tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79561766344740512202024-03-18T20:14:36.044-07:00Dollars and DeadlinesFor nonfiction freelancers who want to make more money in less timeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.comBlogger521125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-77112753769188957902019-01-21T10:55:00.001-08:002019-01-25T10:54:55.412-08:0010 Questions You Must Ask Before You Hire a Ghostwriter <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: -1px;">So, you're thinking of writing a book--but lack the time, ability, or both to do so? Like many would-be authors, you may be considering hiring a ghostwriter. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The question is--how? Do you post on <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2010/10/clients-clowns-and-craigslist-searching.html" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">craigslist</a>--and then try to weed through dozens or even hundreds of responses? Or Google to find the right person? Regardless of how you winnow your list, I suggest you ask the following questions of a potential ghostwriter:<br /><br /><b>1. How many <i>published</i> books have you ghostwritten or coauthored?</b> </span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Be wary of ghosts who only have a few credits to their names. You want an experienced ghost who has ghosted books before--in general, the more, the better. At the minimum, you want a ghost who has authored and published his or her own books.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><b>2. How many different publishers have you worked with? </b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">The more publishers a ghost has worked with, the better. Every editor and every house is different, so a ghost who has worked with different ones has more experience pleasing different editors--and meeting their requirements--than someone with less experience.<br /><br /><b>3. Have you worked with authors who have chosen</b> </span><a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2010/11/five-good-reasons-to-go-pod.html" style="background-color: white; color: #666699;" target="_blank">POD,</a><b> or print-on-demand, publishers as opposed to traditional publishers? </b><br />Many authors decide to use a POD publisher instead of pursuing a traditional publisher. If that's the case, hire a ghost who has worked with clients who chose that route. An experienced ghost can also advise you on the right publishing package to buy from a POD company--and which things, like YouTube videos costing thousands of dollars to help "promote" your book--that are a waste of money.<br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><b>4. How much do you charge? </b></span><br />I've seen a trend (disturbing to a ghost like myself) of clients wanting to pay as little as possible for a book. Well, you get what you pay for. Depending on the scope of work, experienced ghosts typically charge in the range of $20,000 to $50,000+ to ghostwrite a book. If you think you'll find someone who will do it for significantly less than that (and forget about working for a "share of royalties" or some other nebulous promise), you can expect less-than-professional work. (Can't afford that? Consider writing your book on your own, and hire a <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2010/05/why-invisible-authors-can-make-more.html" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">developmental editor</a> instead.)<br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><b>5. Can you show me samples of published work? </b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">While your voice is unique and a ghost will capture it, you want to see samples of his published work. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><b>6. What's your background? Have you written about the subject of my book before? </b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">One of the reasons I ghost books about health, wellness, fitness, nutrition, and psychology is because I've been writing about those subjects for more than 19 years. As a result, I have a deep background in these topics, and as an ACE-certified personal trainer and I know much more about fitness than the average writer. If you're writing a book about real estate, you want a ghostwriter who knows what "comps" and "curb appeal" mean. If your book is a memoir, you want a ghost who specializes in true-life stories. And if you're writing a cookbook, you may want a ghost who has experience developing recipes or meal plans. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><b>7. How do you typically work with clients? </b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Some ghosts like to spend a lot of time on the phone with clients; others (like me) work almost exclusively via </span>email. In general, the more phone time and back and forth, the more your ghostwriter will charge. Make sure to ask how the ghostwriter typically works with clients, and consider whether that jibes with how you want to proceed. <br /><br /><b>8. Can I see your ghostwriting <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2011/01/month-of-templates-coauthoring-contract.html" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">contract?</a> </b><br />An experienced ghostwriter will have a standard contract; make sure you read it carefully before you sign and pay a retainer.<br /><span style="background-color: white;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="background-color: white;"><b>9. What kind of work can you perform for me? </b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">In some cases, you may provide all of </span>the material your ghostwriter needs to write your book. In others, you may want your ghost to do background research, conduct interviews, and do other work in addition to writing. If that's the case, you'll want a ghostwriter who <span style="background-color: white;">has a journalism or freelancing background. If your ghost can conduct independent research for you, that will save you time in the long run. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="background-color: white;"><b>10. Can you give me the names of former clients? </b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white;">An experienced ghost should have plenty of satisfied clients who will recommend him or her. (At this point in my career, 95 percent of my work comes from personal referrals.) If you're planning to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a book, it's worth it to vet your potential ghost. If you're not happy with what you learn, continue your search </span><span style="background-color: white;">for the right ghost for your project.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br />**Kelly K. James ghostwrites books for a variety of clients, primarily those in the health, wellness, fitness, nutrition, and psychology fields. She's also the author of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks/dp/0988818507/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414415844&sr=8-1&keywords=goodbye+byline%2C+hello+big+bucks" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks, Second Edition: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More</a>. </i></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-21791434604601950162017-06-30T09:54:00.001-07:002017-06-30T09:54:31.540-07:00Writer's Anxiety: The Curse of the Freelancing Mindset<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had lunch with the awesome Cindy Kuzma, an extremely talented and successful freelancer, yesterday and we were talking about the anxiety-producing nature of freelancing. When you're busy with (well-paying) work, it's all good. You may be anxious about meeting your deadlines, but you're not anxious about whether you're making enough money. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then you hit a slowdown. And that anxiety starts ticking back up. That inner voice kicks in, muttering in my ear: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>What were you thinking? Why didn't you market more last month? What if that book deal doesn't come through? Why haven't you signed another book deal yet? Why haven't you heard back from that client? How are you going to pay off your broken-arm bills? Why is your health insurance so shitty? What happens if your insurance rates climb even higher? How are you going to save for retirement? Are you even going to be </i>able<i> to retire? Geez, why did you get divorced? At least you had health insurance and money for retirement. Now it's all up to you. And your'e single...are you ever going to meet someone awesome again? Why are there so many weirdos online? Why didn't that guy from the Y ever ask you out? He probably thinks you're nuts. What are you going to do about your career? Maybe you shouldn't be self-employed anymore. What if you get sick? What if you break your arm again? Maybe you should get a full-time job. Yeah, then you'd have health insurance. But then you'd have to put on clothes and sit at a desk all day and what about the kids? Isn't freedom the biggest reason you decided to freelance anyway? Maybe your time as a freelancer is at an end. Accept it. There are worse things. Maybe you should go back to practicing law. But you hated being a lawyer...boy, you're screwed. Maybe you should go back to Trader Joe's. Remember, there's that 10 percent discount...and they'd let you wear overalls...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That inner voice is hard to quiet. (And by the way, I don't know about yours, but only rarely does my inner voice sing my proverbial praises. Sure, once in a while, my inner voice tells me I'm awesome. Usually it's more along the lines of "by the way, you suck.")</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And while I've had work slowdowns before (it's part of freelancing), I'm finding that being slow feels very different now that I'm a single parent. When I was married, slowdowns still sucked. I worried about my the state (and future of) my career, and peripherally, about what I was making or not making. Now, with a 12-year-old and a 7-year-old and a mortgage and a cat and a puppy and a carnie goldfish that has survived for seven days against all odds and ridiculously high insurance premiums (and I'm healthy!), that money worry is no longer peripheral. It's right smack in my face. That drumbeat of "need money, need money, must make money" is a real thing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It doesn't help that I am by nature anxious. What I thought for decades was "energy" was actually anxiety. I was an anxious little kid, an anxious teen, an anxious adult. So what did I do? <b>I chose a career (self-employed writer) that is, by its very nature, anxiety-producing.</b> Whether I am anxious about tackling an assignment for a new-to-me client or anxious about meeting a deadline or anxious about making enough money to pay my mortgage, feed my kids, and yeah, save for retirement, or anxious about everything else, it's pretty much a given that there will be some chronic, low-grade distress going on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And you know what? That's okay. Because <b>I still choose to freelance.</b> I'd still rather have the freedom and the flexibility and the ability to be my own boss and yeah, the anxiety, than go "in-house" and work for someone else...at least right now. I am considering part-time work, and am staying open to all possibilities. But the biggest thing I'm doing is controlling what I can, and that means marketing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I harnessed that anxiety and spent yesterday afternoon sending out some LOIs and follow-ups. I have a whole slew of contacts to circle back with next week as well. And I finished two assignments this morning, and locked down an editing job for the next few weeks that relieves my money anxiety at least temporarily. I've been doing this long enough to accept <b>anxiety is part of the business. Figuring out how to make it work for you is what makes you successful at it. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">**New to the blog? Welcome! If you're </span><span style="color: #333333;">serious about making your freelance writing business a money-maker, I suggest <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">my freelance classic, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a>. