I recorded an audioboo about FiversWorld. Take a listen:

Check out FiversWorld here!

Check out my gigs on FiversWorld

FiversWorld | Buying and Selling Online is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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Seriously, guest posting might sound like a lot of work to you, and it is if you’re doing it right.  But is it worth the bother?  Some don’t think so.  I strongly disagree and I think that if you really want to get in front of a targeted audience guest posting can be your best tool.

Why?

Well, think about it – how do your find new readers?  You need to get in front of your audience right?  Right.  And how do you do that?  There are lots of ways – forum posting, yahoo answers, article marketing, and so on.  But guest posting – this is one way that you can be sure of being in front of a targeted audience because blog readers tend to be quiet loyal.  When they find a blog they like, they come back to it again and again.  And they already want the information.

So, when you guest post for someone else’s blog they are essentially letting you borrow their readers!  What more could you ask for.

When you guest post for someone’s blog, you usually get a resource box somewhere in the blog post where you’ll be allowed to add links.  Spend some time creating a great bio that is funny and engaging at the same time.  Leave links to the places that you want to be found most and don’t forget to tell them whatever the most important thing about you is.

Also, when you guest post for someone’s blog they might let you leave links within the body of the post.  These links should be to specific blog posts within your blog.  This will help you get targeted traffic even more!

Check out some of the guest posts I’ve done this past year:

• 10 Ways to Build a Killer Web Presence Without Social Networking (Job Mob)
• 10 Reasons Your Writing Blog Isn’t Helping You Get Jobs (The Blue Inkwell)
• Writers - Are You Filling in Your Profiles? (Get Paid to Write Online)
• Why WordPress is the Leading Content Management System(Ben Wan Web Solutions)
• How to Keep Your Business Writing Simple (Simply Stated Business)
• 5 Techniques You Can Use to Take Your Internet Marketing Business to the Next Level in 2012 (Famous Bloggers)

Guest Posting | Is It Really Worth the Bother? is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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Guest post  by Hajra Khatoon

WHO IS ANNABEL CANDY?

Annabel Candy runs Successful Blogging  and a travel blog called Get in the Hot Spot. She has been featured on Copyblogger, Problogger and Zen Habits. With over 16 years of experience in web designing and copy writing; she is a power to reckon with especially if you want to tap into the power of blogging. Her travel blog has over 20, 000 readers per month! Yes, that’s a five digit number.

WHY I LOVED THE BLOG?

Successful Blogging isn’t like any other blogs that shouts the WHAT OF BLOGGING in your face all the time. It has some very unique things to offer and here’s why we love it :

• It takes the tour from scratch – talks about starting a blog, building it and so on.
• There is a topic categorized as Blogging Succes Stories where bloggers from various realms talk about their rise to the blogging hall of fame
• It talks about the dreaded topic – making money from blogging. Whether it can be done or not and how?
• The personal touch : her posts over the holidays reflected that there’s more to Annabel than just being the blogging wiz.
• The look of the blog is clean, crisp and fresh. Makes you want to keep surfing. No jazzy colors, no in your face advertisements and just the right mix of sidebars.
• She’s got the Pinterest button! Yup, that is the latest craze.
• She is featured in the media way too many times. She is a print celebrity. Check out her media accolades here.
• When you subscribe for free updates you get three chapters of her book for free and you are updated every time she updates! You keep in sync with her!
• She offers 1 on 1 consultation. And her pricing packages are all mentioned right away on the blog

So, if you are looking into working on your blog and making it click, Annabel is the lady to get in touch with. That’s more than good enough reasons to be stalking Annabel Candy on her blog right away!

For the Problogging Success’s Blogging Tips 101 Contest.

Blog Review: Successful Blogging is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

Why not subscribe to the newsletter and get your free copy of Fire Your Boss! today?

Guest post by Hajra Kahtoon

WHO?

Jane Sheeba  runs many blogs!!! That is probably the first thing you notice about her.

She blogs about blogging at Problogging Success.

She tells you all about the technological buzz going around at Tech Buzz.

