Freelance Writing Motivation and Inspiration

This is the first installment of this feature.  I asked several freelance writer's a question and they provided fantastic answers that are sure to help all writers find motivation and inspiration to write.  And the question was:

What is the most important piece of advice you can offer someone hoping to break into freelance web-writing?

Fellow freelance writer Sharkbytes said: "After just over three years of trying to earn some money by writing on a regular basis, I certainly wouldn’t say that I have “broken in” to the field. But I have had some success, and feel as if I’ve got a toenail in the door. The hardest thing for me has been to find a balance between being true to myself and writing to pay the bills. When I began I really just wanted to write articles or stories on topics that interest me. But most of my interests are not in the mainstream. I thought that with an on-line venue that I would find enough people of “like mind” to read my articles. The truth is that most people on line are like most people everywhere else... their interests are not mine. Meanwhile, I was able to find some places to do web writing for money. Most of these assignments are not on topics that interest me, and even worse, I must force the writing into SEO format. If there is a sure way to kill creativity, this may be it. But, it’s a job. And there is the crux of freelance writing. You need to find enough ways to express your creative side so that you don’t become too discouraged, while being disciplined enough to write, write, write, and bring home some income."

You can read more from Sharkbytes here:  Sharkbytes on Associated Content
Sharkbytes My Quality Day Blog 
Sharkbytes Book on Books Leaving Footprints 

Fellow freelance writer Patricia Sheasley Sicilia said: "1. Forget everything you learned in college about writing, except for grammar, punctuation and spelling. Internet writing is not magazine, newspaper or essay writing. At least, not if you want to get hits on google. This was the hardest thing for me to accept. Repeating phrases that will be picked up on SEO just ruined the flow of my article, I felt. Plus, forget writing memoirs, human interest or humor stories, unless you're on that particular type of site. If you want to make money, it's SEO all the way.

2. Learn how to manage your time. To make any real money, you must join more than one site.

3. Learn how to rewrite or expand your articles so that you can use them on several different sites. For example, articles done for Demand are typically short and laid out in an outline. That kind of article can be easily expanded into an AC article, and won't take much time at all because you've already done all your research."

You can read more from Patricia here: Patricia on Associated Content 

Patricia on Bukisa 

Fellow freelance writer Michele Starkey said: "Advice to new freelance writers? Join a community like Associated Content or Demand Studios first to ensure that you garner the support of fellow writers. There is strength in community and a writer can get lonely and feel weak. Use your community as a springboard to soar!"

You can read more from Michele here: Michele on Associated Content


More great answers will be posted throughout the rest of the day.  I want to thank everyone who participated.  Your answers and insight will greatly benefit our fellow freelance writers and will surely help, motivate, and inspire all aspiring freelance writers.

 

Announcement

So many new things will be going on on the blog.  First, I will be rolling out a new feature today called "Freelance Writing Motivation and Inspiration".  This feature will be contributed by fellow writers, new and old.  I will ask a question and current freelance writers will provide their insight on all things freelance writing.  I got some fantastic insight this week so be looking for this post very shortly.

More freelance writing gigs.  I have been trying really hard to find the time to research and post about reputable freelance writing gigs.  I will finally have some time this week to do so.  So keep an eye out for some information on writing gigs.

Print gigs.  Here on the blog I will be posting information on some print gigs.  I will post editorial calenders, links, and guidelines for a variety of print gigs.  I will start posting a few here and there, but this feature will officially roll out in January 2010.

Is there something you would like to see on the blog?  Head over to the Ning and tell me about it.

Thanksgiving Article Keyphrase Ideas for Freelance Writers

Thanksgiving is this month so it is time to get those Thanksgiving articles written and published.  This post will give you some great Thanksgiving article ideas, keywords, and the global monthly search volume for those keywords.  I will be doing several posts like this for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and Valentine's Day.  Good luck and happy writing!

