However, I don’t spend a lot of time tossing my hat into the ring with hundreds of other applicants for advertised writing positions.  I’ll do it occasionally when a particular call for a writer really appeals to me, but it’s not my preferred way of generating business.

I know there are plenty of writers out there who would really like to be busier, so I thought I’d talk about an approach that has worked for me.  It’s not revolutionary or anything, but it doesn’t seem to get as much attention as other strategies.  I like creating my own gigs.

Here’s the plan, in its simplest form:

• Find someone who has a great product or idea–something that’s right in your wheelhouse or in which you see remarkable potential.
• Think about how your skills could help them.
• Pitch them.

Example One: Occasionally, I’ll watch press releases roll along the river of a popular distribution site’s RSS feed.  I’ll look for releases that involve interesting topics or ideas.  I’ll pay close attention to those that evidence a need for a much better copywriter.  The contact information is right there on the release.  The pitch is simple in terms of offering them more effective releases and it doesn’t take long to investigate their web presence and to see what else they might need.

Example Two: Have you ever been searching for something that you wanted or needed and then discovered a real diamond in the rough of a website?  Of course, you have.  When I find these sites, I will follow up with the owners, telling them how we might be able to work together to improve their business.

I know.  It’s pretty simple.

But here’s the interesting thing…  It works.

You might think that the percentage of contacts that turn into business would be minimal.  That’s not the case.  The conversion numbers are surprisingly good.  I’m relatively sure that my contact/conversion rate in these situations is higher than most people’s success rate when responding to “writers wanted” ads.

I believe that one reason writers aren’t in higher demand is our collective shortcoming in marketing our gifts and their value.  We have a tendency to wait until people see a need for us when we should be telling them why we’re so damned valuable.  When you’re rainmaking, that’s exactly what you’re doing.

The trick, of course, is the pitch.  You need to be able to show value to the prospective client.  You need to demonstrate an understanding of what they seem to be trying to accomplish as well as a vision for what they should be trying to accomplish.  You need to make yourself accessible and to let them know that you’re friendly, helpful and something other than a moneysucking mercenary with a keyboard.

I generally make contact with an email.  I’ll follow up with a phone call.  It’s not a chore.  It’s fun.  After all, I’m not hoping to find an ad for a job that would be tolerable.  I’m isolating opportunities that interest and excite me.

Give it a shot.  Take some time to find someone who isn’t necessarily looking for you but who could really use your skills.  Pitch ‘em.  See what happens.  You might be surprised.

Craigslist has a reputation for being a haven for scammy types. The truth is, it’s no less scammy than other job boards. In fact, with its flagging system many of the scams are dealt with in a swift and efficient manner. There’s a problem, though. Because of the same flagging system, a lot of the good opportunities disappear too. In fact,  many of the jobs flagged on Craigslist aren’t even scams at all. Some are terrific opportunities but are flagged for a variety of different reasons.

Many of the freelance writers who use this blog network to find work each day express disappointment when they see a gig that’s right up their alley only to click and learn it’s been flagged. Most automatically assume it’s a scam. The truth is, the Craigslist flagging system is flawed. While the intentions are honorable, any old Joe off the street can flag for any variety of reasons and after three clicks the job is out. No one really comes back to check to make sure legitimate opportunities aren’t receiving flags.

Before writing off an employer or a gig as spam or a scam, consider some of these reasons why freelance writing jobs are flagged on Craigslist.

1. They’re Scams

There really are scams and spammers on Craigslist. For example, anyone who tricks you into clicking a residual link for a writing site is a spammer. Anyone who tricks you into thinking you’re applying for a job, when you’re really being directed to a paying site, is a scammer. Writers SHOULD absolutely flag unsavory leads.

2. Someone Else Has Made a Decision for You

Many writers flag jobs they don’t approve of. For example, I know of one writer who flags jobs paying under $50 because she doesn’t feel writers should be paid less than that per article. I know of another writer who flags anything from residual sites because he doesn’t approve of them. These writers are flagging based on their own beliefs and experiences, even if those experiences aren’t the same for everyone.

3. Competition Flagging

Sometimes a writer doesn’t feel confident enough to compete with others for a job and will flag a gig several times over so it will be removed and other freelancers can’t apply. It’s not that it’s a bad gig, it’s that the other writer doesn’t want anyone else to be considered for the job. Confident freelancers shouldn’t be afraid of other writers applying for the same opportunity. If you’re the best fit, you’ll land the gig regardless of the competition.

4. They’re in the Wrong Spot

Sometimes ads are flagged becasue they’re in the wrong place. For example, if an accouting or Virtual Assistant gig is in the writing section many people will flag. Many times non-paying opportunities are flagged because they’re considered volunteer opportunities and should be classified as such.

5. Disgruntled Writers

Sometimes ads are flagged because disgrutled writers want to make it more difficult for their ex-clients and employers to hire other writers. They feel they’re hurting this client by not making the opportunities available to other writers.

Have you ever flagged a freelance writign job listed at Cragislist? If so, why? What are your thoughts on some of these practices?

Have you ever come across a location specific freelance writing gig that sounded perfect, but you didn’t live anywhere near the requested area? That’s not necessarily a reason to skip the gig. Some clients are more than open to the idea of hiring freelancers outside the area, they just don’t know it yet.

Here are some tips for applying to freelance writing gigs outside of your area:

1. Read the entire ad: If the client specifically requests area specific freelance writers and mentions this in the ad, don’t apply. Should the opportunity arise later to hire freelancers outside of the area, he may remember you as someone who didn’t follow directions. There are reasons a client wants a freelancer close by, usually to attend meetings or to come in to the area to give periodic progress reports. If they insist on hiring someone local, move on to the next gig.
2. Be honest: Let the potential client know where you live right off the bat. For example, you can say in your cover letter, “I’m a freelance writer residing in Baltimore, Maryland…” Your client might become frustrated if he finds you to be a terrific candidate yet calls and finds out you can’t come in for an interview. Once he reads about your location he can then decide on whether or not to read further. Mention it without making it a part of your pitch. You don’t have to discuss why he should hire someone outside the area, let your pitch decide for him.
3. Be convincing: Give a good pitch. Let this potential client know what you can do for him and his business. Show him how you’re perfect for the job. Make the location seem like an insignificant part of the job. Don’t bring up working at home or kids or personal stuff. Talk about why you’re the best person for the job, and you may just have a shot.

Do you ever apply for location specific gigs outside your area? If so, how did that work for you

I take a lot of heat for defending certain content sites who hire writers for entry level opportunities. However, I have a pet peeve with many, and I’m sure you’ll share my sentiments.

I can’t stand when web content sites flood the job boards. Every city, every state, every town, and in some cases, every country.

Most writers look beyond their towns for finding freelance writing work. They look in the major cities and they check job search engines such as Indeed. There’s no need to flood the feeds. This only makes you look spammy. We see your ads, we simply don’t want to see them too much.

When content sites flood the feeds with job ads, people assume many things:

• You’re spammy.
• You have a high turnover rate.
• You can’t hire enough writers.
• You’re annoying.

None of these are good things. Please stop spamming the job boards. I can understand an ad in each major city and perhaps one on each different job board. But when you hit Monster, Yahoo! and others with an ad feeding into each different city, town, street, avenue or municipality, you’re wearning on my nearves. Enough with all the job ads already.