The Beginners Guide to Freelance Writing

The Big Idea

Okay. So youve figured out that you would like to write for magazines, newspapers, and e-zines. Unfortunately, so have about eight gazillion other people on this planet. Therefore, you have to stand out from the crowd. You have to sparkle. How do you do this? Simple. It all starts with The Big Idea. The first secret you must learn in this funny business is that you dont actually have to write the whole article to get a job. In fact, only bright green novices attempt to write the whole thing before selling it. What you do need, however, is the IDEA for the great story. You will use this great idea to convince editors to pay you exorbitant amounts of money via a proposal letter (called a query letter. But youll learn about that in a minute).

Becoming the Total Package

Being a great writer is no longer enough if you plan to score a big publishing deal, especially as a nonfiction author.

Particularly if your book idea falls into the how-to or self-help categories, you not only have to sell your terrific writing, but you also have to sell yourself as the books conduit to the world.

Publishers want to minimize their risks, so they dont haphazardly award big book contracts to unknown writersunless, that is, the writer is the total package. What constitutes this package?

PLATFORM

Increasingly, publishers look for authors who have platforms. A platform is your megaphone to shout your books message to a mass audience. Famous people have automatic platforms; if Julia Roberts were to decide to write a book tomorrow, you can bet that shell have publishers clamoring. Why? Because they know that the media will go wild to tell the public about it, and shell have the ability to get as much air time as she wants all over TV and print.

But lets assume youre not quite so famous. Thats okay. You can build a platform in a number of waysa good start is by writing articles for newspapers and magazines. Work toward becoming a columnist (even at a freebie community paper), then work on syndicating your column.

How To Increase Your Chances of Getting Your Article Published

Publishers and webmasters can spend massive amounts of time just trying to gather their articles for publication. The simple process of trying to obtain an article can be frustrating.

The longer it takes for the publisher to acquire your article the easier it is for them to walk away. Some publishers aren’t as determined as others and the simple act of procrastination can lead them to never publishing your article.

The easier it is for a webmaster to obtain your article the better chance you have as an writer to send more traffic to your website.

In the time that they could’ve already copied and pasted an article for publication they’ve spent wasting it away on actually trying to get it.

So how can you make webmasters and publishers job 100% easier and increase your chance of getting your article published?

1) By reducing their effort as much as possible. Eliminate the effort they’ll have to make after they realize they want to publish your article.

2) Offer them the option of acquiring your article right after they’ve read it. Give them the benefit of copying and pasting your article immediately. Provide them with instant gratification. No delays.

Write SMART: How to Create Terrific Writing Goals - And Achieve Them!

Open up your favorite calendar and circle today’s date.

Why? Because no matter what day it is, you’ve been given a wonderful gift: a bright and shiny year ahead to make your writing dreams come true.

What are your writing goals for the coming year? If you don’t have any, this is the perfect time to create them. Clear goals help you stay focused as a writer. If you choose what you want to accomplish, you can arrange your time and priorities to get them done.

Take five minutes right now to decide what big things you’d like to achieve this year. (I’ll focus on your writing, but this technique can work for any area of your life.)

A long-established acronym, SMART, can help you create great goals. SMART stands for

Specific
Measurable
Action-Oriented
Risk/Realistic
Timed

Here’s how each of these words can help you succeed.

Specific:

When determining your goals, be precise. Instead of “I’ll write more this year,” consider “I’ll complete a new chapter every two weeks.”

Measurable:

For each goal you choose, make sure you can measure progress. For example, how will know you’ve completed it?

Action-oriented:

On Copying and Stealing Designs

The notion on the great artist, Pablo Picasso’s quote, “Bad artists copy. Good artists steal” is lost on many. And revolving around the graphic designer circles is the quote "Good artists copy, great artists steal" known as Picasso’s quote, still. Anyway, it might just be safe to assume that Picasso have not quoted this words exactly but he did have an "expert’s assessment and statement" regarding copying and stealing art styles and techniques.

The artistic world was widely influenced by Picasso, being the first living artist to be featured in the Louvre. Many have their own opinion and interpretation as to what he really meant on the quote. With the onset of digital technology and digital art, it is understandable that the modern Web graphic design also has an interpretation for it.

In an article by Cameron Moll, the Creative Director for IDI at http://www.sitepoint.com/article/copy-great-designers-steal he had endeavored to uncover a possible explanation in three levels of design. These three levels involves some aspect of copying or stealing, shows increasing design maturity, adapts Picasso’s quote to modern graphic design. The interpretation by Moll was segmented in such a way that do not imply that they are the only levels of design. it is but a guide to assist the improvement of designers’ design and lead to their maturity with regards to copying and stealing designs.

