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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Patricia on Bukisa 

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

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


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

 

Announcement

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

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

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

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

Thanksgiving Article Keyphrase Ideas for Freelance Writers

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

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

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

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

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

How to Find Friendship and Support as a Writer

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

Click Here to Read This Article

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

How to Ask a Client for More Pay

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

Click Here to Read the Article

How to Write Great Article Titles for Web Writing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rose's Freelance Writing Bootcamp #3

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

Happy Writing!

Creating a Writer's Resume #2

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

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

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


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

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

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

Freelance Writing Experience:

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

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

Here is what I wrote for my Demand Studios experience:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Education:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Comments

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

Word of the Day for September 29, 2009

Today's Word of the Day is ameliorate.

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

Word of the Day for September 28, 2009

Today's word is sinuous.

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

Word of the Day for September 25, 2009

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

Today's Word of the Day is traduce.

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

Writing Tips: Proper Word Usage #1

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

Their - There - They're

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

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

Your and You're

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

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

Loose and Lose

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

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

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

Stop Writing Fluffy Articles

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

Preventing Writer's Block #1

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

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

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

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

Rose's Freelance Writing Bootcamp #2

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

Jackie Barlow: Featured Freelancer for September 8, 2009

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

Rose's Freelance Writing Bootcamp #1

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

Rose's Freelance Writing Bootcamp

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

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

CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Writing!

Becoming an Associated Content Millionaire

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

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Avoid These Five Associated Content Writing Mistakes

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

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE