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By Daisha Cassel
If you’re doing it right–and making a good living off it–freelance writing is a real job. In fact, most successful freelance writers put in well over 40 hours a week when they are getting their businesses off the ground.
Unfortunately, though, a lot of wannabe writing pros are unprepared when they decide to take the plunge and go freelance. Here, 5 ways to know that it’s time to say sayonara to the Schedule C and start sending out your resume.
1. You’re on the verge of bankruptcy and your basic needs aren’t being met.
You don’t have two nickels to rub together and are in dire straits! But you think freelance writing will net you fast, fast cash.
There’s a reason you’ve never seen a late-night infomercial or a back-pages ad in Popular Mechanics touting this profession as a get-rich-quick scheme. Not only does it take skill and hard work, but it’s one of the worst jobs to have if you’re already living paycheck to paycheck.
Unlike a job with an employer, you can’t count on a weekly or bi-weekly shot in the bank account. (One high-profile newspaper once took seven months to get a check out to me, and many freelancers have horror stories of never getting payment from shuttered mags and deadbeat publishers.)
Let’s not forget that the old adage “It takes money to make money” applies here too. You’re not sitting around in a safari jacket scrawling your next magnum opus with an affordable feather pen, are you? At the very least you need a reliable computer, internet connection, and phone to function as a business. It’s hard to focus on an interview when can’t pay the bill for the cell phone you’re conducting it on.
And “basic needs” are more than food, water, and those two proverbial nickels. Do you have health insurance? Are you contributing to a self-employed retirement plan or IRA? Do you have an emergency fund to cover those times when you, too, might wait seven months for a check to come in?
If your basic needs aren’t being met, you may want to consider seeking out employment until you’re over the hump.
2. When you read the beginning of this post you wondered, “What’s a Schedule C?”
Writing can be a hobby, but freelancing is a business.
When you go into business yourself, you are your own employer. This means things that your boss or the company accountant did on your behalf when you worked a 9-to-5 are now up to you.
It’s a legal requirement that you withhold and pay your own federal, state and local income taxes. (And guess what: since employers chip in to their employees social security and Medicare tax contributions, and you are now your own employer, your bill could be even bigger.)
If you haven’t been sending in tax payments, or even filing taxes on your earnings at all, you’re not just in violation of the law—you also aren’t treating freelancing like a real job.
3. You get nothing but rejections–and that’s on a good day.
“Nice” rejections where editors and clients ask you to stay in touch are one thing. But if you’re pitching plenty and hearing back never, or you only get boilerplate rejections, it may be time to reconsider the source of your future income.
If you don’t know when you’ll land your next article, then you don’t know when you’ll get your next paycheck. That uncertainty leads to desperation—both financial and emotional. It is one thing to be perseverant and another to be a glutton for punishment!
4. You’re amassing clips and experience, but not cash.
You’re writing for pennies a word (or less!), but your big break is right around the corner, right?
Don’t count on it.
Many a fledgling freelance writer has toiled away for far too long in the depths of content mills, (very) small regional magazines, and other no-or-low paying gigs in the name of “getting clips and experience.”
Sure, you need to have clips to show off your mad skills, but editorial standards tend to be as low as the pay in these cases, and no editor will be impressed by a barrage of hyperlinks to penny-a-word articles.
My advice? Completely skip the content mills, and start pitching to the big boys as quickly as you have a good idea. Most editors will be more receptive to a great query supported by a single clip than a mediocre, poorly researched one with lots of mediocre clips.
If you just can’t bring yourself to pitch high-paying markets, it may be time to consider getting a job and relegating freelance writing to “hobby” status.
5. You’re more worried about keeping up appearances than making a living.
A reader recently wrote in to Linda saying that she is on the verge of bankruptcy, and freelancing hasn’t worked out for her after several attempts, but she finds the idea of working in retail or food service “distasteful.”
Personally, I have a greater aversion to not having a paycheck when the mortgage is due and there’s no food on the table.
Maybe you made a big to-do about leaving the rat race behind, and now…it’s not going so well. This is important, people: do what you have to do to make things work for you financially.
If you love writing and feel like you just need a little more momentum, then keep it up as a second job while you take on something that pays the bills. Once it really does pick up, then you can slide back into a life of writing full time and kick that other job to the curb.
In the meantime, there is honor in doing what it takes to support yourself and your family. Think about it: would you rather say out loud that you are taking a new job in addition to your writing so you can pad your bank account, or that you don’t have enough money to feel your family and keep the lights on?
Bottom line: freelance writing can be a satisfying and lucrative work, but it takes a greater commitment to be your own employer than it does to be an employee. Do you have any other tips for fellow freelancers about self-employment? Share them in the comments below.
Daisha Cassel is a freelance writer who keeps four nickels in her pocket at all times just in case she ever wants to experience the luxury of rubbing two nickels together in stereo.
By: Kathy Temean,
on 9/16/2013
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Some Basic Information
If you are new to writing for the education market, this webpage has lots of helpful information for you. Although some educational publishers accept submissions and give standard royalty-based contracts with an advance, many do not. The more typical contract is a work-for-hire one in which the author is paid a one-time lump sum, and the publisher keeps all rights to the work. Usually, WFH books for the education market are non-fiction with the publisher determining the subject and specifying details like word count and reading level.
This may sound like a turn-off to you, but many authors make a good living with this kind of work and enjoy doing the research and the writing involved with it. Several of them share the pros and cons of writing WFH in the articles listed below.
Getting Wok For Hire Assignments
If you want to get WFH assignments, send a cover letter to the publisher stating your writing experiences and other qualifications, such as teaching experience or expertise in particular subject areas, and telling what subjects and grade levels interest you. Include samples of your writing. You should first research the kinds of books the publisher produces, and send samples which show your ability to write what they publish. The publisher will keep your information on file and contact you when they have an assignment they think matches your credentials.
Book Packagers
Lots of WFH books for the education market (an estimated 30% or more) are produced by book developers/packagers. These companies produce books for other publishers. Often the publishers request a particular product from the developer. Sometimes the developer may come up with the idea and offer it to a publisher. In my Educational Market List I try to indicate these kinds of companies with the words “developer,” “packager,” or “creation house” after the name.
Finding a Market for a Completed Manuscript or a Proposal
Perhaps you aren’t looking for an assignment, but instead are looking for an educational publisher for a completed manuscript or for a proposal. In that case, when you check my Educational Market List, you’ll probably be most successful if you look for publishers who have “submission guidelines” given. If they don’t have submission guidelines, then it’s more likely that they use freelancers only on an assignment basis. If they have guidelines and accept unsolicited submissions, the contract they give might still be a WFH one, or it might be a royalty-based one.
Royalty-Based Contracts
If an educational publisher does offer a royalty-based contract, the terms of the offer are frequently not comparable to what you may be used to in the trade market. Do not be surprised if there is no advance, if the royalty percentage is less, if the royalties are based on net instead of on list price, or if the publisher insists on the copyright being in their name. You can, of course, try to negotiate the terms they offer; just don’t be surprised if the terms are less beneficial than what you might expect in the trade market.
Advantages to the Educational Market
In spite of this, writing for the educational market has some wonderful advantages. A big one is that it is usually easier to break into this market, especially with non-fiction WFH, than to publish a trade market novel or picture book. Another advantage is that educational publishers usually keep your books in print much longer than the typical trade publisher does. They also usually have their own distribution channels and sales force, so are unlikely to expect you to do a lot of promotion of your books (although if you like doing such things as school visits, book fairs, and speaking engagements, you certainly can). Best of all, when you write for the education market you can enjoy knowing you’ve helped provide materials that can make a positive difference in the learning experiences of many, many children!
http://www.evelynchristensen.com/markettips.html
http://www.evelynchristensen.com/markets.html
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
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One Easy Way to Learn to Write Good Advertising Copy
Guest Post by Cathy Chapman, Ph.D. It doesn't matter what wonderful service you provide or how amazing your product is, if you don't let people know it's there, no one will buy it. Sure, word of mouth works for some things. For most, however, you need to write something and get it out to people to let them know what you have. The question is, how can someone on a limited budget with beginning skills as a copywriter, someone who writes advertising copy, let people know about their product.
