Showing Valentine’s Day Love to Writers
Happy Valentine's Day! I can't help thinking of love and goodwill on this day, and since we chat about writing here, let's extend that to include the love for our fellow writers. What can you do to help another writer? Give Them Links and Shout Outs Show your favorite writer some love by linking to their articles and blog posts. Back links are a great way to increase your search engine juice, and quality links are hard to come by. You don't need to let someone know you linked to them, but if you can, that's great too. Or mention a book that ...
Getting Interviewed at Working Writers
I interview a lot of writers here. (Current count is a couple hundred.) I love talking to writers and finding out about their journey. I still seek out writers to interview, and when I do, I usually have a couple questions in mind, and then some that I create based on information about the writer.
Time Blocks for Writers
I was just interviewed for a blog, and one question they asked me was about managing my time. We've talked about it here before, but it's really important for writers, and I think sometimes when we see someone else that seems to be cranking out a lot of work, we wonder how they do it. (At least, I wonder!)
Freelance Writing Work at Home Misconceptions
I've talked before about misconceptions that people have about freelancing, but I think it's worth bringing up again. Just this week I was at the doctor, and the receptionist asked for my work phone number. I told her it was the same as my home number and she said, "Oh, so you don't work." No, I told her, I'm a writer. She looked at me like that was the same thing.
Asking to Be Paid When You’ve Been Writing for Free
I talked about exposure in another post, and I got several comments and questions about that. One of them was, "How do you turn a gig that isn't paying into something that pays." Well then, that's the million dollar question, isn't it? Here are my thoughts.
Guest Post Opportunities
I'm getting a lot of questions about guest posting here, which I understand because so many of us are trying to get back links or promote blogs or books or whatever. So I wanted to let you know about my other blogs, in case there is a fit for your post there, too.
Exposure Versus Backlinks
There's writing for free, and then there's writing for free. What I mean is, there is a difference between exposure for exposure's sake, and backlinks. We all write for free these days occasionally, but there is usually a good reason for it. You're guest posting to get backlinks, you're doing a favor for a blogger friend, you're promoting your book or blog, etc.
About.com Readers’ Choice Awards
I wanted to let you all know that the About.com Readers' Choice Awards are currently going on, and there several categories you or one of your clients might be interested in. Categories include: Best Nonfiction Book About Friendship Best Fiction Book About Friendship Favorite Website for Meeting New Friends Favorite TV Bromance Favorite Online Game to Play With Your Friends Favorite TV Show About Friends Favorite Board Game to Play With Your Friends Favorite Friendship Blog Nominating yourself is acceptable. In fact, we encourage it! The 2012 About.com Readers’ Choice Awards showcase the best products, features and services in dozens of categories. Readers’ Choice includes multiple channels ranging from technology ...
How to Get Your Interviewer Back on Track
I've done quite a few interviews over the past few years, and most of them are really great. As an introvert myself, I'm amazed at people's abilities to chat away in a carefree manner, to interrupt people (when they need it), and to basically think aloud. During a radio or TV interview, those are important skillsets (which I definitely don't have.) But there have also been interviewers that have veered off-track during the course of our time together. So then what? Do you as the interviewee interrupt them? What do you do to get things back on track? Why Things Veer ...
How to Revive Old Blog Posts
It's one thing to get traffic to new blog posts, but what about all those gems you wrote long ago that need a little more attention? Here are some ways to get traffic to older posts.
Lipping Off at the Judges
I'll admit it, I love watching those reality shows where people sing and then other people judge and then someone gets critiqued and/or voted off. I love them because they are fun to watch but also because I see some similarities between shows like that and being a writer.
How I Use Twitter Lists
The list function in Twitter has really been a lifesaver for me. Many people complain that there is so much info on Twitter it's almost too confusing to use. I think it's a good resource, and the way to manage it all is with organization. Lists are one way you can do that.
Are You Afraid of Editors?
I saw this post recently on Alan Rinzler's blog about being afraid of editors. He's right, I've heard several writers express this fear. I can't say I have it now, but there was a time where I did.
I Want to Do an Ebook, Where Do I Start?
By far the most common question I get these days from people is about ebooks. It seems many of you are writing them and good for you! Ebooks can be a good source of income for freelancers and a good way to build or support your brand. If you're thinking of doing an ebook and wondering where to start, here are some resources for you.
Hey, Newbies, Are You Tired of Being Invisible?
