Are you making money writing articles? If you are, chances are you're not making enough money at it.
There's a reason for this... writing web articles is much too easy. Once you learn the format, you can turn them out in your sleep, but unfortunately you're not learning a thing to help you to improve your writing skills.
For decades, freelance writers started their careers by writing magazine articles. I got my own start writing romance novels (those were the days :-)), then segued seamlessly into writing for magazines.
These days, web articles are HOT, but unfortunately many/ most writers just don't make the most of their article writing skills. They're disgusted with peon wages, but because they have no frame of reference, since all they've ever written is articles, they can't get beyond that.
They have no motivation to improve, and even worse, they have no idea how to improve their skills, because there's no competent editor guiding their writing.
This can lead to rapid career decline and failure, as writers burn out.
My own opinion, FWIW, is that writing web articles is just TOO EASY... you write, you sell. However, since there's no editorial control (no one says to you "This is cr*p, fix it, here's what I want you to do...") web writers struggle to improve their writing.
Rejection is a GOOD thing
If you're stuck in a web article writing swamp -- you're writing 50 articles for $500 or less -- spread your wings.
Try:
Yes, you'll get rejected. Many times.
Viewed the right way however, rejections help you to measure your skills, so rejections are good for you.
Once you start selling to a market with proper editorial control, like magazines, major websites, and corporate marketing departments, you'll come under the guiding hands of editors who will help you to improve your writing.
Please don't fight this. Having someone tell you to rewrite is a benefit. There's no real way you can edit your own writing effectively; you're too close to it. You'll LEARN with every rewrite you do, so be grateful.
I know rejection sucks. However, hard as it may be to believe, it's good for you. :-)
I encourage you to go beyond web articles, and expect rejection when you do. You WILL eventually sell to major markets if you persist, and once you do, you'll work with editors who'll guide you to improve your skills.
Behind every great writer is a brilliant editor: believe it. :-)
There's a reason for this... writing web articles is much too easy. Once you learn the format, you can turn them out in your sleep, but unfortunately you're not learning a thing to help you to improve your writing skills.
For decades, freelance writers started their careers by writing magazine articles. I got my own start writing romance novels (those were the days :-)), then segued seamlessly into writing for magazines.
These days, web articles are HOT, but unfortunately many/ most writers just don't make the most of their article writing skills. They're disgusted with peon wages, but because they have no frame of reference, since all they've ever written is articles, they can't get beyond that.
They have no motivation to improve, and even worse, they have no idea how to improve their skills, because there's no competent editor guiding their writing.
This can lead to rapid career decline and failure, as writers burn out.
My own opinion, FWIW, is that writing web articles is just TOO EASY... you write, you sell. However, since there's no editorial control (no one says to you "This is cr*p, fix it, here's what I want you to do...") web writers struggle to improve their writing.
Rejection is a GOOD thing
If you're stuck in a web article writing swamp -- you're writing 50 articles for $500 or less -- spread your wings.
Try:
* Writing for magazines
* Writing video scripts
* Writing presentations
Yes, you'll get rejected. Many times.
Viewed the right way however, rejections help you to measure your skills, so rejections are good for you.
Once you start selling to a market with proper editorial control, like magazines, major websites, and corporate marketing departments, you'll come under the guiding hands of editors who will help you to improve your writing.
Please don't fight this. Having someone tell you to rewrite is a benefit. There's no real way you can edit your own writing effectively; you're too close to it. You'll LEARN with every rewrite you do, so be grateful.
I know rejection sucks. However, hard as it may be to believe, it's good for you. :-)
I encourage you to go beyond web articles, and expect rejection when you do. You WILL eventually sell to major markets if you persist, and once you do, you'll work with editors who'll guide you to improve your skills.
Behind every great writer is a brilliant editor: believe it. :-)
