If you want to become a freelance writer or would like to get your abilities noticed then you may want to look into blogging as a hobby. Many people make a good living as a professional blogger these days. Of course, many bloggers just blog for fun whilst making little or no extra cash on the side. They may want to vent or air their opinions, but the majority of bloggers are frustrated writers in some way, shape or form!
Starting a blog is a fantastic way to start showcasing your talent. You can use posts as example work ad can also hone your ability by writing on your own blog, just as if you had a written journal.
There are many blog hosts that you may want to tap into, such as Blogger, but if you want to make a little money then why not go for a provider that will pay you per post? I started a personal blog today at Today.com because I did not have a personal blog at all! Today.com is great for new bloggers because they pay you $1 per 100 word post and also give you 2c per view, meaning that you can make decent money if you build up your readership, whilst honing your talents at the same time! The money may not sound like a lot but many hosts will not pay you at all.
Just click on the link - Today.com - to get started and blog away! Registration is easy and you will find that it is a great way to get started for any writer in waiting!
My new personal blog can be found here: English Opinion. Please drop in and take a look!
Showing posts with label freelance jobs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freelance jobs. Show all posts
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
Promote Your Business: Using Personalised Stationary
Everyone entering into a career as a freelance writer can have all the writing skills in the world and still may not make that career a success. This may sound daunting but it is a fact. Any businessperson needs skills relating to self marketing. It is essential that any freelance writer learns how to market him or herself in order to get work. Some use websites, others use composed advertisements but the best place to start marketing yourself is in your local area by going to fairs, work expos and visiting local businesses because it is the people attending the events and local businesspeople that will put work your way.
To market yourself effectively you will need to look the part. One of the best ways to do this is to use personalised stationary. There are many companies around that offer personalised business stationary and many of them allow you to create your own business cards, letterheads and other stationary that you may need. By using these services, you can create your own logo and font relatively easily and thus make an impression on those individuals that may hire you.
Business cards are essential to hand out so that individuals can contact you at a later date if they need any writing completing, such as content for a website. Those business cards should include your name, address, phone number and email. You may also include your logo and motto or a short sentence giving them a reason to hire you. They can keep your card for future reference, thus making your marketing campaign a long term one rather than an instantly forgettable one.
If you do want to try out your own business cards then a company called VistaPrint is a great place to try. They offer free business cards (which can be found behind the link) for all new customers so you will only have to pay postage and packing for your first order, unless you decide to order stationary and other essential items as well. Their prices are reasonable so check them out if you want to save money and mount a successful marketing campaign. I use them and I have to say that I find their products value for money, especially the repeat order function available. After all, with any luck you would need more cards in the future!
To market yourself effectively you will need to look the part. One of the best ways to do this is to use personalised stationary. There are many companies around that offer personalised business stationary and many of them allow you to create your own business cards, letterheads and other stationary that you may need. By using these services, you can create your own logo and font relatively easily and thus make an impression on those individuals that may hire you.
Business cards are essential to hand out so that individuals can contact you at a later date if they need any writing completing, such as content for a website. Those business cards should include your name, address, phone number and email. You may also include your logo and motto or a short sentence giving them a reason to hire you. They can keep your card for future reference, thus making your marketing campaign a long term one rather than an instantly forgettable one.
If you do want to try out your own business cards then a company called VistaPrint is a great place to try. They offer free business cards (which can be found behind the link) for all new customers so you will only have to pay postage and packing for your first order, unless you decide to order stationary and other essential items as well. Their prices are reasonable so check them out if you want to save money and mount a successful marketing campaign. I use them and I have to say that I find their products value for money, especially the repeat order function available. After all, with any luck you would need more cards in the future!
Thursday, 8 May 2008
Your Questions: Getting Paid!
Thanks to everyone that has emailed a question to me since my last post. Rest assured, I will get to them all so stay tuned for the information you want and need. The question that I'm going to answer today concerns payment. Two people asked roughly the same question:
How can I guarantee that I will get paid for work that I do?
The reason why I'm dealing with this first is because it is very important for you if you want to make a living out of writing. It is also a legitimate concern. After all, if you don't get paid then you have no career.
