I used to fall into that last group. I’d work 60 to 80 hours a week early on in my writing and PR consulting business. And the work I loved started to turn into something I hated. By the time Monday mornings would roll around, I was just starting to relax from the weekend. And then it was back to the daily grind. It was no way to live.

There was an important lesson I had to learn the hard way — productivity is king when you’re your own boss. There’s no one there to ride you when things aren’t getting done. I worked hard to increase my productivity and more than double the amount of work I could get done in a day.

The result? I stopped working 60+ hour weeks. I started working only four days per week, taking off every Friday so I had plenty of time to unwind. And in my 28 working hours per week, I got far more work done and I made more money. Best of all, I started to love my work again.

That’s not to say I never slip. When other things monopolize my time, I still get behind on work projects (like the last couple of months when I was settling into my new place and trying to plan a wedding). Now I’m getting back to normal and the weight is finally starting to lift again. I just had to get back to the fundamentals that helped me increase my productivity in the first place so I could get more done and stress less.

You can do that too! If you’re feeling overwhelmed trying to run a successful freelance business, or you just don’t feel like you have the time to do what you need to do in order to grow, try these tips. They’re some of my favorite tactics for increasing productivity and getting much more done every day.

1. Keep a Task List

I’m a huge fan of to-do lists. I keep both a daily one and a weekly one, and calendars help if I have monthly deadlines to keep track of. There’s just something about checking off completed tasks that motivates me to get things done. I keep hard copy lists for this very reason (on various sized index cards). You can use those, paper, a white board, your smartphone, or a computer document. Do whatever works for you.

2. Streamline

I run a lot of websites, and that means there are a lot of administrative tasks to deal with. They don’t take long, as long as I streamline them. For example, I open a bunch of blog admin windows at the same time. Then I go to each tab and eliminate spam comments and approve valid ones. Then I run any plugin or WordPress updates that have to be run. Rather than doing all of this for each site separately, I do one task at a time for the whole bunch. The process is faster, because I don’t have to change the thought process as often. See if there are things you can streamline.

3. Race the Clock

When I’m really feeling unmotivated, I try to make work feel more like a time management game. You can too. Race the clock by setting a timer (I use the one at e.ggtimer.com). You can set it for any period you want. Personally I do best using the Pomodoro technique — 25 minutes working, then a five minute break (and longer breaks between every four-session block). You might just be amazed at how much you can get done in 25 minutes when you fully focus on the task at hand.

4. Outsource

Can’t do it all yourself anymore? Then it’s time to outsource. I’m a big fan of the DIY approach. But sometimes it just isn’t feasible. Spending money to hire help can leave you with more time to do the real income-generating work (meaning even though you spend more, you still make more). For example, you might outsource your blog comment management, your social media promotion, market research tasks, email marketing, proofreading, or website administration.

5. De-Clutter

Clutter can involve more than a messy desk (which itself can be a productivity killer — and which I’m sometimes guilty of myself). You might also have a problem with virtual clutter — an unruly inbox, easy access to too many social media sites, or too many blogs in your feed reader. These things become distractions. Find a way to get them under control. For example, you might limit your email to the start and end of your work day. Or you might set aside social media and blog reading time for certain times of the day (even during your Pomodoro breaks if you use the “race the clock” tip above).

6. Tackle Tiny Tasks

Sometimes productivity issues stem from a task feeling overwhelming. So we can procrastinate. Try to break things down. For example, I have a weekly blogging contract with one of my regular clients. To think about the work on a weekly basis would make my head spin. So I break his work down on my to-do list into individual posts. I get to check off all the little tasks, which motivates me towards finishing the big one — the weekly contract. I do similar things with white papers and e-books that I write for clients, breaking them into things like the outline, research period, each section or chapter’s draft, and then proofreading for example.

7. Take a Break

This might be the last thing you think you should do if you’re trying to get more done in a day. But it’s probably the most important tip I can give you. I didn’t more than double my output in the past because of all the little tricks I’ve already mentioned. Oh, they helped. But they would have been useless had I not also gotten more downtime.

