Have you ever heard of PLR articles?
I hadn't until a couple of days ago. A friend tried patiently to explain exactly what they were. All I could see was that the pay-rate was way too low for me to make any money, so I ignored the offer.
But I understand differently - now that I've seen them working, that is.
What are PLR Articles?
PLR is short for Private Label Rights. I write an article and then offer Private Label Rights to the ownership of that article. The new owner can put it on his/her website or on a blog or in a newsletter to build content.
Or they can have it re-written so it's unique and put it into several article directories to build traffic.
PLR Articles are an inexpensive way for webmasters to build content and traffic at a low cost.
How Much Do PLR Articles Cost?
I guess it depends on the writer. I watched my friend sell hers for $1 per article and I screamed at the injustice of such low prices. After all, she's a professional full-time finance journalist writing for $1 an article? No Way!
She just smiled and said "You don't get it. These aren't individual sales. I'm not selling it once only. I'll sell 50 articles today."
That made me pause. 50 copies of the same article is.... $50 per article. That's professional rates!
I sat at her house and drank coffee and watched the sales coming in. She was right. She sold 50 - and that was just before lunch time with enquiries still coming in strong. We still had a whole week left to watch sales.
She laughed and said she needed to start writing some more articles.
PLR Article Packages
So my friend is obviously earning more than $50 per article by creating her own market for them. What I didn't mention earlier is that she sells them in packages of 5 or 10 at a time.
The package I watched her comment casually on in a forum and then proceed to sell a total of 65 packages by the end of the day consisted of 10 articles containing highly targeted keywords.
That's $10 per PLR article package - which is the same as $1 per article. No wonder people were buying them so fast. They know they're getting cheap rates for quality work.
She sold 65 of those packages that day I was there drinking coffee with her. I'm certain she made $650 that day from her articles.
I'm going to volunteer some of my own articles to be added to PLR article packs on her website and I'll be sure to keep you up to date with my results.
This looks like it's going to be fun.
:)
12/23/08
12/22/08
Top 7 Online Freelance Writing Tips
If you've spent any amount of time online, you'll notice that writing for the online world is far different to the writing style used for magazines and newspapers.
Let's look at some things you should remember when you're writing for an online audience:
Online Freelance Writing Tip 1: Keywords
Visitors can't find your article on a search engine unless it contains the right density of keywords.
Too few keywords means your article may not be found and search engines won't list it very highly in search engine results, meaning no one will find it unless they're directed right too it.
On the opposite end of this, having too many keywords in one article is considered to be 'keyword spamming. Think about how many articles you've read where the writer has tried to stuff so many keywords in that it feels unnatural and awkward.
Try using Textalyser.net (http://textalyser.net) to analyze your keyword density. If you find your keyword density is over 5% then rewrite it and see if you can keep it at around 3-5%. This has to be done at the same time as making sure your article doesn't sound unnaturally stuffed with keyphrases that don't flow.
Online writing is about visibility. You're competing with billions of websites for people's attention. Do a simple search on your favorite search engine and learn a little SEO (search engine optimization).
Online Freelance Writing Tip 2: White Space
Writing for an online audience means catering to their needs as well as remembering the search engines at the same time as providing information. You need to keep finding new information to give people so they'll keep coming back and reading what you have to say, then write out that information in an article designed to keep them interested. Then you're caught out trying to include optimized phrases to attract high paying clicks on the paid ad bars just to be sure you're earning at least something for all the effort you've put in and all the work you've done and all the information you provide...
What a messy paragraph. Nobody likes to read large chunks of text. It's painful on the eyes and many readers simply lose interest. When people read online they prefer clearly written small paragraphs that are easy on the eyes and easy to skim through information.
Break up your writing with paragraph breaks or even sub-headings to help online readers skim through to the bits of your work that interest them most.
Online Freelance Writing Tip 3: Sub-Headings
Sub-headings are a logical way to break up your content and help readers to skim through your article quickly to locate points of interest.
Sub-headings have a double advantage, too. Because they're usually set in a bold typeface, they're a great place to put your keywords for maximum visibility to search engines at the same time as breaking up your work into manageable chunks.
Online Freelance Writing Tip 4: Clean, Clear and Correct
Which brings us to the next point. Online writing is about getting people to understand your point. Too many newer writers will fill an article with keywords so many times that the sentences no longer have any meaning.
Keep your writing simple. Use strong nouns that explain your meaning and avoid adjectives where you can. Only include keywords where you know it won't affect the flow of your writing style.
If you're struggling to meet a requested word count, then words like absolutely, positively, certainly and amazingly seem to become very popular. These words might flesh out your word count, but they do nothing for your writing style.
Before you submit your writing, run it through a spell-checker. When you're sure it's correct according to the computer, read it again.
Words like then and than are spelled correctly so they won't show up on your spell-checker, but they also need to be contextually correct in your article. Nothing beats a good set of eyes.
Re-read before you submit.
Online Freelance Writing Tip 5: It's Not About You
If you're writing a blog, then feel free to throw in your personal opinion and your own personal anecdote.
But if you're writing an article with the intention of selling it online, then leave out the personal slant. People read articles in order to learn something or to find information about a topic. Your personal stories have their place in reviews or opinions - not in informational articles.
Online Freelance Writing Tip 6: Plagiarism
Copying another writers work is never a good idea. You're allowed to take ideas from other people's writing, but stealing the actual words they used is theft. Don't do it.
Copyscape (http://www.copyscape.com) is one popular plagiarism search engine. Most people are aware of Copyscape now and if they use it to check on your work, you'll be found out.
Not only could plagiarism negatively affect your reputation with your clients, but you could also bring down the wrath of the rightful author.
Online Freelance Writing Tip 7: Back-Up Your Work
Hard-drives crash and die. It's a sad truth and it keeps the computer companies happy when they get paid to fix your computer problems or replace faulty parts - but it doesn't replace your lost hours of work and research.
If you can afford to buy an external hard drive, store all your work and important information on one of these. Unfortunately, these have a habit of dying miserable, untimely deaths too, so you might back-up your work on a re-writeable CD for just such an emergency.
Or you could use Google Docs and store your work securely online. Not only are you able to access your work from other computers but you can also use their storage space for your back-up needs.
:)
Let's look at some things you should remember when you're writing for an online audience:
Online Freelance Writing Tip 1: Keywords
Visitors can't find your article on a search engine unless it contains the right density of keywords.
Too few keywords means your article may not be found and search engines won't list it very highly in search engine results, meaning no one will find it unless they're directed right too it.
On the opposite end of this, having too many keywords in one article is considered to be 'keyword spamming. Think about how many articles you've read where the writer has tried to stuff so many keywords in that it feels unnatural and awkward.
Try using Textalyser.net (http://textalyser.net) to analyze your keyword density. If you find your keyword density is over 5% then rewrite it and see if you can keep it at around 3-5%. This has to be done at the same time as making sure your article doesn't sound unnaturally stuffed with keyphrases that don't flow.
Online writing is about visibility. You're competing with billions of websites for people's attention. Do a simple search on your favorite search engine and learn a little SEO (search engine optimization).
Online Freelance Writing Tip 2: White Space
Writing for an online audience means catering to their needs as well as remembering the search engines at the same time as providing information. You need to keep finding new information to give people so they'll keep coming back and reading what you have to say, then write out that information in an article designed to keep them interested. Then you're caught out trying to include optimized phrases to attract high paying clicks on the paid ad bars just to be sure you're earning at least something for all the effort you've put in and all the work you've done and all the information you provide...
What a messy paragraph. Nobody likes to read large chunks of text. It's painful on the eyes and many readers simply lose interest. When people read online they prefer clearly written small paragraphs that are easy on the eyes and easy to skim through information.
Break up your writing with paragraph breaks or even sub-headings to help online readers skim through to the bits of your work that interest them most.
