Posts
Travel writing presents some excellent opportunities for those of you who enjoy travelling. Tourism boards have a budget every year which goes towards promoting their area in the hope of bringing in more tourists and hence providing a boost to the local economy.
Because of this, tourist boards are always on the look out for new ways of marketing and this includes a budget for writers who can provide positive reviews about the local culture and attractions. They are quite happy to pay a writer to stay in the best hotels and provide travel passes to famous places for free - all in the hope of some extra publicity.
And the pay is good too. You can expect to write at least three of four articles on various aspects of the place you are staying and command around $500 per article. Usually, what they are looking for is an informative piece which provides useful information that real people can use when visiting a place themselves. Facts, figures, best places to eat, great places to stay, local attractions etc are all things that you would cover for a tourist board.
If you are new to travel writing, you can easily get yourself well known in the industry by writing for magazines and getting your name across to people. Once people start reading your name on travel features, editors will commission you to take on travel work by sending you places to go.
Of course, this type of writing commands contacts and knowing about the written style. Contrary to popular belief, you can still be a travel writer without travelling, although your research skills would have to be second to none. I recommend buying a proper travel course so that you know how to start and who to contact. Try the course by Mel McIntyre - Travel Writing Secrets - this course is designed to teach you everything about travel writing, and is definitely worth considering if you enjoy travelling and would love to make money from it.
Monday 31 May 2010
Wednesday 26 May 2010
Creative Writing
Creative writing is any type of writing that allows you to express yourself through words and in any way you please. There are no rules and no rules mean that you can let yourself loose. Typically, creative writing is poetry and stories in a nutshell and anything that doesn't require limitations on your imagination.
The best creative writing comes from within - and some writers have an uncanny ability to tap into this at will. Others like myself, need to be in a certain mood or frame of thought before anything productive comes of it. And then there are those that no matter how hard they try, they are just no good at it.
If you enjoy writing for the sake of writing and you are a real bookworm, chances are, you have a really good book inside you or other creative streak. If you only write because you have to and don't relish the idea of letting your mind wander, then technical writing is probably more suited to you.
There are courses available that allow you to hone your creative skills and develop character, plot, settings and other things that make a good story. Contact your local college or university to find out about these. Be warned though - these courses are extremely popular and book up quickly. Alternatively, get in touch with your local authority and find out if they are holding any creative writing workshops and programs. They give you a taste of what to expect and if you already know what you are doing, it may be all you need to get writing.
Have a look at www.writing.com to find out about creative writing. They have lots of resources including newsletters in various genres so you can have the latest information at your fingertips.
The best creative writing comes from within - and some writers have an uncanny ability to tap into this at will. Others like myself, need to be in a certain mood or frame of thought before anything productive comes of it. And then there are those that no matter how hard they try, they are just no good at it.
If you enjoy writing for the sake of writing and you are a real bookworm, chances are, you have a really good book inside you or other creative streak. If you only write because you have to and don't relish the idea of letting your mind wander, then technical writing is probably more suited to you.
There are courses available that allow you to hone your creative skills and develop character, plot, settings and other things that make a good story. Contact your local college or university to find out about these. Be warned though - these courses are extremely popular and book up quickly. Alternatively, get in touch with your local authority and find out if they are holding any creative writing workshops and programs. They give you a taste of what to expect and if you already know what you are doing, it may be all you need to get writing.
Have a look at www.writing.com to find out about creative writing. They have lots of resources including newsletters in various genres so you can have the latest information at your fingertips.
Ghost Writing
Ghost writing is a lucrative way of making good money quickly. It involves writing books and other material for someone else, under their name. Why would you want to write under someone else's name?
For a start, ghost writing has the benefit of providing you with regular work. There are plenty of people out there who don't want to spend ages doing all the hard work, but want to benefit from the expert knowledge of a good writer.
Some clients have a terrible writing style, and although they have excellent ideas which allow you to produce good writing, they do not have the skills to complete a writing project on their own. A happy client may give you regular work and this can be worth a lot to you in the long run.
As a writer, you may have the written expertise, but you may not have the publishing contacts or media contacts that your clients have. You may have submitted proposals for books in the past and found it got you nowehere.Ghost writing allows you to fulfill your dream of being published, even though your name is not on the finished product. If you are able to strike a good deal, you may be able to secure royalties on all future sales.
Submit samples of your work to agencies in the first instance, but do your research. Use something like www.firstwriter.com to find details of all publishing houses and agents that deal with ghost writing. Chances are, when one agent picks you up and you are able to deliver the goods, they will give you repeat work for a very long time.
Word gets around quickly in the publishing world. If you end up lucky enough to write the biography of a famous celebrity, the royalties generated from the sales could be huge and you will most certainly get more work.
For a start, ghost writing has the benefit of providing you with regular work. There are plenty of people out there who don't want to spend ages doing all the hard work, but want to benefit from the expert knowledge of a good writer.
Some clients have a terrible writing style, and although they have excellent ideas which allow you to produce good writing, they do not have the skills to complete a writing project on their own. A happy client may give you regular work and this can be worth a lot to you in the long run.
As a writer, you may have the written expertise, but you may not have the publishing contacts or media contacts that your clients have. You may have submitted proposals for books in the past and found it got you nowehere.Ghost writing allows you to fulfill your dream of being published, even though your name is not on the finished product. If you are able to strike a good deal, you may be able to secure royalties on all future sales.
Submit samples of your work to agencies in the first instance, but do your research. Use something like www.firstwriter.com to find details of all publishing houses and agents that deal with ghost writing. Chances are, when one agent picks you up and you are able to deliver the goods, they will give you repeat work for a very long time.
Word gets around quickly in the publishing world. If you end up lucky enough to write the biography of a famous celebrity, the royalties generated from the sales could be huge and you will most certainly get more work.
