As freelance writers, we want to get many high paying jobs and get them done as efficiently as possible. Winning multiple writing assignments is a great way to do this.
There are 2 main ways to get multiple assignments. In the first, you get multiple assignments for the same topic. In the second, you get multiple assignments from a single editor. Of course, it’s also possible you can get multiple assignments on the same topic from a single editor.
Multiple Writing Assignments for the Same Topic
My main area of freelance writing since 1992 has been writing supplements for college textbooks. Supplements are updated every time a new edition of a textbook is released. Many times I have obtained multiple supplement update jobs for the same textbook revision. For example, for one American government textbook, I updated or created:
- The instructor’s manual
- The student study guide
- The test questions
- Online sample tests for students
- Internet exercises
- Articles for further reading on the Internet
- PowerPoint lectures
I won these assignments from 3 different editors who all worked on different supplements for the same book. In order to update all these supplements, I had to read both the new textbook edition and the old textbook edition thoroughly so I knew what had been added to the new edition and deleted from the old edition; this was quite time consuming. However, I did it just once and then applied what I’d learned about the changes to 7 different supplements rather than just one.
(This is a high-paying niche with little competition. See my e-book Writing College Textbook Supplements: The Definitive Guide to Winning High-Paying Assignments in the College Textbook Publishing Market for all the details on how to be successful.)
Multiple Writing Assignments from the Same Editor
The best source for new assignments is an editor who’s given you previous assignments. It’s far more difficult to sell yourself to a new editor than to one who already knows the quality of your work and your ability to finish assignments on time.
This cuts 2 ways. It’s always a good idea to ask previous clients for more work. Another tack: when an editor gives you one assignment, ask if she has anything else for you.
In my above example about writing 7 supplements for the same textbook update for 3 different editors, I obviously won multiple assignments from editors.
An Example
When I lived on the island of Kauai in Hawaii in the late 1990s, I won an assignment to write a piece about outdoor adventure activities in the islands for a new national outdoors magazine. I covered mountain biking in the rainforest on Kauai, hiking to a lava flow in Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park, and night diving with manta rays on the south side of the Big Island. Just as soon as I turned in the article, I pitched several ideas over the phone, which led to another feature on summiting Mount Shasta in northern California.
Questions and Suggestions
1. Identify all the editors you’ve worked for in the last three years. How often have you asked them for more work? Is it time to do it now?
2. Be careful not to over-commit to too many projects at once. However, if you can handle a lot of work, be sure to let editors know when you’re requesting multiple assignments. They may be concerned you’ll miss a deadline, so reassure them that you won’t.
(This post is based on Chapter 22, “Take Advantage of Multiple Assignments,” from John’s e-book Intelligent Productivity For Freelance Writers: Manage Your Time, Make More Money, and Get More Enjoyment From Life.)
How have you used multiple assignments to your advantage? Any suggestions to add on how to do it?