She runs a relationship advice blog at Merry Relationships.

Besides this, she is a team member at We Blog Better, works as a scientist by day and don’t ask me how; but manages to run her family and raise a kid!

Now that you have done gasping; read on.

WHAT?

Jane has authored an amazing book called Pro Blogging Action Plan. The book is a 132 page of action packed blogging guide. It can very well be your blogging guru all in itself. Not only is the book explanatory, but it walks you through EACH AND EVERY step of the blogging process. From selecting your niche, to naming it, to hosting it, to writing posts, having schedules, SEO’s, links, plug – ins, to, hear hear…MAKING MONEY!

Not only is this book  a walk-through through your blogging journey; it tells you how to maximize benefits at each step.

WHY?

Why should I buy this book you ask? Here’s why:

• Everyone talks about making mistakes. Pro blogging action talks about improving on them. What you should NOT be doing and what you SHOULD be doing and HOW you should be doing it.
• There is absolutely nothing a newbie needs to know that hasn’t been covered. You name it and it is there in the book.
• Illustrations :  probably my best loved feature in the book! Not only does Jane walk you through; she illustrates how!
• DEFINITIONS! Yes, Jane’s book defines many terms that technology cripples might find hard to understand. Terms like content syndication, quality link building, do follow links are comprehensively described.
• Not only will you know what blogging goals are; you shall know how to identify them.
• It’s a tried and tested formula. Jane mentions how she went wrong and how she worked on it.
• Recommendations: The book lays out the resources available and compares them to each other. Also, Jane mentions what she uses herself and why.
• Wonderfully explained methods to increase traffic to your blog and also optimizing your blog for search engines.
• MONEY: Everyone is here to make money, at least some money. This book might help you get just that!

HOW MUCH?

Priced at 27 $ this book is probably the best bargain you get! Also, there is so much to learn that money really won’t be an issue. Also, letting you on a little secret; if you are a subscriber at Jane’s blog you might just get yourself a discount!  And it comes with a 100% 30 Day Money Back Guarantee. What more can you ask for?

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING?

Check out what others are saying about the book.

Brankica Underwood of Blog Like a Star: If you are searching for actionable steps to make your blog bigger and better, Jane has the solution for you. Her e-book is filled with great advice. She served all the things on a platter for you. Do you know how much time we would have all saved if this book had been published sooner? She tried and tested everything and handpicked the things that work the best. Can’t ask for more than that! ”

Ana of Traffic Generation Café: “Jane’s book is a goldmine for any aspiring blogger. It’s filled with the kind of thorough and practical advice on setting up and running a successful blog that others charge hundreds of dollars for. If you already have a blog up and running, don’t think this ebook is not for you though. Her chapters on content creation, SEO, and blog promotion are definitely something that can give your blog the push you’ve been looking for. In short, this ebook is definitely a winner in my book. ”

So, given all that you stand to benefit, go book shopping here!

For the Problogging Success’s Blogging Tips 101 Contest.

Book Review: ProBlogging Action Plan is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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Guest post by Missy Nolan

oDesk is notorious for low-paying freelance writing jobs.  If you are an oDesk user, you’ve probably waded through hundreds, maybe even thousands, of writing gigs that demand high-quality, well-researched 500 word articles for $1 or $2.  Most of us can’t survive on rates that low.  In fact, $2 won’t even get you a loaf of bread or a carton of eggs in some cities.

Don’t give up on oDesk just yet, though.  There are plenty of gems hiding between all the ridiculously picky clients and insultingly low wages.  Finding them just requires a bit of time and patience.  Talent and self-confidence help, too.

CREATE AN AWESOME PROFILE

Yes, oDesk is just a bidding site, and you are not guaranteed employment or job offers.  However, that doesn’t mean you should treat it that way.  Treat your oDesk profile the same way you treat your cover letter and resume when you apply for traditional jobs.

