If you’ve spent any amount of time online looking for writing tips, you’ve probably come across the essay 13 Writing Tips by  Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club (and several other novels, as well). In that essay, Palahniuk offers some excellent advice for writers. As with many novelists, however, much of his advice is aimed at the budding novelist, such as tip number ten: “Write the book you want to read.”

However, I’d like to take a look at his first writing tip and tell you how I apply it to freelance writing. Here is that first tip:

Number One: Two years ago, when I wrote the first of these essays it was about my “egg timer method” of writing. You never saw that essay, but here’s the method: When you don’t want to write, set an egg timer for one hour (or half hour) and sit down to write until the timer rings. If you still hate writing, you’re free in an hour. But usually, by the time that alarm rings, you’ll be so involved in your work, enjoying it so much, you’ll keep going. Instead of an egg timer, you can put a load of clothes in the washer or dryer and use them to time your work. Alternating the thoughtful task of writing with the mindless work of laundry or dish washing will give you the breaks you need for new ideas and insights to occur. If you don’t know what comes next in the story… clean your toilet. Change the bed sheets. For Christ sakes, dust the computer. A better idea will come.

As much as I love my business, there are times when I don’t feel like writing. There are times I downright hate writing. I don’t hate it the way that I hated configuring Cisco routers near the end of my IT career, but there are moments when I’d rather be doing just about anything else.

So, I do what Palahniuk recommends, after a fashion. When I’m really struggling with staying on task, staying motivated or just keeping from being totally perturbed at what I’m writing, I write in shifts. I set the timer to write for 90 minutes, and i plow through. When my 90 minutes are up, I stop for fifteen. It’s sort of my reward for being a good little writer.

During my free time, I might read a book, play on Facebook, play a video game or even take a 15-minute catnap. The important thing is to disengage – get free of my writing for a few minutes – so I can come back recharged.I’m not looking for “new ideas and insights” in the way that Palahniuk talks about. I’m just looking for a distraction – something to take my mind away from the writing for a little bit.

I guess there’s one more thought to add to this mix, too. I’m at the place in my writing business where I don’t have to take every project that comes along. I can turn down a project, or pass it on to one of my writers, if I think it’s going to be too monotonous or boring.

So, what about you? Do you use built-in “egg timer” breaks in your day? Do you need them with every project, or just with certain ones?

Today’s post is a guest post from David Gurevich. David contacted me with this post idea a while back. I think it’s a good addition to my 178 Ways to Improve Your Internet Writing post. Enjoy!

When we write, we leave the clutter and junk of our lives behind, and enter a world of possibility, where anything can happen.  Yet our words are ultimately for other people.

Now matter how beautiful the dream, the original vision, it must be clearly communicated for other people to experience it.

Here are 50 tips to improve your writing. If followed, your writing will drastically improve.

1) Have a trusted editor.

This is number one on the list because it’s that important. An editor takes the decent stuff you throw at them, cuts out the words that aren’t 100% effective, and adds their perspective.

It’s like taking a diamond to a specialist for cutting.

2) Use the active voice.

For the most part, say what people do. Don’t say what is done. John plowed the field, not, the field was plowed by John. Active phrasing keeps your prose alive and interesting.

3) Know grammar – that way, you’ll know exactly what rule you’re breaking.

Read one of the books that make grammar fun like Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. It’ll make you laugh and teach you something, too. If you want to break the rules, just first make sure you know what they.

4) Always think twice when you use a big word.

It doesn’t matter if you know what eschew means, and it doesn’t matter if your audience might. Use the simplest words you can. It is easier to read and it’s more interesting.

5) Know your audience. Coal miners are very different from astrophysicists who’re different from High Schoolers.

Writing is meant to be read. Make sure you know who your readers are, how they think, and what they like. Write to meet their needs.

6) Keep paragraphs short and to the point.

Simplicity.

It’s effective.

7) Don’t use colloquialisms needlessly.

It’s tempting to include slang or new phrases to make your work sound hip and relevant.

But you risk a lot. First, you stand to alienate those who don’t understand. Second, it can lower the quality of your writing. And finally, with the rapid pace of change, a phrase everyone knows now may be archaic in a few years.

8.) Edit. Always edit.

Write something, then edit it, then edit it some more.

9) Focus on writing. Turn off the cellphone – no multitasking.

If you want to produce great writing, then dedicate time to doing just that – writing.

A little distraction is OK. Some people, after all, work better with music playing or other stimuli. What you need to avoid are things that require a significant amount of your attention, and so distract you.

Music, OK. Instant messaging? Not so good.

10) Adverbs are OK, but like fatty food, cut back on them.

Don’t substitute adverbs for effective description. Things can be done quickly, furiously, happily, whatever. The problem arises when you rely on those adverbs to describe things that are better shown.

For instance, you might write, “He furiously shut the door.” That gets you a B. It’s decent writing. But if you want to make it A level writing, you might want to describe with verbs and nouns what happened.

Adverbs are also a problem when they become too excessive in and of themselves.

11) Use imagery and central metaphors to build emotional impact.

Have themes to your work. Use powerful images and metaphors to build a lasting emotional impact.

12) Break up long sentences with short ones. And vice versa.

13) Write in a natural tone. Nothing stilted that would make your friends give you a questioning look.

