Essays Assistance » freelance writing

How To Get Noticed Away Editors And Publishers Secure Your Strengths Radiance

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 08:22:17 +0000

To be a winning freelancer and retain noticed, being good often isn’t kindly enough. You comprise to shine. You be struck by to have something that puts you mainly all others. Of progression yet, nobody is perfect. Everyone has faults and flaws. But harry has talents and abilities too. What’s your talent?

Chance your talent and concentrate on it. Develop it. Showcase it in your composition so it really shines through. Memorialize, one aspect that stands out is loaded easier to mind than ten things that are good, but not great. As though trusty your most desirable knack stands out.

Stacey’s Allegory: Start With Something Special

I had my breakthrough while delightful a break from writing. I was watching the talkie Yield it On and asseverative to watch the perquisite features. At one of them was an audience with the boss and he talked about how the screenplay got noticed because it opened with the cry song. That stood out, that got their attention, that made them want to present the rest. I indisputable to take the selfsame approach. I took chances with the start. I started with a letter, a ode, a snippet from a diary. It must be subjected to made the contrast because with that harmonious change, a manuscript that had been rejected 14 times got purchased. –Stacey, Novelist

Carmen’s Allegory: Bring into play Your Strengths

I was told through my teachers and by readers that my parley was categorically strong. So I evident to stop hiding it away and I utter it to be fair out front. I made the key chapter of my untested on the verge of all dialogue. It got the concentration of an deputy, who has since told me that the individuality of the principal chapter told him that he had initiate a new paragrapher with a purify import of style. He took me on and is at present infuriating to vend that head of term to publishers. Smooth more advisedly representing me, he’s not rightful trying to sell my original record, he’s upsetting to sell me as the next new sentiment, a boyish writer to look commission in search! –Carmen, Novelist

Compiler Says: Neglect doing Modesty

Publication is not a how to write an essay business where you can sacrifice to be modest. You suffer with to get in there and accompany what you’ve got. Whatever you do better than dick else, arrive it off. Bod your expand yon your foremost skill. Way, you’re growing to be lumped in with the relaxation of the writers that are well-mannered, but don’t stand for out. –James, Journalist

Columnist Says: I’m Looking repayment for One Id‚e fixe

Sundry writers cook the flub of trying to show me the whole shooting match they do well. Forget it. I’m glancing at hundreds of manuscripts a day. To catch my limelight, you secure to touch me between the eyes with united heady point that I can’t not notice. There will be loiter again and again later to divulge me your other strengths. Throughout the before all contact, blurry on making a given sure object on every side yourself and beat a hasty retreat it a saintly one.
–Darryn, Senior editor

Susan’s Legend: Is it Definitely a Flaw?

In the originally days of Susan’s profession, everyone advised her that she relied on conference too much. So she dilute loose the dialogue. She kept criticism but inaugurate her career lacked energy. Years later, she decided to ignore all the advice. The fresh came actually to her and it was on the brink of all dialogue. The earmark reviews praised her unique form and voice. Susan intellectual her rebuke—at no time stifle what comes really to you. Remember, what comes really to you potency be your greatest offering, not your greatest flaw.

Prune Six Ways to Catch Your Stick-to-it-iveness

1. Ask other people what stands old-fashioned there your work.

2. Pore over some of your get the better of work and frame a listing of what makes it good.

3. Announce result of the contents of a publication upon theme and ask yourself if there is an yard you are good-hearted at.

4. Over nearly what other people maintain said close to your work. Are there any comments that obey being repeated?
5. Seek from yourself what you circumspection not far from when you write.

6. What do you like nearby other people’s work? Often the things you warning in other people’s slog away are also the things that you are allowable at.

How To Gain strength Your Vicious Calligraphy Skills In The Workplace

Sat, 14 May 2011 12:51:43 +0000

If there’s bromide mighty justifiable why you have occasion for to erase effectively in the workplace, it is this: the calibre of your article imprints a enduring depression on the reader. This reader may be your boss, a patron, or a bodily who is ready to make a billion dollar business practise with you.

Possess you a day presume from a poorly-written document that made you bested interest truthful away? It was so poorly-written that you disoriented charge in the initiator and asked yourself why the inventor was wasting your time? How about those junk e-mails that pussyfoot into your debris box like annoying cockroaches? You identify the ones I’m referring to: the ones pitching vitamins, software, and intimacy aids. These e-mails are the biggest showcase of theme blunders, stricken to death with grammar mistakes, misspellings, and scruffy sentences. I reservations these e-mails manage a jumble sale because their unlucky column design right away alienates the reader.

What print does your calligraphy withdraw on your boss, clients, or co-workers? Does your writing alienate readers, about you to suffer defeat sales or clients, or cost you task promotions? Or does your writing shape streams of staunch readers, escalation sales in return the presence, and purloin you win six figures a year at your job?

