Freelance Writing Advice: 5 Factors to Consider When Setting Turnaround Times That Will Help You Land More Clients & Meet (or Beat) Deadlines Easily

August 24, 2010

When you market for freelance writing jobs, one of the things that can make or break whether or not a client hires you is the turnaround time you give them. This is particularly true in SEO writing.

I decided to write this post after receiving an email from a fellow SEO writer last week. She wrote:

Hi Yuwanda,

First let me say thanks for answering my question(s) in your previous blog posts.   I am writing to let you know, that I had my first $200 day after following the steps you outline in your e-book.  . . .  I am writing 5 articles on a travel destination, and they are a local company. They said if they like my work, they will have much more in store, and are willing to pay higher fees.    

For some reason, I thought your advice would only work for you.  I know, call me naive, but I guess it seemed too good to be true.  Luckily, I discovered you and liked what you had to say.  If it wasn’t for you, I think I would still be trying to break into magazine writing.   (Is it okay if I say thank you now, for all the blog post you respond to.  I know that I will have more questions along the way).   Speaking of,  I don’t know if this is an issue for many writers, but my issue is  giving a turn around time (emphasis added).   I know you have a team of writers, and I am not at that point yet.   So, I don’t feel comfortable giving a 24 hr turn around time. The reason being is because I like to:

  • Research
  • Write down notes (short hand)
  • let the research marinate in my brain
  • ( think  of possible angles)
  • write the first draft short hand( if I am not writing with a paper & pen, I feel like I’m not writing)
  • Read the first draft ( make changes if necessary)
  • Type the final draft
  • Re-read the final draft( make changes if necessary)

As you can see this process takes a while.  For these particular articles, they paid me on Monday and I let them know that I will have the project to them by Friday.  They were totally okay with it, because they said they have a 2 week deadline.   I would like my deadline to be 48-72 hrs because I refuse to churn out “crap” (as you stated in your previous blog post).  And, I want my creative process to flow.  Is there anything wrong with that?

MY ANSWER

freelance-writing-tips-on-setting-turnaround-timesThere’s an art to establishing freelance writing deadlines and turnaround times. As I’ve been at this for almost 20 years, I’m pretty good at looking over a project and determining how long it’s going to take.

If you’re not quite there yet in terms of experience, following are 5 guidelines you can use to set realistic deadlines that clients will be happy with – and that won’t stress you out.

You must be a subscriber to read the rest of this post. Don’t worry, it’s free! See subscriber details below.

Submit a Guest Post: This site and its sister site, SeoWritingJobs.com, now accepts guest posts.   Get the guest post submission guidelines.

make-money-on-backpageP.S.: Want to start a successful career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore for a ton of opportunities (freelance writing and internet marketing) to get you started.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

How to Subscribe to This Site

Note: As of April 6, you must be a subscriber to read new content on InkwellEditorial.com and its sister site on SEO writing, SeoWritingJobs.com. New content includes all posts written after 4/6/2010 (4/7/2010 on SeoWritingJobs.com).

free-freelance-writing-adviceTo subscribe, simply look for the subscriber box to the top right-hand side of the page. There’s one on every page of the site.

Of course, your contact information is protected — it is never sold, rented, leased or compromised in any way. It is used solely to send you information from InkwellEditorial.com (and its sister site, SeoWritingJobs.com) about freelance writing.

Why Subscribe? Get Real, First-Hand Advice from All Types of Freelance Writers

Week in and week out here, you get first-hand “freelance writing stories from the trenches.” I routinely relay my freelance writing experiences — everything from setting rates, to how to market, to knowing when to say no to a project. Also, I answer questions – in great detail (no fluff here!) — from other freelancers writers (new and experienced).

Recent posts you may have missed by not being a subscriber include:

Why I Turned Down a $2,000 – $3,000 Freelance Writing Job That Could Have Led to Even More Work and

How to Land More Clients by Making Your SEO Writing Stand Out from Others.

I look forward to having you as a subscriber.

Yuwanda
P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Inkwell Editorial on Twitter.

seo-copywriting-trainingSEO Copywriting Training.  You’ll learn 4 ways to make money online using your newly acquired skills. Get full details on the SEO copywriting training this ecourse offers and sign up today.

