Writing and Stuff by Anthony Chatfield

For most newbies to the freelancing game, the hard part comes in actually finding work. But, once you find the work and it remains steady, what comes next? How do you start churning out quality work at a rapid enough speed to actually make a solid living at this?

I’ll be honest – I type extremely fast. Usually not when I’m writing a book or working on a website’s home page, but when developing SEO articles I can hit a pretty mind boggling speed, but it wasn’t always like that. I started out writing just one 500 word article an hour, which for most of us will not pay the bills (especially after Elance or PayPal get their share), so I figured I’d sit down and share the five things I’ve done to kick my fingers into high gear.

Set Goals and Watch the Clock

I’m a competitive guy, way more competitive than anyone I know. So, when it comes to typing, the easiest thing I could do was compare myself to other people. But, it turns out, most people are annoyed if you ask how many words per minute they type. So, instead I start competing against myself by timing how long it took to write 500 words. Yes, a lot of it has to do with research and how much coffee you’ve had, but there is a surprisingly large amount of the process bound up in the physical act of typing. Start aiming for goals and you’ll be shocked how much faster you type.

Find the Right Keyboard

I’ve learned over the years that I need a few things to type faster. One, I need to be able to hear the keys, so the quiet touch keyboards on a laptop don’t work for me. Which in turn means I break them fairly easily by typing too hard. So, now I keep a $15 Logitech USB keyboard on hand whenever possible so I don’t hurt my laptop and so I can hear the satisfying tapa-tapa of fingers on keys. I also turn off the noise cancellation in my headphones. It’s fantastic on an airplane, but it messes me up when typing.

Learn Shortcuts for Popular Software

I’m probably going to write a longer post on this one in the near future, but for now I’ll just point it out. Keyboard shortcuts are extremely valuable when it comes to getting things done faster. Knowing that CTRL+W closes a tab in Firefox or that CTRL-SHIFT-> will make a selection bigger in Microsoft Word will carve all sorts of time off your typing speed. Memorize keyboard shortcuts – they will make your life easier.

Get a Faster Computer

Maybe not the most practical piece of advice I could offer, but it’s important nonetheless. I like to multi-task…a lot. I have between 5 and 15 windows open at a time when I’m writing, holding my notes, resources, links, and whatever additional research I need to do while typing. If it takes a minute or two to open a new window, that’s a minute you could have been typing. It may sound like nitpicking, but the speed difference adds up very quickly.

Copy and Paste Words You Have Trouble With

This is a fun trick if you use it right. I tend to avoid any copy/pasting when I’m writing longer content like eBooks, but when I’m doing keyword articles, a copy paste function is huge. For example, I used to write a lot of World of Warcraft content. Just take a look at some of the names those characters have – Agamaggan, Alexstrasza, Fizzcrank, Gorgonnash…the list goes on and on.

Not only do words like these slow me down when typing, they aren’t real words – so the word processor won’t spellcheck them unless you manually add them to your dictionary (another tip for later). So, copy and paste the word or phrase you’ll use most as you type. Oh, and make sure to use the keyboard shortcuts for copy and paste (CTRL-C and CTRL-V).

Before I end this post, I want to point out something very important – speed is not the end all of freelance writing. In fact, speed will get you in all sorts of trouble if you’re not careful. Quality needs to be number one on your list at all times. But, when speed is called for in SEO articles or for a side project of your own, these tips will help you really kick start your output.

Finally, I’d love to hear everyone else’s speed writing tips. What do you use when a deadline is looming or work is backing up to churn out a few extra words per minute?

Freelancing freelance writing, how to type, type faster, typing slowly, typing speed, write faster

So, in the last year or so, I’ve realized the dream of every web freelancer and gotten to the point where I can make enough money each month without having to bid on projects at sites like Elance or Odesk. Now, they serve the purpose of escrow services and I can show off my fancy Level 10 Rating in the Writing category (number 3 ranking – woo!) But, I wasn’t always at this point. I did a lot of projects on Elance and that means I wrote a LOT of proposals to get those jobs.

When I started, it was a crapshoot. I would post my bid, hedging and hawing to impress and hope I got lucky. Then I realized that I needed to bid more, so I started sending out huge chunks of bids. Then I realized I just needed to spend more time working on each bid. Over the course of three years, I developed what I like to think is a good game plan for how to write an Elance proposal. So, I thought I’d share.

