- Free Business Resources for Freelance Writers
- 101 Resources for Freelance Writers (Updated for 2015!)
- 105 Ways to Make a Living Writing in 2015
- 101 Niches to Write About
- Easy Ways to Find New Article or Blog Post Ideas
- Free Monthly Marketing Calendar for Freelance Writers
- Blog Content Strategy
- Make Money Blogging: 20 Blog Revenue Streams
Online Tools and Calculators
Here are some of my own free online templates, worksheets, andcalculators that you can use when starting (or growing) your freelance
writing business.
- Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator -- Set your freelance writing rates.
- Freelance Project Hourly Rate Calculator -- Find out how much you really earned per hour on a project.
- Keyword Density Analyzer -- Tailored specifically for writers, this tool helps you keep both SEO and readability in mind.
- One Page Business Plan Template
- One Page Marketing Plan Template
- One Page Project Plan Template
- SWOT Analysis Worksheet
- Monthly Marketing Calendar
Social Media Tools for Freelance Writers
One of the best ways to get your name out there professionally thesedays to is to effectively harness the power of social media to build
your network. Here are some social media tools that can help you get
started -- from social networks to online collaboration tools.
- Buffer
- Feedly
- Google Drive
- Google +
- HootSuite
- TweetDeck
- Zoho Writer
Writing and Editing Tools
If you want to improve your writing and self-editing, here are sometools that might help. For example, you'll find word processors and
online editing tools.
- After the Deadline
- AutoCrit Editing Wizard
- Grammarly
- Hemingway
- Open Office
- Pro Writing Aid
- Scrivener
Design Tools for Writers
Whether you're looking for design resources to assist you with aclient project or software to simplify design elements of your writing
work, give these resources a try.
- Canva -- This is my new favorite image creation tool for my own, and clients', blog posts.
- GIMP -- Free image editing software
- GraphicRiver -- Templates for business and client projects (like brochures, newsletters, and your business cards)
- PixaBay -- Free stock photos
- Scribus -- Open source desktop publishing software
Freelance Writing Blogs
Here are 18 freelance writing blogs that I'd recommend you start with (although some don't cover freelance writing exclusively). They provide a wealth of articles and advice on various aspects of building and managing a freelance writing career.- About Freelance Writing
- About.com Freelance Writing
- AlexisGrant.com
- All Indie Writers
- Be a Freelance Blogger
- Fab Freelance Writing
- Freelance Folder
- Freelancer FAQs
- Freelancer's Union
- Funds for Writers
- LittleZotz Writing
- Productive Writers
- The Well-Fed Writer
- Who Pays Writers? (from Scratch Magazine)
- The Write Life
- Words on the Page
- Write to Done
- Writing Thoughts
Resources for Writers
105 Ways to Make a Living Writing in 2015
Make a living writing:- Ad copy
- Advertorials / sponsored content
- Annual reports
- Anthologies
- Audio scripts
- Backgrounders
- Biographies
- Blog posts
- Book back cover copy
- Book Proposals
- Booklets / pamphlets
- Books (ghostwritten)
- Brochures
- Business / industry reports
- Business letters
- Business plans
- Calls to action
- Case Studies
- Children's books
- Clinical reports
- Columns
- Comic books
- Comic strips / cartoons
- Consumer magazine articles
- Contracts and other legal documents
- Course supplements
- Cover letters
- Curated content
- Direct mail pieces
- E-books and guides
- Email marketing copy
- Employee manuals
- Essays
- Fact sheets
- Family histories
- Flash fiction
- Fliers
- Forms and worksheets
- Game scripts
- Grant proposals
- Greeting cards
- Handbooks
- Infographic content
- Interviews
- Job descriptions
- Jokes / satire
- Knowledge base content / FAQs
- Landing pages
- Linkbait / Sharebait
- Listicles
- Live event coverage / commentary
- Marketing plans
- Media advisories
- Medical documentation
- Memoirs
- Memos
- Mission statements
- Newsletter articles
- Newspaper articles (journalism)
- Nonfiction books (other than those already listed)
- Novellas
- Novels
- Online features
- Op-eds
- Personal letters (anything from love letters to consumer complaints)
- Pitch letters
- Plays
- Poetry
- Position papers
- Presentation scripts
- Presentation slides
- Press kit / Media room content
- Press releases
- Product descriptions
- Product Manuals
- Product packaging copy
- Proposals
- Public service announcements
- Real estate listing copy
- Repair manuals
- Resumes
- Reviews
- Sales letters
- Scientific / technical reports
- Screenplays
- SEO web content
- Short bios (professionals, musicians, etc.)