Online Freelance Writing Tip 3: Sub-Headings
Sub-headings are a logical way to break up your content and help readers to skim through your article quickly to locate points of interest.
Sub-headings have a double advantage, too. Because they're usually set in a bold typeface, they're a great place to put your keywords for maximum visibility to search engines at the same time as breaking up your work into manageable chunks.
Online Freelance Writing Tip 4: Clean, Clear and Correct
Which brings us to the next point. Online writing is about getting people to understand your point. Too many newer writers will fill an article with keywords so many times that the sentences no longer have any meaning.
Keep your writing simple. Use strong nouns that explain your meaning and avoid adjectives where you can. Only include keywords where you know it won't affect the flow of your writing style.
If you're struggling to meet a requested word count, then words like absolutely, positively, certainly and amazingly seem to become very popular. These words might flesh out your word count, but they do nothing for your writing style.
Before you submit your writing, run it through a spell-checker. When you're sure it's correct according to the computer, read it again.
Words like then and than are spelled correctly so they won't show up on your spell-checker, but they also need to be contextually correct in your article. Nothing beats a good set of eyes.
Re-read before you submit.
Online Freelance Writing Tip 5: It's Not About You
If you're writing a blog, then feel free to throw in your personal opinion and your own personal anecdote.
But if you're writing an article with the intention of selling it online, then leave out the personal slant. People read articles in order to learn something or to find information about a topic. Your personal stories have their place in reviews or opinions - not in informational articles.
Online Freelance Writing Tip 6: Plagiarism
Copying another writers work is never a good idea. You're allowed to take ideas from other people's writing, but stealing the actual words they used is theft. Don't do it.
Copyscape (http://www.copyscape.com) is one popular plagiarism search engine. Most people are aware of Copyscape now and if they use it to check on your work, you'll be found out.
Not only could plagiarism negatively affect your reputation with your clients, but you could also bring down the wrath of the rightful author.
Online Freelance Writing Tip 7: Back-Up Your Work
Hard-drives crash and die. It's a sad truth and it keeps the computer companies happy when they get paid to fix your computer problems or replace faulty parts - but it doesn't replace your lost hours of work and research.
If you can afford to buy an external hard drive, store all your work and important information on one of these. Unfortunately, these have a habit of dying miserable, untimely deaths too, so you might back-up your work on a re-writeable CD for just such an emergency.
Or you could use Google Docs and store your work securely online. Not only are you able to access your work from other computers but you can also use their storage space for your back-up needs.
:)
12/18/08
ePIFfunnies - Paying Freelance Market
ePIFfunnies
If you've had a funny epiphany, then post it to ePIFfunnies and get paid $15 for your effort.
http://www.epiffunnies.com/contact/submit-ePIFfunny.asp
Here's what their website says about what you should submit:
http://www.epiffunnies.com/contact/submit-ePIFfunny.asp
Here's what their website says about what you should submit:
- It must be based on an actual experience.
- It must be funny, clever or insightful.
- It should not be in the form of a “this is the way it is” or “this is the way it should be” lecture. Rather, it must help the reader to gain an “epiphany” or represent an “epiphany” on the part of the writer.
- It must meet the “So what?” test. In other words, it must be significant.
- It must not be offensive.
- It must be original.
As long as your story is funny and true you could earn a few extra dollars toward building your freelance business income.
:)
12/16/08
WiseGeek - Paying Freelance Market
WiseGeek
http://www.wisegeek.com/faq.htm
Seeking article writers across various topics. WiseGeek offers free and clear answers to common questions. You are able to suggest new topics.
Writers choose articles from a pool of available titles, which are updated frequently. There's always plenty of work!
Writer's openings are infrequent, so get your application in soon or they'll close this window of opportunity.
Scroll down the FAQ page until you see the section regarding freelance writers.
Pays $10 per article.
http://www.wisegeek.com/faq.htm
Seeking article writers across various topics. WiseGeek offers free and clear answers to common questions. You are able to suggest new topics.
Writers choose articles from a pool of available titles, which are updated frequently. There's always plenty of work!
Writer's openings are infrequent, so get your application in soon or they'll close this window of opportunity.
Scroll down the FAQ page until you see the section regarding freelance writers.
Pays $10 per article.
12/12/08
Create Passive Freelance Income
I get a lot of people ask me how I can possibly make as much money as I do from writing. I'm not a famous author and they've never seen my work written anywhere.So how is it possible for a no-name to be making a great living from writing when no one knows who I am? How can I possibly earn the income I bring in and manage to pay extra payments off my mortgage, have no other debts, live very comfortably in a great seaside suburb and still have extra money each week to save for a trip abroad for me and my daughter every winter?
The answer is simple. It's so easy to profit from your writing talents in so many different ways that the biggest problem I have each day is finding enough hours to write all the things I want to write about.
Many writers will not find it so simple if they insist on only working for revenue-share sites and pittance paying clients. These are the writers who will make a few dollars a week and then give up after a few months because they're going broke.
They're always easy to spot...
So how do I do it? Let's work it out.
Multiple Income Avenues
I don't just write articles. And I only spend a small amount of time right here on my blog. I write all sorts of things - whatever keeps me interested and stops me from burning out over writing countless amounts of articles.
So I break up my writing into fun bits that may not be a lot of money, but they're still income, I'm still being paid and I'm having a bit of fun.
Aside from this, having more than one type of income coming into my freelance business means that if one company decides not to pay me, my whole business doesn't stop. I still have other clients and other companies sending in money so I always have something coming from somewhere.
If you haven't read my earlier blog post on how to set up multiple income avenues you can find it here: Create Full Time Freelance Income
Repeating Income Avenues
This type of income is a little different - and a little harder to set up - but it's the most profitable, the most rewarding and the most money!
Some of the big gurus call this "passive" income. There's nothing passive about it, so I prefer to call it repeating income avenues. That's where you do a lot of really hard work only once and get rewarded for that big effort for several years into the future.
Did you know this is how book authors, inventors and music artists get paid? They're called royalties and the creator does the work only once, but then gets paid every time someone buys that product for as long as that product is available.
I don't have any big name novels on the shelves with fancy publishers - but I do ghost-write instructional/educational ebooks for a publishing company and they pay me a handsome royalty for every copy that sells. (okay, they're gaming guides...)
I have one that I wrote three years ago that still brings me a nice amount of money every month. Very handy. Especially when you consider that I've written nine now and working on the tenth when I have a free moment between articles.
These are just a few ways to help increase your own freelance writing income.
What ways have you found that keep your freelance writing business alive and kicking?
12/10/08
Get Paid to Rant!
Oh my! Now I've seen everything.
I've just been paid to rant.
You read that correctly. There really is a site out there willing to let you rant about anything you want to just get off your chest and scream out to the world. They don't care about literary perfection or grammatical correctness. They don't mind what you're ranting about. Complain, whine, whinge, rant or let off steam. Just rant and if they publish your rant you get paid.
I never would have believed there was a profitable way to let off steam - but here it is:
Rant Blogger - http://www.rantblogger.com/?page_id=19
Okay - the pay is pathetic. It's $5. But let's be serious - I wasn't composing a feature article for an internationally published glossy magazine. I was ranting about something that ticked me off.
They'll even let you submit as many rants as you want - as often as you feel like ranting.
Visit Rant Blogger and check it out for yourself.
I've just been paid to rant.
You read that correctly. There really is a site out there willing to let you rant about anything you want to just get off your chest and scream out to the world. They don't care about literary perfection or grammatical correctness. They don't mind what you're ranting about. Complain, whine, whinge, rant or let off steam. Just rant and if they publish your rant you get paid.
I never would have believed there was a profitable way to let off steam - but here it is:
Rant Blogger - http://www.rantblogger.com/?page_id=19
Okay - the pay is pathetic. It's $5. But let's be serious - I wasn't composing a feature article for an internationally published glossy magazine. I was ranting about something that ticked me off.
