This is our old blog -- which contains lots of useful information. But, join us on InkwellEditorial.com for the latest info on freelance writing (it's been our new home for a while now :-)).
Best,
Yuwanda Black, Editor/Publisher
InkwellEditorial.com
Finally, after a long hiatus, the new wordpress design for InkwellEditorial.com is up and I'm blogging again . . .
BUT . . . the site is still a work in progress. To see what I mean, visit me in my new home.
Thanks for sticking with me.
Yuwanda
P.S.: This will be my last post here on Blogger. This blog has been folded into the new site, so bookmark it. All the the posts will remain live here though. Over the next few months, I'll be transferring all the posts over into the new design but until then, you can still dig through the archives. There are 4+ years of posts here -- tons of great info on freelance writing, so have at it!
P.P.S.: Don't forget to join me in my new home, and once again, thanks for your patience.
Catch me on SeoWritingJobs.com! This is where I'll be blogging until my main site, InkwellEditorial.com, has been switched over to WordPress. You can search for new media jobs here as well. This is one of my new niche WordPress sites (part of the virtual real estate (minisites) empire I'm building for passive income).
I fretted over this decision for a few weeks, but finally decided to just trust my gut and go with it. This blog will not be updated again until Tuesday, September 1, 2009. Following is why.
Learning WordPress
I've finally started to learn WordPress and will use this new knowledge to begin the daunting task of integrating this blog with its accompanying website, InkwellEditorial.com. Once all the pages have been migrated, they will exist under one roof -- finally.
My website dates back to 1999. While it's undergone a few style changes, it was built using FrontPage, which is an obselete software now. And, this free blogging platform (Blogger) no longer fits my business model.
While I naively thought I would be able to finish updating the site in one month, my personal projects have prevented this, which brings me to my next point . . .
Personal Projects: Ebooks, Minisites and Affiliate Programs
I have quite a few personal projects I've been working on that take up an enormous amount of time. Couple this with client work and there just aren't enough hours in the day. My personal projects are starting to outearn the income I make from client projects, which is why I've continued to pour so much more time into them.
Remember, these are projects that earn me "passive" income. Passive is in quotation marks because they do require some effort (eg, article marketing, site design and setup, etc.). But, compared to what I put into them timewise, the return is phenomenal.
I still have ebooks to write, affiliate programs to test and minisites to build. This is why I wanted to learn wordpress so that I don't have to rely on a web designer every time I wanted to design and build a site to promote a product.
Now that this is underway, I can go full steam ahead.
Shedding Responsibilites to Secure a Future
Recently, I resigned from a long-running blog gig. And, I've been very picky about the client projects I take on. This is because I want to focus more on securing my financial future through my own endeavors; not client projects.
As a freelance writer, you never really have to retire. But I've said here many times that I want the option of retirement at 50 (that's 7 years away for me). I'm sure I'll always work -- it's just a part of my nature -- but I want it to be a choice, not something I have to do.
My stepfather always impressed upon me and my sisters that you never get rich working for someone else. And while being rich is not a goal, financial security is. And that means making money from my own products and endeavors, not depending on the next client gig to come through.
Bear With Me
I know this is a long explanation, but I wanted to share with you why I'm doing what I'm doing so you don't think that I'm just abandoning this blog altogether. I'm not. I enjoy blogging here. This blog is my baby. But, she has to bear with "mama" while she gets her s*itty house in order.
You Can Still Get Info on Freelance Writing
This blog is four years old, and it's accompanying website is 10 years old. That's a lot of info to comb through. To find info on this blog, simply use the search box at the top left-hand side of the page. Type in your keywords and see what pops up. I've written on practically everything under the sun about freelance commercial writing (not magazines, for example).
To learn how to search InkwellEditorial.com for info, go here.
Get All Issues of Inkwell Editorial's Newsletter
I also won't be publishing Inkwell Editorial's newsletter (which became popular beyond my wildest dreams) again until later this year either -- probably in October. To read the current issue and all past issues, click here.
