Write Your Heart Out...

PAID WRITING vs. WRITING FOR FREE

As online publishing methods and techniques become more and more popular, the debate over writing for free has begun to heat up. There is no shortage of opinions on the subject across the Internet today, especially among the freelance writing community.

While some writers stubbornly refuse to write a word without getting paid for it, there is a growing segment of those that are willing to give their talent away in the form of free articles distributed through sites such as iSnare.com and other similar venues. As a successful freelance writer, and someone who often writes for free, I want to take a few moments to share some excellent reasons why you should consider giving at least a little of your talent away.

A Well Oiled Machine

One of the biggest benefits of writing for free is that it allows you to keep your skills sharp, especially during 'dry spells'. All too often, we venture off and do other things during those periods of downtime. As a result, we run the risk of losing the focus and tenacity in our writing. We certainly aren't getting any better during those times. As the saying goes, use it or lose it.

Experience = Opportunity

For many, myself included, the ultimate goal is paid, published writing. There is nothing wrong with this. But what if you are just starting out, or are just coming off an extended period of not being published? Writing for free offers you the chance to build your portfolio, or to bulk up an existing one.

Were it not for the fact that I had published several articles on the Internet and in print publications, I probably would not have snagged my first paid gig. Thanks to writing for free, I was able to point the editor to several articles which gave me a solid argument for why I should be paid to write. Writing for free provided me with an opportunity - to showcase the skills I knew I had - an opportunity I would not have had otherwise.

The Marketing Factor

Another opportunity that presented itself through free writing was the chance to market my skills. When you publish through the free syndication sites, you include an author biography at the end. This bio often contains contact information, such as an email or web address. The more authoritative the article, the better your chances are of being contacted by someone needing your services.

This is a fairly effective method of marketing, regardless of what business you are in. I have seen it work for a wide range of people, from personal coaches to roofing contractors. I have even had success with it, securing several copywriting jobs over the years. All as a result of writing for free. In all reality, I made quite a bit more from the resulting projects than I would have if I had sold the articles to any given publication.

Is It "Write" for You?

Whether or not you decide to write for free will depend largely on your own goals as a writer. For me, my ultimate goal is and always has been sharing my talents with the world. I enjoy the response I get from people, and like the fact that I know my work is being read.

Don't get me wrong. I was hooked on paid writing the first time I received a check in the mail. The fact that someone was willing to pay me to do something I love led to a huge sense of satisfaction. Even better was the pride of walking into Barnes & Noble, picking up a magazine off the rack and opening it to see my name in print. Nonetheless, I continue to write for free because overall, I love the art of writing. It is my passion.

Do you agree or disagree with me? I would love to hear your opinion on the subject. Once again, give it some thought and then write about it. As always, if you post it on your blog, be sure to let me know about it so I can link to your article.

INTRODUCING THE GEEK ADVISOR

Got a burning question? I would love to answer it in my latest blog, "The Geek Advisor". No question is off limits! I welcome your questions about EVERYTHING, from writing to politics, religion, sex, money - you ask it, and I will provide the very best answer I can, from a geek's perspective. What are you waiting for? You'll never know until you ask!

COMING SOON!

I hope you like what you have seen so far on this blog. I am currently working on several posts for the near future, including articles on writing for the web, blogging for cash and much, much more. I also have several good interviews with other bloggers waiting in the wings. If there is anything in particular you would like to see in an upcoming post, please let me know. You can leave me some comment luv, or drop me an email at wvfreelancer@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you! Until next time...

John Chow on Blogging...

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, JOHN CHOW...

The name John Chow has become synonymous with making serious money blogging. His blog, John Chow dot Com, is one of the first stops for anyone wanting to learn how to make money with their own blogs today. As such, it is my pleasure to present the following interview, which I had the pleasure of conducting with Mr. Chow via email.

The Writing Geek: What is the biggest mistake most beginner bloggers make?

John Chow: Thinking they’re going to get rich by blogging. Very few blogs make good money but they get all the attention so many people think blogging and money come easy. It doesn’t.

TWG: Aside from making money, what satisfaction do you get from blogging?

JC: The community that blogs create. It’s great to get feedback and talk to readers and other bloggers. That is better than money really. You can build some really good friendships by blogging.

TWG: If you had the chance to go back in time a year, what would you do differently/the same?

JC: I would have spun John Chow dot Com off as a separate blog about making money so I could keep it as a personal blog with no ads.

TWG: What is the best piece of advice you can offer a blogger?

JC: Have fun and enjoy the experience. The money will come later.

TWG: Aside from John Chow dot Com, what are your top three favorite blogs?

JC: Autoblog.com, Problogger.net and TechCrunch.com.

TWG: You've been elected president of the blogosphere. What is your first move?

JC: Ban Google.

TWG: What is/are your predictions for blogging over the next ten years?

JC: I can’t see 10 years into the future. Your guess is as good as mine.

