The Tools I Use Most as a Freelancer Writer
As a freelancer writer, I know my life intrigues many people. No, I don’t have an employer and I don’t have to wake up at 6 a.m. everyday. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t work hard.
In fact, I use a lot of tools on a daily basis. Without certain pieces of software, I probably wouldn’t make any money. Wanting to start your own freelance writing business? Here’s a quick look at the tools I use as a freelance writer and how they can help you.
Writing Tools
So, the most important thing – writing tools.
My number one tool is Microsoft Word. I use it pretty much for everything. In the past, I used free software like OpenOffice, but it just didn’t cut it. I need more functionality, so I made the investment in Microsoft Office and haven’t looked back.
If you absolutely have no money, Google Docs is another good alternative. It has most of the functionality of Word and provides the ability to work on documents on multiple devices without carrying around a flash drive.
Invoicing Tools
The second most important thing about being a freelance writer – actually getting paid.
In the past, I used a site called Invoicely to send out all of my invoices. It was great because it saved clients and kept track of who paid and who hadn’t. When you finished creating the invoice, it automatically emailed it out to the client. Unfortunately, a few of my clients couldn’t get the hang of it, so I ended up switching to PayPal Invoices.
PayPal Invoicing is just as useful, and it cuts out the middleman. Now, my clients get an email directly from PayPal telling them when it’s time to send me money.
Profit Tracking Tools
Of course, you can’t know what to bill your clients if you don’t keep accurate records.
For that, I use Microsoft Excel. I’ve created a nifty spreadsheet tracker that lets me record every assignment I do so I can accurately estimate my weekly, monthly, and yearly income.
Download an example of my template and customize it to your own liking.
Tools I’d Like to Use in the Future
Right now, my writing enterprise is just me. But some day, I envision opening up my own writing agency with plenty of peons working under me (ok, probably not).
For those future days, I’ve come up with a list of tools I think would be super helpful:
- QuickBooks – This seems like a much easier accounting method than my current spreadsheet, but I’m just not sure how to implement it.
- Chromebook – Because it just seems so much easier than Windows.
These are just some of my freelance writer tools. As you can see, I keep things pretty simple. What are your go-to recommendations?
