You know you've got writing talent. Others enjoy your work and you've even sold a few things. You'd like to turn that writing talent into full-time freelancing but you don't enough clients yet. You need to toot your own horn!
The problem is that we writers often aren't very good at telling others how wonderful we are and how well we write. We'd much rather be writing than marketing ourselves, but market we must.
These six actions are relatively painless, and they work:
1. Get a business card that says you're a writer. You can get 250 premium quality, color business cards FREE from VistaPrint. Try some titles like this:
Anne Wayman
Freelance Writer or
John Smith
Technical Writer
or even:
Anne Wayman
Writer/Coach/Ghostwriter
Make sure your phone number, email address and website are also on the card.
2. Use your business card! They do no good sitting in a box on the shelf or tucked away in your wallet.
Make sure you have some every time you leave the house, and don't hesitate to hand them out.
Leave them with your tip at restaurants. Hand out one or two when someone asks you what you do. Give them to the bank teller and when you pay for purchases at a store.
You can also stick them in invoices, when you're paying your bills and even to post on likely bulletin boards around town. If your day job requires the use of a card, hand out both. You simply never know who needs a writer or knows someone who needs a writer.
3. Make sure your email signature either links to your website and/or says you're a writer. It doesn't have to be fancy. In fact it's better if you keep it to three or four lines, but make sure it's on every single email. I've gotten good paying jobs because of my email signature.
4. Get your own website with your own domain name! See Do You Need a Web Site? for more details.
5. Your business account checks should say that you're a writer - usually under your name. Every time you pay a bill, you're also sending out a mini-ad.
6. Speak up! When someone asks you what you do, tell them you're a writer, even if writing isn't yet your main source of income. The more comfortable you are saying "I'm a writer," the more likely you are to stumble into some business, so practice.
Although there is a great deal more you can do to market yourself, these basics will accomplish at least two important things:
* You'll get used to thinking of yourself as a writer, and,
* The world will begin to think of you as a writer
So get out there, and toot your own horn, again and again. It's magic.
Write well and often!
Anne Wayman, Writer, Writing Coach, Ghostwriter
http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com
If your writing muscle isn't in shape, writing a novel... Read More
One of the most common weaknesses I see in day-to-day... Read More
Dave, I just got a contract for a book... Read More
Not long ago, I took stock of my unrealized desire... Read More
What a lack of research could do to you.When creating... Read More
Ever wonder why we refer to convincing an editor a... Read More
Readers often send me interesting and exciting e-mails about the... Read More
The creativity of Jaisini is not designed to be preaching... Read More
Think of writing like karate...it's about DISCIPLINE.Writing, like other forms... Read More
1. PLAY A GAME LIKE SOLITAIRE....for half an hour or... Read More
Writer's block! Even columnist Dave Berry has it. He admits... Read More
Structure in the form of frameworks, work processes and goals... Read More
In most aspects of business, we will be expected to... Read More
Nothing is more daunting for any writer than having to... Read More
'Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented... Read More
Every hero has a seminal insight - the apotheosis. Once... Read More
One of the best ways to blow someone's winning streak... Read More
You've finished your story, and you're pretty happy with it.... Read More
One of the biggest problems that inexperienced writers have is... Read More
As an aspiring or an established entrepreneur, you are an... Read More
Effective screenwriting relies on the good understanding and use of... Read More
These 8 tips on using characters in your stories will... Read More
Punctuation, when used creatively, is powerful. Note, however, that when... Read More
"I don't know if I should put 'writer' on my... Read More
Everyone has a unique story to tell. From explaining business... Read More
Bonnie Chicago charter limousine ..More and more good authors are turning to the Internet... Read More
Building a new website can be extremely exciting. Seeing your... Read More
----------------------------------------------------------Permission is granted for the below article to forward,reprint, distribute,... Read More
Fiction manuscripts receive feedback that addresses and scores:? The theme... Read More
Traditionally, business writing uses the "one thing after another" format,... Read More
If you are an aspiring writer, or you simply want... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?What a plot is and what a... Read More
Whether you are working for a small business, large corporation,... Read More
Writer's block! Even columnist Dave Berry has it. He admits... Read More
Have you ever started a creative writing project with great... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?It should.A theme is a one-line explanation... Read More
The writing community is a strong one, with many new... Read More
I started writing as a way of keeping safe memories... Read More
My article this issue is an excerpt from a book... Read More
The process of developing a working title for your nonfiction... Read More
A certified proofreader is one that has taken a few... Read More
How many times have you checked out a job board... Read More
You wrote a tips booklet. Maybe more than one. Oh... Read More
Weather posting a page to your Website, writing a letter... Read More
1) Convince yourself you want to do something else. If... Read More
While novels do not usually attempt to convey concepts about... Read More
Q: How do I expand on an idea without getting... Read More
No user manual? Surely you jest!It may seem comical, but... Read More
Do you have trouble getting your thoughts and ideas down... Read More
How to get a lot of traffic to your website... Read More
Writing |