Writing skills

In additional words, the essay must be well prepared (i.e. organized) and offered in a way that the person who reads finds easy to track and unambiguous: it must look neat and not present any obstacles to the reader. It must have a clear readable interesting style. However, above all, it must consist of your thoughts about historical texts. This is the centre of it: this and this only, gets the marks. Not quotes from critics, not generalizations at second hand about literary history, not satisfying and lagging; your thoughts, that you have had while in the proceed of reading specific bits of literary texts, which can be adduced in the appearance of quotations to reverse up your point of view.

The current academic writing scenario demands quality writing from students and in order to write essays effectively and increase essay quality there are certain norms and principles that should always be followed.

Essay writing is something that we all do every day without even noticing how important it really is. The first step to increase essay quality is to find the suitable topic for the essay. The student’s goal should always be to find something interesting and important simultaneously.

After the student has selected an appropriate topic then he or she must conceptualize the ideas related to the selected topic. After this comes the stage of data collection. Students must then search for the relevant data and information in relation to the topic and the essay. However it should always be remembered that essay quality depends on the individuality of

the essay, therefore all the sources used in the essay or works of others should be properly acknowledged and it is vital that plagiarism should be avoided at all costs. Also a student should always bring to lights many facts from the best author or study regarding the topic being debated.

A student always chooses the source with the most influence over the area of study as this would appeal the reader in many ways. The student should be well aware of using proper referencing techniques, as this would help the student in managing deadlines as well as increasing the credibility of the essay.

If you skip the references or do them poorly you will frequently lose marks so it is important to do them appropriately. Your department should have some strategy on how they desire you to do these, so ask for a copy and pass on to it. You could include footnotes at the end of each page referencing any speech marks or studies you have mentioned, or you could include the references in the body of the essay.

Essay writing advice is to help the student in creating an essay from a real life experience. For example, the essay is depend on how to deal with an approach held in one’s family that is opposed to what one knows and values. Writing an essay such as this helps one develop technique in explaining one’s position on a subject in such a manner as to guide or help another person understand another viewpoint besides his or her own.

In the basic scenario of book publishing, a writer finishes a book and then finds an agent who helps sell the book to a publisher. When someone asks, “How do I find a publisher?” they’re often looking for the details of this scenario. But let’s backtrack a little. The answer to this question has to do with what you as a writer want out of the publishing process as well as what the publisher wants. It’s best to be as clear as possible on both counts. Here are a few things to consider.

What You Want

What exactly do you want for your book? It’s possible that your answer can save you a lot of time and heartache. Here’s an example. A writer recently emailed me about wanting to find a publisher for his book on dealing with sickle cell anemia. He said he felt it was a really important book and that people would be interested in the information. That’s great, but if his main goal is getting his book into the hands of those coping with the disease, he doesn’t have to go with a big traditional publishing house in order to do that. He can self publish and take the book directly to doctor’s offices, support groups and sickle cell organizations.

Do you want a book that tells a family story that will be a legacy for your children? Do you want a book that will establish your expertise and help you get started on the speaking circuit? You can accomplish these things by self publishing. A prominent ghostwriter recently published a book about his trade and landed a television interview where he discussed how politicians get their books written. The author was introduced as a “ghostwriting guru” and his book was prominently displayed at the end of the story. There was nothing that would have told you the book was self published. It didn’t make a difference that it was. He still got the notice, was still seen as an expert.

Do you want to go for the whole enchilada–traditional publishing house, book tour, the status of having the validation of a publisher? That’s fine too. Which brings us to…

What Publishers Want

Publishers are reviewing tons of manuscripts daily. How do you get your submission package to stand out from the others? By giving what they’re looking for.

They want good writing. That’s a given, but how do you

deliver? First of all, be in a mode of constantly learning about your craft. Take classes, workshops, join a writer’s group. Next, hire someone to help you. There are many editors who assist writers in getting a manuscript ready for submission. Some agencies even provide editing as part of their services.

The next part is harder. It has to do with that magical term “platform”. Everyone these days talks about how publishers buy on the basis of your platform. In fact your submission package, fiction or non-fiction, will be all about showcasing your platform. Here’s what they’re looking for and how to demonstrate it.

Who you know and who knows you: Have testimonials and blurbs from known and noted people featured in your package. If you have a few big names behind you, that’s more power for your marketing machine.