They'll even let you submit as many rants as you want - as often as you feel like ranting.
Visit Rant Blogger and check it out for yourself.
Build Your Freelance Business Your Way
I'm noticing a common thread among the comments I've been getting on this blog and across several writer's forums as well.People have this strange idea that they need to write articles all day every day in order to be working at home and earning money.
This just isn't true!
Your freelance business is YOURS. You have the freedom and the power to set it up however you choose. You can include article writing, content creation, paid reviews, forum posting, affiliate sales, ghost-writing, copywriting, ebook writing, paid emails, banner ads, - whatever you want to add. Mix and match your favorite bits of these with a few get-paid-to options and then break up your day with your different options to stop you going stir crazy.
It's YOUR business we're talking about here. You're the boss and you get to choose what happens in your business.
The word 'Freelance' simply means being self-employed. It doesn't mean writing. You could be a freelance photographer or a freelance consultant. You could be a freelance internet guru or a freelance online business owner. It's up to you.
If you plan on working at home for any length of time then not only will you need to be making money, but you'll also need to be having some fun or else you'll lose your motivation. By doing things you really enjoy every day, you'll be excited to get out of bed and jump onto the computer to start working because you're having fun.
However, if you only follow what the "gurus" are telling you will make money, you'll be working on ideas and tactics that they enjoy and profit from - not things you really enjoy doing.
In order to build a freelance business and then keep that business running strong you need to be passionate about what you're doing. It's fine to listen to the gurus' ideas, but see where you can replace their products and their profit making tools for your own business and your own passions.
My passion is writing. I love writing and I love helping people to get out of debt. I also love helping people learn about environmental issues and being a little greener in their every day lives. These are the topics I specialize in because they're what I enjoy doing every day.
Here are some things to remember when you're creating your own freelance business:
- Find your own little niche and create a specialization around it.
- Learn how article marketing works and use it well to promote your business.
- Talk to other writers on forums and learn how they established their freelance clients.
- Advertise your services.
- Learn to write great query letters and send them out to magazines that focus on your little niche.
- Build a portfolio of your own work (this goes hand-in-hand with the article marketing idea)
- Love what you do!
Most importantly - don't listen to the 'gurus' who want to take your money to teach you only how THEY do things that they enjoy. Listen to their ideas, but use your own version of the things you love doing instead.
Follow your own passions and do the things you love most. Life's too short to work at anything that's no fun!
:)
12/5/08
Freelance Writing and Repetition
While I love my private freelance clients and the business they send me, sometimes I get a little jaded by the amount of repetition there is in their requests.
In the last two days alone I've written 14 different credit card debt relief articles. I've managed to find 14 different ways to pay off credit cards and reduce debt and I've written about them all.
If people are really struggling under that much debt, are they going to read through 14 different ways to pay them off? I'm beginning to doubt it.
Of course I could just be having one of those days where I've seen so much negativity about people's debt levels and credit crisis issues that I need a day off.
Seriously - if I have to write one more credit card article this month I'll scream...
Sigh.
But those articles pay my bills. Those articles are how I manage to stay out of debt.
So my clients will keep ordering them and I'll keep writing them - but only until a new topic-of-the-month rolls around and every freelance writer goes crazy writing that topic.
What secretly bothers me most about today is that I had orders to write 15 of these credit card articles...
I still have one more to go!
In the last two days alone I've written 14 different credit card debt relief articles. I've managed to find 14 different ways to pay off credit cards and reduce debt and I've written about them all.
If people are really struggling under that much debt, are they going to read through 14 different ways to pay them off? I'm beginning to doubt it.
Of course I could just be having one of those days where I've seen so much negativity about people's debt levels and credit crisis issues that I need a day off.
Seriously - if I have to write one more credit card article this month I'll scream...
Sigh.
But those articles pay my bills. Those articles are how I manage to stay out of debt.
So my clients will keep ordering them and I'll keep writing them - but only until a new topic-of-the-month rolls around and every freelance writer goes crazy writing that topic.
What secretly bothers me most about today is that I had orders to write 15 of these credit card articles...
I still have one more to go!
12/4/08
Freelance Writing and Eye Glasses
Sigh.
Well I knew it would happen to me sooner or later. I spend so much time at my computer reading from the monitor that I now have to have eyeglasses whenever I read.
I went to my local store and I was horrified at the prices they were charging. The girl told me those prices were quite normal. I didn't think so. I mean we're having an economic crisis out here in Australia too, so I wanted to find eyeglasses that weren't going to eat into my budget.
So I went home and did what I do best - I jumped on the net and found a place in America called Optical4Less that will ship me new eyeglasses straight to my door at less than 1/4 the price! I'm ecstatic!
I need complete prescription eyeglasses and they were happy to fill my order exactly as I need it.
I took a look through their huge online catalogue and found a perfect pair of eyeglasses with trendy frames. The price was so low I also bought a pair of tinted sunglasses as well for when I'm driving. They will ship my eyeglasses out to me free even though I'm on the other side of the world - but their site says they'll ship free worldwide.
Anyway, if you're a freelance writer who needs to stare at your screen all day every day and you're looking for quality eyeglasses at a really low price, try Optical4Less.com.
You'll love how cheap the prices are and you won't have to suffer with eye strain ever again!
:)
Well I knew it would happen to me sooner or later. I spend so much time at my computer reading from the monitor that I now have to have eyeglasses whenever I read.
I went to my local store and I was horrified at the prices they were charging. The girl told me those prices were quite normal. I didn't think so. I mean we're having an economic crisis out here in Australia too, so I wanted to find eyeglasses that weren't going to eat into my budget.
So I went home and did what I do best - I jumped on the net and found a place in America called Optical4Less that will ship me new eyeglasses straight to my door at less than 1/4 the price! I'm ecstatic!
I need complete prescription eyeglasses and they were happy to fill my order exactly as I need it.
I took a look through their huge online catalogue and found a perfect pair of eyeglasses with trendy frames. The price was so low I also bought a pair of tinted sunglasses as well for when I'm driving. They will ship my eyeglasses out to me free even though I'm on the other side of the world - but their site says they'll ship free worldwide.
Anyway, if you're a freelance writer who needs to stare at your screen all day every day and you're looking for quality eyeglasses at a really low price, try Optical4Less.com.
You'll love how cheap the prices are and you won't have to suffer with eye strain ever again!
:)
12/2/08
Paid Forum Posting Jobs
Looking for a list of paid forum posting jobs? You've come to the right place.
Paid forum posting is not the ideal writing job for every writer. In fact I can think of plenty of reasons why you might want to avoid this kind of writing job completely. The pay is low and you probably wouldn't give up your day job to do paid forum posting.
But if you've got time to spare or if you just love the community feel of forums, then why not get paid for what you're already doing? Some forums allow you to add a signature box, so you could even be promoting your own blog while you're getting paid...
For those who want to add a few extra dollars to their writing income each week with very little brain-power or effort required, paid forum posting can be a great way to bump up your income.
In an earlier post I wrote about the benefits of creating more than one type of writing income to build your freelance business and increase your total writing income.
You can see that post here: Create Multiple Freelance Incomes
If you're one of those people who doesn't have more than one writing income source, then perhaps paid forum posting might fill a few minutes of your week for a few extra dollars.
There are two types of paid forum posting.
The first is the professional, organized forum posting jobs where you are told what to post and on which forum. When the job is complete, that forum is replaced with another that requires boosting. You're being paid to help out those forum owners. This first option is just like a job. You're expected to complete the tasks given to you. You should get paid between 15 and 20 cents per post for your efforts.
The second type of paid forum posting is where you just post whatever you want. Two word answers are fine. Non-English speaking is fine. Do what you like at any time with no restrictions. Obviously because this second type of paid forum posting is unregulated, the pay is quite low (generally 1 - 5 cents per post) but you have no rules to follow. If you prefer to just chat and post at random, then try here: http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/2009/01/freelance-writers-who-dont-want-to-be.html
If you'd rather work with a more regulated option with higher pay, then here's a list of some paid forum posting companies you might want to try.
