Alina Bradford 11/30/19 Alina Bradford 11/30/19

50 Writing Tips from the Experts

What better place to find writing advice than from experienced writers? Here are 50 writing tips from some of the world's best. Got a great quote that I missed? Tell me in the comments.

What better place to find writing advice than from experienced writers? Here are 50 writing tips from some of the world's best. Got a great quote that I missed? Tell me in the comments.

1. The first draft of everything is shit. -Ernest Hemingway

2.Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong. – Neil Gaiman

3.Write drunk, edit sober. – Ernest Hemingway

4. Interesting verbs are seldom very interesting. - Jonathan Franzen

5. The road to hell is paved with adverbs. - Stephen King

6. If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. - Elmore Leonard 7. If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time — or the tools — to write. Simple as that. - Stephen King

8. Being a writer is a very peculiar sort of a job: it's always you versus a blank sheet of paper (or a blank screen) and quite often the blank piece of paper wins. - Neil Gaiman

9. You can only write regularly if you’re willing to write badly… Accept bad writing as a way of priming the pump, a warm-up exercise that allows you to write well. - Jennifer Egan

10. When you’re trying to create a career as a writer, a little delusional thinking goes a long way. -Michael Lewis

11. Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life. -Anne Lamott

12. Work on one thing at a time until finished. - Henry Miller

13. You have to simply love writing, and you have to remind yourself often that you love it. - Susan Orlean

14. Create blog posts that answer the most interesting questions from people you engage with on social media. - Dave Larson

15. Understand your audience better than they understand themselves. It takes a lot of upfront research, and often means being a member of the very tribe you’re trying to lead – but it pays off. - Brian Clark

16. Write for yourself first & foremost. Ignore the fact that anyone else will read what you write; just focus on your thoughts, ideas, opinions and figure out how to put those into words. Write it and they will come. -Adii Pienaar

17. Start building your email list from day one. Even if you don’t plan on selling anything, having an email list allows you to promote your new content to your audience directly without worrying about search rankings, Facebook EdgeRank, or other online roadblocks in communications. - Kristi Hines

18. Love the readers you already have. A lot of bloggers get quite obsessed with finding new readers – to the point that they ignore the ones they already have. Yes – do try to find new readers but spend time each day showing your current readers that you value them too and you’ll find that they will help you grow your blog. - Darren Rowse

19. Consistency is one of the most important things that bloggers tend to forget. It’s much easier to lose your traffic than it is to build it up, so make sure you consistently blog. - Neil Patel

20. Stay true to yourself and your voice. People don’t care to follow sites so much as they care to follow people. - Chris Pirillo

21. No matter how great your content is, it won’t matter unless you have an amazing headline. People have a split second to decide if they should click on your post, and your headline will make them decide. The headline is also essential in making it easy and desirable for people to share your post. Keep your headlines SPUB: simple, powerful, useful and bold. - Dave Kerpen

22. Biggest lesson I learned in my past year of blogging. Keep it in the 1–2 minutes read-time length. - Derek Sivers

23. One thing I always try to keep in mind before publishing a post is would anyone want to “cite” this for any reason? Just like interesting research is great because it leaves you with a fascinating finding or an idea, I like for my posts to be the same. That doesn’t mean relying on research, but simply making sure each post has an original lesson or actionable item, making it “citable” on the web. - Gregory Ciotti

24. Be efficient, and don’t put things off that you could do right now. No more self sabotage or “next week” lists. Don’t over-prepare and never do the things you’re preparing for. Just be here, in the now, and be as productive as you can today. Write now, edit later. - Deborah Stachelski

25. Remember, your blog is one of your first opportunities to connect with new potential clients. It’s often the first impression you make on a new person! You wouldn’t want to shake hands with a new potential client with a huge piece of spinach in your teeth and garlic breath, and having poorly written content on your website is essentially the same thing (maybe worse). - Allison Volk

26. Your path may look completely different than others, and it should. Creating your own unique blog is what you need to do in order to stand out from the others. The world does not need any more duplicates. - Gabrielle Pfeiffer

27. Vigorous writing is concise. - William Strunk Jr.

28. I try to leave out the parts that people skip. - Elmore Leonard

29. As one who writes a lot for the web, I am continually tempted by the low-hanging fruit of trending topics and morning news drivel. Restating the obvious is easy, fun, and very retweetable. But the obvious rarely seems to translate into any sort of real legacy. - Seth Simonds

30. The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. - Mark Twain

31. I use a moleskine to store my thoughts for later. Having thoughts and personal commentary all in one place has the added benefit of serving as a source of inspiration for later times of drought. Think of it as you would catching raindrops in a canteen. You’ll be glad for the moisture some day. - Seth Simonds

32. Every writer I know has trouble writing. - Joseph Heller

33. While having an outline can be incredibly helpful in keeping your thoughts moving and on track, you will actually write more quickly and produce higher-quality writing if you start before you know everything that you want to say. The writing process is creative and interactive, so you will develop ideas and thoughts as you write. - Christine Zosche

34. When you sit down to write your tips and tales from the road,ask yourself: what do I want the reader to learn from this? What’s the take-away? Then craft a tightly constructed piece that leads, step by step, to that lesson-point. - Don George

35. When you write a blog post, you have to create a series of mental images so colorful that your readers could see how a pan sizzles when a patty is put on or even the smell of a recently cooked carrot patty. - Emily Sidley

36. Don't think of words when you stop but to see picture better - Jack Kerouac

37. Don’t get depressed that you’re abandoning your artistry, because you’re not. On the contrary, you’re building a foundation for it. Once you become adept at freelancing, you not only have income to use for your dream project, but — surprise! You’ve vastly improved your writing skills. And people now identify with you as a professional writer. - The Write Life

38. Whichever way you get into freelancing, the absolute key to success is persistence. Chances are you'll get knocked back a fair bit but keeping going is the only way to ensure that you get noticed. - Laura Kay

39. Freelancing is probably not for people who lack self-motivation. If you don't go looking for work, spending your days shooting off emails and writing pitches, then it is very unlikely the work will come to you. - Laura Kay

40. Stop trying to figure out the one, best, fastest, lowest-cost way to launch your freelance writing career. Stop endlessly fretting over what your most ideal writing niche might be and how you will know which topics will be best for you. Stop worrying that you’re not good enough or don’t know enough. Instead, take action. - Carol Tice

41. If you are just getting started as a freelance writer, your best bet is to begin taking on small projects in order to build up a portfolio. Ask your first clients to start attributing articles to your name and ask if you can get an author biography with a picture of yourself on their website. - Katie Cline

42. Don’t pat yourself on the back in your blog posts, bragging about what you know about your industry. Let your blog visitors find the value themselves in the content you produce. - William Morrow 43. Write, write, write, and then write some more. Forget everything else and just write. - Melissa Donovan

44. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted. - Kurt Vonnegut

45. The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It's the people who do all of the work all of the time who eventually catch on to things. - John Cage

46. Be your own editor/critic. Sympathetic but merciless! - Joyce Carol Oates

47. Don't try to anticipate an ideal reader or any reader. He/she might exist but is reading someone else. - Joyce Carol Oates

48. Protect the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it, even the people who are most important to you. - Zadie Smith

49. Write for scanners. We live in a busy, distracted world. Don’t demand attention; earn it. - Jeff Goins

50. Don’t take anyone’s writing advice too seriously. – Lev Grossman

Want more writing tips on how to become a successful, well-paid writer? Read my book:

The Fluff-Free Freelance Writing Master Course: The only course that gives you concrete, actionable information to building a successful freelance business without any fluff.

Alina Bradford 11/18/19 Alina Bradford 11/18/19

The Best High-Paying Freelance Gigs of the Week: November 18, 2019

These gigs pay at least $50 an article, offer a full-time salary, or pay more than $20 an hour.

