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So You Want to Be a Freelance Writer?

2007-05-22T19:11:00.000-05:00

By Sharon Hurley Hall

Making it as a freelance is not easy, especially if you haven’t been published before. However, with a bit of persistence you can be successful. Here are a few tips to get you started.

As a minimum, you should know how to structure a news story or feature article. With news, you'll need to include the who, what, where, why, when and how of the story. With features, you'll need to flesh the story out a bit and tell it in an interesting way - and in the way that's most appropriate for the readers you're trying to reach. After all, you'd write very different stories for the New York Times and the Surfing Times, wouldn't you?

Freelancing is not an excuse to have lots of snack breaks or sit in the garden. Treat it like a job. Set some time aside each day to look at newspapers and magazines, look at job sites and, most importantly, do some writing. Keep copies of your articles, of correspondence (whether email or snail mail) and of all relevant bills so you can claim any tax relief or expenses due to you.

Make sure you have the right equipment: telephone and mobile phone; PC or laptop; a dictaphone or other recorder; a printer and a scanner.

Ideas are your bread and butter: keep having them. Have you got any interests, hobbies or obsessions? Has anything unusual happened to your friends or members of your family? These are all good starting points for articles. Look for work in new magazines that don't have established links with freelancers. They are more likely to give new writers a chance.

So how do you get an editor to give you a try? Read the magazine or paper to see what kinds of articles they publish and suggest material that you think might be appropriate. Look in the archives to make sure your idea hasn't been published before and then send a query to the editor (by email or snail mail depending on his or her preference). Do a bit of legwork (by phone) and find out the editor's name so you can address your query to the right person.

Your query should lead the editor into your story. My advice is to write the lead and then say how you would develop the story. Remember to include any information about specialist sources you may have access to or areas of expertise. This will help to convince the editor that you are serious. However, don't give away so much of your material that the editor can commission someone else to do it. Think of the extras you can provide - sending photos and material for sidebars will make the editor's life easier.

Once you've got that commission, be professional and deliver on time. If you let an editor down once, you won't be hired again.\

Finally, if you want to get paid on time, find out who's responsible for paying you (it may be an accounting department rather than the editor) so you can send your invoice in as soon as the work is delivered. Try to get the details of the commission in writing. If the editor won't send you a letter, then you send one confirming the agreement you've made. That way, you'll have some comeback if there's a query later.

If you do all this, there's a good chance that an editor will give you a try. A final word of advice, though; if your article is good enough to go in the magazine, it's good enough for an editor to pay you. Don't work for nothing unless it's absolutely unavoidable.

Good luck!

Sharon Hurley Hall is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor who writes on freelance writing skills and writer promotion for InspiredAuthor.com. For more information or to contact Sharon, visit her site, doublehdesign.com.

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How to "Write While You Sleep"

2007-05-22T19:04:00.000-05:00

By Diane Eble

One of the things I've studied for years, simply because it fascinates me, is the creative process.

There are stages in the creative process. I will tell you what they are, then show you how to work with these stages so that you are always "writing," --i.e. working with the creative process-no matter what else you may be doing at the moment.

Stage 1: Germination. This is the beginning, when you get the idea. There is a burst of inspiration,the energy carries you through. I like to use this phase for a special brainstorming technique I use, which I'll talk about another time. Use the special energy of this stage to get as many ideas out as you can. Don't worry about order; worrying about order of any kind at this stage short-circuits the energy.

When you have a project you have to do or want to do, take the time to brainstorm. You might also want to "seed" your mind with some research, fresh input of new ideas.

Stage 2: Assimilation. This is a crucial next step, and productivity as a writer depends on how you manage this step. In the process of literal birth, conception would be the germination stage, and the nine-month gestation is the assimilation stage.

This is when your idea takes form, but often internally, in a rather subconscious and invisible fashion. You may find yourself feeling "blocked." Do not worry. Simply do something else. Take a shower, chop vegetables for a salad, go for a walk, do laundry. Even take a nap!

This is how you "write while you sleep." Once you have "seeded" your mind with ideas and research, put your project completely out of your mind. Get on with your life.

As you do, know this: You are still writing! Let this process of assimilation and your own amazing mind do its work.

By the way, when you're up against a deadline, it's crucial that you understand this stage and allow time for it. How much time? That's a tricky question. If you don't already have an intuitive feel for this process, allow yourself as much time as possible. At least a week, two is better. (More than that, you run the risk of lost momentum.)

Understand, this is not the same as procrastination. You continue to work. As ideas come to you, continue to write them down and throw them into a file called "my book" or "my project." This stage is about not forcing results prematurely, about learning to "tune in" to the project/idea as it gains momentum and takes form.

Stage 3: Completion. This stage is when you "give birth" to your book, project, idea. You give it actual form — words on paper/computer, or whatever result you are aiming for. This is the stage of manifestation. You sit down and write the book. You give form to the result you envisioned.

Another piece of this stage is receiving. You need to be able to receive the fruits of your labor. You release your work to the world, and as you do so, you yourself receive it.

To sum up, the creative process begins with an idea. At this stage of germination, you "seed" the idea by brainstorming and "feeding" it new ideas. You envision the result you want, but don't worry now about the process- how you will get there.

Then, you let the idea "go underground." When it feels like you're running a little dry, let it alone and go do other things. When an idea pops up, by all means get it down, but don't belabor the process.

When either a deadline looms or, better, an inner sense of urgency urges you to get moving, don't delay. Assimilation has done its work, and it's time to manifest, complete, actually finish your project. When it's done, release it to the world and receive it yourself.

For more on how this process worked as Janet Penley and I wrote MotherStyles, go to yourbookpublishingcoach.com and read "The Creative Power of Vision."

Diane Eble has 28 years experience in the publishing industry as an editor (magazines, fiction and nonfiction books), author (11 published books, more than 350 articles), and copywriter. She is now a book publishing coach as well. For more information on how to write a book proposal that sells, check out Jump Start Your Book: 12 Questions You Must Answer Before You Write Your First Word.

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How to Set Up a Writer's Home Office

2007-05-22T18:59:00.000-05:00

By Sharon Hurley Hall

Freelance writing is popular career choice because it allows writers to work from home and set their own hours. New freelance writers need to make sure they have everything they need to support their writing. Here's how to set up a good work from home environment for a writer.

A Writer's Office

Every writer needs a place to work and a home office is one of the best places for writers. What a writer's home office looks like will depend on the budget. Some writers will be able to set aside a room for writing. Other writers may prefer to set aside a space for their home office.

A writer's home office needs to be quiet and large enough to contain a desk and a chair. Most of the other equipment needed will fit on or under the desk. The writer's chair needs to be comfortable and should fit under the desk.

A writer's home office can be just like a normal office. Family photos on the desk will make the writing environment pleasant. Make sure the desk has room for a cup of tea or coffee - freelance writers spend a lot of time at their computers. Any drinks should be kept well away from the computer, though.

Writing Equipment

A computer is one of the most important pieces of equipment for a writer. A basic PC is not expensive and can even be bought on Ebay. The computer should have a keyboard, a mouse and a modem or networking card.

A better option for writers is a laptop. A laptop or notebook computer allows writers to write anywhere. Modern laptops also allow writers to connect to the internet from anywhere. An internet connection is essential for researching writing and receiving email from editors and publishers. Dial up is a good basic option, but if writers need to submit images with their writing, they may be better off with cable or DSL.

Writers may find it useful to have a printer for printing out articles. This allows writers to check their own writing for errors. There are also some publishers who only accept hard copy writing submissions. A laser printer gives a crisp, sharp look, but an ink jet is a good option for writers on a budget.

Writers will also need some way of taking notes if they do interviews. This could be a notebook and pen, which can be kept on the desk. A better option is a recording device of some kind to allow the writer to have a record of interviews and conversations with people. This can be a tape recorder, digital recorder or personal digital assistant (PDA) depending on the writer's budget.

Organizing the Writing Environment

Once a writer has got a desk, chair and the right equipment for typing articles and taking notes, s/he will need a way of organizing the paper that covers every writer's desk. This could be a series of file folders or filing trays to contain copies of email or snail mail letters to and from editors and publishers.

A good filing system is essential for writers. Writers need to keep track of what articles have been commissioned and when deadlines are coming up. Writers should also save copies of bills for travel and other expenses so they can claim tax relief or expenses.

Tip: Writers can print a list of their ideas for articles or stories and stick them up near the desk. These ideas may spark other ideas for writing and will help writers to have a goal when they sit down to write.

