Open Thread: How Long Do You Spend on Queries?

I'll you let you in on a little secret: I don't spend hours obsessing over queries, polishing each one to Pulitzer-worthy perfection. Most of my queries are written in under an hour, two tops if it's a really meaty topic or top-tier market.

Why?

There are tons of reasons why editors reject queries and most of them are out of my control. Half the time it feels like my email goes into a giant black hole, so it doesn't really matter how sparkling my prose or brilliant my idea.

I try not to get too attached to one query (it's too emotionally draining) and focus on having several ideas circulating at once to up my odds. And so far, I'm not doing too badly at this numbers game. I follow my instincts, give query drafts a quick read for typos or other mistakes, then send those babies out in cyberspace and hope for the best. Part of this is practice: once you've written enough queries you know how to pull out the salient points and catch an editor's attention quickly.

How long do you spend on queries? Do you focus on quality or quantity? Do tell!

UPDATE: A colleague sent me this article on the science of pitching magazines. It's written by a journalism prof whose features have appeared in Wired, The NY Times, and The New Yorker, so she clearly knows her stuff. And much of her advice is the exact opposite of what I wrote above! I'd be very reluctant to send a "pre-pitch" to a busy editor or spend hours conducting exploratory interviews, but I'm mainly pitching service pieces and she's pitching features. So I guess it also depends on the nature of your stories, too.

Flickr photo courtesy of RBerteig

"Freelance Nation" - And What This Means for You

This month's Entrepreneur Magazine has a great article entitled Freelance Nation. Those of us who freelance for all or part of our living know that companies have been hiring writers, designers, and other freelance folk for years, so it's not exactly breaking news. But it's interesting to see things from the client side and understand the legal, financial, and other challenges they face when they hire us. Heck, some of us may be hiring freelancers ourselves in an effort to grow our businesses.

If you haven't read the article yet, take a few minutes to check it out. I'll wait here.

What does the so-called "freelance nation" mean for us?

The thing that struck me was how important it is (and will increasingly be) for freelancers to communicate their value to potential clients. I cringed at the part about using freelance job boards like Elance, because those sites seem to send the message that freelancers are a dime a dozen and, in some cases, that there are countless workers overseas clamoring for your project, willing to undercut each other on price. That may be true, but you get what you pay for, and you probably won't get the same level of professionalism as you would from someone who comes through a referral.

So, as clients realize how many options they have available to them, freelancers need to really think about what skills and qualities they offer that make them more valuable than the other guy. Is it your specialized knowledge of the industry that means less hand-holding on the part of the client? Your ability to synthesize long, wordy briefs and make them interesting to the layperson? Or something else? And, of course, none of us want to be see as the kind of contractor mentioned who only views the client as another paycheck, so a little personalized, genuine attention goes a long way.

A sidebar mentions that for tax reasons, most contractors should be paid by the project rather than by the hour to differentiate themselves from employees in accordance with IRS standards. In my opinion, this is good news for freelancers, because it gives us an IRS-approved reason to price this way and emphasizes the value of our work rather than putting a price tag on our time. Some companies see freelancers more as temporary employees, so this approach not only delineates us in the eyes of the IRS, but in our clients' eyes, too. Temps are generally hired as labor, but freelancers are hired for their creativity and/or brain power. (And as we all know, muses don't always follow a strict schedule.)

No doubt about it: new economic realities have changed the way freelancers and companies do business. And in many ways, that's a good thing. Though there are more challenges (clients that want top-quality work on the cheap, competitors who are willing to work at bargain basement rates, perpetuating this expectation), there are also more opportunities emerging.

What do you think? Have you observed some of these themes in your own freelance relationships? And for you veteran freelancers, how has your business changed over the last few years?

Flickr photo courtesy of NinJA999

Guest Post: Drawing on a New Writing Practice

By Kelly Watson

A new trend has gained popularity among writers in recent years. Many swear by this technique, saying it brings new clarity to their writing. When done over time, the practice can improve concentration, sharpen observational skills and breathe new life into tired prose.