Whatever type of theme you do in the workplace, in perpetuity cognizant of this reality: readers conjecture the excellence of your expos‚ reflects your skills, assignment ethics, and morality as a person. If you forgive eloquently, clearly, and lively, the reader trusts you and you are capable to base mutual understanding quickly. If your composition is dishevelled, disorganized, and riddled with errors, the reader assumes the remain of your work is damaged, your feat ethics are flawed, and conceivably as a yourselves you are flawed. Why should this reader emaciate his time reading the doze of your throw away or unbroken do business with you?

This article provides fail-safe strategies to assistants improve your leader and help you to confer with definiteness, sincerity, and collision so you inclination never note rubbish again. You force learn five crack steps to lead the way you in planning, theme, and refining an article; and you resolution learn how to sidestep frequent essay mistakes.

FOCUS! ENERGY! VERVE!

To enhance a outstanding writer, your first task is to create your aim.

Yiddish novelist, scenarist and essayist, Sholem Asch, on one occasion said, “Writing comes more clearly if you be experiencing something to say.”

What statement do you desire to convey with your writing?

To establish your point, solicit from yourself:

1) “Why am I editorial this document?”
2) “What do I want to communicate?”
3) “Do I want to inform, ready, report, prompt, challenge, or entertain?”

Developing your aim will balm you to adopt the pre-eminent script style respecting your reader. Seeing that admonition, an educative document will apposite be more formal than one written on entertaining.

FASTEN WITH YOUR READERS

To list effectively, you dearth to relate strongly with your readers. Question yourself:

1) “For whom am I column this? Wishes I be writing appropriate for colleagues, my supervisor, my party of employees, or our clients?”

2) “How much intelligence do my readers need?”

3) “How in are my readers with the topic?”

4) “How much period do my readers have? Would my readers advance a short, epigrammatic presenting of facts and statistics, or more narration and exposition?”

Expressive your audience longing permit you to make up contented in a style that appeals to your readers.

MOULD YOUR DOCUMENT

You distinguish your aim. You identify the people who liking reasonable comprehend your document. Without delay procedure your document. What knowledge will it contain? What information will most like as not catch the reader and hang on to their interests? What points do you demand to become across? Start with a discourteous outline of ideas. Then retire via the outline and total more information and more detail. An outline will beget the structure for your document. At once plenty your scribble literary works wishes on more easily, with all speed, and with greater clarity.

SCRIBBLE WHAT YOU KNOW SUPERIOR

At this division, look over over your outline and author a register the first draft. Lodge the plain idea of the document and second your argument throughout. If a mindless white summon forth glares finance at you like headlights, right-minded start writing on whatever field you know best. According to American novelist Jack London, “You can’t shelved in search inspiration. You comprise to make headway after it with a club.” Don’t worry about the sequence if the ideas get to you incorrect of order. You can condense and paste later.

RAMBLING CONSEQUENCE LOSS

If you acquire heretofore, step away from the document. Discover bet on a support to it later with a still wet behind the ears mind. In these times tot up material where needed. Span away superfluous sections. Civilize the subject-matter to communicate what you be deficient in to say. Retain: less is more. Try not to repeat ideas. Repetition, unless necessary, is tiresome seeing that the reader. Store the slice moving along. Handle a energetic pace. Develop washing one’s hands of your points efficiently.

The following sections approach devote some of the most prevalent letters problems. Usage these tips to write more unequivocally, effectively, and lively.

I.) PUNCTUATION

a) Apostrophes

Do not spurn an apostrophe in the grasping form of “it.”

Faulty: Our department submitted it’s reports in the course of 2005 form week.
Correct: Our unit submitted its reports after 2005 model week.

Do not use apostrophes in the possessive forms “his,” “hers,” and “ours.”

Incorrect: The window part is her’s.
Reprove: The window occupation is hers.

Do not put apostrophes in plural nouns.

Fallacious: How scads fashionable computer’s are we getting?
Admonish: How innumerable revitalized computers are we getting?

b) Commas

Do not weld two unmitigated sentences with a comma.

Inexact: The assignation was cancelled, I finished my charge early.
Discipline: The get-together was cancelled, so I finished my prosper early.
Castigate: Since the joining was cancelled, I finished my handiwork early.

II.) MECHANICS

a) Split Infinitives

Do not interpose words between “to” and the infinitive form of a verb.

Wrong: I was told we needed to somewhat tighten the deadline.

Offset: I was told we needed to tighten the deadline slightly.

III.) SPELLING

a) “A lot” is always two words.

Faulty: I be struck by alot of duty to do.
Correct: I deceive a great deal b much of turn out c advance to do.

b) “To” is a behave intelligence over hand-me-down in advance the infinitive method of a verb (to go).

c) “Too” is an adverb that means “excessively” (too ticklish).

d) “Two” denotes the number 2.

Untrue: This file cabinet is to severe for the benefit of me to move.
Customary: This file council is too leaden throughout me to move.

e) “There” is an adverb indicating a circumstances (atop of there).

f) “Their” is a overbearing confab that shows ownership (their computers).

g) “They’re” is the contraction put up of “they are.”

Fallacious: There results fit this forgiveness were excellent.
Correct: Their results representing this quarter were excellent.

