“Writing comes more easily if you have something to say.”  ~Sholem Asch

With this latest social media tool raking up in popularity, do you wonder how freelance writers can use Google+? As a freelance writer, I’ve been using this new social networking platform for a while now and thought to share my views about how freelance writers can use Google+. I have to admit that I love it, as it offers real advantages for freelance writers, or for that matter even authors, bloggers, journalists, or just about anyone!

Google+ is different from Facebook or Twitter, as neither is it a hyper-open network like Twitter, nor a closed network like Facebook. Instead, it has the best of both worlds and fits into the middle ground, which allows the user to maintain a vibrant public persona if they choose, and still keep information private for family and friends.

Similar to Twitter, the “pulser” can follow as many people as they like, or decide to only share information with their “circles”, which can be divided into as many forms as the user desires, like family, friends, work, fellow writers, etc.

I have often heard writers ask as to how freelance writers can use Google+. Well, let me share some ways that freelance writers can use Google+.

1.Circles

The concept of Google+ circles solves the dilemma that many freelance writers and authors have with Facebook. For example, the need to maintain two profiles, one for friends and family, and the other for fans. Now you can simply choose to share things you like with your friends and family, or even a single individual, but still keep your public profile for your fans, without having to separate them.

Freelance writers can use Google+ to follow whoever they like, be it other writers, experts in the same field as you, or anyone else. This can be done by adding others to your circles, or accepting their invitation, as it’s a great way to create a network of potential readers and writers. You could choose anyone you want from ‘Recommended Users’, which is a new and growing directory of possible people to follow.

Coming to the question of how freelance writers can use Google+, nothing can be better than using circles for that matter. For a writer it is not only easy to follow other writers in general, but also to create different circles like, a circle for comic book writers, circle for screenwriters, circle for freelance writers, etc. Thus, by clicking the circle in your stream you can see what all your favorite writers are up to.

If you already have a good following on Twitter and Facebook, your writer or reader friends would circle you on Google+, thus you remain connected or even transfer your writer friends on to Google+.

2.Hangouts

Another way how freelance writers can use Google+ is through the great tool – “Hangout”. With it, you can now hold video and IM chats with multiple freelance writers, your fans, writing groups, your clients, or others with ease. You can even let your blog followers, whom you may’ve added on Google+, know that they can attend a live interview you’re doing with other writers.

You can even set up a hangout with your readers by creating a circle just for them, to discuss their thoughts about writing, or your latest post. If you’re an experienced writer, then you could share your ideas, experiences, and help other aspiring writers with your knowledge.

You can even conduct virtual writing workshops on hangouts, so that even those who aren’t able to attend the real life event can attend the online version. You simply need to fix a date and time for the hangout, and invite people to join in.

At times when you are simply feeling low and need to get motivated, or need some fresh ideas, you can use hangouts to have virtual talks with your freelance writer friends, or share some brainstorming sessions. It would pump in new ideas, clear your block, and recharge your batteries!

Though you can only hang out with 10 people at a time, even then it’s a wonderful way to connect with other freelance writers. Just make sure you look neat and tidy, do up your hair, ensure the microphone is working, and get going!

3.Sparks

Freelance writers can use Google+ to easily track particular subjects that they care about through “Spark”, which is great for research and ideas.  It is a quick and convenient way to find shareable content for your stream. Though some people feel it lacks the proper search that could be because Google+ is still in beta, but I think it works well when you are looking for something precise- like a search for ‘freelance writers cafe’ is more useful than a simple search for the broader word of ‘writers cafe’.

Similar to Google Reader, sparks also generates results of a particular keyword added like ‘writing’ or ‘blogging’, where you get content related to that topic and you can have multiple topics where the search results can be viewed separately. Sparks helps freelance writers to get ideas for new posts, news articles, or just stay informed about the things that interest them.

Your posts are public as Google+ is part of the Search Engine Google, and this would bring in more traffic to your site or blog, at least more than Facebook, where your wall posts are not linked to search engines.

4.Intelligent and Appealing Posts

People are sharing interesting, educative, and intelligent posts that are either relevant to writing, or others subjects. They are mutually liking and sharing blogs, besides other networking opportunities. As a freelance writer, I personally have come across some great posts and more referrals from Google+ than from either Facebook or Twitter, where I have been networking for months!

5.Alternate for a Blog

Another great way how freelance writers can use Google+ is by writing posts that are longer, which cannot be put up on Facebook or Twitter. If you don’t have a blog or website and want to start building your web presence, public posts of Google+ can serve the purpose of a blog post. The added advantage is that it’s integrated into the rest of your network, thus you already have a built-in audience, something that is missing in blogs.

Bloggers and writers can drive more traffic to their sites and blogs by sharing their blog posts, or by commenting on others posts that they view in the Google+ stream. Unlike Twitter, where everything is limited within those 140 characters, Google+ allows you better management with its option of “comments”, and you can clearly view what people are saying about information you shared or a particular post, which encourages even more interaction.

6.Google Authorship

With the help of Google+, writers who have blogs can have their posts show up in search with their Google profile notably next to it. A great way for searchers to easily connect with authors and writers is by the use of Google Authorship, which recognizes the writer as a curator of great content by combining the writer’s content and +1 button clicks on their Google profile.

7.Consolidation of Google Tools

As a freelance writer you need to remain on your email account all day long while working, to interact with clients, colleagues, and other fellow writers. If you have a Gmail account then you’re at an added advantage – Google + is integreted into your Gmail like all other built-in tools like YouTube, Google Reader, Google Maps, Google Calendar, and Chrome.

This lets you to immediately see when someone comments on a post, adds you as a friend, or messages you regarding work through its icons on the topmost bar of your Gmail. You can do all this without leaving your Gmail account, thus it saves you the trouble of having to open several windows to keep track of everything.

8.Special Branding

Google+ has the added advantage of being both, public and private. Public, as your public posts can be viewed even by those not connected to you, and your profile is visible to anyone who searches for it, provided your settings allow it to be visible in search. This makes it a special personal branding tool for writers, bloggers, and anyone using Google+, though you need to spend some time updating your profile and making it more interesting.

To make your Google+ profile more appealing, as a freelance writer you can provide links to your website, blogs, online books, public profiles etc, in your profile. You can add photos or videos of the latest events you attended, recent book launch event, or anything that connects you better with others. You can share interesting posts related to the area of your writing, and establish yourself as an expert by providing blogging and writing tips.

If you are a newbie and want to learn about Google+, the best guide is probably Mashable’s, as it takes you through every step with ease. You could even check a great post on promotional tools for writers on Google+, as it shows you how to join a growing writer’s networks, how you can use Google+ to find jobs, advice on creating Google+ writer profiles, how to share your Google+ posts across other social networks, etc.

After reading the above mentioned features, I am sure you would not wonder as to how freelance writers can use Google+!

Are you on Google+ also? What has your impression been about it? Do share your thoughts and ideas, and don’t forget to check out my Google+ profile and say hi!

The question you are likely to face as you begin your career as a freelance writer is whether to charge a flat-rate or an hourly-rate. There are many pros and cons concerning flat-rates vs. hourly-rates, as solid controversies exist in favor of both options.

Freelance writers remain in a dilemma whether the payment should be calculated by the project or by the hour, although in either case they try to build a long lasting relationship based on trust with the client.

In this article, I will discuss my experiences regarding the pros and cons of flat rates vs hourly rates, to help you decide which is better.

Flat-Rates-

As a client, this is the fairest method of payment- after all; nearly everything else in the world is paid for based on a flat-rate. Most clients want to know how much you are going to charge them before you start on the project, and this holds true for small businesses and individuals, who don’t have large funds.

It is up to the freelance writer to make a good estimate of how much time the project will take, and price accordingly, though if you undercharge, it is a lesson learnt for next time!

Flat- rates work well for new freelance writers, as they are slow in their initial learning phase. Thus, they can take their own time to complete a project after finalizing a date with the client, rather than upset the client if the work was done on an hourly basis and the project got extended way too long.

