Yes, it seems I’ve risen from the dead. I haven’t blogged here in months and I haven’t sent out a newsletter in longer.

I’m not going to apologize. I’m just going to tell you what’s been happening. This year had started of really well for me. I had plenty of freelancing clients, I had started blogging again, my guest posts were popping up here and there and every time one would be published, I’d be bombarded with more work.

Then at the end of May, I got recruited for a full time position as a Community Manager for a start up in Dubai. Check out JadoPado.com if you’re curious. The work is fun and the exposure is great for a place like Dubai – which is where I live in case you haven’t checked out my about page.

Naturally, I stopped freelancing and only kept a couple of staff blogging and editing gigs. And that too only because I get credit for it along with pay. I may have started working full time but the pull of seeing my name under an article or blog post is still strong!

To be honest, I don’t know what will happen to this blog. For now it’s still there but I have no plans of publishing on it for now. I’ll be removing the free ebook you get if you sign up  for my newsletter and instead turn it into an email course after adding more stuff to it.

I have plans for the book – mainly that I’ll update it, have it edited, and then put it up for sale.

So this is it for now. I’m loving the new turn my life has taken even if it means I’m busier than ever spending every free minute I have with my daughter. I now write on my way to work on the train – 20 minutes in the morning and 30 in the afternoon. I’m getting more writing done in these 50 minutes than I thought possible!

I’m still around and am always on Twitter (@samarowais) if you want to keep in touch. You can also reach me via email (contact [at] samarowais.com) for anything that requires more than 140 characters to communicate

See you around!

Want to earn a six figure income through writing?

New freelance writers are often so busy trying to make ends meet that they forget to do the one thing that is guaranteed to grow their business. They don’t invest in their business.

When I was contacted by AWAI (American Writer’s and Artist’s Inc.) to review their course, I jumped at the chance. I’d already read Laura Spencer‘s review and trusted her judgement. I wasn’t disappointed!

AWAI’s Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting is a comprehensive course that will teach you the basics of copywriting, get you started and make sure that by the end of it, you have all the skills needed to make a success of your copywriting careers.

When I say this course is comprehensive, I mean there’s no way you can digest all that info in 6 weeks – unless you study for a solid two hours every day. You’ll definitely start earning in 6 weeks but this course is so in depth that it will continue to teach you for a long, long time.

The biggest selling point for me as I went through the course was the access to so many copywriting experts. While Michael Masterson is a big part of it, he’s not the only one sharing his experience, secrets and insights. It’s been created by several other successful copywriters who have either learned from Michael or worked with him. They’ve all collected their knowledge and revealed their copywriting secrets to help you earn more through direct sales copywriting.

The one thing that these master copywriters drill into you is that you don’t have to be a gifted writer to be earn 6 figures as a copywriter. Then they go on to prove it throughout the course.

Stuff I liked about this course

What I best liked about this course was the examples, case studies and exercises included in this course. They don’t just teach you theory, they give you practical exercises too. For a show then tell learner like me, this course was just perfect!

But that’s not all. With the course, you get access to AWAI’s extensive site and community. They hold regular webinars, release reports and post copywriting jobs.

I highly recommend this course for anyone looking to up their copywriting game. There is serious money in copywriting. Why stumble around for years trying to make it on your own when a little guidance can put you on the right track in just a few weeks?

The Downside of this course

The downside of this course is the same as it’s upside. Because this course is so comprehensive (13 chapters equalling 518 pages + writing exercises + bonus webinar and reports) it can be too overwhelming to go through.

To overcome that, my advice is to read the introductory chapter thoroughly and make notes. Then skim through the rest and keep jotting down notes on areas you want to concentrate on or learn more about.

Whether you finish this course or just study a few lessons, you’re going to learn enough to drastically improve your work and start earning more. And if for any reason you’re not satisfied with the course, AWAI offers a 30 day money back guarantee.

Are you ready to take your freelancing to the next level?

So take a look at your freelancing business. Does it need an investment that will reap you benefits and rewards within a few weeks? I’m willing to bet it does.

To find out more about the AWAI’s Program For Six-Figure Copywriting you can go to their sales page or read their testimonials.