Sunday 23 May 2010
Finding New Clients
Sometimes it feels that all the effort in the world results in nothing for your services as a freelance writer. I know this only too well - I went at one point for 6 weeks without a paid gig, despite sending off a dozen proposals, applying for about 60 odd writing gigs and goodness knows what else.
When this starts happening, you need to change tactics. First and foremost, get yourself a notebook and note down your previous clients and the date you last did any work for them. Build a file of clients and when work is slow, flick through your book and see which clients you haven't worked for in a while and drop them a line to see if they need any work doing. Doing this simple trick, I have managed to land myself a big gig that will keep me busy for a while.
Another way of promoting yourself is by looking through the yellow pages and picking up local businesses you think may be in need of your services. A good place to start would be advertising agencies, the local council and hospitals and schools.
Cold calling may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it works. Armed with a copy of the yellow pages, you need to contact at least 200 or so companies. Those that express an interest no matter how small, you should send out a promotional pack to.
A promotional pack should contain a business card, your bio, samples of your work, an explanation of your services, any promotional offers you may be holding, a list of any top clients you have worked for and of course your contact details which should contain your website.
Always follow up a week later - make a note of who you spoke to and as a courtesy, follow up by reminding them of who you are and if they had a chance to look through your pack. Chances are, out of 200 or so calls, you should get yourself at least a dozen or so new clients.
Lastly, always make a point of networking whenever you can and keep a supply of business cards at the ready. You never know who your next client will be.
When this starts happening, you need to change tactics. First and foremost, get yourself a notebook and note down your previous clients and the date you last did any work for them. Build a file of clients and when work is slow, flick through your book and see which clients you haven't worked for in a while and drop them a line to see if they need any work doing. Doing this simple trick, I have managed to land myself a big gig that will keep me busy for a while.
Another way of promoting yourself is by looking through the yellow pages and picking up local businesses you think may be in need of your services. A good place to start would be advertising agencies, the local council and hospitals and schools.
Cold calling may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it works. Armed with a copy of the yellow pages, you need to contact at least 200 or so companies. Those that express an interest no matter how small, you should send out a promotional pack to.
A promotional pack should contain a business card, your bio, samples of your work, an explanation of your services, any promotional offers you may be holding, a list of any top clients you have worked for and of course your contact details which should contain your website.
Always follow up a week later - make a note of who you spoke to and as a courtesy, follow up by reminding them of who you are and if they had a chance to look through your pack. Chances are, out of 200 or so calls, you should get yourself at least a dozen or so new clients.
Lastly, always make a point of networking whenever you can and keep a supply of business cards at the ready. You never know who your next client will be.
Friday 21 May 2010
Improving The Written Word
What if you love writing but struggle with your grammar and punctuation? What if your written style leaves a lot to be desired? Could you still make it as a writer? Well, yes your could, because like all good things out there, nothing is impossible once you will it. Or in this case, nothing is impossible once you learn it!
What is house style? House style is one of those unique buzzwords you will find wafting around job sites for writers and simply refers to your own unique written style. If someone is mentioned as having a great house style, it means they write really well. Everything reads well, it flows logically and is a pleasure to read.
How many times have you picked up a book and thought to yourself that the written style is so awful that you avoid reading it again? This has happened to me many times. For me, if something is well written (good grammar, punctuation and spelling etc), it doesn't automatically mean that it will read well. There are thousands of books out there that are written well, but reading it becomes a dull chore. What you will often find is that the author has tried to be too clever - injecting lots of big words in there that make it difficult for even a seasoned writer to read it without getting hung up over certain words.
Writing with a good house style means you ENJOY reading it just as much as all the technical things to make your work right such as spelling and grammar etc. Next time you write something, read it out aloud. How does it read? Does it sound smooth and does it flow from one part to the next? Or does it sound awkward and jerky? If it sounds weird, then you should re-write it until it sounds better.
As for improving your written English, this should be easy because it is nothing that cannot be learnt.
Try an English course such as 'Essential English' by Nick Daws, who is a leading writer and an expert of the written word. He has an excellent written style, and his course is designed to improve your English quickly, so you will have the confidence to write well.
What is house style? House style is one of those unique buzzwords you will find wafting around job sites for writers and simply refers to your own unique written style. If someone is mentioned as having a great house style, it means they write really well. Everything reads well, it flows logically and is a pleasure to read.
How many times have you picked up a book and thought to yourself that the written style is so awful that you avoid reading it again? This has happened to me many times. For me, if something is well written (good grammar, punctuation and spelling etc), it doesn't automatically mean that it will read well. There are thousands of books out there that are written well, but reading it becomes a dull chore. What you will often find is that the author has tried to be too clever - injecting lots of big words in there that make it difficult for even a seasoned writer to read it without getting hung up over certain words.
Writing with a good house style means you ENJOY reading it just as much as all the technical things to make your work right such as spelling and grammar etc. Next time you write something, read it out aloud. How does it read? Does it sound smooth and does it flow from one part to the next? Or does it sound awkward and jerky? If it sounds weird, then you should re-write it until it sounds better.
As for improving your written English, this should be easy because it is nothing that cannot be learnt.
Try an English course such as 'Essential English' by Nick Daws, who is a leading writer and an expert of the written word. He has an excellent written style, and his course is designed to improve your English quickly, so you will have the confidence to write well.
Thursday 20 May 2010
The Art of Writing Articles
Articles are a great way of showing off your writing style and I wholeheartedly recommend that you decide which areas you would like to cover when doing so. Remember, you will always write better with topics you know and enjoy.
What makes a good article? Well, this depends on who you write for. Traditional media requires you to write long articles that are carefully researched and could be anything up to 3000 words. You need a solid background and understanding of what the requirements are - so always thoroughly and stringently go through the writers submission guidelines for each magazine or publication.