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">If you're more interested in getting into ghostwriting and content marketing, I suggest<i style="line-height: 19px;"> </i></span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a>. </i><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">If you're brand-new to freelancing, </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a> </i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">walks you through the process of launching your freelance career</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. </span></span><br /><br />Finally, if you like your books full of shorter pieces, check out a different format--<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Writer-Hire-Secrets-Freelance-Success-ebook/dp/B007O2DYBY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1419373442" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success</a></i> is divided into five broad sections to help you make more money regardless of what kind of nonfiction writing you do. </span></span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-71949640230376990452017-05-29T09:01:00.001-07:002017-05-29T09:01:56.858-07:00Know Your Worth...and Stand Your Ground<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What's your ideal freelance work mix? For me, it's to be working on a book for a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks/dp/0988818507/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496072856&sr=8-1&keywords=goodbye+byline" target="_blank">ghostwriting </a>client with a mix of shorter content (mostly health and fitness) for corporations and content agencies thrown in as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course we can't always have our ideal. At the moment, my work funnel is nearly empty. (That means the coming week's priorities are <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2013/11/market-constantly-key-to-freelance.html" target="_blank">marketing</a>, marketing, and marketing.) Part of the issue is that I've had several potential book projects die on the vine. So I was excited to learn about a possible gig. It's the type of ghostwriting I do; I like the potential client; this particular book has lots of potential; and my calendar is looking empty at the moment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What's being offered, and what I charge to ghostwrite a book proposal--at the moment at least--are way too far apart to go forward. And I'm frustrated. I'd love the project, and I know I'm a good fit for it. And did I mention that work funnelI?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a new freelancer, I would probably just sucked it up and taken the gig. But that's not how I work today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a look at my thought process: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. I know what I charge for a <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2013/07/want-to-write-book-proposal-but-have-no.html" target="_blank">book proposal</a>--typically between $5,000 and $8,000 (though I've charged as much as $15,000 for one that grew to 100+ pages and took more than six months to write).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. I know what a well-written book proposal is worth. (At least to the clients I work for.) And that, not surprisingly, is between $5,000 and $8,000. See how that works out?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. The potential client has tried, and can't write the proposal on his or her own. Which means the client has to hire a ghost to make the book go forward.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. I know from reviewing the material that it will take some time and work (probably four to six weeks) to create a compelling, giant-advance-grabbing book proposal. And while I'm willing to make that happen, that stretch of time means I can't take on another proposal or any other big projects. That's <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2010/11/opportunity-cost-and-how-to-measure-it.html" target="_blank">opportunity cost</a>, which is factored into deciding whether to take on a big project.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Finally, and just as important, what I do as a ghost (and what we all do as freelancers) has value. If a potential client doesn't value the work I do, that doesn't set the stage for mutual respect and a positive working relationship. And when you ghostwrite a book for a client, those elements are essential.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sure, it's hard to turn down work, especially when there's backend potential. But as a freelancer, you have to know your value, and be willing to say "no" if you and your client can't agree on it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So if you're a new freelancer, think about what you charge. Know your bottom line--and know <i>why</i> that's your bottom line. Be prepared to back it up. It will make you a better negotiator, and help you make more money in the meantime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">**New to the blog? Welcome! If you're </span><span style="color: #333333;">serious about making your freelance writing business a money-maker, I suggest <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">my freelance classic, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a>. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">If you're more interested in getting into ghostwriting and content marketing, I suggest<i style="line-height: 19px;"> </i></span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a>. </i><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">If you're brand-new to freelancing, </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a> </i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">walks you through the process of launching your freelance career</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. </span></span><br /><br />Finally, if you like your books full of shorter pieces, check out a different format--<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Writer-Hire-Secrets-Freelance-Success-ebook/dp/B007O2DYBY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1419373442" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success</a></i> is divided into five broad sections to help you make more money regardless of what kind of nonfiction writing you do. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-69020633779841516452017-05-23T13:50:00.000-07:002017-05-23T13:50:06.391-07:00The Easiest Way to Crack Women's Magazines (and 8 Ways to Do It Well)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJq5-6L_OjZSjdFTlNNehl8BRQ2zCTaoiGPW3jfvj7mgDo8iPEaq7zYUU3s7R7lTNZU59XUVWqDueowFVnJ6zdsYHfMFBzZHqt4dHssH8zjTaZxU4AO-POFQscagkiI__W1SSBAxG-HUA4/s1600/0523familycircle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJq5-6L_OjZSjdFTlNNehl8BRQ2zCTaoiGPW3jfvj7mgDo8iPEaq7zYUU3s7R7lTNZU59XUVWqDueowFVnJ6zdsYHfMFBzZHqt4dHssH8zjTaZxU4AO-POFQscagkiI__W1SSBAxG-HUA4/s320/0523familycircle.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I started my freelance career two decades ago writing for women's magazines. My first sale was to <i>Cosmopolitan</i>; after that, I wrote for publications including <i>Woman's Day, Family Circle, Self, Shape</i>, <i>Redbook, Fitness, Fit,</i> and <i>Woman's World</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had several reasons for doing so. First off, I was familiar with some of the publications already. I'd been reading mags like <i>Cosmo</i> and <i>Shape</i> for years before I pitched them. I knew what topics the magazines covered and what kind of stories that editors were likely to be interested in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But even more important, these magazines paid well, and used plenty of freelance material. While some sections of the mags might be produced in-house, the majority of them relied on freelancers for short <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2010/11/best-place-for-new-writers-to-pitch.html" target="_blank">FOB (front-of-the-book)</a> pieces, departments, and longer features. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While a lot has changed in 20 years, some things haven't. Women's magazines still work with lots of freelancers, and while some of their contracts request all rights, they pay in the $2/word range. Plus, there's still some cachet to writing for these big publications, and they make impressive clips when you're starting out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Best news of all? There's any easy way to crack these markets, even when you're short on clips. That was the message I heard from editors from <i>Family Circle, Woman's Day</i>, and <i>First for Women</i> when I moderated a panel on women's magazines at this year's annual ASJA writer's conference. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The answer? Pitch "real women" stories. Editors from all three magazines said they're always looking for compelling pieces about real-life women, and these stories are often difficult to find. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, what sells? When pitching a "real woman" piece to a woman's magazine, keep these factors in mind: </span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The woman you profile should fit within the magazine's readers' demographics.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The woman should have a compelling story to share. Consider the challenge she faced, how she overcame it, and the takeaway for the reader. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even if the story is sad, there should be some kind of positive or uplifting aspect to it. (Generally speaking, women's magazine readers aren't looking for depressing reads.) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Send a photo of the person along with the pitch. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Look for people who haven't been covered in national media (local media is usually fine). </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If pitching a story about more than one woman--say four women who have successfully started their own at-home businesses--strive for diversity in terms of age, race, geographic location, etc. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tell your friends and family members you're looking for possible story ideas. The bigger the net you cast, the more likely you are to find possible stories. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If one market doesn't say "yes," try another. I pitched a story about a woman whose doctors didn't believe she was sick for years--until she was finally diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and successfully treated--to nine women's magazines and finally the ninth one assigned the story! </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hope you find these tips helpful to pitching, and selling to, women's magazines. Good luck with your pitches! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">**New to the blog? Welcome! If you're </span><span style="color: #333333;">serious about making your freelance writing business a money-maker, I suggest <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">my freelance classic, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a>. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">If you're more interested in getting into ghostwriting and content marketing, I suggest<i style="line-height: 19px;"> </i></span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a>. </i><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">If you're brand-new to freelancing, </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a> </i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">walks you through the process of launching your freelance career</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. </span></span><br /><br />Finally, if you like your books full of shorter pieces, check out a different format--<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Writer-Hire-Secrets-Freelance-Success-ebook/dp/B007O2DYBY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1419373442" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success</a></i> is divided into five broad sections to help you make more money regardless of what kind of nonfiction writing you do. </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-69916295046071413982017-05-11T09:39:00.000-07:002017-05-11T09:39:32.054-07:00We're ALL Vegetarians...Until the Burgers Arrive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnsQabyhFye8PuXhVontRTOQub4gylDrNN9TKuwZc22FtrKFPURtCeaoTBZW29CIMfBigJFVh6_xIlh3rFHQeJd_omQ1MQNe2Nj1UIBOYn50zTlXVhJLAg8KS04cKlN0pD4rE60AtG2nM/s1600/0511burgers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnsQabyhFye8PuXhVontRTOQub4gylDrNN9TKuwZc22FtrKFPURtCeaoTBZW29CIMfBigJFVh6_xIlh3rFHQeJd_omQ1MQNe2Nj1UIBOYn50zTlXVhJLAg8KS04cKlN0pD4rE60AtG2nM/s320/0511burgers.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At a panel on developing a lucrative side hustle at ASJA (moderated by the awesome Damon Brown), I talked about the importance of using your experience to set yourself apart from other writers. Book authors know we're talking about something called "platform," which in short can be described as '"who are you and how will you sell this book so that the publisher can make money with it". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Platform matters for writers of shorter content, too, whether you're pitching an article to a national magazine or sending an LOI to a content company. See, competition is stiff. You're competing against hundreds of thousands (more likely, millions) of other freelancers to get work. Oh no! Before you give up, though, consider that you're not competing against all of these writers at the same time, or for the same markets. Feel a little better? Good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The fact remains, though, that you're still competing against a fair number of them if you're writing for a market that pays well (or even decently). How do you stand out, especially as a new writer? By thinking about something that makes you unique...and something that has value to your potential client or editor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's what I mean. I'm a certified personal trainer. I have been since 2007. And I've trained clients as a lucrative (okay, not really) side gig. Hence my presence on the panel. But I am not training clients right this second. Fact is, I haven't trained a client for almost two years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But do I confess this in LOIs, or to editors or agents I meet with? Hell to the no! (I also don't mention that my street slang is typically about five years' behind what people actually say.) I point out that I'm an ACE-certified personal trainer, with a fairly deep background in fitness. Guess what? Most freelancers don't have that qualification. So it sets me apart from the mobs of writers who want to cover fitness. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Better yet, most trainers aren't writers. So, who is an editor going to think of when he or she needs a writer to cover something fitness related? Hopefully me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now if an editor point-blank asks me about whether I'm training clients currently, I'll fess up. I won't lie to get a gig. But it's okay to make an impression that helps you stand out in a very competitive field. You don't have to be doing something full-time, or part-time, or even occasionally to "claim" it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I said at the panel, "Am I training now? No. But can I say, 'I'm a trainer'? Of course. Hell, I can say I'm a vegetarian. Because right this minute, I am a vegetarian." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Well, we're ALL vegetarians!" added Damon. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To which I responded, "Yeah, we're all vegetarians...until the burgers arrive." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mmmmmm....burgers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oops, I digress. My point isn't to sway the vegetarians to eat burgers. (Though they are delicious once in a while. The burgers, not the veggies.) It's to claim something about your background, experience, or credentials that helps set you apart. That's what I call being unique qualified. It helps you nail assignments and makes you memorable. And most of the time, being memorable is good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;">**A big welcome to my new readers. If you're </span></span><span style="color: #333333;">serious about making your freelance writing business a money-maker, I suggest <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">my freelance classic, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a>. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">If you're more interested in getting into ghostwriting and content marketing, I suggest<i style="line-height: 19px;"> </i></span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a>. </i><br /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">If you're brand-new to freelancing, </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a> </i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">walks you through the process of launching your freelance career</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. </span></span><br /><br />Finally, if you like your books full of shorter pieces, check out a different format--<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Writer-Hire-Secrets-Freelance-Success-ebook/dp/B007O2DYBY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1419373442" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success</a></i> is divided into five broad sections to help you make more money regardless of what kind of nonfiction writing you do. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-63856749451994860732016-04-16T14:49:00.002-07:002016-04-16T14:49:42.157-07:00Six-Figure Freelancing: Upcoming Events (Chicago and New York) <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is making more money--even six figures--your goal as a freelancer? If you're in the Chicago area, come see me present on Six-Figure Freelancing at </span><a href="https://ocwwinfo7333.wildapricot.org/event-2189245" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Off-Campus Writers' Workshop</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> in Winnetka on Thursday, April 21 at 9:00 a.m. OCWW is a great organization for writers of all stripes, and I'll be happy to answer any questions you have about successful freelancing. Let me know if you're planning on coming!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'll also be moderating a panel on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-second/dp/0983663386?ie=UTF8&keywords=six-figure%20freelancing&qid=1460737268&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing </a>at this year's <a href="https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/147614" target="_blank">ASJA's annual writers conference in New York on May 20 and May 21</a>. (I've posted about <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2014/04/best-tips-from-2014-asja-conference.html" target="_blank">the annual conference before</a>: if you're serious about your work as a writer, it's <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2014/04/4-ways-to-get-more-from-asja-or-another.html" target="_blank">well worth the expense</a>.) making money as a writer You'll hear from three uber-successful freelancers: Damon Brown; Wendy Helfenbaum; and Jodi Helmer. Each has a very different career path but all have reached a level of success that many writers only dream of. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of the strategies I'll cover on Thursday include: </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Specializing.</b> Early in my career I took on any assignment, on any topic, that was offered to me. That helped me gain a lot of experience but meant that I spent a lot of time getting up to speed on topics as varied an animal dissection alternatives to community leadership schools to charity car shows to religious-based weight loss programs. Today I specialize in health, wellness, nutrition/diet, and fitness subjects (with a bit of psychology and self-help tossed in). It may limit my work opportunities a bit but makes me far more efficient in the long run. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Developing regular clients.</b> I have moved from doing mostly articles for print magazines to a mix of ghostwriting (mostly books and book proposals), content marketing, and blogging. I'm always looking for regular clients, however--those who will hire me more than once (and hopefully many times!) Even some of my ghostwriting clients have hired me to write more than one book for them, and that means I spend less time marketing myself. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Working efficiently.</b> Specializing and developing "regulars" is one way to to do this. Another is to use my time wisely. I use my mornings to write and save less challenging tasks (like doing interviews, sending queries, and doing background research) for the afternoons, when I'm not as focused. Sounds simple, but you'll get more done when you take advantage of your natural energy ebbs and flows. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Building relationships.</b> I do a lot of interviews even today, and always take the time to send personal thank-you notes to those I speak to. I also refer work I don't take on to other freelancers, and attend conferences like ASJA to meet not only agents, editors, and potential clients but other freelancers as well. Being connected means more than having a social media presence; it means having IRL (in real life) connections as well. </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "arial", "helvetica", sans-serif;">Let me know if I can hope to see you this coming Thursday, April 21, in Winnetka, or on Saturday, May 21, at ASJA in New York! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-58636240077735186522016-03-23T08:25:00.003-07:002016-03-23T08:25:59.520-07:00How to Say "No" to a Client You Don't Want to Work For <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've found that as a ghostwriter, I get a lot of leads that don't lead to actual work. Last week, I spoke with a potential ghostwriting client by phone. He had been referred to me by another freelancer, a friend of mine who doesn't ghostwrite books. We connected via email, and I asked him my standard list of questions I send to potential clients, which include: </span><br />
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<li style="list-style-image: url(http://www.becomebodywise.com/images/bullet.gif); list-style-type: square; margin: 0.3em 20px 0.5em 10px;"><div style="padding: 0.2em 20px 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you plan to try to sell your book to a traditional publisher, or will you be using a print-on-demand company? Do you understand the pros and cons of working with each? </span></div>
</li>
<li style="list-style-image: url(http://www.becomebodywise.com/images/bullet.gif); list-style-type: square; margin: 0.3em 20px 0.5em 10px;"><div style="padding: 0.2em 20px 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What’s your purpose in writing the book? </span></div>
</li>
<li style="list-style-image: url(http://www.becomebodywise.com/images/bullet.gif); list-style-type: square; margin: 0.3em 20px 0.5em 10px;"><div style="padding: 0.2em 20px 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who’s the audience for your book? Do you plan to sell your book, and if so, why will readers want to buy it? </span></div>
</li>
<li style="list-style-image: url(http://www.becomebodywise.com/images/bullet.gif); list-style-type: square; margin: 0.3em 20px 0.5em 10px;"><div style="padding: 0.2em 20px 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What’s your timeline? </span></div>
</li>
<li style="list-style-image: url(http://www.becomebodywise.com/images/bullet.gif); list-style-type: square; margin: 0.3em 20px 0.5em 10px;"><div style="padding: 0.2em 20px 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What’s your budget? (Ghostwriting an entire book typically costs $35,000+ depending on the length, scope of the project, author involvement, and other factors. If you have a manuscript or material already written that needs reworking or editing, we can discuss an appropriate fee.)</span></div>
</li>
<li style="list-style-image: url(http://www.becomebodywise.com/images/bullet.gif); list-style-type: square; margin: 0.3em 20px 0.5em 10px;"><div style="padding: 0.2em 20px 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you have material for your ghostwriter to use (such as the beginning of a book, an outline, some chapters), or will your ghostwriter work with you to create the book from scratch? </span></div>
</li>
<li style="list-style-image: url(http://www.becomebodywise.com/images/bullet.gif); list-style-type: square; margin: 0.3em 20px 0.5em 10px;"><div style="padding: 0.2em 20px 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What’s your biggest hope for your book? What’s your biggest fear about writing a book?</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The potential client didn't mention his budget (he said it was flexible) but it become clear during our brief call that he couldn't afford me. So I gave him suggestions about how to find a local ghostwriter who would be willing to charge less than I do, wished him all the best with his project, and thanked him for his time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2014/10/freelance-limbo-do-you-know-how-youll-go.html" target="_blank">written here before about the importance of knowing your rates, and knowing how much (or how little) you're willing to charge for different types of work</a>. But there is an art to saying no. There's nothing to be gained by being rude or dismissive; I'd rather have him think of me for other possible projects, or if he knows someone else who may hire a ghostwriter in the future.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The lesson? While I don't waste time with someone who I know can't afford me, I do make an effort to help the person who contacted me. Even a brief call can lead to a referral that turns into work. Keep that in mind the next time you say "no" to someone. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**Want to know more about how make money as a ghostwriter? Check out <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU?ie=UTF8&keywords=goodbye%20byline&qid=1458746703&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks, Second Edition: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs, and More</a></i>, called the "comprehensive guide for getting started as a ghostwriter." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-35403782410147735612016-03-02T12:39:00.001-08:002016-03-02T12:39:21.109-08:0010 Questions You Must Ask Before You Hire a Ghostwriter <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you dream of writing a book--but lack the time, ability, or both to do so? Like many would-be authors, you may be considering hiring a ghostwriter. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">The question is--how? Do you post on <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2010/10/clients-clowns-and-craigslist-searching.html" target="_blank">craigslist</a>--and then try to weed through dozens or even hundreds of responses? Or Google to find the right person? Regardless of how you winnow your list, I suggest you ask the following questions of a potential ghostwriter: </span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;"><b>1. How many <i>published</i> books have you ghostwritten or coauthored?