Want to know the best way to get assignments?
1. Decide to write an essay. The moment you say, “Hmm, I think I’ll write a brilliant essay about this very interesting topic that should sell to this national newspaper,” an assignment will arrive in your Inbox, pretty much ensuring that you will never get around to writing that brilliant essay about that interesting topic. (And you’re really only kidding yourself about that national newspaper. And by you, I mean I.)
2. Tell your editors you’re going on vacation. You’ll get several, “Oh but could you do this before you go?” replies before you leave. Just cancel the darn vacation. Who needs to see the beach again anyway?
3. Get sick. Really, it works! In fact, this one is the best tip of all three. As you lie there with a wet cloth over your forehead wondering whether you’re awake or only dreaming of that incessant trring trrrrring trrrrrrrrring of the phone and willing it to stop but unable to make that trip from bed to desk, you’ll be getting emails from editors happy to double your rate for quick turnaround pieces. ASAP would be great, thanks. Ka-ching!
So there you have it. The secrets of freelancing as no one will ever tell you.
You heard it here first.