How to Make Money Writing for Yourself?
Since most residual income sites got hit hard by the Google Panda update and more and more publications are paying next to nothing for articles, I decided to make my number one client myself. Here are some of the ways I'm planning on doing it:
Writing regular content for my current blogs Building a new blog on a topic that is lucrative and I'm crazy about (coming soon) Writing a few ebooks to sell on my blogs, Amazon, Kindle, etc. Building the content on my website Defrazzle Mom.com
How to Write for Trade Magazines
Trade Magazines for Soldiers
I was over at my favorite writer's forum, Absolute Write, and came across a writer that needed advice on getting into trade publication writing. Since I often write for various trade magazines I decided to give him some advice... and then I decided to post my advice for my readers, here, too.
First, what is a trade magazine? It's a publication that is specifically written and distributed to a certain profession. For example, soldiers in the National Guard read Foundations, which is a magazine that has articles that are written just for soldiers and their families. Another example is Food Arts Magazine, which is targeted towards people in the food and beverage industry.
The first step of getting in with these well-paying publications is to find one that caters to an industry that you have experience with. Before an editor will give you an assignment they need to know that you know what you're talking about. So, if you work as a mechanic, target magazines like Today's Machining World.
To easily find publication in your niche, go over to Free Trade Magazines.com or Free Trade Magazine Source and do a search for your industry. Then, subscribe to the publication so that you can do research on the types of articles they publish.
Once you've done your research, come up with an introduction letter that lets an editor know about your writing chops, your history in the field and has a clip of relevant writing.
It may take several tries, but eventually you will come across an editor that needs a new writer and is willing to take a chance on you.
List My 5 Update
A while back I wrote a post on the relatively new revenue share site List My 5. At first I was doing really well. I was doing so well with earnings, in fact, that I decided to make it one of my New Year's resolutions to put a lot of effort into this site so that I can see maximum earnings.
Well, that all changed when Google's Panda update crashed most residual earning site's mojo. Yep, List My 5 was definitely hit hard, at least, my lists were. Others are reporting a severe drop in earnings at the site, too.
I guess that site gets crossed off my list of things to do. I've already started moving my best lists to my own websites.
How to Take Children on Business Trips
She May Be Ready for the Trip, But Are You?
I take my children with me on most research trips for my articles. Taking your child on a business trip may sound fun, but it can be a hassle if you don't have a plan.
First, you need to decide what you will do with your child while you are at meetings. If they are not old enough to stay at the hotel alone you will need to have some way to know they will be watched by a trusted adult. This may mean bringing your spouse or finding a drop-in daycare near your hotel.
Next, plan what activities you will do with your child and what your child will do while you are at meetings. Bring along activities, plan trips to the local attractions, and make sure to get your kid out of the hotel room to avoid boredom.
Have a talk with your child about how you expect them to behave on the trip. Make sure that they know the rules. I'm assuming that your child knows not to interrupt when grown-ups are talking, but a small reminder before an interview is always a good idea.
Here are some more quick tips for traveling with your child:
Most hotels rent video games. This can keep your child busy while you make phone calls or go through your notes. Let your child help you plan some fun things to do on the trip. Not everything has to be all business! Don't leave small children alone in a hotel room. The minibar may get eaten while you're gone. I'm joking, of course! Small children should always be under the supervision of an adult.
The Top Five Tips on How to Make Money Online With Freelance Writing
Photo by D. Sharon Pruitt
Making money online with freelance writing is a the new dream of many stay-at-home-moms and people who want to work at home. Some go into the whole thing with way too much gusto, or not enough. There are five major tips for making it work.
Don't Drive Your Friends Crazy
It is a great idea to use social networking sites to make contacts with people in your target market. Don't use these sites to send an endless stream of ads to friends and family, though. It's tacky and could even drive away potential customers.
Get a Blog
No matter if you are trying to sell products or make money with Google AdSense, a blog will help you gain attention, share your perspective and build your brand.
Join Forums
Forums in your niche is an invaluable well of information. Spend hours pouring over forum posts and absorbing the information you find there. Once you are an established member, add a link to your blog or website to your forum signature.
Diversify
To make money online you need to diversify. Have several eggs in your basket so you can find what works best for you. Plus, if one venture goes bad, you still have your other projects to fall back on.
Market Wisely
Market. Market. Market. Add a link to your website or blog in your email signature. Join LinkedIn and Plaxo. Write articles on your specialty or offer your services as an expert in news or magazine articles.