Best Forum Posting - http://www.bestforumposting.com/
Forum boosting, editing and article creation services. Very well organized company. Pays on time every time.
Content Current - http://www.contentcurrent.com/
Also known as ForumBooster. Content Current still has loads of bugs in their software systems, problems with accepting/approving work completed and is notorious about being VERY late with payments.
Forum Advantage - http://www.forumadvantage.com/
This site is owned and operated by Hostedhere LLC (see Paid Forum Posting)
ForumBooster.NET - http://www.forumbooster.net/
Also known as Content Current. Forum Booster still has loads of bugs in their software systems, problems with accepting/approving work completed and is notorious for being VERY late with payments.
ForumsFirst - http://forumsfirst.com/
Forum posting and blog commenting services. Quick, efficient and professional. Always pays on time!
Inb0x - http://www.inb0x.com/
Forum posting services - payout is via PayPal once your account reaches $15
KickStart Your Forums - http://www.kickstartyourforums.com/main/
Forum posting and article creation. Has been acquired by Paid Forum Posting.
PaidForumPosting - http://www.paidforumposting.com/
Excellent, highly-organized site for forum posting and occasional article creation jobs - owned and operated by HostedHere LLC. Payout is always prompt immediately after job completion. Apply to become a writer here: http://www.forumadvantage.com/writerapplication.htm
Paid Posting Forums
Owned and operated by HostedHereLLC - see PaidForumPosting
Paid Posting Tools - http://www.paidpostingtools.com/
Forum posting and blog posting services. Big site with very helpful admin and fellow members. Pays well and on time.
Posting Direct - http://www.postingdirect.com/
Decent paid forum posting site - pay out is via PayPal once your account reaches $20
Web Vigor - http://www.webvigor.com/
Very quiet at times but nice community. Pays on time.
Wired Flame - http://www.wiredflame.com/
Forum posting. This site can be a little quiet at times, but their system is easy and they'll pay out every Friday by PayPal with no minimum required.
Someone asked me to list a pay rate per post for each of these sites as well. Gee! It's not enough that I provided the links and information?
Okay. Let's just say most of the sites above pay between 15 and 20 cents per post. The only ones I can think of that pay below that rate are the two non-paying companies I've said to avoid completely anyway. They 'pay' 10 cents per post - when they pay their writers at all.
So if you're interested in paid forum posting, give some of the companies on this list a try and boost your income a little.
If you're not into the idea of paid forum posting, then ignore this post!
;)
Paid forum posting is not the ideal writing job for every writer. In fact I can think of plenty of reasons why you might want to avoid this kind of writing job completely. The pay is low and you probably wouldn't give up your day job to do paid forum posting.
But if you've got time to spare or if you just love the community feel of forums, then why not get paid for what you're already doing? Some forums allow you to add a signature box, so you could even be promoting your own blog while you're getting paid...
For those who want to add a few extra dollars to their writing income each week with very little brain-power or effort required, paid forum posting can be a great way to bump up your income.
In an earlier post I wrote about the benefits of creating more than one type of writing income to build your freelance business and increase your total writing income.
You can see that post here: Create Multiple Freelance Incomes
If you're one of those people who doesn't have more than one writing income source, then perhaps paid forum posting might fill a few minutes of your week for a few extra dollars.
There are two types of paid forum posting.
The first is the professional, organized forum posting jobs where you are told what to post and on which forum. When the job is complete, that forum is replaced with another that requires boosting. You're being paid to help out those forum owners. This first option is just like a job. You're expected to complete the tasks given to you. You should get paid between 15 and 20 cents per post for your efforts.
The second type of paid forum posting is where you just post whatever you want. Two word answers are fine. Non-English speaking is fine. Do what you like at any time with no restrictions. Obviously because this second type of paid forum posting is unregulated, the pay is quite low (generally 1 - 5 cents per post) but you have no rules to follow. If you prefer to just chat and post at random, then try here: http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/2009/01/freelance-writers-who-dont-want-to-be.html
If you'd rather work with a more regulated option with higher pay, then here's a list of some paid forum posting companies you might want to try.
Best Forum Posting - http://www.bestforumposting.com/
Forum boosting, editing and article creation services. Very well organized company. Pays on time every time.
Content Current - http://www.contentcurrent.com/
Also known as ForumBooster. Content Current still has loads of bugs in their software systems, problems with accepting/approving work completed and is notorious about being VERY late with payments.
Forum Advantage - http://www.forumadvantage.com/
This site is owned and operated by Hostedhere LLC (see Paid Forum Posting)
ForumBooster.NET - http://www.forumbooster.net/
Also known as Content Current. Forum Booster still has loads of bugs in their software systems, problems with accepting/approving work completed and is notorious for being VERY late with payments.
ForumsFirst - http://forumsfirst.com/
Forum posting and blog commenting services. Quick, efficient and professional. Always pays on time!
Inb0x - http://www.inb0x.com/
Forum posting services - payout is via PayPal once your account reaches $15
KickStart Your Forums - http://www.kickstartyourforums.com/main/
Forum posting and article creation. Has been acquired by Paid Forum Posting.
PaidForumPosting - http://www.paidforumposting.com/
Excellent, highly-organized site for forum posting and occasional article creation jobs - owned and operated by HostedHere LLC. Payout is always prompt immediately after job completion. Apply to become a writer here: http://www.forumadvantage.com/writerapplication.htm
Paid Posting Forums
Owned and operated by HostedHereLLC - see PaidForumPosting
Paid Posting Tools - http://www.paidpostingtools.com/
Forum posting and blog posting services. Big site with very helpful admin and fellow members. Pays well and on time.
Posting Direct - http://www.postingdirect.com/
Decent paid forum posting site - pay out is via PayPal once your account reaches $20
Web Vigor - http://www.webvigor.com/
Very quiet at times but nice community. Pays on time.
Wired Flame - http://www.wiredflame.com/
Forum posting. This site can be a little quiet at times, but their system is easy and they'll pay out every Friday by PayPal with no minimum required.
Someone asked me to list a pay rate per post for each of these sites as well. Gee! It's not enough that I provided the links and information?
Okay. Let's just say most of the sites above pay between 15 and 20 cents per post. The only ones I can think of that pay below that rate are the two non-paying companies I've said to avoid completely anyway. They 'pay' 10 cents per post - when they pay their writers at all.
So if you're interested in paid forum posting, give some of the companies on this list a try and boost your income a little.
If you're not into the idea of paid forum posting, then ignore this post!
;)
11/27/08
Freelance Job Sites and Online Writing Jobs
I don't like freelance bidding sites. I think it's degrading to professional writers to have to undercut each other's prices to be the person who 'wins' and gets to write for the lowest amount of money. It's humiliating to watch seriously talented writers give away their words for $1.
There are much better places to search for work than these slave-labor round up sites.
Take a look at some of the higher paying freelance writing jobs available. So many writers convince themselves that they can't submit work to these places that it's sad. Yet many of them are so talented magazines would happily pay them several hundred dollars per article.
Stop playing with the low-paying sites and browse at some real high paying writing jobs.
Here are a few of my favorite Freelance Job Sites for finding online writing jobs to keep you busy for a while:
Online Writing Jobs
- This is a big site offering searchable databases of online writing jobs, online blogging jobs, freelance writing jobs and much more. I tend to take a look here if I haven't got much lined up for the next month.
WorldWide Freelance Markets
- Excellent searchable database filled with freelance writing opportunities. This is one of my favorite places to search for publications that might suit my style and niche topics.
Freelance Writing Jobs
- This privately run blog is just amazing. The owner posts links of jobs for freelance writers every day. Bookmark this blog. I've found some great freelance writing gigs from this one.