Sharon Hurley Hall is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor who writes on freelance writing skills and writer promotion for InspiredAuthor.com. For more information or to contact Sharon, visit her site, doublehdesign.com.

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10 Ways to Take Back Your Time

2007-05-22T18:50:00.001-05:00

By Linda Dessau

I've divided my tips into two sections - 5 ways to manage your time and 5 ways to take back your time. Both offer daily or regular practices to try out in your life right now.

The first section focuses more on easing the time pressures in your life, to deal with all of the things you've gotten yourself into ;)

The second section focuses on making overall changes to your life. When you take back your time you also take back your CHOICE. When we're feeling time pressured and stressed out it's easy to forget that we have any say in the matter. And we do!

5 Ways to Manage Your Time

1. Choose specific times to look at email during the day - seeing emails as they come in can really distract you from what you're trying to accomplish and you'll end up losing time as you go back and forth between activities.

2. The 15-minute strategy. This not only helps motivate you by breaking down large jobs into smaller pieces, it also makes good use of your time. The strategy is to spend 15-minutes on a task and then move on the next. You can come back to the first one as many times as you need to until it's done.

3. Find a system that works for you for making and meeting deadlines and appointments - a calendar or day-timer. I use a Palm Pilot and have been really happy with it.

4. Plan and cook meals ahead of time. A huge time-saver and also makes it much easier to eat healthier. It could be as simple as cooking an extra portion of dinner and having it for lunch the next day, or you could plan out seven days at a time (which is what I do).

5. Keep up with things - whether it's tidying up your papers, doing the dishes or working on a report, doing things a bit at a time (see tip #2) instead of letting them pile up to the point of taking you all day, is much more manageable.

5 Ways to Take Back Your Time

1. Set and keep your boundaries - if you work for someone else, be clear about over-time and taking work home with you. If you work for yourself, establish the times of day that are no-work zones; good places to start are breaks for meals and deciding when you will start and stop work for the day.

2. Make one day a week "timeless" – rise and shine when you feel like it, eat when you're hungry and let your inner child (or your actual child!) plan your day's activities. Warning: This may conflict with the tip below ;)

3. Cut your t.v. time - try limiting it to one hour per day. Or try cutting it out completely for one week.

4. Buddy up and find someone to take back time with. Whether it's your spouse, best friend, family member or work colleague, if you're both committed you won't let each other bow out.

5. Take your holidays! Whether you're self-employed or work for someone else it's important to take time off to rejuvenate. You will be more productive for it in the long run.

Where do you need to take back time in your life? Where do you need to manage your time better?

Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, is the author of “The Everyday Self-Care Workbook”. Click here to subscribe to one of her free monthly newsletters.

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The Fastest Way to Write a Novel

2007-05-22T18:37:00.000-05:00

By David B. Silva

The fastest way to write a novel produces a wonderful side-effect: better writing. This is difficult for many writers to grasp at first, particularly those writers who have a tendency to edit as they write. However, as you'll discover in this article, writing quickly benefits not only the quantity of your output, but also the quality.

Let's consider how you might commonly approach the blank page. You write the first sentence. It looks okay, so you write a second sentence. That one looks okay as well, so you write a third sentence, but this one doesn't look okay. In fact, it's a poorly written sentence that jumps off the page.

You slam on your writing brakes and read the sentence again. Everything comes to standstill now. You're no longer a writer, you've picked up your editor's hat and completely shifted out of your writing mode. You tweak this and move that until the sentence, at last, passes your editor's approval. Then you remove your editor's hat and return to writing again.

But now the writing is more difficult. You've moved out of your writing mode, into your editing mode, and getting back is suddenly more difficult than it was when you first began writing. It's a struggle.

Does this sound familiar at all?

I tend to blame the computer for this dilemma. It's so easy to make corrections on the computer that we've come to believe stopping and fixing things as we go is a natural part of the writing process. It'll only take a second, we tell ourselves. And in that lies the danger. That second of editing destroys your train of thought and your writing momentum. It's merciless.

So, what steps can you take in search of the fastest way to write a novel?

They're simple, really.

Have a Starting and Stopping Point

Know before you put a single word on paper where your writing will begin. One trick that many writers use is to end their previous session in mid-sentence, so you have a great starting point for the next session. Next, you'll want an ending point. Now, this can be a page, a word count, or a specific place in your story.

For instance, if you're in the middle of a bar fight scene, you might determine that when your hero gets floored that will be the point where you stop. And when you arrive there, follow your own rules ... stop. Or you may prefer to stop after one page, or 250 words. Whatever works well for you.

Write in Short Bursts

Set a timer and write until it goes off. When you're first starting out, you might want to try five minute bursts. As you become more comfortable with the process, you might get up to fifteen minute or half-hour bursts. Generally, you'll want to keep these bursts shorter, with more intensity. Once the timer goes off, stop. Stretch. Get up and move around a little. Get a cup of coffee. And prepare for the next burst.

Don't Stop Writing

This is the key. During your burst writing session you never stop writing. It doesn't matter if you misspell words, get a character's name wrong, if you forget to put a period at the end of a sentence, or write the worst sentence that's ever been written in the history of mankind. Just keep writing.

Follow these three simple steps and you'll discover not only are they the fastest way to write a novel, but they will also help you produce much better writing. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it's true. Go give it a try.

Here's to your writing success.

David B. Silva runs the Newjournies.com site.

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Break into Print with Your Local Parenting Magazine

2007-05-22T18:04:00.000-05:00

By Kara Williams

Local parenting magazines are ideal outlets for write-at-home parents—especially new writers just getting their feet wet in the publishing world. These types of magazines are typically free and found your local doctors’ offices, recreation centers, supermarkets and kids’ stores. They typically carry short news items relevant to families, hard-hitting features about serious topics like post-partum depression or international adoption, humorous essays and a local calendar of events. These publications cater to one area of the country or a specific city; for example, NJ Family is for residents in the central section of the state and Chicago Parent covers the goings-on in the Windy City and its suburbs.

If you don’t already read your local parenting magazine, and you’re not sure if one is published in your neck of the woods, contact your Chamber of Commerce to find out. You can also check online at the parenting magazine I edit, Mountain Parent. Click on “U.S. Travel for Kids,” and you’ll find a list of nearly 100 magazines throughout the country, all members of the Parenting Publications of America.

Local parenting magazines love local perspectives. So, as a parent and a resident of the magazine’s market, you’ve already got a leg up on any competition from out-of-the-area freelance writers. Plus, you’ve got the pulse on what’s going on in your community. Is an acquaintance opening up a new downtown toy store? That’s news to your parenting magazine. Are you aware of a fabulous, little-known sledding hill? Suggest a round-up of fun, outdoor activities for families. Do you think the local pizza joint deserves some recognition for its kid-friendly service? Suggest a restaurant review.

Most local parenting magazines are hungry for good freelance writers. These publications have small budgets and small staffs, so they rely on outsiders to help fill their magazines with editorial. That said, you can’t assume you are a shoe-in, just because you’re pitching to a local publication. You’ll want to follow many of the same rules as querying a national magazine. Here are some hints:

Read the publication cover to cover — as many back issues as you can. If the same writer always seems to review restaurants, you may not be able to break in with that section. Suggest a story for another department instead.
Get a hold of the writers’ guidelines — either by calling the editor, sending an email or checking its website. This way you may be able to find out which departments are open to new writers or if they accept ideas for features from freelancers. Follow the magazine’s query guidelines to a T, whether they ask for e-mail submissions or entire manuscripts via snail mail.
Find out if the magazine has an editorial calendar. Typically, parenting magazines have theme issues: “Back to School” in the fall, “Holidays” for December, “Camp Guide” in the spring, “Summer Fun” when school lets out. Pitch your queries accordingly, and don’t forget to factor in about a three-month lead time.
Play up your expertise and local knowledge. If you’re a parent in the community, that practically makes you instant expert. If all other variables are equal, local parenting magazine editors will nearly always select a nearby writer to cover a subject over someone who lives out of state.
Draw from your own experiences. Having trouble getting your toddler to sleep through the night? Pitch a feature story about “bedtime battles,” explaining that you’ll detail your own family’s nighttime troubles, plus interview local pediatricians for advice. Have some funny stories about single-parent dating? The magazine might like a humorous essay for its Valentine’s Day issue.

As I mentioned above, regional magazines usually have small budgets — and that means you won’t strike it rich writing for one. (Mountain Parent pays 10 cents a word.) But if you’re new to freelance writing, trying to break into print publications, or wanting to fill in some gaps between other gigs, writing for your local parenting magazine just might be the ticket.

