Archives for December 2009

Things You Should Stop Doing in 2010

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Picture 7I came across this: “10 Words You Need to Stop Misspelling” from TheOatmeal.com and nearly busted a button laughing at the great illustrations. It got me thinking about what other bad habits writers should focus on eliminating in 2010.

STOP: Ignoring the difference between lay, lie and laid

There is a difference. It is important. If you need help, for Pete’s sake look it up! Here are a few resources that explain the difference in several different ways:

STOP: Relying on spellcheck

Spellcheck is an indispensable tool, but it isn’t a fool-proof application. It doesn’t correct words used incorrectly if you mean ‘their’ but use ‘there’ and spell it correctly spellcheck will leave your error there for the whole world to giggle.

STOP: Twitter and Facebook errors

I’m guilty of this myself. I shoot off a quick Tweet or response and I’ve spelled something wrong, or left out a word and not just to meet Twitter’s character quota. We’re writers. We have to spell things correctly and adequately convey our thoughts without error. It would be like a chef Tweeting the wrong ingredients to a friend. Writing is what you do so get it right.

STOP: Relying on old style guides

I’m going out today to get brand new AP and Chicago Style guides. I have held on to my AP Stylebook for years because it’s comfortably worn and feels right in my hands. Unfortunately, it’s outdated which is about as helpful as a broken laptop. Join me at the bookstore today or renew your online subscription and get one last business deduction for your taxes.

These are just a couple of things that will make 2010 a better writing year, got anymore you want to add? Write them below!

RELATED POSTS

Plan Your 2010 Blogging Calendar

3 Tips for Making a Positive Start in 2010

Self-Editing Tip #3: Check if You’re Not Sure

Not Another End of the Year Blog Post

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I know a lot of people enjoy the end of the year lists that are so popular online, in print and on television. I’m not one of them. It’s just not something that holds my interest.

I’ve learned over the years that it’s probably not a good idea for me to make New Year’s resolutions. I tend to set the goal way too high, like resolving never to eat chocolate again when I have never been able to successfully give it up for Lent, without breaking the goal down into a plan to increase my chances of success.

Since now is the time of year when we take time to evaluate where we are and make plans for the future, it makes sense to include our professional goals too. I was recently asked in an interview about my writing goals. I realized that I’ve been basically flying by the seat of my pants for the last few years. I’ve been working steady, which I am certainly not complaining about, and my business has been growing – also good news.

While there are things that I have thought about that I would like to do, I haven’t made a definite plan of action, and that’s the difference between goals and wishes. I’m also more conscious of the fact that I’m the person in control of my professional destiny, not what’s happening “out there.”

While New Year’s Eve may be a time of looking forward to the future and the possibilities that it brings, you don’t have to wait until December 31 to do that. Every new day is a fresh start, and if we don’t like where we are or the way our career is going, then we can do something about it – starting from where we are right now with what we have at our disposal.

It may mean making a wish list of clients you would like to work with and following through by contacting one a week. You may decide to take a course to learn more about a particular aspect of writing or put together an ebook or a report that you can sell and get away from the “dentist” model of writing (drill and bill). Whatever you decide, so long as it fits your goals and definition of success, you have made the right choice.

There is no better time than right now to start creating the writing career and the life that you want. 2010 is the start of a new decade and it brings 365 fresh starts. What are you doing to do with them?

A List of Lists: 70 Posts About Freelance Writing and Freelance Writing Jobs

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List

It’s time for a little light reading to help you close out 2009 and get you through the long holiday weekend.

We already cooked up a “Best of Freelance Writing Jobs for 2010” post, however, that was only the top 20 posts of the year. There’s so much more to us than 20 posts. Since I enjoy making lists, I thought it would be fun to close out the year with a massive list of lists.

We reached way back into the vault to bring you some of our older works as well as more recent helpful blog posts.

