Writing Question of The Week
Happy Wednesday, fellow freelancers.This week's question (albeit a bit late - sorry, folks) deals with beginning a career as a freelance writer.
While I've learned quite a bit since I jumped into freelance writing, there are always new things I find out on a daily basis. Today's question: How did you get started writing? Were there any especially useful tidbits you discovered that could be beneficial to new writers? If you could give a beginning writer one piece of advice, what would it be?
Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.
Thank you, and Warm Wishes
Denise
Labels: Question of the Week
posted by Denise @ 1:37 PM
7 Comments:
Hmmm...one piece of advice. It's hard to limit it to just one! (Wasn't that the theme of a potato chip ad years ago?)
My nugget is more a discovery I made. I think most writers know that networking is important in this business. I learned that networking is not as intimidating as it sounds and was pleasantly surprised to find that people can be quite approachable, especially if you take your work seriously and act like the professional you are. It's a great confidence boost and becomes fun after awhile!
Yes I believe you are correct about the potato chips... it was something along those lines, in any case!
Like you, I was a little intimidated to network at first as well. I wasn't sure how I'd be received within the writing community. Turns out, it's not so bad after all - plus, it's essential to moving up in the writing world.
Networking is very important in any business. I admit that I don't do much of it, unless it's via the computer - there just aren't very many opportunities to network (that's I've really dug into yet, anyway) where I live.
How did I get started? I simply logged on to www.freelancewriting.com and started blindly applying to job ads. Not much of a motivational story, I know, but that's how it all began, haha.
Alicia,
Thanks for your reply :) Don't worry - I don't have a very motivational story about how I got into writing either.
I started by reading the WAHMS Who Write forum at www.wahm.com. I followed leads and stumbled on a book deal through Laurel Lane Publishing by accident.
I also stumbled on a regular writing gig through Craig's List, which came as a real relief. (I hate rejection and I dread applying for positions).
Associated Content, Manuscript services, Constant Content are some companies that pay for freelance writing. A list of more than 40 freelance writing websites with links available at http://www.pcworkathome.net/freelancewritingjobs.html
The best piece of advice I could give is - never miss a deadline. If you catch the bubonic plague and termites eat the legs off your desk and your computer spontaneously combusts - find a way to make that deadline! :-)
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