Just remember, buying the course alone won’t make you money. You have to put in the time and effort to study the material, do the exercises and keep practicing. This isn’t a onetime investment – it’s a life time’s.

Are you ready to invest in your freelancing business and enter the big leagues?

P.S: The price for this course is $497 and they have an easy payment plan as well. But if you buy the entire course in one go, you get a $100 off.

Regardless of your freelancing experience, you’re bound to run into your share of bad clients. Even if you don’t, I bet you’ve had people sending you request for quotes that scream trouble. Yet, against your better judgement you find yourself in talks with clients who you’re not sure about.

Whether that’s because of a freelancer’s inability to let an opportunity go without exploring it or just curiosity, here’s a simple idea that’s worth repeating a few times a week. Not all clients are worth working for.

If you’re in talks with a prospect or have had one contact you, keep your eyes, ears and gut tuned for the following warning signs.

The client:

Is vague about his needs

If your client is not sure what they want, there’s no way you’ll ever be sure either. Take my example, I’m a great writer. However, I make a horrible client to freelance designers.

I’m the client they were warned about.

Even though I had a clear picture of what I wanted when I started looking for a designer, I kept changing my mind as the whole process moved forward.

My solution was to tell the designer up front about my unfortunate tendency to not know what I wanted. Luckily I’m friends with the designer I hired and she asked me some really hard questions when I g0t too fussy. Occasionally she also told me to zip it so she can do a her job.

Your prospective client won’t give you that liberty. He’ll probably expect you to know what he wants even though he hasn’t clearly told what that is.

Had a lot of problems with previous freelancers

Consider it a red flag if your client has a history of going through a lot of freelancers and has mentioned having problems with them.

Granted, it’s entirely possible that they hired the wrong freelancers – but it’s impossible to go wrong every time.

Listen to your gut and watch out for how the prospect deals with you. Do they treat you professionally? The answer to this question will always let you know if it was the client or the freelancer who was the problem.

Is too focused on the price

Does the prospect mention the price too often? Or emphasize that they’re looking for an affordable freelancer?

An ideal client is one who is willing to pay for the services he’s buying. It doesn’t have to mean that they pay through the nose but it doesn’t mean that get those services dirt cheap either.

Avoid said client like the plague. Especially if you’re not sure of your own rates and like it to decide on a client by client basis.

Thinks he can do a better job

It all boils down to respect. If your prospective client keeps mentioning how it’s an easy job and he could do it himself or get his intern/niece/secretary to do it, you might want to say bye-bye to this prospect.

A client who doesn’t give your expertise due credit is going to be a nightmare to work with.

Ever worked with a nightmare client or let go a project because the client seemed like trouble? How did you handle the situations?

No matter how much planning a freelancer does to meet deadlines, there are times when things spiral out of control. Maybe you fell ill or had a request for a rush job you couldn’t refuse, or (God forbid) your computer crashes!

The last is what happened to me a few weeks ago. My computer didn’t crash but my laptop’s charger and battery died – at the same time. To say that I wasn’t expecting it would be an understatement. My laptop was less than a year old and still under warranty!

After staring like an idiot at my laptop hoping it will somehow, magically come back to life, I started to panic. It was after 5 on Friday and everyone knows the kind of customer service there is on the weekends. The ‘none at all’ kind.

With a big deadlines looming on Monday, I thought I was screwed. Even though I back up my files weekly, there was no way I could have planned for the death of my laptop battery and charger. In fact, I was in the middle of writing an article when my laptop went blank.

What’s a girl to do when her work’s trapped inside a dead laptop?

Grab a paper and pen

She grabs a paper and pen, that’s what.

With no laptop and no way to get my work out from the machine, I was completely clueless on how to proceed from there. Okay, not all that clueless because I took out a notebook and started scribbling furiously.

All the articles and blog posts due next week got outlined. The article I was working on got written by hand. It was a frustrating experience and presented a new problem. Half of that article was trapped in my laptop and the other half was on paper. Crap.

Use your smart phone

I was done with the outlines and articles in a couple of hour. After that I looked around and realized I could use my smart phone! Since my internet was still working, I connected my Nokia via wifi and opened up the Evernote app in my phone.

