How You, as a Writer, Can Find Your Creative Voice

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Speak up, make your voice heardWriting is a hobby that many enjoy. It allows us to contribute information through our words, touch people’s emotions and even vent our own. We can stir up passion for causes, help others improve their lives, or just pass on a story that has been simmering in our own minds that can be shared with others for their entertainment.

For others it becomes more than a hobby and instead moves into a chosen career. Blogs and websites have made it easier than ever to get that writing out there and make money, where once few opportunities resided. But when it comes to being paid for your work, especially as a freelancer, it can be difficult to find that delicate balance between what you want to write and what you have to.

Creativity can be overshadowed by information, and suddenly, practical work becomes the main focus, where once you had the freedom to explore. This is a difficult time that comes and goes for every writer. It can make it hard to find a flow between paid and personal work. Even more difficult is using both for the same project.

You can get past this block, however. Just try these simple tips to get you back into your flow, so you can find your creative voice no matter what you are working on: [Read more…]

(Mis)Communication in the Social Media Age

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Social Media Breakfast at SXSW - As you can see we're all chatting, just not with each other.

I miss the pre-social media world sometimes, back then ignorance was bliss.

Communicating Back Then

Growing up in the 70’s meant no cell phones or Netbooks. We sent all our correspondences via snail mail and any phone calls came to the house or office. Most of us had one phone in our homes, but some of the more well off families had extensions upstairs, and even separate phones for the kids. No one ever called during dinner hours or after 9:00.

We received our news from newspapers, magazines or one of a half dozen television stations and always had to wait for the designated hours for updates. If there was an emergency, the news would break into our regularly scheduled programming but that was extremely rare. We weren’t always connected and didn’t feel the need to be. In 1977, I was 13 years old. If you had offered me a phone to take everywhere with me, I would have thought you were crazy. Why on earth would I need to call people that much? Yet now, at least where I live, most 13 year olds are connected via cell phone and email.

We had penpals. We wrote to them now and again, usually when our parents reminded us. We sent handwritten “thank you” cards and Christmas cards and everyone marveled at our good manners. We didn’t need to know what all our friends and relatives where doing all day, every day, and that suited us just fine, thank you very much. Today, we know which of our friends are at the airport, what our cousins are having for dinner and who is checking in at the supermarket. Though I’m very proud of being the Mayor of both Stop N’ Shop and Saladworks, I couldn’t give you one good reason why you even need to know I’ve been there.

Communicating Now

When I asked my husband for a smart phone for Christmas I thought it would be kind of convenient to have for occasionally checking email or the odd Twitter update. Who knew it would be come a total extension of me? If you see me and I’m not checking Facebook or Gmail, there’s a good chance I’m about to. I went to a family reunion last fall and everyone under 50 sat in silence for about an hour as we checked our phones for updates. We finally interacted as we began befriending each other on Facebook.

You want to know the funniest thing about all this connectivity? All the social media people (including me) are insisting it’s all about the conversation. Yet we go to conferences and meet ups and sit at tables talking to people online instead of each other. We attend speaking engagements and tweet updates instead of concentrating on what is being said at the podium. In the real world talking while someone else is talking is considered rude. In the social media world, we’re updating people and building trust via conversation.

TMI?

It’s not a secret that I love my Facebook and Twitter, and couldn’t live without blogging. I wonder though, are we going too far? Do you care that my dog chewed the couch or that my son hit a home run?  How does it help my business for you to know we’re barbecuing over the weekend? There was a time we would never let anyone know where we lived or what we do when we’re offline, for fear of our safety. Now, there are whole social networks designed to track our every move.

I know we all use the various social networks and social media tools differently, and we’re all in charge of how much information we put out there. However, in our fun I hope we’re also being careful. Communication is cool and all, but there’s such a thing as too much information. It’s why you’ll never see me mention my husband or son’s name, and why the only places I check into on FourSquare aren’t located near my home.

I love my social media, but there’s something to be said about not be connected to every network. No one needs to know that much about someone else.

What do you think? Are we too connected?

Image via Brandon Eley

How Do You Support Your Favorite Bloggers?

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During our last night at SXSW, my good friends  Andy Hayes, Chris Garrett and I enjoyed some dinner and conversation. Our topic revolved around blog community and whether or not our communities owe us anything for all the information we share. We all agreed that our communities support us in many ways including visiting our blogs every time we post. Without this type of support, there would be no reason to blog at all. I always said that without my community I’m nothing and both Chris and Andy agreed. We appreciate the loyalty of our individual communities and we find our reward in their enjoyment of our words.

