Online Writing Opportunities

One Goal At a Time

2012-01-06T19:50:00.000-05:00

One big thing I learned last year is that to go big, you have to start small. If you are like me, you probably have 50 goals, but it is impossible to work on all of these simultaneously. There are simply not enough hours in the day. So, my 2012 goal is to take one goal at a time and get it started and going while working on my paying work. Of course, I plan to get each of these goals to become paying too, but they are going to need nurturing to get there as they are blogs that will eventually become websites, e-books, novels and art projects.

Since I am working on beefing up my celebrity and entertainment writing, I figure getting my celebrity and entertainment blog off the ground will be my first goal. I will work this throughout January. Then, I will work my Cleveland news blog and NBA blog (both play into each other) throughout February. From there, I will work on building a new blog up each month as I maintain previously built blogs, move them onto domains, keep up with paying work and of course, keep my grades up in school. I will post links to the blogs here as I get them built up.

So, what are your goals for 2012 and how do you plan to tackle them?

Happy New Year

2012-01-02T23:38:00.000-05:00

New year, new goals and aspirations all around. This is the perfect time of year to pull up any half-written articles and get researching so that you can finish them. Start a new blog, or two or four. Get that e-book started. Finish what you didn't last year and start something new for this year. These are my goals for writing this year. I am going to finish whatever I left half-finished last year and then start several new blogs, build them up and then get them onto their own domain throughout the year. I also plan to write several fiction and informational non-fiction e-books. This is going to be a big year. This should be a big year for all of us because you are truly the writer of your own destiny.

DMS Has Hit Its Iceberg

2011-11-04T01:27:00.000-04:00

Demand Media Studios -- or DMS -- seems to have hit its iceberg. Many of us have been predicting this since around January 2011 and have jumped ship months ago. Some folks couldn't just leave DMS as easily as I did and I get that. Plus, DMS did do things in a very shady manner. Today, many titlers got an email that in a nutshell said, "you suck goodbye." DMS has never been known for tact, but their actions lately go beyond lack of tact. They are deplorable. I understand basic business principles. I drop clients that simply are not working for me, but the client has ADVANCED notice so said client is not completely screwed. DMS does not seem to care that thousands of writers, around the holidays no less, are left with nothing. Let's not forget that this company also left titlers and CEs screwed too with their recent shenanigans.

If they want to redo their business model, then good on them. But, to leave thousands of innocent people bobbing in cold dark water at the expense of sudden change is simply cruel and unusual.

I am proud to say that I have not written a word for this poor excuse for a company in nearly eight months. I hope that all of you who are currently on this literary Titanic can soon say the same thing. I will make a point of posting job leads several times a week to try and help you. There is a list of sites a few posts down where you can start. While LoveToKnow has since folded as well, the rest should still be active. Do not wait for DMS to surge again or to be great to you because it will not happen.

Photo is Public Domain

Great Show Last Night

2011-08-13T18:28:00.000-04:00

Last night fellow freelancer Amy Browne and I did our thing and hosted our radio show, The Freelance Connection, on Blog Talk Radio. We discussed a person who we have received several reports on that is not paying her clients. This is the very first thing we discussed at the very beginning of the show. Check it out and if you have had any experience with this client, feel free to drop a line in the comments and/or check out the ongoing thread about her over and Absolute Write and share your experience to help your fellow writers out.

Amy talked about Bestcovery, a great writing site that many freelancers are not familiar with and shared some info on the work they have available now.

I talked about the process of being hired on with LoveToKnow and the wonderful women I have had the pleasure to communicate with via email and phone so far during the process.

We also talked a bit about the new Writer's Evaluation Program taking place at Demand Media Studios. It ain't pretty, but it's honest folks. I will share some more thoughts on this program in a separate post this week because I am gathering information from folks who I know who were put into it.

Then, we chit-chatted about some other random writer stuff. Also, writers, editors and everyone else who spends a lot of time sitting for work, or just sitting, get up and move around. Do not sit for more than two hours at a time as it can have significant and dangerous health consequences. We talked about this at the end of the show. Amy herself was the victim of multiple heart attacks and her being a writer forced to sit a lot was a major cause of this. She, and I, want to encourage all of our fellow freelancers to get up and move. You just need to take 5 minutes every 2 hours and walk through your house, jump up and down, stretch, or anything that involves some movement. Please, your body and those who love you will thank you.

If you missed the show, you can click the link above and catch a recording of it at your convenience. The next show will be the second Friday in September at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time (I'll post a reminder closer to that time). We are also always excited to have our fellow freelancers as guests on the show, so if you are a freelancer and would like to chat with us in September, send me an email at kitchen.rose@yahoo.com and put "The Freelance Connection Guest" in the subject line and we will talk about getting you on the show.

Until next time. Write on!

Writing Sites

2011-07-22T21:30:00.000-04:00

I am often asked about sites to write for. Most folks know about Yahoo Contributor Network, Demand Studios and BrightHub, so I will not talk about those in this post. Here is a large list of sites you can check out. If you have any info/feedback on any of these sites (positive or negative) drop a comment on this post. I am sure your fellow writers would appreciate the info! Be on the lookout for individual reviews of these sites throughout the coming months and further info on other sites and writing gigs.

