Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.–Dale Carnegie
Social Media: Helping or Hindering the Art of Writing?
Friendly Friday will be a little different today. We’ve had yet another death in our circle, this one a freak accident, that has continued the horrible series of losses we’ve been part of since September. Every one of these tragic events has made me really think about being human, living, and dying. That is probably the biggest reason I feel the need to get this first book published now. It’s about leaving some sort of legacy, and making my mark on the world. (Of course, I hope I’m around long enough to get my in-progress novel finished and published, too.)
For those of you who have somehow missed it, I have a project up on Kickstarterto help me fund the publishing costs for my book, which will be published in April. This book will be a
One possible cover for the book...
comprehensive “how to” book for writers. If you are new to the business and want to know what to do to get started, this book is for you. On the other hand, if you have written for a while, but still aren’t making the money you need, this book will help with that as well. If you have written a novel and want to get published, this book is for you. Writers at all stages of their career will benefit from the information I am putting together in this manual. Please check out my “How to Write and Get Paid” listing on Kickstarter, and my first video making attempt, back the project, Twitter it, Facebook it, and share it with all your writer friends! Thanks for all of your help…
Now, on to this nice guest post from Laura Backes. She discusses social media and writing and raises some good questions. Would love to hear your opinions after you have read this article.
Social Media: Helping or Hindering the Art of Writing?
Writing has turned over a whole new page these days with implementation of different social media sensations like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and blogging. You no longer need a fancy degree or published clips to prove that you have a career in writing and saying you work for a newspaper is admitting that you’re in a profession that is teetering on the verge of extinction. In fact, it’s arguable that all you need now to prove that you’re a writer is your own URL. What has social media done to writing?
There’s no doubt that the world of writing has exponentially increased since social media took the world by storm. Suddenly everyone is an “author” with their daily blog updates and tweets going out to the masses. Social media has, for all intents and purposes, eliminated the need for a printed newspaper or magazine because printing articles doesn’t even begin to compete with typing something up on your computer, clicking “submit”, and having your article appear on the internet only seconds later. Sadly, editing and proof-reading are only after-thoughts in the mindset of “publish NOW”, and often fall to the wayside in hastily thrown together published works.
However social media’s impact on writing isn’t all bad. Sure, just about anyone can get away with calling themselves a writer, but for people who actually have talent within the field social media is only helping them to get better at what they do. Take, for instance, Twitter: in 140 characters or less you have to get your message across. If you fail then it falls on deaf ears. But if you succeed then you have effectively captivated an audience… which is the whole purpose of writing in the first place, right? Social media like Twitter (or sites like Facebook and Tumblr) reinforces all of the key aspects of writing: being clear and concise, eliminating unnecessary fluff, staying on topic, telling a story in as few words as possible… all of these things are what you are taught in school make up an effective writer.
It’s kind of a catch-22 situation. On the one hand, social media is making the good writers better, and everyone out there who lacks talent but still parades under the title of “writer” or “journalist” is just further highlighting those who really do have what it takes. Sure, anyone can publish something, but it takes true talent – social media or not – to gain a solid following of people who appreciate your work.
Author Bio:
This is a guest post from Laura Backes, she enjoys writing about all kinds of subjects and also topics related to internetserviceprovidersinmyarea. You can reach her at: laurabackes8 @ gmail.com.
Wordless Wednesday: Rest High on that Mountain, RIP Vince
Mt. Rainier- Washington
Gimmelwald, Switzerland
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Macchu Pichu, Andes Mountain Range, South America
Scottish Highlands
Grand Teton
Motivating Monday: Persistence Equals Moving Forward with Resolve
The great thing about the past is that it is behind us. We take the lessons taught by the past and move forward into the future with a better knowledge and understanding of the world that we live in. No matter what mistakes you have made in the past, each day gives you a clean slate 
and a fresh new morning to make things better– for yourself and for those you love. As writers, each of us has the potential to reach many other people as well, which is a responsibility we should not take lightly. We each have the power in our pens, or our keyboards, to motivate someone else to follow their dreams, and to teach them how to do that!