Thanksgiving history - 40,500 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving story - 22,200 global monthly search volume
First Thanksgiving - 74,000 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving celebration - 4,400 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving crafts - 74,000 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving activities - 40,500 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving dinner - 165,000 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving recipe - 33,100 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving prayer - 33,100 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving facts - 12,100 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving pilgrims 12,100 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving traditions - 6,600 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving gift - 9,900 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving card - 14,800 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving gift - 9,900 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving decorations - 22,200 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving centerpiece - 6,600 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving printables - 8,100 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving travel - 49,500 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving party - 18,100 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving for kids 40,500 global monthly search volume
Preschool Thanksgiving - 18,100 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving kids crafts - 14,800 global monthly search volume
Thanksgiving project - 2,400 global monthly search volume
Vegan Thanksgiving - 5,400 global monthly search volume

Hint: If you want to see what the global daily search volume is just divide the global monthly search volume by 30.

So what is global monthly search volume?  It is an estimate of how many searches were performed on that topic during one month.  The more searches the better.

Use the above keywords in your article titles (as close to the front as possible), in the first paragraph, last paragraph, and a few times in the body of the article.  If you use subheads use them there as part of your main keyphrase.

How to Find Friendship and Support as a Writer

As freelance writers we often find ourselves locked up in our offices most days and for several hours every day. Finding friendship and support with other writers can be a difficult task. But, fellow writer and friend Tamara Waters wrote an amazing article about this and it provides fantastic information on how to find friendship and support as a writer. If you are a freelance writer you definitely need to read this.

Click Here to Read This Article

This article has inspired me to create a writer's group in my community.

How to Ask a Client for More Pay

I just read this article by fellow writer Rodney Southern. It provides fantastic advice on how to work with your clients so that you get paid what you feel you deserve. As writers we should never sell ourselves short.

Click Here to Read the Article

How to Write Great Article Titles for Web Writing

Writing an excellent title for your article adds immense value to your article and it also attracts readers. A good article title can mean the difference between your article being read and not being read.

First and foremost, your article title needs to tell your readers exactly what your article is about. Save the cutesy stuff for your subtitle. Your title is your article's label. It must tell readers exactly what to expect to read in your article. If your article is discussing the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, your title must state this.

You need to get your keywords in your title, preferably as close to the front as possible.

Keep your title short and focused. Three to six words is ideal. You can add a few more, but more than ten most likely means that your title isn't focused well enough. Google only displays the first 8-10 words of your title.

Are the keywords in your title what a typical internet user would search for? Think about how you would search for something. If you were seeking to find what the symptoms of multiple sclerosis were you would search "multiple sclerosis symptoms" or "symptoms of multiple sclerosis". You wouldn't search for "muliple sclerosis: what are the signs and symptoms" or something similar.

Put business, product or company names at the end of the title. For example, you would title your article on problems with Skype "Problems and Issues with Skype" and not "Skype: Problems and Issues".

To test your proposed article titles I suggest checking out the major search engines for quantity, quality and relevance before committing to a title. This is what I do and it hasn't failed me yet. If you see several articles with the same exact title, you should definitely pick a new one. If the title you choose pulls up little to no relevant search results there is a good chance no one is searching for it.

Rose's Freelance Writing Bootcamp #3

It's October folks so that means that Halloween is right around the corner. From experience I can tell you that Halloween articles can do very, very well in terms of page views. I challenge to write three Halloween articles by Friday, October 9th. I have seen the best results with costume ideas that include the keywords "homemade", "cheap" and "do-it-yourself". When you have completed this challenge please head over to my Ning (Click Here for Ning) and post your links in the "post your links thread". This is an easy and fun challenge and a great way to improve your page views.

Happy Writing!

Creating a Writer's Resume #2

This is the second and more in-depth posting about writer's resumes so be sure to check out the other posting about writer's resumes as well.

