Sometimes, you just don’t get second chances. Freelance writing works a little that way. If you’ve offended an editor, it’s quite unlikely that she’s going to work with you again. If you don’t muster up the courage and ask for a higher payment rate, you won’t get that chance till the next acceptance. And if you sell all rights for less, you write away all future income from the sale of that piece.

These seemingly small mistakes can cost you big money when done repeatedly. Avoid these common pitfalls and you’ll not only earn more from each sale, but also ensure that you’re developing working relationships with editors who’ll look to you for regular work.

Mistake No. 1: Missing Deadlines

I’ve often wondered why writers constantly miss deadlines. After all, if you’ve landed an assignment—big or small—wouldn’t you want to get it in before time instead of after, so that you could impress the editor and secure more work? But many writers often fall short, and editors almost never work with these writers who do so repeatedly. So drop those waiting-till-the-last-minute habits and get into researching mode as soon as you get the assignment.

Mistake No. 2: Lack of Preliminary Research

When the editor of a technology magazine wrote in to ask exactly which Internet scams I’d be covering in my “Top Scams on the Internet” article, I wrote back to her within minutes. That’s because I’d done my initial research even before I’d sent the query. You don’t want to be on the phone with an editor, with no clue about the details of your piece. Be the writer who responds quickly and intelligently with the latest research, having the facts ready, exactly when they’re needed.