- Short stories
- Slogans and taglines
- Social media profiles
- Social media updates
- Songs
- Speeches
- Summaries (of books, events, audio, etc.)
- Survey / poll questions
- Technical spec sheets
- Television scripts
- Test questions
- Textbooks
- Trade publication articles
- Travel guides
- Tutorials
- Video scripts
- Web copy
- White papers
101 Niches to Write About
Today I'm going to do some of the work for you, and break downseveral popular topic areas into more specific niches you can blog
about, write an e-book about, or specialize in as a freelance writer.
Here are your 101 niches to write about:
Business / Money
1. Legitimate ways stay-at-home parents can earn extra money from home2. Living on a budget in college
3. Starting and running a restaurant (or insert any other type of business)
4. Managing credit card debt
5. Social media marketing
6. Accounting for small business owners
7. Securing business financing
Arts & Entertainment
8. Insert name of your favorite television show here9. How to get acting gigs
10. How to play the guitar (or any other instrument)
11. Insert name of your favorite celebrity here
12. Broadway shows
13. Tourist attractions or "things to do" in your city or state
14. Video game strategies or reviews
Green Living
15. Raising "green" children (or focus solely on green baby products)16. Document your own efforts to go green
17. Green business tips
18. Green travel
19. Reviews of environmentally friendly products
Sports
20. Soccer news (or insert any other sport name)21. How to play (insert your favorite sport here)
22. Write about your favorite athlete (history, stats, news, etc.)
23. The history of (insert any sport here)
Pets
24. How to train a dog25. How to choose a dog (or other type of pet)
26. Pet health (general or for specific types of pets)
27. Exotic pets
28. Create a pet photo blog
Home & Family
29. Recipe blog for 30-minute or less dinners30. Parenting (insert age range here--teens, preschoolers, etc.)
31. Family-friendly day trips and destinations
32. Romantic vacation spots for couples
33. Review kitchen appliances and gadgets
34. Home decorating ideas for small spaces
33. Organizing parties and family get-togethers
34. Home organization (tips, product reviews, etc.)
35. Recipes using chocolate (or any other favorite ingredient)
36. Growing an indoor herb garden
Technology
37. Insert your favorite gadget here (iPhone, netbooks, etc.)38. Social media news and tools
39. Automotive news and reviews
40. Mobile technology for travelers
41. Computer software reviews for small businesses (or another target group)
42. Open source computing
43. Google tools, tips, and tricks
44. Blogging
45. Designing websites
46. Simple computer fixes (like dealing with Windows error messages)
47. Careers in technology fields
48. Camcorder tips (shooting better videos)
49. Home theater equipment or setting up a home theater
50. Podcasting
51. Online videos (creating, uploading, finding, etc.)
Health & Wellness
52. Insert any disease or disorder name here (symptoms, treatments, coping, etc.)53. Getting better healthcare on a budget