Enjoy:

70 Posts About Freelance Writing

On Finding Freelance Writing Jobs

  1. Top Ten Freelance Writing Jobs Red Flags
  2. Top 10 Freelance Writing Job Application Mistakes
  3. 6 Tips for Finding New Freelance Writing Markets
  4. 5 Reasons You Didn’t Get the Job
  5. 5 Reasons Freelance Writing Jobs Are Flagged On Craigslist
  6. 5 Places to Find High Paying Freelance Writing Jobs
  7. 50 Places That Hire Freelance Writers
  8. 43 Places to Find Freelance Writing Jobs
  9. 15 Places for Freelance Writers to Find Magazine Markets
  10. 47 Places to Find Telecommuting Jobs
  11. 10 Best Job Search Sites
  12. 40 Freelance Writing Markets Paying $100 or More
  13. 30 Types of Freelance Writing Jobs and How to Get Them

On Getting Started as a Freelance Writer

  1. Top 10 Freelance Writing Excuses and Why They Won’t Fly
  2. 5 Things to Do Before You Query
  3. 8 Types of Freelance Writing Pitches or Why You Didn’t Get the Job

On Other Freelance Writers

  1. 5 Reasons You Need to Stop Worry About Your Competition

On Tools and Resources for Writers

  1. 31 Free Online Writing Courses
  2. 20 Places to Find Online Courses for Writers
  3. 45 Free Things for Writers
  4. Where to Find Free WiFi Hotspots Around the World
  5. 49 Free Online Reference Tools for Freelance Writers

On Your Freelance Writing Business

  1. 3 Ways to Reduce Your Freelance Writing Taxes and Help Yourself
  2. 5 Rocking Good Business Practices for Freelance Writers
  3. 5 Tips for Asking a Freelance Writing Client for More Work
  4. 5 Reasons Freelance Writers Should Keep Regular Business Hours
  5. 5 Reasons Not to Burn Your Bridges
  6. 10 Tips for Setting Up an Office
  7. 10 Hints from Transitioning from Freelance Writing to a Freelance Writing Business

On Freelance Writing Success

  1. 5  Solutions to Prevent Fear from Hindering Your Freelance Writing Success
  2. 5 Ways to Tell You’ve Made it as a Freelance Writer
  3. 5 Paramount Principles for Freelance Writing Success

On Freelance Writing Rates

  1. 6 Tips for Asking for a Raise in Your Freelance Writing Rates
  2. 5 Things to Consider When Discussing Rates With Other Freelance Writers
  3. The Best of FWJ: 15 Posts About Rates
  4. 8 Reasons You’re Not Getting the High Paying Freelance Writing Jobs

On Other Forms of Freelance Writing Income

  1. 5 Forms of Passive Income for Freelance Writers

On Marketing

  1. 5 Reasons Not to Have a Cookie Cutter Elevator Pitch
  2. 5 Tips for Creating an Elevator Speech
  3. 10 Unique Places to Market Your Book

On Freelance Writing Customer Service

  1. 6 Tips for Receiving Feedback from Your Clients
  2. 5 Reasons Your Freelance Writing Clients Come Back for More
  3. 5 Things You SHOULD Say to An Editor
  4. ABC’s of Good Customer Service

On Hiring Other Writers

  1. Top 10 Things to Consider When Placing a Freelance Writing Job Ad
  2. 10 Reasons You’re Not Receiving a Good Response to Your Freelance Writing Job Ad

On Networking

  1. 5 Reasons Online Relationships Are Important for Freelance Writers
  2. 5 Reasons Offline Relationships Are Important for Freelance Writers
  3. 10 Reasons Why Face to Face Networking is Important for Freelance Writers

On Writing and Research

  1. 6 Ways to Conduct Accurate Research
  2. 5 Ways to Kill a Good Article
  3. 7 Great Places to Find Interview Subjects

On Social Media

  1. 10 Awesome Uses for Blogs
  2. 5 Ways to Find Freelance Writing Jobs Using Twitter
  3. 15 People and Places to Follow on Twitter to Find Freelance Writing Jobs
  4. 10 Ways Twitter Helps Me to Become a Better Freelance Writer
  5. 10 Necessary Reasons for Social Networking

