For freelancers, knowing the basic terminology “before” they begin can be a valuable lesson in earning a few extra dollars in that initial stage. When I started my freelancing career, I knew nothing of rights, simultaneous submissions, querying or varying payment rates. All I knew was– I could write. Everything else, I learnt on the job. You will too. But just to make your stay a little less frustrating, and a lot more enjoyable, I’ve listed a few concepts that will help you immensely as you contact editors and try to make them pay you for your words.

Copyright

It’s yours as soon as you have those words on paper. You don’t have to register copyright to claim it, though if you’re writing a novel or book, it’s a wise investment. Registered copyright is proof enough for a court of law, and is extremely valuable in cases of dispute. However, for short materials like articles or essays, copyright needn’t be registered. You can however, club a number of essays and register them together.

Reprints

Reprints are articles, essays or pieces that have already been published. If you own the copyright (more on that later), and want to sell the piece again to another publication, it will be termed as a reprint. Most publications pay much less for reprints and some don’t accept them at all. However, for a freelancer, sometimes reprints bring more income than original articles do.

Rights

Earlier, magazines asked for all rights to articles. Even today, in many countries, including my own (India), most magazines want to keep all the rights ensuring that the articles in their magazine remain unique to them. However, this trend no longer exists in America, Canada and England, and is making headway into other nations as well. Now, almost all magazines in these nations refrain from asking for all rights to the work. Others have opened their doors for reprints, which is a boon for writers. Let’s look at some of the different kinds of rights.

• All Rights: This means that the article must not have been published before, and cannot be used again after it has been published in this particular publication. Never give up all rights for a measly sum of money. If you’re selling all rights, make sure you’re being paid what you deserve.

• First Serial Rights: These usually pertain to some country. For e.g., First North American Serial Rights, or First British Serial Rights. Although the article mustn’t have been published in the country prior to this, you are free to submit elsewhere after publication.

• Electronic Rights: As more and more publications archive their articles online, they are asking for electronic rights. This means that they can carry your article online. Usually a time-period is specified. Also, electronic rights are usually non-exclusive, meaning that you can sell this article elsewhere although it will continue to appear on this publication’s website.

• CD-ROM Rights: A fairly new addition to the list of rights, this means that the publication is free to use your work on a Compact Disk.

• Anthology Rights: Some publications publish yearly anthologies (collection of articles or stories). In such cases, they ask for these rights for possible inclusion of your work in their anthology.

• First-time Rights: Your article must not have appeared anywhere worldwide. You are however; free to sell your work elsewhere after publication.

• One-time Rights: Your work may have appeared elsewhere. Publications asking for one-time rights require that you let them use your work once. It may or may not have been published before and you are free to use it after publication.

Payment on Acceptance vs. Payment on Publication

You’ve written an article and the editor has approved it. Now comes the time to pay you. Well, not quite. Many publications prefer to pay their writers on publication, meaning when the article appears in print. In established magazines, the time between acceptance and publication can be months, so you may write an article in January, and be paid for it in June. Always try to get paid on acceptance.

Clips

When you write a query, the editor wants to see more than just a good idea. She wants to know whether you can do it justice, whether you’ll be able to carry it through or not. For this, she needs to see samples of your writing. Published samples are termed as clips. Simply stated, you photocopy the pages of approximately three magazines in which your articles have appeared and send them to the editor.

If you haven’t been published, you’ll still need to send in samples of your writing. For this, write out an article or two related to the subject of the magazine, and send them off with your query.

Lead Time

A magazine usually asks writers to submit their work well in advance so that there are no last-minute goof-ups. Magazines, especially reputed ones, cannot risk delaying an issue because of a single writer. This period is usually termed as lead-time. Although most magazines have lead times of approximately three months, many have periods of more than six months.