54. Pregnancy
55. Stress relief tips, product reviews, etc.
56. Insert your favorite exercise here (walking, running, yoga, etc.)
57. Alternative medicine / natural healing
58. Diet plan reviews
59. Tips, products, and programs to help people quit smoking
60. Better health at work (ergonomics, healthier lunch options, etc.)
Fashion & Style
61. Celebrity fashion watch62. Everyday fashion tips for the busy working woman
63. Designing or creating your own clothes or accessories
64. Getting style on a budget
65. Makeup tips (get specific with certain skin types, colors, etc.)
66. Wedding and formal fashion
Education & Learning
67. Learn how to speak French (or any other language)68. How to choose a college or university
69. How to secure more scholarships
70. Online degree programs / distance education
71. Going back to school / adult education
72. Math tips for teens (or insert any other subject)
73. Study tips for better test taking
74. How to write papers and reports
Crafts & Hobbies
75. How to become a better chess player76. Knitting / crocheting / insert other sewing technique
77. Painting better portraits
78. Taking better digital photographs
79. Jewelry making
80. Collecting (stamps, trading cards, etc.)
81. Card games
82. Simple magic tricks for kids
83. Researching your family history / genealogy (or Irish genealogy, etc.)
85. Making candles or other homemade gifts
Travel
86. Backpacking through Europe87. Cheap international travel destinations
88. Historical travel (traveling to see historical sites)
89. Adventure travel destinations and tips
90. Preparing for travel (booking trips to getting through airport security)
Writing
91. How to write a novel92. How to write nonfiction books
93. How to market yourself as a writer (or your work)
95. Freelance writing
96. Writing for the Web
97. Writing screenplays / teleplays / stage plays
98. Developing characters
99. Writing e-books
100. Self-publishing
101. Writing book proposals
Free Monthly Marketing Calendar for Freelance Writers
How to Use the Monthly Marketing Calendar
There are a few sections to this document that you should know about. Here's how to use them:- Monthly Marketing Goals -- These are the things
you're trying to accomplish. Remember that goals should be both specific
and measurable. For example, don't say you want more traffic to your
website. Say how much traffic you want to your website. Don't say you want to land new clients. Say how many you want to land. - Marketing Tactics -- These are the specific things you're going to do to
reach your marketing goals. For example, if you want your website to
increase in search engine rankings so prospects can find you more
easily, you might release linkbait (like a free report) or blog
frequently to build more natural links and traffic. - Other Opportunities -- This is where you can list
any special opportunities the month provides. For example, in August we
have the Olympics going on. So you might note that and incorporate it
into your blog posts to keep things timely. Every month has holidays,
other special days, special weeks, or even monthly themes that might tie
into your business or marketing efforts. - Notes -- This is an area where you can jot down any
other relevant things you want to keep in mind during the month. It can
be anything from a motivational quote to how you actually plan to take
advantage of those special opportunities you listed previously. - The Calendar -- Then there's the actual calendar.
This is where you map out all of the marketing tactics you listed. It
gives you a better visual representation of how you'll spend your time.
For example, if you see that your tactics call for extra blogging in the
beginning of the month due to a holiday you're taking advantage of, you
might schedule other limited tactics later in the month to spread
things out.
Downloads
Here are the download links for all three versions.
Picking Your Blog Post Schedule: What to Consider
Here are some of the things that should factor into your choice of a blog posting schedule.Your Availability
Any way you cut it, your general availability is your number oneconsideration. You can only blog when your schedule allows you to do so.
Don't tell readers you'll post every day if you know you don't have
that kind of time. Commit to something realistic. You can always
increase your posting frequency later.
If you aren't sure what kind of schedule is realistic for you, run
some tests over a few weeks. Try a few schedules on for size, and pick
what works best.
Reader Expectations
While your own schedule is important in choosing your blog postingschedule, so are your readers' expectations. You have know your
audience.
If they're not big readers, a weekly or monthly post might be ideal for them. Posting more often might overwhelm them.
On the other hand, if they're voracious readers, a daily post might be the best fit (or even more frequently than that).
Quality Implications
Another important consideration in choosing a blog posting schedule is how that schedule will impact the quality of your posts.For example, would increasing frequency from three posts per week to
five per week cause you to churn out faster, sloppier articles? If so,
you're probably better off staying where you are.
Would cutting back give you more time to come up with well-researched or actionable posts? Then consider giving that a try.
As a reader, do you prefer quantity or quality? If quality posts
matter more to you, then they probably matter more to your readers too.
Ways to Increase Your Blog Post Frequency
If you feel that increasing your blog post frequency would help yourblog, there are several ways you can do that. Choose the options that
work best for you, your schedule, and your readers.
Write More Posts (Preferably Ahead of Time)
If you're going to write all of your own posts and you don't wantquality to suffer as frequency increases, consider pre-scheduling them.
This is when you come up with a list of blog post ideas early, and you can work on one or more drafts well ahead of their publication dates.