Guest post by Jason Scott If the title of this post speaks to you, then your blogging experiences are probably similar to mine. Let me take a guess. Do you work your backside off getting your blog just right, filling it with great content, editing, re-editing, and making it look so hot that you could cook a stack of blueberry pancakes on it?
How to Get the Most Out of HARO
Have you used Help a Reporter Out (HARO)? It's such a great resource. I've used it to get interviews for an article I wrote on midlife dating and I've also responded to calls for experts. The service works great, but if you're just trying to promote your book at any cost or get an interview no matter what, you probably won't find it as useful. Here are some tips that will help you get the most out of HARO.
Applying for Freelance Jobs Without Clips
What are "clips"? Do you need them? Recently I gave a talk for a group of aspiring writers, and I got several questions about "clips."
5 Types of Communicators That Drive This Blogger Crazy
First let me say, I love hearing from you all. I really do. You are all so passionate and knowledgeable, and you blow me away with your emails and comments. But in addition to all the wonderful readers that contact me here, I also hear from other folks: PR people, authors, editors, marketing people, and on and on, and some of them aren't such great communicators. I'm not going to pick on them, but I do want to point out a few things they do that we can all learn from. Over Communicating Being on top of things is great, but when ...
Blogging With an Active Voice
Guest post by Emilee Butera Are you reading this post or is this post being read by you? This difference between the two may seem minimal, but it's actually very significant. Many people know that they should write in an active voice instead of passive voice, but they may not always realize the difference between the two.
National Global Entrepreneurship Week – Rates and Making Money
I hope you enjoyed our posts this week about rates, payment, and your freelance business: What Freelance Writers Can Learn From Netflix Lessons from Plumbers: How to Set Freelance Writing Rates How to Raise Your Rates Finding Freelance Writing Work Here are a few more posts you might find of interest: When Pay is Negotiable Types of Payment What If You Get Paid On Page Views Alone? How Much Should You Charge for Blog Posts? Copywriting Fees – How to Set Them How Much Are Writers Really Earning? Boost Your Revenues By Turning People Away Freelance Writing Jobs – 3 Services Writers Can Offer Clients to Make More Money Image: worradmu / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
National Global Entrepreneurship Week – What Freelance Writers Can Learn From Netflix
We've been talking about rates this week for National Global Entrepreneurship Week. Our previous discussions included: Lessons from Plumbers: How to Set Freelance Writing Rates, How to Raise Your Rates, and How to Find Freelance Work.
National Global Entrepreneurship Week – Lessons from Plumbers: How to Set Freelance Writing Rates
We're continuing our discussion about freelance writing rates today in honor of National Global Entrepreneurship Week. Today's today: what we as writers can learn about rates from plumbers.
National Global Entrepreneurship Week – How to Raise Your Rates
It's National Global Entrepreneurship Week (which is really difficult to say, by the way), and we're continuing a series on the indie spirit of authors, and how to start up and maintain a successful writing business.
Your Author Photo
Since I spent yesterday chatting about some of the pet peeves I see with author bios, I thought I'd expand on that today to include photos. Bottom line, if you're a writer in any way, shape, or form, you need a photo of yourself.
Get Rid of Self Doubt!
If you're like me at all, you go through the occasional moment of self-doubt. As writers, we get told "no" more than "yes" and there are even times when we're told our writing isn't up to par.
Online Resources for Writers
What are some of the sites and resources that you can't live without? Share with us below! In the meantime, here are a few of the sites I go to often for information and ideas.
When Pay is Negotiable
It might seem obvious that when your client says "pay is negotiable" it means that they have a range in mind that they are going to pay for a certain job. The trick is, how do you as the freelancer get paid the most that you can? Ask Questions to Get an Idea of the Scope of the Job Recently I talked about questions you can ask to find out what the scope of the job will be, and these are the same questions you'll want to ask in order to deal with a "pay is negotiable" situation. Find out what the ...
Freelance Writer Sources for Interviews and Research
One thing I like about freelancing today is that it is so much easier to do research than the old days. I used to have to call up friends and acquaintances each time I had a new assignment in order to find experts to interview. Now, I can usually get everything I need right from my computer. Here are some good resources I use a lot.
Before You Become a Freelance Writer
A lot of people ask me about how to get started as a freelance writer, so I wanted to talk a little bit about what to think about before you start.
Types of Payment
How can you get paid? We write because we love it but we need to run our business and pay bills. Luckily, freelancers today have the chance to be paid in a variety of different ways. This type of diversity can help writers from relying too deeply on one income source. The variety of payment types also reflects the changing job market for writers.