Kara Williams is the editor of Mountain Parent magazine, a bimonthly publication for families who reside in and visit the Aspen, Colorado, area. Learn more about her on her website.

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How You Can Find Freelance Copy Editing Jobs

2007-05-22T17:57:00.001-05:00

By Niall Cinneide

Even for those with the skills needed, finding copy editing jobs can seem next to impossible. The simple fact of the matter is, though, that through quality and building relationships, these jobs can be found and employment can lead to a career in the field. For those who are struggling to start out, finding those first copyediting positions is the most difficult part of the challenge. But, with the web’s growth and the demand for more and more at home workers, freelance editing jobs are out there!

It may seem next to impossible to put together a resume when you haven’t had that first experience in the job market. Sometimes it feels that you can’t get experience without having experience. Funny how that works, right? Not for those seeking vacancies. The most important aspect in this situation is the education you have and the skills you now possess. As a matter of fact, there is no way to get better results than to work on developing your skills in copy editing. By using your schooling or knowledgeable skills, you can put together a portfolio of examples to show. Does a client have to commission you for you to work? Of course not! So, why not take your knowledge and hone it through a few personal projects. Develop a few solid pieces of material to show case.

To find the freelance copy editing jobs that will propel your business, simply look online. If you are in an environment where bidding happens, bid slightly lower as you are newer. All it takes to get moving in the right direction is one solid lead. From this one lead, you can provide the quality product and show your worth. From there, you will have this experience and hopefully a few references to work off of. Freelance implies that you work as your own separate business, but another way to gain valuable experience is to work under other individuals who have compiled more work than they can handle. Again, you can earn the experience and gain the references and maybe even some referrals from these experiences.

Visit Niall Cinneide’s website for more articles, resources, news and advice.

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Article Marketing – On Discovering Your Niche and Doing Your Market Research When Writing Articles

2007-05-17T20:00:00.001-05:00

By Jeff Herring

Q: You made a great point when you were talking about asking your target market, you know, like you did in your email signing up for this program about getting some market research. I'm wondering if you have any quick tips on what happens when you are just starting out and you don't really have a list to ask people what it is they want? I'm even still working on what niche to have.

A: That is a fantastic question because a lot of people will find themselves in that situation. So if you don't have a client list to ask, look around you at your friends, at your colleagues, maybe people at your church or some other group you belong to that fits that profile of your ideal client and have conversations with them. One of the things you can do is even host a little pilot group and invite them, and you are going to provide a service, a pilot service for free in exchange for sort of picking their brains.

While you are searching for a niche just think of these two things -

1 - Think of the things that you do or want to do that just fire you up, you love doing it, and

2 - Things that people say you are really good at. For instance, when I first started in private practice back in the '80s people would tell me, "Hey Jeff, you are really good with teenagers, " and I would think to myself, "Well, yeah, but I breathe well too, what's the big deal?" I came to find out that a lot of people weren't good with doing it, didn't like it, were maybe even scared of them, so I built a whole practice around working with teenagers and their families.

Use these tips and tools and you will discover your niche and want they want to know. Then provide it for them.

Jeff Herring is The Article Guy. Visit his site for free access to two article writing templates. Also check out his free weekly teleseminars.

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Act Like a Best-Selling Author Part 2 - The First Step to Finding Your Market

2007-05-17T19:54:00.000-05:00

By Carmellita M. Brown

After reading his article “How to Publish on a Shoestring Budget,” writer Sid Smith said that if you are wondering about the best way to publish your book, then...

“Write an outstanding, must-read book that is unique, provocative,
controversial, a literary masterpiece, or is endorsed by someone like Oprah. No,
really. That's the best way to publish a book.”

While this may very well be true, it is not necessarily the road traveled by many first-time authors or authors who really want to self-publish his or her work. However, as I continued to read his article some particular facts jumped from the screen. One particular piece of information I was lead to ponder as a writer was...

“Even if they do ask how to publish a book, they're still thinking in terms of
publishing their best seller before they've even determined if there is a market
for the book!”

As writers, we tend to believe that if we write a book, of course there is a market for it, and as a Success Coach, I must slightly disagree with the statement...”if there is a market for the book.” The truth is we live in the information age. Even if we write a book about buying the best kind of scrap wood for birdhouses, there just may be a market for it. However, the questions that come to mind are many and this is where we tend to fall short.

How big is the Market?
How do I reach the market?
How big is the submarket?
What distribution channels will work best?

So, as I get ahead of myself, I realize some important factors that must be on the forefront of every writer’s mind if he or she wants to act like a best-selling author. That is...do the market research before you publish the book, especially if you are writing a non-fiction book.

In fact, to explore this further, I would suggest to every writer who self-publishes to develop a book proposal as if he or she were going to send it to a big name publishing company like Harper-Collins. Don’t short change yourself. Write an excellent book proposal and from that book proposal you will have answered the above question and many others.

Carmellita M. Brown is a success and wellness coach. She is the instructor for the online class Abundance Training 101 and she is the publisher of Headline Articles. Ms. Brown has developed the popular blog entitled "In the Company of Writer specifically for self-published writers or writers who wish to self publish. Her philosophy as a success coach is to help her audience live in wellness, wealth, and wisdom. Ms. Brown believes this can be accomplished by considering the whole self which includes health, relationships, finances, spirit, intellect, and purpose.

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How to Write for the Children's Market (Part 2 of 3)

2007-05-17T19:43:00.000-05:00

By Dale Mazurek

This is going to be my second article of many that I will be writing on how to break into the children’s writing market. This is going to be a considerably long series so keep checking back for updated posts.

Writing for kids can be one of the greatest ways to break into the writing field. You have such a wide range of readers from toddler to young adults. All you have to do is figure out what you want to write about and you’re on your way.

Chances are good that when you think of children’s books, picture books pop right into your mind. For the most part picture books are usually directed to kids from toddler to grade 4. One thing you have to keep in mind is that the book has to be appealing to the adults as well because they are the ones shelling out the money for them.

Picture books can range from a variety of different topics. You can have fiction, non fiction; they can be about animals, or about different people interacting with different stuff.

There is a basic format for picture books. Traditionally there 32 pages long. That includes every page from front to back. Because of the pictures your story usually has to be told in 14 pages of print. Another thing to remember is that you usually only has around 1000 words to use to write your story. So you have to get a good story in a small amount of space.

Picture books can be tough to write. So many people think that picture books are the way to go but soon find out that that’s not the case. You have to make sure that every word, picture and page has the most amount of detail that counts. You have no room for unnecessary content.

Just because you’re intended audience is youths doesn’t mean every word in your book has to be 4 letters long. Remember its going to be the parents for the most part that are reading the books to their youngsters. Also there is a misconception that all picture books must be rhyming. This is in no way true. As long as you develop a great story rhyming is nice but doesn’t really matter.

Chances are if you think about it then it has been written about already. That’s okay for you to go ahead but you have to find a fresh new way to present the idea. You have to make the publishers want to use it.

Don’t worry if you can’t draw. The editors want to first see if your book can stand on its own with out the pictures. If at that time they decide they like it they will hire an illustrator to help with the pictures. You have to remember that when you are writing a picture book it’s not only about the words. The colors and scenes have to be vibrant. They have to stand on their own.

Before you attempt to write your first picture book make sure you go to your local library or book store and read several different books by several different authors. No one wants you to plagiarize but by studying different styles you can than begin to develop your own style.

Dale is in the process of getting his first novel published. He is also a professional on line writer. You can check out 3 of his very popular blogs at Short Stories, or Relationship Tid Bits and Affiliate Marketing for Newbies.

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A Book Award Adds Value to Your Book

2007-05-15T20:22:00.001-05:00

By Sarah Bolme

Book awards bring exposure to books. Exposure generates sales. Sales mean more money in your pocket. Pursuing those book awards that allow publishers or authors to nominate their own titles can be a worthwhile activity for your book marketing efforts.

The literary community hosts a myriad of book awards. These awards differ as to who can nominate a book for an award. For some awards, publishers or authors can nominate their books and a committee or select group of people vote on the nominated titles. Other awards choose to have a nominating committee decide which titles should be considered for an award. Some awards have a select group of people (such as retailers, teachers, or students) nominate titles. There are a few book awards that are based on the number of copies a title has sold or lifetime achievements of an author.

Small and self-publishers can pursue those awards that allow publishers and authors to nominate books. Generally, these awards come with an entry fee. These entry fees can range from $40 to $200.

While entering a book award contest is not a guaranteed win for your entry fee, it certainly more than pays off if your book is picked for an award. Some book award programs publish the runners-up as well as the award winners. If your book falls into either of these categories, you receive a marketing gem.