The answer is simple. Copy what others write.No Plagiarizing AllowedWhen I said to copy what others wrote, I don't mean to steal their words and use them in your own advertising copy. I mean for you to take pen and paper in hand, no computers allowed unless you literally cannot use your hands, and copy a sales letter word for word. This is a powerful learning technique used in many circles. When you write with pen and paper, something magical happens in the brain. I can't tell you all the neurochemical responses in that brain of yours, but when you write by hand, there is a complex interaction in the brain that helps you learn faster and easier.
Don't spend your time physically reproducing any sales letter you come across. Use your time wisely and copy, for learning purposes only, the best sales letters you can find. You can do an internet search using the keywords "winning sales letters" and come up with a treasure trove of letters you can begin copying to get the hang of writing a good sales letter.
One of the most successful, if not the most successful letter to introduce a new product was written for a newspaper you may have read or at least have seen the name. That is The Wall Street Journal. This very successful financial newspaper was once only an idea in someone's mind. As time has demonstrated, it was a great idea. The problem was that people had to buy initial subscriptions for it to be successful. This very simple two-page letter has generated an estimated $2 billion in revenue for The Wall Street Journal.
The Step before CopyingThe sales letter that launched The Wall Street Journal is one to use for leaning by copying by hand numerous times. Before you put pen to paper, read it out loud several times. Listen to the cadence of the words. Pay attention to the imagery. Notice the feelings you have as you are reading it. Can you put yourself in the place of each of these young men? Which one would you rather be? Would you want success so much that you would pull out your check book, fill out the form and pop it in the mail? Remember, the internet wasn't even a spark in the mind of anyone at that time. This direct mail piece had to provoke immediate action before the offer was lost under a pile of other advertising.
Once you've read the letter and put yourself in the reader's position, begin copying the words. Feel the cadence as you write. Let the words and the rhythm of them imbed themselves within you from the interaction of what you see with your eyes and reproduce with the movement of hand. This simple task, although it takes time, will move you faster in learning the skill of copywriting.
You can then take what you've learned and write your own powerful sales letter in your own wonderful style that may be the next $2,000,000,000 winner.
Cathy Chapman, PhD, LCSW is a strategic marketer, copywriter and coach for the self-help and alternative health care market. To receive your Special Report "The Bare Necessities for an On-Line Marketing Campaign with Little Cash Outlay... Plus One" go to
http://www.mindbodyhealthwriter.com.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cathy_Chapman,_Ph.DArticle Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/6553599~~~~~
RECOMMENDED TOOL: How to Make $250+/Day Writing Simple, 500 Word ArticlesYuwanda Black of Inkwell Editorial is a well-known working freelance writer. She’s been doing this since 2007 and is offering to show you how to make fast money writing articles. And, there’s a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Check it out for yourself: Make Money Writing~~~~~
MORE ON FREELANCE WRITINGGhostwriting – Content RewritingYou Can Write for MoneyShould You Quit Your Day Job to Start Blogging? Read This Before You Decide~~~~~
To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars, join us in The Writing World (top right top sidebar).Karen Cioffi
Award-Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter
Author Online Presence Instructor
Create and Build Your Author Online Presence
http://www.karencioffi.com/author-online-presence-ecourse/Karen Cioffi Professional Writing Services
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/~~~~~
How to Make Money Marketing Articles
Guest Post by Evelyn Y. VargasOnline entrepreneurs are using articles to generate leads and to increase their conversion rate. Writing is a very effective way to capture customers' attention. By distributing such write-ups in the internet, the chances of a business to get a bigger number of audience are high. Company owners are also hiring freelance writers to spread the word about them. The amount of compensation depends on the person's skills and years of experience. If you have a passion in writing, this could be your opportunity to make money online.Education and experience
In truth, you don't have to be a professional writer to penetrate this industry. As a matter of fact, employers won't even require you to have a formal education in publishing or to attend a 4-year course for this particular job. As long as you can express your thoughts and opinion in English - with acceptable grammar - you can easily succeed in this endeavor. In addition, relevant experiences such as having a personal blog and contributions to online publications are also of huge help.
Writing style
When blogging for a specific company or product, you have to remember that simple words are much more appreciated than encyclopedia-type articles. Think about your audience. Most likely, they are ordinary people who want to understand your point immediately, Don't make them search a dictionary for word meanings because this will turn them off. Avoid also very long sentences that may confuse the reader. Create a unique writing style of your own and consider topics that would be interesting to readers.
Topic or niche
DIY (do it yourself) and other helpful information are much preferred today. People want to learn new things so share your knowledge about cooking, baking, gardening, blogging, web designing, etc. Informative articles and blog posts are very much in-demand because internet users are looking for reading materials with focus on a specific topic or niche. Submit your blog to major article directories, forums, blog networks and web magazines to drive visitors to your web page.
Tools and software
If you have a website, set up a plugin that will allow your followers to subscribe to your posts. In this way, they will automatically receive a notification every time you have a new published article. There are plenty of free tools out there but you can also buy a software or hire a programmer to customize one for you. Finally, don't forget to install FaceBook, Twitter and other social networking buttons to let your visitors share your articles fast and easy.
Make Money Check is designed to give you honest reviews straight from the mouth of people who have tried and made money online themselves. Every single post aims to give you insight about the proven methods and techniques to earn online. Learn more about how to make money online by writing articles and other recommendations by visiting this link http://makemoneycheck.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Evelyn_Y_Vargas
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6688550~~~~~
RECOMMENDED TOOL: How to Start Your Own Virtual Assistant Business from Home
The need for virtual assistants is rising exponentially. How to Start Your Own Virtual Assistant Business from Home offers easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions on just how to get your business up and running.
Get a copy today: How to Start a Virtual Assistant Business
~~~~~
MORE ON FREELANCE WRITING
Freelance Writing Work: The PossibilitiesFreelance Writing: An Additional Path to Income7 Steps to Freelance Writing Success Through Positive Thinking~~~~~
To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars, join us in The Writing World (top right top sidebar).Karen Cioffi
Award-Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter
Author Online Presence Instructor
Create and Build Your Author Online Presence
http://www.karencioffi.com/author-online-presence-ecourse/
Karen Cioffi Professional Writing Services
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/~~~~~
If you’re a freelance writer who does editing and promotes your services online, it’s no doubt you get queries from strangers. Dealing with potential clients who you don’t know is not a problem if all contact and work is done online. But, what if the client doesn’t have internet access and asks to mail his manuscript to you?
You might be shaking your head, thinking that everyone has internet access. Well, let me assure you that there are some people who don’t have internet access. So, if you’re contacted by this type of client, the question arises: Should you give your home address to someone you don’t know, even if it’s to earn money?
The answer is NO.Okay, so what do you do?
As a freelance writer, you need to have at least three strategies in place to handle the unexpected:
1. Have a post office box for your freelance writing business. Don’t give your home address to someone you don’t know.
2. You might prepare a questionnaire for potential clients to fill out. This will help you determine if you want to work with this individual. You might include the individual’s experience level, genre, a synopsis of the manuscript, writing affiliations/groups, and so on.
Why might having this information be important before accepting a gig?
There are a lot of people out there with a lot of ideas for books. I’ve been contacted to edit a nonfiction manuscript that explained how to commit crimes without getting caught.
Enough said on that.
In an article by Allena Tapia at About.com, she suggests leaving the questionnaire “soft” because down the road you may have a client who gives you lots of trouble and you’ll want to avoid that situation again. Being able to revise or add to your questions makes for a more effective questionnaire.
3. Have a note (some text) on your business website that explains you may not be able to accept all queries due to work load. This lets the individual know it’s possible you’re not available and is an easy out when asked to work with someone you’re not comfortable with.
You might also add your questionnaire to your website, giving visitors and potential clients an idea of what’s involved in working with you. If you decide to do this, you can create a separate page for it. Have the link to that page on your Services page. This will make it convenient for anyone thinking of using your services.
These are three simple freelance writing steps to help keep you safe.