What does that mean?  It means make it good.  Now is not the time to be modest.  Brag about your achievements in the writing world.  Mention any degrees or certificates that you hold, even if they aren’t writing related.  Include some killer samples or links to your best work.  Oh, and a photo never hurts – just keep it professional.  Save the pics that flaunt your bikini body or beer chugging skills for Facebook.

Set your hourly wage at the amount you think you deserve.  Hint: This should be at least $15, preferably higher.  Some clients favor contractors with super low hourly rates, but those aren’t the employers you want to work for.  Keep your standards high.  You’ll look a bit silly bidding on gigs that pay .15 per word if your hourly rate is set at $7.50.

Image via CrunchBase

IMPRESS EMPLOYERS WITH YOUR COVER LETTER

A well-written cover letter is interesting, relevant, and factual.  Avoid vague statements like, “I am looking for a project that allows me to utilize my knowledge of blah blah blah”.  Yawn.  Employers don’t want to hear what type of gig you want; they want to know that you want their project and are a good match for it.

Read each job listing carefully and look for things that seem important.  Some oDesk employers have very specific degree requirements or expect a certain style of writing – and make it clear that there will be no exceptions.  Make sure you meet these requirements before you apply.

Other employers aren’t really sure what they want.  This is great news for you.  Job listings that say things like, “I’m new to this and not really sure what to charge…” give you a chance to  set your own price and explain why you deserve it.  Also, don’t be afraid to click on jobs with a budget that is slightly smaller than what you’d like.  Some employers are flexible on the amount, especially after they realize what paying half a penny a word will usually get them (and they can tell by the terrible samples and cover letters they receive).

SET YOUR FILTERS

This may seem like an obvious step, but it is one that many oDesk contractors overlook.  When you search for writing jobs, there is an option on the right that says “Fixed-Price Budget”.  Set it to at least $50, higher if you wish.  Avoid setting it too high, because that will send you to a bunch of large projects that sound good at first – until you realize you’re getting $1000 to write 500 articles by next week.

You can also choose between fixed-price and hourly gigs.  It’s much easier to find high-paying writing jobs if you search for fixed-price and hourly gigs separately.  Start with the fixed-price  gigs, then make your way to the hourly listings.  And speaking of hourly payment…

DON’T IGNORE HOURLY GIGS

Some contractors see an hourly gig and immediately skip to the next listing.  Not all hourly gigs are a waste of time.  In fact, I’ve had several hourly gigs where the employer changed my rate to a flat price per article at my request.  Remember, not every oDesk employer knows  how quickly some writers can write or how much to offer per article.  That’s why they go with the hourly rate.

READ AN EMPLOYER’S FEEDBACK

Sometimes an oDesk gig seems too good to be true, especially if you’re used to writing for peanuts.  While there are many legitimate high-paying writing opportunities, some of them are scams.  Before you bid on a project, read an employer’s feedback – all of it.  Don’t just look at the overall score; read the individual comments.  If a lot of contractors failed to leave feedback, that’s not good.  Sometimes contractors fear the “revenge rating” they’ll receive if they leave bad feedback, so rather than risk ruining their own score, they leave a terrible employer’s feedback field blank.

NEGOTIATE

Some employers are not flexible, and after spending a bit of time on oDesk, you’ll be able to spot them immediately.  Employers with a long list of paragraphs describing what they want from their 300 word article are generally a nightmare to work for.  So are employers who are very, very specific about the type of writer that they want – you’ve probably seen a few oddly detailed requests, like, “Please only apply if you are an Asian woman between the ages of 18-30 with 4 years of college, several children, at least 3 tattoos, and more than 5 years of writing experience”.  Good luck finding someone for that project, buddy.

Anyway, just because a project has an estimated budget of $50 doesn’t mean you have to stick to that budget – unless the employer has made it very clear that he will pick the cheapest bidder and not go over the budget.  Bid what you think you’re worth, and explain why you deserve that price in your cover letter.  The worst that can happen is that you don’t get awarded the project, and guess what?  There are hundreds more added each day.  Go get them!