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Freelance Writing Jobs Insight: Why Writing for Content Mills Can be Lucrative (and Fun)

August 12, 2010

Last Friday, I sent out the following tweet:

RE last tweet (ie, RT @LisaCollierCool: http://to.pbs.org/9zg76o). I disagree w/some of what’s said here & will address it in a post next wk

It talked about freelance writers who “toiled on content farms.” I respectfully disagree with a lot that was said in this post. The one thing that really stuck out to me though was the following.

Why You Should Never Believe What You Read on eHow.com

One freelance writer interviewed for the piece was quoted as saying:

I was completely aware that I was writing crap. . . I was like, I hope to God people don’t read my advice on how to make gin at home because they’ll probably poison themselves. . . . Never trust anything you read on eHow.com.

Maybe I’m naïve, but I was completely floored!

Many readers lambasted this writer in the comments section of the piece – which restored some of my equilibrium – and faith in my profession. You see, I was floored because in all of my years of freelance writing (since 1993), I’ve never once “knowingly” turned out crap.

I just can’t believe that someone would so willingly do this – and then have the “non shame” to admit to it. The basic argument made for this behavior was . . .

Submit a Guest Post: This site and its sister site, SeoWritingJobs.com, now accepts guest posts.   Learn why it may benefit you to submit a blog post and get the guest post submission guidelines.

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make-money-on-backpageP.S.: Want to start a successful career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore for a ton of opportunities (freelance writing and internet marketing) to get you started.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

How to Subscribe to This Site

Note: As of April 6, you must be a subscriber to read new content on InkwellEditorial.com and its sister site on SEO writing, SeoWritingJobs.com. New content includes all posts written after 4/6/2010 (4/7/2010 on SeoWritingJobs.com).

free-freelance-writing-adviceTo subscribe, simply look for the subscriber box to the top right-hand side of the page. There’s one on every page of the site. Of course, your contact information is protected — it is never sold, rented, leased or compromised in any way. It is used solely to send you information from InkwellEditorial.com (and its sister site, SeoWritingJobs.com) about freelance writing.

Why Subscribe? Get Real, First-Hand Advice from All Types of Freelance Writers

Week in and week out here, you get first-hand “freelance writing stories from the trenches.” I routinely relay my freelance writing experiences — everything from setting rates, to how to market, to knowing when to say no to a project. Also, I answer questions – in great detail (no fluff here!) — from other freelancers writers (new and experienced).

Recent posts you may have missed by not being a subscriber include:

Why I Turned Down a $2,000 – $3,000 Freelance Writing Job That Could Have Led to Even More Work and

How to Land More Clients by Making Your SEO Writing Stand Out from Others.

I look forward to having you as a subscriber.

Yuwanda
P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Inkwell Editorial on Twitter.

seo-copywriting-trainingSEO Copywriting Training.  You’ll learn 4 ways to make money online using your newly acquired skills. Get full details on the SEO copywriting training this ecourse offers and sign up today.

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4 Things You Can Do to Increase Your Freelance Writing Income — Almost Immediately

August 5, 2010

Today is Throwback Thursday at Inkwell Editorial. As I dug into the archives, I ran across a post on how to land more freelance writing jobs.

One thing I wanted to expand on that I talked about in this post, which was originally published in 2007, and is still soooo relevant today is when and WHEN NOT TO listen to the voices of others (ie, what you may read online from others about freelance writing).

freelance-writing-advice-on-not-listening

The Freelance Writing Community: Naughty or Nice?

In my opinion, “the community,” has gotten louder — and in some cases, nastier, than ever. It’s one of the things Deb Ng, formerly of the highly successful freelance writing site, FreelanceWritingGigs.com, talks about in her post entitled Why I Sold My Blog. She states:

I’ve been participating in the freelance writing online community for more than ten years. In that time I’ve seen it turn from a helpful, almost family-like community into one that’s divided over rates and content mills.

I know the feeling all too well.

People are struggling for jobs like never before, so what may seem “a pittance” to one freelance writer may be enough to put bread on the table for another. I guess I just wanted to reiterate the point that one of the reasons you go into business for yourself (which is what you do when you decide to become a freelance writer) is to make your own decisions.

Don’t be afraid to “dig deeper,” as Anderson Cooper of CNN’s AC360.com states. Find out if this (freelance writing in general, a niche in freelance writing, a rate for this article or that blog post, etc.) works for you.