One thing to note - there is little point of spending hours writing an article and then trying to see who will publish it. A better way (and the only way you should consider doing it) is to firstly write an article proposal for your chosen subject and then submit your proposal to as many magazines in the same area as possible.
For example, you want to write an article on cellulite for a woman's glossy. You would submit your proposal to say 5 or 6 magazines and then see who responds. You may never get a response. What you should do is to state in your proposal that 'If I do not hear from you within 4 weeks, I will assume you are not interested. Please let me know if you would like more time to consider it.'
Now you wait 4 weeks before resubmitting proposals to another handful of places. You could even re-submit to the same magazine again - perhaps they never read your email or maybe it went into their junk folder.
Make a point of doing this every month with a new proposal to the same magazine. You will get yourself noticed and eventually someone will take you on.
Articles for the web are a different kettle of fish altogether. People use the web for information and they do not want to wade through piles of writing to find what they want. Generally speaking, web articles are around 500 words or so, with short paragraphs consisting of no more than 2-3 sentences. Keep your writing style relaxed and do not throw too much jargon in there unless you are writing for a very specific area that requires it.
If people lose interest, they will click away and go elsewhere. To get used to writing for the web, I suggest you write for the following:
It makes no difference whether you write for the web or for magazines - the best articles always have a beginning, a middle and an end. You begin with an introduction to the topic area. Your middle bit is explaining your topic, and then finally your ending is a summary of what you have spoken about. Make every word count and do not add words for the sake of doing so. It infuriates readers who will just go elsewhere.
What makes a good article? Well, this depends on who you write for. Traditional media requires you to write long articles that are carefully researched and could be anything up to 3000 words. You need a solid background and understanding of what the requirements are - so always thoroughly and stringently go through the writers submission guidelines for each magazine or publication.
One thing to note - there is little point of spending hours writing an article and then trying to see who will publish it. A better way (and the only way you should consider doing it) is to firstly write an article proposal for your chosen subject and then submit your proposal to as many magazines in the same area as possible.
For example, you want to write an article on cellulite for a woman's glossy. You would submit your proposal to say 5 or 6 magazines and then see who responds. You may never get a response. What you should do is to state in your proposal that 'If I do not hear from you within 4 weeks, I will assume you are not interested. Please let me know if you would like more time to consider it.'
Now you wait 4 weeks before resubmitting proposals to another handful of places. You could even re-submit to the same magazine again - perhaps they never read your email or maybe it went into their junk folder.
Make a point of doing this every month with a new proposal to the same magazine. You will get yourself noticed and eventually someone will take you on.
Articles for the web are a different kettle of fish altogether. People use the web for information and they do not want to wade through piles of writing to find what they want. Generally speaking, web articles are around 500 words or so, with short paragraphs consisting of no more than 2-3 sentences. Keep your writing style relaxed and do not throw too much jargon in there unless you are writing for a very specific area that requires it.
If people lose interest, they will click away and go elsewhere. To get used to writing for the web, I suggest you write for the following:
- www.suite101.com - you are paid commission on every click to your work
- www.associatedcontent.com - you can get paid up to $30 for your work
- www.constant-content.com - you can charge up to $100 for your work here
It makes no difference whether you write for the web or for magazines - the best articles always have a beginning, a middle and an end. You begin with an introduction to the topic area. Your middle bit is explaining your topic, and then finally your ending is a summary of what you have spoken about. Make every word count and do not add words for the sake of doing so. It infuriates readers who will just go elsewhere.
Tuesday 18 May 2010
Specializing In Copy
Copy writing is wonderful world of words and wizardry and magic in the written word. If you are a creative person and enjoy the challenge of creating something new and compelling everyday, then copy writing is definitely for you. Most copy writers write for the media and the web, providing content and making descriptions of products and services literally jump off the page.
As a serious copywriter, you can earn thousands from one simple sales letter. Writing long sales copy is an art within itself, and can easily be learnt. My recommendation is to stick to a course of some sort. While many self taught copy writers get good jobs, the difference between one that earns good money and great money from copy really does come down to the fine detail.
And the demand for copy is huge. Every business out there serious about making money is in need of a good copy writer, so you will never be short of work. Writing for direct marketing companies is where the big money is and it is important to have a solid background in copy if you seriously want to get noticed.
Some excellent resources on copy include:
Some good books on the subject include:
To get to the high paid status that many copywriters aspire to, you need to start dissecting local adverts and creating one that is much better. Start building up samples. Ask friends with businesses if you could have a go at writing their copy and see what happens. The more you work, the easier it is for you.
As a serious copywriter, you can earn thousands from one simple sales letter. Writing long sales copy is an art within itself, and can easily be learnt. My recommendation is to stick to a course of some sort. While many self taught copy writers get good jobs, the difference between one that earns good money and great money from copy really does come down to the fine detail.
And the demand for copy is huge. Every business out there serious about making money is in need of a good copy writer, so you will never be short of work. Writing for direct marketing companies is where the big money is and it is important to have a solid background in copy if you seriously want to get noticed.
Some excellent resources on copy include:
- The Ultimate Copywriter - an excellent basic course into copywriting - this will get you noticed and is seriously affordable. It also includes a power copywriting course by a leading copywriter, and is packed full of useful tips.
- AWAI's Copywriting course - said to be one of the best in the business, it is expensive, although worth investing in for serious kudos
- Angela Booth's Copywriting course - contains her best selling copywriting course and web copy course. Again, a good investment buy.
Some good books on the subject include:
- Brilliant Copywriting - tell you how to write brilliant copy and does what it says on the tin.
- The Copywriting Source book - contains a wealth of information that really helps you sell your words and write better each and every time.
To get to the high paid status that many copywriters aspire to, you need to start dissecting local adverts and creating one that is much better. Start building up samples. Ask friends with businesses if you could have a go at writing their copy and see what happens. The more you work, the easier it is for you.
