By Amber McNaught
No matter how many times I see my writing published, it never stops being the best adrenaline rush ever.
Yesterday one of my articles appeared in a national newspaper. No big deal, really: I mean, I am a freelance journalist, so you'd think I'd be used to seeing my name in print by now. Not so. Rather than waiting for a break in my workload and taking a leisurely stroll to the newsagents to collect said paper, I hot-footed in down there as soon as I was dressed, like a kid at Christmas.
I had located the page with my by-line before I even reached the checkout, and I really had to exercise enormous self-control not to thrust the newspaper under the check-out assistant's nose and say, "Look! That's me! That's my name! In the paper!"
I managed to restrain myself, and just did that to my fiancé instead, but the fact remains: for a freelance writer, there's no rush greater than publication.
So how do you do it?
Well, in my case, I do it mostly through contacts. I started out as a staff reporter on the local paper, and I've kept up with the people I met throughout my journalism career, whether they be fellow reporters, editors, or the woman who used to empty the rubbish bins at the end of the night.
In this business you have to do that. You have to keep in touch with people in the industry, you have to make sure your name remains fresh in their minds, you have to keep on plugging away at keeping that contact book up to date, adding to it, and maintaining friendships. This is a business that functions, to an extent, on "who you know" rather than "what you
know", and it doesn't hurt to keep that in mind.
I also do it by being persistent. You need a thick skin to be a freelance writer. You spend a lot of time being rejected, being snubbed, and even being ignored. (Actually, I prefer being ignored: it stings less!) You have to keep at it.
Remember that for every query you send to an editor, they probably received one hundred others. You're up against a lot of competition, but sometimes sheer persistence pays off. Remember, it was the tortoise that won the race: keep chipping away at it, keep on sending in those queries, know that it can only get easier.
Thirdly, I do it by being in the right place at the right time, and what I mean by that is that anytime an editor contacts me with a job, I jump at it, even it means staying up all night and missing the next episode of "Lost". A little-known fact for you: in newspaper journalism, excellent writing isn't the most important quality to have. That's what sub-editors are there for.
What many editors are looking for are writers who will respond instantly, file copy on time, get the facts right, and get the story. Being always-on call may not be the most relaxing way to live, but it's one way to make sure that the editor who just commissioned you for one story will come back for more.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Amber McNaught runs WritingWorld.org, a website specialising in matching freelance writers with freelance writing jobs. Visit the site at http://www.WritingWorld.org
24.12.09
Write For Environmental Publications As A Freelancer
By Gary McLaren
The earth matters. Our planet is in danger. Many of our world's species are under threat of extinction. As people are becoming more aware of the current threats to our environment, more publications are emerging to update and inform readers of the latest environmental news and trends.
There is plenty of opportunity for freelance writers to write for publications that focus on environmental and conservation material.
Here are some examples.
FOREST MAGAZINE
This publication is produced for people who care about our forests. It is published quarterly by the conservation group, Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics.
Guidelines: http://www.fseee.org/forestmag/submissions.shtml
ALTERNATIVES
This is a quarterly journal dedicated to in-depth analysis of environmental issues, including ecological, social and economic dimensions. They invite feature articles, shorter reports, notes, interviews, resource guides, visual images related to article themes, cultural commentary and humor.
Guidelines:http://www.alternativesjournal.ca/contributors-guidelines
CONSERVATIONIST MAGAZINE
This is a non-profit magazine published bi-monthly by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Typical topics include fishing, hunting, nature viewing, and outdoor recreation.
Guidelines: http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/24061.html
BBC WILDLIFE MAGAZINE
This is a monthly magazine aimed at people with a keen interest in wildlife, conservation, and associated environmental issues. Seeks original ideas and in-depth, personal knowledge of the subject matter. Receives about 30 pitches a week, most of which are rejected. Read their guidelines on the web to improve your chances of success.
Guidelines: http://www.bbcwildlifemagazine.com/submittingideas.asp
In addition to publications like those above that focus on the environment and related topics, you will also find that many other publications publish environmental material, including regional magazines and women's publications.
Here are a couple of examples:
HAWAII MAGAZINE
A bimonthly regional travel publication. They use freelance writers on a wide variety of subjects, including travel stories, environmental sustainability, personality profiles, stories on history, culture, music, and food.
