My journey to becoming a freelance writer started with a drastic career switch.
With a master’s degree in biotechnology and a job as a senior research fellow in the field of molecular biology, a career in writing seemed quite distant. However, circumstances drew me to what I liked to do best.
Even as a child, when my father was posted in the formidable areas of Arunachal Pradesh it was the love of books ranging from Enid Blyton, the Nancy Drew series, Amar Chitra Katha and the Reader’s Digest magazine which connected me to the world outside the hills. I recall the pleasure with which wrote my imaginary and real life experiences and compiled them into booklets.
Later I was packed off to a boarding school in the Nilgiris, where I was quite happy to write for the school magazine not just in English but also in Hindi. Eventually I also became the editor of the school magazine. That was about the only experience I had with the written word.
After a short break in my scientific career (marriage followed by two boys!), the idea of going back to the lab did not seem exciting enough. I was also not prepared for the long hours that research demanded as I had my hands full with taking care of my family. It was then that I attempted at starting afresh – as a freelance writer. The decision did surprise many, considering that I had been a topper in my course and also had several scientific papers published in leading journals. But my mind was made up.
How to get started as a freelance writer
There is no single way that you can begin your career as a freelance writer in India. You need to explore the market and make your attempts. In my case, I approached the editor of ‘Education World’, a national magazine which focused primarily on educational issues of the country. I had seen issues of the magazine and its content had really appealed to me. I felt that this was the kind of journalism and writing that India needed. I took an appointment with the editor and after an informal meeting it came as a pleasant surprise that I was invited to work for the magazine. And so began my career as a freelance writer. I was thrilled with my first cover story which was a feature on biotech education in India.
I must admit that my stint at Education World honed my writing and presentation skills and I learnt what editing was all about. I still continue to write for them.
This exposure also got me other opportunities such as editing scientific and technical manuscripts to be published in the Journal of Biosciences, a quarterly by the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore. Somewhere along the line, I also managed to do a short-term course in Environment Journalism conducted by the Centre for Environment Education, Bangalore. Later I continued writing for the Centre for Environment Education-News and Features Service (CEE-NFS). For two years I also worked for a training institute in bioinformatics, where I worked as their technical writer and a consultant. All this helped me build a portfolio, but the volume of work was not enough to earn a decent sum of money.
It was then that I tried to explore other opportunities for freelance writers especially through the internet. This was when that I heard about ‘Chillibreeze’, a company specializing in content writing, its management and editing. After the mandatory sample article, which was rated quite highly by the Chillibreeze management team, I was included as a preferred writer. This was in 2005 and three years later there has been a steady stream of work. It has been my conscious choice to work quite exclusively for them for a variety of reasons. The work is interesting, payments are fast and the deadlines are reasonable. Now and then I have also managed to write for magazines and newspapers, for their Sunday Feature sections, though they largely prefer in-house writers.
Tips to make it big as a freelance writer
- Respect Deadlines: All projects come with deadlines and it is your job as a professional to respect time lines. In particular, pieces on current events demand a 24 hour deadline so that reader gets to read about it when the news is still hot. So if you cannot deliver, it is better to be honest about it before accepting any work.
- Identify your strengths: Over time I have identified what I am best at and this is important as you should also enjoy what you write. I enjoy writing travelogues and other travel based writing and jump at any proposal which involves these subjects. I love doing book reviews too, especially since I can sit on the other side of the fence and judge somebody else! Since I have a strong biotechnology/biology background, I do not hesitate to take up work in these areas as well. Spirituality is another area I love to write on.
- Write Accurate and Relevant Content: The content of your pieces have to be correct and should address a global audience.
- Recognize your limitations: I once accepted an assignment which involved product descriptions and its uses. After describing two types of cupboards and other furniture pieces, I realized that my imagination could go only thus far and no more. I also found the exercise very dry. This taught me to examine a project carefully before accepting it.
- Payments and Professionalism: Make sure you get your due for the work you put in. It is better to carefully examine all the terms and conditions before you begin. I once had to wait for three months to get my payment from a leading Indian newspaper. I discontinued writing for them as I found that even getting a reply via email was difficult. Do work with people who are professional.
- Organize your time: When you are not working on a fixed office schedule, often personal issues and chores take over and you may land up rushing through your project. This way you are not going to give your best output. Also people around you may think that they have a right to your time as you are really not ‘going to work’. This has happened to me, but over time, I have learnt to keep a strict schedule for myself. Even an afternoon siesta is limited to 15 minutes. However, there have been times when I have worked late into the night, much to my family’s chagrin.
- Patience: It has taken me years to establish myself as a freelance writer and so the only advice would be to be at it all the time and be unfazed by rejection. Thanks to the internet opening up there is enough work for everyone.
- Feedback: Be open to feedback and accept it positively.
- Network: You can also network with other freelance writers to gain more insights.
Companies that employ freelance writers
My list of companies that employ freelance writers will hardly be exhaustive as I write only for Chillibreeze (content for the internet), and print media such as Life Positive, Education World and a couple of newspapers. Since I also do research work for independent organizations which include American, Canadian and French universities, I have not felt the need to knock on any more doors. But there is a lot of information available on the internet and you need to identify the right organization. You can also post your profile on various job portals to get genuine employers. There are publishing companies too who require freelancers for editing and publishing.
You can also have a website of your own with a sample article. Don’t forget to mention that you are a freelance writer from India. There are clients from over the world waiting to outsource work to Indian writers.
Where to train to be a better freelance writer
Any amount of training will not help you if you are basically not a good writer. You need to have a strong grip of the language and a love for writing before you set out to be a writer. However, training can be of immense help as this will polish your existing skills. As mentioned earlier, my stint with Education World, and an exacting editor at the helm, helped me get my act together quite early. You can identify a good media training institute in your town or city or one that offers a distance learning course.
How much do freelance writers get paid in India
Payment is usually decided by the client or the organization and is by and large quite fair, but you could negotiate if you are really good. Beware of fraudulent companies – if you can get references for a company, it is well worth your time. If you do manage to penetrate through the impregnable walls of a newspaper, they usually pay Rupees 2/- per word. Others pay at Re1/- to Rs 1.50/- per word to a freelancer.
Sangeeta Venkatesh
Sangeeta is a biotechnologist turned environmentalist /writer. Born in Bangalore, she spent a major part of her early years in the verdant environs of a boarding school in the Nilgiris. Writing travel articles and tackling environmental issues are top on her list. Passionate about music she learns Hindustani music, loves to work out and swim.
Please Note: Chillibreeze does not endorse techniques or views mentioned in the articles here. The articles listed here are provided as reference material for writers as a support service.
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