Getting to your core motivations, and then putting together your plan for the future requires lots of thought and contemplation. How do you brainstorm best? For me, scribbling it all out on paper and then deciding on the most important things works well.
Understand your motivations to write
Motivation to write can take many forms, and understanding why being a writer is what you want is one of the keys to being successful. Is it for love of the craft? Do you write because it is cheaper than therapy? Because you want riches and fame like Stephen King? Is it because writing gives you time to spend with your family and friends? Does writing give you a sounding board to get your opinions out in to the world, and keep your husband or wife from going crazy listening to all your zany ideas? Do you love being able to go “on vacation” while still earning a living?
Once you know what your motivations to write are, putting words to paper and getting it done becomes much easier. Keeping your motivations in mind keep those procrastination demons and naysayers out of there.
Decide on a goal and make a plan
What accomplishment would mean to you that you were a successful writer? Getting thousands of blog followers? Selling an article to the New York Times? Winning a short story contest? Earning a specific dollar amount this year? Publishing your first book?
The point is to decide what your idea of success is, and to make plans to reach that milestone in your life. Of course, writing is at the core of each accomplishment listed above, but beyond that you need to find out how to get where you are going. Many excellent writers share their experiences online, so finding guidance is relatively simple. Keep in mind, through all of it, be true to yourself and do and say things that are uniquely YOU. You can find sources for steps to take to reach each goal above easily by doing a Google search. Here are some quick links I found:
4 Ways to Get Published in the NY Times
Short Story Contest Deadlines by Month
Now, this was a two-minute Google search. You will find hundreds of sites and articles about each of these topics online; it is wise to read the opinions and advice of several different smart and successful people. You are now ready to map out the road from here and now to success; it is important that you do so, setting up some mini-goals along the way to make sure you stay on track.
Also have a backup plan ready! I cannot stress this enough…if you find one avenue blocked, that does not mean you should give up, but rather go around the roadblock and full speed ahead. You might decide to take a major detour along the way, depending upon which sights you come across on your journey. That is not necessarily a bad thing, as that detour might also be a path that is right for you. Only you can decide if it is where you will be happy or not; it might be a place to visit for a while and then move on, or it could be a place to call home. The point is that it is okay to revise your goals if you find that they are no longer consistent with what you want.
Many writers allow a little frustration to do them in, when almost all highly successful writers will tell you that it takes MAJOR persistence to hit the heights in the writing industry. Do not give up! Just find a different route to get to your destination.
Four Smart Writers to Learn from Today!
Hi Everybody! This post should have been up for Friendly Friday, but I have worked hard to get the word out about the book this week, and then got to visit with an old friend I haven’t seen in twenty years. All in all, a pretty great weekend, including a much-needed evening out!
I do have a few awesome new people to introduce you to today that will help with your writing career:
John Soares, Writer
John Soares writes the Productive Writers blog. Work Less ~ Earn More ~ Live More– he could not have a better tagline for writers. He recently wrote an article about being more productive and writing faster– Write Faster: 12 Top Tips for Freelance Writers, and talks about over-researching, perfectionism, and meeting deadlines. Another post on his blog introduced and reviewed Cuttings.me, which is a site where you can build an online portfolio site easily to show potential clients, and editors. Spend a few minutes on his blog and you will find some tips that will definitely help you to be a more productive writer, which of course translates to more money.
Another good writer I came across this week (surprisingly enough on John Soares’ blog) is Linda Formichelli. She co-wrote The Renegade Writer in 2003, and they keep up a blog by the same name. A
recent article of hers that is important for freelancers to read is On Writing for Peanuts. This post points out the mistakes many new writers make by feeling they need to get a paying job at any ridiculously low price offered. No, working for peanuts is NOT a given, if you know where to look for work.
Another blog I want to introduce you to is OddBlogger. Holly Jahangiri shares ideas on blogging, promotion, SEO tools, and marketing on her site; these are all things that writers need to learn more about in today’s business environment. Her latest post discusses negative comments that you might get on your posts, and how you should actually view these as positive. Tips for Dealing with Negative Comments definitely puts the positive spin on the negative!
