Freelance Writing Tips: Your Client is Not Obligated to Please You

Should your client offer certain perks? Are there certain things you should expect them to do besides pay you? When freelancing, sometimes it can be difficult to figure out the roles played by you and your clients. Is the client asking for too much - or are you the one demanding the impossible? In freelance writing, my number one rule has always been that the client is not obligated to please you. In fact, you should be instead be providing what the client needs. If you can't or won't, let them find it elsewhere. Here's why.

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The Newbie's Guide to Success at the Yahoo! Contributor Network

Here is a great slideshow put together by veteran contributor Lyn Lomasi. It outlines the steps you need to take in order to find your place and reap success from the Yahoo! Contributor Network. It's very easy to follow if you know how to work hard.

The Newbie's Guide to Success at the Yahoo! Contributor Network

How to Burn and Promote an RSS Feed of Your Yahoo! Contributor Network Pieces

You work hard publishing at Yahoo! Contributor Network but promoting your stuff is a drag. By creating an RSS feed of your published work you can create animated graphics on your blog or social networking site, send automatic tweets whenever a new article is published or even place a graphic in your email signature promoting your most recent pieces. The benefit of this is the fact that after the initial setup the promotion is automatic, allowing you to concentrate on creating great content.

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Articles Vs Blog Posts '" What's the Difference?

As a mentor of my writing peers, I am often asked to discern the difference between a blog post and an article. When submitting work to clients and content sites, how do you know if your writeup should have gone to your blog instead? Blogs can certainly be professional and articles can definitely be conversational. However, even though you can publish an article on your blog, it's not very wise to submit something that should have been a blog as an article. In some cases, it may even hurt your career. So what's the difference?

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Succeed in Freelance Writing by Making Goals More Attainable

It's time to pay the bills but your freelance writing hasn't pulled in nearly what you need. Staring at the figures in black and white may make you cringe if you're a freelance writer who hasn't quite reached your ideal goal. Maybe you haven't even touched the surface. But don't give up hope. Perhaps you just need to change your strategy. If you have all the tools and talent, but still can't quite get there, try making your goals more attainable. It's easy to set goals and expectations too high or make the possible impossible by over analyzing. If you aren't meeting your goals in freelance writing, it's time do a complete overhaul of your strategy.

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10 Online Tools for Better Attention & Focus

I'm putting this article out there for you because this is something I have a problem with sometimes.  I log in a lot of time writing and it's hard not to get distracted by emails and Facebook and all that jazz.  If you have a problem, too, then take a look at this article by Jocelyn K. Glei.

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If only finding focus were so simple. With a tidal wave of information coming at us daily, focus is rapidly becoming the scarcest commodity of the 21st century. With this in mind, I’ve rounded up a handful of the best apps for fighting back against the constant distractions of our digital lives.

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Using the "Resources" section to your advantage

When I first started with AC, I would often bypass the "Resources" section unless I found a link that I felt compelled to share.  Now that much of my work focuses on similar topics, I learned how I could use that section to place links to relevant or similar articles that I'd written. 

For some reason, though, it took me awhile to realize that I didn't just have to put the links there.  You can't use HTML in the box so it looked like the only option was to just have a link.  And not many people are going to click on a link without a headline of what it is.

So here's a little tip I picked up a while back: you can include the article title and then follow that with the link.  Click here for an example.  Scroll down and look on the right hand side under the tab "Resources".  You'll see how I'm able to utilize that section for previous articles I've written on the subject by including the headline and link.  I just wish I'd realized sooner that I could actually work it that way.

Asking Associated Content to Edit Articles

It's an icky feeling: you publish your non-exclusive or exclusive content with AC and then realize there is a glaring error.

I used to tell contributors that they would just have to suck it up and deal with it.  Why?  Because there is an article out there where I got some information mixed up and even though I went over it several times before publishing, I still didn't see it until I'd had a full night's sleep.  When I emailed AC for help in correcting it, I received a hasty (bordering on rude) reply that with thousands of pieces of content, AC couldn't possibly edit within the contents of an article.  They would alter a title if they needed but wouldn't change anything within an article.  This was a long time ago but I still remember that reply and how blatant it was.  So I apologized for the error in the comments section of my article only because it was terribly obvious.