On Taking Breaks and Vacations

  1. 5 Mistakes Freelance Writers Make During the Holidays

Link Love

  1. 43 Helpful and Terrific Blogs for Writers
  2. 25 Blogs, Bloggers and Websites for Which This Blogger is Truly Grateful

Fun Stuff

  1. 5 Freelance Writing Lessons Learned from My Dog
  2. 10 Freelance Writing Lessons Learned from the People of WalMart
  3. 10 Jobs Worse Than Freelance Writing
  4. 4 Ways Freelance Writing is Like Christmas Shopping
  5. 6 Freelance Writing Lessons Learned from Tony Stark AKA Iron Man
  6. 6 Ways Freelance Writing is Like Halloween
  7. 4 Reasons Why Freelance Writing is Like Dating
  8. 5 Ways Freelance Writing is Like Black Friday
  9. 5 Ways Writing is Like Thanksgiving
  10. 7 Important Lessons Freelance Writers Can Learn from Working in Fast Food
  11. 7 Ways Freelance Writing is Like Acting

Attitude Counts When Looking for Freelance Work

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Is looking for freelance work a necessary evil to you or something that you take in stride as part of the life of a freelancer? No matter how busy we may be at any particular point in time, we need to keep in mind that things can change very quickly.

A client who was keeping us busy with steady work may not have much for us at a particular point in time. We may decide that it’s time to move on from a client or a type of work we have outgrown. The gig may be for a specific project only. Whatever the reason, freelancers must constantly be looking for their next gig.

How do you see your job search? Do you give a big sigh and tell yourself it’s something you “have” to do? Or is it something you “get” to do? If you approach your job search and pitching clients with the attitude that you “get” to talk to people about how you can help them by using your abilities to help them reach their goals, your enthusiasm for what you do is going to show, whether you are writing a cover letter, calling a prospective client or meeting someone in person.

If you were the person doing the hiring, would you rather work with someone who is enthusiastic about what they are doing and interested in your business or someone who is just going through the motions because they “have to” look for work? You may not be able to control whether a potential client chooses to hire you, but you can do your best to be someone that people will want to work with.

What do you “get” to do today?

Ten Essential Abilities All Freelance Writers Must Have to Be a Success

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ability

Think Freelance writing is all about sitting down and typing out some words? Think again, because there’s a lot more to it than that.

Writing only the ability to use a keyboard. in order to be a successful freelance writer, you’ll need to be able to do more than string words. You’ll need to be able to deal with clients, meet deadlines, run a business and more.

Not sure if you have what you need to make it? Check out this list of:

10 Essential Abilities All Freelance Writers Must Have to Be a Success

1. The Ability to Deal with People – People skills require more than handling customer service (which we’ll discuss more below). Having people skills means you know how to talk to people without talking down to them. It means understanding your clients’ needs and having them understand you in return. It means when your client gives you an assignment, there’s no confusion. It’s being able to soothe with your voice, but also take on a firm tone if the occasion calls for it.

2. The Ability to Handle Criticism – Freelance writers receive constructive criticism on a regular basis. Whether it’s a “thanks, but no thanks” from a magazine editor, or a rewrite request from a client, it’s never anything personal. A thick skin is a must in this business. To let it get you down or make you angry means you don’t have the right temperament for this line of work. Listen to the criticism, take it all into consideration and then let it go…but don’t ever forget. All feedback is good feedback, even if it’s not positive.

3. The Ability to Proofread: Proofreading is a must. If your clients can’t expect clean writing from you every time, they might as well find someone who will do the job right. Everyone forgives the occasional typo, not everyone forgives consistent mistakes. It makes no sense to hire someone who creates extra work.

4.The Ability to Be Creative: Knowing how to type words and not make errors is enough to get by, but is that enough? Creativity is what makes words flow effortlessly. It’s the ability to paint a picture with your words. Creativity is the difference between boring someone to tears and writing a read he can’t put down.

