You’ve seen them all over the internet. E-books are one of the most popular types of content available on the internet. They are digital products which can be purchased and delivered immediately rather than having to wait a week or longer for a physical product to arrive.

The following reasons are a few reasons why it’s a good idea for any freelance writer to put together and sell e-books.

• Writing and selling an e-book can increase your credibility, particularly if you write a book specific to your business or niche.  For example, if you’re an SEO writer, you could write a book on how to create a content strategy to increase website traffic and search engine optimization, or if you’re a copywriter you could write a book on how to write website sales copy.  Writing and publishing a book helps give you credibility as a writer.

• E-books are in demand. You can write an e-book about nearly any subject and there are likely to be people who are looking for that information. Because they are so popular, you can expect them to be met with a degree of demand.

• E-books are inexpensive. As a writer, you know the importance of the written word. And while it might be your goal one day to have a book in print, it simply isn’t as easy as one would hope. E-books, on the other hand, can be created with little more than a computer at your disposal. When it comes time to actually publish your e-book, you will have spent very little out of pocket to produce.

• E-books have the potential to produce far more profit than an article or many articles. It may take you more time to write an e-book, but an e-book can literally sell for years to come whereas when you write an article you’re generally only paid for it once.

• E-books are available to purchase round the clock, as long as a website is online and there are no issues with the shopping cart. It doesn’t matter what time it is when someone decides to make a purchase of an e-book unlike physical books which require a store to be open. As long as people are interested in the topic you’ve written on, the potential for sales continues to exist.

• E-books don’t require a separate publisher as print books do. In fact, you act as the author as well as the publisher and marketer. You don’t have to share any revenue received with anyone else. It also takes much less time to publish an e-book than it does a print book which can take up to two years before anyone can purchase and read your book.

• E-books don’t go out of print. As long as a website exists where customers can purchase your e-book, they can make a sale. Print books, however, have limited runs and can eventually be taken off the market to make way for newer books.

If you want to make your mark in writing, e-books may be the way to go. Looking at the above reasons, you can see why publishing an e-book is good for your business. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get writing!

• Learn to be content with the older equipment. New computers, cellular phones, and printers hit the market at an almost steady pace. If your current equipment is still in working order, keep using it until you have to purchase a replacement.
• Don’t upgrade your software unless it’s absolutely necessary. Perhaps a client asks you to use particular software when completing their work. If they upgrade, it might be necessary for you to do so as well. Otherwise, use the older software until its necessary and you could save quite a bit of money.
• Outsource jobs which require a great deal of your time but that don’t increase your income. It may seem this is counterproductive, to spend money when you’re trying to save it, but if you can concentrate on aspects of your freelance writing business which does bring in money, you’ll be better off.
• Cut down on marketing costs which aren’t paying you back. Some writers spend money each month on search terms without earning anything in return. If what marketing you’re doing now isn’t giving you a return on your investment, there’s no sense in continuing to use it.
• Sign up for whatever incentive programs you can for office supplies. Staples, Office Depot, and others track your purchases and may send coupons off future purchases. You may also receive a percentage check back each quarter depending upon your past purchases.
• Use free applications wherever possible. It’s amazing the number of applications available online these days. Take a look around and you may find software you need without having to pay for it.
• Make improvements to your collection process. If you have clients who are consistently late in paying you, contact them a day or so before the bill is due to ensure they’ve received your invoice and that they are prepared to make a payment. Offer to send the invoice by fax if they haven’t received it yet. In many cases this will be enough to get them to pay on time.
• Reduce other costs wherever you can. Even if you’re only saving pennies per dollar on something you use regularly, in the end it can make a difference. Compare costs on big ticket items to get the best possible price. Order using an 800 number when placing your order and try to get the best price on shipping.
• Are there big changes in your freelance business? Write a winning press release which can be sent to both offline and online sources. This will give you free advertising as well as let others know what you’re up to.

Business may be slow but better times may be right around the next bend. Learning how to cut costs to increase your bottom line can do more for you than merely getting you through lean times. If you use some of these ideas now and continue to use them when times are better, you can continue benefiting from them.

Put together a business plan to describe your clients, what fees you will charge for the services you provide, how you will market your business, and how much you expect to make in the first twelve months.

