Angela Booth's Writing Blog

Writing: make great money writing articles

Next week in Fab Freelance Writing Ezine, we discuss making money writing articles.

Here's an excerpt from the Editorial:

If you're not making more money than you can spend from writing articles you're not handling your writing/ marketing/ selling effectively.

Here's the thing: you may have noticed that times are tougher than they were. This means that businesses are cutting back on flashy advertising (TV, newspapers, magazines), and are opting for promotions with long-lasting results, ergo, web articles.

So, there's a HUGE market for articles.

If you want to be able to deal with that market effectively: that is, you want to sell every article you produce at a great price, you need to:

•    Understand the market

•    Know how to find qualified buyers

•    Know how to get the payment you want for your articles

•    TEST, and test again, so you turn your "knowledge" into experience, and RESULTS

Many writers fall down on the testing phase. They think they know how to write and sell articles, but they obviously don't, because they're not making the income they want.

There's a big gap between having some information, and knowing how something works. You only know, when you know: when you've made something work.

Information is just information: it becomes knowledge when you KNOW because you've done it

Everything you learn needs to be applied, before you can be sure you've learned it.

If I had a dollar for every writer who's told me "I know how ______(article marketing, or whatever) works" and then went on to complain they weren't making any money, I'd be able to retire to fabulous Noosa and write mystery novels...

If you're not making money writing articles then you don't know how it works – no matter what you think you know. :-)

Read more in the ezine on Tuesday...

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Writing and more: what do you want to see on this blog?

There's more involved in writing than writing, and I want to make this blog as useful to you as possible.

I was inspired by this post Lifestreaming Lessons - a 90-Day Report - The Steve Rubel Lifestream, where Steve says:

"Last night on the Long Island Railroad I drew up this mindmap in Mindnode on my iPhone. I appreciate alliteration. How would you feel about a structure like this where I theme the content based on the day of the week? Monday we tackle models and/or mindmaps, Tuesday we talk trends, etc. I want to post more often and more creatively than just writing"

I'm considering doing something similar for this blog -- map out a weekly schedule of posts, with a different theme for each day.

So, please tell me what YOU want to talk about. What's important to you about your writing, and in your life? Would you like to see:

* Posts on different forms of writing (books, novels, articles, copywriting, web writing)... and? What am I missing?

* Posts on self-improvement and self-management (goal setting and achievement, overcoming bad habits etc)

* Posts on writing and technology (favorite software, blogging etc)

* Becoming more creative (helps with writing and self-improvement)

* ?? Let me know in the comments...

Writing for Money: The Two Biggest Mistakes You Can Make

Do you want to make money writing? The amount of money you can make depends on your output. When you write more, you make more. So let's look at the two biggest mistakes you can make.

1. Not Writing Regularly

You need to produce. Writing is both an art and a skill. The more you write, the better you get at writing. This applies to any activity -- you need to practice.

Writing more has another benefit: it builds your writing muscles.

When you first start writing, it might take you a couple of hours to write a simple web article of 400 words. What you've been writing for a while you can do the same thing in around half an hour.

However, while writing for clients is all very well, you also need to be able to access your creativity at will, and over some 30 years of writing, I've discovered that if I don't write purely for myself for some of my writing time, my creativity suffers.

You're most creative when you're having fun, and some client work tends to rank pretty low on the fun scale.

You need to have some writing of your own, in addition to the writing you work on for clients. What can YOU write for fun? (I write blogs and websites.)

Write every day. If you're writing full-time, you need to spend at least three to four hours a day writing. If you're writing part-time, you'll need to spend at least two hours a day writing.

2. Embracing Perfection

Perfectionism lives in your left brain. It makes you over-think your writing.

Perfectionism can't coexist with creativity, which is a right brain activity.

Yes, you need to "perfect" your writing. You need edit, and revise. However, separate your writing from your revision and editing; ideally edit a project some time after you've written it. If I'm writing for a client for example, I like to leave at least four days between the writing and editing process, so I can look at what I've written more objectively.

Discover how YOU can make money writing.

Make Money Writing and Build a Great Career

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Write what you know, it saves time

I get lots of questions each week from writing students who want tips on writing for magazines, on creating their first website, blog or ebook... Essentially, they want to know WHAT they should write about.

