A few Fast & Easy Ways to Get the Publication Credits & Clips You Need to Move Ahead with Your Writing Career

by Suzanne Lieurance, the Working Writer's Coach


One of the challenges many beginning freelance writers face is getting some publication credits so they'll have clips to include with their resume when applying for writing assignments. It seems to be a Catch-22 situation. They need clips to get new assignments, yet they need assignments to get clips.

Actually, it isn't that difficult to get publication credits and clips rather quickly. Here are a few fast and easy ways to do it:

1. Try Article Directories.

Write a couple of articles aimed at your target market and post these articles in online article directories. Make sure these are high quality articles with great information for your target market. The articles should also be based on keyword research, so they contain the exact words and phrases people are using to search online for the kind of information contained in your articles.

Once you've posted your articles at online article directories, set up a google alert to track your articles. A google alert will let you know when and where your articles appear online. To set up a google alert, just go to www.google.com/alerts and follow the directions. You can type in the title of each of your articles in separate alerts if the titles are unique. Then, each time one of your article titles appears somewhere online, you will be alerted about it by google in an email.

When you receive google alerts for your articles, visit the websites and blogs where your articles have been posted. If any of these sites is impressive, make a screenshot of your article there and use that screenshot as a clip. If you don't know how to make a screenshot, go to google and type in "how to make a screenshot" and you'll find directions for making screenshots on a MAC or a PC.

2. Guest blog.

Instead of waiting and hoping your articles will be picked up at article directories and posted on some impressive sites, find great sites you can offer to guest blog for. You'll find sites that want guest bloggers at www.bloggerlinkup.com or myblogguest.com.

When you find sites to guest blog for, again be sure you create quality articles/posts for these sites. Choose sites to guest blog for that have the same (or at least a similar) target market as you do to make the most of your guest blog posts.

3. Write for small, local print publications.

These publications will usually pay little, if anything, but they are generally easier to break into. Check your library and local bookstores for racks of free, local publications. Follow the submissions guidelines for each publication you wish to write for.

4. Start with fillers.

Create and submit a dozen or so fillers to a dozen or so of the larger print publications. Fillers are shorter pieces that are usually found at the front of a magazine. For that reason they are often called FOB pieces. They range from just a few sentences to a few hundred words and pay anywhere from nothing to $75.00. Fillers are a great way to break in at these markets and get clips from impressive publications.

Don't let a lack of clips and credits keep you from moving forward in your writing career or writing business. Follow these steps today to start building your clips files and your resume.

Try it!

Suzanne Lieurance is a fulltime freelance writer, writing coach, certified life coach, and the author of over 30 published books. For more tips, resources, and other helpful information about writing and the business of writing, get your free subscription to The Morning Nudge at www.morningnudge.com.

Getting Freelance Writing Credits

by Suzanne Lieurance

If you’re worried that you can’t possibly juggle all the assignments it takes to start earning at least $100 a day as a writer, here’s some writing advice. Try these tips to balance all the various projects you’ll enjoy once you get your writing career going:

1. Try to acquire both long term and short term assignments. You may get bored if you’re only working on long term assignments like book length manuscripts. Also accept shorter assignments with shorter deadlines. This will give you a more constant stream of income, plus you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment each time you finish a shorter project – and that will help keep you motivated to finish those long term assignments.

2. Plan to do something every day to move each of your writing projects/assignments forward. If you keep up with each assignment on a daily basis, you won’t be scrambling to meet the deadline for any of them at the last minute.

3. Use spread sheets or charts to keep track of all your assignments. Whenever you get a new assignment, add it to your spreadsheet. That way you won’t overlook deadlines, or forget about long term assignments, when you get really, really busy working on short term projects.

These tips should help you balance your writing assignments and actually enjoy your writing career more as you continue to increase your weekly, monthly, and yearly income as a freelance writer.

Suzanne Lieurance is an author, freelance writer, certified professional life coach and writing coach, speaker and workshop presenter. She has written over two dozen published books and hundreds of articles for newspapers, magazines, and other publications.

For more short writing tips, get your free subscription to The Morning Nudge at www.morningnudge.com.

As a Writer Are You Constantly Starting Over?