Creating a writer's resume can be a seemingly complicated and lengthy task, however they are very important and all freelance writers, both aspiring and professional, should have one. You never know when a potential client will ask for one and if you already have one ready to go all you will have to do it either print it out or send it in an email. I offer free assistance creating, editing, polishing and perfecting writer's resumes for those who read this blog so if you need help creating one or just need a little help with one please contact me at americanbanana@aol.com Be sure to put "Writer's Resume Help" in the subject line so that I don't accidentally delete the email.

Here is a basic writer's resume template. It is the one I use and it has scored me several freelance writing clients. It is simple, basic and gets to the point and this is what potential clients want.


Name
Street Address
City/State/Zip Code
Phone Number
Email Address
Second Email Address (if necessary)

Published Libraries of Content: I used my Associated Content and BrightHub profile addresses. Another good choice is Examiner if you write there and have a decent amount of content. I always suggest adding at least two.

Freelance Writing Background: Discuss your freelance writing experience and background. Include your niches, how long you have been a freelance writer, your SEO/LSI expertise and other similar and related information. Try to keep this a single paragraph of 4-7 sentences.

Freelance Writing Experience:

This is where you will list the names of the sites you write for and the private clients you write for or have written for. Here is an example. It is what I wrote for my Associated Content experience:

Associated Content: I have been writing for Associated Content since 2007 and have published 498 high quality SEO articles on a large variety of subjects. I am also a Health and Wellness Category Editor, a Community Guide, Advisory Board Member and received a Top 100 award for the year of 2008.

Here is what I wrote for my Demand Studios experience:

Demand Studios: I have been writing for this company since 2009. I write about a large variety of medical topics. I also write articles on the following topics: automotive, chemistry, physics, environmental science, sociology, education, careers and other science.

In this section you can also briefly highlight the sites that have picked up a lot of your articles. Here is what I wrote about Healthcare.com:

Healthcare.com: Several of my articles have been picked up and featured by this website.

Now focus on your writing and other related skills. Here is an excerpt from my actual writer's resume:

Technical Medical Writing: I began as a medical writer in 2003 docuementing clinical trials in addition to emergency nursing. I continue to write for some clients/hospitals on a part-time, freelance basis.

Computer and Technical Skills:
Web Content and Blogging: I run several different blogs. The topics of these blogs include diet and weight loss, local coverage (Cleveland, Ohio), health and wellness, music and online writing opportunities. I write for several different websites in over a dozen different niches.

Technical Skills: I am proficient in all of the major Microsoft applications. I type 120 words per minute. I am an expert at internet research and am proficient with all Windows XP fundamentals.

Additional Skills:
My additional skills include technical writing, running my own business, management and strong discipline and flexibility.

Here is where you will discuss your educational background. Here is an example and it is an actual excerpt from my writer's resume:

Education:

High School Diploma in 2002
Certificate in Written English from BrainBench in 2002
Certificate in Criminal Justice will be completed in October of 2009
Bachelor's Degree in Sociology with Concentration in Education will be completed in July of 2011
Completed LPN training/education and passed state exams in 2003

Just a quick section highlighting my employment history as it relates to my chosen niche (medicine). Excerpt from my actual writer's resume:

Employment History:
Freelance Writer: 2004 - Current
Specializes in over a dozen different categories for several websites and private clients. Major specialty is health, wellness, medicine and alternative medicine.

Technical Medical Writing: I began as a medical writer in 2003 in addition to emergency nursing. I continue to write for some clients/hospitals on a part-time, freelance basis.

Be sure to list any awards you have won as it relates to writing or your chosen niche(s). Excerpt from my writer's resume:

Awards:
Published Poem in 1992
1st Place Essay in 1998

Be sure to center your name and contact information. When choosing which phone number to use make sure it is one you almost always have access to such as your cell phone number. If using your cell, keep your ring back tone and voice mail message professional.

If you have limited writing experience I suggest creating a section under your writing experience to list some of your past work experience that is relevant to the topics you wish to write about. You can also add this anyway for a little something extra, but don't go overboard. Just talk about the basics in two sentences or less when it comes to past non-writing work experience.