That was why the four-day work week led to bigger and better things. I got to de-stress in between bouts of work. I wasn’t getting that before. And now it’s an integral part of every day. If I need a break, I take one. It’s better to take a nap for 30 minutes and come back fresh than it is to stare at your screen for an hour because you really don’t want to be there. That’s not to say you can be undisciplined. You have to have limits. But breaks prevent burn out. And if you let yourself hit that burn out point, you can kiss any semblance of productivity goodbye.

What kinds of things have you done to improve your productivity as a freelance writer so you can get more done every day? What’s worked the best and what didn’t work for you? If you tried any of these things in particular, how did it go? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Have you ever dreamed of waking up on a Monday morning full of sun glitter, stretching into a sprightly grin that even makes your cat look grumpy, and boomeranging out of bed with the fervent amusement left to three-year-olds on Pop Rocks? I know, it seems like a distant reverie that you could ever be that…happy.

Instead, how did your Monday morning play out? Was it damp and dark when you limped out of bed? Did you ransack the bottom of your closet for a tangled piece of clothing to stumble into while sponging fleshy cereal down your throat with kamikaze shots of coffee? Did you manage to get into your car, maneuver down the assembly line of street along with the cluster of other slack-eyed drivers and steer through the concrete artery of highway just to park in the same space as you did last week? Do you remember how you arrived at your job today or can you navigate it while your brain hibernates in the back seat?

I am here to tell you to pick your brain up and put it back into your happy head. If you have ever wanted something more for yourself, a life that rejuvenates you and makes you excited to be alive, then keep reading. These are the delicious reasons why you want to be a freelance writer:

1. I am my own boss.

While my neighbors scrambled out the door at six-thirty-two this morning, I lingered, still buried in my snuggly blanket dreaming of unicorns and rainbows. Now, I am not saying that being a freelance writer does not require hard work. It does.

But, because I work for myself, I set my own hours. I do not have a watery-eyed, chain-smoking manager breathing on my every move. I do not have to get authorization so I can leave my desk to pee. I never have to fill out a sheet of paper to request an hour to see my daughter win an award at school. I am an adult, and I am responsible, and I treat myself that way.

2. I determine my worth.

Did you ever work for a company that for countless years you toiled in peonage without as much as a thank you, much less a pay increase? Yeah. They were basically notifying you that you are not worth it.

Even worse, did they ever tell you that you should be thankful to have a job? Ouch. How does that make you feel when you step into the office every day? You see, when I sit down at my laptop to write or I speak with a client at a meeting, I am authentically excited to go to work and deliver my very best.

Why? Because I am the one in charge of my rates. I decide how much value I bring to the table and people pay. I give myself a raise when I consider it appropriate. Consequently, I am more confident and I know that my life has a significant purpose. Being a freelance writer feels nothing like what I experienced working at a corporate job.

3. My office is my home.

There are actually pros and cons to this, but I generally look at the benefits. I can skip out of bed, flip on the coffee to start percolating and sit down at my desk to begin my day.

Sometimes I stay in my jammies for far too long. Sometimes I snack all the way through lunch. But, hey, I can. I listen to Pandora while I work. I take breaks to lounge in the sunshine next to the potted lavender. I pet the cat. I do all this and still accomplish all the work for the day.

The thick sullen power suits collect dust in my closet. My pointy heels have already seen their glory days. My work as a freelance writer makes me smile, barefoot, my fingers flying across the keyboard.

4. I run the customer service department.

This reason coincides with the “I am my own boss” motive, but I wanted to take extra time to turn up the volume on this idea. Have you ever been informed at the company you work for that you care too much about the customer? I remember my managers as well as my coworkers advising me that I will never prosper in my career because I continually went the extra mile for my customers.

I needed to stop being so concerned if I wanted to be successful. Wow. I am so fortunate that I am innately stubborn and therefore never listened. Now, I can deal with clients how I see fit.

I can “care too much” all I want. Yes, it has bitten me sometimes, but overall, people appreciate my service so much more and they reciprocate. In the end, 99% of my clients have been a pleasure to work with, paid me sufficiently and spoken highly of me to others. That makes all the difference.

5. I get to do what I love.

Every day. And get paid for it. Enough said.

So the real question is, why do you want to be a freelance writer?

About the Author

Kari Jenkins is a freelance writer living in Southern California who enjoys writing, travel, reading, documentary film, strong coffee and dark chocolate, but not always in that order. Visit www.hotkofe.com to learn more about her personal journey to freelancing. You can also find her on www.facebook.com/hotkofe and www.twitter.com/hotkofe.