~~~~~
RECOMMENDED TOOL:How to be a Five Minute WriterFive minutes is all you need! Mke Money Writing Fillers, Readers Letters, Mini Articles, Jokes, Anecdotes, Competition Slogans, And More.
CLICK HERE to learn more!
~~~~~
MORE ON FREELANCE WRITINGWriting for Money – Breaking Into Freelance WritingFreelance Writing Work: The PossibilitiesSetting Your Freelance Writing Rates~~~~~
To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars, join us in The Writing World (top right top sidebar).Karen Cioffi
Award-Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Author Online Presence Instructor
Writer’s Digest Website of the Week, June 25, 2012
Online Marketing Ebooks and Ecourses:
http://karencioffi.comKaren Cioffi Professional Writing Services
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/
One Easy Way to Learn to Write Good Advertising Copy
Guest Post by Cathy Chapman, Ph.D. It doesn't matter what wonderful service you provide or how amazing your product is, if you don't let people know it's there, no one will buy it. Sure, word of mouth works for some things. For most, however, you need to write something and get it out to people to let them know what you have. The question is, how can someone on a limited budget with beginning skills as a copywriter, someone who writes advertising copy, let people know about their product.
The answer is simple. Copy what others write.No Plagiarizing AllowedWhen I said to copy what others wrote, I don't mean to steal their words and use them in your own advertising copy. I mean for you to take pen and paper in hand, no computers allowed unless you literally cannot use your hands, and copy a sales letter word for word. This is a powerful learning technique used in many circles. When you write with pen and paper, something magical happens in the brain. I can't tell you all the neurochemical responses in that brain of yours, but when you write by hand, there is a complex interaction in the brain that helps you learn faster and easier.
Don't spend your time physically reproducing any sales letter you come across. Use your time wisely and copy, for learning purposes only, the best sales letters you can find. You can do an internet search using the keywords "winning sales letters" and come up with a treasure trove of letters you can begin copying to get the hang of writing a good sales letter.
One of the most successful, if not the most successful letter to introduce a new product was written for a newspaper you may have read or at least have seen the name. That is The Wall Street Journal. This very successful financial newspaper was once only an idea in someone's mind. As time has demonstrated, it was a great idea. The problem was that people had to buy initial subscriptions for it to be successful. This very simple two-page letter has generated an estimated $2 billion in revenue for The Wall Street Journal.
The Step before CopyingThe sales letter that launched The Wall Street Journal is one to use for leaning by copying by hand numerous times. Before you put pen to paper, read it out loud several times. Listen to the cadence of the words. Pay attention to the imagery. Notice the feelings you have as you are reading it. Can you put yourself in the place of each of these young men? Which one would you rather be? Would you want success so much that you would pull out your check book, fill out the form and pop it in the mail? Remember, the internet wasn't even a spark in the mind of anyone at that time. This direct mail piece had to provoke immediate action before the offer was lost under a pile of other advertising.
Once you've read the letter and put yourself in the reader's position, begin copying the words. Feel the cadence as you write. Let the words and the rhythm of them imbed themselves within you from the interaction of what you see with your eyes and reproduce with the movement of hand. This simple task, although it takes time, will move you faster in learning the skill of copywriting.
You can then take what you've learned and write your own powerful sales letter in your own wonderful style that may be the next $2,000,000,000 winner.
Cathy Chapman, PhD, LCSW is a strategic marketer, copywriter and coach for the self-help and alternative health care market. To receive your Special Report "The Bare Necessities for an On-Line Marketing Campaign with Little Cash Outlay... Plus One" go to
http://www.mindbodyhealthwriter.com.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cathy_Chapman,_Ph.DArticle Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/6553599~~~~~
RECOMMENDED TOOL: How to Make $250+/Day Writing Simple, 500 Word ArticlesYuwanda Black of Inkwell Editorial is a well-known working freelance writer. She’s been doing this since 2007 and is offering to show you how to make fast money writing articles. And, there’s a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Check it out for yourself: Make Money Writing~~~~~
MORE ON FREELANCE WRITINGGhostwriting – Content RewritingYou Can Write for MoneyShould You Quit Your Day Job to Start Blogging? Read This Before You Decide~~~~~
To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars, join us in The Writing World (top right top sidebar).Karen Cioffi
Award-Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter
Author Online Presence Instructor
Create and Build Your Author Online Presence
http://www.karencioffi.com/author-online-presence-ecourse/Karen Cioffi Professional Writing Services
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/~~~~~
Visit the MediaShower website and you'll notice that "Content is King," according to them. (We understand that at WOW! Women on Writing!) MediaShower, which has some good success stories, started nearly two decades ago to provide great content to its clients, which enables their clients to get to the top page of results when someone searches Google. John Hargrave believes that although everyone wants to get to the top of Google results, great content and promotion is what will get the clients there. WOW asked him about what MediaShower is looking for in its freelance writers and what opportunities are available. John shared what the company is looking for and some of the company's success stories.
WOW: How did your company get its start and what's its mission, besides "Content is King"?
John: One of our goals is to create the world's most powerful network of journalists and authors. While writers have had a difficult time over the past few years, we believe that power is slowly returning back to writers who work hard to build a following. Google is behind this change: it is gradually placing more importance on authors who have "citations," which means you have a Google+ page with plenty of followers, and you link all your writing to your Google+ page (and vice versa). These writers will be able to command much higher prices in the near future. At Media Shower, we educate and train our writers on how to take advantage of this power shift, which benefits both us and them.
WOW: What kind of content is Media Shower looking for from its writers?
John: We write on every topic imaginable, so versatility is important. We always have plenty of work in the small business, personal finance, and insurance fields—especially from writers who are able to tackle those topics in a way that's interesting and fun to read.
WOW: Does Media Shower hire other editorial professionals?
John: Yes, we have a team of world-class editors who serve two roles: they come up with story ideas for our writers, and they edit and deliver the final piece to the client.
WOW: Does Media Shower provide the assignments?
John: Yes. We also provide a style guide—the "Media Shower style"�so it's easy for our writers to quickly grab an assignment from our website and get started. Highly motivated freelance writers thrive in our environment.
WOW: What kind of experience are you looking for from an applicant and does a writer need to know SEO?
John: First, we're looking for great writers—people who can really grab readers' attention and hook them. Because we produce so much great content, you need to be incredibly reliable at hitting deadlines. Being able to write on a wide variety of subjects is helpful. While SEO knowledge is not required, you do need to know how to write for the Web—it's difficult to train print journalists with no Web experience. More information, and signup form, at http://mediashower.com/content?Action=WriterApp
WOW: When Media Shower is looking for a multimedia article, what does that mean?
John: We pride ourselves in delivering beautiful content, so all of our articles come with photos included. We have several sources that writers can use to find these photos; it takes only a few minutes at the end of an assignment.
WOW: Who are some of Media Shower's clients?
John: We work with the largest provider of personal finance software, the largest B2B website, one of the largest auto insurance providers, as well as many other clients (both small and large). Working with Media Shower is an opportunity to associate yourself with powerful brands.
WOW: And, of course, what is the pay rate for Media Shower? How often are writers paid?
John: Pay is variable, and we are very reliable on payment, which is monthly. We just released a new version of our writer website, which calculates our writer payments automatically, freeing them from the hassle of invoicing. Our goal is to eliminate the "overhead" of running a freelance writing business, so our folks can do what they do best—write!
WOW: Thank you, John, for your responses to our questions!
Elizabeth King Humphrey is a writer and editor living in Wilmington, NC. She is a regular contributor to WOW! Women on Writing.
By Linda Formichelli
Karen Cioffi’s guest post this week, 7 Steps to Freelance Writing Success Through Positive Thinking, got a great response! I can see this idea resonates with many of my readers.
Karen’s step #2 was “Put your vision into words and other visuals.” For me, that visual is a video — and I wanted to let you know about Animoto, a FREE service that lets you create short videos. You can insert photos, select music, add headlines, and more to create a video vision board that will help you keep at your writing goals. My life and career coach, Kristin Taliaferro, recommended it to her clients — and I’m recommending it to you!
