Writer to Writer - June 2008 - Issue One

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Dear [FIRSTNAME],

My flu is gone.  Hallelujah. I've been back at the gym - once - and even done some writing. It's actually been quite interesting over the last couple of weeks. If you've been with me for a while you'll know that I've been 'dabbling' in copywriting.  I've had a few jobs here and there, but despite marketing my butt off over the past year or so, I just couldn't crank it up to get enough work to make the marketing time worthwhile.

Until now.

In the last two weeks I've had phone calls and emails from five potential new clients. One of them I've already completed the requested work, three I've given quotes to, and one I'm meeting on Thursday. The work involved is a variety of ghost-writing, keyword articles, editing, and catalogue writing.

I've spent a bit of time 'marketing' on Guru lately, and a few days ago a notification came through for someone to write some 'keyword' articles.  The client involved was only prepared to pay $2-80 for each article. 

I know there are a lot of writers who are doing this, and are receiving between $2 and $10 for 350 word articles.

Please, don't do this.  Don't think you need to work for slave wages, because you don't.  Don't spend your precious time and skills writing for such a pittance. It's simply not worth it, and it also makes it harder for other writers.

On the flip side of this, a few days ago I received an email asking if I could write keyword articles, and if so, could I provide a price.  My prices are:  $50 for a 350 word article, $75 for a 450 word article.  These are set in stone, and I don't charge less for anyone. In fact, if they want something that's difficult to research and can't provide resources, or I have to spend a lot of time researching, I charge extra.

Keyword articles are generally pretty quick and easy to write, but if people want quality, they will pay for quality. 

Within minutes of sending my quote to this potential client, they sent an email back confirming they were happy with the price.  They didn't baulk at my price, and they knew they would get quality work because they weren't paying peanuts.

If you want to earn decent money from your writing business, you need to sit down and evaluate what you're really worth to your clients.  I have never charged peanut prices, and I have to admit it was a struggle to get work to begin with, but word-of-mouth from existing clients, and consistent marketing has finally paid off.

Most copywriters starting out aiming to earn $100 per day.  Reaching this goal would give you a reasonable income ($3,000 plus per month) and is not too hard to earn once you're established. 

If you can write just two keyword articles per day, you can easily reach an income of $100 per day.  As I said earlier, these are quite easy to write, and are usually quick once you get the hang of them.  They are very basic articles, with many of them being generic as their purpose is to get traffic to the client's website.  To that end clients will include specific keywords (phrases) they have researched and need used to earn that traffic.

You could be given something like this:

learn to write ebooks
information products
earn money writing ebooks
online income from writing

You would then have to seamlessly integrate those phrases into the article.  In many cases there is no brief of what the article has to be about, provided those keyword phrases are used at least once in the article. (You will often get a brief that states 'x' phrase needs to be used 'x' number of times.)

A little research on the internet will generally give you enough information to write the article.  I find these take around thirty minutes from start to finish, including research.  Pretty good money for the time spent.

Because the client contacted me late on Thursday, and my day was full Friday, I wrote the article Saturday.  It's a long weekend here in Australia, and he wanted the article as quickly as possible.  It will be waiting in his inbox when he arrives at work on Tuesday - along with my bill.

It sounds overwhelming when you first start, but it really is an easy way to earn writing income. And yes I know I'm an experienced writer and you may not be, but seriously, if you can write a decent letter, you can do this.

Now for some news:  Writer2Writer has a blog!

I've been procrastinating over setting up a blog for ages, and if you recall, I now have an affiliate manager.  He's an IT guy, and we recently discussed the fact I wanted a blog but didn't have the confidence to install the one I wanted (WordPress).  Today he was doing some other tech stuff for me so went ahead and installed the blog.

We have lift-off!  If you're interested, pop over and take a look:  http://www.writer2writer.com/blog

Read the message, leave a comment if you feel so inclined, and check out some of the links I've added.  I hope to post fairly regularly, and I'd love for you to stop by.  I'm still learning all the administration stuff, but I *think* I'm nearly there.

Craig, if you're reading this, I love you to bits.  Don't leave me.  Ever.  <g>

Time to get onto this issue:  this week Cheryl Malandrinos brings us part three of her Spring into An Organized and Clutter Free Home Office series of articles.  These are very informative, and if you're anything like me, you really do need them!

Okay, that's it from me - time to sit back and enjoy this issue.

Til next time…

 

Cheryl

p.s.  I have another small gift for you.  This ebook gives some good hints and tips on writing headlines, whether that's for your own stuff, or for when you're working with a client.  You can grab it here - there's absolutely no cost, and you won't be asked to leave any details. 

 

You can also read this issue online here:

http://www.writer2writer.com/Newsletter_June_2008.htm

If you missed the last issue, you'll find it here:

http://www.writer1writer.com/Newsletter_2_May_2008.htm

 

 

To avoid non-delivery of your newsletter, please whitelist write_cheryl@optusnet.com.au - otherwise your spa^m filters may reject any correspondence sent.

Quote of the Month:

Read the entire article here
 

Subscriber News:

 No news this week.

