Entries Tagged 'General Freelancing Tips' ↓

Curb Your Enthusiasm is the funniest show currently on television. There–I said it. And you don’t have to agree with me. But quite frankly, you’re wrong if you don’t. Whatever show out there you think is funnier…it isn’t. Not unlike Seinfeld, the show is just plain smart. Which only serves to prove that Larry David is the brains behind all of it.

Now being a freelance writer, I have this really annoying habit of trying to compare everything in the world to my writing career. And I also have this annoying habit of comparing every life situation to something that happened on Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm. Having said that, I’ve been thinking, why not take a look at both? Sort of meld them together?

So with that in mind, I’ve come up with a few simple truths about our business that we can learn from watching Larry. Here goes…

Don’t be afraid to piss people off

Here’s a secret: pretty much every episode of Curb has the same formula. And it begins with a good intentioned Larry pissing someone off. And while he doesn’t mean to, at the same time he isn’t afraid to. Why? Because he stands up for what he believes in–his principles–no matter how ridiculous they may be. And he doesn’t apologize either.

Now when it comes to blogging, you’ve got to take chances. Meaning, you need to put your real views out there, no matter how silly or unpopular they may sound. The fact is–when a post is created with passion, readers can tell. They can also tell when you’re just throwing out some empty drivel to fulfill the need for “another post.”

And sometimes these controversial posts are better for business anyway. For example, my last post about Google killing Facebook–let’s just say there are quite a few people who don’t agree with me. In fact, I was at a writer’s meeting for a magazine the other day and a web guy basically laughed at me when I started talking about my post. But hey, guess what? I think it will happen. And I’m going to laugh my butt off and be overly obnoxious about it when it comes to pass. And if it doesn’t? Oh well. I’ll deal with it somehow then. maybe deny ever saying it? Hmmm.. wonder how Larry would handle it?

Now at the same time, be careful not to write stuff that screams “hey look at my crazy off-the-wall opinion!” because your readers will see right through what you’re doing. Obviously, you’re just begging for attention. And who likes that?

Know when to let things go

While Larry is great about speaking his mind and not stepping down, he’s also not very good about knowing when to walk away, which makes up another piece of the show’s formula. He will keep something going, an argument for example, way longer than necessary. To the point where it’s extremely uncomfortable and you have your hands over your face, shaking your head in disbelief. And laughing too, of course.

Case in point, episode one of the new season. ***SPOILER ALERT*** If you haven’t seen it yet. Stop reading now! Otherwise…continue.

So Larry’s working on getting back with his ex-wife and it looks like everything is going great. They’re starting to make out and just when you think it’s on, so to speak, he has a realization: his ex-wife was the one who made a water stain on a wooden table at a friend’s party. And he was blamed for it. A seemingly unimportant event of the past, right? Well not to a man of principle like Larry.

As a result, he proceeds to tell her she needs to call his friend and explain that she made the water stain. Obviously his ex wanted nothing to do with it. Yet Larry persisted. And persisted. And persisted. Until eventually she got up and left.

And divorced him.

Now, as a blogger, there are going to be times when we get into it with people. Perhaps commenters. Perhaps clients. Whatever the case, you need to know when to stop. Whether it’s arguing back and forth in the replies or it’s bickering via email…at some point you have to know when to close your mouth and walk away. Otherwise you;re going to pull a Larry and start losing readers and/or clients.

Be spontaneous

Did you know that each episode of Curb has a very loose script that acts more like an outline than anything else? So Larry and his fellow actors basically make everything up as they go along. The benefits here are obvious:

• It feels more real to the cast.
• It feels more real to the audience.
• Natural humor comes forth because nothing is forced.

That said, I have a confession to make. I’m making this all up as I go along. I didn’t even type a draft into Microsoft Word or anything. I decided before starting that I was going to open up WordPress and fire away. And whatever came out, that’s what I’m going to post. Hell, I’m not even going to edit this. As soon as I’m done I’m hitting “Publish.”

So I’m putting this point to the test. And you can let me know if you think the whole idea of “flying by the seat of your pants” really works. This can be sort of a case study, right? Please feel free to dissect this idea in the comments.

Please cue the Curb theme music in your head. No wrap up. No conclusion. Doo-do-doo-doooooooo-do-do….

Apparently ours is. We’ve posted like once in the last two weeks. I’m not going to make excuses. We’re just really busy with the hustle and bustle the season has to offer. That said, there’s gotta be a way to keep it going through these busy, stressful times. Here’s what I’m going to do next year to make sure we keep getting freelance writing tips out to you guys on a timely manner during the holidays.