All writers must do is pick up a pencil and draw.

Surprised? Don’t be. Long before they learn to write, children draw to reflect on the world around them. Drawing can relax the body, quiet the mind and sharpen visual acuity. Yet most people abandon drawing as they grow older, driven away by changing interests or – more often – a feeling of inadequacy.

What Does DRAWING Have to Do With Writing?
Writers who return to a drawing practice may face those same feelings of inadequacy, but the rewards can be priceless. Just ask Danny Gregory, author of “The Creative License” and blogger at www.dannygregory.com.

“Drawing has encouraged me to try new things in writing and to have more confidence,” Gregory says. “The fact is, I only started publishing books after I started drawing a decade ago. Even the books I did with no drawings were fed by the creative energy the drawings inspired.”

Erik Sherman, a freelance writer and blogger for BNET (part of the CBS Interactive Business Network) agrees. "I draw and write regularly,” Sherman says. “I hadn't thought of whether [drawing] improves my writing, but I do find it vital to do something that is as far from words as I can get. I could see a connection, especially if you were doing narrative work and needed to notice physical details. Learning to draw is really about learning to see – something that most people actually don't do well."

Tools and Techniques
To start drawing, you’ll need a pen and a cheap sketchbook from your local art store.

Why not a pencil? Because this drawing practice will be about improving your ability to see – NOT about creating a great work of art. Using a pen will remove the temptation to erase your work and start again.

Start by doing a simple contour drawing, tracing the outline of an object slowly as you trace the it your eyes. (Make it easy on yourself by choosing a simple object such as an apple or a shoe. Save the complex stuff for later.)

When drawing, look down at your paper only to get a sense of where to draw your next line. Don’t worry about shading or other artistic details. Just focus on really seeing what’s in front of you.

You may even want to do a blind contour drawing, which means you don’t look at the paper until you’ve finished. Your image might turn out abstract, but you’ll get great practice at really seeing what you’re drawing: the wear at the toe of the shoe, the beads of fuzz on the laces, and the tiny flakes in the rubber sole.

The Bigger Picture
Over time, you’ll become more confident in your drawing ability. You may want to focus on drawing certain objects that appear in your writing, or just choose a variety of things that stretch your powers of observation.

No matter what your drawing practice, you’ll find yourself with a wealth of new details that can be used to spice up your written work. For more information about drawing and how it applies to writers, check out the books Everyday Matters by Danny Gregory and The Zen of Seeing by Frederick Franck.

Your turn! Have you tried drawing as a way to improve your writing? Leave a comment and let us know!

Kelly Watson is a web copywriter who writes blog posts and other marketing materials for small business owners who are too busy to do it themselves. She also has her own blog at www.OneWomanMarketing.com.

Interested in contributing a guest blog post of your own? Check out the guest blogger guidelines.

Open Thread: Low-Hanging Fruit or Golden Apple?

Like Linda Formichelli, I've begun to feel overwhelmed lately, which has prompted me to think about ways to simplify and streamline my business. As a generalist with a few specialties, I'm often chasing multiple stories with multiple publications across multiple niches.

It's great to have lots of assignments in the works, but sometimes this stretches you a little too thin. So I started thinking ... if I were to focus on pitching three publications over the next three months, which would they be? Would I make it a goal to re-establish contact with editors I've worked with in the past and land more repeat assignments with publications I'm comfortable writing for? Or would I focus on landing plum assignments with my dream markets, even though it often feels like the odds are against me?

I know if I continue setting too many goals and pursuing too many markets at once (as I did when I was initially building my business and running on sheer enthusiasm), I'll never escape this feeling that I'm stuck on a hamster wheel, racing to keep up with deadlines and follow-up emails and pitches.