I haven’t used Animoto to create a vision board in relation to my writing yet, but in 2010 I made one to reflect my themes for the year: Health and peace. It’s two years old, but I still watch — and am inspired by it — often. Here’s the video:
LIGHT
I hope you find this helpful as you work towards your freelance writing goals and try to keep a positive mindset. If you create an Animoto vision board video and you’d like to share it, post the link in the Comments below! [LF]
by Kristen Fischer
Creative professionals may think they do not need a resume when they go solo. After all, you’re not job-hunting anymore. But you are on the hunt for clients.
I know many freelancers—including writers—that believe in this mindset. And they’re right in a way: You’re not a job-hunter anymore, so why have a resume?
The truth is that as a freelance writer, you are a client-hunter; that is, you are always on the lookout for clients, right? And since many of them are companies that follow the traditional hiring model, which includes resumes, there is really no reason
not to have one.
While it may be more relevant for a copywriter securing corporate clients to have a resume, it can still be useful for journalists as well. Some writers maintain that they don’t need a resume, but what happens if someone is interested in your services and asks to see a resume? Is it worth it to miss out on what could be a cool opportunity simply because you’re “not corporate” or you’re “only indie” now?
So, how can you put a resume together that adheres to the latest standards and lets your individuality shine through? Here are a few tips for writing a winning resume.
- Ditch the objective. Nowadays, these only are used for recent graduates with little experience. So instead of an objective, use a profile or overview of your skills. A profile is similar to the objective in that you target the specific role you have your eye on, but you talk about what you have to offer instead of what you want.
- Get descriptive. In the profile, I start each sentence with an adjective. Take a peek at my resume for an example.
Innovative copywriter generating sales-boosting marketing collateral that enhances organizational image and cultivates sales. Articulate leader collaborating with clients to devise brochures, website content, sales letters, and newsletters. Detail-oriented editor with exceptional command of the English language; leveraging AMA, AP and Chicago styles to maintain editorial consistency. Esteemed creative professional advancing thriving profession as an author and journalist.
This gives you the breadth of my experience as a copywriter, author and journalist. It also shows examples of the types of work I do and the goals of those projects, which are to enhance the image of my clients and drive sales for them. Throughout the rest of the resume you would start each statement with a verb—and try not to repeat the same one. For example, many people use the word “create” a lot in the creative field. Instead, try other synonyms such as “originate,” “innovate,” “develop,” “conceptualize,” “generate,” “produce,” or “formulate.”
- Use third-person. A resume should never be written in first-person tone…no matter how unique you are. Use the third-person tone—it sells you better and it’s the standard practice. You may be creative as they come, but a resume that starts with “I am…” shows that you do not understand the norms, and it has the potential to dissuade a corporate client that is looking for someone with a professional image as their outsourced writer.
- Tell your story. Skills-based resumes that lump your experiences together based on your aptitudes are nice, but your profile already tells about your capabilities as they pertain to what you want to do. Let the professional experience tell a chronological story so a client or employer can see how you’ve evolved as a professional. Even if you’ve got some experience that doesn’t relate to your career as a writer, the aptitudes you have gained in previous roles can still position you to thrive as a creative professional. Let’s say you have tons of smaller projects to highlight or maybe some gaps in time—you can still present them under a title of your own business, and use bullets to talk about some of the jobs. Use bullets to break up some of the text; I use set apart achievements with bullet points instead of having job duties and bullet points in either a paragraph or a bulleted list.
- Drop names. A lot of creatives I hear from say that throwing in names of clients makes them feel shallow, but it’s just good self-promotion—and you’re in business for yourself now, so you have to do everything you can to stay there. A Fortune 500 company may want to hire the writer that has worked with a fellow Fortune 500 business as compared to a writer that has only worked for local mom-and-pop stores or only focuses on publishing achievements. If the resume reader sees you’ve worked for a brand they know, they may be more impressed and maybe more likely to hire you.
- Be authentic. Be professional and genuine at the same time. Your resume doesn’t have to be dripping with formal words, but it can still be professional. After all, your resume is a marketing document but it can still show your talents as a creative professional.
-----
Kristen Fischer is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW). Her book
When Talent Isn’t Enough: Business Basics for the Creatively Inclined is due out in stores this month. Visit
www.kristenfischer.com to learn more.
Freelance Writers: How to Use Online Job Boards to Earn Fast Cash
Guest post by Suzanne LieuranceIf you're one of those writers who never seems to find any assignments on the online job boards, you're probably being too picky OR you may just be looking at the wrong kinds of ads. Here's something to try that should help you land a job you can complete quickly to earn some fast cash.
Search for just one short assignment that pays at least $50 for something you would feel comfortable writing because you have the skills and knowledge to pull off the job. It doesn't have to be something you're passionate about writing. You just want a quick assignment. For example, if you're good at writing press releases or book or product reviews, or cover letters, or artist statements, look for ads for one of those assignments.
As soon as you see the ad, follow the application guidelines immediately.
If you get the assignment, do it right away and bill the client.
The point of this is to look for jobs that you can complete quickly and that are relatively easy so you can make some fast cash. But then you want to move on to another new client and another new project that you can complete quickly.
Skip over the ads that promise regular work - these are usually the ones that will gobble up your time for very little pay and you won't be able to do anything else. Also, skip over the ads for assignments that will take weeks to complete. You aren't looking for a regular client at this point or a long-term assignment. You just want a short, easy assignment that will give you some quick cash.
Get in the habit of scanning a variety of online job boards like this on a regular basis and you'll soon be making some quick cash every week!
Try it!
For more tips to help you build a freelance writing career, check out Suzanne Lieurance’s Working Writer’s Club. It’s the place to be if you want to create a writing career and/or get it in high gear.Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/6014243~~~~~
MORE ON FREELANCE WRITINGGhostwriting – Content RewritingWriting for Money – Breaking Into Freelance WritingFreelance Writing Work: The Possibilities~~~~~
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It's an inside-the-biz guide that steers you clear of the shark-infested waters that gobble up and spit out most wannabe writers. Howells shows you the shortcuts to earning good money quickly. His hard-learned secrets and stealth tactics will save you a ton of pain and frustration.
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By Linda Formichelli
Why aren’t you making a living as a freelance writer? In fact, why aren’t you marketing and writing right now?
Whatever ails you — whether you’re afraid or depressed or disorganized — I have posts that will help you, right here on The Renegade Writer.
Problem: You’re afraid to contact editors.
Read these posts:
Are You Afraid to Pitch Editors? This Is the Reason You Shouldn’t Be
6 Crucial Lessons About Editors I Learned from Starting My Own Magazine
How to Find Out Everything You Want to Know from an Editor
7 Excuses to Stay in Touch with Editors and Clients
Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Worry About Getting on the “Editors’ Blacklist”
Problem: You’re waiting for the perfect time to get started.
Read these posts:
Why You Should Stop Thinking About Becoming a Freelance Writer
Bust My Excuse: I’m Too Old to Get Started!
Bust My Excuse: I’m a Busy Mom…I Don’t Have Time to Write!
Still Waiting for The Right Moment to Begin Your Freelancing Career?
Problem: You’re feeling demotivated, scared, or depressed.
Read these posts:
The Depressed Writer: An Interview with Julie Fast, Author of Get It Done When You’re Depressed
7 Motivation Hacks for Freelancers
How to Get Past Your Writing Block Using Brute Force
The First Hurdle: Why Writers Should Stop Being Scared and Take a Leap of Faith
Does Rejection Get You Down? Here’s How to Develop Resilience as a Freelance Writer
Recording of Become a Confident Writer Teleclass Now Available
7 Proven Tip for Getting Into the Write Mood
Problem: You’re feeling disorganized and scattered.
Read these posts:
Renegade Writer Q&A with David Allen, Author of Getting Things Done
Renegade Writer Q&A with Laura Vanderkam, Author of 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think
How to Gain Control Over Your Freelancing Life
7 More Ways to Gain Control Over Your Freelancing Life
The ADHD Writer: Making Distraction Work for You
How to Organize Your Assignments, Research, Interviews & All the Rest
9 Great Ways to Capture Your Most Creative Ideas Now Matter Where You Are
That’s all for now…but there are more than 1,000 helpful posts on this blog, so if I didn’t address your problem, please select a category in the drop-down box on the right and browse the archives!