Do you have a following? If you put out a newsletter or other regular media you’ll want to show how many subscribers you have. If you have a killer website, tell the number of hits you draw each month. If you sell a product, give sales figures to show you know how to produce what your customers want.

Are you in front of people all the time? Tell what media you already have under your belt. When and where were your last speaking engagements? Describe any radio, television, newspaper or magazine interviews you’ve done recently.

If you’re lacking in any of these areas, it’s never too late to change your situation. Polishing your prose and your persona are the best steps you can take to attract a publisher. They’ll also help ensure your success if you decide to go it on your own. Remember, any improvement on your writing or marketing fronts will never go to waste!

© 2005 Sophfronia Scott

Author and Writing Coach Sophfronia Scott is “The Book Sistah” TM. Get her FREE REPORT, “The 5 Big Mistakes Most Writers Make When Trying to Get Published” and her FREE online writing and book publishing tips at http://www.TheBookSistah.com

Sophfonia is also author of the bestselling novel, All I Need to Get By. If you liked today’s issue, stay tuned for more because The Book Sistah also offers FREE audio classes, FREE articles, workshops, and other resources to help aspiring authors get published and market their books successfully.

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How To Get The Best From Your Freelance Writer

The information in this article is the result of my experiences as a magazine editor when I learnt a few of my fellow journalists and writers had attributes normally associated with sleazy politicians: they could be economical with the truth, liberal with deadlines, slippery in times of crisis and disappointingly unable to deliver on their big promises. Follow my guidelines and you will avoid many of the mistakes I made and find commissioning writing work a pleasurable and rewarding experience.

Ask To See Examples Of Previous Work

Don’t wait until deadline day to see just what the journalist or writer says they can do: you could be in for a nasty surprise. As an Editor, I was sent work that bore no relation to the stories I’d commissioned; stories that had been copied out of books; and stories that might have pleased third-grade teachers but which had no place in a grown-up magazine. If you don’t want to be disappointed, ask to see proof of your writer’s previous work before you contract anything. An experienced journalist/writer will have had work published and will be able to provide copies of it on demand. You’ll soon see if they really can do what they say they can.

Be Specific

Spell out exactly what you want. If you want a general article on say, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), then that is what you will get. If however what you really want is an article on the benefits of using Neuro Linguistic Programming in a sales environment then say so. The more specific you are in the beginning the more likely you are to receive the writing you want.

Set A Word Limit

If you are paying by the word then set the word count you expect to receive. If you want a 500-word article on Winning Telephone Sales Techniques then say so. Make it clear you won’t pay for extra word length.

Be Clear About Payment

How much do you want to pay for the article, web content or newsletter? State in writing how much you will pay, the length of writing you expect, and how that payment will be made. Ensure the journalist/writer has received this information and agrees with the set price.

Expert Advice

Is there someone you specifically want to be included in the article? Tell the writer who that person is and if necessary, provide their contact details. Is there an organisation that you want to be featured in the story? Do you want to have examples of businesses or people to illustrate the piece? Make sure you tell the writer these details before they begin.

What Angle Do You Want?

If you expect a certain angle in the story, make a point of telling the person writing the story what it is. Include it in your initial commissioning letter or email.

The Audience

Tell your writer or journalist who the piece will be aimed at and the tone you expect. Do you want the piece to be hilariously funny, deadly serious, highbrow or chatty? Is it aimed at beginners or experienced people in the field? Is it aimed at a general audience or a specific group?

Build Some Leeway Into Your Deadline

Journalists can be addicted to the adrenaline rush that writing to a looming deadline brings and will leave everything to the very last possible moment. Be warned: not all of them will make the deadline. If you want to avoid the stress that this failure will inevitably cause, give your writer a deadline that is a few days or even a week ahead of the real deadline. Do not under any circumstances

divulge to a writer that you have given them a faux deadline.

Specify The Format

Do you want the article or story to be sent via email, fax or by post? Do you want it to be sent on CD or floppy disc as well? Should the article be double or single-spaced? These details may seem unnecessarily fussy but trust me, when you are nearing the deadline, you will appreciate receiving copy that can be read quickly. Unless you enjoy typing, discourage anyone from sending you handwritten copy or discs that come from a bygone age. Make things easy on yourself.