Missy Nolan has spent the last 8 years sneaking away from her kids during Yo Gabba Gabba! and Dora marathons to write product descriptions, marketing copy, and other web content.  When she’s not writing, she likes to bake, read, walk, and watch trashy reality shows.  You can follow her adventures as a writer on her website, How Much Does a Freelance Writer Make?

How Can I Get High-Paying Writing Jobs on oDesk? is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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Courtesy of: Schools.com

Why Social Media Isn’t a Waste of Time is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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If you are a fiction writer, online writer, or magazine writer, you need to be able to promote yourself.  Unless of course you’re big enough to have an agent that does all of that for you.  But the majority of us are web writers and the only people we can depend on to promote us are ourselves!  It is a vital element to any web writer that wants to be successful.

Thanks to the Internet, there are many ways that we can promote ourselves.  You can get your name out there and share samples of your work at the same time.  Choose a good mixture of promotional techniques to get the best results and reach the widest audience possible.  Many of them are no cost options so take advantage of them.

Social Media

Obviously, I put a lot of emphasis on social media.  Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+ and bookmarking sites like StumbleUpon can help you reach a wide audience.  I know some of you like to keep your Facebook profile private.  That’s fine.  You can still create a Facebook Page.  You can share articles you’ve written, blogs you’re writing for, ideas, thoughts, and so much more.

Interaction is always going to be important when it comes to social media promotion.  You can’t just get out there and talk about yourself.  You need to be ready to help people, share information, and develop relationships.  Without the interaction you’re just a big ol’ spammer. J

Here’s a tip for Facebook Page owners. 

You can comment on other pages as YOUR PAGE instead of your profile!  Just go to your page and look to the right.  You’ll see a link that says, “Use Facebook as (your page name)” – click that.  Then find pages that you like and “LIKE” them.  Then participate in the conversation as YOUR PAGE.  You’ll get more likes to your page, which means more exposure!

Your Website

I’ve talked about this before.  You need to have a website that is complete and professional.  Treat it like the reception area of your office.  It should be clean and tidy.  Clients should have access to someone to contact (via your contact form or another means).  You should have basic info that they will be looking for and then you can direct them to your blog, which gives you the opportunity to kind of sit down and have a chat with them.

Blogging

If you don’t have a blog, why not?  If you have a blog that is sitting there growing weeds, why?  A blog is not rocket science.  You’re writing articles for clients every day so why would you not take some time to write for yourself?  Think of it this way, your blog is your office.  It is where you can provide people with information, you can sell your services, and you can demonstrate your knowledge.  Why wouldn’t you take a couple hours a week to develop your business?

And while you’re blogging great stuff, don’t forget to share it on your social networks!

Reviews & Testimonials

When people use the Internet to find a service or a product, they often start by looking for reviews first.  They don’t want to just know what you have to say about you; they want to know what others say about you.  They want to know what you are good at and they want to know what actual clients have to say!  You can start by getting clients to give you a testimonial that you can place on your site or blog.  If you have a Facebook page you can ask clients to come and like the page and leave a comment about your services.  If you have a site or blog there are review sites that special in reviewing.

Forums and Groups

What better way to demonstrate your knowledge and promote yourself than by helping people?  And forums and groups are great for that.  They can especially be helpful if you have a specialty.  Your specialty likely has a Yahoo group, a forum, or a Facebook group connected to it.  Join it and participate.  Look for the chance to answer people’s questions.

And don’t forget that many forums let you attach a bio or a signature.  Make use of this!  If you use a signature, make sure it is something catchy and appealing.  If it is a bio fill it out completely.  If you’re on Google+ (and you should be – it is growing!) make sure your Google profile is completely filled out.  It’s a sales page and people will read it so don’t miss out on this chance to promote yourself!

Article Marketing

Do you think that since Panda came along article marketing is out the window?  It’s not.  There are still sites that are doing well and article marketing gives you a chance to share your knowledge and get valuable links back to your site or blog.  Write great stuff and always make sure that your profile is filled out completely.  People can’t find you if you don’t tell them where you are.