Writer Access can be excellent once you land on a few Love Lists (happens rather quickly). The application is kind of a pain, but worth it IMO. This site is like Textbroker on steroids. Also, do not forget about Textbroker.

http://www.constant-content.com/. Put your Non-exclusives up for reprints folks. Let your reprints earn more for you. If you need some help with this site, shoot me a PM. This site is sometimes slow-going, but the right topics can do you good. I am going to be posting a few posts about it on my blog soon about how to increase your chances of making a sale, so stay tuned.

http://www.consumersearch.com/jobs - Very nice pay, but some work involved.

http://www.internetbrands.com/work-with-us/ - Similar to Demand, but less strict editors.

http://www.bestcovery.com/writers - Comes very highly recommended to me. There is a phone interview involved, but the staff is fantastic and pay is not half bad. Comparable to a YCN beat or DMS.

http://www.writersresearchgroup.com/ - Not sure if they are still hiring.

Pure Content - Not the highest paying, but constant steady work. UK-based company so you have to write in UK English. However, you can set your word processor to spell check in UK English, making this a breeze. Pay is once a month.

10dollararticles - similar to textbroker. Work is not always available so you have to check in often. $10 per article.

http://thecontentauthority.com/application-writers.php - Not clear on the details, but I know they definitely pay and that it is halfway decent.

Skyword: Upfront pay from Pampers, Daily Glow and Bounty is $10 plus revenue share. IBM is $40 upfront. You can also do Gather through Skyword through a PV/rev share program. I personally love this company and they pay twice a month now.

https://www.writersnetwork.com/ - Similar to Demand with slightly higher pay, but far less work at this time.

SheKnows and LoveToKnow also come highly recommended to me. I am not 100 percent sure what they pay, but I know for a fact that they definitely do pay.

A few others I do not know a ton about:

http://www.contentdivas.com/employment/

http://www.techwriters.com/

http://www.rightcopywriter.com/careers.html

http://www.qualitygal.com/

http://www.selfhelpguides.com/authors_wanted.php3

http://www.writingassist.com/job-seekers/

http://www.cyberedit.com/hub/jobs.shtml

http://matadornetwork.com/contributors/

http://admin.interactmedia.com/apply.aspx

http://www.articlecontentprovider.com/article-writer.html

Week Two

2011-05-15T16:21:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the late update, Blogger was on the fritz and I could not update as promised. Week Two was a struggle, but I made it and ended with $917. I used Writer Access, BrightHub (one article), Yahoo Contributor Network and Demand Studios. I also wrote a Gather politics article through Skyword, but that is still working it's way to earning.

I actually was able to work fewer hours last week and earn more money. For starters, I broke down how much I needed to earn per day to meet my goal and I did this by dividing $875 by 5. I wanted to only work 5 days. Or, at least strive for it. I ended up working just over 60 hours, but I took more breaks, had lunch with a friend, ran my own errands, etc. I was generally more rested. Those of you who know me well know that I have the habit of putting work ahead of everything. Well, this week, I took a different tact. I got all of my work done while also living a little. I carried this into to week three and once all of the math is done, I will further discuss this.

It is incredibly important to meet your financial and professional goals, but it is also important to stop and smell the roses as well.

Last night on the radio show I do with fellow veteran writer Amy Browne, The Freelance Connection, I also talked a bit about last week's challenge and how it went. We also discussed Panda and several different writing gigs you may want to look into if you are looking for other clients. We do the show on the second Friday of every month from 6:00pm to 8:00pm Eastern time. You can click the link above and listen to the recorded version of the show if you missed it.

I am short on time today because I have a few things I need to do for school, but I will be updating you on week three within the next 48 hours as long as Blogger doesn't go on the fritz again. I also have a series of posts coming up with a variety of tips and advice.

Also, really quick. During the months of June and July I will continue to share income-earning strategies and the like, but you of course are not going to earn money without clients, so that will be the primary focus: 20 minutes a day and an online portfolio. I will work to teach you how to score new clients with just 20 minutes a day and an online portfolio. I will help you build one and will share mine of course and will then share strategies and resources to help you fine and land new clients and gigs in just 20 minutes a day.

I will also be going through all of your comments and messages over the next two to three days and addressing those. So, no, I promise I have no forgotten about you. I just could not access them for a few days.

Until next time. Happy Writing!

Quick Update

2011-05-12T00:18:00.000-04:00

Sorry, been crazy busy. I will have a full update for last week and some other information for ya'll tomorrow. I just wanted to give you a quick post to let ya'll know that everything is going fine and on track. I made last week's goal and all is going well. I will break it all down tomorrow and will have more information.

How to Write Faster Part One

2011-05-04T23:14:00.000-04:00

I had a fellow writer request I talk about this and I am asked about this often. I will tell you that when I first started writing, my articles took hours to write. I never thought I would ever become a faster writer. Then, as time passed me speed increased. Also, as that time passed, I learned some tricks and techniques to increase my writing speed. I do want to note though that speed should never trump quality. Some articles need that extra love and will just take longer. However, I want to say that on average, an online freelance writer should be spending an average of 30 to 45 minutes per article. This time includes your research and/or fact-checking, the writing of the article, your proofreading and editing and sending the article to your client. I know this sounds like a lot of work to cram into 30 to 45 minutes, but it really is not once you learn the art of online writing.