My sincerest thanks to John for allowing me the honor of his presence on my blog! This is the start of a new feature here on The Writing Geek, and I will have quite a few more blogger interviews over the coming weeks. Will yours be next? Drop me a line if you would like to be interviewed!

IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT, MOM...

As a youngster, I can remember getting in trouble quite a bit. I'm not sure whether I had a knack for finding it, or it had a knack for finding me. All I know is that I found myself being lectured quite a bit. Inevitably, those lectures would always seem to end with my Mom asking, "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Today, I'm all grown up (well, almost) and find myself deep in my career as a writer. I don't know that I would have ever gone down this path without Mom's dedication to that question. So, it is with a grateful smile that I dedicate today's post to you, Mom. Thanks for pointing me in the "write" direction.

Now, here is your challenge: Looking back on your own childhood, can you remember any influence your parents, grandparents or other role models may have had that caused you to become a writer? Take a moment to write about it, and post it on your blog if you have one. If you let me know about it, I will make a collection of links to other responses right here in a future post.

THE HELIUM.COM ARTICLES...

I was rather pleased to receive an email from Barbara W. at Helium yesterday, notifying me that my article on Company Blogs and their Value for Public Relations (currently rated #1 of 11 articles) was being featured on the Helium.com front page! I had hoped this would mean that the revenues generated by that article would jump somewhat, but alas, it has only served to generate a few extra pennies. On the other hand, I did get to see my byline displayed prominantly for the entire day, as many others would!

On the subject of Helium, my latest article, "8 Tips for Keeping Your Online Payments Safe" is now live, and ranked #4 of 6 articles. If past article performance is any indication, I expect this rating will improve fairly quickly. Of the 12 articles I have posted thus far, 7 are rated #1 of multiple articles. I take this to mean that either my articles are exceptionally good, or the ones they are going up against are exceptionally bad. I kind of doubt the latter, however, as I have watched my articles go up against some decent writing. There have been exceptions, but for the most part, Helium.com writers seem to take quite a bit of pride in their work.

My article postings this week have also had another effect. Last time I checked, they have once again landed me in the top three positions (currently 2nd place) in the writing contest this week, for the 'Computers & Technology' category. Here's to hoping I can make the #1 spot this week. Wish me luck!

Evil Harry Potter...

EVIL HARRY POTTER...

My girlfriend is a big Harry Potter fan, which is fine by me. I have never read any of the books, but I fully support anyone else's Potter-habit. In fact, we were at the library yesterday, and she picked up the latest installment and is undoubtedly deep into it by now. That is, of course, as long as there is not a new episode of "House Hunters" on.

Unfortunately, not everyone shares her enthusiasm when it comes to Harry Potter. This morning, while surfing for new stuff to write about, I came across THIS PRESS RELEASE from the ALA. Apparently, Harry Potter tops the list of "Most Challenged Books of the 21st Century". The most cited reason for the push to ban the series? It encourages the practice of witchcraft among children. For cryin' out loud!

Included on the list of most challenged books? "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck and even "Captain Underpants" by Dav Pilkey. I LOVE CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS! I couldn't tell you the number of times his antics and adventures kept me entertained while I visited the bathroom. Sheesh!

Anyhow, the list comes on the heels of 'Banned Book Week' which, in keeping with my usual luck of being a day late and a dollar short, was September 29 - October 6. Oh well. It is certainly an event I will keep in mind for next year. Until then, I think I will focus my efforts on writing something that will make this list in the future... CENSORS BE DAMNED!

NaNoWriMo UPDATE

Even while hacking away at the keyboard, writing away for Helium.com and this blog, I have been quietly making plans for the novel I intend to write during National Novel Writing Month. I have decided to use the story I began writing last summer (I wrote one chapter), and will be fleshing it out a little more. My ultimate goal is to have a decent outline of events that will occur throughout the story, although I also plan on putting some of the elements in your hands right here as I make the journey through NaNoWriMo. Kind of a "choose your own adventure" experiment, if you will. Here's an excerpt:

"The hottest spot in Grand Junction, Colorado was the corner of Fifth & Ute avenues. At least that's what Jason Matthews was thinking as he stood at that very spot. He had been standing under one of the bus depot's loading structures, but had to move when a bus loaded with travellers out of Denver pulled in. He could have gone back into the terminal, but the sorry excuse for a bus station had become a hub of activity. There were people filing in from the Denver bus, and even more people getting ready to board the same bus he would be catching. So, for the moment, he stood at the corner, smoking a cigarette and admiring the park across the intersection.

"Homeless park." He thought. That is what his daughter said her friends called it. He could see why. A small group of bums congregated under the largest tree in the park. Most sat in the shade, though several had taken to catnaps beneath the tree's bows. "Almost spooky." He mumbled under his breath. The bums sprawled out in the shade could have very easily been dead, and noone would have noticed.

"Can you spare one of those?" As if on cue, a middle-aged man brushed Jason's shoulder from behind. His bloodshot eyes were fixated on the cigarette in his mouth. "Sorry, bud. Last one." He lied. His hand gesture and facial expression, however, appeared to convince the bum, who continued on his way down Fifth Street. Jason turned towards the brick building in time to see the people lining up at his bus. He finished his smoke, flicked it into the street and walked towards the line."