1.    Know What You Want to Work On (but don’t be picky)

There is a fine line that all freelancers must walk. On one side you want to write about things that you like – topics that you have an innate interest in and some knowledge about. But, you also cannot be too picky. Picky writers are unemployed writers. On top of that, you’ll limit how much work you can get. There are hundreds of potential projects out there at any time – if you can only write about rice cookers and dog training, there are only so many you can bid on.

2.   Check the Buyer’s History

Bids are finite on sites like Elance. You pay for all of them, so spending 4 of them on a larger project when the buyer has never before awarded a project or has a history of poor sportsmanship with their providers is a bad idea. Always check a buyer’s history for three things:

• Their Award Ratio – Less than 10% means they’re just skimming for data and likely won’t award the project.
• Their Feedback – Look for people who had trouble getting paid, finalizing a project, or communicating with a client.
• Low Pay – Sometimes it is obvious from past projects whether someone is willing to pay enough to cover your rates. If they are used to paying $1 an article, don’t bid. The odds are stacked against you.

These are not always definite issues and if you are invited to bid on a project, feel free to toss in your two cents. Most invites are free to bid on and the buyer is likely to show at least some interest.

3.   Check Existing Bids

Look to see what the existing bids on a project are. If there are 47 bids on a project and both sponsored spots are full, the odds are that your bid may not even get read. Yes, a good half of those bids will be discounted from new providers or people overseas, but even then you’re up against 20+ bids from qualified writers. Unless you bid on a dozen projects a day, stick to the odds and find projects more likely to award to you.

4.   Check for Invitations and Other Disqualifiers

Many times a buyer will invite just one provider to a project but forget to make it private. These are easy to spot because there will be a single invite at the bottom of the project. Don’t bid on these unless that person has declined the invite or you feel you can truly knock the project out of the park. I’ve sniped a handful of these single-invite projects in the past when it was a topic I really knew well, but the odds are against it.

5.   Don’t Use Canned Bids

Every single bid you write should be original and catered to the project you’re bidding on. Don’t write a single bid for articles and a single bid for ebooks then copy and paste them. I have found very little advantage in sending PMB messages in lieu of bids – the award ratios are about even – but I have found that I get 2-3 times more awards if I personalize my bids, plus I get higher rates as a result.

6.   Polish Every Bid and Personalize It

Don’t just write original bids for each project, polish the bid and proof read it carefully. Imagine what someone thinks when they’re hiring a writer and they receive poorly written bids with typos and grammatical mistakes. Write the bid like you’d write their finished project.

Additionally, if you can find their name somewhere on their profile, in an attachment or on the proposal, use it to personalize your bid. This will have a profound impact on many buyers.

7.   Be Honest at All Times

Avoid the urge to “pad” your bid with experience you don’t have. If you really want to write about solar gardening but have never written about it before, be honest. Say “this is new, but I learn very fast and am extremely interested in it”. Many times, these buyers are experts themselves, so if you claim expertise and then fail to follow through, they’re going to notice. Be honest and you have no one to disappoint.

8.   Provide an Outline of Your Process

In your bid provide a complete outline of the process you use. For example, in my bids I tell the buyer the rates I charge, how I produce my outline, the deposit I require, and when I will deliver each milestone. This shows them that you are organized, have thought out how to approach their project, and have done this before. The more in-depth you can be with your proposal at this point, the better it will perform against vague, cookie-cutter bids from other bidders.

9.   Provide Everything they Ask For

Carefully review their proposal and make sure you answer every single question they ask. Some buyers have dozens of questions and the only way to prove you read it carefully is to respond to them all. Don’t take any shortcuts here – it will only harm your bid.

10.   Take on the Role of the Expert

Many people try to defer to the buyer to get a job. They say things like “I can do it this way, unless you like it done some other way.” Never do that. It belittles your intelligence and the natural abilities you have to write effective copy. Instead, tell them exactly how you will do it, exactly what you expect, and exactly what expertise you will bring to bear.

The only caveat you should add is a simple “I am very flexible in many regards – contact me if you have any questions or comments”. This covers pretty much any issues they may have. The confidence to tell someone how you will do their project is often enough to drive home your bid.