Catch Me on Twitter
If you want to know what I'm up to on any given day, catch me on Twitter. 140 characters is about all the "extra stuff" I can squeeze in, so I'll be there.
Here's to hoping your freelance writing dreams come true, and I'll catch you back here in September.
Yuwanda
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Copyright ©2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.
The title of this post is what I wrote about over at BloggingTip.com today. It really brought up an interesting point, ie, when was the last time you pushed yourself to learn a new skill as a freelance writer so that you can target higher-paying markets?
When I started SEO writing in the fall of 2007, I had no idea that I was entering a niche where I could position myself as an expert and earn more money. Internet marketing (SEO, online marketing) is one of the fastest growing freelance writing niches around. For proof, read SEO Investments Expected To Grow More Than 20%.
And because there aren't a lot of freelance writers who specialize in this niche, there is less competition for these writing jobs. In my experience, even clients don't know a lot about internet and online marketing. Many of my clients look to me for direction on which online marketing initiatives they need.
The internet marketing niche is wide open, which presents an absolute golden opportunity for freelance writers who take it upon themselves to learn what it's all about and position themselves as experts.
Sometimes to earn more, you have to go back to school -- just like in the corporate world. So, get your degree in IM (Internet Marketing). It'll pay great dividends for years to come.
Want to appear here? Submit a guest post.
Yuwanda (Wanna know what I'm up to? Check me out on Twitter)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make Money Using Constant-Content.com and by Writing Special Reports. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright ©2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.
Many who visit this blog are experienced freelance writers. However, this economy has created a whole new group of talented professionals who may be considering freelance writing for the first time. If this describes you, the following article describes the initial baby steps you need to take to get started.
Once you've digested this information, spend some time tooling around this blog's companion site where you'll find hundreds of articles on every aspect of freelance writing. Good luck -- and welcome to an exciting career!
Launching Your Freelance Writing Career
by Holly McCarthy
With the current state of the economy continually shifting from bad to worse, it’s no wonder many people are trying to find new and improved ways to supplement their income. The need for fresh content and new ways of conveying information online is still a growing market online and there are many ways to break into the freelance writing community. What follows is a brief list of tips to help you get your freelance career started right away.
Launch Your Own Website or Blog
One of the best ways to get your name out there is to have your own space in the virtual world that showcases your abilities and connects you to those who may need your services. Continually update your blog or site with fresh content that demonstrates your abilities. Link to any articles that you may have published online so that your content can be viewed in its proper context as well.
When setting up your own site or blog, work hard to show that you are a professional in every way. Customize your site and keep it strictly professional. It’s great to have followers and make sure that you moderate comments on your postings to ensure that anything unprofessional is not allowed to stay posted beneath your hard work.
Produce Plenty of Content
Work hard at creating content on a wide variety of topics that are being viewed by readers all over the web. Keeping yourself busy writing will help ensure that you are ready to write what’s needed when big requests and assignments come down from clients in the future. Once you have gotten a good amount of work completed, you can begin compiling your portfolio.
Maintain a Quality Portfolio
As a freelancer, you will come to learn that many who purchase content are more about quantity over quality. While these types of assignments will keep you busy and make sure that some money is coming in, you need to make sure that you have some high-quality pieces that are polished and ready to demonstrate your ability to go beyond the call of duty and create outstanding content.
Having this in place will ensure that your communications with potential clients will be efficient and effective; you won’t have to scramble to look for your best work if you maintain a portfolio of your best work.
About the Author: Holly McCarthy writes on the subject of the top online colleges. She invites your feedback at hollymccarthy12 at gmail dot com.
Feel free to submit a guest post.
Yuwanda (Wanna know what I'm up to? Check me out on Twitter)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make Money Using Constant-Content.com and by Writing Special Reports. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright ©2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.
Today I published a sucess story from a long-time freelance writer. She's worked on everything from poetry to web articles to adult magazines. Following is an excerpt:
One day I came across an invitation for writers to submit to a new magazine being sold around the pubs of England. It was a humorous, “adult” publication to which I sold some off-color jokes. I followed up with a proposal to write a column as a spoof “agony aunt”. This proved to be quite a lucrative job which lasted for more than a year until the magazine folded after its sponsorship money dried up. I wasn’t too proud to write for other adult markets after that. Indeed, I still do, though perhaps some readers would be horrified to learn that the writer of some of those steamy fictional scenes is now a senior citizen.
