Last week , in Article Writing Research and Idea Tips – Going Beyond Wikipedia – Part 1, I talked about the importance of doing more than cobbling an article together for pay when you want to build a writing career. Today I’m going to share some of my own sources of inspiration and research.

I often preach that writers should carve out a writing niche for themselves so that they can make more money and research less but there are times when you might take a writing assignment on a subject you know nothing about. And even if you do have an established niche, there are times when you’re going to run out of steam on a topic.

In either case, here are some (hopefully) helpful ideas that work for me for researching:

• Read Wikipedia, yes, but don’t just read the info in the first few paragraphs to help you cobble an article together. Read the whole page and click through to the resource links on that page, which can often give you further detail.
• Go beyond Google.  I do love Google (dearly. I really do) but take a look at other search engines to help you delve deeper into a topic, too. You’ll notice that Google, MSN, Bing, and others often have different page one results.
• Delve deeper into Google. Go beyond page one. I also like to go through Google Blog Search or Google News. I search with words related to a topic matter and the News search tells me what’s being said in news circles about the topic. When you write an article for syndication purposes, it’s much more likely to get picked up when you write it as a news item and relate the topic to current information.
• Search for videos. There’s a vast world of how-to and informational videos out there on just about any topic. I’ve often watched a few videos to help me grasp a new topic by jotting down notes while the video played.
• Search social media. Check out Technorati or mine Twitter for information and links related to the topic at hand. You’ll often find a goldmine of information on other people’s blogs that can provide details, subject inspiration, and further links that you can use.
• Article directories. Directories can sometimes be no better than Wikipedia but they are often worth a look. They  can provide info, facts, and inspiration.  And if you’re writing an article for a client who plans to use it in a directory, it makes sense to see what your article will be up against on the site. Searching sites like Ezinearticles for a topic can be a great idea. Because there aren’t internet cops that delete bad articles, you can’t absolutely trust that information you find will be 100% accurate but there may be useful facts and ideas for you to draw from. Chances are that if you’re getting paid to write on a topic, others may have also written on that topic and you can search Ezinearticles. Don’t forget to skim the resource box and check those links out for further info, too.
• If I write on a topic regularly, I subscribe to Google Alerts for keywords so that I get information delivered to my inbox. This is a great timesaver.
• The library.  Oooh, researching the old-fashioned way!  I love the smell of books and there’s just something about libraries that wakes up sleeping parts of my brain and make me feel inspired.
• Ask your client for help. The client might have ideas for topics that they’d like you to cover and they may have previously published articles on your subject that they can share to help you trim down your research time.

What about you? Where do you get your article research information and idea inspiration?

(photo courtesy of: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/nkzs)

There’s a fine line between research and plagiarism. How often have you researched a topic only to find that someone else has already said it in the best possible way?

When that happens, the temptation is to rewrite and disguise it, but use it anyway. The trouble is, that’s not creative. It’s like adding water to powdered milk – reconstituting something that already exists.

The temptation can be overwhelming, particularly when deadlines loom. But powdered milk writing does a disservice to both you and your client. As a writer, you want to showcase the qualities that your client is paying for:

• Originality
• Facility with language
• Good research skills

In order to do that properly, you need to do more than regurgitate what someone else has said. Note that I said regurgitate. I have no problem with writers getting information from several sources, synthesizing and adding their own creative flair to make it original. That’s called research.

If you have ever done a rewrite you will know what I mean. I haven’t done them for a while, but I did a few when I started out in freelancing, because that’s what some of my clients asked for. I always found it easy to research and write an article, but more challenging to spin it twice or three times more. That’s because there was no originality and no creativity. It may have been what the client wanted, but it tasted like powdered milk to me.

What’s your take on this?

(Photo by Roebot)

Some people who slag off web content writers claim that there’s too much garbage content online and that too many people who write for money do it just for the money and couldn’t care less about the quality.  Some ghostwriters have low work standards when selling writing that won’t have their name on it.  In fact, I once hired a person to work on my writing team but found a comment by her on a writing forum that said she couldn’t be bothered to put much effort in when the work was ghost written. I cringed and promptly lost her email address.

