Angela Booth's Writing Blog

Sell your writing services: it's easy

Selling your writing services couldn't be easier, IF you know how it's done.

Lucky Fab Freelance Writing Ezine subscribers know that already, because they've taken advantage of the subscribers-only offer for my new "sell your writing services" product (being a member has its advantages. :-))

I'll be expanding on the topic with next week's issue of the ezine, in which our theme is: "Instant Money: Sell Your Writing Services".

Here's the thing to be aware of: most writing jobs are never advertised, for any number of reasons, the chief one being that businesses and publications are just TOO BUSY.

If you're a successful freelancer, you already know this. When a series of articles, an advertorial, a brochure, or a booklet is needed, it's needed NOW.

Advertising for writers, and then reading through tons of (generally hopeless) applications is time-intensive. In today's economic climate, no one has the time to go through the rigmarole.

So what do these time-pressed buyers of writing services do?

They:

* Use the outsourcing sites. At least they get bids, and some of those bids are highly professional;

* They contact their network and plead to be given the contact details of good writers;

* They repurpose material they already have;

* They forget about the project.

Can you see that if these busy buyers had the name of just ONE writer in their contacts database, that writer would get several writing gigs over the course of a year?

Therefore, getting your name out to potential buyers, and getting onto their databases, is essential.

So how do you do this?

Here's the easiest way: introduce yourself.

Yes, it's as easy as that.

You can send introductory letters and email messages to:

* Magazines and online publications (include your clips, if you have them)

* Businesses (locally and around the globe)

* Clubs, organizations and associations

* Advertising and editorial agencies

Please don't over-think this. It's both SIMPLE and EASY. Get your name and contact details onto databases.

You've still got time to make 2009 your best writing year ever -- hop to it. :-)
Want to make great money writing? Discover the secrets of high-selling, highly paid writers, for free. Each week, Angela Booth's Fab Freelance Writing Ezine is delivered in easy-to-print PDF format. Join the thousands of other writers who are using the information to change their lives. You'll learn how to write, and how to sell. Angela's been writing for 30 years, and shares her knowledge with you.

Jobs in Writing: Three Great Jobs for You

Are you interested in jobs in writing? There's never been a better time to be a writer -- the explosive growth of the Web means that you can get all the writing jobs you've ever wanted. Let's look at the three great jobs which may be right for you.

1. Writing Articles: Start Small, Build a Big Business

Websites need content, because adding articles to a site ensures that the site gets more traffic from the search engines -- the more content, the more traffic. Since this traffic can be converted into sales, sites are very willing to spend money hiring web writers to write articles.

Thousands of large sites hire writers to produce a certain number of articles each week. Smaller sites buy articles as they need them.

Here's an important tip. Realize that you'll need to start small by writing for smaller sites to gain experience. As your experience grows, you can write for larger sites which pay better rates.

2. Blogging: Can You Write Snippets Every Day?

Blogging has become mainstream. There were many blog jobs available for writers, but just as with writing articles, you need to start small. The more experience you have, the more you're worth.

If you're interested in blogging for sites, you need to create and write your own blog. This will build a presence for you online, and in addition, your blog will act as a writing sample.

Getting blogs jobs is all about building relationships. Once you've created your own blog, and are blogging consistently, approach companies directly, rather than hunting for work.

As your experience grows, it's a good idea to build a team -- team up with a designer, and a programmer, so that you can take on large projects.

3. Information Marketing: Create Info Products

Information sells online. Thousands of businesses have sprung up to meet the desire for fast information, delivered immediately. You'll find dozens of writing jobs on the outsourcing sites every day for writers to create ebooks and other information products.

As with blogging, you need to get visible in this space. Take a couple of low-paying jobs in the beginning, to build your credits, and then go for higher paying jobs.

Once you become experienced in creating information products, you can create your own information product business.

Are you a new writer? Consider writing for magazines.

"If You Want to See Your Name in Newsstand Magazines, You Can!"

Many writers start high-profile careers by writing for magazines.

Magazine writing is both easy and highly profitable. Once you've learned the techniques in Angela Booth's new writing guide "Freelance Writing: Make Great Money Writing Articles For Magazines (In Your Spare Time)" , you'll soon be writing for magazines which pay from $1 to $4 PER WORD.

Today's Writing Tip: Write articles, make money, and develop a sunny career

Want an easy way to make money writing? Start with article writing. 

The big benefit of writing articles is that you earn while you learn. You certainly don't have to be a great writer to write articles, you simply have to provide useful information. Hundreds of thousands of websites pay for articles. Mostly, the pay is abysmal, but that shouldn't concern you.