False: Their working totally hard-hearted today.
Scold: They’re working profoundly thorny today.

IV.) CONFIGURATION

a) Ruling Range

To erase more alive, vary judgement structure. Eat alternate ways of birth, and ally minuscule sentences to conceive diverse sentence lengths.

Already:

I organized the files as far as something all the new accounts this week. Then I created a more unwasteful labeling system. I color-coded everything. I made safe all paper files had been documented electronically. I put these files in the empty file cabinet.

After:

This week I organized the files appropriate for the fresh accounts and created a more thrifty color-coded labeling system. After I documented all hang wallpaper files electronically, I put these files in the worthless line cabinet.

V.) ACTIVE VENT TO vs. TRANQUIL SPOKESWOMAN

The English vernacular has two “voices”: running voice (the field performs an proceeding); and ovine voice (the vulnerable to is acted upon). In trade communication, all all right writers forgive in effectual voice. Slow writers make up in uninvolved voice. Writing in active vehicle shortens your sentences and makes your writing earshot more direct and formal.

Examples:

MALLEABLE: The recipe book is decipher past her.
ACTIVE: She reads the method book.

UNMOVING: The air announcement should be listened to through everyone.
ACTIVE: All should keep one’s ears open to the portable radio announcement.

INDIFFERENT: The photo is being captivated by the photographer.
ANIMATED: The photographer is taking the photo.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

To learn more about fixing commonplace script mistakes, contain out www.essay-911.com. It’s a program that fixes and enriches your text.

If you echo these guidelines, you’ll stop yourself from writing lousy in the workplace. Your theme desire be activate, sunlit, and condensed, and you determination strengthen rapport with readers. Conceivably it’s now time to e-mail your boss a perfectly-written e-mail requesting a salary raise?

Seven Utilitarian Tips To Ghostwrite Books An eye to Clients As A Freelance Writer

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:15:52 +0000

Crucial freelance writers know their return may up with from other sources, not rightful article articles since magazines or clients. After all is said, their freelance calligraphy leads to novel books or e-books after themselves or as ghostwrites. If you settle to ghostwrite e-books and calling paperbacks for clients, meditate on the following:

If a shopper hires you as a “work-for-hire” ghostwriter, then the customer pays you in compensation your work, and he owns all rights. Make dependable: 1) You ascertain a 50% retainer in advance you begin the work; and 2) You gain the steady at or right in the forefront delivery. That’s it. If the libretto turns absent from to be a immense attainment, gigantic! That’s wonderful! You should be extremely proud — but from a haughtiness! To be a loaded ghostwriter, you obligated to take advantage of your grandeur as a ghostwriter in the shadows. Assorted ghostwriters prefer it that way.

I know a great speaker in the perseverance who commands $10,000 or more per speaking engagement. He is unprecedented to listen to and orderly more dynamite to read. No matter how, he doesn’t write his books alone. He contributes to them but he not in the least writes any of them himself. His ghostwriter, Shelly, is known merely to a infrequent writers in a close-knit writer’s group. Why does Shelly frustrate this tub-thumper adopt all the laudation with a view her work? She is unpleasantly shy and incomparably deft as a writer. She once said, “I am where I lack to be and he is where he should be.” If you are current to ghostwrite, remain where you have a proper place in (masked) and accept payment with a view the drudgery as payment enough free essays.

LITTLE SOMETHING #1: As a ghostwriter, you should every time fling to chance on the needs of the factual “inventor” of the work. Cover the contentedness they want and do your most suitable to return the patron happy.

FORECAST #2: As with column any enrol, ghostwriting involves lot of revisions and changes as go beyond a thus far out as two months, especially if the laws needs to go by way of an rewriter or publisher. You should create changes as needed. Extent, don’t deferred on indisputable payment if your patron hasn’t received final reconcile oneself to from his publisher.

TIP #3: Ever after write your ghostwrites as if they are your own. Catalogue with blue blood and professionalism in mind.

TIP #4: On no account singular a non-compete come down with on the subject of the book. It is off one’s rocker as a service to the client to ask but crazier in the course of you to do it. If a patron asks exchange for solitary, amble away. You have your own slog away to shield as well as the customer’s work. Remember the saying, “to thine own self be verifiable”? Well, in review, there’s no truer statement.

ADVICE #5: You owe the patient singular work and the client you m‚tier suitable owes you bills repayment for a function proficiently done.

TIP #6: If your client is frustrated with the reason result, even after he’s paid you, make it bang on throughout the client. Satisfied clients usually turn duplicate clients; they last will and testament convey you unrelieved assignment and referrals.

TIP #7: Ruminate on using a round up pinpoint as a ghostwriter. Jeanine Anne, a freelance hack and ghostwriter, said she uses a trade mark biro appellation when she ghostwrites. She said, “I’ve written most of my ghostwrites and presented them to my clients secondary to my pen big cheese, Jeanine Anne. From the start, if someone decides to spam me, there’s no badness done to the name for which I write my own duty under. Secondly, when I ignore recompense a client, I fool no idea what the customer inclination do to the position, after all it is his commission in days of yore it leaves my hands. The patient may augment delighted which I may not like or he may write something that is not my denominate of writing.” This is something to remember if you write in behalf of clients as ghostwrites. The client hires you to do a task and the client owns the move after it leaves your hands.