Kill Fees

Editors are always “killing” articles that they’ve assigned. To the writer, this could mean wasted time, as well as money. To reimburse the writer for her research and hours put in, magazines usually have a 20-50% kill fee. Simply put, if your query has been accepted, but your article isn’t published for some reason, you’ll be given a kill fee for your work.

Expenses

For your article, you may have to interview a subject. In some cases, you may have to make long-distance calls or spend a few bucks on travel, lunches and other expenses. All such expenditures incurred for the assignment are usually paid for by the publication. You should be very clear on this before you get on the assignment. Usually, editors will agree to reasonable expenditure refunds.

Bios and Photos

Haven’t you sometimes noticed how the author’s picture or contact information appears alongside the article? Yours could too. Although this isn’t always done, sometimes editors may agree to put up a photo or a short bio beside your article. It never hurts to ask.

Simultaneous Submissions

Although this is something magazines advise against, it isn’t always feasible waiting three months for your hot idea to strike a note with the editor you’ve submitted it to. This is where simultaneous submissions come in. Although I truly warn you against submitting the same article to more than one publisher (I did it, and I regretted it), I do advocate simultaneous queries.

Now that you’re armed with the basic knowledge, you’re all set to go out into the big, bad world of publishing, and show them what you’ve got. Good luck!

Image taken on 2008-10-18 18:42:31. Image Source. (Used with permission)

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For those who would love to visit exotic or historic places, writing about them is a great way to experience them in a different way. Here is some more information on freelance travel writing.
Achieving Success in writing articles.
Although it sounds quite romantic to travel the country or world and write about it, it can also be very daunting. Achieving success as a travel writer is quite difficult and will take some time. As you build your reputation and skills, quite some time can pass before you could actually consider yourself successful. If you are lucky enough to have landed a steady assignment where you can live on your earnings, you should be considered successful. However, writing for one publication, magazine, or company may not be as sturdy as you think. If you rely on one source for your income and something happens to that source, you can be left with nothing. A tip is to try to have several different sources from which you make income.
Hustle and Bustle
Another difficult thing that comes with being a travel writer is the time you have to spend in each place. If you have to write about one city, you are expected to know all the details and in-depth information when in reality, you may only have a few days to spend there. This will have you rushing around from destination to destination, trying to get information on restaurants, hotels, sights, parks, history, and so much more. This is quite a hectic lifestyle, especially if you are writing assignments that must be turned in quickly. Although this hustle and bustle can leave you feeling drained and tired, it can be quite fun to experience so many different types of towns, people, cultures, and histories. This is one of the loves of being a travel writer!
Expenses
Being a travel writer doesn’t always mean that all of your expenses are paid, especially if you’re just breaking into the travel-writing industry. You may have to cover your expenses, and if so, you need to be sure that you are going to get paid enough to balance these expenses out. If not, you can find yourself quickly returning home to pursue another type of writing! If you’re lucky enough to land a great travel-writing job with a big magazine company or something similar, your expenses may be paid. This is great to find for any travel writer and a goal for a new travel writer to aim for!
Being a freelance travel writer is a great thing and if it’s your passion, doing it seems like heaven. However, there are a lot of different things to consider and weigh before you pack your bags and jet off to some beautiful location to take notes. Overall, if you find a great place to settle into the industry, it can be a rewarding and wonderful career.

Start Today !

Image taken on 2008-03-28 08:12:39. Image Source. (Used with permission)

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So you want to be an author?  Many people enjoy writing but few ever seem to become authors – and especially authors whose books sell.  The key to professional authoring is marketing those words you so carefully arrange on otherwise meaningless sheets of paper.  If you want to write successfully – be it a novel or a non-fiction book – then you need My Goodness!  I Couldn’t Even Type!

Good Gosh!  I Couldn’t Even Type! is geared to new authors who would like to see their book in print.  It’s also directed at more experienced authors who haven’t yet tasted the unmatchable sweetness of this creative line of endeavor — seeing their masterpiece on the shelf of a book store.

