Freelance Writing - Promote Your Name As A Writer And Get Famous

For a freelance writer, your name is everything: it's becoming known for what you do, and the quality of your work. When you build your name, you become known not only to editors and publishers, but also to your readers.

Name-recognition is money in the bank for a writer. When I wrote about "getting famous" and promoting your name as a writer in my writers' ezine, I was startled by the amount of feedback I received.

The gist of the feedback was - "I've never thought of it that way." So please, start thinking of it now. You must promote your own name as a writer, because if you don't, you'll always be an unknown quantity not only to the people who can hire you, but also to readers.

One of the first things a literary agent will tell you is that you must build your "platform" - this is the people who know you by name. A platform means that publishers are more likely to look favorably on you, because they known you know how publishing works. Name-recognition is EVERYTHING to any writer.

It's vital. Until that knowledge becomes a part of the way you operate as a writer, you'll always be a dabbler, not a professional. Publishers will not take you seriously, and will be hesitant about committing to you, because you don't seem serious about your writing.

Name recognition is also a matter of security. The waters you swim in as a writer are full of sharks, who will think nothing of ripping you off. They'll take your time and your energy. I've written about writing scams before many times, because they're so common. You make it less likely that you'll be ripped off if people know your name.

Becoming Known Costs Nothing - But It's Essential For Your Writing Career

I'm constantly amazed by the writers' Web sites I see on which there's no mention of the writer's real name. There's either a nick name, or no name at all.

If your full-time job is not writing-related, then perhaps you might want to keep your name a secret... but why? Your employer isn't likely to fire you because you moonlight as a writer. And not publicizing your name takes away from any credibility you have.

If you're not promoting your own name, start doing so today.

How to Write a Job Description

If you're an employer that is trying to find a perfect employee then you need to create a stellar job description. You see, a job description not only explains what the employee's roles and responsibilities will entail but will also clarify those unique qualifications that you are seeking from an employee. By failing to create a stellar description and hap hazardously drafting a poor description, you'll likely end up with unqualified candidates that will waste your precious time and hiring resources.

In this article, we will discuss how to write a stellar job description that gets prospects motivated and interested in working for your company while carefully weaning out unqualified people.

1. Brainstorm about the position.

Take some time and think about the skills and qualifications that your perfect employee would possess. For instance, would they be able to handle various tasks, be able to use certain software or office equipment, have specific training, skills or personality? Once you have the vision of the type of person you're seeking, write down those qualifications on paper.

2. Next, evaluate your list in terms of those skills which are in fact realistic. For instance, if you're expecting someone to handle multiple tasks then are you willing to compensate them commensurate with their efforts? Good people will generally cost more money. Its just a fact of life.

3. Consider your current and future hiring needs. For instance, if you plan on opening up a new position in the future and may need your new employee to travel or relocate, then make a note to include this in the description. Its no good hiring an employee today, that can't fit in with your plans for the company.

4. Do a little market research to evaluate how other employers have written job descriptions. What type of terminology did they use? Were there descriptions clear and to the point? If you were an employee searching for a position, would you be interested in their position? Why or why not?

5. Next, start writing. Craft your job description while being extremely detailed. For instance, include the expected performance, required skills, job duties (include all tasks), etc. Also, make sure that you include a descriptive narrative on any additional shared job responsibilities and how you'll evaluate, measure and reward performance.

6. Be crystal clear about what you expect on a daily basis. For instance, what specific tasks and responsibilities will the person need to be successful? Are you open to paying for training courses? If so, how much? Do you require any specific licenses or degrees or work experience? Will you trade professional experience for these attributes? For instance, if the educational background is preferred then say so,

In conclusion, writing a stellar job description isn't difficult but it requires a bit of thought and effort on your part. By visualizing your dream employee, being clear about your needs, conducting market research, writing a detailed description, you'll find the perfect employee.

Marketing Your Web Writing - Self-Promotion Is Not Bragging

To become a highly paid Web writer, you need to spend some energy on promotion. Unfortunately, this is difficult for some writers.

Many Web writers are self-conscious and shy. There are a million and one reasons for this, but to write successfully - that is, to get paid what you're worth - you need to become comfortable at promoting your Web writing. If no one knows what you do, you'll always be scrabbling for the next paycheck, when you could be turning away Web writing clients because you're booked solid.

Here's a snippet (quoted with permission) from an email message I received this week:

"I've tried the out-sourcing sites, but it's ridiculous - 100 articles for $250. Come on! I'm getting discouraged. I don't think I'm cut out to be a writer at all... I know you said I need a Web site, but aside from the effort of learning how to do that, and the time it takes, I don't like bragging. It's just not me."

I'm not against $2 articles - some writers are happy to write for $2, and why not? Web writing is a global occupation, and $2 goes a lot further in India than it does in Europe, the US or Australia. I also know a lot of writers writing for these amounts are college students, earning some extra money.