Book awards, like book reviews, can be harnessed to promote your title in endless ways. One benefit of a book award over a book review is that an award warrants press coverage. Newspapers, magazines, and newsletters like to highlight authors and books that have won awards. Another benefit of a book award is that consumers tend to want to read books that have won an award. An award tells a consumer that a book is worth the money to purchase and time spent to read it. An award signals booksellers to purchase the book for their stores as book awards almost always guarantee sales.

When a book award is bestowed, the award should be used repeatedly in your marketing campaign. In addition to alerting the press about a book award, any book award received should be posted on your website, printed on all your marketing materials, used in advertisements, and added to your book’s cover on subsequent print runs. Also, make sure that you let your distributors know about the award and send an announcement to those publishers associations and discussion groups where you are a member.

Following is a list of a few book awards that are geared toward small and self-publishers.

Annual Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards
Sponsored by Writer’s Digest, these book awards are the only awards exclusively for self-published books.

Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award
Sponsored by Christian Small Publishers Association (CSPA), this book award honors books in three categories (fiction, nonfiction, and children's) for outstanding contribution to Christian life.

Ben Franklin Awards™
Publishers must nominate titles.

Best Book Awards
Best Book Awards actively promote the winning titles through their website and through the media.

Indie Excellence National Book Awards
The Writers Marketing Association presents these awards for non-published manuscripts, POD books, and books by self-published or small press authors. Awards are presented in over 50 categories.

ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Award
ForeWord’s Book of the Year Award was established to bring increased attention from librarians and booksellers to the literary achievements of independent publishers and their authors. Print-on-demand titles and ebooks are accepted for nomination.

The Hurston/Wright Legacy Award™
This award, given by The Hurston/Wright Foundation and sponsored by Borders Books, is the first national award presented to published writers of African descent by the national community of Black writers. The award is offered for four categories and nominations must be submitted by the publisher with permission from the author.

Independent Publisher Book Awards
The Independent Publisher Book Awards are sponsored by the Jenkins Group. These awards are for independent, university, small press, and self-publishers who produce books intended for the North American market. Print-on-demand titles are acceptable. The award offers 60 award categories.

The Nautilus Book Awards
These awards are sponsored jointly by Marilyn McGuire & Associates and Independent Publisher Online. Their purpose is to recognize and promote books that change people’s lives and help heal our planet. Awards are offered in 20 categories including both adult and children’s titles.

Writers Notes Annual Book Awards
These awards are sponsored by Writers Notes Magazine to recognize extraordinary books by independent publishers. Awards in 11 categories are offered.

As mentioned earlier, there are a multitude of book awards given each year. Some are specialty awards and others are more general. These are just a sampling of the more popular and well-known book awards for small and self-publishers. Go ahead and apply for some book awards. If your latest book wins an award or even if it is named a runner-up, you will have cause for celebration!

Sarah Bolme, is the author of Your Guide to Marketing Books in the Christian Marketplace and the director of the Christian Small Publishers Association.

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You Are the Expert

2007-05-15T20:15:00.001-05:00

By Sarah Bolme

I recently spoke with a gentleman who had written and published a book on terrorism’s threat to our water supply. As we discussed avenues for marketing his book, this gentleman remarked that mostly academicians had purchased the book, which he found scary. Here was an individual who had the knowledge and the foresight to write a book on an important subject of concern to our country, and yet he did not recognize the position this placed him in. The first thing this gentleman needs to do in marketing his book is to accept the fact that, since he wrote the book, he is now the expert on the subject of how terrorism could affect our water supply.

The same is true for you. When you author a book on a particular subject, you become an expert on that subject. In marketing your books, you must accept this and proceed as an expert.

1. Think like an expert.

Experts don’t wonder who might want to read their books. Rather, they think, “Who needs this information?” “Who would benefit most from this information?” and “Who can help me access my book’s intended audience?” Thinking like an expert opens doors of opportunities for you. Experts seek out other experts in their field. They find others who are writing or speaking on the same subjects and network with them. Experts also think, “The world would be a better place if more people knew about this,” thus they take and make the most of every opportunity to educate and inform others about their subject of expertise.

2. Act like an expert.

Our actions flow from our thoughts. What you think influences what you do. If you are thinking like an expert, then you will begin to act like an expert. Experts approach others with confidence. Confidence engenders respect and trust. Experts make the most of every opportunity to alert others to new information without being overbearing. There is no need for arrogance or dominance when you know you possess knowledge, only a determination to help others learn the information also.

3. Talk like an expert.

Experts speak with authority. They don’t lead conversations with “I believe,” or “I feel that.” Instead, experts speak with conviction. They invite people to see and believe what they are presenting through clear reasoning. Experts say things like “Five reasons you need to know this information,” “Studies show or research indicates,” or “History reveals.” Speaking with conviction to an audience invites and encourages people to learn more on your subject.

You are an expert on your subject. Whether you are approaching a radio station to book a guest interview, speaking at a local bookstore on your book, or writing an article for a magazine, when you think, act, and talk like an expert, people will sit up and take notice. When you conduct yourself as an expert, doors of opportunity open for you to promote your book’s subject and increase your book’s sales.

Sarah Bolme, is the author of Your Guide to Marketing Books in the Christian Marketplace and the director of the Christian Small Publishers Association.

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Selling Your Published Book – Writing is the Easy Part

2007-05-15T20:08:00.000-05:00

By Michael Mould

Beyond writing your book, you want it to be successful. Success is measured many ways and perhaps the most widely accepted measure is that of sales. While most writers do want to make some income from their hard work, most find the greatest satisfaction from positive customer feedback, but you cannot even get this if you do not have customers, so you need to get out there and promote your book to get sales, customers, and feedback.

There are a number of ways you can promote and sell your book, but reliance on your publisher to market or sell it is usually a sure fire way to failure. Most publishers do not take any active role in either promoting or selling books, they are for the most part only interested in collecting revenues when a book sells and promoting their publishing services so more authors will sign up with them.

Personally, I have found that promoting and marketing through my own website as well as Amazon.com, Alibris.com, Abebooks.com, and other online marketplaces to be quite effective while simultaneously securing a majority of the profits for myself rather than paying someone else with a canned marketing program and no investment in terms of either money or time. Many authors choose to participate in the Amazon.com Advantage Program and pay Amazon over half of the selling price for the privilege of selling on Amazon. To participate, they also have to pay an annual subscription fee which is not very much, but to me it seems absurd. Why should you or I put all our time and effort into writing a book, having it printed at our own expense, pay to have the books shipped to us, and then pay again to ship them to Amazon.com (when they choose to order them), pay Amazon.com to sell them, give them over half of the sales proceeds, and end up with only 10% of the sales proceeds for all our work and risk? The printer is guaranteed a profit when you order copies, Amazon is guaranteed a profit from your subscription fees and over half of the sales proceeds, they also require that you buy back any copies that do not sell. The only person at financial risk in this whole scenario is the author, i.e., you or I. It seems to me that when a financial risk is taken, the person taking the risk should be the one with the greatest potential for gain, but this is not how the publishers or marketplaces have set up the game. You do have alternatives.

Open your own bookstore on Amazon.com and sell your book through it. Amazon.com will still charge you a monthly merchant fee and 15% of the sales proceeds, but that is a whole lot better than giving up over half the proceeds. They will even add to your sales proceeds a shipping reimbursement to cover the cost of packaging and postage for most books. If you have to buy your books yourself anyway, why not sell and ship them to your customers yourself too?

Having been an online bookseller for several years before writing a book, I learned the ins and outs of online bookselling and was able to make use of this knowledge to market my own book. It is not hard to learn, heck, there are thousands of people doing it, I just hate to see the authors taken advantage of by a system they could easily master themselves.

Setting up your own bookstore on Amazon only takes a few minutes, and listing you book only takes a few more. You can also join the Amazon Connect program which allows you as the author to write relevant articles that appear when a customer is browsing the product detail pages of your book, and joining the Connect program is free.

If you are already a bestselling author and you are selling 100,000+ copies of your books already, this option is probably not of much interest to you, but if you are an independent author using a print on demand, POD, printer to make your books for you, this is a viable option for getting your work promoted. Not all books sold by third-party sellers are used books, some of us sell our own books too.

Michael E. Mould is the author of Online Bookselling: A Practical Guide with Detailed Explanations and Insightful Tips and the developer of Bookkeeping for Booksellers. You can learn more about online bookselling at his site, Online Bookselling.

