Most everyone does a Christmas countdown, but I don’t know a single person who does one for Tax Day. We might as well do it since there is no escaping paying taxes – unless you want a visit from the IRS.
So, 32 days till that wondrous day: April 18. [Read more…]
Last year, I shared a quiz titled “What Type of Freelance Writing Gig Suits You Best?“, and if you took it and got “copywriting” as the result, you’ll love this post. Actually, even if you didn’t get that result, the chances are you’re doing some copywriting work – whether you realize it or not.
Copywriting is an often used term, sometimes inaccurately.
That’s where the ultimate guide to copywriting comes in handy – very handy. [Read more…]
We’d like to say a big thank you to all of you who supported us when we ran our survey last November. As we promised, we are sharing the results of the survey with everyone.
We asked freelance writers questions that provide insight into our work and industry as a whole and put together the data into one graphic.
To give you a quick overview of the results, here is a summary of the key points. [Read more…]
How do you annoy a writer?
The list is to long too fit hear.
I do have an infographic for you that isn’t too long. It lists down 10 of the most annoying writing mistakes – according to Lawrence Ragan Communications. The group conducted a survey with LinkedIn users as the respondents. Whether that’s a good measure of “most annoying writing mistakes” or not is up for debate in points. [Read more…]
I could be wrong, but most – if not all – freelance writers dream, or at least think, about writing a novel and getting it published. Whether you’re writing content for clients, doing copywriting work, or even ghostwriting, the chances are that you have a novel somewhere inside you.
We all have to start somewhere, though, and one of the ways to do so is to know what genre you want your book to fall under. Sometimes, you won’t have to decide – your ideas and characters will come alive without you having much control with regard to genre. They’ll practically give you the finger and say “F” genre! Write our story! [Read more…]
Everyone knows that those who have chosen blogging careers working at home is the ideal setup. You get to work whenever you want, wherever you want. You have all the freedom in the world, and you don’t have to shower and dress up first thing in the morning.
Riiight.
Whether you’re rather new to working at home or you’ve been doing it for a while, you know that while there is some truth to those ideas, working at home isn’t all sugar and spice.
There is always the temptation to procrastinate, which is not made easier by the plethora of distractions present at home as opposed to a real office.
One piece of advice that every work at home person receives is to create a space dedicated to work. This we all know to be true.
But how do you do that?
It’s easy enough to say, but in reality, some of us may not have the luxury of a study, like the ones we see on TV or in the movies. Fortunately, we can make a working space out of what we have – whether it’s a corner in the living room or the guest bedroom.
If you need a little inspiration on how to create your home office when you don’t have a lot of space, take a look at this infographic. It gives you ideas on how to transform different places in your home to a working space. More than picking the space, it also gives you tips on tools and equipment to ensure maximum productivity.
What’s your working space like? How did you create it? If you want, share photos with us!
We rarely talk about search engine optimization on FWJ. We have, however, raised the question of whether or not a freelance writer has to know SEO. Here’s a quote from an article we published on the topic a while back:
No freelance writer has to understand SEO. You can be a wonderful writer without the knowledge of SEO, and this is truly the core of any writing career. However, many experts recommend that a freelance writer learn at least the basics of SEO in order to become more marketable. In other words, you will have an easier time becoming a profitable writer if you have SEO skills.
This is especially true if you want to put yourself out there and get clients to discover you online.
We’ve also tackled the topic of the benefits of having an online portfolio, and by knowing some SEO concepts, you increase the chances of your online portfolio getting eyeballs.
While I do believe that the best SEO is still excellent content that people will want to read, there are certain technical concepts and practices that give your site a boost. How do you learn about these practices?
Follow experts in the niche.
I have to admit that I know some “SEO stuff”, although I am far from being an expert, but it’s part of the job. I read and read some more, then test the principles out. Guess what? I do see some results.
So, if you want to improve your online portfolio or blog’s visibility, you might want to learn a thing or two about SEO.
Knowing how hectic a freelance writer’s life can be, I don’t expect you to be able to carve out a lot of hours to study SEO. That’s why I’m sharing this infographic titled “40 Actionable SEO Tips and Tricks From the Experts”.
It’s short and sweet, with experts in the niche giving bite-sized yet practical tips.
I hope you find it useful!
As writers, words are our tools – maybe even playthings.
We choose them carefully. We hear how they sound in our heads. We see them in our mind’s eye. We weave sentences together and connect those sentences to send a message perfectly.
We focus on words.
It is thus understandable that, sometimes, we underestimate the power of graphics. In this age of writing for the Web, we just can’t afford to do that.
If you’re a content writer or a copywriter whose client only wants text, then that’s a different situation. If you publish for blogs or online magazines, however, you know just how crucial graphics are.
Images can make or break a blog post or article.
It is thus useful to understand the ways graphics affect us, how they affect our readers. As they say, you have to put yourself in your readers’ shoes in order to give them what they want and need.
To aid you in understanding the ways graphics affect us, here is an infographic (how meta!) that gives us a look into the psychology of graphics. It covers the early use of graphics in history, their different types and uses, as well as how our brains react to different colors.
It really is an interesting visual aid that will help writers for the Web in selecting images, videos, and other visuals.
Click here to see more infographics from Bigstock
Did this infographic help you understand the use of visuals better? Why not share your thoughts and experiences in the comments?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but we all aspire to write a bestselling novel. Whether you’ve been writing for online or print, there is just something about seeing your name on a book – even better if that book makes it to the top of the charts!
The sad truth is that many of us just can’t seem to get a novel done. There’s freelance work necessary to make a living. There are so many other things that keep getting in the way.
You may be at a point where you think of your novel as “could have been”, but guess what? It is not too late to publish your bestseller.
Sure, you have to find the time to write, but take heart. Some of the most renowned authors were late bloomers. Some of them toiled for decades before achieving success.
If they can do it, so can you!
Here is an encouraging infographic that will show you examples of authors who struggled before reaching that status they have now.
The next time you feel down and think you’ll never become the author you always wanted to be, take a look at this graphic. Tell yourself that you can still publish your novel. It’s never too late!
Everyone who enters the realm of freelance writing goes into it with the idea of being successful. Some may think it’s as easy as pie. Others may think it will take time. Seasoned freelance writers will know that the latter group is more accurate.
While there is no step-by-step foolproof guide applicable to all writers that will lead to freelance writing success, there are certain principles, which, if followed, can help new freelancers reach their goals. Even experienced writers who want to become more successful in their chosen field can benefit from these principles. [Read more…]