How to Steer Clear of Book Publishing Scams
You've poured your heart into a manuscript that you love. Now all you want is for it to be published. Before you start your search for a publisher, though, you should know that there are "publishing companies" out there looking to scam you. These companies often appear promising, but the truth is that these places simply want to take your money. Tread the water with caution and take heed of the warnings here. You'll be able to keep your manuscript safe and in the right hands with a bit of forward thinking.
Read about publishers that can scam you. Subscribe to Angela Hoy's newsletter entitled Writer's Weekly. Bewares and Background Check Forums Board on Absolute Write can provide additional insight into scams. Also, check out the Writer Beware Blogs for more in depth information. This blog is written by famous authors A.C. Crispin, Richard White and Victoria Strauss. It is considered the writer's bible when it comes to avoiding scams. See our Resources section for more information. Use basic common sense strategies to determine if a "publisher" is trying to scam you. Real publishers do not ask for money. A legitimate published will never harass you or request that you buy books to sell to your own friends and family. A publisher should not ask you to buy editing and illustration services from the company. Always get a contract. Professional companies always use contracts for book deals. If you find one that wants to publish your book without a contract, don't do it. Have a qualified lawyer look over the contract. Legal speak is hard for anyone to figure out, so it is important to get qualified help. Look for publishers that offer real royalties or no royalties. Companies that offer $1 royalties are usually scam operations. The dollar check is used to draw people in and to make their contact more binding in the court of law. Call the number listed on the publisher's website to see if it is a real company. Don't be afraid to back out of a deal if you feel uncomfortable. Go with your gut.
Resources
Writer's Weekly Bewares and Background Check Forums BoardWriter Beware Blogs How to Self-Publish a Children's Book
How to Get Permission from Publishers to Reprint Content Online
Note to Readers: Now, I know that most writers know all about copyright and such, but I thought I'd write down and post this information for those that are building a website and are confused about adding other people's content to their site.
A website needs a lot of content to be useful to readers. Sometimes website owner may come across a well-written article in a magazine, newsletter or some type of free content and think, “I wish the readers of my website could read this!” Well, it might be a possibility. Getting permission from publishers to reprint content online is fairly simple. The website owner will need to write a letter to the editor of the publication to get permission to use the piece to avoid copyright problems.
Writing a Content Permission Letter
These types of letters should be simple and to the point. Here is how to write a publication about acquiring free content:
Start by greeting the editor by name. Don't use Mr., Mrs. or Miss. Use just their name. The website owner should tell the editor why he loved the article and why he would like to use it. Don't go on and on. State the point in a few sentences. Ask the editor who owns the copyright to the article. If the publication owns the copyright then permission may be granted right away. If the writer of the article owns the copyright, the editor will need to direct you on how to get in touch with the writer. Ask the editor for this information, nicely. Offer to mention the publication on your site or give them free ad space for their time and generosity. Spell check the letter and make sure the letter sounds professional. Either print out your letter and mail it to the publication or email it.
Some Tips on Acquiring Free Content for Websites
The process for writing a permission letter may be easy, but there are a few things that a website owner should keep in mind when trying to acquire free website content:
The editor may ask you to pay a small fee for the article, so be prepared. If there is no response after two weeks, send a follow-up letter. A follow-up can simply say, "I was wondering if you received my letter about your article ‘XYZ’. Thank you for your time." Don't ask over and over again or get mad if the publication says no. The publication has the right to say no. Don't use the article any way. This is against the law and website owners who do this could end up in court. Don’t try to use articles that are already posted on the internet. This could make the site’s search engine rating go down.
Acquiring free articles is a good way to beef up the content of a site and provide helpful information to the reader. Using these tips, a website owner will be able to go through the legal way of acquiring content.
eHow WCP Alert
If you used to be a writer for eHow's WCP (Writer's Compensation Program) you may want to check your articles. eHow is going through a site-wide sweep, deleting articles right and left.
Recently, I had 20 articles deleted. There was no email to tell me that the articles were deleted and many writers on the eHow forum are reporting the same. Apparently, articles are being deleted because they have similar titles to articles that Demand Studios owns. At least, that's what writers are saying over at the forums. I tend to agree, because none of my articles fit the criteria that eHow says they delete articles for, such as plagiarism and click fraud.
So, go check to see if your articles are still there. If they aren't, post them to your blog or your website so that you can keep earning from them. That's what I'm going to do.
Winning. Duh.: How Writers Can Win After the Google Change
Charlie Sheen in Better Times, 2009 Creative Commons
I have to admit, I'm a popcorn munching watcher of the train wreck which is becoming Charlie Sheen. Throughout his rants, though, is one message that I love: Winning. Duh.