Looks complicated huh? Well, it really isn't once you start getting it done.

Be sure to always update your writer's resume every time you get a new client, win an award, obtain additional education or change your personal contact information. This will make it quicker when you need to send it to a potential client and it will also keep you from forgetting to add/update things.

Comments

I know several of you stated that you were unable to leave comments. I went into my settings and changed a few things so you should be able to leave comments now. Please let me know if you are still having problems and I will try a few more things, but you should be good to go!

Word of the Day for September 29, 2009

Today's Word of the Day is ameliorate.

Ameliorate
Definition #1: To make better; to improve.
Definition #2: To grow better.

Word of the Day for September 28, 2009

Today's word is sinuous.

Sinuous:
Definition #1:Characterized by many curves or turns, winding.
Definition #2: Characterized by graceful curving movements.
Definition #3: Not direct; devious.

Word of the Day for September 25, 2009

Word of the Day is a new series I will be adding to this blog. Each and every day I will search for a new word. I will then post it here along with its definition. As writer's, our vocabulary can never be too big.

Today's Word of the Day is traduce.

Traduce: To expose to contempt or shame by means of false statements or misrepresentation; to represent as blamable; to vilify.

Writing Tips: Proper Word Usage #1

We are all writers or aspiring writers, but sometimes we will make mistakes. This is an inevitable part of our job. This post will discuss using the proper spelling of certain words that are often spelled wrong and used wrong. Using these in a sentence is the best way to explain their proper usage.

Their - There - They're

Their - "Their shoes are cuter and less expensive than Wal-Marts."
There - "When I go over there I will pick up some milk and bread."
They're - "They're not coming until later because he had to work late."

*Keep in mind that "they're" is actually "they are".

Your and You're

Your - "Where is your coat?"
You're - "You're sure to win the writing contest."

*Keep in mind that "you're" is actually "you are".

Loose and Lose

These two words have two completely different meanings. However, they are often used in place of each other.

Loose - "That string is loose."
Lose - "I really hope the Brown's don't lose this Sunday."

This will become a series that I will publish at least weekly. Keep checking back for more writing tips about proper word usage.

Stop Writing Fluffy Articles

We are all guilty of this at one time or another. However, fluffy writing can cause us to lose a reader's attention. If you are writing an article about apple picking sentences such as "picking apples is fun" or "I bet you'll have a blast picking apples" are fluffy and unnecessary. Get to the point and don't overuse adjectives. For example, don't write "when I visited the bright and sunny apple orchard". Just write "when I was at the orchard". I think you can see where I am going with this. Get to the point and stick to it to avoid fluffy writing.

Preventing Writer's Block #1

As writers most of us will face writer's block at least once. However, there are several things we can do to prevent writer's block from ever happening again. I will share the things that I do that are very simple and take very little time.

WordPad
All computers have Word Pad or a similar program. Use this to your advantage. I always have a Word Pad open I have titled "Article Topics and Resources". When I am at my computer and an article idea pops into my head I type it into this Word Pad document. I also copy and paste and website addresses I find interesting for future article material. I have had this document for at least six months and have not had writer's block since. Try this for a little while and I am sure it will help you to prevent your writer's block as well.

Notebook
Carrying a notebook with you can help you to prevent writer's block. I do this and I know many other freelance writers carry a notebook with them as well. Take this notebook with you everywhere and do not forget to bring a pen or pencil as well. Your notebook can be a standard-sized one or one of those smaller ones that are about the size of a wallet. The size doesn't matter. What matters is that you have something to jot down ideas in as soon as you have them. This notebook can be a great tool in preventing writer's block. I have used it to write down article ideas such as products to review, events I have witnessed and just random articles that have popped into my head. This notebook can also be useful if you need to write down contact information for potential writing clients.