But it's not a good idea to get too complacent and focus on low-hanging markets, even though those may mean a likelier assignment. I suspect that's how many people end up writing for content mills. It's easy money and they don't have to risk rejection. On the other hand, it doesn't seem smart to adopt tunnel vision over national markets that get hundreds of pitches daily (the golden apple, if you will).

So, for this week's open thread, let's discuss how these conflicting forces relate to freelancers.

I think my ideal scenario is a balance between aspirational markets that stretch me creatively and steady markets that feed my bank account. Of course, if I were freelancing on the side for fun, my priorities might be different. Which is more important for you? Have you found a way to balance the two? I'd love to know!

Flickr photo courtesy of fauxto_digit

A Writer's Love Letter to the Library

Even before I could read, I loved libraries. All the pretty pictures and nice, smiling librarians reading stories aloud! I still love the endless shelves brimming with possibilities, but I rediscovered my love of libraries when a friend and I decided to spend an afternoon working from the new main branch of the Cambridge Public Library last week. If you're local and you haven't been yet, do not pass go, do not read this blog post, go directly to CPL!

For the rest of you, here are three reasons to rekindle (with or without electronic reader) your own relationship with a local library branch. An NPR writer recently predicted that libraries will be the next pop culture phenom, but these are my own reasons and they specifically apply to writers.

• Change of scenery.
  There comes a time in every freelancer's career when loafing around the house in your PJs or yoga pants gets old. And when that time comes, you could always camp out at your local coffee shop and buy over-priced lattes and pastries (I admit it: I do this sometimes, too). Or you could migrate to a library, where nobody gives you dirty looks for only buying a small coffee and there's no threat of spilling said coffee on your laptop. Most libraries have a variety of little nooks, crannies, and private rooms available depending on your preferred environment. Many also have free Wifi. (Score!)
• Endless inspiration.
  There's something thoroughly inspiring about being surrounded by books and magazines. Each one holds loads of ideas ripe for your reinvention or re-interpretation (I even got an article idea by glancing through the library's event calendar!). But the inspiration isn't just for you, it's also for your readers. Think of all the young people who fell in love with reading thanks to a savvy librarian or a fortuitously placed book cover. Libraries help ensure that authors and other kinds of writers will always have eager readers. And often, they'll host book readings and set up special sections to help promote local authors.
• Research.
  Thanks to the library, you can often read several years worth of back issues for a given magazine, request books from other locations, or enlist a librarian's help in uncovering the perfect piece of background material. Even if you're an internet-only kind of researcher, you'll still find something to love about a library. Many give card-holders access to huge databases like LexisNexis and an increasing number let you download eBooks and podcasts through their website.

There you have it. My three biggest reasons to love a library. Do you agree or disagree? Maybe you can think of a few more reasons? Do tell!

Flickr photo courtesy of Walker Library @ MTSU

Guest Post: How to Balance a 9-to-5 Job with Freelancing

By Alyssa Martino

"You might get burned out,” my mother suggests after I receive the job offer. "Writing may come easy to you now, but you may find differently when it's a full time job.”

The next day, I accept the position.

I change my title on social networking sites and in my g-mail signature. "Copywriter/Editor." I am giddy, somewhat ironically, beyond words.

Nonetheless, spending 8 hours a day writing about health care wasn't exactly in my master plan. As a writer, I prefer capturing the quirks and connections of daily life: refugees living in America, the sadness of old age, and my dad's obsession with Halloween.

Still, can't we have it all? The security of a full-time writing position and the joy of coming home, pulling out our lap tops, and gushing over what we really love?

The answer, I hope, is yes.

