Whether you’re a seasoned freelance writer or are one of the many people who dream of quitting the nine-to-five for a life of home-working and setting your own agenda, this book will prove a valuable resource. Online-Writer-CoverSet to be the go-to guide for all online writers and aspiring writers, The Online Writer’s Companion is a refreshingly frank book that sets out clearly, and without flowery language or unrealistic promises, the steps that you can take to carve out a living, or second career, as a freelance writer. Author P.J. Aitken is a highly successful freelancer who enjoys a top ranking on a number of freelancing websites. Importantly, he has achieved this without a university education and he does not claim to possess spectacular writing skills. After making a name for himself as a novelist, he began to build a career as a let the writer online, and his message is that if he can do it, so can you. With any number of online guides and courses promising that would-be freelancers can earn six figure sums in no time flat, this realistic manual tells it like it really is. Yes, says Aitken, it is possible to earn a decent wage as a freelancer, but you’ll have to work hard and accept less than glamorous commissions to get there. With an admirable honesty and a great attention to detail, he explains the nature of the online market: where to look for work; how to register and post a profile; which sites are worth the registration fee and which are not; and how to deal with unreasonable clients. His down-to-earth language and advice makes the guide feel like a rewarding conversation with a friend who has already mastered the industry, rather than a dull, impersonal lecture. Increasingly, writers are drawn to the idea of freelancing, possibly imagining themselves dashing off a couple of hours’ worth of copy a day before spending the rest of the time at their leisure, or cheerfully making a fortune from travel anecdotes as they globe-trot merrily around the world on their not-so-hard-earned funds - but the reality is very different. The figures, as Aitken points out, are not good at first. Many freelancers earn far less than a living wage and with no fixed income it’s a hand-to-mouth existence that isn’t helped by slow-paying employers and - particularly in the beginning - projects that demand a lot of writing and research time for relatively little financial reward. Aitken is brutally honest about the long hours he has spent slaving away on projects during his early years carving out a career - the missed parties, the lack of sleep - but freely admits that he was driven by money above all else. It’s an approach that helped him leapfrog the competition to become one of the most in-demand freelancers on the market, and he emphasises that this early doggedness laid the groundwork for a more relaxed approach a few years down the line, when he could be more selective and let the clients come to him. Aitken also holds his hands up to mistakes he has made along the way in the hope that readers can thereby avoid the same pitfalls and fast-track to the better paying gigs. He relates numerous horror stories of dodgy clients and dodgy sites so newbies can know how to spot a scam, and as somebody who was once offered $400 to deliver ‘flawless novels with five-star ratings on Amazon’, he’s seen it all. His book covers everything from creating the perfect freelancer profile - including how to deflect attention from a lack of experience or formal training - to gaining five-star ratings on freelancer sites through professionalism and a willingness to work. The most important thing with The Online Writer’s Companion is that it will allow readers to get a head start against the competition. The determination and readiness to apply the elbow grease, however, is up to them. Both freelancers looking to boost their earnings and complete beginners hoping to get their food on the ladder in this hugely competitive industry will gain a lot from Aitken’s tried and tested words of wisdom. In the long run, it could be the difference between earning spare change and a comfortable, steady income. The Online Writer's Companion: A Complete Guide to Earning Your Living as a Freelancer by P.J Aitken is out now (Skyhorse Publishing), priced £14.99 in paperback. Visit FreelanceWithUs.co.uk