With that said, sometimes your favorite bloggers would like to know that they have a supportive community. Yes, traffic does tell us something, but without participation sometimes it’s just bodies. I liken blog traffic without participation to walking into a restaurant and walking out again.

Restaurants have communities too, though. They:

  • Stop by and order a meal
  • Chat with regular diners and staff
  • Support local promotions and events
  • Recommend the restaurant to others

Sometimes bloggers wouldn’t mind seeing support beyond regular traffic. It’s not that we don’t appreciate that you all visit us each day, but we’d like to know how you feel and that our words have touched you. We want to enjoy your company. We want to learn about you as a community and also as individuals.  Yes, visiting is enough, but here are some other ways you can support your favorite bloggers:

  • Comment: Did you like a post? Hate it? Tell the blogger why. Even if you disagree, the blogger will appreciate your input and the community will benefit from all sides of the story. I can’t think of one blogger who doesn’t get a rise out of seeing his community respond to a post. Our biggest disappointment is writing a post that gets no comments. You don’t have to reach into your wallet to support a blogger, instead take part in the discussion. I promise, you’ll make his or her day.
  • Recommend: Recommend blogs you enjoy to others. Share the love. Someone once said to me that she doesn’t recommend blogs because she doesn’t want them to turn into the “intimate local band that hit big and now everyone likes them and you can’t turn on the radio without hearing them.” I’m not sure I share this logic. What’s wrong with everyone enjoying the same thing?
  • Share your favorite posts: If you liked a post give it a Stumble or a Tweet or share on Facebook. When a blogger sees that people have been sharing something she wrote, there’s no better feeling. When she sees one of her discussion topics stimulating conversation on the social networks, that’s the gravy. You don’t have to click on ads or buy ebooks to support a favorite blogger. However, occasionally sharing or recommending will make all the blogging so worth it.
  • Send feedback: Do your favorite bloggers know how you feel about their blogs? Why not send feedback. Drop a line saying how much you like what they do. If there’s something you didn’t like, well say that too – but do be respectful. If the blogger has a survey or feedback form, fill it out. Feedback allows bloggers to write topics of interest to the community and lets them know if they’re on the right track.

Most of us blog because we enjoy blogging and just knowing you’re out there reading is reward enough. Some bloggers spend hours each day building their blogs to foster a happy community. If that means something to you, let them know. You don’t have to sing songs around the campfire, but adding your voice now and then will make your favorite blogger’s day. I know it makes mine.

How do you show support for your favorite bloggers?

Freelance Writing Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions

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At Freelance Writing Jobs we strive to provide you with the best information possible about starting your freelance writing career. With so many posts offering tips and advice, it can be hard to find useful information that’s not on the front page of this blog. Since we receive a lot of email asking for tips on getting started as a freelance writer, how to set rates and more, I thought it was time for a static “Frequently Asked Questions” page. If you’re starting out as a writer, or just want a refresher course, use this handy list as a one stop shopping experience for all things freelance writing.

Warning: Work in progress. This list is by no means complete and will receive periodic updates, so do check back often.

Freelance Writing Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions

For daily freelance writing job leads, please see Freelance Writing Jobs for Web and Print and don’t miss our regular Monday Markets feature.

How to Find Freelance Writing Jobs

  1. How to Land Your First Freelance Writing Job
  2. 43 Places to Find Freelance Writing Jobs
  3. 30 Types of Freelance Writing Jobs and How to Get Them
  4. Web Content Sites: What They’re Saying, What’s True and What’s False
  5. Corporate Freelance Writing Jobs: Five Places to Find Them
  6. How to Find the High Paying Freelance Writing Jobs
  7. How to Use Discussion Forums for Writers to Find Freelance Writing Jobs
  8. 47 Places to Find Telecommuting Jobs
  9. 10 Ways to Get Your Freelance Writing Foot in the Door
  10. 50 Places that Hire Freelance Writers
  11. 10 Best Job Search Sites
  12. 30 Types of Freelance Writing Jobs and How to Get Them
  13. Freelance Writing: Before You Get Started – Research!
  14. 5 Ways to Find Freelance Writing Jobs Using Twitter
  15. Why You Should Consider Cold Calling to Find Work
  16. Top 10 Freelance Writing Job Red Flags
  17. Finding the Freelance Writing Jobs that Are Best for You
  18. Pitch to the Hidden Places that Hire Freelance Writers

Freelance Writing Rates

Not sure how much to charge? Check out the freelance rate calculator over at Freelance Switch.