If anything you write would make a close friend break out laughing – and not at your wit – then there’s a problem. Think of your poor reader. Now go, make your writing simpler. Use as few words as possible to say as much as possible.

14) Join a writing group. Group pressure means results.

15) Hold yourself accountable. Make goals and meet them.

Start small. Promise yourself that you’ll work at least 10 minutes a day on that big project you’re passionate about but never do. Then meet that goal. Before you know it, 10 minutes – which you can easily do – becomes 20, then 45. And at that point you’re making real progress on your dream of writing.

16) Know when you’re done.

Orwell thought his book 1984 wasn’t edited well enough. If he had listened to himself, he’d have kept working on it, and we wouldn’t have a classic. Now, you absolutely need to edit your ass off and make sure everything is great.

But there also needs to be an ending.

17) The vast majority of writing doesn’t use swearwords.

18) Cut out any unnecessary words.

Read a paragraph you’re not happy with. Find every single word that doesn’t need to be there and delete it. Readability will skyrocket.

19) Feel free to disregard your first draft. It’s just paper or kilobytes.

You don’t need to stick to your first draft. Feel free to start all over again.

20) Using “I” is OK if done correctly.

You’re taught as a kid that “I” shouldn’t be in your papers. That’s not always true. When you have a relevant opinion, it’s not a sin to put yourself in the paper. You’re the one writing it after all.

21) The more you write, the better you become.

I swear that I used to suck at writing. Teachers told me I had to redo work. I might still suck – that’s your call – but hours and hours of practice writing have improved my ability a lot.

Even if you’re not happy with your writing as it is, it will get better. Just work at it.

22) Read great literature.

23) Give yourself a writing space.

24) The best way to succeed is the Butt in Chair method. You sit, you work. No questions.

25) Realize that a critic may be wrong.

26) Have a consistent writing schedule.

27) Favor the most concise style, but you don’t have to be Hemmingway.

28) Don’t betray the readers trust with something absurd.

29) In writing, you first create a world – then have to follow its rules.

If casting a spell requires an animal sacrifice in chapter 1, then requires herbal potions in chapter 4, and finally in chapter 10 doesn’t require anything (George, our beloved protagonist, just starts slinging fireballs with no explanation), you’re letting your readers down.

Follow the rules that exist in your world. Consistency!

30) Have a writing ritual. Myself, I always have a cup of tea first.

31) Avoid cliches.

Cliches are best avoided. The problem with them is that they are too easy, and that they don’t necessarily add a lot to your writing. You want to be original.

32) Avoid excessively witty, self-serving in-jokes.

A witty self-serving in-joke would have been to write “avoid cliches like the plague.” There is, as always, a fine line, and err on the side of respecting your readers.

33) When being creative, suspend your inner critic.

You want to try something new? Cut off the electricity to the inner critic center in your mind, and start writing! Magic is happening.

34) Listen to your inner critic after being creative.

After you have a creative breakthrough, you then have to take the hard road of editing and revision.

35) Know the difference between British and American style.

36) Whatever you write about, do your research first. Know what you write about.

If you want to convincingly write about a car salesman, learn how they think. What phrases they use, what makes them happy. Knowing those details will shine through your writing and give it authenticity.

37) Show don’t tell for the most part.

38) Tell, don’t show, when doing otherwise would be boring or plain stupid.

39) Make your writing have an exciting, forward pace.

40) Don’t overuse ellipses or dashes.

Some authors liter their writing with… way too… often. Or – they uses dashes far too often – making things that don’t deserve it have it. Ellipses and dashes can be very effective. Just don’t abuse ‘em.

41) You start writing to please yourself, but succeed by pleasing others.

42) Don’t be afraid to describe something that has to be described.

43) Fancy fonts, underlining and bolding work – in business writing. Not fiction.

Different genres have different stylistic rules. Always write stuff that works without highlighting, italicizing, or whatever. But remember to take advantage of the presentation options you have.

44) Always prefer the word “said.” Grunting, snorting and chortling gets old fast.

45) Believe in yourself.

46) Be dramatic by being subtle.

47) Write for your readers.

Mentioned several times, but explicitly said here. Don’t write for yourself. Write to help your reader out, to entertain them, or to inform them. Their needs must be met, and you need to meet them.

48) Use punctuation appropriately.

49) Mix long paragraphs with short paragraphs.

50) Keep things moving along.

Take pride in your hard work, and reward important landmarks. Keep working hard and having fun. You’re the most amazing person, even if only to those who love you. You owe it to them to write your best!

David Gurevich is chosen by companies to make abstruse issues simple. You can check him out at his blog, Health and Life, a Medical Blog , where he blogs – logically enough – about health and medical issues.

I’m happy to announce that today is my debut post over at Freelance Writing Job’s Business Tips for Writers.

In recent months, FWJ has expanded from a single blog into a thriving blog network, and I’m excited to be part of the team. I’m taking over duties for Men with Pens’ own James Chartrand, so I realize from the start that I’ve got some seriously big shoes to fill. I trust you won’t be disappointed.

If you’ve never been to FWJ, make sure you stop by the main site and familiarize yourself with Deb and the crew. Also make sure to subscribe to the Business Tips for Writers feed while you’re at it. I’ll be posting twice a week, usually on Tuesday and Thursday.

