Tag Archives: Writer

Getting Started as a Paid Writer: Step One

write and get paid

Write Now!

It is time for another article for beginners. If there is one question I get asked more than any other, it is “How do I get started as a writer?” The good news is that there is so much work out there it is often overwhelming, and that there does not seem to be any slowing in this area…you just need to be prepared, know where to look and how to approach people. Today I am going to talk about preparing to write professionally.

Step One: Preparation 

Almost every business manager or owner that you might talk to, whether in person, on the phone, or over the Internet– will want to see some samples of your writing work. Your number one priority if you want to “write and get paid” is to put together at least five writing pieces that you can use for marketing. Make them about different topics to appeal to a wider audience and show your versatility.

What to write about?

Business issues, marketing, social media, travel, autos, home, design, making money, starting a business are always popular topics. Look around a little bit on the Internet, do a few searches and see what people are interested in that you know a lot about— and write about it. If you have a blog, you already have lots of articles written; look it over and pull out your best pieces, polishing them up if needed.

Everyone has something to tell others— maybe you can teach somebody how to make graphic design logos, bake a cheesecake, make a bedroom look fabulous  or give them something interesting to think about. Whatever it is, make it interesting and something people want to read; we know from studies that readers decide in about a minute whether or not to finish reading something they started… so give them good reasons to do that!

Is your righting gud?

Make sure your writing is good, and error-free. It should flow from beginning to end, and have a purpose in mind from the outset.  I still remember our basic English classes from middle school– your articles should follow an easy pattern.  Introduction– tell your readers what you are going to tell them.  Body– tell them! Give them the information. Conclusion–Tell them what you told them, reinforce the important points.

Check your Work

writer edits

Edited Page

Have someone with good spelling and grammar knowledge that you trust look it over and suggest improvements if you are not sure of yourself.  Use your software’s spell check tool and take note of any issues that it points out.   You could also check it with a  tool like  Grammarly  that will point out grammar or spelling issues you and the processor  may have missed. Of course, nothing beats having someone read over your work. Have your work proofread by another writer; I do a lot of proofreading and editing and charge a nominal fee per page. ($5 per page, or each 500 words.) If you want my help and more personal feedback, you can email me at denise.gabbard@gmail.com.

Improve your Skills

There are lots of great websites on the Internet that can help with your writing. Grammar Girl  is one of my favorites as they go over a lot of the common problems that we all have.  If you have issues with spelling, try this quick quiz: Spelling Quiz . To enhance your vocabulary, check out a great site called Free Rice. The site tests your vocabulary in a fun way, while also contributing to world hunger the more you use it. Win-win!

If English is not your native language, you might have some additional challenges with your grammar. See this post I wrote for help:  15 Tips for Improvement for ESL Writers.

You can also review some of the articles here on the blog about improving your writing skills and getting started writing.  Try to put together at least one or two full-page articles in the next day or so. Do not agonize over what to write about at this point— just find something interesting and get it down on paper.

Grammar Girl resource

Writer resources

There you have it– the first step to beginning to make money as a writer is to write! Put together some articles, check with software, have someone read them over and critique them, and polish them up. Improve your skills, and polish them some more till they are perfect. This might seem pretty simplistic, but the writing I am discussing here and that you will find most abundant is informational writing for businesses. This type of writing doesn’t need a plot, or character development…just the facts, Ma’am!

Tomorrow, I will post the next step– Marketing, or finding outlets for your writing skills that will pay you:)  We will be using those polished gems that you put together to show people just what you can do!

http://writeandgetpaid.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/guest-post-4-time-tested-ways-to-improve-your-writing

15 Grammar Goofs that make you look silly

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Make Money with Writing Contests

This is a guest post about Writing Contests. Though this is something that I have not addressed here on the blog before, and actually something I have not done much of myself, there are literally thousands of writing contests going on all the time. The prizes are often pretty good, so I need to stop ignoring them… for the same amount of effort, I could walk away with a much bigger reward than writing a blog post or online articles. I guess I have to this point taken the “for sure” money, and not attempted to grasp the bigger bucks….Time to change all that! A great source of income if you are a good writer and follow all the rules; this is actually now on my goal list for the remainder of this year (this last three months) I am going to enter two contests a month….who wants to join me and see what we can do? I will post about my contest entries and my progress here, and I will try to keep adding new contests that I find here and on Facebook. 