Freelance Writing.com
- This site offers writing submission guidelines to several niche magazines. If you'd rather see your freelance writing efforts published in a magazine instead of on the internet, take a look at some of these. The pay rates are just fabulous ;)
Absolute Write
- Find the forum and join in with this enormous writer's community. Filled with great markets, hints and plenty of writers to help you find your way.
Now you have some links to great freelance writing markets and online writing jobs sites, you have no excuses.
Get Writing!
;)
There are much better places to search for work than these slave-labor round up sites.
Take a look at some of the higher paying freelance writing jobs available. So many writers convince themselves that they can't submit work to these places that it's sad. Yet many of them are so talented magazines would happily pay them several hundred dollars per article.
Stop playing with the low-paying sites and browse at some real high paying writing jobs.
Here are a few of my favorite Freelance Job Sites for finding online writing jobs to keep you busy for a while:
Online Writing Jobs
- This is a big site offering searchable databases of online writing jobs, online blogging jobs, freelance writing jobs and much more. I tend to take a look here if I haven't got much lined up for the next month.
WorldWide Freelance Markets
- Excellent searchable database filled with freelance writing opportunities. This is one of my favorite places to search for publications that might suit my style and niche topics.
Freelance Writing Jobs
- This privately run blog is just amazing. The owner posts links of jobs for freelance writers every day. Bookmark this blog. I've found some great freelance writing gigs from this one.
Freelance Writing.com
- This site offers writing submission guidelines to several niche magazines. If you'd rather see your freelance writing efforts published in a magazine instead of on the internet, take a look at some of these. The pay rates are just fabulous ;)
Absolute Write
- Find the forum and join in with this enormous writer's community. Filled with great markets, hints and plenty of writers to help you find your way.
Now you have some links to great freelance writing markets and online writing jobs sites, you have no excuses.
Get Writing!
;)
11/24/08
Increase Freelance Writing Income With One Email
For the past year I've had a specific writing schedule. I write certain things on some days and do other tasks to keep my home business growing on other days.
(you can see my original freelance working-week schedule here: http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-often-get-asked-whats-normal-work.html)
But lately I've picked up more clients than I expected and they're all wanting more, more, MORE.
In an online environment where it's becoming more common for writers to drop their prices and try to under-cut other writers to win work, I did something completely different.
I raised my prices this week - and got more work as a result. What a bizarre twist of logic!
I was a little mystified by this outcome but I won't complain. You see, I emailed my current clients and gave them copies of my new rates schedule. The new clients didn't know my old rates so they didn't blink an eye when they received their copies.
Two existing clients responded immediately with bigger orders than they've ever sent before. Another two emailed back at once and congratulated me for being pro-active about my income in a depressed market place - and then ordered new work to be done.
The last one complained that I'm now getting a bit too expensive for his business budget. But he ordered more work from me anyway, grumbling the whole way.
I'm still waiting to hear back from a couple others. If my prices are outside their budgetary requirements, then they'll either find new writers or they'll end up paying my prices because they already know what kind of work I'm able to deliver.
So because I now have more work than I expected I have been forced to rethink my original work-week schedule so I'll have time to get them all done! If this keeps up I might have to start turning work away (ha! not likely....;)
I'll post my new work-week schedule on a new post or this one will just get way too long!
Get Writing!
:)
(you can see my original freelance working-week schedule here: http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-often-get-asked-whats-normal-work.html)
But lately I've picked up more clients than I expected and they're all wanting more, more, MORE.
In an online environment where it's becoming more common for writers to drop their prices and try to under-cut other writers to win work, I did something completely different.
I raised my prices this week - and got more work as a result. What a bizarre twist of logic!
I was a little mystified by this outcome but I won't complain. You see, I emailed my current clients and gave them copies of my new rates schedule. The new clients didn't know my old rates so they didn't blink an eye when they received their copies.
Two existing clients responded immediately with bigger orders than they've ever sent before. Another two emailed back at once and congratulated me for being pro-active about my income in a depressed market place - and then ordered new work to be done.
The last one complained that I'm now getting a bit too expensive for his business budget. But he ordered more work from me anyway, grumbling the whole way.
I'm still waiting to hear back from a couple others. If my prices are outside their budgetary requirements, then they'll either find new writers or they'll end up paying my prices because they already know what kind of work I'm able to deliver.
So because I now have more work than I expected I have been forced to rethink my original work-week schedule so I'll have time to get them all done! If this keeps up I might have to start turning work away (ha! not likely....;)
I'll post my new work-week schedule on a new post or this one will just get way too long!
Get Writing!
:)
11/21/08
Freelance Writing and Pseudonyms
Can you imagine what it's like going into a bank and hearing the girls behind the counter giggling about how my name makes them think I'm one of those romance writers? You know - the type who writes steamy bodice-rippers with guys like Fabio on the cover?
It happens more than you'd think.
With a name like Bianca Raven I know I've been tempted more than once to try my hand at one of those steamy, racy romance things, just to see how I'd fare with writing about a breathless heroine who can't possibly live another moment without feeling the sweet tender lips of her stunningly-gorgeous perfect hero who doesn't know she's alive yet, but she's swooning dutifully just in case he notices and ... and ...
Oh who am I kidding? I write fantasy. They don't get steamy or breathless just by reading a four page description of how good looking someone is. And neither do I. So the romance idea went out the window - and so did the idea of using my unfortunate name as a talking point.
My Italian-born mother named me Bianca Maria Catalano, after my grandmother. I have no idea what she was on when she decided it sounded like a "good Australian name" - but she didn't even get close. I would have preferred something seriously Australian. Like Sheila. Or Sharon. Or Tracy. All very common Australian names.
Even so, the name Bianca isn't so bad on it's own. People pronounce it in so many different ways it's funny, but overall it's still not a bad name.
Until I met my ex-husband, Jackson Raven. (I sure hope he never Googles his own name. I once promised him I'd never put his name on the net...)
Sigh. Thus I became Bianca Raven. I keep the name even though I'm now divorced because I want my daughter to have the same last name as I do.
When I first began freelancing I considered using a pseudonym. I wanted to call myself Jane Smith. I wanted a NORMAL name so badly. I didn't want to be the subject of people's bodice-ripper-writer jokes.
Writing under a pseudonym can have all sorts of legal implications. Did you know if you write a novel under a pen-name, you're not allowed to autograph that book? Otherwise you're signing someone else's name - even though it's really you. You're just not allowed to do it.
Another issue is the copyright thing. If I write something as Jane Smith can I really prove I'm the rightful author of that piece of work later if someone plagiarizes my stuff?
Publishers are good about writers using pseudonyms. They know the contract - and the check! - get written out to your real name but the work is published with your pen-name as the byline.
For me personally, I have an issue about reputation. I want to be proud of my work. I want others to know I wrote it. I want to be able to show my mom my work so she can see my name clearly on the mast-head or on that byline.
If I was to give in and write under a pseudonym, would I then begin to write work that's less than my best just because no one knows it's me? Who knows.
Pseudonyms can also be a great thing for some writers. Many writers publish work under a pseudonym for a variety of reasons. Some want to switch genres and not offend readers. In fact, many male writers write large amounts of romance under female names so their readers don't get confused. Cool, huh?
One of my good friends, Lee Masterson, is an amazingly prolific writer. She writes financial columns and features for several magazines, owns a couple of her own ezines, writes horror fiction and in her spare time she even writes romance and erotica under a pseudonym. She chose to separate her writing names because she doesn't want her horror fans picking up her romance stuff - and vice versa.
If you decide you'd rather be someone else when you write, then that's great!
But if you're going to write a romance-bodice-ripper, invent a fabulous pen-name like Stormy Summers or Windy Willows or .... Bianca Raven ;)
It happens more than you'd think.