“You are what you write” is often the motto of the uninitiated. Perhaps so, if only at the moment you are writing your book.  But always remember that the western adventure author such as Zane Gray is seldom if ever a retired cowhand.  Some have never been out west!

Mystery and suspense writers aren’t all frustrated private detectives or attorneys with criminal law experience although this was the case with the author of Helter Skelter, Vincent Bugliosi.  He gained worldwide fame as the brilliant attorney who successfully prosecuted Charles Manson and his followers for the heinous murder of actress Sharon Tate and others.

War stories are more often than not written by men or women who haven’t even been in the military!  Stephen Crane won international acclaim for his 1895 Civil War novel The Red Badge of Courage.  He wrote this book without any battlefield experience.

Those who write about organized crime aren’t members of the Mafia.  An example of this is Mario Puzo who wrote The Godfather.

And Truman Capote who wrote In Cold Blood certainly wasn’t a detective or a cop.

Nor was Frederick Forsythe a member of the French secret service, yet he wrote the acclaimed Day of the Jackal!  

Within the realm of being an author lies one of life’s most important lessons to be learned.  Adaptability!  An author must be able to adapt to new ideas, to people, to people’s ideas.

A sense of purpose must be carefully balanced with open-mindedness.

The acceptance of outside influences tends to solidify our own convictions and define our standards.

Association does not imply compromise.

Persuasion needs not lead to capitulation.

Knowledge isn’t necessarily the harbinger of change.

Authoring a book isn’t a mysterious, romance-cloaked pursuit, except by those who tell everyone they would like to write a book but never do.  It’s a business, pure and simple!

Ernest Hemingway once stated: “I write books for money”    And so should all other budding as well as published authors.  Yet writing is extremely personal,  intense, emotional and demanding.  But to utilize it to the fullest, writing must develop into and remain a business.

“The writer who is a real writer,” said William Saroyan, “is a rebel who never stops.”

Good Gosh!  I  Couldn’t Even Type! is carefully designed for all aspiring authors who simply won’t be satisfied until they’re finally published.  And its also geared to the needs of already published authors.  

Good Gosh!  I  Couldn’t Even Type! contains innumerable successful methods, suggestions and concrete examples based on more than 40 years experience and overwhelming success in the field of freelance writing and authoring books.  It isn’t composed merely of untested theories.

Topics include tips on how to construct a novel or nonfiction book; finding the right publisher for your work; successfully querying to catch an editors interest; obtaining an agent; avoiding those rackets aimed at would-be authors who are in the process of developing their dream book as well as those fortunate enough to have already had their book or books published and much, much more.. 

Good Gosh!  I  Couldn’t Even Type! is a most exciting book.  It’s slanted toward unheralded writers who would like to get paid for their work and see their name on the jacket of a book or accompanying a magazine article or short story. 

And it’s also directed at the more experienced writer who has already had the unmatchable thrill of being published and seeing their name in print.!   

Here’s an outline of what is included in the book:

1. The Beginning of a Glorious New Career                            
2. Desperately Needing a Change of Pace!                              
3. Selling Articles to Get Some Quick Cash             
4. Annual Trips to Meet Editors                             
5. A Major Change — Typewriters to Computers            
6. More on My Writing Career                   
7. Trips Cross-Country as a Writer                       
8. My Disastrous First and Last Book Store. Book Signing Experience
9. A Series of Wonderful Writing Years!           
10. The End and a New Beginning                   
11. No!  It Wasn’t Over Yet!                             
12. Books I Have Had Published                     
13. Syndicated Newspaper Columns                         
14. Voodoo Van Cross-Country Trip                        
15. Comparisons Between Methods of Book Publishing       
16. Don’t Think in a Box                                     
17. Understanding and Surviving` Rejections   
18. How to Do a Bibliography                          
19. Pet Peeves of Magazine and Book Editors
    

Image taken on 2008-04-20 18:18:18. Image Source. (Used with permission)

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I used to send article queries out to magazines. I would spend hours every day composing nothing but the best queries, following all the rules, and only after perusing every resource I could get my hands on for article ideas that this magazine or that one might be interested in publishing. I spent many months doing these things. Occasionally editors would even send letters to me in return asking for more queries. But over time, I came to the conclusion that I either did not know enough about magazine publishing, or I did not have enough education to be able to impress the editors I wanted to impress, or I simply was not creative enough to come up with new ideas every single day.

