Tag: magazine writing

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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

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Categories
Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

How eBook Authors Can Connect with & Grow Their Reader Base

The advent of eReaders and the rise of social media means that, as an eBook writer, you can reach a global audience. eBooks sales are on the rise, too. Revenue generated from eBook sales is expected to reach $15.39 billion by 2027 when as many as 1.12 billion people will be using Kindles and Nooks to read their favorite new titles.

As an author, you can take advantage of the eBook boom by marketing to readers in digital spaces. Mastering the eBook marketing game today can help you connect with your readers and build a strong base for future releases.

However, the eBook scene is increasingly competitive. Even traditional authors, like fantasy novelist Brandon Sanderson, are entering the self-publishing eBook scene and dominating sales in the eReader world.

The competitive nature of the publishing world means that you must build an author brand that holds serious sway in the minds of your reader base. Offering exclusive content like “sneak peaks” and branded merch can help you build the requisite buzz around your eBooks and develop a loyal reader base that buys every book you release.

Social Media

Social media is a gold mine for authors in the eBook industry. In sales terms, the folks who follow you online are “highly qualified” leads who are much more likely to purchase your upcoming eBook than the average Joe. 

However, finding success on social media requires more than posting a few selfie snaps. You need to post engaging content that adds meaningful value to your readers’ lives if you want to connect with your audience base.

Learn from published pros like John and Hank Green. The Green brothers are both traditionally published authors but have built much of their loyal following on social sites like YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok. The pair share informative, engaging content through their VlogBrothers page and Crash Course project.

Fortunately, you don’t have to become a full-time influencer to reap the rewards of a strong social presence. Instead, consider sharing useful content on sites like Twitter and TikTok. Focus on content genres like:

  • Tips to overcome writer’s block
  • Self-Publishing “How-to’”
  • Behind-the-scenes shots of your writing process
  • Interviews with other eBook authors

Posting interesting, informative content will build a buzz around your upcoming eBooks and increase engagement across all your social pages. Remember to interact with any comments or shares that you receive, and reward folks who regularly participate in author Q&As or opinion polls.

Increase your reach and engagement further by hosting competitions that improve your social following and build loyalty amongst your reader base. Offer physical promotions like stickers, temporary tattoos, and branded merch to bolster your social game. Readers will love showing their support with stickers and custom badges. Include a QR code in the design to draw more folks to your social pages and build intrigue around your eBook brand.

Membership Platforms

Social media is the best place to build your author brand and connect with new readers. However, you may be able to generate a little extra and build your reader base by offering exclusive content within membership platforms like Patreon and Substack.

Consider offering a tiered membership program with exclusive perks and benefits to the folks who decide to support you with a subscription. You’ll be competing against well-established authors like Chuck Palahniuk, so be sure to give your reader base exclusive content that excites them. Consider offering insider perks like:

  • Exclusive, members-only merch
  • Early access releases
  • More regular Q&As
  • Feedback for aspiring authors
  • Pre-publication access to chapters

Remember that membership platforms give you a chance to connect with an audience base that authentically cares. Post regularly and offer meaningful insights into your writing process. You can even host workshop-style digital events that build your web presence and grow your reader base online.

Web Presence

As an eBook author, you live and die by your web presence. Without a strong digital profile, would-be readers will never find your books and will turn to competitors, instead.

Start by creating a web page that is designed to build traffic and grow your digital profile. Ignoring Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the most common eBook marketing mistakes you can make. Improve your SEO game by researching relevant keywords and producing high-quality content for your blog.

As your eBook brand grows, you may need to bring in an SEO specialist to further bolster your digital presence. An SEO agency will build your presence online by utilizing technical SEO that increases your visibility on search engines like Google while fixing fundamental errors like content duplication and slow-loading pages. This allows you to focus on your writing and gives you time to attend in-person events.

In-Person Events

Attending in-person events is a great way to network and build your brand as an eBook author. Speaking at panels and participating in conferences is a fantastic way to build your credibility, too. This is particularly important if you are trying to break into the eBook scene, as readers may be more likely to buy from authors they meet in person at book events.

Landing your first in-person event can be tricky. Start building your network by attending events as a participant, rather than a guest author. Local workshops and author readings are a great place to connect with your community and build your reputation as an eBook writer.

Avoid “selling” yourself while attending in-person events. The folks who attend book clubs and writer’s workshops don’t attend with the goal of buying a new novel; they’re attending to have fun, learn, and meet upcoming authors. Focus your efforts on building a connection with your readers and be prepared to give more than you receive. At most, you can ask loyal readers to write a review to aid your upcoming marketing efforts

Gathering Reviews

Good reviews are invaluable in the eBook publishing world. A high-profile, positive review can push your book to the top of the rankings and draw an entirely new reader base that will boost your profile. However, gathering reviews as a new author can be tricky — particularly if you aren’t used to asking readers to weigh in on your work.

Improve your reputation online by actively encouraging readers to leave reviews. Create a clear process for gathering reviews, and personalize any requests for reviews that you make. Use the data you collect to include key details like your reader’s names and include a call to action in email marketing (e.g. a hyperlink or a button with the text “Click here to leave a review”).

Be sure to track the number of reviews you get and store them within spreadsheet software like Excel or Google Sheets. This way, you can quickly search for adjectives that you want to use in marketing materials like “adventurous”, “bold”, or “thought-provoking”.

You can further incentivize reviewers by offering discounts and/or credits for use on future purchases. For example, you could give readers who leave a positive review $1 off the next eBook they buy from you. This increases reader loyalty and can lead to an increase in repeat purchases.

Conclusion

Building a loyal reader base can be tough in the eBook industry. Readers have plenty of options to choose from and can find their favorite author’s newest novel with just a few clicks.

Build your brand and connect with your reader base by improving your social media presence. Even small changes, like posting tips to overcome writer’s block, can make a big difference to your reputation online. Follow up by offering exclusive content on a members-only site like Substack or Patreon. These sites give you a great chance to connect with your readers and bring in some extra revenue while you work on upcoming projects.