First and foremost, make your research count. If you are doing separate research for every single article, you will naturally take longer to write each article. What I like to do is use one research session for multiple articles. This can and has been done thousands of times. Your topic will depend on how far you can break it down. For example, I can turn a good research session on heart disease into close to 100 articles (seriously, do some research), but research on ovarian cyst ruptures will only produce a handful of articles. So, from a single research session on ovarian cyst ruptures that took me 15 minutes because all I did was fact check because I already know the topic, I was able to write five articles that were credible, accurate and written with authority because I wrote them from the perspective of a health care provider (will get to this tip later). I spent about 2.5 to 3 hours writing, proofing, editing and submitting those 5 articles. Now, the heart disease research obviously would take me a lot longer. Thankfully, I know a lot about it, but still have to check my facts and triple check stats and read over studies. This is a larger project that I would spread out and write a few heart disease articles here and there and keep the research in a file. This way, I am remaining productive and getting my other work done too.

Write what you know. I know you've heard this 1,000 times and for good reason. When you write what you know you save time and you write with authority. Your readers can sense that authority and it gains their trust. And again, it saves you time. As many of you know, my background falls in health and medicine so this is what I mainly focus on writing. I can write an article on colon cancer symptoms in 20 minutes and spend 10 more minutes fact-checking (incredibly important regardless of how well you know the topic), proofing, editing and sending to article to my client. I just spent 30 minutes crafting an entire article from start to finish.

Work on your typing speed if it already is not fast. If you are picking and pecking at the keys, you will be slower. Just open up an empty file and start typing what you see around you, what's on TV, about your kids or pets, or anything. Just type. Practice, practice, practice. I was horribly slow with typing when I first started writing and as time passed and I practiced I got faster and more accurate.

I am going to end this here for today. There are more tips that I will share throughout the month, but I am against a deadline that I need to knockout tonight. Stay tuned for more tips on all things writing.

Image Credits: Roz Woodward

Purdue Online Writing Lab

2011-05-03T22:48:00.000-04:00

More commonly known as OWL, the Purdue Online Writing Lab is a great resource for writers. Whether you are writing an article or a paper for school you will find this site useful. I promise! Also check out their grammar blog.

On OWL you can learn about general writing, subject specific writing, research and citation (different ways to cite like APA, MLA, AP, etc) and more. When you have about 20 minutes to spare, I highly recommend you check this site out and browse it. I also suggest you bookmark it for future reference. All of the OWL services are free too!

Image Credits: Minimil

Freelance Writng Challenge End of Week One

2011-05-02T13:07:00.001-04:00

So, week one is over and let me tell you it was a long week. Like I said in my last post, I now remember how hard it is being a new freelance writer. As you know my weekly goal for last week and the next four weeks is $875 per week. I end last week with....drum roll please....$873. Yeah, somehow I miscalculated by $2.00. Did I mention that math was not my thing? I ended up working a full day on Saturday and some hours yesterday to hit that goal due to wind-related power outages and something else I had to take care of that cropped up. For the challenge last week, I used the following sites: Yahoo Contributor Network, Demand Studios, BrightHub and Skyword (Daily Glow and Gather).

Okay, so let's talk about this week. I am going to focus on the sites I used last week of course, but I also decided to try and give Examiner another go. Not sure why yet, but I have had a gut feeling for a few months now that I should revive my Examiner page and post at least two to three times a week. Call it women's intuition I guess.

I am also going to add some WriterAccess articles to the mix.

The month at a glance. I will continue to work the sites I discussed above. I will also be applying to new sites and private clients. As promised, any private client income will not be included in the $875 per week total. I will be doing the queries and sharing the experience and results with you only as a way to help you learn to do it. I will also share my experience and results with other sites I choose to apply to.

I also have several new blogs, and a few old, but neglected ones, that will take off this month thanks to Marie Anne St. Jean's new blogging challenge for May. I highly recommend checking that out if you did the A to Z Challenge and just are not ready to stop with the blogging challenges yet.

So all in all, week one was a success, minus $2.00 due to my severely lacking math skills. I am ready to take on May head on and am looking forward to all of you and your individual challenges and goals too. Please comment and share your goals and progress with all of us here on the blog. As always, if you have any questions, drop a comment and I will do my best to answer it.

So I leave you with a beautiful tropical beach. I cannot think of a better way to start a new month and a new week!

Image Credits: Image Source

Challenge Update

2011-04-26T19:03:00.000-04:00

Here's a photo of colorful and bright daiquiris. The weather is just so dreary here, I needed something bright, colorful and alcoholic to get me going today :) No, I haven't had a drink yet, but will have a little drink later this evening to kick off this challenge. Cheers! to everyone joining in, following along and doing their own challenges!

Yesterday was a $74.00 day. So, I basically cut down what I need to make for the remainder of the week to $801.00. Yesterday was a typical Monday with lots of school and my typical Monday scheduling and behind the scenes work. I would have liked to knock out $125.00 though and have no one to blame, but myself. I was watching the NBA playoffs while working and got a bit caught up in the games.

Also, today, I am just now getting started with work at 6:32pm Eastern. This is actually a good thing because it allows me to show you that while I could just call it a day and do no work, I won't. I am going to put in the hours and knock out at least three BrightHub articles for a total of $30.00 bucks, my Yahoo Medical News article for $15.00, I have two more Yahoo Sports articles on deadline totaling $21.00, I want to get two Daily Glow articles in for a total of $20.00 and want to get my first Gather Politics written and submitted. I also have some research done for a Livestrong article so since the hard part it done, I might as well knock that out too. That would be $20.00. That would bring my grand total to $106.00. That puts me $20.00 behind where I want to be for the day, so I will either knock out another Livestrong article or do another two Daily Glow. I should do the other two Daily Glow articles because I have a monthly quota with them and planned to do three a day for the remainder of the month.

At this time, I am not including Gather in my totals because I will not know how much Gather will bring in until a day or two after the articles publish. Once I get rolling with them (I was literally just accepted) I will be able to better judge and figure in my income from them.