I am a freelance ghostwriter, and my favorite gigs are the novels and memoirs people ask me to write. Once I have negotiated with my client what he should pay me, I sit down with his story ideas, and poke and prod his characters until they sit up and talk to me. You see, they need to wake up enough to tell me what it is they want and how they want to get it. And then I write, while working with my client to make sure I’m composing the story he wants. This sort of writing is always a joy to do.

But still, I would like to work the magazine market. Every so often I look at it and think that I’m nearly ready to do that. I surely have oodles of articles scattered across the Internet, some of which could be used as samples of my work. I have been spending 90 percent of my waking hours for the last five or more years writing and reading, and then writing and reading some more, and I have learned how to string a few sentences together to keep my readers and clients happy.

Yeah, perhaps I can look at all those magazine listings again, without getting that sinking feeling of defeat before I even begin. After all, I sit down to write another article almost every day. So, is it time to make another grab for courage and send out the queries again?

Perhaps this poking around among magazine listings is due to some sort of seasonal affect. One of these days I will get another book contract, and I will be too busy to consider writing more queries to magazine editors.

Image taken on 2008-04-01 07:01:44. Image Source. (Used with permission)

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There are many industries where publication of your own work is a critical part of your career development. As professionals in industries that require us to actively publish research studies, essays, articles, textbooks, etc. we have to find ways to account for such publications on our resumes. There are a number of things to consider in respect to publications as you develop your resume.

First, ask yourself how relevant the publications are to your career objective. If you have recent publications that support your career objective, make sure to create a separate heading on your resume and list the publications in reverse chronological order. Follow the AP style when listing your publication, omitting your name from the listing if you were the only author of the text, as that is implied. Do not list publications that do not support your career objective on your resume; while they may be helpful to mention to your potential employer via a cover letter, it is not necessary to take up space on your resume with information that is not directly impacting to your career. If you have submission in progress, or are working on texts that you know will be published at the later time, and they support your qualifications for the job, include them on the resume under a sub-heading of “submitted to (publication name)” or “to be published in (publication name)”. However, if you decide to include works in progress, be certain that they will get published at some point in the future. This is mostly critical for freelance magazine, newspaper or creative writers; do not list every article you have submitted for publication, unless you are certain that it will get published.

If your list of publication is fairly extensive, do not dismiss it completely from your resume. You want your employer to know that you have either published or are in the process of publishing your work. You should create a section within your resume dedicated to publications. Don’t go overboard with the number of publications you list on your resume. List three to five publications, in reverse chronological order in this section. This will give your employer an idea of your work, the publications and audiences you have reached. At the end of your publication listing, include a statement that tells the employer a complete listing of publications can be provided upon request. In your professional summary, or cover letter, you can indicate the total number of publications you’ve had in your career. Create a separate document that includes a complete listing of your publications, following the ASP style. You should make sure that the list of your publication credits other authors properly, as well. You should have a print out of this list, along with your resume that you can bring to any job interview, or forward to the hiring manager at their request. In addition, if asked about your publications, offer your potential employer a copy of any of your articles for their review (although if given the appropriate reference information, your employer, if interested, will be able to locate your publications on their own).

Overall, disclose any information about publications if it supports your career objective and highlights your qualifications for the job. Review the information you list carefully and make sure that names and dates of publications are correct – even minor mistakes can raise questions about your credibility.