One way to keep your business flush with cash is to always be looking for new clients. I recommend checking out my Best High-Paying Freelance Gigs of the Week every Monday to get you going. These gigs pay at least $50 an article, offer a full-time salary, or pay more than $20 an hour. They are also all remote (also known as virtual jobs or work-from-home jobs). This means you can do the work from anywhere you want. Can I get a woot woot?!

Note: I don’t know anything about these positions other than what I post. I weed out the seedy looking ones, but it is your job to be diligent when applying. Also, please don’t message me with questions about the postings. If a link doesn’t work the posting has probably been taken down because the gig has been filled. If you have a gig for freelance writers that pays at least $50 a peice or over $20 an hour, please contact me and I will include your gig in next week’s post.

Professional Writers Needed for a Blog about Writing

Pay: $100 per article

More information: Problogger

Travel Writer & Editor

Pay: $20 - $35 an hour

More information: Indeed

SEO Copywriter

Pay: $30 an hour

More information: Indeed

Resume Writer

Pay: $40-$60 per hour (DOE)

More information: Indeed

Iconic Motorbike Auctions needs auction writers

Pay: $25/listing

More information: Craigslist

AP Marvel is looking for unique perspectives from the Marvel Cinematic Universe fan base

Pay: $50 per article

More information: Submission guidelines

Seeking authors for Teaching Tolerance's K–5 Teaching Hard History text library

Pay: $1 per word

More information: Site guidelines

Culture Trip is looking for freelance writers

Pay: $1-2 per word

More information: Site guidelines and gig openings for Culture Trip

Passion Passport is looking for travel writers

Pay: $75-$100 per piece

More information: Submissions

Electrifying Writer for Commercial Real Estate

Pay: $0.10 USD per word

More information: Problogger

Freelance Blogger near Carson, California for Post-Secondary Vocational School

Pay: “Blog posts pay $75 for posts requiring school visits and $50 for posts that do not.”

More information: Craigslist

Freelance Writer for Lifestyle Magazine

Pay: $25-75 per piece

More information: SimplyHired

B2B Copywriter - "Skyscraper" Content / Guest Posts / White Papers

Pay: Full-time

More information: LinkedIn

Tech Writer

Pay: Full-time

More information: AngelList

Content Writer

Pay: Full-time

More information: Company site

Senior Content Writer

Pay: Full-time

More information: Company site

How to Write Content that Ranks Well

Your primary focus should be creating high quality content, but I am going to give you some tips on how you can help your content rank better in the search results.

Guest post by Tyler Nalbach

Writing content can be a tough task. It can take a lot of time to create content that will be valuable for people to read. It is even harder to create content that ranks well in the search engines.

You could create a high-quality piece of content, but if it doesn’t rank high in Google, there is a good chance nobody will even see it. The primary focus should be creating high quality content, but I am going to give you some tips on how you can help your content rank better in the search results.

Selecting a topic

To create content that ranks well, it starts with selecting the topic. You can still write about what you want to write about, but it helps if you slightly adjust your topic in ways that will help your content be seen more.

The goal is to create content that is useful, but to also make sure that your content is seen by as many people as possible. My favorite way to write content is to take what my competitors are writing about and either write about something similar or put a different twist on that topic.

If you have an Ahrefs account, you can go through your competitors’ content to see which pages rank the best. If you don’t have an Ahrefs account, I would recommend just going through your competitors’ blogs to find topics you could provide value on.

Keyword Research

Once you have your topic picked out, you can move onto keyword research. This part is very important because you are going to have a much better chance of ranking high for a keyword that has less competition. In a lot of cases, you can benefit from targeting a more specific keyword, than the broad term.

For example, maybe you want to write about “workout plans”. This phrase gets searched a lot, and there is a lot of competition around it as well. But if you change this to something like “Workout plans for building muscle”, there is going to be less competition for this, and it will give you a better chance of ranking.

My favorite free strategy for keyword research is using both the Google Keyword Planner and Ubersuggest. The Google Keyword Planner allows you to search specific keywords, and it will give you search volume, competition, CPC, and other keyword suggestions. I personally don’t love the metrics in Google Keyword Planner; however, the keyword suggestions are very helpful.

I like to take the keyword suggestions and plug them into Ubersuggest. Ubersuggest will give you more accurate metrics to look at. It will tell you the estimated search volume, and competition for the keyword you enter.

You shouldn’t rely entirely on this, but this will give you a good idea on how much traffic you might be able to receive, as well as how difficult it will be to rank for that keyword.

Ideally, you want to find keywords with a higher search volume and lower competition. Working with a local SEO company can be helpful in finding what keywords are going to benefit you the most.

Analyzing Content

After you figure out your topic and target keywords, the next thing you should do is analyze the content that is already out there. My favorite thing to do is analyze the top ranking pages for my target keywords. This content is ranking on the first page for a reason, so it would be beneficial to put something together that is similar to these pages.

Some things to look at when you are analyzing these pages is how many words are included in these pages, what type of media is included, and what headings and topics they are including. This will help guide in the right direction in what you can include in your content to have a good chance of ranking

Skyscraper Technique

The best way to write content that ranks well is to use the skyscraper technique. This involves analyzing the top ranking content as I mentioned in the previous section. With the skyscraper technique, what you are trying to do, is create similar content to what is currently ranking, but take steps to make your content even better than what is already there.

This could involve going more in depth on the content you are writing about or including more visuals such as images and videos. If you create similar, but better content than what is already ranking, you are setting your page up to rank well in the search results.

On-page Optimization

On-page optimization is a big part in getting your content ranked. This is referring to making adjustments to your page to help search engines understand that your content is about your topic and target keywords.

There are a plenty of things to consider when performing on-page optimization. Some of the main things you should take a look at are the title tag, description, headers, keyword usage, and image optimization. In all of these areas, you want to use your keyword as naturally as possible.

Don’t force your keyword in places that it doesn’t belong. Keyword density is not a ranking factor, so don’t worry about including your keyword a specific number of times.

As far as image optimization, I would recommend including your target keywords in the file name and alt text when possible. Search engines cannot understand images like it can text, so it uses the file name and alt text to determine what the images are about, which creates relevance within your content as a whole.

Takeaways

Choosing your topics and keywords is the first most important thing in creating content that ranks well. You want to target keywords that have a high search volume and low competition.

I like looking at the content that is currently ranking well and then making my content similar, but better than that content. After you have a high-quality piece of content, it is important to optimize your content by including keywords naturally in the title tag, description, headers, content, and images.

Why Your Article’s Word Count Matters

Word count is important, and then again, it isn’t. Here’s why.

Your clients, no matter if they are a big publication or a small business, will ask you to meet certain word count criteria. It’s important for you to understand how word count affects your readers, as well as how it affects the article’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

SEO Loves Length

Articles with a longer word count is beloved by search engines. Mainly because it has more keywords and longer articles signal to the algorithm that the piece is more in-depth than that of its competitors. Google also records the length time of every visitor stays on your site to measure rankings in the future. As a result, websites that have visitors that stay longer will have a better ranking, while the pages with shorter stay time will have a lower ranking. Since longer articles take longer to read, website owners believe that they will up their ranking.

Readers Are Iffy

Readers, on the other hand, are going to have one of two reactions when they see a long article. Either they’ll think, “Good googly moogly, I’m not reading all that!” Or, they’ll think, “Ooo, this looks like a wonderful smorgasbord of information!”

How to Decide Word Count in Articles

If you can come up with enough relevant information about a topic, by all means, write a piece that’s 1,000 to 2,000 words. If you find yourself repeating things you’ve already said, or adding fluff to make the piece longer, stop. Short is okay as long as you’ve covered the topic and answered your reader’s question.

For example, imagine your reader googles, “How long does it take for water to boil?” That reader doesn’t want to read a funny story about the time your grandma told you a watched pot never boils. They want the answer to their question right away. If they see a large wall of text, they’ll click back to the search results and find an article that better answers their question. A good post with the information and then a little bit about why it takes water that long to boil or the science behind boiling water is the ideal.