By Linda Formichelli
When you’re a new writer and you get your first assignment, you first want to do the happy dance — and then you want to wet yourself in fear that you now need to actually produce a publishable article.
A lot of mentoring clients ask me to describe my methods for writing an article. So — here you go!
1. Write in your head.
I think about my assignments during down times, like when I’m taking a shower or driving in the car. It’s a habit — it’s become automatic for me. Then, when I sit down to write the article, a lot of it is already written in my head. I may have an idea for a lede or a kicker (that’s the end of your article), or I may have thought about what information from my research and interviews I want to include and what I want to leave out.
2. Draft an outline.
Don’t freak — I don’t mean that you have to write a detailed outline with all the letters and numbers like you did for high school essays.
For me, outlining is as simple as jotting down the subheds I think I’d like in the article, in the order in which they’ll appear. Even writing a quickie outline will keep you from feeling overwhelmed by all the research you’ve done. You now have an idea of what you need and what you don’t.
3. Divide it up.
If you’ve written a quick outline, divide up your word count among the sections, making sure you save words for your lede and kicker. For example, if I’m writing a 2,000-word article with 4 sections, I know I have about 450 words per section, which gives me 200 words for the beginning and conclusion. This keeps me from overwriting, and it’s a lot easier to write to length when you’re looking at chunks of 500 words (or whatever) instead of an entire article.
4. Read your notes.
I like to quickly read over all my research and interview transcriptions before starting just to refresh my memory on the main points. Then, I start writing from my head, without looking at the notes. If there’s anything I forget, I mark that spot in the article with a TK (journalism parlance for “to come”) and fill it in later.
5. Use the notes.
I often use the technique I outlined in My Trick for Writing Difficult Articles. In short, I go through each of the interview transcriptions, pull out the best quotes, and plop them into the right sections in the article. Then, I use my mad skills to blend them into the rest of the article, or to paraphrase the quotes if I find the article is becoming too quote-heavy.
6. Make raisin bread.
Carol Tice of Make a Living Writing and the Freelance Writers Den has shared the “raisin bread” technique she learned from a journalist when she was starting out: Think of quotes as the raisins in raisin bread. No raisins, and your bread is dull and bland. Too many, and the bread falls apart. You want to sprinkle in just enough to make the bread tasty and interesting.
7. Edit as you go.
Some people like to blast out a draft and then edit the heck out of it, which is perfectly fine. As for me, I prefer to edit as I go. So I’ll write a paragraph and edit it. I may have a brainstorm and go back to an earlier section and add or delete words there. Then, when I finish the article, I only need to do a quick proofreading before sending it out.
8. Put on the finishing touches.
You’ll definitely need to include a source list, and your editor may also ask you for an annotated copy of the article for the fact checker. More info on those and other end-of-the-article details here.
That’s it! Do you have any super special tips for writing a great article quickly and efficiently? Please post them in the Comments! [lf]
After a somewhat rough start, Manhattan is starting to “hit its stride,” says EIC Cristina Cuomo. The pub, which launched in the midst of the financial crisis, is unlike other city mags since it’s more like a national book with local flavor. And Cuomo, whose first issue with the pub was September’s, is on a mission to “give the magazine a personality and a sense of humor.”
Among her changes? A new section called “The Fictionist,” which welcomes anyone with literary chops be they veteran or newbie authors. Writers can pitch short stories or book excerpts.
For more info, read How To Pitch: Manhattan. [subscription required]
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
By: Mona Zhang,
on 10/5/2012
Blog:
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Brain, Child is not your typical parenting pub. It’s as much a literary mag as it is a parenting one, so it wants writers who can pen more than the usual service angle of most family mags.
The brainy book recently switched leadership, and its new editor in chief, Marcelle Soviero, said “I’m definitely keeping the major tenants of the magazine, which are that we’re a literary magazine for women and that we publish essays, short stories and a feature article in each issue.”
Soviero also said she hopes to develop a poetry section and expand the book reviews. Bonus: she loves working with new writers. ”I’ve been that new author. I know what that’s like, and I always appreciated when magazines would take a chance on me. I like to do that for people, as well, as long as the work is excellent and meets our needs,” she said.
Read more in How To Pitch: Brain, Child: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers. [subscription required]
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
By Krissy Brady.
The best part of being a freelance writer is the freedom to build a writing career that’s wrapped around your specific goals and desires.
Since it’s a process we all take on differently, the best part of being a freelance writer is also the intimidating part.
For example, I’m still adjusting to the freelance lifestyle, so I’m very careful with how I handle sending out query letters. Especially as a new writer still building clips, I know how important queries are in making a good first impression with editors who don’t know me.
While I do research markets for each of my queries, organizing them in tiers based on their pay rate and my desire to break into each market, I’ve yet to send out simultaneous queries. This is something I plan on doing in the future, but for now I want to become more comfortable with the process, giving each pitch and the editor I send it to my full attention.
I’ve customized a query letter “production line” to help ease myself into the process, which as it turns out is also a great way to fend off what I call “rejectionitis”: that deflated feeling a writer gets when they’ve received a “thanks, but no thanks” response from an editor (or no response at all).
1. Send query letter to desired market.
Create a stellar query letter for your article idea, and send it to the editor of the magazine you most want to accept it.
2. Choose a “Plan B” market.
Choose a back-up market you’d like to submit your query letter to if your first choice doesn’t accept it.
3. Create a “Plan B” query letter.
Customize the query letter to fit your “Plan B” market. When customizing your query, use the following checklist as your guide:
- Editor’s Name
Make sure the query is addressed to the editor of the correct department.
- Market’s Tone
Some magazines have a more investigative approach, while some have a bubbly, upbeat approach. Tweak your query letter to suit the voice of your back-up market.
- Name of Department
Change the name of the department you feel your article is best suited for (if it’s different from the department name of your first choice).
- Quotes
You may need to change out your quotes to better reflect the voice of your back-up market, or, if you’re sending your query to a market based in a different country, change to quotes from sources in that country.
- Publication Name
If you’ve mentioned the publication name anywhere in your query, triple-check you’ve changed the name to your back-up market.
- References to Publication
If you’ve mentioned articles from past issues of the magazine, make sure to change the mentions to articles from your back-up publication.
- Revise, Revise, Revise
Do several read-throughs of your revised query letter to make sure it’s the best it can be.
- Editor’s E-mail Address
Add the new editor’s e-mail address in the “To” section of your e-mail query.
4. Save “Plan B” query letter as an e-mail draft.
If you receive a rejection from your preferred market, this makes it so that you don’t have time to react to the rejection. Simply send out your “Plan B” query and you’ll be back in anticipation mode.
5. Rinse and Repeat
Repeat the above steps with every query letter you send out, and your pitches will always be out there, patiently waiting to be accepted.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned through my transition from web designer to writer, it’s that no two writing routines are the same. We all have our own transition to create based on our lifestyle and current work schedule.
Create a routine that works best for you, and you’ll be well on your way to creating the writing career you’ve always wanted.
Do you have a unique writing routine? How is it helping to strengthen your writing skills and build your credentials?
Krissy Brady is the owner of Krissy Media Ink and a markets columnist for WOW! Women on Writing. She runs a blog for writers dedicated to keeping the passion for writing alive. Keep in touch with Krissy on Facebook and Twitter for the latest writing-related information.
Ghostwriting: Content Rewriting
As a ghostwriter you will come across a variety of clients that may request your ghostwriting services. One of the clients will be ‘the rewrite client:’
This is actually a popular project for a ghostwriter, content rewriting. Whether an individual wants to have his memoir rewritten or a businessman needs to have his business manuscript rewritten or a business wants articles rewritten for an affiliate or sister site, the client will provide you with a full manuscript or article and request that you rewrite it for them.
Sounds pretty simple right? Well, it’s not as easy as it sounds.