Since then, every once in awhile a person will come into the AC forums and ask how to go about getting AC to edit an error.  After having received the hasty reply I had, I was confused over and over when more knowledgeable contributors than I would tell them to email community@ if they needed a change on a serious error.  ( A small error absolutely don't bother emailing them.  Don't tie up their email for a simple typo.)

Mine was a serious error.  Why was I disregarded like I was when these more experienced contributors were advising others to go ahead and email AC?  No one knows. 

An AC staffer assured me that usually, AC will fix problems if asked.  If a particular contributor is constantly asking for edits, then they will be "encouraged" to up their proofreading skills but otherwise, there's no reason why I was regarded like I was by an unknown AC staffer.  Maybe they were having a bad day or maybe they'd been bombarded with so many emails they snapped.  I don't know.  I don't care now really but at least we cleared up whether AC will do some edits or not.

Here's something to keep in mind, though.  When you publish non-exclusive or exclusive with AC, always proofread, edit, and submit the very final draft.  Mistakes do happen but ultimately it is up to you to make sure it is error free.  Do the best you can with it so you don't have to worry about asking AC.

Freelance Writer Online - one of the best sources for content writers

How many times have you performed a search for "Work at home jobs" or "no scam work at home" or other similar terms?  And how many times have you been disappointed at the outcome of those searches?

When I was first starting out as a content writer, it was very hard not only to find something legitimate but it was hard to find out pay rates, reviews, and other essential information that you would want to know when you're looking into this type of work.  It's stressful to say the least.  You want to feel productive and you want to make sure that what you are getting into is going to be worth it.  So what paying sites are worth writing for?

screenshot/http://www.freelancewriteronline.info

Freelance Writer Online (or FWO for short) is the first and only website of its kind that I've seen and completely trusted.  Suzanne Alicie is a dedicated freelancer who considered the things she would've liked to know when she was first starting out and she compiled it all into this very informative site.  You can find an extensive list of paying websites, reviews on those sites written by the people who have or currently write for the site, and you can find general information about content writing, blogging, and so much more.

It's very obvious after being on the site for a couple of minutes just how passionate Suzanne Alicie is about what she does.  And the best part is that all the information on the website is not only free but you also don't have to register for anything.  Even if you've been content writing for awhile and are looking to spread your wings a bit, you'd be hard pressed not to bookmark this site.

Enjoy site hunting! :)

2 Year, 2 Months - Month End Review

October is over and I doubt very seriously that I'll get my Hot 500 badge back for October.  My page views were even lower than September. 

While this hasn't been a very good month overall for any $ project, I did get a one of my highest upfront offers ever for a general article (excluding Featured Contributor assignments).  I got a good offer because my article relates to NaNoWriMo which actually begins today.  I also believe that I got a good offer on it because of my personal and professional experience with the topic.  If you care to take a look, click the title below.

There is No Such Thing as a Perfect Rough Draft

Another good thing that happened at AC this month was that I had another Yahoo! pickup.  One of my FC assignments was flagged by AC for Yahoo! Editors to look at.  While the article sits now in the "Partner" tab on my account page, I have to keep an eye out manually on the Yahoo! TV blog for when it might be published.  If Yahoo! rejects it, it will be published on AC, and I get to keep the extra compensation, but I think with it sitting in my Partner tab, it might have already been accepted.  Not sure.

In any case, I've had the opportunity to apply for a regular Yahoo! TV writing gig.  I'm currently waiting to hear if they want me to send a sample article.  I would be so psyched to write for Yahoo! on a regular basis!

In any case, here's hoping November will not only provide me more page views and upfronts, but also that I have more time to pursue those page views and upfronts.  I seem to be caught up enough to do just that.

Have a great November, everyone!