If you’re telling a story with your article, maybe about a child who beat cancer or a hero that saved children from poverty, your readers will want you to make your piece longer. They want to get enveloped in juicy details. They want to imagine the scene. Longer write-ups, in this case, can help attract your audience to stay on your site much longer.

Remember, as a writer, your ultimate goal is to create a piece to influence your target audience. Either you want to them to share it or follow your call to action.

Well, no one is probably going to share a 250-word write-up. Why is that? Because it only covers the general surface of the subject. Remember that your output should provide a detailed explanation of the topic and engage your readers. That’s hard to do in 250 words.

Try to make a piece that includes all of the significant features that your readers think about and want to see. Once your audience recognizes that your output can help them solve their problem, then they'll share your write-up to their friends and family. As a result, happy readers will generate links to your write-up, which increases your search rankings because of higher website traffic.

Here are some basic problems that readers want writers to solve. Sometimes an article can solve just one problem, other times, it can solve multiple problems.

They have a question they need answered quickly
They’re bored and want to be entertained
They want to learn in-depth information about a topic
They want to be inspired
They want to laugh
They need to know how to do something step-by-step
They want to be reassured

How to Add Length…or Take it Away

Regardless of what’s right for the reader or SEO, your client will probably have their own ideas about the right word count… and won’t budge on it. That means you’ll need to create quality, no matter what. It can be hard. Usually writers end up in two groups. Some of us write articles that are way too long and have problems scaling back, while others can’t figure out how to make their articles long enough to reach their word count goals.

Here’s some questions to help you add length to your article:

Can I add a scientific explanation (simplified, of course) about this topic?
Can I add a personal story or connect this topic to a real-world event? (Make sure to use this one carefully.)
Are there statistics or studies that I can pepper the paragraphs with?
Is there anyone I can get a quote from to make the piece more authoritative?
Did I cover who, what, where, why, when and how?

Here’s some help for shortening your articles:

Cut out any repetition.
Cut sentences that don’t really add anything useful to the article (fluff).
Remove personal stories if the link to the topic of the article is thin (basically, don’t just talk to talk).
Simplify your descriptions.
Cut out any tangents, keep it tight!

The Best High-Paying Freelance Gigs of the Week: November 11, 2019

Looking to beef up your client list as we head towards the new year (and a new decade!)? I’m here to help.

Looking to beef up your client list as we head towards the new year (and a new decade!)? I’m here to help. As always, these gigs pay at least $50 an article, offer a full-time salary, or pay more than $20 an hour. They are also all remote (also known as virtual jobs or work-from-home jobs). This means you can do the work from anywhere you want.

Pay: Full-time

More information:

Animalz is a content marketing agency that strives to create the best content on the web. We help companies—particularly B2B SaaS businesses—grow by making great content that their audience loves. Part of that work involves digging deep into tech world trends and translating your insights into compelling, authoritative content that sophisticated readers can trust. That’s where you come in. We’re looking for people with a passion for technology, business, data, and storytelling to join our team. In this role, you will use your analytical and narrative abilities to take data from both Animalz customers and public sources and turn it into original, insightful, long-form content. An ideal Tech & VC Writer at Animalz: - has a strong understanding of the venture capital landscape, fundraising, and startups - is a voracious reader and rigorous researcher who can synthesize large amounts of new information quickly and turn into clearly distilled takeaways - has a minimum of 2-3+ years of experience pitching, writing, editing, and publishing long-form content (1,500+ words) on deadline - is knowledgeable and curious about modern tech and business trends, such as direct-to-consumer retail, software-as-a-service, and consumerization of the enterprise - has a background in tech, VC, startups, or related field - can independently generate original, insightful content ideas that help our customers achieve their goals - is able to take feedback from editors and revise their work on a tight schedule - has experience using data to tell a story and strong Excel/Google Sheets skills to match About Animalz: We’re a remote team with a home base in NYC and team members scattered around the world. We have an eclectic team of scientists, journalists, operations folks, and more. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our company. About the Position: This is a full-time (40 hours per week) remote position. Although we applaud and encourage pursuing your passion projects, we want to make it clear that this is NOT a freelance/part-time position you can do in tandem with other major professional or academic endeavors. Benefits - Work from anywhere you like, as long as you have regular overlap with Eastern Time business hours and can schedule overlap with Pacific Time business hours when needed for customer calls. - Health insurance, covering 80% of the premium for health and 99% for vision and dental - 20 paid days off per year (including holidays) - Unlimited sick and personal days - Parental leave for both primary (up to 12 weeks) and secondary (up to 6 weeks) care providers - Monthly health and wellness stipend (for gym subscription or other physical activity) - Monthly team lunch stipend to enjoy lunch with a friend or coworker - Learning opportunities through internal workshops, talks, and attending conferences What's it like to work at Animalz? Join us for an hour-long webinar where we discuss careers, growth, and culture at Animalz. We'll make sure to leave time to answer all your questions. Grab a seat here: We'd love to have you on a call! • COPY-PASTE THIS LINK TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION: https://animalz.breezy.hr/p/7b13156728db01-tech-vc-writer?source=angel

VAO Content Writer, VAO Research and Publications Service

Pay: Full-time

More information: LinkedIn

Tech Writer

Pay: Full-time

More information: Dice

Freelance Writer

Pay: Full-time

More information:

Export Port is an international B2B eCommerce trading platform. We are transforming the way international trade is done by making it easier, safer, and less costly for small and medium-sized businesses to join the world of importing and exporting.
Our team is looking for freelance writers that are creative, smart, and agile individuals who can work with a truly global team. As an Export Portal Content Ambassador, you will have the freedom to suggest topics and subjects you are passionate about, pending approval. You will also receive topics and subjects suggested by our team.
Responsibilities and Duties:
• eveloping relevant insights into content to curate the most impactful content based on trends and usage patterns to increase engagement.
• Writing articles in and about your country
• Translate Export Portal Press Releases, Ads, Social Media Posts, etc.
• Open to collaborating with other writers in different countries
Applicants must have extensive knowledge in:
• International Business
• Local Trade/Business Laws
• Trade Agreements in your Country
• Travel & International Relationships
• The Current Political State
• Impacts on International Trade
To be considered for this position, please fill out this form with your resume and information: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/aeec3bb1ff194f38a1de6fd181143208
To know more about Export Portal and who we are:
Learn More: https://www.exportportal.com/learn_more

Alina Bradford 11/7/19 Alina Bradford 11/7/19

Writing Gig Opportunity? The Writer Finder by Growth Machine Review

The Writer Finder by Growth Machine is different from other writing gig middlemen you’ve dealt with before. Here’s the details.

The Writer Finder by Growth Machine is different from other writing gig middlemen you’ve dealt with before. Basically, you sign up on their site. If they think you’re worthy, they send you emails about new opportunities. If you think the gig is a good fit for you, you click the link in the email, fill out the Google form and wait to be approved. Here’s the details.

Emailed Writing Gigs

Here’s two examples of the types of emails they send out to writers:

Hi there,
Thanks for your interest in writing for Growth Machine/The Writer Finder. You're receiving this email because your expertise may be a good fit for a project we're working on.
We're looking for a few writers with substantial knowledge of Delivery, Shipping, and Logistics.
For this project, you would create long form (1,200-1,500 word), informational, SEO-friendly articles for our client's blog. The client provides a Delivery Route Planner that helps companies like UPS, Amazon, DHL, and USPS deliver packages on-time by avoiding traffic and easing difficult deliveries. The ideal writer will draft 2-3 articles per week on shipping and delivery topics.
We're looking for someone who's available to start immediately. The project will be managed directly by the client, so it will be up to you to negotiate the rate and schedule.
If you'd like to be considered for the project, please respond by Monday November 4 by 5pm PST, by filling out this Google Form with your contact information and links to your writing samples.
We’ve changed our process a bit so please don't send your information via email. (The form helps us keep track of your info, and we'd hate for your writing samples to get lost in the sauce.) However, if you have any quick questions, feel free to send those my way.
Please note: I cannot submit you for consideration without writing samples that are directly related to the subject matter. No need to respond if you aren't interested or don't have the right writing samples. We'll reach out again the next time we have a project that looks like a good fit for you.
Thank you and I look forward to reading your work!

