Tag: Magazine/Freelance/Copywriting

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Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

How to Start Writing Professionally: Essential steps for Aspiring Authors

Landing your first professional writing gig can feel like an uphill task if you’re an aspiring author. Things can feel particularly bleak if you’re tied to the idea of landing a creative role and don’t want to take on positions in fields like advertising and content creation.

However, some of the world’s most cherished authors started their careers writing for commercial publications. Kurt Vonnegut famously learned his craft as a copywriter, as did novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald and sports journalist Murray Walker.

Being willing to take on commercial roles helps you hone your craft while working on creative side projects. You’ll master the art of the sentence while working on challenging briefs and are sure to widen your vocabulary while searching for new superlatives for a new candy bar or automobile.

Starting a Freelancing Side Hustle

Taking your first steps into the world of freelancing can be an exciting time. Turning your conjugations, commas, and clauses into hard cash is internally rewarding, too, as all that time spent in English classes finally starts to pay off. However, if you want to be successful in freelancing, you’ll need to treat your writing like a business rather than a creative pursuit.

You need to invest in yourself and your skill set to stand out from the crowd. At a minimum, you should set aside funds for further education and devote a few weeks of the year to attending workshops, advertising your new business, and improving your setup.

If you’re working with limited capital, consider taking a personal loan to cover start-up costs like computers, keyboards, and website domain hosting. Personal loans give you some additional flexibility but must be repaid on time lest they impact your credit score. As such, you’ll want to create a clear budget to set you up for long-term success as an author.

You don’t necessarily need to break the bank on courses, either. Some of the best copy/content writing courses are entirely free, including:

These courses cost you nothing and look great on your resume. They also prove that you’re serious about starting in the world of freelance writing and are aware of wider industry trends.  

Setting Yourself Up for Success

Before you can start charging for your wordsmithing skills, you must ensure you are ready to take on work. This may sound odd — after all, you’ve always found time to write for yourself at home — but things get a little more serious when writing professionally. Start by making the most of super-productive time-management tips like:

  • Scheduling time to respond to emails;
  • Minimizing distractions in your workspace;
  • Planning the day’s activities in advance;
  • Set (and stick to!) working hours.

You’ll also need to invest in upgrading your internet connection. Fiber optic offers the best internet for remote work, as it typically offers a huge bandwidth, fast download speeds, and great upload rates. You don’t want to wait for pages to load for emails to send when you’re up against the clock on demanding projects.

When investing in your setup, be sure to pick up two monitors. This insider’s trick will save you hours every week, as you’ll likely be referring to content from across the web when writing copy for businesses, blogs, and big brands. A second monitor will pay dividends in a short period by meaningfully bolstering your productivity and reducing the amount of time you spend clicking through tabs.

You’ll also need to create a strong portfolio if you want to continue to see the cash roll in for your content creation services. A strong portfolio is essential when applying for roles or liaising with clients, as people will want to see that you have a strong track record of producing high-quality content. Work with a website builder to streamline the process or expand your skill set by creating your own site using a hosting service like Weebly, WordPress, or Squarespace.

Finding Time for Creative Projects

Leaping into the world of professional writing can help you hone your wordsmithing skills and can quickly turn into a full-time gig. However, when writing professionally, it’s easy to overlook your own creative projects.


Make time for your next novel, poetry collection, or journalism by creating a writing ritual and scheduling a day for creative projects. For example, if you typically work from Monday to Friday, consider dedicating the occasional Friday solely to non-work projects. Doing so can protect your love for creative writing and will help you achieve goals like publishing short stories or landing a creative position in a poetry journal.

Conclusion 

Writing professionally is easier than most writers imagine. However, before you start charging for your services, you need to ensure that you are set up for success. Get the ball rolling by gaining a few qualifications and upgrading your setup. High-speed wifi, dual monitors, and a basic understanding of SEO principles will set you apart from the crowd and help you earn more as a writer

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

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Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

The Power of Networking: Building Meaningful Connections in the Writing Community

Writing can feel like a solitary career at times. After all, it’s just you, the keyboard, and your ideas for most of the workday. Writing alone is typically the best way to get the bulk of your work done, too, as you don’t want to be surrounded by distractions when you should be writing.

In reality, however, writing is a community-oriented pursuit. Even relatively solitary authors, like Jack Kerouac and Ernest Hemingway, had The Beats (Ginsberg, Burrows, Kaufman) and the Lost Generation (Stein, Fitzgerald, Eliot) for company.

As a writer, you can follow in the footsteps of these literary giants by creating a writing community of your own. Even simple community-building exercises, like joining local book clubs and writing groups, can significantly improve the quality of your prose and the power of your poetry.

Networking and Your Career

Finding a supportive group of writerly friends is a great way to expand your network and find new opportunities. Building a network shows clients and employers that you’re serious about entering the writing industry and that you have what it takes to produce perfect prose and stylistically satisfying sentences.

Building a network should be a core element of creating a career plan, too. Networking allows you to create useful dialogues with colleagues and peers that will serve you well in years to come. This can be invaluable during the job search and application phase, as folks who know you will be able to vouch for your skills and support your long-term vision.

Finding a Mentor

If you want to speed up your career progression, you should consider finding a trusted mentor in your niche. A good mentor can help you spot upcoming opportunities and may play a crucial role in helping you land new clients.

As a creative, asking for help can be powerful, too. When you ask a more experienced peer for help, you show that you’re in need of aid and are willing to work hard in order to overcome barriers. This will build stronger connections with your peers and enhance your emotional well-being (as it always feels good to have a trusted mentor in your corner!). If you’re considering approaching a prospective mentor, get the ball rolling by:

  • Being specific about the areas of aid you need
  • Offer plenty of gratitude for any help you receive
  • Be open to feedback and be willing to explore shortcomings you didn’t know you had
  • Stay in touch with trusted mentors, as they’ll be invaluable when you have a tricky decision to make

Finding a good mentor can make a world of difference to your writing efforts. Just be sure to offer plenty of gratitude, too, as most mentors will work with you for little-to-no pay if you’re respectful of their time.

How to Offer Feedback

At some point, you and your newfound writerly friends are going to swap manuscripts or exchange drafts. This is a sign of trust from your peers, as they are willing to show you a part of their work that is raw and unfinished.

Should you be fortunate enough to be trusted with a first draft, resist the urge to be overly brutal in your feedback, as this is a major misstep that many young writers make. For reasons that are unclear, many novice writers mistake blunt honesty for valuable feedback. Being overly critical of your feedback takes the wind out of your writing friend’s sails and is almost certain to detract from their passion for writing. Instead, try to:

  • Be overwhelmingly positive and point out what is working well. Many writers don’t know what they’re doing well and rely on readers to show them what’s working.
  • Be clear when making critiques but use polite, kind language to overcome the emotional attachment that writers have to their first drafts.
  • Offer resources to your writing friends if you spot a recurring mistake. For example, if you notice that your friend uses comma splices when writing, you should consider typing up something like “I noticed a few comma splices throughout this piece. It may be that it’s just a first draft and that you’ll fix the errors later, but here’s a handy resource you can use to learn more about comma splices and how to fix them.”