  1. Where the Writing Money Is
  2. Set a Freelance Writing Rate Equal to the Task
  3. How to Turn a Low Paying Client into a High Paying Client
  4. Who Sets Your Freelance Writing Rates?
  5. Preparing Yourself for Better Freelance Writing Rates
  6. Figuring Out a Good Pay Rate for Writing
  7. Taking Baby Steps for a Better Pay Rate for Writing
  8. Should You Include a Rate Quote with Your Cover Letter
  9. What Does it Mean to Work Smarter Not Harder?
  10. Why You Shouldn’t Ask for a Raise
  11. On Rates and New Clients: Does it Ever Make Sense to Make a Starting Rate?
  12. How to Land Repeat Clients that Pay Well
  13. 8 Reasons You’re Not Landing the High Paying Freelance Writing Jobs
  14. Kill Fees: Not a Halloween Tale
  15. 6 Tips for Asking for a Raise in Your Freelance Writing Rates
  16. 5 Things to Consider When Discussing Rates With Other Freelance Writers
  17. I’m a Professional – So Pay Me Already!!!8 Reasons You’re Not Getting the High Paying Freelance Writing Jobs
  18. 5 Tips for Moving Away from the Easy Gigs to Land More Lucrative Opportunities
  19. A Lower Bid Vs. Selling Yourself Short
  20. 5 Tips for Deciding if You Should Raise Your Rates
  21. Freelance Writing for Beginners: How to Set Your Rates
  22. Why Are Freelancers Negotiating Rates Anyway?

Cover Letters, Clips, Resumes, Job Applications and Query Letters

  1. Query Letter Writing: Dissecting a Successful Query Letter
  2. How I Landed My First Freelance Writing Job Without Clips
  3. 5 Things to Do Before You Query
  4. Freelance Writing Experience: Does it Matter Where Your Clips Come From?
  5. Query Letter Writing: Querying Out of the Box
  6. Top 10 Freelance Writing Job Application Mistakes
  7. 8 Types of Freelance Writing Pitches or Why You Didn’t Get the Job

Customer Service

  1. Rewarding Your Long Term Freelance Writing Clients for their Customer Loyalty
  2. What Lousy Customer Service Can Teach You About Good Customer Service
  3. What My Neighbor’s Teen Can Teach You About Customer Service
  4. Customer Appreciation Lessons from Barnes & Noble

Marketing and Networking

  1. Freelance Writing Marketing and Promotion: How Much is Too Much
  2. Do You Know What You’re Selling? Successfully Marketing Your Freelance Writing
  3. 5 Reasons Not to Have a Cookie Cutter Elevator Pitch
  4. 5 Tips for Creating an Elevator Speech
  5. 10 Unique Places to Market Your Book
  6. 5 Reasons Online Relationships Are Important for Freelance Writers
  7. 5 Reasons Offline Relationships Are Important for Freelance Writers
  8. How Much Would Your Freelance Writing Business Pick Up if You Got Out from Behind Your Laptop?
  9. 10 Reasons Why Face to Face Networking is Important for Freelance Writers
  10. Introducing Yourself as a Freelance Writer Without Sounding Like a Smarmy Salesman
  11. The Freelance Writers Guide to Blogs and Blogging
  12. The Freelance Writer’s Guide to Twitter
  13. The Freelance Writer’s Guide to Facebook

Tools and Resources

  1. Understanding Freelance Writing Rights and Usage
  2. 31 Free Online Writing Courses
  3. 20 Places to Find Online Courses for Writers
  4. 45 Free Things for Writers
  5. Where to Find Free WiFi Hotspots Around the World
  6. 49 Free Online Reference Tools for Freelance Writers

Freelance Writing Markets

  1. 75 “Write for Us” Pages
  2. 40 Freelance Writing Markets Paying $100 or More
  3. 40 More Freelance Writing Markets Paying $100 or More
  4. 50 Submissions Guidelines Pages
  5. 11 Cooking, Food and Drink Markets
  6. 19 Parenting Markets
  7. 21 Poetry Markets
  8. 15 Greeting Card Markets
  9. 11 Environmental Markets
  10. 15 Places for Freelance Writers to Find Magazine Markets
  11. 6 Tips for Finding New Freelance Writing Markets

Freelance Writing Taxes

  1. Tax Tips for UK Freelancers
  2. What Every Freelancer Needs to Know About Taxes
  3. How to Solve Freelance Tax Problems
  4. When a Writer Needs to Hire a CPA
  5. Easy to Forget Income Tax Deductions
  6. Introduction to Quarterly Taxes
  7. 3 Ways to Reduce Your Freelance Writing Taxes and Help Yourself
  8. Tax Tips for Freelance Writers
  9. 20 Tax Deductions for Freelancers
  10. Year End Tax Tips for Freelance Writing Businesses
  11. When Your Freelance Writing Business Gets Audited