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 Uncategorized

Combating Writer’s Block By Inspiring Creativity

If you’re feeling uninspired and like nothing you write seems good anymore, you likely got a case of writer’s fatigue. Everyone gets tired and feels a lack of inspiration now and then, but those who specifically pursue creative pursuits, like writing, can struggle with this even more.

Luckily, if you’ve got writer’s fatigue or writer’s block, it’s not permanent, and you are not alone. Every single day there are writers like yourself battling with blocks that interrupt their work, and every day writers overcome these blocks thanks to a little help and guidance.

Writer’s block might not feel the same for everyone, however, and its treatment may vary from person to person. But often, it’s simply a matter of taking a step back and finding ways to inspire your creativity again.

The Dreaded Writer’s Block: What is it? And Why Does it Happen?

Writer’s block is usually something that stems from some creative burnout or just burnout in general. You can’t easily ignore it. If anything, pay attention to it. It’s usually an indication that you are pushing yourself too hard or there is some other issue going on that needs to be addressed.

In most cases, there are five types of blockages or issues — one or more of which could be contributing to your burnout or writer’s fatigue. These include:

  1. Mental blocks associated with thoughts or beliefs that are hindering you.
  2. Scarcity blocks, which stem from having a lack of resources needed to succeed.
  3. Emotional blocks, which develop in response to fears, emotional responses, or past trauma.
  4. Procedural blocks that come from unhelpful habits and poor workflow.
  5. Attentional blocks, which are the result of things in your life that are distracting you and pulling your focus.

Once you can identify what blocks or issues are contributing to your burnout or writer’s block, then you can take the steps necessary to fix those issues.

Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block By Tapping Into Your Creativity

While there are a variety of methods to treat burnout, all of them typically center around recharging your creativity or finding new inspiration.

Below are some tips for overcoming your blocks by helping you unlock your potential and inspire creativity.

1. Find A Creative Outlet Outside of Writing

If you are throwing all of your creative juices into your writing only, you will most likely feel blocked. You probably spend too much time writing and not enough time on “brain breaks.” Not all of your time should be spent staring at a screen, typing.

So, picking up another creative hobby can help you find ways to enjoy being creative again, and over time, you might find yourself feeling more inspired to write again. You could pick up painting, for example, or photography. Maybe try your hand at playing an instrument or throw yourself into learning to bake. Whatever it is, just make sure it doesn’t involve sitting in front of your computer.

2. Try Journaling

Picking up a journal and taking note of the things around you and in your life that you find inspiring can help you overcome your blocks.

For example, you can sit outside and make a note of the beauty of nature or do some people-watching and jot down the things about humans or humanity that you find inspiring. You can also turn your journal into more of a scrapbook of things that inspire you.

Your journal also doesn’t haven’t to be conventional. It doesn’t even have to feature writing if you don’t want it. You can use it as a scrapbook and feature photographs or objects that inspire you — like a piece of nature or a place that makes you happy.

3. Do Some Brainstorming Activities

Brainstorming is an excellent way to jumpstart creativity so you can find your way back to your writing again. Many companies use brainstorming sessions to help their employees get their creative juices flowing. Just because you potentially work from home as a writer doesn’t mean you can’t have your own brainstorming sessions with yourself.

You can start by simply thinking of a topic and coming up with questions or ideas you have about it on a piece of paper. There are also numerous online tools you can use for digital brainstorming and creating mind maps.

The ideas you are brainstorming don’t necessarily have to be about the things you are writing about. You can brainstorm about anything, even silly topics. The idea is to simply exercise your brain in a new way that can help you feel inspired again.

4. Build Your Creative Network

Sometimes the issue of writer’s block stems from isolation. Writers who work from home or spend a significant time on their own may be especially familiar with this concept. It can be incredibly helpful to get out and network with other creatives like yourself to help you feel the drive to write again and get past your blocks.

You can simply go out and socialize more, or you can seek out specific groups and meetups geared towards creatives, like meetups for writers, painting groups, or even a book club. It ultimately doesn’t matter what kind of socializing you are doing; it’s just about getting out and having that human connection with others to avoid the isolation that could be contributing to your writer’s block.

Final Thoughts

Writer’s block can sometimes feel like an impossible feat to overcome. But experiencing one doesn’t make you any less of a writer. There are so many others who have felt the same way and still eventually overcame their blocks. Sometimes you just need to step away from your writing and find other things and activities you enjoy to help you find inspiration again.

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.

Categories
Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Editing Process

No matter how long you’ve been writing, you know that your “finished” copy is really nowhere near complete. Once you’ve completed your work, the editing process begins. This can be a painstaking process for writers. Not only do you have to pick apart all of the hard work you put in, but you’re probably putting a lot of pressure on yourself to ensure your story is nothing short of perfection.

Editing is often a long process, filled with self-doubt. You might start to question your abilities, be more critical of your work and your intelligence, and start to feel down about life, in general.

Needless to say, it can all take a toll on your mental health. So, it’s essential to take care of your mental well-being throughout the editing process. If you don’t, you could be at risk of burning out and losing your desire to write and be creative. You might even end up resenting your work.

So, what can you do to take care of your mental health in the editing process, and how can you mitigate burnout?

Establish a Routine

Maybe you have a strict deadline that you need to make, and it’s putting extra weight on your shoulders. Or, maybe you don’t have a timeline in place, causing you to procrastinate and be even more critical of your work. In either situation, a healthy routine can help.

Even if you’re working from home and you don’t have any tight deadlines ahead, a routine can help with:

  • Reducing stress
  • Boosting productivity
  • Reducing anxiety
  • Giving you more time to relax
  • Encouraging healthy habits

Having a regular routine will make it easier to get the sleep your mind and body need. A lack of sleep is often linked with stress and depression. Prioritizing a good night’s rest can boost your mental well-being. You’ll also have more time to cook healthy meals, exercise, and socialize with friends and family. These are all things that are fantastic for your mental health and can help you achieve a better work-life balance.

