Freelancers Remain Untouched During the Great Kill-Off of Print Media

CosmoGirl magazine just folded. The latest casualty in the print media mass die-off. I am thanking my lucky stars that I am not a journalism major, as I have no idea what kinds of jobs would await me upon graduation. For all the panic re: print media’s demise, it seems only the staff writers/editors are the ones who will feel the pinch. From a freelance POV, print or web writing is still strong and essential, not to mention abundant with possibilities.

In light of the shift in publishing, from print to web-based, how (if any) have you as a freelancer been affected?

Common Mistakes Newbie Freelancers Make (and How to Avoid Them)

The prospect of becoming a freelance writer is both exciting and a little bit scary. Let’s face it: the freelance writing community is a big ocean full of bigger fish (a.k.a. experienced writers) and you as a newbie have to somehow manage to take a deep breath, jump in and hope you don’t immediately sink or become a larger fish’s dinner. The mere thought is enough to make any newbie cower in fear of the unknown.

As someone who has spent a majority of time dangling my toes in the edge of that proverbial ocean, I can wholeheartedly say that the experience is well worth it. However, I have also spent a fair share of time in the freelance ocean struggling against the undertow. There are a lot of things I wish I had known before I started, that would have made my journey a little smoother. But I suppose that’s the blessing of hindsight.

If you are just starting out, I’d like to share with you some things that I learned that just might make your experience a little easier. Before you dive into that intimidating ocean of freelance writers, take some time to familiarize yourself with some life rafts that dot the water.

1. Freelance writing will not be easy, nor will you become rich. Every newbie freelancer has aspirations of becoming the next Carrie Bradshaw or the next assistant at Vogue. These are great fantasies for when you are standing on the line at the bank daydreaming, but they are not reality. Dream jobs do not fall out of the sky. An editor from Conde Nast will not call you at home and ask you to pen a piece on the new Manolos. Not going to happen.

What will happen is work, and a lot of it. You will work on copy for things you have never imagined writing about. Pieces on such varied topics as hybrid vehicles, male enlargement devices and rhinoplasty, will begin to fill your portfolio. You will be paid for these gems, but you certainly won’t be running out with your new found millions and quitting your day job (not yet anyway).

Expect to write about a wide range of subjects, and know how to use the internet to search for reputable sources of information (note: Wikipedia is not a source you want to rely on for your information).

2. You need to know your worth as a writer and you need to know what rates are acceptable. Sure, you’re excited to write and you will take on any project that comes your way. However, it is important that you know the going rates for particular kinds of freelance writing, editing and proofreading jobs so that you are getting what you are entitled to. You wouldn’t be willing to work at McDonald’s if they paid you $2 for every 200 hamburgers you flipped, would you? Well there are a lot of freelancers out there who sell themselves short by taking on writing jobs that require 10 articles at two dollars a pop.

We all have to start somewhere, but being taken advantage of is never a good way to begin. If you are worried about lack of experience or published clips, try writing for a site like Suite101. You will be able to get some web-published clips and some good experience writing for the web. Another good way to build up your portfolio is to offer your writing services to volunteer organizations. While these are commonly non-paying, they are quite reputable and will give you great clips and references for future projects. Even better, you will get to feel all warm and fuzzy inside that you did something nice for someone!

To get an idea of acceptable rates, check with the most current version of the Writer’s Market book. This book will become your bible and it is advised that you spend the $25 each year and pick up the newest version. The book offers a wealth of advice from market listings, freelance market rates and helpful articles pertaining to all things freelance.

3. Providing samples of work means you are giving away your work for free. Working hard to write a quality piece, only to have someone take it from you with nothing more than a thank you is unacceptable. Do not work for free. If a client wants to see how your write, provide him/her with clips of your work (see #2). Freelancing is a job, just like any job, and when you work you are expected to be paid for your services. If a potential client will only work with you under the context of a freebie, walk away.

4. It is much easier and satisfying to write about what you know and what you are interested in. Chances are high that the first piece of writing advice, solicited or otherwise, that you were given regarding your freelancing endeavor, sounded something like this: write what you know. This is a very good piece of advice and should be something you try to adhere to when you can. Of course there will be times when a client wants copy written about colon cleansing or forex trading, and of course you have to write about these topics that you no nothing about and have no particular interest in whatsoever.

However, when pitching ideas, stick to the things you enjoy. It is much easier to write about something that you are personally interested in, not to mention the research behind the piece will be less time-consuming. You are more likely to produce more work of a higher caliber when it is about something you know.

5. Freelance writers who are not organized and cannot manage their time should consider another career path. You will be juggling multiple projects at any given time. It is essential that you keep track of all your deadlines on one central calendar (I find the large desk ones work best). You also need to keep track of payments from clients. You should create a system, even if it is a simple notebook where you devote one page to each project/client, in order to keep up with billing out clients and recording payments.