For this blog, I usually have a list of around 40 ideas saved as
drafts. I don't always pull from that list for new posts, but I know
they're always there if I need ideas quickly.
My preference is to cover a topic that's currently on my mind first,
but if you focus on evergreen content you might be able to pre-write
most, if not all, of your blog content.
Currently I don't pre-write many posts, but with my more frequent
posting schedule at All Indie Writers, that will probably change in the
near future.
My goal is to start with saved outlines and later move into saved
rough drafts that I can pull out and revise when I don't have something
more timely to talk about (like answering reader questions as they come in).
Bring on Regular Contributors
If you want to increase your posting frequency on a regular basis butyour schedule won't allow for it, consider bringing on other regular
bloggers. You might ask colleagues to contribute and convert it into a
group blog, or you can hire freelance bloggers.
Accept Guest Contributions
Guest posts are another way to increase posts without having to write them all yourself.This is when you accept one-off posts in exchange for an author bio
(usually with one or more links included). Guest posts are unpaid
(anything paid is technically a freelance contribution), and they're
submitted largely, if not wholly, for marketing purposes.
Because of the marketing slant with guest posts, you have to be
careful about how many you accept and who you accept them from. Make
sure authors can write competently about your blog's subject matter. And
make sure any links in their bio are relevant as well.
Google is cracking down on large-scale guest posting campaigns
organized largely to acquire links from high-value sites. They consider
it an attempt to manipulate search rankings.
That doesn't mean you have to stop writing them or accepting them. It
just means you have to be more cautious about who you accept posts
from. Be as selective as you would be if you were vetting freelancers to
become regular contributors.
The upside of guest posts is that you get a diverse collection of
content. The downside is that sorting through pitches to find ones
worthy of posting can sometimes take as long as writing new content
yourself.
I've found that you can cut down on spammy guest post pitches by
calling them something different so you don't get hit by the automated
bots looking for any site with guest post guidelines. Here I refer to
them as "guest contributions" instead. Not perfect, but it has gone a
long way towards cleaning up the garbage from SEO folks.
Also, consider publishing your guest post guidelines. That helps to weed out manual pitches that aren't right for your blog.
Update Old Posts
If you have a large collection of posts in your archives, you mightbe able to increase your posting frequency by republishing older
material. This works well for evergreen posts that only need minor
updates. Just touch them up a bit and set a fresh publication date.
This is ideal if your blog doesn't include the date in the permalink
structure. Otherwise you might need to change the permalinks to reflect
the new publication date. That also means you might need to set up 301
redirects, or you could potentially lose backlinks and traffic.
This post, in its current state, is an example of this. It was
written for one of the three sites that merged to become this one, and
I've updated it to reflect changes that have occurred since it was first
published.
What is your ideal posting frequency on your blog? How did you come
to that schedule? If you could make changes, would you post more or less
often, and why? Do you have any other tips for creating new blog posts
even when your schedule is tight? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Note: This post was originally published on March 12, 2013 at
Writing for Bloggers -- one of the three blogs merged to create All
Indie Writers. It was revised and re-released on its currently-listed
publication date.
35 Websites and Blogs Paying $100 Per Article
Explore these paying blogs and other online markets to see if any area good fit for you. And don't forget to keep an eye on the writer's market directory where I regularly add new listings.
1. AFineParent.com
This market came to me from Sumitha Bhandarkar, via Anne Wayman of About Freelance Writing.The blog accepts articles about parenting for smart, busy parents.
There is a limited reading period each month. The monthly topic will be
updated on the submission guidelines page each month, along with each
month's deadline. The blog pays $100 per post. If your post tops the
list of most popular posts at the end of the year, you can earn an extra
$200 bonus.
Guidelines
2. A List Apart
A List Apart accepts viewpoint / argument-oriented feature articlesfor designers, developers, content strategists, and information
architects. These posts should fall within the 1500-2000 word count
range and typically earn $200 per article.
Guidelines
3. AustinBriggs.com
AustinBriggs.com is a site for writers, paying $105 for what arereferred to as "insanely useful articles" (examples linked from the
guidelines page). He is interested in posts covering story development,
the writing process, and "connecting with readers and writers."