(Note: Always have apps installed in your phone even if you don’t use them.)

Before long I was opening up my saved up research and adding more notes to my outline.

I also checked email, updated my calendar and made lists. Lots and lots of lists. And then I came to a dead end. There wasn’t anything else I could do regarding work without my laptop any more.

Talk to Hound customer service

Since it was the weekend here, I figured I wouldn’t get any help from HP. But I still included them in my tweet about my battery & charger dying on Saturday.

Much to my surprise, they contacted me within a few minutes and asked for my contact details to forward to their customer service.

Sunday morning came and I still hadn’t heard from their customer service (not that I was expecting to) so I DM’d HP again and asked them when I could expect an email from them as I really needed to meet my deadlines and had work trapped inside my laptop.

Miracles of miracles, their customer service got back to me within the hour with all the info I needed.

Of course, I was lucky to get great customer service. You’re screwed if you don’t so choose your laptop wisely. To be honest, when I got my HP, customer service was the farthest thing from my mind. There was a major sale going on at one of the electronic retailers and I got was getting the specs I wanted at an unbelievable price so I just snatched it up.

My good luck that HP Middle East has awesome customer service.

Run like the wind

Once I had the info from their customer service rep, I raced to their office in my city and burst in with laptop in tow. Knowing my problem, they gave me a charger so that I could start work immediately and put in an order for the battery since they didn’t have it in stock.

Two days later, I had the battery as well.

I was able to meet my deadlines – thanks to the time difference between UAE and US. If you’re not as lucky as me, the only option you have is to write from scratch all over again and rush to a friend’s place if you don’t have another computer available.

To prepare for emergencies like mine, you have two options:

• Save your work in Google Docs
• Save your files in Drop Box

This way you’ll be able to work from another computer even if your can’t access yours.

Moral of the story: No matter how prepared you are, something will happen that will make all your preparation useless.

Have you ever had computer issues before a big deadline? How did you manage and what did you do? Share your stories and tips!

Since we’ve been talking about writer’s block and writing exercises for the past week, this week’s edition of recommended reading for freelancers is about writing. Enjoy the posts and don’t forget to leave a comment on them.

Got Writer’s Block? 23 Writing Tips That Don’t Involve Writing was a reminder that there are other ways to find writing inspiration. There’s no rule saying you have to write to get past a block. These tips are guaranteed to charge you up and get you excited about writing again.

How to Write Thousands of Words Every Single Week came at just the right time. I’ve been swamped with work and have been struggling to stay on top. What looked like a slow month at the start has turned into my busiest yet! In order to meet all my deadlines, I literally need to write around 5k words per week.

Ali’s post made me stop hyperventilating and gave me a game plan.

Recover from Writing Burn Out: 18 Tips for Writing with Gusto not only listen tips for writing but gave causes and symptoms of a writing burnout. The second tip (Mind your own business) was like a smack on the back of my head.

I’m very guilty of looking at what the writers I admire are doing. And you know what? They always seem to be doing and achieving more than I am! For me, this post was a winner just because of this one, simple tip.

The rest of the article is pretty great too.

That’s it for this edition. Read something that made you stop and think? Share the links in the comments!

Writing exercises are a great way to improve your skills and writing flow

In my last post, I mentioned that I don’t believe in writer’s block. What I do believe in are writing exercises and improving my skills.

I believe in writing so much, so fast that my fingers fly over the keyboard on their own. It doesn’t have to make sense. It doesn’t have to be spell checked or published or even read. It just needs to be written. Writing exercises let me do that.

If you would love to write so much that your fingers seem to move on the keyboard with a mind of their own – or drastically improve your writing, then the following exercises are a great place to start.

Some of the exercises and my reasoning behind it might seem odd (for lack of a better word) to you. But I’ve found that thinking about it as a disconnect between my brain and fingers is a lot more productive than telling myself I have a writer’s block.

A disconnect can be fixed with ease and a little effort. A writer’s block becomes an elephant of a mental block that you can’t get past. Whether you agree or not, try out these exercises the next time you have trouble writing.

Prompts

Writing prompts have been around since the first cry of writer’s block. Prompts don’t clear a block. They hone a skill. They give you a reason to write.