Too many people rewrite, spin, and regurgitate information that’s already out there and it gives hard-working writers a bad name. Too many people pad their articles as they’re getting paid by the word, know nothing about the topic, and can’t be bothered to take the time to write something that’s worth reading so they just re-phrase basic articles that are already out there. Today’s post isn’t really a rant (despite how it sounds so far). Today’s post is intended to provide some food for thought for those starting out in freelance writing, especially ghostwriting.

I try to remember two things when writing:

1. Write tight. It’s on the bottom of every project brief for one of my regular clients.
2. A quote by Stephen King, “You must not come lightly to the blank page.”  Enough said.

I’m not going to say that everything I write online is worthy of a Pulitzer. I know that’s not true but I will say that I do my best to give a ghostwriting client work that they won’t be embarrassed to put their own name on.

If you’re a freelance writer, you know that time is money so it might be tempting to just whip an article for a client together but if you’re not going past basic sources like Wikipedia for information… you’re doing your clients, your own writing career, and the blessed Internet an injustice. 

Sure, Wikipedia is useful and if that’s all you use, your article might even get earn you a “good job” from your client because your article is free of typos, but if you want your articles to be better than okay, I say…”Write it like your own name is on it.”

Writing Research and Article Writing Tips:

For new writers, I suggest you use at least two and preferably more than two sources to come up with content for an article.  Sure, there will be times when you can write off the top of your head or when the client’s directions make it clear that they’re just looking for search engine fodder but if you make it a rule to try to write articles that provide actual value to readers you’ll develop a great reputation and get new clients through word of mouth referrals, too.

Almost anyone can get paid to write a 500-word article about something but it usually takes more than just Wikipedia as a research source to develop a reputation and profitable writing career. In my next post,  I’ll share some of my own sources of writing inspiration and research.

If you’re not already getting Get Paid to Write Online posts by email, please consider subscribing so that you’ll get Part 2 of this post delivered to your e-mail or feed reader.

(photo credit: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/Szorstki)

I’m always interested in reading books about writing, so I was pleased when Andy Hayes asked me to review Write Right Online. Andy’s a travel writer and the 30 page book shares what he has learned about online writing.

Who The Book Is For

This book is aimed firmly at the new online writer. In 18 short sections, Write Right Online takes you through everything you need to know about online writing. What I love about the book is that it is a model of simplicity – anyone can follow it – yet it somehow gives new writers information – and examples – they can take away and use to improve their style, their visibility and the reach of their content.

Best Feature

For me, the best feature is the checklist, which goes with the book. Each point on the checklist relates to a tip in the book, so you can easily refer to it if you need a refresher. Even experienced writers will benefit from pinning this checklist up on a notice board in their office, as we all need a reminder some time.

Summing Up

What’s great about this book is that you can read it very quickly and start applying the lessons immediately. If you’re a new writer and want to get it right first time, then £17 ($27)  is a small price to pay.

(Disclosure: I have not been paid for this review, though it does contain affiliate links.)

Some writers use social bookmarking tools to follow the bloggers that they regularly read and to occasionally chat with other writer friends.  Social networking can be a great way to take some of the isolation out of working from home alone. But if you’re not also using social media tools to your advantage to boost your writing business and to help you attract new clients, you may be leaving money on the table.  Here are a few ways that social media has helped me with my writing career:

Bookmarking for Writer Self-Promotion and Earnings

When I write a blog post or article that promotes my writing business, my passive income efforts, or one of my niche blogs, I might take an opportunity to Stumble it, Tweet, or Yahoo Buzz it. I might also link to it on Facebook, Friendfeed, and Plurk as well as link to it from another blog post or article of mine, too. Those extra bookmark links can drive up the popularity of the post both from search engine optimisation perspectives as well as the fact that many of my online friends or followers will then give the link their own nod by voting it up, re-tweeting, etc. An article or blog post gone viral can be a very good thing.