Pros:

• By charging a flat-rate the client is happy to know the final total of the project.

• Your only worry now is about the project, as you do not have to worry about keeping track of the billed hours or the time.

• There is a guarantee of a fixed amount of payment, even if you finish the job quickly and efficiently. In fact, the time you save on a flat-rate project can be spent on another project, thus you are able to make more money.

• There is clarity between the client and you, as the client knows about the cost of the project right from the start, and you are also assured about the amount you will be paid.

• You tend to put in your best and work harder in order to complete the project on time.

• You get more flexibility to write and are able to distribute the time for various other projects, whether related to writing or not. You have the freedom to split your work between two projects, or work on more than one project at a time.

• Since you know the final amount fixed for the project before commencing work, you can ask for a certain percentage as upfront charges. In fact, you should, as it is a way to share the risk on both sides.

Cons:

• There is a risk you take of doing all the work and not getting paid in the end. Thus, it is always better to ask for some advance before the project commences.

• There is a risk that the project will take longer than the time you had expected, and you end up being underpaid.

• The client may take advantage of you by expanding the project or giving you additional work, but may not be willing to increase the rates.

• The client may request additional requirements and research involved outside the budget, for which you would have to be ready.

• Once the rates are set, even if the price is low, you are stuck with the responsibility to complete the project for your client, even though there is more work involved than you had imagined there to be.

Hourly-Rates –

As a freelance writer, this is also a fair method of payment for you, as you work for only a certain number of hours in the day and get paid for it. Although there are exceptions, but generally hourly-rates mostly work well with large companies who don’t mind charging by the hour.

Based on your invoice, they have programs that can handle paying you regularly with an hourly-rate. For me, hourly rates are too democratic, as they treat all writers as equals, which they never are.

Pros:

• The timings can be accurately tracked and counted.

• There is an assurance that you will get paid for your actual hours of work, and in most cases you even get paid if the project is ceased or changed for any reason.

• You are more confident in getting paid as you can bill throughout the project.

Cons:

• Clients may doubt the number of hours you bill them for.

• There is no guarantee of a minimum amount of payment for a certain project. It is tough to know what the final payment for a project will be and how much it will cost the client.

• Keeping track of your working hours can be a tedious process, and you have to be very meticulous and consistent with it.

• The rates are based on the number of hours, rather than the value you provide to the client.

• Clients expect the hourly-rates to be cheaper than what you may quote.

• Clients may not understand nor be willing to pay for organizing a meeting with you, as it is your valuable time that is wasted.

• Hourly-rates are not beneficial for efficient and experienced freelance writers, as they may be able to complete the work in half the time than what other freelancer writers take, thus ending up in loss due their fast writing speed.

• You don’t have the freedom to work on more than a single project at a time, as you are billed for the number of hours you work. Thus, you have to devote time to that project only, till it is complete.

If you are still in the initial stages of your freelance writing career, and trying to decide what to charge, do check out my article on setting your freelancing writing rates. Remember, it is your own experience and situation that will help you to determine which payment option is more appropriate for you and your client.

You will know the amount of time a certain project takes you to complete, which will help you decide what your hourly rates should be, or whether charging a flat rate would be more advantageous.

One method you can use is to first decide a suitable hourly-rate for your freelance writing project, based on your experience and skills. You can then convert that hourly-rate into a flat-rate, based on how long you think a project will take to finish.

Initially, you may make a few mistakes while trying to decide an appropriate rate, though with time, you will get a feel of the system and build more confidence in setting your price.

Generally, a combination of the two methods works well, though most freelance writers including myself are turning to flat-rates instead of hourly rates because of its various advantages. However, by knowing the pros and cons of flat-rates vs. hourly-rates, you will easily be able to determine which method works best for you!

Do share your experience about how you charge for projects. Do you use a flat-rate or charge by the hour? Share in the comments below.