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Promoting Your "How To" Book – Customer Confidence Building

2007-05-15T20:02:00.000-05:00

By Michael Mould

Once you have your book completed and out in the marketplace you cannot sit back and hope the sales will be great unless you have no desire or care to see it sell, YOU have to promote it. So, what can you offer that will boost customer confidence and promote additional sales? Of course there are the traditional promotion tools, e.g., advertising, blogging, banner cross-promotion with other websites with themes that you book can enhance, etc.

Publishing a newsletter is a great idea too, and a very popular way of supplementing the information that your book already provides, but the communication with your customers is still one-way. To really get your customers involved, you need a way for them to participate and contribute whether it be by asking questions, or by sharing their experiences and you providing validation of their efforts. With a newsletter this is difficult because customers do not want to submit a question or share an experience and then have to wait until the next publication to get a response. They also like to participate in near real-time. If you choose to set up a blog and allow customer/reader comments, you may find customers apprehensive about posting because there is no privacy to their post and their post itself is subject to public rebuttals. After trying both, I found very little willingness on the part of my customers to contribute or to supply content to share with other customers.

One of the things I found that is really appreciated is to set up a restricted access message board for customers only. This seems to be popular with customers for several reasons, including:

1) It gives them a place where they can communicate with other customers and discuss various topics of your book.

2) It allows them to share their experiences with each other as they work their way through what you have conveyed in your book.

3) It gives you a platform for sharing additional explanations or information that you may not want to share with the world by posting it on your website.

4) It gives your customers a place to ask questions that you can answer.

5) Access is restricted, so your customers get a sense of it not only being their special place, but that they are protected from the harassment and intimidation normally associated with open message boards.

6) The message board will allow you to answer common questions once rather than answering individual customer emails.

Besides being a way of establishing additional credibility, providing a message board for your customers is a great way to say "Thank You" to them and to let them know that you are not just interested in selling them a book, you are interested in making sure they are able to implement what it teaches. You will also realize, and very quickly, that your customers can teach you a few things about the very topic you wrote a book about. This is a good thing because learning a few things from your customers and accepting that you do not know everything about the subject gives your customers a feeling that you are genuinely interested in listening to them.

You might also consider inviting some other experts on the topic to join your message board. This will not only add to the content of the board, it demonstrates to your customers that the intent of the board really is to help them and that you do not feel threatened by having another expert involved.

I believe that if you opt to give this concept a try, and let your customers know before they purchase your book that the board is there for them, you will find the entire scenario to be a win-win situation.

Michael E. Mould is the author of Online Bookselling: A Practical Guide with Detailed Explanations and Insightful Tips and the developer of Bookkeeping for Booksellers. You can learn more about online bookselling at his site, Online Bookselling.

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Think Like a Best-Selling Author – Part 1 Create the Buzz

2007-05-15T19:54:00.000-05:00

By Carmellita M. Brown

In this part of “Act Like a Best-Selling Author,” we will attempt to answer the question: “When should I start marketing my book?” The answer, you should start marketing your book months before the manuscript is finish. This is why it is important to have “RELEASE DATE” for your book and stick to it. Just because you maybe a Self-published writer or author, doesn’t mean you don’t have deadlines too. So, marketing should always start at least 60 days before the book is released.

Without the backing of a big name publisher, you need to immediately implement powerful, no-holds barred, book marketing strategies which are designed to sell your books quickly. The best advice is to market your book everyday. Any original book marketing idea you have that does not take away from the integrity of your work, use it.

The truth is, you can have a really fabulous book, but if know one knows your book is about to be released, then you won’t have a buzz. If you don’t create a buzz, then there isn’t any anticipation. No anticipation means it makes it just that much harder to sell your book when it is released.

Thank goodness for the internet. The internet is one of the best ways to create a buzz about your new book. The most surefire way to create that buzz is by implementing the following pre-promotion plan:

Get a website for your book or an author’s website about you the author.
Start a Blog and add it to your website: Start blogging about your book. If your book is on a particular subject matter, then Blog about that subject matter. Tell your blogging subscribers or readers about your experiences in writing your book. A Blog is simply a weblogged journal. Journaling about your experiences writing the book is a way to create a buzz.
Write Articles. Write articles and submit them to article directories about your book. You can write articles about the subject matter or you can write articles about book marketing, writing a book, or being a self-published author. In your author’s resource box or bio box, you can include a link to your website.
Write a small ebook with the first two chapters of your book included. Give the ebook away to people who agree to join your email or mailing list. Now, you have a list of interested people to purchase your book once it has been released.

With these book marketing strategies, you are sure to create a buzz about your book and tap into your target market for more sales once your book is released.

Carmellita M. Brown is a success and wellness coach. She is the instructor for the online class Abundance Training 101 and she is the publisher of Headline Articles. Ms. Brown has developed the popular blog entitled "In the Company of Writer specifically for self-published writers or writers who wish to self publish. Her philosophy as a success coach is to help her audience live in wellness, wealth, and wisdom. Ms. Brown believes this can be accomplished by considering the whole self which includes health, relationships, finances, spirit, intellect, and purpose.

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Business Letter Etiquette

2007-05-14T10:52:00.000-05:00

By Neil Payne

Business etiquette is fundamentally concerned with building relationships founded upon courtesy and politeness between business personnel. Etiquette, and especially business etiquette, is a means of maximising your potential by presenting yourself positively.

Writing a business letter is not simply a matter of expressing your ideas clearly. The way you write a letter and the etiquette you employ may have a significant impact on your success or failure in business.

Failure to observe correct business letter etiquette can result in you adopting an inappropriate tone, causing offense or misunderstandings, lack of clarity or purpose and hostility or soured relations.

The foundation of good business letter etiquette is ‘Think before you write’. You should be considering who the letter is addressed to, how and why? This will then influence style, content and structure.

Here we cover some of the main issues relating to good business letter etiquette:

Addressing the Letter

Always make sure you have spelt the recipient’s name correctly. It may sound simple, but you would be surprised at how many people fail to do so. The recipient’s name should include titles, honours or qualifications if deemed necessary.

Many people use the ‘Dear Sir/Yours Faithfully’ formula when addressing the receiver. Although this is acceptable for routine matters it is impersonal and should not be used when dealing with those you know, queries or complaints. With these the ‘Dear Mr…./Yours Sincerely’ formula should be adopted.

Once a certain level of familiarity is reached it is not considered bad etiquette to use phrases such as ‘Kind Regards’ or ‘All the best’ at the end of the letter.

Confidentiality

If the content of the letter is sensitive, personal or confidential it must be marked appropriately. Marking the letter ‘confidential’ will suffice in highlighting this fact. If you only want the letter read by the receiver without the interception of a secretary or PA, mark it as ‘Private’, ‘Personal’ or ‘Strictly Confidential’. If you have received such a business letter it is good etiquette to reciprocate and ensure that all future correspondence is kept at that level of confidentiality.

Style

Proper business letter etiquette requires that a consistent and clear approach, combined with courtesy, be employed. As a rule of thumb, aim to keep all business letters formal in style. Even when the receiver is familiar to you, it is advisable maintain a certain level of business etiquette as the letter may be seen by others or referred to by a third party in the future.

However, this does not mean you should use long or uncommon words to express yourself. This merely looks odd and makes the letter unreadable. It is best to read a letter first and consider whether you would speak to that person face to face in the same way. If not, then re-write it.

Letters should be signed personally. It looks unprofessional, cold and somewhat lazy if a letter is left unsigned. However, having a secretary or PA sign on your behalf is not considered a breach of business etiquette.

Humor

Humor can be used in business letters but only when the writer is completely positive the recipient will understand the joke or pun. From a business etiquette perspective it may be wise to avoid humor. This is because firstly, the letter may be read during a crisis, after receiving bad news or on a somber occasion. Any other time the humor may have been appreciated but under these circumstances it may dramatically backfire. Secondly, the written word is open to misinterpretation. Your sarcastic or ironic remark may be taken the wrong way. Thirdly, it is possible that the letter may be read by a third party who may deem the humor inappropriate and pursue a complaint of some sort.

Responding

Good business letter etiquette calls for letters to be responded to promptly or within certain guidelines. This may normally be considered as 5 working days. If this is not possible then some sort of acknowledgement should be sent either by letter, fax, phone or e-mail.

Always use reference numbers or clearly state the purpose of the letter at the top, for example, ‘Re: Business Letter Etiquette Enquiry’. This allows the receiver to trace correspondence and immediately set your letter within a context.

When replying to points or questions the proper etiquette is to respond in the same order as they were asked.

Managing Conflict

Letters are often an arena for conflicts or disputes. Even in these circumstances there are rules of business letter etiquette that should be adhered to.

