How to Start Freelancing in 2012

I've been Freelancing. Yes I have. I mentioned this several days ago in my post Ah, Here we Go Again, that I have begun to write stuffs for moneys. For years I've wanted to know to do this; I've searched through writing forums, read books, and queried, queried, queried! For a nineteen year old with no Freelance credits behind me-the path wasn't even. I've found that there are 5 necessary things for the aspiring freelance writer to do in order to secure some job offers and further build their portfolio.

Warning! I am not a super rich professional nor am I someone who has built up a massive portfolio- I have been freelancing for the past month and have secured several clients throwing a couple hundred bucks in my bank. Here we go!)

1. Assemble your Resume'

Before I began to look up job offers I knew within myself that I needed to have something to show. I had one or two publishing credits, but I knew this wouldn't matter and I had a resume`, but I bet that wouldn't do either. I started from scratch. I assembled a resume` listing my blogging experience, my current degree pursuit in college (Creative Writing), and an article I had published at Bookkus Publishing and a guest post. I tooted my own horn at my blog and it's audience, picked a sweet template from Google Docs (I guess Google Drive now bleh), and saved it as a.doc file ready to send it out to any one I thought would be a good fit.

2. Samples of Your Work

This is the one step that troubled me when I first started. How can I send samples of my work if I've never written any content for a client? See the general rules of thumb for samples of your work are broad: I generally use a nice guest post I've written, or a single article on publishing I've written, or even some of my better blog posts. Granted each of these gets a fresh edit and is assembled at its finest. Granted for a themed publication, the best bet is to show work on something similar, but I've noticed that some just wish to see your ability to write. If they require a link rather than an attachment direct them to your blog or even E-zine Articles. Remember the prize is in the pudding.

3. Finding the Gigs

Where do you find these gigs? Below I'll leave a list of places where the majority of work may be found, but remember this is a business. You may find prospective clients on the internet, at your local coffee shop, or through friends and family.

Elance (High paying jobs, but you will be competing with top notch professionals)
Guru (Same as Elance. Just remember persistence is key).
Text Broker (Just started using this, seems promising; haven't landed a client yet).
Craigslist (Some may find it slightly sketchy, but I've landed 3 clients and one ongoing one $$)
Loads and loads of others! Just Google it!
Remember that if something seems odd, don't continue. This is the internet and of course, sometimes people don't have your best interest in mind.

4. Research your Assignments

For my ongoing client I write about online slot games and occasionally I review online casinos. Now prior to this gig I had no idea about this! I can't even legally gamble! However, through loads and loads and loads of research I have become quite knowledgeable in this field and I knock out assignments with ease. To make things easier for myself I use Evernote to clip information from the web and then I refer to that throughout my writing. Trust me- this will save you tons of time and frustration!

5. Stick to a Deadline

Remember time is money and so is each of your assignments. Upon receiving your assignments get to work! Nothing is worse than being dropped by your client because you can't stick to deadline. Of course things in life come up and a well placed email can easily ask for more time and if applicable you may just as well receive that! As of right now I have three assignments sitting in my mailbox and will get to work on them the second this post is published. Don't hesitate. Your best bet is to set a side a certain part of the day to complete your assignments- mine is in the morning after my daily walk and as I drink down my coffee. Sticking to deadline will relieve stress and assure you complete your assignments. Remember this is business.

Well here are just five tips to get you Freelancing in 2012. Depending on how this post does and how you readers like this, I will post more on freelancing.

Farewell everyone and good.

How To Write a Product Review

The reviews for products are a major part of internet writing, as webmasters and other internet investors are always looking to sell something. For this, product reviews are needed. In a land-based store, the client could actually see the characteristics of a product, but in the online world, the same user would want to examine the photos of the product, to read the reviews made by other people, and to compare it with other similar products. For this, the internet article writing services produce reviews for their clients, reviews that are now common even on Amazon or eBay.
Internet writing for products
If you want to write a good product review, you should put yourself in the shoes of the reader. What would you expect from the product? What are its advantages or disadvantages? Would you buy it? Is the price affordable? By answering those questions for you, it is also possible to answer those questions for the reader, and you will have a good article in your hands.
However, the majority of article writing jobs for product reviews are requested by clients which want positive reviews about the respective products, and they want it written from the perspective of a person that have already used the product. If you don't want to cheat the reader, you can refuse the project, bout you should know that many of the reviews on the internet are made in the same way, and that the internet article writing business for product reviews is strongly developed now.
You can also read the reviews made by other users of the same product. This way, you will be able to determine the positive and negative characteristics of the product. A product review that talks only with superlatives for the respective item can't be trusted, and even if a client asks for positive reviews from the article writing service, the writing company must be able to write some articles where the disadvantages of the item are presented a little, but not so much. Usually, a negative opinion must contain a "But".
"It is true that this MP3 player is a little more expensive than other players on the market, BUT the characteristics of this product recommend it as a good acquisition".
Good internet writing means to put the product in a favorable light, but most importantly, to present the negative aspects of a product as being good, or at least negligible.
If you are looking for article writing jobs, you will have to know how to write product reviews, as an important part of the job of the article writing services is composed of reviews. We are also talking about relatively cheap articles, as those are not creative, therefore they can be written by writers with less experience.

