Archives for July 2008

The Last Advice You’ll Ever Need

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by Terreece Clarke

Always hustle.

It’s a simple rule that isn’t easy to follow. It applies to all stages and areas of a writer’s career and is key to their success.

The Gig Hustle
In the beginning, writers usually do one of two things – they either start off with fire, running after every gig they can get, or they dip a toe or two into the pool and test the waters. Regardless of the approach, new writers must always hustle to get new gigs, experience and clips. Successful writers go beyond the virtual world, keeping their eyes and ears open in their everyday lives. Local publications, businesses and organizations are all sources for work, contacts and gigs.

The same holds true for established writers. If you’ve been in the writing world long enough, you know a gig can end at any time, for any reason. Not only can steady clients fall by the wayside, new, dream opportunities can crop up without warning. Often the only way to find out about these opportunities is to keep a watchful eye.

For example, take your local parenting magazine. Parenting articles may not be your niche, however they may need a web designer or sales letters and brochures for their clients. Say your niche is in the automotive field, that same magazine may accept a pitch on an automotive care article.

The Branding Hustle
What’s your platform, brand or niche? What’s your product focus? Brand hustling coincides with the gig hustle. While looking for gigs, writers also need to look for branding opportunities. Build your web presence. Find blogs, web sites and leaders in your field. Keep abreast of the latest happenings, post comments when appropriate (and when you have something relevant or constructive to add) and follow interesting figures on social networking sites like Twitter and Digg. A writer must also build a web site, keep it updated and include the latest news and happenings in their career. [Read more…]

Freelance Writing Jobs for Thursday, July 31, 2008

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Good morning FWJ Friends! It’s the last day of July already – I don’t know where this month has gone. I’ve got leads for editors and technical writers for you this morning, as well as opps for bloggers and copy writers. There are gigs for people knowledgeable about mountain bikes, the Civil War, and ultralight camping gear. An employer in Long Island needs a food reviewer, and someone wants help with a resume. Internships are grouped at the bottom of the list, to make it easier for you to find them.

As always, I hope you find something that looks like a great fit on today’s list.

Leads…

Senior Copywriter Wanted for On Site Position – Cincinnati

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Do you mentally rewrite billboards while driving down the highway? Do you consider sentence fragments a constitutional right? If you eat, sleep, and breathe copy writing we want to talk to you.

Bridge Worldwide, voted one of the Best Companies to Work for in America, is looking for Senior Copywriter to join our team in our Cincinnati office.
You’ll need 3-5 years of interactive copy writing experience. You’ll also have experience leading & managing projects and employees.

So if you’re ready to go where the grass is greener, send us your stuff.
Please check out our website at www.bridgeworldwide.com.

Pay- Definitely fair (and more than $10)

Best Advice for Writers – Don’t Give Up

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by Becky Scott

“Never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

That’s a quote from Winston Churchill, often misquoted as “Never, ever, ever, ever give up.” The meaning is close enough – don’t give up. As a writer, you must be persistent. Keep going no matter what the obstacles, the naysayers, the writer’s block. Just keep going. Write through it. Pitch those queries. Find your niche.

Being tenacious, unwilling to quit, unable to admit defeat is what keeps me going as a writer. I keep querying through the rejections and eventually someone says yes. I sit down at the computer, day after day, even when I’m not sure what I will write. I write anyway and suddenly the words are there.

My best advice to you as a fellow writer is to keep going. Even when you’re frustrated, even when you’re tired, even when everyone tells you no. Keep going. Keep writing. Remind yourself that you write because you want to, because you love it, because it pays the bills. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you keep pounding away.

Through sheer determination you’ll either find jobs or improve. Just keep writing. Through tenacity and a strong will you’ll make those pitches and eventually someone will give you a chance.

Does that mean you don’t develop your craft? No. You must learn, improve, and be worthy of getting hired. But don’t give up. You won’t get your first pitch, or your second, maybe not even your tenth or twentieth. But keep going. I’m proof – and so are many others on this site – that having faith in yourself and your abilities is what you need. Through the face of rejection, we’ve kept going. And we have the jobs, the gigs, and the work that rewards our determination.

So yes, rejection and endless queries can be frustrating. But if you keep going, keep cold calling, keep querying, keep WRITING you’ll eventually get some positive responses. Never ever, ever, ever give up.

Becky is a freelance writer and editor in San Diego, Ca. She writes about a variety of topics including business organization and productivity, automotive info for women, personal blogging and celebrity real estate gossip. Visit her online at www.beckyscorner.com

Freelance Writing Jobs for Wednesday, July 30, 2008

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Good morning FWJ Friends! I’ve got leads for bloggers, reporters, and editors for you this morning. There are opportunities for content writers, technical writers, and copy writers as well. A few internships round off today’s offerings.

As always, I hope you find something interesting on today’s list.

Leads…

Mistakes Happen. Handle Them With Grace and Keep Your Client

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by Jodee Redmond

Most of the time, your work will run smoothly, and that is what you and your client expect. Every now and then, though, you are going to make a mistake. It’s happened to everyone, myself included. You can make a mistake and still keep your relationship with your client intact.

Just to be clear, when I am talking about mistakes, I’m not talking about a minor error that needs to be corrected in editing. I’m talking about situations where the client didn’t get what he or she was looking for, and you need to get things back on track quickly or risk losing the client.

Take Responsibility for What Has Happened

If I’ve messed up, I admit it. No excuses. There may be extenuating circumstances, but pointing this out won’t change the facts.

Apologize to The Client

If you’ve done something wrong, then you need to apologize. Plain and simple.

Offer to Make it Right

You can’t go back in time and change what has already happened, but you can offer to make amends. I care about the relationships I have developed with the people I work with and I would rather go the extra mile to keep them happy than lose a client.

