Now you've found your perfect job as a freelance writer that offers you so many benefits, how do you make a good impression with your Agency so that get more work in the process?

* If you are new and have offered yourself for a few briefs without success, the key is not to get disheartened. You haven't had the chance to prove yourself yet so you're less likely to get chosen for work and of course, you're bidding against more established names. However, before much longer, you'll find that you've come forward for a piece that nobody else has. This is your opportunity to prove that you're a great writer and you can do the job well.

* Make sure you check the level of required expertise and the availability of any sources listed as 'essential' or 'requested' before offering yourself for a brief. If you bid for work that is allocated to you and it transpires you can't complete it, the Agency are unlikely to use you again.

* Once you do get accepted for your first piece, it's crucial that you do a great job. First impressions really do count. Always bear in mind that the standards of your work, especially your first piece, will define your reputation with the agency that you work for, and the amount of work you receive in the future.

* Always read the brief thoroughly - failure to do so is a crucial error and may mean that you stray down the wrong route from the beginning. Whilst it may be possible (and you may be willing) to amend the brief where you've gone wrong, it doesn't look professional and many agencies will judge writers on their amendments ratio (i.e. how many pieces of work need amending, out of all the ones they have completed)

* As you're writing, always stay within the context of the brief - keep thinking - is what I am writing actually relevant to the brief title - and why is it relevant?

* Your agency is looking for evidence that you can write in an interesting, fresh and engaging way. For example, when writing a subjective piece, look at the referenced thoughts of others on the subject - compare and contrast them, and then offer your own thoughts - how are other views different? Why do you agree or disagree? At all times, make sure you are referring to respected opinions but don't be afraid to go out on a limb and argue things a different way, as long as you can back up what you have said. This is the mark of first class writing.

If you want to increase your work load, you need to check your email (or the online area, if the agency has one) regularly during office opening hours - the quicker you respond to offers of work, the more likely you are to be accepted. When an agency has an order from a customer, as soon as they receive a bid from an eligible writer, they will phone the customer to take payment. If you leave it too long, other more established writers may bid and get chosen.

Some further points to note:

* Always, always back up your work every 15 minutes - agencies will rarely accept your PC crashing as an excuse, particularly as you can back things up to a memory stick or portable hard drive and Word has an 'auto save' feature.

* Never, ever, plagiarise. This is a breach of other people's copyright, as you are selling the work on to your agency. You'll find that most agencies use plagiarism detection software and you'll be caught, and probably liable for a large fine under your contract, as well as being subject to civil litigation from third parties. Some agencies use turnitin - others have developed their own plagiarism software and scan every piece of work using it. They also maintain a large database of texts and journals, electronic books and previous essays.

* Take regular breaks - rushing is not a good idea because in the long run it means your quality will slip and when that happens, you'll end up with a lower fee as well as being less likely to receive work in the future.

* Always read your final piece over at least once after completion - reading out loud is better. Does it make full sense? Are there grammatical error or the use of incorrect language (use the built in spelling and grammar checkers in Word but be careful - the grammar checker can give some interesting suggestions!) Would the work be genuinely useful to you if you were the client? If you carefully check your work, this is likely to save you time and money later on.

* Deliver added value to the customer. Although your contract sets out certain obligations regarding amendments, you should try and be as accommodating as possible with customers' demands. A good attitude will attract the Agency's attention and will mean you're more likely to receive further work.

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