Freelance writing’s unfortunate new model

By James Rainey

January 6, 2010

With many outlets slashing pay scales, the well-written story is in danger of becoming scarce. The hustle is just beginning for new and seasoned freelancers.

The list of freelance writing gigs on Craigslist goes on and on.

Trails.com will pay $15 for articles about the outdoors. Livestrong.com wants 500-word pieces on health for $30, or less. In this mix, the 16 cents a word offered by Green Business Quarterly ends up sounding almost bounteous, amounting to more than $100 per submission.

Other publishers pitch the grand opportunities they provide to “extend your personal brand” or to “showcase your work, influence others.” That means working for nothing, just like the sailing magazine that offers its next editor-writer not a single doubloon but, instead, the opportunity to “participate in regattas all over the country.”

Read the rest of the story at LA Times.com website.

Please click and vote for Allbooks Review

Allbooks Review is the review and author promo source for POD AUTHORS as well as traditionally published authors. Authors around the world use our service.Great coverage for your book for twelve months +.Our complete review and author promotional package is less than $50.U.S and includes entry in the Allbooks Review Editor’s Choice Award (a $50 US value)Unbelievable value!! Contact us for complete details www.allbookreviews.com.

Their site is nominated in Predators and Editors Review Sites, please click on the link below and vote for Allbooks Review. Also please spread the word on your blogs or sites. Let’s make 2010 the best year ever for Allbooks Review, celebrating 10 years in 2010.

Please click HERE to vote.

Thank you.

The Well-Fed Self-Publisher

By Peter Bowerman

Given the state of today’s publishing industry, and the number of books being published yearly, have you considered self-publishing as an alternative to the mainstream publishers? While there are many self-published books in today’s market, the problem with many is the poor quality of the writing (lack of editing) and physical design (especially book covers). In this comprehensive book, Peter explains about what it takes to be a successful self-publisher. Incidentally, he doesn’t consider POD self-publishing, but offers up several scenarios where POD makes sense for certain books/authors.

In TWFSP, you will find information on why self-publishing might make sense, getting comfortable with the sales and marketing process, building a book, targeting buyers and building demand, building a book website, distribution, Amazon, maximizing mainstream media, article writing, radio shows, the ins and outs of live appearances, creating multiple stream of income from your book, and much more. The appendices contain self-publishing resources, info on a valuable companion marketing e-kit, a self-publishing time line, and a section of foreign rights.

The Well-Fed Self-Publisher is a complete manual for a business as a self-publisher. In today’s publishing environment, finding an agent, then waiting and hoping that your book will get published, can be a dead end. This book shows you how to do it yourself and still get your book on bookstore shelves.

Items discussed in TWFSP are the cover, how to make your self-published book compete with the mainstream publishers’ books in look, feel, and quality (books that don’t compare to those coming out of publishing houses will be hard to promote to reviewers, wholesalers, distributors, and bookstores). Especially useful is a chapter explain and demystifying the concepts of “Sales & Marketing” that terrify many authors today, but which they’ll have to learn and use to get their book into the hands of readers.

The Well-Fed Self-Publisher is a roadmap to self-publishing and getting your book into the hands of readers. This book, filled with information about the publishing industry and what authors need to accomplish in order to become a published author, is delivered in a conversational tone from someone who’s successfully self-published his books (over 50,000 copies of his first two books are in print). Check out The Well-Fed Self-Publisher “Biz-in-a-Box” Teaser in the back of the book.

This reviewer gives this book a five-star rating. If you are considering self-publishing, read this book and find out what self-publishing is about.

Interviews

One of the best ways to gain influence and recognition in the Web 2.0 environment is through interviews on sites such as BlogTalk Radio and blogs like Writers in Business as I have been privileged to be interviewed on both.

When you can get interviews or guest blog, this is a way to gain recognition and influence for your writing or your book. Network marketing is not just about sales, but about building relationships. The relationships you build and the more your learn about marketing and business are what can help you become know and searched out.