It Never Works

Let me be the first one to tell you that this is a lie. Simply put, cold calling can help you drum up new business. Are you going to make a sale every time you pick up the phone? Of course not. That being said, you are definitely putting yourself in position to land new clients.

Over the years, I have found some of my best clients through cold calling.

Everybody will be Rude to me

There is no denying that some people will hang up on you. Worse yet, some people will cuss you out and then hang up. But guess what? These people are in the minority. Even when I am told no thanks, most people are friendly and courteous in doing so.

Note: don’t let a few rude people stop you from cold calling in the future. If you get screamed at or hung up on, simply move to the next call.

It Takes a lot of Time

The only phone calls that take a lot of time are the ones that could lead to a project. Otherwise, you are probably on the phone for no more than a minute at the most. People who don’t have any use for you will not keep you on the phone for the fun of it.

By avoiding these misconceptions, you may find yourself falling in love with cold calling!

Guest posts are one of the hottest strategies for increasing online visibility. Like most marketing strategies, there are different opinions on how to do it right. I am not a fan of the do it this way, not that way mantra. You need to find what works for you. However, there are two sides to the guest post story – the side of the guest blogger and the one of the host blogger. And, therein lies the problem. If the two don’t mesh, it’s not going to happen.

The Host Blogger

I appreciated Jennifer Mattern’s guidelines in Accepting May Guest Posts. It provides clear instructions and sets the expectation of what All Freelance Writing accepts in the way of guest posts. I liked them so much, I plan on using them to develop my own Guest Post Policy.

I’ve been remiss in posting guidelines. Let’s be real. It’s only been fairly recent that I had any need to post a Guest Post Policy. I figure you can’t complain about the garbage requests you receive if you don’t let readers know what you accept. That doesn’t mean you won’t still receive garbage requests, but at least you’ve tried to provide guidelines.

Here are guest post recommendations for a host blogger.

1. Post your Guest Post Policy
2. If there are sites you do not accept, list them
3. Include your contact information
4. Identify acceptable forms for submission (e.g., Word document)
5. Include general instructions on content (e.g., fits one of your blog’s categories)
6. Specify an acceptable post length (e.g., 300 to 500 words)
7. Provide bio requirements regarding length/photo/links
8. Detail your acceptance of links throughout the post (e.g., see Jenn’s #3)
9. Advise of any expectations regarding the guest blogger responding to comments
10. Indicate if you accept/expect photos/images

Tip: Request the link of the image and spell out it should be from a creative commons/public domain site. Many newbies do not understand image Copyright laws. Sure, it’s not your responsibility to educate them, but a brief reference in your guidelines may raise awareness and protect you in the process.

You do not have to justify your Guest Post Policy. It’s your blog – your baby. For me, I think about it as if it was my home. Would I feel comfortable letting the person into my home?

One last recommendation – send a response to guest bloggers who follow your guidelines – whether it’s yay or nay.

The Guest Blogger

Shortly after reading Jenn’s post, I saw a guest post at Daily Blogging Tips, The Frustrations of a Guest Blogger. That got me thinking about the two sides of the guest post story. The guest blogger had some valid points regarding unclear guidelines and communication.

Simple, clear guidelines help eliminate frustrations on both ends. If you require a specific format for submission, say so. Do you want it emailed or submitted on your online form? Guest bloggers who ignore your guidelines are like guests who ignore the RSVP on your party invitation. They should not be surprised when they show up and find an annoyed host who guessed wrong on the number of servings.

The second point of the guest blogger about communication is a bit stickier. Spammers have made the online world more suspicious. In freelance writing years, I’m still a pup. (At my age, I love being able to say that). I did not start blogging until 2008, so I am not that far removed from newbie status.  I have empathy for the guest blogger who does not have a clear lay of the land. In the beginning, I answered every request for a guest post and even offered suggestions for improving their request. I’m either a frustrated teacher or a total putz – perhaps both.

My inbox creaks with the load of guest post requests. I admit that I have taken to ignoring the spammier-looking requests. Then my guilt sets in that maybe it’s a newbie. So, on behalf of newbies everywhere, here are some guest post recommendations for guest bloggers.

