Many of you are probably tidying up your end of the month business, whether it’s meeting deadlines or handling accounting. Don’t forget the clean aspect of it all, today is Monday and tomorrow begins a new month. It’s the perfect time for you to make a fresh, positive start. Are you subscribing to the FWJ newsletter? If you’d like to keep up with blog posts from around the network and don’t have the time, the newsletter will send the weekly best to your mailbox. We also feature news and announcements from members of the FWJ community, Q&A’s and more. If [Read more…]
Writer for Linwright Design
November 29, 2009. 1 Comment
Linwright Design is growing faster than we can keep up! As a writer who graduated with a degree in journalism, I found that while the print industry was going under, writing was still very much needed online. In fact, content marketing is one of the fastest growing web marketing techniques around. At Linwright Design, we impliment blogs, articles, press releases, social networking, and email marketing to create an effective SEO strategy. Oh yeah, we also do a bit of web design, using WordPress and nothing else. We’re looking for writers! Not familiar with WordPress? We’ll teach you! The talent is in [Read more…]
Writers for Windows 7 Tutorials
November 29, 2009. Leave a Comment
Name of the business: www.7tutorials.com Cotact Person: Ciprian Rusen – ciprianrusen@gmail.com Payment Details: 15$/article Job Title: Writer of Windows 7 tutorials Job Description: Write Windows 7 tutorials for both beginners in computing and computer geeks using Windows 7. Requirements: Good knowledge of English; Good Windows 7 operating skills (no need to be an expert but you must know the basics very well); Ability to explain technical terms to non-technical audiences; Willingness to write original content instead of copying ideas & content from others.
10 Freelance Writing Lessons Learned from the People of Walmart
November 29, 2009. 6 Comments
The People of Walmart is one of those blogs that gets me through every situation. For example, if I’m feeling as if I have nothing to wear, I turn to the People of Walmart to show me there are endless wardrobe possibilities for the taking in my own closet. Just when I think my hair cut is getting a little shaggy, I turn to the People of Walmart and realize that it’s nothing a couple of barrettes or a pony tail holder can’t handle. Business in the front and a party in the back, baby. Finally, when life is getting [Read more…]
Word of Mouth Still Works and Other Lessons
November 28, 2009. 3 Comments
This time of year, I’m pretty prone to looking back and taking stock in what’s happened in my freelance writing business over the past twelve months. I try to identify some of the good, some of the bad, and start working on some ideas about how to improve business in the coming year. The process isn’t particularly formal, but it’s useful nevertheless. Today, I made a mental list of my big clients. I’ve got about three clients that give me repeat business and that make up about 40 percent of my overall receipts. Those are my bread-and-butter clients, the ones [Read more…]
How to Turn Off Your Blog Readers in 10 Easy Steps
November 28, 2009. 18 Comments
Blogging isn’t only a full time job or an income stream for me, it’s an addiction. It’s a way of life. Next to spending time with my family, it’s my favorite thing to do in the world. It’s my passion. I suppose that’s hard to explain to the people who see that I’m online all day and think I have no life, but it is what it is. I’m hooked on blogging, it’s my passion. I enjoy reading blog posts from other passionate bloggers as well. When people love what they do their passion and happiness shine through, and those [Read more…]
A Lower Bid vs. Selling Yourself Short
November 28, 2009. 8 Comments
Last week I posted a job ad for a business looking to start a website from scratch. He laid out a flat fee of $5,000 for the project. Now, I can’t speak for him but I’m assuming he received a good response. He offered a fair wage for his project and I almost considered applying for it too. Something interesting happened in the comments – or rather the deleted comments. Though the client already proposed a fair rate, several writers bid lower in the comments. A couple of people bid much lower. As in way too low to make the [Read more…]
I Don't Think That's What They Meant to Say
November 28, 2009. 1 Comment
I’ve mentioned a few times that the need for editors is overwhelming. From misspelled signs to poorly punctuated websites, there are far too many opportunities for those of us who love grammar to shake our heads in dismay. I was downright shocked, however, to discover that even footwear apparently needs a proofreader from time to time. That’s supposed to be “Texas,” guys. see more Epic Fails
Will You be Job Hunting During the Holidays? You Should!