If you initiate the dispute then, 1) Explain and set out your case simply and clearly to the most appropriate person, 2) Offer information that may be required by the other party to help answer questions, 3) Indicate a time scale by which you expect a reply or the matter to be resolved.

If you are receiving the dispute then 1) inform senior colleagues who may be affected or who may be able to offer assistance, 2) Submit all replies in draft form for a senior colleague to check, 3) Stick to the facts and the merits of the case and do not allow emotions to become involved, 4) Be polite, patient and courteous.

Using business etiquette in all matters and especially in business letters will ensure you communicate effectively, avoid misunderstandings and maximise your business potential.

Neil Payne is Director of cross cultural communications company Kwintessential.

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Getting More Clients – Look to Your Mail for Extra Business

2007-05-14T10:48:00.001-05:00

By Robert McEvily

A great way to add new clients to your freelance writing business is by simply looking in your mailbox.

If you’re like me, you probably receive at least one or two promotional pieces of mail each day. Don’t just add favorites to your swipe file. Each piece of mail is an opportunity to gain a client.

From now on, take a careful look at each piece of promotional mail you receive. Is it a donation request from a non-profit organization? An advertisement for a new restaurant? A magazine offer? No matter the piece, it was written by a copywriter. And most of these pieces are controls. Proven winners.

You’ll immediately capture a company’s attention by offering to beat their control. All you have to do is contact them.

In many cases, the time-consuming contact research is already done for you. Most sales letters are signed by someone with a job title. Most include that person’s phone number, fax number, email address and the mailing address of the company.

In a short letter, introduce yourself as a freelance writer. Explain how you received their promotional piece in the mail. Tell them what you liked and didn’t like about the copy. (You can even include a marked-up version of their piece.) Then sell them on how you’ll improve their response rates.

If you prefer, just ask if they have other writing projects. Most companies have plenty. Sell them on why you’re the right person for the job. Sell your experience, your enthusiasm, or both.

You’ll be surprised how easily you can add a few clients to your roster just by checking your mail. Take a careful look today!

Robert McEvily is the creator and editor of Six Sentences.

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The Agenting Process Explained - Part 1

2007-05-14T10:39:00.000-05:00

By Rick Frishman

Every literary agent and agency operates somewhat differently; they may have a different emphasis, style or approach, but all follow a basically similar pattern. Some agencies may specialize in building and managing their clients' careers, while others concentrate on making individual books into giant, blockbuster hits. However, when it comes to selling books, agencies take similar paths.

Contacting An Agent: Most writers initially contact agents via e-mail. Agents like e-mail inquiries because they're easy to answer. Responding by e-mail saves them time, which is critical because most of the queries they receive are about books that the agents don't handle or are not interested in handling. A declining number of holdouts prefer to receive query letters sent via postal mail, but they're in the minority. So check each agent's Web site to see if it states how the agent prefers to be queried. Potential clients can also initially contact agents at conferences and other events. For information on writers' conferences, see Writer's Digest and ShawGuides.

Many agents won't accept unsolicited telephone queries, and if you call, their screeners generally won't put you through. So, again, before you contact agents, check their Web sites to see how they wish to be approached. If, however, you do get through, most agents will ask you to submit something in writing: a query letter, a book proposal or your entire manuscript, if it's written. Agents want written submissions so they can get a sense of the writers' ability to express themselves clearly. Written submissions also let agents see how well writers are organized and their skill in presenting themselves and their ideas. Agents get a lot of their new clients through referrals from their existing clients and their publishing contacts.

Think Like an Agent: So you're looking for an agent. Where are you going to find one? First of all, ask yourself this simple question: Where do agents go? To be more specific: What conferences do they attend? Where do they speak? What organizations do they belong to? Although we certainly aren't suggesting that you follow them around, we do want you to start thinking like agents think. If you do, it will improve your chances of being at the right place at the right time. Research the literary and publishing scene in your local area. See if, when, and where any writers' associations, publishers' groups, and literary clubs meet. Are any nearby bookstores, libraries or cafes conducting interesting programs or hosting book signings? Are local colleges or universities offering lecture series featuring writers, agents, and/or publishers? Since many writers teach, investigate whether any well-known authors are teaching courses that you could attend in your area, even if it's just to sit in. Go where book people congregate and make contacts.

Reprinted from Rick Frishman's Author 101 Newsletter. Subscribe and receive his "Million Dollar Rolodex" free, Rick Frishman, president of Planned Television Arts, since 1982 is the driving force behind PTA's exceptional growth. In 1993 PTA merged with Ruder*Finn and Rick serves as an Executive Vice President at Ruder Finn. While supervising PTA's success, he has remained one of the most powerful and energetic publicists in the media industry. Rick continues to work with many of the top editors, agents and publishers in America including Simon and Schuster, Random House, Harper Collins, Pocket Books, Penguin Putnam, and Hyperion Books. Visit his website.

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How to Get Fair Pay for Freelance Writing

2007-05-14T10:30:00.001-05:00

By Sharon Hurley Hall

New freelance writers often wonder how to charge for their writing. Writers want to make sure that they get paid fairly for the effort they have put in. In the short term, writers may work for very little while they are getting established. But in the long term, writers who don't earn a fair wage will not be able to freelance for long. There are three questions that freelance writers should ask themselves when deciding what hourly rate they should set.

What Do I Want to Earn for Writing?

Some writers write in their spare time and have full time jobs elsewhere. These writers may not need to earn as much as those who rely on writing for their income. Whatever their situation, writers should consider how much money they need to earn to eat, pay the bills and maybe have a little fun from time to time. It's nice to think that you can catch a movie or go to a gig once in a while.

Writers also need to think about the taxman. Depending on where writers live, any where from 22% to 35% or more (if you're really successful) will be gobbled up by the government. For example, in the UK, tax and National Insurance takes over 30% of your income (after allowances). So writers need to add this figure to the amount they want to earn.

How Much Writing Will I Do?

Full-time freelance writers will spend the equivalent of a working week on writing. That's more than 2,000 hours a year. However, take out all the time you spend making cups of coffee, filing, blogging as well as sick days and holidays and there will probably be about 1800 hours left.

Writers also need to think about the cost of consumables. Pens, paper and print cartridges all cost money and this should be added to what writers want to earn.

What's My Hourly Rate?

Once writers have calculated the number of hours they will work and the full amount they need to earn, working out an hourly rate is simple. Just divide the amount you need to earn by the number of hours you plan to work, and you've got a your hourly rate. Once writers have worked out what they need to earn, they have a figure to aim for.

One last thing. Even after setting an hourly rate, freelance writers need to be prepared to work for less occasionally. The freelance writing market is competitive and sometimes it is better to eat than to stand on principle. Writers always have to decide whether it is worth some short term swallowing of pride for the long term gain of having a better portfolio. Once writers have a good portfolio, they'll stand a better chance of getting the hourly rate they deserve.

Sharon Hurley Hall gives writers advice on how to get paid to write. Sharon is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor who writes on freelance writing skills and writer promotion for InspiredAuthor.com. For more information or to contact Sharon, visit doublehdesign.com.

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Health Insurance Advice for Freelance Writers

2007-05-14T10:21:00.000-05:00

By Amy Derby

One of the biggest concerns of any self-employed person, including freelance writers, is health insurance. Many people avoid freelancing exclusively because they are afraid of ending up without health care benefits. Some self-employed individuals go without coverage because they assume they can't afford insurance, or because they don't know how to go about obtaining a policy. However, getting insured isn't as difficult or as costly as many people anticipate. Plus, under current U.S. law, freelancers may be eligible to deduct the full cost of their monthly insurance premiums on their taxes.

Ask your employer about COBRA before you quit your day job. Before you quit your job, make sure to talk to your human resources department about continuing your current insurance coverage under COBRA. You should be allowed the option to pay out of pocket to keep your existing coverage for up to 18 months after you quit your job, or until the time you are able to obtain other insurance (under the 18 month limit). The amount you will have to pay varies greatly and will depend on your current plan and coverage. COBRA may not end up being the most affordable option for you, but until you are able to find other insurance, it may be the most practical option.

Consider your coverage needs. Taking into account how healthy you are is a good start, but you will also want to think about the future. If you are planning to have children, for example, you will want to look for a plan that will cover those related expenses. A big consideration for everyone, even healthy people, is emergencies. Being completely uninsured can cause a real financial burden if you happen to need emergency surgery or get in an accident. If you only plan to freelance for a short time, you might want to investigate short-term insurance, which is available for terms of six months or less at a lower cost than long-term plans.