1. Look for a Guest Post Policy – if there – read it
2. Follow the guidelines
3. Do your homework – review the categories, read the posts, understand the audience
4. Suggest a topic(s) – provide a brief description
5. Explain why you think it fits the blog
6. Do not ask the host blogger for ideas (unless you know them well)
7. Do not take rejection personally
8. Thank the host blogger for ANY response
9. Before submitting a request, become part of the community
10. Leave thoughtful comments

For me, and many of my colleagues, those last two points are huge. Remember, our blog is our home. We want to know who you are before we open the door to a guest post. Have we ever made exceptions? Sure, but only if you follow our guidelines.

What are your recommendations for guest posts?

About the Author

Cathy Miller has a business writing blog at Simply stated business, a health care blog at Simply stated health care and her personal blog, millercathy: A Baby Boomer’s Second Life.

Here’s the toy: http://iwl.me/

“I Write Like” is a website where you essentially paste a chunk of your writing, click the button and see what famous writer you’re most like according to text patterns. So far, after a few test runs, I apparently write like some sort of hybrid between Stephen King and Cory Doctorow. I’m rather bummed – I was hoping for Janet Evanovich. She’s clever and makes me giggle from time to time. Bronte wouldn’t be bad either, but I’m realistic.

But I’ll settle for Stephen King if I really have to.

It should be noted that I don’t own or work with or support the site in anyway. Nor does it support me. But it entertains me and has made me think about voice in writing.

As a writer, your voice is one of your most distinguished features. Of course, a talented writer can tweak that voice to reflect different tones in certain styles. There are also certain times that you don’t want to have much voice at all in your writing.

Playing golf and networking is a soft skill in the traditional workplace. It’s a writing “soft skill” to know how to determine when to use a bit of authentic voice, when to write with neutral tones and when you can pour it on without reservation. For example:

This post is written with an authentic voice. You could argue that I’m writing with no holds barred since I’ve used some slang, some natural phrasing and more than a few punctuation tricks to influence the “sound” of sentences. (Those quotes would be a trick – so would that dash that just made you pause and emphasize this phrase.)

The blog post I wrote for a client had plenty of voice. The celebrity news piece had some voice as well since it was written with an opinion and intentional bias. The scathing email I wrote last week was dripping with voice. (It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective.)

Blogs and features aren’t as interesting if they are written like pure journalism with a “just-the-facts-ma’am” sort of style. Most of the time, readers like personality, so as a writer it is our job to give it to them.

But then there are the times when things need less voice. Press releases, for example, are supposed to be rather dry and constrained. So are white papers and other more sensible business documents. Nobody wants a memo covered with quotation marks and exclamation marks, after all.

Hey peons! I just wanted to let you know that our “consultants” have found some serious problems with productivity this month! It’s going to be a good month for lay-offs around here, so consider putting in some serious “face time” if you’re hoping to make it to July. Have a great one!!

Right. We see the problem there.

Many new writers start out in one of two ways: they write English papers or they write musing online journals. The voice is dry or it’s over the top. Practice finding the gray areas of your voice and learn to use it in a powerful way when you need to and restrain yourself when you should. Believe it or not, it’s often a learned skill.

Well, apparently I’m back to Cory Doctorow again with this piece. (I just tested it.) Who do you write like?

When you are starting your freelance writing career, finding new clients always seems like a daunting task. How does a writer find new potential clients and how do we approach them once we do? Do we send them an e-mail or do we call them? Do we attach our CV’s or do we just concentrate on sending our best samples?

I was always confused as to how to approach a potential client and the kind of language I should address them in. Do I be outright professional or should I be a bit informal and emphasize on the kind of person that I really am? It is extremely frustrating when you spend a good part of an hour writing an email to send to a prospective client but they do not bother replying to it. Nothing damps the spirit of a new and aspiring freelance writer like a cold lead. However as I gained more experience and interacted more with my clients (the ones who bothered to reply!) I realized the mistakes I had made during the start of my career.

The e-mail that you send your client is the only line of communication that you have and you have to make sure that it is impressive and professional. When I say professional, I do not mean rambling on about what you did in school, the degrees you have and including links to every piece you have ever written. Some simple measures can help make sure that your email consists of everything that your client wants to find and true, some time has to be spent writing it but once you have, you can use it to apply to countless other jobs!