Photo Credit: Graur Razvan Ionut

“Writing is the only profession where no one considers you ridiculous if you earn no money.” Jules Renard

Setting your freelance writing rates is one of the hardest decisions for you as a freelance writer. Since the freelance writing rates vary widely, it becomes difficult to work out what to charge for your writing services. You could end up paying and repenting lifelong if you get this decision wrong, as the wrong rates could even cause your freelance writing business to fail.

Things that count while setting your freelance writing rates include your years of writing experience, your writing skills, location, uniqueness, professional reputation, and how fast you can deliver your services.

As a freelance writer, you would be competing with many writers who are more than or as talented as you are, or writers who write poorly and offer their writing services at low fees. Such writers do manage to get jobs, and tempt us also to lower our rates! However, being a professional freelance writer you should not lower your rates.

There are various opinions for setting your freelance writing rates, as no one rate fits every situation or every freelancing specialty. Based on the job at hand, freelance writers ought to know what they can charge, which varies depending on the marketplace.

You need to keep the following points in mind before setting your freelance writing rates, which may vary as per your experience and specialization.

• Research the Freelance Market-

You need to make a detailed analysis of your competitors and what prices the freelance marketplace will bear. Try talking to fellow seasoned freelance writers, read books on freelance writing rates, and visit the websites of other freelance writers or companies with similar experiences to determine their freelance writing rates.

If you are a newbie, you need to spend at least one month researching the freelance writing industry and learn about what the top and the bottom freelance writers are charging their clients.

• Rates to Charge-

While some writers may charge too much for their writing services, others will charge too less. New freelance writers are reluctant to set decent freelance writing rates because they are not sure if they are worth it. The truth actually is that you can charge anything you want to charge, so decide your fees and stick to them. The real art lies in finding someone who is a willing to pay your price.

Another option is to start low, and as you gain experience and positive feedback, increase your freelance writing rates to a level you are happy with. If you can research well, write in a pleasant tone, and you have good spelling and grammar skills, then you are worth it.

Writers who charge by the word need to decide how much to charge, and stick with it on all projects of varying lengths. Mostly the rate per word charge fluctuates by the writer, depending on what the writer is writing, like web content, article, or a book.

You can set your rates at the higher end of what the market will bear, and let the client know why you are worth the fee you are asking. If your freelance writing rates are high, you can also have the flexibility to go lower if you wish by offering an introductory offer of 50% off, to get some feedback and testimonials. You may offer a discount for larger orders or a discount because you liked the client and their topics were interesting.

Consider the time you spend on writing when setting your freelance writing rates, as any educated writer should be able to earn anything from $20- $70 per hour or even more. Freelance writers should offer both, hourly and fixed rates to allow flexibility during negotiations.

You need to ask yourself what your time and skills are worth, and you can even find the current market rates in Writer’s Market. Check out this site that conducted a study with 3,700 freelance writers asking various question, or use the following as an approximate guideline till you develop a good sense of what you want to charge.

-  Articles for web content: $10 – $60 per article based on word count and other job aspects.
-  News articles: $15- $50 per page.
-  Magazine articles: $100 – $1000 per article.
-  Novels and Books: $40 – $80 per page.
-  E-books: $15 – $30 per page.

• Other Factors

You need to consider the following factors while setting your freelance rates-

i.Location – Freelance writing rates in Los Angeles and New York are not comparable to freelance writing rates in smaller cities, towns, or countries.

ii.Experience- More experience leads to higher pay, and the more knowledge you have, the more you can write. A freelance writer who is a newbie or a freelance writer with a minimum of 2 years of writing experience should charge anything from $15 – $20 an hour for simple articles with little research. If you are a specialist in your field, or charge by the word, the standard range is 50cents to $2 or more per word.

Similarly, a copywriter, SEO content writer, or PR writer with a minimum of 5 years of experience may charge $100 – $150 an hour. Thus, you need to consider your freelance writing experience when setting your freelance writing rates.

iii.Overheads- You need to consider your overhead costs into each hour billed or rates set to meet your revenue goals, and make it a profitable business. Expenses can include making phone calls, travelling cost, postage costs, or courier costs. Your freelance writing rates need to be adequate to meet your needs.

