Diversifying your talent

Apart from write, what else could you do to rake in the cash and build yourself a good business? Writing alone can sometimes be hit and miss - and every writer goes through the feast and famine cycle. How about looking at additional ways to boost your income:

• writing and selling an information product using Clickbank to manage sales
• start your own CV writing service
• launch yourself as a professional copywriter - do a professional course such as AWAI's program or indeed any of the other programs on offer from famous copywriters
• have you considered offering workshops and training for business writing skills?
• what about freelance marketing consultancy? For those commercial freelancers and copywriters out there, this would be a natural progression for you
• specialize in one area - say brochures and team up with a graphic designer and then market yourself as selling a complete solution

There are literally dozens of ways connected to writing that you could diversify. All it takes is the courage to step out of your comfort zone and push yourself that bit harder. 

Tips on Punchier Copy

How do you get your copy to have more impact and more power? A great place to start is with the sentence structure - you basically keep your sentences short and sweet. Aim for no more than 2-3 sentences per paragraph, breaking into a new paragraph every time you discuss something new.

You should be mindful of the way you write - a first draft is NEVER good enough. Read over your first draft and now mark all those paragraphs that you think are great. Now repeat for those you think could be worked on. And lastly mark those that are terrible. I use a number system, numbering all bad paragraphs with a 1 etc.

Now go through and delete the bad paragraphs and keep the good ones. All the ones left need re-working, so do that and repeat the whole process. If you are writing a sales letter, one tip is to use lots of adjectives in your copy so that it makes your copy stand out and sound better.

Now look at the use of words you have. If you have words beginning with S, these make your copy read faster, while those with a P sounds more powerful. Avoid words which are ambiguous or difficult to understand, since your aim is to grab the audience's attention rather than put them off.

Gaining Publicity as a Writer

How do you gain publicity as a writer? How do you compete with the thousands of other writers out there? By carving yourself a niche. This is vital if you are going to differentiate yourself as a real competent professional. For example, your area of expertise may be anything and everything related to technology. Get as much experience in this field and really make a point of over-delivering to your clients.

By doing this, you will be creating a name for yourself and if you are good, then word will get around. But what about marketing techniques? Ensure that you leave your business card wherever you can and make a habit of telling your local businesses about you by advertising in your local Chambers of Commerce. In fact, use your chamber membership to full benefit. Place an advertorial in your Chamber magazine and if your budget allows, get a full page spread and really drive home the benefits of a great writer for any business.

Believe you me, if you get this right, you will have clients ringing you left, right and center! Always point them to a website and ensure you make a point of following up calls to clients. This not only re-enforces the fact that you are a highly seasoned professional, but also gives a clear indication to businesses that you are confident in your abilities and are not afraid to get in touch.

Easy when you know how! Happy writing! :)