1. Using a proper email address: This may seem like a mundane point because apart from signing in to our email accounts and while filling in the contact information section of a form, we do not bother with our mail addresses. We can apply for a writing gig and have the best credentials amongst the competition but your clients are not going to be impressed if you send in your job application from an address like andy_rocks@yahoo.om. It is the kind of address that seems cool in school but can hardly be regarded as professional. If you have your own domain name, you can have your own email address but if you don’t, you can use free email accounts of course but make sure that they are suitable for correspondence. yourname@gmail.com is much more befitting for a job application than yournameisking@gmail.com!
2. About Yourself: I personally find this the most tedious of them all because of all the “About Me” sections in the forum and freelancing site profiles I had to complete where I would elaborate on everything a client may need to know about me. It may seem monotonous but it can be the most important part. It may be the factor that singles you out from your competition and has your client favoring your application. Start out your email, with your name and stating where you are from. Say why you are a freelance writer and address each of the requirements or criteria of the job and explain how you are qualified to deal with them. Do not be afraid to incorporate humor or some aspect of your personality. Communication is a very important factor, especially for long term contracts so it is essential that you speak freely with your client.
3. Links to your best work:  As far as samples on a job application are concerned, quality reigns over quantity.  Try to find samples that are relevant to the job requirements or were published on an authority website, blog or magazine. Do not just copy-paste the links, say something about each of the samples like: “While working on this job, I gained a lot of knowledge about SEO and how targeting certain keywords in a website’s content can help increase organic traffic”. What this does is that it adds a certain degree of credibility to your samples and also features your experience and expertise.
4. Your Blog Or Website: It is not possible to enclose all your talents in a single email, which is why a blog or a website is very helpful for featuring your talents. It can showcase your writing skills as well as your knowledge about a certain niche and adds professional credibility. So update your blog regularly with interesting content and be sure to proofread everything.  Small typo’s on your site will put a dent on all your marketing efforts and can cost you jobs!
5. Rates And Billing System: It is a very good idea to include an overview on how much you charge and how you charge it. Many freelancers charge on a per project basis while others charge on an hourly basis. If your client is impressed with your credentials, the first thing they are going to ask is how much you charge. It is pretty basic follow-up information and including them in your application is going to minimize the number of email that you have to exchange; this way you can get a quicker and more definite response.
6. Links To Social Media: The level of your activity on social media has become an indicator of how enthusiastic you are about your job! Regular updates on Twitter and Facebook not only show the kind of person you are, but it also enables clients to interact with you on a more personal level. If potential clients can see the kind of business relationship you have with your existing customers, social media can be a very powerful tool for your business. So including links to your Facebook Page, Twitter Account, LinkedIn, MySpace or Pininterest in your email will give your prospects the chance to immediately build a casual business relationship. The stronger your social media presence, the stronger your credibility.

All of this in one email packs quite a big punch and makes a very credible impression. Such simple measures can help you land more writing gigs and also helps you brand your business. If you utilize other methods while applying for jobs, please feel free to comment and share tips and tricks!

About the Author

Syed Shadab.  I am a freelance writer at RnGWriter.com and I like to help businesses grow by providing them with cost effective and sustainable content solutions. More importantly I am awesome.

Follow Me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RnGWritercom

Twitter: changing_shadab

It should be easy, right?

Forget that some writers, editors, and business owners have major connections and networks. It’s tempting to see them as ‘dollar signs,’ but the truth is, they’re complex people with feelings, busy lives, personalities, and quirks. They’re human beings.

It’s a dream come true when you meet people and you think they’ll help you grow your writing career, but a part of you may wonder…

How authentic are they?

“I look at how closely they respond to the topic versus how many times they segue off to self-promotional anecdotes about themselves. It only bothers me if they’re excessive or pushy about it.” ~ Christina Hamlett, writer/script consultant.

Is it possible to grow my writing career through networking?

The truth is you can become successful without people; however, it could take you longer, and you may not get the results you thought you would. Networking with the right people for the right reasons can lead you to writing opportunities and grow your writing career.

Here’s my experience…

How to network

Has this happened to you?