A lot of writers right now feel like they are loosing after the changes Google has been making. So, in Charlie Sheen style... Quick! Think of three things you like about your writing career. Don't feel like you're winning yet? Then try these tips for overcoming Googlepocalypse:
Google love niche sites, so start writing for them. Create your own site or blog that focuses on a common theme. Go back and de-SEO your articles that took a hit. Google just may love them again.
How My Articles Have Been Affected by Google Change
Well, yesterday I talked about how Google's new algorithm has slammed Suite 101 from first page result to dozens of pages back. Well, the change has very harshly affected my page views over at Suite.
This time last month I was getting around 2,500 page views a day at Suite. Yesterday I got 873.
On the other hand, my eHow articles that I posted years ago are doing better than ever. Other former eHow writers report that their page views are doing the same or better than before the Google algorithm change. Other reports confirm that eHow has benefited from the change.
Now, I may be wrong, but in my opinion eHow articles are much more spammy than Suite 101. Wasn't the whole point of changing the algorithm to get rid of spammy sites in search results? Looks like an epic fail on Google's part.
Google Changes the Way it Searches and Slams Suite 101
Drawing by MagicMarie
Google has made changes to their algorithm that lowers the ranking of Suite 101 and raise the ranking of eHow. According to Sistrix, Suite basically lost 94% of its rank. According to some research done by some of my fellow writers, Suite articles that used to be on first page results have now dropped out of site and have been replaced by eHow articles and scraper articles.
After all the talk about Google targeting eHow for its low quality, these results are puzzling. What's going on here? Have some ideas? Share them in the comments.
Update on Tweeting for Money
In this post about tweeting for money I talked about three sites that offer you paid opportunities to tweet. Here are some updates on how I'm doing.
The first one I joined is called Sponsored Tweets. I have made payout ($50) twice now and a little bit more. The process takes me about two or three minutes each time, so it kinda feels like I'm making free money.
The second tweeting for money site I joined was Magpie. I think I ended up making 11 cents. I couldn't figure out why my account never showed the amount it should have so I deleted my account with Magpie.
The third paid Twitter posting site I joined was MyLikes. MyLikes is pretty easy to use and you can also get paid for Facebook postings. They have no minimum payout, so I really liked that. I've made around $5 so far. No much, but it didn't take me more than a few minutes to earn, so I'm going to keep my MyLikes account.
Writing When You're at Your Worst
There are two conditions that can keep me from writing anything: the flu and large amounts of stress. Now, most freelance writing veterans will tell you to muscle through and write no matter what. I believe that sometimes you need to stop and learn your limits.
I used to be part of the man-up-and-do-your-job tribe. That was until I wrote an article while I had the flu. I was on a deadline and my article needed to be turned in within the next few days. So, I pumped myself full of flu medicine and wrote my little heart out. I edited the article and sent it on its way. A few hours later my editor sent me an email that pointed out all of the embarrassing typos.
Yah, not gonna repeat that!
Do you have a time when you refuse to write?
Writer Tax Write-Offs You May Not Have Considered
It's tax time in writer's land. For many that means paying taxes on your writing business. You probably already know that you can use office supplies as deductions on your taxes, but there are a lot of other things you can use, too. Here are some ideas:
Magazine subscriptions that are used for research that pertains to your writing The space that you use as your office Internet fees PayPal fees Fees for Elance or other job sites Books used as research or learning tools for your writing Camera and accessories if you take your own pictures for articles Shipping costs Domain name and website costs Software such as Microsoft Word Trips (travel expenses, hotel fees, etc.) used as research for articles Now, I'm not a tax professional, so contact your accountant or tax preparer for more information on these potential tax deductions for writers.
January 2011 Freelance Writing Earnings Update
Well, January turned out to be a great month for my freelance writing business. I made just $40 shy of $2000.
This is great considering I did less than 20 hours of work in January. I'm proving just a little more every day that you don't have to work insane hours to make cash freelance writing.
Of course this doesn't account for time that I used for job searching and marketing, but that only figures out to an extra five to ten hours a month. So, in total, I worked around 30 hours this month. That adds up to around $67 an hour.
Let me tell you, there are very few jobs where I live that pays $67 an hour and the cost of living is low, so we're doing pretty good.
