by Candidate #13
Find your niche. Don’t know what your niche is? What do you write easily or passionate about? Do you get excited talking about the color of trees in the fall time? Do you think ghost hunting should be a national pastime? Maybe you’d like to expose your crazy family for the whackos they truly are by changing their names to protect the guilty. Either way, if you like to write about it, chances are, this is your area of expertise. Who cares if it’s erotica or all about quilt making? Just know where you belong in the big world of authorship and stick to it.
Get a copy of the latest edition of The Writer’s Market (either purchase or borrow from the library) to get a better understanding of your own niche and where to submit your queries. It is a great reference tool for new and experienced writers/authors.
No matter what anyone else tells you, go with your (writing) instincts. They don’t just say “write about what you know “simply for the sake of saying something meaningful. If you’re writing for money, then you’ll only get so far – the passion has to be in the words. Transcend the written page and give it your best shot! (Again, check tip #1.)
Understand that no matter what you write, you’re not going to like it 100% of the time. You may not even like what you write 1% of the time! As writers, we’re simply our worst critics. As long as you’ve taken the time to edit, use proper English and write with genuine enthusiasm -then you’re on the “write track.”
Mediate and breathe. Ok, I realize that’s really 2 things, but they go together like PB&J. Seriously. If you want to be a good writer, then you have to take time out to focus your energy. Being at your physical and emotional best is never a bad piece of advice. Trust me.
Blog, blog and blog. Get your name and thoughts out there! Journal about your exploits as a writer. If you’re having a tough time breaking in, then TELL the blogosphere about it. Journaling is the crux of many great novels and stories! Get a free blog site and even if no one else reads it, it will be cathartic -plus, you’re self publishing. A little narcissism goes a long way for self-esteem.
Make your own list and write all the time. Ok, maybe all the time is a bit of a stretch – BUT! Even if it is just creating a list, be sure to write it down. Keep your creative side alive and you might just find yourself in the zone… or in a niche or in a quandary. It is all writing goodness. Keep telling yourself that over and over; just don’t fight the urge to write.
Remind yourself there’s no such thing as the PERFECT writing gig. You’ve found your passion, know your niche, but you’re not making $100k right off the bat. (Dang it! That’s just the truth. Sorry.)
Be patient. That’s about the most important tip -ever. Don’t wait for your gig to fall into your lap and certainly don’t hope that it will all fall magically into your lap and happen tomorrow. You need to approach your writing like any other event in your life. Just like you won’t start writing a novel for Random House within a week of deciding to write professionally for a living, you’re not going to be the next Ann Landers with two blog posts and a subscription to The Writer’s Digest.
Stop WAITING around for the perfect writing gig! Get online and check out the Freelance Writing Job board and start to look for writing gigs that fall in your niche. Check every day and search Google for legitimate leads. In the writing world, you should never stop learning or loving what you do.
Great post. All good advice and keep doing all of the above even when you do land some writing gigs because you’ll want to get more gigs as time goes on.
Good personality. Bullet points might have helped make it easier to read – but I got all the way through it, so not totally necessary.
Reminding yourself that there really is no “perfect” gig is good advice. As long as you are happy and fulfilled with what you do, then you will be able to keep going. Persistence is what will eventually make that $100k possible.
Nice article!
Thanks for the feedback Jenny!
Connie – the article was submitted with numbered sections, but it may not have copied and pasted from the Word .doc as planned.
Accepting that there’s no such thing as perfection is a good mantra for any area of business or life!
Best,
The Mysterious #13
Hey 13 – Gotcha. I read some of the other posts and they look as though the formatting may have suffered a bit as well.
Still, excellent article, even without the numbers.
I’ve had that problem where the numbers disappear when I’m guest posting on other sites. I think it’s because you’re using auto-numbering (is that what it’s called?), which gets lost when you copy and paste. You might skip the numbers initially and then add them manually at the end.
Good to know, Susan – I will try that next time!
Actually, 13, I kind of like that your post showed up without numbers. It makes it seem more like a story, and it’s nice.
(Also, I can’t address you as “13″ without thinking of the new doctor on House.)
I feel so mysterious, too, using these numbers.
The number one thing is to not wait for the perfect gig to fall in your lap, but to just go out and find it. Keep pounding the pavement!
This was an excellent post – one I really needed to read today. Thanks for keeping the spirit alive, especially on a Monday!
Thanks #4! Good to know that all is not lost in a bullet-ized world! (Does this mean that I “dodged the bullet” so to speak?) Ok, I know [insert groan here!]
And to #4 and #11, all these numbers remind me of the cliche’ about just being a statistic…
-The Unlucky #13-
This post is a winner. Both novice and seasoned writers can benefit from the advice.
Yep, there are a couple of sticky notes waiting for this post!!
It’s amazing to visit the site this morning and find this post, since I just came from turning down a highly lucrative blogging job for exactly the reasons you specify.
Regular readers of Freelance Writing Gigs will remember a paid blogging position that was advertised here three or four weeks ago. The pay was wonderful. The company even provided a phone number to call, after which they were so inundated with inquiries that they had to change their voice mail message to reject calls and move to an all-email format. They ended up receiving about 1000 applications.
I was notified recently that I made the final cut to the top 10, and it was only then that the specific nature of the work was revealed to the applicants. The final task for us 10 finalists was to come up with a hefty list of sample posts for the blog. And after banging my head against the wall for several days, I realized that I’m simply not the blogger for that position. I don’t know much about the subject, nor do I find anything personally interesting about it. In fact, it rather bores me (which says nothing bad about the subject itself, nor about the blog, which already exists and which is a high-quality product). For me to write that blog would entail many hours per week of research that I would find a boring distraction from the things that really grip me. It would just be a mechanical exercise. I am right now coming from just having sent the company an email to that effect. It was hard to do — I could really use that money, and as I was typing the email I could hardly believe that I was preemptively turning myself down for the position instead of letting them do it — but I’m convinced it was the *right* thing to do, both for me and for them.