Elance is a big marketplace, but in reality, if you do a good job and build up your reputation with 5 star reviews and good earnings, you’ll immediately jump into the top 10% of all providers. From there, it’s a piece of cake to get new projects. You just need to be confident of your abilities. Trust me – the business owners and entrepreneurs on Elance are not as well versed in this business as you think they are. They’ll jump at someone who acts and talks like they know what they’re doing.

Freelancing bidding, elance, freelance writing, getting work, work at home

One thing few freelancers realize is that the second they start writing on the Internet, they become a brand – a business that will eventually draw customers based solely on the name and history of that brand. Every time you gain a new client, you create a potential long term relationship – someone who might come back to you time and again for work. Familiarity in business is a powerful tool and if you can leverage it properly, you can be extremely successful.

But, with popularity come a few issues. You’ll need to setup a business structure, organize your work processes, build a website, and finally start outsourcing extra work you don’t have time to do. This is a big step. It’s the moment you realize that your online venture has grown beyond you, that you need to hire other people to help your vision continue to grow.

It’s a fantastic feeling. But, for a lot of writers, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when you should make the leap. Too soon and you handcuff your income, but too late and you end up working 60 hours a week and the quality drops off.

So, here are some tips on when to start outsourcing and how to go about it.

Create a Business Plan

Don’t run out and buy resources on business planning. Traditional business plans are long and filled with tons of financial data that you don’t need (yet). You’re not going to the bank for a loan. However, having a simple, personal business plan can help you immensely in understanding what your business needs to survive.

1. Outline Your Personal Financial Needs - How much money do you need to survive, and how much money will you make from an outsourced project? These details are important. You could easily end up getting more work and making less money if you outsource too much.
2. Set Goals for Income on Outsourced Content – Set specific goals for how much money you would like to make from each project. If you want to make at least 25% to cover communication, editing, and research, make that a bottom line. This will help when you start posting projects.
3. Generate Realistic Timelines for Involvement in Projects – Know exactly how much time you want to spend on each project. A lot of the time, freelancers try to save money by hiring lower paid contractors, but end up spending more time on the project with edits and revision cycles. Know how much time you’re willing to spend for your cut of the project and you can better balance what you’re willing to pay.
4. Create Processes for Acquiring, Outsourcing and Editing Work - Have a specific process in mind. Know which sites you want to use (Elance, Odesk, Craigslist, etc) and how you will select winning bidders. Aim early on for long term writers you can use repeatedly.
5. Decide How You Will Communicate Your New Model to Clients – It’s important to provide a layout for all existing clients of the changes you’ll be making. Not only tell them that you’ll be outsourcing, but explain any rate changes, timeline shifts, or new paperwork you’ll require.

These five things should happen before you ever start outsourcing – lest you end up with all these writers you don’t know what to do with.

Your Rates

Nine times out of ten, outsourcing will essentially force you to raise your rates. This is a good thing. If you were making so little that you cannot afford to pay part of that fee to someone else and still maintain quality, it was never enough. Raising your rates will do three things.

1. Ensure You Can Afford Quality Contractors
2. Give You Time to Edit and Polish All Work
3. Provide Security in the Projects You Acquire

One thing to keep in mind here is that you won’t and shouldn’t expect to continue making the same amount of money per project as you were before. You’re not doing the work, after all. But, with the right rates, you should make enough to cover the expenses of finding the contractor, editing their work, and communicating with the client.

Maintaining Communication

The last thing to mention is the lines of communication – not just with your new contractors, but with the clients who hire you. Most clients do not care if you outsource work to contractors, as long as they get the same quality for their money. This is doubly true if you decide to start raising rates. Additionally, it is both professional courtesy and in some cases legally necessary to inform your client that their work may be outsourced. If they are unwilling to agree to these terms, you should be ready to complete the project yourself.

The last thing you want is a client getting upset with you for failing to communicate something simple that they may not otherwise have minded.

Outsourcing is a fantastic tool and essentially the only way you’ll ever be able to effectively grow your business. At a certain point you just won’t be able to do any more work on your own. But, before turning to outside writers, make sure you have a carefully laid out plan in place. It will save you myriad headaches down the line.