Utilizing these tips helps you make friends in the local writing scene, too. Folks are unlikely to promote your work if you’re unnecessarily mean—even if you have perfect prose. Instead, invest in your network by providing feedback that is timely, kind, and authentically useful.

Conclusion

Building meaningful connections in the writing community can be a real boon if you’re new to the industry. Get started by showing up to book clubs and writing groups, as you’re sure to start making connections and community-oriented events. Once you’ve started to build relationships, offer feedback that is overwhelmingly positive and authentically useful to your peers.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

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Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

Uprooting Your Writing Life: Tips for Moving Your Home Library

As a writer, your prized possession is almost certainly your collection of books. Whether you read reams of epic fantasy or are a sucker for a good literary romance, your books are an important part of your world and have helped you become the author that you are today.

That means that moving time can be stressful. Not only will your family try to cut down on the volume of books you’re planning to move with, but you’ll need to properly transport your library with care if you want them to make the journey in one piece.

That said, moving to a new home also represents an opportunity to improve your home library. You’re working with a blank canvas, and have plenty of options to redesign your reading space to keep your favorite books close at hand. You can also redecorate with reading in mind and may be able to create an even cozier space to sit down and read in peace and quiet.

Caring for Your Collection

If reading plays a central role in your life, you may be worried about the damage that could occur when moving. This is a valid concern; particularly if you have rare or sentimentally important books in your collection. Rather than simply stuffing your books into boxes, follow guidance on how to successfully move your collection, which suggests:

  • Cleaning your books to remove dust, mold, or liquid damage
  • Prepare them by sorting them in the order that you plan to unpack them
  • Take extra care with antiques, wrapping each individual book with acid-free cloth and bubble-wrap
  • Label each box properly, so you can find your hardcover fiction and collection of memoirs quickly when you arrive at your new home

Following these steps can help you master the art of crating and shipping during your move and protect your books. Securing proper crating is crucial if you’re transporting a large volume of books and do not want them to get damaged in transit. Nowadays, you can even buy customizable padding and support to ensure that the crates you choose fit your needs exactly. Just be sure to inspect the crates yourself, lest any of your favored books have been accidentally packaged in the wrong packaging.

Creating a Reading Space

Packing up your library can be a little tedious. However, once you’ve got your books in boxes, the fun can begin. Start by creating a blueprint of your new library space and pull tape to get an accurate estimation of where you’ll be able to store your books.

Rather than choosing bookshelves and cabinets at random, consider making an investment in a more permanent solution like bespoke shelving. This will cost a little more, but bespoke, fitted shelving will turn a disorganized writing room into a distinct home library. Fitted shelves will also help you fit as many books as possible into your new space, meaning your passion for reading and writing can flourish following your move.

If this is your first dedicated home library, consider drawing inspiration from writers who have created the perfect writing and reading room. This means you’ll want to include features like:

  • Soundproofing the room
  • Investing in natural lighting
  • Comfortable seating throughout
  • Closeness to nature (indoor plants or great views)

You’ll also want to design a room that supports your needs. Before buying a drinks trolley or an espresso machine for your library, ask yourself what you plan on doing while in your new space. Do you plan to work on professional projects while in the library, or is it primarily a space where you plan to get lost in a good book?

This is a question explored by Virginia Woolf, in her 1916 essay “Hours in a Library”, where she draws a distinction between “learners” and “readers”. While the distinction may be a little reductive, answering purpose-driven questions can boost your writerly productivity and help you settle down to enjoy a new book when you’re finished writing for the day.

Getting Rid of Items

While every book is sacred, every reader has a few volumes that are not highly regarded. Getting rid of these books when moving is crucial. They’ll free up space for your most prized novels and will alleviate the sense of despair you feel when you look at your DNF or “to read” pile.

Try to donate items when cleaning out books before a big move by getting in touch with charitable organizations like:

  • Salvation Army
  • Once Upon a Child
  • Goodwill
  • Books for Soldiers
  • Operation Give

These organizations are in need of books and will ensure that your unwanted volumes find a good home. This can appease your family members, too, who will appreciate lightening the load by shipping books off to good causes before a move.

Conclusion

Moving your home library can be anxiety-inducing if you’ve collected a large collection of rare volumes and prized editions. However, with a careful approach, you can move your books into the new home safely and may benefit from an uptick in comfort and productivity when you’ve finished moving house. Just be sure to design your reading space with your needs in mind, as you’ll need to establish a clear distinction between work and leisure if you want your new library to feel like a home within your home.

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Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

Touring Tales: Author’s Guide to Navigating Book Tours

Book tours can be a fun and exciting part of the publishing experience. It’s not only a chance to get your work out there, but to promote yourself to your target audience, including fans and people who might not otherwise have read your novel.

Essentially, book tours are marketing events, but they’re also great for connecting with readers when you plan them the right way. A book tour can have a big impact on the success of your book and can set the tone for how well your future publications do.

Understanding how to plan a book tour that helps you engage with readers while maximizing exposure and sales is important, but it’s just as crucial to be able to overcome the challenges – both predictable and unexpected.

So, how can you successfully navigate a book tour, no matter where you are in your career?

Plan the Right Locations

If you’re planning a DIY book tour, you might be tempted to hit some hot spots like big cities with lots of little book shops. But, if you’re a new author or you aren’t sure how popular your book will be yet, your tour should play it safe – at least for the first leg.

As you’re considering where you want to go, think about where you have friends and family throughout the country. If you book those locations on your tour, you’ll have people in your corner who can promote you ahead of time. They’ll bring friends of their own and make sure you have a good audience. Plus, you might be able to stay with those people, so you can save money on lodging in those cities!

If you are new to the world of publishing, it can also be helpful to team up with another writer – especially someone who has a bit more experience and notoriety. It’s a great way to get your foot in the door, attract new readers, and learn more about the touring experience without putting all of the weight on your shoulders.

Finally, don’t be afraid to think outside the bookstore. While most authors tend to do signings and readings in bookshops, you might get more attention at a unique location that makes sense for your book. If you do have family or friends in a particular area, ask if they might open up their home for a small, intimate reading and signing. You could provide snacks and wine and make a real event out of it.

No matter where you’re going, market yourself on social media as much as possible. Make sure you have profiles on major platforms and keep your fans and readers updated so they can follow you, literally and figuratively.

Figure Out Finances

If you’re planning a book tour by yourself, you’re also probably going to end up funding much of it by yourself. That’s not uncommon for indie authors and it’s very doable with a bit of planning.

First, make sure you’ve created a budget for the tour. This will give you a starting point to look back on and will help you keep from overspending. Find ways to save money when you’re traveling, especially if you’re touring on the road. That might include small tips like:

  • Installing a gas app to tell you where the cheapest locations are;
  • Buying and making your own food instead of dining out;
  • Making sure your vehicle is well-maintained.

It’s also a good rule of thumb to be strategic about what you charge to a credit card. Cards can be useful for their convenience, but it’s easy to forget how much you’re spending until your bill comes. Some credit cards can actually be beneficial as they give you reward points or cash back. However, even if that’s the case, there are some things you should avoid charging a card, including cash advances and gift cards.