Weigh premium costs and deductibles. If you rarely need medical attention and only go to the doctor once or twice each year, you may want to consider a plan with a higher deductible but lower monthly payments. This way, you will only have to pay the deductible if you need emergency care or other care that is not covered until you pay the deductible. Often, plans cover one or two doctor visits plus prescription costs without your having to pay the deductible. If you need a lot of medical attention, see many specialists, and want to keep your old doctors, a plan with a moderate deductibles and average premiums might be best for you.

Research individual plans and group plans. Individual plans, or plans purchased by you directly through an insurance company, are more costly than group plans. You can get insured through a group plan by joining a self-employment group or a writers association. Or, check with your local chamber of commerce. Many freelancers don't know that these groups exist, but they are definitely worth checking into.

Learn about tax deductions. If you are a self-employed/freelance writer, your own health insurance premiums may be tax-deductible. To be eligible for this deduction, you must have reported a net profit for the year that exceeds the cost of your health insurance, and you can't have been eligible to receive health insurance benefits under your spouse's policy or your employer's policy (if you still have an employer for that year).

Amy Derby is a freelance writer and self-publishing author. She is the owner of write-from-home.com, a free website dedicated to helping new freelance writers learn how to make money writing from home online.

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Ghostwriting: Your Questions Answered

2007-05-13T14:17:00.000-05:00

By Sharon Hurley Hall1

Many people feel they have a story to tell or an experience to share. But time is precious and not everyone can make the words sing on the page. But there are people who can make the whole experience hassle-free. A ghostwriter will do all the work while you get all the credit. Some common questions about the ghostwriting process are answered below.

What does a ghostwriter do?

A ghostwriter edits, writes, collaborates, and researches on behalf of someone else who becomes their client. Many biographies of celebrities and television personalities have been ghostwritten.

Why do I need one?

Not everyone knows how to or has the time to turn an idea into a book. A ghostwriter is a professional who has the time to turn your thoughts into a polished manuscript.

How does ghostwriting work?

You give the ghostwriter your ideas; s/he tells your story. Most people provide notes, digital recordings or audio tapes. Some may even have drafts of chapters or the whole book and ideas about characters and dialogue. The more information and material you provide, the closer the final product will be to your original idea. The ghostwriter turns your idea into something that people will enjoy reading.

Will the ghostwriter steal my idea?

No, that wouldn't be professional. Any ghostwriter who did that would soon be out of a job. A reputable ghostwriter will usually be happy to sign a non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement.

Who gets the credit for my finished book?

It’s your idea, so you take the credit. Many ghostwriters work behind the scenes. Of course, in some instances, you may want to share the credit - that's why many biographies are credited like this: Major Celebrity with Ghostwriter or Major Celebrity as told to Ghostwriter. But you call the shots and can opt to take all the credit.

How much does ghostwriting cost?

Each job is unique and that makes it hard to give more than general guidelines. The length of time the project is likely to take and the amount of research the ghostwriter will be required to do will affect the final cost. Many ghostwriters will charge a small up front fee, followed by payments at each stage of completed work. Unless you're a major celebrity with an iron-clad publishing contract already signed and sealed, a ghostwriter is unlikely to work for nothing.

What does a ghostwriter's fee cover?

It covers writing, research and any communication, but not usually travel or accommodation.

How long will it take to ghostwrite my material?

That depends on the material. Anywhere from 2 to 6 months is average depending on the type of book and how much work you've already put in. A short article may only take hours while a longer research report may take a year. You'll be able to discuss this once you've hired a ghostwriter.

What about publication?

Some ghostwriters help with publication as well, by sending query letters and so on. This will probably cost you extra. Other ghostwriters see the writing as their job and leave you to find your own publisher. Consider which option you prefer before signing the contract.

How do I know the ghostwriter is experienced?

Ghostwriters generally have to keep clients' names confidential, but you can look at other examples of their writing. If you enjoy reading these, then chances are that others will enjoy reading your material too.

See you in print!

Sharon Hurley Hall gives writers advice on how to get paid to write. Sharon is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor who writes on freelance writing skills and writer promotion for InspiredAuthor.com. For more information or to contact Sharon, visit doublehdesign.com.

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Custom Writing Services: Market Overview

2007-05-13T14:06:00.000-05:00

By Serge Chepurko

Market identificationCustom writing services market is a sector of the e-commerce industry. Custom writing services are fee-based.

Market size
The precise size of custom writing services market is unknown, though some rough estimate could be made. The number of competitors in the market approaches nearly 200. It is also known that around 30 percent of organizations in the industry have annual turnover amounting to $120,000 approximately, whereas other 70 percent have almost twice as low annual turnover. Total market size is estimated at $10,800,000 annually. The size of the market in relation to the economy is yet unknown.

Segmentation
Segmentation is the process of allocation of particular homogeneous sub-markets within a heterogeneous market. A market is a multitude of sub-markets that have similar motivations.

In the case with the market concerned, segmentation is interpreted as follows. Companies that operate within the market could be divided in accordance to specialization differences into such categories: (a) generally-oriented companies; (b) particularly-oriented companies. Generally-oriented companies are those that produce custom-written papers on a wide variety of topics. As a rule, such organizations hire writers representing different specialties or simply those able to perform on appropriate level in one or several fields. Companies ascribed to another organizational category usually operate within a narrower framework. In the market there are companies that offer custom-written papers exclusively on math, physics, sociology, the African-Americans, William Shakespeare, Charlotte Bronte, etc.

Other products and services offered by the industry representatives include proofreading and editing services, and pre-written papers.

It is noteworthy that there are companies in the market that offer both custom-written and pre-written papers. This, however, may have nothing to do with violation of ethics, but what about privacy of those students who previously ordered a custom-written paper, which might have been later re-sold to another student?

Growth speed
Growth rates of the market are varying over the time. Thus, in 2000 there were nearly 25-30 companies offering custom-written/pre-written essays, term papers, cases studies, and other types of research papers. Over the 5-year period the number of companies in the market grew up to nearly two hundreds.

The leap in growth rates of the market is noticed to take place in 2003-2004 when sudden change in pricing occurred. The number of companies in the market increased almost 30 percent and now estimates around 80 companies. This leap was probably caused by the tendency towards ecommerce solutions being new to hoards of entrepreneurs in a number of developing countries like India, Ukraine, Poland and other countries. Companies headquartered in these countries began offering similar services but with lower fees as compared to those located in the U.S., Canada, or Australia. More on pricing policies see in Pricing.

Today, market’s growth speed is rather low as the market is full-fledged due to a variety of services offered by market participants.

Geographical distribution of services
It is worth mentioning that the researched market is a subdivision of ecommerce industry. This gives ground to conclude that either products or services produced by industry’s parties are of intangible character rather than of tangible. This especially concerns custom writing services market, which offers its customers intangible products delivered to them mostly via email.

It should be clear that no matter where a company holds its general/backup office, it operates worldwide.

The only principle that regulates geographical distribution of custom-written papers is linguistic attachment. Among major countries using the service are: the United States of America, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, and some European and Asian countries.

Seasonal character of the market
Another aspect of the market is its seasonality. Seasonal character of the examined market is sharply defined. As services offered by the market participants are oriented at student needs throughout the academic year only, the season of active sales almost coincides with the academic year. The first half of September – usually passive – is compensated with several weeks in June.

Such seasonality of the market explains its instability of prices. It was noticed that prices for services increase throughout the year with peaks in December - January and April – May; and drop dramatically during the summer season.

Customers/Clients
Customers of online services such as custom writing services are usually students of high schools, colleges, and Universities, of 16 to 25 years old. As pricing in the market is relatively low, target group of the market covers the so-called middle class and higher. A research shows that in 2005 from 14 percent to 23 percent of students (considering seasonality correction) have in due time applied to custom writing services (IAS, 2005). In other words, one-seventh to one-fourth of students has bought at least one paper during 2004-2005 academic years. The same research provides data that gives ground to conclude about the growth of the market. It is declared that in 2003 peak rate of students who applied to the service at least once was 25 percent, whereas in 2005 it is estimated to reach 36 percent (IAS, 2005).

Customer loyalty
Customer loyalty is obviously a behavior demonstrated by frequent or systematic purchases of a company’s product or service. Customer loyalty could be achieved through customer-friendly pricing policies, various discount programs, incentive plans etc. Customer loyalty is also an aspect of a company’s customer retention or loyalty programs.