The first and most important thing to know is that there is no guarantee that you will be paid for the work that you do if you do not protect yourself. Agreeing to do work before putting measures in place will leave you open to con artists and those that will take your work and run. I have only ever not been paid for my work once. I made good use of the work I had done and ultimately benefitted from it, but it doesn't always turn out that way. You can try the following to protect yourself and ensure you get paid:
1 - Get A Deposit - Some writers only work on a deposit basis so they get a percentage of the total fee before anything is written. This is great for you because you have something for your work no matter what. However, most buyers are rightly sceptical and will not pay you in advance. They are as mistrustful of writers as writers are of them. They have no guarantee that you will not run off with the money. Also, very few buyers will trust unknown writers with an upfront fee because they have no idea what you are capable of. Try negotiating and remember that there is no harm in asking, but you are not likely to be taken up on your request!
2 - Draw Up A Contract - This is an excellent idea because it gives both writer and client peace of mind. However, it is only suitable for larger jobs in reality because every client knows that a writer doing a job for $50, for example, is not going to take them to court if they are not paid. It is not financially viable. However, for any jobs you do that are over $200 or $300, a contract is a must.
3 - Use A Protected Site - Finally, the best idea and way of protecting yourself! Certain sites, like Rentacoder, require the buyer to deposit the full amount agreed upon for work before you start on the project. The funds are in a neutral escrow and are released to you as soon as the buyer approves you work. There are actually writers that will only work through Rentacoder and ask all potential clients to set up a project for them rather than doing it privately. As long as you complete the work, you are guaranteed to get paid.
So there you have it, a quick guide on how to make sure you get paid! I hope that was useful for you. If you have any questions on this or any other questions that you may want to ask, just give me a shout!
How can I guarantee that I will get paid for work that I do?
The reason why I'm dealing with this first is because it is very important for you if you want to make a living out of writing. It is also a legitimate concern. After all, if you don't get paid then you have no career.
The first and most important thing to know is that there is no guarantee that you will be paid for the work that you do if you do not protect yourself. Agreeing to do work before putting measures in place will leave you open to con artists and those that will take your work and run. I have only ever not been paid for my work once. I made good use of the work I had done and ultimately benefitted from it, but it doesn't always turn out that way. You can try the following to protect yourself and ensure you get paid:
1 - Get A Deposit - Some writers only work on a deposit basis so they get a percentage of the total fee before anything is written. This is great for you because you have something for your work no matter what. However, most buyers are rightly sceptical and will not pay you in advance. They are as mistrustful of writers as writers are of them. They have no guarantee that you will not run off with the money. Also, very few buyers will trust unknown writers with an upfront fee because they have no idea what you are capable of. Try negotiating and remember that there is no harm in asking, but you are not likely to be taken up on your request!
2 - Draw Up A Contract - This is an excellent idea because it gives both writer and client peace of mind. However, it is only suitable for larger jobs in reality because every client knows that a writer doing a job for $50, for example, is not going to take them to court if they are not paid. It is not financially viable. However, for any jobs you do that are over $200 or $300, a contract is a must.
3 - Use A Protected Site - Finally, the best idea and way of protecting yourself! Certain sites, like Rentacoder, require the buyer to deposit the full amount agreed upon for work before you start on the project. The funds are in a neutral escrow and are released to you as soon as the buyer approves you work. There are actually writers that will only work through Rentacoder and ask all potential clients to set up a project for them rather than doing it privately. As long as you complete the work, you are guaranteed to get paid.
So there you have it, a quick guide on how to make sure you get paid! I hope that was useful for you. If you have any questions on this or any other questions that you may want to ask, just give me a shout!
Tuesday, 1 January 2008
The Rocky Road To Freelance Writing
No matter what age you are, you are never too young or too old to start writing with a view to doing it for a living. Everybody can write but very few can do it well enough to make a living from it. If you are one of that number that has a gift for writing then you should nurture your talent and actively look to make the most of it. Today is as good a day to start as any - new year, new opportunities!
There is much more to being a freelance writer than meets the eye. However, there has never been a better time for trying to forge a career out of it. The Internet has opened up a wealth of opportunities for the individual find work, but there are three rules that you have to adhere to in order to get started on the right foot. They are as follows:
Rule One - Know Your Ability!