Again, this is a great post you’ve made. Thanks for the valuable thoughts, which I wholeheartedly second.
I really think the most important part of this top 10 list is the idea that, as writers, we’re always on a hunt for perfection. We look for the next opportunity that speaks to us personally. We have that creative energy that only artists seem to understand!
When we are in that “zone of creativity” we’re happy -but we’re probably not 100% happy with the product.
I call it the 3 C’s of Writing: We’re critical, in need of creativity ALL of the time and have a calling.
Matt, that sounds like that was tough to do. And yet, if you wouldn’t enjoy it, it’s not worth it. You can spend the time finding something else that you do enjoy.
All these numbers remind me of Battlestar Galactica, which I have been watching constantly for the last month. Currently, two of the main characters are named Six and Three.
I think your right about perfection. If we wait around for it, we’ll never send anything out.
I am really happy for you, Matt. You made the right choice, although I’m certain that wasn’t easy for you.
Best of luck!!
~from the not-really-all-that-lucky #13~
YES! This is a great post!
I never like what I’m writing and I cannot believe that when I do get a gig, I’ve deserved it.
What’s wrong with me?
Looking forward to more top ten posts!
Jenna K.
You have some terrific advice here for writers. I do like your voice and style. However, I don’t like the format all that much. A previous comment mentioned bullets–I’d agree with that. Also, you need to proofread more carefully–I found a couple mistakes that didn’t make the post look too good.
Melody – LOL! Battlestar Galactica…
Jenna K. – nothing is wrong with you and you deserve the writing gigs that come your way!
chinamatt – I agree about the format, but since this isn’t my blog space where I can easily edit after posting, that changes the game a bit. I attribute some of the errors in my posting to two things: 1) wanting to get something ready as quickly as possible and 2) being incredibly tired after a 14 hour car ride from Chicago back home…. I know I re-read my work several times (and out loud), but I didn’t see the errors until it was posted. Again, that goes back to “if it were my blog and I could edit excuse….”.
(sigh) As if I’m not already critical enough of my own work…. LOL!
#13 I enjoyed reading your post very much. You have a lovely style. Don’t worry about the mistakes. I’ve seen plenty of professional blogs with mistakes not to mention the mistakes I see in my job daily made by Ph.D.s
Everyone has a typo or two.
Good luck!
Good list, but I will add a few that I’ve found invaluable (even though when I did them, I was still an employee).
1) Take accounting classes. Knowledge of bookkeeping (basically accounting 101) and cost accounting (102) are invaluale. Even if you have an accountant, the books are still your responsibility. The basics are also important to help you determine profitability, whether you are really making money (revenues and profits are not the same), etc.
2) Read sales and success books. If you’re in a business, you’re in sales or you will fail to be profitable. Success books like 7 Habits of Highly Sucessful People, Think and Grow Rich, etc., provide invaluable tips, attitude adjustments, and basically, excellent strategies to be successful.
No. 13,
Hope you enjoyed Chicago. Been in the area my whole life, though I have only one local account.
@Morgan – Thanks for the confidence booster! ….I won’t tell you what level of degree I have. Just to keep it safe and less embarrassing.
@Phil – YES! Accounting. Great tips and THANK YOU for pointing that out. I’d need a book that was for dummies though. I’m right-brained ALL THE WAY. I just want to be paid at the rate we agreed upon… beyond that, “I got nuttin’” if I have to use any complex mathematics!
Oh and I truly love Chicago – it’s one of my very favorite cities in the US. (It ties with Manhattan for me.) I’m just a city girl living in the ‘burbs right now.
No. 13,
Not accounting per se, but SCORE just sent this to me.
Washington, D.C.—SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business” and Corporate Turnaround have created a free 16-page workbook, How to Pay Business Debts You Can’t Afford. This valuable resource will help small businesses survive when facing economic and financial challenges.
The guide covers some of the most crucial parts of settling commercial debts, including:
How to determine a monthly budget to pay past due debts
How to create settlement offers with real-world information
How to write settlement letters using fill-in-the-blank templates
How to negotiate affordable settlements with the toughest creditors
How to stretch out settlements over time
How to Pay Business Debts You Can’t Afford is free and available as a PDF download on SCORE’s home page at http://www.score.org.
SCORE CEO Kan Yancey says, “SCORE mentors can help small businesses with a variety of financial issues, including loans, cash flow, accounting, taxes and cost reduction.” Yancey adds, “This new workbook will help give small business owners the tools they need to satisfy their creditors.”
“The easy-to-understand strategies in this guide have helped settle more than 25,000 business debts,” says Jerry Silberman, CEO of Corporate Turnaround and co-author of Small Business Survival Book: 12 Surefire Ways for Your Business to Survive and Thrive. Silberman adds, “SCORE clients will learn how to explain their hardship directly to their creditors and gain the best possible settlements.”
#13, thanks for your tip about inner critics. Mine almost stopped me from trying out for this contest.
@Phil – Sorry to say, but it makes me wonder why people are so prone to get into debt in this country to begin with that we always need booklets, self-help guides and pamphlets to get us out of our financial jams. It is just so foreign to me since I am married to a European man who knows nothing about credit card debt -except what he reads in the local papers here in the US.
@#7 – Glad that you took the leap of faith, too!
Just remember to continue to write what you’re passionate about and you won’t have regrets. (Just writers must stop agonizing over their own words and get some more confidence! We’re just a real train wreck on the inside, aren’t we?! LOL!)