Image taken on 2006-11-04 17:02:53. Image Source. (Used with permission)

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Animals: Dozens of magazines are devoted to animals (many that didn’t make
it into Writer’s Market), but this is a low-paying market, in general—mostly in
the $0.10/word range. Writer’s Market defines that as intermediate rates, which
is probably accurate, but sad!

Child Care and Parenting: Although Writer’s Market does list many child care
and parenting magazines, literally hundreds more (mostly regional) are not
listed here. The national ones, such as Parenting and Child, pay quite well, while
the others are better for reprints and syndication.

Entertainment: You might be misled when you see the low pay rates of most
entertainment magazines, but don’t be fooled: If you can break into a magazine
like TV Guide or Premiere, you can expect about $2 a word.

Health and Fitness: Health and fitness writing is in high demand and pays
quite well (many venues in the $1-2/word range). Don’t look only at health
magazines (like Health, Shape, and Men’s Health), but consider that nearly all
consumer magazines will run health-related articles.

Men’s: “Laddie magazines,” the slang term for men’s magazines like Maxim, FHM,
and Stuff, are on the rise and a great market for freelancers—if you can break in!
Women’s: Of course, the big women’s magazines continue to be the holy grail for
many freelancers. Beyond their “how-to” advice on beauty, fashion, health, and
relationships, many also carry personal essays, humor, profiles of women
(entrepreneurs and volunteers, especially), parenting tips, financial advice,
and more.

Home and Gardening: Fifteen of the 72 markets for home and gardening listed
in Writer’s Market pay at least advanced rates.
Travel: Travel writing can also be quite lucrative, and appears on the pages of
just about every magazine category: in flight, general interest, parenting, health
and fitness, and more.

Children’s: It may be fun to write for children’s magazines, but most of them
don’t pay well. Teen magazines, on the other hand, are becoming more high-
profile (witness newer magazines like Teen People and CosmoGIRL!) and pay
respectable rates.

Religious: You can find many, many markets for religious articles, but almost
none of these markets pays decently. You can also find quite a few markets for
confession stories, but again, they are mostly low-paying.

Sex: Writing about sex? You’ll have markets galore. Of course there are the sex
magazines, but don’t forget that both women’s and men’s magazines, as well as
some general interest, psychology, and health magazines, also run articles about
sex. The market you choose all depends on the type of story and angle you
take, of course.

Sports: And perhaps the biggest section of all in Writer’s Market is sports, which
boasts 25 high-paying markets.

computer keeps freezing?get the fix here:http://computerkeepsfreezing.net

Image taken on 2008-11-13 05:19:55. Image Source. (Used with permission)

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How to Write Articles That Sell
by Allison Whitehead

Writing an article is rather like building a zoo – you’ve got to sort out your cages before you put the animals in.

Before you think I’ve mixed my monkeys with my metaphors, let me explain. A factual article is an attempt to pass on a series of facts to the reader. These facts should be suitably arranged within the article, the aim being to present a smooth and rounded piece of work.

Obviously enough, a high standard of writing is required throughout. And in order to achieve this, a carefully planned outline should be sketched out first. Any flaws in the structure can then be dealt with before the first draft reaches the page (or the screen).

Of course, there are some fortunate people who can sit down and write an article without first sketching a plan – and then go on to sell the final result. They are the envy of many an article writer, as they can plan the necessary information out in their heads before they begin, thus saving time, paper and trees. Yet I suspect the majority of us will have to be content with doing it the hard way.

Starting with the basic facts, the first step is to arrange your information in a logical order. I tend to use a flow diagram at the planning stage, as it gives me space to branch out with additional ideas which I may also use. My initial diagram will provide an initial and very broad base to work from, while a second one will concentrate on the development of just one of those initial ideas.

A good structure may not show itself in the finished product – but the lack of one almost certainly will. Time and thought is well spent at this stage, and should make the actual writing of the article easier to approach. You will not want to be concerned with the planning process as you begin to write, as this will stem the flow of your creative juices. A good plan will allow you to concentrate on putting the right words in the right order.