Take Care of Yourself

From promoting yourself both online and in-person, to traveling by car or plane, to being away from family and friends for a long period of time, there’s no question that a book tour can be exhausting. While it can also be very rewarding, it can take a toll on your well-being if you don’t prioritize self-care.

Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated. One of the best things you can do is to keep a regular routine for yourself each day. It could include waking up around the same time, eating healthy meals, exercising, journaling, and meditating. These simple practices can make a big difference in your mental and physical health. They can also keep you energized and inspired to keep writing.

Speaking of which, having a writing routine on the road is also important. It will help to keep your creative juices flowing, and being in different locations every day is a great way to stay inspired. Having a designated place to write will help to make it a habit, so consider transforming your car or truck into a practical office or workplace. Optimize it with WiFi, have a power supply, and consider ergonomics if you’re going to be sitting and writing for long stretches of time. With a few upgrades and changes, you can write anytime and anywhere while you’re on tour.

If you’re feeling intimidated or nervous about going out on a book tour, especially for the first time, keep these tips in mind. You might find that you have more loyal readers than you thought, and engaging with them in person is a great way to boost your career and foster a successful future.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

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Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

The Craft of Realism: Writing Authentic Medical Emergency Scenes in Fiction

Medical scenes can be a great way to explore the natural drama of life. These types of events frequently result in high emotions, life-and-death stakes, and even conflicts. However, it’s also vital to be authentic in your approach. When medical scenes strike a reader as realistic, it can pull them right out of the narrative, leaving you struggling to get them back into it.

Creating effective medical emergency scenes isn’t just about establishing a richly-described setting, with beeping electrocardiogram (ECG) equipment or malfunctioning vending machines. You also need to focus on making the characters and their actions as true to life as possible.

So, how can you go about this? Let’s explore a few things to consider.

Seek Expertise

Unless you are a medical professional, you’re unlikely to have many authentic insights into the professional side of medical emergencies. This is particularly important if you’re writing from the perspectives of doctors, nurses, and paramedics. Sure, many writers have been on the patient side of things, but this isn’t always the same as having the day-to-day technical knowledge to write convincing scenes.

So, what can you do? Wherever possible, seek a source of expertise. Look for medical professionals with experience in the situations you’re hoping to depict. Reach out to your immediate network and see if there are friends or family with connections that you can chat with. Even retired medical providers can give you some useful insights.

While authenticity is important, this doesn’t mean you have to overload your readers with dense medical jargon. That can certainly be off-putting. When you’re talking to experts, aim to get a good overall sense of the actions taken during procedures and the equipment being used. This ensures that you can paint the scene without leaning too heavily on accurate but ultimately meaningless technical data.

Write Empathetically

When you’re writing authentic medical emergencies, it’s essential to remember that professionals in these environments are people. Yes, they have technical knowledge and skills, but that isn’t the be-all and end-all of who they are. These are jobs in which professionals deal with pain, death, fear, and interpersonal connections every day. There’s a deep emotional component to the job that runs through everything they do. Therefore, you need to take an empathetic approach to writing about these characters.

Get into the emotional and practical mindset of professionals. You could consider the key components of thinking like a nurse to better understand their strengths, challenges, and coping mechanisms. For instance, while they are sensitive to patients’ pain and distress, their daily exposure to blood, wounds, and bodily fluids can make them less susceptible to shock in medical emergencies. Their regular handling of difficult circumstances may mean they’re always assessing the risks of a situation, even in their personal lives.

At the same time, these traits that make them effective professionals can also mean they experience too much emotional labor. They’re often putting the needs of others before their own. How they manage this and respond to it can make for great character depth and even be the source of some realistic flaws. Writing empathetically helps you avoid the tropes of the overworked nurse and dig a little deeper into the wider impact of their lives and mental wellness.

Consider Bystander Behavior

Medical professionals and patients are not the only people involved in medical emergency scenes. There are likely to be a range of bystanders such as members of the public at the scene of an accident or other patients in hospital waiting rooms. Being honest and curious about what their responses might be can add another layer of authenticity to your writing.

A good example here is bystanders at the scene of a medical emergency. It’s easy to fall into the trap of showing heroic and capable people who leap in to perform life-saving procedures until the ambulance arrives. This isn’t always accurate though. There are various emotional and practical reasons bystanders don’t attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The burden of responsibility for someone’s life can be too overwhelming or they might be afraid of doing it wrong and causing more damage. Others simply misinterpret the situation as being less serious than it is.

This multitude of responses provides you with resources to make sure even minor characters ring true with your readers. Indeed, the nuances here can offer additional opportunities for drama and high emotion. Will a bystander with a fear of disease or infection be able to overcome this to save a life? What’s going through the head of a civilian with CPR training as they use their skills for the first time?

Conclusion

Achieving an authentic sense of realism is key to crafting impactful medical emergency scenes. This involves not just seeking out experts for research, but also delving into the emotions people are likely to exhibit. Authenticity doesn’t mean you need to forgo elements of fantasy or melodrama; instead, you just want a good foundation to build your fantastic fiction on.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Categories
Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

From Consumption to Contribution: Libraries as Centers of the Circular Economy

There’s little doubt that excessive consumption is harming communities and the environment. For one, the manufacturing processes produce vast amounts of waste and emissions to transport products to customers. For another, many companies have elected to use cheaper materials to save on production costs, which eventually causes these same products to degrade earlier in their life cycle. As a result, consumers have to spend more money finding replacements rather than repairing a well-made item. It’s a difficult issue. But you may be surprised to learn that libraries can be part of the solution.

This is because libraries now and in the future are tending toward being more dynamic community spaces. They offer multiple resources, give people areas to congregate, and are sources of diverse expertise. As a result, they are central to activities related to building a genuinely sustainable circular economy.

Sharing Green Knowledge and Resources

Libraries across the world play a pivotal role as forts of knowledge. This is no different when it comes to maintaining community sustainability. Generally speaking, climate change continues to worsen because many people don’t have the skills or understanding to make meaningful green changes in their lives. Therefore, librarians can contribute to a sustainable future as guides to setting and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their everyday activities and businesses.

First, individual librarians or groups can help the public to understand what key SDGs are. Within the context of a circular economy — a system that prioritizes reusing, repairing, and recycling products — librarians can coach on sustainable consumption and production patterns, including sustainable publishing. Libraries can host public discussions about what this means and practical approaches to achieving it. To become approachable, these discussions can direct locals to organizations in the community where they can purchase old items or who may accept old materials for recycling.

Growing a Sustainable Writing Community

Libraries can also serve as ecosystems for budding writers while promoting sustainability. While buying books as individuals is a great way to support authors financially, libraries can purchase books which allows multiple people to enjoy the book. This makes the author’s work more accessible, more sustainable and reduces over consumption.

In addition, libraries can be an ideal place to harbor writing conferences, writers-in-residence, and writing workshops to introduce local authors to the community.

