Articles

Marketing 101 for Freelance Writers – Lisa Evans

Published on August 8, 2012

Prior to becoming a freelance writer, I had a career in marketing. Managing campaign schedules, building brands and doing competitive analyses filled my nine to five workday. When I made the switch to freelance writing, I thought I would ditch marketing vocabulary such as "target audience", "brand development", "ROI" and "customer relations" at the door. Instead, I have come to discover that the tools I honed as a marketing professional have enhanced my success as a freelance writer. Here are some ways I have used these marketing terms to build my business. …

En Route to Global Writing Recognition – Think Local By Jill Pertler

Published on August 1, 2012

As writers, we all long to earn the big bucks by penning the next best selling novel or Hollywood-bound screenplay. The reality of this scenario is that it is a reality for very few people. Often, it is years in the making. Not many writers see their first novel or screenplay gain the status of fame, fortune and six-figure royalty checks. The truth is, while we're working and writing and waiting for our well-deserved global recognition, we have to pay the bills. For that, I suggest you think local. …

The “Everything Writer’s” Submission Toolkit By Amy Lorenzo

Published on July 18, 2012

One guarantee in freelancing - you'll be pitching your capabilities over and over again. If you serve a well-defined niche, it's easy to put together new queries and bids. But what if your work spans multiple fields? Whether you do it to expand your income stream or to keep your writing life interesting, diversifying has advantages - but it can also make winning new business more challenging...…

Blabbermouth Your Book By Susan Sundwall

Published on July 11, 2012

Early this year, I got the wonderful news that my mystery was found suitable for publication. One reason was the marketing plan I'd submitted with my query letter and first three chapters. In that plan, I outlined the steps I intended to take before and after my publication date... …

Five Unique Freelance Writing Jobs By Michael Brown

Published on June 27, 2012

Five Unique Freelance Writing Jobs By Michael Brown

It's not always easy to translate thoughts into words, and oftentimes as a freelance writer, it's not even your thoughts that need to be translated, it is somebody else's. Sometimes, the topics are familiar and sometimes they are dumbfounding. Quite often, it's not a surprise to see a freelance writer wearing strange wigs or doing strange things during a write-up to get a "feel" of the unusual writing job that has been given to them. Here is a list of five unusual yet lucrative freelance writing jobs available to freelance writers... …

How To Avoid Becoming a Writing Hermit By Lisa Evans

Published on June 13, 2012

Two years ago, I quit my full-time job as a marketing professional to follow my dream and become a freelance writer. Eager to escape the gray cubicle walls that confined me, I conjured images of myself lounging on the sofa in my pajamas, my laptop resting on my knees as I methodically tapped out story after story. I enjoyed my new wardrobe - happy to have ditched the high-heels and pencil skirts - and relished the freedom to make my own schedule, but was shocked to find that I missed the office. Well, not the office exactly, but the daily jaunts to the coffee shop downstairs, chatting with co-workers in the office kitchen and team meetings that I'd previously found tedious and futile that now seemed welcome distractions to the loneliness I faced in my new life as a writer. …

Mentoring Other Writers: What’s In It For You? By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Published on June 6, 2012

Mentoring another writer may sound like giving away your industry knowledge for nothing or boosting a competitor. But really, mentoring is good for your protege's writing career and yours. Mentoring can benefit you beyond feeling good about helping another person who is new to the business. …

MARKETING STRATEGY RESULTS IN $6000 IN ASSIGNMENTS BY JOHN K. BORCHARDT

Published on May 30, 2012

Tradeshows offer a unique marketing opportunity for freelance writers. Many industries and trade associations ranging from the oil, chemical and food industries to home builders and restaurant owners have tradeshows to exhibit the latest in equipment and services to their members. I tried out my new strategy at Houston's May 6-9 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC). This is a major annual tradeshow. In 2012, there were more than 2,500 trade show booths and 89,400 attendees. So far my payoff from attending the tradeshow and marketing there is $6,000... …

Testify! Turning Testimonials Into Dollars By Melissa Mayntz

Published on May 16, 2012

Every freelance writer knows the value of a published clip to establish professional credibility, but a clip does not tell a potential client or new editor what type of person you are to work with, how good your writing is before editing, or whether you're worth working with on a regular basis. How, then, can a writer share that information without seeming to brag? The answer is simple - have someone else say it for you. …

Add Some Military Flavor to Your Next Article By Dan Heaton

Published on May 9, 2012

Want to work up a history on the old Army fort on the edge of your town? Perhaps you are just trying to find out what Grandpa did during World War II. All of this has become much, much easier today, thanks to the many resources now available online to the writer willing to spend a little time in research. …

Queries Going Out = Money Coming In By Cynthia Bombach Helzel

Published on May 2, 2012

Queries Going Out = Money Coming In By Cynthia Bombach Helzel

It's tempting to put querying aside while you're working on assignments, and then pick it up again when the work runs out. The problem is that, by then, it's too late. You end up with a gap in your assignments - and your income. …

