You may be aware that many freelance writers earn a comfortable income, and some even earn a sizable income that provides them with the ability to support their family with a fabulous lifestyle. However, you may be struggling to scrape together enough assignments to make ends meet on a regular basis. Why are some freelance writers doing so well while others are struggling to pay their bills? There are a few key reasons why you may not be earning the income you want as a freelance writer.

Too Picky

One reason why you may not be earning the full income that you could potentially make is because you may be too picky with regards to assignments or clients. It is true that you are an independent contractor and can pick and choose your assignments as well as your clients. However, the fact remains that this is a job, and sometimes you cannot be as choosy and selective as you would like to be. When it comes to earning a great living or barely scraping by, sometimes you may have to take on assignments that seem less than desirable to you.

Low Quality Work

Many freelance writers today enjoy regular work from repeat clients. If you have been working in the field as a freelance writer for more than few months and still have not enjoy a request for additional work from your clients, you may not be providing high quality results with your finished products. Consider reviewing some of your previous work, or better yet, ask a friend or family member who has some writing talent to review your work. Try to review your work an honest eye. Is this high-quality work that you may enjoy reading yourself? If not, there is a possibility that you may need to raise the bar a bit or perhaps even consider a different line of work.

Low-Ball Rates

The fact is that if you don’t ask your clients for a higher rate, they will not pay you a higher rate. If you believe that your services are worth more money and that the market supports a higher rate, by all means, demand a higher rate. When you low-ball your rates, the only person who you hurt is yourself. You may need to low-ball rates on occasion if business is slow. However, you don’t want to regularly work for a low rate or you will indeed run into financial issues.

Earning a living as a freelance writer is indeed a balancing act. You have to find a balance between the time you have available to work each day and the rate you request for your services. You also have to find a balance between working on assignments that you find enjoyable and assignments that pay the bills. In addition, you have to find a balance between the quality of your work and the time you spend on your assignments. If a client is not paying you a fair rate for a full day’s work, you should not be expected to spend a full day working on their assignment. Cater the quality of your work to the rate for the assignment. By following these tips, you may be able to start earning more money as a freelance writer.