When you specialize, you have a background in your subject area that makes it faster to research queries, articles, blog posts, books, you name it. Take that concept a little further and you have today's Hot Freelance Tip of the Day: Wring Every Idea Dry.
Early in my freelance career, I pitched and wrote stories about a lot of different topics--everything from animal dissection alternatives to modular learning stations for high schools to charity car shows. Each story took a significant amount of time to research and write, yet I never wrote about the topic again. Bad idea. Once I started wringing my ideas dry, I cut my research and writing time, became more efficient, and made more money.
If you're new to the idea of reslanting, I've written before about the 5-Step Method to Reslant Every Idea. The bottom line is that I try to never write a one-shot, or cover a subject only one time. I'll repurpose it by coming up with a new angle, a fresh spin, or a different approach to another market. I may not be able to do this right away, but I'll watch for a news item, study, or other time peg that lets me pitch the subject to a new market.
***Last chance to enter the giveaway for a free, signed copy of Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success.
Remember my Query Critique Week from last year? Well, I'm doing it again during the month of June. I'll offer personalized feedback on a select number of pitches here on the blog. Here's how to play:
1. Send your one-page query to kelly at becomebodywise.com by Wednesday, June 6, 2012. Make sure you put "Query Critique Week" in the subject line.
2. Cross your fingers and hope that your query gets picked to be critiqued here on my blog. (I'll only be able to choose a few.) And don't worry, I won't identify the writer of the query. I would, however, like permission to include some of them in an upcoming ebook on writing more powerful successful queries.
3. Tune in throughout June for ongoing query critiques!
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