It's easiest to write about what you know, and you know a lot. Yes, you do. :-)

For example, let's say you're a new parent. You lived through the pregnancy (your own, or your partner's) so you're well placed to write about the "new parent" situation.

You could create a blog writing about your experiences with a new baby in the house, or could create a shopping blog, with reviews and affiliate links to baby accoutrements, or you can write articles for parenting magazines.

If you've discovered a new, fast way to get a colicky baby to sleep, you could write a short report or an ebook on that... or on getting your figure back after baby... or on cooking for baby once he's on solid food.

You can write about anything, but writing what you know is easier, because you can write from your own experience.

Make a list of five things you KNOW, and start writing. :-)

Web writing to quit your day job

In Tuesday's ezine, our theme is "Web writing to quit your day job". Now you know what to write, you can discover how to make writing your career. Enjoy. :-)

Ezine: Web Writing to Quit Your Day Job

In next week's issue of the ezine, we discuss how you can make $100 a day writing for the web, within a month.

Here's an excerpt from the Editorial:

Let me start by saying that there's never ever been a better time to be a writer. If you want to write for the web, you can.

Within a month, working only a couple of hours a day, you should be making at least $100 a day just from your writing. If you're not doing that, you either don't know how to write, or you're just being lazy.

I created Sell Your Writing Online NOW (SYWON) web writing training to get people started in writing for the web. There's a lot to learn.

This means that your writing efforts must be combined with building your web writing education. Keep learning. You don't have to know how to set up a website, how to upload files to a server, or how to set up a sales page when you start out… BUT everything you learn gives you the ability to increase your income.

Think of yourself as an apprentice carpenter, if you will. When you start out writing for the web, the only tools you have are a hammer and some nails… as you keep learning, you can buy other tools. Before you know it, you have a full tool box and you're a master carpenter.

Big tip: you don't need to know anything other than how to string sentences into paragraphs to get started writing for the web, so PLEASE don't let your lack of technical expertise cripple you. Knowing how to write when you start is enough, but as I said, the more you know, the better.

Read the rest on Tuesday in Fab Freelance Writing Ezine. Each issue consists of around 16 pages, in PDF format, packed with writing tips.

Enjoy. :-)

Writing Tip: time your way out of the blahs

Here's a fact for you. You write the way you write. Generally speaking, your mood has little to do with the quality of your writing. Yes, at times you're inspired and you write well, but you can also produce your best writing in some of your worst moods.

Therefore your challenge is to write, even when you don't feel like it, even when you're convinced that every word is drivel.

If you're a full-time writer of course, you don't have a choice; you can't indulge yourself and take time off just because you're "not in the mood to write."

One of the ways to increase the likelihood you'll develop a full-time writing career is to develop a pro's working habits, so experiment with the timer trick I'm about to describe.

The timer trick

When you're in a negative mood, writing is the last thing you want to do. Sitting on the couch with an iced coffee and zoning out in front of the TV is about the most activity you feel capable of.

Here's how the timer works to build productivity into even the laziest writer. You get a timer (a kitchen timer is fine), and you tell yourself you'll write, for ten minutes.

Just ten minutes.

In those ten minutes, feel free to write absolute JUNK, words a ten-year-old would disown.

That's it. That's the whole trick. You set a timer to ten minutes, and you GO.

When your time's up one of two things will happen:

* You turn off your computer with relief

* You decide that although most of what you wrote was indeed drivel, there's a glimmer of something there... and you're still writing an hour later.

Make more money as a freelance writer by writing more

Top 70 Writing Tips To Help You Write More

Develop confidence in your writing: think positive

Want to improve your writing skills INSTANTLY?

You can.

Just think that you're a brilliant writer. 

No, you're not being foolish. You're managing your mind in the way it should be managed.

Try this simple exercise -- it only takes a moment.

Part A:

Think: "I'm so depressed, life just sucks..."

Part B:

Think: "Wow, my life is great! Iove my __________ "(fill in the blank with something you just adore.)

Notice the difference?

When you think negatively, you feel as if you're carrying the world on your shoulders. There's no way you can write well when you're suffering.

When you think nice thoughts, you feel better, instantly. And your writing improves too.

Here's a great, short article on the problem with positive thinking that you should read. Then resolve to think positively -- for your writing's sake. :-)

The reason, I think, is that negative thinking feels good. In its own way, we believe that negative thinking works. Negative thinking feels realistic, or soothes our pain, or eases our embarrassment. Negative thinking protects us and lowers expectations.