If you want to build a successful freelance writing career or become a published author, but you haven't been able to build your business or write even one complete book, do you find that you're constantly starting over?

What do I mean by that?

Well, do you get motivated and ambitious from time to time, then post to your blog on a regular basis, get some queries and maybe even a few short manuscripts out circulating with publishers, or even start writing a book, but then you get discouraged and distracted and end up taking an extended break from your writing?

I see this happen all the time.

I was even guilty of this type of behavior when I was first started freelance writing.

But I soon discovered that in order to have a successful freelance business and writing career, I had to treat my freelance writing AS a business.

I had to show up for work every weekday (or at least several times a week), whether I wanted to or not, if I was to become a published author and a successful freelance writer.

I had to look for new assignments and complete current assignments (including book manuscripts) on a regular basis.

Avoid Constantly Starting Over

If you're constantly taking extended breaks from your business or your writing, is it any wonder that you don't really have much of a business or a full-fledged writing career?

The good news is, there's a way to avoid constantly starting over.

All you need to do is stay focused on your business and your writing and treat writing as the business you want it to become.

To do this, plan ahead when you need to be away from your business.

Write your blog posts and newsletters ahead of time, then schedule them for publication at the appropriate times.

If you're trying to write a book, plan your book first – so you know exactly what to write – then schedule specific times to write specific sections of your book until you complete the entire manuscript.

You'll never create the momentum that will sustain your business or your writing career if you're constantly starting over.

Plan now for ways to keep moving forward on a regular basis.

Try it!

Need help building your freelance writing business or writing career? Register for this free 5-module e-course, Jumpstart Your Freelance Writing Career and The Morning Nudge now at www.morningnudge.com.

Suzanne Lieurance is an author, freelance writer, certified professional life coach and writing coach, speaker and workshop presenter. She has written over two dozen published books and hundreds of articles for newspapers, magazines, and other publications.

She can help you write your first or next novel. Find out more about her Quick Start System to Writing Novels at www.writeanovelstarttofinish.com.

What is a Sidebar?

by Suzanne Lieurance

Many new freelance writers are confused or intimated by sidebars. But that’s usually because they just don’t understand what a sidebar is and what its purpose is.

What Is a Sidebar?

A sidebar is nothing more than a separate companion piece to a main article in a magazine or newspaper. Usually, a sidebar is set in different typeface from the main article, to set it apart. It may be boxed off and appear at the beginning of the article, within the article, or at the end of the article. A lengthy main article can even include several sidebars, if necessary.

What Is the Purpose of a Sidebar?

A sidebar can be used for several reasons. First, a sidebar can be used to encourage the reader to read the more detailed main article. For example, a sidebar can be made that lists the major points of the main article or asks questions about information that will be given in the main article as a way to entice readers to read the entire main article.

A sidebar can also be used to provide additional information that relates to the main article but doesn’t quite “fit” in the article itself. For example, if you write an article about healthy eating, and the article includes recipes for a week’s worth of healthy meals, a sidebar could be created from a list of ingredients needed to make these meals. The sidebar would be, basically, a shopping list for the reader.

Other Reasons for Sidebars

A sidebar also serves to make the information in the main article easier and faster for the reader to read. To keep a main article from being too lengthy or too complicated, the writer might include one or more sidebars that give additional information without overwhelming the reader. Since the sidebars should make sense on their own, readers can learn a lot from reading ONLY the sidebars to an article. In fact, many readers do read just the sidebars.

Here are some tips for creating a sidebar.

• List additional resources that relate to your main article in a sidebar.

• Create a sidebar with quotes from experts on the topic or main idea of your featured article.

• Create a sidebar to explain procedures mentioned in your main article. An article about quick & easy foods to serve at parties might include a sidebar with the recipe for a quick & easy party dip, for example.

• Create a quiz. An article about healthy eating might include a sidebar quiz called How Healthy Do You Eat.

Editors LOVE sidebars because they can make featured articles more interesting, more detailed, and more helpful to readers.

Now that you know all about sidebars, be sure to include a sidebar idea with your next magazine query.

Suzanne Lieurance is a full time freelance writer, author, speaker, and writing coach. Get your free subscription to her Morning Nudge for writers now at www.morningnudge.com.

Preserving the Old in a Digital World.