Freelance Writing Clients and Business Tips

  1. Should You Trust Your Freelance Writing Clients With Your Personal Information?
  2. Client Vs. Employer: There’s a Difference
  3. 3 Hints for Giving Value with Your Freelance Writing
  4. 5 Options for Avoiding Paypal Fees and Keeping all Your Freelance Writing Pay
  5. 3 Things to Consider Before Outsourcing Your Freelance Writing Work
  6. 5 Rocking Good Business Practices for Freelance Writers
  7. 5 Tips for Asking a Freelance Writing Client for More Work
  8. 5 Reasons Freelance Writers Should Keep Regular Business Hours
  9. 5 Reasons Not to Burn Your Bridges
  10. 10 Tips for Setting Up an Office
  11. 10 Hints from Transitioning from Freelance Writing to a Freelance Writing Business
  12. Identifying the Reasons Your Freelance Writing Business Isn’t Growing
  13. 10 Hints for Transitioning from Freelance Writing Job to Freelance Writing Business
  14. Freelance Writing Clients: The Difference Between Friends and Friendly
  15. 6 Tips for Receiving Feedback from Your Freelance Writing Clients

Other Freelance Writing Topics

  1. 40 Lessons Learned in 10 Years of Freelance Wriitng
  2. The A, B, C’s of Freelance Writing
  3. 7 Great Places to find Interview Subjects
  4. 19 Grants for Writers and Other Creative Types
  5. Technical Writing: What’s it Like?
  6. Freelance Writing Opportunities in SEO Content
  7. Freelance Writing COmmunities: 10 Questions to Ask Before You Join
  8. Contracting for Writers 101
  9. How to Find Interview Subjects for Your Blog Posts and Articles
  10. 4 Measures to Put in Place So Your Freelance Writing Clients Won’t Rip You Off
  11. The Dark Side of Freelance Writer: When Clients Don’t Pay5 Forms of Passive Income for Freelance Writers

Are You (Ab)Using Your Online Friends?

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Community

Does this sound familiar?

You’re an aspiring blogger looking to make yourself known in a popular niche. All the blogging books and blogs tell you in order to do this you have to network heavily including commenting at other top blogs to bring in traffic. You do. You don’t just comment you become THE top commenter. You add your opinion to every single post and even drop some links if you can get away with it. As soon as your blog starts picking up momentum you forget that other blog. You don’t come by and comment or participate in community activities anymore. There’s no need to, you only wanted to link to your own stuff anyway. You disappear into the sunset never to be seen again.

Does this sound familiar?

You have 250 Twitter followers, which is fine except there are no “big name” Tweeters who are following you in return. While you have some great conversations with your friends, Tweeting links to your stuff hardly sends traffic your way. You begin following the power Tweeters, those with 5,000, 10,000 or 50,000 followers and one or two follow you. These are the folks you care about. You begin asking them to retweet your stuff. It doesn’t matter that they don’t know you from Adam or that you don’t really care much for helping them to promote their own stuff.  If they can give your blog posts a retweet or two you’d be set and never have to talk to them again.

Does this sound familiar?

Certain blogs enjoy a liberal link love policy. They don’t have to do this, they simply enjoy sharing with their communities. Thanks to them, your blog is on the map. Half of that popular blog’s community now visits your blog. You won’t come as far as to say that other blog is responsible for your beginning popularity but you know it’s true. However you never link to them in return. Not because they don’t have good stuff to share, but because you’re afraid of sending readers to the “competition.”

Does this sound familiar?

Every day after you blog you contact everyone in your arsenal and ask them to give your blog posts Stumbles, Tweets, Diggs and more. Everyone says yes. However, you never take the time to see what those other bloggers are doing. You never ask how you can reciprocate. If you are asked to reciprocate you forget or you don’t don’t it because you don’t want to seem spammy.

Does this sound familiar?

You look for the top blogs so you can guest post and build awareness around your own name and brand. Do you spend time in this blogger’s community when you’re not guest posting? Do you link to his blog or participate in her discussions? Did you choose this blog for any reason other than numbers?

Does this sound familiar?

An online acquaintance knows some of the top bloggers and social media people. You approach her for an introduction so you can promote your book. Your book is an online best seller because she helped to arrange for a review by a leading social media guru. Your acquaintance never hears from you again…until you wants her to review her next book.

Are you using your online friends?