Hi there,
Thanks for your interest in writing for Growth Machine/The Writer Finder. You're receiving this email because your expertise may be a good fit for a project we're working on.
We're looking for a few writers with substantial knowledge of E-Commerce, Technology, Marketing, and AI.
For this project, you would create long form (1,200-1,500 word), informational, SEO-friendly articles for our client's blog. The client would like to create content for VP. Director, and C-suite audiences at mid-market companies that are struggling to navigate technology and AI. The client wants to create blogs on topics including the latest e-commerce trends, strategic frameworks, and using data to make online decisions. in addition, they’d like to create e-Books on cross-channel marketing including SEO, paid, email, and social campaigns.
We're looking for someone who's available to start immediately. The project will be managed directly by the client, so it will be up to you to negotiate the rate and schedule.
If you'd like to be considered for the project, please respond by Wednesday October 30 by 5pm PST, by filling out this Google Form with your contact information and links to your writing samples.
We’ve changed our process a bit so please don't send your information via email. (The form helps us keep track of your info, and we'd hate for your writing samples to get lost in the sauce.) However, if you have any quick questions, feel free to send those my way.
Please note: I cannot submit you for consideration without writing samples that are directly related to the subject matter. No need to respond if you aren't interested or don't have the right writing samples. We'll reach out again the next time we have a project that looks like a good fit for you.
Thank you and I look forward to reading your work!

How Much do They Pay?

Their site says, “We’re not looking for someone to bang out dozens of $50 articles.” So, I’m guessing they pay more than $50 an article. I’ll update this when I have a more concrete idea of what they pay.

How Many Writers Do They Have so Far?

Not many. They say on their site:

At Growth Machine, we create 70+ articles per week across 15+ different blogs, and have worked with dozens of different writers. Our articles are read by over 3,000,000 people each month. We know how to find the perfect writer to give you the content your blog needs to stand out.
We’re looking for writers in ANY niche. Right now we create articles about AI, travel, sales, cryptocurrency, diet, wellness, sleep, meditation, dogs, and weddings — and that doesn’t even cover half of our projects!

So far, Writer Finder by Growth Machine looks promising. I’m going to give it a try and then post an update of my findings.

How to Achieve Work-Life Balance As a Full-Time Writer

Here are a few tips for you that you could use to achieve a better work-life balance as a full-time writer.

Guest post by Michael Deane

Becoming a writer is a dream come true for many. However, when you’re a full-time writer, that dream can easily turn into a nightmare if you forget to take care of yourself. Without a set 9 to 5 schedule and a fixed income every month, one can easily lose track of how much work is enough for a day.

Usually, the fear of not being able to earn enough to make a living gets in the way and we lose control. But establishing a work-life balance is essential for so many reasons. It will improve your health and the overall quality of your life.

But how do you achieve a work-life balance when work becomes your life?

Achieving a work-play balance is hard, especially if you recently switched from part-time to full-time writing. Yes, you love your job but a line must be drawn somewhere.

We have a few tips for you that you could use to achieve a better work-life balance as a full-time writer.

Create a Schedule

If you are a full-time writer, you have the flexibility to choose your working hours which is great. But it can be tricky at the same time. Some writers prefer working at night and sleeping until late while others are early birds. Create a schedule that works for you but make sure to leave some time for free activities.

For example, if you work from morning until the afternoon, go to a lunch break in between. Catch up with a friend you haven’t seen for a while. Or if you want to spend the evenings with your loved ones, then try to finish work during the day so that you are free in the evening. If you predict some free activities in your schedule, it will be easier to stick to them and achieve a work-life balance.

Don’t Think About Work During Your Free Time

If you’ve worked on a particularly stressful project today, chances are that you will be thinking about it all evening. That can ruin your free time.

Stick to your schedule and handle personal things in your free time and work-related things during work hours. Think of it as if you were actually at a 9 to 5 job and clock off when it’s time to go home.

Close your laptop once you finish your set projects for the day. Instead of doing “just a bit of research” for the next one, go out or spend time with your loved ones.

Become Picky About Freelance Projects

Is earning money and saving for your retirement the highest priority for you? Or do you want to earn just enough to live comfortably and enjoy your free time? Before you try to achieve a work-life balance, you need to think about this.

We know that sometimes you need to sacrifice your personal plans in order to earn some extra money and pay your bills. But if you do this frequently, you’ll end up drowning in work and neglecting yourself and others. If you have to accept additional projects, then at least try to choose those that you actually enjoy writing about. Don’t be afraid to say no. Working on projects you find dull will take extra time and will drain you.

If you make time to unwind and simply enjoy doing what you like after work, you will be able to stay in love with your job for much longer.

Reward Yourself

If you are still not at the point where you can be picky and you do need to accept a lot of dull projects, we get it. However, there are ways to make the experience slightly more bearable. Plan a pleasant activity to do after completing the work. Invite friends for dinner or go for a night out, for example. This will motivate you to get the job done faster.

Don’t Answer Emails During Free Time

We have all met some clients who email you late at night or on weekends and expect you to be there. Don’t fall for this. We are not saying that you should be rude, on the contrary. Try to be attentive and responsible, and do your best to submit a quality piece. But do this during the work hours that you set. Make it clear that you are not available in the evenings or at the weekends, for example.

Also, don’t check your work email if you’ve decided to spend some quality time with your significant other or your kids. You need to respect your own boundaries if you want your clients to do the same.

Don’t Let Your Work Become Your Life

You’ve dreamed about becoming a full-time writer. But at the end of the day, it’s still work, and you still need to do it in order to pay your bills every month. Don’t forget to take care of yourself and separate the two. Not only will this prevent burnout, but it will make you a better writer too.

Copy of Best High-Paying Freelance Gigs of the Week: November 4, 2019

Here’s this week’s best paying writing gigs.

It’s the start of November and the holiday season. Are you kicking your gig search into high-gear to make extra money for gifts, or are you pulling back until after New Year’s? No matter what you’re up to, here are some gigs to widen your client base. As always, these gigs pay at least $50 an article, offer a full-time salary, or pay more than $20 an hour. They are also all remote (also known as virtual jobs or work-from-home jobs). This means you can do the work from anywhere you want.

Pay: $250 per article

More information: Craigslist

Freelance Writers for New Science and Technology Website

Pay: $50 per article

More information: Craigslist

Linkbuilding Contract Writer

Pay: $75 to $95 per article

More information: Page One Power

Best High-Paying Freelance Gigs of the Week: October 29, 2019

It’s the last week of the month. Finish off strong and start out November with these gigs.

It’s the last week of the month. Finish off strong and start out November with these gigs. As always, these gigs pay at least $50 an article, offer a full-time salary, or pay more than $20 an hour. They are also all remote (also known as virtual jobs or work-from-home jobs). This means you can do the work from anywhere you want.

Pay: Full-time

More information: Indeed

Reframe Your Bad Habits to Be More Productive

Why is it so hard to be productive, writers? It seems like a big portion of us have so many bad habits that prevent us from making the big bucks from our writing. Luckily, Quill has come up with some tips to combat bad habits and build productivity. Check them out.

Why is it so hard to be productive, writers? It seems like a big portion of us have so many bad habits that prevent us from making the big bucks from our writing. Luckily, Quill has come up with some tips to combat bad habits and build productivity.

Check them out:

How to reframe bad habits to boost your productivityInfographic by Quill

Alina Bradford 10/21/19 Alina Bradford 10/21/19

Copy of Best High-Paying Freelance Gigs of the Week: October 21, 2019

We’ve got some great freelance writing gigs this week with a lot of niche diversity. There’s also some full-time remote writing jobs mixed in.