Monday 17 May 2010
Do You Need To Specialize?
By now you should have set yourself up and hopefully you will have some work on the horizon too. But have you ever given a thought as to what area you would like to work in? Some writers are happy not to have a particular area of expertise, and they deliberately keep themselves generic because they don't want to exclude themselves from certain jobs.
You can still be a general writer and specialize in an area too. I know writers who will take on most work but will for example, take on a bulk of resume/CV work because they know it is something that is needed all the time. Even when writing work may be slow, resumes are always needed and a good place to advertise is your local university because as you know, students need a good resume to get themselves noticed.
Copy writing is a very lucrative area indeed and requires specialist skills and a particular way of working. Writing sales copy can earn you thousands for a copy plus you could also potentially earn thousands more through commissions from the sales of any products as a direct result of your letter. It's a great way of making more from your money. Copy jobs are very much in demand, but unless you have the correct style and set of skills, and solid evidence that your letters are producing real conversions, it is likely you will find it difficult to get more work.
Technical writing involves creating manuals and reports and are very specific to the area of expertise that you are working in. Again, this is another type of writing which is in demand. Some writers find this type of writing to be ideal if it matches their skill set. You may have a scientific background and this would make it easier for you to write about things you know. Other writers (myself included) find this type of writing mundane and boring and so keep away from it.
Article writing for both traditional media and the web is highly in demand and this is one area that all writers can comfortably write in. Think about what you are good at and what subjects you have a background in. As long as you have some interest you have something to write about. Traditional media like magazines pay really well, up to and more than $3000 per feature article. Web articles tend to be much shorter because people simply do not have the time to read through pages and pages of information. These tend to be around 500 words and you can reasonably and comfortably demand $30 - $50 or even more for an article.
Press releases follow a particular way of writing and can be a great introduction in to sales and famous people. I recently saw an advert for a press release and newsletter writer to regularly write about a new band in the USA. This type of regular work can bring in much money, although you would need to write a lot of press releases to make a substantial amount.
Other types of writing can include ghost writing which involves writing a book or article on behalf of someone else. Creative writing includes poetry and all types of fiction and can include writing for greeting cards. Newsletters are a great way of making a regular income, as is blog writing. A blog is fun and easy to do as well as a good earner.
There are other types of writing as well - I have just highlighted the most popular types above. Over the next few days I will be going over each and every type of writing and the resources for them.
You can still be a general writer and specialize in an area too. I know writers who will take on most work but will for example, take on a bulk of resume/CV work because they know it is something that is needed all the time. Even when writing work may be slow, resumes are always needed and a good place to advertise is your local university because as you know, students need a good resume to get themselves noticed.
Copy writing is a very lucrative area indeed and requires specialist skills and a particular way of working. Writing sales copy can earn you thousands for a copy plus you could also potentially earn thousands more through commissions from the sales of any products as a direct result of your letter. It's a great way of making more from your money. Copy jobs are very much in demand, but unless you have the correct style and set of skills, and solid evidence that your letters are producing real conversions, it is likely you will find it difficult to get more work.
Technical writing involves creating manuals and reports and are very specific to the area of expertise that you are working in. Again, this is another type of writing which is in demand. Some writers find this type of writing to be ideal if it matches their skill set. You may have a scientific background and this would make it easier for you to write about things you know. Other writers (myself included) find this type of writing mundane and boring and so keep away from it.
Article writing for both traditional media and the web is highly in demand and this is one area that all writers can comfortably write in. Think about what you are good at and what subjects you have a background in. As long as you have some interest you have something to write about. Traditional media like magazines pay really well, up to and more than $3000 per feature article. Web articles tend to be much shorter because people simply do not have the time to read through pages and pages of information. These tend to be around 500 words and you can reasonably and comfortably demand $30 - $50 or even more for an article.
Press releases follow a particular way of writing and can be a great introduction in to sales and famous people. I recently saw an advert for a press release and newsletter writer to regularly write about a new band in the USA. This type of regular work can bring in much money, although you would need to write a lot of press releases to make a substantial amount.
Other types of writing can include ghost writing which involves writing a book or article on behalf of someone else. Creative writing includes poetry and all types of fiction and can include writing for greeting cards. Newsletters are a great way of making a regular income, as is blog writing. A blog is fun and easy to do as well as a good earner.
There are other types of writing as well - I have just highlighted the most popular types above. Over the next few days I will be going over each and every type of writing and the resources for them.
Saturday 15 May 2010
Calculating Your Hourly Rate
When you freelance, time really is money. It is essential you track how much time you spend working, and this includes the time taken to do things like admin tasks and marketing. When you decide how to calculate your hourly rate, you need to take these things into account:
Set it wrong and you could be out of pocket without even realizing.
You also need to think about revising your rates every year. An excellent resource I use is an online calculator which works out your rates for you, including a rate which shows you the minimum you can work for just to break even.
Hourly rate calculator
This tool is highly invaluable for ensuring you get the most out of your money, and literally takes minutes to fill out.
- how much you want to make a year
- time spent on other tasks which don't involve writing
- rental costs
- office equipment
- software
- resources etc
Set it wrong and you could be out of pocket without even realizing.
You also need to think about revising your rates every year. An excellent resource I use is an online calculator which works out your rates for you, including a rate which shows you the minimum you can work for just to break even.
Hourly rate calculator
This tool is highly invaluable for ensuring you get the most out of your money, and literally takes minutes to fill out.
Feast and Famine Cycle - Making the Best Use of Time
Making money is something we all need to do to live. But, as a freelancer, you will experience what is known as the 'feast and famine' cycle, where you will go through good times and lots of work...to bad times when you simply can't find anything. This cycle can be depressing when it hits a low, but how you deal with it makes a huge difference to your morale.
