What do you charge for website copy? What about blog articles? Do you charge per page or per word? How about a sales letter? What are your rates for those? Those are typical questions for clients to ask a writer these days... …
Copywriting and copyblogging are two highly lucrative writing fields yet too many freelance writers continue to "grind it out" at small-time blogs, "mom-and-pop" businesses and non-profits. In some cases, these freelance writers assume that they don't have the right credentials to land a corporate gig. In other cases, they are intimidated by the corporate world and its profit-centric terminology such as ROI, KPI, sales copy, landing page, marketing collateral, etc. However, aside from being prefaced by the word "copy," copywriting and copyblogging still involve writing well for an audience... …
You borrow books, you scan magazines. What else can the library do for you as an author? Two things... …
In 2001, I began to write my first fiction manuscript. Three years later, I'd established a website, and began to upload information about the title. Imagine my surprise and excitement when, not more than two months after my finishing it, an acquisition editor for a good-size publisher read my web excerpts, and requested the full manuscript. I remember I was beside myself with anxiety as I received nothing back... …
As profitable and satisfying as full-time freelancing can be, a part-time freelancing business has its merits, too. For one, you have the security of a salaried position to make it through the inevitable lean season. Also, depending on the job, you'll still be covered by employee health benefits - something many full-time freelancers still struggle with... …
How many people would ask a contractor to remodel their kitchen (a $20,000 job, or more), and expect the contractor to agree to be paid when you sold your home for a hefty price several years down the road? More significantly, how many contractors would take such an offer, knowing that the real estate market could tank, leaving the seller with less money than they anticipated and none left to pay your bill? …
The more time you spend completing paid writing assignments and the less time you spend looking for them, the more your income increases because your number of billable hours grows... …
Sometime between my 105th sent resume and 35th rejection letter as a freelancer, I've become a cynical, hate-filled spinster who doesn't even have a cat to fill me with love. It's a perfectly sensible attitude to adopt when you're an unemployed writer looking for work on the Internet. I've been burned by an "employer" on Craigslist so, when I heard about oDesk from a friend, its double-checking system sounded pretty safe... …
It pays well and it isn't too hard. Even if you're used to writing for magazines, your skills are transferable to this type of work... …
At the end of 2012, NBC reported that freelancers (across industries) now make up almost a third of workers in the U.S. But, the MBO Partners State of Independence Report around the same time pointed out that 30% of these independent workers are still worried about their future as freelancers, and 40% are worried about where their next job will come from... …
Technical writers come in two types: ones with scientific backgrounds and ones with writing backgrounds. Starting out, both types are at a disadvantage in delivering well-written technical materials...…
I started my book publishing career a dozen years ago at BookLocker.com, which is not a traditional publisher. So successful was Some Sunny Day - an account of family life when my father returned from overseas after the Second World War - that it led to a multi-book contract with a traditional publisher. And, that's where the heartache began... …
Many freelancers have that one client they love above all others. They're the VIP that pays on time, the customer who doesn't question his bill, the friend who gives you both steady work and the time of day. They're the rock upon which your business is built. When that rock disappears, negative thoughts start to run through your head. Anxiety starts creeping in, and your thoughts spiral down into panic. I know, because I've been there myself; and I can tell you this. Yes, your business can survive. And here's how... …
Steady work is survival for a freelancer - it means paying your rent, keeping the lights on, and eating. So, when you snag a regular client you want to hang onto them... …
There are two qualities that you need to get your work published: skill as a writer and the ability to generate unique, enthralling subject matter. However, different purposes require varying balances of these attributes... …
Much of the legal profession, and especially non-profit law firms, rely on instructional materials, such as "How-To" pamphlets and "Know Your Rights" brochures, to provide basic legal information to their clients. Here's where you come in: these pamphlets and brochures often appear to be slapped together without much effort or editing. …
Although I have obtained long-term and well-paying writing gigs through online ads, I've also read many ads that raised red flags. Here are a few signs you should not respond... …
Just two days before my event at the local library, the librarian called to touch base. "Now, you are the one who wanted to do a PowerPoint presentation, right?" Huh? Clearly she had me confused with another presenter. I had no plans for a PowerPoint, but the second I opened my mouth, I heard myself saying, "Sure. I'd like to do that." For two days, I rushed to create a presentation in connection with my fifth novel's release. Although I'd created a few PowerPoint presentations before for various teaching engagements, I'd never thought to do one for a novel... …
Literary legend has it that mystery writer Robert Parker sent a two-sentence query to the publisher of his first novel: "Here's my manuscript. Want to publish it?" While it was accepted--no doubt on the strength of the author's bestselling style--most wannabe-published writers need more than this to be taken seriously... …
