Making the Transition to a Full-Time Textbroker Author

Many of those who join Textbroker are attracted to this platform due to their ability to earn a viable part-time income. This is an excellent opportunity for stay-at-home mums, pensioners and indeed anyone who may have grown tired of the traditional nine-to-five office routine. Textbroker has broken the mould when compared to other online content mills; providing countless articles and subjects to address. This opens up the proverbial door for authors who are keen to take on a full-time role. However, enjoying a smooth transition and adapting to a more challenging schedule can be slightly difficult without a bit of planning. Let's look at how part-time writers can turn their hobby into a full-time profession.

Establish a Set Schedule from the Start

One of the most important preliminary steps is to determine a daily writing schedule. Becoming a full-time author will require a significant amount of discipline, and for this reason, it is wise to compartmentalise your day into a “block” of time when you be fully focused upon your writing efforts. Keep in mind that this does not necessarily equate to consecutive hours. On the contrary, it might be better to break your schedule up into a handful of easily digestible segments so that you can enjoy much-needed mental respites during the interim. Above all, be sure to avoid any distractions while you are labouring in front of the computer.

Be Logistically Realistic with Your Goals

A recent study has found that the average freelancer works approximately 36 hours per week. Of course, this can be broken down in various ways. Some might prefer four days of nine-hour shifts while others choose to segment their schedules into six hours per day. Everyone is different in this respect, and the term “full time” depends more upon your income generation than temporal dedication. Your primary goal is to determine how much content you are capable of writing without sacrificing quality or expediency.

Logistics play a crucial role in this matter. Never bite off more than you can chew in regards to work volume. Try not to accept too many articles at once (no matter how tempting it may be), as you might otherwise find yourself trapped within a last-minute bottleneck. You will soon begin to recognise your own limitations as well as what type of material can be produced the fastest with little prior research. After all, time equals money in this profession.

Embrace the Notion of Flexibility

Do not make the mistake of falling into the “starving artist” category. Those who are the most vulnerable to this dreaded condition are those who do not wish to expand their horizons. Never be afraid to take on new projects. Push the boundaries in regards to your breadth of content knowledge. After all, it makes little sense to boast a massive amount of expertise in SEO if there are no articles which address this topic. I quickly learned that being averse to complicated subjects or niche material is a sure-fire way to torpedo what might have otherwise been a well-rounded writing career. Always make it a point to step outside of the box.

What About Specialisation?

This next recommendation may appear slightly counter-intuitive, considering the advice within the previous section. However, you can always embrace a pliable mentality while still specialising in a handful of subjects. Well-known freelance portals such as The Muse point out that it is indeed possible to apply your innate knowledge within numerous fields.

For example, I enjoy writing creative material (such as subjectively describing a painting) while my innate speciality involves finance and marketing. There is no reason why you cannot become a veritable chameleon in regards to content curation. However, try to pick two or three specialised topics which will set you apart from the masses. This is an excellent way to put your Textbroker identity on the map and to garner more Direct Orders over time.

Recognise the Signs of Burnout

Perhaps the worst enemy of any freelance writer is the looming spectre of burnout. Anyone who has written ten or more Direct Orders on any given day is likely aware of how dangerous this condition can become within a short period of time. This is why it is crucial to be aware of the initial warning signs that can include:

• Irritability
• Lower levels of productivity
• A plethora of common and avoidable mistakes leading to multiple revisions
• Forgetting when a specific order is due
• Physical signals such as headaches or wrist pain
• Little or no creativity

If you ever come to the point when you are thinking “Ugh. Another order from the same client?”, it is likely that you are experiencing burnout. Not only can this situation cost time and money, but you may even lose a loyal client due to the production of substandard material.

Get to Know Your Textbroker Representatives

Never forget that Textbroker is on your side when you require a bit of help or guidance. This is actually one of the traits which has attracted so many authors and clients over the years. Editors and regional managers are more than willing to provide you with assistance if required. You can often contact them to address issues such as:

• Unclear order instructions
• Tight deadlines
• Problems with a specific client
• Payment queries

Additionally, there is nothing wrong with asking them for a bit of extra work if things become slow. They will always do their best (within reason) to accommodate your needs.

Establish Long-Term Relationships with Clients

The majority of full-time Textbroker authors (myself included) primarily rely upon Direct Orders and team-related projects. Sounds great, doesn’t it? After all, you can avoid the rather fickle nature of Open Orders. However, this transition will take a bit of time. You will first need to establish working relationships with a handful of loyal clients. Not only can this help to guarantee a steady workload, but the chances are high that a satisfied customer will recommend you to their colleagues and business contacts. This can result in a self-propagating situation; helping to ensure a steady and predictable stream of content even when the Open Order category has seemingly dried up.

Know When to Take a Step Back

Even the most prolific writers need a break to recharge their mental batteries from time to time. Although it is often difficult for a self-styled perfectionist to embrace the word “no”, the fact of the matter is that pragmatism often trumps idealism in terms of producing quality material. Never be afraid to turn down an order after providing an explanation, to ask for more time or even to post an away message stating that you will not be available between certain dates. There is no shame in admitting that you need a breather, as knowing your limitations is an important freelance trait. Above all, have fun and always look towards the digital horizon!

About our author

Ron first arrived in Barcelona, Spain in 2007. Although initially pursuing a career in wealth management and finance, he learned that the content writing community provided the highest level of personal satisfaction while still being able to personally help clients. He has been a full-time professional writer since 2011. Some of his other interests include martial arts and bodybuilding.