For the individual with the memoir you may receive a manuscript that’s very poorly written. You will have to try to determine what the client means in certain instances and this will take lots of feedback. Content rewriting will also mean you’ll need to spin words while still invoking the client’s voice. And, depending on the individual’s reason for writing the memoir, you may have to advise that ‘getting even’ doesn’t really make for a saleable book.
Then there is the businessman looking into ghostwriting for the business book he wants rewritten. Again, you may have poorly written content that you’ll have to sort through. And, you’ll have to strive to keep the client’s voice. You’ll also have to verify all the information.
Another client in need of your ghostwriting service may be the business or health marketer who needs articles rewritten for a sister or affiliate site. This content rewriting is probably word-for-word the most difficult, unless you become very proficient at it. Depending on the genre you will need to become acquainted with the language, the keywords, and the business or health topic you’re writing about.
For example: assuming you’re requested to rewrite health articles about allergies, you’ll need to know the particulars about allergies, such as terminology: indoor allergies, outdoor allergies, environmental allergies. You get the idea. And, the word “triggers” means those substances that will cause an allergic reaction. But if you’re rewriting you may not be able to use the word ‘trigger.’
If you’re wondering why you can’t use a particular word it’s because when rewriting any content for online use, it must meet non-duplication criteria. This means that the rewritten article must be under a particular percentage in regard to duplicate content according to search engine criteria.
Why is this so important in regard to content rewriting?
Simple, Google penalizes page rank if it determines your content is duplicated by other sites.
A great tool to check your duplicate content score is WordsFinder Duplicate Checker and Article Rewrite Comparison. According to this site, your score needs to be below 80 percent or you may be penalized for duplicate content. But, your client may request it be below 70 percent. To be safe, you should always aim for below 70 percent. If you’re rewrite duplicate percentage is too high, you have to rewrite it, while keeping it coherent and on topic, until it’s under 70 percent. This will most likely mean finding synonyms for a number of words. Take the word ‘strategy. You might spin it with ‘policy,’ ‘plan,’ ‘technique,’ or other word that has a very similar meaning.
So, while content rewriting may sound easy, it can be a much more involved ghostwriting project than anticipated. Take this into account when quoting a price.
You can find the WordsFinder tool at:
http://www.wordsfinder.com/tool_duplicate_content_checker.php~~~~~~~~~~
For professional writing services, including ghostwriting, check out:Karen Cioffi Writing Services
A Team of Professionals for Businesses and Individualshttp://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/~~~~~~~~~~
More on Freelance Writing and GhostwritingFreelance Writing Work: The PossibilitiesA Ghost Writer: 5 Features That Can Help Your Business Part 1You Can Write for Money~~~~~~~~~~
To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for The Writing World newsletter on the right top sidebar!Until next time,
Karen CioffiMulti-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer
Writer’s Digest Website of the Week, June 25, 2012
Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com(check the sidebar for titles)
By Steve Maurer.
Yeah, I know. That’s not the most grammatically perfect headline you’ve ever read. In fact, I’m sure that my high school English teacher would be rolling her eyes and throwing her hands up in disbelief, thinking she’d taught me better. Bless her heart! Nevertheless, if you’ve read this far, then that horrid headline has done its primary job: getting your attention.
The three power tips in this article are not concerned so much with improving your writing skills as they are with refining your abilities as a writer. Confused yet? There are boatloads of resources out there to turn you into a perfect punctuationalist or a proficient grammaratician. Some are listed below.
However, this article doesn’t deal with syntax and structure, adverbial clauses, comma splices or even the dreaded dangling marsupial, uh, participle. These tips are meant to improve your confidence level as a writer and, consequently, to transform you into a better one.
The Power of Association
John Donne, the English clergyman and poet, wrote this about the human condition in his work, Meditation XVII:
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less . . .
The entire passage, written in 1624, tells of the interconnectedness of people, the idea that each of us has an integral part in the overall community that is humanity. Even you!
Heavy stuff, huh?
Interconnectedness spills over into the world of freelance writing as well. We aren’t monks sequestered away in our candlelit cubicles, slaving away with parchment, quill and ink, feverishly hand-crafting some obscure tome.
Unfortunately, many new writers feel that they must work alone, devoid of human contact, as they attempt to master their craft. Nothing could be further from the truth.
It’s time to get off the island, my friend.
Successful writers know that association with other writers is vital to growth. No one person knows it all, but we can all grow together by hanging out with others of our own ilk. In the classic 1937 book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill outlines the Master-Mind principle used by Andrew Carnegie.
In a nutshell, the melding of minds and sharing of ideas leads to an entity that is greater and more powerful than the individuals alone. Each person’s talents and knowledge contributes to the whole of the experience.
Man, heavy stuff again!
As a new writer, you should start associating with other writers. You can learn from both their successes and their challenges, get some counseling and ask them your burning questions. In fact, you’ll have a great opportunity to do that in a few minutes. At the end of this article there will be a place to make comments.
Many new writers never add a comment, often afraid of looking stupid or uninformed. Understand that the comments section is a safe haven in which to ask questions, request clarification and share your own experiences. Really, you need to write a comment! We need to hear from you!
Remember that you are a piece of the continent too.
I’d suggest that you become part of a writers’ group as well. Three that I belong to and recommend are:
By Rosella Eleanor LaFevre
My first attempt at making a magazine was in sixth grade. My friend and I wrote articles and compiled visuals that we glued to sheets of Xerox paper.
One Sunday I sat at my family’s copier and manually assembled ten double-sided copies of my 30+ page magazine, called RoZgIrl, that I passed out to my classmates the next day at school. I got a rush sharing my work with other people.
Then, as a sophomore in journalism school, I decided to start my own magazine for real. I’d watched magazines succeed and fall apart in my various internships and decided I could do this for real.
M.L.T.S. Magazine, a quarterly online publication that covers lifestyle, education and career topics for young women in college, was launched in June 2011.
It’s been the greatest challenge of my life and the rewards are addictive (being profiled on the Huffington Post was the coolest honor!). Among the many things I’ve learned from starting my own magazine are a few that have informed my interaction with editors at other magazines.
1. Editors are always looking for new writers.
Honestly, I get a little giddy every time a new writer contacts me saying they want to write for M.L.T.S. When I set out to create a magazine, I knew that I couldn’t write all of the articles, gather all the artwork, do the layout and promote the publication and so I did a big recruiting push – contacting j-school listservs and Ed2010 – and I got a lot of nibbles but very few writers stuck around.
Writers are a crucial part of the team and yet no matter how many writers I have, I’m always looking for new ones. I’ve had several writers back out at the last minute so I prefer having lots of writers on tap.
The takeaway: Even if you think there’s no way in heck that you’ll get a response, send that pitch or LOI!
2. Editors love controversy and shock-factor.
When I made that first magazine in sixth grade, I wrote a piece for the FOB fashion section about a classmate who anointed herself chief of the fashion police and made declarative statements about what the girls wore to school. I never used her name but my classmates knew who I meant. As my peers all turned to the same page and I heard whispers, I realized how important controversy can be for getting people interested in your magazine.
After starting M.L.T.S. my focus shifted toward page views and Facebook likes and my boyfriend kept saying, “Publish controversial stuff. Pick an unpopular view and write about it. Get people to notice you.” And he’s right. I need to publish stuff that will get people reading, responding and sharing if I want people to notice my magazine.
The takeaway: Writers might have an easier time breaking into a market if they pitch stories that are controversial or have great shock factor.
3. Editors sometimes need to be reminded that you sent that awesome pitch.
I get a lot of emails on my Android phone and sometimes, I just don’t feel like typing up a long response on its little screen or I want to read your resume and sample clips on my big computer… Then I forget to do those things when I’m next in front of a computer. Lots of times, it takes me a week to get back to writers.
Every now and then, a writer who has emailed me once will
By Barbara A. Tyler
When targeting markets for your queries, do you review their media kits?
You should.
Magazines spend time and money defining their audiences and creating a package to attract advertisers. With a little know-how, you can put that research to use and sell your ideas.