I would like to note that I have been Demand Studios "sober" (as one former DS addict calls it) for six months. That means that I have been either making money by writing for my own blogs and websites, residual income sites or private clients for the past six months. I made a lot of money through them, but the continuous cycle of searching for titles, writing titles and searching for more titles wore me out. I feel so liberated to get off the DS treadmill.
The Feast and Famine of Freelance Work and How to Make it Work For You
If you've been a freelance writer for more than a few minutes you've probably heard of the feast or famine theory. Basically, when you freelance work will come in ebbs and typhoons. Sometimes you will have so little work that you will curse the day you ever quit your job and became a full-time freelance writer. Other times you will get so much work you will curse the day you ever quit your job and became a full-time freelance writer.
Hey, you've got to love this job to stick to it.
So how do you make it through the slow times and the times when you work into the wee hours of the night? Here are some tips:
Try saving as much as you can during the feast so that you won't have to sing on a street corner for change, or worse, when clients aren't knocking down your door. As Sting says, "Honey, you don't have to put out that red light." Do something productive that will make you money the next time you are short on clients. Try these slow day ideas. On days where you have too many clients consider sub-contracting some of the work to free up some time. Learn to say "no." One of the reasons you have too many clients may be that you're charging too little for your time. Don't be afraid to say no or ask for more money if a client wants you to do a lot for a little.
So Which Keywords Will Work For Your Residual Income Articles?
Figuring out which keywords will make the most money for residual income articles is difficult. The best way I've found to test out ideas is to use a site that caters to short articles. I used to use eHow for this, but now that their writing program has shut down I've moved on to using List My 5.
My earnings there have been comparable, plus the site is laid out a lot like the old eHow. These articles take about 10 minutes to write, tops, so they are quick. Very little effort to see which of my ideas are hits and misses. Once I know, I use the subjects and keywords in articles for my blogs, websites and Suite 101 articles. I can almost always replicate my results in the longer articles. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you.
How to Add Keywords to Articles without Looking Spammy
I recently got an urgent sounding email from a writer named Steven. He read my post about How to Make Google AdWords Work for Your Writing Niche and said he was confused about my advice to put a SEO keyword six times in a 400-500 word article.
Well, I figured other people may be confused, too, so here is a simple method for adding keywords without spammy side affects.
Use your SEO keyword in the title Add it to the first line of your article Work it into two of your sub headings Always use your keyword once in your closing paragraph Plop that keyword into your article summary That's six times and it won't look spammy if it's done where it makes sense. It's actually very easy once you are practiced at it.
Now in some of my articles I break the six rule. For example, in my article Tips for Sketching with Watercolor Paints I use the word sketching, well, way too much.
In most of my articles I use keyword phrases, not singular keywords. In that article the keyword phrases are Sketching with Watercolor and Watercolor Sketching. Of course, if you don't count the phrases, then, yes, I used the keywords you listed way too many times.
Sometimes, though, you just can't get around using the same words over and over. In this case, clarity is more important than SEO in my opinion. Usually when I find that I'm using one word way too often I find another keyword that has the same meaning.
For example, instead of saying Mr. Rolls, say the car's designer or the car maker or the car's innovator. With an article about depression you could say this condition, this issue and this problem. This is great for adding more value to your article in Google's eyes because you're using more keywords. Also, using it, he or she is always an option.
Sometimes you just can't get around using one word over and over. There's just no way around it. As long as your article is useful, then it will rise above the seemingly keyword stuffed prose.
In this case I really wasn't able to get around repeating myself. Sketching doesn't have a synonym. Rules are made to be broken and often I don't follow them for various reasons, BUT 6 is a good rule of thumb. Using a keyword too few times will keep your article off Google's radar.
Comparison of Content Sites in Handy Graph Form
Ever wonder how contents sites stack up against each other? Kimberly White has figured it all out and has put it in graph form over at Crunchydata.com. The data is for 2010, so it's current. Click on the link, above, for the facts, but it looks like Associated Content, About.com and Suite 101 top the ranks.
This is just the information I've been looking for. I'm grateful Kimberly took the time to sort it all out.
Demand Media's eHow Facebook Log-in and Death of the Forums
Well, this is a sad month for former eHow writers. Demand Studio Media is closing down the forums and switching to Facebook for logging in. For many that participated in eHow's forums over the past few years this announcement is really depressing. It is also angering many, since Facebook is known for its many security problems. This article over at WebProNews sums the situation up pretty well: Demand Media's eHow Faces User Backlash Over Facebook Log-in | WebProNews.
On the forums there is speculation that this is due to Demand Media's IPO. We'll have to wait and see how the backlash from the members affects this move.