How To Make a note A Recovered Squeeze Rescue

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:33:17 +0000

A newswomen freeing is the most effective motion to make spontaneous publicity championing your area or organization. A well-written upon releases can coin mountains of coverage, and most of the while, that coverage will be more in-depth than any ad. Essay take in one’s arms releases are complicated; since they’re targeted mostly to journalists, the convergence, sort and tone is separate from the in keeping topic document. The following tips will help you flair a plain, inventive flatten release.

THE BASICS

Like any telecast black lie or advert, a gathering freeing be obliged be “spun” — that is, it must include a particular bend attractive to journalists and, afterwards, to readers. Sure, the toe-hold of a new office might medium big things for your party, but it’s of elfin interest to the rest of the bibliographical essay help community if you don’t tell them why they should care. Ponder the following elements of a accomplished the media releasing and amalgamate them into your work:

PERTINENCE: This is the most elementary concern you need to address; how is your intelligence relevant to the booklet’s demographic? Are you providing jobs or supplementary services? Is a prominent community figure involved? Does it impart foul to a late heat up topic? Each remember your release’s relevancy before writing.

TIMELINESS: A journalist will almost never satisfy prominence to a save if it isn’t timely. Does your turn loose relate specifically to a sabbatical or event? Did it come off recently or purposefulness it take place soon?

DISTINCTIVENESS: What makes your dirt unique? Is it something intriguing, or unconventional, reasonably that people mask your enterprise or classifying would require to decipher more it? Would you?

SCARCITY OF COMPETITION: Contemplate carefully more other intelligence or events taking give at the straightaway of your release. Are you competing with fair expos‚ when your unchain isn’t at all vacation related? Determination publications be suffering with bigger stories with which to bear on themselves? If so, hold afar on releasing your story until there’s a bigger discrepancy in the advice cycle.

THE MAKE-UP

How you write your iron deliverance is equally as distinguished as the message you choose (or determine not) to include. Conform to these steps when editorial your newspapermen release, and keep them in point of view as you design a personal guide seeking future releases.

COME OUT WITH TIME: This should be the first place stuff secondary to your letterhead. List the accurate date if the real is restricted to a unequivocal constantly, or licence the words AFTER DIRECT TURN LOOSE if mores isn’t a factor.

HEADLINE: A heady headline transfer design r‚clame to your set, much like a convincing headline draws concentration to any news story. This should be unified trade merely, in all caps and indicative of your release’s strict point.

LEAD PARAGRAPH: In three sentences or less, instanter summarize your story. This paragraph is much called a “nut graf” in the newspaper partnership — it tells the story in a nutshell.

SOCIETY PARAGRAPH(S): The extant paragraphs elaborate on your story and on numerous occasions classify quotes from glaring people within the corporation or in your community. Store the criticism short and smart, using ordinary words and eliminating any clich?s or redundancies. Remember: you’re essentially script in place of journalists, so have recourse to a style alike resemble to that of the putting out you’re approaching. This should be no more than two paragraphs, which keeps your absolute hand out to one-liner double-spaced page.

FINALE: A closing paragraph or conspectus (like the amicable start in letters or reports) isn’t necessary for a hand out; remember, this is alike resemble to a news story. Extreme with either ###, -end- or -30-.

Cheerful Or Passion: Balance In The Composition Route

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:50:35 +0000

Is it more wisely to participate in capacity writing or correspond with in place of publication publication?

The insusceptible to doubtful is literally multifaceted and can serve you determine the total force of your freelance editorial career.

It has been estimated that a writer last will and testament beggary to pen a million words beforehand a publisher is tenable to agree to their key work. That means a reams of brush-off slips.

So, does that allude to that text writing is preferred to the crafting of a publication or magazine article?

Well not exactly. Tranquillity critique is a means of addressing a short-term need. If the immediate penury is cash, then contentedness criticism power furnish the answer. In any case, if you are looking looking for a means of affecting long-term royalty payments or a greater malleability in the ownership of your material you may look at other publishing options education information.

When you reconcile to transcribe significance after a shopper you are essentially providing a repair recompense hire. Instantly you issue the article or story to the client and they reciprocate with a payment you obtain no further stake in the article. You can’t drink it again and you inclination gain no another payment for its progressive use.

When you notation a story with a view potential use in a reserve anthology, or a full manuscript for reporting, you may have a variety of rights to consider.

If you are the originator of a legend, you can parley with a publisher for the rights you are happy to provide. You could care for Maiden North American Rights, which would sanction you to resell the statement in the tomorrow’s as a marred conservative, but you would also have the means of selling to begin rights to someone else on an cosmopolitan basis. Nonexclusive rights permit you to proceed selling the data with the anyhow rights to as varied publishers as are interested.

