You want to make a living writing.
Here’s how I do it. It may not be a good way for you to do it. Then again, it might be advice that transforms you from a feast/famine disaster into a consistent earner.
How to Make a Living as a Writer
This is How I Do It? What about You?
September 30, 2010. 20 Comments
The Power of ” ”
What Quotations Mean & Using Brackets
September 30, 2010. 3 Comments
“I didn’t say that.” “My words were taken out of context.” Two phrases no writer, nor their editor, want to hear. Quoting sources is not as easy as people make it out to be. There are rules to quotes and too often those rules are ignored. ” ” Means Exactly Said First big point. When you put a person’s words in ” ” you are telling the reader that the words within the quotation marks are written exactly the way the person said them. Word for word. No fudging. If you miss words or add words you are then changing [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for September 30, 2010
September 30, 2010. 2 Comments
Good morning, everyone! I’m pleased to share today’s job leads with you. Good luck! Freelance Writing Jobs Content Writing Jobs Freelance Writers for WiseGeek (Online) Witty Web Content Writer (Las Vegas) Freelance Writers (Lawrenceville, NJ) Online Writer and Content Editor (New York) Writer for Adult Content (Work from Home) Creative Writer for TV Show (Toronto) Fun and Informative Writers (Virtual) Website Looking for Latino Writers (New York) Arts & Entertainment Writers (New York) Writer for Phoenix Site Blogging Jobs Education-minded Mommy Blogger (Online) Creative Bloggers (New York) eCommerce Blogger (Vancouver) Bloggers (Copiague, NY) Blogger/Ghost Writer Copy Writing Jobs Copywriter (Decatur, [Read more…]
Building Your Freelance Writing Brand – Part 9
Positioning Your Freelance Writing Brand Against Competitors
September 30, 2010. 1 Comment
The next section of the Building Your Freelance Writing Brand series is about positioning your brand and comes in two parts — 9 and 10. Part 9 teaches you about the three most basic positions a brand or business can hold in the market place, which I’ll expand on in Part 10 next week. In simplest terms, your brand position is the place in the market where your business sits in comparison to your competitors in consumers’ minds. Knowing where your brand is in relation to your competitors in the eyes of consumers is a critical part of developing the [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for September 29, 2010
September 29, 2010. Leave a Comment
Happy Hump Day! If you’re running a bit low on inspiration, take a look at this bit of wisdom: “Dedication involves making the space to let young ideas take hold; every tree was once a seed and every company was once an idea.” ~ Zephyr Bloch-Jorgensen Now for our job leads. New Around the Freelance Writing Jobs Network Lessons in Copywriting – Part 2 Blogging Secrets to Power Your Community – Part II Help! I’m Stuck on My Lead! Book Writing and Publishing FAQ – What Types of Publishing Options Are Available to Me? A Complex World: Language Families Freelance [Read more…]
Newbie Freelance Writer Needs Advice
How to Take the Next Step for Better-paying Gigs
September 29, 2010. 4 Comments
Hi Jodee, I am very new freelance writing. Writing has always been a passion for me, and I finally decided to publish some stuff online. I have published an academic dissertation on scribt.com and received good feedback. I have written on Hubpages purely for fun and recently I have started ghost writing, as well as writing for an article directory. Of course, the income is very low, but it gives me pleasure to research and write. Despite the low income, I ensure that what I write is of high quality. I have three questions: 1. How to make that step-up [Read more…]
Blogging Secrets to Power Your Community – Part II
The Technical Stuff
September 29, 2010. 4 Comments
Technology can help enhance and serve your community if used properly. Some of the more technological techniques I use when developing my blogs are: A nice clean blogging theme is a must. There are lots of free themes that can be customized – but investing in a trusted theme package such as Thesis or Revolution can and will save you headaches later on. Make it easy for people to subscribe to your post. Most blogs have a big orange RSS button up in the corner but that’s not enough. Get creative in providing multiple ways and methods for subscribers to [Read more…]
Help! I’m stuck on my lead!
Things to do when the lede trips you up.
September 28, 2010. 1 Comment
The lead (lede). It’s an essential part of an article. It’s the hook that brings readers in, it’s the flag that sets the tone for the rest of the article. A reader’s road map…I could go on and on. There’s nothing more frustrating than doing the research, conducting the interviews, gathering your cup of joe and sitting down to that blank page with a blinking cursor. An article’s lead is important – which is why it is often the hardest part of the article for writers to write. So what do you do when you’re stuck? Reread your notes. There’s [Read more…]
Book Writing and Publishing FAQ – What Types of Publishing Options Are Available to Me?
