Have you ever dreamed of becoming a writer? Perhaps achieving the status of Stephen King or William Faulkner? Of course these two literary giants (in far different fields) had a talent few of us can comprehend or imitate; and whether or not you write a best seller is not something I can predict. I can tell you that it is possible to make a living writing online. And no, you do not have to be a Hemingway. However it would be helpful to have a decent command of the language and understand how to put your thoughts on paper.
For myself, I still have a novel or two inside yearning to escape, and while I haven not completed them yet, I still get paid every single day to write, often for myself, setting on paper what I think, feel or experience, either about life or perhaps a product; sometimes for others, but write I do.
Writing is both a passion and a business and while those are two very different points, they both much be implemented if you want achieve success as a writer. Let me first address writing from passion, since that is what drives me.
And of course by passion I am not talking carnally, rather being enthused about what I am saying, writing and doing. If I want to convey a thought, feeling or emotion in my articles, I first visualize it as clearly as possible in my mind before putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. When I do this, I am able to (in my mind) personally feel and experience what I am writing about. When this happens I am indeed passionate and it comes through in my writing.
Now then business, not the fun part, but very necessary if we want to achieve success. You have to make a choice, is writing for fun or profit? It is your career or just a hobby? Either is fine and I cast no judgment, but if it is your business, then you must treat it as the same.
When you have a writing assignment from a customer, you must treat them with respect, and deliver your articles in a timely fashion. If there is a delay, communication is key, indeed it is your specialty so use it to your advantage. If they ask for a revision, do not take it personally, rather rise to the task delivering the very best you can; when you do, they will be back for more and your business and reputation will rise because of it.
Stick with it! Of course I have no way of knowing whether you are writing an article such as this, or a story for a national publication. In either case, if at first you do not succeed (as the adage goes) try and try again. Make sure to get the verbiage just right. Keep pressing to get your foot in the door. Do this and eventually, maybe tonight, maybe next week, the door will open. When you walk in as a writer, walk in proud, walk in knowing (and being prepared to prove it) that you know how to write and deliver projects and assignments on time.
The Internet has given thousands of us writers a chance to reach a global audience. It is entirely possible to make a living online, plan for it, then put your plan into action.
Writing Business Thank You
While you probably realize the importance of having an online portfolio or website as a freelance writer, you may not be aware of the many possible ways to draw potential clients to your website. One of the easiest ways to gain free exposure as a freelance writer is to write articles and submit them to free directories. Free article directories allow writers a bio paragraph, which is where you will link to your website. Every time someone reads one of your articles, they will see your website link and hopefully be inspired to follow through.
1) Write for your client audience.
What should you write articles about? Well, that depends on what kind of writing you do and who your target client audience is. If you want to get copywriting jobs, for example, you could write an article called "How to Choose a Copywriter" or "How to Hire the Best Copywriter for the Job" or even "How Much to Pay a Copywriter." Consider keywords and keyphrases that someone interested in hiring a copywriter might use in a search, and use those key terms in your articles.
2) Choose your title wisely.
The title of your article is important. You want your title to show up in search engines. It is important to make your title's first few words the most important ones. You will also want to make sure that your full title is unique, and that it will attract the attention of the reader. Don't try to be clever. Use the body of your article for creativity. Your title should make your reader want to choose your article above the other similar ones that will be listed along-side yours in the directory. If a reader only has time to read one article, you want to make sure it's yours.
3) Write new articles often.
The more unique articles you write, the more visitors you will likely draw to your site, and every visitor to your site is a potential client. By writing and submitting an article every week or so, you will be drawing in new traffic each week, meaning your client flow will probably be more steady than if you submitted a dozen articles all at once and then did not submit any for the next six months.
4) Submit to the largest and most popular directories.
There are many article directories online, so you have a lot of choices. Type "article directory" into your search engine; the ones that rank highest get the most traffic.
5) Check your traffic.
The best way to gauge how many new visitors are coming to your site through your articles is to check the traffic details for your website regularly. You can see how many people are using your articles on their websites by typing your article's full title into a search engine (enclose your title in quotes). The more people who use your articles in their ezines or on their websites, the more traffic you will potentially get to your site. More of this type of traffic means more potential clients.
Both Andrew Morris & Amy Derby are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Andrew Morris has sinced written about articles on various topics from Careers and Job Hunting, Adware and Writing. Andrew Morris helps you improve your skills and find hidden sources of income generation by .... Andrew Morris's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.
Amy Derby has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Article Writing. Amy Derby is a freelance writer living near Chicago. She is the owner of , a free website for freelance writers.. Amy Derby's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.
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