6 Skills and Traits You Need To Be a Work-from-Home Writer

6 Skills and Traits You Need To Be a Work-from-Home Writer

A writing career seems to lend itself to remote work because of its portable nature. All that’s necessary is a computer and a way with words, right?

Not so fast. While you do need an abundance of talent (and a good Internet connection) to make it in this competitive field, success as a work-from-home writer requires many additional things.

Plan on possessing these six skills and traits to become a top-notch work-from-home writer:

1. Self-Discipline

Composing your thoughts can be difficult with the television nearby or Facebook beckoning. And without managers and colleagues around to cast a disapproving eye, starting the day an hour late or running errands instead of working can be tempting. Great telecommuters are able to stay focused on their writing in the face of distractions.

Working from home has its benefits, but that doesn’t mean you can lay back, relax, and feel like you’re living the high life,” says Jeremy Alvarez, senior resume and career expert at Resume Writer Direct. “You need to maintain that ‘at work’ mentality even without having the constant reminders around you.”

2. Organization

Writers, especially freelance ones, frequently juggle multiple projects simultaneously. Thus, they must be proficient time managers who can balance competing demands and deadlines.

3. Strong Communication

Writing may seem like a solitary activity, but outstanding outcomes often depend upon collaboration and seeking input. Reaching out to others for clarification, to ask questions or proactively raise concerns, and to give/receive feedback needs to become second nature.

“With limited face-to-face contact, above-average communication skills become even more important,” says Gavin Graham, staff writer at Fit Small Business. “Can you communicate clearly and concisely, regardless of the medium, and accommodate for the subtlety and nuance that can often get lost?”

4. Commitment to Quality

Whether in the office or out, awesome writers take pride in their work. They don’t want their name on something that doesn’t represent their best effort. For freelancers, such a mentality becomes particularly crucial because their livelihood depends on producing quality writing on time every time. Dissatisfied clients are unlikely to offer additional work or recommend your services to others.

5. Business Acumen

Home-based writers should be comfortable advocating for themselves. Failure to do so could mean missing out on promotions, choice assignments, and raises.

Freelancers need to be especially conscientious as continuous assignments often depend on the ability to market oneself. Likewise, since freelance writers are essentially one-person businesses, they need to be able to take charge of keeping records, paying taxes, and other tasks typically handled by a human resources department.

6. Perseverance

Lastly, remember that successful freelance writing careers rarely happen overnight. It takes time to forge relationships with clients, find a niche, and build a reputation. People without thick skin and steadfast passion rarely last.

“The number one trait you need to possess is grit,” says Kali Hawlk, founder of Creative Advisor Marketing. “Freelance work is tough. It’s an emotional roller coaster that forces you to confront rejection, failure, and false starts. To stay with it for a long period of time requires you to have grit—which is also courage, determination, tenacity, and the ability to keep going when the going gets tough.”

Interested in finding work-from-home writing positions? Check out these remote writing jobs hiring now

Photo Credit: bigstockphoto.com 


By Beth Braccio Hering | Categories: Work Remotely


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