I regularly receive emails from bloggers asking me to promote a new service, review ebooks, donate to their contests and post affiliate links. Many of these requests are from very popular bloggers who I haven’t heard from since the last time they had something to promote. I also hear from friends who haven’t had the time to chat or email in years, but now they’re wondering if there isn’t something to this making money online thing or they’re out of work and wondering if they should write. I don’t mind helping. I enjoy promoting products I feel are a good [Read more…]
Writing Tip of the Day: Ask
October 5, 2009. 19 Comments
I just had an interesting Skype chat with Jodee Redmond. We were talking about how shy we were/are in the real world, but received a bravery boost when we began freelancing. Both Jodee and I brought up situations where we were hesitant to discuss payment options, raises, or asking contacts for work – when we shouldn’t have stressed. I’m surprised by how many people are receptive to my ideas and suggestions – when I finally get up the nerve to ask. I have never been turned down when asking for a client for a raise, and I’ve landed several projects [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for October 5, 2009
October 5, 2009. 21 Comments
It’s Monday, the beginning of a new week and a clean slate. Hope it’s a good start for you. I want to congratulate a friend of FWJ, Sandy Mitchel, on publishing her second book. Sandy has been a member of this community for years and we worked many of the same places. It’s a treat to be able to witness Sandy’s success. Check out “Cleveland’s Slavic Village” and support a long time member of the FWJ community. Here’s what’s new around the network: Is Writer’s Block an Excuse for Procrastination? 8 Places to Network Offline Weekend News and Awesomeness Winning [Read more…]
Are You Down With Grammar?
October 5, 2009. 15 Comments
by Dawn Allcot I was dismayed to see #DownWithGrammar trending on Twitter the other day. Some people used the hashtag to bemoan their high school English classes, others to confess to bad spelling, and many to make fun of politicians and political signs. Others – and these are the ones I commend – turned the phrase around in a clever play on words: “I’m #downwithgrammar,” JoannaOC tweeted. “That’s why I want the line to be for people with ‘fewer than 10 items’ instead of those with ‘less than ten items.’” If you’re scratching your head at why the first is [Read more…]
Weekend News and Awesomeness
October 4, 2009. 3 Comments
Awesomeness and news from around the web: The BlogWorld and New Media Expo is less than two weeks away. There’s still time to buy a ticket and book a room. BWE cut deals with several hotels for less than $100 per night. This is the biggest and best blogging and social media conference and I recommend anyone who is serious about succeeding as a blogger attend. Chris Brogan addresses a topic near and dear to my heart. I’m sure Chris gets way more email than I do here, but it seems he has the same issues regarding weeding through the [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Marketing Tips: 8 Places to Network Offline
October 3, 2009. 7 Comments
There is no denying the Internet is an important marketing tool. However, while social networking is fun and helpful, it’s important to network in the real world as well. To not do so is to miss out on a tremendous opportunity. Networking serves more than one purpose. In addition to meeting potential clients, you’re also trading ideas with the people who share common interests. There’s the potential to meet people who hire freelance writers and people who make recommendations to people who hire freelance writers. In this business, who you know can contribute to your success. Taking that first step [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for October 2, 2009
October 2, 2009. 6 Comments
I took some time to analyze the feed stats for FWJ. It has been a while and I was pleasantly surprised to learn we have over 6500 subscribers to the main Freelance Writing Jobs blog and each individual blog has their own followings. The last time I checked, before the summer, we were just at 5000 subscribers. It’s been rewarding and validating to watch this network grow. I am working on a way to combine the feeds to all the blogs into one, until then all the blogs require separate subscriptions. Here’s what’s new around the network: What Does Your [Read more…]
Is Writer’s Block an Excuse for Procrastination?
October 2, 2009. 17 Comments
Everyone who owns a writing blog talks about writer’s block at one time or another. We all offer the same tips: Take a walk Keep an idea notebook Talk to other writers Make an outline Make a list etc.etc. Lately I’ve been wondering if writer’s block is an excuse for procrastination. Is it that we truly can’t think of anything to write, or are there are other distractions preventing us from doing what we want to do? It seems every time I have writer’s block, it’s actually something else. My current project doesn’t excite me. I’m not blocked as much [Read more…]
What is Your Purpose as a Freelance Writer
October 2, 2009. 17 Comments
If there’s one thing I learned from this blog, it’s that every single freelance writer has a different goal or purpose. Not everyone who does this set out to be a writer. For some it’s a way to survive in this economy. For other writers it’s a chance to be heard. For anyone to succeed in anything it’s important to figure out your purpose. Is it to earn money? Is it to do something you love? Is it to teach? Is it to share? Is it to work from home? Is it to become famous? Is it to alleviate boredom? [Read more…]
Double Ds 2
October 2, 2009. 3 Comments
It seems like you’re enjoying the idea of word games here on the Other Stuff blog. Sweet! Let’s try another round of Double Ds. Below you will find several sets of letters. If you add the same letter to both the beginning and the end of the group, you will have formed a real word. For example, _REA_ would become “DREAD” when a D is placed at the beginning and the end. 1. _eve_ 2. _ar_ 3. _atc_ 4. _atastrophi_
Winning the Fight but Losing the Customer
October 2, 2009. 14 Comments
People in the marketing world either love Seth Godin or they hate him. I personally enjoy him; he has a new-millennium sort of wisdom, but he delivers it in something of a folksy way. At any rate, I ran across this post of his last week. Go ahead and go read it, but the gist of it is that sometimes, in business, it doesn’t matter if you’re right. If your customer is unhappy, she’s unhappy. No amount of arguing can change that. If you want her to remain your customer, you need to acknowledge that she’s unhappy. This got me [Read more…]
Double Ds (or Ys or Qs or Whatever)
October 1, 2009. 9 Comments
Below you will find several sets of letters. If you add the same letter to both the beginning and the end of the group, you will have formed a real word. For example, _REA_ would become “DREAD” when a D is placed at the beginning and the end. How many of the following can you get? Go ahead and post your answers without looking at what other people have left in the comments. We’re using an honor code here, by the way. 1. _RIM_ 2. _EDIU_ 3. _OADSTE_ 4. _ISBAN_
"Would You Like to Play a Game?"