Writing contest awardWe all have something to tell the world. We are all unique and each of us has their own purpose. Yet, the purpose many consider theirs is not a true one. In most cases, it is a template of a purpose that gets adopted from the masses. Consider a template that’s very popular today – to become rich and buy everything. It is the virtue of time we live in that restricts many of us from understanding the multidimensionality and the endless capabilities of each and everyone.

Same as we are highly original individuals, we all have our own means of expressing ourselves. Some do it through making music, some – through drawing, some – through philosophy, and some – through writing. In fact, every person’s take on a certain mean is unique, as there is no limit to the number of ways each mean of expression can be approached from. What’s common in all the forms of self-expression? They are all a form of art, which is something that speaks. It is something which message goes far beyond its material texture. This far-reaching essence is what transcends the endlessness of the material world we are so used to living in. It is through art, in whatever form it may be, that one achieves immortality.

Regardless of whether you are finding expression of your creativity in something fundamentally vague like day-to-day behavior (which is also possible) or in some defined form of art, we would like to present you with some of the best writing opportunities there are. These opportunities will hopefully help you earn recognition and further your art of self-expression in a new way, if you are not a professional writer already.

Writers of The Future Competition (quarterly)

ENTRY FEE: Free of charge

DEADLINE: N/A
PRIZES: $1,000.00 for the first, $750.00 for the second, and $500.00 for the third places; publication in one of the Writers of The Future publications

COMMENT: This is a perfect opportunity for writers with no experience who feel that they are good at writing short fiction stories. Only prose is accepted. The style of the submission should be horror, science-fiction, fantasy or dark fantasy. The submission should not exceed 17,000 words. If you are lucky (or skillful) enough to get published in one of the issues of the Writers of The Future, you can be sure that your piece is going to become no less than 5,000 copies. If you do get published in one of the issues, you will maintain all the rights for the work. The prizes are awarded every three months. There is also an annual prize of $5,000.00.

Open City Magazine Short Story Contest (annual)

ENTRY FEE: Free of charge

DEADLINE: 12-31-2012
PRIZES: $500.00 cash prize and publication on anderbo.com
COMMENT: There is a limit of one submission per author. There are also strict guidelines on the format of the text body and the submission method. If you have been previously published by the Open City Magazine or on Anderbo, you can’t join the competition, as it was designed to find new talents.

http://contest.writerbay.com/

ENTRY FEE: Free of charge

DEADLINE: 11-01-2012
PRIZES: $1 000.00 cash prize
COMMENT: We are happy to announce the first writing competition organized by Writerbay.com. We are looking for experienced writers, as well as people who are looking to get started as a writer. If you want to show your talent to the world and start making money with your writing skills, our contest is the one you have been waiting for.

The Consequence Magazine Prize in Poetry (annual)

ENTRY FEE: Free of charge

DEADLINE: 10-01-2012
PRIZES: $200.00 cash prize and publication
COMMENT: The submission must address or in some way touch on the consequences of war. No more than three pieces of work can be submitted at the same time. Any length is acceptable. A cover letter should be included.The winner and the three to make it to the final will have their works published in the Spring issue of the Magazine.

Web of Life Essay Competition (annual)

ENTRY FEE: Free of charge

DEADLINE: 09-30-2012
PRIZES: $1,500.00 for the first and $500.00 for the second places
COMMENT: The Web of Life Foundation is now taking essays for its annual competition. The prize money amounts $2,000.00. The winner receives a cash-prize of $1,500.00. The person to take the second place will receive $500.00, also cash. If you can’t make it this year, make sure you put this opportunity on your list.

Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program (annual)  Radliffe College Writing Fellowship

ENTRY FEE: Free of charge

DEADLINE: 12-31-2012
PRIZES: $500.00 cash prize and publication on anderbo.com
COMMENT: If you are an established writer, this is for you. The fellowship is given on an annual basis to creative nonfiction writers, poets and fiction writers. If you receive the fellowship, you get a personal office space at Radcliffe Institute, access to Harvard University libraries and, of course, the $70,000.00 fellowship itself. There are strict entry requirements for those applying.

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Here are some others I like: 

Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship
Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship

An award of approximately $52,000 is given annually to a U.S. poet for a year of travel and study abroad. Publication is not required, but recent winners have been published poets. Submit two copies of…

 $0 Poetry $52,000 10/15/12

Definitely entering this one! Did somebody say travel?