5.The Ability to Rock the Customer Service: Customer service is more than mere people skills. Good customer service is delivering as promised and more. It’s making sure your clients are happy. It’s asking for feedback and following up after a project is complete. It’s saying “thank you for your business” and showing your client you value his service. It’s meeting deadlines and exceeding expectations. It’s knowing that without our clients we’re nothing.

6. The Ability to Talk…and Listen: See customer service and people abilities above. Having a way with words doesn’t only apply to paper, we have to know how to rock it in real life too. Even more important, is the ability to listen. To hear what our clients and readers want and give them what they’re clamoring for.

7. Computer Ability: In the early 90’s a knew of a few writers who wouldn’t go near a computer because they found their typewriters so comforting. There’s no way one can be a writer now and not have computer skills. Writers also need to know more than how to use a word processor, it’s also important to learn how to handle multiple blogging platforms, presentation programs and use the Internet for research and networking.

8. The Ability to Work the Social Media Tools: Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and other groups are useful social media tools, all with the ability to assist freelance writers. Use them to build your business, meet other like-minded people  or share ideas. It would be a mistake for any small business owner not to embrace social media, to do so would be to miss out on important networking opportunities. Everyone you meet is a potential client or knows people who hire freelance writers. There’s no better way to meet other writers, promote your business and learn who is hiring.

9. The Ability to Run a Business: You may not think so, but as a freelance writer you’re also a small business owner. This means you have to know how  to manage your books, use good business sense to set rates and work out projects, handle clients, find work and keep your business afloat. A good freelancer doesn’t only make decisions based on how it will affect him as a person, he should also think about how his decision will affect his business.

10. The Ability to Look into the Future: To be a success you have to get out your crystal ball and look into the future. What is it you hope to see? It’s time to set goals and make predictions. Consider how much you want to earn at the end of 2011 and figure out what you will need to do to obtain that goal. Where do you want to see your business headed one year from now? Five years? Ten? Identify your goals and do whatever it takes to reach those goals.

Tell us about some of the abilities you posess that helped you to become a successful freelance writer…

How Much Would Your Freelance Writing Business Pick Up if You Got Out from Behind Your Laptop?

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handshake

Freelance writing appeals to my shy side. I can sit at home and deal with everything via email or Skype, or I can network online and not even have to use the phone if I don’t want to. It doesn’t get better than that, right?

Wrong!

My freelance writing business started out slow, like most writers, and picked up slowly throughout the years. I enjoyed not having to commute every day or have to talk to anyone. The lifestyle was perfect for me. Four years ago something interesting happened that changed the game. My career took off like a rocket.

Why did this happen?

Because I got out from behind my laptop and attended a conference.

Going to an event was a big step for me. I’d never been anywhere alone, and here I was flying off by myself across the country. I wouldn’t know anyone there and I never approached potential clients on a face to face level before. To say I was scared is an understatement. I forced myself to come out of my shell. I began talking to people and they liked me. They were interested in learning more about what I do. I left that conference with a new client and a few new leads.

I also went home with a new burst of confidence.

After that I began attending local business meetings, networking events and more conferences away from home. I met clients for lunch or in their offices  and spoke with them on the phone. My business doubled and then tripled.

Yes, it’s comfortable to work at home and not have to deal with clients beyond the basic email correspondence, but face to face is so much better. Your clients and contacts have more faith in you and your ability when they can discuss their concerns with you in person.

Working at home doesn’t have to mean staying at home.

It doesn’t have to mean never picking up the phone. Clients are more comfortable when they can hear a voice or grasp a handshake. They want to make sure you’re not hiding behind your laptop for a reason.

If you’re happy with your career the way it is, and never having to leave your home office, that’s fine. I wonder, though…how much more your freelance writing business would pick up if you got out behind your laptop?

How many of you meet clients outside the home? Has face to face taken your business to a whole new level?

