Subcontracting as a Freelance Writer
Have you ever been so overwhelmed with your day-to-day work that you have no energy or time to think about the big picture of your business? Have you ever wished there was a way you could fit twice as many projects into your day and still have time to have a life outside of your job?
In this episode, we dive into subcontracting within freelance writing: why we have chosen to subcontract some of our work, the questions and concerns people have about the process, and how subcontracting has changed our businesses for the better.
Whether you own your own freelance writing business or you’re just starting out in the writing industry, there’s something in this episode for you.
The benefits of subcontracting
If you have a lot of work coming in (so much that you have to turn away projects that excite you), you might want to consider subcontracting some of that work.
Far from giving us less control, we’ve found that subcontracting excess work has allowed us to shape and mold our businesses how we always wanted them to be, sans the burnout we would have experienced without the option of subcontracting.
We use subcontracting in a variety of ways: for first drafts, help with research, organizing research we’ve already pulled together, and projects that require additional skills. And the great thing about subcontracting? There’s no one way to go about it. Shape it however you please. At the end of the day, it has to work for you, your business, your subcontractors, and your clients.
The perks of subcontracting as a freelance writer
There are lots of perks when it comes to subcontracting work as a freelance writer:
Scale up your service by taking on more projects. The more time you have on your hands, the more projects you can say yes to, and the bigger those projects can be.
Free up time to focus on the big picture of your business. This can include sales, nurturing existing client relationships, or creating new services and products.
“As a freelance writer, you can only do so much. Working with subcontractors allows you to scale up your service-based business and earn more money without falling into that trap of overworking or getting burned out.”
Banish the stress you feel from overextending yourself to take on more projects. If you know you have several subcontractors on standby, you can accept all the projects you want to and know that if you overbook yourself, you can delegate some of those pieces to your subcontractors.
“Subcontracting lets me take on more work and not say no to bigger clients. If I’m having a really difficult week for whatever reason, personally or professionally, I have a team of subcontractors I can go to.”
Become a mentor to more junior freelance writers. Aside from subcontracting being great for your business, it can also be a valuable experience for the junior writers you work with. How? You’re giving them a place to learn about the landscape of the freelance writing industry without having to navigate it by themselves.
Own a great business but still have time for yourself, your friends, and your family. Subcontracting is the key to being able to do it all without drowning in work 24/7. Managing a roster of subcontractors lets you scale up your output and maintain a solid work-life balance at the same time.
Subcontracting responsibly: onboarding, NDAs, & client expectations
The first thing subcontracting responsibly requires, both for you and your subcontractors, is some kind of onboarding process. This should start with a contract. This contract will not only protect you, but it will clearly outline the expectations you have for your subcontractors, including what the processes are for draft submission and whether or not they can include the pieces they write for your clients in their portfolios.
(Note: Kaleigh has some digital products in the work for this. Email her if you want early access.)
But the client is hiring me…right?
Not exactly. The client is hiring work that is your level of quality, is delivered on time, and gets them the results they want. It doesn't matter who writes it as long as it goes through your inspection and edits before it gets sent to them.
“Freelance writers can sometimes get stuck behind the ego and the control of their work. It gets wrapped up in identity.”
Different freelance writers go about this in different ways depending on the context of the project, but in general, it’s up to you whether or not to let your clients know the piece is being written by a subcontractor. The bottom line: even if the piece was initially written by a subcontractor, if you’re a good freelance writer, nothing will go unedited. You’re not going to let that piece go out the door without your stamp of approval.
For the experienced freelance writers reaching the point of total burnout, we recommend subcontracting to ease the workflow. As long as you’re organized, you document responsibly, and you’re prepared to lay out expectations on both ends, it’s a viable option to consider.
“At the end of the day, I make sure to get my eyeballs and edits on every piece I put my name on.”
To the junior writers who are interested in getting involved in subcontracting work, don’t be afraid to reach out to freelance writers you admire to see if they need any help. They just might.
This season of FWCP is brought to you by Eva Gutierrez, creator of the Client Acquisition System.