The Query-Free Freelancer is part blog, part book-in-progress flowing from the thoughts and fingers of blogger / freelance business writer, Jennifer Mattern (that would be me).
I’m a query-free freelancer. It’s extremely, and I mean extremely, rare for me to ever mail a query letter, send an email query, or make a cold call pitch to try to drum up business. It probably stems from my background in public relations, specializing in online PR for independent and creative professionals and small business owners (with a few larger clients over the years just for good measure).
Don’t get me wrong. Pitching absolutely has a place in PR. But platforms and visibility have a much bigger place, and that’s what (unless you’re talking to a numbskull who still believes PR is solely media relations – but I digress. We’ll leave those discussions to my PR blog at NakedPR.com).
The Query-Free Freelancer Challenge
QueryFreeFreelancer.com (and the later book) are about helping writers who don’t want to rely on queries and waiting (and waiting, and waiting) to land gigs or who aren’t comfortable with the prospect of cold calling or cold email pitches that could lead to them being labeled as spammers. It’s about challenging them to make their own way through one part creativity and one part tried and true measures I’ll teach them.
Let’s me clear–if you want to write for XYZ Magazine because you just have to see your name in print there, by all means, go right ahead. I’m not “anti-query.” I’m just anti-ignorance. Too many writers starting out get discouraged because they seem to think they have no other options. They do. That’s where The Query-Free Freelancer comes in. This blog and book will be a throwback to good old fashioned PR–building that platform and visibility that brings clients to you.
A Little Hard Work Goes a Long Way
Word of mouth is a beautiful thing, and there’s nothing better for your freelance writing business. What’s surprising to some is that it doesn’t have to take long to get that buzz started.
I remember scoping out some posts on a writing forum once, and a writer was still working for slave wages. They posted to say theyd been writing for a year, and they asked when things would get better. Well, they only get better when you make them get better. A writer platform is one of the most effective things you can do to make that happen.
That’s what I’ll be working on with you here and through the book–building a platform and learning how to build and use your network to get some real visibility (the kind that sucks in clients – cha-ching!). I’ll feature interviews, advice, answers to your questions (if I don’t have them, I’ll try to find someone who does!), and exclusive tools available only to registered members of the site (no worries–it’s free) to help you build a professional site, start your own blog, and much, much more. I’ll even share a story about how I identified a niche in a market and made it my own, showing how getting in early and making your own way can keep you competitive no matter how many copycats later flood the market (even if they charge dirt cheap rates). My goal is to help you attract more of the types of clients you really want.
Contact Me
If you ever want to contact me with comments, questions, or requests for tools or more information on the book-in-progress, you’re always welcome to email me at:
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