Most blogs have transient communities. Readers come by and learn, comment and share and move on. For many it’s a matter of getting a new job or having less time to spend. For others, it’s because they don’t need those blogs or bloggers anymore. Now that they’re popular, they have no use for the people who helped them to get there. Think about how you got your start in the online world. Think about how you achieved the status you have now. Chances are there are a few people who helped along the way.

When was the last time you said thank you? When was the last time you gave back in return?

Discuss…

b5Media: I’m in a Better Place Now

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Blog - stock.xchnge

When I first began working as a blogger, b5Media was at the top of my list of places to work. I mean, Liz Strauss, Brian Clark and Darren Rowse, all bloggers I looked up to, were part of b5Media. As someone who wanted to make a name for myself as a blogger, I felt this was a positive step in the right direction. My little freelance writing jobs blog was doing OK, I had some lucrative freelance writing clients, I just started working for About.com as their guide to Weblogs, a b5 gig was the icing on the cake…and I got in.

Good people, a good vibe…burnout

I dug the vibe. I made many friends and I learned a lot, especially with Darren Rowse’s regular blogging lessons. There was one problem; in order to bring in a decent paycheck I had to work my butt off.  My goal with b5 was to work with the best bloggers in the business so I could learn to build my own stuff. However, the more I blogged for b5, the less time I had for my own blog.

Something interesting was happening though. I was writing over 100 blog posts per month for four different b5Media blogs and earning more with my own stuff. I was also beginning to burn out. Trying to make monthly quotas and traffic bonuses was taking its toll. Little by little I began letting my b5 blogs go and when I was offered a full time job as Community Manager at BlogTalkRadio, I gave it up for good.

b5Media made me realize my biggest blogging mistake. I spent so much time building up someone else’s brand, I wasn’t paying attention to my own. My freelance writing blog was doing well… damn well. If I had invested all those hours I put into someone else’s stuff into my own, it probably would have hit years ago.

The beginning of the end

Soon after I left , b5Media laid off many of their bloggers, cut pay for many more, and ceased production on many of their smaller blogs. Partners were fired. Some popular b5 bloggers were hired full time to continue popular blogs or blogs left behind by fired bloggers. Speculation and nastiness ensued around the web. As I watched b5 change from this happy, bloggy commune to a content portal I was sad for my friends at b5 but happy I made the right decision. The whole community element was gone. Everything I dug about the place was gone.

Better off blogging for myself

Don’t get me wrong, I learned a lot. However, it was sad to see such a once mighty and promising blog network crumble. It also made me think about my own blog which was being built into a network. Though I don’t rely on VC funding or a board of directors, will it last? Will we continue to grow? I hope so.

I think b5Media’s downfall was that they were too big. They opened blog after blog after blog. They didn’t take the time to build and grow one blog at a time, it was an all or none effort. Beyond the above-referenced A-listers, most blog readers would be hard pressed to name many b5Media blogs or bloggers. The names aren’t as important as the brand. Now b5Media is as impersonal as it gets.

I’m in a better place now. I am grateful for my b5Media experience, but realize that if I put the energy into my own stuff that I put into theirs, my blogs would have started earning and growing years ago. I understand this isn’t an option for everyone, but it’s a good personal reminder.

Is it more important to build your brand or someone else’s? Where is your own time best spent?

What are your thoughts on the b5Media situation?

10 Celebrities with Blogs Worth Reading

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Several years ago, I wrote a post for a blog called Celebrity Cowboy called 66 Celebrities Who Blog. Today, I read again for the first time in years and realized it’s a little outdated. Plus it featured big names with blogs that weren’t updated or publicist-updated MySpace pages. I thought an update was in order, but one featuring recommendations of the celebrity-authored blogs truly worth reading.

What does any of this have to do with freelance writing and the Freelance Writing Jobs network? I promise, it’s sort of relevant. Many of us blog and many of us read blogs. As a writer, I enjoy learning new things and checking out different writing styles. Just because one is famous, doesn’t mean one can’t write. Lest you think celerity bloggers aren’t interesting, I’m here to prove otherwise. Some famous name bloggers are imaginative writers with interesting ideas and thought-provoking posts.

Edited 2/3/10 to add: I’ve been asked why I didn’t include women on this list. As that’s the first question I ask when I’m reading lists such as this, I’m happy to answer to respond. The reason is because I haven’t yet found a blog written by a female celebrity that I enjoy. I’m not a fan of Rosie O’Donnell and Roseanne Barr and the only one coming close is Alyssa Milano’s baseball blog, – but hers hasn’t been updated in months so I didn’t include it (and I’m not a baseball fan anyway).