October 1, 2009. 5 Comments
First of all, I’ll give a big shoutout to whomever can answer the question in the title by telling me the name of the game it alludes to. My plan since taking over has been to play some word games here on the Other Stuff blog. Theoretically, those of us reading it are writers, after all, and who likes a good word game more than we snobs? Plus, there’s the added incentive of competition, excitement, and possible recognition as a smarty-pants. What’s not to love? I promise that this is something I planned to do long before Deb announced that [Read more…]
Bringing Community Back: FWJ is Giving Away $150
October 1, 2009. 10 Comments
Once upon a time there was a blog. This blog had several thousand visitors each day. They shared. They chatted. They commiserated. It was all good. Soon some mean people came by and began scaring away the happy chatters. The vibe changed from warm and fuzzy to not so much fun anymore. The owner did her best to build up community, but she was so busy with her projects and her job it wasn’t happening. She put a comment policy into place but the damage was already done. She had a reputation for having a community that liked to bicker. [Read more…]
Bringing Community Back: FWJ is Giving Away $150
October 1, 2009. 3 Comments
Once upon a time there was a blog. This blog had several thousand visitors each day. They shared. They chatted. They commiserated. It was all good. Soon some mean people came by and began scaring away the happy chatters. The vibe changed from warm and fuzzy to not so much fun anymore. The owner did her best to build up community, but she was so busy with her projects and her job it wasn’t happening. She put a comment policy into place but the damage was already done. She had a reputation for having a community that liked to bicker. [Read more…]
Bringing Community Back! FWJ is Giving Away $150
October 1, 2009. 2 Comments
Once upon a time there was a blog. This blog had several thousand visitors each day. They shared. They chatted. They commiserated. It was all good. Soon some mean people came by and began scaring away the happy chatters. The vibe changed from warm and fuzzy to not so much fun anymore. The owner did her best to build up community, but she was so busy with her projects and her job it wasn’t happening. She put a comment policy into place but the damage was already done. She had a reputation for having a community that liked to bicker. [Read more…]
Bringing Community Back: FWJ's Giving Away $150!
October 1, 2009. 4 Comments
Once upon a time there was a blog. This blog had several thousand visitors each day. They shared. They chatted. They commiserated. It was all good. Soon some mean people came by and began scaring away the happy chatters. The vibe changed from warm and fuzzy to not so much fun anymore. The owner did her best to build up community, but she was so busy with her projects and her job it wasn’t happening. She put a comment policy into place but the damage was already done. She had a reputation for having a community that liked to bicker. [Read more…]
Bringing Community Back: FWJ is Giving Away $150
October 1, 2009. 25 Comments
Once upon a time there was a blog. This blog had several thousand visitors each day. They shared. They chatted. They commiserated. It was all good. Soon some mean people came by and began scaring away the happy chatters. The vibe changed from warm and fuzzy to not so much fun anymore. The owner did her best to build up community, but she was so busy with her projects and her job it wasn’t happening. She put a comment policy into place but the damage was already done. She had a reputation for having a community that liked to bicker. [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for October 1, 2009
October 1, 2009. 16 Comments
Wow. Can you believe it’s a new month? Clean slate time. All the negativity and frustration of the past month it’s over. Make it a clean start. Here’s what’s new around the network: FWJ Mailbox: What is a Citizen Journalist? 10 Marketing Tips for Freelance Writers And the Winner of the FWJ Photo Contest Is… What Does Your Twitter Name Say About Your Brand? Choosing Your Freelance Business Structure: Corporations and LLCs Responsible Citizen Journalism – Article Writing Not a huge amount of leads today. Leads… Content Writing Jobs Financial Writers for Stock Traders Daily Freelance Writer/Blogger – AOL – [Read more…]
Bringing Community Back: FWJ is Giving Away $150
October 1, 2009. 1 Comment
Once upon a time there was a blog. This blog had several thousand visitors each day. They shared. They chatted. They commiserated. It was all good. Soon some mean people came by and began scaring away the happy chatters. The vibe changed from warm and fuzzy to not so much fun anymore. The owner did her best to build up community, but she was so busy with her projects and her job it wasn’t happening. She put a comment policy into place but the damage was already done. She had a reputation for having a community that liked to bicker. [Read more…]
What Does Your Twitter Name Say About Your Brand?
October 1, 2009. 17 Comments
I’ve been thinking a lot about my name as my brand lately. I’m not one who hides behind anonymous pen names because I feel I can’t build up my brand by being anonymous. I have always been Deborah Ng or Deb Ng. My forum handles are always a variation of my name, usually “Deb Ng”. My Twitter handle is my name, but I also have accounts for FWJ and HireVine. All of those reflect a name as a brand. Last week at the Creators Conference, I spoke with a lot of writers about marketing. Many of them are interested on [Read more…]
Blog Contests: Bribery or Motivation?
There are some interesting discussions going around now regarding the purpose of contests at blogs, especially contests building community. Is it bribery or buying community to offer a contest encouraging community? As you know, the FWJ network is having a comment contest for the month of October. The reason for this contest is: To encourage long-time members to come back into the discussion after recent negativity. To encourage visitors to each individual blog to visit the other blogs in the network. To encourage newer or lurking members of the community to add their two cents. To give something back to [Read more…]