Working With a Professional Writer From the UK: Things You Should Know

Are you considering working with a professional writer from the UK?

Perhaps this is the first time you have worked with a freelance writer, and you want to ensure you have all the information you need to make the best possible choice for your business.

Or maybe you have worked with freelance writers before but without much success and want to get things right this time.

Don't worry. I've got you covered! This article will discuss everything you need to know about working with a professional writer from the UK.

This article will cover the following:

1. When Should You Work With a Freelance Writer?

2. What Skills Should a Professional Writer Bring to the Table?

3. Questions to Ask a Freelance Writer Before Working With Them

4. Frequently Asked Questions About Working With a Professional Writer From the UK

When Should You Work With a Freelance Writer?

Before discussing what skills and credentials you should look for in a professional freelance writer, let's examine what situations warrant the skills they provide.

When creative writing is required

First and foremost, a top-quality freelance writer will offer you an excellent source of creative writing.

Suppose your marketing and advertising message are starting to feel a little stale. In that case, the right freelancer writer can use written content to combine knowledge and passion to re-energize your customers and increase your conversions.

When you need a content writer on a short-term or part-time basis

Perhaps you have a project where you know that plenty of content is required, but you are unsure whether there will be any similar projects in the future. If that is the case, you might be reluctant to hire a writer on a full-time basis in case they have no work to do in the future.

Instead, you can hire someone on a freelance basis, where you can pick up or drop their hours based on your requirements.

Alternatively, if you know that the volume of work you have to offer is not enough to warrant full-time hours, you might opt for a freelance writer instead and only ask them to complete a small number of hours each week.

When you need fresh ideas

We all have moments where the creative ideas just aren't there. No matter how hard we try, we just can't think of new exciting content to share with our audiences, and we can end up in a content rut.

Sometimes, you are too close to the brand and can't see past what you already know. By hiring a freelance writer from outside your business, they might be able to bring a fresh perspective to your brand and offer you insightful ideas that you can develop and build on in the future.

When I work with my clients, I try to think differently from how they have in the past to try and see if I can add additional value to their brand alongside my writing skills.

For training your junior writers

Perhaps you have already hired some junior full-time writers for your business. If so, it can be hard to find time and resources to provide adequate training to help them become stronger writers for your brand.

One way to rectify this is by enlisting the help of a professional writer on a freelance basis. Not only can they write excellent content for your brand, but they can also teach your less experienced writers how to write better content.

That way, when you stop working with the freelance writer, your business will be much stronger to provide excellent content for your audience.

To save money

Finally, while freelance writer rates might seem more per hour than a full-time staff member, overall, they are the significantly cheaper option.

You can choose how much work they do for your company to ensure their rates stay within budget.

Secondly, you don't have to pay for their writing equipment, healthcare, pension, or any other fees and rates that come into play when you hire someone full-time.

What Skills Should a Professional Writer Bring to the Table?

Now that we have established when you should work with a professional writer from the UK let's look at what skills they should bring to the table.

Does creative writing come naturally to them?

When you look at their writing samples, does it look like creative writing comes naturally to them?

After looking at a few samples, you should be able to tell whether or not their writing skills will meet your requirements and offer you the type of creative writing you need to take your brand to the next level.

Do they offer a professional service?

Does the freelancer writer in question seem like they offer a professional service? While most freelance writers will offer great content, do they offer great communication, invoice you correctly, and provide you with other aspects that you would expect from a professional service?

When I work with a new client, I like to jump on a quick call at the start of the project to establish what they expect from me and ensure I continue to offer those services throughout our working relationship.

Do they have excellent communication skills?

While many businesses focus on the writing skills of a freelancer, there are also other aspects you must consider. One of those is how well they communicate with their clients.

Skim through their customer reviews and see if anyone makes a comment about their communication skills and whether or not they are well-reviewed or not.

When working with a freelance writer, chances are they will either hardly ever or never spend time working in your office. As a result, you will rely on them to provide consistent and detailed project updates. Otherwise, you may not be sure what they are working on and what you are paying for.

Do they provide the type of writing you need?

Every business will require different writing skills. Brands requiring public relations writers should look for writers with journalism backgrounds.

Brands that want to rank higher on Google for particular search terms should look for a copywriter with SEO expertise.

Are they good at project management?

Alongside their writing skills, are they able to stay organized and up to date with longer projects? Some professional writers have excellent written skills but lack the organization required to achieve the best results on time.

The right freelancer for your brand will have excellent writing and project management skills.

Do they have any writing qualifications?

Don't expect every professional writer to have a master's degree, but keep an eye out for any writing qualifications your applicants might have.

For example, they might have a writing degree or additional education qualifications in writing or marketing, which is a good insight into if they have the ability needed for your job.

For example, I have a journalism and creative writing degree and a diploma in content marketing.

Questions to Ask a Freelance Writer Before Working With Them

Now let's look at some of the questions you should ask a freelance writer before you start working with them. Here are five questions you should start with:

• Do you have a social media presence?

• How long have you been in business?

• Do you write all of the content, or do you sub-contract other writers?

• Do you have any relevant industry experience?

• What rate do you charge?

Do you have a social media presence?

While your chosen writer certainly doesn't need a social media presence for you to work with them, it is always nice to explore further on a social media website if you can, as it will give you more insight into whether they will be a good match for your brand.

How long have you been in business?

Not only should you establish how many years of writing experience a professional freelance writer has, but you should also try to identify how much work they have done during that time.

Some people may have only worked freelance for a couple of years but full-time. In that time, they might have worked on more relevant projects than someone with one freelance work part-time for more years, for example.

Do you write all of the content, or do you sub-contract other writers?

This might not be a question you expect to need to ask a writer, but it is an essential one. While most writers will be transparent about whether or not they will be the person writing the content for your brand, some may try to get away with sub-contracting it out to another writer without telling you.

While that may not be an issue, if you have chosen them specifically for their personal writing samples on a particular subject, you need to know upfront if you aren't working with them directly.

Do you have any relevant industry experience?

While not every freelance writing job requires relevant industry experience, some jobs do.

For example, if you are searching for someone to write about the medical industry, opting for a medical writer is probably the right way to go, rather than picking a business writing expert.

What rate do you charge?

Each freelance content writer will charge their own rates, so it is essential to establish what each writer is asking for and ensure it matches your budget during your interviews.

As part of that rate, you must also secure an agreement of what the freelancer will provide. Some writers may charge a lower rate per hour, but if they take longer to write each article, they may be the more expensive option.

Final Thoughts on Working With a Professional Writer From the UK

Now you have all the information you need to help you find the perfect professional writer from the UK.

What else would you like to see me cover on this blog? Get in touch today, and I'll ensure I add it to the list!

Alternatively, if you want to work with a professional freelance writer in the UK with a decade of writing experience and 5-star reviews from his clients, get in touch with me today, and we can discuss how I can help your brand! You can learn about me and my skills from my About Me page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Working With a Professional Writer From the UK

Is a freelance writer the right choice for my business?

A freelance writer is an excellent option for your brand if you meet any of the following criteria:

• You need a creative writing expert.

• You require a short-term or part-time solution.

• You need new ideas.

• You require an expert to train your staff.

• When you want to save money.

Where can I find a professional writer from the UK?

If you want to work with a professional freelance writer in the UK with a decade of writing experience and 5-star reviews from his clients and only works to the highest standards, get in touch with me today, and we can discuss how I can help your brand!

Should I consider writers from other countries as well?

Ultimately, this depends on your budget and requirements. There are undoubtedly excellent writers located abroad, but just be aware that English is not always their native language, which can be an issue.