Writing Success

Negotiating Freelance Payments

As a freelance writer one of the most important skills you can develop is the ability to negotiate your pay. You’re in a unique position - one not many people find themselves in. You get to set the rates for your work yourself. While it’s not uncommon for freelancers to do a free job here or there, especially when first starting out, it’s incredibly inappropriate (not to mention detrimental to your career) to continue to do so.

Check out this video for some information on how to evaluate the market and decide how to set your freelance writing rates!

Poetry Contests with April Deadlines

I’m back again with a few poetry contests with upcoming April deadlines. Entering a contest is a great way to gain exposure for your work, regardless of whether or not you win. You’ll earn valuable experience in the field of writing and, if you’re lucky, maybe even get some feedback from the editors.

You’ll have to act fast if you’d like to enter the Maurice English Poetry Award competition. This contest is open to anyone who published a book of poetry in 2008. The deadline to submit your entry is April 1st. The prize is $3,000 cash and a book reading in Philadelphia. Visit WritersMarket.com for more information on how to enter.

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Freelance Resources on Twitter

When I first started reading and subscribing to blogs I thought that subscribing via email was a great idea. That was until I had 50+ extra emails in my inbox, which became unbearable. I eventually found a feed reader, properly subscribed, and weeded the emails out of my inbox.

One blog that I didn’t unscribe from, however, was Freelance Switch. Not sure if it was a mistake or not (they are on my RSS feed) but I’m sort of glad I didn’t. I feel like I would really miss out on some great posts if I waited to check my feed reader before seeing these entries.

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Online Marketing & Promotion Course

Hope everyone had a spectacular weekend. Over the past week or so I’ve received several email about upcoming courses but there was one in particular that really grabbed my attention.

On March 31st at 1:30pm EST, the folks at WritersMarket will be sponsoring a course called The Essential Online Tools for Marketing and Promotion. It’s part of a series of classes designed to teach “what every writer needs to know to get published and stay published.” Sounds good to me. …Continue Reading Online Marketing & Promotion Course

Really Cheap Business Cards

The other day I wrote about how important it is to have business cards to use in your marketing efforts. You never know who you’ll run into that may end up needing the services of a freelancer writer one day.

So, for those of you who were paying attention, I highly suggest you head on over to VistaPrint today and check out their most recent sale. They’re offering 500 Premium Business Cards for $5.

Yes, you read that right. $5.

A batch of 500 business cards usually runs around $30 and they’re going to throw in a free business card holder with your order as well.

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Writing Thank You Notes

I have a secret.

Are you ready?

The art of writing the “Thank You Note” is dead.

It probably died not long after the art of the RSVP, but I digress. In business, even as a freelance writer, it’s important to show your appreciation for the things you receive or the interactions you have with people. While the thank you note you write for something related to business will be different than the one you’d write after receiving a birthday present, it will still (most definitely) make you stand out from the crowd.

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10 Cool Niches You Should Consider

As a freelance writer you should always be on the lookout for things you can use to supplement your income. This means blogging, selling advertisements, affiliate marketing, or something completely unreleated to writing.

The problem that most of us have, however, is not in writing itself but in deciding what niche we want to write about. I know that for me, finding the niche is much more work than writing once I have made up my mind.

Today I thought I’d share a list of 10 niches that tend to be pretty popular online. You can use  these as a springboard to find specific niches (they are all pretty general), to find products and services to market online, or to blog. It’s up to you if you decide to try any of them or not. …Continue Reading 10 Cool Niches You Should Consider

Self-Promotion via the Business Card

It’s a proven fact that one of the best ways to promote yourself, whether you work online or off, is through the creation of some simple business cards. Business cards allow you to create an instant bond with the people you meet, but you can’t simply hand them out and hope people start calling. They have to include some very specific information.

The LOGO

Start with an eye catching logo, if possible. Though, to be honest, I find that if you’re just starting your freelance writing career you may have trouble deciding how to brand yourself. If that’s the case, go to your local copy shop or online printer and use a standard template. Just make sure it’s colorful and will draw the attention of the recipient. You can always go back and design a personal logo as you grow your business and establish a stronger identity.

Contact Information

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Writing Simple Blog Posts

When we first start out blogging we sometimes feel as though we need to show our audience how smart we are  - as if it will build our credibility. The problem is that we end up sacrificing simplicity for some type of complex writing format that no one really cares about.

The key to successul blogging is writing simple blog posts. This means using simple words and short sentences. Check out this video for some tips on how you can simplify your blogging process and still write great posts. You’ll soon find the task of blogging to be much simpler than you once thought!

Remember This: Inspiration for Writers

It’s completely normal, especially if you’re just starting out, to have a day or two (or week, or month) where you really question yourself and your abilities. Maybe you’re not meeting your goals. Maybe you simply have writers block. Whatever the reason, I think it’s important to remember that results and success aren’t instant and, to be cliche “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

Anyway, on the bulletin board hanging on the wall next to my desk I have some clippings with inspirational thoughts and phrases and I added a new one the other day. I was having a conversation with my friend Tony from Flashes in the Dark and he said something that really made me feel better about the current state of my writing at that moment. …Continue Reading Remember This: Inspiration for Writers