I’ve been seeing a lot of great posts on my favorite writing blogs recently! Here are seven of the best.
1. Saying No to NaNoWriMo
Marla Beck of The Relaxed Writer turns the tables on NaNoWriMo with 3 Reasons NOT to NaNoWriMo. Marla does more than give reasons to skip the event — she also offers a couple of alternatives, including doing it in the summer instead of November.
2. The Most Important Piece of Paper in Your Career
On the Make a Living Writing blog, Carol Tice discusses the importance of contracts with Why Freelance Writers Earn more with This Simple Piece of Paper. (You do work with a contract, right?) A side note: Carol is offering a 4-week Boot Camp on how to make good money writing online that starts November 8 — it’s free to Den members and $97 for non-members. I’ll be speaking on November 15 about query letters!
3. I Like This Post Because I’m 12
My almost-3-year-old boy loves it that fart jokes crack me up. PS Jones has a great post called Confident Freelancing on her blog Diary of a Mad Freelancer. You can’t beat a post that has a subhed “I’d never fart on a client.” Hilarious and on point.
4. Don’t Interview Without It
Over at The Urban Muse, Susan Johnston posts The Freelance Writer’s Interview Checklist. I’ve been hearing from some of my Write for Magazines e-course students that they’re afraid to do interviews, and this handy checklist should help every new writer feel more confident that they’re not forgetting anything important — like testing their recorder or asking the source for photos.
5. Reader Hint: Not Smooshing Bananas = Getting Your Writing Done
At one of my favorite blogs, Path of Possibility, Sage Cohen presents the amusingly-titled but very serious post It’s Never Too Late to Stop Smooshing Bananas. Read it to understand what smooshing bananas has to do with writing when you’re floundering. One great tip: “I was reminded that when you can’t act, planning can be both a satisfying and productive substitute. Can’t write for 2 hours? Spend 2 minutes imagining and outlining what the next 2-hour session will accomplish.”
6. Switching Niches
As someone who is starting (partly) over with my new career as a wellness coach and personal trainer, I enjoyed Steph Auteri’s post How to Start From Scratch with a New Niche on the Freelancedom blog. Quote of the day: “At this point, all the ‘how to boost your libido’ blog posts and mythology-based erotica essays are coming to you. But you know what’s not coming to you? Anything that’s not about your vagina.”
7. Got Clips? Use ‘Em
You’ve got clips — how can you parlay the into more work
This is a guest post by Marla Beck.
Getting stuck sending out your queries or letters of introduction? Time to solve your marketing pitfalls! Follow along and soon you’ll be ready to land better freelance writing assignments.
Pitfall #1: “I hate marketing.”
In six years of coaching freelancers, I’ve never met anyone who resisted the idea of marketing more than Tyler. An experienced journalist, Tyler now earned the majority of her money as a corporate copywriter. Although she was paid to promote the companies she worked for, Tyler was utterly blocked about introducing herself to potential new clients.
“I hate marketing,” she said. “I’m just not comfortable with self-promotion.”
Is it any wonder Tyler couldn’t find the time she needed to land new assignments?
I coached Tyler to learn to make peace with “marketing.” And guess what? She quickly found the time she needed to implement a simple marketing plan. In two-and-a-half months, Tyler landed a yearlong, $2,000/month gig with a brand-new client. Not bad for someone who once hated marketing!
Solution: Transform resistance into action.
The fastest path to landing better assignments is to overcome your resistance to building your business. Here’s how:
- Identify your fears. I’ve found that writers who resist marketing often do so because they’re scared they’ll make a mistake. They don’t want to come across as awkward or too sales-y. They’re afraid they’ll pester someone with follow-up emails. They don’t think they can write good queries.
- Learn & practice. If you discover you’re not promoting your work because you’re too scared to market, improve your skills. Then practice. As Linda’s pointed out, all the marketing know-how you need is just a click away. Read blogs like this one. Buy Linda and Diana’s query-writing book or take one of her e-courses. Hire a coach or join a group to support you.
Then once you know the basics, get out there and practice. It’s tempting to wait until you’re “perfect” to put yourself out there. But remember: while you’re busy striving for perfection, the writers who land better assignments are busy implementing what they learned. You don’t have to be perfect! Just practice what you’ve learned and course-correct as you go.
Pitfall #2: “I don’t have time to market.”
When I first started coaching Amanda, she was overworked and exhausted. She worked a part-time job and freelanced in the afternoons and evenings. She also had an extensive workout routine and took care of a sick family member. This woman was busy! She planned to leave her part-time job in two months, and Amanda needed her freelancing to support her. With my coaching, she did it.
First I taught Amanda to structure her freelance work sessions, and she began feeling less overwhelmed. Then I showed her ways to chip away at her marketing and income goals without logging more hours. One month Amanda doubled her earnings just by focusing on her billings and invoicing. Another month she challenged herself to write a query a week by working in small, doable work sessions. The result? Amanda’s happily freelancing now…full-time.
Solution: Create a marketing practice that doesn’t overwhe
I’ve been seeing a lot of great posts on my favorite writing blogs recently! Here are seven of the best.