Amazon 
Deadline:  February 5
Web site: www.createspace.com/abnaThe Breakthrough Novel Award is offered annually for general fiction and young adult fiction. Each winner receives a publishing deal from Penguin with a $15,000 advance. Amazon Encore will publish close to a dozen other entrants.

Pretty cool–I have a novel bubbling, but not sure if I’ll make the Feb. deadline.

Writer’s Digest Romance Competition

We are now accepting entries in the Writer’s Digest Popular Fiction Awards Romance Category. Winners will be listed in the May/June 2013 issue of Writer’s Digest.

Deadline:  September 14

Extended Deadline:  October 31

Learn more about the Romance competition

Wondering what’s in it for you?

  • A chance to win the Popular Fiction Awards Grand Prize including $2,500 and a trip to the 2013 Writer’s Digest Conference in New York City.
  • A chance to win the $500 Category First Prize
  • Get your romance story promoted in Writer’s Digest and on WritersDigest.com
  • Win $100 off a purchase at www.writersdigestshop.com
  • Receive a copy of the 2013 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market

Hmmm….maybe a mushy short story under my pen name so Mark does not die of embarrassment. 

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How to Improve Your Writing Skills

 

If you want to be a writer, but realize that you have issues with grammar, spelling, punctuation, or  sentence structure– read this guest post by nanny/writer Nancy Parker for some tips on how to make improvements and gain the confidence you need to get started. 

Writing as a profession is a bit different from other professions because many writers write on their own and don’t have a direct boss to report to or teach them the ropes. It’s largely up to the writer to stay on top of any changes in writing styles and acceptable practices and to educate themselves on how to improve as a writer. Every writer will always have room for improvement. Here are five tips to help you continually evolve and improve your writing skills:

1.     Write every day. Whether it’s just a short blurb in a journal, a lengthy blog post, or a chapter in a book, the only way that you will improve the way you write is to write each and every day. This will help you develop a writing style you’re comfortable with and will make writing flow more easily. You’ll start to identify where your weak points are and where your strong suits are, and you can hone in on those and improve on them.
2.     Read authors with different writing styles. Writers get many of their writing ideas from other written works, and many writers try to emulate the styles of their favorite authors. To constantly find new voices and ways to write you should immerse yourself in the written word and read a variety of different authors and writing styles. Don’t limit yourself to one style of writing.
3.     Have someone else read your stuff. It’s easy for writers to skim over their own mistakes in something they’ve written – after all, they wrote it! Have a trusted peer or editor look over your stuff from time to time to help find any errors that you may have missed otherwise and to give constructive criticism. It helps to get several different viewpoints on where you can improve.
4.     Compile a go-to list of websites with writing tips. There are many websites out there that are dedicated to helping writers improve in their profession. Grammar Girl, Dr. Grammar’s Frequently Asked Questions, Online Writing Courses, and A Guide to Writing Well are just a few of the many websites and articles available online that writers can frequent to help develop their writing skills.
 5.     Don’t be afraid to put something down and come back later. Some writers get into the flawed mindset that they have to write everything at once, however it’s OK to take a break from writing and come back later on if you’re having trouble finding the right words. Sometimes rereading something later on will spark new ideas and take something in a completely different, and better, direction.

You can never reach a level of perfection in writing, and there are always improvements to be made, whether you’re the worst writer in the world or the best. By immersing yourself in the world of writing and continually striving to do better you’ll improve your skills and hone in on your talents, taking you one step further in your career.

Author Bio

Nancy Parker was a professional nanny background check and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like health, Parenting, Child Care, Babysitting, nanny background check tips etc. You can reach her @ nancy.parker015 @ gmail.com

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5 Ways to Improve Your Writing Skills

This guest post was written by Samantha Gray, another awesome freelance writer. She makes her home in Houston, Texas and writes frequently about education. If you are interested in guest posting for Write and Get Paid and have an idea for a topic that would be interesting for my readers, shoot me an email at denise.writeandgetpaid@gmail.com

If you were gifted with a writing talent, it is probably difficult for you to understand just how hard writing can be for others. If you turn it around, though, you may be able to understand the struggle; more than likely you aren’t so great at math and have always dreamed of improving your arithmetic skills. If you asked a mathematician to give you advice, you wouldn’t be looking for a school lesson. You would want him or her to tell you the secrets of their trade, right?