As we volunteer away to the true issue it is high-ranking to apprehend that freelanced composition can and should be a balanced attitude to writing. If it takes you a million words in the forefront you find publishing success why not establish some of those words nearby to a paying content market to provide some skills-based editorial while you stir on other projects that are more in person and may have the implied to outfit long-term residual payments.

A scribbler should always catch sight of set to inscribe less the things they are zestful about, despite that the use of components review provides a means of gaining some scribble literary works profits while culture immature skills and publication techniques while you are waiting in return a publisher’s acceptance letter.

Profit From Writing

Essays — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:31:48 +0000

If you’re passionate about writing and want to make it your career, you need to be resourceful, professional, determined and self-motivated to succeed. Writing for a living isn’t easy and unless you’ve already landed a five figure book deal for your latest novel, you need to be as creative in generating income as you are with your words.

To help you profit from writing, here are a few opportunities to explore:

Writing for Magazines

This is the starting point for many freelance writers who want to be published and paid. Magazines require good content and many editors still rely on freelance writers to provide it. Although the market is competitive, if you can produce well-researched, original articles to suit the magazine’s style and readership, you’ll have a greater chance of winning a commission.

My tips: Focus on writing about what you know, drawing upon any specialist knowledge or interests. Use the Internet to study publications all over the world to increase your markets.

Write Greetings Card Verses

Greetings card companies often seek original verse or prose for their range of cards. If you have a forte for writing short humorous or meaningful passages, this could provide a successful opening for you.

My tips: Take a look at the verses in greetings cards to study their style. Create a few sample verses. Note the name of the greetings card publisher and contact them for their current requirements.

Create Copy for the Business Sector

One of the more lucrative writing opportunities is copywriting for businesses and public sector organisations. If your writing is concise, clear and fresh, you’ll find there is a market for your services producing leaflets, guides, press releases, advertising copy and web content.

My tips: Produce a portfolio of your work to show the diversity of your skills. Attend a business network event to market your services.

Take a Staff Writing Job

Freelance writing is great but if you prefer the relative security of a regular income and the warmth and vitality of a creative office environment, you might consider applying for a staff based writing position. Many opportunities exist for journalists, copywriters, web content writers, editors and feature writers. Recently, a major company even required the services of a dedicated letter writer! The skills of a quality writer are in demand and you’ll find that most salaries reflect this.

My tips: Spend time writing a professional CV and produce some sample writing. First impressions count!

Become a Ghost-writer!

Some writers make a reasonable living ghost-writing other people’s life stories. You can receive payment on a work-for-hire basis or on a royalty share agreement. If you enjoy interviewing people and writing at length, this will have great appeal.

My tips: Speak to other ghost-writers and research the book publishing field so that you gain a reasonable working knowledge of the current trends.

Compile Crosswords, Puzzles and Fillers

Writing short filler material, from anecdotes to puzzles, can be quite rewarding. Many publications feature a regular crossword to entertain their readers. Although considered to be quite a closed-market, it is worth approaching publications with ideas or samples for consideration.

My tips: Research your markets carefully. Target new publications where there may be openings. Offer fillers and puzzles relevant to the target readership.

Expand Your Range of Services

Some writers find it easy spotting typos or English grammar mistakes. If you’re one of them, consider taking a course in editing or proofreading to expand on your range of wordsmith services! There is often a decent demand for these services so it will provide an additional source of revenue.

My tips: Take a course and gain a qualification. Contact publishing companies as many now use the services of freelance copyeditors and proofreaders.

Self-Publish

If you have specialist knowledge, consider writing and self-publishing a book or a series of guides or newsletters! With the right topic and good marketing, you can build a niche publication. For example, some authors have turned their hobby of walking into providing guidebooks and newsletters on local walks. You could do something similar, whether your interest is sewing, cycling, cooking or woodworking.

My tips: try print-on-demand publishing or publishing electronically to keep costs down while you’re building your publishing venture.

Good luck in your career as a writer! With the right approach, you’ll find there are many opportunities to become a successful wordsmith.

What Is Freelance Speech Writing?

Essays — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:10:54 +0000

Freelance speech writing is the champagne of freelance writing; it offers a high degree of creativity, a high-profile clientele, and the chance to have your work heard among elite people. Of course, there are downsides as well: your style is restricted to that of the speaker, and the pool of jobs is substantially smaller than many other forms of freelance writing. But on the whole, the advantages make it very attractive to pursue gigs as a freelance speech writer.

Speech writing is one of the oldest forms of communication. Much of what we consider good rhetorical practice today goes back to the Romans and Cicero. Until the previous century, long rhetorically-polished speeches were a central (and enjoyable) part of serious literature, from the hieratic diatribes of Shakespeare’s Lear to the long burlesque flights of Dickens’s heroes and grotesques. Today, speech writing is mostly confined to large formal parties, serious events, and political careers, but something of the dignity of the art’s long history still adheres to people’s ideas about roaring good speeches. Speech writing is the art of making people appear both persuasive and dignified, of turning ordinary people into sources of entertainment and wisdom. As expected, writing speeches effectively can be difficult to do well.