My take has always been that nobody is going to pay your mortgage/rent when it’s due again. So do what’s right as a freelance writer for you and your family. If working for a content mill pays your bills — then have at it. If working for less than $50 per blog post doesn’t suit you, then don’t do it. YOU decide.

Okay, I’m off my soapbox. Here’s the entire post for this Throwback Thursday.

Enjoy.

P.S.: I know I’ve been a little lax in posting lately. But, since I’ve gotten back from Jamaica, I’ve been taking care of business and also taking advantage of the slow summer season to focus on other income streams besides freelance writing (eg, affiliate marketing). Once the busy fall season rolls around, I’ll start adhering to a more regular schedule.

Hope you’re enjoying the long, hot days of summer.

Submit a Guest Post: This site and its sister site, SeoWritingJobs.com, now accepts guest posts.   Learn why it may benefit you to submit a blog post and get the guest post submission guidelines.

make-money-on-backpageP.S.: Want to start a successful career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore for a ton of opportunities (freelance writing and internet marketing) to get you started.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

How to Subscribe to This Site

Note: As of April 6, you must be a subscriber to read new content on InkwellEditorial.com and its sister site on SEO writing, SeoWritingJobs.com. New content includes all posts written after 4/6/2010 (4/7/2010 on SeoWritingJobs.com).

free-freelance-writing-adviceTo subscribe, simply look for the subscriber box to the top right-hand side of the page. There’s one on every page of the site.

Of course, your contact information is protected — it is never sold, rented, leased or compromised in any way. It is used solely to send you information from InkwellEditorial.com (and its sister site, SeoWritingJobs.com) about freelance writing.

Why Subscribe? Get Real, First-Hand Advice from All Types of Freelance Writers

Week in and week out here, you get first-hand “freelance writing stories from the trenches.” I routinely relay my freelance writing experiences — everything from setting rates, to how to market, to knowing when to say no to a project. Also, I answer questions – in great detail (no fluff here!) — from other freelancers writers (new and experienced).

Recent posts you may have missed by not being a subscriber include:

Why I Turned Down a $2,000 – $3,000 Freelance Writing Job That Could Have Led to Even More Work and

How to Land More Clients by Making Your SEO Writing Stand Out from Others.

I look forward to having you as a subscriber.

Yuwanda
P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Inkwell Editorial on Twitter.

seo-copywriting-trainingSEO Copywriting Training.  You’ll learn 4 ways to make money online using your newly acquired skills. Get full details on the SEO copywriting training this ecourse offers and sign up today.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

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5 Steps to Becoming Influential in Your Niche with Your Content: Opportunity Knocks for Freelance Writers

August 3, 2010

The following is a guest post from Corry Cummings.

Once you have found a niche market in which you can compete, your next step is to become known as an authority or influential figure in the subject area. Most people consider influential figures in niche markets to be experts that got lucky enough to find a market and worked hard to become well known in it. However, this is not always entirely true. There are 5 steps to becoming influential in your niche with your content.

Even if you are not a great writer, it is important that you are making sure that your content writers on the same page as you when it comes to showcasing your content to reach your goals. With that said, you can use the following steps to become a powerful authority on the Internet, no matter who is doing your writing for you.

1. Stay Active and Solve Problems

As you first begin to get your name recognized in your niche, remain very active on the subject forums and other people’s blogs. This can include responding to posts with additional comments or suggestions, writing guest blog posts on other sites and answering questions that people may ask on your niche topic’s forums. When you do so, you can link back to your blog or web site to encourage readers to visit your site and read other opinions and advice that you have to offer.

2. Use a Series of Articles on Your Blog

freelance-writers-how-to-become-influentialOne way to establish authority on a subject is to write a series of articles exploring the finer aspects of the broad topic. By doing so, you allow your readers plenty of opportunities to link to your blog multiple times for different topics.

This series of articles can last for as long as you need it to. Remember, the longer your series of articles, the more time your readers have to locate your information. In addition, if readers enjoy reading one post, they are very likely to read the rest of the articles in your series.

3. Create an eBook or Book

You can quickly become influential in a niche market if you can create the authority reference for the subject. One way to accomplish this is by writing an expansive and valuable ebook. You may not even need to charge people for distribution of the book. Simply having your name on such a powerful resource can be enough to drive visitors to your personal blog or web site.