In many ways, negative thinking is a lot more fun than positive thinking. So we do it.

via sethgodin.typepad.com

Article Writing: Create Must-Read Titles for Your Articles

Almost anyone can make money writing articles. However getting readers for those articles is becoming more competitive all the time. To get read, you need great titles; let's see how you can create them.

1. Keyword: How Will the Article Be Found?

The primary way that readers will find your articles is via the search engines, when they enter keywords and search phrases. Therefore using the right keywords is vitally important. However readers will not read your articles unless the article provides them with a benefit as well.

Choose an appropriate keyword for each article you write, and be sure to include that keyword in the title.

For example: "Diets (keyword): Choose the Best Diet for You (benefit)".

2. Curiosity: Sometimes Helps You to Get Readers, Sometimes is a Mistake

When a searcher is looking at a list of article titles and descriptions, curiosity plays a great part in whether your article will be read. Therefore aim to create curiosity in the reader if you can, and if you feel it works for the article.

Magazine and newspaper article titles often generate curiosity by using puns and plays on words. Sometimes this is effective, and sometimes this is extremely irritating -- it's possible to be too clever for your own good.

I rarely use any puns or wordplay in titles when I'm writing informative articles. I save the cute stuff for writing humorous articles. I believe that when readers are looking for information, and if they're about to make a purchase, using humor is a mistake. Your mileage may vary.

If you need some examples of how curiosity is used effectively, keep an eye on the spam in your email inbox. Spam is all about curiosity, and occasionally spammers use it effectively.

Remember that once you've attracted the reader with your title, you must satisfy his curiosity.

This brings us to the benefit -- try to include a benefit in your titles if you can.

3. Benefit: How Can You Help?

Your article title should include both a keyword, and a benefit. (If you're using curiosity in your article title you may not have the space to provide a benefit.)

Benefits are all about helping your readers. Your readers are looking for something. They need your help. If you remember that when you're writing articles you're writing for the reader in order to help the reader, you can't go wrong.

Always ensure that your articles deliver on the promise that you make in your title: this is essential. (Please realize that the search engines will penalize you if you don't.)

Build your writing career, step by step

Sell Your Writing Online NOW (SYWON) web writing training gives you highly marketable skills which will build your writing career for a lifetime.

You discover how to:

* Make great money writing simple Web articles

* Develop sites and blogs (using easy, free tools) which you can sell for 12 times their monthly earnings. (For example, if you create a small site which makes you $500 a month, you can sell it for $6,000 and more)

* Create ebooks which bring you in a passive income for years to come

* Develop a successful writing services practice -- charge $250 an hour for your writing services

* and much, much more.

Start your new writing life today.

Blogging can change your life

Carroll said she was floored by the note.

"[The phrase] 'I'm living in a Walmart parking lot' hooked me," she said. "I thought, she's so ready to work, obviously she can write, she's got some skills."

Her response appeared in the August issue of Elle -- she offered Karp an internship and a chance to write a fashion blog for the magazine.

"I think she's a new voice," Carroll said. "She's a voice we haven't heard, and I'm excited for her future."

via edition.cnn.com

I'm always saying that blogging can change your life... read the above article, and you'll see that it can.

Ezine: Blogging for Fun, and Money

In next week's issue of Fab Freelance Writing Ezine, our theme is: "Blogging for Fun, and Money".

Here's an excerpt from the Editorial:

As you know, this ezine's mission (come to think of it, the mission for most of the things I write for writers) is to help you to make money writing in a fast-changing world. AND to have fun doing it…

By the way, I'm always reminding you that as soon as possible, you should transition from writing for others, to creating your own passive-income projects, which make money for you even while you sleep, and which go on making money for you for years, without you having to lift a finger.

Blogs are high on my list of passive income projects.

Blogging for fun: you never know what will happen with a blog

I like to have fun while I write. You'll work longer and harder when a project is fun for you, but it won't seem like work, it's playing… and that play can pay off big-time.