No, I'm not suggesting you settle in and make yourself comfortable with sweatshop writing. :-) 

I am suggesting however, that you can EARN your way to a high income. When I started writing, way back in the 1970s, you had to pay your dues as a writer. You could count on at least five to 7 years of writing every day, without making a cent. 

All that's changed. 

Nowadays, you can write short articles and can get paid for it. As your skills increase, you can write for larger sites, and larger clients, and can earn a very nice living indeed... and you won't have to wait five years.

There's never been a better time to be a writer -- every day is a sunny day, when you work from home writing articles.

Photo credit 

Freelance Writer: 3 Deadly Mistakes to Avoid

Are you a freelance writer? In the current economic climate you should be making a great income. If you're not, chances are you're making mistakes without knowing it. Let's look at three of the most deadly mistakes you should avoid.

1. You're a Generic Writer: You Don't Promote Your Name

You must build your name as a writer. There are many reasons for this, the most important reason is this: trust. The web is packed with "writers" who would be hard-pressed to write a shopping list.

Just as companies brand themselves, you need to brand yourself as a competent,  reliable writer. Competent, reliable writers are scarce. The field of writing is packed with hobbyists: all editors and other buyers have been burned by incompetent writers many times.

Once buyers of writing know that you're both competent and reliable, you will get more writing jobs than you can handle.

2. You Don't Realize That One Writing Job Becomes Two, and Two Becomes a Thousand

When you've completed a writing job for a buyer, maintain the relationship. A person who's hired you once, will hire you again. Not only that, this buyer has colleagues and business relationships. Encourage him to spread your name around amongst the people and businesses he knows.

As soon as possible, develop a process to stay in touch with past clients. Maintain a client list. Send out a short e-mail message to all your clients, both past and current, every month. Boast about your successes. This reminds your buyers that you exist.

If you don't remind your buyers, they will forget your name quickly. Think about it: do you remember the name of the plumber you called when your bathroom flooded?

3. You Don't Keep Deadlines: You Procrastinate

Your buyers may be slow to respond to any communication, but you must be fast.

You should respond at speed; preferably within minutes. This isn't always possible, so respond within 24 hours unless you're dead. Staying in touch with the people who've hired you is absolutely essential.

By the same token: commit completely to deadlines. The only excuse you have for missing a deadline is death. When you treat deadlines as absolute commitments which you never break, you'll get repeat buyers. Nothing turns buyers off faster than a failure to communicate and keep deadlines.

Recession-proof your freelance writing career

"Write More And Make More Money From Your Writing: Develop A Fast, Fun Productive Writing Process" gives you all the tools you need for a thriving writing career, no matter what the economic climate.

Three weeks after completing the class one student wrote:

"Thanks Angela, for all your help and advice in class. I'm quitting my job next week. I printed out my letter of resignation tonight after landing a contract writing job that will pay me more for three months part-time work than I earned in from my day job in the whole of 2007! You were right – the great gigs are out there, and now I've got the skills to land them. Your class opened my eyes. Bless you…"

"Write More And Make More Money From Your Writing: Develop A Fast, Fun Productive Writing Process" shows you how to thrive as a freelance writer. Would you like to write five times more than you're writing now, and sell to higher-paying markets? Take the class.

Freelance Writing Fees: How Much Will You Charge for Your Writing?

If you're a new writer, you're wondering how to set your freelance writing fees. There are no standard rates, so deciding how much to charge when you're starting out is a matter for your own discretion.

Let's look at some things you may want to take into account.

1. How Much Writing Experience Do You Have?

Any experience you have is valuable. If you're writing in your day job, you've gained valuable experience. You may also have experience in blogging. (If you don't have a blog yet, start one immediately -- it's a way for buyers to find you, and to assess your style.)

If you don't have any writing experience, getting that experience is your first step and priority. Writing is just like any other trade or profession: you need to learn your craft, while charging apprentice rates, before you're able to charge professional rates.

I encourage my writing students to get jobs on the outsourcing sites, so that they can collect some testimonials, and can get experience in charging for their words.

2. What's the Buyer's Budget?

Buyers have budgets for projects, so that's the first thing you need to find out. Just ask: "What's your budget for this project?" If the buyer says he doesn't know, persist, and ask the question again.

As a negotiating tactic, the first party to quote a price is at a disadvantage. Keeping the advantage is essential. If the buyer won't give you a figure, tell him to get back to you when he's worked out the project's budget.

