Starting out as a freelance blogger can be rough. You have no money, no support from anyone, no portfolio highlighting your experience, and you’re stuck at whatever computer you happen to be working from.
I understand your pain — I was in the exact same scenario when I first started blogging. When I managed to find my first few jobs, they were cheap gigs that paid peanuts. It felt like it was impossible to get anywhere in my blogging career until one day, when I was feeling down and frustrated…
I was sitting on the couch watching TV after a long day of writing 1,000 word articles for 10 bucks apiece. A spy drama called Burn Notice came on the screen and I realized something: starting out as a freelance blogger is exactly like being a burned spy!
After reading that last sentence you probably think I’m insane. And you’re probably right. However, let me explain.
Burn Notice starts off with main character Michael Westen, a CIA operative (a spy) on a mission in Nigeria. He’s working undercover when he finds out he’s been burned — fired and blacklisted by the CIA.
Westen’s cover is blown. He barely manages to escape from Nigeria, but he makes it to an airport where he boards a plane, then passes out from exhaustion. When he wakes up, he’s in Miami with no money, no official job history and nowhere to go.
What he does have is a set of skills he acquired through his years in the CIA. Instead of moping, Michael decides to use his skills to work as a freelancer.
When I started out as a freelance writer, I was in a similar situation — minus the CIA background. I had no money, no job history and I was stuck at my computer. Watching Burn Notice, I learned the 7 things spies do that also work well for freelance bloggers.
Lesson 1: Find work the right way
When starting out as a freelancer, it’s excruciatingly difficult to find work.
You spend hours on freelancing websites applying for jobs, only to lose them to a lower bidder.
You try answering job ads on Craigslist but this leads to no results, and you learn that most of these ads are scams.
“WHERE ARE THE WEBSITES THAT HAVE THE GOOD-PAYING JOBS?” you yell in frustration.
Relax! Websites that pay bloggers well do exist — they may include some of the blogs you read every day. To write for them, simply shoot them an email.
Michael Westen’s jobs include tracking down missing people, helping people escape from criminal cartels, driving gangs out of neighborhoods, surveillance, and stealing weapons. He doesn’t get those gigs on Craigslist or oDesk! He seeks out them out on his own.
Don’t waste your time waiting for a good job to appear. Instead, take charge and pitch your favorite blogs an article idea.
I landed my first gig with Rod Authority by emailing them directly and telling them I had a cool article about moonshine runners to write for them. At the time I had no idea what pitching was! I did what Westen did: took charge and found work for myself, and it paid off.
Lesson 2: Know your market
Having knowledge of your market or your niche is vital for a freelancer. As a spy, Michael knows how the underworlds of cities operate. After spending some time in a city, he’ll know who are the top players in town. He learned how to analyse markets during his years as a CIA operative.
Luckily for you as a blogger, you can gain your knowledge much quicker. You need to know what the top blogs in your niche are, who the top writers are, what types of articles your audience likes and what online communities your audience belongs to. If you know these things you will find people to network with, which will lead you to jobs and a strong reputation within your niche.
Lesson 3: Work your network
As a freelancer, networking is one of the most vital things you can do. Knowing how to network will determine if you eat or go hungry. Spies use networks to gather information, follow targets, supply weapons and find safe places to lie low. It’s not the size of the network that matters but how strong the network is. Westen’s network isn’t large, but it does provide him with steady work.
Apply this same philosophy of networking to blogging. Let friends and family know you are a freelance writer, stay in touch with former clients, guest blog on your favorite blogs, and interact with your readership. You never know, one of your readers might be a fellow blogger who offers paid guest posts.
This can be a slow process. Be patient. You may tell your friends today you are freelance blogger and a year later they may bring you a $1-per-word client!
Lesson 4: Stay cool and confident
Even in dire situations, Westen keeps his cool. It’s because of his confidence that he is able to land work and finish a job. Because he is confident, both clients and marks are willing to put their trust in him.
As a blogger self-confidence can go a long way. If you’re confident you will land more clients, even if you’ve only done a few small jobs or written for your own blog. Confident people look like they know what they are doing — this leads to more people trusting them.
The best way to show your confidence is by sending out pitches to the blogs you want to write for.