Writers often jump at the prospect of work. They will jump through hoops, walk through fire, and compromise their core values just because there might be a chance of getting some work. They will often overlook important details about projects, which might cause them to never get paid or get any credit for their work. Writers need to think carefully before they say "I do" to any project. Experienced writers probably know all of this, but inexperienced writers often make a lot of mistakes in this area. Here are some things to consider before saying "I do" to any project... …
Notoriety and cash in the bank are still possible regardless of being time pressured, lacking confidence or losing motivation to complete that novel... …
Writers dream of big things for themselves and their careers. When faced with rejection or roadblocks, however, some writers abandon their dreams. This doesn't need to happen to you! If you want to make your dreams come true, you need to do what I did... …
Here is a simple, tried and true formula that I use to compose a "how to" book... …
If a writer writes and nobody reads it is he or she still a writer? On behalf of those who have written some remarkable diaries, stories or screenplays that have been neatly tucked away in drawers or saved in password protected files, writing can certainly be a self-fulfilling undertaking. But for many writers the next step is to invite others into their world, to read their work, explore their thoughts and possibly open the door to the wide range of responses, reactions and opinions that we collectively call feedback. It is from such feedback that we can re-think, re-shape and re-rewrite our work, unless of course we choose to simply reject it. Yes, as writers, we do have the power over feedback to accept it, question it, utilize some of it or simply ignore it... …
If you've looked at online ads for writing jobs or gigs lately, you've likely read headlines such as "Writing freelancer/intern..." The body of the ad stresses how much skill, talent and experience they seek, even "rock star" quality (which makes me muse why they want someone who dresses bizarrely and plays electric guitar). But back to the headline. Do they mean freelancers are equivalent to interns, people who have little to no experience, working for free while they complete their education? Yet the ads usually demand top-quality, experienced writers... …
Fear is everywhere for the freelance writer. The moment we put words on a blank page, we dread what others might think. Querying an editor stirs this fear: "What if she rejects me? I really need the money this month..." That fear may cause you to play it safe and write what you think others expect you to write. It may even keep you from writing your novel, or from pitching The New Yorker because you're scared you're not good enough. If you're not getting the kind of work you want, and consistently, then fear is why you fail. The goal, however, isn't to be fearless, as a person without fear is not courageous, but reckless. The goal is to leverage your fear so as to propel your spirit to write in its authentic voice... …
Today, authors can buy reviews and social media followers with the hopes of fooling a publisher or agent into believing they're a hot commodity when, really, they're not. In the online world it's known as black hat SEO. It's the process of artificially inflating web visibility either for social media accounts, websites, or blogs using unethical techniques. Now granted, places like Amazon or Facebook won't throw you in the slammer. They will, however, ban your account... …
It is my personal opinion that, when you set your mind to it, you can buy anything for less. Some things are pretty much the same when costs are cut. Store brand bottled water, secondhand books and 99 cent clear nail polish are just as good for me as their fancier, pricier counterparts. This line of thinking does not hold true for writing. To look at the market, though, you'd be skeptical. "Why should I pay Writer A $40 for an article when Writer B will do it for $4?" There seem to be more writers willing to work for bare bones payment than those who clearly view their writing with some esteem. The solution is simple: with writing, you get what you pay for... …
You do everything right - follow guidelines, edit well, promote yourself - so why doesn't your bank account reflect writing success? …
Bad things happen to good people, including good editors. Sometimes they're faced with a hole in the periodical's layout when the deadline to go to print looms. Your story can save the day if you're the editor's go-to writer and they'll likely return the favor to you... …
Managers of businesses, nonprofit organizations and government departments have long complained about the poor written communication skills of many of their employees. Managers are often too busy to edit their reports so they read smoothly. Yet these reports must present a professional image to a company's customers and decision-makers. The answer for a growing number of firms is to hire freelance writers and editors to edit reports for clarity. …
Writers are accustomed to reading newsletters such as WritersWeekly.com to get practical, concrete information and tips on writing, marketing, and publishing. Occasionally, however, we get advice on how to harness our own powers of creativity, positivity, and spiritual energy to achieve happiness and success. This is one of those articles. We now enter the realm of the subconscious. Or as some people I know call it, the "woo woo" zone. …
Over the years, I've probably responded to a good thousand online ads for writers. Out of those, about one hundred turned into assignments that led to actual checks. Some were one-time gigs, others have led to long-term partnerships. I have been hoodwinked, though, along the way... …
