Angela Booth's Writing Blog

Freelance Writing - Build a Full Time Income Fast

Want to build a full time freelance writing income - fast? You can do it; your writing skills are in high demand. From go to whoa, you should outstrip your current income within three months.

Many freelance writers make six-figure incomes. The Web has created an unbelievable demand for people with good writing skills.

Two Vital Tips - goals, and patience

Here's a big tip before we start. Create goals with deadlines, and write your goals down every single day. (Yes, rewrite your goals every day.) The only difference between you and a highly successful freelance writer is that he's chosen success, and he keeps that success in the forefront of his mind.

Here's another tip - have patience. Everything takes longer when you're new at something. Expect this - you're learning. Once you've learned how to do something, you'll do a task in ten minutes which took you an hour when you were starting out. So take the time to learn, and don't begrudge the learning.

Here's a step by step process to follow.

1. Take an Inventory of Your Writing Skills

What do you already know how to write? Make a list. You could include: articles, reports, letters, blog posts, classified ads...

Even if you're a completely new writer, I'll bet you know how to write resumes. Put resumes on your list. In the current economic climate, there's a big demand for resume and bio writers.

2. Create Some Samples of Your Writing, or Repurpose Writing to Use As Samples

You need writing samples. Consider repurposing writing you've already done.

If you have nothing at all, write some articles, or reviews. Your buyers want to see samples, and it shouldn't take you long to create them.

3. Sign up at One of the Out-Sourcing Sites

The out-sourcing sites are great training wheels for writers. I urge you to sign up at one, and only one. Some writers try to conquer several sites and get worn out and confused.

The money you make at out-sourcing sites is generally abysmal, but that's fine - you're learning how to deal with buyers. You're learning to write to a brief, which is more difficult than you may think, because few of your buyers write comprehensive briefs. BTW - a brief is just a description of a writing project. You'll need to tease the information you need out of your buyers.

Getting projects at an out-sourcing site also gives you confidence, which is vital.

4. Set up a Small Web Site and Promote Your Writing Services Business

While you're bidding on projects, set up a small Web site. Then start promoting the site, as soon as you've won some projects on the out-sourcing sites.

Easy promotional methods include online advertising and article marketing.

There's really nothing more to building a full time freelance writing income than the steps I've outlined. Just take it step by step. Write your goals each day, have patience, and before you know it, you'll have a successful writing career.

Discover the world of Web writing - make a great income writing from home, or from anywhere

Sell Your Writing Online NOW

There's great money in Web writing. Some Web writers are making $20,000 a month by blogging for a stable of sites. Others are writing articles or ebooks.

Join the Web writing gold rush with Angela Booth's comprehensive training: "Sell Your Writing Online 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.

Get motivated to write

I've received a couple of questions about writers' motivation this week. Your motivation that is, not your characters:-)

Lack of motivation for your writing means writing resistance, and as any psychologist will tell you, all resistance has meaning. Discover what your resistance means, and it will often vanish.

Your resistance may be grounded in the writing itself

Maybe you don't know enough.

For example, if you're writing a mystery novel set in ancient Rome, a la Lindsey Davis' Falco series (great stuff BTW, I recommend the novels) your resistance may be because you don't feel THERE, so to speak. Maybe you need to imagine the sights, sounds, smells, tastes. Do more research, so you know what the Romans ate for breakfast and when slaves became freed men.

Or maybe you don't care enough.

Perhaps you've accepted a writing job to write 10,000 words on bio energy. Your soul shrivels at the thought, but you need the money. If this is the case, realize that writing is HARD when you don't care.

In this kind of situation, you can quit the writing job, or push on. Both will teach you a lot. You can work up enthusiasm for almost any topic, so I'd suggest you grasp the nettle and push through your resistance - do more research. More research is often a good solution.

Your resistance may occur because you're scared

As any magazine editor will tell you, many are chosen, but few respond. Some writers just send out article queries endlessly. When they get a gig, they don't produce. Editors hate this.

If you're outside your comfort zone, and are plain scared, there's only one solution - do whatever it is you're scared of. You can push through the fear. Force yourself, even if you're shaking and you feel ill, just do it anyway.

Once you do it, your fear will evaporate. Here's a tip about fear: it's self-limiting. You can be scared, but there's a limit to how scared you can get. Just allow yourself to feel it, and it will slowly fade.

Remind yourself that writing is just writing, it's not brain surgery, nor is it lion taming. It's just an article, or a book, or whatever, but it's just writing... you can't die from writing. :-)

Here's a tip which works for me, it might work for you too, if you're a chocoholic. Promise yourself a coffee truffle when you've written 500 words (or even 50 words.) Your inner child may respond to chocolate too; in the battle of fear versus greed, greed may just win.

Sorting out your motivation is important, because otherwise you'll have a miserable time writing, because you're not writing with ease.

You should be jumping out of bed at dawn, ready and eager to get at the day's writing. If you're not, something's wrong, and the answers are within you. Find them.

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.

Get the Writing Jobs in Your Own Backyard

Writers are seduced by the Internet, and if you're a new writer, this is not a good thing. You're forgetting that there are writing jobs you can get locally, in your own backyard.