It doesn’t have to cost as much to start a freelance writing business as some other businesses. In fact, if you already have a computer, printer, and internet service, it can cost considerably less than you might imagine. Let’s look at the costs involved for someone without basic equipment.

You really don’t need a lot to getting any freelance business, but you do need a few basics such as:

•    Computer and all peripherals (monitor, printer, CDs or DVDs, and possibly an external hard drive) as well as Computer software (a basic word processing or office suite would be a good idea for starters, but some clients may require a particular software which you’ll need to get) – up to $3,000
•    Computer desk and chair (be sure to get the best quality chair you can afford, you’ll be spending a good amount of time in it) – up to $500
•    Storage space (filing cabinet and a small bookcase) – up to $100
•    Office supplies (printer ink, paper, file folders, pens, etc.) – up to $100
•    Internet service, high-speed is best – up to $60 a month ($720 per year)
•    Electricity to run all of your necessary equipment – $300 or up depending upon where you live
•    Telephone service – $50 or more per month ($600 per year)
•    Local, state, and federal licenses where applicable – up to $1,000 depending upon which licenses you need
•    Accounting service (if you’re not comfortable keeping them yourself) – up to $1,000 a year
•    Webhosting – up to $250 a year
•    Business stationary (business cards, letterhead, envelopes) – up to $150

Can you get by spending less for any of these start-up needs?

Of course you can!

However, you may want to decide which items are most important to you and which ones you can get by spending less on.

You can get by spending much less to start a freelance business; in fact some claim they’ve been able to get their freelance writing business off the ground with little to no outlay of funds. If you already have a computer, printer, and internet service those are expenses you won’t have to worry about. You can also find some of the software you need free on the internet.

As you can see it can cost upward of $10,000 to get a freelance writing business started if you don’t already have some items. However, it can also cost considerably less. If you’re in the first group of people, you may want to think about how to pay for your start-up without getting a small business loan.

One way to fund a start-up is to begin saving for it or using savings you already have available. You can also work a traditional job while you’re in the process of getting your business started. Ask friends or family to invest in your success.

Funding your freelance writing business can be easier than you think depending upon your start-up costs. Decide what you absolutely need and then you’ll know what type of funding you’ll need.

Basically, business to consumer (B2C) copywriting is any form of copywriting which is done to advertise directly to the end customer. When you think of much of the mail that is considered ‘junk mail’ – brochures, advertisements, mail flyers, or even television commercials – and you’ll realize how much B2C copywriting you’ve seen.

Unlike business to business copywriting where the end user is another business entity, B2C copywriting has the individual in mind. This makes a huge difference in the way the copy is written since it can be targeted directly to an individual purchaser as opposed to a business or industry.

As with any copywriting, your goal is to determine what makes the consumer tick and then write with that in mind. You want to know what they’re thinking, what their needs are, and then write in such a way to answer those needs. If you can do this, you will be a successful business to consumer copywriter.

Through your client’s research, you can learn much about their potential customer. Once you know understand their customer, you can structure the written advertisement or brochure to explain how the client’s product will solve their problems or meet their immediate need. You show them the benefit of purchasing that product or service with the skill of your words and the persuasiveness of them.

Can you write about any subject in an interesting way? Can you offer fresh insight about a product or service which would make it appealing to the end user? Can you address the potential concerns and emotions of the people your client is targeting in a way in which it will appear you genuinely care rather than are simply trying to sell them something? If you can, business to consumer copywriting may be the field for you.

If you’ve never thought about doing copywriting, perhaps you’re curious about it. You don’t have to have a major in advertising or journalism to be an effective copywriter. You do, however, need good writing skills and an ability to ask questions. Good copywriters have an open mind and know how to separate business from art.

As previously mentioned, there is good money to be made for those skilled in business to consumer copywriting. The trick is in finding businesses in need of your skill. Should you establish yourself as a copywriter who is both skilled and knowledgeable, you can earn a considerable fee for each assignment you complete. Now you know a little about this method of freelance writing, you may want to search the internet to learn more.

Copywriting, in its simplest definition, is using words to promote a business, person, or idea. Business to business copywriting would be defined as using words to encourage one business to purchase from another business. Copywriters who can write compelling copy which entices the business purchaser to spend are in demand. This may not be a field you’ve considered in the past, but you may want to consider it now.