This is fine - but these people are not professional writers. There's a lot more to professional writing than writing, so to speak.

No one, least of all me, is suggesting that you churn out $2 articles. However, to get paid reasonably well, you do need to put effort into self-promotion.

Self-Promotion Is Not Bragging, It's Marketing, And It Works

All businesses market themselves. Whether it's a local store hiring a sign-writer to plaster the week's specials across a window, or a giant fast-food operation buying blocks of TV advertising time and spending millions in the process, it's promotion, which is a form of marketing. It's not bragging. It's business.

I know that many writers suffer under the impression that they shouldn't need to market their writing. You're an excellent writer - so why should you hustle? It's demeaning.

Well, it's not demeaning. When you know how to do it, it's a lot of fun. I used to be a writer with a "self-promotion is bragging" attitude. So I took a marketing course at my local college. It was the best time and money I ever spent. Of course you don't have to go back to school to learn marketing, you can visit your local library and take out books on marketing.

It's really up to you. There's a lot of money to be made in writing for the Web, and many writers have already made the switch because Web writing has huge benefits. But yes, you do need a Web site, and you do need to do some self-promotion.

Try it - you have nothing to lose, and much to gain. Once you do, I promise you that you'll have a lot of fun. I went from a person who hates all forms of self-promotion to someone who loves it, and you can too. Put some time into self-promotion, and your Web writing income will rise - it really is that simple, and that easy.

Writing Articles That Sell

Article writing for web content is one of the hottest things in the virtual world these days. That's great news for freelance writers. Writing articles is a great place for new writers to start turning their talent into dollars. Writing articles that sell, though, isn't always easy. Here are some tips that may help.

Write what you know. That project about indoor plumbing may sound lucrative, but if you're someone who prefers crafts or pets, stay away from topics you know nothing about. Your lack of expertise will show up in your writing. Take writing jobs you feel confident writing about for better material. Your clients will be impressed as well.

Research and increase your knowledge. There are thousands of freelance writing opportunities out there on a vast range of topics. I've already said to write about what you know, but learn how to research what you don't and accumulate more expertise. To be a great freelance writer, you need to be an expert researcher. Get educated and learn new things about hot topics in demand. Don't just skim the surface to get an idea. Delve deep and become an expert.

Never paraphrase or rewrite material. This is the worst type of behavior a freelance writer can have. Paraphrasing or rewriting is barely a cut above copying someone else's work and pasting into your article. Have some pride and integrity. If you're going to be a professional writer, you shouldn't be earning money off of someone else's hard work and efforts. Learn about a subject until you know everything about it. Then write.

Don't be picky. Don't turn up your nose at writing about patio heaters or horse manure. These topics may be boring to you, but they could be very important to a client. Get excited with the client. Never give the client the impression you're doing him or her a favor by writing on a topic you don't enjoy. The client is doing you a favor by choosing your services over the thousands of other freelance writers out there.

Avoid fluff and filler. Clients hate this. Filling up a page with useless wording to have a longer page of text hurts your business. Eliminate anything that doesn't give value to the article. Phrasing such as, 'You will know that,' or, 'You should,' or, 'You might like to,' are useless and just boost word count for nothing.

Use action phrasing and assertive language. Be positive and proactive and let that show in what you write. Don't write, 'You will know that effective writing may be a good way to try to make some money.' That's weak. Instead, write, 'Effective writing is a good way to make money.'

Stay informative and be concise. Self-indulgent language and flowery prose is best saved for fiction works. Remember who the target audience is for articles. Most of the time, these are individuals seeking advice, help, or information. Articles should provide that to readers. How imaginative and creative you can be when you write has no place in the web content article market.

Edit, edit, edit. Check your work over until you're sure there aren't any typos, punctuation errors, or grammar problems. Word-processing software such as Microsoft word has great features to cut out weak writing and mistakes. Don't rely on a software program to correct a skill you should know by heart. Editing software isn't perfect, but your article needs to be.

Set it aside and read it another day. Many beginning writers slam down 500 words and send out the article without setting it aside. Always wait at least 12 hours before submitting anything. Read your work over again. Does the text still make sense? Did you write in the emotional mood that you were feeling when you first wrote the article?

Read your article out loud. Something may look fantastic in black and white, but verbalize it and you may find that nothing makes sense. Reading aloud catches plenty of strange or awkward phrasing, short sentences, or their counterparts, run-on sentences.

Be proud. You're a professional writer. That's a cool job and not one everyone can do! Have confidence in your skills and talent. Self-confidence and pride shows through in your writing and in communication with clients. You're doing something you love and earning money. Show that you enjoy your job and want to do the best you can.
Copyright James Chartrand 2007