Contests:

The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is open to everyone! This competition welcomes anyone who loves to arrange words into beautiful art or to write a short story that is worth telling. And to all who have the ability to dream. Write a poem or short story for a chance to win cash prizes. All works must be original. http://www.dreamquestone.com

Deadline: July 31, 2008

Visit http://www.dreamquestone.com for further details or to enter

Anthology Calls for Submissions:

This is a paying market:

The bestselling A Cup of Comfort book series is now seeking submissions for new anthologies. Stories must be true, original, positive, narrative essays (creative nonfiction), and 1,000-2,000 words. Entrants pay no fees. Writers' guidelines: http://www.cupofcomfort.com/share.htm

SHARE SOME COMFORT

A CUP OF COMFORT FOR ADOPTIVE FAMILIES

The primary purpose of this book is to celebrate adoptive families and to recognize the extraordinary and challenging experiences unique to “chosen children” and their adoptive families. We are most interested in stories written by adult adopted children and their adoptive parents and siblings, but the book will likely include some stories written by members of the extended adoptive family (i.e. grandparent) and birth family members. Virtually any topic relevant to adopted children and their adoptive parents is acceptable—as long as it is authentic, positive, insightful, and uplifting or inspiring. We do not want heartbreaking stories about adoptive or birth families that regret the adoption. All of the stories in this collection must reveal a positive aspect of adoption and must bring comfort, joy, or inspiration to those who have been adopted and/or to the families who adopted them—no matter how difficult the experience and emotions portrayed in the story might be.

   Submission deadline: June 15, 2008

A CUP OF COMFORT FOR FATHERS

The connection between father and child can be as deep as the ocean, as strong as a mountain, and as uplifting as fresh air. For all its rewards, though, fatherhood is not without its challenges. And for all the gifts dads bring to their kids' lives, dads sometimes falter and fumble. Yet, the father-child bond forms, holds, and grows. A Cup of Comfort for Fathers will feature inspiring and insight true stories about the life-defining and life-enriching relationships and experiences shared by fathers and their children. These personal essays will be of varying topics and tones (heartwarming, humorous, poignant, provocative, etc.); about fathers and children of all ages and varying circumstances; and written by fathers, daughters, and sons.

   Submission deadline: August 1, 2008

A CUP OF COMFORT FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

For this very special collection, we seek uplifting true stories about the ins and outs, ups and downs, blessing and challenges of parenting children with special needs. The stories will cover children of all ages (birth to adult) and a wide range of developmental, physical, and mental delays/disabilities. No matter how difficult the experiences/emotions conveyed in a story might be (we want them to be authentic, after all), the story must reveal a positive aspect, resolution, or outcome and must be of comfort to parents of children with special needs. Stories may be serious, humorous, insightful, heartwarming, or inspiring. The majority of the stories will be written by parents of children with special needs; we will also consider stories written by adult children with special needs. (No articles or commentaries by clinicians, please.)

   Submission deadline: September 15, 2008

A SECOND CUP OF COMFORT FOR DOG LOVERS

Oh, how we humans love our canine companions -- for so many reasons and in so many ways that one Cup of Comfort collection of uplifting dog stories just wasn’t enough. So we’re giving all you dog-loving writers another opportunity to share your personal stories of canine comfort with a growing legion of dog-loving readers. This volume will feature both serious and humorous anecdotal stories covering a wide range of topics and perspectives and varying breeds of dogs. We do NOT want sad stories about a dog’s illness, injury, or death, though we will consider stories that weave a beloved pet’s illness or death into an otherwise positive story. The story should focus on the dog’s remarkable attributes and/or actions as well as on the special relationship between the dog and his/her human(s).

  Submission deadline: December 15, 2008

A CUP OF COMFORT FOR THE GRIEVING HEART

When a loved one passes away, comfort is often fleeting and hard to come by. Yet, even a small comfort, like a personal story of how someone has faced a similar loss, does help to ease the sorrow. This volume will feature uplifting personal stories that reveal the special relationships and extraordinary experiences shared by the deceased and his/her loved one(s) immediately before, during, and after the loved one’s passing; it will also includes stories about the internal and external processes by which one deals with and heals from the loss of a loved one. The stories will vary with regard to subject matter, circumstances of death, and the relationship of the author to the individual who has passed away. The book will not include eulogies, profiles/memoirs of people who have passed away, or clinical depictions of death and dying.

  Submission deadline: February 1, 2009

Please note that deadlines are sometimes extended by one to four weeks.

BASIC GUIDELINES

All Cup of Comfort stories must be original; true; appropriate for mainstream Americans (adult, primarily women); inspiring, comforting, and/or uplifting; and 1,000 to 2,000 words.

Creative nonfiction and narrative essays preferred (that is, incorporating such fictive elements as scene, dialogue, character/plot development, imagery, and literary word usage). Whether serious or humorous, the story should be authentic and engaging.

Electronic submissions preferred. One submission per email. Copy and paste (or type) into body of email. No formatting (no indents, centering, doublespace, bold, underline, etc.). To: wordsinger@aol.com.

Mailed submissions are acceptable. Standard typed manuscript (double-spaced, indents). Send as many submissions per envelope as you’d like, but include one SASE per submission. To: Colleen Sell, 71563 London Rd., Cottage Grove, Oregon, 97424, USA.

Each submission must include: author’s full name, mailing address, email address, phone number, story title, story wordcount, and theme of volume for which it is being submitted (i.e., Grieving Hearts).

For more detailed writers guidelines: http://www.cupofcomfort.com/share.htm

If you have a writing-related question, send it here.
 

If you have any feedback about this newsletter; comments, criticisms, (praise!) sections you'd like to see added, tell me

Submissions:

We are a paying market. Full guidelines are available here, along with current needs.  *Note:  We are again open for submissions, but waaaay behind in responding. (So what's new? lol)

Inclusion of a market, contest, anthology or similar is not necessarily an endorsement. It is strongly suggested that you do your own legwork in checking out any markets etc you decide to approach. If you feel wary or uncomfortable, there's probably a reason!

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