Freelancing elance, Freelancing, internet business, odesk, outsourcing, writing, writing online

I may not be the best person on the Internet to give you diet and exercise advice, but I can say this – it definitely helps. I have something of a forced incentive on this one. I have a gluten intolerance which means I cannot eat most junk food and have to cook most of my own meals. At first, this was a big chore. As time went on, I realized that I think much clearer when I am not eating McDonald’s and Doritos every day. Which of course lead to the big revelation (get ready for it)…. a healthy diet helps you think clearer.

Yeah, I know – I should have my own TV show, right? Seriously though, if you haven’t yet, give this a shot, because the effects are even more than I would have imagined. You know that fuzzy headed, cotton-ball feeling you get between your ears when you try to think of a word and it just wont’ come? It turns out that when you get all the vitamins and minerals you need every day and cut out all the processed junk, that feeling almost completely disappears.

So, what do I recommend? I’m not going to give you a diet plan to follow, because I’m not a nutritionist or a doctor. However, I can tell you what I’ve done. First, I eat breakfast bright and early every day. Not just a pop tart on my way out the door – it’s a bowl of fruit, a big glass of water, and some yogurt – occasionally with a bit of gluten free toast for substance. Next, I’m a vegetarian. It wasn’t some super-discovery on my part about how meat is raised (though since I became a vegetarian, I’ve read some horrible stories about farming practices and the hormones in meat and dairy). It was simply how much easier it is to not eat meat, and by proxy most dairy products. Finally, I don’t drink caffeine – at all. The only caffeine I’ve had in the last five years is when I take a red eye flight across the country and need to stay awake for another 12 hours.

The result is that I sleep better, wake up much better, and can think clearly throughout the day – not just when I’ve had my coffee. Now, when you top all that off with a round of exercise every day – at least 30 minutes of stretches and some form of aerobics – the impact on your mental clarity is ridiculous. Plus, it makes you feel good. Your body is pleased that it’s getting what it needs, so when you sit down to write, it hums with energy.

That’s my public service announcement for the day – exercise and proper diet are good for your mind. I know it sounds cliche, but it’s incredibly true. Don’t think of it as something to help you in the future; think of it as a way to boost your productivity right now and start living the dream of being a full time writer. That’s when things really start to kick into gear.

Freelance Lifestyle exercise, freelance writing, good diet, make money online, thinking clearly, writing

For a freelance web writer, there are millions of projects available every year. There’s just one problem. They are generally about topics you have no interest in, no knowledge about, or very little desire to write about. It’s a pretty common problem, and unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do other than suck it up and write about less than glamorous topics, or eat a lot less and hope you get lucky. Eventually, you’ll grow beyond the necessity of doing “whatever comes your way”, but early on, few of us get that luxury.

So, what do you do when a fantastic job opportunity comes along in a niche you’ve never written about? How do you prep yourself to take on a topic with an authoritative voice when you’ve never written about it before?

First, Some Ethics

I should toss out a disclaimer here. If you really, honestly have no idea what you’re writing about and the project needs an expert in the field, don’t lie to get the work. It’s not only dishonest, it will rarely result in good feedback or more work. If a niche is new to you, tell the client up front. If they know that you’re starting from scratch, they can make the determination of whether they should look elsewhere. Of course, you’re permitted to speak highly of your research and learning capabilities, but never lie about knowledge you don’t have.

Learning the Niche

Okay, so you told the truth and the client is okay with it. They have seen your quality of writing, are impressed with your talents, and want you on the job anyways. What’s next? It’s time to start researching. Without research, you put yourself at risk in a number of ways. First, you will be tempted to cheat – either rewriting other content or making up bits and pieces. One is copyright infringement and the other is simply unprofessional.

So, you should spend some time getting familiar with your topic. Buy at least three or four top books in the niche and start reading. Additionally, read some related content online, to get an idea of the common phrasing used and watch videos to absorb audio/visual cues (it’s always easier to write about what you’ve actually seen). I also like to visit blogs and forums where industry insiders will chat about topics in the niche. Familiarize yourself with the wording and the way the content is structured. This will help you create a more detailed persona in which to write your articles.