10 Celebrity Blogs Worth Reading

Wil Wheaton

1. Wil Wheaton – Wil Wheaton is a celebrity who totally gets blogging and social media.  He’s not promoting his stuff, he’s talking about his life. His regularly updated blog takes us on a tour of what he likes to do, what he likes to read and his thoughts on current events. Wil’s blog is probably the only celebrity-penned blog I read on a dailyr basis.

mark cuban

2. Mark Cuban – Mark Cuban, the outspoken owner of the Dallas Mavericks,  is another big name who uses social media to his advantage. I was a Mark Cuban skeptic until I attended his closing keynote at the first-ever BlogWorld and New Media Expo. After describing the power of blogging and the benefits of Facebook, I changed my mind. I don’t like sports, but I enjoy good blogging. Cuban shares his opinion on, well, everything and I may not always agree with him, but I appreciate his point of view.

jorge garcia

3. Jorge Garcia – Ok. Guilty. I’m a HUGE “Lost fan”. Jorge Garcia’s “Dispatches from the Island” is an entertaining behind the scenes at the filming of lost, including candid photos, plus much more. Jorge shares the stuff he digs, and the stuff he does. This is blogging at its best.

Jeff Bridges

4. Jeff Bridges – Jeff Bridges John Lennon-esque blog is a regularly updated collection of doodles. Very cool stuff.

john mayer

5. John Mayer – I’m not sure how I feel about John Mayer the person, but I dig John Mayer the blog. It’s honest and thoughtful and even provides some fun stuff like images from baking contests and useful tips such as how to defrag your hard drive.

Kevin Smith

6. Kevin Smith – Silent Bob speaks! This is another of my favorites, Kevin Smith has a wonderful way of words and offers a glimpse into his schedule that goes beyond the usual, “Wow. Our gig in Austin totally rocked” celebrity blog fare.

David Byrne

7. David Byrne – Byrne’s journal gives us an intimate peek in to his private life while sharing his point of view on politics, world affairs and more.

ace_of_cakes

8. Ace of Cakes – Duff, Mary Alice, and the Charm City crew take us on a behind the scenes look at the whole “Ace of Cakes” operation. Pictures of cakes, a peek into the cupboards and the daily goings on make this one of my favorite celebrity chef blogs. The Ace of Cakes blog is definitely a marketing vehicle as it features tour dates for Duff’s band and also air dates for the shows, but it’s more personal and updated more often than the usual promotional celebrity blogs. (Personally, I read it for the pictures.)

Thomas_Dolby

9. Thomas Dolby – Don’t expect to be blinded with science, Dolby talks about whatever is on his mind. It can be bras, snow, or the view from outer space. There’s even a call for dream interpretation. I admit, that though I have this blog bookmarked, I don’t read it as often as I should. Very enlightening and entertaining.

James gurney

10. James Gurney – Dinotopia creator James Gurney may not be a household name to some but his blog still deserves a place on this list. Wherever Gurney goes, there we are. He offers a fascinating look at life, art and doing what he loves best.

Do you have a favorite celebrity-authored blogs? Do tell in the comments…

Is your blog job sucking the fun out of blogging?

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I’ve been blogging professionally (i.e. making money at this blogging deal) for a long while now. However, before I blogged for pay I blogged for me. For fun. For the sheer need of saying what was on my mind. I had a blog with zero ads so comments and freedom of speech were my big rewards, not cold hard cash.

There’s a big difference between blogging for yourself and blogging because it’s your job, but it doesn’t mean the two paths can’t connect. For example, when you blog for clients, for cash, there are some issues that can super suck the fun out of blogging, such as…

  • Clients who pay late (or not at all).
  • Blog scrapers – who seem to come out of the woodwork once you’re a working blogger.
  • Having to blog about topics you don’t love or having to add in obnoxious extras like keywords, images, and company links when really you just want to say your piece and get out of there.
  • Blog stalkers and trolls – which granted can happen if you blog for no pay too, but in my experience the more well known you are the more these freaks come at you.
  • Being on a client’s schedule vs. your own schedule.
  • Co-worker and editor dynamics – you may think these issues only pop up in brick and mortar workplaces but weird, frustrating, and sometimes really annoying dynamics can happen in the virtual workplace as well.

That said, I’m betting (or hoping) that you got into blogging for a career because you love blogging and if that’s the case a paycheck doesn’t have to ruin blogging for you. Blogging for pay can still be blogging for fun if you use the following strategies…

Blog what you love – as a new blogger looking for paid gigs, blogging what you love is harder to come by, but if you stick with it and build up your resume these fun opportunities will come eventually. When I first started blogging for pay I’d blog about almost anything, but now I’m in a better position where I get to blog about what I love and still get paid. Just keep your chin up because it’ll come in time. One good option is to have a blog that’s all your own so that some of the time you can blog what you adore.