Instead of getting down and depressed, move on and keep yourself busy. Two things I do a lot of when I am short of work (The longest is 4 weeks without paid work) is market myself and learn more about writing.
Since I started freelancing several months ago, I have completed numerous courses on writing. Any good business who wishes to do well and expand will always invest in training for it's employees and will invest heavily in marketing and promoting itself. You should be no different.
In order for you to succeed, always market your services to fresh clients. Your typical working week will need at least one morning/afternoon dedicated to marketing. If clients do not know who you are and what you do, you will never find work. Always start local by advertising in the local paper and approaching businesses directly offering your services. Leave a business card and always be professional at all times.
Be patient and the work will come. In the meantime, improve your skills and make more money by completing courses. Throughout these blogs, I will share valuable resources with you to help you get the most from your writing.
One of the first eCourses I took was called 'The Wealthy Writer' and this course on it's own is full of ideas and resources that can help you get up to speed with what is available out there. I still refer back to it because it is packed with useful information which all new writers can use. It took me three days to get through the material and by day 4 I had a plan of what I was going to do. Within a week I had my own website up and running and within 3 weeks I had secured my first writing contract.
If you want a head start with your writing, then the Wealthy Writer is definitely for you.
Instead of getting down and depressed, move on and keep yourself busy. Two things I do a lot of when I am short of work (The longest is 4 weeks without paid work) is market myself and learn more about writing.
Since I started freelancing several months ago, I have completed numerous courses on writing. Any good business who wishes to do well and expand will always invest in training for it's employees and will invest heavily in marketing and promoting itself. You should be no different.
In order for you to succeed, always market your services to fresh clients. Your typical working week will need at least one morning/afternoon dedicated to marketing. If clients do not know who you are and what you do, you will never find work. Always start local by advertising in the local paper and approaching businesses directly offering your services. Leave a business card and always be professional at all times.
Be patient and the work will come. In the meantime, improve your skills and make more money by completing courses. Throughout these blogs, I will share valuable resources with you to help you get the most from your writing.
One of the first eCourses I took was called 'The Wealthy Writer' and this course on it's own is full of ideas and resources that can help you get up to speed with what is available out there. I still refer back to it because it is packed with useful information which all new writers can use. It took me three days to get through the material and by day 4 I had a plan of what I was going to do. Within a week I had my own website up and running and within 3 weeks I had secured my first writing contract.
If you want a head start with your writing, then the Wealthy Writer is definitely for you.
Friday 14 May 2010
Writing Your Bids
It's not enough to just post your profile on a job auction site. You must also learn the art of bidding. This is extremely important because there are literally hundreds of other writers out there who will also bid on the same projects as you. So how do you stand out?
Firstly, identify your unique selling point - what are you offering that other writers are not? Why should the client choose you over everyone else? What particular experience do you have that you can mention in your bid that is relevant to the project you are bidding for? This is crucial because it is all about selling yourself as someone unique.
Don't just put something like: 'I will provide your with an excellent article' say HOW you will and WHY it will be excellent. Perhaps your an expert on the topic concerned. Maybe your have brilliant research skills. Whatever it is, MAKE SURE your prospective client knows about it.
And this brings me to another point. On most sites you can see what others are bidding. IGNORE THIS. Look at the project budget that the client has set. Now ask yourself if you can achieve a fair price for the work involved and the money being given.
DON'T undersell yourself at all. In fact, unless you are seriously desperate, don't even consider low paid work just to make money. I learnt this the hard way when I was working on a project that paid me 3p for every 100 words or so - and I had a huge database of work to go through. After three days of hours and hours of typing, I had swollen wrists and fingers. In fact, my elbow was also swollen and my shoulder was painful. Was I anywhere near completing my task? No. And worse still, this company only paid up when you had completed the work to a total of £30.
Ok now, lets do the sums. I was expected to write 100 words (per question - it was a question and answer database) on average for 3p. I had to complete 1000 of these BEFORE I got paid. So basically, that's 100x1000 = 100,000 words!
£30 for writing 100,000 words? (most novels are between 50,000 and 80,000 words) Do you understand the importance of working to your value and not out of desperation? Nowadays, you would not catch me dead working for less than 3p a word. If I had been charging my minimum rate of 3p a word, for 100,000 words, I would have been paid £3000. I actually charge more per word :-)
There will ALWAYS be low paid work and there will ALWAYS be takers for this type of work, but that will NOT include you. Those who take low paid work will only ever get more low paid work.
Here's something to try. Write down all your strengths in your writing. Now write down WHY they are your strengths. Always refer to these when making bids. It will change the way you get paid for work.
If you are stuck, I strongly recommend you check this out and buy it:
http://writetomoremoney.com/
This is a guide which tells you the art of being able to write for more money. I personally found it to be an excellent investment and worth it's weight in gold. Thanks to this report, I have been able to secure work for higher prices.
Firstly, identify your unique selling point - what are you offering that other writers are not? Why should the client choose you over everyone else? What particular experience do you have that you can mention in your bid that is relevant to the project you are bidding for? This is crucial because it is all about selling yourself as someone unique.
Don't just put something like: 'I will provide your with an excellent article' say HOW you will and WHY it will be excellent. Perhaps your an expert on the topic concerned. Maybe your have brilliant research skills. Whatever it is, MAKE SURE your prospective client knows about it.
And this brings me to another point. On most sites you can see what others are bidding. IGNORE THIS. Look at the project budget that the client has set. Now ask yourself if you can achieve a fair price for the work involved and the money being given.
DON'T undersell yourself at all. In fact, unless you are seriously desperate, don't even consider low paid work just to make money. I learnt this the hard way when I was working on a project that paid me 3p for every 100 words or so - and I had a huge database of work to go through. After three days of hours and hours of typing, I had swollen wrists and fingers. In fact, my elbow was also swollen and my shoulder was painful. Was I anywhere near completing my task? No. And worse still, this company only paid up when you had completed the work to a total of £30.