• Have a blogging contest–I’ve been tossing this one around for awhile. There’s definitely going to be a contest here at Part Time Writer in the future. I think it might be the next step to boosting traffic here. However, I want to make sure we have some product offering up and running first. I’ve already written an eBook giving pointers on how to get your freelane writing career up and running. We’re going to give it away for free in exchange for you signing up for our mailing list. However, it’s still in the editing phase. We’re also going to have some products for sale as well. I think it’s feasible to say we’ll have all of that together and out there within the year. So expect a blogging contest here next holiday season!
• Guest blogging–I keep saying I’m going to push to get people to guest blog on here. I even posted about it once over at www.myblogguest.com but I haven’t really worked to find people. Got a few responses but most were, meh. Anyway, if you’re reading this and would like to do a guest post, hit me up. I’m always open and it would certainly help us out of the holiday slump. And of course, it’s good for your link building as well.
• Plan ahead–I tend to do everything last minute. Which is okay usually. I thrive under pressure. It worked through high school, through college, throughout my teaching career. But honestly, it’s been catching up with me as of late. Now that my recurring jobs are stacking up, I’m finding myself stressing hugely. So next season, I’m going to do my best to plan ahead. Outline some PTW posts early one so I can have the skeletons ready to flesh out close to Christmas.

Someone help me out here. What measures do you take to keep your blog from stagnating during the holiday season?

I think it’s safe to say that no one wants to go to Hell. And of course no one wants to send their blog there either. But how do we avoid it? It’s simple. Just make sure you aren’t committing any of the following blogging sins. And if you are, remember that it’s never too late to change your ways and make things right.

1. Same crap, different… you know—Coming up with fresh ideas can prove difficult. Sometimes you sit down at your computer to make a post and end up staring at your screen blankly for what seems like hours. I get that. We all do it. However, you have to resist the urge to pull up Google and find a post to spin. Chances are if you Google something and it pops up early enough in the rankings for you to notice, then the topic has already been beat to death. Why jump on the bandwagon? Do you really think your readers want to see something they can get in 20 other places?  Don’t forget, using other people’s ideas will come back to bite you.

2. Ignoring the ones who make your blog matter—It’s easy to get caught up in churning out post after post without ever looking back. But you need to be careful not to forget the ones who read and comment on your posts. Take some time each day to go back and personally respond to each. Blogs aren’t just about conveying information. They’re about engaging in conversations. And your readers can’t converse with you if you aren’t responding.

3. Dragging it out—Guess how many times I actually read through an entire post that’s over, say, 700 words? If you guessed “ZERO!” then you’re right on target. I like reading blogs because the posts are usually short and sweet. If I want to read a 1500 word article then I’ll pick up a magazine. And guess what? I guarantee most of your readers feel the same way.

Feel like you can’t cut down your post and do the subject justice? Then cut it up into multiple posts. Make a series. Also consider breaking the text into small chunks with subheadings, bullet points, etc. More people will read them, I promise.

4. Making things too difficult—Is your blog littered with words found on an SAT vocabulary list? If so, you’re a blogging sinner! Similar to the last sin, using giant words turns your readers off. When I’m reading a blog, I don’t want to have to break out my dictionary to figure out what the hell you are saying. If this happens too often, I’m going to leave and never return. General rule of thumb? If an average junior high student couldn’t read your entries without tripping up then your vocabulary is too difficult.

5. Being selfish—This doesn’t just go for blogging. Whether Tweeting, writing copy…whatever type of writing you’re doing, people don’t just want to read about you. Yes, I understand you probably started a blog to make money for yourself. But no one likes an egotistical jerk. If you’re going to make this thing work, you need to shift the focus to others as well. Provide content that mentions other people. Link to other blogs in your posts. Make recommendations. Don’t be scared of sending your readers to other blogs. If the links are good, they’ll be thankful and find their way back to you.

6. Keyword stuffing—We all want to rank high in Google. So we research our keywords and make sure we’re hitting them in our posts. But do we put them in every post? Do we stuff each post with them to the point that they might burst? Nope. For example, one of our biggest keywords here is “freelance writing tips.” How many times have you seen it in this post? Once. The fact is, cramming your keywords is annoying.

Are you committing any of these blogging sins? What other sins do you think bloggers should repent of?