Read other blogs regularly – part of why I loved blogging way back in the day was because I loved reading blogs and interacting with other blog communities. If you’re so focused on your own thing that you ignore other blogs you’re missing a big piece of the blog puzzle. I don’t comment as often at other blogs now because of time constraints but I do make sure to read my faves regularly still.

Don’t overextend – this is a double edged sword because most bloggers do have to overextend their time and efforts in order to make a living wage. The downside is that blogging becomes harder, a total chore, and yeah, not as much fun when you’re scrambling to get everything done. As soon as you can find some higher paying gigs or take on an extra (higher paying) non-blog project or two so that you have the time to enjoy the blogs you do write for.

Look on the bright side – for example you can learn to ignore trolls and scrapers or even consider how they may benefit you. When people say bad things about you it sucks, but keep in mind that people talk about you because something you said made them feel something – bad or not if you’re making people feel mad it’s better than writing posts that leave people emotion free.

Dump bad clients asap – hard when you need money I know, but trust me you’re better off looking for a new gig then staying with an obnoxious client. Bad clients and flaky clients can ruin your mood, frustrate you to the extreme and worse ruin the whole experience of blogging.

Remind yourself of the alternative – when you first look for blogging gigs it’s frustrating. It’s a hard career to break into. If you’ve made it and you’re frustrated remind yourself of what you could be doing instead. Yes, blogging for a job is very different than blogging for yourself, but ALL jobs have pros and cons. Would you rather be dealing with blogging job pros and cons or another job’s pros and cons? I do have bad days at work but I still love my job and have fun, especially when I remind myself that this is what I worked for.

Are you blogging for clients? What are you doing to keep blogging fun?

What it means to make a living as a blogger

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Here at Blogging For A Living we of course talk about blogging for a living. Both as a blogger for someone else and as a blogger for yourself. Since we talk about this stuff all the time I figured it’d be good to define what we’re discussing – i.e. the distinction between blogging for yourself vs. blogging for others. Also important is what I mean when I say, “Make a living as a blogger.” That said, I thought I’d take a moment to break it all down.

What it means to make a living as a blogger:

To me, making a living as a blogger, or problogger, whatever you’d like to call it means you make enough money to live on through blogging. That may be via your own blogs, blogs for clients, or blogs for networks.

Making a living means you make enough money to pay your bills. Ideally you’d also have enough to sink into health insurance and some money to save as well, but at bare minimum making a living (to me) means you pay your rent, buy groceries, pay all utilities, and all other monthly bills with the income you get from blogging. If you can’t cover the bills and household necessities you’re obviously not making a living.

Oh and keep in mind you’ll also need to make enough to pay all your own taxes which can be substantial depending on where you live and your personal tax situation. I’ve seen very few blogging gigs that cover taxes, most of time it falls on the blogger.

Making a living blogging for yourself:

If you make a living blogging for yourself it means you own a blog or blogs and you also make enough $ off said blogs to live on.

Making a living blogging for others:

If you blog for others, those other people pay you for your work, your posts, your networking ability, and more. You don’t own the blogs, your client does. You may blog for one super lucrative client, but it’s more likely that you blog for many clients. However you swing it, you also make enough $ off said clients to live on.

Making a living as a mixed bag blogger:

Among my pals who do make a living blogging the most frequent situation I see is a mixed bag – you own a blog (or blogs) and blog for clients as well. In some cases bloggers also branch out to other writing venues such as magazine articles, website copy, e-books and more. I’m not the blogging income police so take my opinion with a grain of salt but I think that if you spend more than half your time blogging and doing blog related tasks AND make a living income, you can officially say, “I make a living as a blogger.” Some people probably think you should blog FT to say that, but I think diversifying is smart so what the heck.

Right now I’m a mixed bag blogger with about 80% of my income coming from clients not my own blogs so here at Blogging For A Living I tend to lean toward writing about client issues. If you’re looking for more posts related to blogging for a living while owning your own blogs, check out more of Deb’s posts.  Deb tends to write posts about blogging for yourself, which is currently exactly what she does.

Hopefully these terms are useful – I think a lot of folks lump all forms of blogging together but owning your own blog is extremely different than blogging for a client. Also, I wanted a clear definition of “Making a living” posted so I can refer back to it. Now when I say, “Make a living” you’ll get where I’m coming from.

Do you have different opinions about what it means to make a living as a blogger? Anything to add?

Coming up soon; how many people are actually making a living as a blogger.