Put It In Writing

Before work begins, write down exactly what you want from your journalist or writer and either email it or send it by post. This should include the word count, the specifics of the story/article, the people or organisations you want to be included in the piece, the angle you want, the tone of the article, the illustrations if any, the deadline and payment details. Follow it up. Check that they have received and understood everything in your email or letter and agree with the conditions you have set.

Get Contact Numbers

Ask for as many contact details as you can possibly get from your writer or journalist. Don’t be fobbed off. At the very least, you should ask for office, home and mobile phone numbers and home and email addresses. If you haven’t received the copy by deadline time, you will be very grateful for every possible way of contacting your writer or journalist that you have.

Progress Reports

Don’t be afraid to check on the progress of the work. Your writer or journalist won’t like you checking up on them but early intervention could save you a lot of stress later on. Find out if they are having any problems with contacting people or getting the information they need to complete the article. You may be able to help.

Revisions, Re-writes

If the article or writing does not meet the standards outlined and agreed upon in your original commissioning letter or email then you have the right to ask the journalist or writer to revise or rewrite it. If however you have changed your mind and want something different from what was originally agreed upon, then you will have to pay for the extra work that is involved.

Read The Copy Before The Deadline

If you miraculously receive the copy or a disc containing the copy before the deadline, rejoice for you are a rare individual indeed and obviously blessed with more good fortune than most other editors. When you’re done rejoicing, for goodness sake, read what you’ve been sent. Test the discs to see that they are recognised by your computer system. Can you read the documents? Does the article or story meet your criteria? Are you happy with what you’ve been sent? If yes, then continue with your rejoicing. If not, act fast. Get the journalist on the telephone as quickly as you can. Ask for a rewrite and demand to know when you will receive it. If you can’t read the disc, let the journalist know. Ask for another to be sent along with a hard copy of the article.

Gratefully Accepted

If you’re happy with the work you received then be kind and let the writer or journalist know. They will appreciate the praise. If you want to become a true hero to journalists and writers everywhere, ensure payment is swift. They will be forever grateful.

About the Author:

For high-quality freelance writing assignments completed at warp speed, visit Marie-Louise Small, aka The Fast Freelance Writer, at http://www.FastFreelance.com/

Copyright Marie-Louise Small 2005.

Are you procrastinating in your writing career?

I vowed to end my procrastination on the day I received an email message from an editor who’s the boss of a magazine I write for. “Sorry. Wish you’d sent the query to me yesterday; I’ve just contracted someone else.”

I *loved* that idea. It was a great idea, because it lent itself to a series of articles. And I’d had it lying on my desk for a couple of weeks. Why didn’t I write a proposal for it and send it instead of procrastinating? It would have taken ten minutes, maximum, and that was precisely the reason I left it. “Won’t take a moment, I’ll do it later,” I thought.

Procrastination can cripple your career. If you’re a creative small business owner — and yes, writers are creative small business owners — it can send you out of business.

I have a friend who’s an excellent copywriter, but she’s a hopeless business person. Rather than send out an invoice as soon as she’s completed a project, she lets them pile up. She lost several thousand dollars last year when a company suddenly folded with her latest invoices unpaid. (A couple were unsent.)

There are any number of reasons why people procrastinate. Most boil down to anxiety and perfectionism. Once you recognize these two demons for what they are, you can manage them with a few simple tools.

Let’s see how.

=> One: Lighten up

I don’t expect all my writing projects to be fun. In fact some of my copywriting work would be boring and frustrating if I allowed myself to feel that way. How interesting are industrial pumps, concrete reinforcing mesh, or dog worming products, after all?

Nevertheless, it’s possible to have fun with ALL your creative projects if you’re determined that it will be fun for you.

How do you make it fun? Here’s how:

* Develop a intense focus on your current work. Just focus on it, to the exclusion of everything else. Attention is the secret.

* Relax. Get up and stretch every half hour if you’re sitting at the computer. While you’re working, deliberately relax all areas of tension you find in your body. Tension builds up and causes stress.

=> Two: Accept creative anxiety

Creative work comes with built-in anxiety. However, it’s possible to reframe it. What if you told yourself that you’re not anxious, you’re excited?

Take several deep breaths, close your eyes, and completely relax. That is, see where you are tense in your body, and let go of any muscular tension in those areas.