3. Can This Job Be a Loss-Leader for You?

You write for money, but sometimes money isn't the sole consideration. Perhaps you want a writing credit from a major publication, and are willing to lower your rates to get it. Or perhaps a company has potential to provide you with on-going work.

If getting a writing job will benefit you in other ways, and if the project is SHORT (takes less than three hours), you may want to consider it a loss-leader, and lower your rates. (Never commit to any writing job longer than three hours at less than your baseline rates. It's not good business practice.)

4. Got Experience and Testimonials? Set Your Baseline Rates

Once you're an experienced freelancer, with testimonials, you can set your baseline rates. These are your rock-bottom fees, below which you can't and won't go.

There are various ways of working them out, based on how much money you need to make per writing hour to stay in business. The fees you set depend on your own circumstances, so use your own discretion.

As you gain freelance writing experience, you'll get more confident in setting your rates. As a beginner, don't worry about it. Just get writing jobs and complete them, and you'll soon be making an excellent income.

Subscribe to Angela Booth's fabulous free weekly ezine for freelance writers: get a free report just for subscribing. Even if you're a new writer, you can freelance your way to a fantastic writing career.

Join the thousands of freelance writers who are making great money freelance writing, using Fab Freelance Writing Ezine as their guide.

Freelance Writing for Beginners: 3 Tips

Kick off your writing career: go from zero to $250 per hour

Are you a beginning freelance writer? There are huge opportunities for writers at the moment. If you're not making a great income with your writing within six months there's something wrong with your strategy.

Here are three tips which will help you to kick start your career.

Firstly, you need to develop a professional writer's mindset. A professional is solely concerned with his buyers. Look at the services you offer from their point of view, rather than your own.

Here are three questions your buyers are asking themselves. Answer these questions, and you'll build a fantastic freelance writing career.

1. Who Are You? Create a Winning Profile and Bio

Getting freelance writing jobs is easy when you promote your services.

Start by telling people who you are. You're not working at a job, so you don't need a resume or CV. You do need a profile and bio. Your profile and bio lets buyers of your writing estimate whether you're the right fit for the writing jobs they have in mind.

The first time you write a profile, it's intimidating. Most writers are by nature shy, and hate talking about themselves. So, pretend you're talking about somebody else; just get that profile and bio written.

2. Tell Me Why I Should Trust You: Create a Friendly, Professional Web Site

You writer's website isn't optional. It's essential. I've never been able to understand why some writers are lazy about creating a website, but are quite prepared to spend hours every week searching for low-paying writing jobs.

As with your profile and bio, your website establishes you. It tells buyers why they should trust you. It's professional; you'll attract buyers of writing who are looking for professional writers, rather than cheap "content producers".

3. How Much Do You Cost? Get Comfortable Setting Your Rates

Top writers charge more because they provide more value, so they're in demand. The ability to add value to a project comes from experience. You can't buy experience, you can only earn it.

When you're a beginner, don't worry too much about your rates. You don't have any bargaining power, so take any writing jobs you can get. This is all part of paying your dues as a writer -- remember, you earn experience, it doesn't magically descend on you.   

As you become more experienced, you will become more comfortable at both setting, and raising, your rates.

Write your way to a million-dollar income

Write And Sell Your Writing: The Power-Write Report -- 2009

The Web has made it possible for ANY writer, no matter how new or inexperienced, to turn writing into a fabulous career. If you're stuck in a soul-destroying, or just boring job, writing is your way out.

Fab Freelance Ezine helps you to understand the fast-changing world of the freelance writer, and sets you well on the way to making the income that you want to make, and that many writers are already making.

Subscribe today, and receive "Write And Sell Your Writing: The Power-Write Report -- 2009" just for subscribing.

Freelance Writing: Get Jobs, Get Paid

As a freelance writer, you're in business for yourself. A major part of offering your writing services is getting paid for those services. This doesn't just happen -- you need a process in place to invoice your clients and to ensure that you're paid promptly.

In short, you need to be your own Accounts Receivable department.

Here's to get paid promptly.

1. Your Contract Should Say It All

Your contract doesn't need to be extensive. It can be shorter than a page; in fact it SHOULD be shorter than a page. Pages of legalese won't get you paid, people just won't read them. Include just the salient points.

Salient points include: the copyright in your work remains with you until you're paid in full, your retainer is paid before you start work, and payment is due on invoice. You can also add the number of revisions you are prepared to do: two revisions, provided you communicate properly with the client as you work on the project, are ample.

