freelance writing

5 Sources for Free Online Writing Training

Usually we think of hitting the books in the fall, as students around the world head back to school. However, autumn can be a hectic time for freelancers as their editors and clients return to the office and ramp up holiday marketing efforts or plan content for the next several months.

If you have any downtime this holiday season, then it could be your chance to brush up on your reporting skills, learn a new tech tool, or otherwise boost your writing chops. Here’s a roundup of places that offer free training opportunities for writers, marketers, and journalists. I may write a follow up piece listing training opportunities that cost money, so if you have a favorite online class, be sure to leave a link in the comments section.

Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism
I’ve tuned into several Reynolds Center webinars and gotten tons of useful information on slanting stories or reporting on local businesses. If you cover business–even if you’ve been on the beat for awhile–I highly recommend these webinars. In fact, they’re offering one on Quick-Hit Business Investigations next week.
Freelance Writer’s Den Open House Calls
Den Mother Carol Tice has invited me to appear on her monthly open house calls, which cover a variety of freelance writing topics including social media marketing, idea generation, and various writing niches. If you listen in real-time, you might win a door prize or get your questions answered, but I often download the recordings to my iPhone so I can listen while I’m folding laundry or running errands. The next Open House Call is slated for December 8 and covers effective email prospecting with Ed Gandia of The Wealthy Freelancer.
iTunes U
iTunes U includes recordings of journalism courses from several prestigious journalism programs including Oxford, Yale, and Poynter Institute. This platform’s course offerings are vast, so it’s also an opportunity to further your subject matter expertise, learning more about, for instance, international relations, the stock market, or healthcare policy. These are also handy for listening on long car trips, train rides, etc., if you’re traveling over the holidays.
Internet Marketing for Smart People
This 20-part, email-based course from the smartypants behind the popular blog Copyblogger covers the four pillars of online marketing success: relationships, direct response copywriting, content marketing, and having something worth selling. I have all the messages in my in-box, and I’m hoping to set aside some time later this month to read through them. (Such is the challenge with email courses, isn’t it?)
The Knight Digital Media Center’s Multimedia Skill Tutorial
In addition to their week-long boot camps at UC-Berkeley, the Knight Digital Media Center offers a free multimedia skill tutorial available online. These self-paced tutorial covers web design tools, audio recording, video editing, storyboarding, and more. I haven’t gone through all the tutorials yet, but it’s on my to-do list.

What about you? Is there an online training program for copywriters or journalists that you’d add to this list?

Photo courtesy of Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed Under: freelance writing, writing Tagged With: Freelance Writer's Den, Internet Marketing for Smart People, iTunes U, Knight Digital Media Center, Reynolds Center

8 Ways Freelancers Can Show Gratitude

By Susan Johnston 20 Comments

A few days ago, I received an unexpected package: a box of goodies from Good Karmal along with a note of thanks from a fellow freelancer. It was a very sweet way to show appreciation, and with Thanksgiving approaching, it got me thinking about how freelancers can express gratitude to our clients, our colleagues, and others in our lives. Here’s a list of eight ways

