How to search for a freelance writer for your project.

Take a shortcut and start with a “heavypen.”

If you’re reading this, you’re looking for a freelance writer for a marketing communications project. Maybe you need a content writer to fill out your website. Perhaps your plans are more profound, and you need a content marketing plan that encourages audience engagement and interaction.

What you don’t need is someone just learning the ropes. You want a professional with a bead on specifics who can help you optimize your investment. 

A “heavypen” is someone who has put much thought into developing skills. They may have accumulated years of professional experience in critical areas where you need the most significant focus. But to be truly heavy, one must also bear the responsibility of your dreams and goals.  

Let’s push it further. Not only do you want experience and skills, but you also want someone who will put special attention into every task. OF COURSE, you want to look like a million bucks (without spending a million bucks). You also want an extension of your team (or perhaps you’re building the core). Either way, you need your heavy talent to be as personally invested in your success as theirs.

It’s possible you found me by searching “freelance writer.” It’s also as likely that one of my previous clients referred you. I’m a technical writer, public relations professional, and marketing communications consultant. I have worked with some genuinely brilliant clients over the past 30 years, from well-known tech companies and disruptive startups to best-selling authors and a true comic-book hero.

As you broaden your search, you may not find many people who can say they’ve been creating web content longer than me. I started my work with HTML in 1993 and launched my first website in 1996 as part of my work with NetDay. Back then, I worked for nonprofit education organizations eager to connect with students and parents about their new online initiatives. I launched Heavypen.com on November 7, 1997 (see the history).

Being part of this industry means keeping up with skill development. It also means constant improvement in all areas of marketing communications. I write content for feature articles, ghost blogs, white papers, and speeches. I produce websites and videos, media presentations, and press releases. And what do you know… I’m also a veteran journalist and published author.

If I were to describe my skills in one sentence, I’d say I’m an expert in many fields because I keep learning and expanding my abilities.

Content Development

Effective communication is more than just uploading a few pictures and dabbles of text. You need content that attracts attention from target audiences. My recommendation: consider content development a process rather than a task that requires a strategy and a plan to carry it out. First, who is your audience and what will interests them about you? Second, what do you want your audience to know about you; how will you engage them? Third, what do you want your audience to do? That last bit is your ‘call-to-action’ (CTA) that converts visits into engagement, and ultimately, sales.

SEO, SERP Strategy

Modern search engines (e.g., Google, Bing) use complex semantic algorithms make old SEO keyword stacking and tagging outmoded and uncool. Do SEO badly, and you will damage your ranking. You need deep contextual meaning behind the words you used to describe your product and services. And, oh yeah, the machines grade your content. In this age of SEO, grammar, spelling, and diction matter – and that’s where a freelance writer definitely is an advantage. Original, fresh, and engaging content is once again king. Not just for the machines that rank you – but for the people who want to learn more about you. We’ve always needed deep content. We need it to create the locking power we need to connect with our target audiences. Planned and well-distributed content can draw relevant traffic from many “end points” and a well-planned content placement strategy. However, make sure that your content creation is a vibrant narrative that carries a riveting call to action and an authoritative ‘voice’ that commands attention of real people.

Production and Project Management

The latest production software expands personal capabilities and productivity. Freelance writer armed with a bit of knowledge can be a producer. But not every producer is a pro. When I say production is my specialty, that means I’m pro ‘master’ with everything I do: articles, ebooks, WordPress websites, blogs, press releases, and executive videos. I have over 30 years of experience in production. Much of my early work was at agencies where I learned how to manage production schedules and I became a specialty producer of materials for public events and trade shows. Then I owned a marketing communications production studio from 1985 to 1989 and specialized in company newsletters, sales catalogs, and other publications. I ran a publishing company from 1990 until 1994 where I broke into magazines and book production. What does this all mean? It means that if you’re on a budget (who isn’t), I can make you look like a million bucks – without spending a million bucks.

Technical Documentation

Early in my days as a freelance writer, I worked for Hughes Helicopters, JPL, and Northrop. Due to the nature of the work, I held classified clearances so I could take interviews and notes from engineers and researchers about the latest military equipment. I edited generating technical bulletins, maintenance manuals, instruction guides, and tutorials. I also drew diagrams, flowcharts, and illustrations. My technical writing experience helps me be a better writer for clients who need technical articles, white papers, and other research papers.  It also helps me convert technical concepts into plain language narratives for marketing.

Contact Me

Most of all, I’m interested in your success. I’ll tell you – straight up – if you need different services to meet your marketing goals. I will be perfectly honest if there’s another path to success for you. So call me. I’ll help steer your search and drop some quick advice. And if it turns out we should be working together – fab!

Feel free to contact me by phone at (213) 985-2562‬ or through my LinkedIn profile.

About: Ray Wyman, Jr is a content creator, communications professional, and author with more than 30 years of experience. Visit LinkedIN or Raywyman.com for more information.