These two methods for preventing writer's block will cost you less than a dollar and a minute of your time. I highly suggest both using Word Pad or a similar program and a notebook to jot down ideas and websites. Good luck and happy writing.

Rose's Freelance Writing Bootcamp #2

So how did writing a news article work out for you? I did well and scored several thousand extra page views on Associated Content with a few news articles. If you haven't done the news challenge yet do it. It can really pay off. This bootcamp challenge will involve your opinion. We all have one so this should be easy. Find a popular topic and write about your opinion on it. Current hot topics include health care reform, this year's football season rosters or your predictions for a game or team or some celebrity's issues. Check out surcher.com, Google Trends and Yahoo Buzz for more hot topics. Once you write this opinion/editorial article and publish it go ahead and post the link on the area of my Ning where you can post article links. Good luck and be on the lookout for a new challenge soon!

Jackie Barlow: Featured Freelancer for September 8, 2009

Jackie Barlow is a freelance writer who is always inspiring me. She was also the inspiration for the Ning that is associated with this blog. She writes on great topics and has broadened her freelane career by writing for other sites such as Textbroker and eCopyWriters. She is very active on my Ning so I suggest you stop by to learn about and from Jackie. To read some great articles by Jackie Barlow CLICK HERE

Rose's Freelance Writing Bootcamp #1

We are heading into September so I wanted to present a challenge to all of you. I will be taking on this challenge myself as well. I challenge you to write a news story. Pick something that has been making headlines and write about it. In the first one to two paragraphs summarize the news story. Then in another two to three paragraphs take a unique slant on it. Compare it to something similar or compare it to something that has happened to you or to something that has happened in your neighborhood. I recently wrote an article about the Miley Cyrus stalker and compared it to other celebrity stalkers. When you are done and have this article published post it on my Ning in the Post Your Article Links Here section. Good luck to all of you!

Rose's Freelance Writing Bootcamp

This is a new series I will be doing on my blog. I will do it several times per week. It will just be a quick post with a freelance writing tip or a freelance writing challenge. Stay tuned the first Rose's Freelance Writing Bootcamp will be posted soon.

How to Balance Time for Writing, Networking and More at AC

CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE

The article I linked to above provides some of the best insight and advice I have ever read about balancing your time for writing, networking and everything else involved with being a freelance writer. This advice can also be applied to just about any writing site you write for. It can also be applied to private clients. If you are a freelance writer, new or old, read this.

Lyn Lomasi discusses the importance of determining your best writing time and how important it is to stick to it. She also discusses how beneficial carrying around a notebook can be. I carry a notebook everywhere I go. It doesn't matter if I am running to the store for cat food or going to a doctors appointment, I carry my notebook. Your next article could come from anything such as the price of milk, a pamphlet you read in your doctors waiting room or that car accident you just witnessed. She also discusses taking advantage of your free time to write. If you are bored, write. The more you write the better your articles will be and the more you will learn about writing and yourself.

She also discusses research. So many writers see research as daunting. Personally, I love researching, but I am a nerd. I will discuss my research techniques in another post, but Lyn offers excellent advice in this article.

Lyn also talks about reading and commenting. I also avidly read and comment on articles on AC and most of the other sites I write for. I get an average of 100+ articles everyday to read and comment on. This is however impossible with my writing obligations so I pick and choose and try to read at least 2-5 articles from each person I subscribe to per week. Read Lyn's article that is linked above for some fantastic advice on how to balance reading and commenting. Her methods are much better than mine.

Forum participation. This is pretty important and can greatly benefit you. She talks about this in the above-linked article as well.

She also discusses how to balance your time helping fellow AC'ers. I personally feel that helping others is very important and it actually benefits you as well. Keep in mind that you were new once and most likely had your questions answered by another Contributor so why not take a few minutes a day to give back and share your knowledge with new Contributors?

This article also discusses using the AC tools and promotion. I suggest you take a few minutes and read this article. I have been freelance writing for a while and I still learned several new things from this article. It provides a wealth of information and is perfect for new writers and old writers alike.

