Writing With Purpose

I wish I could say I did not have trouble staying focused when I am freelance writing; I wish I could say that I always set daily goals for myself, and meet each task with enthusiasm. But, the truth of the matter is: I often write about topics that do not really grab my interest, or it is a subject I have to research, because I do not know enough.

The email notification sounds and I am quick to check and see if it is a customer, a bunch of junk, or a note from a friend or family member. Alternatively, I love to play this one minute game online. I convince myself that I will take a break and only play 5 games. The next thing I know, I have been trying to best my score for an hour.

Advice for Staying on Task

Okay. I have already admitted that this is one of my most serious faults as a freelance writer, and life in general. My mind is always going, and not necessarily on the job at hand. I have gotten advice from my mother, my self-employed brother, my freelance writer friend and mentor, and some I actually came up with on my own.

Sorry to say, I am a source of frustration to my mother; my brother has no idea whether I take his advice or not; and my freelancing friend suggested I write this post.

I really am trying to reform. I do not like getting behind. I hate having to pull all-nighters to get a job done, because I did not work hard enough during the day. Since I am my own boss and work-at-home, I have a habit of convincing myself that I can do something else for awhile, and it will not really matter if I work a couple of hours after supper. Unfortunately, after a meal, the last thing I want to do is work into the evening.

So, I hope you will consider the following bits of advice for staying on task as a freelance writer. If not, you can email me in the middle of the night, because we will probably be pulling all-nighters together:

• Set a Daily Goal
• Turn off the TV, Stereo, or Phone, if Necessary
• Schedule a 15 Minute Break every 2 Hours-NO MORE!
• Only Check Email 3 Times a Day
• Only Use the Internet for Work, During Work Hours
• Know your Work Limits-Do Not Overbook
• Reward yourself for a Job Well Done, when it is Completed

I have listed 7 ideas to help freelance writers stay on task, even when the job may be downright boring, frustrating, or there is simply something more fun to do. If you have any more ideas, I can probably use them. Maybe other readers can too.

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Thanks to my great friend and colleague, it has come to my attention that I am a participant in my own pet peeve. Well, actually, I found one of my mistakes in a post. She found others. I need to follow my own advice and save a draft of my post, go do something else and come back later, because freelance writers make mistakes too-including me most of all.

Why Oh Why?

For example, I must have been very tired. I typed ‘their’ for ‘they are’. What is up with that! Everyone learns the difference between they are, their, and there in the first grade. But, it is one of the most common mistakes when writing, even if you know the difference.

Maybe it is because freelance writers are trying to push quantity, while still trying to maintain quality. Essentially, our brains are working faster than the fingers. In addition, speaking from personal experience, we tend to read what we think is written, not what is actually published.

Truth be Told

Another problem I have, when I try to write too quickly, is not fully explaining or finishing a thought. As a teenager off at college, I often sent perplexing letters home. It was back in the days when you had to actually use a pen, piece of paper, and a stamp. Well, I would be talking about one subject and switch gears all of a sudden. My mind was way ahead of my pen. I thought I had written everything that needed said. But, my mother got some very confusing mail.

Unfortunately, it is easy to do that when you are writing for a client as well. Admittedly, it takes a lot of article writing to pay the bills, if you are freelancing full-time. Sometimes, it can be a feast or famine job. One day, you are tempted to start chewing your nails, because you have no writing prospects. The next, you will have more work than you can handle, and you are pushing the limits of you mental endurance.

Give yourself a Break

Remember, you are a freelance writer, not a super hero. You will make mistakes. However, you will also clean them up. Do not be afraid to take constructive criticism. You are not just a writer; you are also a learner. Finding mistakes is not the end of the world. In fact, it will probably make you a more conscientious writer in the future. So, give yourself a break. I did.

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I truly believe that avid readers make better freelance writers. Sure, you can know all there is to know about SEO services that will incorporate specific keywords in your writing and article marketing. But, if you do not like to sit down and read a good book once in a while, you writing will likely reflect an absence of enthusiasm, a restricted vocabulary, and a basic misunderstanding of the written word.

The Love of Words

Although I have not conducted any polls on the subject, most writers that I talk to are also avid readers. Maybe they do not have as much time to sit down with a good book, because they are so busy writing words all day; but, they can probably tell you a favorite author, genre, and when they first discovered the love of reading, or the first time they picked up a pencil to write a story.

In all honesty, I cannot remember when I first started loving books and being amazed that people actually had the imagination to create these wonderful stories. Before I could read for myself, my mother read to me. We always had books around the house. Whether we went to the library or someone bought us a book of our very own, my siblings and I all learned to love books. Today, we are all writers, to one degree or another.

Although I am the only freelance writer in the family, my brother owns his own business and does a lot of technical writing on the side. My sister, who is a oncology nurse by day, also has a book in the works. As for me, I love words. I remember getting teased for reading the dictionary. I also have a book I am working on, after I do my job of course.

A Wordy Challenge

If you have read previous posts, then you already know I highly recommend that anyone involved in freelance writing have a dictionary and a thesaurus handy. Well, I have a wordy challenge for my readers. Learn a new word every day. Whether you are simply an avid reader that is also interested in writing for personal pleasure, or you have an SEO company and write every day of the week, you will be surprised to find that both your reading and writing with be more pleasurable as you grow your word power.

