A couple of days ago I was chatting with some friends over drinks, and the topic turned to social media. Given the status of about half of us as geeks, this was an in depth discussion that lasted for quite some time. Accompanied by plenty of eye rolling from the other half of our group with little interest in social media outside of playing Farmville. When we talk about the web and technology related fields, those in the group as obsessed as I am will usually agree on the good, the bad and the undecided. But what shocked me was [Read more…]
Has Technical Writing Stifled Your Creative Side?
March 12, 2012. 14 Comments
It is no secret that technical writing jobs pay well. Many freelance writers slowly slip into the technical writing sphere and get stuck. The jobs are plenty and the pay is good, and as a writer this stability is appealing. Other freelance jobs that seem to pay well are those connected with a specific company. For example, I used to write for a credit card website, so naturally my writing was centered on credit card tips and advice. There used to be a time when I would try and play around with my sentence structures and get fancy with metaphors, [Read more…]
How to Happily Accept Criticism
September 22, 2011. 2 Comments
It has been said that the two most sensitive people in the world are artists and writers. This is often proven in how the two groups take criticism, which is a regular part of our chosen professions. Perhaps this is because we all tend to put so much of ourselves out there when we craft our art. We are opening ourselves up to review, and we all want what we create to be well received. As a blogger, you are even more vulnerable to negativity. Not only are you writing on a much more frequent basis, but you are doing [Read more…]
How Do You Handle Unresponsive Clients?
October 26, 2010. 11 Comments
Recently Carson Brackney wrote this wonderful article about getting more work from existing clients. The advice he gives is excellent, and I have followed most of it unconsciously for some time, but it got me thinking about what happens on the opposite end of the spectrum when we must deal with an unresponsive client. This has been on my mind recently because I have been worrying about a client who suddenly dropped off the face of the earth. Fortunately, he went incommunicado shortly after he paid the balance he owed me on our latest project, so I’m not concerned about [Read more…]
First Lines as Inspiration
September 15, 2010. Leave a Comment
There are times when a great opening grabs me and pulls me along at sprint, opening doors for me until the last period hits the page. In those situations, I’m a true believer in the power of a first line’s inspiration. It makes bull riding easier when that happens, too.
Different Ways to Create Content
September 3, 2010. Leave a Comment
It doesn’t take rocket science to realize content is what blogs need to survive, succeed and even profit. In most circumstances blogs require a constant flow of quality content. There have been many would-be-bloggers who’ve thrown up a website with a handful of pages filled with pillar content and leave it at that. Then they move on to the next blog. That kind of blog model can work if you stay within micro niche topics where there is very little competition. However, if you prefer to build a blog and keep adding content – you will want to consider your [Read more…]
Multiple Niche Sites versus One Large Site
August 31, 2010. Leave a Comment
I’ve seen it happen numerous times – in fact, I’m guilty of catching blogging fever myself. When someone catches the fever, they are faced with the urge to setup multiple blogs covering a variety of niche topics that are of interest to them. Early in my blogging career I had and was attempting to maintain 13 blogs. That’s right THIRTEEN! Let me just say it didn’t take long for me to find that was Impossible! Recently I had a discussion with a friend of mine who would like to begin earning money blogging and would like to start off earning [Read more…]
Create Content With Timeless Appeal
August 25, 2010. 1 Comment
If you’ve continued reading to this point, you’ve likely taken the time to evaluate the “standard guidelines” and feel you have what it takes to blog. While you take some time to develop your blog for appearance sake, you’ll want to begin thinking about your initial content. I personally recommend you put some thought into creating timeless content that will serve as your pillar posts. Even if you select news-related topics, you can create timeless pieces that means the content you create will be useful today, tomorrow, a year from now and quite possibly 5 years from now. Blogs that are focused [Read more…]
Three Bags of Gold
August 24, 2010. 10 Comments
I’ve chopped off my finger. I’ve betrayed my friend. I’ve pulled the plug. I took the gold and ran.
I bet you’ve done it, too. Maybe you’ve stayed pure in ways that I haven’t, but you’ve compromised your responsibilities. You’ve done something short of your best work. You’ve pandered to an audience, to a client, or to your own writing vanity. You’ve made your deals with devils, even if your devils are incredibly cute and small.
If you haven’t, I bet you will. Someday.
Should You Become a Blogger?
August 19, 2010. 10 Comments
I know FWJ has covered a great deal of ground since it began, but for the sake of not missing a step, I’d like to start at the beginning for those who may be new and perhaps bring something new to the table for those who have been around for a while. As I stated in my initial introduction post, this blog is all about you! If there’s something in particular you’d like us to focus on, please don’t hesitate to drop me an email or leave a suggestion in the comments section. Thanks to the advancements of social media [Read more…]
Hello, I’m Gayla Baer — Let’s Get This Party Started!
August 17, 2010. 18 Comments
Greetings FWJ readers! I am excited to be the new contributing writer of FWJ Business Tips. After a very long, dreadfully hot/humid summer - my kids are back in school, I have moved and am settled in a new home and now I’m jumping back into my beloved world of blogging with both feet and then some. It feels like I have an endless supply of content swimming around in my head, anxious to make a debut, however, the reason I’m here is YOU! I’m here to provide you with information you want and need to help achieve your personal goals through writing! [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…]
5 Rocking Good Business Practices for Freelance Writers
July 30, 2009. 10 Comments
Being a success as a freelance writer isn’t only about being a good writer. It’s about rocking the customer service and being a good communicator. When your clients are happy, they’re less likely to argue over pay increases and more likely to refer you to other potential clients. Here are some tips to help: 5 Rocking Good Business Practices for Freelance Writers 1. Be Flexible: Good clients are hard to find. I mean, we’ve all had annoying clients and we’ve all had ok clients but model clients are few and far between. Why clients act the way they do is [Read more…]
What's Your Specialty?
June 4, 2009. 5 Comments
If you’re a writer, you have a lot of competition out there, especially if you sell your services on the web. There are thousands upon thousands of writers clamoring for clients, and buyers have a vast choice of which person to choose. That’s why specialization is important. You can’t just be a writer these days. You have to figure out what type of writing you do best and promote that specialty heavily. Most buyers aren’t looking for a great writer. They assume that if you market yourself as a writer, that you write well already. Buyers look for writers who [Read more…]