You attend writers groups, conferences, or other networking events. You join LinkedIn and Facebook, but the people you meet aren’t real.

Huh?

In September 2007, I moved to Chandler, Arizona. In December 2007, I answered a job posting for a blogger and marketing analyst. For a writing sample, I emailed my Edinburgh, Scotland travel article. Long story short, I ‘tested’ for both positions and the owners decided I was better suited for the blogging position. I was thrilled!

As I gained my ‘blogging legs’ and got used to the East Valley, I decided to sign up with Meetup.com. Since I was new to Arizona, I was desperate to make connections. By the way … desperation is a strong perfume that can be smelled from miles away. I don’t recommend it.

I joined a couple of writers groups and business networking groups. It didn’t occur to me that some of the writers/professionals wouldn’t be authentic. Sure, on the outside they seemed warm and inviting, helpful even. But deep down inside they were looking to advance their careers. There’s nothing wrong with this, who doesn’t want to advance their career? But there’s an ethical and not-so-ethical way to do it.

After I took off my ‘rose-colored’ glasses, I knew I had been fooled. Some of the people I met weren’t interested in me as a person, all they saw were dollar signs, or someone who could connect or refer business to them.

What did I do? I changed my approach to networking.

How to find writing clients

The key to finding and retaining writing clients is to develop relationships with people. Don’t see them as a sale. Don’t see them as a way to connect with top editors at magazines. They’re human beings, not commodities.

Many people approach networking from a sales point-of-view. Perhaps, you’ve been asked the following questions at networking events:

• What do you do?
• How long have you been doing what you’ve been doing?
• What made you start your business?
• What’s the number one problem you’re facing as a business owner?
• How can I contact you?
• When can we have lunch or meet for coffee?

These are all sales based questions. There’s nothing personal about it. Why?

Let’s face it; networking is about developing relationships with people. Instead of going in for the sale right away, get to know people. It’s why I do.

Author/writer Nicky VanValkenburgh looks for, “Common ground. Maybe we write about similar subjects or genres. Or maybe they have connections (knowing people in radio, TV or print) that would be willing to have me on their program or write an article about me.”

When I meet people at networking events, I really got to know them. I listen and hear what they have to say. Here are some questions I’ll ask when I meet another writer:

• You mentioned that you grew up in New York City. What was it like?
• I noticed you brought your iPad with you. I’ve been thinking about purchasing one. What do you like about it?
• I think it’s great that you write for non-profits. How did you begin freelance writing for non-profits? What do you enjoy about it?

As you can see, I ask more personal questions. Yes, I want to know about their writing. But I want to get to know them. Why? They may or may not be the ‘right’ connection for me. It’s the same with business owners.

Tip: When I network with people online, I send a personalized email or LinkedIn request.

The best part about my networking strategy is I no longer fear being rejected by others. This is huge! Most people, including me, have had or do have a fear of rejection. But it’s a matter of perspective. Instead of looking as rejection as a negative, turn it into a positive. I now believe ‘rejection is protection.’ Instead of being upset that a business owner doesn’t contact you for freelance writing, breathe a sigh of relief. Why? The project could have turned out to be a nightmare.

How to grow your writing career

I signed up with Reporter Connection, “a free service that connects busy journalists with experts

available for media interviews.” Before I knew it, I was networking with authors, business owners, writers, and editors.

I had the confidence to market my writing services by sending letters of introduction and querying/pitching editors.

The best part about networking is you get to help others grow their career while growing yours at the same time.

It’s exciting to hear about another writer’s ghostwriting deal with a major celebrity, a nomination for an award, or read about them in a magazine. You get to say, “I know so and so,” you get to send them an email and congratulate them on their success.

YOU CAN NETWORK, FIND WRITING CLIENTS, AND GROW YOUR WRITING CAREER!

You can network with writers, editors, business owners, and just about anyone.

Shift your mindset around networking.

“As a graduate of New York University with a degree in Occupational Therapy, I tapped into my hidden talents in 2011 when I authored my first children’s book – Aiden’s Waltz. I have quickly learned the art of networking and the power of the social networks. Through these channels, I have been fortunate to secure radio interviews and postings as an expert contributor on various websites.” ~ Victoria Marin

Don’t think of networking as chore like washing the dishes, something you have to do.