Networking with Potential Customers

Over the years, I’ve had quite a few different queries from new clients who initially found me on social media sites instead of in the search engines. While I actively promote in places I believe clients go looking, it doesn’t just take someone looking for my services to decide I might be a good fit for a writing project. There are times when people randomly happen upon  something I wrote and decide from there that maybe they’d like to hire me.

Tip: Because nearly everything you say and do online has the ability to be seen by others, particularly if you use your own name, it’s a really good idea to remember when socializing online that potential customers may read your words. Social search engines are increasing in popularity and so are background checks by potential employers.  Some social sites are really fun and casual but I typically remind people to behave in a “business casual” manner, rather than as if it’s perpetually “casual Friday”.

Social Marketing as a Service

Because of the power of social media and all I’ve learned about it, I’ve also taken my knowledge and used it to my advantage by making it part of my solutions offerings.  Some customers have me manage their own social media campaigns as well as pay me to post their links on certain accounts of mine.  While there are times that I have to force myself to back slowly away from Facebook or pry myself off Twitter so I can be productive (they are fun as well as useful), social media tools  typically do provide great results for me and I highly recommend that writers explore using them for self-promotional purposes.

Is your writing career wearing you out? How would an extra hour a day help you? New freelance writers often go through the following cycle:

1. Take every writing opportunity that arises
2. Write all day and all night
3. Run out of time to spend on other aspects of life
4. Burnout or wonder whether this career is right for you after all

Writing Career Goals

A fellow writer who writes marketing copy said to me the other day: “When I said I wanted to be a writer, this was not what I had in mind.”

We all write because we enjoy it, but that doesn’t mean that we enjoy every aspect of the job. Talk to many freelancers who have been writing for more than a year and you will often sense fatigue and some disillusionment. That’s because they are working too hard on things that don’t match their personal goals.

Often, we are so used to the lifestyle we had as new freelancers that we don’t stop to consider whether we really need to keep working that hard. The first year of freelancing can be tough, but by the end of that period, we usually get a couple of regular clients. If we have done our job right, they will also pay more than the rock bottom rate we started with.  That means working fewer hours to achieve the same income.  Take a moment to look at your client portfolio and earnings and see if you have reached this stage without even realising it.

Putting Balance Back Into Writing

If you have, then you can put some fun back into your writing career and achieve a more balanced existence. You can:

• spend more time with friends and family
• take time off for personal pampering and fitness
• work on some of those writing projects that are on the back burner

Getting Things Done

So, how do you achieve this extra hour? One of the key things is organisation. You can:

• manage your email in two or three batches a day instead of looking at each email as it arrives
• work during your most productive time each day
• set a schedule and stick to it
• take on only the work you can do within your set working hours
• reduce the time you spend on social networking and online distractions

Automatic Organisation

This last one may sound simple but it’s amazing how often we forget to do it. Think about it. Anytime you need to go to a medical appointment, have an offsite meeting, look after a sick child or handle one of the other interruptions to your schedule, you still manage to get your work done. You automatically discard the non-essentials and focus on the necessary tasks to achieve your goal. Work like that every day and you will find that you can still keep all your clients happy while having more time to work on personal projects and design the lifestyle you want.

Case Study

I discovered this a few weeks ago when I was visiting a family member who was recovering from surgery. Because of the additional responsibilities I had, I was forced to focus on key tasks. I got all my clients’ work done on time and on spec. I was ruthless about discarding non-essential email and was concise in responding to urgent email. I cut down on time spent on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn (and everyone’s still speaking to me) and hardly looked at my RSS reader. I saved about two hours a day.

How It Works

In the past week, I’ve put this system into practice. While I still need to refine it, I managed to carve out a few hours to rearrange and declutter my office space. I know that if I keep going, I will have the time I need for my personal writing projects. What would you do with an extra hour a day?

(Photo: http://morguefile.com/archive/display/52356)

Those who get started in freelance writing can find that there are many clients who will pay writers to write for them on a wide array of topics. Writing on a lot of different subjects can definitely keep your job interesting. While learning how to research and pull information together quickly can help you get writing work, you might want to consider choosing a specialty writing niche (or two) as well.