Hosting Maker Spaces

Among the key tenets of a sustainable circular economy is to reduce the potential for both over consumption and to minimize unnecessary waste. Community members need to be able to make items from scratch and repair their current items. Libraries can contribute to these efforts by hosting maker spaces.

This is something that more libraries could practically implement. Many maker activities, such as 3D printing, don’t need specialist spaces, like workshops or ateliers. Indeed, the increasing accessibility of equipment can make libraries a good location for such projects. Local experts and librarians can also teach or host learning sessions about how to go about using 3D printing for the first time. They can also further encourage eco-friendly behavior by recommending more sustainable materials that we’ll see in the future. For example, materials such as polylactic acid (PLA) filaments are made from biodegradable products such as corn starch and can help anyone interested in building practical items.

Creating Libraries of Things

For some time now, libraries around the world haven’t simply been book repositories. They’re host to a wide range of resources, from movies and music to eBooks. Yet, there’s also a growing movement for libraries of things. Essentially, this is about lending practical and in-need objects. This potentially boosts the circular economy by minimizing unnecessary production demand while making items more accessible to those on lower incomes.

Nevertheless, a truly impactful library of things addresses the needs of the community. It may be practical to lend board games and tabletop roleplaying games so that families can minimize their screen time. Cookware and bakeware lending might engage library users in more creative culinary and nutrition activities. Exercise equipment can boost community wellness. Some libraries are increasing access to museums, planetariums and science education centers by offering passes to these organizations for the whole community to access.

Conclusion

Libraries are becoming circular economy hubs. They’re increasingly offering access to practical knowledge, repair workshops, and lendable tools, among other resources. There’s still more they can do, though. However, this is dependent on greater community engagement and finding sources of funding. The public needs to show that there’s a demand for these services in library spaces alongside seeking support from philanthropic organizations, private businesses, and government agencies.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Categories
Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

Guarding Your Words: A Writer’s Guide to Intellectual Property Protection

As a writer, it’s always important to recognize your value. This isn’t just about appreciating your level of talent. There’s also tangible worth to your words. Intellectual property (IP) — in this case, your literary creations — can have significant financial worth.

This is something that extends beyond monetizing publishing and distribution rights. Many movie studios are on the lookout for the next potentially profitable IPs to option for movies, TV shows, and other media. Unfortunately, unscrupulous people also recognize the value of your IP. As a result, it may be at risk of misuse or plagiarism, particularly if you’re regularly posting content online in blogs and other media.

Copyright Protections

Copyright is one of the most powerful tools you have as a writer to protect your IP. However, it’s also one of the elements that too many writers don’t fully understand.

So, what is copyright? Well, the way of asserting that you are the creator or owner of a work in a legal sense. It’s designed to prevent disputes over who produced a work and therefore owns the rights associated with it. If you own the copyright, not only can you sell, distribute, and license the work and derivatives of it. It also means that if somebody uses your work without permission, you can issue cease and desist notices and pursue lawsuits for compensation.

There are exceptions, though. While your idea for a character or work might feel like your IP, it is not usually recognized as such legally. You can only copyright a fixed — meaning permanent enough to distribute or reproduce — work. There are also fair use exemptions, which in itself is fairly complex. However, you may find it difficult to defend your IP when people create parodies of your work or use it in news content.

Technically speaking, you gain copyright over your work as soon as it’s created. However, you’ll find you have a stronger case if you need to pursue a lawsuit against someone stealing your IP if you register your copyright with the U.S. copyright office or via an attorney. This creates a clear record of who created an IP and when.

Safeguards During Collaborations

Protecting your IP can be relatively straightforward when you’re a writer working on your own. But in collaborative situations, you might be working on concepts with publishers. Movie and TV production studios will also often put together writer’s rooms to collaborate on creating scripts. With various people involved, this can muddy the waters of who owns IP and how you can protect it.

Your best approach here is to work with your collaborators to establish clear boundaries here. No matter who you’re working with, take the time to talk about who owns the material you produce during sessions. Ask for clarity about whether it’s a work-for-hire situation where the studio owns all materials, or whether you keep work that is unused in the final product.

Particularly in the case of materials that are unused in the final product, one way to help safeguard your IP is to get evidence that you created it. Reliable team collaboration management software can be an effective tool here. These don’t just support smooth project communication. They also tend to keep track of what tasks specific project contributors perform. There’s usually a date stamp for when you upload documents and perform tasks, too. In essence, you’re creating a record of what you provided and when. This can help safeguard against other collaborators claiming your IP as theirs.

Seeking Legal Assistance

There’s only a certain amount you can do individually to protect your IP when it’s stolen. Yes, you can issue a direct complaint to the person breaching the property or send a form cease and desist notice. However, you’ll have more impact when you’re supported by an experienced copyright attorney.

Part of the benefit here is that they can do a lot of the leg work on your behalf. They’ll have professional-level cease and desist letters that they can issue and — importantly — follow through on. They also know the most effective ways to gather a packet of evidence when petitioning the courts if you seek compensation.

Additionally, your attorney may use advanced technology to protect your IP. Some law firms are starting to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to perform a range of tasks. AI-powered legal assistance platforms can analyze legal texts to identify information or precedents most relevant to support your lawsuit. Some AI software will swiftly and accurately scan contracts to spot unusual or unfair terms related to your IP. However, it’s important to make certain the lawyer
you collaborate with uses such tools ethically and that they do their due diligence to verify the work of their AI tools.

Conclusion

Protecting your IP can take some work, but it’s vital if you want a sustainable writing career. This should include registering your copyright and potentially collaborating with an attorney in theft or plagiarism cases. Even if you’re at a relatively early stage of your career, don’t think your work isn’t suitable for protection. There may be a kernel of something in your work that needs to be nurtured over time. Taking steps to safeguard it now empowers you to utilize it to its fullest in the future.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Categories
Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

DIY Writing Sanctuaries: Converting Spaces into Inspiring Author Retreats

As a writer, you know that writing is both an art and a discipline. The best writers simply write every day, based on their own daily routines.

However, there’s nothing wrong with adding inspiration to your work by creating an inspiring space for writing. The good news is that you can turn a wide variety of spaces into a cozy place to work.

What does it take to turn a spare room, garage, or nook into an inspiring writing location? It doesn’t take a lot of money, just some time and creativity. Then, you’ll have a place you can’t wait to enter to do your daily work.

How to Choose a Space in Your Home

If you’re like many people, it may feel like every area of your home is already filled with belongings and activities. Although it may be challenging to find the right space, it’s essential. As a writer, you need a spot to write.

Remember that every writer is different, so think about what the best writing spot is for your needs. Some authors need quiet, uninterrupted time to be creative, while others need background noise, or they won’t be able to pen a single word.

Make sure you’re comfortable, both in terms of the chair and desk and the temperature of the space. Changes in weather can affect your health, from seasonal allergies to issues with dry hair and skin. As a result, you want to choose a writing space that’s weatherproof rather than one that’s drafty or damp.

You’ll need a space with good lighting, privacy, and places to store your writing materials. However, none of this means you need a large or expensive writing spot. Instead, you can adapt a spare room, garage, shed, or nook with a few simple tips.