Here are a couple tips for balancing a writing-intensive day job with a freelance career without burning out:

• Stop yawning and get fired up. Find a method for re-energizing yourself once you arrive home from work. For me, going on a run does the trick. No matter how tired I am, pushing myself gets the gears ticking again--often with more vigor than before! This habit helps me regain focus, shifting from medical land to whatever publication I've set my sites on. Whether it be running, yoga, or even just some deep breaths, find a routine and stick with it.
• Prioritize quality. Call me an idealist, but I believe writing should be about quality--not quantity--content. My 2010 New Year's resolution was to publish just one article per month. The catch: I have to really pour myself into these pieces, obsess over detail and language and meaning. We can't do it all, but we can do our best.
• Write when the lightening strikes. Sometimes, my 40 minute commute necessitates "couch time" in the evenings. As a result, buckling down when inspiration hits is an Absolute Truth. If the juices flow more freely at night, then grab some caffeine. Believe me, you'll be more upset over losing a great metaphor than losing sleep.
• Write what you love. If your passion is Zimbabwe, write about Zimbabwe. Same goes for parenting, politics, or poetry. Don't waste time on topics you don't care about; after all, you're employed and have a steady income. And if you are just looking for extra cash, chances are you'll be a lot less fulfilled writing promotional copy for that garbage truck company down the street--even if they do pay decently. [Apologies to any readers who genuinely enjoys freelancing for a waste-related client. To each his or her own].
• Write what you know. When your time is precious, it may not make sense to begin several huge projects on foreign topics. Limit your research-heavy submissions, and instead, dig deep into the vaults. Is there something you studied in College that can be made timely again? Write from real life, too--the characters you've observed for months, even years. Turn your job into a muse. It's likely your office has a Michael Scott or two, so use them. And if you struggle finding stories in your daily life, then you should probably look a little bit harder.

What do you have think? Have you juggled a day job with creative side projects? What are your tips for achieving balance?

Alyssa Martino is a writer, copyeditor, and freelancer who lives just outside Washington, DC. She has written for a variety of print and online publications. Her creative nonfiction is here.

Interested in contributing a guest blog post of your own? Check out the guest blogger guidelines.

Flickr photo courtesy of orangebrompton

Join Me on BlogHer

Psst! In case you missed it the first time, one of my blog posts is featured on BlogHer today! Hop on over and check out Why You Need a Freelance Resume. Do you agree or disagree with that premise? I'd love to know!

Open Thread: How Do You Handle Writing Clips?

Some writers post PDFs on their websites. Some go old school and snail mail paper copies. Others have text versions on their website or attach Word docs to their queries. So, how do you share your writing clips with editors and prospective clients?

Most of my clips are already online, so I include a partial list on my website. I think more than this would be over-kill, but I keep a complete list of my online writing using the social bookmarking tool Delicious. That way, when I'm writing a query and I need an article about, say, weddings or fitness or careers, I can quickly scroll through and find several relevant samples. Then I include these clips as hyperlinked bullet points like this:

• How Office Gossip Can Be Good For Your Career (Yahoo! HotJobs)
• 5 Ways You Bug Your Boss--And How to Stop (Yahoo! HotJobs)
• Tweet Success: Landing a Job 140 Characters at a Time (AfterTheTassel.com)

It's more organized than sending a bunch of naked URLs, and hopefully bypasses spam filters because I'm not sending a bunch of attachments. The big caveat with this strategy is that sometimes online articles disappear or the links change. That's why it's a good idea to print out hard copy or use a service like PDFmyURL to save a digital copy to your computer. If it's already too late, you can try the Way Back Machine or see if Google still has a cache saved.

I'm sure there are other equally valid ways to organize and show off writing clips. What's your strategy? What do you do when online articles disappear?

Repurposing Content, Hunting for Typos & More

I'm getting ready to travel for a few days, so instead of a full-blown blog post, I wanted to share some of the links that caught my eye in RSS and social media over the past week:

A Man, A Plan And A Sharpie: 'The Great Typo Hunt'

Copywriters: Nail Down Creative Briefs—and Copy Payment—With These 10 Questions

Freelance Screw-offs

3 Ways to Repurpose Content and Attract More Profit

Anyone catch what's wrong with the first headline? Ironic, isn't it? Hope you enjoy!

Guest Post: 12 Query Letters, 12 Rejections: My first month as a freelancer

By Stacy Lipson

I have a corkboard behind my desk. On it, I’ve posted a sign: Never give up.