Today’s publishing environment dictates that authors market and promote their book, for freelance writers, you need to market your writing by getting it known via networking and marketing your writing, editing, or other services you offer to clients.

Word Trippers: The Ultimate Source for Choosing the Perfect Word When It Really Matters

By Barbara McNichol

As Mark Twain said, “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter–it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”

That’s why choosing the exact right word is important. For example, do you know when to use “affect” versus “effect” in your writing? Or “further” versus “farther”? Or “famous” versus “notorious”?

If you’re not sure, Word Trippers is the perfect reference ebook for you. This ebook contains 49 pages of 300+ pairings of words in alphabetical order and searchable on your computer, so they’re easy to find. Each word pairing is explained, then used in sentences to easily show how each is properly used, like this:

Affect, effect – “Affect” is a verb meaning to change or influence. “Your quick action affects (influences) the outcome.” “Affect” is also a noun to mean feeling, emotion, or emotional response. “During his grief process, my client displayed an uncharacteristically flat affect.” “Effect” is a verb meaning to bring about, to cause. “You can effect (bring about) a change easily.” “Effect” is also a noun meaning result or outcome. “The story has a desired effect.”

Whether you’re writing for business or crafting the next great American novel, this Word Trippers ebook will lead you to choosing the correct word when it really matters. It’s been created by expert nonfiction editor Barbara McNichol.

This reviewer highly recommends Word Trippers as an excellent reference tool, and gives it a four-star rating.

The Top 10 Things Every Writer Needs

I read this post at Apollo’s Lyre today and found the post to be funny and true to life at the same time.

It is something the writers will get a kick out of ready.

Head on over to Apollo’s Lyre and read it for yourself.

Please post a comment after you read it.

Thank you.

2009 Muse Online Writers Conference

I was a presenter at The Muse Online Writers Conference tonight.

The Muse conference is held in October. You must register for the conference to be able to attend. The conference is closed to registration for this year. However register next year for the conference in October 2010 when registration is open. The cost is free.

I have attended The Muse conference for years, but this is my first time as a presenter. I may do it again next year. I presented a course, “So, you want to be a Freelance Writer”, I also plan on visiting the accompanying forum to answer any questions I can about freelance writing.

Do Freelance Writers Need a Mentor?

If you are a writer already you probably do not need a mentor for your writing, but you definitely need one for the business side of writing. Finally, there is someone (Yolander Prinzel) mentoring me, to guide the business side of my freelance writing business. There are many writing courses and many gurus, but how do you choose the right one for you?

Choosing a Mentor

This is harder than you may think. Finding the right mentor for you depends on the ability of the mentor to get the points across to you and your willingness to do what they say. There has to be communication between you and your mentor. This may take some trial and error on your part to find the right one for you. If the two of you do not fit, nothing is going to happen. Yolander has taken up the mantel of mentor for this freelance writer and editor; she has helped to shape a new comfort zone. We work well together.

Are You Ready to Leave Your Comfort Zone?

If your mentor is worth their salt, they will push you out of your comfort zone. You must determine if you are willing to do what you need to learn the business side of writing. There are no courses in the business side of writing. The best way to learn is from someone that has done it. Find a mentor that has done what you want to and be open and willing to step out of your comfort zone. It is necessary if you want to make it in the writing business.

You may have noticed in this post, that the term writing and business are close friends. You might ask the question, “Is writing a business?” Unless you write strictly for yourself, yes, writing is a business. If you plan to sell your writing, you need to realize that you are an entrepreneur, and you need to think like one.

Yolander has helped with information about my resume, website, and even offers links to jobs she feels fit me. She explains what I need to do, and then it is up to me to implement her suggestions. My business is still a project in the works, but I feel it is getting better with her help.

How Much Should a Freelancer Charge?

This is an often-asked question. The following is this freelancer’s answer.