November 28, 2009. 2 Comments
I’m pretty sure the term “Holiday Season” is a misnomer. With all the extra demands and dare I say it – expectations – that come with this time of year to make it the “best ever,” I bet there are a lot of people who need a holiday to recover from the Holidays. While it may be tempting to put your job search on hold until after New Year’s Day, please resist the urge to do so. Your clients are business owners of one kind or another, and they aren’t going to close their doors just because of the Holidays. [Read more…]
The Obligatory Gratitude Post
November 27, 2009. 2 Comments
As I sit here half-bloated from turkey and mashed potatoes, it seems like a good idea to take stock of those things I’m grateful for during this Thanksgiving weekend. At the top of that list, of course, is the fact that I am a freelancer. I’m currently sitting on the couch at my friends’ house in Seattle, Washington. I don’t actually live in Seattle, mind you. Rather, we drove here on Wednesday afternoon, arriving just in time to watch Gonzaga (our Alma Mater) win the Maui Invitational Tournament. Hm, Thanksgiving in on Maui makes Thanksgiving in Seattle seem a little [Read more…]
Quotations and Punctuation: A Tale of Cultural Differences
November 27, 2009. 3 Comments
Grammar is confusing enough for those of us in English-speaking countries, with multiple style guides, conventions that have fallen out of fashion, and rules people simply forget. If all that’s not enough, Americans also follow different rules than our English-speaking neighbors to the North. I’m not talking about the random letter U Canadians like to throw into words or even how they want to spell words that should end in “ck” with a “que,” instead. I’m talking about their use of quotation marks and punctuation together. Here in the U.S., periods and commas always go inside the quotation marks. In [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for November 27, 2009
November 27, 2009. 5 Comments
If you’re one of our American friends, I hope you’re sleeping off turkey and pumpkin pie. There’s also a good chance you’re shopping and take advantage of some Black Friday madness. I can tell you one thing I won’t be doing today is shopping. You can’t get me near a crowded shopping mall even with the promise of a brand new free iPhone. If you’re searching for a social media job such as for a blogger, online community manager, social media marketer or strategist or another social media gig, I hope you’ll check out HireVine, a new site for social [Read more…]
5 Ways Freelance Writing is Like Black Friday
November 27, 2009. 6 Comments
The day after Thanksgiving is traditionally called Black Friday. It’s called this because merchants all over the country significantly lower prices to bring in customers looking to save money on their holiday shopping. The purpose is for the shops to sell so much merchandise, merchants will be “in the black” as they approach the holiday season. I worked in a mall during my teen years, and though I haven’t quite erased the Black Friday mall trauma from my mind, for me “Black Friday” represented the bleakness of the day for mall workers. Though it’s been more than 25 years since [Read more…]
Will You Lose Weight or Just Loosen Your Belt?
November 26, 2009. 1 Comment
I’m stuffed. I realized as I loosened my belt around the Thanksgiving table this evening, I’m going to have to lose some weight or I’ll face a challenge in the new year. What does all this have to do with a grammar blog? Simply this: Thanksgiving and its emphasis on eating reminded me that it’s a great time to reiterate the difference between “lose” and “loose.” If you’re too loose with your diet during the holidays, you risk gaining weight that you’ll have to lose next year. On the other hand, if you lose weight, your clothes will be loose. [Read more…]
Bogus Signup Scam for Purecontent.com
November 26, 2009. 2 Comments
I hate scammers and unfortunately there are far too many of them around. David Hobart from Purecontent has contacted me to help him get the word out about this one, and I am happy to oblige. People who work for this company are not required to download this software. Please e-mail David@Purecontent.com if you are contacted by this person. We have become the latest target of one of the many Online Criminals. An advert was placed by someone pretending to be an employee of Purecontent who purported to be attempting to sign up new writers. Why you may ask yourself [Read more…]
5 Ways Writing is Like Thanksgiving
November 26, 2009. 1 Comment
If you’re one of the American members of this community, you’re probably getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving. Pretty soon homes all over the country will fill with the smell of roast turkey and pumpkin pie. Friends and family will gather to give thanks. As I enjoy my first cup of coffee before the family wakes, it occurs to me that freelance writing is like thanksgiving sometimes. Allow me to share: 1. It takes planning Though it’s not difficult to whip up a Thanksgiving dinner at the last minute, to pull off a good one takes planning. A host will plan [Read more…]
What Lousy Customer Service Can Teach You About Good Customer Service
November 25, 2009. 2 Comments
