by Jodee Redmond Disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer (and I don’t even play one on TV). Please consult with an attorney to get the appropriate legal advice for any concerns you may have. A contract is an agreement that is legally enforceable under the law. In order to make a contract valid, certain requirements must be met: Both Parties Must Agree If there is no agreement, then the contract is not valid. Each party must behave in a way that indicates they accept the terms of the contract. In a situation where someone signs a contract but secretly has no [Read more…]

by Chris Cristiano A lucrative but often overlooked facet to freelance writing is the job of resume writer. There are loads of job opportunities for a knowledgeable resume writer and the best part is that there are millions of working people and the majority will need a resume at one time or another. I was pleasantly surprised when I placed a free classified ad on the internet, and received three leads for resume work within the first few days. One client was looking for a rewrite, another needed a resume created from scratch and another inquiry was for a few [Read more…]

by Becky Scott What’s the best way to find a job or a gig? That’s what we all ask ourselves, even if we’ve been at this for a while. The great thing about communities is the opportunity to share so we can learn from each others’ successes – and failures. Network – no, really – NETWORKI I’ve gotten a few jobs as an unknown entity, but it’s much more difficult when you don’t know who you’re dealing with. You need to research the company or person you’re pitching so you can tailor your ideas for them (that goes for business [Read more…]

*At least not until you’ve completed your prep work! By Terreece Clarke The first thing freelance writers want to know is “Where do I/How can I find work?” the second thing is “When can I quit my day job?” What many writers fail to do is complete the necessary prep work that will not only aid in getting a writing gig; it’ll help you keep your freelance writing career afloat. Know Your Role Before you start scanning the job boards and devouring Deb’s 23 Places to Find Work list, decide on what type of work supports your platform. Are you [Read more…]

by Mary Hay Davis Remember the popular children’s game show, Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? It was an educational sensation – the perfect marriage of learning and fun. Well, luckily Carmen has a cousin – one who can educate us writers just as Carmen educated a generation of children. Who is this favored family member, and how can she help build your writing career? Her name is Alexa Pareto, and she’s a Marketing Specialist’s best friend.

…would you listen? Ever since I started working at BlogTalkRadio and listening to some of the great programs, I’ve been wondering about have an FWJ radio show. We can discuss freelance writing tips and have guests, interviews and listeners can call in with questions. So…if we were to launch FWJ Radio, would you listen? Thanks!

By Candidate #1 The Internet has provided us with a vast amount of freelance writing jobs to choose from, but we shouldn’t neglect our local community. If you’d like to increase your freelance writing income, your local community is another place to search for writing jobs. Through this post, you’ll learn how to find work in your local community, how to apply and how to follow up. What do you say, are you reading to increase your freelance writing income with freelance writing jobs from local clients?

Since its launch in June 2006, Orato.com has given more than 4200 correspondents worldwide a platform in which to tell their stories. Recently recognized as one of the top 12 news websites in the world by the 2008 Webby Awards (which have been called the Oscars of the Internet by the New York Times), Orato.com has attracted up to 100,000 visitors in one day. Experience has taught us that the most compelling stories are written in the words of those who experience or witness an event. And so Orato.com is now paying for true, timely stories written through the eyes [Read more…]

by Deborah Ng Freelance writers are paid by various methods. Many writers nowadays prefer to be paid via PayPal because it’s so quick and easy, it’s not my preference though and you’ll soon learn why. Below I’d like to throw out some of the various methods of payment and offer up some of the pros and cons. Checks – Ah yes. The check is in the mail. But is it? Many times I’m told payment is sent out at the end of the month, only to receive it at the end of the following month. Checks are slow. First you [Read more…]

by Christie Halmick The perfect gig: a startup website. I would be the sole writer/editor. The gig would last for at least a few months, maybe more if the site really took off. The perfect client (Dan*): a successful entrepreneur. Prone to: constant emails, daily deadline and site goal/audience changes, whining, 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. happy time, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. woe-is-me time, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., “I just love your work so much, man!” time. Rinse and repeat for weeks.

by Candidate #10 Feast or famine. It’s the way the virtual world works. But getting out of famine so that you can feast a little sometimes feels like Mission Impossible. It doesn’t have to be that way. Yes, finding work is… well, work. It takes time, effort and personal investment. You have to want the work, and you have to be willing to put in the miles. To help you get started on your quest for the job, here are some of the best tried-and-true practices to finding work that you can start using today: Never be Afraid Fear is [Read more…]

by Erika-Marie Geiss If your goal is to Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer (to borrow Jenna Glatzer’s title) there are four keys to getting consistent freelance work: planning, research, patience and networking Set yourself up for success Start with a business plan. It doesn’t need to be formal and it doesn’t have to be for anyone’s eyes but your own. In it, state your goals — whether it’s a specific number of new clips, number of new clients, certain publications, a dollar amount — that you set as goals and benchmarks. Write out how you plan to [Read more…]

by Carly Schuna If all of your clients suddenly vanished and you had only one month’s worth of income saved up, would you be able to find enough new clients in four weeks to avoid being evicted and Dumpster-diving for meals of stale Dunkin’ Donuts? It’s not a pleasant scenario, and we all hope we’ll never be there. But if you feel just a little bit nervous about your ability to find new work in a high-pressure situation, read on.

by Candidate #5 As a writer, I often find myself struggling to diversify and break out of a specific niche. It is important not to let yourself become pigeonholed and labeled as a certain kind of writer (unless of course, you’re making good money doing just that and see no need to branch out). Whether you are just starting out as a freelance writer or simply looking to expand your clientele, here are a few ideas on the best way to go about finding work. Follow Other Writers. No, I don’t mean cyberstalking here. But I often come across other [Read more…]

Are you a test prep tutor with a special technique or style? Do you know a particular test inside and out and want to share your knowledge with the world? Do you have an easy-going, conversational writing style? Or maybe you’re just a writer with a passion for teaching… we want you! PrepLogic, a test prep company based in Tampa, Florida, is looking for freelance authors to help us create a new kind of product for the educational test prep industry. We’re looking for authors of all types and talents, but we’d really love to hear from test prep tutors [Read more…]