</b> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Be wary of ghosts who only have a few credits to their names. You want an experienced ghost who has ghosted books before--in general, the more, the better. At the minimum, you want a ghost who has authored and published his or her own books.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;"><b>2. How many different publishers have you worked with? </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;">The more publishers a ghost has worked with, the better. Every editor and every house is different, so a ghost who has worked with different ones has more experience pleasing different editors--and meeting their requirements--than someone with less experience.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;"><b>3. Have you worked with authors who have chosen</b> </span></span><a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2010/11/five-good-reasons-to-go-pod.html" style="background-color: white; color: #666699;" target="_blank">POD,</a><b style="color: #333333;"> or print-on-demand, publishers as opposed to traditional publishers? </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many authors decide to use a POD publisher instead of pursuing a traditional publisher. If that's the case, hire </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a ghost who has worked with clients who chose that route. An experienced ghost can also advise you on the right publishing package to buy from a POD company--and which things, like YouTube videos costing thousands of dollars to help "promote" your book--that are a waste of money.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br style="color: #333333;" /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><b>4. How much do you charge? </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've seen a trend (disturbing to a ghost like myself) of clients wanting to pay as little as possible for a book. Well, you get what you pay for. Depending on the scope of work, experienced ghosts typically charge in the range of $20,000 to $50,000+</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> to ghostwrite a book. If you think you'll find someone who will do it for significantly less than that (and forget about working for a "share of royalties" or some other nebulous promise), you can expect less-than-professional work. (Can't afford that? Consider writing your book on your own, and hire a <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2010/05/why-invisible-authors-can-make-more.html" target="_blank">developmental editor</a> instead.) </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;"><b>5. Can you show me samples of published work? </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While your voice is unique and a ghost will capture it, you want to see samples of his published work. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br style="color: #333333;" /><b><span style="color: #333333;">6. What's your background? Have you written about the subject of my book before? </span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the reasons I ghost books about health, wellness, fitness, nutrition, and psychology is because I've been writing about those subjects for more than 19 years. As a result, I have a deep background in these topics, and as an ACE-certified personal trainer and I know much more about fitness than the average writer. If you're writing a book about real estate, you want a ghostwriter who knows what "comps" and "curb appeal" mean. If your book is a memoir, you want a ghost who specializes in true-life stories. And if you're writing a cookbook, you may want a ghost who has experience developing recipes or meal plans. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;"><b>7. How do you typically work with clients? </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Some ghosts like to spend a lot of time on the phone with clients; others (like me) work almost exclusively via </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">email. In general, the more phone time and back and forth, the more your ghostwriter will charge. Make sure to ask how the ghostwriter typically works with clients, and consider whether that jibes with how you want to proceed. </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>8. Can I see your ghostwriting <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2011/01/month-of-templates-coauthoring-contract.html" target="_blank">contract?</a> </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An experienced ghostwriter will have a standard contract; make sure you read it carefully before you sign and pay a retainer. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><b>9. What kind of work can you perform for me? </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">In some cases, you may provide all of </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the material your ghostwriter needs to write your book. In others, you may want your ghost to do background research, conduct interviews, and do other work in addition to writing. If that's the case, you'll want a ghostwriter who </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">has a journalism or freelancing background. If your ghost can conduct independent research for you, that will save you time in the long run. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><b>10. Can you give me the names of former clients? </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">An experienced ghost should have plenty of satisfied clients who will recommend him or her. (At this point in my career, 95 percent of my work comes from personal referrals.) If you're planning to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a book, it's worth it to vet your potential ghost. If you're not happy with what you learn, continue your search </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for the right ghost for your project.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">**Kelly James-Enger ghostwrites books for a variety of clients, primarily those in the health, wellness, fitness, nutrition, and psychology fields. She's also the author of </span><i style="color: #333333;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks/dp/0988818507/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414415844&sr=8-1&keywords=goodbye+byline%2C+hello+big+bucks" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks, Second Edition: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More</a>. </i></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-41283226914011372972016-02-29T10:06:00.000-08:002016-02-29T10:06:20.084-08:00Secrets of Six-Figure Freelancers: 5 Essential Attributes <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today we're going to talk about one of my favorite subjects: money. My first year of fulltime freelancing
more than 19 years ago!), I made just over $17,000 and netted less than $12,000.
My goal—my dream, really—was to be able to make $30,000 to $40,000 a year
writing from home. By my sixth year of freelancing, though, I’d far surpassed
my expectations and cracked the six-figure mark. Today I work part-time hours (my kids are now 10 and 6, and the latter is only in half-day kindergarten) and make between $30,000 and $60,000/year doing so. It’s
challenging, but doable. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 3.0pt; text-indent: 33.0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So how do it I do it? I’m not a “best-selling” author,
nor am I commanding enormous <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2012/10/giveaway-winner-and-look-at-my-latest.html" target="_blank">book advances</a>. But I have mastered
some necessary skills that other freelancers overlook. I can tell you freelancers
who make big bucks (and I know lots of them!) have many things in common. As a whole, they’re confident,
efficient, focused, friendly, and adaptable. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sure, they’re good writers—in fact,
most of them are great writers. But they’re even better at running their
writing businesses, working more efficiently, and developing relationships with
clients, sources, and fellow writers. You can be, too—whether you’re aiming to
make six figures or simply get paid more for your writing, when you embrace these five strategies: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Think Positive <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let’s start
with your mindset. A tagline for a poplar antiperspirant used to be “never let
them see you sweat.” Successful writers take this motto to heart. Sure, they
doubt their abilities sometimes. All writers do. But they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">don’t</i> share those feelings with their clients—or let self-doubt
prevent them from working. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A positive attitude can give you a
leg up on other writers. Focus on what you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can
</i>do—sending out queries, calling new potential clients, scouting for regular
gigs—rather than on what you can’t control. No, confidence in your abilities won’t
force an editor to give you an assignment or turn a $4,000 advance into a
$40,000 one. But you can choose to be positive as you pursue your career.
Setbacks are normal. It’s how writers cope with them that makes a difference. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Use Time-Saving Strategies <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In addition to working on
assignments, you must devote time for marketing, billing, and record-keeping
tasks that can easily eat up hours better spent producing income. That’s why
developing and maintaining a selection of writing templates, or forms, on your
hard drive can be invaluable. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For example, I have templates for different types of <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2011/01/month-of-templates-blind-loi.html" target="_blank">LOIs (letters of introduction)</a>; proposals/bids; <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2011/01/month-of-templates-simple-invoice.html" target="_blank">invoices</a>; contracts; follow-up letters; and even thank-you notes. This saves me time because I'm not recreating the wheel each time. I’m also a big believer in reusing research
and writing about the same subjects more than once. The more ways you can approach a topic and write about it for different clients, the easier it is to make more
money with less effort. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Look for Repeat Business <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Remember, it’s easier to get work
from clients you already have than to get new clients. While the majority of my
income these days comes from books, not articles, nearly all of my magazine
work comes from editors who I’ve known for years. That means my marketing time is slashed. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Example: a couple of of years ago, I pitched an editor with four ideas in one short,
four-paragraph query. She bought them all. She knows me and knows my work, and
that means it’s easy (and fast) to sell to her. <b>Less time marketing=more time
writing=more money.</b> That’s the benefit of working as much as possible for
clients you have—and maintaining positive relationships with them as well. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Climb Outside your Pigeonhole <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I write primarily service-oriented books and articles about health, fitness, diet, wellness, and psychology. But that doesn't mean I have to. When a former client asked me if could write a television treatment for a new show she was
developing, did I say, "What the hell is a treatment?" Nope. (Although I did wonder." I read a couple of books on
treatment-writing, gathered background information, and wrote a script and
treatment she was thrilled with. Now I've added another skill to my CV. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don’t let clients pigeonhole you. If you write articles for print and online markets, you can produce content marketing as well. Your background in a particular subject can also lead to
lucrative corporate gigs if you look for those kinds of opportunities. While I
believe in specializing, I also believe in keeping fluid—and that’s where my
last point comes in.<strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Adapt to the (Ever-Changing) Market <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The publishing world of today is much
different than that of the one I entered 19+ years ago. Hell, it's different than what it was two years ago. Magazines are folding. Publishers expect you to give up more rights for the same (or less!) money. Fewer magazines are using contributing editors. But, there are many more opportunities (think content marketing, social media writing and management, ghosting Tweets) for freelancers that didn't even exist a decade before. That means as a self-employed writer, you have to adapt, to