As long as I stay focused, I should be able to knock out this work quite quickly. Due to getting a bit behind the last two days, I will carry my week into Saturday. That is fine because I am used to not taking days off anyway. For this challenge my goal was working 5 days a week, but as we know, when building a career, you have to expect to work weekends, evenings and holidays here and there. I still do fully intend to take off Sunday and just work on my blogs and school on that day. We shall see though! I forgot how hard it was being a freelance writer and not using private clients. It really can be a lot more work due to the less pay per article with mills and farms. While I am already missing my private clients, I will absolutely keep going with this challenge because this is how I started so I know it can be done. It is like going home after not being there for a while. There is a comfort to it. The change of pace is quite nice though. The less strict guidelines and less "depth" (not exactly the word I am looking for) are really nice. I guess I just feel a bit more free because with mills and farms I am able to choose my own topics for the most part and can write for the layman. None of that technical stuff. It is quite nice.

So that is the gist of the update for now. If I don't get to writing, I will be up all night. Be looking for another one in the next 48 hours. I will probably stop by with other random posts with tips and advice as well in between challenge updates. And, remember, if you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment and I will address it. Happy Writing!

Photo Credits: Jill Chen

See it Through

2011-04-24T20:44:00.000-04:00

See it Through. When you have a deadline, see it through and see it through on time. If something like an emergency happens, notify your client immediately so they know you will be a day or two late. Not meeting deadlines will kill a freelance career faster than Charlie Sheen can kill a bottle of whiskey.

Image Credits: Photodisc

Research

2011-04-24T20:43:00.000-04:00

Research. Research is a critical part of writing. While there are topics most of us can write off of the top of our heads, it is still the responsible thing to do to quickly research and check our facts. Also, when researching, use credible resources only. Do not use Wikipedia. It is user-submitted. Use universities, hospitals, government sites certified professionals, etc.

Image Credits: James Baigrie

Quiet

2011-04-24T20:42:00.000-04:00

Quiet. You are unlikely to get it when working from home. Even if you live alone, you probably have neighbors that may be loud from time to time. It is important to learn to either tune out noise or work in an environment that is not quiet. I used to require an absolutely quiet environment to work. Now, I have the basketball game on in the background, iPod blaring, cats running around, folks outside causing a riot, police sirens blaring and other city noises simultaneously. I have no issues with it at all anymore. Eventually, I was able to train myself to just deal and I no longer need quiet.

Image Credits: Jed Share

Push Through

2011-04-24T20:41:00.000-04:00

Push Through. If you have deadlines, you have to push through them. Think of it this way, if you had a brick and mortar job, would you just up and leave every time something in the day didn't go your way or every time you had the sniffles? Of course not! You wouldn't have the job very long. So, buck up and push through. This goes back to my post on discipline. You have to treat freelance writing as a real job if you wish to be successful and you have to push through life's curveballs.

Image Credits: Blend Images

Open-Minded

2011-04-24T20:40:00.000-04:00

Open-Minded. You have to be open-minded in the freelance writing business. You are going to run into an incredibly diverse crowd of people and opinions, especially with commenters. People will tell you that you are the worst writer to grace the earth just because they disagree with your stance on a topic. Stay open-minded and keep on keeping on.

Image Credits: Brand New Images

No

2011-04-24T20:39:00.000-04:00

No. Do not be afraid to say “no”. I know it is tempting to take on every client that comes your way, especially when you are starting out, but this is not practical. You have to set the price you are willing to work for and stick to it. Do not be afraid to negotiate and if the client wants to be cheap, politely decline and tell them no. Trust me, it is liberating. You, as a writer, are worth something. You have talents that not everyone has. You work hard. Writing is not easy. Get paid what YOU are worth. Stick to your guns and say “no” when the opportunity does not fit you. Trust me, there are thousands of opportunities out there and skipping one because the client is cheap will not hurt you in the slightest bit. It will just give you room for a better and higher paying client.

Photo Credits: ballyscanlon

Make Time to Relax

2011-04-24T20:37:00.002-04:00

Make Time to Relax. Yes, I am a total hypocrite for saying this because I work seven days a week and nearly 16 to 20 hours a day. However, I am working towards a more normal schedule. You have to relax a bit and live or else burnout does and will occur and it can land you in the hospital. Back several years ago, I worked myself into the hospital. I was working way too many hours and getting no sleep some days of the week. I would literally get off of work, shower and go back to work. The human body is not meant to handle this type of abuse. So, even if you are just taking an hour a day to watch your favorite show and relax on the couch, it will help you in the long-run.

Photo Credits: Oliver Rossi

Love What You Do

2011-04-24T20:36:00.000-04:00

Love What You Do. If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. I truly believe this and wish I could remember who originally said it. When I was a teen, I washed dishes. I hated the job. Just being there was torture and the day just lasted forever. Now, I can write all day and love it. I love to research, write, educate and everything else involved in being a freelance writer. Well, except rejection. But, really, no one likes rejection even though it is part of the process. If you do not love to write and do not love every other part of this writing game, you will just torture yourself everyday, so you have to evaluate and really think about whether this is your true passion.

Photo Credits: Nicholas Rigg

Kick It Into Gear

2011-04-24T20:35:00.000-04:00

Kick It Into Gear. In light of my new challenge I thought this was appropriate. I also thought this was appropriate since I am a smidge behind in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. In essence, if your writing career is just not where you want it to be, you have to kick it into gear. Get out there and start hitting the virtual pavement. Collect a few clients you like and start writing. You will not make money and will not succeed if you do not just kick it into gear and get going with it.