As I posted to my Twitter account this morning, I've been MIA for the last week or so. I was finishing up an ebook I co-authored. I have another one on tap that I have to turn my attention to -- and this is in addition to my regular workload. So things are a bit hectic around here.
However, another reason I've been lax about posting is that this month I'm finally turning my attention to getting this blog transferred over to my new wordpress design -- which has been sitting unused since last July -- yes, last July (I can hardly believe it!).
Devote Time to Your Website/Blog Month: What is this?
I've designated March to be Devote Time to Your Website/Blog month. What is this? If you have blogs or websites that you want to start or redesign, then designate this month to get it done. I've learned that the only way to get things done -- especially when you're super busy -- is to set aside a definitive time to just do it. So this month, that's what I'm doing.
I have two more money-making blogs I've been wanting to set up for ages. Additionally, I've been wanting to transfer this blog and its accompanying website to its one, newly designed online presence. I will have all of this done by April 1st because it is my number one focus this month. This means turning down jobs, outsourcing work and anything else it takes to reach this goal.
While I have been MIA, I've also been posting over at BloggingTips.com. Listed below are the last four posts. Hope you enjoy them.
Making Money Online: Unplugging to Get Things Done, Mar 2, 2009
Self-Publishing: Why You Shouldn’t Write an Ebook, Feb 25, 2009
Social Media Marketing: Should You Outsource It, or Not?, Feb 24, 2009
Blogging: How to Get New Life Out of Old Posts, Feb 23, 2009
Tomorrow I'll post a success story from a freelance writer in England. It's the last one that will be posted on this blog. More will follow once the new one is set up.
Best,
Yuwanda (Wanna know what I'm up to? Check me out on Twitter)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make Money Using Constant-Content.com and by Writing Special Reports. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright ©2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.
This post has been moved to http://inkwelleditorial.com/blogging-tips-one-way-to-breathe-new-life-into-old-posts. Same great content; new blog design.
Enjoy!
Yuwanda (Wanna know what I'm up to? Check me out on Twitter)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make Money Using Constant-Content.com and by Writing Special Reports. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright ©2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.
This week over at BloggingTips.com, I'm writing a series on blog networks. You don't see them discussed much on the web, but they can allow you to make money online quicker than if you stayed an independent blogger.
BUT as with most things, there are pros and cons. In today's post, I covered what a blog network is and listed four advantages of joining one. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the cons and Wednesday I'll go over a list of questions you should ask yourself before joining a blog network.
Happy President's Day to my American readers!
Yuwanda (Wanna know what I'm up to? Check me out on Twitter)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make Money Using Constant-Content.com and by Writing Special Reports. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright ©2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.
Well, you have a blog now and want your voice to be heard out loud? So does everyone else. It’s no surprise to see that the blogsphere is getting more and more crowded. Proof? Technorati recorded that 7,200 new blogs were established per hour in 2006. I'm sure the figures have increased exponentially since then.
As such, it's impossible for a blogger to achieve success by modeling what others are doing. In fact, being different is now the key to success. There are of course,tons of good ways to make your blog stand out from the crowd. Here, I compile a list of 9 crucial ways to do just that. I hope it helps.
1. Choose a unique topic
Yes, it’s not easy to select a unique topic to blog about. However, being unique is a good way to stand out from the rest. Even if you can't find a unique subject, viewing an old topic from a different point of view is good enough. Think about EduBlogs.org – there are thousands of free blogging platforms, but by focusing their services on teachers and students, their blogging service stand out from the rest, and hence is remarkably successful.
2. Write in-depth content
Don’t just brush over a topic. There are too many “me too” blogs that write short postd in a hurry. These blog posts are so brief that it hardly delivers any value to the readers. Writing in-depth posts earns you creditability in your niche. It encourages people to read further; subscribe; and even link to you. All in all, writing in-depth posts helps your blog to stand out from the rest (who are too lazy to do their research).