Guidelines
4. Back2College.com
Back2College.com focuses on adult students re-entering educationalinstitutions to pursue advanced degrees or other professional
development. They pay $95 - 145 for non-promotional feature articles of
1000 - 1500 words.
Guidelines
5. BeltMag.com
Belt Magazine is an online magazine focused on "long-form journalism,essay, and commentary with a distinctly Rust Belt sensibility." While
they only pay $50 for essays, they pay $100 for commentaries and $500
for long-form reporting.
Guidelines
6. Coastal Review Online
Coastal Review Online is a daily online publication devoted to theNorth Carolina coast, and published by the nonprofit NC Coastal
Federation. Around half of their articles are written by freelance
writers. Articles fall in the 800 - 2000 word count range, and the site
pays $75 - 200 per article.
Guidelines
7. CopyHackers.com
The Copy Hackers blog explores CRO, design, and copywriting. They pay$150 per post for what they consider "great posts," from contributors
with a background in startups or startup-support.
Guidelines
8. DeveloperTutorials.com
This site is looking for development tutorials. Topics of interestinclude AJAX, Javascript, PHP, Flash, Photoshop, and more. They pay
$50-100 for these articles. They also accept list-style posts, although
those pay only $30-50 per post.
Guidelines
9. Earth Island Journal
While this is a quarterly magazine, they accept "online reports,"which they say are a good way for writers to break into their markets.
The publication covers environmental issues including wildlife and lands
conservation, environmental public policy, animal rights, climate and
energy, and more. The online reports pay $50 - 100 (they pay $.25 per
word for their usual features and shorter dispatches, averaging
$750-1000 for an in-depth feature).
Guidelines
10. eCommerce Insiders
eCommerce Insiders accepts articles from online retail experts. Theyaccept a mix of commentary-style posts and educational posts covering
topics such as SEO, affiliate programs, conversion rates, logistics,
call centers, and other e-commerce related issues. While they accept
shorter articles at a lower rate, they pay $125 for articles over 600
words.
Guidelines
11. FlashMint
FlashMint accepts Flash development tutorials from experienceddevelopers. These tutorials should include screenshots and step-by-step
instructions. They pay $150 per tutorial.
Guidelines
12. The Graphic Design School Blog
The Graphic Design School Blog accepts articles and beginner-leveltutorials in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. They pay $100 - 200
per accepted freelance contribution.
Guidelines
13. IncomeDiary.com
IncomeDiary accepts articles from experts in the following topicareas: website creation / development / blog design, driving traffic to
websites, SEO, social media, content creation, affiliate marketing,
making money online, buying and selling websites. Articles should be a
minimum of 1000 words. While payments start at $50, the site pays up to
$200 per article. You can propose your payment requirements and
anticipated word count when you send your pitch.
Guidelines
14. iWorkwell.com
iWorkWell accepts contributions from HR professionals / consultants /academics and employment or labor attorneys with HR expertise. They're
looking for instructional articles related to HR professionals. They
accept both edit offers for existing content on the site (up to $75
depending on the level of improvements) as well as new contributions
paying anywhere from $100 - 175 per article. Articles are generally 1500
- 3500 words.
Guidelines
15. Knitty.com
Knitty.com accepts freelance submissions of knitting articles /tutorials / patterns. Pay attention to the writer's guidelines for notes
on when to submit season-specific tutorials (for example, they're now
accepting submissions for their winter issue). Payments are $75 - 100
per submission.
Guidelines
16. LabMice.net
LabMice.net publishes content related to computer security, technicalproject management, and other issues of interest to IT professionals.
They pay $60 - 100 per article.
Guidelines
17. Listverse
Listverse publishes list-style articles with at least ten list items (of around 1500 words total). They pay $100 per list.Guidelines
18. MetroParent.com
This parenting magazine for southeast Michigan moms also publishesonline (including some online-only articles). They pay $150 - 350 per
feature of 1000 - 2500 words.
Guidelines
19. Model Railroad Hobbyist
Model Railroad Hobbyist publishes articles and videos "on all aspectsof model railroading and on prototype (real) railroading as a subject
for modeling." Articles should no more than 3000 words. Features
typically earn $200-600, although because the electronic version doesn't
have the same space constraints as the print version, writers have
earned "well over $1000 in payment" for longer electronic features.