Ok now, lets do the sums. I was expected to write 100 words (per question - it was a question and answer database) on average for 3p. I had to complete 1000 of these BEFORE I got paid. So basically, that's 100x1000 = 100,000 words!
£30 for writing 100,000 words? (most novels are between 50,000 and 80,000 words) Do you understand the importance of working to your value and not out of desperation? Nowadays, you would not catch me dead working for less than 3p a word. If I had been charging my minimum rate of 3p a word, for 100,000 words, I would have been paid £3000. I actually charge more per word :-)
There will ALWAYS be low paid work and there will ALWAYS be takers for this type of work, but that will NOT include you. Those who take low paid work will only ever get more low paid work.
Here's something to try. Write down all your strengths in your writing. Now write down WHY they are your strengths. Always refer to these when making bids. It will change the way you get paid for work.
If you are stuck, I strongly recommend you check this out and buy it:
http://writetomoremoney.com/
This is a guide which tells you the art of being able to write for more money. I personally found it to be an excellent investment and worth it's weight in gold. Thanks to this report, I have been able to secure work for higher prices.
Thursday 13 May 2010
Finding Work
By now, you should have samples to show clients and a website that displays all of your work. The next step would be to find some work. I would recommend that you sign up with a few auction sites - these are job sites which advertise posts that invite writers to bid for work. The downside of these sites is that competition can be stiff. The flip side is that once you do start work and clients like your work, they are more likely to offer you long term work.
When I started freelancing, I thought it would take me forever to get started and I never believed that I would find work so quickly. Within 6 weeks of starting my business, I had landed myself three long term clients. That was a buzz. These clients provided me with enough work to see me through until I landed my first big contract.
The best place to find work on the web would be:
Other places to look would be your friends, colleagues and local businesses. Get some free business cards which are available from www.vistaprint.co.uk. Hand them out to local schools and stores - you never know when you may get work.
Try placing an advert in your local paper to see who responds. Perhaps you could offer new clients a discount? If you are wondering how much you should be charging a word, I would recommend that you charge between 3-5p a word. Use the lower limit to start off with and work your way up.
In case you are wondering, your spelling, punctuation and grammar need to be excellent to get the higher paid jobs. That said, no one will pay you good money if your writing style is terrible but your spelling is perfect. You need to have both skills.
When I started freelancing, I thought it would take me forever to get started and I never believed that I would find work so quickly. Within 6 weeks of starting my business, I had landed myself three long term clients. That was a buzz. These clients provided me with enough work to see me through until I landed my first big contract.
The best place to find work on the web would be:
- www.elance.com
- www.guru.com
- www.ifreelance.com
Other places to look would be your friends, colleagues and local businesses. Get some free business cards which are available from www.vistaprint.co.uk. Hand them out to local schools and stores - you never know when you may get work.
Try placing an advert in your local paper to see who responds. Perhaps you could offer new clients a discount? If you are wondering how much you should be charging a word, I would recommend that you charge between 3-5p a word. Use the lower limit to start off with and work your way up.
In case you are wondering, your spelling, punctuation and grammar need to be excellent to get the higher paid jobs. That said, no one will pay you good money if your writing style is terrible but your spelling is perfect. You need to have both skills.
Wednesday 12 May 2010
Set Up Your Website
You now know that in order to start getting clients to see what your writing potential is like, you must create a portfolio. Once you have enough samples of material under your belt, the next step is to set up your own website. This isn't as daunting as it sounds and there are lots of options open to you.
You can either pay someone to develop your site (which can be expensive), you can buy a package like Mr Site which allows you to buy a dot com name for yourself plus the tools needed to set yourself up, or you can choose one of the many free sites out there with free hosting.
Personally speaking, I would go for one of the free tools - clients are not going to give you work based on how cool your site looks - they want to see real live samples of writing and your CV/Resume. My choice would be to use the free website by Weebly - it's what I use and has served me well. I add to it whenever I like, updating information and adding new samples. You also have the option of placing a contact form in it so clients can contact you directly.
If you type 'free websites with hosting' into Google, it will throw up other results of sites that offer free services. You can monetise your site by adding adverts and affiliate links - anyone buying anything from the links on your page will earn you commission.
Once your site is set up, it should state the purpose of the site on the home page. Have a look at my site to see how this is done. Keep your site functional at all times - nothing puts clients off more than dithering about this and that and having an 'all fluff, no meat' approach. Ensure that your CV is also readily available.
You want your site to explain what your services are about. Think about all the things you could write - articles, adverts, press releases, ebooks, copy, ghost writing, creative writing, report writing, CV/Resume service. The possibilities are huge, and you are encouraged to explore these.
Finally, play around with the layout - you want to set up your site in such a way that clients find it easy to find what they want. If they can't, they will simply click away and go elsewhere. Make sure your navigation is clear and to the point with defined headings. Always have a contact form and have a section in there called 'Samples of Work' and a 'Publishing History' if you have had work published in print.
You can either pay someone to develop your site (which can be expensive), you can buy a package like Mr Site which allows you to buy a dot com name for yourself plus the tools needed to set yourself up, or you can choose one of the many free sites out there with free hosting.
Personally speaking, I would go for one of the free tools - clients are not going to give you work based on how cool your site looks - they want to see real live samples of writing and your CV/Resume. My choice would be to use the free website by Weebly - it's what I use and has served me well. I add to it whenever I like, updating information and adding new samples. You also have the option of placing a contact form in it so clients can contact you directly.
If you type 'free websites with hosting' into Google, it will throw up other results of sites that offer free services. You can monetise your site by adding adverts and affiliate links - anyone buying anything from the links on your page will earn you commission.
