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There are many ways to make money writing. Finding private clients is just one of those ways, but should you write for private clients?
Writing for clients certainly isn’t for everyone. I’ll admit there are times that I don’t want to write for clients. I want to do my own writing, my own blogging. But at the same time, I enjoy working with my private clients.
But is it for you? Is this how you want to make money writing? Here’s why you should and shouldn’t write for private clients.
You charge what you want
One of the big benefits of writing for private clients is that you get to set your rates. You tell clients how much you charge for their content.
Sometimes, they won’t pay it. Those aren’t the clients you want to work with.
Others will pay your rate. They will value your services. These are the clients you want in your life.
By charging what you want, you get the chance to make more money writing. You’re not waiting for a revenue share site to up its rates. You’re not writing for pennies at the content mills. You’re not slaving away losing your passion for your job.
There are writers out there charging $300+ for content. Some charge $1,000+ depending on the content length. There is money to be made.
If you want control, if you want to set your own rate, you should write for private clients.
You still get to set your niche when you write for private clients
There is a concern that you’ll be stuck writing content you hate. That’s no the case when you write for private clients. At least, it doesn’t have to be the case.
You get to say which niches you write. You have control over the type of content you offer.
Only want to write blog posts in the lifestyle niche? There is a market out there for you. Prefer to write white papers? You can do that!
You get more control when you write for private clients.
You don’t just write for you
While there are certainly benefits to writing for private clients, there are also downsides. One of those is that you’re writing for someone else.
This client will have their own audience. They know the keywords they want to target for. They have the content they prefer you write. Sure, you’re in a niche that you love, but in the end, it’s going to be the client that has the final say.
If you want to write just what you love in the style that you prefer, you’ll need to consider not writing for clients. Or at least, you need to consider having another part of your business that is just for you.
Have something that you’re passionate about.
You don’t want the hassle of private clients
There’s nothing wrong with simply not wanting the hassle of writing for clients. There is a lot that you’ll need to deal with.
You have to market your skills, set your rates, work with clients’ needs. Depending on the client, you may have someone who doesn’t understand boundaries, and then you need to make sure you set them.
One bad client can be enough to put you off for life. If you’re not ready to run a business, you’re not ready to write for private clients.
MORE: 4 ways writing for clients is bad for your mental health
What do you want to gain from your writing? Do you want to write for private clients? Share your thoughts in the comments below.