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After a recent discussion with a client about finding credible resources for an assignment, it gave me a great idea for today’s post. It came to my attention that a lot of fledgling freelance writers may not know how to differentiate between credible and non-credible sites for gaining information and topic ideas. So, I am going to share with you what I know from my experiences as a teacher of English and almost 4 years of freelance writing.

Worth a Thousand Words

A book is worth a thousand words. However, as a freelance writer, you may/may not paid for the time it takes you to go to the library and search for the proper material. You might reading on your own time. So, it is important to clarify this with your client and include research in the price of the article, if you so desire. Either way, some books, if written in the proper format, with headings, subheadings, bullet points, and a variety of fonts can yield some quick information for an original article idea.

Note the fact that I stated an original article idea. Plagiarism is against the law. You and your client can get in a lot of trouble taking someone else’s words and posting them as your own. Never, never, use a source to that degree, unless you quote the source and make sure the reader knows exactly where the original information can be found.

Do not try and get away with using others words as if they are your own. Many clients will have a program called Copyscape, or something similar to check your work. If you are caught, you might as well close your computer and think of a different occupation. It will not be long before you are blackballed. Of course, you might also be sued by the original author. It is not worth the risk.

Your Personal Library

As a freelance writer, you probably will not have a lot of time to read novels. Even if you do, you might be so sick of words, you will want to do anything but read a good book. But, there are certain books that you will definitely want in your personal library. Keep them at your desk close at hand. Use them for reference as needed. You will want:

1. A good dictionary
2. A thesaurus
3. A writer’s handbook

As a former English teacher, I have a great dictionary that weighs a ton. Well, that is a slight exaggeration; but, it is very big. A pocket dictionary will do in a pinch, but the bigger and better versions will give you more word power. My thesaurus is even bigger than the dictionary. It is one of those ‘bend you knees, when you pick it up’ books, so you do not hurt your back. Just kidding! But, you get my point. A writer’s handbook will help answer all of those grammar and formatting questions that you might have learned in school; but they slip your mind, if not used on a regular basis.

As a freelance writer, you will be asked to write a plethora of documents. Many times, you may have to write dozens of articles on the same exact subject. It can be very challenging to think of some new ways to basically say the same thing. The dictionary and thesaurus come in very handy, when you brain feels like it has been squeezed dry.

Trustworthy Internet Resources

Although I believe I have touched on this thought before, it bears repeating. All Internet information is not created equal. You will have to learn the difference between informed opinion and factual data. Anyone can type anything and post it on their website, as long as it is appropriately written. But, that does not make it right, or something you will want to use for article information.

Good content comes from sites that are required to verify their information, before it can be posted on the Web. So, when you are looking for a credible writing resource, find the sites with a URL address that ends in:

1. .gov
2. .edu
3. .org

Use any other sites, and you will be taking a big chance that the Internet public will become misinformed. Of course, that rule does not apply, if the client directs you to his/her sites, or other websites of personal choice, and wants you to write the article.

While these are not all of the resources available to freelance writers, it is a good place to start. As you gain experience and grow as an copywriter that specializes in writing for search engine optimization, or any other writing for that matter, you will discover other great resources and ideas. I am hoping that this blog will be one of those helpful sites.

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As a professional freelance copywriter, I notice the mistakes of other writers on websites. I always want to fix them, or let them know that the site will be more credible, if they correct the error. In thinking about how to explain the importance of double and triple checking yourself, I had the idea that it basically comes down to the ABC’s.

A: Attention to Details

As a freelance copywriter, you will receive projects from a wide variety of clients, unless you manage to work for one entrepreneur on a full-time basis. Because of the variety of topics and client preferences, the material that is written may vary greatly from one individual to the next. If you want to stay in the business, and have your reputation begin to precede you, it is vital to pay attention to the details.

For example, either the client or you will decide what SEO keywords are important. You will need to figure out how the average person will likely search for a product or service, especially when they are truly interested in making a purchase. If you plan to do some serious freelance writing, you will also need to follow the client’s instructions.

If you recognize a problem with the writing, as the customer wants it presented, it is important to let them know why you feel something needs changed, to serve them better. As a colleague has told me: “Then, if they still want to do whatever they are doing, I would do as the client asks, because it’s his funeral, so to speak”.

B: Be Dependable

For the letter B, I had so many ideas to choose from; but, it all boiled down to being dependable. Now, I must admit this is something I struggle with, especially since I am my own boss and work at home. I tend to get distracted easily; I often have health issues that crop up; but, my worse fault is taking on more projects that I can handle on my own.

Sometimes, I will pull an all-nighter to get caught up or finish a project that has a deadline. I think I work best under pressure sometimes. But, this is a fault of mine. For me, I need to make myself stick to a schedule and work until that day’s writing is complete.