To read more from Lyn Lomasi check out her Associated Content Contributor page HERE

Here are some other fantastic articles written by Lyn Lomasi to help you with your freelance writing career:

Tips on Writing for AC and the Web Part 1: SEO Tips: CLICK HERE TO READ

Tips on Writing for AC and the Web Part 2: CLICK HERE TO READ

Why Am I Working so Hard with Little to No Results?: CLICK HERE TO READ

This next article by Lyn Lomasi is a must read for anyone who participates in forums, on social networking sites and well anywhere where you interact with other humans.

How to Be an Objective Reader in Social Writing Circles: CLICK HERE TO READ

Happy Writing!

Becoming an Associated Content Millionaire

Associated Content Contributor Lym Lomasi recently reached one million page views on Associated Content. It took her just 2 1/2 half years to do it. She did it by writing excellent articles on a variety of subjects and practicing solid writing and web-writing techniques. Lyn Lomasi is a true inspiration. Be sure to read this article to find out how you too can become an AC millionaire.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Avoid These Five Associated Content Writing Mistakes

This article was written by on of my fellow AC Contributors, Jolie du Pre. I thought this article would be useful for new writers regardless of whether or not they write for Associated Content. Avoid These Five Associated Content Writing Mistakes discusses many common mistakes that I hear many newbies and even some veterans discussing in the AC forums. I also discuss many of these mistakes with new Associated Content Contributors through PM's. This article is excellent and I think many aspiring freelance writers and current freelance writers will benefit from it.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE

Associated Content

What is Associated Content?
Associated Content is a writing site that is perfect for beginning writers. Associated Content was the spring board to my freelance writing career. Though there are guidelines, this site allows you to learn while being able to make some money. This is the perfect site for those seeking to make money writing while still learning SEO and other web-writing techniques.

The Associated Content Concept

Associated Content's concept is simple. "Everyone has a voice". You can sign up and earn as you learn the ropes of the web-writing world. It is important to remember, however, that this site is not a blog site nor is it Facebook or Myspace. Though you do not need to be a professional writer to write for AC, to be successful you need to have the drive to learn and basic writing abilities. As you can see the concept is quite simple: if you have basic writing abilities and the desire to learn web-writing while earning some money, then Associated Content may be a good fit for you.

The Associated Content Community
Another major plus to Associated Content is its community. Without the AC community I doubt I would know all I do about web-writing and writing in general. The forums host a variety of amazing people that are always willing to help and help to keep your spirits up. I must tell you that if it wasn't for the AC community I may not have developed my freelance writing career. The folks in the community kept me going and taught me just about everything I know. The AC forums offer a wealth of information about all things freelance writing and they also help to keep you motivated.

What Works, What Doesn't on Associated Content
On AC several things work and several things don't. So, what doesn't work? For example, simply stuffing an article with keywords will pretty much get you no where except banned from the site. Not appreciating the advice you ask for will prevent you from learning what you need to know about web-writing. Not following AC's simple guidelines will get you banned. Not trying to learn to write for the web will leave you making very little money. Also, writing short stories and poetry, while many are excellent on AC, often do not make you much money and they do not qualify for upfront payment.

What works? First and foremost, thoroughly read the FAQ's, TOS, submission guidelines and photo guidelines before you start publishing. Just about everything you need to know is there. If you need further information or help stop by the forums, introduce yourself and ask any questions you may have. Next, write what you know. If you are in the healthcare field and enjoy healthcare, write about it. If you love gardening or crafts, write about them. If you are a parent and have some unique insight that you would like to share with other parents, write about it. Write about your passions, interests, hobbies, life experiences etc. and you will find success at Associated Content. Learn as much as you can and incorporate it. When citing sources make sure that they are credible sources. For example, if you are writing an article on one of the types of hepatitis do not cite Wikipedia it's just not a credible source. Instead cite the CDC or another similar health organization. In fact, ignore Wikipedia completely when doing research or fact-checking your AC articles. Use proper web-writing techniques, use good grammar, spell-check, proofread and follow all of AC's guidelines and you will find success at Associated Content.


