Below are recommendations for starting and maintaining a profitable freelance writing business. Check back soon as I plan to add more products and services.
*Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. However, I only recommend products or services that I use myself. If you use these links to make a purchase, I may earn a commission
Grammar Checker and Proofreader
The free version of Grammarly proofreads all your documents – articles, emails, pitch letters, marketing materials, social media, etc., and provides a fast and detailed report. Grammarly improves your writing by checking grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. The tool also looks at clarity, engagement, and delivery. A premium version offers more features, but many writers are happy with the basics.
Writing Courses
Learning new skills is an excellent way to add value for your clients. I have purchased several courses/products at the AWAI (American Writers and Artists Institute) such as direct mail copywriting and Internet copywriting. These courses gave me the knowledge and the confidence I needed to raise my rates. AWAI is also good if you want to specialize in a niche or a form of writing such as case studies or B2B or start a profitable website or self-publish books. Although the courses are not free, there are frequent discounts, sometimes half off.
Cloud Backup
I learned the hard way the importance of backing up files and folders. Now I use iDrive for daily backups of all my documents, pictures, downloads, etc. If you need less than 5 GB of storage space, you can use their free cloud backup service. The only time I had an issue was when I didn’t know to update to the latest version of iDrive. The update wasn’t automatic, so my files failed to back up for a few days. I didn’t lose any files, but I had to figure out the problem. (Support wasn’t helpful.) Still, I recommended iDrive.
Domain Name Registration
For many years I used GoDaddy for domain registration. I now use Namecheap. This service has lower prices and free private registration. Namecheap also offers web hosting, email accounts, SSL certificates, and other products at very affordable prices.
Web Hosting
The web host I now use and recommend is GreenGeeks, an eco-friendly company that uses renewable energy. I have tried so many web hosts over the years – GoDaddy, Hostgator, DreamHost, and a few others I do not remember. GreenGeeks makes it incredibly easy to access your WordPress sites, offers free email accounts (which GoDaddy no longer provides), and free SSL certificates. Customer support via email, tickets, or live chat is fast.
Email Marketing Service
I have tried several email marketing service providers such as MailChimp, GetResponse, Aweber, and Vertical Response. The one I use now is MailerLite which is free for the first 1000 subscribers. Another reason I like MailerLite is that I can create hosted landing pages to capture email addresses by offering free lead magnets.
Blog
The How Writers Make Money Blog is a companion resource for the book. Here you will find wiring tips, job listings, and a community for beginners and pros alike. I haven’t updated it in a while, but that will soon change.