Smile. Not a big, fake grin — aim for a small, contented smile.

Now tell yourself that you’ll just do today’s work today. If you’re working on a long project, like a novel,

tell yourself that you can quit after five minutes, if you wish. You can put up with anything for five minutes.

You’ll be amazed that your fear will dissolve. What’s left is genuine excitement.

=> Three: Drop perfectionism

The truism: “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well”, is nonsense. Who’s the judge?

Just do your work. Be satisfied if you get words on paper or on the computer screen.

Your first attempts at anything will be crappy. That’s fine. Crappy is excellent for a first draft.

Just get something on paper.

=> Four: Do it YOUR way, not the way it “should” be done, or the way anyone else does it

Everyone has their own way of working. Someone else’s way will not be your way. Do it their way until you find the best way for you.

For example, let’s say you’re writing a novel. There are dozens of ways to write a novel. You can just start writing, and write your first draft straight through. You can use various forms of outlining, like using index cards.

You do it your way. Chisel it into stone if you wish. Write it on antique vellum. Write at midnight, during your lunch hour, at 3am.

Whatever way you choose, do it YOUR way.

=> Five: Ask yourself what your intention is

Intention is everything. Before you begin a task, always ask yourself what your intention is. Write your intention down.

Unspoken, unacknowledged and unrealistic intentions lead to procrastination.

For example, if you’re writing a magazine article, what’s your intention? It could be to get 400 words written in the next couple of hours. OK, write that down as your intention.

Without that written intention, unacknowledged, amorphous intentions floating around in your head could include —

* to make a dollar a word for this article;

* to become famous;

* to prove to my family that I can write; etc.

Who knows what’s floating through your mind?

Nail your intention. Write it down. It relieves your anxiety, because your written intention is always realistic. Hopes, desires and other clutter floating around in your consciousness builds anxiety.

There you go. Now you know how to use five methods to eliminate procrastination forever.

Stuck in your writing career? Get a coach! Angela Booth coaches writers in copywriting (writing for business), nonfiction, and fiction. A veteran writer, published by major publishers worldwide, Angela is also an experienced writing teacher, who knows how to inspire and motivate. You CAN make a success of your writing career. Free daily info for writers at her blog: http://copywriter.typepad.com/ Start your writing coaching today by contacting Angela at her site http://angelabooth.com/ Angela offers personal one-on-one e-courses and mentoring for all forms of writing. Ask for a low-cost initial phone or email consultation.

The first and final rule of quality writing is this: what doesn’t strengthen your writing, weakens it.

There are no neutral words when you’re trying to be persuasive – every word must be doing real work and every sentence must be necessary. Don’t say in two sentences what you can say in one; don’t use five words when you can use three. Don’t use a five-syllable word when an available two-syllable word means the same thing. Take the fluff out of your writing.

Fluff is the often subtle cancer that grows – and ultimately kills – good writing. If your writing isn’t achieving the effects you want, consider a few of the warning signs of a fluff infection:

Redundancy. Analyze your writing for places where you are repeating yourself. It happens often, particularly when the writer isn’t convinced that the reader will get the point without it. Give your reader some credit. Make each point once and make it effectively – and then don’t make it again.

Tangents. A good piece of writing is one that makes a single effective point, supported by other lesser ones; anything that doesn’t directly contribute to that support structure is a distraction and an excuse to stop reading. Don’t take readers on side trips and don’t let them catch their breath. Cut out anything that doesn’t directly advance the final cause.

Ornamentation. Ornamentation happens when a writer is hit with a sudden burst of creativity, and the writing ends up saddled with clever turns of phrase

that don’t contribute anything but wit. This is what Hemingway was referring to when he advised writers to kill their darlings – art is all well and good, but make sure it keeps its day job.

Pointless modifiers. Adverbs (words that modify verbs) and adjectives (words that modify nouns) are a little like salt and pepper – useful in very small doses, very bad in big ones. They’re often used by lazy writers in an attempt to convince generic nouns (“the beautiful, voluptuous woman”) and verbs (“he ran very quickly”) to do more interesting jobs. The English language is full of precision nouns and verbs; whenever possible, use the right words rather than trying to modify the wrong ones.

