Writing Success

Penelope vs. David: Taking Responsibility for Yourself

“For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. ” I’m pretty sure we’re all familiar with, or have at least heard of, Newton’s laws of motion. But we’re not here to talk about motion. We’re talking about writing. So what’s my point?

For every action you take as a writer you create the potential for a reaction. Every word you write will spark some sort of emotion in your reader and, in some, those emotions may spiral into some sort of action. As a freelance writer you need to remain professional at all times - even if your writing focuses on controversial topics.

So why do I bring this up? Because social networking, blogging, and related venues, while they open you up to a world of opportunity, may also open you up to a world of confusion and turmoil. Case in point: the controversy between careerist Penelope Trunk and her now arch rival David Dellifield (if he even knows he’s the subject of such attention).

…Continue Reading Penelope vs. David: Taking Responsibility for Yourself

Understanding SEO Content Writing

“Content is king.” This is a phrase you’ll hear very often as you work towards building your client base or building your own website. The more quality content you have on your website the more successful it will be. Your chances of success double if you are skilled at proper SEO and keyword writing.

Check out this video by Paul Richlovsky and Daiv Whaley from Fathom SEO. They discuss what SEO writing really is and how you can improve your own content!

Freelance Writers on Twitter

It seems like Twitter is really becoming a huge networking tool. Posting lists of “favorite Twitter resources” seems to be a growing trend as well. Just thi s morning I saw a post by Sharon at Get Paid to Write Online outlining “39 Writers You Should Follow on Twitter.” …Continue Reading Freelance Writers on Twitter

Blogging Tips from the Pros

Are you still struggling to get your first blog off the ground? Check out this awesome video made by Darren Rowse of Problogger.net. He visited the Blog World Expo and interviewed some of the top bloggers on the web and asked them to share their #1 blog tip for beginners!

Planning Your Freelance Work

While working as a full-time freelancer has it’s benefits and perks, one thing that gets most new writers in trouble is the idea that they have the freedom to work whatever hours they want.

I hate to burst your bubble, but this idea is part truth, part myth.

The real deal goes something like this. You can do your work whenever you like, but your clients will likely expect you to be available during “regular business hours” to answer emails or phone calls regarding their projects. If you’re on the beach every day and writing every evening you may miss out on some important opportunities for communication.

That’s not to say you can’t work whatever schedule you wish. You do, however, need to be prepared for some challenges. When I first started out I had a very difficult time establishing a “routine” - another thing most new freelancers think they’ll get to eliminate from their lives. …Continue Reading Planning Your Freelance Work

3 Wordpress Plugins Every Blogger Needs

Serious writers and bloggers using the Wordpress platform know exactly how important it is to have a well-maintained blog. In order to achieve this, we add tons of plugins to our Wordpress blogs. Plugins are designed to enhance the way a blog performs and I, personally, think there are a few no writer should go without.

The first is the Akismet plugin. Akismet was designed to act as a spam filter, but it’s much more sophisticated than allowing Wordpress to do this alone. Akismet will catch comment spam and if you mark a comment as spam once the program will automatically filter spam from the same source in the future. The coolest thing about Akismet is that it automatically installs with Wordpress, so all you have to do is activate it. …Continue Reading 3 Wordpress Plugins Every Blogger Needs

Do You Have an Elevator Pitch?

As I mentioned earlier, I’m going to spend the next month following the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog program by Darren Rowse. Earlier this week he sent out his first email and the task he assigned us, while relatively implistic in nature, has given me cause for pause.

Darren’s first assignment was for each of us to write an elevator pitch for our blogs. An elevator pitch is a really brief statement that gives your readers an overview of exactly what they can expect to receive from you (either in product, services, knowledge, etc).

To be honest, it really doesn’t matter what type of business you’re in; nor does it matter if your business has a blog. Every business, large or small, new or old, should have some sort of elevator pitch. They provide a great way for you to brand your business and, in the case of a blog, gives your readers a very quick overview of what you are all about.

Once you’ve written your elevator pitch you should make sure it’s visible to you at all times. …Continue Reading Do You Have an Elevator Pitch?