I haven’t done a links post in quite a while, so I thought I’d give you a little glimpse at where I’m spending my quality time online these days. I think you’ll enjoy each of these links:

• Michael Stelzner of Writing White Papers has opened up nominations for the Top 10 Writing Blogs of 2009. The Writing Journey made the list in 2008, which thrilled me to no end. Make sure to get over there and nominate your favorite writing blog today – the deadline is next Friday.
• Speaking of Michael, he and Peter Bowerman have an amazing free webinar called Generalist vs. Specialist: Which Is Better in a Tough Economy? coming on September 17, 2009. This is going to be a head-to-head debate between two copywriting superstars—one who is the king of a big niche and the other who is a very famous generalist. You need to register, and there are a limited number of spots, so get over there today.
• Jennifer Mattern over at All Freelance Writing has an interesting post on residual article income. As you may remember, I experimented a bit with residual income-based article directories in the early days of this blog, with relatively poor results. Jennifer offers some excellent thoughts on the promises and disappointments involved in these kinds of sites. Not sure I agree with all of it, but it’s still a good read.
• Do you read Seth Godin? Not everyone’s a fan, I know. He’s got some terse and insightful thoughts on Positive thinking this week. Take a look.
• If you haven’t been to Freelance Writing Jobs in a while, you should visit. Deb Ng has expanded the site into a full-blown blog network, and it’s seriously sharp. Check the Business Tips blog at FWJ on Tuesday, September 8. I have a reliable source that says the day’s post will be interesting.

There you go. That should keep you busy for a while.

Do you know what you would do if your freelance writing business tanked tomorrow? Chances are you’ve thought about it. Every small business owner, somewhere in the back of their mind, has a Plan B. Maybe you figure you’ll go back to school and finish your degree. Maybe you figure you’ll take a job in your former career (if you have one).

Now, there’s nothing wrong with any of this, of course. But there’s another kind of contingency planning that’s worth thinking about:

What will you do if you succeed?

I’ve written many times before about the fact that this business can have its ups and downs, and that you’ve got to refuse as best you can to participate in the downs. That’s essential if you’re going to stay in business. But this other aspect – the up times – deserves some attention, too.

Strike While the Iron is Hot

Here’s a good example of what I’m talking about. Maybe August was a slow month for you. Then, BOOM! September 1st hits and you land a gig that will carry you the rest of the way through the month, and make up for August’s leanness. You jump into the project, fat and happy.

Something happens, though. Plugging away at this new gig, you back off on your marketing efforts. You slack off on follow-up sales emails, or you leave off checking the freelance web sites for a week. Human nature is such that success brings contentment, and contentment can, unfortunately, sap your motivation.

Being prepared for success means not being lulled into complacency by your success. It means working just as hard every day at growing your business, whether you’ve made gangbusters that day or whether you’ve made bupkus.Take advantage of your success and keep the momentum going.

Today’s Success is Tomorrow’s Seed

There’s another aspect to this idea of planning for success, one that’s much more concrete. The fact is this: a successful business knows where it wants to go. Whether you want to be the Queen of Long-Form Sales Pages, Bloggerman or CEO of Web Writers Inc., you’ve got some idea of what ultimate success is going to look like.

If you’re going to hit the big time and really reach those goals, however, you need to have a pretty good idea of how to get there, and it should involve being successful today. Today’s successes are the seeds from which those goals will ultimately grow. Leverage today’s success to make tomorrow even bigger.

You can do this in many different ways. Maybe you can actually shave a little bit of money off the top of a payment to do some advertising. Maybe it’s as simple as adding a particularly good piece to your portfolio. Whatever it is, you need to be always thinking about “how can I use this success to power the growth of my business?”

The Inner Monologue

There are enough other folks out there writing about the power of positive thinking, the dangers of negative self-talk, and how you can’t let fear hold you back. These things are all true, and you’ve heard them before; I don’t need to rehash it here.

I will say, though, that you need to let success increase your confidence. Just as much as losing a sale is an ego blow, making a big sale can pump you right up. When you experience some success, be OK with it. Accept it. Let it work against all of that self-doubt you’ve got going on. Don’t get cocky or arrogant, but allow yourself to take credit for your success.

You might not realize it, but Internet writing is a lot like earning a PhD in History. Now, I know that grad school isn’t the first thing you think about when you think about Internet writing, but bear with me for a little while.

The best way to explain to you what I’m talking about is to tell you a story about my friend, Phil. Phil is a nurse in the real world, but in his spare time he likes to study history. He’s what you’d call an “armchair historian.” He reads books on history, watches the history channel, and is, in many ways, very knowledgeable about a great number of historical subjects.

Because I have a graduate degree in History, Phil likes to ask me questions. For example, just a few weeks back he posed this one:

“Do you think the economic devastation in Germany after World War I helped to create the environment that allowed Hitler to come to power?”

To which I answered, “I really have no idea. I’ve never given it much thought.”

“But you’re a historian!” Phil replied. “You’ve got the degree and everything. You write a history blog. You’ve even got a bumper sticker on your laptop that says ‘Everyone remain calm… I’m a historian.’ How can you not have any idea?”

