It’s the end of the month so it’s time to recap some of the stories you may have missed: The Columbia Journalism Review had a rather interesting blog post commenting on ZDNet’s post about printing and things that are making offset printing obsolete. Lauren Kirchner’s “Don’t Get Your Printing Advice from a Printer Manufacturer” is great, if not for the great analytical content, then simply for this: “So essentially, I realized, I was reading and analyzing a blogpost written by someone like Microsoft’s Clippy.“ Hilarious. Al Qaidia entered the magazine business this month with the Inspire web mag. Designed to [Read more…]
Don’t Forget the Old-School: Pen & Paper Interviews
July 30, 2010. 3 Comments
Over the next couple of weeks, I’m going to talk about some oldie, but goodie elements of article writing that are still important for writers. It’s easy to dismiss some tried and true techniques because of all the fancy, technological whiz-bangs available to writers, but when technology fails – and it will from time to time – it’s good to have something to pull out of your coonskin cap. Do I sound 100 years old yet? Good. Pen and paper interviews. Important. Reliable. Still in use even after the invention of the iPhone. Why? Because technology doesn’t have your best [Read more…]
Family Circle Magazine Short Story Fiction Writing Contest Deadline Approaching
July 30, 2010. 3 Comments
If you’re an aspiring short story writer or fiction writer of any kind, then you might be interested in the 2010 Family Circle Fiction Contest. The submission deadline is September 8, 2010, so you have just over a month to polish your 2,500 word or less original short story! There is no entry fee. The winner gets money and a prize packages from MediaBistro.com, including: $750.00 A gift certificate to 1 course of your choice from MediaBistro.com A 1-year MediaBistro.com AvantGuild membership A 1-one year MediaBistro.com On Demand Videos membership You can submit up to 2 stories, but to enter [Read more…]
How Do You Track Your Income?
July 30, 2010. 3 Comments
The benefits of being your own boss outweigh the advantages of working a 9 to 5 job – we’ve already established that. Sometimes, though, we might forget that there are certain responsibilities attached to being a freelancer. For sure, we KNOW these responsibilities are there, but especially for those new to the freelance business, little things might slip by you every now and then. When it comes to taxes, the need to track your income is paramount. After all, how will you be able to declare your income and compute taxes accurately if you do not follow some one system [Read more…]
If You Will, I Will?
July 30, 2010. 3 Comments
Marcy Sheiner asked a question about an English expression “if you will” several weeks ago. So Marcy, this post is for you. Here’s Marcy’s comment/question/pet peeve. Marcy Sheiner says: July 14, 2010 at 12:09 pm This is a pet peeve rather than a question, but maybe you can tell me if there is ever a sane reason to use the phrase “if you will.” I’ve noticed it’s beoming most trendy, in speech more than writing, but sill. And what on earth does it mean????? I have been hearing – and reading – this phrase used for as long as I [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for July 30, 2010
July 30, 2010. Leave a Comment
Good afternoon FWJ friends! Can you believe that July’s almost gone??? Here’s the last batch of job leads this month. See you in August! New Around the Freelance Writing Jobs Network Book Writing and Publishing FAQ – Do I Need to Write My Book Before I Try to Get an Agent or Publisher? I Can’t Help Myself – It’s Too Funny Freelance Writing Jobs Content Writing Jobs Writers Needed for Social Media Article Writer Short-term Article Writer Advertising/Commercial Writers (Vancouver) Blogging Jobs Copy Writing Jobs Web Copywriters and Editors for Yoga Studio (Austin) Web Copywriter Health Insurance Copywriter (Orange County, [Read more…]
Book Writing and Publishing FAQ – Do I Need to Write My Book Before I Try to Get an Agent or Publisher?