  Zitona « / Foter.com / CC BY

The sophistication of our technological world has caught me between a rock and a hard place.

Who doesn't love the ease of the digital world?  Building a freelance writing career is a click away. The ease of networking with other writers provides a myriad of information, mentoring, and visibility. Contacting publishers and editors is instant with email. Blogs, social sites, and online courses abound. Uploading your manuscript is almost as easy as 1-2-3 and all over the world people are reading your book with the convenience of their e-reader.

While these advancements are certainly a plus, it makes me wonder what could be lost. Will the printed book be a thing of the past? Will there be a generation who will never experience taking in the earthy smell of a library, perusing its shelves, and soaking in the solitude? Will sharing ideas and critiques over coffee be replaced with online meetings? 

Sounds unlikely but the more we rely on the digital world, the less we give attention to some tried and true old-fashioned ways.

Maryanne Wolf, developmental psychologist and cognitive scientist of Tufts University states: "There is physicality in reading, maybe even more than we want to think about as we lurch into digital reading—as we move forward perhaps with too little reflection. I would like to preserve the absolute best of older forms, but know when to use the new."

It's possible we could be losing more than just the memory of the good old days. 

When it comes to pen and paper, studies have shown there is more to it than we think. According to the WallStreet Journal, "Virginia Berninger, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, says handwriting differs from typing because it requires executing sequential strokes to form a letter, whereas keyboarding involves selecting a whole letter by touching a key. She says pictures of the brain have illustrated that sequential finger movements activated massive regions involved in thinking, language and working memory—the system for temporarily storing and managing information."

                                                athena. / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

So, how do we preserve the old in a digital world?

• Print it. For several years I had a personal blog. I took the time to print and compile the pages. I wanted a history for my children and grandchildren to read someday. Computers crash. Journals, letters, and books are forever.

• Write longhand. Try writing your manuscript longhand and see if you feel a difference. Write a letter now and then. Finding a box of old, hand-written letters tucked away in an attic is a treasure! I recently read a letter from my grandmother written 40 years ago. I found myself studying her handwriting and remembering her in ways a computer font would not do. 

• Go to the library. There is something special about a library. It offers an aesthetic experience and a respite from the busy world. If  you have children or grandchildren, by all means take them! But don't you forget to go there, too.