Discuss…

Managing work in a chaotic household

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The other day in my job sucks more than yours we looked at some of the perils of working at home. From distracting kids, to friends and family who believe you’re sitting around eating bon bons all day, to finding a coffee shop with non-sticky tables and more, working at home can be a nightmare at times. Here’s how to make it better…

Have a dedicated office space with a door you can shut: If you can’t have this now, or don’t foresee having this in the very near future, working at home honestly may not work out unless you live alone. Kids don’t get that an office space in a common area still means you’re working, and worse (in my experience) neither do the adults you live with. Also, people will take stuff from your office so good luck finding a pen when you need it. With a closed door people leave you and your stuff alone far more often. If you’ve got say, a spouse who works and kids who are in school then a common area office can work, but it’s still not helpful on snow days, sick days, weekends, holidays, and summer break. I’ve had both situations and having my own office with a close-ready door is about 95% better than a common area office.

IF you don’t have a closed door office: You can try some different things if there’s no way for you to get a personal office space at home. Some are more realistic than others, and none are that great, but I’ll list them just in case one might work for you…

Rent a space – if you’re a prolific writer and make nice wages renting a space might be an option, although, most of the writers I know can’t afford this option. Plus there’s travel time to consider; this makes working at home, not so much working at home.

Get a screen – at one point in my life I had a common office space that was blocked off with a large shelf. I’m not sure why, but people left me alone more. Maybe it’s the whole outta sight, outta mind deal at play.

Work off hours – work when other people for sure won’t be in the common space. This is best if you live with just one person. Once you start trying to juggle more than two people’s schedules in regards to a common space it becomes difficult.

Move to the least annoying common area – yesterday I was fed up to the breaking point so I moved my office from the living room to my bedroom. Our home situation is this; my boyfriend works from 3am-noon; my son attends school from 9am or so to 4 or 5pm; when my boyfriend’s daughters are here they take over the living room and extra bedroom. Basically I’m almost never the only person at home minus maybe three hours each weekday. That said, I moved to the master bedroom, where technically my boyfriend sleeps from noon to 7pm or so BUT since we have other sleeping spaces in the house he’s sleeping elsewhere while I work. It’s not perfect but at least I can go in the bedroom and shut the door vs. having people milling around me in the living room.

Turn off the phone: When I’m working during the day, I leave my phone on vibrate only. This way I can see if my son’s school calls but ignore everyone else. Telling people not to call won’t work, because they don’t believe that you’re actually working.

Learn to say no: Because I work at home I’m the go-to friend for emergency childcare, school events, errands, and more. I actually don’t have the time for any of this and learning to say so to others early on is in your benefit. If you’re a yes person people will treat you like it.

Minimize other distractions: If you don’t have a good office space then minimizing distractions so you can make the most of the quiet work time you do have is important. In fact I’ve even cut out email during my work time for the most part.

Ideally your goal, if you want to be a pro writer for life should be a closed door, quiet, distraction-free work space. Until you get that though you can try the options above or offer some other ideas in the comments.

How do you manage work in a chaotic household?

10 Awesome Uses for Blogs

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Blog - stock.xchngeToday I wrote a post at Blogging for a Living about the purpose of a blog. I won’t rehash, but it did get me thinking about all the different ways people use blogs, and how each of them are fantastic. Blogging is one of those things where there isn’t a specific set of rules. Your blog can have whatever purpose you wish and there’s no right or wrong way to do it.

Whether you’re blogging to earn or share, I hope you enjoy this list of:

10 Awesome Uses for Blogs

1. To Market, To Market

Blogs are important marketing tools. I can’t tell you how much this blog network has helped both my personal and professional brands. In fact, it’s even better than a resume. FWJ is proof I grew a blog network from scratch. It shows off my writing style, gives an example of my blogging skills and, also, shows that I know my stuff when it comes to social media. My blog tells people who I am, how well I work, and where they can find me. Use blogs to sell your products, ebooks, traditional books or other services. If you have something to sell, you can sell better with a blog.

Brands are starting to understand the appeal of blogs and are now using them as a social media tool in order to build up community and add a personal touch to whatever it is they’re selling. Blogs give a voice and take marketing to a whole new level.

