As a writer, you’re always looking for creative ways and opportunities to get that next assignment or to find that next client to work for. Because communications technology is changing so rapidly in modern context, the rules have changed for how to get work, who wants work to be done, what format the work needs to be in, and even where the work needs to be shared.
But, five general ways that you can up the ante on your personal writing goals would be to tighten up your online resume, create a portfolio website, read trending magazine articles, use hashtags wisely for self-promotion, and cooperate with other mediums to cross-promote whenever possible.
Creative methods to get more writing opportunities
Tighten Up Your Online Resume
There’s something to be said for searching for work, and there’s something to be said for having a permanent resume out there for people to locate when they’re searching for something that you, specifically, can do. In the professional world, LinkedIn has a bit of a monopoly on one type of professional search, which means that you can use that to your advantage. If an art gallery has an online resume, and a business manager has an online resume, then a writer can and should have an online resume too. The point is that you have to have the right keywords in the right places so that search functions funnel potential clients to your information.
Create a Portfolio Website
Another way to have contact information out there that would peg you as a contract writer would be to set up your own website and illustrate work that you’ve done in the past, particularly highlighting anything that you think really makes your vision shine, or perhaps something that you’ve won an award or other accolades for.
Why You Need an Online Portfolio; Yes, You!
Having a nice picture of yourself also helps your cause, as potential clients can put a name and a face together when it comes time for them to make a decision.
Read Trending Magazine Articles
Sometimes, in order to get a few new writing gigs, you have to understand what type of writing is selling at the moment. The fastest way to do this is to find a source of trending articles in your niche. This could be hard news, soft news, features, updates, technology news, personal opinion blogs – whatever you’re most interested in, find out what kind of tone people are using who are successfully selling their work.
Use Hashtags Wisely For Self-Promotion
And within the social media realm, hashtags are a great way to promote your presence as a writer. Whenever you have something published, if you tag a description and put it out on places like Tumblr, Facebook, and Twitter, anyone search for that particular tag will come right to your name.
Cooperate With Other Mediums
And finally, one way to get creative writing gigs is by cooperating with other mediums. For example, you can coordinate your writing with someone else’s YouTube channel. Or you can write narrative descriptions of someone’s musical release. The competition will be far less, and you can use your skills to complement another artist’s vision.
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