The Freelance Writer’s Guide to Blogs and Blogging

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Deb’s note: This is part three in our “Freelance Writer’s Guide to Social Media Series.”  Also see: The Freelance Writer’s Guide to Twitter and a Freelance Writer’s Guide to Facebook…and stay tuned for the accompanying ebook.

It almost seems as if everyone who writes for a living has a blog about writing, doesn’t it? That’s not a bad thing as it gives us plenty of places to share ideas and learn. Even writers who don’t have blogs can benefit, though.

In  this”guide” we’re going to take a look a the different ways blogs and blogging benefits freelance writers.

Blogs

You don’t have to be a blogger to take advantage of the benefits of blogging. Another writer’s blog still offers a terrific opportunity to market yourself and participate in discussion topics.

Visiting Freelance Writing Blogs

There are so many blogs about writing and freelancing and freelance writing that I lost count several years ago. Choosing a favorite blog can be tough – and really you shouldn’t have to. The beautiful thing about blogs is that you can read as many as you like and participate in as many communities as you like and it’s all good. Blogs are one of the best ways freelance writers can network, learn and share with other like-minded people.

Commenting at Blogs

Commenting at some of the blogs allows you to contribute your own point of view. You don’t even have to have the same point of view as the blogger as long as you’re respectful in your disagreement. When you comment, you might notice a spot where you can add a link to your own blog or website. This will encourage others in the community to visit you and see what you’re up to. (Please note: It’s considered spam to drop your links other than the requisite link line and most bloggers don’t appreciate the spam.) Commenting on blogs puts you on other people’s radar. If they’re intrigued they’ll want to learn more about you and your writing .

Widgets, Plugins and Community Builders

Many bloggers will add some fun bells and whistles to their blogs to help promote their commenters and built community.

Comment Luv

Comment luv is a plugin which will bring up your latest blog post every time you comment on a blog that has this plugin enabled. The beautiful thing about this plugin is that other commenters will see the title of your last post and stop by and check it out if there’s an interest. It’s a nice way to give something back to the community. (And I will be adding it here soon).

Top Commenters

The Top Commenter plugin allows the most productive and vocal members of a community to have their comment count highlighted in the sidebar. How does this benefit the commenter? If folks are interested in reading your comment, they might also be interested in reading your writing or following you on the various social networks.

Sharing Buttons

Sharing buttons allow the community to give back to the blogger by Tweeting, Digging, Stumbling and sharing individual blog posts with people outside the immediate community.

Blogs Beyond the Freelance Writing Niche

There are other reasons to visit blogs, beyond the usual freelance writing blogs. Say you’re working to build up your expertise regarding lawn mower repair. By participating in lawn mower repair communities and blogs, you’re helping to create awareness around your name (and brand), and build your reputation. If you’re helpful and productive others will respect your advice.

Finding a Favorite Blog

Each blogger offers brings something else to the table, so find the ones that share your point of view, but don’t discount the ones you don’t always agree with as they also offer good, solid advice. The important thing is to remember we all have our own way of thinking and no one is right or wrong. Read the blogs you like and make the choices that work best for you. You’re not wrong for not following a blogger’s advice.

Blogging

Why would a freelance writer want to start a blog? There are plenty of benefits:

Build Your Name and Brand

Blogs help to build your brand, your name and your reputation. They start out slow at first but after time you’ll notice loyal readers are coming back for more and participating in the comments.  Soon your name becomes synonymous with your niche. Your readers begin to your judgment and come to you for advice. Clients see and feel this trust as well and may inquire regarding your services.

Establish Your Expertise

Are you feeling niche-y? Use your blog to establish your expertise in said niche. You can discuss the finer points of journalism or resume writing. Argue copywriting techniques or discuss your trials and tribulations as a novelist. When you’re considered an expert, you’re contacted for interviews, speaking engagements and very lucrative gigs.

Share

Blogging allows you to share what you know wish others – and it also allows others to share with you. Without trying to be too cliche, it really is a gift that gives and gives…to everyone.

Discuss Areas of Concern

Things like healthcare and pay rates are always of issue to freelance writers. Blogging gives you a bandwagon in which to discuss the issues you’re passionate about, and it also allows for some respectful round table discussions regarding many different topics. Blogging allows you to raise awareness and turn others on to your point of view – while seeing a few other sides of the coin yourself.

Building Community

When you blog, you’re building up a community. Whether it’s 10 readers and commenters or 10,000 these are the people who will buy your books, attend your classes and promote your stuff using social networks – and of course you’ll do the same for them. Blogging is also the best way to build up a community to create awareness around an issue or topic.

Do you prefer to blog or read blogs…or both? How has blogging or participating at another blog helped you as a freelance writer?

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