The key point to remember is not to put your monkeys in with your macaws. Make sure your facts relate to each other, both in succession and within the entire article. I very much doubt if the monkeys would get on well with the macaws – and facts which do not belong together will clash in much the same way.

If you are constructing a ‘for and against’ article, the opposing viewpoints will need to receive special attention. There are several ways to approach this in your initial plan.

If the magazine’s style favours it, you may choose to set out the points in a chart form, under the appropriate headings. This is probably the simplest method. It can also be used in article form, with the ‘for’ and ‘against’ arguments following each separate point in the debate.

Alternatively, you may choose to present the ‘for’ argument entirely separately from the ‘against’, using examples and anecdotes to illustrate the pros and cons.

Whatever the subject and approach you use, the outline should be somewhat like a word association game when completed. A well structured plan will flow logically and smoothly, as should the finished article, and your sixth writer’s sense should tell you when this has been achieved.

You may find it helpful at this stage to indulge in some free writing. Keeping your rough diagram to one side, jot down any thoughts or ideas which may work their way into the article.

Do not worry if you begin to distance yourself from the original thought. You are not writing the article at this stage. Any ideas which are not relevant can be discarded, and perhaps picked up later as the basis of another article.

So, having completed a suitable structure and a list of ideas, we can now move on to the first draft. The initial task here is to get a rough version of the article down on paper. The refining process will come later.

Keeping to your outline, begin to develop the facts into a simple yet informative style, paying special attention to the first sentence. You should always aim for a strong opening which will reach out and grab the editor by the throat; something which will make your article leap from beneath the hundreds of other manuscripts and demand to be read.

One method of doing this is to use the ‘question mark’ opening – ask a question which you will then provide an answer to in the final paragraph. By asking a question, you immediately bring your readers into play by talking to them.

Adapt to the pace people live at today. If you have not managed to attract their attention within the first few words, it is highly unlikely they will read further. And of course, if you don’t create an eye opener for starters, your article probably won’t even get past the editor. Remember the key word – it must be readable.

So, having created the best opening sentence in the history of literature, you should now avoid the slippery slope into oblivion. A strong opening will gain attention, certainly, but it will not help to sell the article if the remaining words and paragraphs do not continue the initial promise. And no article sells on the first sentence alone. Every sentence must make the reader want to continue to the end.

The style you adopt will depend on several factors: length, the style preferred by your target market, the demands of the subject itself, and your own personal preferences. This is perhaps the correct order in which to list them, as your own personal style must be adapted for the occasion. If, like me, you tend to have the occasional bout of verbal diarrhoea, then you should be particularly careful when writing a 500 word short.

So, having teased out the first draft from your plan, you can now progress to the third stage. Put the article in a drawer, folder or file, or on a rarely used disk and leave it alone for a few days before editing it.

This is often the hardest part. Having been so close to your writing, it is difficult to let go completely and move on temporarily to something else. Yet it will provide you with the best results.

Errors made by a smoking pen at times when you think faster than you can write will shine through the initial draft and beg to be put right. If time allows, this process is best repeated, in order to get rid of tiny errors which you may previously have overlooked. Always aim for the best you can do.

And over time, if you continue to persevere, you will find that your best will get even better.

About the author:
Allison Whitehead has been writing – and selling – articles for sixteen years. Her extensive knowledge has been distilled into a four step blueprint for article writing success, called ‘Hey, I Really CAN Sell My Articles!’, available for immediate download from www.lulu.com/smoo_publishing

Image taken on 2008-08-24 16:32:28. Image Source. (Used with permission)

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Like most creative professions the question of a qualified success in writing is not easy to concentrate into one definitive answer.

Just as there are a multitude of writing styles, so too are there many examples of writing success.