To get started, find the “media kit” link on your target market’s website. Most of the time you’ll spot one right away–after all, the magazines want it to be easy for advertisers to find it. If you come up empty on the main page, look under “Advertising,” or less frequently, in “Contact Us.” You can also type the name of the magazine and the words “media kit” (with quotes) into a search engine.
Once you have the kit in front of you, examine these three features before you write your query:
1. MISSION STATEMENT (a.k.a. “Positioning statement”)
What it is: A brief statement that defines the style and tone of the magazine. Editors use the mission statement to keep the editorial focused.
How to use it: Tailor your query to fit their mission.
Consider the opening line from the mission statement for Ladies’ Home Journal: “Ladies’ Home Journal is for women who recognize the importance of taking time for themselves.” Now, compare it to the opening line of Family Circle’s mission statement: “Family Circle celebrates today’s family and champions the women at its center.”
Though both magazines serve women with families, each wants a slightly different spin on the material they publish. For example, your pitch about a spa getaway would be better received at Ladies’ Home Journal, while a query about a round-up of historic destinations for families is better suited for Family Circle.
2. DEMOGRAPHICS (a.k.a. “Audience”)
What it is: A snapshot of the magazine’s readers.
How to use it: Slant your query to match the audience.
A publication’s demographics might pinpoint the basics about their audience. You’ll find Taste of Home’s audience defined in terms of age, marital status, college education, employment, etc. Other publications provide much more detail. For example, The Onion knows 52% of their readers drank beer in the last seven days, and roughly a third of them plan to buy a new computer in the next year.
Let’s say you have a fantastic snack recipe. If the magazine has a large percentage of readers with school-aged children, you might pitch your idea as “Easy Afterschool Snacks.” On the flip side, if your target publication has a readership made up of single women with high-powered jobs, you’d pitch “Quick Snacks to Go.”
3. EDITORIAL CALENDAR
What it is: A monthly breakdown of upcoming features and themes.
How to use it: Pitch them what they want AND need.
The editorial calendar is the freelance writer’s crystal ball when it comes to writing pitches. It tells you what the editor needs and when he plans to use it. A quick scan of Reader’s Digest’s editorial calendar shows planned issues about brain power, food, and miracles.
Queries fitting those themes w
By Tania Dakka.
After staring at a blank screen for the last 20 minutes, trying to write your next viral post (next, right?), you give in and give up. It pains you to let the blankness win, but you concede.
Next stop. Shower. No sooner does the steaming hot liquid permeates your pore than an idea flits into your head.
Dang.
No paper. No pen. No help.
And there she goes. Too bad because it was a good one, too!
It Never Fails
Don’t you hate that? You stress and worry over ideas. You waste precious time searching through Facebook and flipping through your lists on Twitter (pretending that you’re going to actually come up with an idea). Then, you look up and the 15 minutes you intended to spend has turned into an hour.
Productivity averted – again.
Trying to generate ideas online is an occupational no-no. You know that.
So you leave your post to “relax” doing something else. And it never fails that as soon as you’re occupied, that great idea pops into your head. But you’re busy so you let it flit on through because you’re – well – busy.
You’re Out of Focus
You’re geared to work when you’re at your laptop. And you spend so much time at it that you just want a break when you’re away from it.
Don’t get me wrong.
We all love freelancing (as much as a piping hot pizza on a Friday night with our favorite beverage of choice). But, the fact remains, as workaholics, we sabotage ourselves by forcing productivity instead of enabling creativity.
That forced focus time creates the habit of letting go precisely when you should be holding on, but we’re too tired to focus when we’re not supposed to be “focusing.”
Learn To Focus Even When You Let Go
Letting go of the plug is the one thing that your brain needs to release all the greatness packed between your ears.
That’s why your shower is your number one idea generator. Not sitting in front your creativity’s arch-nemesis and standing under a stream of bliss loosens the hold that fear and anxiety have on your psyche.
And by forcing yourself away from your desk or laptop and forgetting what you need to do, you’ll release your Inner Creative Beast.
But beware. Releasing the Beast means you have to be ready to capture whatever ideas flow.
I said capture. Not capture and edit – did you catch that?
You’ll be tempted to critique and edit said greatness. Resist. Resist with all you have. Because your perfectionism is going to let that awesomeness fly right past your ears.
Trap your ideas as they happen. Yes, even in the shower.
Create The Habit Of Capturing Creativity Wherever You Are
With the right tools, you can take hold of your most creative and powerful ideas and keep them for when you need them.
Where You Are: In the Shower
If you’re a technology lover, this won’t be the place that you want to use Evernote. Nor is paper and pen going to help you.
But this handy Scuba Slate is just what you need. And at less than $10, it’s a powerful little investment. Hang it on the wall in the shower. And start writing as soon as any idea hits you. Hang up your editor until you towel off.
Another way not to lose any shower gold is recording your shower. Okay, yeah, it’s not for everybody. But it works. I simply turn on the recorder before stepping in and I start talking as soon as the ideas hit. (Warning: let others k
We writing bloggers are always telling you what to do: Study your markets. Build relationships with editors. Market, market, market.
But it can be even more important to talk about what not to do — and how to subtract career-damaging attitudes and practices from your life.
Stop doing this: Over-analyzing.
I recently had a mentoring client who wondered why an editor had rewritten her piece. Was the article that bad? Was the tone not right? The editor asked her to interview one source, but should she have included two just in case?
From the book Women Who Think Too Much, I learned that women especially tend to try to think their way out of situations, which in reality just keeps them mired in the muck of their overactive minds.
Instead of getting stuck in analysis paralysis, take action: Pick up the phone and call the editor to find out why she rewrote your piece, asked you to do something in a certain way you don’t understand, or made a comment you’re just not getting. It’s the only way to find out the truth of the situation.
Stop doing this: Sending LOIs to national publications.
Yes, I extol the virtues of the Letter of Introduction (LOI). They’re great for breaking into trade and custom magazines.
But sadly, they’re not so great at getting your foot in the door at Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Psychology Today, Parenting, or the rest of the glossy consumer magazines — unless you’re über famous.
These publications have hundreds of writers contacting them each week with well thought-out pitches, so if all you have to offer is “Here I am, don’t I rock?” then you’re going to look shabby next to the writers who approach the editors with stellar queries.
Not sure how to write a query letter? The next session of my 8-week Write for Magazines e-course starts in September 3, 2012, and the Basic version is Pay What You Want with a minimum payment of just $30. And…join my mailing list to get a free packet of 10 queries that rocked.
Stop doing this: Complaining about the writing business.
These days, editors who aren’t interested in your idea often don’t respond, even to send a rejection. Content mills pay pennies per word, if that. Some magazines are using citizen (read: free) journalists and bloggers to write their articles. Magazines are going under.
Suck it up.
Smart writers are using these difficult times to their advantage, riding the wave of exciting changes to build their bank accounts.
For example, I make a lot of my living mentoring and teaching writers who are sick of the content mills how to break out of that box and make a living freelancing. I also have mostly stopped pitching newsstand magazines and make most of my writing income from trade and custom publications.
Other writers are finding ways to earn income through their blogs by selling e-books and other products, finding underserved niches for their copywriting, and offering clients new media consulting and services.
The writers I hear complaining the most about the state of writing are the ones who are stuck in the past, mourning the way things used to be.
Ditch the negative and embrace the exhilarating changes that are taking place all around you in this industry.
Stop doing this: Apologizing for
Writing for Money – Breaking Into Freelance Writing
Unless you’re an established freelance writer, it may feel overwhelming to break into the ‘writing for money’ field. It could be the thought of writing a 1000 word article seems daunting. Or, maybe you’re intimated thinking of ghostwriting or editing a book. Well, freelance writing doesn’t have to be overly time consuming or laborious.
There are all types of writing, aside from feature articles, you can write greeting card content, fillers, anecdotes, short articles or posts, letters, jokes, and more. There are many opportunities to write for money.
In the Morning Nudge by writing coach Suzanne Lieurance, she mentions that
the worst thing you can do in regard to your writing career is NOTHING.With all your dreams and well intentions of creating a freelance writing career, if you don’t take some kind of action, it’s a sure thing that you’ll never get anywhere. So, no matter what genre you’re writing in, or want to write in, take the steps to move forward.