Needless qualifiers and hedging. Phrases like “and yet, on balance” and “it could be considered” destroy more confidence than they create. Be direct and write with strength: boldly write what you know, and leave out what you don’t.

Pretentious language. Occasionally, we all have a crisis of confidence that leads us to think that we need large words and cumbersome sentences in order to be taken seriously. This is when it is time to take a nap and let the feeling pass; “extraneous solutions that minimally impact positive budget modifications” is never going to sound better than “it won’t work because it costs more than it’ll make back”.

About The Author

Robert Warren (www.rswarren.com) is a Florida-based freelance copywriter specializing in the unique marketing needs of independent professionals.

writer@rswarren.com

TO EDIT

Most of the reviews you receive will be editing reviews. To edit means to polish a finished piece by changing word choices to be more precise and concise, and to work on sentence structure; in addition to eliminating any errors in grammar, punctuation and mechanics.

TO REVISE

To revise means “to see again.” This is at the heart of writing well. Take a fresh look at what you have written by distancing yourself from the work and evaluating it from a reader’s point of view. Read your reviews carefully, with an open mind. They may show you something you hadn’t realized. You may take the character in a new direction or give him a new problem. You are revising if you decide to kill the perpetrator instead of letting him get away. You are changing something.

The two can overlap, but they are very different. Inexperienced writers sometimes think they are revising when they are really editing. You need to do both, so be careful not to confuse one with the other. Unless you are one of the rare ones who write the perfect first draft.

Revising comes before editing, because you can waste time perfecting a paragraph that you later decide to delete. You can correct errors as you move along, especially if doing so makes you more confident or comfortable. But the more time and energy you invest in editing early on, the harder it may be to make major changes that would enrich your work. When something looks perfect, you’re not going to like changing it, or maybe cutting it completely.

Writers usually benefit from setting the drafts aside

for a time so that later they can see their work more objectively. What looks good when you are excited does not necessarily look good the morning after.

Think beyond the first plot, character and situation idea that popped into your head. Don’t be afraid to change direction. Originality is very important to fiction writing.

What is not on the page can be even more important than what is there.

One of the most difficult tasks in revision is to look for what you have left out. No matter how good a draft looks, ask yourself if something is missing.

Share your work with other readers and ask them to let you know if there is anything they find confusing or want to know more about. Providing readers with this kind of specific direction can get you a much more focused review than simply asking “What do you think?” When not given direction, some readers may keep reservations to themselves because they suspect they are being asked to approve a finished product.

Checklist for Revising.

Is the purpose clear? Does the work stick to its purpose?

Does it address the appropriate audience?

Is the tone appropriate for the purpose, audience, and occasion?

Is the subject focused?

Does it make a clear point?

Is each paragraph unified and coherent?

Does the work follow an effective method of development?

Is the beginning effective?

Is the ending effective?

Harriet is a Moderator/reviewer of new writers and has written many newsletters and articles on the subject of novice writing and reviewing with common sense and encouragement. Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/storytime She is an author on a site for Creative Writers ( http://www.Writing.Com/ )

Is it constantly compulsory to write down outlines for essays? It depends on the author. If you are an experienced essay writer and be acquainted with how to create an eminence essay, then an outline may be an outdated writing tool for you. Though, for a student, it is a significant thing to have a sketch.

This trouble-free but very significant tool for script an essay can truly assist you. The outline serves as the arrangement of writing. Consequently, you cannot create a good piece of writing without

preparation how you will write down the essay.

Outlines for essays are easy to make. In fact, it is like citation the essential divisions of an article but changing them according to your requirements and preferences of conversation. In most cases, a sketch out can make available a helping hand to the author in times of problems. We all be acquainted with that there is no ideal way for discussing a theme. Therefore, we require a certain guide that can let us fix the troubles while scripting an essay.

If a writer considers writing to be a task, he/she is doomed to failure. Since it cannot be a task, then what is it? It is a discipline. What does that mean?

A discipline means development, and that means preparation. So a writer must prepare to be a writer and that means study, study of the English language—its words, its structure, its syntax, and its style. That is the groundwork that a writer must follow all his/her life. This implies training.

Where does a writer obtain this training? From many sources—workshops, seminars, courses, reading, and connection with other writers. Every day becomes part of a writer’s training. Every moment adds to the writer’s store of information, ideas, topics, and themes.