2. Why You Need a Retainer

A retainer is essential. It separates the tyre-kickers and time-wasters from genuine clients. You have no idea whether somebody is genuine or not until they actually pay you a retainer.

Big tip: check out clients on Google before you work with them.

3. Your Part of the Deal: Keep Deadlines

Make it your personal policy that you always keep deadlines. No exceptions. This immediately puts you ahead of 95 per cent of writers who look on a deadline as the day they should start work rather than the day they should complete it.

4. Slow Payer? Stay in Touch Until You're Paid

Some of your clients will pay you slowly. There are many reasons for this, and none need to concern you. You should have an invoicing program which offers a tickler function and shows you when payments from clients are due: invoice promptly, and send statements to follow up on invoices.

If you don't have an invoicing program, create a file called Accounts Receivable, and keep it up-to-date. All of your contracts should include the words "payment is  due on invoice".

If you're not paid within 48 hours of an invoice, send a reminder. Send weekly reminders after that. Be completely dispassionate about this, there's no need to get yourself worked up over it: be polite and professional at all times.  If you invoice promptly and follow up properly, you'll never have deadbeat clients.

Want more information to help you to make money as a freelance writer? Read the Fab Freelance Writing Blog.

Make money writing from home: ditch your day job forever

If you can write, you can make money writing from home. The Web has made it possible for ANY writer, no matter how new or inexperienced, to turn writing into a fabulous career. If you're stuck in a soul-destroying, or just boring job, writing is your way out.

Fab Freelance Ezine helps you - subscribe and receive the free report: "Write And Sell Your Writing: The Power-Write Report". It's 21 pages packed with information to help you to develop a six-figure writing career.

The Best Freelance Writing Gigs

In next week's Fab Freelance Writing Ezine, we discuss the best freelance writing gigs.

Here's an excerpt from the Editorial:

This week we look at the best freelance writing gigs. But which gigs are "best"? Since we make a living as freelance writers, the best gigs are those which give us the best return for our investment of time and energy.

As you build your career, your definition of the best gigs will change. As a new writer, your "best" gig is any gig you can get. :-)

As your career develops, you'll look for gigs which:

* Meet your hourly rate;
* Pay a retainer up front;
* Give you a clear brief (project description);
* Pay your invoice quickly; and
* Are interesting, or which present unique challenges.

This issue is out on Tuesday, and of course it's free. Don't miss it -- subscribe now.

The writing jobs of your dreams -- get them now

Do you find it hard to get the writing jobs you want? It may shock you when I say that the only thing that's standing between you an highly paid writing jobs is... YOU.

Next week in Fab Freelance Writing Ezine one of our feature articles is "Get Freelance Writing Jobs Fast With an Easy but Powerful Tool".

You'll be shocked at how simple and effective this tool is.

By the way, the tool is free.

Here's an excerpt from the article:

Are you looking for freelance writing jobs? They're everywhere, but the top jobs are never advertised. If you're a freelance writer who finds getting writing jobs difficult, here's a quick tip for you.

This tip will ensure that you get all the writing jobs you want and has the potential to increase your income threefold over the next month.

This issue of the ezine will arrive in your Inbox on Tuesday. Subscribe now.

Subscribe to Angela Booth's fabulous free weekly ezine for freelance writers: get a free report just for subscribing. Even if you're a new writer, you can freelance your way to a fantastic writing career.

Join the thousands of freelance writers who are making great money freelance writing, using Fab Freelance Writing Ezine as their guide.

Getting paid to write: setting your rates

Setting your rates is always a challenge for freelancers.

On my Sell Your Writing Online NOW (SYWON) page I say "Go From Zero To Making $250 Per Hour For Web Writing". This is startling for those writers, both new and established, who are struggling to make a living from their words.

Tip: $250 an hour is no big deal.

It takes me around 20 minutes to write 500 words, and since $250 for a Web page of 400 words is on the lower end of the pay scale, $250 an hour is nothing to crow about.

So assuming you're making just $30 an hour for your words, how do you raise  your rates?

The answer is: you provide value. People will pay you huge amounts of money when they're getting a return on their investment.

How to set your rates as a beginner

When you're a beginner, you need credits and testimonials. Get them in any way you can. Charge minimal rates. Then as you get credits, increase your rates.

Here's the thing: THE MARKET WILL TELL YOU WHAT TO CHARGE.

Let's say you're getting projects which shake out at $30 per hour.

Increase your rates when you have all the jobs you can handle. Then increase them again. Let the market decide what you're worth.

Sooner or later you will KNOW. You will tell people your rates with confidence, and you'll get your rates  because you know what you're worth, and what you're willing to work for.