Making Your Writing Space Inspiring

Once you find the right location, it’s time to make it fun so it fits your personality. You want diving into your writing to be something you look forward to so you don’t procrastinate.

Explore Simple Structural Updates

You might need to make some structural changes to your writing space before you can start personalizing it. For example, if you’re converting a garage, you’ll likely want to soundproof the garage so it’s quiet and you can focus.

The soundproofing process will depend on what your garage walls are made of, but generally, you’ll start with the garage door, where most of the noise comes in. From there, you can also soundproof the windows, walls, and ceiling if needed.

You may also want to weatherproof an attic or shed if you plan to use those as your writing space. Also, ensure your new writing space isn’t open to pests or vulnerable to water leaks. 

Use Decor That Inspires You

When you’re ready to make it your own, consider what inexpensive touches can add a lot of flair to the space. Depending on the space you have on the walls, you can hang pictures that inspire you or put up your favorite quotes. One of the great things about computers is that it’s easy to resize almost anything, so you can put up inspiring images even in a small space.

Color is another impactful part of your writing space. Think about the colors that make you feel calm, creative, and motivated. Paint is inexpensive, but you can also buy fabric and hang it on the wall. Either way, it should be fun and beautiful for you.

Make Sure the Writing Space is Functional

The most beautiful writing nook won’t help you create if it’s not functional. You’ll need a desk and a comfortable chair, along with the right lighting.

Fortunately, you can find inexpensive desks at used furniture stores or online. It’s likely worthwhile to spend the money on a new ergonomic chair, especially if you plan to write a full book or multiple short stories.

Remember, you’ll be in your writing space almost every day, so make sure it works for you!

Don’t Be Afraid to Branch Out

While your writing nook may be your primary place to compose your stories, don’t feel like you have to be there 100% of the time. Sometimes the thing you need to boost your creativity is a change of scenery.

Don’t be afraid to spend a few hours at a coffee shop, park, library, or other space that fuels your writing. When you come back to your at-home writing nook, you’ll be refreshed — and grateful to have unlimited access to your own coffee and snacks!

Create an Inspiring Author’s Nook

Creating a writing sanctuary doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and you likely have several spaces in your home right now that could be great options.

Make sure it’s safe, comfortable, and inspiring. That can mean weatherproofing, soundproofing, or simply decorating with pictures, quotes, and colors that spark your creativity. Once you have your writing space, it’ll be much easier to write every day — and you’ll be well on your way to completing your masterpiece!

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

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Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

The Write Image: Crafting Your Author Brand Through Image and Packaging

As a writer, you probably didn’t give much thought to branding and marketing when you wrote your first book – you just wanted to write a great story. But, if you want to be successful and get your words into the hands of many, you have to start thinking of yourself as a business and a brand.

Branding your name and your work has many different factors, but it starts with your image. How will others see you? How do you want them to see you? What kind of message is your brand providing to let potential readers know who you are and what your writing is about?

Think of branding and your image as a way to make a first impression on people. Enhancing your personal image and packaging can amplify your professional opportunities and help you foster a unique authorial identity in today’s competitive literary landscape.

Align Your Brand With Your Writing Style

If you’re stuck on what your brand should be or look like, consider the type of writing you do and think about some other famous authors who seem to “fit” their style really well. Stephen King, for example, will always be known as one of the greatest horror writers of all time. That doesn’t mean he’s a scary person, but he’s created a specific brand of horror writing that is unique to him. His books have been adapted for TV and movies alike. Whenever anyone sees his name attached to a project, they have an idea of what to expect because he’s stayed true to his voice for so many years.

King, like many other famous authors, seems confident in his self-image. Popular writers know who they are and it undoubtedly influences success. Improving your self-image can help to enhance your writing career in a variety of ways, so do what you can to boost your confidence, including:

  • Dressing for success;
  • Setting goals;
  • Celebrating your achievements;
  • Seeking feedback;
  • Always looking to improve;
  • Prioritizing self-care.

When you are confident in who you are and your image, your writing is more likely to stay stable as you focus on one particular style. Eventually, you’ll become known for that style, and it will be much easier to brand yourself and your books because people will know what to look for.

Branding Consistency

One of the easiest ways to build your brand and become recognized quickly is to maintain consistency in everything you do with your marketing. That includes social media, websites, posters, mailers, and even book covers. Nowadays, it’s just as important to build your brand online as it is in bookstores and at signings. If you’re not consistent with your web presence, people are going to get confused.

Reinforcing your brand identity will differentiate you from other authors, build awareness, and foster brand loyalty.

If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to building a brand, listen to your readers and consider how your own interests can be reflected in your marketing materials. If you aren’t all in with your packaging and branding image, it’s going to be harder to stick with it.

Creating Perfect Packaging

Packaging isn’t the only part of branding, but it’s an important one. As an author, you’re selling something tangible, and you want it to stand out. Think about all of the options readers are given on a regular basis. What are you going to do to make a solid first impression with your book, especially to a potential reader who has never heard of you before?

If you’re stuck on packaging strategies, consider some of the following:

  • Use sustainable packaging materials to showcase your values;
  • Share your brand story in your marketing materials;
  • Get creative with book covers;
  • Use interactive packaging like QR codes or augmented reality;
  • Personalize your packaging.

If you’re a freelance writer or you’re just starting out after publishing your first book, branding is more important than ever. Now is the time to build consistency and create an image for yourself. Everything from color and font choices to characteristics that make you unique will stand out to potential readers.

You don’t have to be a marketing guru to understand the importance of image as an author. Consider who you want to be in the world of competitive writing, and you’ll have a strong brand foundation to start from.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

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Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

Embracing Tech Advancements: Powering Freelancer Success in the Modern Landscape

Freelancing as a writer can be deeply rewarding. You’re getting paid to show off your wordsmithing skills and can make a great living while building your brand as a writer. 

However, if you want to stay relevant as a writer, you’ll need to embrace emergent tech advancements that define the digital landscape. Today, that means you should take full advantage of automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and immersive augmented reality (AR) experiences.

Tech and Writing

The recent rise of artificial intelligence has left some writers fearing for their jobs. This is understandable, as programs like ChatGPT can produce pages of prose in the blink of an eye.

In reality, AI programs are designed to help writers — not replace them. You can use recently released programs like Google Bard to conduct pre-writing research and improve the efficiency of your revision process. You can also use programs like Grammarly to edit as you work and improve your understanding of syntax and grammar.

Rather than fearing new innovations, you should see emergent tech as a chance to “level up” your writing process. For example, if you routinely run into writer’s block, you can use a program like ContentAI or Ryter to start brainstorming ideas. This is particularly helpful if you are working with an unfamiliar genre and need to understand the requirements before you can start writing.

You can, of course, choose to eschew all modern tech from your writing process. There’s nothing wrong with a ballpoint pen and a pad of paper — and the tactile feel may help you write a more captivating opening scene. However, automation tech can still help you find freelancing success off the page. 

Automation

Automating the writing process with generative AI may land you in hot water with publishers and clients. After all, they’re paying for your skills, insights, and experiences. Fortunately, you can still use the latest AI tech to increase your profits and decrease your risks.