Once your site is set up, it should state the purpose of the site on the home page. Have a look at my site to see how this is done. Keep your site functional at all times - nothing puts clients off more than dithering about this and that and having an 'all fluff, no meat' approach. Ensure that your CV is also readily available.
You want your site to explain what your services are about. Think about all the things you could write - articles, adverts, press releases, ebooks, copy, ghost writing, creative writing, report writing, CV/Resume service. The possibilities are huge, and you are encouraged to explore these.
Finally, play around with the layout - you want to set up your site in such a way that clients find it easy to find what they want. If they can't, they will simply click away and go elsewhere. Make sure your navigation is clear and to the point with defined headings. Always have a contact form and have a section in there called 'Samples of Work' and a 'Publishing History' if you have had work published in print.
Tuesday 11 May 2010
Build Your Portfolio
Ok, you have set your office up and now you want to start writing. Great! You have the right idea...sort of.
Most people who start freelancing have no idea where to start. Before you can land yourself ANY job at all, you need to start building your portfolio. How do you do that when you have no clients?
Simple, start with what you know first. What are you naturally good at? Are you a good cook? Do you have extensive experience in a particular area that you could easily write about? What about hobbies? Identify the areas you are most comfortable writing in and start from there.
I recommend all serious writers do the following:
All these show potential clients that you are easily able to adapt your writing to various styles. A word of caution though - don't EVER throw away work you don't like. Believe you me, you may find it inspires you to write other stuff and give you more ideas for other projects.
Now go get scribbling!
Most people who start freelancing have no idea where to start. Before you can land yourself ANY job at all, you need to start building your portfolio. How do you do that when you have no clients?
Simple, start with what you know first. What are you naturally good at? Are you a good cook? Do you have extensive experience in a particular area that you could easily write about? What about hobbies? Identify the areas you are most comfortable writing in and start from there.
I recommend all serious writers do the following:
- start writing for www.suite101.com - it's easy to register and requires a minimum of 10 articles of around 500-600 words each within 3 months. You earn money on a commission basis, and while the pay isn't that great, the idea is to build your portfolio so you have working samples to show clients
- create a hubpage and start posting content on things you like. Be professional in your written approach at all times, because this is essentially what your writing skills are all about
- you can also create a squidoo lens to post content to and earn money
- create your own blog like the one I am writing. Choose a theme and build upon that.
- contact your local free paper and ask to volunteer as a writer
- ask friends and family if they would allow you to write some promo stuff for any of their businesses
- find an advert that you think you can improve and re-write it - you can use this as a 'before and after' demo of what you are able to do
- enter writing competitions where you are able to see your name in print
- ask your workplace if they have any brochures or adverts that need re-writing and have a go
All these show potential clients that you are easily able to adapt your writing to various styles. A word of caution though - don't EVER throw away work you don't like. Believe you me, you may find it inspires you to write other stuff and give you more ideas for other projects.
Now go get scribbling!
Setting Up Your Freelance Workspace
Freelancing requires an initial investment if you don't already own a computer. The basic things you need at the very minimum to set up your business would be:
I also have a noteboard on my wall with lots of pins on it so useful numbers, names and word lists all get pinned on. Another useful item it a sticky notepad of post it notes. These are especially helpful when you have important things to do which cannot wait - I usually stick them on my desk or on my laptop.
Don't forget the comfort factor either and ensure that your chair is set to the correct level so you can work easily without craning your neck.
You may wish to get an ergonomic keyboard with a mouse if you are concerned about repetitive strain injury (RSI) to your hands. Believe you me, it is worth paying a bit more for at least a mouse rather than using the touchpad mouse that many laptops feature. I had severe RSI to the point where my elbows were swollen, and that didn't even take into account the shooting pain down my fingers and wrists.
Another consideration: should you go for a PC or a laptop? If you can, have both. Personally, I choose to have a laptop because of the portability factor. I often go and stay at my mums during school holidays and sure enough, my laptop comes with me.
One more thing which is HIGHLY recommended. In fact, I would say don't even consider setting up your business without it. Whatever you do, get a subscription to Carbonite backup drive. It is the single best investment I have ever made and it is very cheap. A one year subscription to this service costs about $55 and backs up EVERY single document and piece of work you do. Even if you go into a document and make changes, it tracks them and saves them.
At least if your computer was ever stolen, damaged or completely crashed out, you would always have a backup of every single bit of information you have ever had. I have literally hundreds if not thousands of hours worth of work on my laptop, not to mention expensive learning courses that I have downloaded. At least I am safe knowing that my work is safe. Unlike an external hard drive where you have to manually save your work including changes, Carbonite does it for you automatically.
Hopefully the advice here is enough to get you going. You may find you need other essential bits and bobs, but the above mentioned things are your barest minimum.
- desk
- PC or laptop which is relatively new plus broadband
- printer, scanner, fax machine and copier (you can get all in one models from HP and all major brands)
- working notebook to jot down ideas
- diary
- calendar
- current edition of Writers' and Artists' Yearbook
- phone
I also have a noteboard on my wall with lots of pins on it so useful numbers, names and word lists all get pinned on. Another useful item it a sticky notepad of post it notes. These are especially helpful when you have important things to do which cannot wait - I usually stick them on my desk or on my laptop.
Don't forget the comfort factor either and ensure that your chair is set to the correct level so you can work easily without craning your neck.
You may wish to get an ergonomic keyboard with a mouse if you are concerned about repetitive strain injury (RSI) to your hands. Believe you me, it is worth paying a bit more for at least a mouse rather than using the touchpad mouse that many laptops feature. I had severe RSI to the point where my elbows were swollen, and that didn't even take into account the shooting pain down my fingers and wrists.
Another consideration: should you go for a PC or a laptop? If you can, have both. Personally, I choose to have a laptop because of the portability factor. I often go and stay at my mums during school holidays and sure enough, my laptop comes with me.