Staying Fit While Working From Home
So, one thing I noticed when I started working from home full-time was that it was that the weight slowly but surely would creep it's way onto my body. The reasons for that are simple.
How to Blog Everyday
More and more, I've heard from authors that blogging on a daily basis seems daunting to them. I have to say, as a professional blogger I write for multiple sites each day, so I don't really understand this.
What If You Get Paid On Page Views Alone?
Yesterday I talked about how to determine a per post rate. Now I'd like to address page views. As bloggers, sometimes we are paid by clients on page views alone, or how many times a post is viewed. I've got some thoughts on this, so let's discuss it.
How Much Should You Charge for Blog Posts?
One question I get repeatedly from writers is what to charge when giving a quote for blog posts. The answer? It depends. You have to make sure you cover all the time you're going to put in to write and research it, and still make it competitive.
How to Follow Up After a Writing Conference
Recently I ran a guest post about how to get the most out of a writer's conference, and one of the comments on it was from our reader Michelle
Things to Watch Out For With Freelance Writing Job Ads
Job ads aren't the best way to find a freelance writing job (we know that already) but nevertheless one of the most common questions I get from freelancers is what to watch out for with a job ad. It's a good question, because when you're new, you don't have the experience to navigate the BS from the truth when it comes to job offerings.
How to Get More Steps in a Day
How’s your butt doing? You know, the butt you sit on all day so you can work hard by typing? Yeah, mine too. But here’s how we can work on it: steps.
21 Ways to Promote Your Book on Twitter
I've got a new book out specifically targeted to authors who want to market their book and brand on Twitter.
How to Find Your Way Around Working Writers
Our blog has grown quite a bit over the last couple of years, and you might be wondering how to find the wealth of information here. Let me give you some tips.
Making Cold Calls to Get New Clients
Getting new clients is a large part of maintaining a successful freelance writing business, and one way writers can do that is by making cold calls.
Where to Submit Free Press Releases
Writing press releases is a great way to get exposure for a small or freelance writing business. One advantage of having a press release on various sites is that they tend to stay there for a long period of time, sometimes years. Submitting a press release to a paid or free site will not guarantee press coverage.
Tips for Successful Radio Interviews
You may not realize it, but as a freelance writer you are an expert in something. You may have written about things as varied as cooking, dating, sports, or charity programs. Whatever the area, you have gained a level of expertise, and as a result you may get asked to talk about your knowledge.
Succeed as a Sportswriter
Writing about sports for a living is a dream for many freelancers, but it is a competitive field. To get an advantage, you have to be persistent and unique. Getting a paid sportswriting job is only a small part of success. If you really want to stand out, you need readers who follow your work. Here's how to get them.
Lessons From the Brandilyn Collins Booksigning
I recently got a chance to meet Brandilyn Collins at a dinner at book signing, and have to say how very impressed I was with her. I couldn't help noticing a few things she did that would be helpful to other writers.
Joining a Small Business Group
A successful freelance writing business is very similar to a small business of any kind. You have to operate frugally, watch the bottom line, and market yourself. That's why joining a small business group can really help you as a freelancer. You may learn a few things, and meeting new people is never a bad thing either.
Interview: Ellen Sussman
I recently picked up Ellen Sussman's latest book, French Lessons, and loved the book and the concept. She has published numerous essays in anthologies, including The Other Woman, and a dozen of her short stories have appeared in literary and commercial magazines. Ellen was named a San Francisco Library Laureate in 2004 and 2009.
How to (Really) Find Freelance Writing and Blogging Jobs
When I tell people I blog for a living (and do freelance work), the number one question I always get is "how do you find those jobs." Those jobs means jobs that pay a decent wage. Since I answer it a lot in person, I thought I'd talk about it here as well.
Taking Negative Feedback With Grace
When you’re a writer, you will (at some point) get judged. Right? You put your work out there, and some people are going to love it and some people are not going to love it, and others are going to fall somewhere in between. But instead of arguing with people who give you negative feedback, take it with grace. If there is a lesson in it, then apply the lesson. If not, focus on the readers who “get” what you are doing. Those are your fans.
Latest News
What’s Your Writing Process: Susan Helene Gottfried
Recently I put a note in the weekly news section I do on Saturdays asking what your process is. I mentioned at the time that I’m working on a couple books, and the process for one of them is going slowly because of the research I need to do. I followed that up with a question on what your process is. [Read more] Read More →
Showing Valentine’s Day Love to Writers
Happy Valentine’s Day! I can’t help thinking of love and goodwill on this day, and since we chat about writing here, let’s extend that to include the love for our fellow writers. What can you do to help another writer?