Freelance writers are often amongst the most self-doubting people on the Earth. Very often, they do not recognise exactly what they can do. This includes both strengths and weaknesses. However, having the ability to accurately assess your skills will help you to figure out exactly what projects you could do and which ones you should avoid. For example, some great writers can just reel off an article in ten minutes flat, whereas others need to plan it all out and take 30 minutes to an hour. The subject matter may be the same, as may the quality, but the latter kind of writer should probably avoid tight deadlines. Of course, there are many situations that this applies to but the rule is the same for all of them.
Rule Two - Gain Exposure
If you started writing yesterday then you are not going to make money from it tomorrow, unless you are very very lucky! 99.9% of writers will need a day job when they get going if they want to pay the bills, but they will obviously need to gain exposure by working on the side. You can use a website that offers a bidding system for individuals looking for writing work. Rentacoder and Guru are great sites for that. Alternatively, you could set up a blog or complete article projects for free. All of those options will get your name out there and help you to build a reputation.
Rule Three - Constantly Look To Improve
There are so many freelance writing skills today that a good writer has to have a working knowledge of several if he or she wants to compete with their fellow writers for a client list! Many clients will require a writer that can complete press releases as well as generic articles, for example. You should do all you can to build your repertoire of skills so that you appeal to more clients whenever you get the chance!
There you hae it - the three golden rules! Stick to these when you are first starting out and you will not go far wrong!
There is much more to being a freelance writer than meets the eye. However, there has never been a better time for trying to forge a career out of it. The Internet has opened up a wealth of opportunities for the individual find work, but there are three rules that you have to adhere to in order to get started on the right foot. They are as follows:
Rule One - Know Your Ability!
Freelance writers are often amongst the most self-doubting people on the Earth. Very often, they do not recognise exactly what they can do. This includes both strengths and weaknesses. However, having the ability to accurately assess your skills will help you to figure out exactly what projects you could do and which ones you should avoid. For example, some great writers can just reel off an article in ten minutes flat, whereas others need to plan it all out and take 30 minutes to an hour. The subject matter may be the same, as may the quality, but the latter kind of writer should probably avoid tight deadlines. Of course, there are many situations that this applies to but the rule is the same for all of them.
Rule Two - Gain Exposure
If you started writing yesterday then you are not going to make money from it tomorrow, unless you are very very lucky! 99.9% of writers will need a day job when they get going if they want to pay the bills, but they will obviously need to gain exposure by working on the side. You can use a website that offers a bidding system for individuals looking for writing work. Rentacoder and Guru are great sites for that. Alternatively, you could set up a blog or complete article projects for free. All of those options will get your name out there and help you to build a reputation.
Rule Three - Constantly Look To Improve
There are so many freelance writing skills today that a good writer has to have a working knowledge of several if he or she wants to compete with their fellow writers for a client list! Many clients will require a writer that can complete press releases as well as generic articles, for example. You should do all you can to build your repertoire of skills so that you appeal to more clients whenever you get the chance!
There you hae it - the three golden rules! Stick to these when you are first starting out and you will not go far wrong!
Sunday, 30 December 2007
Welcome To The Freelace Writer Journal!
Being a freelance writer is a tough job - there is absolutely no doubt about that and any fellow writer will confirm this statement for you! You soon get used to the 20 hour days, juggling jobs and buyers that want the Earth for little return.
I am a freelance writer myself and know just how difficult it is to get into the business so I fully appreciate just how much of a struggle some of you will be experiencing just to get a break. I am lucky in that I have an estabished reputation and have regular buyers that repeatedly provide me with work, but for those of you that are having to settle for a lousy $1 an article, this blog is for you!
There will be a whole host of resources here for you to tap into including freelance sites that can help you and tips from me to get a better return for all of your efforts!
Good luck!
Free For Essays
I am a freelance writer myself and know just how difficult it is to get into the business so I fully appreciate just how much of a struggle some of you will be experiencing just to get a break. I am lucky in that I have an estabished reputation and have regular buyers that repeatedly provide me with work, but for those of you that are having to settle for a lousy $1 an article, this blog is for you!
There will be a whole host of resources here for you to tap into including freelance sites that can help you and tips from me to get a better return for all of your efforts!
Good luck!
Free For Essays
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