Ready to help finish the story?

TODAY'S WRITING LINKS

I decided I would skip out on the blogging links today and focus on what this blog is mostly about - writing! The reality of it is that the world of freelance writing, be it fiction or non-, has been covered time and again throughout the Internet. I remember some of the more popular sites when they were just beginning way back in the mid- to late nineties. Nonetheless, some writers continue to come up with some good stuff about their craft. Here are a few good links.

Fiona Veitch Smith of The Crafty Writer just recently completed part 2 of an 8 week course in non-fiction writing. START HERE to see what she has to offer.

CLUB 100 FOR WRITERS offers an interesting take on overcoming writer's block. If you are finding yourself staring at a blank page, I suggest you give it a go.

Camy Tang of WRITER...INTERRUPTED gives some thoughtful insight into SHOWING EMOTION THROUGH DIALOGUE. I have always thought dialogue was the best way to show emotion. I have seen too many writers attempt to use narrative for emotion, which often leads to flowery, overly forced writing.

"FEED ME, SEYMOUR!"

If you like what I have going on here, I would urge you to subscribe to my RSS feed. It can be found HERE or by clicking the FeedBurner link on the left!

It Makes You Talk Funny...

I recently joined this website, Helium.com, which I have been spending quite a bit of time on lately. I joined for a couple reasons. First, I wanted to see if, in fact, I could make money from my writing by writing for another site. I have written quite a few articles for free which have been picked up by various sites and published, but the only money I have ever made has been through selling articles to print magazines. With the current blog frenzy, I decided dammit, it's my turn to make some frickin cash.

Second, I joined to keep my writing skills sharp. After all, even if I didn't make any cash, I would still be seeing my stuff in print and it would force me to keep writing and to hopefully, with each article, improve my skills. Finally, I joined Helium because it gave me the opportunity to have my work put up against that of writers from around the world and have mine rated against theirs, a kind of hot or not type of deal.

Since joining on Oct. 1, 2007, I have written several articles. As of today, Oct. 9th, I haven't made a whole heck of a lot of money (I'll get more to that in a minute), but I have been writing my ass off. And yes, I do believe my skills have improved a little. If nothing else, I have been driving my girlfriend crazy with all the blogspeak and telling her about every little advance my articles make.

On to the money part. The way Helium works is like this: I post an article. That article gets read by millions of adoring fans from around the world. Hopefully something I write makes them want to click the Google ads on the side of the article. Helium.com gets cash for that click, and I get a small percentage. At the same time, my article is pitted against other articles and rated based on the content of the article. The higher my article rates, the more it is seen.

Now, here's the fun part of the rating system. In addition to getting higher ratings and being seen more often, Helium offers weekly contests in various categories. Each category has 25 topics you can write to. When you write an article in one of these categories, and it rates high, you receive points. At the end of the contest week, the writer with the most points gets 1st place, and $75. 2nd place gets $25, 3rd place receives $10 and 4th through 6th place receive $5.

During this last contest week, I wrote 5 or 6 articles in the Business category. Apparently, they were well written enough to garner 2nd place in that category's contest. Here's where it gets even better. Every week, ten or so different categories are featured, with 25 topics in each category. Being that my articles rated the way they did this first time around, I have decided to target more categories. Hopefully, my articles will become good enough to continue rating high, and I will win 1st or 2nd in several categories. At this point, all this writing becomes financially viable.

Oh, and the percentage of the Google ads clicked? I have made a whopping .07 cents thus far. Now, like I said, ultimately my goal is to keep writing and hopefully improve my skills by doing so. Any pocket change I make above that is perverbial icing on the cake. We'll see what happens. Until then, let me know what you think. Here are my articles:

A GUIDE TO DIGITAL SCRAPBOOKING As of this writing, rated #1 out of 2 articles

A GUIDE TO PERSONAL INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET Currently rated #1 of 2 articles

EMPOWERING YOUR STAFF LEADS TO BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE Currently #6 of 15 articles

A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT Currently #1 of 9 articles

COMPANY BLOGS AND THEIR VALUE FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS Currently #3 of 8 articles

TIPS FOR ORGANIZING A MEDIA EVENT Currently #2 of 5 articles

THE PROS AND CONS OF DESIGNING YOUR OWN SMALL BUSINESS WEB SITE Currently #7 of 8 articles

SHOULD LAWS BE PASSED TO LIMIT GUN OWNERSHIP FURTHER? Currently #1 of 3 articles

GETTING OVER YOURSELF: MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM THINKING TO WRITING Currently #11 of 58 articles

MANAGING DOWNTIME Currently #1 of 1 articles

As you can see, I ain't doing too bad in the whole rating game. But then, I knew I would fare well. That's why I write - because I can, and I can do it well.

As I continue down the Helium.com path, I will update you here. As always, your comments are welcome.