Writing the Content

When it comes time to write your content, only start when you feel comfortable in your knowledge. Also, put your research materials on hold. You shouldn’t be reading a book while you write about the same thing. The risk of offhanded plagiarism is too high – you may not even realize you’re doing it. Instead, take notes from all of the resources you have been gathering and use them to build your content.

Finally, when you’re done writing, run your content by someone who knows their stuff. You can ask someone on the forums or send it back to your client for review. The goal is pretty simple – you want it to pass as a comprehensive, generally informative piece of content. If you cannot do that, this isn’t a niche in which you should be writing.

Be Truthful

One last note. If you get to the end of a piece and realize that you just cannot write in the niche – maybe it’s too general, maybe it’s just plain awkward – let your client know. Most clients will be happy that you’re not only honest with them, but that you say something quickly instead of dragging out the project and wasting their time and money. Trust me, it’s better for your career to focus on things you know you can write well and not to send in subpar work to clients than to aim for profits and profits alone.

Freelancing copyright, freelance writing, ghost writing, niches, plagiarism, researching

Don't Rinse or Repeat

A lot of newcomers to freelance writing have asked me whether the article spinning projects are a good idea. They are easy to get and they generally represent ongoing work – or at least that’s the argument.

And to be honest, I completely understand the attraction. When you’ve been writing for a few weeks and cannot get enough work to feed your family, let alone pay the bills, anything starts to look attractive. But, before you honestly consider taking on “rewrites” or “spinning” projects, consider a few things.

1. Your Time Investment – The argument most clients use here is that rewriting takes less time than original content. This is sometimes true, especially if it’s a research heavy topic. But, a good rewrite still takes a lot of effort. You cannot simply rewrite every line and call it new. It won’t flow, nor will it provide anything useful to the reader.
2. Who Owns that Article – Then there is the legal issue of who actually owns that article. If the article is not owned by your client, rewriting it is copyright infringement – a serious legal issue. Never rewrite content unless your client owns the original copy and you’re confident you can create an original piece of work.
3. Can You Really Live Off that Much? – This is the big one. Sure, it’s steady work, but can you live off $2 an article. Most people can’t. I don’t care if your cost of living is a quarter of someone who lives in the big city, you need to make at least minimum wage doing what you do, and $2 isn’t going to get the job done.

Of course, I know the realities of this business. When you first get started, it takes samples and practice to get anyone who will pay for original content interested in your work. I’ve talked about how Micropay can help, and I’ve also talked about how to start raising your rates when you get underway, but those first few weeks are brutal.

But, for your own sake and for the sake of the content quality on the Internet, avoid rewrites as much as possible. They are generally used for spamming or keyword stuffing, may present a copyright issue, and don’t pay very well. Plus, having them in your portfolio rarely looks good.

Do what you need to get started (within reason), but once you’re started, seek out work you can be proud of. It may make things tougher for a short while, but the pride you feel in what you write will counteract that nicely.

Freelancing freelance writing, getting work, make money online, online job, rewriting content

Every now and then, someone asks me what kind of equipment I use. They see the iPhone and assume I’m a Mac guy or sometimes they just think “writer=Mac”. But, in truth I’ve been a PC guy for my entire career and don’t plan on changing any time soon. It would be too much of a chore – I’d need to overhaul how I do a lot of things, plus repurchase hundreds of dollars worth of software.

But, one thing I do change a lot is the kind of PC I’m using. As a freelance writer, being mobile is absolutely necessary. If I want to visit family, I need to have the option to login and check a project’s status. If I feel like working out of the house, I want to have as much power in the coffee shop as I do at home. So, I’ve experimented quite a bit with different machines and setups.

It works out pretty well as I tend to burn through a laptop in a year and a half or so. Apparently typing 150,000 words a month on a laptop puts a lot of strain on it. Who knew? But, lately, I’ve hit upon a nice balance between three very different devices…and yes, one of them is made by Apple.

Laptop

Toshiba Satellite A505

First up, there’s the laptop. For a lot of years, I only had one of these – in fact, I’ve had three of them since I started working online (one of which was a few years old when I got started). Today, I run on a Toshiba Satellite A505 because it’s got a full sized keyboard and 7 hours of battery life – the perfect combo for travel and multi-tasking. Yes, it’s a bit heavy, but with a good backpack to lug it around in and regular stretches, I do pretty well with it.