Here's what can happen when you play with blogging:

* You can get hired to write on the blog's topic. This happens to me often, because I have so many blogs. Usually I pass the "will you write______" offer on to one of my students, because I always have more work than I can handle;

* You get an offer to buy the blog. When you blog, this happens constantly, because it's easier to buy an established blog than it is to create one. For example, Jeff, a member of Sell Your Writing Online NOW (SYWON) created a photography blog. It's his hobby. He started posting images he took with his new Nikon digital SLR. The blog was just two months old when he sold it for a four-figure sum. Not bad for a fun project. :-)

* Of course, you may create an outstanding project on your blog, which goes way beyond what anyone would have expected. For example, you may have seen the movie Julie & Julia -- but did you know that the movie started as a blog, then became a bestselling book, and then became a movie? Here's  the original blog that started it all.

Read the rest of the Editorial, and the other information in the ezine next week.

Not a subscriber? Each issue of Fab Freelance Writing consists of 16 to 18 information-packed pages, in PDF format, to help you to make money writing.

Enjoy. :-)

Jobs in Writing: Three Great Jobs for You

Are you interested in jobs in writing? There's never been a better time to be a writer -- the explosive growth of the Web means that you can get all the writing jobs you've ever wanted. Let's look at the three great jobs which may be right for you.

1. Writing Articles: Start Small, Build a Big Business

Websites need content, because adding articles to a site ensures that the site gets more traffic from the search engines -- the more content, the more traffic. Since this traffic can be converted into sales, sites are very willing to spend money hiring web writers to write articles.

Thousands of large sites hire writers to produce a certain number of articles each week. Smaller sites buy articles as they need them.

Here's an important tip. Realize that you'll need to start small by writing for smaller sites to gain experience. As your experience grows, you can write for larger sites which pay better rates.

2. Blogging: Can You Write Snippets Every Day?

Blogging has become mainstream. There were many blog jobs available for writers, but just as with writing articles, you need to start small. The more experience you have, the more you're worth.

If you're interested in blogging for sites, you need to create and write your own blog. This will build a presence for you online, and in addition, your blog will act as a writing sample.

Getting blogs jobs is all about building relationships. Once you've created your own blog, and are blogging consistently, approach companies directly, rather than hunting for work.

As your experience grows, it's a good idea to build a team -- team up with a designer, and a programmer, so that you can take on large projects.

3. Information Marketing: Create Info Products

Information sells online. Thousands of businesses have sprung up to meet the desire for fast information, delivered immediately. You'll find dozens of writing jobs on the outsourcing sites every day for writers to create ebooks and other information products.

As with blogging, you need to get visible in this space. Take a couple of low-paying jobs in the beginning, to build your credits, and then go for higher paying jobs.

Once you become experienced in creating information products, you can create your own information product business.

Are you a new writer? Consider writing for magazines.

"If You Want to See Your Name in Newsstand Magazines, You Can!"

Many writers start high-profile careers by writing for magazines.

Magazine writing is both easy and highly profitable. Once you've learned the techniques in Angela Booth's new writing guide "Freelance Writing: Make Great Money Writing Articles For Magazines (In Your Spare Time)" , you'll soon be writing for magazines which pay from $1 to $4 PER WORD.

Freelance Copywriting for Beginners: 3 Essential Secrets

Want to build a highly profitable freelance copywriting services business? Writing for businesses can seem intimidating at first. Let's look at three essential secrets you must know to make a success of your new career.

1. Your Business Is Built One Client and Testimonial at a Time

Every professional copywriter started where you are -- they built their business one client at a time.

This means that whether you're working with your first client or your thousandth client, the process is the same: you provide great customer service, write great copy, and build relationships with your clients.

Before you accept a client, make sure that you understand exactly what the client wants from you. Often the client isn't sure. This means that you need to ask questions, and keep on asking questions until you know that you and the client are on the same page. (There's more on asking questions in Tip #2.)

As soon as you've completed the project to the client's satisfaction, ask for a testimonial.

It's quite okay for you to write the testimonial for your client's approval, since all your clients are pushed for time. Write a draft testimonial, and send it to the client, asking: "Would you say that this is an accurate description of your experience in working with me? If so, would you be comfortable if I used it as a testimonial?"

By the way, I've yet to have a client refuse, so this method works. Remember that your clients are not as comfortable with words as you are; this is why they hire you. They will want to give you a testimonial, but not know how to phrase it, so do it for them.