Tips for Associated Content Success
Basically everything I said above in the "What Works" area will help you find success at AC. Being successful at AC all depends on how successful you want to be. The more you strive to learn the more you will know. Write what you know, write about what you love, follow all AC guidelines, use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation, practice sold web-writing techniques, use credible sources and be active in the AC community. Most of all, do not give up. You will not make hundreds of dollars over night. Keep at it and your efforts will surely pay off.

Basic Associated Content Rules and Guidelines
Like all writing sites, AC has some guidelines. First and foremost, all articles must be at least 400 words. The exceptions are poetry, prose and assignments that say otherwise. In order to make money you must be a US citizen or resident and be at least 18 years of age. All writing must be your own; you cannot copy anyone else's writing ever. If you are caught you will be banned. You must follow the submission guidelines, photo guidelines and TOS. This may sound like a lot, but it really isn't.

Who Writes for Associated Content?
All types of people write for AC. Doctors, lawyers, other professionals, stay-at-home moms, stay-at-home dads, college students, blue collar workers, those who are retired and everyone in between.

How Can I Get Started on Associated Content?
To get started on AC all you need to do is sign up, complete the simple verification process, read the FAQ's/submission guidelines/TOS/photo guidelines and start submitting articles. When you sign up be sure to stop by the forums and stop by the "Welcome to AC" thread to introduce yourself to the community.

How Much Money Can I Make on Associated Content?
As much as you want. This is very true. The more you work, the more you earn. How much you earn is completely up to you. There are some Contributors making thousands a month and others less than a hundred. Associated Content is completely what you make of it. I try to make at least $500.00 per month between upfront payments and my performance bonus and typically exceed this every month. I could definitely make more if I had more time to dedicate to AC alone. The key is to write well and write often.

At AC you have the choice of making money through a monthly performance bonus, through upfront payments or a combination of both. Upfront payments are only available to US citizens or residents, but anyone can join and make performance bonus money regardless of where you live or what your citizenship status is. Clouts 1-6 make $1.50 per 1,000 page views and clouts 7-10 get a bonus which tops out at $2.00 per 1,000 page views. Now this may seem daunting at first, but once you get rolling you can easily get at least 1,000 page views everyday and it will only increase from there.

When it comes to upfront payments the average seems to be $0.99-$8.00 per article. However, some Contributors do make more. If you are selected to complete Partner or Targeted Assignments you can make up to $25.00 per article.

Let's just say you are a clout 5 making an average of $4.00 per article and 1,000 page views a day. You submit one article a day, five days a week to AC. In an average month of 30 days you will have made $165.00. Not bad for only working maybe 20 hours a month. If you submit more articles, you will make more money. If you are making an average of $4.00 per article and you submit 5 articles a day, 5 days a week that's an extra $400.00 per month in upfront payments alone as long as they are all submitted for upfront payment and accepted. Then you will also have your monthly page view bonus.

In closing, Associated Content is a great site to write for with an amazing community. If you are an aspiring freelance writer, whether you are seeking to write professionally, as a second job or as a money-making hobby, Associated Content is definitely worth your time. I am a writer, community guide, health and wellness category editor and advisory board member for Associated Content. I have been there since December of 2007 and my only regret is that I didn't start writing there sooner. Good luck to you if you choose to start writing for AC.

To visit Associated Content please CLICK HERE

To check out some comprehensive tutorials about Associated Content and web-writing CLICK HERE

To check out Associated Content's FAQ's CLICK HERE

Han Van Meegerin: Featured Freelancer for August 16,2009

Today's featured writer and the first ever featured writer is Han Van Meegerin. I chose to feature this Associated Content Contributor because of his amazing contributions to the AC community. He spends so much time motivating others through creating contests. He also highlights his fellow Contributors though his excellent interviews. Han Van Meegerin deserves to be featured because of his unselfish nature and his amazing contrubutions to AC and its community. If you would like to learn more about Han Van Meegerin or join one of his race to page view contests please check out his Contributor page HERE.