Meet, Greet, and Take Action By Debra Holland

Published on April 25, 2012

Writers are often a great source of support for each other. Few professions have so many members willing to educate others in their field. The experience and expertise of other writers can help you at all levels of your career. Joining writers groups and professional organizations, participating in online forums, writing your own blogs and following other author blogs, and getting to know people at writing classes and conferences, are all traditional ways to become acquainted with other authors. However, networking also involves giving back. Share your knowledge with other authors and offer them encouragement and inspiration... …

Five Ways to Make (Not Spend!) Money at Conferences By Gabi Logan

Published on April 11, 2012

Five Ways to Make (Not Spend!) Money at Conferences By Gabi Logan

Any competent writer who puts himself or herself in the right place at the right time can achieve these essentially effortless results. Here are five ways you, too, can start making money at conferences instead of just spending it...…

The Rewards of Face-to-Face Employment Interviews for Freelancers By John K. Borchardt

Published on March 14, 2012

After a frustrating dry spell in terms of getting new corporate clients I changed my marketing strategy. Actually, this new strategy is the old strategy I used when I first became a full-time freelancer. Specifically, I returned to a focus on medium and large-size companies ($500 million to more than $1 billion in annual sales) located in my city (Houston). I had drifted into doing long-distance marketing by e-mail with interviews by telephone. I got some very good short-term gigs over the years. However, overall I had a low response rate to the letters of introduction I e-mailed to corporate contacts. In addition, in most cases these clients had no loyalty when their work assignments were intermittent (1 to 4 assignments per year). …

PR For My Book Increased My Other Business Income By $60K By Clyde Morgan, MD

Published on February 29, 2012

In November, 2010, I self published The 2766th Provisional Headquarters Flight WW II with BookLocker.com. The book generated sufficient PR in the first year to bring in an increased income of $60,000.00 for my clinic during a year when most physicians I know fought to stay even...…

Promoting Your Freelance Business via Direct Mail By Angie Papple Johnston

Published on February 22, 2012

As freelance writers, most of us have to advertise our services. Spending $100 to make $125 isn't worth the effort - but spending $100 to get a few long-term clients (and their referrals) is a really big deal. The key to effective marketing is to reach the right audience. If you don't, you're watching your hard-earned money circle the drain... …

Freelance Writer Does NOT Mean Free Content! By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Published on February 16, 2012

The details and pitch of the "copywriter wanted" ad sounded too slick but I applied anyway. I sent a cover letter, CV, resume and links to purchased, published works. I spent a good 15 minutes crafting the right approach and selecting the ideal links. A few weeks later, I received a bulk e-mailed form letter inviting me to send them a 500-word blog entry. Doing so would enter me into the next round of the selection process. Excuse me, second round? Is this a reality TV show or an employment opportunity? …

How to Get Paid By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Published on February 1, 2012

Sometimes the check doesn't arrive or the automatic deposit doesn't hit the account. Then what? I've had a few editors not pay when they said they would. What a writer does next can affect not only when he gets paid, but also the editor/writer relationship... …

YES, APPLE WANTS YOUR RIGHTS…And So Does (Almost) Everybody Else! By Angela Hoy

Published on January 25, 2012

It seems to me that Apple wants to corner the market through force, and squeeze more out of everyone, just like Amazon's been doing for years. How better to increase your income than to claim rights to others' creations, and force the creators to use your store when selling those creations, all the while further increasing your take? …

BookLocker Helped Turn Some Sunny Day Into A Commercial Success By Tom Douglas

Published on January 18, 2012

BookLocker Helped Turn Some Sunny Day Into A Commercial Success By Tom Douglas

It's been more than ten years now so I guess I can be excused for not being able to remember who it was that suggested I subscribe to WritersWeekly.com. I wish I could remember though because I would like to thank him or her for steering me in the right direction that would eventually lead to a very successful book writing career... …

Saying No to Writing for Pennies! By DeAnn Rossetti

Published on January 11, 2012

As freelance writers struggle to make a living during this "Great Recession II," we've all seen the "writers wanted" ads on Craigslist and elsewhere that outline -- in great detail -- the hefty amount of work, the long hours and the many qualifications for a particular job... …

Write Short Book Reviews to Earn Extra Money By Barbara Weddle

Published on December 28, 2011

If, as I do, you enjoy reading so much that you read the labels on canned foods, why not, after you've read a book, try your hand at writing a book review and pick up an extra $50 or $100 a month? Writing a general book review doesn't require any special expertise, only a good command of grammar and basic writing skills. Here's how to go about it... …

Fair Pay…or Cruel and Unusual Punishment? By Rich Mintzer

Published on December 21, 2011

Fair Pay…or Cruel and Unusual Punishment? By Rich Mintzer

Writer's chat rooms and discussion boards are constantly flooded with comments about rates for writers. New writers argue that they take what they can get to build a portfolio, while veteran writers argue that you should receive fair pay for your work, adding that you will never be respected if you simply give your work away. Yet, even long-time writers have fallen prey to some less than "acceptable" rates rather than turning down work considering the current economic state... …

How to Get Art for Articles By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Published on December 7, 2011

Writers are primarily words people, so it surprises many to discover that editors of magazines and newspapers often want writers to supply artwork to accompany articles, too. A photo, chart or other illustration makes an article more appealing to readers, and helps break up long stretches of text... …

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