Writing for money means you’ll need to put time and effort into creating and building a career. To do this, to move forward, you’ll need to write on a regular basis, even if it’s not meant for publication. In addition, it’s a good idea to read ‘good’ copy and content. This will help you hone your craft.
Another trick to keep you moving forward while you query for jobs is to actually type effective copy and content written by pros. This strategy helps you train your brain to recognize good writing and will help you to emulate it. But, a word of caution here, this is only a practice strategy – you cannot use another writer’s content for anything other than practice. That would be plagiarism.
You may be thinking that you just don’t know where to start or how to start on a freelance writing path. That’s understandable. The writing arena is broad and can certainly feel overwhelming when first starting out, but there are a number of programs and resources, free and for a fee, that you can take advantage of to guide you to publication.
You can start by asking in your writing groups or ask more experienced writer friends if they know of tools, programs, and resources geared toward writing for money. You can also attend live or online freelance writing webinars. There are a number of free ones available online. In addition, you can do an online search to find resources.
Another strategy to use to learn the ropes is to attend courses, pay for ecourses or signup with a writing membership site. If you do choose this route be sure the director or instructor is qualified.
As you can see, there are many opportunities for you to get started and move forward in your freelance writing career.
Here are three resources to help you get started today:Five Minutes to Writing for Money Make Money Writing Fillers, Readers Letters, Mini Articles, Jokes, Anecdotes, Competition Slogans, And More
Click on “Check Prices” at the bottom of the page.
Write Where the Money IsRobert Earle Howells has been a successful freelancer for 30 years. He writes for top national magazines and websites. And, now he’s written WRITE WHERE THE MONEY IS. Howells shows you the shortcuts to earning good money quickly. His hard-learned secrets and stealth tactics wil
By Tim Hillegonds.
The freelance daydream has been permeating the minds of closet word nerds in corporate America since the invention of the cubicle.
It’s my theory that the first person to be locked inside the three-sided Eradicator of Creativity immediately sat down and started typing query letters—the literary equivalent of digging an escape tunnel with a spoon. There’s just something about vanilla colored walls, industrial carpeting, and annual “Biggest Loser” competitions that has a certain group of us questioning the meaning of our lives.
From inside the cubicle, freelancing looks a lot like Canaan—the land of milk and honey and setting your own schedule. And although there are parts of freelancing that are indeed akin to the promise land, it’s not all manna and miracles. In fact, if the jump from corporate America’s private jet isn’t thought through, the landing can be pretty darn violent.
But, as I’ve learned over the course of the last six months, it doesn’t have to be. And since clichés around taking chances are abundant—and leaving the corporate world to freelance is akin to skydiving—here are three things to think about when taking the ultimate plunge.
1. Check your equipment
I spent ten years in the insurance industry. That’s ten years of making connections, writing emails, saving phone numbers, going to conventions, and putting up those stupid folding booths at trade shows. And while most of the people I met I’ll probably never talk to again, there are a select few people that I stay in touch with.
Prior to leaving the cushy job, take a look around and ask yourself a few of these questions.
- Who can help you once you leave? Mention your plan to a few close colleagues and do everything you can to exploit every connection you have. Assignments can come from anywhere, even the places you’d least expect. You’re last job before you leave is to prime the pump and make it a little easier to land that elusive first job.
- What other businesses do you work with that are potential markets for your writing? In my case, the insurance industry is filled with brokers, appraisers, reinsurance markets, accounting firms, industry periodicals, and a vast array of other businesses and associations. Each one of these is a potential client or market. I’ve got insider industry knowledge that the average writer might not have. Plus, certain people at these companies know me, which means I’m sitting on warm leads, rather than shivering my rear end off on cold ones.
- Can you sweet-talk your media relations (or marketing) specialist into allowing you to write copy once you’ve left? It might seem like a tough sell, but most corporate marketing departments are one-size-fits-all operations. Just because someone holds a position in the marketing department doesn’t mean they know how to write compelling copy. (This is especially true in the insurance industry.) Before you leave, show them what you can do by rewriting a product description or sales one sheet. There’s nothing better than leaving a job and still finding a way to have them pay you.
2. Jump and free-fall
Once you’ve actually made the jump, the fun begins, right? Well, not always. Most people find that freefalling is tough. The structure that you’ve become accustomed to is suddenly gone. You’re now totally self-reliant. Oh, and that nice paycheck you used to get every other Friday? Yeah, that’s gone, too.
Some people panic, but I can assure you, panicking doesn’t help. So, what do you do? Simple: You organize. Remember all thos
Yesterday I was reading Loral Langemeier’s Yes! Energy: The Equation to Do Less, Make More, and she mentions that many people have a “be-do-have” attitude, meaning they feel they need to get their mental lives in order and do a lot of thinking before they can take action towards their goals.
I can see this in a lot of writers. They take course after course but never do the homework. They read blogs and ask questions and read books and make plans — but they never take action.
A better way to get started as a freelance writer is to adopt the mantra “do-be-have.” I’ve mentioned here that feelings don’t beget action…actions beget feelings — meaning that you don’t need to be inspired or in the right mindset to take action, but that if you take action, you’ll find that your mindset changes accordingly.
Steve Pavlina calls it “ready-fire-aim.” Many people — new writers especially — get ready, they take aim — and then they aim, aim, aim, without ever firing. Better to get ready, fire, and then re-aim as needed. You may make mistakes, but at least you’ll be moving along the path instead of stuck at the beginning.
Trust that if you just get started with writing up a pitch, building a writer site, or sending out sales letters or letters of introduction, you’ll be able to figure it out as you go along and deal with any issues that come up.
That’s what I did: When I decided I wanted to become a freelance writer, I consulted with one successful copywriter for one hour, read one book on how to write a query letter, wrote a query letter, and sent it out to several places I found in Writer’s Market. I hadn’t even read any of the magazines!
That first burst of action landed me a $500 assignment and launched my career, which has spanned 15 years and which lets me earn full-time income working part-time hours.
I challenge you: Stop thinking and take one step towards your writing goal. Don’t analyze, don’t ponder, don’t overthink, don’t worry — just bite the bullet and get something out there.
I’ll bet it gives you a motivational boost to put even more of your work out there.
Try it now. What happened? Let us know in the Comments!
I hear this all the time:
“The editor asked me to write up this piece and gave me a deadline, but he didn’t mention pay or rights. When will he tell me?”
Even worse, sometimes I hear:
“I wrote up my article for the editor. How do I know how much he’s going to pay me, and when?”
I don’t know why editors do this to writers. They know we need to know how much and when we’re going to get paid. And yet, many of them will ask me if I want to do an assignment without letting me know how much I’ll get paid.
How much I can expect to earn is of intense interest to me, and plays a huge role in deciding whether or not I’ll take the assignment.
So what can you do when an editor plays coy?
Don’t be afraid to be up-front. If an editor asks me If I’d like to write a 1,200-word article on X, due on Y, I write back, “Thanks so much for thinking of me! Can you let me know how much the assignment will pay?”
I do the same thing when the editor doesn’t mention a contract. “I’m excited to work on this assignment for you! Will you need my mailing address for the contract, or will you be e-mailing it to me?” That’s my passive-aggressive way of saying, “You will send me a contract, right?”
Will the editor get mad and take away the assignment?
Many new writers are so awe-struck when they hear from an editor that they accept assignments without knowing the terms — and they’re afraid that if they ask, the editor will yank the assignment away while emitting an evil laugh.
Trust me: It never happens. What always happens is that the editor says, “We pay $500 on acceptance” or “We pay $1 per word on publication.” (Or, if the editor is one of those who hopes you’ll accept the assignment without asking, the answer is often, “We can’t afford to pay our freelancers, but you’ll get great exposure.”)
How about you? Do you often find that editors give you an assignment without including this vital information? Have you ever accepted without knowing what you’d be paid — or have you ever spoken up and asked? Let us know in the Comments below!
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By Daisha Cassel
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Great info, Kathy. Thank you.