Featured Freelance Writer

I love featuring people and allowing freelance writer's to meet other ones they may not know. From now on I will be featuring several freelance writers every week here on by blog and on this blog's associated Ning. By doing this I hope to give my fellow writers some exposure and to introduce some writers who aren't as well-known to the world of freelance writing. Check back several times a week to see who has been featured, to congratulate them and to meet new writers.

Writer's Resumes

I have been helping a lot of freelance writers lately with creating a writers resume. Many writing sites don't require them, but some do. For example, Demand Studios requires one and this website can be quite lucrative. A writer's resume should focus on your writing experience. Things such as your niches, sites you write for and/or have written for, your education history, technology abilities, private clients and any awards should be included on your writers resume. If I ever send a "cold application" to a private client I always make sure to attach a copy of my writers resume. In your writers resume I also highly suggest providing links to some of your libraries of content. I personally provide links to two libraries of content: a link to my AC page and a link to my BrightHub page.

Your writer's resume should highlight your expertise and accomplishments. Many writer's also elect to add some of their past non-writing work experience. This can be beneficial, especially if you have limited writing experience.

Once you have a writer's resume be sure to update it often. Every time you start with a new private client or website, add it to your writer's resume. A solid and complete writer's resume is priceless for freelance writers. It can mean the difference between getting the client and not getting the client.

If you would like to see my writers resume template please send an email to americanbanana@aol.com. In the subject line please put "Writer's Resume Help" so that I know it isn't spam. I will not open any emails from an email address I am not familiar with so make sure to put "Writer's Resume" in the subject line.

Be sure to check out the Online Writing Opportunities Ning as well. I'm still getting it together, but the more members we get the more we can all learn.


Click here to check out my Online Writing Opportunities Ning

Tips and Tricks for Freelance Writing Success

Freelance writing can be a very lucrative career. However, success will not come overnight. Like all careers, it takes hard work, effort and dedication. I began my freelance writing career almost accidentally. I have always loved to write and did medical/technical writing professionally once I left nursing. At the end of 2007, I became ill so I had to find something that I could do from home that would also pay the bills. I started doing some research and stumbled upon Associated Content. They stated that they would pay me for writing articles. I assumed that it was too good to be true, but decided to give it a try anyway. I am glad I did. Associated Content was the springboard to my freelance writing career. When it comes to freelance writing, sometimes we just have to dive right in and go for it. Throw caution to the wind as they say. I tell you this story because I feel that it may help some aspiring freelancers.

Okay, don't give up your day job immediately if you have the choice. However, start researching some online writing sites. Sign up for a few and start writing just an article or two a week. Each month add another article per week to your quota. Once you hit the third month add another site to your freelance client list. Every other month add another freelance writing site to your client list. Once you hit your sixth month, start seeking out private clients. This is the exact journey I took and now, a year and a half later, I am a full-time freelance writer making a healthy income.

The two freelance writing sites that I would recommend to new writers is Associated Content and Text Broker.

Stay tuned for detailed reports on several freelance writing websites and other opportunities.

Update

I will be working a lot on this blog in the coming weeks. It will start to really come to life with tons of online writing opportunities and writing resources. Once it gets rolling, this will be the only blog that you will need to read to get your freelance writing career started. This blog will also discuss my experiences with different sites and will provide information about how to better your writing and further your career. I will also discuss the many online writing scams out there that you need to avoid. This blog will be updated frequently so check back often for new content and new online writing opportunities.

Welcome to Online Writing Opportunities

This blog is dedicated to helping you find good online writing opportunities. I will post websites, advice and leads for freelance writers that are trying to make some money through writing online. I will seek out the best websites for writing online and give you the basic information on them. I will also post tips and advice about writing online.