Discipline means the cultivation of input, of broadening the writer’s outlook, of developing something to say, and of creating a way to say it. Without effort there can be no output—at least no yield that readers are willing to add to their store of thoughts and ideas.

Discipline means practice. A writer is not a writer until he or

she puts words to paper or screen and this is the application of the training that preceded it. All of this implies a love of the art, and if that is not present, then it becomes a task, and writing can never succeed as a chore.

Discipline means exercise, which means action, which means the act of writing, of sitting before the blank page or screen and filling it. This is the time of labor, but it must be a labor of love, a desire, a need, an addiction, in fact, to expressing oneself. Of course, this action can take many forms—poetry, essays, short stories, articles, novels, and non-fiction books—but it must be treasured and desired for its own sake before it is presented to readers.

Without discipline, writing becomes nothing more that a job to be completed leaving the author unfulfilled and wanting.

Charles O. Goulet has a BA in English literature. He has published several novels that are available from Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and many other online book stores.

His website is: http://www.telusplanet.net/public/go1c

Creative Writing Tips –

Whichever theme you choose, all the elements, which make up your story, dialogue, conflict, scenes, etc should be written with the theme in mind.

Your theme should progress the story.

If you find that anything in your story doesn’t progress it, it should be cut when you are in the editing stage.

Before we see an example of elements written with a theme in mind, let’s think of a theme and a story….

The theme is…

‘Arrogance Leads To Humiliation’

Very briefly, this story is about a character that believes he is better than his colleagues.

His goal is to get promoted to a managerial position. What will prevent him from reaching his goal, is the fact that management are aware of his arrogance and they don’t believe, with his attitude, he is the right person to manage the staff.

To meet his goal, the character will take on more work than he can handle. He will do this to prove to management, that he is the right man for the job. But in the end, he will make a grave error and his arrogance will lead him to humiliation.

Now let’s take a look at the elements of this story…

Dialogue

The character’s dialogue will show his arrogance, by the tone of his voice and the words he chooses to express himself.

Characterization

I will show my

character is arrogant by the way I describe him and from how other characters see him.

Motivations

I will explain what makes him think he is better than everyone else.

Goal

I will state his goal and show how it arises from the fact that he believes himself better than everyone else.

Setting

The setting is going to be in an office environment. I can show his arrogance through the setting by perhaps describing the contents of his desk (trophies) and his desk area in general (diplomas on the walls.) etc.

Conflict

The conflict will come from himself. He is the one that creates it by doing and saying things, which create dislike.

Climax

The climax is the highest point in my story where the conflict and his arrogance will come to their peak. Here we will see how he tries to overcome the conflict and reach his goal by taking on more work.

Ending

I will end my story with my character’s humiliation. He takes on more work and makes an error in judgement. Which not only prevents his promotion but also gets him fired.

My theme here would have run its course.

Does each element of your story further your theme?

About The Author

Besides his passion for writing, Nick Vernon runs an online gift site where you will find gift information, articles and readers’ funny stories. Visit http://www.we-recommend.com

How many times have you checked out a job board to that either it no longer exists or that there is one or two jobs listed. Out of the hundreds of job boards on the Web today, how do you find those containing projects that you are interested in and qualified for.

I have recently surveyed over 300 freelance web sites and these are the best boards for freelance writers. The benchmark that I used for judging the board was the number of legitimate projects (as opposed to “business opportunities” ) and requests for submission being posted every month. I have only included ones posting 30 projects or more a month

The very best

I picked Guru This huge all-inclusive board connects independent professionals (a.k.a. “gurus”) with contract projects. If you are new to independent consulting, check out the Run Your Biz section, which includes a “Getting Started” column, where you can leave a question to be answered by experts. Lots of other useful information (e.g. tax and finance, legal, etc.) for contractors. Find a contracting job (“gig”) searching by field (creative/media, finance and legal, etc.), keyword, and geography.. Recently, it acquired IT Moonlighter , another with lots of freelance jobs. Whatever, Guru is probably the largest freelance marketplace on the Web. Over 3,300 projects posted last month.

What makes Guru.com stand out from is the number and variety of projects listed and the easiness of accessing the job. Unlike the others, Guru sends daily email alerts of writing gigs that match your profile.

