WritingThoughts

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Guest posting has been a somewhat controversial topic lately. I listed guest posting in my list of bad writing gigs a few weeks ago and sparked a discussion.

One reason guest posting is currently looked down on is the huge quantity of spammy guest posts that have flooded the content arena.

In this post, I’ll take a closer look at guest posting. First of all, I’ll discuss the definition of guest posting. I’ll explain why I think guest posting is often (but not always) a bad gig for writers as well as website owners. Finally, I’ll discuss the right way to go about creating content.

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Freelance writing is full of surprises–some pleasant, some not so pleasant.

Many freelance writers simply don’t know what to expect from freelance writing.

Much of what has been written about freelance writing is incomplete. It highlights certain aspects of writing or certain problems and glosses over the rest.

When I started freelancing several things took me by surprise. Even though I had read all I could find about freelance writing, I was still unprepared. I don’t want other new writers to go through that.

In this post, I share five things about freelance writing that may take you by surprise if you’re just getting started.

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“I’ve been freelancing for over seven years and in all that time I’ve never had a day off, not even a weekend.”

Those words made me sad when I read them on a forum for freelance writers. I know firsthand that not taking a break can exact a heavy toll on a freelance writer.

Of course, I can relate to the writer’s statement. As a freelancer, I’ve had my share of weekend working and working vacations. Sometimes you have to do that to meet a deadline.

I also understand the financial pressures that freelance writers face. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid.

But if you’re one of those writers who never takes a break, you’re doing yourself a grave disservice. Here are four important reasons why writers need to take regular breaks.

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Do “prospects” ask you to write for free or way below market rate?

If you’re a freelance writer, chances are good that you’ve been approached by a so-called “prospect” with an offer you must refuse.

You must refuse the offer if you want to stay in business, that is. After all, you can’t spend all your time working for nothing, or next-to-nothing, if you want to earn a living as a writer.

It always amazes how much effort some folks will go to in order to take advantage of writers through lousy freelance offers. Don’t just take my word for it. Check out the experiences of other freelance writers.

Lori Widmer does a good job of documenting some of these bad offers in her series on her Words on the Page blog, Writers Worth: This Job, Not That Job. Deb Ng lists some more bad writing opportunities on kommein blog in the post, Here’s What’s Wrong With Freelancing Today.

The worst thing about these opportunities is that some writers will fall for them.

In this post, I list five of the most common types of bad gigs freelancers face and examine what’s wrong with each of them. So, the next time you’re tempted to accept a bad offer, check here first. Then say “no.”

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One of the most important things that a freelancer can do is get their client agreements in writing. I’ve said this over and over again, yet many freelance writers still fail to get a written agreement before starting a project.

I get it. I do. Writing a client proposal is hard.

What do you do when you receive an inquiry from a prospective freelance writing client? If you’re like me, you ask them questions or meet with them (or both). Next, you open your word processor and write a proposal or cost estimate for their project. Does that sound right?

The entire process of creating a writing project proposal can take hours. And you’ll probably forget to include something important. No wonder so many freelance writers skip this important step.

Fortunately, there’s a solution. Enter Quote Roller(Affiliate Link, I receive a small fee with each purchase)…

I love tools that save me time AND make me appear more professional at the same time. For the past two years, QuoteRoller has done both.

That’s why I’ve come to rely on Quote Roller to create proposals for my freelance writing business. It’s also why I’ve decided to review the tool here on WritingThoughts.

(Note: I am an affiliate for Quote Roller. This post contains some affiliate referral links.)

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Recently, I’ve noticed a new trend in content creation. With an increasing frequency, clients are asking me to do just a single task in the content creation process.

For example, a client will ask me if I can come up with headlines for a topic.

Or, they’ll ask if I can just do the research for a piece of content. And the list of individual content creation task requests goes on.

I know I’m not the only one getting these requests, because I’ve talked to other writers. Does this approach to content creation make sense? Should you divide the various content creation tasks between freelancers?

In this post, I’ll take a look at the most common reason why businesses try to piecemeal content creation. I’ll also look at the various tasks businesses often try to separate out. Of course, you’re invited to share your thoughts and experiences.

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Freelance writing is a tough field. Getting started takes a huge leap of faith.

Plus, most new freelance writers struggle at first.

New writers struggle because they’re faced with situations that they didn’t expect. They don’t know what to do. Many quit. Others wind up working for far less than they’re worth.

If you’ve been a freelance writer for a while, you know exactly what I mean. You remember how tough it was for you when you started.

As an experienced freelance writer, you can help a less experienced writer and earn money at the same time. They don’t have to make the same mistakes you did.

Sharing your experiences is a way to give back and it’s also a good business sense. You never know when you will need a freelancing ally.

In this post, I list four ways that experienced writers can help other writers and earn money at the same time.

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Every night while you sleep thousands of prospective clients and readers for your blog get up and start to work.

Your company or services are perfect for them.

Yet they have no idea you exist. Why?

They have no idea that you exist because you only share content and social posts during your own working hours. You’re essentially ignoring a good part of your prospective audience.

In today’s global economy, it’s important to remember that your clients are not necessarily those who live closest to you.

I have a confession to make.

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How long should a blog post be?

In the past year, content specialists have cited the benefits of longer blog posts. By longer, they typically mean more than 2,000 words in length.

According to experts, longer posts solve a lot of problems that web owners and small businesses face. Apparently, longer posts can improve your site’s search engine rankings, engage more readers, and generally drive more traffic to your site.

It sounds like the solution to all your problems, right?

Many website owners have jumped on the long blog post bandwagon, some without thinking about it. Are they right in doing so?

In this post, I’ll take a closer look at longer blog posts and their effectiveness. My goal is to provide the information you need to make and informed decision. At the end, I invite you to share your own experiences.

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One of the questions clients often ask me is how often they should post to their blogs.

In the past, I’ve tried to answer this question according to the client’s goals. That’s the right way to answer the question, but unfortunately clients don’t hear my whole answer. All they hear is a number.

So I’m changing my answer. The new answer is…as often as possible. (But make sure that everything you post is of high quality.) At least, that’s the short answer.

Let me explain.

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