No one ever said freelancing was going to be easy. Still, I was unprepared when my first rejection letter rolled in. And then twelve more. Some were short in length; others ran for a paragraph or more. No thanks. We’ll pass.

I’ve received rejection before. The first college I ever applied to rejected me before I even finished my application. My first summer home from college, I applied for a part-time job as a cashier, and received my rejection letter in a pink envelope. Ouch.

When I received my pack of rejection letters by e-mail, I wanted to crawl into a ball and hide under the covers. I wanted to quit. I was pulling fifty hour weeks with no payoff. Family members were sending me emails with subject lines like YOU ARE GOING TO GO BANKRUPT. I started to wonder if I was in over my head.

And then my first acceptance letter arrived. The silver lining!

I don’t know what lies ahead. But I’m not giving up. I have a steady supply of Ramen noodles and my Silver Reed typewriter (yes, I’m old-school). My parents have blessed me with an incredible stubborn streak, and in the off-chance that fails, I know that a career at McDonalds awaits me. Kidding.

A writer friend of mine recently sent me an e-mail: Have courage. She’s right. You’re going to need courage for the days when the only thing that you write is a check for your electric bill. And you’re going to need courage for the days when your shrink is out of town and your friends have blocked you because you’ve been bouncing too many ideas and they just can’t take it anymore . Courage. It’s a start.

Stacy Lipson is a freelance writer specializing in health. Her writing has appeared in a variety of publications including MarieClaire.com, YourTango.com, Natural Health magazine and other publications. In her free time she likes to bake and watch television sitcoms.

Interested in contributing a guest blog post of your own? Check out the guest blogger guidelines.

Flickr photo courtesy of Frerieke

Open Thread: Are You a Specialist or a Generalist?

This topic came up during last night's freelance writing class: Is it better to specialize or be open to any topics that come up?

That depends.

Specializing allows you to become intimately familiar with your niche, so you can quickly locate sources, brainstorm for ideas, and reuse your research. I know successful freelancers who specialize in healthcare writing, food and beverages, even pets. But if you choose too narrow a specialization or one that doesn't have a ton of lucrative markets, it could be difficult to earn a living.

On the flip side, generalizing gives you the flexibility to explore many different topics. You may find yourself stretched in lots of different directions, but then you'll probably never get bored.

I consider myself to be more of a generalist, but I also have a few areas of "specialization." Because I've written a lot about personal finance, lifestyle topics, and careers, I can play up those credits when I'm querying within those areas. For me, it's the best of both worlds.

What about you?

5 Mistakes That Weaken Your Writing

I'll be the first to say that being a successful freelance writer requires more marketing and business savvy than writing skill. Writing beautiful, flowing prose won't make you much money unless you know how to market yourself, negotiate fee structures and contracts, and keep your editors happy. That's why this blog usually focuses on business strategies for freelancers.

However, avoiding common writer's pitfalls certainly helps. Here are several ways in which you may be weakening your writing.