We’ve got some great freelance writing gigs this week with a lot of niche diversity. There’s also some full-time remote writing jobs mixed in. As always, these gigs pay at least $50 an article, offer a full-time salary, or pay more than $20 an hour. They are also all remote (also known as virtual jobs or work-from-home jobs). This means you can do the work from anywhere you want.

Note: I don’t know anything about these positions other than what I post. I weed out the seedy looking ones, but it is your job to be diligent when applying. Also, please don’t message me with questions about the postings. If a link doesn’t work the posting has probably been taken down because the gig has been filled. If you have a gig for freelance writers that pays at least $50 a peice or over $20 an hour, please contact me and I will include your gig in next week’s post.

Content Strategist, Inside.com

Inside.com is a network of email newsletters. We publish 50 high-quality roundups that curate, summarize, and analyze all of the most important news in many different verticals and industries. Some examples are venture capital, beer, cybersecurity, electric vehicles, virtual and augmented reality, cannabis, artificial intelligence, drones, and more.

As the Content Strategist, your role at Inside is to guide us through the next phase of growth. You will own newsletter growth and your success here will be measured in net new subscribers.
We're looking for an experienced Content Strategist to track, analyze and understand our audience and what appeals to them. You’ll create content strategies, track data, and test new features with a goal of 10x-ing our subscriber numbers organically. And you’ll partner with our editors and writers to transform these insights into month-over-month subscriber growth.
About You
Entrepreneurship. This is a fast-paced, high-energy role that requires expert understanding of data analysis, audience engagement and content strategies.
Grit. This is not a "go through the motions" type of role. You need the humility to roll up your sleeves and get shit done, the tenacity to keep a fast-growing editorial operation running smoothly, and creativity to ensure we never stop improving.
Leadership. A key part of this role is motivating those around you to maintain high quality, consistency, and creativity in the work we publish. We’re looking for a doer, a master teacher, and an outstanding coach for this role.
Communication. This role is as much about editorial as it is about managing and interacting with the team, priorities, and roadmaps.
Time management and organization. This is a demanding role that requires excellent time management and organization. You will have several tests running in unison and you’ll never drop the ball.
Curiosity. If you are intellectually curious, this can be a dream job. You'll have the chance to dive deep into a growing variety of topics. You’ll crave new subscribers and

About the Role
-- Experience analyzing and communicating data about subscriber engagement and growth
-- Proven ability to create innovative solutions to audience challenges and ability to execute against them
-- Proven ability to lead a team of writers and editors, gaining buy-in on new, innovative ideas.
-- Understand and apply lean methodologies to test and create scalable processes for growth with little waste.

The Details
-- Competitive salary: $65,000
-- 100% Remote
-- Health insurance, PTO, plus company holidays
-- Computer provided
Apply here

Inside.com Newsletter Writer

MediaBistro says the pay is $20,000 per year, though the original ad on the company’s website has no information on pay:

Inside.com is a network of email newsletters. We publish high-quality roundups that curate, summarize, and analyze all of the most important news in many different verticals and industries.
You don't need deep experience in technology reporting, but you definitely need a strong writing and journalism background, as well as a strong knowledge of the topic you're covering. An engaged social media following will be a huge advantage, as you'll be expected to help grow your newsletter's audience.
Our team is entirely distributed – so you can work from anywhere. Please note: if you're applying for one of the city newsletters, we want you to be based in that city.
A few requirements:
At least 3 years of experience as a journalist doing original reporting. Business reporting experience is a huge plus.
Stellar self-editing proficiency. While a team of editors will review your work prior to publication, we expect clean, typo-free copy.
Willingness to move fast, read fast, learn fast, and improve fast
Technical competence: You don't need to know how to code, but you need to be able to quickly learn a CMS and other software tools.
Are you still reading? Great, maybe you're a good fit. Please fill out this application and we'll get back to you soon!
Apply here

Video Game Writer

Pay: Full-time

More information: MediaBistro

Social Media Instagram Content Creator

Pay: $20 - $30 an hour

More information: Indeed

Technical Writer

Remote
GCIO is seeking a candidate for the position of Technical Writer to support the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The Technical Writer will be responsible for development of multiple project-level communications artifacts, including stakeholder reports, emails, and meeting minutes. The candidate will also assist in the development of strategies to obtain, organize, and disseminate information to project team members and key stakeholders through clear and effective communication channels.
Responsibilities
Ability to draft meeting minutes, often with short turnaround times
Ability to review technical documentation for quality assurance
Ability to make documentation 508-compliant
Conduct communications gap analysis to determine strengths of current approaches and identify opportunities for improvement
Develop and maintain project-level communications processes, tools, and resources, leveraging best practices for communications across the portfolio
Assist in the enhancement of current communications strategies
Ensure all communications are in support of portfolio and project objectives and are consistent across delivery channels and stakeholders
Work in partnership with the VA’s IT Strategic Communications team to ensure branding and style guidelines are maintained
Leverage communications methods to identify trends throughout the communications lifecycle
Possess strong analytical skills required to proactively research information and begin compiling initial responses to ad-hoc data calls
Review deliverables to ensure consistent terminology, format, and style (PMP, POM, VDD, DIBRG, SAP, AFMP, etc.)
Create/maintain PI decks
Ability to serve as backup for project manager to conduct recurring meetings
Qualifications
Education Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree (An additional 8 years of experience can be substituted for a Bachelor's Degree)
Years of Experienced Required: 10
Experience in the DevOps project management methodology or experience operating in an agile environment is desirable, but not required
Experience within a Health IT environment is desirable, but not required
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Good decision-making and interpersonal skills
Ability to work independently and conduct research with minimal guidance and supervision
Apply here

LifeSavvy Media Writer

Pay: $25 an hour

More information: ZipRecruiter

Gig Writing Opportunity: What is Metro, a CNET Content Solutions Platform

While CNET used to be one of my major clients, I hadn’t heard of Metro, a CNET Content Solutions Platform, until recently. I did a little investigating. Here's what I found out about this freelance writing site.

You Have to Take a Test

One of the hurdle you have to take to become a writer for the platform is an English comprehension assessment. The test has 20 questions and has a time limit of 15 minutes. I am a native English speaker and have been writing professionally for more than 20 years, and I have to admit, the test is tricky. Not because it’s hard. It just has some answers that are similar, so you need to be careful to read each choice carefully before you make a selection. I passed with about 7 minutes to spare.

Pay

As of right now, I have only seen product descriptions in the Available Work queue. These descriptions are short (31 to 250 words) and pay 3 to 7 cents per word. So, not great. To get better pay you need to submit and gain a better rating.

According to Metro's site:

You may increase your credential score/level over time by submitting quality work on METRO. Please note that METRO uses algorithms and formulas that consider a number of factors, including number of tasks submitted and grades received. The scoring system is not linear and rejections carry more weight than approved tasks.

While there is a learning curve for all members, most of our community members earn an average of $18-$25 per hour. More experienced, higher skilled members may earn well over $30 per hour.

If you're okay with the rate, from what I've seen there are plenty of assignments to keep you busy. Hundreds get added each day.

Editorial

I haven't submitted any pieces to Metro, so I can't say firsthand what the editorial process is like. Here's what the site has to say:
Submitted tasks are subject to a multi-step review process as determined by the settings for each project on METRO. You will receive a notification once a task has been reviewed, including an alert should a task require further revision(s).

While submitted tasks are typically reviewed within hours from the time of submission, there are instances when a task takes longer to be reviewed based on current queue and priority. If your submitted task has been pending review for more than 2 days, please use the Contact Us form from the Support drop down menu to send us a message.

Alina Bradford 10/16/19 Alina Bradford 10/16/19

Write for Ebyline? They're Making Changes

If you write for Ebyline, heads-up. They are changing platforms and you’ll need to do some stuff if you want to get paid.

If you write for Ebyline, heads-up. They are changing platforms and you’ll need to do some stuff if you want to get paid. Here’s what their email blast from this morning had to say:

Hello,

We’re emailing to notify you that Ebyline will be migrating to a new platform, and the legacy Ebyline platform will be shutting down effective 10/31/19.