You can meet some cool, interesting people.

You want to help other writers grow their writing career and grow yours at the same time? You want to help business owners increase their online presence, right?

Guess what? You can.

I know it’s scary and you may think people will take advantage of you. Some will, if you allow it to happen. I know there are people who are genuinely interested in helping others. I know because I’ve met them.

I conducted a Q&A with authors and writers such as Christina Hamlett, Nicky VanValkenburgh, and Victoria Marin about networking. I actually met Christina a few years ago when I posted a query on Reporter Connection about screenwriting. Since then our paths have crossed many times. In fact, she asked me to collaborate on a book. I was thrilled to help!

See … You can network with great people.

Have faith and believe in you, your writing, and networking ability.

Start networking or revisit your strategy.

And yes … I mean start today.

About the Author

Amandah Tayler Blackwell is a freelance writer, ghost writer, and creative writer for markets such as travel, magazine, the arts & entertainment, real estate, personal and professional development, and more. She’s collaborated on many eBook and book projects. Amandah’s personal projects include screenplays, YA, fiction, short stories, poems, and non-fiction. Visit Savvy-Writer.com to learn more about Amandah and her writing.

Getting The Guidelines

When you are writing for print, the guidelines for the publication are the golden rule you need to follow. Problem is…not every magazine puts these on the web for you. So where do you find them?

Here are the two things I do most often:

+ Send an e-mail and ask for them.

Keep this simple. Don’t go on about yourself or send half-baked pitches. Simply request guidelines and thank the person for their time. Don’t get sent to the spam folder by trying a clever subject line. Just put something in there like “guidelines request” or “guidelines for writers”.

Who do you send the e-mail to? Depends on who is available. An editorial assistant is fine, but you can also ask for them from a managing editor, or an editor. Don’t try an editor-at-large (they may not even work directly for the publication), and if there are many choices, it’s probably a good idea to avoid the top editor position.

+ Google.

Not all guidelines can be found this way, but many can. Also, if you are looking for one magazine, you might also find related publications that you can pitch an idea to if you’re lucky. For example, if you are searching for guidelines for “Chicago Magazine” you might also find info on the “Chicago Reader”.

Getting A Response

Once you send in a query, the next step is waiting for a response. This can be a maddening experience. Here’s how to survive it:

+ Wait the amount of time the guidelines state before following up.

Don’t be pushy. If the guidelines say that you should receive a response within three months, don’t follow up in two. Respect the time-frame. If you don’t, you might blow it.

+ Send a gentle reminder.

If you have followed the previous step, follow up–but gently. (And wait two weeks or so before you do for good measure.) Send the original e-mail with a brief follow-up, and don’t write too much. Simply state you are checking in on a query submitted (add the date) and request an update.

Getting Paid

When the article has been submitted and you are ready to get paid, there are some things you should be aware of first. Some publications require you to invoice them, others do contracts and still others simply send a check. If this is your first time working for the publication, just ask what they prefer if they haven’t already made it clear.

If you have worked with them before, be sure to follow the protocol. Some things to keep in mind if you invoice include:

• Dating the invoice
• Submitting all of the information for payment (name, address or PayPal addy, SS# or EIN# if applicable)
• Describing the work completed

For contracts, be sure to:

• Know what you are signing
• Do the best you can to protect your rights to sell the piece again
• Keep a signed copy for your records
• Send them in immediately

Do you have any suggestions for getting the goods in print writing? If so, please share them here!

Dozens of writers have added their names to the list. For example:

• Lanelle: $300 for Content Writing for Web Design
• Shirley T: $2,500 for Grant Writing
• David S.: $3,400 for Technical Writing
• Martin: $50,000 for articles sold to other publications without permission
• Melanie: $600 for copywriting

There are even a few people on the list who have over $50,000 in unpaid invoices. I can’t imagine being owed that much money.

Unpaid invoices is just one of the many risks of freelancing. Unless the client pays you 100% of the project upfront, there’s always some risk that the invoice will go unpaid. Size doesn’t matter – corporations and individuals alike can fail to pay. Sometimes even an established client-customer relationship doesn’t protect you from unpaid invoices.