Check out how much you want to charge for gross and net revenue. To determine your freelance writing rates, you can use the rate calculators at Freelance Switch, or a freelance writing rate calculator, or try Feat .

iv.Fix your rates- Decide the lowest price you are willing to take, and stick to it. If your breakeven point is $20 an hour, then do not take $15 or lesser amounts, as it is not worth it. If a client is willing and able to pay $30 then let him pay, but if he is willing to pay $10 an article, then you have to decide if that is worth your time or not.

Overall, do not be afraid to make a few mistakes while setting your freelance writing rates, when you first begin your first few freelance writing projects. Trial and error are the best methods to determine your freelance writing rates properly, and with the above mentioned points you can tailor your own freelance writing rates to fit your experience, ambition, and enthusiasm.

Remember, your knowledge and talent is valuable, so do not be afraid to ask for what you believe you are worth. Of course, everything in life is negotiable, but don’t sell yourself short.

Good luck to you as you pursue your freelance writing career !

If you are a freelance writer, do share some of your experiences while setting your freelance writing rates. What methods did you use to determine your rates? How often do you adjust your rates?

How to Make Good Money Writing Online (aff link)

Photo Credit: sxc.hu

Common writing mistakes happen, but since you, as a freelance writer, have only a few seconds to impress new readers on your blog, it is vital to make all aspects of your content flawless.

Mentioned below are 10 common mistakes freelance writers make that turn off readers. You need to remove them from your blog posts to prove that you are an authority on your subject, and get in new readers.

1.Not Providing Quality Content

As a freelance writer, you need to give your readers a complete story that they will want to share and learn from. Answer “What? Why? When? Where? How? Who?” in your content.

You need to remain professional, and not just robotically give facts. As a freelance writer you need to strike a balance between traditional journalism ideas, and conveying the facts in a casual and interactive tone.

2.Not Including Images or Videos

Images and videos improve a reader’s experience and complement your text, so ensure to include them in your posts. Use the main keyword for the name of the photo file that you are promoting in your post, and in its alt text (title tag). To offer the reader an outline of your post, you may provide a descriptive caption with the photo.

3.Not Taking Care About Grammar, Paragraphs, and Punctuation

You need to structure your articles for short attention spans, thus avoid redundancies and edit paragraphs to four lines or less. Use abrupt tangents, incomplete sentences, and parenthetical thoughts sparingly.

Take care of your grammar and do not use incorrect or excessive punctuation, instead ensure that each sentence is crisp and clear.

4.Not Including Byline

Include bylines by using the space at the end of every post to connect with the readers, as they introduce you and build trust with a possible new reader. Bylines give you a chance to link to services or products that you offer, and as it represent you, so you have to take extra care of it.

5.Not Paying Attention to Factual Blunders and Typos

Check the spellings of the title/name or your articles/post. Ensure there are no inaccuracies, and that your link corresponds to the active, proper URLs. Take care that you do not make ‘actual word’ typos, as spell check will not alert you when you type an incorrect word that is spelled correctly.

6.Including too Many Links in Your Posts

Limit the links in your posts to useful, relevant articles that enhance your writing. To make sure that readers do not navigate away from your post, set links in such a way that they open in a new window or browser tab.

7.Using too Many Italicized, Bold, and Upper-case Letters

Limit the use of putting up many bold, italicized, and upper-case letters, as they look unattractive. Ensure the font of your post on a blog is appropriate and not too small, big, or fancy.

8.Not Clear About Plurals and Possessives

You need to be clear about words like “writer’s” where you wanted to write “writers”, by paying attention to the apostrophes and plural words while proofreading, to ensure that they are used correctly.

9.Providing Generic Descriptions

Display your About, Home, and Contact pages to attract and retain the readers. Attract the viewers and offer them something valuable if they stay. Snazzy logos and inviting tag lines can work well if you are blogging, and remember, catchy titles are a must for freelance writers.