Just as Linda Linda Evangelista said - "I won't get out of bed for less than $10,000 ...", you'll be able to say - "I won't fire up my word processor for less than ________" :-)

Develop a great income writing for the Web - start by writing simple articles

I've developed "Sell Your Writing Online Now" (SYWON) to help you to start making money writing online in 24 hours or less.

Each week, for one full year, you'll receive a lesson, with an assignment which will build your Web writing income – you EARN as you learn.

SYWON is totally unique, and if you want to write for the Web, it's your ticket to success.

Get started writing for money

Want to get started as a professional writer? This week in Fab Freelance Writing Ezine, one of our articles "From Novice Writer to Writing Professional in 3 Steps" shows you how to get started.

Here's an excerpt:

Love to write? Perhaps you're a beginning writer, and you want to know whether you have what it takes to make writing a full time career, or perhaps you've always wanted to write, but didn't know how to start.

The big benefit of a writing career is that all are welcome. There are no barriers to entry. Young or old, male or female, rich or poor, educated or not, you can make writing your career if you wish.

You don't even have to serve an apprenticeship - although you will, if you're wise. When I started writing in the 1970s, you paid your dues. You earned rejection slips from publishers for a few years, and finally got paid for your hard-learned skills.

These days, if you can string a few words into a sentence and can cram those sentences into paragraphs which flow, you'll find unlimited writing jobs because you're needed. Almost anyone can write, and with persistence, you can turn it into a profession.

This issue will be out on Tuesday - subscribe now.

Make money writing from home: ditch your day job forever

If you can write, you can make money writing from home. The Web has made it possible for ANY writer, no matter how new or inexperienced, to turn writing into a fabulous career. If you're stuck in a soul-destroying, or just boring job, writing is your way out.

Fab Freelance Ezine helps you - subscribe and receive the free report: "Write And Sell Your Writing: The Power-Write Report". It's 21 pages packed with information to help you to develop a six-figure writing career.

Freelance writing - use your real name

Should you use your own name when you start your freelance writing business?

Yes, you should, unless you have a good reason not to, for two primary reasons: trust, and to build your name.

People need to trust you

Writing is all about trust.

* When you're writing for clients, they're trusting you with secrets of their business;

* When you're writing for magazines, you're trusted to get the facts right;

* When you're writing books, you're trusted to get facts right, and not to  plagiarize, or get the publisher sued;

* When you're setting up your own Web site(s) your site visitors look for indications that they can trust you.

You need to build up writing credits and your name

When you're starting as a writer, you work your way up a ladder of credits. You start by writing for local publications and businesses, and move up to national publications and writing for corporations.

As you write, you build your name.

Building your name takes time.

So for these two reasons - trust and building your name - use your own name when you start your freelance writing business.

Make Money Writing and Build a Great Career

Get free weekly writing tips...

Want to make money with your writing? Fab Freelance Writing Ezine is your free weekly resource.

Build your skills, get motivated - it's never been easier to build a great writing career.

Whether you're a brand new writer, or are an established pro, Fab Freelance Writing Ezine is packed with writing tips you can use.

Here's what a new writer said: "I've always wanted to sell my writing - you showed me how. I made three sales on one day, just from my blog."

You and Fab Freelance Writing Ezine are a powerful combination. Subscribe today... it's free.

Freelance Writing - Avoiding Stress That Leads to Burn Out

Is your writing causing you stress? In this article, we'll work on eliminating that stress, and helping you to change the way you think about your writing.

Ultimately, stress is always in your own mind; change the way you think, and no matter how busy you get, you'll be stress-free.

Let's look at three steps you can take to avoid feeling stressed about your writing career.

It's vital that you control stress; or you'll face burn out. Burn out - total exhaustion and the inability to write - kills many promising writing careers stone dead. So learning how to control stress is vital.

Follow these three steps, to enjoy writing and building your career, without stress... but with a great deal of excitement:

1. Get a Plan for the Next Six to 12 Months of Your Writing Career

I chat with writers every day, and the lack of a plan is the primary reason writers experience stress. If you take on any and every writing job you can find, without knowing how a particular job fits into your plan, you'll be stressed.

When you create a plan, and stick to it; then you can laugh at stress because you can happily say "No" to writing offers which don't fit into your plan.

Your plan starts with some goals. Write down a couple of goals for your writing, with the deadline 12 months from now.

For example, one goal could be to make $80,000 from your writing within 12 months. So, how would you go about that? Brainstorm ideas, and develop those ideas into a plan.