This part is always a little difficult to explain to folks. “My area of study is pretty narrow, Phil. I’m into 19th-century U.S. History. Specifically, my research has been in Antebellum Southern intellectual and social history.”

To which, as usual, I received a puzzled look. I continued: “You’re a nurse, right Phil? You work in the Infant ICU. I bet you can tell that a preemie is in distress almost before the machines tell you. But do you think you could do the same with a geriatric patient?”

“Well, yeah,” came the answer. “I mean, it might take me a couple of weeks in that unit to get the hang of it, but yeah.”

“And it might take me some time studying German history between the World Wars to answer your question.”

———

In the world of Internet writing, there are countless opportunities. There is web copy, keyword articles, blogging, sales page writing and white papers just to name a few. In my business, I’ve done each of these types of writing. Some I enjoy more than others. Some pay better than others. Some I’m better at than others.

At some point, however, you have to pick a specialty. What will your bread and butter be when it comes to your Internet writing? Michael Stelzner knows his specialty: it’s writing White Papers. That’s even the name of his site. James Chartrand knows, too. He writes about the writing business, whether he’s doing it at Men with Pens or whether he’s doing it at one of the many other sites he writes for. When the Pen Men ran a contest last year, it even focused on business. That’s James’ Internet writing specialty. Sure, Michael and James do other writing and they do it well, but you can tell where their passion lies.

For me, it’s blog writing. It’s writing content for people that is conversational, authoritative and still packs a punch. Yes, I do a lot of other writing, but that’s where my passion is and where my greatest talents lie. When I get an order in, that’s the writing I keep for myself rather than passing along to my writing minions.

So, what about you? What’s your Internet writing specialty?

As I’ve taken on writing coaching clients these past few months, it’s been really interesting to talk with aspiring writers, and watch as they try to wrap their heads around the business of writing. I’ve found that most folks only need a very little help when it comes to the technical side of writing. Most of my coaching clients wind up learning a lot in two specific areas.

How the Writing Business Works

I recall, before I started writing for money, how I had this very distinct image of the professional writer. Like most people, I thought of the novelist. I pictured a cabin in the woods, overlooking a crystal clear lake, with a dedicated artist furiously banging away on her keyboard, creating the next bestseller.

It’s funny, because that image really isn’t what most writers’ lives are like. Oh, sure, there are some successful novelists who live that way. But most of the people who make their living from writing do it in a home office, at their kitchen table, or at a local coffee shop. In my case, it’s all three.

So, one of the things that happens in my coaching is that the illusory wall comes down. My clients get a chance to look behind the scenes, to see what the writing life is really like. I’ll walk them through a particular project, from start to finish. And more often than not, their reaction is one of surprise as they see that the writing business is a lot like many other small businesses.

The Characteristics of a Successful Writer

The other thing my clients often experience first-hand is a realization of what it takes to be a successful writer. They learn things about themselves, about what it would really take to make their living by writing. While working on a project together, one of my coaching clients described it this way:

Before this project, I would sit and write as my schedule allowed, and if I did not feel like producing much, I did not. This project made me realize that when there is time, there must be productivity. For me, transitioning from working a “day job” to being a productive writer is about being able to “turn on” the switch when I have the time to sit at the computer, focus on results, and produce.

And that, truly, is one of the first lessons you learn when you begin writing professionally. Back when I worked as a Network Administrator, I could blow off a Friday afternoon if I wanted to, usually with very little consequence. Today, if I blow off work time it has to be made up, and sooner rather than later. While it’s true I have more flexibility working for myself than I did when I worked for someone else, I also have to take things more seriously.

Today’s post was inspired by a piece from Jonathan Morrow, associate editor at Copyblogger. The piece, entitled how 2 blog if u suk at writin, is a motivational, feel-good article aimed at bloggers who are less than confident in their writing ability. While I encourage you to go read the entire article, I’ll sum up Morrow’s main thesis here:

If you’re a poor writer, don’t worry. Not everyone is born with the gift of writing. You can still be a successful blogger. You just need to work hard to keep things interesting and unique. Play to your other talents, and the writing won’t matter.

Now, it’s been just a year and 12 days since I took Skellie to task for suggesting that great writing doesn’t matter online. Nothing has changed since then. I’m a firm believer that content is king, and that good writing is the premier form of content online, and in blogs specifically.

Look. Confessions of a Pioneer Woman didn’t win Blog of the Year by having mediocre writing. Yes, Pioneer Woman’s pictures are great. But she’s a good writer, too. She keeps readers coming back, in part, because of her ability to turn a phrase.

The same is true for Darren at Problogger, Dooce and Morrow’s own Copyblogger. Even Cake Wrecks wouldn’t be as hilariously funny if Jen were a sucky writer. It also holds true for Hugh MacLeod at Gaping Void, the only solid example Morrow uses of a highly successful blogger whose main attraction isn’t his writing.

Good writing hooks the reader and keeps them coming back for more. Conversely, poor writing detracts from the blogger’s own message.

I like the spirit of what Morrow is trying to do here, I really do. He wants to encourage bloggers who may not be the best writers, or who may not have confidence in their writing ability. In some ways, that’s exactly what I try to do here with every post. I want to help other Internet writers improve their craft (and their business).