3. Build a blog with a professional design platform
Stop using that free blog templates that are used by other 7,809 bloggers (yes I'm fully aware that this blog using a free platform; ie, blogger)). It’s boring to stumble thru tons of blog with the similar designs and layouts. It doesn’t take a huge effort to create a special blog designs. Spend some time (or money) to get your blog template customized, ensuring that it is unique and user-friendly. Every blogger should be aware that visual impressions count and you should enhance your blog design from time to time.
4. Write eye-catching headlines
A good headline attracts readers -- and encourages them to read further. As mentioned by Brian of CopyBlogger.com, 8 out of 10 readers will bypass your main content and read headlines only. This shows the importance of blog headlines. Polishing your copywriting skills is a must if you wish to stand out from the rest and increase your blog readership.
5. Write list posts and sub headlines
Readers don’t read thru everything; they browse and the Internet. I tend to scroll down and scan thru before I read a blog post every time. Constructing your post in lists and with sub headlines simply improves the readability of your blog. It helps readers to learn what your blog post is about and encourages prospective readers to read in detail.
6. Optimize your blog for search engines
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is something every blogger should learn. Making correct usage of your header tags; building incoming links; and writing with SEO in mind is crucial to increasing your blog visibility.
7. Build your blog on its own domain
While starting a blog on blogger or WordPress is good because it's free, you are actually missing a lot by not hosting your blog on its own domain. A blog with its own domain/hosting enjoys better advantages in term of branding and web marketing. It doesn’t have the amateur image like a free WordPress blog, and it comes with better flexibility in term of web functionality.
Finally, it’s cheap and easy to host a blog on its own domain. A shared hosting normally cost $5 - $10 per month, In case you need help with hosting, read my web hosting review.
8. Show your personality
Revealing more about yourself is important to gain trust from your readers. It is, in fact, crucial to stay in touch closely with your loyal readers as this encourages feedback from your readers. Furthermore, readers tend to recommend your blogs to friends and families when they feel respected by you.
Build an ‘About’ page, connect to your readers via Facebook and MySpace; contact readers who leave comments. These are the basic ways to extend yourself to readers.
9. It’s okay to have a fight
Sparking a debate and starting a fight on controversial topics is a good way to increase your blog visibility. By speaking with a different voice, you stand out from the rest. Of course I am not telling you to be controversial just for the sake of controversy.
What I mean is is okay to stand by your beliefs, even if that means sparking controversy. After all, you get buried in the crowd if there are too many ‘Me Too’ postings on your blog.
Bonus Tip 10. Blog with consistency
Bloggers are often stimulated when they first start their blogs. After the initial thrill wears off, their postings tend to become more sporadic, until they finally stop altogether.
To succeed and stand out from the rest, you will need to be disciplined enough to blog consistently. As a reader, I am rather skeptical towards blogs that seldom gets updated. Posting regularly builds trust among your readers; and increases your creditability.
About the Author: This guest post is brought to you by Jerry of Web Hosting Secret Revealed. Jerry inspects and reviews web hosting services based on his own usage and experience. You can read more about his work at his blog.
Submit a guest post! Hope you enjoyed this one.
Yuwanda (Wanna know what I'm up to? Check me out on Twitter)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make Money Using Constant-Content.com and by Writing Special Reports. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright ©2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.
This week over at BloggingTips (BT), I tackled a subject that not many think of as related to making money online -- your home environment. As in, can your relationship be costing you success? One single mom who makes her living online commented:
I never even considered this until I read this post, but now that I remember back to when I was married, I realize I’m in a much better place now (blogging-wise) than before. Even though I don’t have any help looking after my 3 and 4 year old now, it’s a healthier, more relaxed environment so I find I work with a lot more focus and efficiency now.Read Make Money Blogging: Is Your Relationship a Help or a Hindrance to Your Blogging Success? for some interesting insight.