Local writing jobs are easy to get. They build your writing experience, develop your contacts, and are a stepping stone to the wider world of writing for global markets.

So assuming that you're a new writer, how would you go about getting local writing jobs?

Start by realizing that there are writing jobs are everywhere, and that 99 per cent of them are never advertised.

1. Start With Your Local Newspaper

When they think about their local paper, most writers consider writing features. Forget that. Most newspapers have at least one writer, and several stringers, so writing articles for your local paper, while possible, is unlikely.

Instead, send your local newspaper a news release proclaiming the opening of your new writing services business. Include a photo. (If you're not sure how to write a news release, search for press release templates online.)

Many newspapers will run the release as-is. The paper may even send a reporter to interview you. This is excellent - this news story will not only appear in your paper, but will be available online, at the paper's site. Instant fame!

You could also write a couple of letters to the editor, mentioning in passing that you're a writer, and are available to write for local businesses.

2. Approach Local Businesses

Businesses need writers. They put out newsletters and they advertise. Some businesses even have a Web site. (If you find a business which doesn't, offer to write it for them.)

All you need to do is print up 200 flyers on your printer describing your writing services and adding your contact number. Stroll around, and drop off your flyers.

You'll get writing jobs, some while you're on the spot, as you're dropping off your flyers.

3. Your Local Clubs, Societies and Associations All Need Writers

Every town, no matter how small, has clubs, societies and associations. Your local library should have a list of the local associations, so ask.

Write a letter to the president, or secretary, of each one, describing your writing services. A week after you've sent out your letters, pick up the phone and call.

Again, you'll get writing jobs - many of which will be on-going. These clients will stay with you for years.

4. The Agency Route - Advertising and Graphics Design Agencies

Your local agencies may be small or they may be large, but they all have a need for a freelancer occasionally. When they win several contracts they'll get busy, and will farm out some of the work to local writers and designers.

When you get on the books with an agency, you'll get writing jobs right throughout the year.

So there you have four ways to get the local writing jobs - remember, these jobs are easy to get. There's no competition. :-)

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.

Sell Your Writing Services - 5 Tips for Easy Promotion and Sales

Want to sell your writing services online? You can. It's all a matter of promotion - you need to promote consistently so that you get clients.

You have incredible opportunities for promotion online, so please don't take them for granted.

You can get your name out to millions of people, often for free. You can compete with companies and individuals who have deep pockets, and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on advertising, with just a small amount of effort every day.

Read the article.

Write Local - Get the Writing Jobs in Your Own Backyard

In Fab Freelance Writing Ezine this week, our theme is "write local". Here's an excerpt from our lead article, "Write Local - Get the Writing Jobs in Your Own Backyard":

Writers are seduced by the Internet, and if you're a new writer, this is not a good thing. You're forgetting that there are writing jobs you can get locally, in your own backyard. Local writing jobs are easy to get. They build your writing experience, develop your contacts, and are a stepping stone to the wider world of writing for global markets. So assuming that you're a new writer, how would you go about getting local writing jobs? Start by realizing that there are writing jobs are everywhere, and that 99 per cent of them are never advertised.

This issue is out on Tuesday. It's free to subscribers; don't miss it.

How do you find writing jobs? If you’re scouring the online writing boards, you’re not selling your writing services effectively. Discover the secrets of selling your writing services today, with Angela Booth's new video series.

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.

Get started selling your writing services

How do you find writing jobs? If you're scouring the online writing boards, you're not selling your writing services effectively.

There are endless opportunities to make money from your writing skills online, where you get cash paid to you, up front, BEFORE you start writing.

I've been coaching writers how to do this for years, so when I came across a new video series which SHOWS you, in detail, how to get started and make a great income from your writing just about immediately, I was excited. I knew I had to share the information with you.

The video series "Sell Your Writing Services Online, Make Instant Cash TODAY" is available now, and for a short time, I'm giving my marketing ebook with the series as a bonus.

Enjoy. :-)

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.

Easy Affiliate Marketing for Writers

Want to make a great ongoing income using your writing skills? Affiliate marketing is the answer if you love to write; you can even get started today.

Affiliate marketing is basically selling others' products, for which you receive a commission. Your commissions may be paid instantly you make a sale, or every two weeks, or once a month. Your money's paid via PayPal, or via check.

As a writer, you've got all the skills you need to sell affiliate products with panache - you can write.

Read the article.

Your Copywriting Business - Start Fast and Succeed

Want to start your copywriting services business fast? You can. Just follow the steps in this article.

If you enjoy writing and have some marketing savvy, you can quickly turn your writing skills to profit, by writing copy - that is, promotional material. Copywriters write everything from short six line ads to complete Web sites. In essence, copywriting is selling.

But how do you get started? Let's look at a simple process you can follow. I got my own start this way, by writing ads for a business I was running - I had no awareness that I was laying the groundwork for a highly successful business of my own.

Read the article.

Blog - Turning Your Blog Into a Book

Would you like to see your blog as a published book on bookstore shelves? Perhaps you can. If your blog gets lots of readers, you could interest a publisher.

Publishers are always looking for the next exciting thing, and it may be your blog. Many blogs have transformed into books; so many that there's even a term for it: a "blook."

Read the article.