Websites like oneword.com are extremely popular and effective. One word and 60 seconds. Nothing like a prompt and a timer to get your fingers typing.

If you’ce been using prompts trying to produce works of art then you’re probably failing spectacularly. Prompts can give you a start, they can make your writing but they can’t give you polished prose.

Using writing prompts is a great way to exercise your skills. It’s a break from the norm and gets your creative juices flowing.

Write free style

Free style writing usually means writing about whatever comes to your mind. It doesn’t have to be work and it doesn’t have to be fiction. Writing freely is more of a brain dump. You write down all the extra stuff that’s in your head so that there’s only room for thinking about what you want to write.

Somehow, this technique has never worked for me. The idea of a brain dump seems so unpractical. How do I decide what to dump and what not to? And there’s a part of me that keeps thinking it won’t solve anything. I’ll be wasting precious time writing crap. Time, that will be better spent on writing what I need to write.

One thing I’ve tried a few times that seems to work well is Morning Pages. The idea behind it is simple. Just spend 15 minutes in the morning before you start work writing about anything that’s on your mind.

I’d have gotten stuck at the ‘anything that’s on your mind’ bit. (Because really, how vague is that?) So instead, my 15 minutes were spent writing about all the crazy stuff that happened the day before that I did not want to waste my time or think about today. Worked out great for me. You should consider trying it out too!

Jot conversations

Sometimes it’s all about working the kinks out of your fingers. If you find yourself writing in fits and starts then it’s probably because your brain can’t seem to connect with your fingers. What you’re trying to say isn’t being translated on the keyboard. There’s a handy exercise to fix it.

Head out to a cafe or turn on the TV if you can’t. Start writing what you hear. If you’re in a cafe, concentrate on any one of the conversations happening around you and start typing it down. The same for TV.

Eventually it will become mindless typing and a part of your brain will go back to focusing on what  you were writing before. But since you’re not actively focusing on it, there won’t be any pressure to write. And once you feel like your fingers have warmed (so to speak), you’ll find writing easier.

One good thing about writing conversations you hear on TV is that you’ll learn to recognize action words. And how to write dialogues that show instead of tell. Nice side benefit eh?

Comment on blogs

Every one talks about commenting on blogs as a way to network, increase traffic, and getting your name out there. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that commenting on blogs can be used a writing exercise too.

Reading blogs and posting thoughtful comments put your brain in the ‘zone’. You’re concentrating on someone else’s work for a chance . More importantly, you’re thinking as a reader.

So not only does leaving comments on blogs give you a writing exercise, it also gives you a fresh perspective. Once you’ve commented on a few blogs, you might find that your thoughts are more streamlined and connected – which will naturally translate in your own writing.

Stop the clock

Setting a timer and writing works for many writers. It doesn’t for me. What does work is not looking at the clock or worrying about the time. Doing that allows me to simply write. I’m not ruled by deadlines or my own idea of how long it should take me to write something.

Once I take the time pressure out of the equation, I find that getting stuck writing isn’t as stressful. And since there’s no clock telling me I’ve been toying with a single paragraph for almost an hour, there’s nothing stopping me from doing so!

Sometimes all you need is the freedom to play around with your writing – even if t means rewriting a sentence more than a dozen times.

Have you tried writing exercises? Which ones work for you? More importantly, which ones don’t?

I’ve been wanting to get something off my chest for a long time.

I don’t believe in writer’s block. To me, it doesn’t exist. If it does for you, then let me assure you that it’s all in your head. It’s just an excuse for procrastination.

Now I don’t mind procrastinating. Everyone does it. I procrastinate more than I should and it usually means I don’t write.

It’s the writers who try to pass off their procrastination as a writer’s block that I have a problem with.

Over at Procratinating Writers, Jenniffer has an excellent post on writer’s block. Like me she doesn’t believe in it. According to her, there’s no such thing as a writer’s block. I couldn’t agree with her more!

If you’re unable to write, it’s because you’re procrastinating, have something better you want to do or something is holding you back – and no, it’s not writer’s block that’s holding you back. Or maybe, just maybe, you just don’t want to write. There’s no law stating that as a writer, you must write everytime you think you should.