But, whatever is going on with me, on this side of the computer, I ALWAYS let my faithful clients know my status. For example, if I am sick, I take the time to get on the computer. I email my predicament, and let them know I will be ‘back in the office’ tomorrow. I also let them know if I am having trouble with an assignment, so I can get questions answered. I want to make sure the finished product is EXACTLY what is wanted. If not, I fix it FREE. It may be a pain to go back over an assignment; but, it will also help grow the reputation of being dependable.

C: Credibility

Along with the reputation of being dependable, your clients also need to know that your services look to only credible resources for article information. As a high school teacher and college tutor, I ALWAYS told the students to carefully choosing the sites for their research. For instance, .com and .net may be good sources of information. But, most of the time these sites are personal information and knowledge. While it may be correct, the data has not been fact checked.

However, .gov, .org. and .edu sites are required to check the facts that are posted on the Net. You can be fairly certain that the person manning that site is providing credible material for you freelance writing project. Some sites, like Wikipedia are great for information, but any reader can get on to change and update the data. As a result, there is absolutely no way they can constantly check through all of those pages and make sure the information is truly correct and up-to-date.

In addition, anyone can type anything and post it on the Internet. For example, did you know that the sky in green and the grass is blue. I just stated it as fact, and you are reading it, so it must be correct. Right?

As a freelance writer, once you become known as a copywriter that knows his/her ABC’s of freelance writing, you will have clients that keep coming back for future projects, and others that have heard of your reputation for attention to detail, being dependable, and the credibility of your work.

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Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Like me, you are probably thinking about the friends and family that are coming over for a great meal, a time of togetherness, and a lot of fun. But, I also think that Freelance Writers have an extra reason to be truly thankful this year.

Recession-Proof

Recently, a great friend, and a fellow freelance copywriter, called. I was shocked to realize that we talked for over 2 hours. It seemed like a matter of minutes. As friends, we talk about everything from kids, home, and generally all the aspects about our lives at that moment; so, of course, we talk about the in/outs of freelance writing. Although I had never thought about it before, we discussed having a recession-proof occupation.

Sometimes, I must admit, I am not always grateful for my job. I loved teaching, and I miss the classrooms full of kids. But, it is true. Other business people will always need the copywriting services we provide. Think about it. As more and more people are joining the ranks of displaced workers, where are they looking to find a new job and source of income-the Internet.

Virtual Highways and Bridges

Recently, the news related the story that the Internet will have to expand and change the way it reserves space for all of the new sites. It is estimated that the Web will run out of Internet addresses in as little as two years. At the time the original system was established, it was thought that the addressing method was more than enough. No one ever thought that the virtual neighborhood would become too crowded.

Naturally, as the Internet neighborhoods continue to grow, budding businesses and work-at-home professionals will continue to need people that write well and understand how SEO and Article Marketing are essential for building better virtual roads and bridges to and from business sites.

So, if you are already a freelance writer, go ahead and hug that computer. Even on the days you have one of those assignments that make you want to pull your hair out, remember that good freelance writers have much to be thankful for, especially this year.

Happy Thanksgiving
Tina Matsunaga
Writer with Purpose

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Not every post is going to be a freelance writing tip, but this thought is simply to important to save for another day. Actually, this tip applies to writing in general, whether it is a term paper, correspondence, copyrighting for a client. In fact, it is one of the best tidbits of advice I have to offer.

Tip #2: Write what you Know

As a freelance copywriter, I have spent at least half of my time researching a topic, before I ever write the article for the client. Unfortunately, the buyer will not always pay for the time it takes to learn all that I need to know. It simply affects my bottom line, when I take on assignments that require a lot of research and a style of writing that is not comfortable for me personally.

Two very Different Styles

For example, I have a friend that is a truly professional copywriter. She has been freelance writing for longer, and she has taught me a lot of what I will be sharing with you in future blogs. However, we definitely have a fundamental difference in our approach to the profession. Although we both adhere to the basic rules of a professional copywriter, we are two very different writers. Coming from a business background, she is comfortable taking on the high pressure assignments for doctors, dentists and other professionals. Her work requires a very businesslike style of writing. She is excellent at her job.

Alternatively, although I am quite capable of doing similar writing projects, I definitely have a different preference and style. I like the ‘coffee cup’ conversation approach. Yes, I still pay attention to the little details like keywords, so the search engines will fine the article. However, I enjoy writing as if I am speaking to my readers over a cup of coffee in the comfort of my living room. Of course, both styles work well for different reasons. It depends on the type of clients you want to write for, and the type of freelancing services you want to establish.

The Bottom Line

In addition, regardless of our different styles of writing, we both are more successful at freelance writing, when we stick to the topics that are within our comfort zone. For instance, it takes me a lot more time to write an article on finances. But, I can whip out an article on the importance of learning to read and write well, in virtually no time at all. If I am comfortable with a subject, or the issue is related to something for which I truly have a passion, my mind is usually going faster than my fingers on the keyboard. At the end of the month, my bottom line reflects whether I have written within my comfort zone.

So, if you want to be truly successful at freelance writing, discovered your preferred style and write about what you know. Especially in the beginning, it will help get you develop your area of expertise. Then, once you are comfortable and confident with your writing skills, you can branch out into other areas and expand your business.

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