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How to Publish Your Article and Avoid Rejection

Posted by Dr.Essa Tuesday, November 10, 2015 0 comments

It’s a simple enough process. You know how to write and you know what to write about. But, so many opportunities to have your content published online can be lost if you don’t follow a few simple steps.

Even the best writers on the web are not excused from these Golden Rules of Article Marketing and online publishing.

If you want to know how to get your articles published on line and make some good money doing it, read on.

I put together this little infographic to help freelance writers, beginners and seasoned professionals, to stay on track when it comes to submitting your article to other websites for publication.

As you can see, publishing high quality articls online, something we do daily, is a straight forward process. But, it’s amazing how often some of these things are overlooked.

You may overlook them, but busy web sites and the publishers who are offering good money for your articles probably won’t.

Read the Publishers Guidelines Carefully

This is the number one reason most articles are rejected. The article submission did not follow the clearly stated guidelines of the publisher. Don’t let this happen to you.

Here are a few common mistakes…

Not submitting your articles or content to the appropriate site
Not submitting the details, references or portfolio’s that were requested

Doing your research means…

Use search on the publishers site to findout if your idea has already been done
Reading the most popular articles on the site and get a feel for the tone
Knowing how much to charge and how long your article should be

Only Submit what is Requested

This is vital. Submitting more than what was required is a waste of time for them and you. If the publisher only asks for an introduction, then don’t send them the whole thing. Don’t send them 20 articles if they only asked for one.

Here are a few common examples…

Sending more words than requested
Sending a bunch of links with no explanation
Bogging them down with long winded introductions about yourself

You’re a word-smith. Remember that. Use an economy of words. Edit everything you do until it’s as clear and succinct as possible. Avoid sending your entire CV.

Just a clear bio and outline of your experience, along with a recent win is usually enough.

Have a Unique Selling Point

Please don’t start your introduction (or anything for that matter) with, “I’m the gal for the job, and here’s why…” Instead, just get straight down to it and tell them what it is you have provided that is of real value.

And then state in one sentence what that real value is.

Here are a few common errors…

Being too cute (untimely humour) or self inflating
Nobody cares if you are happy go lucky. Do you meet deadlines?
No-one really cares about your passion. What we want to know is, are you any good?

Don’t tell people your the best. Don’t tell them you have what it takes. Show them. Work on your article titles and your introduction. Make it polished an compelling so that they are likely to read on.

Your publisher reads all day long. What is the one line you can put in your introduction that is going to make him read on?

Is it the depth of your research?
The unique angle?
The tone?

This is so important. If your publisher is bored, either because your article is verbose, long winded, unfocused, poorly written, all over the shop, filled with commas, untidy, uninteresting…. get the idea? … then they are likely to assume that the reader will feel the same way. Yawn…..

Know your Subject

Once you have decided to pitch an article to a prospective publisher, ask yourself this:

Do you really know the subject you are writing on?
Do you know how much the article is likely to be worth?
Does your work reflect the depth and quality that you see on the site?

Some sites offer light and breezy, others expect deep and meaningful. Some want you to write 4,000 words, others want 600 words. Is it a research site or a chatty mum blog?

Some article jobs require a lot of research because you are not familiar with the subject. That’s no reason to turn the work down. If you are prepared to do the research you will be increasing your own visibility and authority as a writer.

So, don’t shy away from a project just because it is a new field. On the other hand, know your limits.

Start with easier work writing about what you love. As your writing ability (and pitching ability) improves, then you can hunt bigger game. But, no matter how big you get.

These four Golden Rules are unbreakable if you want to do well as a freelance writer.

Work from Home Jobs: How to Start Writing Online

Posted by Dr.Essa 0 comments

There is money to be made online as a freelance writer. Every day companies are looking for someone to write for them. Full time, part time or one-off projects.

If you enjoy writing and you want a job where you can work from home, then read on to find out what your options are and how to get started.

If you want to work from home, online writing is still one of the best options. Starting up your own freelancing business, with or without a website can give you a steady income and allow you to work from home writing about things you love.