Guidelines: http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/freelance_guidelines
HERIZONS
This publication reflects a feminist philosophy that is diverse and relevant to women's daily lives. They seek to empower women; to inspire hope and foster a state of wellness that enriches women's lives. In-depth feature articles cover feminist debates, current social/ political/legal/environmental/culture emerging issues or personal stories with a broader social relevance.
Guidelines: http://www.herizons.ca/contribute
It is time to care for our planet. It is time to start conserving. As a freelance writer you can contribute to this movement and grow your freelance writing business at the same time.
About the author: Gary McLaren is the founder and editor of Worldwide Freelance Writer at http://www.worldwidefreelance.com
The earth matters. Our planet is in danger. Many of our world's species are under threat of extinction. As people are becoming more aware of the current threats to our environment, more publications are emerging to update and inform readers of the latest environmental news and trends.
There is plenty of opportunity for freelance writers to write for publications that focus on environmental and conservation material.
Here are some examples.
FOREST MAGAZINE
This publication is produced for people who care about our forests. It is published quarterly by the conservation group, Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics.
Guidelines: http://www.fseee.org/forestmag/submissions.shtml
ALTERNATIVES
This is a quarterly journal dedicated to in-depth analysis of environmental issues, including ecological, social and economic dimensions. They invite feature articles, shorter reports, notes, interviews, resource guides, visual images related to article themes, cultural commentary and humor.
Guidelines:http://www.alternativesjournal.ca/contributors-guidelines
CONSERVATIONIST MAGAZINE
This is a non-profit magazine published bi-monthly by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Typical topics include fishing, hunting, nature viewing, and outdoor recreation.
Guidelines: http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/24061.html
BBC WILDLIFE MAGAZINE
This is a monthly magazine aimed at people with a keen interest in wildlife, conservation, and associated environmental issues. Seeks original ideas and in-depth, personal knowledge of the subject matter. Receives about 30 pitches a week, most of which are rejected. Read their guidelines on the web to improve your chances of success.
Guidelines: http://www.bbcwildlifemagazine.com/submittingideas.asp
In addition to publications like those above that focus on the environment and related topics, you will also find that many other publications publish environmental material, including regional magazines and women's publications.
Here are a couple of examples:
HAWAII MAGAZINE
A bimonthly regional travel publication. They use freelance writers on a wide variety of subjects, including travel stories, environmental sustainability, personality profiles, stories on history, culture, music, and food.
Guidelines: http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/freelance_guidelines
HERIZONS
This publication reflects a feminist philosophy that is diverse and relevant to women's daily lives. They seek to empower women; to inspire hope and foster a state of wellness that enriches women's lives. In-depth feature articles cover feminist debates, current social/ political/legal/environmental/culture emerging issues or personal stories with a broader social relevance.
Guidelines: http://www.herizons.ca/contribute
It is time to care for our planet. It is time to start conserving. As a freelance writer you can contribute to this movement and grow your freelance writing business at the same time.
About the author: Gary McLaren is the founder and editor of Worldwide Freelance Writer at http://www.worldwidefreelance.com
22.12.09
Are You A Six-Figure Writer?
How many times have you heard about poor, starving writers? Maybe it's time to face the truth. Well, the truth is that not all writers are struggling to put a loaf of bread on the table. As I will show you, some writers are earning a very nice income indeed.
Before we look at the incomes of writers, let's review how freelance writers earn their living. They write articles for magazines, newspapers and web sites. Some concentrate on copywriting or technical writing. And others specialize in writing resumes, short stories, poetry and greeting cards.
The pay that writers receive for their services varies quite widely, however, much more so than for other professions such as teaching or plumbing.
A recent survey conducted by the American Society of Journalists and Authors revealed some interested facts about the incomes of freelance journalists. The results took into account the responses of 473 freelance journalists who worked in United States and who considered freelancing to be their primary job.
Around 7% of these freelance journalists earned $100,000 or more. A further 24% earned between $50,000 and $100,000. And approximately 69% of these writers earned less than $50,000 a year.
The good news is that many of these writers are clearly not starving. And 7% of them reached the "six-figure writer" status. In fact, 3% of the freelance writers surveyed actually earned $150,000 or more!
The bad news is that many freelance writers are still earning less than $50,000 annually. If you are a writer reading this article and that also describes your situation, then here are some tips to increase your income towards that six-figure mark.
WHAT DO YOU WRITE?
By changing the type of writing you do, you may be able to earn better rates for your work. One of the more lucrative areas of writing is copywriting. I know of a survey of copywriters that revealed that 39% of respondents earned between $50,000 and $100,000 a year, certainly a higher percentage than the 24% of
writers above.