As the current issue of the Inkwell Editorial newsletter reveals how to make money at Constant-Content.com (CC), I thought I'd post this listing I just received. As I said, I receive calls for content from CC 3-5 times a week, sometimes multiple times a day. And, the requests have been increasing lately. So if you want to pick up some extra freelance writing jobs, give this outlet a try.
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with CC other than having a writing account with them. I 've submitted one article in the year or so since I signed up. Luckily, I stay busy enough that I've never had to actually use this site. But if you're new to freelance writing, or just don't feel like marketing directly to companies, this is a good outlet. Following are the particulars.
TOPIC: America's Economy: Dead or Alive
REQUESTED BY: Customer Davidearlrogers has requested a new article on Constant Content, below are the details:
ARTICLE DETAILS: A picture of how our economy is performing. How many jobs have been lost in the last 5 years? Last Year? Current state? Are the jobs lost primarily in the non-degree sectors or people with college degrees and above? Any real numbers would be great. America borrows a lot of money from other countries, who do we owe and how much? Is there a plan to ever really pay the money back? Does this stimulus package help in anyway? What do economists think about our future economy?
WORD COUNT: 300-500
RATE: $40-$50
NEEDED: ASAP. You can view / reply to this message from constant content. http://www.constant-content.com/mail/read/1205591/ (must have a CC account so you can sign in and read all Calls for Content.
QUESTION: Anyone know of an auto ebook delivery/payment program like e-Junkie/Lulu? I've been having some delivery problems with e-Junkie on my affiliate site (it's 100% perfect on delivery of my Inkwell Ebooks), so I'm looking for an alternative. If so, shoot me an email (info *at* InkwellEditorial.com). Thanks.
Until tomorrow,
Yuwanda (Wanna know what I'm up to? Check me out on Twitter)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make Money Using Constant-Content.com and by Writing Special Reports. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright ©2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.
That was the title of my post over at BloggingTips.com yesterday. I just wrapped up a three-week series over there detailing my foray into affiliate marketing and how I'm using article marketing to make $100-$200/day promoting one affiliate product.
The last post in the series can be found here, along with instructions on how to access all nine posts in the series.
The 3 Most Important Things I've Learned in My Limited Foray into Affiliate Marketing
1. Choose Products/Services You Know About: Or, at a minimum, those you have an interest in learning about. The reason is, affiliate marketing takes a sustained, consistent effort to make money. This means putting in some marketing elbow grease. You must be interested in a product/service in order to do the marketing tasks it takes to make money with it.
Note: IMO, you don't have to be passionate about a product/service -- as many will tout. But, you do have to have a sustained interest in it; it must be more than just than passing interest.
2. Try to Choose Products You Can Build On: For example, my product has to do with foreclosures. Right now, I'm just promoting the one product. But, my partner and I are creating 4 more products that complement this existing product.
By doing this, we can increase our sales without putting in any more effort. How? We'll list those products on our same affiiate websites. So all the marketing we've done to drive traffic to our existing sites will benefit us.
Now, this won't be possible in all cases, but it's just something to think about (ie, stay in the same niche to maximize the results of your marketing efforts).
3. Do Something Every Day to Promote Your Affiliate Product: And by every day, I mean every weekday (I take weekends off). If not every day, then at least every other day. The web is a very competitive place, and I'm amazed at how "slacking off" for a few days decreases my sales.
So, keep the marketing metal to the pedal. It's why I like article marketing. I'm a writer, so I bang out 3-5 articles a week for my affiiate product. I put in on my calendar, right alongside the work I have to do for clients. That way, it's a "must do", instead of a "if I have time to do" project.
Yuwanda (Wanna know what I'm up to? Check me out on Twitter)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make Money Using Constant-Content.com and by Writing Special Reports. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright ©2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.
At least . . . almost.
Over at BloggingTips.com (BT) this week, I posted a review of sorts of ArticleMarketer.com. Since I started using this article submission service, it's almost doubled my affiliate marketing income. My first article was distributed on January 11th, and it's working like a dream.