2. To Share

The first blogs were all about sharing. In fact, many were simply lists of cool links. Sharing links and ideas is one of my favorite reasons to blog.  Most bloggers share in one way or another anyway, whether it’s their blog’s intended purpose or not. We share content, tools, job opportunities, tips, tricks and, even, friends.

How do you share using your blog?

3. To Teach

Freelance writers aren’t the only ones who teach. Bloggers teach others how to blog, go green, cook, identify good products, make money, and more.

4. To Earn

Yes, you can “make money online,” and yes, you can do so with blogs. Though making money isn’t the purpose of this blog, it’s certainly the icing on the cake. I’m a five figure blogger but there are plenty of six figure bloggers out there as well. If you can create compelling copy and rock the SEO, you can create a profitable blog. Just remember, it takes time to to bring in traffic and revenue…but once you do it’s well worth it.

I was up for the challenge, are you?

5. To Be Creative

Some people just like to write or share photos or comics. Many bloggers simply want a place to show off their artistry. Blogging is perfect because it’s a free platform that can reach so many people.

6. To Keep in Touch

Who says blogs have to be business-related only? Family blogs, whether private or public are a terrific way for families and friends to keep in touch.

7. To Discuss

Many bloggers create blogs because they love a discussion or heated debate such as those with political blogs. They’re conversation driven, even more so than other blogs. Personally, I love discussion oriented blogs because there’s no other premise, just good conversation.

8. To Establish Expertise

For those wishing to establish authority and expertise, there’s no better way than blogs. Talking about your specialty, presenting pros and cons, offering recommendations and having daily discussions will put your name in the minds of many when it comes to your topic. Being an authority on your blog can help promote your book, create speaking engagements and more.

9. To Meet Others

Want to meet other like-minded people? Blog! As you build up traffic and more people are drawn into discussions you’ll meet others who share the same interests.

10. Just Because…

Blog just for the hell of it, who says you need a reason. Write because you like to write and share because you love to share. With blogging, there are no rules but to have fun.

Share some of your own awesome uses for blogs below…

The Purpose of a Blog Is…

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question mark

If you’re reading the title of this post and think you’re going to find the answer to a burning question, think again. I’m not going to tell you anything. Instead, I’ll give you a few things to think about. That’s the way I like to roll, really. I prefer to throw out a few discussion points and let you find your own way. “My way or the highway” pontificating is boring anyway.

No, I don’t know the purpose of a blog and I’m not going to pretend to do so. I feel blogs have different purposes for different people. Sure, they can be used as marketing tools and there’s nothing wrong with that. They can also be used to make money, to offer observations, to share and to teach.  All or one of these answers are correct.

In the past few weeks I’ve read a couple of interesting blog posts, some quite sarcastic, regarding a blog’s purpose. Many are specifically scoffing at bloggers who are wondering about better ways to monetize blogs and content. There’s nothing wrong with this. If bloggers want to earn, and people are willing to pay, why would I ever fault that? However, I’m not going to insist blogs should only exist to make money. I’m also not going to insist blogs are only to be used for marketing purposes. I’d like to maintain they’re good for both…and more.

It’s yours, do with it whatever you like

The purpose of a blog? It’s what you want it to be. This blog network is for sharing tips. It’s also heavily monetized because it’s a full time job and I can’t afford for it not to have ads. However, it’s not a blog for earning money as much as it’s a place for writers to hang out and for me to build my business.

I also own  a cooking blog with my sister. Though I wouldn’t mind earning more money for that blog, the truth is, it’s more of a hobby. The purpse of Cookerati is to share with other food lovers. I didn’t create it to be a money-maker, and it’s certainly not a marketing tool. However, if I want to talk about the Turducken my family enjoyed for Christmas or share my zucchini bread recipe, it’s a place for me to do so.

I guess my point is, what you decide to do with your blog is up to you. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to earn with your blog or using it for a place to share. It’s a terrific marketing tool, but if you’re not using it to promote something, that’s ok too. I can probably identify a dozen uses for a blog, and none of them are wrong.

The purpose of a blog?

You tell me…

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