If you're busy working on a project, you might find that the client wants to keep in touch via one of the instant messaging systems that are available these days. MSN, yahoo messenger and AOL instant messenger are the most popular for this use.

Use email to contact your existing clients regularly. As with any other business, it's important to remind them of your services and perhaps offer a discount now and then.

8. Take Payments

Quite often you'll find clients will want to either transfer money directly to your bank account or use an online payment service such as Paypal (www.paypal.com).

If your client transfers money directly to you, checking your account for payments is easy when you have access through the Internet. Just log into your bank and list recent transactions. If the payments been made, you can update your accounts accordingly and know that you can happily work for the client again as nothing's outstanding on his account.

If a client wants to pay via Paypal or another online system for transferring money, you can send an invoice directly through the service and receive an email when the money's received. From there you can either transfer it to your bank account or leave it to accumulate on the Internet account.

If you're planning to use the Internet freelance sites to find work, then a Paypal account is an absolute must. The same goes for some content sites.

In other words, if you want to maximise your earnings, get a Paypal account and do your banking online.

Conclusion

I honestly can't imagine how a freelance writer can manage without regular access to the Internet.

Searching the Net will never be the same as browsing the shelves of a library and I suggest you continue using whatever resources your local community has to offer. But for the sake of convenience, the Internet simply can’t be beaten.

If you're still not comfortable with computers, sign up for an evening course and learn how to use the basic programmes and find information on the Net. Believe me, once you've started, you'll wonder how you ever got along without it.

Sharon Jacobsen is a freelance writer living in South Cheshire, England. She's been writing in one form or another since she was a very young child taught to read by her grandfather and although there's nothing she'd rather do for a living, she does enjoy dabbling in web design "on the side" now and then. To contact Sharon or to find out more about her work, please visit www.sharon-jacobsen.co.uk

Written by: Sharon Jacobsen