David’s Tip – Join The Tsu Network and make money writing about anything you like!

Article writers and Content Writing Services are highly sought as part of a companies content marketing strategy.

As content and inbound marketing continue to dominate the marketing landscape, the demand for great freelance writers only increases.

Current Pay Scale – an Average

Experience	Rate per 500 words		Rate per Word
	Generalist	Specialist	Generalist	Specialist
Inexperienced	$50.00	$100.00	10 cents	20 cents
Some Experience	$100.00	$200.00	20 cents	40 cents
Experienced	$150.00	$300.00	30 cents	60 cents

(data thanks to the Lizard Queen over at http://beafreelanceblogger.com/about/)

There is a High Demand for Content Writing

Quick Statistics1 – How Article writing is handled by online Business

62% of business online are outsourcing their content to freelancers.

What this tells us is that online business’ is looking for you! online business as a writer

They want writers and they are looking for them every day.

86% are looking to use your work in their content marketing campaigns.

What this tells us is that most of these companies and online businesses are looking for writers to create content in order to drive traffic and leads for their online business.

97% is the increase in leads through content marketing and article writing or blogging.

What this tells us is that business’ are getting amazing results – a 97% increase in traffic or leads through the writing efforts of people just like you.

That is, people who are are wanting a job where they can work from home as a freelance writer, creating fantastic content that turns visitors in to customer for online business.

The web is made up of content. Anyone who wants to do well online needs to produce it. You can get paid for satisfying that demand. If you want to dig deeper and set up a writing career online we have included some useful writing for business ideas for you to think about.

What Kinds of Work can you Do?

Social Media Content Editor. If you have experience with social media and enjoy writing for particular audiences, small businesses often hire part-time and freelance writers to assist with social media management.

You need to have a knack with words. You want to be able to say what needs to be said, and say it quick.

People who do well in Social media are people who can write in a way that grabs you by the balls and gets your attention!

Writing and communication skills are absolutely necessary in this role, which is responsible for interacting with current and potential customers through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other platforms.

Content Curator. Like reading others’ stories as much as writing your own? Blogs, websites, and organisations hire content curators to research the latest content in their particular subject area, then compile the content into one place for easy reading.

This is a growing area of research marketing and can pay good money

The work includes writing headlines, synopses, and copy. If you’re a subject matter expert who enjoys research, this part-time job would make a great side gig.

Blog Posting. Many Companies are looking for regular writers for their niche markets. If you have a talent in something, perhaps you could write about it.

Blog posting, whether for large or small blogs, is a great way to get your feet wet. But be careful. A lot of Webmasters are after good content for next to nothing. Learn how to cost your content.

Got experience in Design and Illustration? Try this site: Psdtuts+
Psdtuts+ are open to submissions on any Photoshop-related topic from photo manipulation to web design to
illustration.

Written tutorials must be submitted in HTML format and have an image for each step.

Blog Homepage: http://psd.tutsplus.com
Information: http://psd.tutsplus.com/about/write-a-tutorial/
Minimum Pay: $50 for a short tutorial or video
Highest Pay: “Make an offer” for longer tutorials or videos

Income for writing a blog post can earn you between 5 cents and 50 cents a word. A beginner whose experience and skill is yet to be proven might start at 10 cents per word. Whoever you are, don’t accept less that 5 cents.

Editorial Assistant. If you love writing, but also like the administrative side of publishing, a part-time job as an editorial assistant might be a good option. Of course, this is going to require a lot more experience and dedication that simply being a freelancer.

Depending on the publication, you’ll help with page layout, article editing, and editorial calendar management.

I want to Work from Home. Where do I Find these Online Writing Jobs?

There are several good places to begin find the right kind of writing job that will allow you to work from home and earn good money. As long as you can write, you can earn.

Freelance Writing.com

Freelance Writing run a tidy ship and publish a weekly newsletter that gives a summary of freelance writing and editing jobs on a good variety of writing jobs.

Since 1997, FreelanceWriting.com has delivered daily and real-time freelance writing jobs for freelance writers. They source freelance writing jobs from all over the internet.