Photo Credits: Urs Kuester

$3,500 a Month Challenge

2011-04-23T00:11:00.000-04:00

I always see writers talking about how they just are not making money. How they keep getting distracted or they had a bad day so they didn't write, etc, etc, etc, the list goes on. Let me pose a question. If you were working a brick and mortar, would you call off of work every time you had a bad day? No, you wouldn't. You would be fired if you did. You absolutely have to take the same approach with freelance writing or else you will not make any money. I am not saying this to be harsh and trust me, I have the opposite problem: I never take days off. Never taking a day off isn't exactly healthy either, but that is an issue I will tackle at a later date. My point is, freelance writing is a real job and has to be treated like a real job. We will discuss this more throughout the next five weeks as well.

So, I am going to show you how to be a full-time freelancer. No excuses. If you have the sniffles, get the Kleenex. If you are having a bad day, take that energy and turn it into productivity. If you want to be a full-time freelancer you have to treat it like a full-time job. Taking off willy nilly is not helping you at all.

Why $3,500 you ask? Well, it is $875 a week. $875 is an amount of money that is achievable and it is an amount that the majority of people could live off of. Now, for the next 5 weeks (rest of April and all of May) I am only going to write online content. No hospital work, no pharma work, no fancy stuff. I am going to make sure this is fair. Online content only. To make it even more fair and more in tune to really new writers, I will concentrate my efforts on content mills and farms. I will not even include my private client work in the $3,500 total. Basically, I will be farming it to show you that a no excuses, hard-working writer can make a living do this.

Now, for the last week of April, we will just look at making $875 of course. Then, for the month of May, we will focus on making the full $3,500. This is based on the online content terms. No medical trials, pharma, etc. I will take PayPal screenshots and all that so you will see where the money is coming from.

I am also a full-time student so I will talk about the challenges this presents. I will provide tips to shorten research and writing time, tons of links to cool resources, helpful tips and advice for you, info on the clients I am writing for during the challenge, etc. By the end of May, you should be able to mimic exactly what I did and succeed at it.

Main sites I will be concentrating on for this challenge include: Yahoo and YCN, Demand Studios (both Livestrong and Ehow to keep it fair because not everyone has Livestrong permissions), BrightHub, Daily Glow, Gather, Examiner (yes, I decided to give it another go), TextBroker, Content Current, Writer Access and I believe that is it. I will also be applying for new gigs throughout this time and will be reporting to you on this because all freelance writers should also be always applying for new gigs.

I will be reporting in several days a week letting you all know about my income, energy levels, who I have been writing for, gigs I've applied for, tips and advice, etc, etc, etc. You will basically be living vicariously through me for the next 5 weeks. I highly suggest you either follow my blog or bookmark it so you can find it easily.

Shortly, I will be providing you with my writing arsenal. Some sites I use religiously to ensure I am on point and on my game that provide tips and points that are critical for online writers.

I hope this helps some folks. I know I preach often about how you CAN be successful as a freelancer. Well, now I want to show you how it is done. Also, if you have questions or comments, drop a comment. I am happy to address them.

Photo Credits: Jorg Greuel

Jokes

2011-04-12T20:11:00.000-04:00

Jokes. Jokes and jokes often. Do not take yourself too seriously. We have to be professional all day long. When you are chatting with your fellow writers on Facebook or other social platforms, let your hair down. It is important to take several breathers throughout the day, tell a few jokes, laugh a little and live a little. Of course, do not get too sidetracked because you have to get those deadlines done, but definitely take out a little time to play throughout the day. Just 10 minutes here and there will keep you sane and focused.

Photo Credits: Tyler Edwards

Initiative

2011-04-12T20:10:00.000-04:00

Initiative. Take it and take it daily. This goes back to the post I did on discipline. As freelancers we have no boss, time clock or anyone keeping us on track. We are responsible for keeping ourselves on track. We have to take initiative on a daily basis or else we will not get anything done. It is easy to get swallowed up in this business. It is easy to get lazy and behind on deadlines. Get yourself a schedule and take initiative in sticking to it.

Photo Credits: Thomas Northcut

Have a Good Cry

2011-04-12T20:09:00.000-04:00

Have a good cry. Yes, I said it. Cry, scream, vent, yell, do it all. Rejections happen. We get rewrites and edits we do not agree with. Things do not go our way. If we are just passive and do not deal with the emotions that come along with these, we will become narcissistic and insane. So, get it out. Find a few writer friends who care and understand what it is like to be a writer. Seek support and understand and be sure to support them as well. You will all feel better and it will aid in your success.

Photo Credits: Brand New Images

Go For It!

2011-04-12T20:08:00.000-04:00

Go for it! Your career will not just happen. If you want a client, you have to approach said client. If you want to break into a certain niche, you need to take initiative and do the research, get the education and/or experience and break into the niche. The beauty of freelance writing is we truly do dictate whether we succeed or fail. You literally hold the key to success in your hand.

Photo Credits: moodboard

Flexibility

2011-04-09T00:46:00.000-04:00

Flexibility. As a freelance writer, we often have to be flexible. Deadlines may change, we may get a last minute edit or a last minute project. We have to be able to rearrange our schedule and get it all done. To do this, we have to be flexible. If you are not already flexible, don't worry because this can be learned over time.