Lesson 5: Negotiate like a pro
Knowing how to negotiate is what separates good spies from bad spies and rich bloggers from broke bloggers. Through years of experience Michael has become a master negotiator. His skills as a negotiator largely stem from his self-confidence. He knows he has the skills necessary to complete a job and he isn’t afraid to walk away from a bad deal.
You can use this same approach as a blogger, to weed out lowball jobs. If someone offers you $20 per article and you’re worth $100, walk away. If someone wants to offer you $40 for 500 words, don’t be afraid to ask for what you’re worth.
Lesson 6: Get the job done right
No matter how hard or tiring a gig may seem, always complete it and deliver your highest quality work.
Westen has had a few jobs that turned out to be tougher then he originally thought, but he always delivered what he’d agreed. Completing every job has made him a household name throughout the underworld in which he operates.
If you don’t complete a job you’ve promised to do, it may damage your reputation. Submitting quality work is a must no matter if the job pays $20 or $100, as it will build your reputation as an expert writer.
Lesson 7: Think outside the box
As a secret operative, Westen has to think outside the box to complete his missions.
In the blogging world, thinking outside the box can be an effective way to grow an audience. The best blog posts are the ones that dare to be different. Don’t be afraid to write about things no one else is writing about, ask the questions no one else is asking, compare apples and oranges, and be stranger than fiction!
By the 3rd Season of Burn Notice, Michael’s reputation as a freelancer has grown so tremendously that he rarely has to look for work. It comes to him! After building up a strong reputation through guest blogging and writing kick-ass posts, you’ll eventually become known throughout the blogging world.
A word of warning: this reputation comes with a price. In Michael’s case he has new enemies after him, but in your case your inbox will be flooded with job offers and people begging you for guest posts! 🙂
Adam Casalino says
Oh man, this is so awesome. I just finished watching the entire Burn Notice series on Netflix! I loved that show and also found similarities between myself and Michael (no cash, no job, no problem!).
I like this approach to freelance writing, kind of grab-it-by-the-throat mentality. Thanks for sharing these clever insights.
Danny Rosenberg says
I agree, Josh, “submitting quality work is a must” no matter what your assignment is. If you’ve agreed to take on the job, there’s no positive outcome to completing it poorly.
Otherwise, I think it’s great that you’re writing articles based on YOUR interests, not out of desperation. Best to let your passions guide you to your next gig.
TraciB says
Josh, thank you for sharing an excellent analogy. As a fan of Burn Notice, I can agree with each of the points you made about Michael and his team. As a starting freelancer, I’m encouraged and motivated by the points you make here, especially #4. Self-confidence (knowing and trusting in what you’re capable of doing) goes a long way in any endeavor, but particularly when you’re trying to build a working relationship with someone who might not have known you prior to that first email or comment on a blog post.
I appreciate the pointers and encouragement, and I’m bookmarking this post for future reference. Thanks again.
Barb Johnson says
This is the best post I’ve read in a long time. Thank you Josh! Burn Notice is one of my favorite shows. I am a beginning freelancer like Traci, and this is so helpful. Knowing my market is what I’ve been struggling with for a while. I’ll pursue what you suggest. Really appreciate this column.
Josh Courter says
If you are struggling with what articles your audience likes, try going old school and reading magazines about your niche for ideas. What flipping through the magazine what articles stand out to you the most or what do you like to read? Pitch and Write articles exactly like those.
It may seem a little overwhelming at first but it does get easier.
As for finding which blogs are the top dogs in your niche. This can be tricky with certain niches such as my main niche; Hot Rods. When I searched hot rod blogs only Hot Rod Magazine and a bunch of wordpress.com sites came up.
However, when I got really deep in my niche and searched specific cars (Corvettes) I was able to find big blogs such as Corvette Online and Corvette Blogger. Sometimes its best to go as deep into your niche as you can possibly go.
Pete Boyle says
Hi Josh,
Have to admit that I was slightly sceptical when I first read the headline, jumping to conclusions nearly made me miss out on this really useful piece.
I particularly agree with points 1 and 4. Taking the road less travelled not only shows initiative but also cuts down on the competition whereas confidence is a necessity for success.
Thanks again for the useful post and highlighting why I shouldn’t be jumping to conclusions!