Niche writers benefit in several ways:

• They become known as experts on a topic and can command higher writing rates as well as get plenty of unsolicited job offers.
• Self promotion is easier because you can target specific keywords and phrases. It’s going to be much harder to rank on page one of Google for “freelance writer” than a niche writing topic.
• Research time is diminished because you can draw on your expertise

How do you choose a writing niche?

Here are two considerations to choose your niche:

1. Write what you know
2. Write what you love

What do you know?

Many new freelance writers who are looking for writing work online have experience in a particular area. Your previous background can work to your advantage in your writing because you can draw on expertise from a previous job. A friend of mine was a lawyer looking to break into freelance writing so I suggested legal writing. If you have a legal background as a lawyer, paralegal, or law clerk you could become a legal writer.  If you were in the health field, you could draw on that experience and become a health writer. If you’ve got a technology background, you could be a tech blogger. The list goes on.

What do you love?

If there’s a topic you’re passionate about, you can strive to become known for your expertise in that area. When you’re researching and writing a lot about a particular topic, it doesn’t hurt to find it interesting so that you don’t run out of zest, ideas, or steam.

I’ve said it before and yes, it bears repeating: Freelancing is about freedom. While you’re not limited to writing just within your niche (unless that’s what you want to do), you’ll find that once you carve out a niche for yourself, those gigs will probably be the most profitable.

(photo credit: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/mainrc)

Being busy can be good. But being too busy can be overwhelming. It happens with freelance writing.  You go from famine (a time with little work and lots of bidding and job hunting) to a sudden writing job feast and suddenly you’re stuffed to the brim with work.  Being busy is good but being overwhelmed can make it difficult to cope.  How do you handle it?  Here’s what I do:

Ask for Help

I have a list of writing friends and a small group of writers I regularly sub-contract to.  If I’m running short on time, I go to someone I feel would be a good match for a project and offer them some work. I keep a percentage for managing the order flow and ensure I check the work carefully so that my client is getting what they’re expecting.  I have writing friends that do the same for me so it can be very symbiotic.

Ask for an Extension

Some clients will be flexible if you need some extra time. Not every article has to be delivered by ambulance! If you’ve run into a tough spot, consider asking for an extension as soon as possible, so you don’t interfere with their schedule by asking at the last minute.  If you don’t do it too often, your client may be accommodating and forgiving but do ensure you don’t do this often unless absolutely necessary.

Just Say No

Many freelance writers can’t bring themselves to say, “No” to work offers — even when their plate is overflowing. As self-employed individuals, we worry about the famine we fear is down the road and sometimes say “Yes” to our own detriment.  Don’t be afraid to tell clients you’re booked with projects for the next week.  Chances are that they’ll be understanding and if you’re seen as “in demand”, clients learn that they’ve got a valuable writer working on their behalf. This might result in less “emergency” orders from regular clients who (too often) abuse vendors who always drop everything for them.

When you’re busy, clients may be willing to wait for you. If not, you can sometimes refer them to a writing friend. It’s much better to take good care of the clients you’ve already got on the roster than to do a poor job for everyone because you can’t say  “No” when you really should. Part of being a freelancer is being “free” to work as much as you want and part of being a professional is being able to portion your time wisely.   Being busy is good but if you get too overwhelmed too often, you’ll resent your work and get writer’s burnout.

Buckling Down to Get Things Done

So, when you’ve found you’re really busting at the seams and the only way out of it is to be ultra productive and get work done, how do you rev up your muse and really get going?

* Turn off social media tools. You don’t need to “tweet” about how insanely busy you are ten times a day. Once will do

* Only check email (and your favourite writing blogs) between tasks. Avoiding the urge to jump back and forth between tabs. Too much multitasking  can make every task you do take longer because you’re going to be continuously distracted.

* Take-out food with disposable plates, extra treats, and a DVD for the family to occupy themselves while you get work done can buy you a very productive afternoon and evening once in a blue moon!

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask your spouse, older kids, or a close friend to help by taking non-work responsibilities off your hands so you can make work a priority. The sooner you polish off that to-do list, the sooner you’ll reap the financial rewards of being busy and earn yourself a much needed (and deserved) break! After a crazy-busy period, do make sure you do try to take time to switch off and rejuvenate!