Mavis Nong
One last person I think you will all benefit from knowing more about is Mavis Nong. Mavis writes a blog,Attraction Marketing Online. Her blog teaches you about building relationships online, gaining a reputation and becoming established as an expert in your field. She feels that you should help others free of because along the way those same people will come back and buy your products and services. This is something I’ve always tried to do…and intend to follow more of her advice going forward. I think she’s just awesome! Check out 101 Surefire Ways to Attract Targeted Prospects for a sample of what she has to offer.
You owe it to yourself to read what these smart people have to say! They will make you think and stretch yourself in ways you need for success. Make time, go to their blogs; you will be glad you did! Which of these articles do you like the best? What did you learn that you can apply TODAY?
On a more personal note, my first attempt at making a video (just yesterday) is now up and posted on my “How to Write and Get Paid” Kickstarter project. Please check it out and give me some feedback– positive or negative– I can take it!
Thoughtful Thursday: Put Money in the Bank this Week!
Lots going on in my life now– besides writing this blog, I am also completing my book “How to Write and Get Paid” which will be a comprehensive manual for writers— how to get started, where to find work, building your client base, and even getting published. Check out my Write and Get Paid Kickstarter project to hear more about that, or to pre-order the book with a nominal pledge. Besides that, I am also ghostwriting a novel. Both of these are long-term projects, and getting the word out about the upcoming book is also a full-time job in itself. In the meantime, our utility companies appreciate when I tackle some extra work to make sure the checks clear.
There are many places to find work online, from freelance job matching sites like oDesk and VWorker to sites that pay you to write for clients, like Suite101, SEED, Writer Access, BreakStudios, and Textbroker. More on those sites in the next few days, but suffice it to say that signing up with a few will keep you busy, even if you are between writing clients or involved in a lengthy project.
While I have written about guest blogging in the past, it has generally been about writing for sites to gain exposure, build your brand and reputation; you should definitely do that. However, guest blogging is also another way to quickly pick up some extra cash. There are many sites that pay for guest blog posts, so I will share with you a few of them today. Just remember, sites that pay for blog posts expect quality articles– which means relevant to the niche of the blog, and with a kick-butt headline to draw traffic. Some will ask that you respond to comments on your posts as well, and they will spell that out in their terms. 
When guest blogging, review the site well first; you want to submit a post that will compel the blog members to read it. Read over their terms and conditions thoroughly, and be sure that you are not writing an article already covered already on the site. When a blog or site pays you for an article, it most often becomes their property. A bit of great news about paid guest blogs– they typically pay upon publication!
I will be sharing more sites in my upcoming book, but for now, here are a few places that pay for good quality writing work:
Seattle Dining: This site pays $50 to $60 for awesome restaurant reviews, $60 for reviews with pictures.
Pro Blog Design: Expert on web design? Write for Pro Blog and they will pay you $125.
Freelance Switch: Freelance Switch pays $50 for posts about writing, blogging, website design, etc.
American Ceramic Society: Site pays from $25 for a blog post up to $950 for a lengthy article.
Greater Good: This magazine at UC Berkeley offers $75 for book reviews and research briefs, and $.25 per word for essays and feature articles.
TutToaster: This site pays from $50 to $200 for tutorials and articles. Lots of design and tech stuff on site.
Art of Backpacking: Solo travel site pays from $20 to $50 per article.
World Start: This site pays from $25 to $50 for computer tips, payment amount depends on length.
Family Fun: This Disney site pays $1.25 per word for articles, and they even pay $100- $200 for ideas if the site opts to use a staff writer.
I have put together a list of over 200 places to get paid to blog, and that list will definitely be included in my upcoming book. Making a pledge today for the funding project on “How to Write and Get Paid” will help me get it published, and will get you one of the first copies! Please share this with all the aspiring writers you know, and on social media sites you visit; I will be forever grateful for your help!
Related articles
- Tip Junkie Tuesday: 5 Posts with Good Advice on Guest Blogging (writeandgetpaid.wordpress.com)
- Friendly Fridays – 3 Great Blogging Friends to Learn From (writeandgetpaid.wordpress.com)
Picket Fence