Guest Posting

You can’t get everyone on the Internet to your blog.  But you can go to where other people are.  Guest posting has the advantage of allowing you to reach a targeted audience that is just sitting there and waiting for you to show up.  Well, not necessarily you.  But someone.  And if it isn’t you it will be someone else.

Follow some great blogs and study them.  If you have a specialty, you’ll want to look for blogs in those niches, obviously.  But if you’re not sure yet, follow blogs in a niche that you’re interested in and can write about.  Observe how their blog posts are structured and the tone of the writing.  Then write something great for them and contact the blog owner and offer your guest post.

This Isn’t a Waste of Time

I hear writers say all the time that they don’t want to waste time on social media or don’t have time for guest posting.  All these things are not a waste of time.

They are good business!

Every business needs to promote.  I don’t care if you have an online business or a bricks and mortar business.  You can’t just rely on drive by traffic to keep your business profitable.  You need to promote.

Think about it – if you’re not promoting yourself and using some of these techniques, you are wasting your time being in business for yourself.  You’d be better off to go and get a retail job IMO.

Are You Using These 7 Important Tools to Promote Yourself as a Writer? is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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One of the most difficult aspects of being a freelance writer is staying motivated. You can lose your motivation because you’ve worked so much you’re burned out, because you feel isolated, or even because you can’t imagine anyone being interested in what you have to say on a blog. When you lose your motivation, freelancing writing becomes a chore rather than a career that you love.

Join a Group

A great way to stay motivated is to join a group of other like-minded writers. Some writers are interested in eventually having enough passive income to live off of while others are content working for content mills or private clients. Whether you want to have passive income from your own sites or prefer working for others, make friends with some of these writers. You can often find groups on social networking sites like Facebook.

When you are so burned out from overworking that you can’t even think, a group of writer friends can be a lifesaver. Not only will they understand what you’re going through, but they can help you come up with strategies to overcome burnout. You may be surprised at what other writers do to help with burnout and you will find that those strategies will often not only work for you as well, but will renew your energy enough that can you finish your work and even do more of it.

Image by OkayCityNate via Flickr

Avoid Isolation

Isolation is a big motivation killer and every freelance writer will eventually face it. Whether you work from home to take care of your children or just to avoid the office, isolation and loneliness can creep in when you least suspect it. While freelancing gives you the ability to be home and avoid bosses or gossip, it also keeps you from being able to visit with coworkers around the water cooler. There’s no one to talk to about difficult assignments or clients. Unless your family members are also writers, they just won’t get it. When you join a group of writers on a social site you find friends that understand. The group becomes the office water cooler and you can relax while talking about your workday.

If you are not confident in your abilities as a writer or that people will actually read what you have to say if you start your own site, your friends in a writer’s group can help you find the confidence you need. You can ask their opinions about pieces you’ve written. You can bounce your ideas off of them and have a big brainstorming session. You’ll come away with more ideas than you ever thought possible. Knowing that your friends and fellow writers think you have valuable ideas can be the best boost to your motivation that you need to keep going and achieve more than you thought you could.

Do You Need Motivation as a Freelance Writer? is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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If you are looking to get into the world of freelance writing, I highly suggest you take a look at Ghostwriting Cash by Tiffany Dow. This is the most helpful, thorough course on the topic that I have seen on the Internet. Tiffany was once a ghostwriter herself, writing articles and reports for some of the biggest names online. Because she has been there, she tells it like it is and provides her customers with the best methods for setting up a profitable writing business.

What You’ll Learn

The Ghostwriting Cash course features an ebook that will help you set up a successful freelancing business. You will learn how to set up a website in order to gain orders from new clients. You also learn how to go out and network with those that may be interested in your services. When appropriate, Tiffany also includes videos so that you can see exactly what you need to do. Having a look over the teacher’s shoulder is always nice!

Benefits

To me, there are many benefits to following Ghostwriting Cash when making the decision to offer writing services on the web. It helps you shorten the learning curve needed to set up a website and market your services. There is no guess work as to where you should seek clients and orders. Tiffany gives you several methods for finding those that need content created. All you have to do is present them with your offer.