Businesses are often looking for people who can describe their services or products in a clear and concise manner. However, rather than selling directly to consumers, they sell their products and services to other businesses.

You may not have heard of business to business (B2B) copywriting in the past, but chances are you’ve seen it in action. Have you worked in an industry which marketed itself to another? Think about drug companies and doctors offices across the country. The pamphlets, research, and samples which are sent to encourage a doctor to prescribe their medicine is one form of B2B marketing. Now, imagine being responsible for writing those pamphlets and the impact it could have for the company you work for.

B2B copywriting is somewhat different from copywriting for consumers. Often you have to learn jargon particular to the field you’re working in or terminology that will elicit a response. However, if you can master this type of copywriting, it can be quite lucrative.

B2B copywriters are in high demand particularly if you’re skilled in getting inside the head of the B2B buyer so they will purchase for your client. Mastering this tone and style may take time but the effort can be well worth it.

What type of copywriting will a B2B copywriter need to know? There are four major areas:

1.    Direct sales and lead generation
2.    Edu-marketing
3.    Teaching the sales force to sell
4.    Brand awareness and publicity

You can expect to write sales letters which are directed, personal, and make it possible to emotionally connect with the potential buyer. The letter generally makes a promise about the services or products offered and then ask the buyer to make the purchase.

Brochures are another form of copywriting you might be required to do. The format is less personal and more factual but lists the benefits of the product in question, compares a product with competing products, and attempts to lend credibility to the claims made in the letter.

Business owners know the worth of being able to turn to a B2B copywriter for all of their written materials. They know the power of the written word and how it can make or break their business. Because they know the value of having a skilled copywriter available to them, they generally pay well for your services. With the number of business searching for qualified copywriters, now may be the perfect time to learn this skill and branch out into this form of freelance writing.

“Your work is always on time and on count.”  I had to smile.  Never in my life would I have thought this would be a compliment.  Normal acts of business should be expected.  Being on time and following the described job should be the rule and not the exception.  His paper was new, so I decided to email a few others that I had worked with in the past.

It seems that following the job, getting it in on time and having basic good grammar were some of the top problems facing editors around the globe.  Freelance writers may be artists, but freelance writers are also running a business.

Developing Professionalism in the Art of Freelance Writing

1.    Be reliable – getting work in on time is important.  Editors need time to go over the work. The articles may need to be trimmed or tweaked to fit into the publication.  Additional writing may be necessary to make the article right or complete.

Being reliable will not only get you a one time paycheck but it will likely give you more paychecks through the same editor and other referrals.

2.    Follow the guidelines – every job will come with a description.  It should tell you what to write, what slant to take and how many words should be included.  The job description might also include limitations (like no bullets) or requests (like use a quote or add links).

If the job description is not clear then ask questions up front.  Writing is one of those times when more is not necessarily better.  Editors want what they ask for and giving them the thing that is requested will make you top on their lists for future assignments.

3.    Check spelling and grammar – the article you writing may be going to an editor but the less that editor has to do then the more that editor will want to work with you in the future.  You want to write right and not right write.  Little errors will make a big difference when it comes time to find writers in the future.

Three simple steps can make your writing stand out from the crowd.  Being on time, doing what is asked and providing clean work are the things that will make editors come to your door.  Keep your creative style but make that style professional so that your writing will become a business that provides you with the income to fund your dreams.

*****

Kathryn Lang is a freelance writer in Alabama. Her work has been published in regional papers, travel magazines and national religous publications along with multiple websites. She has been writing for pleasure since she was able to write and writing as a career for the last several years.

www.successfulfreelancewriter.com
www.proverbs31life.com
www.kathrynlang.com

If you look around, you probably notice a number of buzzwords used in advertising. Those would include free and save. Advertisers expect campaigns with those words to bring in additional sales for those products. You can use the same type of tactic when freelance writing; you can use some client buzzwords to bring in more writing jobs.

YOU – This is by far one of the most powerful words you can use. It speaks directly to the reader and uses the advertising theory that potential customers want to know “what’s in it for me?” Why not take a page from an advertiser’s playbook and use the same idea when writing queries?

Using “you” in every query sent off allows you to speak directly to the prospective client and tell them how hiring you can benefit them. It makes the query personal rather than something you might send off to multiple businesses at one time. Explain to them how they can experience more free time because they’re not bogged down with writing blog posts, articles, or other content for their business.