With a name like Bianca Raven I know I've been tempted more than once to try my hand at one of those steamy, racy romance things, just to see how I'd fare with writing about a breathless heroine who can't possibly live another moment without feeling the sweet tender lips of her stunningly-gorgeous perfect hero who doesn't know she's alive yet, but she's swooning dutifully just in case he notices and ... and ...
Oh who am I kidding? I write fantasy. They don't get steamy or breathless just by reading a four page description of how good looking someone is. And neither do I. So the romance idea went out the window - and so did the idea of using my unfortunate name as a talking point.
My Italian-born mother named me Bianca Maria Catalano, after my grandmother. I have no idea what she was on when she decided it sounded like a "good Australian name" - but she didn't even get close. I would have preferred something seriously Australian. Like Sheila. Or Sharon. Or Tracy. All very common Australian names.
Even so, the name Bianca isn't so bad on it's own. People pronounce it in so many different ways it's funny, but overall it's still not a bad name.
Until I met my ex-husband, Jackson Raven. (I sure hope he never Googles his own name. I once promised him I'd never put his name on the net...)
Sigh. Thus I became Bianca Raven. I keep the name even though I'm now divorced because I want my daughter to have the same last name as I do.
When I first began freelancing I considered using a pseudonym. I wanted to call myself Jane Smith. I wanted a NORMAL name so badly. I didn't want to be the subject of people's bodice-ripper-writer jokes.
Writing under a pseudonym can have all sorts of legal implications. Did you know if you write a novel under a pen-name, you're not allowed to autograph that book? Otherwise you're signing someone else's name - even though it's really you. You're just not allowed to do it.
Another issue is the copyright thing. If I write something as Jane Smith can I really prove I'm the rightful author of that piece of work later if someone plagiarizes my stuff?
Publishers are good about writers using pseudonyms. They know the contract - and the check! - get written out to your real name but the work is published with your pen-name as the byline.
For me personally, I have an issue about reputation. I want to be proud of my work. I want others to know I wrote it. I want to be able to show my mom my work so she can see my name clearly on the mast-head or on that byline.
If I was to give in and write under a pseudonym, would I then begin to write work that's less than my best just because no one knows it's me? Who knows.
Pseudonyms can also be a great thing for some writers. Many writers publish work under a pseudonym for a variety of reasons. Some want to switch genres and not offend readers. In fact, many male writers write large amounts of romance under female names so their readers don't get confused. Cool, huh?
One of my good friends, Lee Masterson, is an amazingly prolific writer. She writes financial columns and features for several magazines, owns a couple of her own ezines, writes horror fiction and in her spare time she even writes romance and erotica under a pseudonym. She chose to separate her writing names because she doesn't want her horror fans picking up her romance stuff - and vice versa.
If you decide you'd rather be someone else when you write, then that's great!
But if you're going to write a romance-bodice-ripper, invent a fabulous pen-name like Stormy Summers or Windy Willows or .... Bianca Raven ;)
11/19/08
Build a Successful Freelance Business
I've had some people ask me how they get started earning money with freelance writing so I thought I'd put a post together with some options that should get your freelance business going.
Once it's going, though, it's up to you to keep it growing.
Before we start, here's a link to a post that might also help. I wrote this one earlier in the year on almost the same topic:
http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-set-up-work-at-home-business.html
And there's also this one on creating a full time freelance income:
http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/2008/10/creating-multiple-freelance-income.html
Now we've got that out of the way, let's get into finding some freelance writing work:
1) Create a Web Presence
Take your pick of free blog accounts (WordPress, Blogger etc) and set up your own blog. This is a quick, cheap way to get yourself a place on the net where people can find you. Introduce yourself. Chat. Get used to playing around on your online place.
Ask other like-minded people to link to your new blog so other writers can find you too. This is how search engines find your site quickly. It's important to keep links on similar topics to your own otherwise the link-bank importance drops in the eyes of search engines.
Then get some serious writing samples going and put them on there too. These will become reference links for future clients, so take care when creating them.
2) Finding Freelance Work
The type of freelance work you choose to accept is 100% up to you. You're the boss remember?
There are quite a lot of freelance job bidding sites around where you can sign up and bid for work against other writers. Places like http://www.guru.com/ or http://www.getafreelancer.com/ have thousands of job listings every day.
I don't like bidding sites at all - even though they are where I began when I first got online. I've learned that writers are silly about under-cutting everyone else's prices just to get the job. Under-cutting is insane because you're selling yourself short when you could be earning much better rates.
There are also plenty of job-boards around filled with people searching for freelance writers. Careful with these - they often want to pay ridiculously low rates so the work isn't always great.
Here's a link to a previous post outlining where to find high-paying freelance assignments:
http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/2008/08/where-to-sell-your-writing.html
3) Odd Markets
Who says writers can only write articles for websites or magazines?
What's wrong with writing jokes for magazines? Or recipes? Or naughty confessions stories? Or creating puzzles? Or getting paid to blog? Or writing fiction stories for periodicals or anthologies? Or podcasts?
You're a writer - be creative!
Go and browse at your local news-stand or news-agent and see what you can find. You might surprise yourself when you realize that almost every magazine in the world has a section right there in black and white saying "we'll pay you to send us stuff".
Here's a link to a set of posts about alternative writing income:
http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/search/label/Alternative%20Writing%20Incomes
4) Away From Home
Who ever said you have to restrict your search for work to just the USA? There are plenty more opportunities in most English-speaking countries around the world, so broaden your search. I should know - I'm in Australia ;)
Paypal takes care of the currency exchange for you, so you're still getting paid in your regular US dollars. But does it matter from where in the world that money was sent?
Broaden your searches and who knows? You might soon be able to tell people you're published internationally.
5) Approach Potential Clients Directly
This is how I get a lot of my clients - I approach them directly and ask for their business.
Search engine optimization companies often require content writers to help with their SEO efforts on behalf of their clients. Web site creation companies also don't want to create their own content and so they'll hire freelance writers to do it for them.
Print magazines all need new, fresh, exciting stories on every topic imaginable. Never write a magazine article without writing to the editor first and discussing your idea. If the editor likes your idea then she will usually contract you to write the whole article. This means you KNOW you're getting paid (and how much!) before you even write anything.
Learn to write a query letter and a letter of introduction. Both should be really easy - you're a writer after all.
Then get hold of the Writers Market Guide. If you can't get the book, pay for the website subscription. It's worth the cost just for the amount of high paying markets listed there.
6) Create a Professional Portfolio
Editors will want evidence that you're able to write. This means you'll need samples of other articles you've written. If you haven't sold any writing before, don't panic. Simply write a few articles and load them to your blog. Voila! Instantly published.
These will be fine as samples to start you off. As your sales grow, so will your portfolio. Keep track of any links that show your published work and names of any offline publications as well.
7) Thank Every Client Personally
I always send a quick email to every one of my clients thanking them personally for trusting me with their business. Keep it short and sweet - no eloquent, soppy prose. Just say thanks. People remember gratitude and it's a simple act of courtesy.
I keep an accurate database of any client who has ever contracted my writing services. Keep your name fresh in their minds. I send Christmas cards to every client I've ever dealt with every year.
You'd be amazed at the amount of fresh assignments I get from old clients every December because of this reminder (no, I don't send out cards during other seasons -that would be over-kill).
8) Ask for a Referral
If you don't ask, you don't get...
In every thank you note I send each client I also make a brief reference to being open to referral business. This means I ask them politely if they would know any other business owners or editors who might benefit from my work.
Not every editor will refer other clients to me - but some do.
Referral business is always the best. They're loyal to you before they've even started working with you because someone else has done all the marketing and promotion for you. :)
9) Rinse and Repeat
Just when you think you have enough clients sending you steady work - go and find some more. You can be sure that not all clients will have a steady stream of work and some may be quite erratic. It's always safer to have too much on your plate than not enough. You can always ask for an extension on a deadline if you're falling behind.
10) WRITE!!
Writers write. If you're not writing something - anything - then you're not really into this whole writing thing.