You can start using automation to increase profitability by augmenting some of the customer relationship management tasks you have to do. This is particularly useful if your brand is growing quicker than you expected. Automation can help you reach out to highly qualified leads or send emails to folks who are in your “follow-up” folder.

AI can streamline the document-management process, too. This is helpful if you’re responsible for creating multiple articles a day and are at risk of losing track of important files. AI-driven document automation can help with storage, classification, and invoicing. This reduces the risk of error and ensures that you actually get paid for your hard work.

The Future of Work

Despite popular belief, the writing process is constantly changing. A hundred years ago, writers like Hemingway and Woolf may have spent their mornings sitting at their typewriter. Today, anything other than electronic writing is all but unthinkable for modern freelancers.

Start embracing the future of work and writing by leveraging AR and virtual environments. For example, if you regularly liaise with global clients, consider investing in a virtual office space where folks can “meet” with you while wearing VR goggles. This may be something of a gimmick for now but could become the norm for contractors and freelancers in years to come.

The metaverse will need writers, too. This means that staying up to date with the latest trends in virtual worlds may be a savvy move if you want to break into game development and virtual entertainment. Just be sure to secure your income with reliable streams, too, as daily activity on sites like Decentraland can vary wildly.

Increase your chances of finding freelancer success by advertising your services on social sites like TikTok and Instagram. Your social presence can serve as a portfolio for your work and may help you connect with clients from around the globe. A well-established social page can even help you diversify your income, as you may be able to land brand sponsorship and ad revenue when posting online.

Conclusion

The future of freelance writing looks bright. Fears of AI replacing writers have largely been assuaged, as folks see that real writers provide more value than AI bots. However, that doesn’t mean you can rest on your laurels.

Instead, embrace the future of work by using the latest innovations to your advantage. Tech advancements like generative AI, automation, and real-time editing can significantly improve your process and help you achieve higher levels of efficiency. You can even use emergent tech like VR goggles to differentiate your brand identity and connect with clients in new and exciting ways.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Categories
Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

Embracing Tech Advancements: Powering Freelancer Success in the Modern Landscape

Freelancing as a writer can be deeply rewarding. You’re getting paid to show off your wordsmithing skills and can make a great living while building your brand as a writer. 

However, if you want to stay relevant as a writer, you’ll need to embrace emergent tech advancements that define the digital landscape. Today, that means you should take full advantage of automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and immersive augmented reality (AR) experiences.

Tech and Writing

The recent rise of artificial intelligence has left some writers fearing for their jobs. This is understandable, as programs like ChatGPT can produce pages of prose in the blink of an eye.

In reality, AI programs are designed to help writers — not replace them. You can use recently released programs like Google Bard to conduct pre-writing research and improve the efficiency of your revision process. You can also use programs like Grammarly to edit as you work and improve your understanding of syntax and grammar.

Rather than fearing new innovations, you should see emergent tech as a chance to “level up” your writing process. For example, if you routinely run into writer’s block, you can use a program like ContentAI or Ryter to start brainstorming ideas. This is particularly helpful if you are working with an unfamiliar genre and need to understand the requirements before you can start writing.

You can, of course, choose to eschew all modern tech from your writing process. There’s nothing wrong with a ballpoint pen and a pad of paper — and the tactile feel may help you write a more captivating opening scene. However, automation tech can still help you find freelancing success off the page. 

Automation

Automating the writing process with generative AI may land you in hot water with publishers and clients. After all, they’re paying for your skills, insights, and experiences. Fortunately, you can still use the latest AI tech to increase your profits and decrease your risks.

You can start using automation to increase profitability by augmenting some of the customer relationship management tasks you have to do. This is particularly useful if your brand is growing quicker than you expected. Automation can help you reach out to highly qualified leads or send emails to folks who are in your “follow-up” folder.

AI can streamline the document-management process, too. This is helpful if you’re responsible for creating multiple articles a day and are at risk of losing track of important files. AI-driven document automation can help with storage, classification, and invoicing. This reduces the risk of error and ensures that you actually get paid for your hard work.

The Future of Work

Despite popular belief, the writing process is constantly changing. A hundred years ago, writers like Hemingway and Woolf may have spent their mornings sitting at their typewriter. Today, anything other than electronic writing is all but unthinkable for modern freelancers.

Start embracing the future of work and writing by leveraging AR and virtual environments. For example, if you regularly liaise with global clients, consider investing in a virtual office space where folks can “meet” with you while wearing VR goggles. This may be something of a gimmick for now but could become the norm for contractors and freelancers in years to come.

The metaverse will need writers, too. This means that staying up to date with the latest trends in virtual worlds may be a savvy move if you want to break into game development and virtual entertainment. Just be sure to secure your income with reliable streams, too, as daily activity on sites like Decentraland can vary wildly.

Increase your chances of finding freelancer success by advertising your services on social sites like TikTok and Instagram. Your social presence can serve as a portfolio for your work and may help you connect with clients from around the globe. A well-established social page can even help you diversify your income, as you may be able to land brand sponsorship and ad revenue when posting online.

Conclusion

The future of freelance writing looks bright. Fears of AI replacing writers have largely been assuaged, as folks see that real writers provide more value than AI bots. However, that doesn’t mean you can rest on your laurels.

Instead, embrace the future of work by using the latest innovations to your advantage. Tech advancements like generative AI, automation, and real-time editing can significantly improve your process and help you achieve higher levels of efficiency. You can even use emergent tech like VR goggles to differentiate your brand identity and connect with clients in new and exciting ways.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Categories
Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

Writing in the Era of AI: Balancing Opportunity and Uncertainty

Artificial intelligence (AI) has changed the writing world forever. In the past year, AI has transformed from a niche tool for data analysts to an “all-in-one” program capable of replicating human creativity and producing reams of content with a simple prompt.

However, the doomsday-like fears that AI will replace authors, freelance writers, and content creators are largely exaggerated. At their core, AI programs like ChatGPT and Ryter are designed to help writers — not replace them or turn them out onto the street.

As a writer, you can use AI to speed up your research, increase your productivity, and check for errors in your work. You can also use AI to develop a side hustle of your own to support your creativity as you’ll have plenty of time to start a small business with the time you save thanks to powerful deep-learning programs.

Refining Your Voice

The speed and efficiency of natural language processing models mean that they will probably replace low-quality content writers and folks who write for content mills. However, your readers aren’t looking for content that is simply “correct” and SEO-optimized — they’re paying for you.

Rather than competing with Leviathan-like AI models, focus on refining your voice as a writer. A clear, stylistically interesting voice will convince prospective agents and publishers that you are a writer worth bringing on and will keep readers on the page for longer. 

If you’re struggling to discover your writerly identity, ask yourself “To whom am I speaking?”. Focusing on your audience will innately enhance your writerly voice and give you the confidence to make syntactical flourishes and grammatical choices that flaunt your voice and build rapport with your intended audience.