Comparing Commercial, Vanity and Self Publishing
September 28, 2010. Leave a Comment
After reading Robin’s great post last week about writing ebooks and publishing my comparison of traditional vs. self-publishing, I wanted to take a step back to further explain the types of publishers that are available to aspiring book writers. Bottom-line, I don’t want anyone to be confused about the options available to them to get their manuscripts turned into books. There are three primary types of book publishing — commercial publishers, vanity publishers, and self publishing. Each type is described in more detail below. Keep in mind, the descriptions below are generalized, and of course, there are exceptions to every [Read more…]
A Complex World: Language Families
Their Popularity, Spread and Longevity
September 28, 2010. 13 Comments
Many writers are interested in learning more than one language and not just stick to good ol’ English. Often it can be easier to learn a new language because many languages belong to the same family and use similar base rules. The evolution of language is also undeniably linked to economic shifts in global integration, as seen in the emergence of Credit Loans. I’m sure everyone knows many examples of Anglicisms used in other languages such as offshore or Germanisms used in English, such as Schadenfreude. Another very popular example, especially among freelance writers, is the Gallicism Resumé or for [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for September 28, 2010
September 28, 2010. 4 Comments
Good morning, FWJ friends! Here are your job leads for today. Have a productive day! New Around the Freelance Writing Jobs Network How to Be an Internet Job Miner How to Be a Paid Writer – Lesson 2 Freelance Writing Jobs Content Writing Jobs Content Writers (Remote) Medical Web Content Writer Writers for Kitchen/Culinary Website (Austin) Content Writer (Madison) Freelance Writer (Montclair, NJ) Writers – Stories About Pets (Anywhere) Blogging Jobs Personal Finance Bloggers Fashionista Blogger (New York) Nightlife Bloggers (US) Freelance Blogger for HackADay.com (Online) Bloggers/SEO Writers (Los Angeles) Blogger – Senior Living (Chicago) Copy Writing Jobs Freelance Copywriter [Read more…]
How to be an Internet Job Miner
September 27, 2010. Leave a Comment
The Internet is a wonderful resource for people who are looking for work, including freelance writers. If you are interested in picking up your next gig, you have many options and places to look available to you. Many people who are looking for jobs check employment web sites looking for listings for “freelance writer.” This is an effective strategy, to be sure, but you can also get some great leads by looking at postings for editors. Read through the job description to see if it mentions something about the client looking for someone who can “supervise the work of freelance [Read more…]
How to be an Internet Job Miner
Digging a Little Deeper Can Get You Results
September 27, 2010. Leave a Comment
The Internet is a wonderful resource for people who are looking for work, including freelance writers. If you are interested in picking up your next gig, you have many options and places to look available to you. Many people who are looking for jobs check employment web sites looking for listings for “freelance writer.” This is an effective strategy, to be sure, but you can also get some great leads by looking at postings for editors. Read through the job description to see if it mentions something about the client looking for someone who can “supervise the work of freelance [Read more…]
How to Be a Paid Writer – Lesson 2
Setting Freelance Writing Expectations
September 27, 2010. 2 Comments
In the first lesson of the How to Be a Paid Writer series, you learned why it’s essential that you take the time to polish your writing skills before you venture into the world of paid writing. In lesson 2, you’ll learn how to set realistic expectations for your freelance writing business and earnings. First, keep in mind that every writer has an opinion based on his own experiences. However, if a suggestion related to how much you’ll be able to make as a freelance writer seems too good to be true — it probably is. The amount of money [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for September 27, 2010
September 27, 2010. 8 Comments
Good morning, everyone! I hope your weekend was as awesome as mine, and that you all have the energy you need to have a great week. Here is the first batch of job leads for the week. New Around the Freelance Writing Jobs Network Print-on-Demand for Dummies It’s National Punctuation Day! Freelance Writing Jobs Content Writing Jobs Article Writers for Health & Fitness (Phoenix) Education Content Writer Blogging Jobs Industry Blog Writing/Editing Assistant (New York) Blogger – Marketing/Advertising (Remote) Fashionista Blogger (Chicago) Personal Finance Blogger (USA/Canada) Blogger – Relationships (Montreal) Comedian Blogger (San Francisco) Copy Writing Jobs Copywriter for Suburban [Read more…]
Print-on-Demand for Dummies
Three Services That Should Top Your List
September 24, 2010. 3 Comments
For weeks, I’ve been telling you all about the virtues of ebooks, why they are not to be feared but embraced. How they are the future of publishing. Today, I’m going to tell you why you shouldn’t abandon print yet, and detail three of my favorite print-on-demand services. Schizophrenic? Maybe (but only because the publishing industry is these days). True? Absolutely! eBooks Are the Future, But the Future Isn’t Here… Yet eBooks are the new hotness. There’s no denying it. The turnaround time, writer compensation model, and the speed with which they can be bought and owned is unprecedented in [Read more…]
It’s National Punctuation Day!