Love what you do. Enjoy writing for the sake of writing. Have some fun with it.
Break up your day by writing the fun stuff in between the serious stuff. Write silly things and make up jokes. Play on writer's forums. Create new worlds and new people and lose yourself in them. Then jump back in and create more great articles.
Just WRITE !
:)
Once it's going, though, it's up to you to keep it growing.
Before we start, here's a link to a post that might also help. I wrote this one earlier in the year on almost the same topic:
http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-set-up-work-at-home-business.html
And there's also this one on creating a full time freelance income:
http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/2008/10/creating-multiple-freelance-income.html
Now we've got that out of the way, let's get into finding some freelance writing work:
1) Create a Web Presence
Take your pick of free blog accounts (WordPress, Blogger etc) and set up your own blog. This is a quick, cheap way to get yourself a place on the net where people can find you. Introduce yourself. Chat. Get used to playing around on your online place.
Ask other like-minded people to link to your new blog so other writers can find you too. This is how search engines find your site quickly. It's important to keep links on similar topics to your own otherwise the link-bank importance drops in the eyes of search engines.
Then get some serious writing samples going and put them on there too. These will become reference links for future clients, so take care when creating them.
2) Finding Freelance Work
The type of freelance work you choose to accept is 100% up to you. You're the boss remember?
There are quite a lot of freelance job bidding sites around where you can sign up and bid for work against other writers. Places like http://www.guru.com/ or http://www.getafreelancer.com/ have thousands of job listings every day.
I don't like bidding sites at all - even though they are where I began when I first got online. I've learned that writers are silly about under-cutting everyone else's prices just to get the job. Under-cutting is insane because you're selling yourself short when you could be earning much better rates.
There are also plenty of job-boards around filled with people searching for freelance writers. Careful with these - they often want to pay ridiculously low rates so the work isn't always great.
Here's a link to a previous post outlining where to find high-paying freelance assignments:
http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/2008/08/where-to-sell-your-writing.html
3) Odd Markets
Who says writers can only write articles for websites or magazines?
What's wrong with writing jokes for magazines? Or recipes? Or naughty confessions stories? Or creating puzzles? Or getting paid to blog? Or writing fiction stories for periodicals or anthologies? Or podcasts?
You're a writer - be creative!
Go and browse at your local news-stand or news-agent and see what you can find. You might surprise yourself when you realize that almost every magazine in the world has a section right there in black and white saying "we'll pay you to send us stuff".
Here's a link to a set of posts about alternative writing income:
http://ravens-writing.blogspot.com/search/label/Alternative%20Writing%20Incomes
4) Away From Home
Who ever said you have to restrict your search for work to just the USA? There are plenty more opportunities in most English-speaking countries around the world, so broaden your search. I should know - I'm in Australia ;)
Paypal takes care of the currency exchange for you, so you're still getting paid in your regular US dollars. But does it matter from where in the world that money was sent?
Broaden your searches and who knows? You might soon be able to tell people you're published internationally.
5) Approach Potential Clients Directly
This is how I get a lot of my clients - I approach them directly and ask for their business.
Search engine optimization companies often require content writers to help with their SEO efforts on behalf of their clients. Web site creation companies also don't want to create their own content and so they'll hire freelance writers to do it for them.
Print magazines all need new, fresh, exciting stories on every topic imaginable. Never write a magazine article without writing to the editor first and discussing your idea. If the editor likes your idea then she will usually contract you to write the whole article. This means you KNOW you're getting paid (and how much!) before you even write anything.
Learn to write a query letter and a letter of introduction. Both should be really easy - you're a writer after all.
Then get hold of the Writers Market Guide. If you can't get the book, pay for the website subscription. It's worth the cost just for the amount of high paying markets listed there.
6) Create a Professional Portfolio
Editors will want evidence that you're able to write. This means you'll need samples of other articles you've written. If you haven't sold any writing before, don't panic. Simply write a few articles and load them to your blog. Voila! Instantly published.
These will be fine as samples to start you off. As your sales grow, so will your portfolio. Keep track of any links that show your published work and names of any offline publications as well.
7) Thank Every Client Personally
I always send a quick email to every one of my clients thanking them personally for trusting me with their business. Keep it short and sweet - no eloquent, soppy prose. Just say thanks. People remember gratitude and it's a simple act of courtesy.
I keep an accurate database of any client who has ever contracted my writing services. Keep your name fresh in their minds. I send Christmas cards to every client I've ever dealt with every year.
You'd be amazed at the amount of fresh assignments I get from old clients every December because of this reminder (no, I don't send out cards during other seasons -that would be over-kill).
8) Ask for a Referral
If you don't ask, you don't get...
In every thank you note I send each client I also make a brief reference to being open to referral business. This means I ask them politely if they would know any other business owners or editors who might benefit from my work.
Not every editor will refer other clients to me - but some do.
Referral business is always the best. They're loyal to you before they've even started working with you because someone else has done all the marketing and promotion for you. :)
9) Rinse and Repeat
Just when you think you have enough clients sending you steady work - go and find some more. You can be sure that not all clients will have a steady stream of work and some may be quite erratic. It's always safer to have too much on your plate than not enough. You can always ask for an extension on a deadline if you're falling behind.
10) WRITE!!
Writers write. If you're not writing something - anything - then you're not really into this whole writing thing.
Love what you do. Enjoy writing for the sake of writing. Have some fun with it.
Break up your day by writing the fun stuff in between the serious stuff. Write silly things and make up jokes. Play on writer's forums. Create new worlds and new people and lose yourself in them. Then jump back in and create more great articles.
Just WRITE !
:)
11/16/08
10 Good Reasons to Work At Home
I've decided I love my job.
Of course I love my job most days, you already know that. I just love it more than usual today.
You see, I had lunch with a good friend today who still works at the same bank where I used to work before I became a full time freelance writer. She's tired and stressed all the time. She spends two hours every day of her working life in the car fighting with traffic. Her relationship is suffering under the weight of her long hours at the office and she's really worried that the bank might start cutting jobs to keep their profit levels high. She'll have no income if that happens and she's terrified about how she'll survive.
I offered her a lot of sympathy (after all, I remember feeling exactly as she does right now once upon a time) and that's when I decided I love my job more than usual today. ;)
My friend asked me why I like working at home so much and was curious if I would be bored or lonely - or going broke. Understanding that she's feeling kind of low right now, I only gave her my favorite reasons for working at home. But if she'd been in a better mood, I could have given her twenty.
Top Ten Reasons to Work At Home
1) Freedom
The enormous freedom of not having to sit in a stale office with people you don't always like is amazing. The freedom of not having to drive through hideous traffic jams for hours is heaven.
The freedom to take time off to go out for lunch with friends is great. The best freedom of all is knowing you're in charge of your own life.
2) Family
I have a four year old daughter. Before she was born I made the decision to spend as much time with her as possible. I wanted to be a part of her development and I wanted to be there for her young years.
I didn't want a baby-sitter or day-care worker to witness her first steps while I was at work in a job I hated. I wanted to see it for myself. I wanted to hear her first words, read stories to her, play in the park, involve her in the family chores instead of just dumping dinner in front of her - I just wanted to be with my little girl.
3) No Commuting
A few short years ago I worked at a bank in the city. It was almost an hour driving time for me to get there each day - and an hour home again.
The advent of the internet means I no longer have to travel to the city. Of course it means my work is no longer limited to just ONE city. I can now work in London, New York, Sydney, Hong Kong and Johannesburg without even leaving my living room.
And it saves me a small fortune in fuel costs and car maintenance bills.
4) My Own Hours
I love that I can work when I want to work. If I'm not getting anywhere with one assignment, I'll switch to something that interests me more and do that for a while.
If I can't sleep, I'll drag my laptop onto my lap and sit up in bed writing until I'm sleepy again. If I need a day off, I can take it without needing to justify what I'm doing to a boss. I can pick up my daughter from kinder and take time out to play in the park.