The new way we read, write, and communicate is fascinating. But we must wisely find ways to preserve our heritage. It's helped make us who we are today and we cannot lose it.

~~~

Kathleen Moulton is a freelance writer.  You can find her passion to bring encouragement and hope to people of all ages at When It Hurts -http://kathleenmoulton.com/

Get Started Writing: More Than a Dozen Ways to Build, Maintain, and Even Increase Your Momentum as a Freelance Writer

by Suzanne Lieurance, the Working Writer's Coach

Whether you’re just starting your freelance writing career or you’re wanting to take it to new levels, you need to create momentum and maintain that momentum if you hope to build your business. Here are more than a dozen ways for doing that.

1. Write no more than 3 major long term writing goals on a sheet of paper, and put that paper somewhere where you will see it every day. Read your goals every morning before you start work for the day.

2. Develop your weekly action plan (also called a marketing plan) every Sunday night. Don’t give up on this. Make sure you create your action plan every week and stick to the plan as well as you can each week.

3. Expand your network - think of ways to help promote others as you continue to promote yourself.

4. When you face an obstacle or challenge, think “outside the box” to come up with a way around this obstacle or a way to meet this challenge. Don’t be stopped by the first little obstacle or problem that crops up.

5. Start every day with positive thoughts and maintain these thoughts. Let go of any self-limiting thoughts, feelings, or actions. Just BELIEVE that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to doing even if you aren’t sure HOW you will do that. You’ll figure out HOW as you go along.

6. Be confident when you tell people you are a writer. Create a tagline that tells them exactly what you do. For example, your tagline say, “Freelance Writer, Author, and Speaker.”

7. Attend at least one writers’ conference, course, or workshop every year - more often if you can afford it. Get to know the people in charge. Volunteer to help out at the event.

8. Get business cards made, then pass out your business card everywhere you go. Leave cards on the bulletin boards in coffee shops, book stores, grocery stories. Leave your card in the bowls at restaurants to win a free meal. Make sure you have plenty of cards with you at all times. Give your card to friends and tell them to give the cards to people they may know who need a writer.

9. Create your own e-books, special reports, workshops and teleclasses to sell, then work with other writers who can help you promote them.

10. Write articles for article directories on a regular basis - at least one article written and submitted every week.

11. Write a press release about some new aspect of your business every 6 weeks and send it to local publications and have it distributed online. There are many free online distribution services available.

12. Continue to grow your mailing list any way you can. Read articles about growing your mailing list at ezinearticles.com. You’ll get plenty of suggestions in these articles. Get creative and think of new ways to add to your mailing list.

13. Visit blogs of other well-known writers in your field and leave a meaningful comment, along with your name and URL. Develop an online relationship with these people. It will help you acquire more readers.

14. Be sure you belong to at least a few listservs for writers. Then stop lurking! Become active! Get to know the other writers on these listservs by leaving comments, asking and answering questions, and by providing information about jobs, publishers, editors, etc. whenever you can.

15. Join at least one or two professional organizations for writers. Take part in their events. Volunteer to be a group leader or organizer.

Follow some or all of these 15 suggestions and you're sure to keep moving forward with your freelance writing career!

Suzanne Lieurance is an author, freelance writer, writing coach, speaker and workshop presenter. She is a former classroom teacher and was an instructor for the Institute of Children's Literature for over 8 years.

Lieurance now lives and writes by the sea in Jensen Beach, Florida. She offers The Morning Nudge free every weekday morning to writers who need a little inspiration and motivation to get their writing done.

Stake Your Claim

From time to time, we all need encouragement and recognition of our accomplishments. It gives us that extra boost to believe we are good writers and we have something to offer.

But, not all writers necessarily have that kind of support. We want people to be happy for us; our family or friends. You might not get the reactions you were hoping for.

Christina Katz, author of the best seller Writer Mama, says in her recently published e-book, Write For Regional Parenting Publications, "There is really one key person who should be happy about your writing career success and that person is you.”

There comes a time in your writing career when you have to come to terms with this truth so you don't slow down or give up. Decide to be happy with your successes even if no one else is.

Over the years, I have found times when I had to set a stake in the ground of something I knew to be true - never to waver again. And being personally happy about my successes has been one of those stakes.

This is going to look differently for each of us. But the one place where we all start, is believing you have something to offer. It means your passion should not be tampered with. Tweaked, yes. But if we find that fire being quenched because no one seems to encourage you or appreciate your successes, you will become discouraged and perhaps give up.

It took me awhile to grasp believing in myself. It seemed like arrogance, but it's not. It's simply knowing what you can do well and doing it. Once that is established, you are tied to this truth and will be firmly established.

Stake your claim to you. There are no disqualifications! If you are writing, it's because you love to write. Inside of you there is something people want to read. 
  
~~~

Photo credit:  cobaltfish / Foter / CC BY-SA

While homeschooling the last of her 8 children, Kathleen Moulton rediscovered her love of writing. She enjoys writing magazine articles and is recently published in NextStepU. You can find her passion to bring encouragement and hope to people of all ages at When It Hurts - http://kathleenmoulton.com/

Freelance Writers: What to Do While You're Waiting for Work

by Suzanne Lieurance, the Working Writer's Coach

Whether you're a new freelance writer anxious for your first assignment or a seasoned freelancer anticipating your next assignment, don't sit back and simply "wait" for work. Instead, take these steps:

1. Get at least a dozen queries, proposals, or complete manuscripts out there circulating. Many beginning freelancers tend to put "all their eggs in one basket." They finally manage to get one submission or query out, then they sit back and wait to see if it gets accepted. That's a mistake. You need to have at least a dozen things circulating at all times to increase your chances of getting new assignments or selling your manuscripts on a regular basis. Regular sales are what make a freelance writing business. Don't expect a single sale to launch your business or take your current business to the next level. Instead, strive to create a constant stream of work.

2. Keep improving your writing skills. You'll do this naturally to some degree if you get a dozen queries, proposals, or manuscripts out because you'll keep writing. And your writing skills will improve somewhat just from the quantity of writing you'll be producing since we all get better the more we write. But also take a writing course or two. And join a critique group and take an active part in the group.