4. Don’t Be Modest

If you are recognized in your niche market, do not hesitate to publish such an achievement on your web site or blog. For example, if you are chosen to do an interview on your subject area, this might be an excellent opportunity to create a post stating that the interview took place. You can link to that interview so that your readers can verify the claim.

5. Pay Attention to Your Audience

Once you have some established members, make sure that you are treating them well by catering to their needs. For example, if you notice that you are drawing a great deal of members that do not have any experience at all with your niche subject area, consider asking them what they would like to know and writing a post or article is response. This sort of approach helps to humanize your web site and can draw more members to your content.

A Note from the Publisher (http://bit.ly/co7XCW)

First, I want to say, these are excellent tips — especially if you’re just beginning your website or blog. I’ve used a variation of all of these at one time or another. I got my first website in 1999 and have been blogging since 2005. Following is some in-depth, additional insight I’ve gleaned that may help you get action from these tips even faster.

Become a Subscriber to Read the Rest of This Post (Instructions Below)

make-money-on-backpageP.S.: Want to start a successful career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore for a ton of opportunities (freelance writing and internet marketing) to get you started.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

How to Subscribe to This Site

Note: As of April 6, you must be a subscriber to read new content on InkwellEditorial.com and its sister site on SEO writing, SeoWritingJobs.com. New content includes all posts written after 4/6/2010 (4/7/2010 on SeoWritingJobs.com).

free-freelance-writing-adviceTo subscribe, simply look for the subscriber box to the top right-hand side of the page. There’s one on every page of the site.

Of course, your contact information is protected — it is never sold, rented, leased or compromised in any way. It is used solely to send you information from InkwellEditorial.com (and its sister site, SeoWritingJobs.com) about freelance writing.

Why Subscribe? Get Real, First-Hand Advice from All Types of Freelance Writers

Week in and week out here, you get first-hand “freelance writing stories from the trenches.” I routinely relay my freelance writing experiences — everything from setting rates, to how to market, to knowing when to say no to a project. Also, I answer questions – in great detail (no fluff here!) — from other freelancers writers (new and experienced).

Recent posts you may have missed by not being a subscriber include:

Why I Turned Down a $2,000 – $3,000 Freelance Writing Job That Could Have Led to Even More Work and

How to Land More Clients by Making Your SEO Writing Stand Out from Others.

I look forward to having you as a subscriber.

Yuwanda
P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Inkwell Editorial on Twitter.

seo-copywriting-trainingSEO Copywriting Training.  You’ll learn 4 ways to make money online using your newly acquired skills. Get full details on the SEO copywriting training this ecourse offers and sign up today.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

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Freelance Writers: 3 Indicators That Your Client is Asking Too Much (and Not Paying Enough)

June 28, 2010

The following is a guest post from copywriter Jon Adam Green.

All freelance writers love a new client.

After all, a new client means new business, and new business sometimes turns into repeat business – the stuff that keeps food on our tables even during slow times of year.

BUT . . .

. . .  is it possible for a client to ask too much? Could there be a client whose demands go so far beyond what you’re willing (or able) to provide as a writer that you find it necessary to actually end your relationship with that client?

Freelance Writing Insight: My Story of Bending Over Backwards for Clients

freelance-writing-advice-on-stressful-clientsWhen I first started freelancing, I can remember bending over backwards for some clients – even when they were only paying peanuts for my services. By my (naive) reasoning, I should have been happy to have paying customers at all and if doing a little “extra work” for my clients meant keeping them, I was happy to do it.

Long story short: With all the phone calls I was making, spreadsheets I was preparing, and market research I was completing – all of which were completely unrelated to my duties as per the agreement made with my client – I wasn’t writing much of anything.

And I wasn’t getting paid for the extra work.

Freelance Writing Advice for Newbies: Indicators That a Client Is Asking Too Much

New freelance writers need to know that the writer-client relationship should be fair to both parties. Here are some indicators that a client may be over-reaching:

1. You’re not writing anything. If we call ourselves freelance writers, then that’s just what we are: writers.

When you see that the general tasks being performed for your client don’t have much to do with writing, he or she may be asking too much.

