tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44604285499939223492011-11-28T00:49:06.886ZFor people who want to make money from their writingLouise Franknoreply@blogger.comBlogger271100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-79061955662447863632009-09-15T09:13:00.002Z2009-09-15T09:27:09.360Z

FREELANCE writing is a profession you can undertake from your home, your office - or indeed, from anywhere in the world. It may be a full time occupation, a part time hobby, a second job or a lucrative career for you. Whatever your reasons for looking at freelance writing as an opportunity, being a paid writer is a demanding role, but also a rewarding and fulfilling activity.Many companies only

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-85709732737190301082009-07-17T05:37:00.006Z2009-07-17T05:53:13.854Z

YOU have dreamed of the freedom of being a freelance writer for some time. Being able to set your own schedule, choose your own jobs and write the material that you want to write - yes, it certainly has its perks. I love being a freelancer writer, and I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. Well, I would change some things, but, I digress.As I search the freelance writing job boards for

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-76495557580838238552008-09-10T14:32:00.001Z2008-09-10T14:35:13.722Z

IT goes without saying that most freelance writers work from home. However, it is important that, no matter how small or constrained the space, your work and home life is clearly delineated.When I first started freelancing I set up my computer in the sitting-room. This is great, I thought, I can work and watch television at the same time. Big mistake. Take it from me, re-runs of Frasier and

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-82598248833038779362008-03-06T16:41:00.003Z2008-03-06T18:24:19.630Z

IF you are still serious about becoming a freelance writer you will be keen to take the next step. My advice at this stage is not to give up your job (unless you have another source of income), but if you have no job - if you're a stay-at-home parent or just been made redundant, for example - then it's all systems go! First, decide what you want to write. I was personally lucky as I had worked

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-17957041125839179422008-01-03T14:53:00.003Z2008-03-06T20:20:09.911Z

Picture from http://www.freefoto.com/PITY the poor editor. It’s coming up to Christmas and every day a pile of unsolicited manuscripts on a festive theme arrives on his/her desk. The themes range from decorations to recipes to using up leftovers to Christmas parties to ……. you can fill in the blanks yourself.Were you one of those

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-86927651118154550672007-09-24T15:48:00.000Z2007-09-24T15:54:25.550Z

YOU have researched the market, thought of a killer title and written a killer article. Now you need to persuade an editor to read it and buy it.The covering letter you send with your manuscript is the first piece of your writing that an editor gets to read… so make it perfect. Make sure it’s grammatical with no spelling mistakes. Sounds basic, I know, but you’d be surprised at how many covering

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-72122833020252974042007-08-30T08:00:00.000Z2007-08-30T08:28:22.769Z

THERE are several ways in which a freelance writer can get work.The most common are:1. Write your piece and then send it off to its destination with a covering letter.2. Send a query letter first and then write your piece secure in the knowledge that if it's good enough, it will be accepted.3. Referrals: Get good contacts in your chosen field. Network for all you're worth and then when a job

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-32305174873626628502007-08-02T10:05:00.000Z2007-08-02T10:59:34.342Z

Above: The lovely Scarlett ..... or is it Scarlet? Maybe Scarrlet? Skarlett?Here are five basic tips that will help you get your article accepted for publication. Think of good title: This is especially important for the print media. Even if the constraints of writing headlines mean that your title is eventually changed, the purpose is to grab the attention of the editor. It's probably not so

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-86976321145548166862007-07-26T18:23:00.000Z2007-07-26T19:00:01.414Z

A WORD today to the novelists among you.You have finished your novel; it has been acciduously checked and neatly presented. Now begins the search for a publisher.If you have no inside knowledge or contacts in the publishing world, the first thing you should do is go into a big bookshop and hunt out all the books in your genre. Who is publishing them?Once you have found a publisher who catches

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-871319133113443212007-07-21T14:25:00.000Z2007-07-21T14:52:25.495Z

WHEN you first start writing for a living, you can get so caught up in the desire to produce "perfect pieces" that you end up writing, rewriting and rewriting again. I dread to think how many perfectly serviceable articles I have screwed up and thrown away. It wasn't until I started writing for newspapers and faced deadlines every working day that I began to hand in copy that, in my eyes, needed

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-55950160092327686902007-07-04T18:11:00.000Z2007-07-04T19:21:15.899Z

TODAY I'm going to talk a little more about markets.It is absolutely vital for all writers - and especially beginners - to have a clear idea of what publications want.It seems obvious that writers should keep to the style of their target publication, write submissions to the correct length and on subjects that are suitable. However, you'd be surprised at how many aspiring writers ignore the

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-80605355852892329462007-06-17T11:37:00.000Z2007-06-17T11:42:16.493Z

WHILE working as a sub-editor on a newspaper, part of my job was sifting through the unsolicited manuscripts. Most could be immediately consigned to the bin.The reasons were varied. Some were so illiterate they were practically unreadable. In other cases the writer had obviously not read the newspaper and was sending an article on a subject or in a style that was totally unsuitable. Sometimes the

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-67133880298773567312007-05-30T13:25:00.000Z2007-05-30T13:44:41.546Z

WHEN I first started writing there were times when all I got three or four rejection slips in a row. Writers can find this very depressing and begin to doubt their own talent or suitability for the profession. One way I had of cheering myself up was to write as many "fillers" I could in a day.Markets for fillers are easy to find as they include all kinds of writing, from writing letters to

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-67321989202623673922007-05-27T07:37:00.001Z2007-05-27T08:13:41.697Z