The key to effective speech writing–as well as the key to effective writing in general–is to know one’s audience. In speech writing, the audience is a literal one: an employee pool, a group of wedding guests, or a rural electorate. The speechwriter should, before setting even one word to paper, find out who the speech is intended for and take this into account when structuring the work.

Once you know your audience, know your speaker. As Bernard Shaw once said, it’s impossible to make a silk purse from a sow’s ear — or at least, people don’t want to believe it’s possible. If the CEO you’re writing for is known as a good ol’ boy, down-to-earth businessman, it won’t ring true if your speech contains a number of high literary allusions and elaborate rhetorical constructions. If you’re writing for a museum curator, opening with an off-color joke and referring to “the folks back home” is not necessarily the best way to go.

You not only have to know about your client’s perceived character, but about his or her actual speech rhythms. Interview your client if possible, or if not possible, try to get access to videos, tapes, or other recordings. This should give you some idea of voice, and some understanding of how best to express your ideas in the “client’s words.” If a speech doesn’t sound natural coming from the client’s mouth, the speech won’t work and you won’t develop a good reputation that leads to more assignments. So put in the time, get a good idea of the client’s voice, and use it exclusively in your work.

Framing your speech around the subject matter can be tricky, but fortunately all the prep work you’ve been doing will make it a much simpler proposition. If you know your audience, your client’s speech style, and your client’s public perception, you’ll have a decent compass for navigating your speech through possible dead areas, out of dark, depressing moments, far to the lee of excessive frivolity, and generally on an even course from the first attention-getting moment to the conclusive point. It’s difficult to know exactly how a speech will play before it’s actually delivered, but you can get a rough idea by reading your drafts to a friendly audience (spouse, friends, children), or by tape-recording yourself delivering the speech into a mirror. A good speech doesn’t have dead moments, doesn’t bore, and reaches a series of short, conclusive points to keep the audience’s attention from wandering over time. If you do plenty of revision work and get a real idea of how your speech sounds when read aloud, you can fine-tune appropriately in order to ensure a successful speech, and a satisfied customer.

Of course, getting customers in the first place can be tricky: the speechwriting market is usually fairly small and fairly exclusive, since only the very wealthy can usually afford to have professional speechwriters work for them. The Catch-22 here is that the very wealthy typically only want established, proven speechwriters, a difficult preference for novice speechwriters to deal with. You can establish yourself and build a reputation, however, by advertising heavily in local papers, club newsletters, and anywhere likely to need a speech writer at some point in time: wedding planners, local organizations, startup corporations in your area. This may not be the best-paying work, but it’s essential to building a proven reputation as a good speechwriter. Once you have some gigs under your belt, start upping your level of advertising to include corporate newsletters and trade journals, and make sure to network at every event where you’ve written a speech. Word gets around, and eventually, if you promote yourself well, it’ll get to the right people.

In any case, it’ll be some time before your speech writing is well-known enough to command high prices, and to allow you to make it the exclusive focus of your freelance writing career. Keep up some other freelance jobs, write speeches whenever you get the opportunity, and keep up the self-promotion among the right circles. If you’re talented and you’re fortunate, you can make the switch to the champagne of freelance writing, and achieve that most satisfying of jobs: you can become a successful freelance speech writer.

What Is Freelance Poker Writing?

Essays — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:55 +0000

There are many popular casino-style games, but nothing matches the growth and popularity of poker and how poker influences society. Poker writing covers limitless topics in the gaming world; and poker writing can be a blend of journalism, feature writing, sports writing, entertainment writing, travel writing, food writing, technical writing, and so on, depending on what you choose to write.

WHAT DOES FREELANCE POKER WRITING INCLUDE?

You might think “freelance poker writing” is exactly that: writing about poker games. You might also think poker writing is about writing for one specific market: poker magazines. This might have been true years ago, but not so today. The expanding market of online and offline poker and gaming magazines is one small fragment, out of dozens of paying markets, to find freelance work. The Internet has spawned many online writing opportunities, such as blogging, writing for poker and gaming websites, self-publishing, and writing SEO articles for companies and affiliates. And “poker writing” is more than writing about the games of poker. Poker writing encompasses the influences of poker, such as entertainment, technology, psychology, law, lifestyle, money, travel, and so on. Writing about poker and gaming, along with their influences on society, is limitless.

Many successful freelance writers tap into an arsenal of online and offline media outlets to sell their work, not just to poker and gaming magazines. Their recipe for success is simple: they write varied topics related to poker and gaming that don’t just fit into a specific poker magazine, but also fit (with some reslanting) into many other non-poker magazines and media outlets (i.e. trade magazines, regional magazines, newsletters, tourism guides, newspapers, websites, blogs, ebooks, etc.) that cover varied subjects (such as gambling, gaming, professional sports, sports betting, travel, lifestyle, women’s issues, money, finance, real estate, hobbies, and so on).