Be sure to use “you” more than “I” or “me” when first contacting a potential client. It’s easy for writers to list their accomplishments, but the client wants to know how you can meet their needs rather than going on about yourself. Provide a link to your website or blog, but spend the most of the email explaining how you can benefit them, not the other way around.

EASY – Explain to prospective clients how hiring you as a freelance writer will make their job “easier.” One of the main reasons freelance writers are hired is because they either don’t have time to do their own writing, or they don’t have the man-power to do the work. Of course, they many have other reasons for not doing the writing themselves, but letting them know you can help get the job done with few complications will make them take notice.

Besides a query, how can you let potential clients know you can help? Here are some ideas:

• Make getting information about your services simple on your website. Provide a valid email address or short form where they can ask for a quote. When you do get their information, respond as quickly as you can.

• Explain how easy it is to work with you whenever you communicate with them. Make the process as simple as possible. Ask them what their needs are and how soon they need them returned. After receiving their information, depending upon the type of work they need, get back to them right away with a quote and when you expect to get the work back to them.

• Keep contracts to a minimum unless the prospective client requires one. The fewer items the client has to contend with, the easier working with you will seem. Easier often results in more freelance writing assignments.

Take time to research the company you’d like to write for. If you understand the company, what they do, and their market, companies are more likely to hire you because you identify with their goals.

When you make your query more about the potential client and less about you, you’ll have learned the secret to how to gain more freelance writing assignments.

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I DIDN’T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE TO GET RICH AS A FREELANCE WRITER

The problem was, I was in the wrong writing business. Instead of making a few hundred dollars a week writing articles for magazines and newspapers like I used to do, I now pull in, on average, $2,500 per week writing simple letters.

Here’s how I learned the secrets of this little-known freelance writing market:

Have you ever seen a flier, a Web landing page, or some other advertisement where everything on the page is screaming at you so loudly that you didn’t know where to start reading?

You probably didn’t spend much time trying to figure out where to go before you gave up and trashed it.

You can avoid this by creating a reading “path” for your reader to follow. A well-constructed path feels so easy and natural your reader won’t even realize you’re intentionally leading him along.

Successful reading paths get their power to guide the reader by using this specific design hierarchy …

1. Big, bold headlines. The headline carries 80% of the responsibility for the sale. So you want to spend a good deal of time designing it for maximum impact. This means using big, bold letters at least 3 times larger than the body copy. Use bold colors too. Stay away from light colors – especially pastels. (They’re not good for readability.Break long headlines into easy-to-read chunks with line breaks. And put plenty of white space around them to tell the reader “I’m important, read me first!” Sans serif typefaces like Helvetica, Myriad, or Arial work great for headlines. They look clean and easily readable in large sizes.
2. The “neck” … I mean deck. This is the sub-headline that comes right underneath the headline and before the “Dear Reader” part of the sales letter. The deck helps readers move from the headline into the body copy. It is generally used to explain the headline further and give readers an additional push into the rest of the letter. Think of it as the neck that connects the headline to the body copy.The deck will be noticeably smaller than the headline, but quite a bit larger than the body copy. If you have a 36-point headline and 12-point body copy, figure 22- to 24-point type for the deck. You can either use the same font you used for the headline or the font you’ll use in the body copy. Don’t use a third font, as too many fonts will look confusing and amateurish. However, you can use a lighter weight font than you used for the headline: For example, Arial Bold instead of Arial Black.
3. Subheads. Subheads are used to break up the body copy and keep the page interesting. I use the same color in subheads that I used in the headline, as opposed to using black. Colored subheads draw attention and help hold the reader in the sales message. The headline, deck, and subheads together tell the sales story well enough that a reader could make a decision to buy if that’s all they read (which is what many people do). Folks who want more info will then go back and read the body copy.
4. Body copy. This is the main sales message – the body of your letter – and it needs to be very readable. In print copy, serif type – such as Times Roman or Georgia – is easier to read than sans serif (Arial or Verdana). But the opposite is true on the Web. Make sure the font is large enough – 11 or 12 points in most cases, and 13 or 14 points for older readers. Never go below 10 points. That’s too small for easy reading.
5. Sidebars, bursts, and pull-quotes. Place sidebars, bursts, pull-quotes, and other attention grabbers throughout the piece to pull readers’ attention to important information. These give readers a little surprise, and hold their interest much better than pages of text with a few subheads here and there.