Tiffany also stresses the importance of eventually becoming your own client. I think this is something that most other freelance writing courses lack. They just teach you how to offer services, and don’t really cover anything beyond that. However, Tiffany has always viewed services as the “foot in the door.”

When You Have Steady Work

Once you have steady work coming in, you can begin to raise your rates. This allows you to earn more money, but with fewer clients or orders. This, in turn, gives you time to become your own client. Working for yourself should be your ultimate goal, as you will then be free from other people’s deadlines and can create passive income streams that pay you again and again.

When writing a product review, it is best to present the pros and cons of the product. However, as far as Ghostwriting Cash is concerned, there are no negatives! This is, of course, my opinion, but I think it’s a thorough course for beginners as well as experienced writers looking for more clients. I honestly cannot find anything wrong with it! I have followed Tiffany for about 3 years now, and she is as ethical as they come. She doesn’t attempt to sell you on the idea of making $10K overnight or buying that shiny Ferrari. She is the real deal, and also provides excellent customer support.

Ghostwriting Cash – The Perfect Solution for Those Beginning or Struggling with Freelance Writing is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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This is the third part of a three part series.  If you haven’t read them yet part talked about marketing as a freelance writer and part two talks about getting personal, pricing, and contracts.  You should check those out before you read this.

Here are some more mistakes you might be making.

Mistake #6: You wait too long to discuss payment.

You get a phone call or email asking if you have time to do a large blogging project. Woo hoo! You respond immediately to get more details. An hour later, an email comes back and the topics are right up your alley.

They want to see samples similar to the type of work you’d be doing. You spend time gathering and fine tuning some previous articles you’ve written. They love them. You have a phone interview, and you grow increasingly excited when the person tells you that this will be a long-term gig. Finally, toward the end of your conversation, you ask what they’re budget is.

“Well, we can pay around $2 for 300 words.”

Oops.

By now, you’ve wasted at least a couple of hours of your time. How many cold calls could you have made during that time? How many emails could have mailed off? How much paying work could you have gotten done?

Ask for a company’s budget as soon as you know a few of the project details. If it’s well under what you’d normally charge, politely decline before either of you has wasted too much time.

Image by Beni Ishaque Luthor via Flickr

Mistake #7: You don’t know your floor.

One of the biggest issues writers face is deciding when to walk away from an offer. Before you can determine whether a job is really worth your time, you have to know what your rock bottom hourly rate is.

Consider this scenario. You are offered a gig paying $100 for one article. Doesn’t sound too bad, right? You jump on it. Yes! As you delve into the work, though, you realize that it’s going to take you quite awhile to finish. You have to do an interview and several hours of reading. By the time you’re done, you’ve spent 10 hours interviewing, brainstorming, researching, and writing. That equals out to $10 an hour. Not such a good deal after all, eh?

Avoid this type of situation by figuring out the least amount you’d be willing to accept per hour, and then multiplying that by the amount of time you think a project will take. Now you have the least you’d be willing to take for the project. Quote higher to leave a little room for negotiation.

Mistake #8: You don’t follow through with warm leads.

When you start any new marketing campaign, there are usually four potential answers a prospect will give you. Some will say “no.” Some will have a project they want to start soon and will ask for samples. Some will never get back to you one way or another. And some will offer to “keep your information on file” for when a new project arises.

That last group needs to be nurtured. Connect with them on Twitter or LinkedIn. Send them an article that you think they might find interesting. Send them a quick email announcing your new site or blog launch. Do something to stay within their line of vision. If you do, you’ll be the one who comes to mind when they have a new writing project.

What’s the biggest mistake you can make as a freelance writer? Giving up! Remember: nothing good happens overnight, and this is no different. Just keep putting yourself out there, demanding fair pay, and fine tuning your craft.

Have you made any of these marketing mistakes? What do you think is the biggest mistake a writer can make when marketing her business?

Are These 8 Marketing Mistakes Hurting Your Freelance Writing Career? – Part 3 is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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