Successful writers constantly work to get better and better at what they do. And they know that getting the feedback from a writing instructor and/or other published writers (as in a critique group) can be the key to finally landing assignments and getting acceptance letters.

3. Continue to network (both online and offline) with other writers and with potential clients. A critique group will give you the opportunity to network with other writers. But also join writer's groups, clubs, and other organizations. Other writers can answer questions you might have about writing and the business of writing. You'll also learn simply from observing what they do and how they do it.

Besides other writers, you also need to network with your target market - your potential clients. The people who need your writing services can't hire you until they know who you are and what you have to offer them, so get known among your target market.

Take these 3 steps while you're waiting for work and you won't be waiting long!

All the best,



Suzanne Lieurance is an author, freelance writer, writing coach, speaker and workshop presenter. She is a former classroom teacher and was an instructor for the Institute of Children's Literature for over 8 years.

Lieurance has written over two dozen published books and her articles and stories have appeared in various magazines, newsletters, and newspapers, such as Family Fun, Instructor, New Moon for Girls, KC Weddings, The Journal of Reading, and Children's Writer to name a few. She offers a variety of coaching programs via private phone calls, teleclasses, listserv, and private email for writers who want to turn their love of writing (for children and/or adults) into a part-time or full-time career.

To learn more about Lieurance, visit her website at www.suzannelieurance.com or www.workingwritersclub.com.

Small Fish in a Big Pond

Leaving Discouragement Behind

The year 2012 was significant for me. It was the first time in the last 7 years I didn't give up on a freelance writing career. I had a couple of reasons to be discouraged. Here are few examples of why a writer would slow down and eventually give up:

• lack of support
• distractions
• pessimism
• illness
• impatience
• rejection letters
• sensitivity

At some point, there came a change in my thinking. It was the realization and acceptance: this thing is going to take some time. Last year, I learned so much here at Writers on the Move and through interacting with other writers. If there is a bottom line, I've discovered mental attitude is everything.

If you're new at freelance writing or you're in a slump, here are two questions to ask yourself: What do you think of yourself? Do you believe you have something to offer people? The answers bring us back to the basics and help us focus.

A writers' group is valuable for many reasons. Giving and receiving encouragement is almost a given. If there isn't a group in your locality, you can join an online group. No one needs to be a loner.  

Yet, sometimes you are alone. And it's during those times when I've discovered encouragement comes in interesting ways.

Recently, I went snowshoeing on our property. The snow was dazzling! I was just plodding along, enjoying the fresh air until I came upon a small pine tree. I stared at it for several seconds and lifted my eyes beyond it to see all of the other pine trees which were larger and fuller.

The message couldn't have been clearer.

Reality: I am a small fish in a big pond amidst thousands of freelance writers who are published, successful, and earning a living. But that doesn't mean I won't be someday. Look how straight and tall that little tree is. A bit distanced from the other mature trees, definitely an up-and-comer, but nevertheless, thriving. Despite the wind, snow, and ice which buried that tree deeper a few days later, it reaches for the sky with resolute. It was a reminder to stay strong and keep growing. I made a decision not to let discouragement influence me.

Because I didn't give up last year, I am pleased to say, I had my very first published article in a national high school magazine. And I received a check in the mail! 

What hindrances are making you discouraged? 

Can you maneuver around those obstacles with a different outlook? 

Please share your thoughts with us!

                                                                          ~~~

Kathleen Moulton is a wife, mother of 8 children, and a freelance writer. You can find her passion to bring encouragement and hope to people of all ages at When It Hurts - http://kathleenmoulton.com/

Making Money as a Writer

Unless your name is Grisham or Steele or Rowling, you may not be making much, if any, money writing books. Authors must be prolific, and have excellent marketing skills or someone to do that for them. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make money as a writer.

Freelance writers who write newspaper and magazine articles can develop a nice income by treating their writing as a full-time job. You must constantly be putting out queries, doing interviews, and writing articles. I have been a freelance writer, and although I didn’t work at it full-time, I managed to bring in extra money to contribute to the household income.