But Morrow and I disagree about how best to serve other Internet writers and bloggers. Rather than encourage them to hone their craft, Morrow seems to be suggesting they develop a catchy gimmick. This is somewhat surprising, given that Morrow himself says that, rather than being born with a pen in hand, he devoted years to honing his craft. So, why wouldn’t he encourage other writers to do the same?

My message, instead, is this:

If you’re a poor writer, don’t worry. You can still be a successful blogger. You’ll need to work hard to hone your craft so that your writing accents and supports, rather than detracts from, your blog. The good news is that just about anyone can become a good writer with a little bit of hard work.

So, what do you think? Is good writing really necessary to have a good blog?

As many of you know, I’m a big fan of the folks over at Men with Pens. One third of that dynamic trio,James Chartrand, is one of the hottest name in the freelance writing business right now. He’s featured regularly on Copyblogger, and is also a regular contributor at a number of other sites.

One of those sites is Freelance Folder, where I’ve also been a regular contributor. Freelance Folder is for us one of the hottest sources for advice and information for the freelancer, whether you’re just starting out or whether you’ve been around the block.

Well, I’m excited to let you all know that James Chartrand and Mason Hipp, the current brains behind Freelance Folder, have joined forces to put together an indispensable book. If you want to:

• Overcome your limits as a freelancer
• Discover your true freelancer potential
• Grow your business
• Land more clients
• Add value to your services

Then this book is for you.

I’ll be offering a review of this book within the coming days, but I wanted to get it out there right now so you can have quick access to this awesome book. If you enjoyed Write for the Web, you’re going to absolutely LOVE The Unlimited Freelancer.

I don’t know about you, but I’m about done with all of this talk about a “faltering economy,” “economic downturn,” and, worst of all, “recession.”

My state, Michigan, hasn’t really ever recovered from the hard times that started after 9/11. Back in 2005, I recall newspaper headlines declaring that Michigan was in a “one-state recession.” Times are tough here, and have been for a long time.

Am I worried about this situation? Sure. I’m worried for my friends, my extended family. I see people around me getting laid off every day, and my heart goes out to them.

But I’m not worried for myself.

The thing is, you see, I choose not to participate in the recession.

What do I mean by that, exactly? I mean, simply, that I’m not going to allow the recession to affect my income or my lifestyle. You see, there are a few facts about running a freelance writing business that can, if you’re smart about it, make your business recession-proof.

Freelance writing clients are worldwide

Right now, my biggest clients aren’t based in the United States. While I have clients in the U.S., my client base spans the globe. I haven’t had a client in Michigan in some time – further proof that my state is in dire straits.

Unlike my good friend who runs an appraisal business just down the road, the local economy doesn’t affect me as directly. If the local market dries up, I can get work from Aussies, Canadians, Brits and lots of other folks. I like working for local clients, but they aren’t my bread and butter by any means.

Freelance writing gigs aren’t tied to a specific industry

I have the same sort of flexibility when it comes to industries. Michigan is, of course, tied very closely into the auto industry. If you’ve been watching the shenanigans in Washington as of late, you know the auto industry is in trouble. That makes for a lot of economic devastation in my community.

Here again, though, I don’t work with just one industry. I have clients in real estate, technology, food service and even some related to the auto industry. But should any one of those areas take a dive, I have plenty of others to choose from.

A freelance writing business model has to be flexible to succeed

Now, I don’t want to paint some kind of rosey picture here. Hard economic times do affect the way I do business. I may have to spend more time searching for clients. I might have to chase down a client or two for payment. I might have to offer deeper discounts than I’d like.

But the business I’m in allows me the flexibility to do those things. I can make adjustments, on the fly if I need to, to insure that my business continues to be healthy and to thrive.

Freelance writing is about creating opportunities

Even when the markets all dry up, there is still potential for success. As a freelancer, I can use my ambition, imagination and creativity to come up with new ways to succeed. The possibilities are endless, it’s just a matter of identifying the ones with the greatest potential for success and then executing them effectively.

This is what being a freelancer is all about, folks. Expanding your horizons, breaking into new markets, adjusting your business to the times and making your own way is how you get ahead as a freelancer.

Freelancing not for the faint of heart. It’s for those folks who are willing to do what has to be done in order to come out ahead, recession or not.

photo credit: eob

For a couple of weeks now, the discussion has been going back and forth between Men with Pens and Freelance Parent about the costs of starting up a freelance writing business. One side argues that you can start up a freelance writing business on the cheap, with a couple hundred dollars or less. The other side argues that a freelance writing business has the same kinds of startup costs that any other small business has – and that you’re going to put out ten times that amount or more.

I’d encourage you to follow those debate threads. Each side makes some good points, to be sure. If you pin me down and force me to offer my opinion, I’ll say that any small business, whether they’re freelance writing, plumbing or basket-weaving, can benefit from a significant cash investment in the beginning.

Now, for my part, I started out with no investment. I fell into the freelance writing business quite by accident. I put nothing but time into the business in the beginning, and I did just fine.

(Of course, that’s part of it, isn’t it? If you don’t have cash, you need to have time. Ideally, you’ll have both.)