Examples

1. “If I can just finish my first story, I will have success.”
2. “If I can just work up the courage to submit this to a publisher, I will have success.”
3. “If I can actually receive a check in the mail for a magazine article, I will have success.”
4. “If I can just publish my first book, I will have success.”
5. “If I can just have my book published by a major publisher, I will have success.”
6. “If I can just get my book in the bestseller list, I will have success.”
7. “If I can just keep up with all the writing work I have been commissioned to do, I will have success.”
8. “If I can only be thought of in the same way as other literary giants, I will have success.”

“The secret of contentment is knowing how to enjoy what you have, and to be able to lose all desire for things beyond your reach.” Lin Yu-t’ang

There is a difference between contentment and complacency. In the first case, we learn to be happy in the circumstances we find ourselves in. In the second case, you simply settle for where you are without an interest in doing something more.

“A man will never be content with what he wants until he is content with what he has.” – Bill Gothard

As writers we should always reach for our best. It is a good idea to set a small attainable goal for the short term with perhaps a one and six year plan in place for where we would like to be. This goal can be readjusted annually.

The problem many writers have is they set their goals so high they may not be able to reach them, or they make the goal sacrosanct they miss out on life in pursuit of the goal. Should they actually reach the goal, the effect of reaching the pinnacle often serves as a pin to pop an inflated balloon. For some, the ultimate goal they have chosen leaves them feeling hollow because they never understood the need for contentment. Once the ‘ultimate goal’ is realized the author has nothing more to look forward to and they struggle through issues related to their overall motivation.

By learning the fine art of contentment while refusing to be complacent will serve you well as you wrestle with issues of personal writing success.

Image taken on 2007-09-09 15:31:03. Image Source. (Used with permission)

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The job of a freelance writer is not an easy one, though many who have ventured into this field have said their is no business quitel like this one. The first challenge new freelancers must overcome is finding work. There are a number of ways for novices to make a break into the world of freelance.

One of the ways for new writers to get into the world of freelancing is to query publishing houses and magazines with your ideas, however this takes a lot of time and patience. You may have to wait up to 3 months to get feedback or acceptance from the company, and some may not hire you unless you have published work. This is not recommended if you decide to quit your job to become a writer and are living on your savings.

The best and easiest way to jump into writing is to sign up and bid on work. There are many great companies to work for out there. Each different and require different requirements. This article will bring some of the best ones home to you.

One is Get a Freelancer, this is by far the top bidding site available on the internet. You can find work as an experience writer or as a brand new writer. The most important things to remember is that at this site new writers get a voice but they must compete with the experience writer. Many times new writers have a better chance of getting work because they dont charge the exorbent prices that the experienced writer charges.The one drawback to Get A Freelancer is that people from countries where income levels are lower, will underbid you everytime. The plus is that most of the site is that they are usually looking for native english writers.

The Next bidding site that is really good is Guru, I think this one is the best money making site, however breaking in is slightly harder than Get A Freelancer, but if you have worked for Get A Freelancer, you can use your referals to get work at Guru. Guru bidders no the importance of making what they are worth and articles are paid top dollar most of the time. The downside of working for Guru is that you will need some type of references. The good part is you can get them from places such as Helium, and Associated Press, as well as ArticlesBase, which will be discussed in another article.

Another great site, that you will enjoy working for is iFreelance, this site is good for new article writers and the buyers there are willing to help you learn the business, I have found that the most helpful clients in the world are there. They help you to get their work the way they want it.

Lastly another great site is Elance, this is one of the better places to work on the sheer amount of work they have, you will find something in any number of areas of work. there are literally hundreds of projects available all the time. New writers get a chance to grab work on thier ability to write a winning proposal and give a great sample, not on the number of referrals they have.

If you are just starting out, you may want to start in one of these avenues. Just a note, however these sites are for free and for membership, the free section gives you a few small jobs and are good for starting out, but if it is your full time job, you may want to buy the membership because it opens many opportunities for work.

