised after work, submit one watermarked and locked Pdf that you can release access on after client finally pays. Trust me, you've got to be uptight to survive.
#7. I am a blog writer and would like to understand how I can earn money from my writing. Are there any genuine sites that you can suggest?
Satarupa: A website will not directly pay you always for putting up blogs but yes websites of start-ups OR individual clients and businesses look out for writers. You are already a blogger and so your portfolio is there. Build a LinkedIn profile and check the job corner out there. There are lots of amazing vacancies to apply at.
#8. I would like to know more about paid projects. I am well published but not able to get paid projects. How can I use my blog to get earnings?
Satarupa: Facebook has a number of groups. Simply search for writing groups and a number of them open up. Also, blog earnings are a different deal. You'll have to use adsense but that's not really much of pay. Collaborate with brands, approach brands to promote their products maybe and use social media. Monetizing a blog is a small bit but blogging needs you to participate in prompts, contests etc to earn. Time-consuming this is I assure.
#9. I guess it seems really difficult to earn through writing. All we should do is keep it as a hobby and just keep writing. We cannot earn through it easily. Isn’t it?
Satarupa: It's not difficult. Just like all other jobs, it involves the right searching, shortlisting and final selection. Making it as a paid writer takes efforts but once you know you are confident and have the flair, there’s nothing to hold you back.
#10. Is creating a blog a must to pave the way towards a successful writing career?
Satarupa: It's a part of making it as a writer. Another thing for writers today is the adept management of social media. If you cannot flaunt your flair, nobody can hire you. You've to communicate, ask and check for openings. Things might not fall into your lap after all.
Conclusion
It was fun chatting with her. Members got advice and information directly from her. Aspiring Writers community brings such inspiring experts to the members so that they can ask questions and chat directly just like a personal session with a mentor! Join the community to become a part of all our future expert sessions. Keep writing. Keep sharing! Get connected with the buzzing women only writers community on SHEROES.