SO you've sent off your carefully crafted and honed masterpiece and wait patiently by the door for the postman to arrive every day. And wait. And wait. And wait.Sometimes media take ages to reply. Sometimes they don't bother at all.You must be prepared to wait a long time to find out whether your submission has been accepted, especially if it is unsolicited. Six weeks is not unusual. Expect to

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-63327285483169680882007-04-28T14:54:00.000Z2007-04-28T15:01:59.079Z

IN this technological age, the email submission of manuscripts is becoming more and more popular.However, not all magazines and publishers accept articles via email so check first.If they will accept email work, find out if they want the work as an attachment or whether they want it in the body of the email. Some publishers are wary of opening attachments because of the risk from viruses.If you

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-25742951420740132632007-04-26T06:18:00.000Z2007-06-17T12:55:45.596Z

IF you want send an article or story to a magazine, first take a look at their website or give them a ring to see if they have any submission guidelines. If not, the below is fairly standard throughout the industry: This might seem obvious but use decent paper! There's no need to spend a fortune on thick, top quality paper but don't use flimsy either. The packs of average thickness typing paper

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-30568389133942302862007-04-25T17:48:00.000Z2007-04-25T18:25:32.557Z

IF you want to make money from your writing then you must start looking at the world with a writer's eyes.Ideas will come to you when you least expect them. Always carry a notebook with you to jot them down before they vanish like mist in the morning. Regularly review this list, take the most promising ideas and start a brainstorming session with yourself.This is what to do:Sit down with a big

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-57369924262426980422007-04-19T09:46:00.000Z2007-05-31T07:27:53.154Z

On this blog I will list useful websites with a brief description of each site.Ask About Writing: This is a resource site for writers of all abilities. It includes writing courses, news, contest listings, lots of hints and tips, a writer's showcase, events and much, much more. www.askaboutwriting.netCool Stuff 4 Writers: Another site that's packed full of "stuff" - stuff you can buy (like funky

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-62820883967515875042007-04-12T13:15:00.000Z2007-04-12T13:18:11.732Z

TWO little words that attract many readers are “how to”.We all want to know “how to” do all kinds of things, from be a good parent or bake a good cake to fix a dripping tap or write a best-selling novel. There is a huge market for practical articles that aspiring writers can tap into.Everyone wants to improve some aspect of their life, and the alert freelance can earn many a useful fee supplying

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-63219930311958531392007-04-06T06:21:00.000Z2007-04-06T06:41:19.516Z

YOU know you can write well. Why else would you be reading this blog? But how can you improve your skills?There are very few people in the world who are naturally brilliant writers. Those authors and journalists who are at the peak of their profession have honed and shaped their craft, making it the best they can.You may not be brilliant now - or ever be brilliant. It doesn't matter. You can

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-83369185290915017832007-04-06T06:12:00.000Z2007-04-06T06:19:07.935Z

BLOGGING is the new way to deliver information on the internet, and is exactly what people have been looking for. The word blog comes from the phrase "web log", but combined together. So what is a blog and how can you earn money from them?Well blogging is great because it is free, you don't have to know HTML and you don't have to pay for visitors to your blog. The way to make money from blogs is

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-51889222512335848532007-03-31T16:34:00.000Z2007-03-31T16:46:37.448Z

Greetings Card Verses: Greetings card companies often seek original verse or prose for their range of cards. If you have a forte for writing short humorous or meaningful passages, this could provide a successful opening for you. My tips: Take a look at the verses in greetings cards to study their style. Create a few sample verses. Note the name of the greetings card publisher and contact them for

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-81121460683989227202007-03-31T16:07:00.000Z2007-03-31T16:32:01.502Z

IF you are good at writing you can run a very successful freelance business. Believe me.I have worked for all kinds of publications and, I promise you, if you can write well you are in the minority.On newspapers I have dealt with trainee reporters who after 13 years in school, three years at university and one year on a post-graduate journalism course cannot string two words together.Look at

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-18122942020181120352007-03-27T19:04:00.000Z2007-03-27T19:37:33.752Z

ALTHOUGH a few months into my assault on the freelance market I was making money, I wasn't earning enough to give up my full-time job.It was time to get some expert advice. I didn't pay thousands to employ a consultant. No, I scoured the library for books on freelance writing. I read them all from cover to cover, making copious notes.From these books I learned how to sell myself, how to get

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-53404126449081673472007-03-25T18:58:00.000Z2007-03-25T19:02:24.902Z

WHERE was I? Ah yes, working in my spare time to build up my freelance business. Fifteen years ago when I set out on this road, the internet was just a twinkle in the eye of a few highly intelligent geeks. There was no e-mail, very few computers and I can’t remember there being word processors. I thought I was at the cutting edge having an electric typewriter!However, the basic principles were

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-2419959679712953992007-03-25T11:44:00.000Z2007-03-27T18:58:05.096Z

WHILE working full time for newspapers, magazines and local radio, one thing I learned was that the media business was remarkably cut-throat and – at most levels – remarkably badly-paid.At one time, on a provincial evening newspaper which was part of an enormously successful national company, I was working a 60-hour week and getting paid for 37. I pointed this out, of course, but the answer was

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460428549993922349.post-54208040876860243052007-03-25T09:54:00.000Z2007-03-25T09:59:43.335Z

THIS is my first post on The Writing Business. During the coming weeks I intend to build up a reference library of useful articles and tips for people who want to make money from their writing. I now make a very good living from my work but my business built slowly as I learnt how to write exactly what was needed, how to deal with potential employers and how to get work. I hope that by sharing my

Louise Franknoreply@blogger.com