Write a note.
I’m a sucker for pretty stationery, so I’ll use almost any excuse to buy a card on Etsy or break out my collection of paper goods. I may not have the best handwriting in the world, but I always enjoy getting a handwritten note, so I’d imagine other people do as well, especially since so much of our communication is via email or text nowadays. I recently got a nice card from an author who interviewed me for her upcoming book. And sometimes I’ll find a handwritten notes sandwiched inside a galley or a review copy of a book. Hint: if you don’t have someone’s mailing address, you might be able to find it at the bottom of their email newsletter, since CAN-SPAM requires emailers to include a physical address. Or you could just ask.
Send a small gift.
Who doesn’t enjoy caramels with inspirational sayings on the wrappers? The Good Karmels were a nice surprise, but other small gifts work, too. After a Twitter follower spent some time helping me with a technical glitch in my ebook, I sent him an Amazon gift card (bonus: you don’t need someone’s physical address to email them a gift card). Books also make great gifts for the literary-minded and they’re inexpensive to ship via media mail, so I’ll sometimes send a friend a book they might enjoy just because.
Link liberally.
Bloggers want links. Journalists want eyeballs on their articles. When I come across something worth sharing, I’ll link to it on my blog, post it on Facebook or Google +, or tweet it. Linking is good karma, but it’s also a great way for your friends or followers to discover interesting content. For instance, I recently saw an interesting post on successful mom bloggers and another on ways to find new freelance clients.
Leave a comment.
Comments make a blogger’s day! Although negative comments can show that the article or post sparked debate and attracted attention (and yes, some bloggers post controversial statements specifically for this reason), I prefer to play nice. You might disagree with someone, but keep it respectful.
Offer a testimonial or referral.
Testimonials offer social proof, while referrals keep many freelancers and small businesses afloat. If, for instance, you’re partnering with a graphic designer who does an awesome job on a brochure, you could write them a recommendation on LinkedIn or refer them to some of your other clients. Remember, though, just because some asks for a testimonial or referral doesn’t mean you have to give it. And if someone writes a lukewarm testimonial or refers you to a prospect who isn’t quite right, you can always graciously decline.
Give a #FollowFriday shout out.
If you’re on a Twitter, then you’ve probably noticed people using hashtags like #FollowFriday or #FF towards the end of the week. The idea is to make recommendations about who to follow on Twitter, but in my opinion, it’s turned into a whole lot of noise. That’s why I choose just one person to highlight each week and include a short tidbit about why they’re worth following.
Buy a book.
I’ve already posted about ways that readers can help their favorite authors, and #1 was (of course) buying their book. Buy copies for yourself, give them as gifts, donate them to your local library if you can. Books have gotten pricier, but if you think about them relative to other types of entertainment, they’re pretty affordable on an hourly basis. And once you’re done with it, you can keep it to reread, pass along to a friend, or swap it on a site like BookMooch.
Post a review.
I sometimes feel guilty for not buying the full-price, hardcover edition of all my colleagues’ latest books. So, for instance, when Amazon was offering a free Kindle download of a fellow freelancers’ new book, I downloaded the Kindle version and posted a review on Amazon (mentioning that I knew her, of course).

What do you think? Anything else you’d add to this list?

Flickr image courtesy of woodleywonderworks

Filed Under: freelance writing Tagged With: gratitude, thank you

12 Places to Find Freelance Writing Gigs

By Susan Johnston 12 Comments

Many people will tell you the best way to land decent-paying freelance writing gigs is through networking. I agree, but if you’re just starting out, then you may not have much of a network to work with or samples to show off.

That’s why I’ve updated this list of places to look for freelance writing gigs. These site run the gamut from copyediting to creative writing and everything in between, so you may have to scroll through a few before you find the one that fits your needs.

Before you respond to an online ad, watch out for these red flags and always use your best judgement before starting a new project. My rule of thumb when responding to ads is to only respond when the ad gives lots of specifics that fit my skills and interests. Otherwise, it’s just too broad to be worth my time.