Oh, for a tip, get your Thanksgiving articles wrapped up this week and then start working on Christmas articles.  You want to have those Christmas articles up and indexed by the time the major searches start happening in order to take advantage of rising page views.  :)

How to Get Fans and Followers on Associated Content

How to Get Fans and Followers on Associated Content
Does your AC profile need some love? Do you keep checking your fans and followers pages in hopes that more people will appear? There are many different ways to get fans and followers on Associated Content. The methods I find the best might surprise you.
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Linking Articles from One Site to Another or Between Articles

A reader posted the following comment on my How to Start Writing Content article on Associated Content: 

"So, do you try to link your AC and Examiner articles? How about your blog? Are your posts to each duplicated or in concert with each other in any way? Just starting out, so I'm curious how to get organized from the beginning. Still learning about all the RSS, Digg, Twitter, etc. options and trying to tie it all together cohesively. ~ Thanks for all of the tips, etc."

This is a lot but I'll try to explain, from my perspective, how I can link different things up.

When I still regularly wrote for Examiner, if I had an article that related to one I was writing for Associated Content, then I would link it.  If I didn't have one, then I wouldn't.  The same goes for my blogs or other sites.  If it isn't relevant to the article you are writing, then don't link it.  It's really that easy. 

I don't intentionally write things that will link up with one another.  I think about each blog and each site that I write for, create a list of topics for each and start writing.  After I'm finished writing it, I think about whether it is relevant to another site or blog.  If it is, I'll find a way to link it.  If it isn't, then I move on.  You should never try to link up something to your articles just to create a link.  It is a quick way to discredit yourself.

Sometimes, I will write an article on one blog or site, and then realize that it is relevant to another blog or site.  In most cases, if it is on a blog (not AC), then I will do a teaser and then link the article from my other site.  For an example of this, see this post.

And sometimes, I will specifically write an AC post that will link up to one of my blogs or another site.  For an example of this, see this post.  Because my Associated Content articles are scattered from topic to topic, I don't expect someone who is interested in my television articles to be interested in my local articles.  But I want to keep the interest of these readers and I do so by having a television blog and a local blog which each feature my content on the subjects as well as others.  (Notice how I linked those up because it was relevant?)

I don't often duplicate articles from one site to another but I also don't write for many different sites.  I'd rather link to and from my blogs so I get the page views from one to another.  But I realize it's different for everyone. 

Social networking (Digg, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) is a different beast than inter (or intra?) linking your content.  For social networking topics, visit this post and this post.  You will find some great information on those links.

In reality, there's no easy answer for how to correctly do these things.  You can read all the material you want but it doesn't equal the knowledge you gain from time spent actually doing it.  Over time, as you build your library of content across whichever sites you write for, linking between articles will come naturally.  You'll then understand what is relevant, how best to do it, and how to be successful overall.

Article Writing Tips: Quality versus Quantity

 Lisa Mason is a very knowledgeable person who has been writing for over 10 years.  She has a lot of excellent tips and articles out there on her various sites.  It would be worth the time to look over them.

There is an ongoing debate in the article marketing community about quality versus quantity. How many articles do you really need to have a good article marketing campaign? There really is no magic number when it comes to this but there is a debate over quality versus quantity.  Read More...

Useful Info for New Contributors

I've linked up articles from Community Guide, Lyn Lomasi before but I don't know just which ones.  So when she released a blog post on her Article Writer for Hire site, I thought I better snatch it up to share.  Browse through and you're sure to find some great information in there.

Writing for Associated Content: Useful Info for New Contributors

New to writing for Associated Content? After signing up and reading the FAQ, TOU, and Submission Guidelines, you may still have questions. As a seasoned AC Contributor and Community Guide, I've compiled answers to some of the things new writers may wonder about and need help with. Read more...

About Your Byline on Associated Content

You can have a pen name on Associated Content if you want.  But if you want to reprint the same article you use on AC to other sites, you have to use the same byline.  This is rule number one in the Submission Guidelines.

For example, let's say you're known as Tim Patterfoot on Helium.  When you get to Associated Content, you decide you want to be known by your real name, Jim Patterfoot.  This is completely fine... unless you want to republish your Helium articles on Associated Content or vise versa (click here for content right information which includes how you can have the same article on more than one site).  If you want to do that, then your names have to match up on both sites.  This prevents stolen articles and increases your credibility.

If you have any questions concerning bylines, then feel free to ask them in the comment section.  I'll answer them the best I can and if I don't know the answer, I'll find someone who does.