Examples of this may be a client who wants you to phone him or her after doing some research for a company presentation, working on a temporary marketing campaign that involves lots of phone calls but very little copywriting, or, in an extreme case, representing your client at an event.

2. You’ve acquired the company brand. It’s not unheard of for clients to give freelancers an email address associated with the client’s business so that they will look official and be able to maintain contact with people working in company offices.

If this just means setting up the email address to forward into your main business inbox and you’re only receiving an occasional note, it’s probably okay.

If it leads to your becoming a primary point of contact for your client’s business, however, you may have a problem. Likewise, if you ever find yourself making phone calls and saying, “Hi, I’m So-and-So with [client’s business],” and the call has little to do with what you’re writing for the client, you may have acquired the company brand.

Wasn’t not being associated with a particular company one of the primary reasons you started freelancing?

3. You’re undervalued. Even when you aren’t being assigned unorthodox tasks, maybe your client is asking you to do more work than what you agreed upon when you first decided to work together.

If this is the case, you’re being undervalued. Never do more work without being compensated. As with all scenarios in which clients overstep their boundaries, you should exercise caution when bringing your dissatisfaction to the client’s attention.

Don’t behave angrily or be overly emotional. Let him or her know that the work you’re doing is not part of the agreement that you both made in the beginning. If you know you don’t want to work with this client anymore, say you have too much work to do and won’t be able to get to them in the coming months.

Or tell them you’ve raised your rates.

Freelance Writing Advice on How to Handle Clients Who Overreach

What I’ve found, however, is that it’s best to calmly explain your concerns and be completely honest about why the client’s demands are troubling you.

Oftentimes, clients are very receptive to your concerns and are willing to re-negotiate. They’ve kept you onboard because they know how good you are, and there’s a good chance they’ll be willing to make some concessions in order to keep you around.

Sure it’s a cliche, but here it is . . .

Honesty is the best policy.

It’s what keeps us freelance writers professional and ensures that our best clients keep coming back for more.

About the Author: Jon Adam Green is a professional freelance copywriter and college English instructor. He maintains a blog at jonadamgreen.com.

Want to Submit a Guest Post?

Get the guest post submission guidelines.

P.S.: Want to start a successful career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore for a ton of opportunities (freelance writing and internet marketing) to get you started.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

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A Freelance Writer’s Life Abroad: Inside Peek at My Life as an American Living in Jamaica for a Year, Part XII

June 25, 2010

In the last post in this series on living in Jamaica as a freelance writer, I promised to try to explain why settling into a routine is important to your income when you live abroad.

Freelance Writing on the Road: The Frustrations of Living Abroad (In My Case, Jamaica)

If you’re a Girl a Go Go and plan to take your career on the road – away from your home country – it’s extremely important to build in some “getting settled into a routine” time. From my limited experience here, I’d say give it at least two to three weeks. Following is why, based on what I’ve been through living here in Negril the last few weeks.

frustrated-freelance-writerAt my home in the states, I have wi-fi, a car, cable, a washer/dryer, umbrellas, extra mouse pads, etc. The reason I point all of this out is, you never know how NOT having what seems like the smallest thing can interrupt your work when you live abroad.

Here, I have to pack up every day and go to an internet café to work. So when I got there one day and my mouse was acting wacky, I couldn’t just go to my home office – where I have a supply closet – and pull out another one.

I had to stop work, hop a cab, go the computer store, buy the mouse, hop another cab back to the internet café and start work again. By then, I’ve lost 45 minutes to an hour. And if the rains have come and the internet is acting wacky — which often happens right after a storm here in Jamaica — I can’t just log back on and pick up where I left off. It might be another hour or so before I can get back to work. So that’s two hours or more lost.

If you’re a freelance writer – especially one as busy as I am between personal projects and client work – you know that’s a huge amount of time. And if you have interruptions like this a few times a week, it can really cost you – in lost income.

See what I mean?

Why My Income Has Dropped 25-30% Since I’ve Been Living in Negril, Jamaica

freelance-writing-incomeI’d say my income has dropped some 25-30% since I’ve been here. A lot of this has been due to situations like the one I described above.

After a few weeks here, I’ve learned some tricks of the trade that can help you perhaps settle into a routine quicker so you don’t lose money if you decide to take your freelance writing career on the road.