Being able to set up your own flexible hours is a great benefit.
5) Choose Your Own Work-Load
When I first began freelance writing, I would accept every assignment I could find. Even the bad ones. At the time I felt I had no choice. I thought I needed to take them all in order to make money.
I've since learned to only accept assignments that interest me AND pay me properly for my time. This way every day is filled with work that I already know I'll enjoy and I know I'll get paid well for my efforts.
6) Your Own Boss
I love being my own boss. There's no better feeling than knowing your freelance business is all yours and no one can dictate how you run it. If clients become difficult, get different clients. If money is tight, find better paying assignments. If you're tired - stop writing and take a break.
It's all up to you!
7) Cost Saving
This is a weird benefit that I didn't expect when I was still planning to work full time at home. I was so worried I wouldn't be able to make my mortgage payments or pay my bills and so I stayed in my horrible job for longer than I should have.
Once I took the leap and began staying home full time to write, I noticed my expenses were dropping very quickly. With less expenses, this meant I needed less income to survive - which made earning income at home a whole lot easier when you suddenly need a lot less money to cover everything.
I spent a lot less money on fuel and car repairs (of course). But I also spent less on silly little things, like buying lunch at the office, having coffee after work with friends at a cafe, buying bottled water - all the myriad of silly little things we buy and don't even notice.
The biggest cost saving was buying take-out after a hard day's work. After 8 hours in an office I was too tired to cook or bother with grocery shopping. So I'd buy expensive pre-packaged foods, or junk food take away.
I just don't do those things any more because I'm already here. It's actually easier to just throw something in the oven and let the buzzer on the timer remind me when I have to think about it again.
8) Choices
I like being able to choose what I'm going to do with each day. There's no boss to tell me what to do next. I get to decide what I'll work on and what I'll write based on the mood I'm in that day.
You can't beat having a wide range of choices of what you'll do next every day :)
9) Friends and Relatives
My old work friend was worried that I'd be lonely, tucked away in my house like a prisoner on my own all day every day.
Nothing could be further from the truth! I am more social now than I was when I worked in the office. Friends pop in for a quick coffee regularly during the day. Family know I'm home, so they'll call or visit often too.
I get to see my neighbors now - I didn't even know who they were when I worked in the city. Now we're great friends!
...and the top reason to work at home...
10) You're Not Stuck in a Job You HATE
This has to be the best reason to build your own freelance writing business and work at home when you want to work.
Have you ever been stuck in a job you absolutely hate but feel as though you need to keep just for the money? I have. Let me tell you - it's no fun.
If I had known working as a freelancer was so much fun - and such great money - I would have done it years sooner.
Now you know the primary reasons why I choose to work from home. If I had more time I'm sure I could list another ten reasons why I love it so much.
Have you figured out your reasons for wanting to do the same yet?
.
Of course I love my job most days, you already know that. I just love it more than usual today.
You see, I had lunch with a good friend today who still works at the same bank where I used to work before I became a full time freelance writer. She's tired and stressed all the time. She spends two hours every day of her working life in the car fighting with traffic. Her relationship is suffering under the weight of her long hours at the office and she's really worried that the bank might start cutting jobs to keep their profit levels high. She'll have no income if that happens and she's terrified about how she'll survive.
I offered her a lot of sympathy (after all, I remember feeling exactly as she does right now once upon a time) and that's when I decided I love my job more than usual today. ;)
My friend asked me why I like working at home so much and was curious if I would be bored or lonely - or going broke. Understanding that she's feeling kind of low right now, I only gave her my favorite reasons for working at home. But if she'd been in a better mood, I could have given her twenty.
Top Ten Reasons to Work At Home
1) Freedom
The enormous freedom of not having to sit in a stale office with people you don't always like is amazing. The freedom of not having to drive through hideous traffic jams for hours is heaven.
The freedom to take time off to go out for lunch with friends is great. The best freedom of all is knowing you're in charge of your own life.
2) Family
I have a four year old daughter. Before she was born I made the decision to spend as much time with her as possible. I wanted to be a part of her development and I wanted to be there for her young years.
I didn't want a baby-sitter or day-care worker to witness her first steps while I was at work in a job I hated. I wanted to see it for myself. I wanted to hear her first words, read stories to her, play in the park, involve her in the family chores instead of just dumping dinner in front of her - I just wanted to be with my little girl.
3) No Commuting
A few short years ago I worked at a bank in the city. It was almost an hour driving time for me to get there each day - and an hour home again.
The advent of the internet means I no longer have to travel to the city. Of course it means my work is no longer limited to just ONE city. I can now work in London, New York, Sydney, Hong Kong and Johannesburg without even leaving my living room.
And it saves me a small fortune in fuel costs and car maintenance bills.
4) My Own Hours
I love that I can work when I want to work. If I'm not getting anywhere with one assignment, I'll switch to something that interests me more and do that for a while.
If I can't sleep, I'll drag my laptop onto my lap and sit up in bed writing until I'm sleepy again. If I need a day off, I can take it without needing to justify what I'm doing to a boss. I can pick up my daughter from kinder and take time out to play in the park.
Being able to set up your own flexible hours is a great benefit.
5) Choose Your Own Work-Load
When I first began freelance writing, I would accept every assignment I could find. Even the bad ones. At the time I felt I had no choice. I thought I needed to take them all in order to make money.
I've since learned to only accept assignments that interest me AND pay me properly for my time. This way every day is filled with work that I already know I'll enjoy and I know I'll get paid well for my efforts.
6) Your Own Boss
I love being my own boss. There's no better feeling than knowing your freelance business is all yours and no one can dictate how you run it. If clients become difficult, get different clients. If money is tight, find better paying assignments. If you're tired - stop writing and take a break.
It's all up to you!
7) Cost Saving
This is a weird benefit that I didn't expect when I was still planning to work full time at home. I was so worried I wouldn't be able to make my mortgage payments or pay my bills and so I stayed in my horrible job for longer than I should have.
Once I took the leap and began staying home full time to write, I noticed my expenses were dropping very quickly. With less expenses, this meant I needed less income to survive - which made earning income at home a whole lot easier when you suddenly need a lot less money to cover everything.
I spent a lot less money on fuel and car repairs (of course). But I also spent less on silly little things, like buying lunch at the office, having coffee after work with friends at a cafe, buying bottled water - all the myriad of silly little things we buy and don't even notice.
The biggest cost saving was buying take-out after a hard day's work. After 8 hours in an office I was too tired to cook or bother with grocery shopping. So I'd buy expensive pre-packaged foods, or junk food take away.
I just don't do those things any more because I'm already here. It's actually easier to just throw something in the oven and let the buzzer on the timer remind me when I have to think about it again.
8) Choices
I like being able to choose what I'm going to do with each day. There's no boss to tell me what to do next. I get to decide what I'll work on and what I'll write based on the mood I'm in that day.
You can't beat having a wide range of choices of what you'll do next every day :)
9) Friends and Relatives
My old work friend was worried that I'd be lonely, tucked away in my house like a prisoner on my own all day every day.
Nothing could be further from the truth! I am more social now than I was when I worked in the office. Friends pop in for a quick coffee regularly during the day. Family know I'm home, so they'll call or visit often too.
I get to see my neighbors now - I didn't even know who they were when I worked in the city. Now we're great friends!
...and the top reason to work at home...
10) You're Not Stuck in a Job You HATE
This has to be the best reason to build your own freelance writing business and work at home when you want to work.
Have you ever been stuck in a job you absolutely hate but feel as though you need to keep just for the money? I have. Let me tell you - it's no fun.
If I had known working as a freelancer was so much fun - and such great money - I would have done it years sooner.
Now you know the primary reasons why I choose to work from home. If I had more time I'm sure I could list another ten reasons why I love it so much.
Have you figured out your reasons for wanting to do the same yet?
.
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