The new Ebyline platform is available for you to start using immediately, but for any existing projects, please continue to submit work to your editor via the legacy platform until your editor advises you they are ready to receive submissions on the new platform or starting on 11/1/19, whichever is first.

To create your account on the new Ebyline platform, please register here.

Once you’ve created your account and verified your email address, you can access the platform here, by selecting “I’m a Creator”.

You can find guides on best practices for using the new Ebyline platform here. Please review the information on payment timing and withdrawing funds to PayPal, as those are different from the legacy platform.

Of note, historical data from legacy Ebyline will not be transferred into the new platform. If there is any information in the legacy Ebyline platform that you would like to retain, please ensure you have downloaded it by 10/31/19.

Any pending work that is not completed/approved in legacy Ebyline by 10/31/19 will need to be recreated in the new Ebyline platform in order for you to receive payment. Payment for work that has been completed/approved by 10/31/19 will be processed via the legacy platform as usual.

If you have any questions or need any help, please email us at support@ebyline.com.

Thanks!

Ebyline Support

If you want to know more about Ebyline, I wrote about it here.

Best High-Paying Freelance Gigs of the Week: October 14, 2019

Ready for a good gig? As always, these gigs pay at least $50 an article, offer a full-time salary, or pay more than $20 an hour.

Ready for a good gig? As always, these gigs pay at least $50 an article, offer a full-time salary, or pay more than $20 an hour. They are also all remote jobs (also known as virtual jobs or work-from-home jobs). This means you can do the work from anywhere you want.

Note: I don’t know anything about these positions other than what I post. I weed out the seedy looking ones, but it is your job to be diligent when applying. Also, please don’t message me with questions about the postings. If a link doesn’t work the posting has probably been taken down because the gig has been filled. If you have a gig for freelance writers that pays at least $50 a peice or over $20 an hour, please contact me and I will include your gig in next week’s post.

Health writer

Pay: $25,000 to $30,000

More information: JournalismJobs.com

Writer/Journalist

Pay: $3,600.00 to $4,000.00 /month

More information: Indeed

Financial and Tax writer on a large number of topics

Pay: $600 per assignment

More information: FreelanceWriting.com

Freelance Keto Writer

Pay: $150-250 per article

More information: SimplyHired

Freelance Copywriter to Update LinkedIn Profile

Pay: 75-100

More information: Craigslist

Science, Math, or SEL Lesson Writer

Pay: $200 / page

More information: SimplyHired

Contract Writer (Legal)

Pay: $25/article

More information: LinkedIn

Esports Content Writer

Pay: Full-time

More information: Hitmaker

ClickFunnels SEO Writer

Pay: Full-time

More information: LinkedIn

Sales Technology Writer

Pay: Full-time

More information: LinkedIn

The No-Fluff Freelance Writing Starter Pack is On Sale

Now my master course pack is on sale for $10 off for a limited time.

I started my freelancing writing business back when online magazines and news sites were in their infancy. Since then, I have built a business that brings in $100 to $200 an hour while I work from home.

That's the dream, right?

You can create your own successful freelance writing business, too.

If you can write clear, interesting articles then you have what you need to become a successful freelance writer. You can make it on your own, but I would like to make the journey faster and less frustrating for you.

Creating my business took a lot of trial and error to get off the ground and even more trial and error to make it successful. I know how hard it can be.

So, I created the freelance writer course I wish I'd had when I started and put it in a book.

There's no need to search and scrape for the next few years just to earn a living wage. This course is a shortcut to all of the knowledge I've gleaned over the past few years.

Yup, I've done the work.

Not only have I done the work, I get right down to business. You get a blast of awesome to your career without vague information or drawn out stories like with most books and courses on how to be a freelance writer. This freelance writing course features nugget after delicious nugget of actionable information.

No fluff.

Now my master course pack is on sale for $10 off for a limited time.

The No-fluff Freelance Writing Starter Pack includes:

-How to write clear and interesting articles and blog posts that clients and readers will love.

-Actionable information that anyone can use to get clips and clients.

-Activities that take you step-by-step through the process of building your reputation as a professional writer.

-Help with editing your writing.

-Guidance on how to seal the deal with potential clients, write up contracts, and send invoices.

-Help on zeroing in on your niche and defining your brand as a writer.

Learn more

Alina Bradford 10/7/19 Alina Bradford 10/7/19

Best High-Paying Freelance Gigs of the Week: October 7, 2019

Want to make more money as a freelance writer? The only way to do it is to either get more clients or better clients. With that in mind, here’s this week’s best freelance writing opportunities.

Want to make more money as a freelance writer? The only way to do it is to either get more clients or better clients. With that in mind, here’s this week’s best freelance writing opportunities. As always, these gigs pay at least $50 an article, offer a full-time salary, or pay more than $20 an hour. They are also all remote jobs (also known as virtual jobs or work-from-home jobs). This means you can do the work from anywhere you want.

Note: I don’t know anything about these positions other than what I post. I weed out the seedy looking ones, but it is your job to be diligent when applying. Also, please don’t message me with questions about the postings. If a link doesn’t work the posting has probably been taken down because the gig has been filled. If you have a gig for freelance writers that pays at least $50 a peice or over $20 an hour, please contact me and I will include your gig in next week’s post.

Writer-Columnist

Pay: Full-time

More information: MediaBistro

Freelance Writers for SEO Company

Pay: $0.12-0.15 per word

More information: Craigslist

Technical Writer

Pay: Full-time

More information: Dice

METRO, A CNET Content Solutions Platform

I don’t know much about this platform, but I’ll research it, so keep an eye out for my review in the coming weeks. I used to write for CNET, and they paid well, so I hope their Metro platform pays well.

Sourced from MediaBistro:

Hop on METRO and advance your career as a successful freelance writer or editor.
METRO is a fast-growing content development and data services platform that handles categorization and content needs for a range of major online retailers, with new projects being added often.
Our community of writers and editors takes on the task of researching, writing and editing copy. METRO forum access lets freelancers collaborate, ask questions and succeed.
We are currently looking for experienced writers and editors to join our ever-evolving community. New members should be capable of passing a basic English comprehension test and possess above-average writing ability. Skills are tested via a general writing test that demonstrates the ability to follow instructions and craft engaging sentences. Passing tests are paid.
Skilled writers advance quickly and are given the ability to train for new badges, higher pay and the editing credential. Veteran content editors are available and ready to provide thorough feedback and assistance, and fellow writers can often be found on the forums.
METRO makes payments through PayPal (must be a verified account) three times a week (Monday,Wednesday,Friday) on all approved submissions. The only exceptions are holidays.
Sign-up is as simple as heading to www.metro.cnetcontent.com to register and check METRO out. All you need is an email address and the will to make money as you gain skills.
Hop aboard METRO Now!

Freelance Tech Writer for App Developer

Pay: $50 per article

More information: Craigslist

Culture Writers for Video Scripts and Research

Pay: “Pay is $350 for researching and writing a video script, or $250 for compiling the research for a writer to take on the script.”