A Guide in Writing 5 Articles A Day

The art of writing online articles is certainly effective to market your products and services on the internet. Well, while this may seem simple, there are a few important aspects. For instance, it is imperative to create quality and rich content daily. Many individuals struggle with this aspect. You should not blame someone else or come up with excuses. Instead, how about opting for an easy and effective method? Become familiar with every theme and get going. Read on to find out a simple "formula" that will allow you to write 5 articles daily minimum.

1. Select a topic. If you are a newbie, your article topic could be your own niche. Of course, this theme must contain potential for at least 5 articles. It is certainly a fabulous starting point.


2. Proceed by listing around 5 sub-themes, characteristics, sub-topics, or specific concepts that are related to that theme in particular. Below is a good example: Training a dog is a common topic. Thus, how many dog activities exist? How can you feed your dog? How can you motivate your dog to obey? What about vaccines? How to feed your dog properly'? If you feel dubious, do not panic. Look around, gather data, venture onto your library and browse online. Do not forget the original goal. Avoid distractions by any means. Stay focused and move onto the next step.


3. Decide on specific points that you wish to develop. You can easily expand on every theme. Yet, it is up to you! The sky is never the limit. Think ahead, prepare a fun theme and opt for the perfect approach. It is recommended to go for 5 or 7, but, it is possible to write less. Remember that rich content is a must, thus do not compromise quality. Limit the article to a single topic and do not forget to focus on your niche. Your audience will be delighted!


4. Once you have your mind clear, create a detailed outline for every article. Several individuals believe that this is worthless. They fail to understand how it works. They actually believe that outlines are just for kids. But, this could not be further from the truth. It is never too late to learn. Implement the best techniques! Truth is the fastest writers consider an impeccable outline. Most often, the fastest online writers are those that organize every fact and care to analyze relevant information.


5. Last but not least, you must connect every dot. How? This is not hard. You need to place all the points together. Make sure you focus on every sentence relationship. How is everything intertwined? Thus, as soon as you identify the main connection, move onto the next one and proceed carefully. Your goal is to show your current expertise while writing an interesting and cohesive piece explaining your original idea.

Unleash your maximum potential. Combine the above points and impress your clients. Increase your profit and get to know the latest writing techniques. If you want to climb to the top, you cannot ignore any key aspect.

How To Write Content For Publication Online

#EANF#

Repackage, Repurpose And Reinvent To Get The Most Mileage From Your Content

It took some time but you managed to put together the feature article for your upcoming newsletter and you're pleased with the results. It's a shame this great information will just be filed away on your computer or left to collect dust on your bookshelf with the rest of your valuable content.

Does this sound like you? Did you know that most business owners just write for their blog or newsletter and never do anything further with it?

Let's look at some ways you can repackage, repurpose and reinvent your articles, blog posts, videos and more to get the most mileage from your content producing efforts.

Here's what you can do:

1. Post your newsletter article to your blog.
2. Add a link to your newest blog post from your Facebook account.
3. Submit your newsletter article to the article directories.
4. Combine several similar themed articles to build an information product or e-course.
5. Compile articles with related topics to create an e-book.
6. Compile articles with related topics to create a book.
7. Record an audio or video of your article.
8. Transcribe an audio or video into a special report.
9. Restructure an informative or instructional email reply to a client into an article, blog post or training teleclass.
10. Rework chapters of a book or e-book you have written into several shorter articles.
11. Transform your e-course into a live in-person workshop.
12. Record a live workshop or online training to deliver as a self-study course.

To be most effective you will have to do some editing to restructure to the new format. Otherwise, you are only limited by your imagination and creativity.

It can be challenging to constantly create brand new information but you can break down the bigger pieces or combine the smaller pieces of content you already have to develop new and valuable information. When you're coming up with ideas for articles, blog posts, videos and other content think about how you can repurpose the information from one format or method of delivery to another later.

Not only are you preventing your content from going to waste, there are other reasons why you should repackage and repurpose your content:

1. To build a source of passive income by selling the e-products that you create.
2. To grow your list of prospects by offering a free giveaway to visitors to your website in exchange for them giving you their name and email address.
3. To create visibility and catch the attention of your market.
4. To establish your credibility and expert status.
5. To reach a larger audience by providing various ways for someone to work with you, if not one-on-one. For example one client may prefer to learn independently through your self-study course while another would rather absorb the information by attending a live in-person workshop.

Choose your packaging based on your strengths and how your market likes to receive their information to create multiple products from one set of content. If you're trying to grow your business and you're at full capacity with clients, repurposing content is a great way to increase your income stream.