Your daily routine should also include taking frequent breaks. While that might sound counterproductive to the editing process, sometimes stepping away from your work for a short time can make you feel more refreshed and creative when you get back to it. Clear your head by stepping outside for a few minutes, or try some deep breathing techniques to reduce your stress and boost your creativity during your break time.

Be Kind to Yourself

Self-compassion isn’t usually the top priority when a writer is editing. As you start to see more things you want to add or take away from your work, it’s easy to feel down about yourself and your abilities.

However, it’s important to lead with self-compassion when it comes to editing your own work. Self-compassion lets you acknowledge that you’re feeling down, but allows you to be patient and warm with yourself as you work through the difficult parts of the process. It can also improve your health. The more compassionate you are with yourself, the more likely you’ll be to make healthier lifestyle choices that benefit your mind and body.

Finally, be kind to yourself by reaching out for help when you need it. Chances are, you have a great support system out there. Whether it’s family members or friends, people are on your side and they want you to feel good about yourself. Socialize often, spend time in nature with people you love, and don’t hesitate to talk to a mental health professional if you’re really struggling.

When writing is your passion, the last thing you want is for it to become an obligation or something that causes stress. Keep these tips in mind to mitigate the effects of writer burnout during editing, and to enjoy the experience once again.

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

Building and Marketing Your Brand as a Freelance Writer

When you’re a freelance copywriter or author, you’re not just your own boss — you are your own brand, too.

It’s important to think of yourself as a brand and business when you’re on your own so you can market yourself effectively. You could be the most talented writer in the world, but if you aren’t able to build a client base through your marketing efforts, you won’t be as successful as you could be.

With that in mind, let’s look at some actionable ideas you can use to build your brand and market yourself online. There are a few tools and tricks that can help your work stand out, and some marketing techniques that can help you build a brand and get noticed.

Housing Your Portfolio in Multiple Places

As a freelancer, you probably already know the importance of having a solid portfolio where potential clients can see your work. You can also use your portfolio pieces to pitch yourself and your ideas to new people.

Having a website is a great start when it comes to showcasing your work online. It’s even better if you’re familiar with SEO practices and can boost your site ranking on Google. If you’re not sure how to do that, start by taking a look at your content and determining if it’s “thin”. You can beef it up and get your page noticed by:

  • Boosting your word count
  • Making sure your content is completely original
  • Avoiding uninformative filler content
  • Avoiding bad grammar

Optimizing your website is important, but if you want to improve your visibility, put your portfolio on different platforms like LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Contently. You never know who could be searching these sites, and marketing yourself and your work across various platforms will get you noticed faster.

Making Marketing a Project

If you’ve never done any marketing before, it can help to break down the process and approach it as you would the five phases of project management:

  • Initiation
  • Planning
  • Execution
  • Performance and monitoring
  • Closing

All of these steps are crucial, but “closing” might be the most important, as it allows you to ask yourself what went well and what didn’t. What did you learn, and what can you do better? If your strategy didn’t go as well as planned, you might want to try an alternative platform, like relying more on social media or sending out newsletters to your email subscribers.

Nowadays, consumers are hungry for relationships with brands. They appreciate businesses that aren’t afraid to let their “humanistic” sides show. You might just be one person, but it’s still important for you to be yourself when connecting and interacting with clients. Doing so will also give your brand a personality — even if you’re just being yourself. It’s a great way to balance being a writer and being a business.

Start a Blog

Having a portfolio of your professional work is a fantastic way for potential clients to see what they’ll be getting if they work for you. However, as a writer, having your own personal blog can also make a big difference.

It’s another way to let your human side show and to let people connect with you. A blog also showcases your love of writing and allows you to be more creative and casual. Not everyone is looking for technical writing or a professional tone. Sometimes, conversational pieces and colloquial tones are exactly what a client needs.

Having your own blog shows that you’re a full-scope writer capable of taking on different niches. It also showcases your authority as a writer and can boost a client’s confidence in what to expect. Plus, having a blog can help you avoid burnout. When you’re doing so much work for other people, you’re not focused on your own creativity or writing the things that truly inspire you. Having a blog gives your that opportunity. If you’re a freelance writer, it’s time to start building your brand. Keep these tips in mind to market yourself effectively online, and it won’t take long before you see your business starting to grow and succeed.

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 To Overcome Creative Burnout as a Freelance Writer

While the life of a writer may seem easy to the outsider, in reality, it is not for the faint of heart. It takes hours of dedication and a big imagination in order to develop new characters, create a pleasing format, and come up with the hundreds to thousands of words that you need to complete an assignment or turn in a draft. Sometimes, the effort necessary to succeed can get the best of us, and we may encounter writer’s block or burnout.

If you are a writer who has ever struggled to stay awake long enough to write a draft, or you wake up dreading the idea of turning on your computer to fill your word quota for the day, then you may be experiencing burnout. Let’s talk about this phenomenon and what you can do to get your mojo back.

What Is Burnout?

While it may not technically be an official medical condition, for a writer, burnout can be very real. It is often defined by feelings of chronic stress, trouble sleeping, endless anxiety, and a general feeling of tiredness or a lack of inspiration that makes it hard to work or be creative. Burnout can also lead to physical ailments, such as headaches, weight fluctuations, and gastrointestinal disturbances.

There can be many reasons why you may experience burnout or a lack of ambition. One of the more common reasons is that you are pushing yourself too hard, and after working long hours every day to complete your tasks, you could become so tired and uninspired that you do not want to continue. If you believe that is the culprit, then set working hours in stone and stick to a strict schedule.

Sometimes, there can be a combination of factors that lead to your creative burnout. You might have writer’s block, and it is causing you to stay up all night fretting about the issue. That sleeplessness can make you feel even more anxious during the day, and it can make your feelings of burnout even worse. It can be an endless cycle, so you need to regain control and get your life and career back on track.