2. Learn to Say No

Are you too scared to say No! to writing projects for fear you won't get others? This is a common fear of many freelancers, and it stems from not knowing the value of your skills.

Please realize that your writing skills have immense value to others. Indeed, entire hundred-thousand and million-dollar projects may rest on your skills. If you can write, you're worth much more than you think.

You can eliminate this "I'll never get another writing job" fear by taking a proactive role developing your own writing jobs, because the best writing jobs are never advertised.

Learn how to write proposals. Then propose projects to companies with which you'd like to work.

One freelancer I know upped his income from $50,000 to $250,000 in one year when he wrote several proposals for a large company. They were so impressed with his ideas that they hired him as their marketing manager for a new division.

When you become proactive, you never know where a few simple actions will lead you.

3. Charge More

Got ten writing jobs to complete this week? You're not charging enough.

If you're a new freelance writer, take several jobs to build your portfolio, without worrying about the fees you're paid. Get a testimonial from every client.

From then on, move your fees upward with each job you take.

Within a few months, you'll be in the happy position of being able to cherry-pick your jobs, and will only take those jobs which you know you'll enjoy - loving what you do is the perk of being a freelancer.

Big tip: as you move up the fee scale, your clients are easier to work with; they know the value of good writing from a dependable writer, and are willing to pay for that value.

Subscribe to Sell Your Writing Online NOW (SYWON) - it's a complete training in making money online

Want to make money online? You can, with Sell Your Writing Online NOW (SYWON) training. Join me, and develop your own home-based business, writing and making money on the Web.

Are you wasting time, rather than writing?

The way to make money as a writer is to WRITE.

Common sense, isn't it?

If you're dithering, rather than writing, "Stop wasting time, make money" will help.

The money quote from the article is:

Here's the key: the more you write, the more you earn. You don't just earn more in the aggregate, you earn more from each and every writing job, because when you're experienced, you can charge more.

Your writing services business - how to get paid for consultations

Once your writing services Web site is online, you'll get loads of email queries every single day.

While it's great that people are interested in your writing services, many/ most of these queries are a huge waste of your time.

There's no way you can run a profitable writing services business and hand out free information day after day.

So, what do you do? You can't ignore these queries, can you?

No, you can't ignore them all, but you can qualify these prospects. Every business qualifies its prospects, so it's something you must learn how to do too.

Here's how.

1. Create a Web form so prospects can brief you

This is the first step. Create a reasonably detailed online form, so your prospects can tell you more about their needs. As you can see from the form on my Hot Web Copy site, it's detailed, but not overwhelming. If someone is serious about hiring you, they're happy to brief you.

Once your form's created, every email query is answered automatically with a link to this form. (Check your email program's Help files to see how to send auto replies.)

You'll never hear from 95 per cent of the people you send to this form, and that's fine. If they're too lazy to fill in a form, they're not going to hire you, and you've just saved hours of time.

2. Consultations: Yes, you can charge for the time you spend answering questions

You'll get plenty of work from the clients who fill in your form.

However, some prospects will need more hand-holding. They're not sure quite what they want, or they don't know what to do.

You'll get lots of these people, and they can eat up lots of time.

For example, let's say someone has heard about article marketing, and wants you to write some articles for them. However, they have no idea of WHY article marketing is effective, and what keywords are, etc.

This is where you can either spend time and energy and not get paid, or decide that your time is worth money, and so is the information you provide: charge for consultations.

Here's one of my Consultation pages.

Will people balk at paying? Occasionally, yes. But please realize that the people who balk at it have no intention of paying you for anything ever, they just want to pick your brain, so don't worry about it.

Discover more secrets to marketing your services with Angela Booth's video series and marketing ebook. Give your business a marketing boost today - you'll be thrilled with the results.

Subscribe to Angela Booth's fabulous free weekly ezine for freelance writers: get a free report just for subscribing. Even if you're a new writer, you can freelance your way to a fantastic writing career.

Join the thousands of freelance writers who are making great money freelance writing, using Fab Freelance Writing Ezine as their guide.

Writing Jobs - 5 Easy Ways to Avoid Disaster

Looking for writing jobs? They're everywhere online; writers are in high demand. But do remember that you need to protect yourself - let's look at five easy ways you can avoid disaster.

Read the article.

Get Writing Jobs - Brand Yourself As a Writer Online

Want a way to get all the writing jobs you can handle? Here it is - brand yourself as a writer online. It's vital to making the income you want and deserve.

I just did a Google search for "writer," and found 253 million references. That's a lot of Web sites and huge competition if you want to promote yourself as a writer.

