***Originally posted 10-2-13
**Note, see "Freelance Writing" section of website for details
When I left radio after 12 years, I really didn't know what I was going to do. I knew it was time to leave and I desperately wanted to work from home, but doing what...I didn't know. Since I loved writing so much, it only made sense that I do something that involved writing. I am so thankful for the internet and the possibilities is has opened up for me.
I started searching for writing jobs and looking at random websites and applying for even more random jobs. I found a few here and there including thecontentauthority.com. I applied to be a writer and was accepted after some trial articles. However, I had to start at a low pay and prove myself. Eventually, I moved up the ranks and get a higher rate. Websites like these are great because you can go to a huge job board and look at the topics that are needed. You choose one you think you can write about, write the article, and send it off. Then, if the client on the other end likes it, they can add you as a favorite writer. They can directly order things from you later and the good part about that is, you get to set the price on those. I have written enough articles for enough people that I rarely take jobs from job boards anymore. Usually, I work on the direct orders I have from the variety of sites I've been on.
After I found a few little things, I hit the jackpot when I ran across freelancewritinggigs.com. This website posts writing job leads every morning at about 7am. Some of the jobs are for specific locations and others are virtual, meaning they can be done from anywhere. I would look at the jobs that could be done anywhere and see if I fit the bill. If I did, I applied. I have to be honest, I didn't hear back from most of them. But the ones I DID get ended up being great.
The freelance website led me to Interact Marketing, another writing website with a job board. Once I was accepted there, I could take jobs in a variety of topics at a variety of price levels. Again, if the client liked me, they could add me as a favorite and order work from me later. I got two great contacts and regular clients from this website. One ordered from me nearly daily until my second daughter was born. That client didn't pay great and since my time went kaput, I kind of stopped on those jobs. The second client was Goodbye Crutches and I still write for them today. In fact, I write usually 5 blogs a week for them. They call me their award winning writer and most of the blogs they post are my writing.
From the freelance website, I also got connected to a guy who offered book reviews to authors. Though he no longer works in that business, he still has me on his list and sometimes, authors contact me directly for reviews and such. Honest reviews only!!
So, as a freelance writer, I write a little of everything. I write about how to get around on crutches, how to cook, how to deal with kids and anything else you can think of. To get an idea of what I do for that client, visit their blog here. They are my current, most regular client and I work with them weekly. The rest of my jobs come and go. Right now, I'm working with a client who wants product description type things for hundreds of study guides, flash cards and other related items. Yes, I said hundreds. :)
When people ask what I write about and how I find the information, it's hard to answer. One day, I can write about how to recover from foot surgery and the next day I'm writing about how to fight a speeding ticket in a certain state. It really depends day to day and that's one of the things I love about it. If I wrote the same stuff all of the time, I'd probably go nuts. Or maybe not...because that's how much I love writing.
The one thing I've learned about my own personal freelance writing style is that I should never accept a job I know I can't complete. I don't want to put too much on my plate and not be able to deliver. I have also learned that I generally underestimate myself as to what I can get done in a short amount of time. But I think that's better than overselling and not coming through.
If I never did anything else but write articles for people who need them for their websites, newsletters or wherever else, I think I'd be pretty happy. I'm thrilled to now have success in the fiction writing world as well. I'm looking forward to the release of "Wrong Place, Right Time" in December 2014 and I hope I can announce many more book release dates in the future. In the meantime, there's an article on marketing automated systems waiting for my attention....
**Note, see "Freelance Writing" section of website for details
When I left radio after 12 years, I really didn't know what I was going to do. I knew it was time to leave and I desperately wanted to work from home, but doing what...I didn't know. Since I loved writing so much, it only made sense that I do something that involved writing. I am so thankful for the internet and the possibilities is has opened up for me.
I started searching for writing jobs and looking at random websites and applying for even more random jobs. I found a few here and there including thecontentauthority.com. I applied to be a writer and was accepted after some trial articles. However, I had to start at a low pay and prove myself. Eventually, I moved up the ranks and get a higher rate. Websites like these are great because you can go to a huge job board and look at the topics that are needed. You choose one you think you can write about, write the article, and send it off. Then, if the client on the other end likes it, they can add you as a favorite writer. They can directly order things from you later and the good part about that is, you get to set the price on those. I have written enough articles for enough people that I rarely take jobs from job boards anymore. Usually, I work on the direct orders I have from the variety of sites I've been on.
After I found a few little things, I hit the jackpot when I ran across freelancewritinggigs.com. This website posts writing job leads every morning at about 7am. Some of the jobs are for specific locations and others are virtual, meaning they can be done from anywhere. I would look at the jobs that could be done anywhere and see if I fit the bill. If I did, I applied. I have to be honest, I didn't hear back from most of them. But the ones I DID get ended up being great.
The freelance website led me to Interact Marketing, another writing website with a job board. Once I was accepted there, I could take jobs in a variety of topics at a variety of price levels. Again, if the client liked me, they could add me as a favorite and order work from me later. I got two great contacts and regular clients from this website. One ordered from me nearly daily until my second daughter was born. That client didn't pay great and since my time went kaput, I kind of stopped on those jobs. The second client was Goodbye Crutches and I still write for them today. In fact, I write usually 5 blogs a week for them. They call me their award winning writer and most of the blogs they post are my writing.
From the freelance website, I also got connected to a guy who offered book reviews to authors. Though he no longer works in that business, he still has me on his list and sometimes, authors contact me directly for reviews and such. Honest reviews only!!
So, as a freelance writer, I write a little of everything. I write about how to get around on crutches, how to cook, how to deal with kids and anything else you can think of. To get an idea of what I do for that client, visit their blog here. They are my current, most regular client and I work with them weekly. The rest of my jobs come and go. Right now, I'm working with a client who wants product description type things for hundreds of study guides, flash cards and other related items. Yes, I said hundreds. :)
When people ask what I write about and how I find the information, it's hard to answer. One day, I can write about how to recover from foot surgery and the next day I'm writing about how to fight a speeding ticket in a certain state. It really depends day to day and that's one of the things I love about it. If I wrote the same stuff all of the time, I'd probably go nuts. Or maybe not...because that's how much I love writing.
The one thing I've learned about my own personal freelance writing style is that I should never accept a job I know I can't complete. I don't want to put too much on my plate and not be able to deliver. I have also learned that I generally underestimate myself as to what I can get done in a short amount of time. But I think that's better than overselling and not coming through.
If I never did anything else but write articles for people who need them for their websites, newsletters or wherever else, I think I'd be pretty happy. I'm thrilled to now have success in the fiction writing world as well. I'm looking forward to the release of "Wrong Place, Right Time" in December 2014 and I hope I can announce many more book release dates in the future. In the meantime, there's an article on marketing automated systems waiting for my attention....
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