Number of writing projects posted every month: 207

Type of projects: Everything and anything, many articles, ghostwriting, editing, copyright, some onsite, some technical. Has the best all around listing of freelance writing gigs.

Other good freelance writing sites

AllFreelanceWork. Its sister site AllFreelance is my number one site for articles about freelancing and freelance resources.

Number of writing projects posted every month: 10

Type of projects: Technical and business writing

Contracted Work A freelance site that has grown in great leaps and bounds. You can do a search and find a great number of projects. There is a monthly fee in order to search for projects, but it might be worth checking out. I personally found that I was not finding enough leads for the type of writing I do to be worth the fee.

Number of writing projects posted every month: 50-74

Type of projects: Openings tends more to web content, copywriting, and sales and marketing

Elance. I was actively involved in bidding on this site for a year. However, I did not get my money’s worth. It is geared towards business and technical writing.

Number of writing projects posted every month: 130+

Type of projects: little bit of everything: articles, ghostwriting, e-books, web content, technical. Lots of editing and proofreading jobs too

Freelance Work Exchange Non-Auction freelance site. The Freelance Work Exchange has listings for writers, designers, consultants, programmers. Yes … it does cost to join; however, there is $3.00 7-day trial memberships so you can test it to see if it will get you work! Highly recommended. Freelance Work Exchange is a solid, reliable freelance site, but in order to search jobs it will cost you a monthly fee.

Number of writing projects posted every month: 30-40

Type of projects: little bit of everything: calls for articles, ghostwriting, e-books, web content, technical. Geared more towards general writing markets, as

opposed to corporate-style stuff.

Freelance Writing This is the ultimate job board for freelance writers. Contest, blogs, forums, resources. Everything.

Number of writing projects posted every month: 40

Type of projects: Calls for articles, copywriting, E-books, research papers, ghostwriting,

Independent Homeworkers Alliance — touts itself as the “largest provider of legitimate home-based jobs on the Internet.” Offers a search engine for at-home jobs, as well as numerous resources. $29.95 a month Subscription

Number of writing projects posted every month: 70

Type of projects: calls for submissions of articles, scripts, e-books, some sales and marketing, not much technical writing.

Sologigs With over 20,000 projects for freelancers, Sologig has a lot to offer. You need to register to get access to all the projects, with the higher levels of membership securing you a higher profile in the exchange. Most of the freelance writing jobs were onsite technical/business writing.

Number of writing projects posted every month: Estimate 100+ projects posted every month. To see the exact number, you have to register. A Bronze membership with $78.75 prepaid for three months

Type of projects: geared heavily towards onsite technical writing gigs

Telecommuting Jobs — where job seekers can view several hundred telecommuting/offsite jobs posted directly by employers, as well as thousands of jobs posted to other major job sites. Searching is free, but there is a small fee to post your resume. Telecommuting Jobs Telecommute jobs for Writers, Programmers, Artists, etc. Links to additional sites to continue the search for that which is so hard to find – a good paying, mid-term telecommute contract. Good deal for the $10/yr registration fee required.

Number of writing projects posted every month: 80

Type of projects: Wide variety of projects: article wanted, research papers, journalism, copywriting, not much technical

Workhome.com Welcome to Workhome.com a resource for work at home jobs for your small office or home business. We provide job posting for work at home jobs and advertising to work at home businesses. Posting on work home jobs is free and you may contact our work at home providers by visiting the profile page and clicking email professional

Number of writing projects posted every month: 20-30

Type of projects: Wide variety of projects: articles, web content, sales and marketing, technical

A word to the wise

Be selective about what types of projects that you bid for. There is a lot of competition out there, so do not waste your time with projects that you are not qualified for or do not interest you. If you are spending more than an hour a day responding to leads from the job boards, then you may need to redefine your niche. Don’t try to be all things to all people. In addition, remember that, in order to be a successful freelance writer, you should not be using the boards as your only way of finding projects. You should also be out there networking with other writer, setting up your own website, and researching writing opportunities in your own community. In the end, these strategies will net your more work than limiting yourself to working the job boards.

About The Author

Janet K. Ilacqua is a freelance writer based in Tracy, California. She specializes in academic writing and ghostwriting of books and manuals for individuals and small businesses. For more information about her services, check her website at http://www.writeupondemand.com.

jilacqua@aol.com