Netbook

I never owned a netbook, but my wife did and when I upgraded my laptop in January, she got the older Gateway that I no longer would be using. So, we had a netbook lying around. I’ll be honest – I’m not a huge fan of netbooks. They’re too small for what I do. Yes, they’re great for email, but so too is my phone. And my hands are really big.

Handy Dandy MSI Netbook

But, when I got my office space, I wanted to put something in place that minimize how often I had to lug my Toshiba to work but wasn’t too valuable to leave sitting around. So, I took the netbook, bought a keyboard, mouse and monitor and setup a makeshift workstation on my desk. I lock the netbook up at night and can go to and from work without any bags. It’s a great setup except when I need processing power for web design or video editing – in which case, I bring the laptop to work with me. Plus, if I need to go into the city for any reason, the netbook weighs less than a bottle of water and fits nicely in a hand-held pouch.

The Tablet

Admittedly, I didn’t need a tablet for work. I won’t be writing it off as an expense because it’s 85% entertainment, but the iPad I picked up in the spring has actually been fairly useful. It’s small and lightweight like the netbook, but far more versatile for travel. Basically the only thing I will not do on it is write articles because I type far too fast on a keyboard to be satisfied with the clunky setup of the touchscreen.

But, I can do email, login to check projects, and when I’m not checking work stuff, watch a movie or read a book. This device is awesome and it’s far more comfortable to hold than a laptop.

The Bottom Line

The Way too Fun iPad

Yes, I have three computing devices, but they all serve their purposes nicely, fitting a specific niche of my life and making it as easy as possible to get between work and home and everywhere in between. Combined with Dropbox (the freelancer’s best friend), and Thunderbird, I can write an article in my office, send it from home, and check its status on the train – all using different devices. Ironically, I do not own a desktop and have not owned one in nearly four years. Maybe it’s just me, but without mobility, I don’t see the point in spending that much on a PC.

If you’re trying to figure out which device is best, I say start with a laptop – one with enough power to open 20 tabs in Google Chrome and run 15 or so windows in Microsoft Word. With the basics covered, everything else is icing on the cake.

Freelancing freelance writing, internet business, ipad, laptop, netbook, online business, tablet, writing articles

The Censor Fail-Whale

I think the title says it all…and the answer is nothing. This is an issue that goes way beyond freelancing, as millions are finding themselves in the dog house for saying the wrong thing about their boss, their family, or their friends on Twitter (or Facebook). Here’s the thing. Twitter is incredibly easy to follow, and if you’re lucky, your clients will gladly sign up for your feed as soon as they realize you have one.

So, what then would be the goal of putting your personal thoughts, or worse yet complaints, on Twitter where those very clients can see them? In this day and age of hyper-connectivity, it becomes your job to censor what you say and where you say it. Once upon a time, you could vent openly about how hard your day was to anyone, even online. People didn’t have access to your inner thoughts, usually stored in email or a personal site where very few people had access.

Unfortunately, people seem to lose that sense of privacy when they sign up for Facebook or Twitter. They feel like they’re simply sharing with a few friends – getting their ideas out there or shooting the breeze like they would at a bar after work. The problem with that is your mom, your clients, and your colleagues can all see what you’re writing.

It’s why I offer social media cleanup services, to help individuals coming out of college or trying to get a new job to clean out all the 20-something shenanigans that litter their accounts. Describing drunken debauchery or saying borderline offensive things on your page can cost you a job or your friends if you’re not careful. So, what do you think happens when you get online and start rambling on about how your latest client “really gets under your skin”?

There really isn’t much else to say. If you’re striving to be a freelancer and build a brand for yourself online, it’s time you start cutting out the cursing, the open commentary, and pretty much anything about your current clients. You can still personalize your feeds and Pages – clients love to see it – but at the same time, make sure you keep it as professional as possible. This is your livelihood we’re talking about.

Freelancing, Pros and Cons of Freelance Writing clients, facebook, freelance writing, internet business, twitter, writing online

Before I write anything, let me toss a big fat disclaimer at the top here. Don’t quit your job unless you’re ready. This post is for writers who have reached the point where it’s necessary to take a risk and go for that next step. If you’re not at that point, check out one of my other posts about prepping for a career change. Using micropay sites is a good one, as is starting your own blog.

