Freelancing is writing for hire. This is opposed to writing because you’re a staff member of an organization or have writing responsibilities as part of your overall job. When you freelance, you are getting paid to write a specific piece (or pieces) of content. It can be a one-off piece or part of an ongoing contract.

Many writers make fantastic money creating articles, blog posts, and other content for an endless array of different industry and special interest publications. My freelancing experience has been in a few basic areas:

1. I’ve written a few articles for traditional print magazines and journals.
2. For several years, my primary side business income was writing podcast show notes for a few clients.
3. I wrote lots of articles for The Good Men Project, a large online publication with millions of views per month. (However, I was paid as an editor, not a freelancer.)
4. I wrote lots of “pillar post” content for a ministry-related website for a year or two. (A “pillar post” is a long article—typically a few thousand words—designed to be an authoritative post on a topic. It’s also usually packed with keywords and phrases designed to maximize SEO—search engine optimization.)

Freelancing comes in all shapes and sizes. However, I don’t want you to get overwhelmed by the possibilities. Instead, stay focused on doing a few things well. Here’s how I would recommend getting started if you want to write for publications:

First, set up a blog and start writing there on a regular topic. You need to build your writing resume and show potential clients, publications, or magazines that you have some writing chops. Plus, writing regularly on your own blog is a good way to develop SEO and begin building some authority around your topic, whatever it is.

Next, write for free in some publications, such as The Good Men Project, which accepts articles on lots of topics, both by men and women (as long as it pertains to men or manhood). I would suggest writing for places that feature the same kinds of content or topics you write. The more your writing is online, and the larger the publications you write for, the more your credibility within that topic will grow.

Once you have one of these two things, then begin pitching paid publications. Be sure to strictly follow their guidelines. Editors are very busy people who will generally ignore you if you don’t play by their rules.

If you want to write for clients—doing regular blog posts, for example—you will still need a blog. And I’d also recommend writing for publications if you can, even if it’s for free for a while to build up your writing resume. But then you will want to connect with potential clients on an individual basis.

One final tip when it comes to freelancing: I strongly suggest that you don’t refer to yourself or promote yourself as a “freelance writer.” The reason is that freelance writers are a dime a dozen. Give yourself a more authoritative and specific title, such as “Content Writer for the Automotive Industry” or “Business and Personal Development Writer.”

Better yet, combine it with other titles such as Author or Coach. Titles mean something, and the way you refer to yourself is the way people will think of you. Don’t ever just call yourself a “freelance writer.” And for goodness sakes, please don’t use the “Open to Work” badge on your LinkedIn profile… it just screams that you are desperate!

Like most of the areas we’re discussing in this series, freelancing can take a lot of different forms. But don’t be afraid—just take the steps I’ve outlined here and you will make quick progress.

Question: What specific topics or industries interest you the most when it comes to freelancing?

The post Making Money as a Writer: Freelance Writing appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Yesterday, I talked about writing blog posts. Articles are similar to blog posts, except they are posted on other places besides your website.

You can write for magazines, journals, newsletters, newspapers, or even other blogs and websites. You can also post these articles on social media, such as Facebook or LinkedIn. The possibilities are endless.

The big question everybody wrestles with is, “Where do I start?” It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the options, so let me present two great ones.

The first is writing articles for other bloggers. This is a super easy win. If you know someone who writes about the same topics you do, ask if they would be willing to do an article swap.

I remember a few years ago when a few other bloggers and myself did a series on leadership in the movies, and we did guest appearances on each other’s blogs. It was a blast.

The second is to submit an article to a site where you can get accepted fairly easily. I recommend The Good Men Project. This is a large media site with several million visitors per month. I used to be a lead editor there, as well as a writer. They are always looking for new writers. Plus, it’s a great way to hone your writing skills and build your audience.

For example, one time I wrote an article on the singer Tony Bennet, and his manager saw it and emailed me, saying that he loved the article. Tony is world-famous and has been making music for decades. He’s in his 90’s, and he’s quite a big deal in the music world.

You never know what might happen when you start writing for other outlets besides your own blog.

Question: If you had to write an article today for a place other than your own website or blog, where would it be?

The post Start Writing Today: Articles appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Have you ever tried to gather all your writing and content into one location, such as a website or a collection of Microsoft Word or Google docs? Maybe you were trying to build up a portfolio of your work for prospective clients or just trying to put as much of your writing into one place as possible.

If you’re like me, you were probably trying to pull from some combination of blog posts, podcasts, articles on various websites, YouTube videos, and more. And you probably gave up after a while.

My guest today is here to help writers solve this problem of having your online content scattered all over the internet. His name is Eric Hauch and he is the Founder and CEO of Authory.com.

Authory is the first automated platform to bring together all the content you create. You can take control of your content by having your articles, videos, podcasts and more in a single place, no matter where you publish them. You can back up your articles automatically, turn your readers into email subscribers, and find out how your pieces perform on social media.

This is a genuinely fascinating and helpful resource for writers, and I’ve been using it for a couple of months now. In this conversation, Eric shares how and why he developed Authory and how you can use it to consolidate your online content and build your author platform.

Eric has graciously made a special arrangement available to Daily Writer listeners, where you can get a special 30-day free trial of Authory instead of the standard 14-day free trial. Visit https://dailywriterlife.com/authory.

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The post Eric Hauch on Building Your Writing Portfolio with Authory appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Based on my interactions with writers over the years, I would categorize writers this way: 

1. A third of you have active projects in the works. 

1. A third of you have an idea what you want to write but have not started. 

1. A third of you want to write but don’t know where or how to start. 

No matter where you fall on that spectrum, all writers have one thing in common: we constantly fight resistance. We need to keep ourselves motivated and inspired on a daily basis. 