I had to pick up new glasses today. Actually, I kept my old frames but needed to up the prescription. I only took the appointment today because the nice lady on the phone assured me it would be a slow day and I wouldn’t have to wait forever to switch out my lenses.”You’ll be in and out.” She promised. Bet you just said, “yeah right!” too. 20 minutes later we’re at the mall and I hand the sales lady my frames and prescription. “See you in two hours.” She waved me away. “Excuse me?” I asked. “You promise one hour [Read more…]
Customer Appreciation Lessons from Barnes and Noble
November 25, 2009. 4 Comments
I’m a big fan of Borders. It’s not that I don’t like Barnes & Noble (I do). It’s not that Borders has a better selection of books in my areas of interest (they don’t). Prices are the same between the two (well, OK. At the online versions of these two stores, BN has the better price structure). No, I like Borders because I feel like they appreciate me. You see, both stores have a membership program where they’ll send you coupons and special promotions. The typical Borders coupon is 25% to 40% off any item. The typical Barnes & Noble [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for Wednesday, Novembe 25, 2009
November 25, 2009. 6 Comments
I have some exciting news. Since mid-October, any time someone re-tweeted a post from FWJ I donated a nickel to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey. The final tally isn’t quite in yet, but I’m happy to tell you we’ve been able to provide at least one Thanksgiving dinner for a needy family – though I’ll probably send enough to feed a couple more. So thanks to all. Even though you probably didn’t know it, your support of FWJ is feeding people. I may even keep this going until after Christmas. Please see these new blog posts from around [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs Community Discussion: $37,000 vs. $52,000
November 25, 2009. 52 Comments
I wanted to share an email I received this week. I thought it would make for an interesting discussion. The letter writer requested I leave her name out, but it’s reprinted with permission. I did edit for brevity (again with permission) as the original letter was very long: Dear Deb, My friend is always taking me to task because I write for two web content sites. One of them is a place that gets a bad rap for being a “content mill”. I like the work. It’s fun and challenging. She says it’s demeaning and low paying. In January we [Read more…]
Do You Want to Hear About What Other Freelance Writers are Making?
November 25, 2009. 16 Comments
When freelance writers talk about rates, the conversation can get heated very quickly. It’s a topic that a lot of us obviously feel very passionate about. Am I curious about how much other freelancers make? Well….. Yes and No. On one hand it’s helpful to know what the pay range is for what we do. The flip side is that unless the person sharing the information also gives details about the type of work they do, their level of experience, educational background, etc., I don’t have a frame of reference to put it in. Are they working full-time or part-time? [Read more…]
25 Bloggers, Blogs and Websites for Which this Freelance Writer is Truly Thankful
November 24, 2009. 12 Comments
This year has been a roller coaster ride. For those of you who missed it, I maintained FWJ while working full time as a community manager, lost the full time gig thanks to budget cuts, and have to battle negativity on a regular basis for standing by a sponsor I absolutely believe in. A few people even tried to buy FWJ, but we weren’t having it. I also welcomed some wonderful new members to the FWJ community and watched our traffic make a nice steady rise. I’ve made many new freelance writing friends both on and offline, and the revenue [Read more…]
Demand Studios Launches “Write for a Cause”
November 24, 2009. 4 Comments
Today, freelancers from Demand Studios are going to receive information regarding the “Write for a Cause” campaign. Thanks to a partnership with First Book, one book will be donated to needy kids for every eight articles written. The goal is to donate 20,000 books on behalf of their community during the month of December. Here are your details: Demand Studios is a sponsor of Freelance Writing Jobs
Freelance Writing Jobs for November 24, 2009
November 24, 2009. 1 Comment
Here’s what’s new from around the network: 5 Reasons Offline Relationships are Important for Freelance Writers Freelance Clients: The Difference Between Friends and Friendly Beyond Freelance Writing: Don’t Overlook the Package Deal Startups, start-ups and Other Sticky Situations Slim pickings today… Leads… We’re looking for a freelance writer to contribute posts to our money-saving tips and frugal lifestyle website. Ideally, we’re looking for: • Someone with a frugal bent who knows how to stretch a buck • Someone who can come up with interesting story ideas • Someone who can work independently with minimal direction • Someone who can contribute 2-3 articles per week [Read more…]
3 Reasons Why “Shock Value” Isn’t the Best Idea
November 24, 2009. 9 Comments
I was just reading on Media Bistro how Good Morning America canceled Adam Lambert’s appearance originally scheduled for tomorrow morning after receiving over 1500 complaints due to Lambert’s racy performance on the American Music Awards last weekend. Sometimes celebrities go a little too far in their attempts to add shock value to a performance. Sure, they get the desired publicity, but is that always a good thing? It occurs to me many writers can use this as a learning experience. Shocking people is fun. Shocking people incites a reaction. There’s no denying people we’re going to talk about Adam Lambert [Read more…]