And, finally … Help your reader turn the page. Never end a right-hand page on a complete sentence. Break the sentence so your reader is forced to turn the page to continue.

And to further encourage him to turn the page, add “Over please,” or something similar, at the bottom of every odd-numbered page. Even though this may seem unnecessary (who doesn’t know to turn the page?), testing has proven it keeps readers from using the end of the page as an excuse to bail out of the message.

This hierarchy should be used in every sales piece you write and/or design – fliers, posters, letters, buck slips, lift notes, postcards, magalogs, and even orders forms – to make reading (and making the sale) much easier.

This article appears courtesy of American Writers & Artists Inc.’s (AWAI) The Golden Thread, a free newsletter that delivers original, no-nonsense advice on the best wealth careers, lifestyle careers and work-at-home careers available. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.awaionline.com/signup/.

There’s no doubt about it. When it comes to freelance writing, there are nearly as many publications or places to write for as there is competition. But, if you don’t make time to actually write, you’ll never be a successful writer.

Be selective with activities

Every writer has 24 hours in their day, no more and no less. You get to choose how you spend that time. Begin writing down everything you do and how much it takes for a week. Include everything you do alone as well as with family.

Obviously there are some activities you can’t avoid. If you work for someone, you’re going to spend at least eight hours a day doing that, it’s non-negotiable. You may also have to commute to your job; how long does that take each day? If you have children, they most likely attend school and there may be activities with them.

The point is you want to look at how you’re currently spending your time to determine if there’s anything you can cut. Many people watch television; that may be a time stealer to consider. If you can be selective with the activities you do, you can make more time to write.

Change your schedule

Some people are set in their ways. They get up at the exact same time, follow the same schedule, and go to bed without deviation. If you’re having problem finding time to write, you may want to change your schedule. Get up a little bit earlier and spend that time writing. You may find you have more time than you think by simply trying a different schedule.

Write on the road

If you use mass transportation to get to and from work or other places, you can use the time to write. Whether you choose to use pen and paper, a laptop, or personal digital assistant (PDA), you can jot down ideas, spend the time editing, or spend time watching passengers to think of new ways to describe situations or people.

Even if you drive to and from work you can still use time for writing. Get a hand-held recorder and record ideas which can be incorporated into later writing.

Ask for help

Have parents, your partner, or friends keep an eye on any children a couple of hours a week which would give you an opportunity to write uninterrupted. Ask older children to help cook meals so you can use that time to write. You may even want to hire a sitter for a little while if it will mean you can get your writing done.

Making time to write is something you simply have to do if you want to be a successful freelance writer. Try some of these ideas and see if you can find the extra time you need in your day. Then, when you do find the time, you’ll know how to use it.

If you need help making the most of your time and earning the salary you want to be earning as a freelance writer, check out Writing Rituals and Goal Setting Rituals.

Martha Beck wrote an article in this month’s Oprah about cultivating your creative, right brain, side.  It’s an interesting article and if you have the opportunity to take a look at it, do.  However, one comment she made got me thinking.  She compared this generation to the Industrial Revolution.  Instead of inventing processes and easier, better ways of doing things, however we’re creating content.  It’s a Content Revolution.

Think about it.

There are, according to information published in mid 2008 by Technorati, 112 million blogs and over 175,000 new blogs every day.  Over 1.6 million posts are published each day.

And that’s just blogs.  That doesn’t include websites, articles, social networking posts and audio and video posts.

It seems then, that everyone is participating in the content revolution.

What does that mean to you and your freelance writing business?

It means two things really.

1.  There is a lot of competition

2.  There is a lot of opportunity

However, in order to take advantage of this opportunity, specialization is a must.

Specialization provides you with the opportunity to:

• Fine tune your skills
• Stay on top of your industry
• Market yourself effectively and efficiently
• Become the go to expert
• Charge high fees for your services (the more in demand you are the more you can charge)
• Pick and choose projects you want to work on.

Over the next couple of weeks we’ll take a look at how to specialize and a few niche industries that are looking for good writers.  We’re talking about specialties that are in demand and paying high fees right now. Be sure to subscribe if you want immediate access to this information as it’s posted.  We’ll have resources you can use immediately to build and grow your freelance writing business.