Create A More Productive Workspace

If you are experiencing burnout or extreme writer’s block, then you may need to change your environment and create a more productive workspace.

Start by finding the proper chair and desk combination. Your desk chair should be comfortable while keeping you upright and attentive without allowing you to slouch. Your desk should be at the right height so that the top of your computer monitors are at your eye level to avoid strain and discomfort. Even better, consider a standing desk that will allow you to stay energized and alert so you can get more work done.

Next, you need to create a more inspiring workspace by opening the blinds and putting your desk closer to the window so you can let in the natural light. It is an important step because natural light has been found to increase productivity, and you’ll also save money on the monthly utilities.

Along with natural light, you should fill the space with plants. It is said that being surrounded by plants can create a more calming and mood-lifting effect. That is because greenery reminds us of being a part of nature, and it may lead to some great inspiration. Make these changes and see if you feel a little bit better about your work.

Find Inspiration Elsewhere

If you find that mixing up your work environment is still not getting you out of your funk, then you may have to find inspiration elsewhere. For instance, if you are not feeling creative with your writing, then consider picking up a new hobby like art or music. That way, you will still be creating something with your imagination, and that newfound energy could transfer over into your writing.

Another idea is to get out of the house and join a critique group. By doing so, you can share your work with other writers and even find a personal critique partner who you can use to bounce ideas off and see if you get out of your writing jam. Consider meeting with several different writers from diverse backgrounds and see if you can get your creative juices flowing again.

If nothing seems to be working, then it may be time to get up and step away for a while. Consider taking time off to enjoy a vacation or a weekend out of the house where you do other activities that you enjoy that have nothing to do with writing.

In the end, if you believe that you are experiencing burnout, then you are not alone. Consider the tips and advice mentioned here, and you will get back into your groove.

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 and Freelance

Start the New Year with Articles

The new year. A great time to try something you haven’t done before. How about writing articles?

Many people think there is no other option for writers except writing books. And, they think books are the quickest way to garner fame and fortune. Many of those writers have never considered writing articles, which have so many benefits to your writing.

1. Articles get your name out there. Because you can write many articles in a short amount of time, you are able to reach many audiences at one time. As readers see your name repeatedly, you become recognized as an authority on your subject.

2. Articles keep small paychecks coming. Even though small, the amounts you are paid for your article writing add up to a nicer amount.

3. Articles are a good way to publicize your book. When you write an article that is even somewhat related to the subject of your book you increase your notoriety as someone who is knowledgeable on the subject. When you write your bio you can mention that you are the author of a certain book, which will pique the interest of readers on your subject.

4. Articles give you many opportunities for subjects to write about. For instance, if you write nonfiction, you could write article on closely related subjects.

If you write about the care of dogs, for example, you could write not only write your care article but you could write an article on the different breeds, what breeds are best with children/older people, therapy dogs, etc. In your research you probably come across all of these subjects as you learn about the care of dogs.

If you write fiction, consider your theme. If your book is about trust, you could write numerous articles from numerous angles on trust. If your heroine has a sister who has suffered from depression, write an article on how to recognize depression in others, what the best treatments and therapies are, etc. Perhaps your heroine’s baby was kidnapped from a school classroom, you could write about kidnapping and how to make sure your children are safe at school. Or if your child was bullied, how your child should react to bullying when he or she is away from home.

All these will point back to the book you are marketing and help build your platform.

Linda Gilden is an award-winning writer, speaker, editor, certified writing and speaking coach, and personality consultant. Linda is the author of many books and over 1000 magazine articles. Linda is a regular columnist for writing and family websites. She and her husband live on a farm near their family. Her favorite activity is floating in a pool surrounded by six of the cutest, splashing grandchildren in the world—a great source of writing material! www.lindagilden.com

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

A Writer’s Bio – The Most Valuable Piece of Real Estate on the Block

Many writers assume that the value of their article is the payment they receive for writing it. The opposite may be true.

If you’re trying to make a living as a freelance writer, you may be tempted to choose which articles you write based on the compensation you receive. Fiscal sense tells us to accept the articles that pay the most and reject the ones with little financial reward. While compensation can determine if we can pay our bills, there’s often a hidden value in every article that has little to do with financial compensation. It’s a prime piece of literary real estate called a bio.

Almost without exception, magazines, compilations, devotionals, and online publications include a writer’s bio—short for biography—at the end of each article. A bio is a few lines that tell the reader about the writer. If you craft your bio well, it can be more valuable in the long term than a check.

 A well-written bio can:

1. Help convert one-time readers to followers. If your writing resonates with a reader, they’ll want to read more of your work. Be sure to include live links (if allowed) to your blog, book, or social media sites.

2. Establish your credibility. Whenever I write grandparenting articles, for example, I always say something about my four grandchildren in my bio. If you write for professional publications, mention your education or awards. If you contribute articles to Bikers Weekly, be sure to include a detail or two about your Honda Goldwing or your Harley.

3. Spark emotional connections. Years ago I read one of Lori Roeleveld’s articles on Crosswalk.com. Her message resonated with me and made me want to learn more about her. When I read in her bio she was from my home state of Rhode Island, I had to reach out. As we exchanged emails, we discovered a multitude of common interests and experiences. Her well-written bio sparked what is now a delightful friendship.

4. Open the door to other writing opportunities. When you write in your area of expertise and use your bio to share additional credentials, others in the field can find you. For years I wrote articles and devotions for homeschooling parents. One day a friend shared one of my articles on Facebook. It caught the eye of an editor seeking a writer with homeschool experience. When she read in my bio that I had homeschooled for 17 years, the editor invited me to write for their website.

As you craft your bio, make every word count. And don’t use the same bio every time. Customize it for each publication, including details relevant to that audience. Use humor or share quirky details as long as it furthers your purpose. Check with each publication for style preferences and word count.