September 24, 2010. Leave a Comment
It’s not yet too late to celebrate one of the most important days of the year: National Punctuation Day! I am not making this up, although my love for quirky holidays is well known. You can check the official web site for the holiday to confirm that this is for real. With the tag line “A celebration of the lowly comma, correctly used quotation marks, and other proper uses of periods, semicolons, and the ever-mysterious ellipsis,” National Punctuation Day is a great excuse to party tonight. If it’s too late for you to organize something, you can always do [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for September 24, 2010
September 24, 2010. 2 Comments
Good afternoon, FWJ friends! Friday’s leads are a little late, but here they are nonetheless. Have an awesome weekend everyone! New Around the Freelance Writing Jobs Network The 7 Most Important Facts About Copyright You Need to Know Score! Landed a High Profile Source… The Harry Potter Franchise Pricing Book Writing Services Just a Quick Note Freelance Writing Jobs Content Writing Jobs Freelance Writer – Tech and Business (San Francisco) Website Content Writer (Manhattan) Part-time Article Writer Web Content Writer (Mountain View) Blogging Jobs Blogger at COEDMagazine.com (New York) Blogger with CA Law Background Forex Bloggers Green Business Blogger (Telecommute) [Read more…]
The 7 Most Important Facts About Copyright You Need to Know
Barely Scratching the Surface of an Often-Misunderstood Law
September 24, 2010. 7 Comments
As a freelance writer, copyright is your business. Your works are protected by copyright and it is that protection that enables you to sell your work, prevent unauthorized use and generally control how your creations are used. However, many freelance writers, much like the rest of the Web, either doesn’t understand copyright law or has serious misconceptions about it. But given how important it is to our profession, it makes sense to sit down and work to really understand what copyright law is about, at least some of the key points, and try to make sense of an admittedly confusing [Read more…]
Score! Landed a High Profile Source…
Now what?
September 24, 2010. 7 Comments
Your query – perfection – and you got the gig. Your email to the leading big wig on the subject – golden – he/she said yes. Your reaction – PANIC! Deep down, you never really thought Professor Large Brain would glance at your email or return your call. You were perfectly happy with Professor Adequate Brain who you knew would jump at the chance to chime in our your piece. Now you have all that brain to yourself for at least an hour. Now what? High Five Yourself. Let’s get it out the way now, go ahead and look at [Read more…]
The Harry Potter Franchise
The Books, The Movies, and The Genealogy
September 23, 2010. 4 Comments
Since the first Harry Potter book was released in June 30, 1997, the series has received an interesting mixture of acclaim and criticism. From a single book, the franchise has expanded to seven novels and six movies (the seventh one is due to be released before the end of the year). The first few novels received heaps of praise from critics, but the fifth installment seemed to attract more negative reviews. In spite of the criticism, the Harry Potter franchise can be considered one of the most successful in history. In fact, it has made author J.K. Rowling the only [Read more…]
Pricing Book Writing Services
How Much Should Writers Expect to Get Paid to Write a Book?
September 23, 2010. 2 Comments
I received a question via the Freelance Writing Jobs contact form today that is probably fairly common among freelance writers. A seasoned journalist sent me the following note: “An opportunity has been presented to me to write a book. The problem is I have no idea how to price such a venture.” How much should writers charge to write a book for a client? There are a few things to consider in order to know what the going rate is to write a book. First, you need to know who is publishing the book. If a major publisher asks you [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for September 23, 2010
September 23, 2010. 1 Comment
Hi, everyone! I’m pleased to bring you your job leads for today. We have some really interesting ones for you, so do take your time to check them out. Have a good Thursday! New Around the Freelance Writing Jobs Network Rejected by Company with One-Application Only Rule Building Your Freelance Writing Brand – Part 8 Blogging Secrets to Power Your Community – Part 1 Freelance Writing Jobs Content Writing Jobs Freelance Writer at Groupon (Chicago, IL) Freelance Content Writer – US History (San Francisco, CA) Home and Garden Writers Writers for Film Website (Detroit) Content Writer for Tax Website (Houston) [Read more…]