improvise, to overcome. (Thank you, Clint Eastwood/<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heartbreak Ridge</i>, for the quote.) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hey, I don't like change. I'd still rather use Word than Google docs, though everyone else seems to prefer the latter. I still suck at Twitter although I have loads of Facebook friends. I'm nostalgic for the days when three contributing editor gigs made up $70K worth of work for me--every year. But that was then, and to survive--and thrive--in this business, I have to be willing to adapt, and change, and yes, overcome. Embrace the same attitude and you'll set yourself up for success. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 0px;">**Do you agree with the attributes I listed in this post? Why or why not? Let me know with a comment. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-indent: 0px;">If you want are serious about making money as a writer, I suggest <span style="line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">my freelance classic, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a>. </span><span style="line-height: 19.5px;">If you're more interested in getting into ghostwriting and content marketing, I suggest<i style="line-height: 19px;"> </i></span><i style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a>. </i><span style="line-height: 19px;">If you're brand-new to freelancing, </span><i style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a> </i><span style="line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">walks you through the process of launching your freelance career</span></span><span style="line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. </span></span></span></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-27597264378439644512016-02-23T10:54:00.000-08:002016-02-23T10:54:05.626-08:00Dollars and Deadlines is Back! And is Ghostwriting for You? <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello, readers, and welcome back...after more than a year on hiatus, I've decided to reboot the blog for several reasons. First and foremost, while the majority of my work these days is ghostwriting books for a variety of clients (with some content marketing, articles, and public speaking thrown in), I have <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2014/12/search-blog-for-freelance-answers.html" target="_blank">several popular books on freelancing</a> that continue to sell well. All are earning royalties! And that's great--so why not jump back into blogging and continue to rev those book sales? </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just as important, this blog has been one way of giving back to the freelance community. If you're read my blog in the past, you know I opt for transparency. (Hence my honesty about my first reason for rebooting the blog.) I talk about <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2014/03/what-freelance-writers-made-in-2013.html" target="_blank">money</a>, share actual <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2014/10/freelance-limbo-do-you-know-how-youll-go.html" target="_blank">freelance rates for different types of work</a>, discuss how to address freelancing issues (like getting paid!), and am always happy to answer readers' questions. I love helping other freelancers--both new and experienced--reach new levels of success in their careers. It just feels good! </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So please comment with any topics you'd like to see me cover, or questions you have, and I'll be happy to help! </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;">In the meantime, today's post is about how to determine whether <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks/dp/0988818507/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1456253369&sr=1-1" target="_blank">ghostwriting</a> is a good fit for you. You may be a stellar writer, but not every freelancer is cut out to ghostwrite. To </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">succeed as a ghostwriter (or even a coauthor), you must have:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">• </span><span style="color: red;">The ability to set your ego aside.</span><span style="color: #333333;"> I confess that the first time I learned about ghostwriting (at a panel at the <a href="https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/147614" target="_blank">awesome ASJA conference</a>), I thought, "I don't want to write someone else's book! I only want to write my own!" If you're addicted to seeing your byline, ghosting may not be for you. It's all what your client wants, not what you want. If you can’t set your own ego aside, your career will be short-lived.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">• </span><span style="color: red;">Organizational skills.</span><span style="color: #333333;"> Forget the idea of scatterbrained writer. Writing a book requires focus and organization. It's even more important when you're writing someone else's. You're expected to stay on top of your own research, organize information you receive from your client, track various drafts (in progress or approved), and manage a schedule that may be ever-changing depending on your client’s needs. If your desk typically looks like a bomb went off, ghosting may not be a good fit for you.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">• </span><span style="color: red;">Creativity.</span><span style="color: #333333;"> Ghostwriting isn’t as simple as filling in an outline or connecting the dots. If you’re writing a memoir, a novel, or “creative nonfiction,” you’ll need a narrative arc and an overall theme or message for the book. Even a relatively straightforward how-to manuscript requires an ability to organize material, structure the overall manuscript (unless your client has determined this already), and to identify and maintain your client’s voice—in addition to writing 50,000 to 75,000 words or more. And that takes creative skills.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">• </span><span style="color: red;">Stress management skills.</span><span style="color: #333333;"> If you work for what I call a “PIA” client (think Pain In the A…) occasionally, your contact with the person is limited. But when you ghost or collaborate, you’re stuck with that person for months. Some clients will decide on a plan of action, then follow it to the letter. (I love those people!) Others will second-guess their decisions, change the scope of the book as you’re nearly completion, or need continual handholding. And that takes patience, deep breathing, goblets of sauvignon blanc, you name it.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;">• </span><span style="color: red;">Knowledge of the publishing industry.</span><span style="color: #333333;"> Have you published your own books? Written and sold book proposals? Worked with an agent? Do you know the difference between traditional publishing, self-publishing, and <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2010/11/five-good-reasons-to-go-pod.html" target="_blank">print-on-demand ("POD")</a>, and what the advantages and drawbacks are? The more experience you have with books, the more valuable you are to a client, and the more potential you have as a ghostwriter.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">**Have questions about ghosting? Comment below and I'll be sure to answer them! And thanks for reading. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">New to freelancing and have questions? If you want the "big picture" about freelancing and are serious about making your freelance writing business a money-maker, I suggest <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">my freelance classic, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a>. </span></span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #e0e0e0; color: #333333;"></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;">**If you're more interested in getting into ghostwriting and content marketing, I suggest<i style="line-height: 19px;"> </i></span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a>. </i></span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #e0e0e0; color: #333333;"></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">**If you're brand-new to freelancing, </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a> </i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">walks you through the process of launching your freelance career</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. </span></span></span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #e0e0e0; color: #333333;"></span><span style="color: #333333;">**Finally, if you like your books full of shorter pieces, check out a different format--<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Writer-Hire-Secrets-Freelance-Success-ebook/dp/B007O2DYBY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1419373442" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success</a></i> is divided into five broad sections to help you make more money regardless of what kind of nonfiction writing you do. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-77853528803939471642014-12-23T14:27:00.002-08:002014-12-23T14:27:27.824-08:00Search the Blog for Freelance Answers <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More than 4 years and 500+ posts (and more than 200,000 page views) later, Dollars and Deadlines is going to be on indefinite hiatus. But I'm glad you stopped by! I suggest you search the blog for advice about querying, marketing, ghostwriting, interviewing, content marketing working efficiently, you name it. You'll find much more advice in one of my many print and ebooks on freelancing: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**If you want the "big picture" about freelancing and are serious about making your freelance writing business a money-maker, I suggest <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">my freelance classic, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a>. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;">**If you're more interested in getting into ghostwriting and content marketing, I suggest<i style="line-height: 19px;"> </i></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a>. </i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">**If you're brand-new to freelancing, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a> </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">walks you through the process of launching your freelance career</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**Finally, if you like your books full of shorter pieces, check out a different format--<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Writer-Hire-Secrets-Freelance-Success-ebook/dp/B007O2DYBY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1419373442" target="_blank">Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success</a></i> is divided into five broad sections to help you make more money regardless of what kind of nonfiction writing you do. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And if you can't find the answer in one of those hundreds of posts, or in one of my books, shoot me a brief email at kelly at becomebodywise dot com, and I'll be happy to help. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks for being a reader, and I wish you all freelance success! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-45174777829276457712014-12-17T03:45:00.003-08:002014-12-17T03:45:45.864-08:00Power Up Your Queries with Query Boot Camp
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of my most popular posts on this blog have been on <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2010/06/from-loi-to-query-another-template.html" target="_blank">querying</a>, including the <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2013/10/query-critique-1-feast-on-truffles.html" target="_blank">query critiques</a> I've offered. That's not surprising considering how important strong query skills are to successful freelancing. If your query skills aren't up to par, or you want to make your queries even more effective, I suggest <a href="http://www.jodihelmer.com/classesmentoring/" target="_blank">Jodi Helmer's upcoming Query Boot Camp</a> class. Here's the scoop: </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Q: Jodi, tell me a little bit about the class. </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A: <a href="http://www.jodihelmer.com/classesmentoring/" target="_blank">Query Boot Camp</a> is a six week
virtual class. Every Monday, I send a video lesson related to querying; on
Friday, participants email a query and I do an in-depth critique that helps
them hone their idea and pitch to increase their chances of landing an
assignment. I offer an upgraded version of the class that includes three
30-minute phone mentoring sessions. We can spend the calls doing a deep dive
into a specific idea and brainstorming angles and potential markets or use the
time to develop goals/business strategies for freelance success. It's a good
option for writers who want extra support to launch or build their writing
business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Q: What can participants expect to get out of the class? </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A: Writers, myself
included, often send ideas to editors without the benefit of a second opinion.