However, it wasn’t until later on in my freelance writing business, when I was able to invest some money in some tools of the trade, some new office equipment and some marketing that my business really took off. It also helped that I found a mentor who’d been where I had been who could teach me a thing or two.

If I were to start my freelance business today, I’d spend some money. I’d make sure I had the right computer and the right work environment. I’d hire a writing coach for at least three months, and I’d buy Freelance Rockstar Freelancer and Write for the Web. I’d spend some money on marketing. If I wanted to make money blogging, I’d get into Blog Mastermind. I’d probably even hire a Virtual Assistant to help me keep organized.

So, what are the real costs of starting a freelance writing business? I can honestly say I’d put them somewhere between $0 and $20,000. Am I trying to play both sides of the fence here? I suppose I am.

The real cost of starting a freelance writing business is this: It is the amount of capital you can raise, spent in the most efficient way possible. For every dollar you can’t spend, you have to make it up in blood, sweat and tears.

Starting capital doesn’t guarantee your success, just like the lack of capital doesn’t guarantee your failure. But having some startup cash for your freelance writing business does increase your odds of success.

Follow The Journey: Other Posts In This Series

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Introduction

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Education

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Honing Your Craft

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Planning

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Building Your Portfolio

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Finding Work

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: A Jump-Start

How to Start Your Freelance Writing Business: The Costs

photo credit: (UB) Sean R

We’ll pick back up on this series later in the week, folks.

In the meantime, I want to tell you about a great way to get your business off the ground. The guys over at Men with Pens are running a contest with a top prize of almost $12,000 in writing business resources, including a month of coaching from yours truly.

Go Enter The Men with Pens Sticky Business Contest today!

(Incidentally, it’s Harry, James and Charlie at Men with Pens who are responsible for my new theme today, as well. If you like it as much as I do, get over there and have them design your site.)

Follow The Journey: Other Posts In This Series

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Introduction

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Education

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Honing Your Craft

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Planning

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Building Your Portfolio

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Finding Work

Now, I won’t pretend to know it all when it comes to landing freelance writing work. After all, my first gig was one that the client approached me about, rather than the other way around. In fact, some of my more successful long-term client relationships have been that sort: people who sought me out because they believed I could meet their needs.

Still, you can’t build a business by expecting people to show up on your doorstep. I’ve said before that opportunities aren’t made, they’re painstakingly crafted. To be successful, you’ve got to get out there and make some sales.

Freelance bidding sites

You know these sites. Elance, Guru, Scriptlance and so on. These sites offer a place for clients to post a project and freelancers to bid on those projects. I’ve had some success over time with this kind of activity, and my work on these sites has led to at least a couple of long-term clients.

I could (and probably will, one day) write a series on these sites. There are so many different elements that it’s hard to know where to begin. Rather than trying to do that here, let me just offer four of the most important things I’ve learned about bidding sites:

• Ignore the abysmally low bids. Just because someone else is working for $2 an article doesn’t mean you have to. It just means you have to demonstrate added value to get those higher rates.
• Customize every bid. Yes, it takes time. But you really need to engage the potential client if you’re going to capture her interest. Speak directly to her needs, both written and unwritten, in your bids.
• Showcase your best work, and plenty of it. Include links to your freelance writing portfolio, and attach a relevant sample to your bid. In my case, a link to this blog increases sales by a significant factor.
• There are plenty of different styles of work at these sites, from copywriting to SEO articles to blogging. Pick one and focus on it to maximize your success.

Freelance job sites

There are a number of these out there, but many of them have the same info every day. Two of the ones I check regularly are John Hewitt’s PoeWar and Deb and Jodee at Freelance Writing Jobs. These sites have plenty of potential, but they’re also more competitive. Whereas you might find a dozen gigs a day with eight or ten competitors at Elance, you’re going to find 20 gigs a day with 200 or 300 competitors at these sites.

Beyond that, though, these sites offer a different type of work that what you’ll find at the bidding sites. Here you’ll find a higher concentration of blogging gigs, for example. You’ll also find more long-term assignments and actual “jobs,” if that’s the thing you’re looking for.

Cold calls

I’ve done cold calling, to be sure. If there’s a niche that you’re an expert in, or perhaps have a special knowledge of, it’s all right to contact webmasters of those sites and offer your services. Your rate of success with cold calls is going to be lower than it is with the other methods, but it’s something to try. You may find that you have a knack for this type of sales (I don’t) and make a killing.

Networking

If bidding sites have provided me with some of my long-term clients, networking has provided me with the rest. Whether it’s using social media to connect with other freelancer writers who are looking to outsource, or whether it’s a client’s recommendation to a colleague, word of mouth is still one of the best ways to land clients.

Networking is a bit tricky, though. You can spend all day networking and never land a client. You can network with someone in your field just for fun and wind up forming a long-term partnership. For me, it’s hard to know early on what kind of fruit networking will bear. While you can’t rely solely on networking to get you writing gigs, don’t count it out altogether.

———-

So, what about you? Where do you find your freelance writing clients?

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Introduction

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Education

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Honing Your Craft

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Planning

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Building Your Portfolio

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Finding Work

Photo by EveryNobody

Today I want to continue talking about how you can get started with your Freelance writing business. Before I get too much into it, though, I want to send you off to read about why these tough economic times really are the best time to start your freelance writing business (Make sure to come back, of course, when you’re done reading it.)