To learn more, read the two posts I wrote there yesterday and Tuesday. They are: Article Marketing: Is it Worth It to Submit to Thousands of Directories in One Click (Tuesday's post); and How ArticleMarketer.com Has Almost Doubled My Affiliate Marketing Sales (yesterday's post).
I'm new to this whole affiliate marketing thing, as I've said here before. So it's fascinating to see what works, why and what doesn't. This is especially true because I literally have to squeeze this in between duties of my "real job" (freelance writer).
ArticleMarketer.com Feedback
If you have any experience with ArticleMarketer, or another submission service, please share it here so that those who are interested can get first-hand info about it. Your experience may be different from mine. There are some comments to my articles on BT, so be sure to check those out. I guess what I'm saying is before you plunk down any dollars, do your research.
The Latest Edition of the Inkwell Editorial Newsletter Is Out
The first issue of 2009 went out on Tuesday. If you haven't signed up to receive it, do so here. This issue covers how to make money with Constant-Content.com. I'd always wondered if you can really make money with the site; and if so, how. I interviewed freelance Lisa-Anne Sanderson, who's sold upwards of 200 articles on the site -- garnering from $10 to $100 each. She gave us the inside scoop.
Also, I talk about how to make money from special reports. I've done two in the last 4 months or so. Because of this, I've landed a higher echelon of client, am selling my most expensive service at New Media Words ($595) like gangbusters and am getting to a place where I get to do more picking and choosing of the types of projects I work on.
All of this came from the special reports I wrote. I explain how and why in the newsletter.
2009 so far has been busy on so many fronts; I barely have time to breathe. I hope the same is true for you. Until next time,
Yuwanda (Wanna know what I'm up to? Check me out on Twitter)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make the Most Money as a Freelance Writer. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright ©2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.
All this week, I blogged about my "real" foray into affiliate marketing over at BloggingTips.com (BT). Real is in quotation marks because I've tried affiliate marketing before, but never put any effort into it other than sticking some links on my site. That garnered me little to no sales.
Affiliate Marketing Success!
I recently started to make good headway with one affiliate product though (3-4 sales a day, earning $25 per sale). Not bad for about an hour's worth of work per day to promote it.
I'm currently in the process of scouting for my next affiliate product. So, if you know of any, write in and let me know. As I say in today's post on BT, ". . . for me, “decent sales” translates into three or four sales per day, preferably with an affiliate payout of $25 or more per sale."
To read all three posts, visit the following links:
Article Marketing or Free Classifieds: Which Works Better to Promote Affiliate Products? (Monday, 1/19 BT post)
How to Overcome Buyer Skepticism When Selling Affiliate Products and Services Online (Tuesday, 1/20 BT post)
Newbie Affiliates: How to Choose Affiliate Products to Market (Today's post)
What's It Like to Have a Life on the Beach & Retire as a Freelance Writer
I was in Florida this past weekend (for four days actually). I'm working on a new ebook, so it was a working/pleasure trip. My fruitful foray into affiliate marketing is getting me closer to my dream of being able to work on the beach -- and essentially retire as a freelance writer.
You see, my plan has always been to have the option of retirement at 50. I'm working on becoming totally debt free by then -- including having my house paid off. Retirement for me means working only on my own projects (ebooks/affiliate marketing); not having to take on freelance writing projects.
And, that's getting closer every day -- much quicker than I thought.
What's It Like to Have a Life of Leisure; to Have the Dream of Financial Freedom Realized?
I don't know, but it's no longer a faraway dream; it's a blurry vision that's coming clearer into focus every day. And why am I telling you all of this?
Because when I first started freelanc writing, I could not have imagined where it would take me. As I got older though, I started to formulate a plan for my life, ie, by this age, I want to have this much money in the bank; by this age, I want to be able to work x number of hours per week; by this age, I want to be debt free; by this age, I want to retire altogether; etc.
While I have stumbled badly along the way, I kept pounding away. My dream has always the foundation for everything I've ever tried. With every failure, I knew I had to get up and start again, because I knew I didn't want to wait until I'm 65 to "retire."