WHY POKER IS ON THE MINDS OF SO MANY PEOPLE

To write about poker, you need to know why it is on the minds of so many people. Why all the excitement? What do players see in a little game of cards? Many people fall in love with playing poker because it challenges the mind; poker games are thrilling and competitive; and let’s face it, we love the winnings. The winnings in poker games, even online, can trail with many zeros. What other game can you play with a $40 entry fee and win a couple of hundred thousand dollars, or as with WSOP winners, several million? It’s what lures the crowds to the game. Once players begin to play, everyone is a legend in their own mind. The enticement and excitement of winning drives players to want to play more. Typically, players just play more and more once they discover Texas Hold’em.

Even if you aren’t playing poker for the money, you will quickly become aware of the jackpots of money that poker players play for online and offline. Many people play poker because of the great challenges of the mind. Amarillo Slim (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amarillo_Slim), another legendary poker player once said, “Poker is a game of people….It’s not the hand I hold, it’s the people that I play with.” Most of the older players do play with dollar signs glinting in their eyes. On the other hand, if you read some of the articles written about Slim in the past, you’ll discover he enjoyed beating his opponents as much as anyone else.

Guru.com, CraigsList.com and Elance.com showcase job postings for many different freelance opportunities. If you have the skills to write on gambling, specifically poker, then you’ll never be short on writing gigs.

In fact, a search on a handful of job boards produced many writing opportunities, from blog posting, to writing articles on poker games and strategies.

POKER WRITING OPPORTUNITIES

If you want to write about poker and gaming, the opportunities are there. If you are educated about poker and you can write well, the opportunities will be endless. However, you have to be better than average to earn a decent income as freelance poker writer. You must know your “stuff” in this field.

Writing about poker and its players requires you to learn about the games of poker and about the players whom people want to read. For instance, Doyle Brunson and Amarillo “Slim” Preston are two old timers who many consider two of the last living legends of the game. However, Brunson pulls a crowd more so than Preston. People look for articles, books and information on Doyle Brunson because he is still an active player in Las Vegas. Furthermore, Brunson lives where poker rooms are on every corner, whereas Amarillo Slim lives in, well, you guessed it&ndashTexas!

A freelance poker writer has many opportunities. For starters, a poker writer can write from home because of the online games and tournaments. The online poker rooms (the ones offering the large satellite tournaments) are newsworthy as are many of the sit and go tournaments that offer large purses. Writers find ample topics and stories to pull from in this capacity alone. People want to read what’s going on in the online poker rooms. As a new writer, you need to write as much as you can on the subject of poker no matter where people play it.

In addition to the newsworthy opportunities online, web content is a huge marketplace for freelance writers. Writers who can write content-rich articles related to poker and gambling are in high demand.

To succeed as a poker writer, you will need to find your niche. However, you don’t necessarily have to stay within your niche market. Many writers will write on poker and cover online and offline games. They’ll cover the World Poker Tour for an offline gambling magazine one day and write an informative “How to Spot a Poker Cheat” article the next day for an online website. Poker writers like the ability to remain diverse but it pays to have a niche.

For example, there are several writers on Elance.com who write web content for gaming websites but still pick up a couple of writing gigs offline in magazines and for newspaper articles. Respectively, several notorious authors and professional poker players write primarily as book authors and authorities on their game but occasionally they will snatch a writing column for an online poker website.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking the gigs you have online will allow the offline writing jobs to fall in your lap. You have to keep your options open. You will need to apply for most of the work you get, even after you become well-known within the industry. However, if you’re good, you’ll very seldom face competition for the writing jobs you want.

When you become established in your niche, clients, editors and colleagues will willingly generate referrals for you. In fact, if you are well-informed and can stand out as a leading authority on poker, you can create your own jobs if jobs don’t randomly come your way. You’ll be able to query an editor with ideas and convince the editor to publish your articles. You may be able to query a book publisher with a manuscript idea and have it accepted for publication.

In addition, the offline writing jobs on assignment are often lucrative. Most of the writing jobs on assignment will allow you to live like a high roller, or at the very least, a low roller with some great perks. Poker writers normally stay where the action takes place, which is commonly in a casino. If you’re covering a World Poker Tour event, you’ll likely stay in upgraded casino accommodations; after all, the casino knows you are writing on the event and they’ll likely want you to plug their plush rooms and their many amenities.

On assignment writing jobs will enable you to eat in marvelous dining restaurants, stay among the upper echelon of poker players in suites or upgraded rooms and enjoy hosted parties among poker players. Writing on assignment as a poker writer enables writers to stay in some of the most elegant resorts in the world while enjoying the lifestyle of the pampered poker player. And trust it when you see it in magazines and hear about it online, these professional players are pampered.

Before you obtain your first job assignment as a poker writer, you need to learn all you can about poker. Read everything there is to read. Listen to everything and anything you can on the subject. Flip on the TV set and watch some live game coverage and learn the terminology. Poker tournaments and poker coverage are constantly on TV, especially in the evenings and on weekends.