2. Ask Questions: Great Copy Comes from Research

When I'm teaching copywriting, I always emphasize the importance of questions right throughout your copywriting career. You MUST ask questions. Please don't feel that you should somehow magically know all the answers. That's impossible.

You can only write great copy if you understand the product that you're selling. Ask as many questions as you need to until you're certain that you understand the product.

Your clients will appreciate your interest, and your determination to understand their product. What's more, they'll feel that you're interested in their business and in them, and will give you more projects. Please get comfortable communicating with clients. It all starts with QUESTIONS.

3. Learn to Sell, and Keep Learning

Copywriting is selling. Every word of copy you write is intended to push someone to buy the product. However this doesn't mean that you need to use a  "hard sell" approach. In fact, if the reader of your copy feels as if he's being sold, it's automatically bad copy. Your copy should be transparent to be effective.

Never be shy about selling. Copywriting is an essential service. At its best it inspires people to buy knowing that they're buying the right product for them and that the product will do everything they wanted it to do.

There's a lot to learn in your copywriting career. It starts with learning to sell, and understanding the psychology of buyers. When you approach it with the determination to do your absolute best for your clients, you'll make great money, and you'll have fun too.

Become a Copywriting Master Fast

Copywriting is writing for business: promotional writing. Copywriters write material like advertisements and compared to most writers, they're VERY highly paid.

The explosion of the influence of the Web means that copywriters are flooded with offers of work. Even new copywriters find it easy to get copywriting gigs and to build their copywriting services business.

If copywriting intrigues you, join me in my Copywriting Master Class. I'll take you from copywriting novice to pro.

“Copywriting Master Class - Ten Weeks to Copywriting Genius” gives you a comprehensive copywriting course, as it helps you to set up your copywriting services business.

Copywriting: End Your Procrastination, Increase Your Output and Your Income

Whether you're a new copywriter, or are an experienced pro, there are times when you get stuck. You can get stuck for many reasons. Would you like a formula which helps you to increase both your copywriting output and your income?

Here you go.

1. Use the IDEA Formula

Become familiar with my IDEA formula:

I -- Idea/ inspiration

D -- Design a structure

E -- Expand into the structure

A -- Activate: write and rewrite

The IDEA formula is an easy way to work.

Read the project brief (description), then write down your ideas for how you might approach it.

Next, design a structure for those ideas to fit into, and then simply expand the structure.

Once you're done, all you need to do is write the first draft and then write a second draft after the client has reviewed the copy.

2. Work in Half-Hour Time Slots, and Time Yourself

Work always expands to fit the time available.

When you organize and schedule your time in half-hour time slots, you'll be amazed at how much more you get done. Since you only have half an hour to complete a specific task, you won't waste time at the beginning wondering what you're going to do -- you just get on with it and do it.

3. Schedule Time to Rest and Recharge

Writing copy is hard work. This means that you need to have time to rest and recharge. Schedule this time into your day. For example, I schedule time to take my dog for a walk every afternoon. I also schedule time in the morning for 20 minutes of yoga.

Your rest and recharge periods don't have to consist of exercise. Perhaps you prefer to listen to music, or watch a DVD. Just make sure that you take your rest periods seriously. They build your stamina.

Follow the simple IDEA formula I've outlined in this article and you'll increase your copywriting output and your income too.

Become a Copywriting Master Fast

Copywriting is writing for business: promotional writing. Copywriters write material like advertisements and compared to most writers, they're VERY highly paid.

The explosion of the influence of the Web means that copywriters are flooded with offers of work. Even new copywriters find it easy to get copywriting gigs and to build their copywriting services business.

If copywriting intrigues you, join me in my Copywriting Master Class. I'll take you from copywriting novice to pro.

“Copywriting Master Class - Ten Weeks to Copywriting Genius” gives you a comprehensive copywriting course, as it helps you to set up your copywriting services business.

Web writing tips and tricks

Got questions about web writing? There's a lot to learn.

I've just written two articles which will help.

Web Writing: Build your Writing Career Fast

Do you want to build a web writing career? There's big money to be made in writing for the online world, but you need a strategy for success. Most web writers spend too long dithering when they could be increasing their income.

Web Writing: When Can you Quit your Day Job?

Are you making enough money from your web writing to quit your day job? If you're surpassing your current income, it may be time to make the jump. However, this is an important decision, and one you'll want to consider carefully.