For the rest of you, read on, because I’m sick of seeing fantastic writers torture themselves by working a cruddy day job while their true passion languishes on. Just remember, quitting your job is a big decision. Don’t follow my advice alone – talk to your family first.

1. When You’re Making a Profit

The second you start making a real profit with your writing is the second you need to consider quitting your job. You might be writing 100 articles a week or just 10, but if you’re making enough money to supplement your income, you can likely scale it up to cover your living expenses.

A few things can temper your decision, however. First, if you have a high paying day job and you’re making $5 per article, it might be hard to replace that original income. A rate boost is going to be necessary. Second, if you’re writing 25 hours a week already in your spare time, it might be hard to double that when you quit (writing can be mentally exhausting). Finally, you need to create a steady source of work. Generate an Elance profile and start building your portfolio so you can bid on new projects.

2. Your Job Isn’t Fulfilling

If you’re at a job that eats away at your soul, it may be time for a change. Even if you’re writing is only covering 10% of your income, evaluate the benefits of boosting your writing time and cutting your job. When I switched I cut my day job hours down to 16 a week and started writing 4 days a week. I quickly learned that I could survive on that and so I pushed on. Do some math and see where you stand.

3. You’ve Reached a Wall

If you’ve been enjoying your segue into writing for money but have hit a wall where you cannot do anything more, it may be time for a change. When I quit my job, I was writing short articles for piddling pay. The result was that I didn’t have enough time to focus on larger projects and more serious deadlines. I still had a day job that took priority. So, when I hit that wall, I considered my options and promptly took the leap.

4. You Have Savings on Hand

Quitting a job in this economy is a big move, and one that can quickly backfire if you’re not ready for it. Even if you feel confident that you can make a good living writing, make sure you have money set aside before you make the move. I spent five months prior to quitting setting aside as much cash as I could. It allowed me to underperform for 3 months into my writing career before things finally took hold and I made a real profit.

5. You’re Ready for a Risk

Let’s face it – you’re taking a risk no matter how well prepared you are. You’re shutting the door on traditional work and jumping into the wild west of freelancing – where the work is never steady and the opportunities can be slim. Don’t wait for it to work out perfectly because I can guarantee you it will never happen. No matter how much planning or preparation you do, you’ll eventually need to just go for it.

Writing for a living is a passionate career – one you must have a number of traits to succeed at. You need self motivation, a willingness to change, flexibility in thought, and a big vocabulary. You also need the guts to jump ship and move away from the traditional grind and into the online frontier. Do that and you may just be the next big success story.

Freelancing copy writing, Freelancing, internet marketing, making money online, no job, quit job, unemployed, writing on the internet

Facebook is an interesting thing for me. I was never one of those people who decided early on “never” to be a part of social networking. I had a Facebook account from the start – when it was available to college students across the US. But, I’ll be honest in that I almost never used the site. Sure, I would approve requests, reply to messages, and occasionally say “happy birthday”, but I would almost never actually use Facebook for anything.

That is until now. These days, it’s different. As a 26 year old guy with friends scattered across the country, Facebook lets me keep tabs on people, which I sometimes do. But, as an entrepreneur with a new business, it lets me do so much more – accessing prospective clients and other business owners across the globe.

And that’s why I actually use it, and why you should be on there too.

Facebook is entirely too powerful to ignore if you have a brand on the Internet. It might be a blog, your business, a short story you wrote – whatever it is, Facebook is the way to stay in touch with people who like you and like what you do. If you’re not using it, you’re wasting a tremendous opportunity.

To top things off, Facebook is super easy to use. You can hook it up to your Twitter account or your blog and have automated posts uploaded every day. You can then have comments and wall posts forwarded to your phone for quick, on the go replies. I might spend a grand total of 15 minutes a day (at the most) on Facebook, and that’s on a busy day.

I think my answer to the title question is pretty obvious. Should you be on Facebook? Absolutely. Should you spend hours of your time on Facebook? That’s a whole different question – one that usually ends with a no.

Freelance Sites, Freelancing, Social Media entrepreneur, facebook, internet culture, internet marketing, make money online, online business