I always joke with my girlfriends that I still want to be "cute" when I retire; not old with one foot in the grave. Not that that's what 65 is, but I've been working since I was 11 -- literally. If I retired at 50, I figured almost 40 years of work should be enough -- I should be able to play for 40 (assuming I make it to 80 years old).
What is Your Dream as a Freelance Writer? Are You Achieving It?
So my message for you today fellow freelance writers is, "What is your dream? Are you making headway? Where do you want to be in 5, 10, or 20 years?" What you do -- or don't do -- today is getting you there, or not. As my mom used to say, "Time is going to pass; it's up to you what you do with it."
Detailed Testimonial from a Fellow SEO Writer
I'm posting this testimonial from a fellow freelance SEO writer, because when I asked her what finally moved her to buy the SEO writing ebook, she wrote back -- explaining in detail what taking concrete action can do.
QUESTION
On Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 1:43 PM, Yuwanda Black wrote:
Tenisha: Could you answer the following for me: 1. What finally made you purchase the ebook? As you said, you'd been doing SEO writing for a while, so you knew there was opportunity out there. 2. Why hadn't you capitalized; what made my ebook so useful to you?
ANSWER (from Tenisha a few hours later)
I'll be honest. The economy has affected my writing and editing business -- drastically. And I've been searching ways to get more clients. After doing some content projects for a couple of social networking sites, I decided to focus more on social media and SEO writing as a part of that.
I remember reading one of your posts, or maybe it was an article, where you mentioned how your accountant asked what you could do to make money today. Well, that's where I'm at right now. I'm hungry for work And SEO work seemed like one of the quickest -- and easiest ways for me to pick up work and get new clients.
Your book is useful because it shows you step-by-step how to make money; it wasn't some pie in the sky concept, but clear, concrete steps that I could follow. And the query email you included in the ebook is priceless! Everything else is gravy. It was also realistic. You weren't telling me that I would make $1,000 in a few hours, but a couple hundred of bucks a day. I could get my arms around that. And it's realistic. I'm used to the tricks copywriters use with ebooks to play to emotions, and I saw none of that with your stuff.
Your book showed me how to market my services. That was a big hump for me. I've owned my writing and editing busines for nearly three years. And I've done SEO blogging for more than two years. But I kept seeing SEO article writers charging only a few dollars for their work.
Writing is my passion, but figuring out how to get others to pay for top dollar for it has been a struggle. I'm a former journalist, but nothing about my newspaper career ever prepared me for running my own business. [Emphasis added: This is where many freelance writers stumble, especially when they first start out. If you don't learn how to market, you'll never be successful as a freelance writer]
I wasn't sure if this whole SEO article thing was really viable until your ebook. I'd heard of copywriters charging $100 an article, but these are copywriters who easily command $10,000 for a sales letter; that's not me -- yet!
But I figured you were on to something and so I read your blogs, articles and your website. (Plus, I think I'd already heard of you some years ago because I used to get emails from Inkwell Editorial.)
I was discouraged, though. I completed a rather low-paying SEO article project with lot of keywords over the summer. When I broke it down hourly, I was making less than minimum wage. What amazed me was the client said they had people making at least $1,000 a month. I figured they must be chained to their computers and writing at least 20 hours a day!
I knew I had to cut out the middleman, but I was having a hard time figuring out how. Your book showed me, and I'm sure I'll buy some of your other books. You have a gift of writing to show others how to do something. As far as the basics went, your books didn't leave me with any questions.
I'm still marketing and I've had some luck. The low-payers are still out there. An SEO guy from Atlanta contacted me yesterday about meta tag writing -- I had to turn it down because it involved Dreamweaver and Front page and I'm not an expert. This guy outsources from India, so I think he was blown away at my rates.
Take care,
Tenisha
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That's it for today folks. To paraphrase our new president, "It's time to get down to work"(I'm working on a new ebook -- unrelated to freelance writing. I'll turn my attention to getting more of those out in a couple of weeks (I have many, many titles to get to)).
Yuwanda (Wanna know what I'm up to? Check me out on Twitter)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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