July 29, 2010. 6 Comments
While I certainly don’t claim to be an expert about book writing and publishing, I have had 6 books published by major publishers, and I’m writing my 7th. Therefore, I feel like I can answer at least some questions about book writing and publishing. Keep in mind, if you ask 20 authors, agents, or publishers the same question, you’re likely to get a wide variety of answers. With that in mind, my answers to the questions in the new Freelance Writing Jobs Book Writing and Publishing FAQ Series are my opinion and based on my own research and experiences. Different [Read more…]
I Can't Help Myself – It's Too Funny
July 29, 2010. Leave a Comment
So, if you checked out my recent post in which there’s a video of Stephen King cracking wise with Late Night host Conan O’Brien, then you may have noticed they talked a fair amount about King’s contribution to a still-growing wave of paranoia regarding clowns. If you didn’t watch the video clip but know anything about the book/movie It, then you’ll still have enough context to understand why what I’m about to share is relevant. Anyway, that whole part of the conversation kept reminding me of a hilarious story that one of my favorite comedians (Dan Cummins) tells about the [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for July 29, 2010
July 29, 2010. Leave a Comment
Good morning FWJ friends! How’s your week so far? I hope it has been as productive as ours. Here are some new job leads for you. New Around the Freelance Writing Jobs Network Building Your Freelance Writing Brand – Part 4 Stephen King and Conan O’Brien Freelance Writing Jobs Content Writing Jobs Freelance Writer (Snellville, GA) Article Writer – Medical Careers Need Graphic Design Articles Written (Danville/San Ramon) Article Writer on Notable Online Acquisitions Freelance Writer (Burr Ridge) London-based Freelance Writers Bilingual Creative Writer (Montreal) Blogging Jobs Personal Finance Blogger (DC) Blog Content Production Assistant Copy Writing Jobs Copywriter Needed [Read more…]
Weird
July 28, 2010. Leave a Comment
Building Your Freelance Writing Brand – Part 4
July 28, 2010. Leave a Comment
It’s time for Part 4 of the Building Your Freelance Writing Brand series here on Freelance Writing Jobs, and today, you’ll learn about manipulating search engine results and how to handle negative conversations about your brand online. You can find links to Parts 1-3 of the series at the end of this post. First, it’s important to understand that this is not a lesson in search engine optimization, although some of the suggestions in Part 3 and Part 4 of the Building Your Freelance Writing Brand series certainly do apply to SEO as well. With that said, here we go… [Read more…]
Stephen King and Conan O'Brien
July 28, 2010. 4 Comments
I recently took a Facebook test (which are rivaled in accuracy only by those found in Cosmo, btw), and it told me that my writing style is closest to that of Stephen King. I don’t suppose I’m all that surprised, as he was the first adult author I ever read (Cujo in the fourth grade). This led to a rather awkward and very brief sex-related conversation with my mother while on a cross-country Amtrack adventure. 10-Year-Old Me: Mom, what’ this word mean? (Pointing to the slang term used.) Panicked Mother: What do you think it means? 10-Year-Old Me: Never mind. [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for July 28, 2010
July 28, 2010. 5 Comments
Hi everyone! Here is a great quote to help you get over the mid-week hump. Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. ~Mark Twain Now on to fresh job listings! New Around the Freelance Writing Jobs Network Tools to Record Interviews Using Skype 6 Things Freelancers Can Learn from Sharks Working for Yourself: Failures in Efficiency Freelance Writing Jobs Content Writing Jobs Freelance Writers Freelance Writer (Beverly Hills) [Read more…]
Why Having a Freelance Writing Business is Better Than Working
July 28, 2010. 9 Comments
Well, it’s beats the hell out of working for someone else, anyways. When I tell folks that I’m a writer, I can sometimes hear the envy in their voices. They imagine the tortured soul sequestered away at a lake house plugging away on the final chapter of his latest novel. They think of book signings, and of New York parties where, because I’m the writer type, I’m the only one who shows up wearing tennis shoes. Those images are silly, but they’re pervasive. Before I was a writer, that’s what I though a writer’s life was like. Those of you [Read more…]
Working for Yourself: Failures in Efficiency
July 27, 2010. 1 Comment
Ooh, “failures in efficiency” sounds just like “failure’s inefficiency.” How cool is that, fellow Word-Nerds? I used to read a lot of blogs, but I just don’t seem to have the time, energy, or attention span to keep up with any of them lately. In my defense, I am running a business, sustaining a marriage, keeping a house, raising a child, and growing an entire human being in my body, so if anyone is personally offended that I don’t keep up on his or her blog…he or she is totally a selfish loser. I do find myself with the occasional [Read more…]
6 Things Freelance Writers Can Learn from Sharks
July 27, 2010. 5 Comments
In honor of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week programming starting August 1, here are 6 things freelance writers can learn from sharks. No, I’m not advocating that we should chomp unsuspecting clients who get on our nerves, although some days that idea is tempting…. 1. If something is working for you, keep doing it. Sharks are an ancient species, and they have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years. If they haven’t evolved much, it means that as a species they have been successful. Once you find a type of writing or a niche that is working well for you, stick [Read more…]
Tools to Record Interviews Using Skype