Or is it?

Actually, it's not. You can cut the competition down to zero, if you want to, and it's much easier than you think.

Read the article.

Freelance writing and fear of failure

I received a message this week from a blogger who's worried about that his blog will fail.

Read the article.

Freelance Writing - Five Tips to Get Writing Jobs Via Your Web Site

Want more writing jobs? You can have them when you make the most of your writer's Web site. In this article, you'll discover five tips which will help.

As a freelance writer, you have unlimited opportunities to turn your writing skills to profit and make a great income.

However, I teach writers, so I know that getting writing jobs is often a concern, both for new writers, and those who are established. It shouldn't be. Your writer's Web site will help you to land all the writing gigs you want.

Here's how to make the most of your site.

Read the article.

Freelance kick start - get moving NOW

Wondering whether you could or should become a freelance writer?

With the global economy heading southward, freelancing part-time is a great idea, if only for the added income. If the worst happens, and your job is no more, just step up the freelance activity.

The benefits of freelancing:

* You're your own boss

* You can make an unlimited income - what you make is up to you

* No office politics

The pains of freelancing

* You're your own BOSS - make sure you crack the whip, but take some time off too

* There's lots to learn, so learning every day needs to be part of your strategy

* You need the confidence to promote yourself

101 Ideas to Get More Freelance Work and Generate New Client Leads - FreelanceSwitch - The Freelance Blog offers these clever ideas to get freelance writing work:

"Pitch yourself at ad, design and web design agencies as a copywriter

Find some photos on iStockPhoto and write some great ad headlines for each and make a mailer out of it

Submit articles to article banks for sale

Write opinionated, witty pieces and get them publicized on Digg with a blurb at the bottom about your services"

I love the above ideas, because they're CREATIVE. The more way-out and wonderful ideas you TRY, the more success you will have. It's all up to you... so get moving, right now.

Are you making enough money writing?

Or is your writing just a hobby, costing you more in computers, Internet connection fees and writing supplies than you're earning?

The Secret, Unlimited Market For Your Writing Which Generates A Fantastic Writing Income

I'll let you in to a secret. The top earners in writing are copywriters. That is, commercial writers – they write for businesses. (Writing for business is known as copywriting.)

Discover how you can become a top-earning copywriter, making a six-figure income, with "Seven Days To Easy Money: Copywriting Success".

Subscribe to Angela Booth's fabulous free weekly ezine for freelance writers: get a free report just for subscribing. Even if you're a new writer, you can freelance your way to a fantastic writing career.

Join the thousands of freelance writers who are making great money freelance writing, using Fab Freelance Writing Ezine as their guide.

[tags]writing,writing jobs,writing tips,freelance writing,writer,Web writing,writing skills[/tags]

Freelance Writing - Three Tips For Getting Writing Jobs Online

Freelance writing jobs have exploded with the growth of the Web. It's possible for completely new writers to make a nice income. With experience, you can make an extraordinary income.

Unfortunately, many writers either fail to get writing jobs at all, or they get stuck with low-paying gigs.

Here are three tips which will help you.

Read the article.

Get all the (great) writing jobs you want

Want to get GREAT writing jobs?

Fab Freelance Writing Ezine to the rescue. Here's an excerpt from this week's Editorial:

This week we're discussing the popular topic of writing gigs and how to get them. There's never been a better or easier time to be a writer. There are literally unlimited jobs available for you, even if you're a brand new writer.

Unfortunately, many writers (both new and established) shoot themselves in the foot because they don't understand the basics of getting the jobs they want. Our article "Writing Jobs - Get the (Unadvertised) Gigs You Want" will help you, as will my top three tips:

=> One: Decide What You're Good At Writing

It all starts with knowing what you want to write, and getting good at writing it. You may want to write Web articles, company catalogs, or ebooks. Whatever it is, start writing, and keep going until you're good at what you do.

Read the rest in the ezine.

The issue's out tomorrow - subscribe to Fab Freelance Writing Ezine now.

Writer for Hire - Freelancing for Profit

Image via Wikipedia

Want to make a great income as a freelance writer? You can. I'm fond of saying that anyone who can write an email message can write for pay, and that's accurate.

Unfortunately, many new writers get in their own way. They want to make the process of writing for money more complicated than it is. It's very simple: as a writer for hire, you sell your writing services to people and businesses who need those services.

Let's look at the process involved, and then we'll discuss how you can put the process into action, even if you've never been paid a cent for your writing.