Freelance Writers: How to Settle into a Routine Living Abroad So It Doesn’t Cost You Money

1. Accept What You Cannot Change: I’m a very impatient person; always have been. And when things don’t go my way, I can get testy – especially when it’s f$%#ing with my income.

So the first thing I had to do was mentally accept that I wasn’t in the comfort and convenience of my home in the states. I had to learn to accept what I cannot change. It was like flipping a mental switch – a simple concept – and a very effective one. Once I did this, I relaxed more.

2. Work with Your Environment, Not Against It: Here in Jamaica, it’s the rainy season. It rains practically every day – usually between 1-2:30 pm. You can practically set your watch by it (although, it happened to pour cats and dogs this morning early).

When it rains, the internet signal gets wacky – no matter where you are. So I’ve learned to finish my “must get done projects” before noon or 1 p.m. This way, if I’m not able to get on until later, at least I’m not stressing because I haven’t uploaded my content or gotten a client project off or updated a blog.

Again, this has caused me to relax much more – and to start making more money.

3. Give Yourself Play Time: I don’t work nearly as much here as I work at home. This is for a number of reasons (eg, no internet service in my studio apt here).

BUT . . . the main reason is – it’s friggin’ Jamaica! With the beach a stone’s throw away, beachside cafes with soothing reggae music blaring every few feet and tons of new friends I’ve met, it’s hard to stay glued to a computer for 7, 8 or 9 hours a day.

And this is what people mean when they say “this is living.” This is how some people can be so content with so little – they have friends, family and social outlets that keep them busy (and happy) all the time.

I haven’t been this social since I lived in New York. I’m constantly on the go here – meeting this friend for a rum punch, this one for a beachside lunch and that one for some “fish from the sea.”

Now, I do get my work done; I have to because I have tons of bills. But many days I do what has to be done and scadaddle to “live.” Just in the last week, I’ve seen my income slowly start to creep back up to where it was before I left home (and good thing to, cuz I was starting to worry if it ever would with all adjustment problems I’ve had).

If you’re a travelling freelance writer, whether it’s to another country or the next town over, keep these tips in mind from the time you leave home. You’ll stress less, probably make more money – and enjoy yourself from day one.

Up Next in this Series on Living in Jamaica: Let’s Talk about Money!

make-money-freelance-writingAs in, how I prepared myself financially to live abroad – and some things I wished I’d done.

FYI, this site now accepts guest posts.  Get the guest post submission guidelines.

Living life irie, mon!
Yuwanda
P.S.: Want to start a successful career where you have the mobility to live and work where you please? Visit our freelance writing bookstore for a ton of opportunities (freelance writing and internet marketing) to get you started.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day? Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

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Freelance Writers: 3 Reasons Not to Panic — and Advice on What to Do — When Things Get Slow

June 22, 2010

It’s summer and a lot of freelance writers are experiencing dry spells. If you’re new to the game, this can cause you to panic. You may be wondering if you made the right decision to start this career and if you can make a go of it.

To be sure, you definitely want to know when things are going to turn around. Well, following is some sage advice to relieve your mind if you’re worried right now.

I’ve been doing this since 1993 and have seen all the economic cycles as a freelance writer. And I’m here to tell ya, you have nothing to worry about. Following is why — and some ideas on how to weather this nerve-wracking time.

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To subscribe, simply look for the subscriber box to the top right-hand side of the page. There’s one on every page of the site.

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Why Subscribe? Get Real, First-Hand Advice from All Types of Freelance Writers

Week in and week out here, you get first-hand “freelance writing stories from the trenches.” I routinely relay my freelance writing experiences — everything from setting rates, to how to market, to knowing when to say no to a project. Also, I answer questions – in great detail (no fluff here!) — from other freelancers writers (new and experienced).

Recent posts you may have missed by not being a subscriber include:

Why I Turned Down a $2,000 – $3,000 Freelance Writing Job That Could Have Led to Even More Work and

How to Land More Clients by Making Your SEO Writing Stand Out from Others.

I look forward to having you as a subscriber.

seo-copywriting-trainingSEO Copywriting Training.  You’ll learn 4 ways to make money online using your newly acquired skills. Get full details on the SEO copywriting training this ecourse offers and sign up today.

Yuwanda
P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Inkwell Editorial on Twitter.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day?

Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

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Freelance Writer Resume Tips: How to Put Together an Effective One to Start Landing Freelance Writing Jobs

June 18, 2010

Today is Freelance Friday Tips day. And, as the economy is still in the dumps and causing many to look for work as freelance writers, I thought I’d focus on the all-important freelance writing resume.

I get a lot of questions from wannabe freelance writers about transitioning from full time to freelancing. Most want to know about putting together a “writer’s resume.”

I personally don’t believe in having a “writer’s resume,” so to speak. I like to call it a professional profile.

Why I Don’t Believe in “Freelance Writing Resumes”

The reason I prefer professional profiles to resumes is . . .

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free-freelance-writing-adviceGet Help to Get Paid to Do What You Love

Note: As of April 6, you must be a subscriber to read new content on InkwellEditorial.com and its sister site on SEO writing, SeoWritingJobs.com. New content includes all posts written after 4/6/2010 (4/7/2010 on SeoWritingJobs.com).

To subscribe, simply look for the subscriber box to the top right-hand side of the page. There’s one on every page of the site.

Of course, your contact information is protected — it is never sold, rented, leased or compromised in any way. It is used solely to send you information from InkwellEditorial.com (and its sister site, SeoWritingJobs.com) about freelance writing.

Why Subscribe? Get Real, First-Hand Advice from All Types of Freelance Writers

Week in and week out here, you get first-hand “freelance writing stories from the trenches.” I routinely relay my freelance writing experiences — everything from setting rates, to how to market, to knowing when to say no to a project. Also, I answer questions – in great detail (no fluff here!) — from other freelancers writers (new and experienced).

Recent posts you may have missed by not being a subscriber include:

Why I Turned Down a $2,000 – $3,000 Freelance Writing Job That Could Have Led to Even More Work and

How to Land More Clients by Making Your SEO Writing Stand Out from Others.

I look forward to having you as a subscriber.

seo-copywriting-trainingSEO Copywriting Training — Class is Now OVER Half Full. The next SEO writing ecourse commences on April 26th.  You’ll learn 4 ways to make money online using your newly acquired skills. Get full details on the SEO copywriting training this ecourse offers. Class has limited enrollment.

Have a good weekend!

Yuwanda
P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Inkwell Editorial on Twitter.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day?

Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

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Freelance Writing Jobs: The Type of Writing Where One Page Can Make You $1,000

June 11, 2010

The site I’m recommending for today’s Freelance Friday Tips was chosen for a couple of reasons, ie:

I. Make $1,000 for Writing One Page: Yep, there is a type of freelance writing job where you can make this amount of money – believe it or not. It’s writing white papers. The site featured today explains what white papers are, how to write them, and a whole lote more. If you want to start out as a “high-end” freelance writer, this is one niche to look into.

The site also featured some interesting insight into how to grow your business using social media, ie . . .

II. The Power of Social Media: Do you believe that you can grow your site’s traffic exponentially JUST by using social media? I have to admit, I haven’t had a great amount of success with social media. But I think that’s my fault, not because social media doesn’t work.

The case study cited on this site not only proves that you can drive tens of thousands of visitors to your site – in only a few short months – it tells you how and why you should really invest in this form of marketing.

Social Media Marketing Tip: . . .

You must be a subscriber to read the rest of this post (see how to subscribe below).

Advice, Tips and Info to Help You Transition Successfully to a New Career

free-freelance-writing-adviceNote: As of April 6, you must be a subscriber to read new content on InkwellEditorial.com and its sister site on SEO writing, SeoWritingJobs.com. New content includes all posts written after 4/6/2010 (4/7/2010 on SeoWritingJobs.com).

To subscribe, simply look for the subscriber box to the top right-hand side of the page. There’s one on every page of the site. Of course, your contact information is protected — it is never sold, rented, leased or compromised in any way.

Why Subscribe? Get Real, First-Hand Advice from All Types of Freelance Writers

You get first-hand “freelance writing stories from the trenches.” I routinely relay my freelance writing experiences — everything from setting rates, to how to market, to knowing when to say no to a project. Also, I answer questions – in great detail (no fluff here!) — from other freelancers writers. Recent posts you may have missed by not being a subscriber include:

Why I Turned Down a $2,000 – $3,000 Freelance Writing Job That Could Have Led to Even More Work; and

How to Get Freelance Writing Jobs Advice: How a New Freelance Writer Landed a $150 Gig with No Experience, No Samples & No Website – 4 Things She Did Right.