Other lucrative areas of writing include ghostwriting, working as a technical writer, and writing and selling your own ebooks and information products.
DISCIPLINE AND PERSEVERANCE
It takes hard work to build any business, and a writing business is no exception. Plan your targets well in advance. Calculate how many hours you will work and what amount you need to earn per hour in
order to achieve your targets. For example, in order to make $100,000 a year, you must earn an average of approximately $2,000 per week. If you are going to work 40 hour weeks, then you need to
earn at least $50 for each hour of work in order to reach your target of $100,000 for the year.
Many people dream about being a full-time writer but don't know they could make it a reality. Now you know it's possible to earn a good income from freelance writing. You just need to get into it with your eyes wide open. Do some due diligence up front. Check out which areas of writing are likely to be better for you. Now go for it. Write on!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: David Goldsmith works full-time as a writer and is the author of "25 Ways To Write For Money". Discover how YOU can earn a good living from freelance writing at http://www.WriterIncome.com
Before we look at the incomes of writers, let's review how freelance writers earn their living. They write articles for magazines, newspapers and web sites. Some concentrate on copywriting or technical writing. And others specialize in writing resumes, short stories, poetry and greeting cards.
The pay that writers receive for their services varies quite widely, however, much more so than for other professions such as teaching or plumbing.
A recent survey conducted by the American Society of Journalists and Authors revealed some interested facts about the incomes of freelance journalists. The results took into account the responses of 473 freelance journalists who worked in United States and who considered freelancing to be their primary job.
Around 7% of these freelance journalists earned $100,000 or more. A further 24% earned between $50,000 and $100,000. And approximately 69% of these writers earned less than $50,000 a year.
The good news is that many of these writers are clearly not starving. And 7% of them reached the "six-figure writer" status. In fact, 3% of the freelance writers surveyed actually earned $150,000 or more!
The bad news is that many freelance writers are still earning less than $50,000 annually. If you are a writer reading this article and that also describes your situation, then here are some tips to increase your income towards that six-figure mark.
WHAT DO YOU WRITE?
By changing the type of writing you do, you may be able to earn better rates for your work. One of the more lucrative areas of writing is copywriting. I know of a survey of copywriters that revealed that 39% of respondents earned between $50,000 and $100,000 a year, certainly a higher percentage than the 24% of
writers above.
Other lucrative areas of writing include ghostwriting, working as a technical writer, and writing and selling your own ebooks and information products.
DISCIPLINE AND PERSEVERANCE
It takes hard work to build any business, and a writing business is no exception. Plan your targets well in advance. Calculate how many hours you will work and what amount you need to earn per hour in
order to achieve your targets. For example, in order to make $100,000 a year, you must earn an average of approximately $2,000 per week. If you are going to work 40 hour weeks, then you need to
earn at least $50 for each hour of work in order to reach your target of $100,000 for the year.
Many people dream about being a full-time writer but don't know they could make it a reality. Now you know it's possible to earn a good income from freelance writing. You just need to get into it with your eyes wide open. Do some due diligence up front. Check out which areas of writing are likely to be better for you. Now go for it. Write on!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: David Goldsmith works full-time as a writer and is the author of "25 Ways To Write For Money". Discover how YOU can earn a good living from freelance writing at http://www.WriterIncome.com
18.12.09
Article Template: How To Write A 'Top Mistakes' Article
By Steve Shaw
When you’re writing free reprint articles to market your site, at some point you’ll probably say, “This would be so much easier if someone would just tell me what to write!”
If this is you, then you will love this article template. I’m about to tell you step-by-step how to go about creating your next article–a “Top Mistakes” article.
Most likely you’ve noticed mistakes that clients, customers or people interested in your niche make on a regular basis. When you notice these you probably think, “I wish I could tell this person the right way to do this–it would make their life so much easier!”
You have just bumped into a prime teaching opportunity–why not craft a helpful article that will alert your readers to common mistakes that they very well might be making, and then gently steer them back on the right path?
You’ve probably already created tons of “Top Tips” articles–it’s time to approach your next article from the opposite side and focus on some things your reader should avoid.
To make things easier, here’s a template for creating a “Top Mistakes” article:
1) What mistakes do you notice people making repeatedly in your niche?
These could be misconceptions in thinking or mistakes in behavior. As an expert in your niche it is your role to educate people–if you notice someone doing something wrong or making a faulty assumption over and over again, you really want to help and set the record straight.