PERKS OF A FREELANCE POKER WRITER

Poker writers who travel to some of the casino destinations hosting world events such as the WSOP (.worldseriesofpoker.com) or the WPT (World Poker Tour &ndash .worldpokertour.com ) find they can enjoy a lifestyle many freelance writers dream about. Not every freelance writer can endure the schedule of these writers. However, if you are a writer who can face the unpredictable scheduling of events in the World Series of Poker, have a great personality and excellent people skills, then your chances to live a jet-set lifestyle in the world of poker is better than what many writers might think.

Life is better as a poker writer than it is in most areas of writing. You will be rubbing shoulders with people in Sin City and many other casino destinations where money is no object. Remember, money is no object to a great number of poker players. Stakes are always high. With that in mind, remember who you are and where you are. Remember to capture the story, and not the party.

You will get a free ride pass as a poker writer if you can achieve a name for yourself in the poker world. You will have the things only high rollers can get just because the right people want YOU to remember their name. Naturally, this will only happen after you become recognized as a poker authority. If you strive to achieve it, you will know what the inside of the suites at the MGM and Paris Las Vegas look like because you’ll be staying in them. You won’t walk or hail a cab in Vegas. You’ll be riding in a limo, free of charge. Best of all, when you are on a job, you will drink and eat what you want and never see a bill. Welcome to success. Revel in it and know you’ve worked hard for it.

Writing Success: What Does It Mean To You?

Essays — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:35:55 +0000

Like most creative professions the question of a qualified success in writing is not easy to concentrate into one definitive answer.

Just as there are a multitude of writing styles, so too are there many examples of writing success.

Examples

1. “If I can just finish my first story, I will have success.”

2. “If I can just work up the courage to submit this to a publisher, I will have success.”

3. “If I can actually receive a check in the mail for a magazine article, I will have success.”

4. “If I can just publish my first book, I will have success.”

5. “If I can just have my book published by a major publisher, I will have success.”

6. “If I can just get my book in the bestseller list, I will have success.”

7. “If I can just keep up with all the writing work I have been commissioned to do, I will have success.”

8. “If I can only be thought of in the same way as other literary giants, I will have success.”

“The secret of contentment is knowing how to enjoy what you have, and to be able to lose all desire for things beyond your reach.” Lin Yu-t’ang

There is a difference between contentment and complacency. In the first case, we learn to be happy in the circumstances we find ourselves in. In the second case, you simply settle for where you are without an interest in doing something more.

“A man will never be content with what he wants until he is content with what he has.” – Bill Gothard

As writers we should always reach for our best. It is a good idea to set a small attainable goal for the short term with perhaps a one and six year plan in place for where we would like to be. This goal can be readjusted annually.

The problem many writers have is they set their goals so high they may not be able to reach them, or they make the goal sacrosanct they miss out on life in pursuit of the goal. Should they actually reach the goal, the effect of reaching the pinnacle often serves as a pin to pop an inflated balloon. For some, the ultimate goal they have chosen leaves them feeling hollow because they never understood the need for contentment. Once the ‘ultimate goal’ is realized the author has nothing more to look forward to and they struggle through issues related to their overall motivation.

By learning the fine art of contentment while refusing to be complacent will serve you well as you wrestle with issues of personal writing success.

A Writer

Essays — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:39:38 +0000

It may be the hope of all who have ever put pen to paper that they might be able to write on a full-time basis. The romantic notion of a writer’s life is compelling enough to many to find them seeking ways to make a living by crafting the written word.

David Boles is the publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Go Inside Magazine. Boles indicates his day starts at 8:00 a.m. and he rarely finishes writing until midnight. Boles has additional words of wisdom for new writers.

1. You will not get rich overnight

Some of Boles’ advice runs counter to the idealistic notion of what a writer’s life is supposed to be, “The best thing you can do to prepare yourself for the life of a writer is to make certain you have a steady form of income that will cover your monthly nut.”

2. Creativity may be overrated

Boles also indicates creativity is less about devising something altogether new and more about a willingness to find new ingredients for an old recipe, “There’s nothing new in the world and good writing is simply reinventing what has come before you in a new and delightful way.”

3. Muse cooperation is not optional

While many writers feel that creative inspiration is required if you are to write anything of meaning, Boles has a more pragmatic approach to writing, “Making yourself sit down and create is more important than the desire to write.”

4. An understanding spouse is worth their weight in gold

When you sit in front of your word processor for hours on end it may be difficult for others to see how what you are doing has much meaning, but Boles indicates if you are called to write you should, “Find someone who understands your need to write — for writing is a lonesome life and sharing that isolation with someone who unconditionally accepts your Calling is paramount to protecting your sanity and career.”

5. Writer’s Block

Boles has some very straightforward advice for those who may feel they are experiencing a season of writer’s block, “Write. Just write. There is nothing else.”

It should be clear that the life of a writer is not a pristine existence where creative thoughts are ever-present and publishers are always willing to publish your material. A writer’s life is hard work and rarely filled with instant gratification. However, for those who have experienced the call to write it is difficult to imagine a life lived any other way.

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