If you found this article helpful, I hope you’ll read my bio below. If I’ve written it well, it might make you want to visit my blog, vouch for my credibility, be my friend, or invite me to write for you. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Lori Hatcher is the editor of Reach Out, Columbia magazine and the author of three devotional books including Refresh Your Faith – Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible and Hungry for God … Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women, winner of the 2016 Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award. A blogger, writing instructor, and inspirational speaker, her goal is to help busy women connect with God in the craziness of life. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Hungry for God. . . Starving for Time . Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@LoriHatcher2), or Pinterest (Hungry for God).

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

Get Started with Writing Articles

The first thing a beginning writers often hear is “write what you know.” Good advice! But once you have exhausted what you know, how do you find other things to write about? Is it possible to write about things you don’t know?

Of course it is. You just have to know how to locate information that can make you a temporary expert!

1. Research. These days we have research at our fingertips. Start with an online search on a topic you would like to write about. Read the information but don’t stop there. Locate the sources in the bibliography of the article and go to some of them. The closer you can get to the original source of your information, the more accurate it will be.

2. Interview others who are experts on your topic. There are websites that can connect you with experts in every field. Local directories can give you contact information of those experts in your area. Social media is now a quick way to find people who are knowledgeable on a certain topic. If you still can’t find enough for your article, try colleges or local educators. Often they can give you the information you need or know someone who is knowledgeable in that area.

3. Look in your newspaper. People who write articles for newspapers and magazines have already done research and if they have already written about the topic you want to write about, they can be a gold mine of information.

4. Spend some time learning about the subject. For instance, Barbara Ehrenreich wanted to write about the welfare system in our country. She got a job and tried to live off of her meager salary as she researched that system.

At one point I wrote a soccer handbook. I had no idea how to begin or even what the rules for soccer were. My sons friends who played on the high school soccer team stopped by almost every afternoon to see what questions I had about the game. Those young men made it possible for me to complete my assignment and do it well.

Perhaps you are writing about a character in your novel and you are not familiar with the occupation of one of your characters. Ask to shadow someone for several days who has the same job. You would be surprised what you can learn in just a few sessions with someone who is knowledgeable.

As you can see there are lots of ways to write about something you don’t know about. So maybe we should rephrase our subject. If you are a beginning writer, write what you know and write what you can learn.

Linda Gilden is an award-winning writer, speaker, editor, certified writing and speaking coach, and personality consultant. Her passion is helping others discover the joy of writing. Linda recently released Articles, Articles, Articles! and is the author of over a thousand magazine articles. As director of the Carolina Christian Writers Conference, Linda helps many writers take the next step in reaching their writing goals. Linda’s favorite activity (other than eating folded potato chips) is floating in a pool with a good book surrounded by splashing grandchildren—a great source of writing material! www.lindagilden.com

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

Avoid these Common Article-Writing Mistakes

As the editor of Reach Out, Columbia magazine, I’ve had the pleasure of coaching new (and seasoned) writers for more than ten years. Every month we work together to produce informative, engaging, and inspiring material for our readers. As I review submissions, I often see one or more of these common mistakes:

Common article-writing mistakes

1. Beginning at the beginning

It seems logical, when writing a feature article, to begin at the beginning of someone’s life. That’s where it all began, right? And the details are so fascinating and relevant. Unfortunately a reader doesn’t care about the details until they care about the subject.

We have to hook ‘em first, show them why they should care, then fill in the back story. Twentieth-century filmmaker Billy Wilder described this technique: “You grab them by the throat, their heart is beating, and you never let go.”

Instead of beginning at a subject’s birth, choose the point of highest conflict in their story and dive in. Once you’ve captured your reader’s attention, you can flesh out the details and the back story.

2. Telling not showing.

I find it much easier to rattle off a list of details rather than take the time to set the stage. But whether we’re writing a novel or penning an article, we must create a setting, provide sensory details, and showcase the story.

Dialogue is a great way to inject a reader into the scene by showing. Here’s an example:

“Mom,” Simpson said, raising his eyes and staring deeply into hers, “I’m going to New York to follow my dream.” He swallowed hard, then spoke again. “I hope you’ll give me your blessing.”

Simpson Jackson’s mother knew her response would impact their relationship for the rest of their lives.

3. Omitting description.

In today’s image-driven world, we rely heavily on graphics. We know the art director plans to use photos of our subject in the layout, so we skip the physical description in the story. Why waste precious words on the person’s salt and pepper crew cut or Bambi eyes?

Weaving physical descriptions into our narratives reinforces the graphics and spotlights details we want our readers to notice. Mentioning a subject’s “kind eyes” or “quick smile” also provides welcome description for visually-impaired readers and those listening to an article rather than reading it.

4. Failing to answer the readers’ questions.

Before I submit an article, I run it through the Have I Answered All My Readers’ Questions? test. This is an important step, especially if I’m very familiar with the subject or ministry. Just because I know the vernacular doesn’t mean everyone does.

Set aside your writer perspective and read the article as someone who knows nothing about the topic or person. Make sure you’ve included details that might answer their questions. Some examples might be:

  • How is this project funded?
  • How can I learn more about it?
  • How can I get involved?

5. Failing to define acronyms and jargon.

In recent days we’ve learned about the CDC, PPE, and LMNOP (oops, that was kindergarten). Although terms may be familiar to us, we can’t assume everyone knows what they mean. Unless it’s a universally-understood acronym, spell it out the first time and include the acronym in parenthesis immediately after, i.e. “the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said recently . . .” or “My WIP (work in progress) is coming along nicely.” Once you’ve defined it, you’re free to use the acronym in place of the complete name.

The next time you write an article, edit your piece with these common article writing mistakes in mind. If your work avoids all five, you’ll provide your editor with an article that’s clear, enjoyable, and RTP (ready to publish)!