The Write Habit: How to Strengthen Your Writing Muscle

Writing is a muscle that needs exercise to stay in shape.

I realized how true that saying is when I took what I called “a well-earned break” after I finished my first novel. The last few days of writing that novel felt as sweet as whipped cream–I was in a writing groove, humming along. I figured I’d take a little hiatus for a few days, then start my second book. No problem.

Those few days stretched into a week. Soon two more weeks wandered by and thumbed their noses at me. I felt guilty every time I passed my PowerBook. Then I began to avoid the computer altogether, a beautifully self-defeating habit.

Finally, twitching with dread after more than a month away, I sat down at the screen and began my next novel. Trying to write after that time away was torture. My neglected writing muscle had become flabby and whiny. It protested my sudden demands and resented being drafted to work.

For many people, the key to productivity is making writing a habit. Consistent writing breeds easier writing. If that’s true for you, create a new habit.

Timer Magic for Writers

If your writing muscle isn’t in shape, writing a novel may seem like a sheer, unscalable cliff. (”Gee, I don’t think I can write today. I left my climbing shoes in my other backpack…”)

Keep in mind that you don’t need to write the whole book today, so stop beating yourself up. Instead, just start moving, one footstep at a time.

One of my favorite writing tools is a timer. My author clients and I swear by ours, and “timer magic” can work for almost any task that’s looming over you. (Remember the old joke about how to eat an elephant? One bite at a time!)

Get a timer and set it for fifteen minutes. C’mon, fifteen minutes-you can do anything for that long. Promise yourself these two things:

(1) you’ll be in your chair, and

(2) you’ll be willing to write during that time.

Even if you’re afraid you’ll be staring at a blank screen, do it. That’s your agreement.

Now: butt in chair, hands on keyboard, set the timer, and go. Write down anything that comes to you-snippets of dialogue, ideas for an opening paragraph, why your heroine scratches her nose when she’s nervous and hates velvet. Anything. Don’t censor it.

Dont Sell your Book, Share It

Most authors who aren’t used to speaking before a group think, “I’d rather get a root canal than have to ’sell’ my book.” If you think about how great your book is, how you wrote it because you wanted to help or entertain your audience, you can change this fear to the idea of sharing your book.

Sharing your book works great in person before other people, one-on-one, or Online.

Five Steps to Sharing your Book

1. Know your preferred audience first.

For instance, the book, “Passion at Any Age” is the “Artist’s Way” for seniors. Who will your book help the most? Get yourself in front of these people because they will already have open arms and hearts to your boo.

2. Write an audience profile–those who will want to buy your book because you solve their particular challenge.

Include their income, buying habits, values, online savvy, magazines they read, sex, and age among other traits. FACT: Online people buy most kinds of books. Books are still the number one seller on the Internet.

3. Write a “Dear Audience” letter.

Writers Block Begone

Back when I was in college, I belonged to one of those professional associations for the video industry. (I was a student member.) The monthly newsletter had a column called “Writer’s Block.” Although called Writer’s Block, no one ever wrote about this mysterious and debilitating condition. So, finally, one day I decided to tackle the subject.

I don’t remember much about the article except it seemed to be about eating chocolate, taking walks and not doing much writing (it was supposed to be tongue in cheek). I don’t think it turned out as successful as I had hoped.

Anyway, my point is this — while I still eat lots of chocolate and take lots of walks, I’ve also been forced to wrestle with that particular nightmare many a time. And in those wrestling matches, I’ve learned a few moves that might help you in your own struggles.

First, I’ve come to view writer’s block as a friend more than an enemy. Okay, maybe friend is too strong. An ally. (Okay, maybe he’s a really mean ally, but an ally all the same.)

How to Pitch a Story

Ever wonder why we refer to convincing an editor a story is worthy by "pitching a story?" I have. I’m a baseball enthusiast, and it makes a lot of sense to me. When the editor is at bat with you, he or she has a few swings to make before making a connection ? through the story idea (ball) that could end up being a base hit or a home run. Naturally, everyone wants to hit a home run when they go to bat with an editor. Sometimes publicists and writers do have to walk to first base for the story assignment. Here are some helpful tips on how to pitch a story to an editor ? and how to at least hit a single, double, or triple ? if not a home run on occasion.

Use an Editor’s Time Productively

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