I applied to be a Guide at About.com

I saw an opening for a Long Island guide on About.com and I thought “what the heck”? I need to find a way to do something fulfilling and writing and exploring where I live would be good career-wise and mental-health wise. The pay is decent and the work is intense but as I’ve said earlier, this is really what I need and should be doing. I know that it is difficult to land a position on About.com so I am not holding my breathe, but I am crossing my fingers.

Does anyone have experience with About.com?

Seven No-Fail Article Starters

What if you have a subject (or two) that you’d like to write about for the web but you can’t find the right context? Here are some easy ideas to get your idea going:

1. How-To’s These are the most popular kinds of articles, primarily because the demand is so high. Think about it: Many people go on the web with the intention of searching for something, and a large percent of the time, that something is directions on how to do a certain activity. Think: recipes, how to change a flat tire, how to apply smoky eye makeup, how to know when your relationship is over and how to get the best deal possible when buying a new car,

2. Comparisions Another popular thing people do online is to compare two items. Whether they are considering making a purchase or if they just want to know the difference between both things, comparision-based articles can be very informative. Think: DSL vs Broadband, Toyota Prius vs. Honda Hybrid, All-Inclusive vacations vs Regular vacations.

3. Checklists Checklists are handy for all kinds of situations: moving, planning a wedding, applying to college, bringing new baby home. Basically any activity can be made into a checklist article with a little re-angling.

4. Overviews These are intended to give a very general synopsis of a particular topic. Just include the basics, and assume the reader has no experience with the topic and is looking for general information. Overview style articles can work really well for a lot of different subjects: History (an overview of the Civil War), Literature (an overview of the character Scrooge in A Christmas Carol) , Sports (an overview of the 2008 season). Overviews tie into wrap up articles as well, these work best for sporting articles and those related to politics and popular news items. Think: Looking Back on the 2008 New York Rangers season), News/Politics (Looking back on Hilary Clinton’s Campaign)

5. Reviews Anything can be reviewed. Not just movies, DVDs, music and books. Think restaurant, new pet product, new service, new automobile. Anything that you’ve just used or experienced first hand is material for a review.

6. Benefits The benefit article is always a great, easy read. These are usually short and contain lists. Think: Health benefits of green tea, Benefits of Yoga, Hidden benefits of sleep, benefits of changing your air filter, benefits of having health insurance.

7. Tips No doubt, you’ve seen this one everywhere: 10 Tips for a Bikini Body, 10 Tips to Financial Freedom, 10 Ways To Seduce Him, 10 Ways to Approach your boss about a raise, 10 signs that your ready to loose weight.

Play around with these and see if any of your topics/subjects could be used in any of these kinds of articles.

Be A Better Web Writer in 10 (EASY?) Steps

Here’s an article appearing on Masthead Online that basically gets its info from Joy Gugler, the EIC of Suite. In other words, the tips provided are basically those strongest emphasised to Suite’s writers.

Here’s the 10 Steps outlined in the article:

1. Articles should be 400-600 words per page.
Try editing your mammoth print pieces into two or three smaller articles. You’ll be trippling its Web value while preventing reader fatigue.

2. Title articles transparently, thinking about search terms.
Titles are what sell your article to search engines. Robots don’t understand “cute.” Calling your new atomic chilli recipe “Some Like it Hot” will only attract the occasional pervert. Call it what it is: A Recipe for Atomic Chilli.

3. Write leads for news feeds and RSS.
Many Web nerds use software such as RSS to monitor their favourite sites, informing them of a new article or posting. Typically, only your lead will show up in their browser, so you have to make it stick.

4. Use short paragraphs: 50 – 75 words.
It’s hard to read online. Smaller paragraphs with one clear focus are easier to digest.

5. Use bold subheadings that contain keywords.
Web readers spend less than ten seconds on an article. “Use subheadings to break up long copy and to indicate where you’re changing tack,” Gugeler says. “These should contain strong keywords, be in Upper Case and bold.”

6. Bulleted/numbered lists make for easy reading on screen.
People love lists, especially on the web.

7. Optimize for 1-2 keyword/phrases and variations.
Vary the phrases you use to describe the focus of the article. “This will cast a larger net and catch readers  who approach the topic differently,” Gugeler says. “Use proper nouns, places, names and brands that feature in your article.” You can’t be too specific.

8. Input your top 6-10 tags for reference.
Loose keywords, or tags, are hidden behind the text in the html coding. Search engines use this to index the site. Again, be specific. Don’t put your publication’s name or byline—the Google bots already have those.

9. Embed links to related onsite articles (anchor).
Like a well-designed shopping mall, you want to keep people in your grasp for as long as possible. Provide links to other articles on your site. Use keywords rather than writing out the entire URL.