Lori Hatcher is the editor of Reach Out, Columbia magazine and the author of several devotional books including Refresh Your Faith – Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible and Hungry for God … Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women, winner of the 2016 Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award. Her most recent book, A blogger, writing instructor, and inspirational speaker, her goal is to help women connect with God in the craziness of life. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Hungry for God. . . Starving for Time. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@LoriHatcher2), or Pinterest (Hungry for God).

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

5 Tips for a Successful Interview

When I interviewed Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The 5 Love Languages and a bazillion other books, I prayed for a unique interview question to set the tone for our time together. As Linda Gilden shared in last month’s post, “Interviewing – An Article Writer’s Best Tool,” one of the greatest tools we have as writers is the interview. “Quotes from individuals strengthen your point,” Gilden wrote, “and let your readers know that even if you are not an expert on the subject, you know people who are well-versed, and you work hard to make the connection.”

Whether you’re writing an informational article that includes quotes from an expert or a profile piece using original quotes, you want to be sure to handle your interview well. Here are a few tips for a successful conversation:

1 Do your homework.

Research your subject well. Learn everything you can about your subject/ministry/product/service before the interview so you won’t waste your (or their) time by asking for information you can easily find on the internet. Take notes and use your notes to craft your questions.

Sometimes you’ll discover unusual or intriguing information your subject might be too modest to share. These facts can chart the course of your interview and help you deepen and flesh out your article.

Often you may have only ten or 15 minutes to talk with your subject. You’ll want to spend these valuable minutes asking questions to unearth unique quotes and information, not rehash stuff someone else has already covered.

2 Create interview questions that deliver a new twist to who, what, when, where, why and how.

Don’t be afraid to dig deeper, but respect your subject’s privacy. Ask questions your readers might be wondering about.

As I prepared for my in-person interview with Gary Chapman, I asked his assistant what his love language was. She said, “Acts of service.” I used this information in an unusual way when we finally met in person.

Finally, conclude by giving your subject the chance to talk about something they consider important that you may not have thought of. Ask, “Is there anything you’d like our readers to know that we haven’t covered yet?” or “Is there a question you’ve always wished someone would ask you, but they never have?”

3 Ask permission to use a digital recorder, especially on a phone interview.

After a little small talk, I usually say something like, “I want to be sure I quote you accurately. Would you mind if I recorded our interview?” I’ve never had a subject refuse.

Once you have their permission, put your phone on speaker, turn on your digital recorder, and place it near the phone. If I’m interviewing in person, I use an inexpensive app called JustPressRecord, which allows me to record, transcribe, and email the conversation to myself later.

Occasionally someone will want to say something “off the record.” When this happens, I pause the recorder until we’ve moved beyond the subject in question.

4 Honor your subject’s time by sticking to the agreed-upon time limit.

Set a timer, and when you’re a few minutes away from the end of the interview, acknowledge this by saying something like, “Our time is almost up, and I want to respect your time. May I ask one final question?” Sometimes your subject will be willing to talk longer, but if they don’t offer, don’t presume. Wrap up the interview as soon as they’ve finished their answer by thanking them for talking with you.

5 If you know the date, tell them when you expect the article to be published and offer to send them a few copies or a link.

Ask for their address, and follow up with a hand-written thank you note. If you worked with a publicist or personal assistant to set up the interview, send them a note as well. Always leave a trail of gratitude and professionalism behind you.

Interviews can be scary, but they don’t have to be. If you do your homework, write clever questions, use a voice recorder, honor your subject’s time, and follow up with a thank you note, you’ll maximize your interview and further establish yourself as a writing professional.

On the day I interviewed Dr. Chapman, I baked a batch of cookies, packaged them up, and brought them to the interview. After I introduced myself to Dr. Chapman and Debbie, his assistant, I handed them both a box of cookies.

“I heard your love language is Acts of Service, Dr. Chapman,” I said, “so I wanted to do something special for you. These are homemade oatmeal pecan cookies. I hope you enjoy them.” He laughed, thanked me, and we sat down to one of the best interviews of my career. Several weeks later I received an email from Debbie thanking me for the cookies and asking for the recipe. Now how’s that for a surprise twist?

Lori Hatcher is the editor of Reach Out, Columbia magazine and the author of several devotional books. Hungry for God … Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women won the 2016 Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award. Her most recent book, Refresh Your Faith – Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible is due out in the spring of 2020. A blogger, writing instructor, and inspirational speaker, her goal is to help women connect with God in the craziness of life. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Hungry for God. . . Starving for Time . Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@LoriHatcher2), or Pinterest (Hungry for God).

Categories
Child's Craft

Nonfiction For Kids Is Big! – Part II

Last month we looked at an overview of writing nonfiction for kids. This month we focus in on writing nonfiction magazine articles for kids. Most children’s magazines buy MORE nonfiction articles than fiction.

Here are some helpful tidbits for crafting and selling your nonfiction to children’s magazines (online and print).

  • Research way more than you think you need. Use print sources and primary sources (interviews with people) primarily. For facts be sure you have three reliable, verifiable sources for each fact you include.
  • Keep track of your sources. A variety of website and software packages include bibliography builders. Pick one and use it to keep track of the following information:
    • Title and author (and illustrator) even on websites
    • Publishing company or magazine title
    • Publishing date or magazine date, volume and issue
    • City of publication for books
    • Page numbers for all printed material. Photocopy or download the actual pages you use.
    • For online sources the URL
    • For primary sources their names and date of the interview
  • Organize your research. If you can outline your article before you write it. If not, be sure you can outline it logically after it is written.
  • Be able to sum your article up in one sentence.
  • Remember the rule of threes.
  • Use great writing: strong verbs and nouns, clear sentences, keep words and sentence length age-appropriate, write tight, avoid passive voice.
  • Use visuals if you are a photographer or illustrator. If not, recommend the inclusion of visuals at specific places in your article.
  • Use humor when appropriate
  • Try to use a child-character in your article.
  • Research the publishers (books and magazines) well before submitting. Follow their guidelines exactly.

Magazines buy a variety of nonfiction articles. Here are a few ideas to get your brain tumbling.