More information: WiseCrack

Freelance Writer - Consumer-Focused Articles

Pay: $25-100 per article, 800 word article is usually around $50

More information: Craigslist

Celebrity and Pop Culture Writers

We’re a digital media technology company with a focus on helping publishers build, brand, and grow their audience and monetization. Our current focus is helping scale content production across multiple verticals.
Role
We are looking for writers who can dedicate 2-4 hour shifts, at least 5 days a week for a fixed number of articles generated each day in the areas of celebrity, entertainment, TV and pop culture.
1) Solid writing experience especially in social/shareable media in celebrity, entertainment, TV and pop culture – please make sure to include your portfolio when you contact us
2)1-5 years of writing experience in various full-time and freelance positions in the US publishing market
3) Being a native English speaker is a must. Bonus: Bachelor’s degree from a US institution
4) Willingness to be beta testers and partners for the platform, providing feedback and helping grow the product
Bonus:
1) Understanding of SEO, social media marketing and online content promotion
Compensation
You will be compensated on a per article with a predetermined number of articles expected each week. All content produced will need to be within the guidelines provided.
To Apply
Please send resume and writing links (at least 3-4) for stories published in celebrity, entertainment, TV and pop culture to avanti@surge.io. Please answer the following questions - applications without responses will not be considered:

1) Please briefly describe your background and journey into freelance writing?
2) What are your main pain points with the freelance writing world?
Bonus Questions:
1) Please describe an issue & solution on a product/process you successfully helped implement in your previous roles?
2) As a freelance writer please describe your ideal employer engagement or offering (i.e. what a freelance employer offers to you or helps you do with their solutions)?
Sourced from We Work Remotely

Personal Finance Blogger

Pay: “The compensation will be $100 for research projects and 100-300+ per research blog post (at 10 cents per word, with 1,000 word minimums).”

More information: ProBlogger

Technical Writer

Pay: Full-time

More information: ZipRecruiter

Technical Writer

Pay: Full-time

More information: Dice

Technical Writer

Pay: $55 an hour

More information: LinkedIn

Content creation project for a leading retail and wholesale trader of luxury goods

Pay: Full-time

More information: LinkedIn

Seeking freelance writers with an expertise in sleep science, product reviews, diet, health, consumer finance, and more!

We’re looking for skilled freelance writers to work with us on our myriad of client projects. If you like writing, seeing thousands of people read your writing, and working with a fun team that sends you a steady stream of interesting article topics, then you’ve come to the right place.
We're looking for writers in ANY niche, but we especially need writers who can write about:
• Sleep science and health
• Product reviews, especially mattresses and related product info
• Personal finance
• Retirement planning
• Consumer credit and debt
• Keto, Paleo, and other health trends
If you're a great writer who has expertise in other topic areas, we'd love to talk to you, too!
So if you like writing and hate having to constantly look for new client projects, read on.
Who You Are
• You’re a great writer :)
• You’re confident working independently, and don’t want to or need to be micromanaged.
• You’re punctual—deadlines are not options for you.
• You’re proud of your work. You want to work with us to create articles that will rank #1 on Google and be read for years.
Benefits of Writing with Growth Machine
• Good pay for good writing. We’re not looking for someone to bang out dozens of $50 articles.
• A steady stream of projects. Most of our writers have been with us for months, and we constantly send them new client projects. Some of them have stopped writing for other clients entirely since we have so much work to send them.
• A fun team. You’re not a faceless freelancer, you get to join our Slack and see the kinds of results your writing is driving for the sites its being published on.
• Learn some SEO, too. We’re one of the leading SEO-focused content marketing agencies, and by working with us, you’ll pick up a lot of our SEO skills yourself.
To apply: https://www.growthmachine.com/careers/content-creator

Want to Write Better? Sleep — and Coffee — Are Critical for Peak Cognitive Performance

Want to writer better? You’ll probably need some sleep and a cup of Joe according to Sleep Cycle’s new report from the Sleep Cycle Institute, which examines the critical role sleep plays in learning and memory.

The Sleep Cycle Institute Sleep and Memory Report draws on the research and expertise of Sleep Cycle Institute panelist Frida Rångtell, with a Ph.D. from the Department of Neuroscience at Uppsala University, Sweden, and survey data collected by Propeller Research on behalf of Sleep Cycle.

Don’t You Forget About Me

“Sleep helps us process memories and emotions, stabilize and restore motor learning skills, consolidate short-term into long-term memories, and promote healthy cognitive function by cleaning the brain of toxins and decay,” said Dr. Rångtell. “If you want a high-functioning brain, you need all of the different phases of sleep, and you need them in the right order. For memory in particular, REM sleep, slow wave sleep, and ‘sleep spindles’ — bursts of neural oscillatory activity — all seem to be very important.”

What else should people know about memory and sleep? According to Dr. Rångtell:

Enough is as good as a feast. We know that 7-9 hours of sleep is the ideal amount for most people and that fewer than seven hours can be detrimental. But evidence suggests that a regular surplus of sleep is linked to cognitive decline.
Pay attention to your chronotype. If you are an “evening person,” you’ll do your best learning later during the day. If you’re a “morning person,” you’ll do your best learning in the morning or earlier during the day. But your chronotype isn’t absolutely fixed — it will likely shift as you age.
Don’t sleep and drive. When you are sleep-deprived and forcing yourself to stay awake, you run the risk of “microsleep” in which some or all of your brain goes to sleep for short periods of time. This is particularly dangerous when driving.
Sleep better, learn better. Sleep impacts post-learning of newly encoded fine and gross motor skills. So, if you’re learning a new sport, job or other performance-related skill, don’t skimp on sleep.
Men may be able to do more with less. Recent research suggests that sleep deprivation may affect the working memory performance of women more than men.

How Do You Take Your Coffee?

More than two-thirds (70%) of Americans feel their cognitive performance is affected when they don’t get enough sleep, and an equal number (70%) say they need at least one cup of coffee before they can function at peak level for the day.

This is truer of some Americans than others:

Only 61% of Americans 55+ say their cognitive function is impaired by lack of sleep, compared with 73% of those under the age of 55
Seniors are also less reliant on coffee: 37% don’t drink coffee to achieve peak cognitive function, compared to just 27% of other Americans
People in the northeast of the U.S. drink the most coffee: 81% need a daily cup of joe, compared to 68% of other Americans
Men seem more reliant on coffee than women: 48% need more than two cups to achieve peak cognitive performance, compared to just 39% of women

Most Americans (65%) have dreams about their work; almost half (48%) say they dream about work at least monthly. There seems to be good reason for this: research shows that dreaming about a task can actually help people to perform it better, although fewer than half (45%) of Americans believe this to be true of themselves.

“We process new information when we sleep,” said Dr. Rångtell. “This is when we turn specific information into more general knowledge — in other words, we get the ‘gist’ of the new information we’ve learned. We also integrate new memories with previous knowledge, so dreaming of a memory task can improve it while we sleep.”

About the Survey

The national survey of over 1,000 U.S. adults was conducted online by Propeller Insights on behalf of Sleep Cycle in August 2019.

About Sleep Cycle

Sleep Cycle is the world’s most popular intelligent alarm clock app that analyzes users’ sleep, records findings and wakes them during their lightest sleep phase so they feel rested and refreshed. The app generates nightly sleep reports, tracks long-term sleep trends, and logs how daily activities impact sleep quality. With millions of users worldwide, Sleep Cycle has also become the world’s richest repository of data on global sleep habits. The Sleep Cycle Institute puts this data in the hands of five multidisciplinary health and wellness experts to provide individuals and public policy makers with deeper quantitative insights into the relationship between sleep and overall health and well-being.

For more information — and real-time, interactive sleep data from around the world — visit https://www.sleepcycle.com/.

Alina Bradford 10/1/19 Alina Bradford 10/1/19

Why Should Writers Get Paid?

The next time someone wants you to write for free because "It's great publicity!" show them this video:

Alina Bradford 9/30/19 Alina Bradford 9/30/19

Best High-Paying Freelance Gigs of the Week: September 30, 2019

October is already here! Did you make your September goals? Need a little help finding clients? I got you!

October is already here! Did you make your September goals? Need a little help finding clients? I got you! Here’s this week’s best freelance writing opportunities. As always, these gigs pay at least $50 a piece, offer a full-time salary, or pay more than $20 an hour. They are also all remote jobs (also known as virtual jobs or work-from-home jobs). This means you can do the work from anywhere you want.

Note: I don’t know anything about these positions other than what I post. I weed out the seedy looking ones, but it is your job to be diligent when applying. Also, please don’t message me with questions about the postings. If a link doesn’t work the posting has probably been taken down because the gig has been filled. If you have a gig for freelance writers that pays at least $50 a peice or over $20 an hour, please contact me and I will include your gig in next week’s post.