Guidelines
20. The Motley Fool
The Motley Fool blog network starts out paying $50 for syndicatedposts but "if your posts are awesome on a consistent basis ... then
[they'll] pay you $100 per post." Articles would cover investing-related
topics.
Guidelines
21. NevadaMagazine.com
In addition to accepting freelance submissions for its printmagazine, this publication also accepts Web-specific stories. This is
the official state tourism magazine of Nevada, and stories should be of
regional interest (state news, destination stories, local restaurants,
profiles of interesting people from the state, etc.). Payments for
Web-based stories are $100 - 200.
Guidelines
22. NewWest.net
New West is a digital publication focused on the Rocky Mountainregion including Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico.
They accept freelance submissions related to culture, politics, energy,
the new economy, travel, lifestyle, Western literature, film and food,
and more. While they only pay $50 for shorter local stories, they pay up
to $500 for more in-depth, regional pieces.
Guidelines
23. PhotoshopTutorials.ws
This site features Photoshop design tutorials. You can query them bysending a picture of your Photoshop project's end result before writing
the tutorial itself. They pay $150-300 per published tutorial.
Guidelines
24. PostJoint
PostJoint covers topics such as "digital marketing, content,blogging, SEO, copywriting, social media, and making a living online."
They pay $100-200 per post.
Guidelines
25. Pxleyes.com
Pxleyes.com publishes graphics-related tutorials for Photoshop,Illustrator, GIMP, Bryce, Fireworks, Image-Ready, InDesign, and related
software. They pay up to $200 per tutorial.
Guidelines
26. SpyreStudios.com
"SpyreStudios is a design blog with a focus on typography, designtrends, inspiration, CSS, HTML, WordPress, jQuery, minimalism and
blogging." They accept articles and tutorials / how-tos (not inspiration
/ showcase pieces). They pay between $50 and $160 per article.
Guidelines
27. TransitionsAbroad.com
TransitionsAbroad.com accepts travel-related contributions for thewebsite and its webzine. Payments go up to $150 per article (800 - 2000
words).
Guidelines
28. TheTravelWritersLife.com
This site doesn't publish traditional travel pieces for the generalpublic, but rather focuses on content that teaches people how to get
paid to travel (travel writing, photography, etc.). While they pay
$50-75 for articles they request for the website, they pay $100-150 for
interviews and personal stories and $150-200 for articles with specific
advice on how readers can earn money while traveling.
Guidelines
29. Treehouse Blog
The Treehouse Blog covers design, development and mobile development.They accept tips, tricks, and trend-focused submissions, and they pay
$100-200 per published article.
Guidelines
30. TutorialBoard.net
TutorialBoard accepts tutorials for Photoshop, After Effects,Autodesk Maya, and similar programs. These must include a sample .psd
file for readers to download. TutorialBoard pays up to $150 per accepted
tutorial.
Guidelines
31. UX Booth
UX Booth is focused on issues related to user experience /user-centered design. You should not submit pre-written material to them
(they'll pair you with an editor). Articles are generally 1200 - 1800
words long, and they pay $100 per article.
Guidelines
32. Viator Travel Blog
Viator accepts travel-related features for its travel blog. Featuresshould be 1000-2000 words long, and they earn $100-150 per post.
Guidelines
33. WOW! Women on Writing
WOW! is "an ezine promoting the communication between women writers,authors, editors, agents, publishers, and readers." They accept
freelance contributions in several columns (with pay ranging from
$50-75). But feature articles of up to 3000 words earn $150.
Guidelines
34. WPMU DEV
WPMU DEV publishes WordPress tutorials, resource lists, and opinionpieces. Contributions should be at least 1500 words. Payments are: "$200
for a great tutorial... $300 for a really premium piece ... [and] $500
for a truly epic post." See their guidelines for links to example posts
that fall within each pay level.
Guidelines
35. YourOnline.biz
Your Online Biz publishes freelance posts related to online business. Bloggers can be paid $100 per accepted submission.Guidelines
2 comentários:
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