1. Incorrect word usage.
   I see this all the time in blog posts: the writer uses affect when she means effect or whether when she means weather. It's even worse when someone mixes up words that don't sound the same but share a few common letters. Guest blogger Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen wrote a piece on commonly misused words and phrases. Grammar Girl is another good resource for grammar and usage questions.
2. Poor use of quotes.
   I used to insert lots of quotes into my articles even when it would be simpler to paraphrase the person's insights. But too many quotes can interrupt the flow of your article, so I've since learned to focus on quotes that add color. Usually the writer should summarize background material instead of directly quoting a source for every statement (though you can use phrases like "According to Jane Smith" or "Smith says that ..." to attribute this background information). Michelle Rafter offers more insights on the correct use of quotes.
3. Lack of sentence variety.
   Are you using the same tired structure for every single sentence? Do you overwhelm the reader with too many long, detailed sentences in a row? Do you see the point I'm trying to make by using a series of rhetorical questions? I bet you do! Now I'm changing things up to show you how much more interesting that is. Although starting a sentence with a dependent clause can sound intelligent, this syntax shouldn't be used too often or it can sound repetitive. Vary your sentence structure. Throw in a short, punchy sentence to break up a series of longer ones. Use rhetorical questions sparingly.
4. Passive voice.
   I don't agree with everything that English teachers say ("Never use sentence fragments!" "Never end a sentence with a preposition!"), but in most cases, passive voice does complicate and weaken your writing. Why say "this blog was updated by Susan" when you could say "Susan updated her blog"? Grammar Girl offers even more information on the passive voice.
5. Over-writing.
   Lively language can keep the reader interested, but over-using alliteration or metaphor or other devices can fall as flat as a day-old pancake at a roadside diner. If a metaphor makes sense and supports the point you're trying to make, go for it! But if you're including a clever aside or an impressive SAT word to show off, that usually detracts from your writing and obscures your message. Ditto on the adverbs and adjectives. Often you can find a more interesting verb or noun to eliminate the need for modifiers.

What do you think? Are there other ways in which we undermine our writing? Do tell!

Flickr photo courtesy of Nic's events

Guest Post: Blue is Boring, Azure is Alluring

By Sunday O'Brien

As writers we can get caught up in the description of an object. We note size, shape, and every other detail imaginable. The one element that is often lost in the shuffle is color. We say that the cat is black or the water was blue. While those descriptions are entirely acceptable they don’t paint a vivid image for the reader.

Basic color names present two major problems. First, they are bland. Anyone can say the grass is greener on the other side. If you really want to paint a picture for your audience, try the viridian blades of grass bent with the wind, beckoning me to see what lay beyond the fence. Unlike green, the word viridian immediately draws the reader deeper into your world and makes them want more.

The second problem is vagueness. Basic color names leave a lot to the imagination. The woman with blue eyes conjures up limitless images. Is it light blue, dark, or pale? If the woman’s sapphire eyes entranced every man who gazed upon them, the reader is left with a much clearer image of what you meant to portray.

Using more descriptive color names also makes your writing more concise. For example, describing a shirt as dark gray in color is needless. The simple use of the word charcoal eliminates four extraneous words and makes your writing much clearer.

Finding alternate, and more precise, color names is easy. Of course a thesaurus can be a writer’s best friend but it’s okay to think outside the box too. Think of an object that displays the color traits you want to convey and use it as a color name. Try pumpkin for orange, steel for gray, or marigold for yellow. The list that follows provides a good starting point for more descriptive color names. Three alternates along with their definitions follow each common name.

Black

• Ebony: brownish black color
• Charcoal: dark gray color
• Raven: shiny black

Blue

• Azure: deep blue
• Sapphire: brilliant blue color
• Indigo: deep purplish blue color

Brown

• Russet: reddish brown
• Khaki: brownish yellow
• Coffee: rich brown color

Gray

• Ash: silvery gray
• Gunmetal: dark gray color
• Taupe: brownish-gray color

Green

• Chartreuse: yellowish-green color
• Aquamarine: greenish blue
• Viridian: bluish green color

Orange

• Tangerine: bright orange color
• Apricot: yellowish orange color
• Peach: orange-yellow color

Pink

• Coral: deep pinkish orange color
• Fuchsia: deep pink color
• Magenta: purplish pink

Purple

• Mauve: pale purplish color
• Lilac: pale pinkish-purple color
• Amethyst: bluish purple

Red

• Crimson: the color of blood
• Burgundy: deep red color
• Chestnut: reddish brown color

White

• Pearl: pale grayish white color
• Ivory: creamy white
• Lily: pale

Yellow

• Gold: rich yellow hue
• Lemon: pale yellow color
• Saffron: bright orange-yellow color

Keep in mind though: sometimes simple can be better. Don't use flowery language merely for the sake of using flowery language. As Hemingway would say, "Write one page of masterpiece versus 91 pages of garbage."