You can minimize the risk of nonpaying clients, even if you don’t ask for full payment upfront. Break the payments into installments based on the work or the timeline. For example, get three payments for a three-week project. Or you can time payments to fall in line with the dates of specific deliverables. Getting paid in installments gives you a better opportunity to cut your losses. If the client misses a payment, stop working until they pay you. And cancel the project completely if they don’t pay you within a certain amount of time.

Reading a few of the stories on The World’s Largest Invoice Tumblr (where you can submit your own story) it becomes obvious that contracts don’t matter with unethical clients. Contracts are necessary to define the terms of the work, but don’t assume that because the deal has been signed that the client won’t walk away. A signed contract is still necessary, especially if you decide to take legal action against a nonpaying client; the client can’t claim ignorance if there’s a signed agreement.

The worst part of unpaid invoices – besides not receiving the money you need for survival – is that pursuing clients for payment can be time-consuming and costly. Calling and sending emails takes up time that you could be working on paying projects. Suing in small claims court is an option, but requires upfront filing fees and things get complex when the client lives in another state. Even a court judgment won’t force some deadbeats to pay up. You may have to go a step further and ask the court for a wage garnishment or bank levy. You could hire a collection agency, but they’ll definitely take a cut of anything they collect from you. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes cheaper – and less stressful – to take it as a loss and move on.

Do you still have unpaid client invoices?

Whether you’re an early adopter, just received an iPad (what a fun Easter basket!), or you’re thinking about buying yourself an iPad tablet device, as a freelance writer, you’re faced with a very big decision.

• What word processing app will you use?
• What to Look For in a Word Processor
• What does a freelance writer need from a word processor?

We aren’t your average typing Joes, we need something that can run our relatively low-fi businesses with ease and comfort. This means that the program or app that some people may spend moderate amounts of time in can see near endless clocked hours from a freelance writer.

We need to find word processors that can go the distance for our specific brand of heavy usage.

I aim to help you in choosing the right app for you in this guest post.

I write for my clients, and myself, exclusively on the iPad with few exceptions…I occasionally find myself working from my iPhone. No, I don’t use a computer. I find that I just don’t need to.

Keep in Mind How You Use Your iPad

Your mileage may, of course, vary, and I understand that. You may only occasionally use your iPad, or it may be something you use only in one step of you writing process (only brainstorming, only drafting, etc), so keep these things in mind as I discuss the different word processing options and what they can do for you.

Just promise me this: you’ll be willing to give several options a try until you find the right option for you.

I personally, expected to love Writing Kit but had to give Pages a try. I always use Pages now, and I couldn’t be without it.

As writers, we often don’t like the learning curve that comes with trying out new software or apps. I understand that you may feel this way. Many writers do. Just give them a try so that you can find the right word processor for you.

Thinking of purchasing the iPad but don’t have one yet?

If you’re still considering purchasing an iPad, you’re going to to need to try out the apps just like those who already own one to make your decision. Choosing the app before the iPad would be silly: you don’t yet know how you’ll use your tablet for your business.

So, when you do get an iPad, you’ll need to fiddle around with it and see what suits you how, and that includes the word processor.

Good News: Trying Out Apps is a Lot More Affordable

Trying out several word processors on your computer could cost you several hundred dollars, but with apps, I would be surprised if didn’t have a leftover balance on a $50 iTunes gift card.

Because some options do cost $9.99, it becomes a little bit more than chump change, but it is still very affordable to try out different writing options for the iPad.

Some apps to try

• Pages Writing Kit
• Clean Writer
• Write or Die
• Notes
• iAWriter
• Quick Office Pro HD
• Office (squared)
• Docs To Go
• Docs (squared)
• Omni Writer
• Heart Writer
• Smart Paper
• Compositions
• Daedelus Touch
• CPWord
• Paper Helper
• Writings

Now, you just might break the bank if you try them all, so hold off on that. Look them up in The App Store, see what other users have said. Find tuts online. Just be sure to try the two major contenders (Pages and Writing Kit) as you may find the right app for you in one of those, as countless other freelance writers have.

About the Author

Jessie Fitzgerald is a long-time freelance writer that now focuses on blogging about and releasing iPad-related PLR. Learn more about her upcoming, ongoing series of iPad e-books for freelance writers at FreelanceWriterPad.com.