Mad Men is pretty much the best show on TV right now, hands down. There’s the 60’s setting, the cool ad-guy persona, the boozing and the philandering. But there’s more to it than just the “cool factor.” As a freelance writer striving to build our own successful business, there are quite a few lessons we can glean from this groundbreaking show. Here they are… oh and by the way, spoiler alert!

1. Start small and work your way up to the top

Even the mighty Don Draper had to start somewhere. For him it was a retail store and a used car lot where he gained valuable sales experience. For me it was Demand Media Studios, where I first learned how to write SEO formatted articles. Where’d you start? Wherever we begin, it’s important not to be ashamed. Everyone has to get experience somewhere. The key is using the newly acquired knowledge to climb to the next rung of the ladder.

2. Don’t be afraid to think big

Mad Men is full of big thinkers. Don wanted more out of his career than to just work for a little retail store, so he pounced on the opportunity to talk to Roger Sterling. Pete knew he was as good, so he whined and sniveled his way to the top to become junior partner. Peggy refused to play the traditional secretarial woman’s role and she became one of Don’s best copywriters. How about you? What’s your dream? Surely it’s not to stay writing for some content mill. Set big goals for yourself. My first goal was to hit a certain dollar amount per month writing part time. I hit it. Then I upped it and I hit it again. So now it’s time for me to think bigger. Join me!

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When it comes to freelance writing, the thing I hate above all else is editing. By the time I’ve finished a piece, whether it’s an article or web copy, I just want to send it on and be done with it. The last thing I want to do is pick through it with a fine-toothed comb to make sure I don’t have any typos. I mean, I hate it so much, that sometimes I just refuse to do it. I’ll upload the file and email it with my fingers crossed. Because at times it’s totally worth the gamble.

That said, I found something today that may change my life forever—and it could change yours. It’s the “speak cells” option in Microsoft Excel. What does it do? Well, you type something in a cell, hit enter, and it reads it to you. How does this help you with your freelance writing assignments? Easy. You just copy and paste your article into Excel, hit the enter button, and listen for your mistakes. No more painstaking reading what you’ve already spend hours on!

Here’s how to find the option in Excel:

1. In the very top left corner of your screen, click “Customize Quick Access Toolbar” drop down arrow. It’s right next to your “repeat typing” arrow.
2. Click “more commands” on the drop down menu.
3. In the choose commands drop down box, choose “all commands.”
4. Scroll down and click “speak cells on enter.”

Once you’ve finished, a new word bubble-looking icon will appear on your Quick Access Toolbar. Click it and then you’re ready to go.

I used it about 15 minutes ago to edit my latest magazine article. I caught 3 errors quite painlessly. Thanks Microsoft!

Give it a try and tell me what you think!

Letting clients go is difficult work. Chances are you’re scared of their reaction. And you probably have conflicting feelings about losing the income. However, sometimes there’s a client who you just need to cut off. Here’s how I decide to give a client the big boot.

• When they become the “overbearing boss”—About 6 months ago, I fired my first client. It wasn’t a “I’m so sorry I just can’t do this anymore.” It was more of a “you’re a prick, peace out” kind of thing. Granted, I didn’t come out and say it exactly like that. But the guy was a real jerk. He began acting like he owned me and started throwing around phrases like “if you want to keep writing for me, you’ll do this” or “if you don’t do what I say, I’ll find someone else.” My response? I told him I that started freelance writing to get away from oppressive bosses like him. Goodbye.

• When they take too long to pay—Every now and then, a delayed payment is forgivable. Especially if you’re client is the middle man, like an SEO company. It’s important to understand that sometimes they have to wait for their client to pay before they can give you your cut. But having said that, if a client is continually a month behind on payments and starts dodging my emails… well, it’s time to collect and move on without them.

• When you have too much higher paying work—Recently, I had that first moment where I felt like I’d finally “made it.” A client I hadn’t talked to in awhile contacted me to see if I was available to do a blog post. Being one of my lowest paying blog jobs, I hesitated before accepting—which I hadn’t done before. I thought about how full my plate was and how little money I’d see from it if I contracted it out to someone else. And as the angels from Heaven sang “AHHHHHHHH!” in the background, I sent an email detailing my regrets on why I couldn’t write for them anymore. And guess what? It felt good.