One more thing which is HIGHLY recommended. In fact, I would say don't even consider setting up your business without it. Whatever you do, get a subscription to Carbonite backup drive. It is the single best investment I have ever made and it is very cheap. A one year subscription to this service costs about $55 and backs up EVERY single document and piece of work you do. Even if you go into a document and make changes, it tracks them and saves them.
At least if your computer was ever stolen, damaged or completely crashed out, you would always have a backup of every single bit of information you have ever had. I have literally hundreds if not thousands of hours worth of work on my laptop, not to mention expensive learning courses that I have downloaded. At least I am safe knowing that my work is safe. Unlike an external hard drive where you have to manually save your work including changes, Carbonite does it for you automatically.
Hopefully the advice here is enough to get you going. You may find you need other essential bits and bobs, but the above mentioned things are your barest minimum.
Could Your Freelance Full Time?
I freelance part-time because it fits in around my family. I have a young baby that demands a lot of time and attention, so the part-time set up works perfectly for me. That said, ask yourself this, if you have considered giving up your day job and freelancing, how would you cope?
Freelancing full time requires a major commitment. Add to that the need to be a stickler for detail and organizing your time responsibly. After all, you may have other commitments such as a family for whom you have to provide. You are your own boss, so if you struggle with motivation and being able to set your own targets and goals, freelancing may not be for you.
Also, could you live without a full time wage? As all freelancers know (and don't I know it) you go through cycles of feast and famine. I went through a period of about four weeks without any paid gigs, and while it was depressing, it was certainly far from catastrophic. You see, I'm not the breadwinner, and thankfully, my husband has a good job and does the job of providing for our family. I don't have that stress, but you may not have that luxury.
If you are sick, no one is going to pay you. The fact that the life of a freelancer is so ad-hoc prevents many a would be full timer from taking the plunge. You have to set your own rules. You have to do the legwork. If you cannot be bothered or don't have the time, forget it, you never will.
Freelancing full time requires gusto and drive, more so than working for someone else. You ARE your business and have to treat it like one, or you will fall pitifully by the wayside with all those other would be freelancers.
My advice? If you are looking to go it alone, keep your options open. Work full time and spend your spare time setting yourself up. It typically takes about 6 months for many freelancers to find their feet and really get going. If it is something you passionately believe in as I do, go part-time if you can afford to and spend the rest of the time putting your all into your work.
I know of freelancers who freelance on weekdays and spend their weekends doing a part-time job to ensure that there is money rolling in. I personally started freelancing when returning to work as a teaching assistant was no longer viable because I could not afford the childcare costs. The sheer boredom of endless cooking, cleaning and nappies was driving me to distraction and I felt suffocated because I could not seem to break away from it.
Whatever your reasons for going freelance, ALWAYS have a backup plan in case it really doesn't work out. A sensible person would ideally save enough money to comfortably quit their day job to go it alone. Otherwise, it can be complete financial suicide.
Freelancing full time requires a major commitment. Add to that the need to be a stickler for detail and organizing your time responsibly. After all, you may have other commitments such as a family for whom you have to provide. You are your own boss, so if you struggle with motivation and being able to set your own targets and goals, freelancing may not be for you.
Also, could you live without a full time wage? As all freelancers know (and don't I know it) you go through cycles of feast and famine. I went through a period of about four weeks without any paid gigs, and while it was depressing, it was certainly far from catastrophic. You see, I'm not the breadwinner, and thankfully, my husband has a good job and does the job of providing for our family. I don't have that stress, but you may not have that luxury.
If you are sick, no one is going to pay you. The fact that the life of a freelancer is so ad-hoc prevents many a would be full timer from taking the plunge. You have to set your own rules. You have to do the legwork. If you cannot be bothered or don't have the time, forget it, you never will.
Freelancing full time requires gusto and drive, more so than working for someone else. You ARE your business and have to treat it like one, or you will fall pitifully by the wayside with all those other would be freelancers.
My advice? If you are looking to go it alone, keep your options open. Work full time and spend your spare time setting yourself up. It typically takes about 6 months for many freelancers to find their feet and really get going. If it is something you passionately believe in as I do, go part-time if you can afford to and spend the rest of the time putting your all into your work.
I know of freelancers who freelance on weekdays and spend their weekends doing a part-time job to ensure that there is money rolling in. I personally started freelancing when returning to work as a teaching assistant was no longer viable because I could not afford the childcare costs. The sheer boredom of endless cooking, cleaning and nappies was driving me to distraction and I felt suffocated because I could not seem to break away from it.
Whatever your reasons for going freelance, ALWAYS have a backup plan in case it really doesn't work out. A sensible person would ideally save enough money to comfortably quit their day job to go it alone. Otherwise, it can be complete financial suicide.
Why Write?
Why write? This is the question I am most often asked. 'How could I Not? After all, it's something I love, love, LOVE doing.' For me, writing serves two purposes. It is cathartic and it makes me money.
I often write for the sake of writing, which is partly why I set this blog up - to share my love of writing as well as my knowledge of freelancing with others. Blogging is relatively new to me, but the thought of being let loose on a platform where I can share everything with the rest of the world sounds too good to be true.
Keep a look out on this blog, my aim is to post once a week on something that really helps me write better and faster and more efficiently. I hope it provides you with a good background into what it takes to be a good writer too, as I share resources and tools with you.
I often write for the sake of writing, which is partly why I set this blog up - to share my love of writing as well as my knowledge of freelancing with others. Blogging is relatively new to me, but the thought of being let loose on a platform where I can share everything with the rest of the world sounds too good to be true.
Keep a look out on this blog, my aim is to post once a week on something that really helps me write better and faster and more efficiently. I hope it provides you with a good background into what it takes to be a good writer too, as I share resources and tools with you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)