We're ALL Vegetarians...Until the Burgers Arrive

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". 

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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." 

"Well, we're ALL vegetarians!" added Damon. 

To which I responded, "Yeah, we're all vegetarians...until the burgers arrive." 

Mmmmmm....burgers.

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. 

**A big welcome to my new readers. If you're serious about making your freelance writing business a money-maker, I suggest my freelance classic, Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition. 

If you're more interested in getting into ghostwriting and content marketing, I suggest Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition. 

If you're brand-new to freelancing, Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets walks you through the process of launching your freelance career. 

Finally, if you like your books full of shorter pieces, check out a different format--Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success is divided into five broad sections to help you make more money regardless of what kind of nonfiction writing you do. 

The Most Effective Follow-up You Can Write

Last week I talked about the importance of following up on your pitches and letters of introduction. Well, if you've never done that before, you may be wondering what to say. Here's a template to follow, with my comments in pink (my daughter's favorite color): 

Dear Stephanie:

Hope you’re doing well. I’m writing to follow up on a query I sent you (working title, “Sleep Yourself Thin”) four weeks ago; I’ve dropped it below for your convenience. [Remind the editor of which pitch you're following up on, and include it in your follow-up (in the body of the email, not as an attachment) to make it easy for her. ]

Would you let me know at your earliest opportunity if you’re interested in this story for Complete Woman? If I don’t hear from you within two weeks, I’ll assume you’re not interested in the idea at this time and may market it elsewhere. [Here's the bonus of following up--you put the onus on the editor to get back to you. If she wants the piece, great! If not, I'm not going to sit around for months hoping for a response--I'm moving on, baby. I've found this tends to provoke a response, even it's a "no thanks." You can give a market more time to respond--say three to four weeks--if you like. The idea is to give the editor (and yourself) a deadline.]

Thank you very much for your time; I look forward to hearing from you soon. [Standard closing line.]

Very truly yours,Kelly James-Enger

**See how simple an effective follow-up is? It should take you less than 10 minutes to send, and should provoke a response. If you don't receive one, then find the next market that may be interested, and move on. Your pitches won't do you any good on your hard drive. 

Want to see more templates? One of the reasons Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets and Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition are so popular with readers is that they both include more than a dozen templates--real-life queries, LOIs, sample contracts, and even examples of what to say when contacting a potential source, for example. Well worth the money--and if you don't have a Kindle, you can pick up electronic versions (Dollars) (Six-Figure Freelancing) at Smashwords here. 

Post Round-Up: 10 Posts New Freelancers Should Read

So, it's St. Patrick's Day but I've spent the afternoon working. I'm in the final stages of finishing the galleys of Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, second edition; it goes to print once I approve them. I have to say that the updated version is even better than its predecessor--partly because there's a lot more stuff in it (new chapters on marketing and on writing books, advice about social media, and new advice from successful six-figure freelancers--along with a dozen queries, eight letters of introduction, and five proposals), and partly because I'm just a better writer than I was ten years ago, when I wrote the first edition. I'm not bragging--that's what happens when you do something for years. You get better at it!  

And I will have Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets available in a print edition in the next week or so. Been busy with that, too. In other words, I am swamped with things other than my blog, so I'm hosting another post round-up. And I have a question for my readers: Do you have any great promotion ideas for me as I launch Improvise Press' first two books? I'll be doing some giveaways; writing articles and blog posts for a variety of markets; seeking reviews; and hosting some events for freelancers in coming months. And yes, I will Tweet about it. But I'd love to hear from you! Please let me know. 

Okay, now for our post round-up--10 posts that every new freelancer should read: 

* If you want to write articles for print and online pubs, you have to be able to write a compelling query. 
* The other essential tool in your marketing toolbox? The LOI, or letter of introduction. 
* If you lack experience, you should be pitching the FOB, or front-of-book, section. Here's why.
* Don't be afraid to follow up. In fact, plan on doing it with every pitch. 
* Focus on relationships, not assignments. 
* Worried about interviewing someone? Five tips for better interviews.
* Use the "TK" trick to write faster, or "swim like a shark," as I say. 
* Make your editor love you--it's not that hard. 
* Know the perfect time to pitch an editor. 
* Understand what attributes play a vital role in your freelancing success. 

--Til next time! 

10 Ways for Freelance Writers to Market Themselves

Hi, readers! Got a query you're struggling with, and would like some feedback on? Had a query rejected and wish you knew why? Or simply want a pro to take a look at your latest pitch? 