In this post, I’ll share five ways to get started writing today. If you are struggling with what or how to write, this will be immensely valuable. If you know what you want to write, but haven’t yet started, this will help you get moving. And if you’re already writing and have a clear direction, this will add to your creative arsenal. 

The five ways to write we’ll discuss are: journaling, social media, blogging, articles, and books. 

Let’s dive in! These rank from easiest to hardest. 

1. Journaling 

I know a lot of people will dismiss journaling as a waste of time. Why? Because by definition, journaling is private and others will probably not see what you write there. Those who dismiss journaling assume that everything you write should be for public consumption. 

But that’s not true at all. It’s important for you to explore and experiment with your writing. When you reserve some writing time only for yourself, you can do that without judgment. It also gives you the opportunity to try things without it being connected with your business or audience. 

There are lots of frameworks and systems for journaling. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of options. If you don’t have a regular journaling habit, I recommend starting with this very simple approach: Write one page a day for five straight days. Don’t stop writing, don’t analyze, and don’t overthink. Just write what comes to mind. 

The whole exercise should only take 5-10 minutes per day, max. When you get into the flow and let your creative mind take over without judging or censoring your thoughts, you will be amazed at what comes out. We spend so much time thinking about other people’s perceptions of our writing that it’s hard to get out of the habit of censoring yourself. 

Journaling is a very simple way to start writing without fear of what others will think. Give this a try and you’ll immediately see the value of it. 

2. Social media 

Just like with journaling, many people will probably dismiss social media as something that’s not worthy of your time as a writer. I completely disagree. Social media is not only a great place to connect and network with other writers… it’s also a low-stakes environment to work on your writing skills. 

For example, you can tell a story about something that happened to you today. You can give somebody a shout-out or acknowledge another writer. You can share a quote you liked. You can ask an insightful question. You can comment on other people’s posts. You can share what books you’re reading. You can share something you’re learning right now. 

The possibilities are endless with social media. There are so many ways to add value to others by writing in the short form that social media requires. 

I’ve said this many times before, and I’ll continue to say it: People’s greatest emotional need is to be affirmed and validated. If you make a list of all the things that make a big difference in your writing career, your writing talent is not item #1. A far more important item is the way you make people feel.  

If you can make people feel good, if you can validate and affirm and encourage them through social media, you will go a long way.

3. Blogging 

Now, I know, I know… there have been rumors for a long time that blogging is dead, and that it’s been replaced with podcasting, social media, and video. While there are certainly more options today that compete for people’s attention, blogging is far from dead. 

A blog is a great way to get your ideas out into the world and share them with others. It’s also a great place to develop your writing chops, work out your ideas about different topics, and present your viewpoint to the world. I highly, highly encourage you to have a blog.  

Maybe I should just be brutally honest: It is hard for anyone to take you seriously as a writer if you don’t have a blog of some kind. After all, blogging is an entry-level form of writing for others, so it’s like the least you should be doing, right? 

You can also share your blog posts on social media, podcasts, in email newsletters, or even use them as book chapters (or parts of chapters). I see blog posts as a fantastic building block for other types of content. For example, this content doubles as both a podcast episode and a blog post. 

Also, remember that the more you post online, the more material you are giving Google to index on your behalf. Every blog post is like a little soldier that is out there recruiting people to come back to your website. 

If you don’t already have a blog, I would recommend starting one through WordPress or Squarespace. It doesn’t take very long to set up, and it could potentially change your life!

4. Articles 

This is another great way to get your name out there and build your audience. You can write for magazines, journals, newsletters, newspapers, or even other blogs and websites. As with everything else I’ve mentioned here, the possibilities are endless. 

The big question everybody wrestles with is, “Where do I start?” It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the options, so let me present two great ones. 

The first option is writing articles or blog posts for other bloggers. This is a super easy win. If you know someone who writes about the same topics you do, ask if they would be willing to do an article swap. I remember a few years ago when a few other bloggers and myself did a series on leadership in the movies, and we did guest appearances on each other’s blogs. It was a blast! 

The second option is to submit an article to a site where you can get accepted fairly easily. I recommend The Good Men Project. This is a large media site with several million visitors per month. I used to be a lead editor there, as well as a writer. They are always looking for new writers. Plus, it’s a great way to hone your writing skills and build your audience. 

For example, one time I wrote an article on the singer Tony Bennet, and his manager saw it and emailed me, saying that he loved the article. Tony is world-famous and has been making music for decades. He’s in his 90’s, and he’s quite a big deal in the music world.  

Those are some great places to start with writing articles. 

5. Books 

I know when I mention “books,” you’re probably thinking, “That’s not something I can get started on today.” On the contrary! Of course you can.  

All you need to do is to sit down and start working on a couple of things.  

First, determine the main idea of the book. Second, who is the book for? Who is the ideal reader? And third, start working on an outline. If you’re doing a non-fiction book, I recommend about 35,000-40,000 words, divided into 12-15 chapters. 

This doesn’t mean you will be writing the whole book. It just means that you are working on the outline, which will help you get excited and want to move forward. The sheer act of developing an outline will be a huge push forward. 

You can get the book written faster than you think. Even if you only write 200 words a day (which is an average page length), you can write a book of 120 pages in 4 months. You can write 3 of those a year if you just write 1 single page per day. Then you can put it on Amazon and make it available to the world. 

So those are five ways you can get started writing today. Many times, we make excuses that we don’t have time, or we don’t know where to start. Now I’ve taken those excuses away by giving you clear direction on how to get started quickly. 

The most important thing is taking action! What are you going to do today to get started? 

The post 5 Ways to Start Writing Today appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.