What do you think? Do you often see colors or phrases that seem overused in writing? Let us know!

This post is by Sunday O'Brien, a guest blogger from My Dog Ate My Blog. O'Brien has also written about online colleges for Guide to Online Schools.

Interested in contributing a guest blog post of your own? Check out the guest blogger guidelines.

Open Thread: Dealing with Writer Envy

Earlier this week, I wrote about participating in the writing community by helping others. But there is a darker side to these connections, and that’s the ugly green monster that often rears its misshapen head when good things happen to other people.

I admit I’ve occasionally had feelings of jealousy towards other writers, but most of the time I’m pretty Zen about it. That’s because I’m in a place where I’ve had plenty of success stories (and hope to have many more) and know that there are plenty of words and bylines to go around.

In fact, most of the time when an essay blows me away or I get goose bumps from someone’s narrative style, it actually challenges me to write with more passion, clarity, or vitality.

How do you deal with jealous or resentment? Have you found a way to use those feelings to fuel your own writing?

Help, Don’t Hinder, Fellow Freelance Writers

When I tell people I teach a class on freelance writing and wrote an eBook with tips for fellow writers, the common response is “great, but don’t you worry about creating even more competition for yourself?”

Not really.

That’s not to say I’m arrogant enough to believe I’m untouchable. Far from it. However, I gladly dole out advice via this blog and my eBook, share leads via email and Twitter, and participate in forums.

Here are several reasons why it actually makes sense to cozy up the competition (if you choose to see them that way – I see them more as colleagues) and help your fellow freelancers.

• Realistically, one person can’t do it all.
Even with the challenges of the changing media landscape, there are plenty of opportunities to go around if you’re resourceful and hard working. I’m not always the right person for every freelance gig, and I’d much rather help someone else find a gig that’s the perfect fit for them than deal with the frustration a project that isn’t quite right for me. After all, each writer offers a slightly different set of ideas and experiences. When someone lands a great gig, it’s a triumph for them and also a mini-triumph for us knowing that great projects are still out there (and perhaps that we helped a little).

• Sharing fosters a sense of community.
Writing and freelancing are two very solitary activities. However, chatting with other writers and creative types via email or Twitter makes it feel less isolating. More experienced writers have helped me because of their desire to participate in the broader writing community. It’s like blogging: you can have great content, but it’s often when you start linking to others and participating in the larger conversation that things really start to take off.

• Helping others positions you as someone in the know.
Full disclosure: when I see a listing for something that screams “Apply for me, Susan!! You are the one we want,” I don’t broadcast the link all over Twitter. A girl’s gotta earn a living, after all. But I frequently share ads for great-sounding gigs that are outside my areas of expertise or my geographic area. Emailing it to someone else or sharing on a forum also lets others know that I’m plugged into the industry. As a fringe benefit, I’ve been interviewed, invited to guest post, and spoken on panels as a result of this reputation.

• It’s just good business and good karma.
Smart business-people know they can’t afford to ignore (or worse, alienate) competitors. When you offer someone a juicy bit of advice or throw them a useful lead, it’s more likely that they’ll do the same for you in the future. Even if that person doesn’t offer up help in the future, the universe often has a way of rewarding people who help out others. Case in point: a few years ago, when business was slow and it seemed like my marketing efforts were going nowhere, I devoted some of my extra time to volunteering. Business eventually picked up (and stayed busy). Certainly my marketing tasks played a role, but I suspect there was also a bit of karmic turn-around.

Now, there is a limit to how much help you can reasonably be expected to give. If someone requests information that’s readily available elsewhere or asks to name-drop with an editor and you aren’t comfortable with that, you can politely steer them elsewhere. But overall, I’m a big believer in spreading around the wealth.

What do you think? How much are you willing to help other freelancers and what are your reasons for doing so?

Flickr photo courtesy of Eduardo Deboni