Having an experienced freelancer review a pitch before the editor sees it can
mean the difference between an acceptance and a rejection. As the saying goes,
"You never get a second chance to make a first impression." Your
query is your first introduction to an editor; you want to make sure it
shines. Offering the class virtually lets writers work at their own pace
(and we know how much freelancers like to set their own schedules)! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Q: What made you decide to offer this virtual class?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A: I kept getting
requests for a query intensive. Even experienced writers with a lot of clips in
their portfolios wanted to have their queries critiqued before sending them off
to new editors or dream publications. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Q: You also offer one-on-one mentoring/coaching for
freelancers, correct? What does that entail?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A: Yes, I work one-on-one with
writers who want individual support to reach their freelancing goals. Writers
can hire me for a single query critique or an hourlong phone call to work
through an issue or get feedback on an idea...whatever a writer needs to sell a
story or take their business to the next level. Interestingly, query critiques
are the most in-demand service I offer!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Q: Can you share a couple of success stories from your
students?</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A: I love bragging about my students! The nuts and bolts: I've helped
writers break into <i>Natural Health, Parents, Experience Life, Urban Farm, Gluten
Free Living, Natural Home & Garden, Modern Dog, Country Woman</i>, Today.com
and cottagelife.com. While the publishing credits are exciting, there are other
successes that are important, too. A writer scheduled a one-hour session for
help managing her workload. She was offered three long-term projects, all due
in the same timeframe, and wanted to tackle all of them but knew she didn't
have the bandwidth to accept all three gigs. We talked about the pros and cons
of each project, crunched some numbers and, most importantly, evaluated which
project would get her one step closer to her long-term goals. At the end of the
call, she made a decision and followed through. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also helped a former
newspaper journalist (who left the business decades ago to pursue another career
path) launch a successful freelance career. He recently sent me an awesome
email that said, "It's all coming together. I suddenly have more work than
I can handle." </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.jodihelmer.com/classesmentoring/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Query Boot Camp</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> starts in January, 2015; sign up now and you can write off the expense on your 2014 <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2011/04/talking-taxes-tips-for-freelancers.html" target="_blank">taxes</a>--and reap the benefits in 2015! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">***Looking for more advice about pitching and successful freelancing? <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Check out my freelance classic, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a>. If you're more interested in getting into ghostwriting and content marketing, I suggest<i style="line-height: 19px;"> </i></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a>. </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">And if you're brand-new to freelancing, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a> </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">walks you through the process of launching your freelance career</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. </span></span></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-20418186651590680062014-12-07T13:09:00.001-08:002014-12-07T13:09:47.547-08:00Drumming Up More Work, Step 2<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week I posted about my ongoing marketing blitz--just in time for the holidays. Step 1 is reaching out to current and past clients; step 2 is one that many freelancers overlook. It's <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2014/05/blast-from-past-power-of-follow-up.html" target="_blank">following up on your outstanding pitches</a>, LOIs, and other attempts to connect with new clients. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A follow-up needn't be complicated or lengthy. Mine typically look something like: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Kathleen:</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hope your week is off to a great start. I'm writing to follow up on my pitch about how kettle bell training can help with weight loss; for your convenience, I've included it below. Would you let me know within two weeks if you're interested in the idea? If I don't hear from you by December 17, I'll assume you're not interested in it at this time, and may market it elsewhere. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you soon!</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sincerely, </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kelly James-Enger </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Typically a follow-up provokes a response, but if I don't hear anything within the deadline, I go ahead and pitch it to another market with no regrets. And if the editor says, "no thanks," I resub it in the same manner, and come up with a new idea that she may be able to use. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week one of my follow-ups resulted in an assignment; three "we'll-be-in-touch" responses, and an "no thanks." That's not a bad track record from taking the time to follow up on outstanding queries. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*** <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Want more advice about drumming up work as a freelancer? Check out my freelance classic, </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 19.5px;">. If you're more interested in getting into ghostwriting and content marketing, I suggest</span></span><i style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"> </i></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a>. </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">And if you're brand-new to freelancing, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a> </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">walks you through the process of launching your freelance career</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. </span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-85762724579609738372014-12-01T05:45:00.005-08:002014-12-01T05:45:58.428-08:00Drumming up More Work, Step 1 <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't forget about my <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2014/11/free-teleseminar-thursday-december-4.html" target="_blank">free teleseminar with Nita Amir</a> this Thursday about making more money from your freelance career. (And have a question you want me to answer? Comment below and I'll be sure to address it.)</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With Thanksgiving just behind us and Christmas, New Year's, and countless parties and chores (shopping, wrapping, holiday cards, you name it) descending, it's sometimes tempting to let the marketing part of your freelance business slide right now. Trust me--this isn't the time to do it. That's why I'm engaged in a big marketing push for the next three weeks--my goal is to line up enough work for early 2015 that I can take the week between Christmas and New Year's off (I do this every year) without worrying about a lack of assignments when I return.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Step 1? Touching base with my regular clients--and those who used to be regular clients, but who I haven't worked for in the last few months. A quick email or note can result in new assignments, and at the least, it gets my name in front of them again. That's my first priority for this marketing push. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">***Want more advice about marketing? Check out my freelance classic, </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a>. If you're more interested in getting into ghostwriting and content marketing, I suggest<i style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"> </i></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a>. </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">And if you're brand-new to freelancing, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a> </i><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">walks you through the process of launching your freelance career</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. </span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-47410792608824311502014-11-28T10:08:00.001-08:002014-11-28T10:12:10.208-08:00Free Teleseminar Thursday, December 4 <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Want to make more money as a freelance writer? That's what this blog is all about. This Thursday I'll be participating in <a href="http://writenonfictionnow.com/landing/nfwu-teleseminars/" target="_blank">one with Nina Amir</a>. It starts at 2:00 pm central time and it's free; <a href="http://writenonfictionnow.com/landing/nfwu-teleseminars/" target="_blank">sign up here</a>. I'll address topics including: </span><br />
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<li style="color: #222222; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 20px; padding: 0px;"><h4 style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; margin: 15px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to turn one-time clients into regulars;</span></h4>
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<li style="color: #222222; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 20px; padding: 0px;"><h4 style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; margin: 15px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to save time pitching, researching, and writing articles;</span></h4>
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<li style="color: #222222; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 20px; padding: 0px;"><h4 style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; margin: 15px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to develop a specialty—and why you should;</span></h4>
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<li style="color: #222222; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px 0px 15px 20px; padding: 0px;"><h4 style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; margin: 15px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to write about the same subject more than once—and make more money as a result; and</span></h4>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 15px 20px; padding: 0px;"><h4 style="color: #222222; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5; margin: 15px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to use your experience to break into different types of writing work. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">Hope to "see" you there...come prepared with any questions I didn't address in </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.5px;"><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a>; </i><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a>; </i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">and</span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </i></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. </span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-60279364186641621652014-11-23T18:22:00.001-08:002014-11-23T18:22:51.210-08:00Tips from ASJA ConCon 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWE7c-kJJ9fcO3RI5CoKBwnhyphenhyphenQGU4uBTI7SmORjr7Welh5wAxMVVbTmORQQ9UUMBak9D40yDErS9E2q1WPj2X3KDnIwumyz6gDoQZp4HuYDDvKFzh2Uk4XQsWxqNullibQ6_vc1mA3-IX/s1600/dollarsebookcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWE7c-kJJ9fcO3RI5CoKBwnhyphenhyphenQGU4uBTI7SmORjr7Welh5wAxMVVbTmORQQ9UUMBak9D40yDErS9E2q1WPj2X3KDnIwumyz6gDoQZp4HuYDDvKFzh2Uk4XQsWxqNullibQ6_vc1mA3-IX/s1600/dollarsebookcover.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First off, thanks to my readers who participated in the <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2014/11/its-here-one-day-only-099-sale.html" target="_blank">one-day only $0.99 sale last Wednesday, November 19</a>! I sold 177 copes of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets-ebook/dp/B00BHNCLGK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416795642&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets, Second Edition</a></i> and 40 copies of other ebooks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's what happened on Amazon: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,226 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19px;">#2 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Reference > Writing, Research & Publishing Guides > Writing Skills</span><br style="color: #141823; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19px;">#2 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Business & Money > Entrepreneurship & Small Business > Small Business</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 19px;"><br />#6 in Books > Reference > Writing, Research & Publishing Guides > Writing > Writing Skills</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So that was very cool, and I hope I've gained a few more readers! Thanks again! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">***</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Were you at ASJA's Con Con earlier this month in Chicago? If not, you missed out on a great conference that was loaded with smart, insightful speakers geared toward writers who produce content for clients. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a roundup of some of the take-aways from keynoter Jay Heinrichs, author of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thank-You-Arguing-Revised-Updated/dp/0385347758/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416794747&sr=8-1&keywords=jay+heinrichs" target="_blank">Thank You for Arguing</a></i> (who was a great speaker--engaging, funny, and prepared) made the point that in 1865, writer Henry James was getting paid $1/word. Today that's the standard for many publications, today too, but the cost of living has increased by a factor of 21since then. Yikes! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You only want to write? Change your thinking. "In the past, publishers would have audiences for us...today we're all expected to be marketers," said Heinrich. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Content is king, and going to continue to be. "Eighty-one percent of companies plan to shift their budges to spend more on content and new member experiences," he said. [And if you're not pursuing <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2013/11/pump-up-your-content-marketing-pitches.html" target="_blank">this kind of work</a>, why not?]