  • Step-by-step How-to articles. Be sure the tools, materials and instructions are age-appropriate. Follow magazine guidelines exactly.
  • Sports articles. Interviews with sports figures, or profiles on them are always needed. Also informational articles should be about unusual sports. Introduce kids to sports they don’t commonly read about or participate in.
  • Articles about the arts. Focus, again, on famous people or people who have accomplished exciting or unusual things. If your subject is a kid that’s a big plus. Focus your articles on unusual productions, musical instruments, how-to articles for visual arts or literature.
  • How-to articles are great for sports, the arts, cooking, crafts, science experiments, gardening, pet care. The list is endless. Be sure to organize the article well with headings that clearly show the steps.
  • Facts or informational pieces. RESEARCH well. Write in a kid-friendly style. Engage and inspire your readers to dig deeper into the subject. Supply them with other sources (books, websites, magazines) they can check out for themselves.

Remember: nonfiction is BIG! It takes lots of research and plenty of patience to get the articles done right. But selling nonfiction magazine articles is a giant step toward publication and a readership of hundreds of thousands of kids. They’re eating this stuff up.

Go for it!

EXTRA: For more handy info about writing nonfiction for children read Cyle Young’s article here.

Jean Hall lives in Louisville, Kentucky. She is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary. Her premier picture book series Four Seasons was recently signed by Little Lamb Books. Jean is a member of the SCBWI, Word Weavers International, and the Kentucky Christian Writers. Visit Jean at jeanmatthewhall.com, on Facebook at Jean Matthew Hall, and on Twitter as @Jean_Hall.

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

Why Write Articles?

When I began writing I had small children at home. I wrote in my head all day long and looked forward to the few computer moments I would have at nap time, between loads of laundry, and after bedtime. Because of that mental prewriting, I was able to quickly get my work into files ready for submission. The best market for these short pieces seemed to be articles, so that is where I focused.

After several years of writing articles (because I thought it was the only thing I had time to do), I realized that I really enjoyed writing articles, for several reasons.

  1. They were short and they fit very well into my daily schedule of parenting. As the children got older I realized that even though we had added new activities to the day, I could still write in carpool line or while I was waiting for dance lessons or soccer practice to be over. Even when the children got old enough to be dropped off for long periods of time or to drive themselves, my favorite thing to write was articles.
  2. Because of their brevity, I could complete articles quickly. Some days I could finish multiple articles and submit them. That was always a good feeling to know much had been accomplished in a day. Especially since some days left almost no time for writing.
  3. Articles often require research which means not only am I writing something that will educate others, I am learning new things myself. Research can also be used to write other articles without additional time in the library.
  4. Often when you figure it per word, articles are a great way to supplement your income. Many people think books are the best way to make additional money. But strategically placed articles can be lucrative.
  5. Articles are a good exercise in writing tightly and making the most of the words you use. When you only have a few hundred words to get your message to the world, you need to make sure they all count.
  6. Articles can be written anywhere. Recently I was on the road and someone else was driving. Before I arrived home I had written an article, edited it, submitted it, and it was accepted. What a great road trip!
  7. As writing moved into the digital world, I found many new markets for my articles. True, writing for the web is a little different than writing print articles. But with very little additional learning I found a new world of writing for the internet.

What about you? Have you discovered the fun and excitement of writing articles?

Linda Gilden is an award-winning writer, speaker, editor, certified writing and speaking coach, and personality consultant. Her passion is helping others discover the joy of writing. Linda recently released Articles, Articles, Articles! and is the author of over a thousand magazine articles and 16 books including the new LINKED Quick Guides for Personalities. As Director of the Carolina Christian Writers Conference, Linda helps many writers take the next step in reaching their writing goals. Linda’s favorite activity (other than eating folded potato chips) is floating in a pool with a good book surrounded by splashing grandchildren—a great source of writing material! www.lindagilden.com

Categories
Uncategorized

Deadlines and Follow-up for Freelance Writers

If you want to impress an editor as freelance writer, I’ll let you in on a little writer secret. Meet your deadline with excellent writing. While it sounds too simple, writers are notoriously late to meet their deadlines. If you meet or even deliver the  article ahead of the deadline with excellent writing, you will stand out from the other writers.

In the “old” days, writers used to be able to fudge a little on the deadline. Without an internet, we had to mail our articles on disks to the editor. When the editor asked about the article, you could say, “My article is in the mail” and sometimes gain an extra couple of days to deliver the piece. Now with high-speed broadband, those excuses do not work. The editor expects the freelancer to send their material on time.

 Excellent Writing Is Appreciated

Editors have been trained to recognize excellent writing for their publication. Does your article have a great beginning paragraph that draws me into the article? Does it have a solid middle with detailed information targeted to the reader? Does it end with a single point or takeaway for the reader? If you can answer each of these questions with “yes” then you have probably written a solid article for the publication.

Also make sure you write your article several days before it is due, then you can leave  the article and return to it with fresh eyes. Pick up a pencil as you read the article fresh and make any adjustments that is needed.

Follow-up Is Important

In our tech driven world, we have grown dependent on email for our communication. Yet email doesn’t always get through or get answered. Today I remembered an article I had turned in for a publication yet the editor never responded. It had been 10 days with no response—which is long enough for that editor to have been on vacation and be back at their desk. I sent a short follow-up email with the article to make sure they got it. You can follow this same pattern if you don’t hear from the editor. A simple reminder asking if they got the submission is professional and acknowledging that things get missed in the process. It also shows the editor you want to deliver excellent work in a timely fashion. The key with your follow-up is to ask straightforward and polite questions with short emails. Editors spend a lot of time answering emails so in general the short emails get answered.

 

As you meet the editor’s deadlines with excellent writing, you will become a part of their stable of writers. These writers have proven their dependability and are the go-to people that the editor uses when they need to assign a feature or special writing  assignment. It’s a select group and you want to be part of this elite group.