10. Attach a clear and appropriate colour photo, properly credited and captioned.
Just like in print, people love looking at good photos. In the end, Web publishing is not that different from what’s done on ink and paper. Quality still wins out—you just have to package it right.

These are really good tips for those who have no web writing  experience. This is the basic “what you need to know to write for the web” crash course. It’s also a good refresher for those who write for Suite.

The Style of Web Writing

When considering the freelance realm as potential career choice, you need to know one thing. This one thing will probably do as much for you as, hell let’s be honest, having the ability to write. So what is the “one thing” I speak of? Pay attention to this little gem: writing for the web is entirely different that writing in any other capacity.

For your reading pleasure, enjoy this piece by Caleb Crain originally posted on his blog on June 17. Feel free to comment and let me know what you think.

Passing Along a Must-Read

I found this article over at Slate and thought it was quite useful for those of us struggling with the whole writing-for-the-web conundrum. It’s a speedy and helpful read that I’ve bookmarked for future reference.

My Suite Review

I need to get thicker skin. I know, I’ve said this before over and over. It’s definitely one of my biggest challenges as a writer. It’s difficult not to take everything so personally, especially when advice is given that pertains to my writing and how to make it better. I’m speaking specifically about my Suite review which my editor just sent me via email. Boy was it extensive! First and foremost, I am honestly appreciative of the time that they take over at Suite to give everyone a thorough evaluation. It is something that I doubt other sites do. It is also a priceless way to get feedback on your work. However, it is still hard not to take suggestions personally, as some kind of reflection of my own inadequacies.

So, areas that yours truly must work on include:

1. Title/Subtitles.

2. Keywords.

3. Choosing more specific subject matter.

4. Limiting the amount of links contained within my articles.

5. Writing in the third person.

I am aware of most of these areas being problematic for me. I just keep getting in the mindset to write a certain way and I can’t seem to fully embrace web writing. For me, I’ve got a creative writing background which encourages first person narrative (which works perfectly in a blog setting, but not so much with web articles). Also, I am used to writing from an academic standpoint so most of my articles are structured with a beginning (intro of what I am going to cover in my article), body (the meat and potatoes of the article) and the conclusion (the summary of the article). Evidently this is no good. I know the keywords and the title/subtitles are also going to take some time on my part to get a handle on. As far as titles go, I am use to using catchy, fun play on word titles from print writing. But of course this doesn’t fly in web writing either (damn search engines!).

I have a lot to work on and I feel a bit discouraged. I had hoped to apply for a FW position, but now I feel the likelihood of that panning out would be slim to none. I guess I’ll just try to absorb all the advice and take it for what is it meant to be: constructive criticism.

Thinking of Taking A “Writing For the Web” Class

This class is being offered by mediabistro.com online. I took a copyediting course with them which I thought was informative. AND since I really need to hone my web writing skills (as you will find out why in a future post) I’m thinking this might help. Here’s the details:

Course Details

It took a decade and a financial flop, but finally the Web is starting to sound like the fiber optic wonderland we first heard about in the Clinton administration. Bloggers get book deals or fulltime gigs. Magazines and newspapers that used to merely replicate their print product on the Web are now rushing to develop original content and hiring exclusive online staffs. You don’t just read online anymore, either — now you watch, listen, and comment. And the best news of all? Online advertising budgets are bigger than ever and growing every year.

Websites need content. What used to be the domain of techies and specialists is now the lucrative marketplace of competent writers and editors. Web writers and editors must not only know what makes a good story, but how to package it, how to position it, and how to make the most of available technology.

In this class, you will learn:

• Why writing for the Web is different from print, and how to make the most of the medium and avoid common mistakes

• How to go beyond Google and find reliable, accurate information online

• Using bulletin boards and online communities to find “real people” for your story

• The pros and cons of blogging, and whether you should bother

• Selling yourself and your work on the Web

Class is for four weeks beginning on June 10 and runs through July 8. Cost (with my AG Membership) is $325.

My Associated Content Evaluation

So as of this moment, I have five published articles on AC. I have submitted them all for upfront payment (and I’ve had one article rejected, which I was able to tweak and publish on Suite) and the amount of money I’ve earned has increased for each article. For example, the first one got me $5.50 and my most recent one earned me $7.75. This may not seem like a lot, but keep in mind that I wrote about topics that I know about which means there was no real research involved. On average, these articles took me approximately 30 minutes each to write. Here’s my Pros & Cons evaluation:

Associated Content:

PROS-

• I really like the upfront payment option. It’s a great (and honest) way to make money fast.
• I like the ability to write about whatever I want.
• There are no minimum content contributions.
• I can decide whether to grant AC exclusive rights to my content or not.

CONS-

• Their page view payments are low. However, if you choose the “submit for upfront payment review” option, you get money fast.
• Their reputation is not the best.
• They reject content often for unclear reasons.

Overall, I like the ability to make fast money, while still having control of what rights I give over to AC.