July 27, 2010. 13 Comments
Last week, I published an article called 5 Online Tools Freelance Writers Can Use to Make Life and Business Easier, which offered my suggestions for free and cheap tools that any freelance writer can try. One of the items on that list was Skype, which enables you to make free calls (including international calls) from your computer. Skype is free and not only helps freelance writers manage client communication, but it’s also an incredible tool for conducting audio and video interviews. Want to see a sample of a video taken via a Skype call? Check out the videos I took [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for July 27, 2010
July 27, 2010. 1 Comment
Good morning, FWJ friends! Here are the job leads for today. If you’re experiencing “summer writing blues,” do check out some tips from Susan. New Around the Freelance Writing Jobs Network Outsource Part of Your Freelance Writing Work Getting through the Summer Writing Blues Freelance Writing Jobs Content Writing Jobs Creative Fashion Writer for ViVVVA Online Writers for Demand Studios (LA) Internet Writer for Cosmetic MD (LA) Wanted: Obsessive “Nikita” Fan and Writer Blogging Jobs Wedding/Fashion Blogger (Manhattan) Philadelphia Sports Blogger Copy Writing Jobs Fashion Copywriter (Phoenix) Copywriters for The Boss Group (Atlanta) Copywriter for Media Company (West Chicago, IL) [Read more…]
Getting through the Summer Writing Blues
July 26, 2010. 7 Comments
As the summer is winding down here in the northern half of the world, it’s easy to feel frustrated. Writers have a tendency to lock ourselves in our offices sitting behind our computers and getting lost in our own minds. Let’s face it. Even if we’re writing from the beach, we’re still trapped behind our laptops and usually lost in our own minds. With just a few weeks left before children head back to school and we lose yet another sunny day, let’s take a few minutes to remember that writing can be addictive, but it’s important for our mental [Read more…]
Outsource Part of Your Freelance Writing Work
July 26, 2010. 2 Comments
When a client signs a contract with you, as a freelance writer, he’s paying for your writing ability. Without prior permission from your clients, you should never hand off any of the writing involved in a project to someone else. But that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing in your work flow that you can outsource. You can speed up projects and free up time for new clients with some careful outsourcing. What Do You Wish You Didn’t Have to Do? One of my pet peeves is conducting interviews over the phone or in person, simply because I can’t write fast [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for July 26, 2010
July 26, 2010. 3 Comments
Hi everyone! Let’s welcome a new week with some writing job leads. Also visit some new articles from the rest of the network. Have a productive week ahead! New Around the Freelance Writing Jobs Network Staking Temporal Vampires Not Tonight, Crazy Client…I Have a Headache When Clients Do Not Pay 5 Ways to Breathe New Life into Old Content Justifying a Comma Splice Freelance Writing Jobs Content Writing Jobs Content Writer – Real Estate (Long Beach, CA) Health/Nutrition Writer Freelance American Writer (Croydon, South London) Content Writer – Senior Living (Vienna, VA) Blogging Jobs Real Estate Blogger (Long Beach, CA) [Read more…]
Not Tonight, Crazy Client…I Have a Headache
July 25, 2010. 2 Comments
Warning: What follows is basically a personal rant about a particular client. I’ve chosen to share it here because I think many of you will identify all too well. This blog is supposed to be funny, though, so please feel totally free to laugh at me for being such a door mat. Have you ever noticed how the absolutely bat-spit crazy clients seem to come out of the woodwork just when you need it the least? These are the folks who don’t actually know what they want until you happen to hit the magic combination and they say, “Yes! That’s [Read more…]
When Clients Do Not Pay
July 24, 2010. 14 Comments
It’s every freelancer’s nightmare – when a client suddenly disappears after the goods have been delivered. You find a client, and you strike a deal. At the agreed time, you turn in your deliverables. Your client – and the money due you – is nowhere to be found. If you’re dealing with a person face to face, it might be easier to follow up on the payment. If you’re dealing purely via the Internet, it will be much more complicated. Worst case scenario – you do not get paid for your work. While this hasn’t happened to me yet, I [Read more…]
Staking Temporal Vampires
July 24, 2010. 5 Comments
Having a successful freelance writing business depends, in large part, on productivity. You need to be able to do work when it’s time to work. For that matter, you need to be able to create enough time to work in the day, as well. Like anyone else who’s self-employed, freelance writers are prone to what I call “temporal vampires.” These are people, tasks and circumstances that suck the time from your day and leave you scrambling to pull things together at the last minute. I want to know what yours are, but first I’ll tell you some of mine: Phone [Read more…]
5 Ways to Breathe New Life into Old Content
July 23, 2010. 2 Comments
Andrew Rosen published a post on Splashpress Media’s BloggingPro.com site today called “Bringing Old Content Back to Life: 5 Ways to Revive a Blog Post” that applies to freelance writers, too, so I wanted to share it with the readers here on Freelance Writing Jobs. A big part of writing is knowing when it’s time to remember that you don’t always have to reinvent the wheel to make an impact on an audience. If you write evergreen content for a blog or other media that can get lost in the clutter over time, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with [Read more…]