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heinrich talked about the "decision journey" of engagement customers take--ideally, they travel from awareness to consideration to preference to purchase to loyalty. As a content writer, you want to help move them along that journey and help them become loyal to the brand you're representing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">KPIs, or "key performance indicators" or metrics, are how the success of content is measured. Knowing what KPIs your client is tracking--and what their goals are--will help you succeed as a content writer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heinrichs had 15 specific ideas that freelancers could try to succeed in today's market: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Become an influencer. An influencer brings something--market reach, expertise, persuasiveness--that a client values. And companies pay $200 to $200,000 to have an influencer write about or represent a product or service. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Find a "tiny niche," which Heinrichs describes as including 100,000 to 400,000 people. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Gain legitimacy with a book. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Collaborate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Start a <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2013/04/introducing-improvise-press-and-return.html" target="_blank">publishing company</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. Network. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. Become a remora. (In other words, hook on to someone successful and go along for the ride.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. Pursue an issue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2010/10/double-dip-technique-3-speak-and-sell.html" target="_blank">Become a speaker.</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. Pursue your passion--and work a real job in the meantime. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11. Teach. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12. Gather a video audience. And writers who can write for and edit video are going to be so in demand, in fact, that Heinrichs suggested writers that every writer learn FinalCut, a video editing program. (It's on my to-do list.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13. Diversify. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14. Work for karma. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15. Find your own great story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I gleaned some other tips from ConCon which I'll share in another post. In the meantime, if you're thinking about doing ghostwriting or content marketing, check out <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1416795224" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs, and More, Second Edition</a></i>.</span><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-44290776837617147512014-11-19T05:42:00.001-08:002014-11-19T05:42:14.635-08:00It's HERE! The One-Day-Only $0.99 Sale!The one-day-only <a href="http://www.makealivingwriting.com/ebooks/e-books-for-writers-99-cent-sale/" target="_blank">$0.99 sale is here</a>. For 24 hours (and 24 hours only), you'll be able to buy 12 different freelance books (including one of mine) that will help you make MORE MONEY as a freelance writer. You'll find books by authors including Carol Tice, Linda Formichelli, Diana Burrell, and Jennifer Lawler--and you'll save 1000% (or more) when you buy these books <b>today</b>.<br />
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This special offer ends at midnight, November 20, so what are you waiting for? Spend some money and reap the rewards of your (frugal) investment!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-25751347133389501992014-11-17T16:35:00.002-08:002014-11-17T16:35:37.835-08:00Coming This Wednesday--Great Deal on Freelancing Books! <h2 style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1em; margin: 0.75em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm participating in a one-day only special promotion with several other successful freelancing authors...it will launch and run on Wednesday, November 19, ONLY...stay tuned for details! </span></h2>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-83504815565784720992014-11-03T10:00:00.003-08:002014-11-03T10:00:49.139-08:00The Essential Element Every LOI Needs<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've posted before about the importance of an effective <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2011/01/month-of-templates-blind-loi.html" target="_blank">letter of introduction, or LOI</a>. It's an essential weapon in your freelance arsenal, and can be just as effective, if not more so, than a <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2010/06/from-loi-to-query-another-template.html" target="_blank">query letter</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no one-size-fits-all LOI. And even if you have a template for an LOI, you should never send the same LOI to two different markets. You must customize your LOI the same way you would customize a query letter--and that means including the most essential element in your LOI.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That element is this: <b>why</b> you are contacting the potential market. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know, I know. You want money. You want work. You want clients. That's the reason you sent your LOI. Duh! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But that's not enough for your target market. You must have <b>a reason that works for him or her</b>--and that reason will make the difference between an LOI that gets deleted or ignored, and one that prompts a response. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's an example from one of my LOIs: "I'm contacting you because I know you produce nutrition-related content for a variety of clients, and I've written about diet and nutrition for a variety of consumer and custom publications." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The "why" can make all the difference to your potential client...and to your future with this client. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**Want to see more examples of LOIs that worked? Check out the ones included in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1415037236&sr=1-1&keywords=goodbye+byline" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs, and More, Second Edition</a></i>. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-15745144589140731702014-10-27T06:28:00.000-07:002014-10-27T06:28:04.110-07:00How to Hire a Ghostwriter: 8 Smart Questions to Ask <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://openclipart.org/image/800px/svg_to_png/19982/dodom01_ghost_with_a_cellephone.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://openclipart.org/image/800px/svg_to_png/19982/dodom01_ghost_with_a_cellephone.png" width="320" /></a></div>
I've written many times about <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2013/12/time-to-disappear-8-great-ghostwriting.html" target="_blank">why I started ghostwriting more than a decade ago</a>. One of the primary reasons is simple--the demand for ghostwriters. The market is strong, and continuing to grow, and that's good news for ghosts.<br />
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But what about the would-be book author who wants to hire a ghost? If that's you, what should you ask? You can post an ad on craigslist and you'll be inundated with responses, but how do you actually decide who to hire?<br />
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I suggest asking questions like the following:<br />
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1. How many books have you ghostwritten or coauthored? Generally, the more experience the better. <br />
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2. How many different publishers have you worked with? Again, it's nice to have a ghost who has written with a half-dozen publishers, or more. Every editor and every house is different, so a ghost who has worked with different ones has more experience pleasing different editors--and meeting their requirements--than someone with less experience.<br />
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3. What types of books have you ghosted? If you're planning to opt for <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2010/11/five-good-reasons-to-go-pod.html" target="_blank">POD,</a> it makes sense to hire a ghost who has written books published by POD companies. An experienced ghost can also advise you on the right publishing package to buy from a POD company--and which things, like YouTube videos costing thousands of dollars to help "promote" your book, you're better off skipping.<br />
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4. What kind of work can your ghost perform for you? Can he conduct interviews and background research, if you need him to? Can he find studies? Does he know how to interpret research in your field?<br />
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5. How much does he charge? I've seen a trend (disturbing to a ghost like myself) of clients wanting to pay as little as possible for a book. Well, you get what you pay for. Depending on the scope of work, ghosts typically charge in the range of $10,000 to $45,000 to ghostwrite a book. If you think you'll find someone who will do it for significantly less than that (and forget about working for a "share of royalties" or some other nebulous promise), you can expect less-than-professional work.<br />
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6. Can he show you samples? While your voice is unique and a ghost will capture it, it is helpful to see books that he's ghosted before. Ideally you want him to have experience writing in your genre or about your specialty.<br />
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7. What's his background? One of the reasons I ghost books about health and wellness, fitness, and nutrition is because I've been writing about those subjects for more than 17 years. I'm a personal trainer and I know much more about fitness than the average writer--that gives me a leg up on a ghost who's just as experienced, but in different areas.<br />
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8. Do you "click" with this person? Your ghost isn't just a writer--he's a partner to help your book come alive. You should feel comfortable talking and working with the person--if you don't "click," I'd continue searching for the right ghost for your project.<br />
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**Kelly James-Enger ghostwrites books for a variety of clients, primarily those in the health, fitness, wellness, and nutrition fields. She's also the author of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks/dp/0988818507/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414415844&sr=8-1&keywords=goodbye+byline%2C+hello+big+bucks" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More</a>. </i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-74482408466090254572014-10-20T05:20:00.001-07:002014-10-20T05:21:00.076-07:005 Things to Know Before You Freelance Full-time<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week's post was aimed at brand-new freelancers. Today's is at those considering transitioning from part-time to full-time. Here are five things that every freelancer who wants to go full-time should know:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.You cannot save enough money. Okay, I don't mean this literally. What I do mean is that you should save as much as you can. I saved six months' worth of living expenses during the year that i was freelancing part-time (and still working 40+-hour weeks as a lawyer), and trust me--I wish I would have saved more. Aim for at least six month's worth of living expenses--and pay down your debt (credit cards, car payments, student loan payments) as much as you can while you're still employed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. It will take you longer than you think to get assignments. Unless you've built up a stable of regular clients already, you'll spend much of your time as a new full-time freelancer pursuing clients and assignments. And all that marketing takes a lot of time. Yes, you can pitch like crazy, but you can't make editors assign work to you any faster.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Corollary to #2: It will take you longer than you think to get paid. After you actually get an assignment, you have to complete it to the client's satisfaction. Then you get paid...sometimes eventually. Getting paid 30 days, even 45 after acceptance isn't unusual, so recognize that while your accounts payable may be sizable, you can't control when they're collected.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. You'll face unexpected expenses. Trust me--that money you set aside will be spent more quickly than you realize. A good friend gets married--you need to buy a gift. Your car breaks down. You discover that you need a root canal. Unexpected bills like this can blow your budget, especially when you're not relying on a paycheck. (And that's another reason to sock money away before you go full-time freelance.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. You'll doubt yourself. Making the transition from relying on a regular paycheck to to freelancing is stressful. After a week or two of continual marketing--yet no assignments--you may be waking up every morning filled with dread. Recognize that this kind of emotional up-and-down (mostly downs) is part of being self-employed. Focusing on what you can do--searching for clients, sending out targeted queries and letters of introduction, honing your skills, and spreading the word about your freelance work--will help buoy you when you're feeling scared, or anxious, or full of self-doubt. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This isn't meant to dissuade you from freelancing full-rather--rather, it's to help you succeed as a freelancer, both in the short- and long-term. Next post I'll talk more about making the transition from part- to full-time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">**</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a> </i><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">is a freelancing classic that helps both new and experienced writers boost their bottom line; it's a great tool to help you go from part- to full-time. My </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">newest </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"> book, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">, shows writers how to break into the ghostwriting/content marketing field. And if </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">y</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">ou're brand-new to freelancing, I recommend </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.5px;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. It walks you through 10 actual articles for different markets; how I pitched, researched, and wrote them; and includes advice on contracts and building your business from scratch. </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-11381482696123751912014-10-12T11:04:00.001-07:002014-10-13T10:15:28.769-07:00For New Writers Only: My Best Advice <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today's post was spurred by a question from a brand-new freelancer. He asked what one piece of advice I would offer to new freelancers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My advice? </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pitch a market you know. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you're a new freelancer, you don't have clips or connections yet. What may set your query apart--and lead to your first assignment--is your knowledge of the publication you want to write for. First, pitch an idea that will fit with that market. Make sure that it's the type of story the publication would run--and that it hasn't been covered in the last few issues. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, showcase that knowledge in your pitch by saying something like, "Interested in this for your 'Breaking News' department?" Or, "I enjoyed your recent piece on ways to cook with beets, injuries, and plan to take a similar approach with my piece on rutabagas." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You're letting the editor know you've studied her market--and editors love that. That's how I got my foot in the door as a newbie freelancer--and it will work for you, too. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">**If y</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">ou're brand-new to freelancing, I recommend </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a></i><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. It walks you through 10 actual articles for different markets; how I pitched, researched, and wrote them; and includes advice on contracts and building your business from scratch. </span></span></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a> </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">is a freelancing classic that helps both new and experienced writers boost their bottom line. And my </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">newest </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> book, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">, shows writers how to break into the ghostwriting/content marketing field. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-77648287758091317832014-10-06T08:46:00.001-07:002014-10-06T08:46:24.983-07:00Getting to Six Figures: A Class for Both New and Experienced Writers <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #535353; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Earlier this year, I posted about Debra Gordon's new class, </span><span style="color: #535353; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><b><a href="http://debragordon.com/the-business-of-freelancing-getting-to-six-figures/" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">The</a></b></span><b style="color: #535353; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://debragordon.com/the-business-of-freelancing-getting-to-six-figures/" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank"> Business of Freelancing: Getting to Six Figures</a></b><span style="color: #535353; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">. I've known Debra for years and she's a smart, very successful freelancer who's now branching out into offering classes. She's offering the class again (it starts later this month), so I'm reprinting our Q and A from earlier this year: </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #535353;"><b>Q: As you know, I’ve written a book on the topic of this class, <i><a href="https://www.improvisepress.com/demo-book-1/" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing</a></i>, and I think the title captures readers’ attention. Why did you decide to name your class what you did? </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #535353;">A: I've served on two panels with this name in the past 14 years and participated in numerous discussions on listserves. I think the phrase just resonates with small business people (as you know, since you used it for your book!). I also think that the idea of earning more than 100,000 a year <i>on your own </i>represents one of those goals that many of us have.</span><span style="color: #535353;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #535353;"><b>Q: I completely agree with that. So, why did you decide to offer the class? </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #535353;">A: I've been speaking about the business aspects of freelancing at the American Medical Writer's Association (<a href="http://www.amwa.org/" style="color: #666699;"><span style="color: #740c04; text-decoration: none;">www.amwa.org</span></a>) and American Society of Journalists and Authors (<a href="http://www.asja.org/" style="color: #666699;"><span style="color: #740c04; text-decoration: none;">www.asja.org</span></a>) for years now. Every time people come up to me and tell me how much they learned -- even those who have been in business for years--and often come up to me years after my talks to tell me how it helped them improve their business. </span><span style="color: #535353;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #535353;">I finally decided I had enough knowledge and content to pull it all together and reach a broader audience.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #535353;"><b>Q: Tell me a little bit about your freelance background. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #535353;">A: I have been freelancing for 14 years now, with 100 percent of my clients in the healthcare and medical fields. I write for a variety of audiences, including consumers/patients, physicians and other clinicians, and business-to-business. I have an English degree from the University of Virginia and a master's degree in biomedical writing from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. My specialties include most therapeutic areas, as well as writing, speaking, and training on healthcare reform and the healthcare system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #535353;"><b>Q: Debra, what common misconceptions do you think freelancers have about being able to make a good living, including six figures (and more)? </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #535353;">A: Relying on one or two clients; not treating the business like a business (ie, not saving money from every check for taxes and retirement); not taking marketing seriously; not being creative enough with their marketing; not planning ahead; getting caught in a rut and not continuing to grow themselves (and their businesses).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #535353;">Seriously, though, I think of this course as providing them with a good solid foundation upon which they can build their business -- as high as they want.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #535353;"><b>Q: So, what type of writer is the class aimed at? </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #535353;">A: It's aimed at anyone who has their own small business, not just writers. I think graphic artists, web page designers, IT professionals, even Realtors could benefit from this course. Of course, I expect the majority will be writers. So . .any kind of writer, regardless of your experience and specialty. One caveat: I'm not going to talk about writing—but about how to build and run a writing business (if that's your business). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #535353;"><b>Q: Anything else writers should consider before signing up for the class?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #535353; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">A: I will assign "homework," such as writing a business plan . .. but there's no grade! Also, I'll be setting up a private Linked In group for participants so we can continue the discussion . . .They can also get a discount off one-on-one coaching with me. The webinars will be recorded and available on demand as well as live.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #535353;">**If you're serous about your freelance career, I highly suggest you consider <a href="http://debragordon.com/the-business-of-freelancing-getting-to-six-figures/" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">this class</a> as a worthwhile investment. It's one more way to help you take your career from so-so to stellar. And you get a free copy of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1412610264" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing</a></i> when you sign up! </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-57048221511396687722014-10-05T14:31:00.001-07:002014-10-05T14:31:18.683-07:00Freelance Limbo: Do You Know How You'll Go? <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A couple of weeks ago I posted about <a href="http://dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com/2014/09/no-considerationno-contract-talking.html" target="_blank">an offer of several assignments from a (potential) client</a> new to me. Want to know the rest of the story? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My potential client assigned me four blog posts, with specific topics, and gave me a word count of 500 words for each; she then asked what I would charge for them. Deadline was four days. I expected each to take several hours, and emailed to tell her I'd be happy to do them for $200/each. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That was too high for her; she countered with $50/each, for a total of $200. I offered to go as low as $150/post, but said that that's as low as I'm willing to go for original content. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She never responded. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I'm out of a $200 assignment, for 2,000 words--of original content. For $0.10/word? Well, I'm okay with ditching that bullet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the meantime, I accepted three new assignments. One is for 700 words, $1,050, and will require some background reporting and three interviews. The second is for 2,000 words, pays $1,000 and will require significantly more reporting and legwork-but I'm willing to do it for $0.50/word. (Do I wish this market paid a higher rate? Of course, but I can't always control what a market will pay me.) And the third is a short piece, 350 words, for $650, about $1.85/word. It also has a tight deadline and will require some legwork, but I've already starting to pull the research and line up the experts I'll need. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(For the record, I don't always get assignments that pay so well per-word. One of my regular clients pays about $0.35/word. Another pays about $0.30/word. But I know how long those assignments will take and can usually make close to my $100/hour rate regardless. And with ghostwriting projects, I'm usually paid per-project, not per-word.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I can't control how high (or low) a market will go. What I <i>can</i> control is <b>how low I will go</b>. And $0.10/word for original content? That's too low--at least for me, right now. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My advice? Know how low you will go--and stick to it. Because if you're saying "yes" to poorly-paying work, you have less time to pursue the better-paying markets--and that will hurt you in the long run. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**Want to know more about how to make more money as a freelancer? </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Check out </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Six-Figure-Freelancing-Writers-Making-Second-ebook/dp/B00BOVQ6NE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400516397&sr=1-1&keywords=six-figure+freelancing" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition</a>, </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">a freelancing classic that helps both new and experienced writers boost their bottom line. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">My newest </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> book,</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks-ebook/dp/B00GG69DUU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-2&qid=1401628090" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">, shows writers how to break into the ghostwriting/content marketing field. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">And if y</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">ou're brand-new to freelancing, I recommend </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and </a></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dollars-Deadlines-Writing-Articles-Markets/dp/098366336X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407693567&sr=8-1&keywords=dollars+and+deadlines" style="color: #666699;" target="_blank">Online Markets</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956176634474051220.post-69416652961053158342014-09-28T12:08:00.004-07:002014-09-28T12:08:30.984-07:00Smart Questions to Ask Every Potential Ghostwriting Client<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I get a lot of questions about ghostwriting from writers who are new to the field. How much should you charge? How do you negotiate a contract? How do work efficiently with a client? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But one question that many fail to ask (but should) is how to vet a potential client. That's why you should ask potential clients questions like: </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">• What kind of book do you want to write? </span></span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">• How long will the book be?</span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">• Who's the audience for the book? </span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">• </span><em style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">Why</em><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"> do you want to write this book? </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">• What have you done already? Do you have an outline? A rough draft? Or just an idea? </span></span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">• What's your time frame? </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">• Why do you want to hire a ghostwriter? </span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">• What kind of publisher do you plan to pursue? Traditional? POD? Or will this be an e-book only? </span></span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">• How did you find out about me? Why are you interested in hiring me? </span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">• How do you envision working with a ghostwriter? </span><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">• What are you planning to spend on a ghostwriter? </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">• How will you plan on marketing the book once it's published? </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Pay attention to your potential client's answers. In general, the more detailed and thoughtful they are, the more serious the person is about hiring a ghost. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">**Want to know more about ghostwriting? Check out <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Byline-Hello-Big-Bucks/dp/0988818507/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411931145&sr=8-1&keywords=goodbye+byline%2C+hello+big+bucks" target="_blank">Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition. </a></i></span></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12518158232642872324noreply@blogger.com0