How to Keep Readers Interested in Your Articles

How to Keep Readers Interested in Your Articles
If you expect to make money in online article writing, you need to develop an audience. First, you need to draw readers in via promotion, SEO, and the like. But once they are there, you need to figure out how to keep readers interested.
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Why Am I Not Making Money at AC? Page Views, Offers, and More

Another great one from Lynn Lomasi...

Why Am I Not Making Money at AC? Page Views, Offers, and More
Struggling to make money writing for AC? About to give up and decide it just isn't for you. Maybe you just need a quick refresher on writing for AC and the web in general. As an experienced AC Contributor and web writer, perhaps I can help.
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Q and A: How do I get more page views?

I recently got a question like this and the forum gets a lot of these type of questions. Almost all of them can be answered with, "Put your work in the Writer's Workshop section of the forum and more experienced and knowledgeable contributors will give you some pointers and constructive criticism."

I hate to disappoint but that's really what you need to do.  Don't be afraid.  It's all geared to help you better your writing and to help you succeed on AC.  If you don't want to do that then be prepared for a long road of trial and error and you realize what works and what doesn't.

I know this is a super short post and I wish I could help you more on this subject but I'm not the expert of SEO and keywording that many of the others are.  They can help you out more than I can.

ETA: I realized there was a vital piece I'm forgetting to explain.  Forgive me.  I was writing earlier with a two and a four year old screaming around me.

The main reason I say go to the Workshop is because everyone writes differently, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.  I can't (nor can anyone else) blanket a response like, "write better" or "use more keywords" or "don't be redundant" for your specific needs.  I hope that makes sense and I hope you consider posting your work there.

Associated Content Video Tutorials for Submitting Content

the Barefoot has put together a video series detailing every step of the content submission process. This is extremely helpful in finding out not only how to submit but also help in deciphering terms you may be unfamiliar with, in particular if you want to know about rights to your work. Thanks, Randy, for the work you've done with this!

Bad AC Experiment - Anyone Wanna Hire this Girl?

Thanks to my writer pal Ann Olson, I came across this tidy little gem of a site called "All Freelance Writing".  Apparently this site is to help other freelancers or online writers find success.  But don't be fooled.  The web is all a-flutter with these type of sites.  But pay attention to the writing and to what the writer says about themselves to decide for yourself if it is a quality site or not.

Take a look at this article.  Go on.  I'll wait.  Come right back.

Like what you read?  If you're one of the AC writers who makes good money from AC then this "experiment" probably just ticked you off a little.

Do I make good money from AC?  I make descent enough for what I need.  I could do more but I also write two topics for Examiner and I write on whatever fiction project I have currently going (I'm working on my third novel right now).  On AC, though, I remain in the "Hot 500" so I'd like to think I've learned a little something along the way.  So, are you going to listen to someone who does make money on AC or are you going to listen to someone who wrote two "craptastically fast" articles and then whined that she didn't make much money?

This "experiment" is flawed from the beginning.  First, you can't expect to write a holiday article only a few days before the holiday and expect it to perform well.  Next, you can't write it badly and expect it to perform well.  Third, you can't expect to do an experiment half-assed, let it ride for a couple of weeks, and expect the results to be something you can try to pull over on the world.  And that is the problem with many writers who whine that they can't make the money they'd like.  They have an over inflated version of themselves and feel like every thing they touch (or write) should be gold.  Then they refuse to listen to the experts and then whine that they aren't making what they'd like... well, go figure.  This is not AC FAIL.  This is contributor FAIL.

So the AC writers came out to defend their work but with every point made, the writer and other members of the blog had a reason for everything.  Thus another sign of the inflated contributor.  Instead of listening and trying to take to heart what was done wrong and learn from it, they obsessively try justify their actions.  But watchya gonna do?  Oh, well.

Point is, I think this writer has actually hurt her chances of picking up jobs.  If I were a potential client looking for a writer to do work for me and I saw that particular post, how the writer knew she was writing bad but didn't take care to correct that, that she couldn't find a good enough topic to gather page views, and that she ran such an obviously flawed experiment and proceeded to dis a website and it's contributors because of it, I'd move on to another writer.

And I definitely won't be promoting that freelance site as anything worth reading.

What's next?  All the good writers who actually make good money from AC are liars?

Alright.  Let's all move on with our lives and continue doing what we love.