It’s an endless mound, really… But to get you started, here are a few areas you might want to look into:

-articles and content

-research and reports

-copywriting

-ad writing and brochures

-training materials

-copyedit / proofreading

-blog and journal management

-eBay auction sales pages

-ghostwriting

-newsletter writing and management

Your writing deserves to be licked. You have to comb through it several times. Edit your piece for typos, grammatical and spelling errors, and organization. There is always a way to make your writing better. You might have to edit your piece two or more time, but a nice polished piece will definitely sit better in your stomach.

Tips for Editing and Perfecting Your Writing:

1. Make sure your word processor’s spelling and grammar check did its job. Lots of times, it says that there are no such errors but there are when you look really close. For example, my Word 2003 tells me that “you are making me crying” is a perfect sentence, not an error in sight.

2. Organization is a huge problem for some writers. Make sure your ideas flow together. If you’re talking about your day at the zoo, tell me about the bears in the same paragraph(s)… I don’t want to hear about the bears in the third paragraph when you’re talking about zebras. It’s annoying, plain and simple. And it’s something that shouldn’t be ignored – fix it!

3. Look out for awkward phrasing. You might have the right idea but the wrong words thrown together.

4. Your sentences and paragraphs shouldn’t go on and on. If they do, you have to break it up. If you notice too many commas in your sentences (3 or more), then you probably have too long of a sentence. Same with paragraphs – editors don’t like 500 word paragraphs. They’re very tedious to read, and chances are, too many things are going on in the graf and it must be changed! That is, unless, you want the editor to fall dead asleep on her desk.

So that’s just a few ways to improve your manuscript. Try it – you might like it. There are hundreds of other ways to make your writing better, so always look out for advice!

It’s all in the marketing. Even if you’re the better writer, it hardly matters if Mr. Billy Bob has a better resume and cover letter. Remember, there is usually no interview when it comes to getting a job online. Employers only have your resume to go by.

The lesson should be obvious here. You need to have a fantastic resume, cover letter, and even a website. Even if you fall a little short in the experience department, you can still get hired as long as you make yourself sound as good as you really are.

Here’s one for you to read: http://writespot.org/content/view/164/63/ It’s a little piece for freelance writers, all about building up a freelancer’s resume. Enjoy!

Sure, everyone can use a writer. Authors need qualified people to copyedit, ghostwrite, and proofread their works. Magazines and other publications need great articles for their pubs. Businesses need help creating brochures and sales materials. Websites need quality keyword articles to perform better in search engine ranking.

But what is your specialty? Do you have one? Lots of freelance writers claim to do and write it all, and it’s true for the most part, hence the terms “freelance” and “writer”.  

I wanted to do it all for a long time. I used every avenue possible to spread the word. I created fancy signatures for my emails and made sure I did the same for forum posting. I kept in touch with all my writer friends and put my name out to everyone I knew. I frequently visited writing sites to contribute content and post on their forums.

These are all great efforts, and the best part is that they were free. But unless I was planning to copyedit and proofread for the rest of my life, my efforts were useless. Although I certainly can proofread and edit, the places I was marketing to were full of other writers, which means that no businesses or web entrepeneurs had a clue as to who I was.

Since my specialty is copywriting and web content, I decided to specifically target these people without spending any money. I started hanging around business-related forums and websites. I wrote dozens of articles on all types of subjects. I posted them throughout the web on reprint websites. Why? Because people looking articles are generally webmasters, publishers, and site owners. If Mr. GreenThumb of Gardening Ezine decides to reprint my article on rosebushes for free on his website and loves what its doing for his search engine ranking, then he might hire me to do a few other keyword articles.

Of course, free methods aren’t always effective. After all, each business must advertise to bring in customers. As a freelance writer, you are a product of your own business. Spending a little money on marketing isn’t a bad idea. It doesn’t mean that you have to spend a ton of money. It could mean paying a little extra for a featured listing in a web directory, the yellow pages, or newspaper, or writing a few free articles that may somehow reach potential clients. Business cards, brochures, and websites are also small costs that are vital to your freelance writing business.

The lesson here is, don’t be a dummy. Your marketing efforts are nothing if you don’t present it to the right people. You might as well give the rabbi a crucifix pendant.