To write for Christian magazines, you need to be pitching ideas through query letters and writing full length articles then reaching out and connecting with new editors and new markets. As you take consistent action to meet deadlines with quality writing, you will be published in multiple publications.

Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing, lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor, Whalin has written for more than 50 publications including Christianity Today and Writer’s Digest. Terry is the author of How to Succeed As An Article Writer which you can get at: http://writeamagazinearticle.com/. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. His latest book is Billy Graham, A Biography of America’s Greatest Evangelist and the book website is at: http://BillyGrahamBio.com Watch the short book trailer for Billy Graham at: http://bit.ly/BillyGrahamBT His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Follow him on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/terrywhalin

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

Are You Using A Magazine’s Theme List?

Last week I was at a Christian writers conference. It’s one of the key places where you can build relationships with editors and learn how to send the editor what he wants. If you write what an editor needs, then you are much more likely to get published than randomly writing something and sending it into the publication. If a writers’ conference is not in your plans, make plans to get to one soon. As editors, we publish people that we know, like and trust and you can build these relationships at a conference.

During an editor’s panel at this conference, I heard an editor’s cry for help. I’m not going to give the specific magazine but use this incident as a way to help you be more successful and on target with your magazine submissions.

This magazine editor leads a 200,000 circulation Christian publication which publishes a theme list with their guidelines. With each monthly magazine, they publish articles outside of their theme but in particular they need articles tied to their theme. In front of the entire conference, this editor mentioned several of his projected themes did not have a single article ready for publication.

magazine theme list

As I listened to this editor’s cry for help, I recalled my work at Decision, the publication of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. As Associate Editor, I was looking for theme related articles. For example, I needed articles about love for a February magazine (Valentine’s Day). It was not easy to get these articles even for a large circulation magazine like Decision whose circulation at that time was 1.8 million. To gather these needed theme-related articles, I would call or email some of my author friends and ask them for submissions.

If you want to be published in magazines, in general there are two options. You can write whatever you want (inspiration) and then try to find a publication for it. Or you can look at the themes an editor has created for their magazine (their needs) and write an article to meet those needs. The second approach of writing for a particular theme is more likely to be published from my experience.

The 2018 Christian Writers Market Guide includes over 150 magazine listings. Many of these listings include the location of their guidelines and theme list. Another way to find these publications is to use Google with the search words “Christian editorial theme lists.” I instantly found several pages of Christian publications with their theme lists.

As you meet needs of the editor (their theme list) you will be published in magazines and become a dependable resource for your editor. Don’t overlook this important resource for your magazine articles.

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing, lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor, Whalin has written for more than 50 publications including Christianity Today and Writer’s Digest. Terry is the author of How to Succeed As An Article Writer which you can get at: http://writeamagazinearticle.com/. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. His latest book is Billy Graham, A Biography of America’s Greatest Evangelist and the book website is at: http://BillyGrahamBio.com Watch the short book trailer for Billy Graham at: http://bit.ly/BillyGrahamBT His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Follow him on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/terrywhalin

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

Writing for Magazines Provides Variety

Does your writing have a lot of variety? Or do you feel like you are writing the same type of article over and over with little variance? Writing for magazines provides many different possibilities, topics and types of articles. When I wrote for a church publication years ago, I wrote an article about baptisteries and steeples giving resources where churches could purchase these items. I knew nothing about steeples or baptisteries but I learned a great deal as I wrote that article and gathered the contents.

For any magazine article, there are at least two ways to approach the article. You can either write the entire article, then shop it to various magazines (normally on speculation since you wrote it without an assignment) or you can write a one-page query letter and shop your idea to publications and get a specific assignment.

Common types of magazine articles

Let’s explore some of the various types of magazine articles. I’m not covering all of the possibilities since it will vary for each magazine but these are some of the basic types of articles:

Round-up Article. I’ve written round-up articles on the latest marriage books or Bibles for children. As the writer, you can reach out to various publishers and have them send sample review copies for possible inclusion in your article. These books become the foundation of your round-up article.

Personality profile. These articles are focused on a single personality like a bestselling author. Your article reveals something different and unusual about this person’s life. I’ve interviewed over 150 bestselling authors and written personality profile articles.

Interview article. This type of article is also often focused on a well-known author or personality. The style of the writing is different and more of a Q & A format where you use the actual words of the subject inside the article. Many magazines use this type of article.

How-to article. When you write this type of article, you show the reader step by step how to do some skill or some craft.

Issue article. These articles are focused on a particular issue such as gun control or bullying or prevention of abortion or ???, Some magazines regularly feature this type of article in their publications,

Op-Ed article. An op-ed is an opinion article where you give your view on a topic and showcase your expertise and background. Magazines and newspapers use op-ed articles.

Devotional article. Numerous publications print devotional articles. Often each publication will have a particular format for you to follow with your devotional. They often include a verse or two of Scripture, a brief prayer and a short devotional insight. I’ve written devotionals for the Upper Room which has a circulation of over six million.

Book reviews. Most magazines only want to publish positive reviews unless it is a trade magazine which also publishes critical or negative reviews. If a publisher sends you an Advance Reading Copy of a book before the publication date, you can read these books and often publish reviews in magazines.

Personal experience.  I’ve written a full article about the importance of personal experience articles. Everyone has “different” experiences and almost every magazine uses these types of articles.

Take a few minutes and look over the variety of articles you can write for publication. Then take a few minutes and write some ideas and types of articles that you are attracted to publishing. I encourage you to write the article or query and get published in different types of magazines. There is a world of opportunity available to you if you take action.

Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing, lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor, Whalin has written for more than 50 publications including Christianity Today and Writer’s Digest. Terry is the author of How to Succeed As An Article Writer which you can get at: Write a magazine article.com. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. His latest book is Billy Graham, A Biography of America’s Greatest Evangelist and the book website is at: Billy Graham Bio.com Watch the short book trailer for Billy Graham.

His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Follow him on Twitter at: @terrywhalin