Let’s talk some about planning, shall we?

One of the biggest reasons small businesses of any sort, including freelance writing businesses, fail is because they don’t have a solid business plan. I can tell you from personal experience that this is the case, because it happened to me.

it was 2000. Our second child had just been born, and I was working at a power plant as a Network Administrator. I had just been hired from a contract position to full-time, and was in a great place in terms of my career.

Still, I was already showing signs of IT burnout. I wasn’t happy with my job. I’d been selling computers and fixing computers on the side for years, so we decided in July of 2000 to start our own computer business. I quit my IT job, rented an office, and hung my shingle.

Six months and $30,000 of credit card debt later, my business folded. I went back to the IT world, defeated.

There were many reasons my business failed. One was the economy; in the fall of 2000, the economy started a downward trend. That’s a factor that can’t be ignored, but it probably could have been overcome.

No, the bigger component to my failure was this: I didn’t plan my business. I didn’t have an organized marketing campaign, a thorough understanding of the local market, specific business goals and milestones that I was working toward, an understanding of inventory control or any sorts of overall strategies. I just took out some ads and hoped people would call me.

Needless to say, this wasn’t the best of strategies. I had some folks call me (mostly through word of mouth; I wasn’t yet a skilled copywriter). But it wasn’t nearly enough.

So, how do you plan your freelance writing business? Just like you plan any other business. You study your market. You write a business plan. You develop specific strategies, goals, and tactics.

Now, I could go through how to do this, but let’s be honest: it’s been done. I’m not going to be able to tell you anything about writing a business plan you can’t find elsewhere. So, instead, let me point you to the best resource I’ve found for planning a business: The Small Business Association Small Business Planner. Give it a look, especially the sample business plans.

Follow The Journey: Other Posts In This Series

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Introduction

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Education

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Honing Your Craft

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Planning

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Building Your Portfolio

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Finding Work

photo credit juhansonin

One of the most common questions I get asked by my readers is “how do I get started writing online?” In some ways, I feel underqualified to answer the question. Like I’ve said before, I sort of fell into my writing career while I was doing other things. I hobbled together my writing business rather haphazardly.

If I were to start over today, I’d be more organized about it. I’d avoid some of the mistakes I’ve made over the past five years. I’d put energy into the projects and ideas that were a good fit for me, and I’d let all of the extraneous stuff go.

To be sure, you can’t exactly do that. You can’t mystically experience what I’ve experienced, and some of the things that are a good fit for me aren’t going to be a good fit for you. There are lessons that only experience can teach.

I can certainly share my experiences here, pass along things that have worked for me, identify some general pitfalls to avoid. I can identify writing resources that have helped me immensely. I can talk about the freelance business, share my setbacks as well as my successes. I’ve done all of those things. All of these things provide benefits to you, but they don’t tell you how to get started.

So, over the next week or two, I want to offer my plan. I want to tell you how I’d do it if I could do it over again. Along the way, I hope we’ll have some interesting discussions, and that you’ll offer me your thoughts and questions in the comments section.

Follow The Journey: Other Posts In This Series

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Introduction

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Education

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Honing Your Craft

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Planning

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Building Your Portfolio

How To Start Your Freelance Writing Business: Finding Work

photo credit: Jon_Marshall

For the third year in a row, Michael Stelzner over at Writing White Papers has offered his readers a list of the top 10 Blogs for Writers. I’m proud to say that, out of 300 entries, The Writing Journey scored 8th. Thank you, readers, for your support, and thank you Michael for your consideration. I’m proud and humbled all at once to be in such great company.

If you’ve arrived at The Writing Journey today for the first time, be sure to check out some of my most popular posts, over in the sidebar. There you’ll find plenty of solid writing advice, both practical and inspirational.

Here’s the full list, along with Michael’s comments on each:

1. Copyblogger: As the undefeated champ, this blog has held the number-one spot for three straight years!  The baby of Brian Clark, this blog keeps winning because of its excellent and educational articles.
2. Men With Pens: James Chartrand and Harry McLeod are the dynamic duo who continue to deliver rich content and community discussion.
3. Freelance Writing Jobs: Founded by Deb Ng, this site is the first stop for freelance writers seeking new work and great articles (and it remains a top winner since this contest began).
4. Write to Done: This blog delivers a steady stream of excellent articles for all writers and is the product of top blogger Leo Babauta.
5. Confident Writing: Looking for encouragement? Joanna Young will help you take your writing to the next level.
6. The Renegade Writer: Linda Formichelli and Diana Burell, authors of a book by the same name, help freelance journalists find inspiration.
7. Remarkable Communication: One part writing, one part marketing and one part selling, this excellent blog by Sonia Simone will help any writer succeed.
8. Writing Journey: Looking for a great stop on your writing journey? Bob Younce’s blog will refresh and energize you.
9. Freelance Parent: Two moms, Lorna Doone Brewer and Tamara Berry, provide excellent perspective on writing while balancing time with little ones.
10. Urban Muse: Susan Johnston covers a wide range of excellent topics that all writers will enjoy.

Congratulations to everyone!