CraigsList.org
A healthy dose of skepticism is key when you’re not sure who you’re dealing with, but you can find legit writing gigs on Craig’s List (I’ve done it, and many others have, too). Look under gigs and don’t limit yourself to your local edition, since you’ll be working remotely. Another strategy I’ve used is posting a services ad instead of responding to ads.
CreativeHotList.com
CHL is most useful to copywriters, copyeditors, and those who write for interactive media (graphic designers and web developers will find plenty of gigs, too). But it’s worth putting up a free profile with some samples so that companies and recruiters can find you. When I posted my profile a few years ago, I got half a dozen or so inquiries (none of the gigs were right for me, but it was worth a shot).
Ed2010.com/jobs/whisperjobs
Also lists fact checking, proofreading, and editing gigs, some of them full time or geographically specific. But when they list freelance writing opportunities, they’re usually good ones that you won’t find elsewhere.
FreelanceDaily.net
I used to pay $3.95/month for this email service, and I think it’s safe to say that I earned backed subscription price several times over. Sure, there’s a little overlap with the other freelance job sites, but there are usually a few other jobs that slip under the radar.
FreelanceSuccess.com
Freelance Success (FLX to those in the know) publishes a weekly newsletter covering a decent paying freelance market in depth (usually the markets pay at least $.50/word). Plus, you can read the archives and get referrals from other members using the forums. Membership is $99/year, so I would suggest this for serious writers who are full time or considering full-time freelancing.
FreelanceWritingGigs.com
Get your daily dose of writing and blogging tips, gigs, and more. This blog aggregates new job listings every weekday morning and has a huge freelance following, so be sure to read the articles and comments.
GorkanaJobs.com
If you’re a business or finance writer looking for your next gig, then be sure to bookmark Gorkana Jobs. You could also sign up for their newsletter, which announces editorial changes, conferences, events, and writing opportunities. In fact, I started profiling for entrepreneurs for Portfolio.com after reading a listing in Gorkana’s email newsletter!
JournalismJobs.com
This site has a special section devoted to freelance gigs, and I landed a very juicy ongoing gig by answering an ad in that section.
LinkedIn
Sometimes you’ll see freelance gigs posted in the jobs section, but if you see a full-time job that fits your skillset, you could always apply and see if they’re interested in working with freelancers, either in the interim while they fill that position or as a long-term strategy to supplement their full time staff.
MediaBistro.com/joblistings
This tends to be mainly full-time media jobs, but you can set an alert so you’ll automatically get an email when new jobs get posted that meet your search parameters. MediaBistro also has great content about pitching specific publications and general media topics.
WritersMarket.com
I like to do my own market research (that way I learn about the publication in the process), but many writers swear by this website, because the listings are comprehensive and you can search by all kinds of different criteria. Plus, the web version is more up-to-date than the print one.
WritersWeekly.com
Here you’ll find lots of great articles on writing for print and web. Check the “Whispers and Warnings” section for the dirt on delinquent publishers and the “Paying Markets and Freelance Section” for, well, you get the idea… Updates are published on Wednesdays.

Have you used any of these sites? Or do you have others to add? Leave a comment and let me know!

Photo courtesy of graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed Under: freelance writing Tagged With: craigslist, journalism jobs

The Freelance Writer’s Interview Checklist

By Susan Johnston 8 Comments

Ever hung up with a source and realized you’d forgotten to ask a key question? Hate it when that happens! I appreciate my source’s time and I know they’re busy, so I try to make interviews run as efficiently as possible.

As much as possible, I compile follow up questions and ask them all at once instead of annoying the $#%& out of them with lots of piecemeal questions. (Sometimes this is unavoidable if your story goes through several layers of editing.)

I also created this checklist to make sure I’m covering all my bases. Obviously, this varies depending on the publication and the nature of your article, but hopefully this will provide a good starting point.

If you’re using an audio recorder, always test your recorder in advance and get your source’s permission to record.
Confirm the spelling of the source’s name. If they use a nickname like Mike or Susie or Jim, ask if they’d prefer to be referenced by their formal name or the nickname and make note of this when filing the article.
Collect information on age, occupation, and hometown for “real people” sources and job title, company, and any relevant books or professionals affiliations for expert sources.
If your editor wants you to gather headshots or other photos from sources, it’s often a good idea to ask for photos while you have your source on the phone so you don’t have to track them down later.
Never promise to include links or mention someone’s book. When someone tries to pressure me, I usually just say, “that’s up to my editor, I can’t promise anything.”
Ask if there’s anything you didn’t bring up during the interview that would be relevant to the topic.
Ask who else you should interview and whether there are other trends or issues happening in that industry or topic area. This could lead to future ideas.
Explain the editorial process and encourage them to return calls from your editor or fact-checker (I’ve had sources ignore these calls thinking they’d already talked to me, so they were all set – publishers hate this!). Also mention that you might be in touch with follow up questions and find out if they prefer phone or email and if they’re planning to be out of touch in the next few weeks.
Thank them and let them know that you’ll send a copy of the article when it appears. Often I don’t know when that will be, so I explain that a variety of factors are in play and I’ll keep them in the loop.

What do you think? Anything you’d add to this list?

Image courtesy of graur codrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed Under: freelance writing