So the next time you think you have writer’s block, ask yourself whether you even want to write? Maybe you just want to watch TV.

Have you been paid yet?

By P.S Jones

Of all the things you do as a freelance writer, invoicing is the task that brings the money. You can submit all of the beautiful well-written work in the world, but if you don’t send an invoice, you’re probably not getting paid for it.

Even though invoicing is quite possibly the most important part of the project for us, we freelancers often think of it as an afterthought. We slap on the amounts and send them out without thinking about whether our invoice is actually giving the impression we intended. If you’re making one of these mistakes, it’s time to tighten up your invoicing process.

Sending Them Too Early or Too Late

Timing is everything in invoicing. You send them too early and your client wonders why you’re jumping the gun. You send them too late and the client wonders who are you and why do you want to be paid. (It’s happened to me!)

If you’re wondering when to send your invoice, check back with your project contract. My contract says I get paid half at the start of the project and half upon completion. I send an invoice as soon as we agree on the project and an invoice as soon as I’ve confirmed my work is done.

Sending Them to The Wrong Person

To receive money for your invoices, you must send them to the person who can actually give you the money. Sounds simple, right?

Well, sometimes your contact person isn’t the person who makes the payments. Especially when working with agencies, these two positions are separation. You’d assume that the contact person would forward the invoice on to the money person, wouldn’t you? Don’t. You know what they say about assuming.

Check your contract and invoice to the person it specifies. Otherwise, send it to your contact person and ask that they forward it on to accounting if necessary.

Forgetting to Put Your Logo On Them

Every piece of communication is a branding opportunity for your freelance writing business. Putting your logo on your invoice reinforces the brand and also reminds the person paying the bills who you are right away. It doesn’t take the place of your name and payment information, but it does stick in the client’s mind.

If you’re using Freshbooks, PayPal or some other third party program, there are ways to personalize your invoices in the settings. Make sure you take a few moments to do it.

Not Putting Specific Information on Them

Your invoices should be as specific as possible for both your benefit and the client’s. Instead of just writing an amount on them, specify the work done for that amount. If you were working hourly, don’t forget to explain the hours associated with each line on the invoice.

This helps your client keep accurate records and if you ever have to take client to court, it helps reinforce what you did and why you should be paid for it.

Forgetting to Say How You Want to Be Paid

So, you’ve sent the invoice on time. Check. You’ve double checked that the specifics are correct. Check. Now, did you tell them how to pay you? Your invoice should specify what payment methods you take. It should also give any other information the client will need, such as the email address for PayPal or the mailing address for a check.

Don’t take a certain payment method? That should already be in the contract but the invoice is a great place to remind the client of the original terms.

Not Stating Your Late Payment Terms

Late payments happen in the best of situations, even when the client has the best of intentions. However, having a late payment policy will prompt some clients to pay you before they pay contractors without one. It also factors in some compensation for the time inconvenience.

Many freelancers are scared of instituting a late fee in their contracts but I’m not sure why. I’m sure your client charges one to its customers. Why shouldn’t you, too? If you have late payment terms, it should be in the contract, but reminding the client on the invoice covers makes it crystal clear.

Not Following Up

Now, if you’re making this mistake, you must have so much money that you just don’t miss a couple hundred dollars. For the rest of us, having too much money isn’t a problem we’re experiencing. This is why you absolutely have to keep track of your invoicing.

Should you invoice a client and then call them repeatedly during the next 48hours for payment? No. However, if your payment is overdue, it’s time to get in contact. It could be an oversight or some other problem you need to fix.

My late fees kick in at a week overdue so that’s when I place a tactful phone call or email. You’ll have to decide when it makes sense for you.

Princess Jones is the founder of P.S. Jones Communications. She writes about freelance writing on Diary of a Mad Freelancer and entrepreneurship on She’s Self-Employed. You can talk more about invoicing and clients with Princess by tweeting with her.

You need to read unconventional freelancing blogs

There’s no denying that blogs like Freelance Folder and Freelance Switch are  excellent sources of knowledge when it comes to freelancing. Following them is a given. If you don’t, you’re missing out.