Don’t think of this as focusing on the negative–many times people don’t realize they’re doing anything wrong until it’s pointed out to them!
If they can see your list of common mistakes, it will be a powerful learning experience. Think of a “Top Mistakes” article as being a preventative measure with positive results for your readers.
2) Write out each mistake and offer a solution. Focus on the instructive part–the mistake is really only an opportunity to teach the reader an important truth. So, briefly describe the mistake, and then quickly move into the solution.
It helps to be encouraging–assure the reader that many people are making this same mistake, and that it can be quickly remedied with a change of thinking or behavior.
3) Place a number in front of each of the mistakes so that the reader can easily keep track of your list (and this will also help in creating your title–more on that later).
4) Write an introductory paragraph that explains why these types of mistakes are common. Explain what the reader has to gain by avoiding them, and what they have to lose by doing them.
5) Write a concluding paragraph–this could just be a sentence or two. Reaffirm what the reader has to gain by avoiding these mistakes. Be positive!
6) Create a title that uses a number–whatever number of mistakes you’re covering. So, your title could be “Top 5 Writing Mistakes” or “7 Common Writing Mistakes of Newbie Article Writers”.
“Top Mistakes” articles are some of the easiest to write because you have likely already noticed common mistakes that people make in your field. Your article can be a powerful teaching tool–sometimes the best way to learn is to see what not to do!
About the author: Steve Shaw is an article marketing expert, and founder of the popular article submission service, http://www.submityourarticle.com , used by thousands of business owners. Discover how to use the power of article marketing to reach tens of thousands of potential prospects for your website – download a powerful free report on successful article marketing from
http://www.submityourarticle.com/report
When you’re writing free reprint articles to market your site, at some point you’ll probably say, “This would be so much easier if someone would just tell me what to write!”
If this is you, then you will love this article template. I’m about to tell you step-by-step how to go about creating your next article–a “Top Mistakes” article.
Most likely you’ve noticed mistakes that clients, customers or people interested in your niche make on a regular basis. When you notice these you probably think, “I wish I could tell this person the right way to do this–it would make their life so much easier!”
You have just bumped into a prime teaching opportunity–why not craft a helpful article that will alert your readers to common mistakes that they very well might be making, and then gently steer them back on the right path?
You’ve probably already created tons of “Top Tips” articles–it’s time to approach your next article from the opposite side and focus on some things your reader should avoid.
To make things easier, here’s a template for creating a “Top Mistakes” article:
1) What mistakes do you notice people making repeatedly in your niche?
These could be misconceptions in thinking or mistakes in behavior. As an expert in your niche it is your role to educate people–if you notice someone doing something wrong or making a faulty assumption over and over again, you really want to help and set the record straight.
Don’t think of this as focusing on the negative–many times people don’t realize they’re doing anything wrong until it’s pointed out to them!
If they can see your list of common mistakes, it will be a powerful learning experience. Think of a “Top Mistakes” article as being a preventative measure with positive results for your readers.
2) Write out each mistake and offer a solution. Focus on the instructive part–the mistake is really only an opportunity to teach the reader an important truth. So, briefly describe the mistake, and then quickly move into the solution.
It helps to be encouraging–assure the reader that many people are making this same mistake, and that it can be quickly remedied with a change of thinking or behavior.
3) Place a number in front of each of the mistakes so that the reader can easily keep track of your list (and this will also help in creating your title–more on that later).
4) Write an introductory paragraph that explains why these types of mistakes are common. Explain what the reader has to gain by avoiding them, and what they have to lose by doing them.
5) Write a concluding paragraph–this could just be a sentence or two. Reaffirm what the reader has to gain by avoiding these mistakes. Be positive!
6) Create a title that uses a number–whatever number of mistakes you’re covering. So, your title could be “Top 5 Writing Mistakes” or “7 Common Writing Mistakes of Newbie Article Writers”.
“Top Mistakes” articles are some of the easiest to write because you have likely already noticed common mistakes that people make in your field. Your article can be a powerful teaching tool–sometimes the best way to learn is to see what not to do!
About the author: Steve Shaw is an article marketing expert, and founder of the popular article submission service, http://www.submityourarticle.com , used by thousands of business owners. Discover how to use the power of article marketing to reach tens of thousands of potential prospects for your website – download a powerful free report on successful article marketing from
http://www.submityourarticle.com/report
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