Got any tips for writers who’ve overbooked their time? Please share!

When you work as a freelance writer, job hunting can be a big part of your day and because time is money, doesn’t it make sense to handle it in a way that saves you time and increases your income? I try to handle job hunting in the same way as making passive income. Here’s how I do it:

A lot of writers augment their income with passive article writing sites like eHow, Askables, InfoBarrel, and HubPages. If you’re making time to do that, you can also make a little time for self-promotion —  which can be an even more profitable way to increase your income.

Passive Income Benefits

When working for passive income streams, actions done today can pay you back repeatedly. I know people making $1,000+ a month cumulatively on articles that they wrote last year.  It may take time and effort now for payoffs tomorrow but it might pay you tomorrow and the next day and the day after that as well.

So, why not perform an action that can get more results more than once with respect to hunting for writing jobs?  With passive writing income sites, you can write once and get paid many times. Consider promoting yourself online with actions that you take once but that can lead to repeated results. Let’s call this…passive job hunting.

How do you do this? Self-promotion.  Self promotion for writers is vital in terms of building your brand so that clients come to you. Self-promotion can take time and cycles now but can pay you off repeatedly in the future. Some freelance writers spend an hour a day querying and applying to jobs and while you should continue to keep your eyes and ears open for great job opportunities, doesn’t it seem easier to try to have people also come to you because they’re looking for an expert at a specific niche or writing style and found you listed as an expert somewhere?

Google – A Writer’s Best Friend

Google can be used to build you up as an authority by telling people who search for a press release writer, white paper writer, legal blogger, or (insert your specialty here)_____ writer, that you are the most relevant result. Because most web writers, through writing for clients and content factories, get to pick up a thing or two about search engine optimisation and social networking, they can do a great job of promoting themselves by applying the principles they use for clients to their own promotional efforts. If you’re helping your clients rank as #1 for the widget they sell, you should be able to help yourself become #1 in the SERPS for the widget that you sell.

Here are three tips to help you do that:

1. Start a website. Create a professional-looking business website. I started mine at Hostgator for $45 ($35 for 3 months of hosting and $10 for my URL) two years ago and it has done wonders for me! The site builder made it easy to set it up and I did it over a weekend.

2. Write articles for article directories and link them back to your site. Optimise them for the keywords you want to rank for.

3. Social bookmark your articles on places like StumbleUpon, Mixx, Reddit, Twitter, etc.

4. Repeat steps two and three each and every week.

Even one article a week over time can help you. Instead of having to troll job boards every week to fill up your schedule for the following week, you’ll eventually begin to get a steady stream of queries from clients who find you online. Your one application for a job gets seen once. But your self-promotion efforts can result in articles and your site being seen by many.

When people find you, it’s much easier to land the job. They’re already partially convinced that you’re right for the job and you can often make even more money this way because you set your own pricing.

You spend time every day searching for jobs and reading the blogs you love to read so why not take an extra few minutes and write a self-promotional piece for yourself?

A couple weeks ago, I put out a call among my contacts for someone to contribute regularly to Get Paid To Write Online. The reason? I’m happy to say that my writing career is thriving, but that means that I haven’t posted on the blog as often as I did before. In looking at my writing schedule and trying to think about balance, I had a couple of options. I could have sold or abandoned the blog, but it’s my baby and I didn’t want to do that, so instead I’ve found someone to contribute regularly to it.

Many writers will already know Dana Prince, who writes for several successful blogs including The Writer’s Blog (which is on my must-read list), the Work at Home blog and many more. Dana and I have known each other for years. We started our blogging journey together on a now-defunct site, then worked as colleagues on a writing team and became writing buddies.

I couldn’t be more delighted that Dana’s joining Get Paid To Write Online. Starting in October, she will be posting once a week on Wednesdays and will bring her extensive experience of freelance writing to the blog. Dana’s been an active member of what is now the Get Paid To Write Online community since I started this blog’s predecessor in 2005. I’m sure you’ll enjoy her posts.