• When they won’t stop springing last minute rush jobs on you—I understand better than anyone else that sometimes rush jobs are unavoidable. Someone makes a slip up or a new, demanding client comes on the scene. It’s fine. I usually accommodate the client without too much fuss. However, what happens when they do it to you over and over and over? Obviously they don’t value your time. So either they need to pay you extra or you need to get rid of them.

Have you ever let a client go? Why? And how’d you do it?

Am I the only one who has noticed that the job boards have sucked lately? Seriously, if you’re a part time freelance writer who only hits up Craigslist and similar job boards, then you’re income is in serious danger of drying up. But never fear, there are other ways to find work. Here are a few that I use:

• Direct mail—As Eric posted the other day, mail outs can pull in some good work.  As a matter of fact, I happen to know that some of his best clients have resulted directly from his direct mail campaigns. So instead of spending your morning sifting through the boards, work on a targeted list of prospects.
• Cold Call—I don’t know one single person who really enjoys cold calling. However, I know plenty who enjoy the benefits of cold calling. I’m a prime example. When we started HELP! Copy and Design, I was toying around with the idea of cold calling. Although I’d never actually tried it before, I had recently read The Well-Fed Writer in which the author raved about his cold calling success. So one day I was sitting in the car while my wife was in the grocery store, when I glanced over to my left and saw a truck with and advertisement for a small business on its door. I’m not sure what exactly came over me, but I instinctively picked up my phone and called them. The next thing I knew, I had my first client.
• Local magazines— Regardless of where you live, chances are you have a handful of locally published magazines in your area. Contact them to see if they need writers. Just make sure you have some article pitches ready. I found one of my best clients this way.

Where are you finding your freelance writing work?

by Eric Brantner

When it comes to finding freelance writing jobs, most people immediately turn to the internet. They hit up the same job websites every other freelance writer is visiting, and they apply to the same jobs hundreds of others are competing for. And guess what? They don’t get most jobs they apply for. It’s an exercise in futility.

That’s why I recommend using direct mail to get more freelance writing jobs. By sending out targeted sales letters to a pool of potential clients, you can get the jobs that aren’t listed….the jobs no other writers are competing for…the jobs where you have more room to negotiate freelance writing rates that fit your needs.

Of course, you can’t just send out a huge volume of generic sales letters and hope to get results. If you want to use direct mail to get freelance writing jobs, here are some things you need to do.

• Figure out who you’re targeting—With direct mail marketing, it’s all about creating highly targeted content that appeals to a niche audience. For example, you may decide to target local area internet marketing companies that have clients they develop content for. Or you might wish to target a certain type of business directly—say local boutique fashion outlets.
• Focus on a specific service—Don’t overwhelm the person reading your letter by trying to push all of your services on them. Focus on a single service and sell that. For example, you could write a sales letter pushing your website copywriting services, or one selling your ghostblogging service. Keep it simple.

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by Chris Brantner

Don’t feel alone because it happens to all of us. You bust your butt working a full time job, all the while wishing you were working on the job you really enjoy—writing. It’s the job where you sit at home at your computer and make money with no one looking over your shoulder. No one telling you what to do.

But sometimes the stresses build up so tall that you come crashing down. By the time you get home from your 9-5, you’re too tired to do the job you like. Maybe writing profits shrunk this month. Perhaps one of your clients is being a real pain in the neck. Whatever the case, you’re on the verge of a breakdown and you’re wondering how long you can keep up this double life.

I’ve been there and back—and learned lots on the way. Here’s some freelance writing advice that should help you out.

• Remember where you were before this all started–Zero clients, making zero extra money. Writing was just a dream. Now it’s a reality, even if you’re in a slump. Profits will pick up as long as you keep working at it. Remember, hindsight is 20/20.

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by Eric Brantner

If you’ve been a part time freelance writer for any period of time, you already know all the major job websites for finding freelance writing opportunities. That’s not what this post is about. This post is about ways you can create your own opportunities. This is about creating writing gigs, rather than waiting for some company to post a gig that hundreds of other writers apply for.

So, how can you create your own freelance writing opportunities? It’s easier than you might think.

1. Build an optimized website—Even part time writers need their own websites. By creating a website that’s optimized for the search engines, you can attract traffic from searchers who need your writing services. Talk about an effective way to get more freelance writing opportunities!
2. Bid on Google ads—Search for any phrase on Google. Now, look on the right-hand side of the search results. See those ads? Companies pay by the click for those ads, and you can bid on ads related to your freelance writing services. Once you have a website set up, visit Google AdWords to learn how you can bid on ads to generate more freelance writing opportunities.

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