I look forward to having you as a subscriber.

Hope you’re having a fabulous beginning of the week. I’m so stressed with my impending move to Jamaica I can barely think straight. I’ll get it together soon though.
Yuwanda
P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Inkwell Editorial on Twitter.

Get SEO Copywriting Training :  In addition to learning how to start an SEO writing career and earn seo-copywriting-class$50,000 to $75,000 your first year, you’ll learn 4 ways to make money online using your newly acquired skills. Get full details on the SEO copywriting training this ecourse offers. Class has limited enrollment.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day?

Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

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Advice for Freelance Writers and Internet Marketers Who Make Their Living Completely Online: How to Protect Your Income When Technology Problems Strike

June 3, 2010

Today’s “Throwback Thursday” post is very timely, as I seem to be at the mercy of intermittent internet service like never before (it happens to all of us from time to time, no?).

Just to clarify, there’s internet service all over here in Jamaica. So, if it goes down at one place, you can go someplace.

Freelance Writers / Internet Marketers: Have You Ever Been Forced to Become an “Internet Signal Whore”?

But as any freelance writer will tell you, when you’re on deadline, the last thing you want to do is become an internet whore, flitting from one location to the next trying to log on, meet deadlines, answer emails and still keep your sanity!

website-down-adviceAnd if you’re an internet marketer, you have to write content, upload it to different sites, answer questions from affiliates, create new products, etc. Again, you just don’t want to feel so vulnerable and have your schedule interrupted so much.

This is the only thing that’s kinda wigged me out since I got here to Jamaica. But, I’m adjusting slowly.

Today’s Throwback Thursday posts gives you some concrete advice on what to do if your website goes down. It’s reactive and proactive advice that will hopefully help you avoid some problems

It’s Not a Matter of If, But When, Your Site Will Go Down — Some Concrete Steps to Take to Protect Your Income & Save Your Sanity

It’s not a matter of “if” your website will go down at some point, it’s “when.” So having a plan can make you weather those tense minutes, hours, days (pray tell not days!) with your sanity intact.

Good luck!

Note: You can read today’s installment of my freelance writing life abroad at http://bit.ly/dzQ2og.

Get Advice to Help You Transition Successfully to a New Career

free-freelance-writing-adviceNote: As of April 6, you must be a subscriber to read new content on InkwellEditorial.com and its sister site on SEO writing, SeoWritingJobs.com. New content includes all posts written after 4/6/2010 (4/7/2010 on SeoWritingJobs.com).

To subscribe, simply look for the subscriber box to the top right-hand side of the page. There’s one on every page of the site. Of course, your contact information is protected — it is never sold, rented, leased or compromised in any way.

Why Subscribe? Get Real, First-Hand Advice from All Types of Freelance Writers

You get first-hand “freelance writing stories from the trenches.” I routinely relay my freelance writing experiences — everything from setting rates, to how to market, to knowing when to say no to a project. Also, I answer questions – in great detail (no fluff here!) — from other freelancers writers. Recent posts you may have missed by not being a subscriber include:

Why I Turned Down a $2,000 – $3,000 Freelance Writing Job That Could Have Led to Even More Work; and

How to Get Freelance Writing Jobs Advice: How a New Freelance Writer Landed a $150 Gig with No Experience, No Samples & No Website – 4 Things She Did Right.

I look forward to having you as a subscriber.

Yuwanda
P.S.: Find this post informative? Follow Inkwell Editorial on Twitter.

Get SEO Copywriting Training :  In addition to learning how to start an SEO writing career and earn seo-copywriting-class$50,000 to $75,000 your first year, you’ll learn 4 ways to make money online using your newly acquired skills.

Get full details on the SEO copywriting training this ecourse offers. Class has limited enrollment.

P.P.S.: Want an easy, fast way to get started in affiliate marketing, making as much as $50, $100 or $150/day?

Get How to Make Money Placing Ads on Free Classified Ad Sites (ie, Backpage.com). If you want to make some easy money promoting affiliate products on free classified ad sites, this ebook is for you. I’ve personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products (my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.

Copyright © 2010: All material on this site is copyright protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without my written consent (linking to is fine).

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