A quiet truth about getting more freelance work

Being impressive is one thing. Being an obvious choice puts you on a whole other level.

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Hello friends, and happy holidays! First, I just want to apologize for not having been around much lately. The past few months have been extremely ... complicated ... for a few very significant reasons. But everything is evening out now, and I’m back in business.

So! Today we’re talking about a more subtle approach to landing more freelance work. We all know the obvious stuff: pitch more, network more, build a stronger brand presence, be shameless about self-promotion, etc. Of course, that stuff is necessary. But there’s something a little more subtle and nuanced that is just as important.

Let me explain.

Lots of freelancers I work with ask some version of the same question: How do I impress editors? How do I stand out? How do I sound smarter in my pitches? How do I make my work impossible to ignore?

It’s perfectly natural to fall down this rabbit hole! Freelancing can feel competitive, and when work is uneven, even a slight edge can make the difference between paying rent with a paycheck or dipping into savings (should we be lucky enough to even have savings). It’s normal to assume the solution is to be more impressive, more original, more insightful, more undeniable.

And to be clear, those things do help. It goes without saying that the best way to get more freelance work is to create truly impressive, original, and standout work. Be so good they can’t ignore you, and so on. But after years of editing freelancers, talking with other commissioning editors, and freelancing myself, I’ve come to believe that this line of thinking is slightly off. Or, at least, incomplete.

A better question is: How do I make myself an obvious, low-risk choice?

A great idea sells once. A great partner sells as much they want.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Editors absolutely would prefer to work with a dependable, reliable, consistent freelancer than a superstar. No question about it. The writers we come back to most are the writers with whom our last collaboration was smooth, calm, and predictable. When an editor is scanning their mental list of possible writers on a tight deadline, they’re not asking who impressed them the most. They’re asking who will make this assignment go the least sideways.

That’s the quiet truth most freelancers don’t hear early enough.

Generally speaking, most working freelancers are good writers and have good story ideas. And even if they’re not at that superstar status just yet, it’s our job as editors to get them there. It’s one of the great joys of being an editor! And the freelancers we love working with most are those who actively want edits and want to grow and learn.

So the differences that determine who editors go to in a pinch — or even just who we want to work with more regularly — tend to show up in much subtler places, like how easy (or not) it was to work together, or, again, how eager and receptive the writer is to take edits and improve. Were things manageable even if they got way off track? Or stressful and full of unnecessary surprises? Stability makes just as strong an impression as chaos.

Being impressive is memorable. Being low-risk is assignable.

Another bell I ring often is that clear, early communication is one of the simplest ways to become that low-risk choice. We editors notice when expectations are aligned early, when details are clarified instead of assumed, and when questions are asked before they become problems. A short email that says, “Just confirming scope and deadline so I’m aligned,” does more for your reputation than an extra clever turn of phrase in your copy. Clarity is crucial.

All the same can be said for reliability. You can file perfect, clever, insightful copy all day, but if an editor doesn’t know when they can actually expect you to file, you’re probably not the type of freelancer they’re going to actively assign to. Editors don’t need perfection; they need consistency. It’s literally our job to make your story the best possible version of itself that it can be! So a writer who hits deadlines most of the time and communicates early when issues arise is far more valuable than a writer who occasionally delivers something brilliant but unpredictably.

And, to be clear, predictable doesn’t mean boring. It just means an editor knows roughly what will happen when they work with you. They know how you communicate, how clean your drafts will be, how you handle edits, and how you respond under pressure. That predictability makes you an easy, and obvious, choice for assignments.

Is this the most glamorous way of working? Of course not; there’s no Pulitzer for “Most Dependable Freelancer.” But it is a surefire path to getting more consistent work, and to building a reputation as someone editors actively want to work with.

I’d say you can’t put a price on that, but the price is right there in your bank account.

Oh, a few other things …

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• Sell a pitch recently? I want to see it! If you had a story picked up not long ago, I’d love to feature you and your story in our ongoing series highlighting pitches that sold. Email me at tim@freelancingwithtim.com and let’s talk!

• I offer one-on-one coaching! Is your story falling apart and you need a second eye on it? Want a seasoned perspective on a pitch you’re kicking around? Interested in talking about careers and building your freelance business? Maybe just want an edit on a story draft? I’ve got you covered! Click below to book a one-on-one coaching session to talk about pitches, story ideas and development, editing, careers, or anything else you might need help with!