Are you an attorney or other small businessperson spending too much time writing for your own website? This is not an uncommon problem, but it is one with an easy solution.
Hiring a good freelance writer to help you with your website is not as difficult or as expensive as you probably think it is. A freelance writer can write articles and blog entries that keep your website active and draw search engine attention. Instead of poring over the wording of your most recent blog entry, you could be focusing your energies on billable time.
How do you find the right person? Just adhere to these simple principles, and you can find a legal writer or technical writer with the qualifications and writing style you want, at a price that you can afford.
1. Finding writers. These days, finding writers is a piece of cake. They are everywhere on the Internet. The question is whether they are qualified to do the kind of writing you want, or whether you are going to wind up having to “fix” everything they write before you can publish it. Keep this in mind when faced with unreasonably low quotes for writing. By paying a fair, but not crazily high price, you can obtain the help you need to make you a more productive attorney or small business owner, allowing you to spend your time doing what you do best.
Check reputable websites, like http://www.elance.com, where you can then search for writers with the exact qualifications that you desire. Websites like Elance are great, as well, because they offer structured relationships and escrow programs that protect both the buyer and the provider in each transaction. For an example, check out this author’s Elance profile at vbock.elance.com.
2. Qualifications. When you get to a website like Elance, you must first post a project. Then, you can search for the kind of writer you want, and invite those you find to place a “bid” or proposal on your project. Organize a list of qualifications, like education (do you want someone with a J.D. or other degree?), experience (are you looking for a writer who’s been doing this for years?), and industry knowledge (encompassing both knowledge of your industry, like someone who has experience practicing law, and also knowledge of the writing industry, like someone who is familiar with Internet marketing principles).
3. Contact. Contact the writers who indicate interest in your project, and ask questions. Carry on a conversation to find out whether a particular writer would be a good fit for you. In most cases, you’ll be able to tell within a few exchanges whether you like this person or whether the two of you clash like water and oil. Also check out portfolios, samples provided by the writer, and service ratings from other buyers who have used that writer, to determine whether the person you’re talking to would be a valuable assistant for you.
4. Communicate. Once you’ve hired a writer, communicate with him or her frequently. Respond to questions – the answers help your writer assess your needs, just as your clients’ answers help you assess theirs. With good communication, you should be able to quickly develop a relationship with a writer, in which your writer can anticipate what you will want, with only cursory information from you. Once your writer is familiar with your situation, he or she may even begin to make suggestions about what you need.
If you stick with these suggested rules, you should have no problem finding a freelance writer who can address the subjects you want to see addressed, in a way that makes you feel as though you wrote the material. You’ll gain insight from your writer and valuable time that you can use for your own purposes. After all, isn’t your time too precious to spend writing blog entries?
Freelance Writing Solutions 