Getting Interviewed at Working Writers
I interview a lot of writers here. (Current count is a couple hundred.) I love talking to writers and finding out about their journey. I still seek out writers to interview, and when I do, I usually have a couple questions in mind, and then some that I create based on information about the writer. [Read more] Read More →
Artsy Blogging Links for February 12, 2012
Artsy blogging links for this week. [Read more] Read More →
Darkness by Lord Byron
What a great poem to kick off this poetry Saturday. I love the darkness in this poem and think it’s a lesson all by itself in how to write a poem. [Read more] Read More →
Writing Links and News for February 11, 2012
Happy Saturday to you, writers! Did you see we have a new interview feature here where writers talk about their writing process? If you’re interested in joining this series, feel free to fill out the questions and then send them to me. [Read more] Read More →
Time Blocks for Writers
I was just interviewed for a blog, and one question they asked me was about managing my time. We’ve talked about it here before, but it’s really important for writers, and I think sometimes when we see someone else that seems to be cranking out a lot of work, we wonder how they do it. (At least, I wonder!) [Read more] Read More →
Interview: Paulette Harper
Paulette Harper-Johnson is a speaker, certified life coach, minister, and author of several books. As an inspirational and motivational speaker, Harper’s desire is to encourage women to reach their God-given potential through conferences, workshops, and seminars. [Read more] Read More →
Interview: Greg Messel
Greg Messel has now written three novels and two unpublished memoirs. His fourth novel, The Last of the Seals is the first in a trilogy of mysteries and will be published later this year. [Read more] Read More →
Freelance Writing Work at Home Misconceptions
I’ve talked before about misconceptions that people have about freelancing, but I think it’s worth bringing up again. Just this week I was at the doctor, and the receptionist asked for my work phone number. I told her it was the same as my home number and she said, “Oh, so you don’t work.” No, I told her, I’m a writer. She looked at me like that was the same thing.... [Read more]
Asking to Be Paid When You’ve Been Writing for Free
I talked about exposure in another post, and I got several comments and questions about that. One of them was, “How do you turn a gig that isn’t paying into something that pays.” Well then, that’s the million dollar question, isn’t it? Here are my thoughts. [Read more] Read More →
Artsy Blogging Links for Februrary 5, 2012
Artsy Blogging Links for this week. [Read more] Read More →
Writing Links and News Items for February 4, 2012
Hey Writers! Another Saturday is upon us. How are you doing this week? Are you working on a special or exciting project? Did you just get a new gig? Tell us about it in the comments below. Brag a little, and inspire your fellow writers. Sometimes all it takes in improving the life of another writer is offering encouragement. [Read more] Read More →
Interview: Barbara Howell
Like so many authors, Barbara Howell has worn many hats, including her many careers: farmer, cosmetologist, wife, mother, grandmother, woodworker and now author. [Read more] Read More →
Guest Post Opportunities
I’m getting a lot of questions about guest posting here, which I understand because so many of us are trying to get back links or promote blogs or books or whatever. So I wanted to let you know about my other blogs, in case there is a fit for your post there, too. [Read more] Read More →
Interview: Connie Brimmage From Salvage Savvy
One thing I adore about the blogging community is just how friendly and generous they are. Connie Brimmage from Salvage Savvy says something similar at the end of this interview. Connie’s blog is fairly new (less than a year at the time of this interview), so I hope you’ll all give her a big, hearty, Working Writers welcome. [Read more] Read More →
Interview: Book Reviews by Liz Winn
Writers are always looking for places to get their book reviewed, right? Well, here’s a source you might want to check out.
Exposure Versus Backlinks
There’s writing for free, and then there’s writing for free. What I mean is, there is a difference between exposure for exposure’s sake, and backlinks. We all write for free these days occasionally, but there is usually a good reason for it. You’re guest posting to get backlinks, you’re doing a favor for a blogger friend, you’re promoting your book or blog, etc.... [Read more]
Misconceptions and Bad Habits Hindering Your Career
Guest post by Cynthia Kocialski You were thrilled to be handed your diploma. Your school years were behind you, and, most likely, you were excited about starting your first job. This was the launch of what you believed would be a rewarding and glorious career. [Read more] Read More →
Artsy Blogging Links for January 29, 2012
Artsy blogging links for this week. Enjoy. [Read more] Read More →
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