The pay is good and the bonus is that they deliver the job offers right in to your inbox.

Blogging Pro

Blogging Pro Job Board lists a healthy dose of copywriting jobs (you can search postings by category), this board is, as the name suggests, right up a blogger’s alley.

Whether you’re into health and fitness, pets, writing code or what have you, you’ll find a steady stream of employers looking for blog writers versed in these and many other subjects.

Also popular are Green, Eco friendly, Environmental, Finance, Legal and Business writing opportunities.

Media Bistro

Media Bistro offers a wide range of jobs from industries like TV, PR/marketing, magazine and book publishing and social media–a little something for everyone.

Employers include marquee media names, start-ups with buzz, and specialized firms across industry sectors including social media, online media & apps, PR, sales and advertising, journalism, publishing, design, and TV/radio.

You can also set yourself up in the Freelance Marketplace. The Freelance Marketplace is a forum for talented freelancers to showcase their work and for media managers to find quality talent like you.

FWJ. Freelance Writing Gigs

FWJ has been around for a few years and has typically scraped its list of writing job opportunities from other sites. Craiglist is one of them.

While anything on Craigslist should be taken with a grain of salt, this site does increase your chances of finding a decent gig.

FWJ consolidate writing job posts from Craigslist boards all across the country, allowing you to locate writing gigs you might never see if you were only browsing your local board. Definitely worth a look.

Pro Blogger

Pro Blogger has a reputation for serious freelancers and good paying work. It brings bloggers and those looking to hire writers together.

Tips on How to Approach a Prospective Client

The Founder, Darren Rowse has been doing his thing on Pro Blogger for a good while and the site is well worth investigation. Pro Blogger has helped many young writers get their online writing career under way.

If you are going to apply for jobs on these sites, here are some tips from Darren Rowse on how you should approach a Publisher or online business.

1. Act Quickly

Jobs are going quickly. 24 hours is a long time in blogging. Take any longer than that to express your interest in a job and you might miss out on it.

2. Follow the Instructions

Many applicants fail to apply in a way that is consistent with the instructions. Failing to show that you can follow steps outlined in a job advertisement isn’t a good first impression to a prospective employer.

3. Sell Yourself

Talk about your experience, your knowledge of the topic, your passion for communication, the way you work with others etc. As you write ask yourself whether what you’re adding to your application would make someone more or less likely to hire you.

4. Write Well

See your application as an audition in and of itself and put together a well written, well spelt, well structured application that demonstrates your grasp of grammar and the written language and you’ll be a step closer to securing the position.

Different jobs require different levels of experience in different fields but it would usually be an advantage to show your understanding of the medium.

You can do this by showing your own blog (with a link) if you have one and ensuring that when your potential employer goes to look at it that it’s updated, professional and working. Give examples of how you’ve built your blog over time.

6. Demonstrate a Knowledge of the Topic

This is vital in most cases. People don’t generally employ or contract people to write a blog for them on a topic that they have no knowledge in or passion for.

Show that you have a good grasp of the topic by talking a little about it and how you’d tackle the blog. The examples of your writing can be a great place to do this.

Super Cool or Super Lame? How People Use Facebook

Posted by Dr.Essa 0 comments

OK, first, I need to thank the super cool Australian web hosting and small business guys at Crucial. I’ve hacked up their infographic on less common uses of Facebook for this Facebook marketing article.

Facebook is one of the more outstanding and controversial marketing and social media platforms to be built since the web began. It attracts all kinds of people from all over the world – for all kinds of reasons.

Web marketers love it and hate it. Mum’s love what it does for them, but hate what it can do to their kids. Dad’s are largely indifferent and families find it a great way to keep in touch.

But it’s always been a mixed bag in terms of just how useful and productive it is to our lives. Facebook is like the Book of Psalms. It covers every conceivable mood and circumstance in life.

From insufferable nonsense like this:

To amazing and worthwhile stuff like this:

Some things that happen on Facebook are Super Cool. But their are plenty of really lame things you can do also.