Daily Kos is looking for a staff writer

Pay: $60,000 to $65,000

More information: Journalism Jobs.com

Freelance Writers for SEO Company

Pay: 10 to 20 cents per word

More information: Craigslist

Freelance Writer

Pay: $15.00 to $20.00 /hour

More information: Indeed

Local News Freelance Writers - Pittsburgh and Surrounding Areas

Pay: $25 per 300 words

More information: SimplyHired

Freelance Content Writer

Pay: $18 - $25 an hour

More information: SimplyHired

Mental Health Care Advocate Grant Writer

Pay: Estimated $59,000 - $75,000 a year

More information: SimplyHired

Freelance writer: Advantage B2B consulting + marketing

Pay: Estimated $47,000 - $64,000 a year

More information: Sourced from SimplyHired—

Position summary

Advantage B2B consulting + marketing, publishers of Advantage Business Magazine is seeking long term relationships with business focused writers.
As a freelance writer, you will work on a variety of business focused assignments that could be used in magazine articles, blogs, whitepapers or long form e-books. This includes the flagship product of the company, Advantage Business Magazine. Expect to help create and follow an editorial calendar and work with the editor to accomplish objectives. Attention to details and deadlines are critical in this position.

The successful candidate will have expert level writing communication skills and who can understand objectives and deliver positive results. Only passionate, confident, and eager individuals need apply.

About ADVANTAGE
Established in 2008, Advantage B2B is a growing marketing and lead generation firm specifically designed to introduce clients to new customer relationships. Using education as a platform, we facilitate meaningful discussion between entrepreneurs and service professionals. With our proven, multi-step marketing process, we help business owners earn more profits by delivering qualified leads.

Qualifications:
education in marketing or public relations, journalism
2+ years of experience preferred
Proficient with understanding business related topics
This is a work from home, part time opportunity and is a per project basis. Examples of your work should be sent with the resume in an email.

Interested candidate should send resume to: careers@advantageb2b.com

Freelance Contributing Writer

Pay: $20 per hour

More information: SimplyHired

Freelance Journalist for FLTRD

Pay: $20.00 to $40.00 /hour
More information: SimplyHired

"Gearhead" Freelance Blogger and Community Manager

Pay: $600 per month for 4 to 10 blog posts

More information:

FormaCars is looking for a "gearhead" who is also an excellent writer to contribute to creating content as well as participating in community forums. The ideal candidate will be passionate about cars, specifically classic/iconic cars, and be able to communicate effectively.
FormaCars builds factory luxury automobiles through bold, innovative, and precise engineering made right here in the USA; and we deliver an experience like nothing else! Our vision is to fuse luxury, performance, quality, and technology into every single machine we build; constantly pushing ourselves for people who have a passion for cars, classic car designs, breathtaking lines, charisma, and personality. With all the capabilities, skills, and love of the industry, FormaCars delivers leading turn-key iconic cars as an established top-tier replica builder.
Job Duties

Deliver 4-10 new 1000+ word articles for the company blog per month
Participate daily in relevant car forums by providing thought leadership and value-add communication
Monitor, communicate and delegate with deadlines to specialty teams members where they need to engage and interact with forum topics to provide advanced replies
Take direction from Marketing leader

Requirements

You are a gearhead and know everything about cars
You are a skilled writer and communicator and can develop original content
You are a self-starter and can complete work without being on location
You are transparent with your workload and communicate what you are working on
You can take direction and understand/or willing to learn content marketing
You can work remotely and are tech-savvy

Compensation

This is a 1099 contract position
$600 per month
Estimating about 10 hours a week

Length

Depending on impact and content performance to business goals, could become a more long-term role

Other

This is not a traditional 9-5 job and you will have flexibility with your work hours. You could do this as a side project to your current job. You must be open to scheduling and communicating with Marketing leadership. We will be flexible to your schedule
Not required, but a bonus if you have advertising and / or videography background
Apply here

Freelance Writer for Consumer Electronics, Digital Lifestyle, and Online

Pay: Pay is $30 per Happening Now article (min 400 words each) and $50 per tip article (min 600 words each)

More information: SimplyHired

Freelance Horse Writer

Pay: $30,000–39,999 a year

More information: Mediabistro

Freelance Writer for National Magazines

Pay: 20-25 cents per word

More information: AngelList

Top 20 Companies for Freelance Jobs in 2019

Feedback from over 1,800 freelancers offers insight into what they want and why they work.

Feedback from over 1,800 freelancers offers insight into what they want and why they work.

Freelancing continues to grow, with projections that freelancers will make up 51% of the total U.S. workforce in 2027. According to FlexJobs’ 2019 annual survey, which reached more than 1,800 freelancers, freelancers enjoy working, want to travel, and are passionate about success in their careers at much higher rates than workers who do not identify as freelancers. To demonstrate the various opportunities in the freelance job marketplace and help freelancers connect to jobs they enjoy, FlexJobs has identified the top 20 companies hiring freelancers so far in 2019.

“With 36% of the total U.S. workforce currently freelancing, the range of freelance job opportunities has grown dramatically in the last decade,” said Sara Sutton, founder, and CEO of FlexJobs. “A variety of companies, organizations, and government agencies hire freelancers in almost every career imaginable, with jobs varying from small, temporary projects to long-term, full-time projects,” Sutton concluded.

Below are the top 20 companies, ordered from greatest to least, for the number of freelance job postings in 2019. Staffing and recruiting companies have strong representation on this list, which shows their deep involvement in the hiring process for freelance, contract, and temporary jobs. Some staffing companies are full-service hiring for a huge variety of career fields and industries, and others specialize in a particular field or group of related industries.

This list is based on an analysis of over 51,000 companies and their freelance job posting histories in the FlexJobs database between January 1, 2019, and August 31, 2019.

1.  Kelly Services
2.  Kforce
3.  Onward Search
4.  Real Staffing
5.  Motion Recruitment Partners
6.  LanguageLine Solutions
7.  AFIRM
8.  Robert Half International
9.  CyraCom
10. Aquent
11. CSI Companies
12. System One
13. Trilogy Education Services
14. 24 Seven
15. VanderHouwen & Associates
16. Landi English
17. Addison Group
18. Dahl Consulting
19. VocoVision
20. Paladin

Additional findings about freelancers from the FlexJobs survey, conducted in July 2019:

Why Freelancers Work

• 61% of freelancers reported that they work because they enjoy working, compared to 53% of non-freelancers who report the same
•  60% of freelancers work because they want to travel, compared to 53% of non-freelancers
•  48% of freelancers work because they are passionate about success in their career, compared to 38% of non-freelancers
•  When evaluating job opportunities, freelancers are more eager for a professional challenge (43%) than non-freelancers (34%)

Who is Freelancing

• Freelancing appeals to older generations as well as younger generations, with respondents identifying as: Gen Z (2%) Millennial (28%) Gen X (38) Baby Boomer (25%) Silent Generation (7%)
• Freelancers are well-educated, with 72% having at least a bachelor’s degree and 31% having a graduate degree

How Much Freelancers Work

• The vast majority (90%) of freelancers report working three or fewer gigs at a time, with 42% only working one gig at a time

When searching for freelance jobs, there are a number of different terms for job seekers to consider. These can be used to help find freelance job openings, and describe oneself to potential clients.

• Freelance job: A person works for themselves, rather than for a company. While freelancers do take on contract work for companies and organizations, they are ultimately self-employed
•  Contract work: Working as a temporary contract worker, rather than a permanent employee
•  Independent contractor: Work terms are specified by a contract with another company or individual, which is how the IRS classifies this type of work
•  1099: Used to describe the type of job. Refers to the IRS form an independent contractor fills out: form 1099-MISC
•  Contract consultant: Someone who is hired for temporary consultations for specific issues within a company
•  Contract-to-hire: A job that begins as a freelance, independent contractor position but has the potential to become a regular employee position if things go well

Want more writing tips on how to become a successful, well-paid writer? Read my book:

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