However, what’s not a given is that these blogs aren’t the only fish in the sea. There are a lot of blogs out there offering freelancing advice that may be more tailored to your specific freelancing situation.

Here are 5 blogs I read that relate well to my freelancing situation, aspirations and interests.

1. Diary of a Mad Freelancer

The day I discovered Diary of a Mad Freelancer is the day I realized how sugary all the blogs out there are. Princess offers to the point and often-blunt advice – even if her titles may seem like they have nothing to do with freelancing!

Besides, how can you not love a blog with a tagline that reads “There are millions of people who develop grotesque facial ticks when they hear the words ‘nine to five’. We call them freelancers.

Some of my favourite posts from Diary of a Mad Freelancer are

• Never Forget To Feed Your Dragon

• Beyonce Wears a Weave and Other Things You Should Know

• The Art of Disappearing: Finding Your Voice For a Client00.

2. Vered DeLeeuw of Social Media Marketing Expert

Vered, perhaps more popularly known for her personal blog Mom Grind is my go to blog for all things social media.

I’m a big fan because it doesn’t teach you how to use social media like many popular blogs. Instead it talks about being a social media consultant. As a freelance blogger, I often find myself answering my client’s social media questions. Reading Vered’s Social Media Marketing blog keeps me posted on possible questions a client may have.

Some of the posts I’ve found helpful are

• But No One Reads My Blog

• Twitter: Aim for a Good Mix of Professional And Personal

• Your Blog, Your Rules

3. Guerrilla Freelancing

Mike Smith of Guerrilla Freelancing believes in guerrilla tactics for taking your freelance business to the next level. Not only does he believe it – but that’s how he has managed to make a success of his own business.

I doubt I’ll ever be a hard core freelancing guerrilla like Mike but I still love going to his blog to read what he has to say.

Some of the posts I really like are,

• How to Increase Your Cold Email Response Rates by 50%

• Crappy Clients: How (and When) To Fire Them without Feeling Guilty

• 30 Guerrilla Marketing Tactics for Freelancer

4. The Renegade Writer

I’ve been a long time reader of The Renegade Writer. Linda is a freelance writer with extensive experience in freelance writing for print and online magazines.

Her blog is a gold mind of information for anyone looking to establish his or her freelance writing business.

Some of her posts that were eye openers for me are

• 3 Excuses That Are Keeping You From a Successful Freelance Writing Career

• Why You Should Write For Smaller, Fewer Clients

• 3 Tips For Balancing Freelancing With Parenting And Housework

5. One Woman Marketing

Kelly Watson’s One Woman Marketing has been a recent find. Every time I click to read her new post, I find myself going through her archives.

Her posts always give me something new to think about and the marketing examples she uses in her posts are great!

Some of the posts I particularly liked are

• How to Make a Social Media Marketing Plan for Your Business

• Creating and Sticking to a Blog Schedule (with free templates)

• Paradox of Choice: How Variety Can Hurt Your Business

Got any favourites of your own that relate really well to your freelancing situation? Tell us about them and share the love!

Take a close look

Before your website does anything – and I mean anything at all, it needs to convince your visitor to stay on your web page a few more seconds and take a closer look around.

Those first few seconds, it’s all about the presentation of your web copy.

Is the text easily readable? Are there interesting images making the whole web page pleasant to look at? Is the placement of the text easy on the eyes or are there big chunks of text that don’t make any sense?

These are the things that convince your visitor to look around and find out what your site is all about. The tagline, blog, about page – it all comes after that.

Here are a few simple ways you can convince your visitor to stay a few more seconds and take a look around.

1. Highlight Keywords
2. Add sub headings
3. Use bullet points & numbered lists
4. Write in inverted pyramid style
5. Express one idea per paragraph (in 3-5 sentences)
6. Use short sentences (around 20 words is ideal)
7. Insert an image to add visuals
8. Hyperlink your text
9. Highlight important points with block & pull quotes

These tips don’t need any explanation. Everyone knows how to do all of these. Your job right now is to go back and see if your web copy has all or at least 4 of these elements. Less than 4 and your web copy needs to be restyled.

Is your web copy scannable? Will I be convinced to read your text? Leave a link in the comments and I’ll visit and do a review.