When considering your audience, you may find yourself mistakenly believing that you have nothing to say. This is likely caused by low self-esteem and a lack of experience. As a writer, you are an astute student of the world and always have something to contribute. Fortunately, you can improve your self-esteem by:

  • Prioritizing positive writer relationships
  • Practicing assertiveness when you sit down to write
  • Reining in self-criticism
  • Talking to a counselor or therapist

Remember, you don’t need to be an expert to write on a particular idea or subject. Simply believe in your ability to create credible, engaging content and use AI to help with pre-writing research.

Pre-Writing Research

As a writer, you may be reluctant to create an account with ChatGPT or Ryte — particularly if you believe that they will “steal” your job one day. However, writers have been using tools for centuries. We’ve come a long way from quills and dip pens, but you should still make use of the latest breakthroughs in tech.

You can use AI to speed up the pre-writing research phase and improve the veracity of your work. For example, imagine you’ve been asked to produce a blog post titled “The Best Summer Annuals for Large Flower Beds.” However, you know nothing about gardening and don’t know your petunias from your pansies.

Rather than spending hours scouring the web for expert advice, start your search with a simple prompt on a program like ChatGPT. Something like “What annuals will fill a large flower bed?”. This will likely generate a list of useful options for you to consider. However, you aren’t finished researching just yet.

Take the information that ChatGPT has generated and follow up with several Google searches based on your findings. Focus on authoritative sources and truly learn from the blog posts and articles that you find. When it’s time to write, close the AI program that you used to get the ball rolling and focus on writing high-quality copy that reflects your voice and links to all the appropriate sources.

This AI-driven style of research will save you plenty of time and help you get an overview of any given subject. It’s your job to turn your research into reader-friendly paragraphs that are accurate, enjoyable to read, and SEO-friendly.

Starting Your Own Side Hustle

As an author or freelance writer, you’re usually a small cog in a much bigger wheel. You produce thousands of words per day but only get paid based on the rates agreed upon with clients or publishers.

However, AI can change this paradigm and put you in the driver’s seat. Leverage your strengths to create a business of your own by identifying your most valuable soft and hard skills. Combine these skills with an industry that you are passionate about and consider starting your own blog or affiliate website.


Use AI to firm up your blind spots and do the heavy lifting for you. Use SEO programs like SEMRush, Jasper, and AlliAi to identify keywords, complete A/B testing, and track your rankings. This means you can focus your efforts on writing high-quality content without having to worry about doubling as an SEO agency for your own blog or affiliate site.

Conclusion

As a writer, you can’t afford to ignore the power of AI programs like ChatGPT. Instead, use the tools to increase your productivity, alleviate your workload, and start a side hustle of your own. Use the time you save thanks to AI tools to refine your writerly voice and increase the depth of your research. This will help you stand out from the crowd of writers and lead to more lucrative book deals or client contracts in the future.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

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Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

Do You Need a Strong Web Following To Get a Publishing Deal?

Making it as an author has changed dramatically in the digital age. Today, building your personal brand online is almost as important as your ability to wordsmith a syntactically sophisticated sentence or write a strong narrative hook.

Big-name authors like Cassandra Clare and Brandon Sanderson can even leverage their hefty followings online when looking to land a new publishing deal.

But building a substantial following online can be tricky. BookTok and author-Twitter are competitive digital spaces and publishers are unlikely to be swayed by single-digit follower counts.

So, before starting up a Twitter page or a Reddit sub, you need to decide whether the effort is worth the reward.

Do You Need a Web Presence?

There’s no doubt that social media is a great place to build your personal brand. However, authors have been making do for centuries without fretting about 280-character limits or photo filters for Instagram.

Even today, popular contemporary authors like Sally Rooney and Zadie Smith eschew the Twitter-verse and turn their backs on Book-Tok. Instead, these authors lean on the strength of their prose and let their publishers do the branding for them.

Turning your nose up on Twitter may just give you the time and mental energy you need to craft your next best-seller, too. Rooney, the author of Normal People, is famous for spending hundreds of hours alone in the New York Public Library while researching an upcoming novel. It’s hard to imagine that she had time to shoot a TikTok video or join a Twitter debate while deep in Marxist theory.

Similarly, Zadie Smith — author of White Teeth — feels that the burden of instant analysis that social media provides would threaten her writing process. Smith says that she “began to really dislike the tone of voice of Twitter,” and that tweeting put her in a position that undermined her “right to be wrong.”

Benefits of Digital Followings

Building a loyal digital following is demanding. You need to post original content on a near-daily basis and have to regularly engage with your followers to build your following. However, if you do build a significant following, you’ll be able to leverage your loyal supporters when looking to land your first publishing deal.

A digital following can supplement your income, too. As an author, you’re a trusted source on all things literary. You can even use your wordsmithing skills and rhetorical savvy to make a living from blogging. A digital side hustle is a great way to earn some extra income, and the ability to self-promote will earn you bonus points when working with publishers.

Generate more income while waiting for your first publishing deal by choosing a niche for your blog. A strong niche like classic book reviews or short-form poetry will draw more people to your blog and will help you build a loyal following. Choose a name and a content management system that suits your personal brand and organize your main pages so folks can quickly find the information they’re looking for.

Growing your digital following can be useful if you plan on circumventing traditional publishing houses. Self-publishing is a fast-growing avenue for newcomers to the literary scene, as many author brands already have a presence in the book world. As a book influencer, you’ll already have an audience eager to read your new work, and you won’t have to worry about jumping through the convoluted hurdles that traditional publishing presents.

A strong following online gives you the chance to self-publish — but that doesn’t mean you should. If you believe in your writing and want to land a publishing deal, use your online following to show that you have the “it” factor. A strong digital brand shows that you already know what your readers want and have the skills necessary to deliver on audience expectations.

How to Build a Brand Online

A strong digital following can be a real ace up your sleeve during the publishing process. However, garnering the attention of book-ish followers can be tricky.


Start building your online brand presence by following the authors you know and love. What kind of content do they post? What insights resonate with you? Which posts do you scroll past without paying much attention?

Use your favorite authors as a guide. This will help better understand your brand’s positioning in the book industry. Try to emulate their content but add a twist that authentically represents you, too. This shows that you are aware of market trends but can provide a unique reading experience that stands out from the competition. Don’t be afraid to show the “behind the scenes” of your work day and use your social presence to build an authorial identity that you can be proud of.

Conclusion

A strong web following can be a useful bargaining chip when working with an agent. However, you’ll still need to jump through all the usual hoops if you want to get published via traditional venues. Make the process much easier by refining your niche via a blog and following authors in your sub-genre to better understand your audience’s expectations.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Categories
Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

3 Steps Freelance Writers Should Take To Protect Themselves and Their Assets

 The gig economy has been steadily growing in the U.S. for the past five years. Over 73 million Americans now work for themselves as freelancers and millions more are expected to start their own businesses in the coming years.

Working as a freelance writer can be particularly rewarding. You can use your wordsmithing abilities to make a great living and don’t have to worry about clocking in for required hours.

However, going freelance can be financially risky. You don’t earn a pre-defined salary and won’t receive benefits like healthcare insurance. This means you have to take proactive steps to protect yourself and stay financially secure between projects.