When I was asked to write a post on ways to improve writing skills, I experienced a short stint of writer’s block. It seems it’s not so obvious to figure out the things I do to improve my writing, but then I analyzed my own process and was surprised at all the tricks I had up my sleeve.

  1. Read a lot of fiction: I have found that you can only become an interesting writer if you read interesting books. Although I read all types of books (fiction and non-fiction), I believe that fiction writing contains more categories of style and technique and gives writers the freedom to utilize their grammar and language skills in a variety of ways. All of these things come together to educate novice writers on different writing styles, correct grammar and punctuation and new words.
  1. Edit while you write: I am horrible at math, but I have found that the problem lies in my unwillingness to slow down when working through equations. I think the same can be said for people who struggle with writing. They usually put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard before thinking about what they want to say and how they want to say it, and they also refuse to edit while they write. When I write, I usually stop and re-read everything after each completed paragraph (and sometimes before). This gives me the opportunity to make sure my words make sense and flow well while also looking for any grammar, punctuation or spelling mistakes.
  1. Add the Merriam: Webster app to your smart phone: If you have a smartphone, go to your app store and download the Merriam-Webster dictionary/thesaurus now. It’s free and is the easiest way to check word usage and spelling from anywhere, at any time. I also keep it by my side when I read to learn the meanings of words I have never seen before.
  1. Read like an editor: Whether I am reading a newspaper, magazine, blog or novel, I have trained myself to read with awareness. This not only keeps me conscious of correct writing techniques but also helps me spot errors. There is something to be said about finding writing errors; it usually means you are becoming a better reader and writer. It also helps you realize that even the best writers make mistakes, too.
  1. Buy The Associated Press Stylebook: This is especially important for bloggers. If you want to bring a professional flare to your writing, follow AP style. The Associated Press Stylebook is used by journalists and public relation firms and is considered an industry standard by most media outlets in the United States. The guide contains punctuation, grammar, spelling and other writing principles that will make your writing come across as more professional and credible. Don’t worry if you can’t remember every rule in the guide; most people can’t. Just keep it by your side when you write and refer to it whenever you have a question.

Samantha Gray was born and raised in Houston, Texas, where she is now a freelance writer. Her niche is education, and her passion is producing and consuming media of all sorts. She loves receiving feedback from her readers at samanthagray024@gmail.com.

Guest Post: How to Make Money as an Online Writer

This guest post was submitted by Victoria Heckstall, the writer of the Young Work at Home Moms blog. She gives advice for beginning freelance writers here, and explores freelance and other work from home opportunities on her blog. 

Becoming a freelance writer is a great decision with the way the economy is now,  if you know how to write. What many people do not understand is that it does not take an English degree to make money writing online. As a matter of fact, you may be surprised to know that the majority of freelance writers pulling in top dollars are stay at home moms; these writers  might have no degree at all or a degree in something that is not related to writing.

When first thinking of becoming a freelance writer you need to decide whether or not you want to do it full time of part time. Depending on your skills, you may be able to make a full time income only working part time. Of course,  you cannot expect to start off at this point. In order to become a successful writer in the online world you must first establish yourself. When trying to establish yourself try starting your own blog or website, writing guest posts,  and content mill submissions. However, at the same time you should be focusing on finding private clients because content mills are mainly just used to test your skills because the pay is not all that great.
Some content mills that you can consider, however, are TextBroker, Interact Media and Writer’s Access. All three of these places seem to be easy to write for and pay an okay amount of money for someone who is just trying to get into the writing industry. Starting a blog or website should be your next move. To begin with you can make a free blog that tells about your writing career. This way potential clients can see your writing style as well as see some of the experience that you have when it comes to writing. A great blog that features a writing success journey is Young Work At Home Moms. To drive traffic to your website you can experience guest posting. The posts you write can also be used for samples because they are published under your name. The downside of basing your career strictly off of content mills is that your work is not published under your name so you cannot use it for samples.

Overall, everyone is going to have a different writing career. Also, different things work for different people so just check around on forums and social media websites for advice on how to get started and explore different options. Some of the options will work while others will not. But, in the end keep trying because once you are established freelance writing will not only be something that is fun but it will be something that is rewarding as well.

This guest post comes from freelance writer Victoria. Currently, she is writing about different investment banking companies such as CIBC World Markets.

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