This may mean redoing the work or deciding not to charge the client for the project. I have redone a project once, and there have only been a couple of times that I have refused to charge someone for my work. Both times the client did offer to pay anyway, but I knew they weren’t happy. My take on it was that if they weren’t satisfied, then I haven’t done my job.

Was this the right way to handle the situation? I’d say so. Each time, I was offered more (and better paying) assignments from the clients involved.

How do you handle a situation with a client where you have made a mistake?

You’re in the Driver’s Seat—Now Go!

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by Carly Schuna

It’s a powerful feeling to know that you’re in charge of your own career.

It’s also easy to feel that such a statement simply isn’t true, and that you’re never really in control. On some days, it just seems like someone else is pulling the strings—namely your clients. If you lose your highest-paying job, why shouldn’t you feel bad? When your queries are met with rejection after rejection, why should you keep plugging along instead of giving into the thoughts that maybe freelance writing isn’t really for you after all? If someone stiffs you for a long-term gig or slams you personally as a writer, why should you just suck it up and move on?

I’ll tell you why: because you’re always in control. If you’re not happy with the way your writing is going, change things. If you want a particular gig or more work or higher-paying jobs, go get them! Who’s stopping you?

No one but yourself. [Read more…]

Freelance Writing Jobs for Tuesday, July 29, 2008

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Good morning FWJ Friends! I’ve got leads for editors, copy writers, and magazine writers for you today. Opps for bloggers, technical writers, and sports writers also made the list. There are a number of internships included as well.

I would encourage you to apply for the jobs that interest you and that you feel you are qualified for, even if you think it’s a bit of a stretch. Challenge yourself and go after the job you *really* want – if you don’t put yourself in the running, you have no chance of getting it, after all. And when you get hired for a great gig, please do let the rest of us know so we can share in your success!

Leads…

Monday Markets for July 28, 2008

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by Jodee Redmond

As I look for writers guidelines for Monday Markets every week, I am impressed and surprised by the number and variety of magazines on the market. There seems to be something for every niche market you can think of.

Here are your Monday Market selections for today:

Angels on Earth

From the Web Site:

Angels on Earth® publishes true stories about God’s messengers at work in today’s world. We are interested in stories of heavenly angels and stories involving humans who have played angelic roles in daily life. The best stories are those where the narrator has been positively affected in some distinct way. Look for unusual situations; we have a surplus of stories about illness and car accidents. We are also especially on the lookout for recent stories.

A typical Angels on Earth story is first-person narrative written in dramatic style, with a spiritual point that the reader can “take away” and apply to his or her own life. It may be your own or someone else’s story.

Pays $100-$400 for 1500 words when story is approved and ready for publication. Also accepts short features (50-250 words).

Sierra Club Magazine

From the Web Site:

Sierra is looking for strong, well-researched, literate writing on significant environmental and conservation issues. Features often focus on aspects of the Sierra Club’s work. For more information about the Club’s current campaigns, visit sierraclub.org. Writers should look for ways to cast new light on well-established issues. We look for stories of national or international significance; local issues, while sometimes useful as examples of broader trends, are seldom of interest in themselves. We are always looking for adventure-travel pieces that weave events, discoveries, and environmental insights into the narrative. We are more interested in showcasing environmental solutions than adding to the list of environmental problems. We publish dramatic investigative stories that have the potential to reach a broad audience. Nonfiction essays on the natural world are welcome too.

We do not want descriptive wildlife articles, unless larger conservation issues figure strongly in the story. We are not interested in editorials, general essays about environmentalism, or highly technical writing. We do not publish unsolicited cartoons, poetry, or fiction; please do not submit works in these genres.

Pays $800-$3,000 for features (1,000-3,000 words)

Eating Well

From the Web Site:

We’d love to hear from you.
We welcome ideas from new writers. If you haven’t worked with us before, it’s best to start off pitching front-of-book ideas, even if you’re an established writer. Consider it an audition for a longer piece.

Please familiarize yourself with EatingWell and our departments. It’s difficult for us to contract with someone to write a story—no matter how brilliant the idea is—if it doesn’t fit into a specific department in the magazine. Send us ideas for specific sections in the magazine (e.g., Fresh).
You increase your chance of scoring an assignment with us if you 1) develop your pitch following the format for past columns, and 2) explain why the proposed topic should be covered in a specific issue. Example: “I think that the trend of ‘X’ would make a great Trend on Trial for the September/October issue because ‘X’ million of Americans say they do ‘X’ every fall.”

Pays up to $1 per word.

Cat Fancy

From the Web Site:

Feature Articles
We assign most feature articles to regular contributors, but we occasionally accept a feature from a new contributor.

Each month, we try to provide our readers a mix of informative articles dealing with feline health, nutrition, grooming, behavior and training, as well as special interest articles on cat-related events, hobbies, entertainment or crafts. Breeders, cat-show judges and other experts write our monthly breed profiles, which we assign well in advance. We assign medical features to veterinarians or other health experts.

Queries
Your typewritten, single-page query should include the following:
· The topic of your proposed article, expressed in one or two sentences.
· Why this topic will interest our readers.
· Key points you will cover in your article
· Sources you will interview.
· How you will present this topic in a fresh, appealing way.

Pays $200-$400 for 1,200-1,500 words

Freelance Writing Jobs for Monday, July 28, 2008

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Good morning FWJ Friends! I hope everyone had a good weekend. I’ve got some internships, and opps for bloggers, copywriters, and editors this morning. There are listings for sports writers, content writers, and political writers as well.

I hope you find something you are interested in on today’s list and that it’s a great start to the week!

Leads…

Splashpress Media BloggingPro Performancing BloggingPro

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