To start your freelance writing career, write every day. Start a blog or journal and make sure you set aside some time to do so. Journaling is an excellent way to get to know yourself better, develop a unique style, and store your ideas in one place. Remember, practice makes perfect. Try sites like http://writespot.org, http://writergazette.com, and http://absolutewrite.com. These sites offer resourceful articles, ideas and suggestions, as well as writing exercises to get your creative juices flowing.

At first, it’s hard to find a paying gig. Don’t worry about it. Keep writing, submit your written pieces to online publications (try http://writespot.org), and offer help to friends who need copy, brochures, or training materials for their businesses. Soon, you’ll have some experience, published clips, and references to offer to a potential client or employer.

In the mean time, you must keep learning. Don’t be a vegetable! Idly writing in a journal is great, but you should also gather some ideas of where you want to be a year from now. To get the process started, consider the following options:

1. Improve your writing skills. Take basic English composition courses, if you haven’t done so already. Remember, a variety of English courses are available online through your local community college or state university. There are also some great writer’s workshops, articles, and tutorials available across the web. If this isn’t an option for you, subscribe to some writing magazines and purchase some books – style guides, dictionaries, how-to’s, and other types of books will help you immensly.

2. Be honest with yourself. What skills would you like to improve? Perhaps you aren’t good with grammar, or have a dull writing personality. Whatever your weaknesses are, look into options for improving yourself, whether through books, courses, or friends. Don’t feel bad – no one is perfect (except for me… just kidding ).

3. Grammar, spelling, and phrasing are important skills that every freelance writer should have. In addition, you should at least have some basic copyediting and proofreading skills. No exceptions – these skills are mandatory!

If you don’t have the time or dedication to learn, don’t bother trying to become a freelance writer. Don’t worry – there are thousands of writers out there who would love to learn more, so don’t feel concerned that the market will be high and dry without you. The freelance writing industry is plentiful and very competitive. If you want to get some writing gigs in the near future, you have to stay at the top of your game.

DEGREE OPTIONS FOR FREELANCE WRITERS

If you’re interested in getting a formal college degree to write for a living, consider majors like journalism, communications, or English. You should plan to take courses in creative writing, copywriting, computers and/or computer software, business, and speech. The good news is, most colleges offer some type of communications major and have many writing courses available. Even better, some degrees can be completed online through major colleges and universities across the United States. Chances are, the community colleges in your state and/or local area will offer online degrees.

See? There’s no excuse. You don’t have time to learn? Well, start making time. Don’t have the money? Go to the library or order textbooks secondhand from the Internet, and apply for financial aid. Can’t attend a class because of your crazy schedule? Take one online, on your own time. Wake up an hour earlier for homework or writing practice, and take books with you to work for your lunch break. Have easy meals on hand so that you can spend less time cooking and more time writing.

It’s tought, but it’s doable. How do I know? I juggled a full-time college schedule, a full-time job, freelance gigs, and all the household / family responsibilities at the same. I still have to do this every now and again to take a new course or workshop, or when I need time to polish up on a skill that I haven’t used in a long time.

There’s no easy way out. Don’t try to weasel out of your learning responsibilities!

To be a great pastry chef, you have to have to have the best bakery in town. In order to do so, you must learn new recipes, as well as your own original masterpieces. You have to be cutting-edge, well rounded, and open-minded.

Catch my drift? Freelance writers should eat lots of pastry because they’re good. Aside from that, freelance writers should constantly learn, build, and expand on their skills to become a true asset to the market.

Instead, I make my life difficult by trying to explain exactly what I do. There are 101 things that I do, so where do I start?

Asking a freelance writer what she does for a living is kind of like asking an artist what he does for a living. An artist won’t sit there and tell you all the things he likes to create. They’ll simply tell you that they paint, draw, and sculpt. Then why is it so wrong for a freelance writer to say that they write, edit, and format?

So we’ve come back to the original inquiry: What does a freelance writer do? I would tell you, but then I’d have to kill you…

Just kidding. The point I’m trying to make is that it isn’t important what freelance writers do. It’s what they have that matters.

For instance, if I were to hire a freelance writer right now, I would put out the following job description:

Freelance Writer Wanted: A crafty wordsmith with a unique style and versatile talents. Must be open-minded, personable, and quick-witted. The ideal candidate should possess strong writing skills and must hate typos and grammatical errors. Previous writing experience and references are a plus. Those who lack creativity and originality need not apply.

Does the above want ad describe you?

Unfortunately, I am not hiring any freelance writers. But thanks for reading.