Mitigate Financial Risk

Earning a living as a freelance writer is deeply rewarding. You’re being paid to show off your command of language and can choose to take on projects that align with your personal interests or professional goals.

However, going freelance is a little like taking a leap of faith. Your earnings are entirely dependent on the clients you secure and you can’t be certain that you’ll earn enough to cover your cost of living in the first few months.

Future-proof planning can help you make calculated decisions can reduce the amount of financial risk you incur.

Start by building a strong emergency fund. As a freelancer, your emergency fund should cover at least three to six months’ worth of essential outgoings. This will give you time to switch directions if you find that freelancing isn’t right for you.

Remember to put aside a portion of your earnings for tax, too. Don’t get caught out by the 15.3% self-employment tax as you’ll still need to pay for Social Security and Medicare even when you’re self-employed. Work with an accountant or CPA to mitigate your risk and ensure that you pay your taxes on time.

You’ll also need to source your own insurance when you’re self-employed. However, finding the right healthcare coverage can be tricky. Consider using healthcare.gov’s Health Insurance Marketplace to find the right insurance options for you. You’ll be able to browse flexible plans and find high-quality health coverage that aligns with your budget and healthcare needs.

As your freelance writing business grows, try to diversify your income streams. You may have one or two stellar clients when you first decide to go freelance, but you need to spread your risk if you want to make it in the long term. Taking on a few clients can help you diversify your portfolio, too, as different clients will ask for content based on the genre expectations of their industry.

Register as an LLC

Sole-proprietorship is the default business structure for freelancers. Setting up as a sole proprietor is straightforward and relatively affordable, meaning you can start earning without having to bring in professional help. However, as your freelance business grows you may want to switch to a limited liability corporation (LLC).

Starting an LLC is easy. Find a registered agent in your state and have them file the proper paperwork before important deadlines pass. You’ll need to share information like the business name, the contact information of all founding members, the address of the LLC, and the mission statement for your business.

Once you registered as an LLC, your business accounts and personal accounts will be considered separate. This can help you protect your personal assets if you are sued or face legal issues. Likewise, if you go bankrupt, creditors cannot go after your personal assets and only have access to your business assets.

Use Reputation Management Techniques

Your reputation is vital to the success of your business as a freelance writer. A great reputation can help you land high-profile clients and will improve your retention rate between projects.

However, maintaining a great reputation is about more than completing work on time and sending professional emails. If you have a social site or a blog, you need to utilize reputation management techniques to keep your brand strong and your clients happy.

Start by regularly posting to social media and actively engaging with the questions, comments, and concerns you receive. A quick response to a question asked on Twitter or Instagram can nip a potential PR problem in the bud and will show clients that you care about them.

If you maintain a blog or website, lean on your SEO skills to boost your profile and rank higher in search engines. Post high-quality, SEO-optimized content to your blog every month and monitor the site’s performance using Google Analytics. This shows your audience that you have an insider understanding of digital content and will draw more clients to your business.

As your brand grows, utilize free brand-mentioning tools like those offered by SproutSocial and HootSuite Streams. Social listening tools can help you see the conversation happening about your brand and will alert you to any negative PR coming your way.

Conclusion

Going freelance is exciting, rewarding, and a little bit scary. You can minimize the risk you take on by building an emergency fund and registering as an LLC. This can help you remain financially secure between projects and will give you the confidence you need to upgrade your clients and build a brand that supports your growing business.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Categories
Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

How is Artificial Intelligence Changing the Copywriting World?

Copywriting has changed a lot in the past decade. Instead of writing for print media, most copywriters now work in digital marketing and are experts in SEO, keyword optimization, and social media.

Most copywriters have embraced the digital revolution and can find more work thanks to the explosion of blogs, websites, and social media platforms.

However, artificial intelligence is poised to shake up the copywriting world forever. Some fear that AI may even replace copywriters in the future, though the effectiveness of AI remains questionable. In reality, sophisticated AI can help copywriters mitigate mistakes and work more efficiently.

A.I. Copy

A.I.-generated copy is designed to produce quick results for folks who don’t have the budget to pay real writers. This means that most human writers aren’t afraid of AI, as algorithms can’t do the work required to research keywords, plan projects, and gather insights from industry experts.

A.I. is relatively easy to spot, too. As copywriter Giada Nizzoli explains, A.I. is only capable of producing “words written without a strategy.” This means that A.I.-generated content might be grammatically correct, but it seldom performs as well as human-generated content.

A.I. copy goes against Google’s guidelines, too. Major businesses cannot afford to fall foul of Webmaster guidance and will sidestep A.I. content. Those who do “employ” A.I. writers run the risk of being classified as “spam” and removed from Google listings.

Unfortunately, A.I. may take work away from the most at-risk writers. Writers who are growing their portfolio on sites like Fiverr or Upwork could face direct competition from bots, as A.I. is a cheaper, quicker alternative to freelancers. These writers will have their income slashed, as their price point will be driven downwards by A.I. that offers similar services at a fraction of the price.

That said, most writers quickly graduate from the pittance paid on freelancing sites. Writers who want to build a career in copywriting can generate their own portfolio using sample work and should try to work with agencies that are on the lookout for creative, motivated copywriters.

A.I. Assistance

Writing bots aren’t going to replace professional copywriters anytime soon. However, A.I. can be used as part of a professional writer’s toolkit.

Artificial intelligence helps researchers and writers by eliminating human error and improving pattern identification. Machine learning programs are capable of crawling the web in a fraction of a second, and can speed up data analysis. This means that A.I. can be used during keyword research and may help writers generate ideas for when they’re struggling with writer’s block.

A.I. can speed up the editing process, too. Programs like Grammarly and ProWritingAid use machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing to identify errors and make suggestions. This helps copywriters sidestep syntactical slip-ups and ensures that every sentence, paragraph, and page is grammatically correct.

A.I. for Business

Copywriting is about more than keyword research and wordsmithing. Any copywriter worth their salt is also a savvy business person and understands the importance of personal branding for their small business.

For new copywriters working on a limited budget, A.I. tools may be a cost-effective way to improve their offering and reach more clients.

A.I. can help small business owners generate sample logos and branded blog pages that resonate with prospective clients. A.I. can also complete competitor analysis to help copywriters set price points and target new customers.

It’s worth noting that business-related A.I. tools aren’t as effective as real-life humans. A real graphic designer will always produce better results than a bot. Likewise, human intervention is needed during competitor analysis as A.I. can be swayed by anomalous data points and complex consumer behavior.

Conclusion

The pessimistic amongst us believe that A.I. will take our jobs and deliver us all into a matrix-like future. However, steps are already being taken to ensure that A.I. doesn’t tread on the toes of real-life copywriters. Anti-bot apps like GPTZero are capable of identifying AI-generated content and Google’s Webmaster guidelines categorize AI-generated copy as spam.

That said, A.I. can be used as a tool to help copywriters. A.I. can eliminate errors and conduct competitor analysis. This gives copywriters a leg-up on the competition and ensures that clients get the high-quality content they need.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.