How to Turn a Dull Article Into a Blockbuster

They say the internet, being what it is, is an information superhighway. And if you want a piece of the action you're going to want to feed the search engines with information relevant to your niche so people can find you, your website, and your products. How? You'll want to go back to basics. Write! And in order to keep them on that page and reading your articles, you'll need to ensure that your articles are interesting and most importantly, readable. This article will offer tips on how to turn a dull and bland article into a more interesting piece; how to rewrite your articles with a fresh and more interesting angle; and how to research for fresh and current content to boost your search engine traffic.

Let's say you've written a bunch of articles and want to rewrite them. To begin with, check to see if your previous articles contain outdated information and topics that will not pull in traffic from the search engines at this present time. So instead of re-writing by simply doing a quick clean up job, why not go a little deeper by scouting for hot news websites like Google Hot Trends and pulling related article topics and content from there, and broadening your new piece using a content angle from these hot topics? Then, you should attempt to re-write the article (to the best of your ability) using correct grammar and spelling.

Rewriting Tips: if the previous title lacked oomph, re-title it! And then run a search on Wikipedia.org to dig up some more facts and some background. Without going too heavy on fact - this isn't an encyclopedia, it's only an article. You'll want your new article to flow well, and most importantly, have your reader come away with something. Take a look at the following example in which a badly written paragraph gets a serious rewrite.

Example of a badly written paragraph:

"Buying gemstones in wholesale need not be a headache. These precious stones have for many years been held in high esteem due to their color, clarity, symbolic meanings and durability. The diamonds, sapphires and rubies all come in many different shapes, hues and sizes. The colors too cannot miss the attention of whoever might come across them. Buying gemstones in wholesale will demand that you get high quality stones from wholesale chains at a price good enough to be lower than the retail prices. The following simple steps will assist you when buying gemstones in wholesale."

My Remarks: Everything about the above paragraph leaves much to be desired. Not only is the grammar bad - it's quite obvious English isn't the writer's first language - but to top it all off, the article lacks purpose. However, whilst looking on the bright side, I managed to pick up a few angles to run with. See how I reconstructed the paragraph below.

Example of the above paragraph rewritten:

"If you could purchase high quality gemstones at wholesale prices, wouldn't that be a relief? The less headache involved in procuring your precious stones the better, right? No-matter what you want to buy, be they diamonds, sapphire, ruby; in all shapes, sizes, colour or clarity, believe it or not, there will be someone, somewhere selling them at a much lower price than you would ever find on the high street. How? Because you can buy them on wholesale... if you know where to look! In this article, I share some simple yet powerful tips to help you buy gemstones on wholesale."

In summary: badly written articles can be quite easily given a fresh look with a new angle that is readable and that draws in the reader to want to find out more. Your first paragraph is the most important, not only because it introduces the article, but because it is intended to help lure your reader in so that they read on to the next paragraph and so forth. Look to Google Hot Trends for fresh angles that are current and weave that into your piece. So the next time you want to liven up a dull article, get creative with the pointers outlined in this article.

It's Not What You Write, It's the Way That You Write It - Well, I Disagree Completely

Not long ago, I had an online article author contact me, someone who had a bit of writing experience. I mean he could really turn a phrase, and it was obvious he went to writing school, was intelligent, and quite articulate. He explained to me that credibility online is extremely important, and thus, perhaps I ought to hire him to write and/or edit my work, as he had noted that my writing is not all it could or should be.

True enough, he's right, but then again I never considered myself a writer in the first place. I know that sounds funny coming from someone with over 28,000 online articles and 289 e-Books, but it's true, I know it and anyone who reads my articles - well, they know it too. I am not a first class writer, just a writer perhaps still in training. As he was explaining his knowledge of writing and public relations to me, I kept singing that song in the back of my head; "it's not what you do, it's the way that you do it," which is an HP jingle for rebranding their copier, printer, scanner, and fax line of peripherals.

Then I thought, well, what he is really saying to me is that; "it's not what you write, it's the way that you write it," but, you know what - I think I disagree and let me tell you why. You see, if you are writing on a topic you don't know anything about, sure it might be great to make the article cute, fun to read, and turn a nifty phrase, but what about the expertise, knowledge, know-how, or experience behind it? I can't tell you how many articles I read in the news each day that are shallow, uneventful, and often just plain wrong. Why does this happen? It happens because writers think that it's more important to write well, than to have great content - I disagree with that thought process.

Now then, whereas, I am not the world's best writer, I do believe I have a hell of a lot of experience and knowledge. I'd also say it is more important the content than the writing style. Yes, in a perfect world you'd have both, but I think content trumps style, thus, "it is what you write" which is important, and while it is important to write well, aka "the way that you write it," that's not the deal breaker for me as a reader. Give me the good stuff anyway you can, and develop your writing skills as you go. That's what I did, and that's what I believe. Please consider all this and think on it.