List out and plan things that can make you different from the other freelance writers in your niche.

10.Not Checking for Inconsistencies

Before proofreading the final draft and putting up your blog post, you need to spot inconsistencies like the following-

• Numbered Items – If you have mentioned “Ten Tips” in your title, list ten distinct tips in your post.

• Hyphenated Words – If you use the word “proof-reader”, do not write it elsewhere in your post as “proof reader” or “proofreader”.

• Name References – If you mention the name “Warren Buffet”, refer to him as “Warren” or “Buffet” in the remainder of the article. Do not alternate between the two.

• Spelling – If you write the name “Lisbeth” do not spell it “Lisabeth”, when you refer to the same person again.

• Paragraph Breaks – Ensure that paragraphs do not accidently run together after your post is published.

As freelance writers, you need to treat your blog as a professional publication and not take it as a hobby. You may also like to read my post on tips for writing website content, that may help you in your journey as a freelance writer.

Remember, that freelance writing and putting up your posts on a blog is an opportunity to demonstrate your writing skills. If you have taken a note of the 10 common mistakes freelance writers make, I am sure your writing would turn out spotless!

What are the other mistakes that freelance writers make, while putting up their posts onto blogs? Do share your views and experiences in the comments below.

Freelance writing for magazines can be one of the most rewarding careers available to a freelance writer. Flourishing freelance magazine writers have a wide range of interests, are eloquent, and know how to research a topic.

Most freelance writers for magazines write for various magazines, taking up different topics, and sell their articles to various magazines and media channels. Freelance writing for magazines or the desire to be published in a regional, local, or national magazine takes talent, hard work, and a systematic plan.

To begin freelance writing for magazines, you could try to proceed with the following steps:

• Study the Magazine Market

Before you query the editor, get familiar with the various magazines, and read back issues of the magazine. You could find a copy of the magazine at a bookstore, library, or through the various websites.

Buy a writers’ market guide that often list trade and general magazines along with the editors’ names, submission guidelines, and website addresses.

• Assess your Freelance Writing Style and Voice

Before you consider contacting a magazine editor, you need to determine your writing strengths and weaknesses as a freelance magazine writer.

Successful magazine writers concentrate in the type of pieces they write, and have many ways of creating pieces that an editor buys, based on their distinctive voice, approach, and writing experience.

• Brainstorm Possible Ideas for Articles

List out all the possible topics that you already know about or are interested in, and look at the topics from all angles, as magazine editors are also on the lookout for a new spin on an old topic.

• Draft an Incredible Query Letter

Collect your best ideas and write a query letter that catches the editor’s attention, with a killer idea in the first sentence. Keep the pitch snappy, relevant, and short. You may add up your ability to write the content, and include a short outline of your article idea for the magazine.

Include any writing credits and send your query letter to more than one editor, as long as your article would fit in more than one magazine.

Send your query letter to the best national magazines first, as you would be paid the best there, and if you receive a negative response, then try smaller markets till you build a collection of published clips.

• Collect Ideas Aimed to the Magazine you Want to Pitch

You need to become familiar with the magazine editors and their departments, closely study the writing voice of the magazine, the stories they publish, and research each idea completely.

You could offer ideas the magazines staff writers cannot write, and look for clues to learn about each magazine’s readership or theme of each issue, before you begin freelance writing for the magazine.

• Polish your Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation

Freelance writing for magazines requires specialized skill, and no matter how good your ideas, an editor is sure to find out the misspelled words, lack of story flow, and poor sentence structure.

You need to brush up on your writing skills, by writing articles for your blogs, or freelance writing for websites to strengthen your writing style.

• Understand the Submission Guidelines and Magazine Editor Protocol

You need to fully understand the submission guidelines of the magazine you are writing for, and follow the pitching instructions of the magazine to the letter. Your resumes should include relevant experience to the article you are pitching.

Freelance writing for magazines pays well, provided you know the right way to go about it. Do share your experiences as a freelance magazine writer in the comments below.

Photo Credit: Dave