Photo Credits: Jupiterimages

Exhaustion

2011-04-07T00:51:00.000-04:00

Exhaustion is something so many writers face. We are smacked with deadlines and everything else we have to do in life.

I see a lot of folks mentioning exhaustion. I can relate! As someone who has had one day off in 3.5 years (for a hysterectomy) and as a nurse, I want to share a few tips with you to help you try to feel as "un-exhausted" as possible. First, drink plenty of water. Sounds simple right? It is and it does help.

Second, load up on the B vitamins and vitamin C. All are water soluble so no chance of toxicity. Getting plenty of these vitamins will combat fatigue and strengthen your immune system to fend off illness. Also get a good multivitamin and talk to your doctor about how many days a week you need to take it. Many people do not need to take them 7 days a week anymore according to the new RDA guidelines. Women can usually benefit from vitamin D and calcium as well.

Third, get some exercise. Even just 20 minutes three days a week is good if this is all you have time for. Do more when you can, but just this 60 minutes a week, broken up every other day will help you beat fatigue. Simple things like 20 minute walks or playing some freeze tag with the kids is plenty.

Fourth, when you wake up in the morning, take 10 minutes to thoroughly streeeeeeeettttch. This will help to wake you up and help to knock out that grogginess we often feel. It also gets our blood flowing and brain working.

Fifth, eat as healthy as you can. High fat, high sugar foods weigh us down and make us tired. Nutritious foods give us energy to burn. A good cheap snack I love that gives me an energy boost an satiates is an apple with a little peanut butter.

Sixth. Get some sun. Now that the weather is getting nice. Well, not yet in Cleveland lol, but elsewhere. Nice weather naturally puts us in a better mood. Work outside if you can or next to an open window.

Seventh. Take an hour nap. I know many of us do not have an hour to spare, but if you do, use it for an hour nap. Just one hour can recharge you.

If you are like me and unable to sleep 7 to 9 hours a night, try to regulate your sleep cycles so that you can increase the quality of your sleep. For example, go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. Your body will get used to this and your sleep quality will improve and you will feel a little better.

Hope these help. Love and hugs.

Your fellow exhaustee!

Photo Credits: Eastnine Inc.

Discipline

2011-04-07T00:44:00.000-04:00

Discipline. As freelance writers we write from home. We do have deadlines, but no boss or time clocks or set hours. It can be difficult to get going and stay going. We have to discipline ourselves to be successful and get our work done and deadlines met.

Photo Credits: John Slater

Craziness

2011-04-04T02:39:00.000-04:00

Craziness. All writers are crazy to some degree. Sanity stifles creativity and you cannot possibly be sane and work the hours we work and deal with what we deal with on a daily basis. Crazy is not necessarily a bad thing though. It is not the type of crazy that would have us committed, but the type of crazy that keeps us free-spirited enough to love what we do and to allow us to be creative enough to be really good at it.

Photo Credit: Yuri Arcurs

Believe in Yourself

2011-04-04T02:34:00.000-04:00

Believe in yourself. Recently, many of us YCN writers had our confidence smacked with FC rejections. Yes, rejection is a part of the writing business, but that does not make it sting any less. However, a rejection does not mean you are a bad writer. You have to believe in yourself. Your have to believe in your talent and your writing. As we enter a new week and a new month, it is time to believe in ourselves and start anew.

Photo Credit: ULTRA.F

Authoritative

2011-04-04T02:30:00.002-04:00

Authoritative. When you are writing, it is important to write in an authoritative manner. You want your readers to know that your information is factually accurate and trustworthy. Be direct and to the point. Eliminate fluff and just tell them what they need to know. To sum it up, get it right and get to the point.

Photo Credit: Brand X Pictures

New Gig Posted

2011-02-06T02:56:00.002-05:00

I just posted a new freelance writing gig in the Freelance Writing Gigs section. Be sure to check it out and add another egg to your basket of clients.

Also be sure to stop by the Tips and Advice, Writing Tutorials, and Getting Started as a Freelancer sections for some new posts, and some great information for you as a writer.

Good luck!

New Post

2010-08-16T01:37:00.002-04:00

The Writing Tutorials page has a new post discussing overviews and introductory paragraphs that is chock full of information.

Freelance Writing 101: What's in a Pen Name?

2010-03-06T20:40:00.002-05:00

What's in a Pen Name? Your pen name is your brand. It is your byline, your web presence. I use my real name, but many people are not comfortable doing this. If you are not comfortable using your real name in your freelance writing career you will need to choose a pen name. Just about all sites and clients will allow you to use a pen name to protect your privacy.

So, how do you choose a pen name? Choose something you like. For example, what is a name you have always wished your parents would have named you? Use that and then choose a real-sounding last name to go along with it. You can also choose a middle initial if you'd like. If you like the name Victoria your pen name could be something like "Victoria Hemming or "Victoria M. Hemming".

It is incredibly important that your pen name be a real-sounding name. Names like "partygurl216" or "yellowboy" will not be taken seriously by potential clients. Think about it. If you were looking to hire some writers to write articles for you who would you take more seriously "Victoria Hemming" or "partygurl216"? All clients are far more likely to choose Victoria Hemming regardless of partygurl216's skill and experience because partygurl 216 is not professional.

Your MySpace handle (unless it is your real name or sounds like one) is not an appropriate pen name. My MySpace handle is SpeedyTurtle. While I think that is very, very cool, I know it is not professional at all.
Single names, while not really unprofessional, are often not taken as seriously as a first name and a last name.