Pete
Josh Courter says
Peter in all honesty I don’t blame you for being a bit skeptical after reading the headline. When I first came up with the idea, I thought I had gone insane myself!
Irene Enriquez says
Love this post! 🙂 I’m trying to work on the negotiating part.
Gina says
Great source of encouragement & well written, thanks!
Jenn Flynn-Shon says
I was a HUGE Burn Notice fan (Chuck Finley!) and always loved that despite the insane circumstances Michael & the team faced they always found a way to persevere and come out the other side with a balanced response to anything that stood in their way.
One of my favorite things about the first few seasons was that they rarely if ever had to kill anyone to get the job done. Just well placed explosives, scare tactics and lots of clever brain work. And another thing they did a lot was leverage their current arsenal to get better stuff when they needed it – just like a blogger can do when they guest post on one site and use it as an example when pitching to other sites.
Great post Josh!
PS Hockey? Who’s your team?
Josh Courter says
It’s funny the other day I got a bunch of boxes of unopened baseball cards from the 80’s and 90’s. (A friend of mine knew a former CEO from Topps). I keep getting Chuck Finley cards and I always think of Sam. lol
As for Hockey I am Rangers fan. I am a former New Yorker now in Florida. The Rangers and Yankees are my teams. I hope the Rangers make a miracle 3-0 comeback.
Jenn Flynn-Shon says
I’m also a transplant – Arizona from Boston – so of course I bleed black & gold, but for the remainder of the finals I’m a Rangers fan too!
I just went back & reread this and tip #4 helped me get over an issue I was having this week with writing for a client so thanks again.
Oh & P.S. You seem pretty cool so I won’t hold that Yankees thing against you 😉
JoeShiku says
This post is timely for me. I am just starting out in the world of freelancing. This post is like a step-by-step guide to novices like me! As I am about to launch out and ‘burn up the comfort ship’, this has spoken into some of the fears of ‘letting go’ until it’s safe.
Thank you Josh for throwing me the fuel and the match!
I now know I am not alone on this path.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
You’re definitely not alone, JoeShiku! If you’d like more support and encouragement, you might enjoy our free forum: http://beafreelanceblogger.com/forum
Thanks for commenting!
Chris says
Loved this article. As with just about everyone in the comments, Burn Notice was one of my favorite shows. I may have to start watching reruns for some inspiration when I get stuck and can’t seem to get moving on my writing.
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Movies and TV shows are great for inspiration.
I’ve found that “bad” entertainment can be just as much or more stimulating to the ol’ creative juices: http://littlezotz.com/2013/10/bad-movies-better-blogging-1/
Thanks for reading & commenting!
David Shallcross says
A really good article that sums all the necessary things one needs to look at.. Couldn’t agree more with point 2 and 3. I completely that networking and showing ones advocacy is important in the freelancer world.. Lets not forget the freelancing market is growing like never before. The competition is getting tighter by the day.
A big shout to all the freelancers and companies out there. We are Towoglo, A Start-up, An online market place which satisfies the needs of SME’s , Small businesses and Start-ups. We are offering a free premium membership for one year, So dont miss this golden opportunity and join in soon!! http://www.towoglo.com
Cheers!!
Sophie Lizard says
Hmm, got some typos and ungrammatical phrasings on your site there, David. Why don’t you hire one of the freelancers on your marketplace to write/edit/proof the copy?
Gary says
I love how you incorporated burn notice in with your tips for blogging! It is a great show. I’m new to all this myself and was hoping someone would let me guest blog on their site, or point me in the right direction. I love writing about music, particularly unsigned artists, tech, games and movies. Any help would be so appreciated! Thanks
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Hi, Gary!
I’d recommend grabbing a copy of the Ultimate List of Better-Paid Blogging Gigs – http://beafreelanceblogger.com/betterpaidbloglist – and then START PITCHING! 🙂
If you’re nervous, we’ve got a great community in our free forum: http://beafreelanceblogger.com/forum
Bree Brouwer says
It makes me so happy to see freelancers pulling in ideas from pop culture. 🙂 Great post, Josh!
Lauren Tharp, BAFB Community Manager says
Ditto that, Bree. 🙂