Take your time to find your place in the freelance world, so that you are a working writer and not an unemployed one.

Image taken on 2008-09-27 17:44:13. Image Source. (Used with permission)

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Becoming a successful freelance public relations writer requires you to write persuasively and analytically. The key to persuasive writing is the key to good writing in general: know your audience. Public relations work requires you to address various audiences, such as:

1) Your customer base. Your customers already have some idea about what your client does;

2) Potential customers. Most won’t know about your client directly, but they might be familiar with similar products, services, or programs;

3) The press. They are interested only in whether the service or product your client has to offer is worthy of mention in their publication.

When you get a public relations assignment, your job is to take in all the data related to whatever your client has to offer. Maybe your client is offering a new product line, a new community outreach program, or news about a change in ownership. Your job is to: 1) analyze that data for key points; 2) determine how the data might affect the marketplace and consumers; and 3) communicate the data in a clear, concise form.

Taking in the data is the easiest part. Your client should provide you with all the data you need, plus any contact information you might need to interview people for quotes, statistics, point-of-views, etc. You need to think about how to connect what your client is offering with the needs and desires of his audience.

Example 1:
If a high-end brokerage firm wants to distribute a press release about their response to a recent rise in gold prices, you may need to research the stock market to determine what that means to investors. If you know your target audience, then you know exactly where to look to find out their typical concerns. Typical research methods may include Internet searches, investor forum posts, guides to investment, etc.

Example 2:
If you need to generate PR aimed at a particular trade group or a segment of an industry, such as promoting a local cleaning service, then you need to brainstorm ways in which your client’s cleaning service provides cheaper or better care than his competitors.

Once you’ve done the background work, writing PR is simple. Your client should provide you with all the pertinent information about length and venue. What you need to do is communicate the details, connect it to audience’s desires, and present any information that links the audience back to the client with the use of contact information, store locations, event dates, and so on.

Since there’s an expectation that PR is persuasive, advertisement-like material, you have slightly more leeway with the writing than you might with informative, research-based material; but again, the audience comes into the balance.

If you’re writing a report on the release of a new video game aimed at a teen-centric gaming magazine, a dry style won’t be of much use to you. If you’re writing about the breakthrough of a new control chip for an overseas microprocessor, you don’t want to make too many assertions about how this will “revolutionize the industry,” or anything that a highly-trained engineering department can’t back up. In general, stick to the facts as closely as you can. Your articles should have the blend of rational restraint and promotional zeal so you communicate effectively.

Where do you get public relations jobs? Corporate PR departments are your best bet for well-paying, steady work. Some large corporations will have their own in-house staff of marketing writers, and may not be interested in taking on freelancers except at certain times. Another good choice would be local non-profit groups, political organizations, or social clubs. These rely on effective PR to grow and thrive, and you can pick up a good deal of work from just one or two groups. A drawback to non-profits or other groups is they may not have a big budget or they may not be able to pay consistently. Make sure you trust the group before you commit to full-time PR work.

Above all, be careful of doing PR for individuals. This type of PR can be among the most enjoyable assignments, depending on your interests. Individual PR projects may include promoting someone’s self-published book or writing press releases for a garage band, and so forth. The downside is individuals typically have little or no budget for PR, and they often want you to work for free, alleging that “it’ll be good for your reputation” or that “once I get successful I can pay you.” Never do PR work (or any freelance writing work) for free. It wastes your time and it won’t advance your career, except for building a portfolio of writing samples. At worst, it can lower average writing rates to the point that good freelancers go out of business. It’s not good for you, for your trade, or for your fellow writers. So don’t do it!

If you have the ability to analyze complex material quickly and convey it clearly and persuasively into words that your audience understands, then you are on your way to having a successful career as a public relations writer.

Image taken on 2008-02-13 15:41:05. Image Source. (Used with permission)

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