One of the most amazing things about being a freelance writer is that I don’t have to do any work I don’t want to do. If I’m not comfortable with the subject matter, I don’t have to take the gig. I can pick and choose my work based on my own moral code and comfort level. Unlike my former life as a cubicle dweller, I’ll never have to make a choice between conscience and my boss’ demands.

On top of that, though, the work I do can make a difference in my world. Sure, not every gig is world changing. But some are. And what I do right here is, too. The fact that my work can have a purpose beyond just earning a paycheck is one of the things that sustains me on a daily basis.

I have a guest post today over at Freelance folder calledFreelancers: 3 Principles That Can Change Your World. Go give it a look, and let me know what you think over there, and let me know how you use your career as a freelancer to change your world.

If you’ve been freelancing for any amount of time, you’ve probably had one of those days.

You know the days I’m talking about. You sit down in front of your computer with your morning coffee, and you feel empty. You’ve got nothing. No inspiration, no motivation, no desire to be sitting there. For a brief moment, even the thought of a cubicle is appealing. At least in a cubicle you could blow off some of your day doing something nonconstructive, if you really worked at it.

Of course, it doesn’t take long thinking about that cubicle before you start to snap to your senses. No, you’ve got the best job in the world. You wouldn’t trade it for anything.

You just don’t want to be doing it today.

Words start flowing, but then they all start flowing together. One article seems to read just like another, and every time you finish a page you count how many more you’ve got to do before you can be done for the day.

You’ve got a touch of freelance burnout.

I get to feeling like this about once a month or so. I’ve learned, however, some techniques that help me to get past it, refocus my efforts, and start loving what I do again. While I can’t promise these techniques will work for everyone, they do pretty well for me:

Switch up your editorial calendar

When you’re writing an ebook or a series of articles, you can get so focused on one topic that it becomes utterly boring. Take an hour in the middle of that ebook to work on something else. If you don’t have any other client projects, write a blog post, or work on your novel for a little while. Sometimes just letting the creative juices flow in a different direction is enough to rebuild your steam.

Take a day off

I know, I know. We’re freelancers. We don’t get days off. Well, I’m here to tell you that if you don’t take a day off from time to time, you’re going to crash and burn. Don’t worry about the work; it will be there tomorrow. So will your bills. Give yourself a day, or an afternoon, to refocus. It’s likely that when you return to work tomorrow, your productivity will skyrocket, making up for much of your “lost” day.

Read something inspiring

Whether it’s a Dilbert cartoon or whether it’s an inspiring post from your favorite freelance blogger, sometimes you need someone else to remind you why you’re a freelancer. Go back to a favorite post from days gone by and really read it. Visit some writing blogs, or try to find a new writing blog out there. Read a passage from Stephen King’s On Writing, or even just sit down with a good novel.

There are plent of other ways to refocus your freelancing efforts. What have you tried? What works for you, and what doesn’t?

Good morning, everyone! It’s a bit early here in mid-Michigan, and it seems to be a perfect morning for just a little bit of navel gazing.

I’ve spent some time thinking, ever since the Pen Men took their little blogging vacation during the summer, about how this blog has evolved. When I started The Writing Journey, I wanted to offer Internet writers advice about writing online, finding gigs, using article directories and the overall writing process.

Everything was humming along just fine until a wrote a post called Bang Your Gong: A Call For Action From The Internet Writing Community. For me, that post started a process where I really had to think long and hard about how I was going to help Internet writers achieve their dreams; getting my vision, discovering my voice, establishing my brand.

Since then, I’ve even started coaching a handful of writing clients. This program is a stopgap measure, designed to allow me to help other writers while I’m in the process of developing my membership-based writers training program.

Because my freelance business has grown by leaps and bounds, I find myself constantly juggling tasks, and putting one against another. When that happens, as anyone else in the freelance business can tell you, some aspects of the business model are bound to suffer.

For me, the part that’s suffered has been my blog. My posting frequence has been rather sporatic over the summer, becuase of all these growing pains.

I’m not apologizing or complaining, mind you; I’m not Darren Rowse, and I don’t intend to be. My business model doesn’t rely on my blog for success, and daily posting has never been a hard and fast rule for me.

However, in order to help other writers achieve their dreams, I feel like a more consistent posting schedule would be in order at The Writing Journey.

All that being said, I’ve decided to follow the lead of the Men with Pens and take a bit of a break.  I’m not going away forever, not by any means. I am, however, going to take the next 11 days off.

In that time, I’ll be working up some new content for the blog, as well as spending some extra time on my membership-based writer’s training program. When I return on September 15, 2008, I’ll have a more regular posting schedule for you, with posts three times a week.

Now, I know I’ll be missed while I’m gone. Try not to take it too hard Enjoy yourselves, out there elsewhere in the ether, but be sure to come back on the 15th and we’ll all get reacquainted.

Michael Stelzner wants to know: What’s your favorite writing blog?

For the past couple of years, Michael has done a “Top 10 Blogs For Writers” post, and it has been amazingly successful. Essentially, you leave a comment at this post explaining why you think a given blog is worthy of making the Top 10.

In the past, our friends Harry at James at Men With Pens have made the cut, as has Freelance Writing Jobs, Copyblogger.

This is the first time Michael’s run the contest since The Writing Journey started. Go visit Michael’s blog, and let him know how much you appreciate what you read here.