So, when you are creating your pen name keep all of this in mind. Ask yourself, "would I take this name seriously?" "Can I live with this pen name for a long time?" and most importantly "Is my pen name professional?"
Here are some pen name variations that are a great choice (using Victoria L. Hemming as an example):

Victoria L. Hemming
Victoria Hemming
V.L. Hemming
V. Hemming
V. Leigh Hemming (assuming the "L" stands for "Leigh")

When you are choosing a pen name, be sure to choose wisely. Your pen name can greatly impact your freelance writing career. You have to decide what's more important: a catchy name or being taken seriously. I say this because many people do not realize how important their pen name is to their freelance writing career. So if you do not want to use your real name feel free to be creative, but be sure to keep it real-sounding and professional.

If you ever need any help choosing a professional pen name please feel free to contact me anytime.

Happy Writing!

Freelance Writing 101: Why You Should Cite Sources in Your Articles

2010-03-06T20:11:00.001-05:00

Why should I cite my sources in my articles? I see this question all of the time. First, AC wants you to cite sources 99% of the time. Many other writing sites and clients also require, or strongly recommend, it.

Adding Credibility to Your Articles Through Citing Sources
Second, citing sources adds credibility to your article as long as the source is credible. For example, if you were writing an article about the symptoms of multiple sclerosis sites such as the Mayo Clinic, University Medical Centers, Hospitals, and WebMD are credible sources. About.com can also be used because all medical information is medically reviewed. However, personal blogs and Wikipedia, or any Wiki sites for that matter, are not credible. Citing Wikipedia makes your article less credible and there is a chance that the information on this site will not be accurate. I've found inaccurate information on Wikipedia before and unfortunately the inaccurate information was medical information that could lead to a person becoming seriously ill.

Verify Your Facts Through Citing Sources
Third, even if you are an expert, it does not hurt to take five minutes to verify your facts. As a nurse, a medical writer, and a patient, I have a lot of medical knowledge, however, I ALWAYS take five minutes to verify all information in my medical articles. Sometimes, the smallest inaccuracy could kill someone or make them very sick. Once you verify your facts, use the site you used to verify them as your resource.

I know that when I read an article, I always look for solid, credible references. This is especially true with medical information. When it comes to medical articles, if there is no sources listed, or if non-credible sites such as Wikipedia or blogs are listed as sources, I immediately click away from that article. If I cannot trust the information, there is no point in reading it.

We are all experts at something, be it medicine, cars, gardening, parenting, etc. But, taking a few minutes to verify our sources and list them goes a long way in making sure we are writing the best possible articles that we can.

Citing Sources in Articles:
Your sources must be cited at the end of each article. Simply put the header "Resources", "References", or "Sources" at the end of the article. I prefer it to be bolded, but it doesn't have to. If you are using a website, just place the link that goes directly to the page you used under your heading. For example, if you used the Mayo Clinic as a reference, do not just use the Mayo Clinic's main site address, but the link to the exact article you used.

When I am citing any other type of resource, such as a book or a magazine, I like to use APA. Of course, you do not have to, but I feel APA is the best for citing non-internet resources. For information on how to properly use APA format to cite sources check out Purdue APA Style and Citing Information

These are the basics when it comes to how, why, and when to cite sources in your articles. If anyone would like to add anything or ask questions please contact me anytime.

Introduction to Search Engine Optimization (SEO): An SEO Tutorial

2010-01-27T09:36:00.000-05:00

So just what is SEO? Why does it matter and why do I have to learn it? These are the questions I asked myself when I began my web-writing career. Breaking into the freelance writing business, and finding success, is hard enough, now I have to learn things? Yes, yes you do. But, it won't take you long to learn SEO if you write often and practice these web-writing elements. As you read through this SEO tutorial please keep any and all questions in mind because I am making myself available to all of you for questions and concerns. Please send all of these to americanbanana@aol.com and put “SEO/LSI help” in the subject line so I know to get to the email asap.

This is just the introductory article on SEO and web-writing. This article discusses the things to help you get started. However, the info in this article is exactly what you need to get started. It is difficult to absorb a 100-page article all at once, so I am breaking this topic down into a multi-article series so that it is easier for you and me. I can add more of the little details and you can take the time to learn as you go. Please subscribe to this blog so that you are notified each time a new installment, and other exciting web-writing info and writing gigs, are posted.

Okay, let's get started. First and foremost, keyphrases are necessary and single keywords mean nothing. Let's look at a few examples:

If you were writing an article on the treatment of lupus, using just “lupus” is going to bring up just about everything with “lupus” as a keyword. Sure, your article will be on Google, but probably on page 20 or higher. Now, if you want searchers who are searching specifically for “lupus treatments” to actually find your article you want to be specific. Here are some great examples for this topic:

“treating lupus”

“how is lupus treated”

“lupus treatments”

“treatments for lupus”

If you are writing an article on a specific drug treatment for lupus, your article keyphrase should reflect this. Good examples include:

“drug treatments for lupus”

“treating lupus with drugs”

“medications that treat lupus”

“treating lupus with medications”

“corticosteroids to treat lupus”

“treating lupus with corticosteroids”

Now, let's take it a step further and use more than one similar keyphrases for our lupus article. For example, all of the following keywords can be worked into one article, (however I recommend just choosing two because more than two will make it very difficult to work them in naturally):

“treating lupus”

“how is lupus treated”

“lupus treatments”

“treatments for lupus”

“How is Lupus Treated” is your title and you can work one other keyphrase into the article. I also recommend using the title keyphrase in the first paragraph. Questions can be hard to work in, but I have a trick for this. Write your 3-5 sentence intro paragraph and the last sentence will be something like: “So the big question is, how is lupus treated?” See, it fits great!