My money-making “job” now is mainly freelance editing. Again, I’m not working at it full-time, as I’m still trying to be an author as well. Editing takes knowledge and experience and a certain skill. Not everyone can jump into this field. It also takes time to build a clientele. I worked at acquiring clients for several years before they started coming to me. I love this work, and I love helping other writers improve their manuscripts.

Another thing I do to earn extra “pin money” is teach classes in beginning fiction and memoir writing. After I took a university course in fiction writing, I wanted to share what I had learned with my fellow writers in my community. So, with great trepidation and my heart pounding like a drum, I put a notice in the newspaper, sent e-mails to all my writing acquaintances and started a class. I had ten students in that first eight-week session, and about half of them followed me through that year and the next.I found I also loved doing these classes and sharing what I know with others.

I remember there was a book out a number of years ago titled Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow. I’ve found that is true. But it takes patience and perseverance. It doesn’t happen overnight.

What do you do to earn money writing?

-------------------------
A native Montanan, Heidi M. Thomas now lives in Northwest Washington. Her first novel, Cowgirl Dreams, is based on her grandmother, and the sequel, Follow the Dream, has recently won the national WILLA Award. Heidi has a degree in journalism, a certificate in fiction writing, and is a member of Northwest Independent Editors Guild. She teaches writing and edits, blogs, and is working on the next books in her “Dare to Dream” series.     

Freelance Writing - An Education for the Uninitiated

An education in freelance writing for the uninitiated

Guest Post By Nadia Jones
Freelancing is tough work for any trade, but freelance writers looking for work on the web have it particularly rough. I say that to anyone who expresses interest in freelancing just so they know what they're getting into. Freelancing can be a rewarding and empowering gig, but it takes serious effort and talent to make it big.

Why is freelance writing so difficult? In this (freelance) writer's opinion, it largely has to do with the sheer number of writers on the blogosphere competing for coverage and attention. Some are professional journalists and writers looking to make a living off their web writing, others are simply entrepreneurial bloggers who lack real writing experience but possess social media savvy that can pave the way for success.

Long story short: there's a ton of competition out there. So how is a person interested in freelancing expected to make a splash in an already saturated market? Consider my tips on the subject.

I wholeheartedly encourage writers to try out freelancing for themselves to see if they like it. But what I don't advocate is for those same writers to quite their day jobs and take up freelancing as their sole source of income.

It's possible to be self-sufficient on paid gigs through freelancing, but it takes time to build up that kind of loyal client base. A newcomer to freelancing would be better off keeping their job and freelancing on the side until they start making considerable profits from their efforts. Doing it any other way is simply foolhardy.

Search for potential clients and viable projects whenever you're on the web
Writers interested in freelancing should look for opportunities whenever they're on the web. A seemingly infinite number of writing opportunities await freelancers; they just have to know where to look for them. Many blogs accept guest post submissions from qualified and insightful writers, for instance.

You never know where an opportunity might pop up—maybe someone on your Twitter feed is asking for some help writing content for their site, or perhaps your favorite blog offered guest posting and you never even realized it. The point is that you keep your eyes peeled for these opportunities whenever you're online.

Don't be picky about assignments
In the same vein as the previous point, I have to emphasize that freelance writers refrain from being choosy about their assignments. For example, say a writer comes across some drab medical blog looking for writing help that doesn’t remotely pertain to their personal writing interests. While it's tempting to pass up that opportunity in hopes that something "better" will come your way, the writer would be much better off if they took the gig.

Why do I say that? Because you never know when you'll encounter work, and keeping busy on work that doesn’t exactly excite you is much better than sitting idle and wishing you had something to write about! Writing is rarely as glamorous as its made to be in popular culture, and aspiring freelancers should learn that truth sooner than later if they want to become a seasoned writer.

Nadia Jones works as a freelance blogger a number of websites, including sites focused higher education and online colleges. When she’s not writing about the overlap of technology and higher education, Nadia writes on topics as wide ranging as the food industry, small business, and the latest in mobile tech. Feel free to leave Nadia some comments!

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More on Freelance Writing

Writing for Money – Breaking Into Freelance Writing
Freelance Writing Work: The Possibilities
A Ghost Writer: 5 Features That Can Help Your Business Part 1

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars, join us in The Writing World (top right top sidebar).

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer
Writer’s Digest Website of the Week, June 25, 2012