First, one has to take into consideration the level of experience and the particular job the client has for the freelancer. Not all jobs or freelancers are equal. If the client wants high quality, they should be willing to pay for it. If the client desires high quality but is only willing to pay amateur rates, walk away and let them find someone else. Freelancers need to value their time, if they do not, no one else will either. If the client wants to negotiate the price, the freelancer should have a figure at hand of what the assignment is worth.

Second, the client location is a consideration. Is the client is in NY City, or in a small rural town? This should make a difference in what is a reasonable rate for the freelancer’s time and work. There is no one rate fits all. There are those that say, charge blank per hour, this is fine if all of your work is in one place, but if you are national or international, there is no one rate fits all in this freelancer’s opinion.

Third, are you part-time, or full-time? How much money do you need? What are your expenses? These questions should also lead to how much to charge a client. If you are starting out, you cannot charge the same as someone that has been in the business for years and has the reputation of the go to person. As a new freelancer, you will have to work at least twice as hard to find work and will have to be reasonable for your clients until you prove yourself as a quality freelancer. Then slowly, over time you can raise your rates.

You can do a search online about what freelancers charge. One such site is: Editorial Freelancers Association. There are numerous sites to check out and come to some average, and then pick a minimum rate and do not settle for less. This may mean that you will be passing up work, but you want to be paid, and not give your work away for nothing, right? There is no way this freelancer can tell you the number of writing assignment passed because of the pay offered.

As an entrepreneur, who freelancers are, think of this as business. You are offering a service, you are in business for yourself, and you are an entrepreneur, like it or not. If this is a foreign concept to you, learn about being an entrepreneur, and learn what business is all about.

Why freelancing is a business, because as a freelancer you will have to wear many hats, be it accountant, marketer, public relations, and business owner if you work solo. You may also need some form of license to work from home, even if no client ever comes to your home, be it a large city or rural town you live in.

All of the above is part of what you as a freelancer need to calculate your minimum rate, and a negotiating point with your clients.

Good luck with your freelancing.

Answer to a Question I Received

This question was posted as a comment on my “Writing Questions” page. I requested on that page that anyone with a question use the contact form on my website. I will answer this one here.

“I’m a college student majoring in English. I plan on becoming a freelance writer once I graduate. I would like to know how did you get started to become a successful freelance writer? Did you start while you were in school (if you went), or did someone inspire you, and you went from there?”

Let me answer the question this way.

1. Since you are working on a degree in English, find someone to work for first to build a reputation and clips. Write articles for magazines in your spare time. GET KNOWN.

2. Save as much money as you can from working. You will need this money to tide you over until your freelance writing takes off and you have clients and a steady income. You should have a minimum of 6 months to one-year’s worth of funds with no writing jobs.

3. Before striking out as a freelance writer, be sure to have a business and marketing plan for your freelance writing.

4. Where are you going to work? Are you planning on setting up a home office? You will need to consider many things that have to do with a home office. You can read about it in an article I wrote at Factoidz, Home based business 101: Do you need a home office?

5. If you do plan on striking out on your own. Be advised that it may take time to find clients and you must be proactive in finding them. You need to have testimonials from satisfied clients to help.

6. You will need a minimum of a blog and build followers. Using social media networking will also help. I created a social networking group for freelance writers of all levels at Freelance Writers on ning.com. If you would like to become a member of this site, go to the site and follow the instructions. I keep it invitation only to keep spammers out.

7. Read, read, read, practice, practice, and practice your writing always striving to improve. Submit, submit, and submit.

8. If you plan on writing for a specific magazine, read copies of it and learn the style of writing found in the magazine. Always follow the writer guidelines. This may sound strange, and a bit of common sense, but it is a major reason queries are turned down, submitting something that is not per the published guidelines.

9. If you want to write copy, read copy from all areas of advertising and online. Read website copy. Learn the craft, and NEVER take short cuts.

10. Do a search of forums that cater to freelance writing and join them. Participate in discussions, ask question, observe, be a part of the community of writers.

12. Remember that it takes time and there will be lean periods. Do not rush things, it will happen.