The following can also be used in one article (choosing only two that are most similar, of course):

“drug treatments for lupus”

“treating lupus with drugs”

“medications that treat lupus”

“treating lupus with medications”

“corticosteroids to treat lupus”

“treating lupus with corticosteroids”

For example, the first two can be used in one article, the last two can be used in an article, and the middle two, though they can also be used on their own, can be added to any of the other keyphrase sets on this topic.

Okay, we covered keyphrase basics so now let's talk about where to use them in your articles. First, never “stuff” and article with keyphrases. The article will be very difficult to read and if you “stuff” too much you may find yourself in hot water with the sites and clients you write for, and Google may punish you as well. Subheads work well, but that's a completely different article that I will publish very soon here on the blog. So let's just talk about getting those keyphrases in naturally and evenly. I am going to break this down so that each section of the article is covered. Doing this will prevent you from having to analyze every article for keyword density too! So that will save you some time.

Title: Keyphrase must absolutely be in the title. And, as close to the beginning as possible.

Example: “Drug Treatments for Lupus: What Drugs are Used to Treat Lupus?”

Note: See the main keyword is right at the beginning. I was also able to sneak in another one without it being/sounding forced or “stuffed”. You will not be able to get two keyphrases is all titles and it is not necessary, but if you can do it, naturally, go for it. Right now, just concentrate on getting your main keyphrase as close to the beginning as the title as possible without the title sounding awkward.

Article Description (Abstract): This must contain your main keyphrase since your keyphrase will tell your readers exactly what your article is about. This should ideally consist of 2-3 sentences and your keyphrase should be in the first sentence. Keep in mind that not all sites require this in articles, but most do.

Example: There are so many possible drug treatments for lupus. There is a lot of information to learn and remember, but this article will break it down and make it easy for you.

Notes: Keyphrase is in first sentence. Description tells you exactly what the article is about.

First Paragraph: You must get the main keyphrase in here and preferably in the first or second sentence. I actually recommend getting the keyphrase in twice and if the paragraph is at least four sentences (which is ideal) it should be no problem getting it in twice while keeping the flow natural. Now, you can use two different keyphrases in the first paragraph as well, just try and always get the main keyphrase in first.

Example: There are several drug treatments for lupus. Arming yourself with the information on these drugs can make choosing the right one, and coping with any side effects, much easier for you and your doctor. You and your doctor will have to decide on the right corticosteroid, immunosuppressant, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and possibly some other drugs to help keep your condition as under control as possible. Read on to learn more about the drugs used to treat lupus.

Notes: See how I worked in two different keyphrases for this article? I worked them in in such a way that the paragraph still reads naturally.

Body of Article: Work in your main keyphrase twice in the body of the article. You are probably thinking “only twice”? Yes, that's it. You can choose to use subheads to do this or you can naturally work it into the paragraphs. Also, work in your secondary keyphrase at least once. If you can get it in twice that's great, but once is sufficient

Concluding Paragraph: Just work in your main keyphrase once in the concluding paragraph.

So to break it down:

Title: Main keyphrase x1 and as close to the beginning as possible.

Article Description: Main keyphrase x1.

Body of Article: Main keyphrase x2. Secondary keyphrase x1, x2 if possible.

Concluding Paragraph: Main keyphrase x1.

Those are the basics of SEO. Learn them, use them in your writing. You will notice an increase in page views when proper SEO is used.

Would you like me to look over an article for you and give you an SEO critique? If so, send the article (not as an attachment and not just a link, just copy/paste into the email) to the email address listed above and put "SEO critique" in the subject line. It may take up to 48 hours for an article critique. I typically charge for SEO consulting, but I do it for free for my blog readers :)

Now, this is just the first installment. I am currently working on an introductory LSI article as well. This web-writing series is going to be big and I will be posting new ones, along with short tips/tricks/advice blurbs, very often. Be sure to check back often, or just subscribe so you will get an email every time I post something new!

Freelance Writing Motivation and Inspiration

2009-11-15T15:53:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-15T15:30:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-01T12:05:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-13T00:10:00.000-04:00

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

2009-10-11T03:16:00.000-04:00

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

2009-10-04T20:12:00.001-04:00

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

2009-10-03T18:07:00.001-04:00

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

2009-09-30T00:37:00.001-04:00

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

2009-09-30T00:13:00.001-04:00

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

2009-09-30T00:02:00.001-04:00

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

2009-09-28T19:02:00.000-04:00

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

2009-09-26T19:11:00.000-04:00

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

2009-09-26T19:06:00.000-04:00

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

2009-09-21T21:21:00.000-04:00

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

2009-09-14T21:38:00.000-04:00

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

2009-09-08T06:21:00.000-04:00

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

2009-09-08T06:16:00.000-04:00

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

2009-08-31T20:37:00.000-04:00

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

2009-08-29T02:51:00.001-04:00

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

2009-08-22T10:35:00.000-04:00

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

2009-08-20T02:01:00.000-04:00

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

2009-08-20T01:47:00.000-04:00

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

2009-08-17T19:13:00.000-04:00

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

2009-08-16T04:15:00.000-04:00

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

2009-08-16T04:03:00.000-04:00

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

2009-08-15T15:39:00.001-04:00

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

2009-06-19T20:25:00.000-04:00

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

2009-06-15T17:48:00.000-04:00

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

2009-02-13T20:35:00.000-05:00

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.