Customer retention programs are usually complex systems that include two or more elements listed above. As regards the market of custom writing services, the following was noticed in the course of the research held by the author: (a) more than 80 percent of the market uses basic techniques in acquiring customer loyalty such as permanently variable prices that depend on demand for the product or service throughout the year, bonus plans (such as bonus key that allows up to 4 percent reduction), and other techniques; and (b) nearly 10 percent of companies within the market use complex customer loyalty programs such as flexible discounts (sometimes up to 30 percent!) in a combination with weekly feedback bonuses, personal selection of a writer, order status check, 24/7 customer care, and other modes of customer attraction.

Factors that influence buyer’s choice
Among factors that have impact on customers’ choice in the market of custom writing services are price, quality of products and services (including exclusiveness, professionalism, and compliance with the requirements), and delivery time.

As to price and quality of a specific service, these two factors are the most important. It is vital for companies to balance between price and quality values since optimum correlation between these two categories benefits both a service provider and a customer. It is worth mentioning that there are companies that offer papers written by Ph.D.s for “as low as $8.95 per page”. Quality of a paper is directly related to its price and vice versa.

In respect of the delivery time, many companies offer urgent order accomplishment within 12 (and sometimes even 8) hours. Some of them limit the volume of an order to certain number of pages, though there are some companies that accept urgent orders without volume limitation.

Pricing
Custom writing services market has been experiencing a decline in prices lately. As it was mentioned earlier in this research, there had been fall in prices in 2003-2004 caused by sudden increase in market’s growth rates. By far, average fees are kept at the level of $15 per page for regular (5+ days) orders, $20 per page for urgent (24 to 48h) orders, and $30 a page for extremely urgent orders (within 24h).

There are companies offering custom-written papers half price as compared to average pricing. This fact may indicate that a company either hires instant workers from developing countries or is new to the market and provides such a low pricing policy in order to enter the full market and gain certain status.

Principles of operation
Principles of operation are the same throughout the industry. Intangible nature of products produced by competitors in the market implies single system of relationships between a company and a customer irrespective of an organization’s capacities.

Companies that offer custom-written papers (essays, term papers, case studies, literature reviews, executive summaries, dissertations) operate through their websites. Websites are supplied with all necessary and optional features such as credit card processing system (necessary), online customer service (optional), and auto-responder to provide existing customers with automated thank yous and newsletters, and other features. A customer places an order, which is then forwarded to a writer. This step is omitted in small companies where two or three people wear several hats, e.g. one person could perform as an administrator, a writer, and a customer service representative. If there ARE a couple of writers working for a company, one of them accomplishes an order, which is then delivered to the customer via email.

It is worth noting that major attention is paid to a company’s website. It is common for a company producing custom-written papers to have as many webmasters as writers. Hard to believe? In your opinion, what is the correlation between webmasters/programmers and book reviewers working for Amazon.com?

Competitors and leaders
As mentioned above, the number of competitors in the market estimates nearly 200. Leadership in the market where companies offer custom-written papers of any kind is defined exclusively due to a company’s website’s ranking in various search engines. The most powerful search engines are Google, MSN, Yahoo!, Altavista, and Alltheweb. Moreover, websites are ranked in accordance to their content oriented at different key words. Thus, different websites could be leaders in the same search engine, though for different keywords or phrases.

Regulations
Being a subdivision of the ecommerce industry, custom writing services market is regulated by nothing but several codes like BBB Online that refer to web entrepreneurs. In general, ecommerce industry is poorly regulated.

Current trends within the industry and market success factors
Among current trends in the market particularly three aspects are worth mentioning: (a) constant fall in price; (b) constant increase in the number of competitors; and (c) diversification of services offered by companies. Constant increase in the number of competitors is obviously caused by simplicity of operations and growing number of freelance writers who once decided to start out their own business.

Permanent fall in price is caused by growing number of competitors and similarity of services offered by companies in the market. Finally, diversification of services is a logic consequence of the same increase in the number of competitors.

Serge Chepurko is one of the best - though relatively young - writers employed by Your Personal Writer. Over a one year period that Serge's been writing for a living, he produced nearly 100 quality essays, research papers, case studies and term papers on Management, Marketing, Sociology, History, Literature, and Art.

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How to Write for the Children's Market (Part 1 of 3)

2007-05-13T13:59:00.001-05:00

By Dale Mazurek

Writing children’s literature is a great way to break into the writing market. There is an opening for a wide range of topics because the readers range from toddler to young adult. It’s up to you to figure out what best suits your writing and your ideas. You just have to figure out what you want to write about.

Magazines

Magazines can be the perfect place to break in with your short stories. When you write in magazines it’s the perfect way to build your writing credentials and it also helps to establish you as a professional writer. You don’t just have to publish short stories either. You can publish poetry, verse, puzzles, fiction or non fiction. Books can take for ever to hit the market but with magazine articles you can have your work published in months if not weeks sometimes.

Magazines are a perfect place to get specialty pieces published. As we all know most magazines limit their focuses on specific content.

Magazines aren’t only limited in their content. The intended audiences of most periodicals are limited to particular age levels and genders. Babybugs intended audience is toddlers while the Keynoter is aimed at high school students. Boys Life is geared to boys and Hopscotch is a magazine for girls.

Some magazines devote entire issues to a focused topic or theme. It’s in your best interest to read a magazine that you intend to publish to. Make sure your familiar with the magazine and what kind of content it will accept. Make sure you understand the publisher’s contents. You also want to make sure you know when the magazine publishes. This way you can plan ahead with your stories.

Many writers have gotten their start by writing in magazines. Writing for children can definitely be the easiest genre to follow if you want to follow your dreams.

Dale is in the process of getting his first novel published. He is also a professional on line writer. You can check out 3 of his very popular blogs at Short Stories, or Relationship Tid Bits and Affiliate Marketing for Newbies.

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Article Writing for Your Niche Market Web Business

2007-05-13T12:48:00.000-05:00

By Sean Mize

Article writing is one of my favorite methods of driving web traffic to my web sites, and I think it should become yours too. The thing about article writing is that it is boring and it does not always offer immediate results. This can become discouraging, but I still recommend that you set aside one hour a day to write articles. It is one of the best ways to get web traffic, in my opinion, to your niche market web site.

So what kind of articles should you write for your niche market audience?

You want to write articles that appeal to the needs of the people who might be visiting your niche web site. You see, you want the people who read your articles to click through to your web site after they read the article, so the content on your web page has to be similar to the content they reading before clicking through.

Write short (250-700) word articles on targeted topics immediately related to your web site business niche.

For example, if your niche is tennis, then you could write the following articles:

How to select tennis shoes
How to select a tennis racquet
What are the best types of tennis courts to play on?
What are the best types of tennis balls to play with?

And on and on.

You should easily be able to crank out 100 articles or more on topics immediately related to your web site topic. Just brainstorm all of the different things that someone on your web site might be looking for.

Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 600 articles in print and 9 published ebooks. To learn more how he does it, download his free guides on traffic generation and email list building.

Wordpreneur.com — How to Make Money Writing!

Article Writing- How to Know What Your Market Wants to Read When Writing Articles

2007-05-13T12:39:00.000-05:00

By Jeff Herring

The best way to write articles is to write articles you already know your market wants to read.

Now, how do you do that?

OK, I'm going to teach you a very high-level marketing concept right now. Get your fingers and keyboards ready, or your pens and pencils ready-- and those of you that know me may know I'm being a little playful right now.

The Secret Method to Find Out What Your Readers Want to Know

OK, the way to find out what your ideal client wants is to ask. Ask them. As Mark Victor Hansen says, you have to A-S-K to G-E-T.

Several weeks ago, I think it was back in February on a Friday, I sent out an email to my Article Guy lists - everybody who signed up for this kind of stuff with The Article Guy asking, "What's your most important question about article writing and marketing?" and you sent them in, in droves you sent them in!

From those emails I took the seven most asked questions and did an entire call based on it, an entire call just based on asking. I am still responding to some of those questions, still writing articles about it, and could create a whole product just out of those things.

So, in order to meet the needs of your market, you need to know what's going on with your ideal clients, what their pain is, what they struggle with.

You know, I've got to keep in mind while I live, eat and breathe this stuff that there are some folks out there who still cannot imagine writing their first article, that are scared to death to make that first article submission because they are afraid of getting rejected. There's folk out there who could never imagine making money from their articles. Those are the things I keep in mind as I write so I can address those needs and talk to those people.

So, you want to do your market research, you want to know what is going on with your ideal client. Then use that knowledge when you are writing your articles.

Jeff Herring is The Article Guy. Visit his site for free access to two article writing templates. Also check out his free weekly teleseminars.

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