Stay tuned--I'll soon be offering my Query Critique series, where I edit and comment on readers' queries (anonymously) here on the blog. (It's a bargain--my consulting/coaching clients pay me $100/hour for this kind of work--so get your query ready to submit when I announce the upcoming critique series!)

And do me a favor. Please comment on this post if you're planning to participate and let me know! Thanks.  

            

Now, onto my latest post: 

New to freelancing? Feel like you're doing nothing more than sending out queries and getting, well, nowhere? 

            

Welcome to the club. When you launch a freelance business, you spend the majority of your time marketing. As you develop experience and work for clients, though, you can expect to spend less time overall selling yourself. Yet you should plan on devoting a significant chunk of time, at least 20 percent, to marketing your business.

            

The way you market will depend on the type of work you do, which means that the strategies that work for a freelancer who writes for magazines won’t work for a copywriter. That’s why I suggest you create your own marketing plan, selecting different techniques that will vary depending on the type of work you do. In addition to those dreaded cold calls, here are ten effective techniques to use:

• Query letters. If you write for magazines, whether print or online, a powerful query is your first line of attack. Every query should open with a compelling lead, make the case for the story, show the editor how you plan to approach the topic, and describe why you’re uniquely qualified to write it. 
• LOIs. Second only to query letters in the freelancer’s arsenal is the LOI, or letter of introduction. You should have a template on hand that you can customize for potential clients, whether you’re contacting a custom publisher, a business, or a potential ghostwriting client. A template you can tweak lets you strike fast if you see a freelancing post or find out about a possible gig. The client will usually hire one of the first qualified responders, so you want to be as close to the head of the line as you can.
• Your website. You need one. Period. Your website should be designed to attract your primary target clients. If you’re writing for businesses, play up that aspect. If you freelance for magazines, include clips on your site and a list of publications you’ve worked for. At the least, your website should include: a description of the kind of work you do; a brief biography; and contact information. You may also want to list of prior projects or publications or client testimonials as well.
• Your email signature. One of the easiest yet overlooked ways to market yourself is to create an email signature that describes the work you do. Change it occasionally to highlight different aspects of your business.
• Satisfied clients. Clients who are happy with your work are one of the best ways to market yourself. Once you’ve proven yourself, ask your editor if she knows of other editors looking for freelancers. If you feel that’s too pushy, at least ask her to pass your name along to colleagues who might hire you in the future. 
• Article and book sources. I’ve interviewed hundreds of sources over the years, most of who are professionals in the health and fitness fields. I let them know that I ghostwrite and coauthor books, and have had work come through recommendations because of the way I treated a source. 
• Online job posts. Believe it or not, I’ve found good-paying work through online jobsites like craigslist. Check out http://craigslist.org, www.elance.com, www.online-writing-jobs.com, and www.guru.com for freelance job postings. Yes, most of the work is low-paying but there are legitimate gigs to be found if you don’t mind trawling through the dreck.
• Networking. Hate the word? Put a different spin on it. Don’t call it networking. Don’t call it anything. Just make an effort to create relationships with other humans, help them when you can, and connect. The person you connect with may not be a potential client, but he may know someone who is. The more people who know what you do, the better.
• One-on-one meetings. Every year, ASJA holds its annual writers’ conference in New York. Members can attend “Personal Pitch” to meet editors and agents. If you do a lot of work for businesses, it’s worth it to join your local chamber of commerce or attend other local networking events to introduce yourself to business owners.
• Social media. Unlike a website, a blog isn’t essential, but it can help you market yourself and your business. Same goes for your Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts. Each should contain a brief blurb about the kind of work you do, again targeting potential clients. 

            Bottom line is to avoid a common marketing mistake, and one I’ve made in the past. You get busy with work and you don’t market for a while. Then after you crawl out from under your deadlines, you discover that you have to scramble to line up assignments.

            That’s why you should set aside some time, even if it’s just a few hours a week, to market. That may mean sending out a query or two, touching base with your regular clients, or checking online sites for possible gigs. Consistent marketing will make for more consistent work, and consistent money. 

                    ***This post is drawn from Secret 18: Market constantly, from Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success. 

Forget Queries: 8 Other Ways to Get Work

Sure, queries are a great place to start, but they're only one weapon in your freelance arsenal. Check out The Renegade Writer's post on 8 ways to land assignments (without querying) for other ways to market yourself and your business.