1. Decide what you'll write

The first step is to decide what you'll write. Most new writers have had this experience: you read something, and suddenly you realize "I could write that!" or "I could write that BETTER!"

This inspiration is a signal that yes indeed, you could write that, and be paid for it too. You may be inspired by anything - an advertisement, an article, a book, a movie...

Now write something similar. Yes, you need to write, to sell what you write. So go ahead and write your own version of the ad, or the article or book, or whatever it is. Use the same structure and format as the material that's inspired you, but feel free to be as creative as you like, using your own ideas and words.

2. Decide who you'll write it for

Go back to the material which first inspired you. Where was it published? Study the publication to see whether they use freelance writers. Many magazines do, book publishers do of course, and so do many Web sites.

3. Get in touch with the people who can hire you

At this stage, you may want to contact other writers on Web forums, or get a mentor so you can find out how to approach these markets.

Or you can just approach the publication directly; they may ignore you because they're busy, but on the other hand, some kind person at the publication may tell you where their writers' guidelines are, or may even send them to you.

My preference is to approach markets directly, because you'll learn more when you do.

4. Writing for money is experiential - you learn by writing and by selling

Read through the three steps above again. You now know enough to launch your freelance writing career.

Every freelance writer follows those three steps - he (or she) decides what to write, decides who to write it for, and approaches markets. However the professional freelancer is different from amateur writers in only one way - he or she performs the above process every single day, because he knows that writing for money is experiential. You can only learn how to do this by doing it.

And the more often you do it, the more you write and the more you earn.

Initially you'll be awkward. This is understandable. Whenever you learn anything new, you're clumsy. As you keep writing and approaching markets however, you'll become more confident. Each sale you make will increase your confidence and your abilities.

If you want to become a writer for hire, you now have a complete process to follow. Write out the steps, and follow them. You'll learn something new each day, and before you know it, you'll be freelancing for profit as a full time career.

Want to develop a six-figure writing income?

The September 2007 issue of The Writer had a great story: “Secrets Of The Six-Figure Freelancers”. The story’s wonderful because it shows you the potential of a freelance writing career; with the development of the Web and its unlimited markets, if you can write, you can make a great income as a freelance writer.

I chuckled when I read the story because many writers think a “six figure income” is hype. Either that, or they think that a great income is reserved for copywriters, or genre novelists, or other specialist writers.

The fact is that YOU can develop a six-figure writing career: you just need to know that it’s possible to earn $250,000 a year and more as a freelance writer, and then make that your goal.

And of course, you need know-how. That's what my writing ebook manuals give you. In 30 years as a freelance writer, I've learned the tricks of the writing trade, and I'd love to share those tricks with you, so many of my ebooks offer free coaching. Whatever your level of experience as a freelance writer, you can develop a fantastic career, when you know how.

Develop your writing skills today.

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Freelance Writing Home Business - 5 Tips to a Top Income

Image by thepyrokinetic via Flickr

Want to start your own freelance writing home business? You can. And chances are, if you go about it the right way, you'll make much more than you could at your day job.

How much, you ask? Six-figure incomes for freelancers are becoming common - the Web has a voracious appetite for words. However, to hit the freelancing heights, you'll have to treat your writing as a business, not as a hobby.

This means being business-like with your writing.

I'm often asked when you should consider going full time in your own writing business, so I've chosen five tips for you. If the tips make sense to you, and you take them to heart... you're ready.

Your super-fast way to a fantastic writing career

In this week's Fab Freelance Writing Ezine our article is "Writing Cheats - The Super-fast Way to a Fantastic Writing Career".

Here's an excerpt:

Writing and developing a fantastic writing career is all about getting noticed. You need to get noticed not only by editors and agents and others who can buy your writing, but also by readers.

In this article we'll discuss the super-fast way to a fantastic writing career by getting noticed.

Let's start by looking at WHY you need to get noticed. It's simple. Ten per cent of the population want to "be a writer". Of course, this means that this ten per cent needs to actually write, which is the major stumbling block for most.

Of all the writers who sit down and write, most never realize that they can "cheat" their way to a great career by getting noticed. In fact, many writers strive not to be noticed at all, and therefore never make any real money from their writing. Their writing is just a hobby.

You need to get your name known, as soon as possible.

Read the rest in the ezine. This issue is out tomorrow.

Subscribe to Angela Booth's fabulous free weekly ezine for freelance writers: get a free report just for subscribing. Even if you're a new writer, you can freelance your way to a fantastic writing career.

Join the thousands of freelance writers who are making great money freelance writing, using Fab Freelance Writing Ezine as their guide.

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