~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Become a Six-Figure Writer
Tips and Techniques to Build
a Six-Figure Writing Business
June 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Websites of Six-Figure Writers
No matter what kind of writing you do, a website designed to market you and your writing talent is essential. Having an online presence makes it possible for potential clients – editors, agents, publishers, corporations, non-profits, and others you may not have even thought of – to find you. Once there, they can also move ahead to assess your fit for their needs. Being able to take that step – researching your experience and skills – now, rather than later, significantly improves the odds of your being considered for some work. A functional website is a key part of that income-generating process.
But all websites are not created equal. To emulate writers making a solid six-figure living, be sure your website has the following.
Clean design. I could go into a huge discussion about branding here, but I won’t. The key is that you need to come up with a “look” for your marketing materials that ties everything together nicely. These elements could include a color scheme, a logo, and a particular font. But there should be plenty of space on your website that does not include writing or graphic elements. It’s just easier on the eyes and looks more upscale.
Easy-to-follow information. When editors or publishers visit your website it’s because they want to learn more about you. Don’t make it more difficult to track down information about your background and the types of writing you do. Use a navigation bar and clearly marked tabs to lead visitors where you want them to go.
Photo of you. One thing you’ll notice about many highly-paid writers is that they aren’t afraid to post a photo of themselves front-and-center. They want editors to get to know them, and part of that process includes seeing what they look like. If you don’t have a photo of yourself you like, have a nice, professional one taken.
Examples of a wide range of your work. You may write frequently on a particular topic, whether it’s pregnancy, or mergers and acquisitions, or technology, and it’s great to demonstrate to editors that you have this background. But if there are other topics you also write about, or want to write more about, you should also feature them to catch an editor’s eye. Showing the breadth of your work may help expand the number of opportunities you are presented.
Contact information. After reading through your site, visitors should be impressed and eager to hire you. So make it extremely easy for them to get in touch. List your phone number and have a link to your email, so clients can make contact right away.
Conversely, avoid the following, lest your credibility be damaged.
Unprofessional photos. You want a nice photo of yourself, but you in your bikini or Speedo holding a drink on a Caribbean beach is not a good image for you. Nor is a photo that is so dark that you can’t be seen, or one that is low resolution or jagged.
Ads. Yes, your website exists to bring in business for you, but keep the focus on you and not a slew of other products your web visitors might also be interested in. Steer clear of banner ads and Google AdSense for this, your “brochure,” site listing all your qualifications.
Take another look at your current website, or start plans for your first one, to make sure it reflects the successful writer you aspire to be. For inspiration, look at the sites of other well-known writers.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
AUTHOR RESOURCE
Some of my favorite resources and tools are those that cost next to nothing. Or, better yet, nothing at all.
Well, VistaPrint.com (www.vistaprint.com) specializes in printing small quantities of marketing tools like business cards, postcards, note pads, and calendars, all at very reasonable rates. And if you sign up to receive notices of special offers and promotions, you’ll frequently have the chance to get products for free if you pay the shipping. Not a bad deal!
I’ve used them several times, but I’m most proud of the business cards with my latest book cover featured on it – an idea I stole from my friend Sandra Beckwith, who teaches an excellent online course on book publicity (www.buildbookbuzz.com).
For a few pennies each, I now have a stack of cards on quality stock emblazoned with a color photo of the Unofficial Guide to Marketing Your Small Business alongside my contact information. Think about what you might feature on your business card.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
NEW CLIENTS GALORE
To be a six-figure writer you need to earn money consistently from a range of clients. While many writers work with newspaper, magazine, and book publishers, another group that few writers know about is custom publishers.
Custom publishers produce, print, and distribute magazines on behalf of their corporate clients, who send the magazine out to customers and prospects. The team putting out the magazine works for a custom publishing agency rather than Condé Nast or Hearst, however.
What that may mean for you is less competition, although the assignments and pay rival national newsstand publications.
Sound interesting? To find some of these elusive custom publishers, there is a great database you can access for free at www.custompublishingcouncil.com. There you’ll learn what types of clients the publisher works with and who to contact for more information.
If you’re looking to branch out, or you just want to upgrade your current client list, you may be pleasantly surprised at the lucrative opportunities with these companies.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Become A Six-Figure Writer is a free monthly e-newsletter
for freelance writers. Feel free to share this newsletter in
its entirety with anyone who may be interested, or have them
sign up for their own copy at www.becomeasixfigurewriter.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Email: marcia@becomeasixfigurewriter.com
Web: www.becomeasixfigurewriter.com
Blog: becomeasixfigurewriter.blogspot.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2007 Marcia Layton Turner
Friday, September 7, 2007
Become a Six-Figure Writer - May ezine issue
Subscribers to my Become a Six-Figure Writer ezine have been asking to see back issues, so I've decided it makes the most sense to post them here when the new one comes out, like an archive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Become a Six-Figure Writer
Tips and Techniques to Build
a Six-Figure Writing Business
May 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snapshot of Six-Figure Writers Revealed
A couple of months ago I asked my colleagues in the
American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA)
and Freelance Success to complete an anonymous,
10-question online survey about their income and writing
habits. My goal was to identify what writers who earn
$100,000 or more a year do differently
from writers who don’t yet earn that much.
A total of 113 writers participated, including me, and I wanted
to share with you some of the most striking results.
Of the 113 respondents, 17 writers make more than $100,000 a
year and four of those make more than $150,000. Yes, the sample
probably isn’t large enough to be statistically significant, but
there are still lessons to be learned.
First, writers making six figures earn that money from a variety
of sources – magazines, books, web content, corporate writing,
teaching, newspapers, and editing. Writing magazine articles,
however, was the one income source common to all six-figure writers.
While some six-figure writers made the bulk of their money from
a handful of profitable projects (1-9 projects per year), the vast
majority of writers completed at least 20 projects last year, with most
writers tackling more than 40. Yes, six-figure earners are busy.
The good news is that they’re not killing themselves to earn all
that money. Very few six-figure writers work more than 50 hours
a week – most work less.
And they can make a six-figure living because the value of each
project they take on is typically worth at least $1500 if not
more. At that rate, they need no more than 67 projects annually
to hit the $100,000 mark.
What was most interesting to me, however, was the breakdown of
marketing activities six-figure writers invest in. Just under
100% of the six-figure writers reported having their own website
(but 100% of those making more than $150,000). And nearly 100%
of the writers send out queries, probably because everyone is
working with magazines. Most surprising to me was that private
meetings with editors was the third most common marketing
activity of writers making more than $150,000 – 46.2% of writers
making more than $100,000 also set up these editor meetings.
Many writers also sent out letters of introduction and
book proposals. Writers in the $100,000 camp, however, were more
likely to pay for online directory listings and online ads and
to participate in associations, like ASJA, while those in the
$150,000 and up category were more likely to have a blog and to
pursue publicity.
So what’s the take-away from all this? I’d say it’s that you
don’t have to be a workaholic to earn six-figures, nor do you
need to focus on landing that $10,000 feature from O or Vanity
Fair, although it certainly wouldn’t hurt. But do take another
look at your marketing plan for the year and consider adding
some editor visits to your to-do list.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
BETTER TIME MANAGEMENT
Although I must admit I go into withdrawal without my regular
dose of incoming email messages, I’ve recently heard from
several experts, including Timothy Ferriss, author of The
Four-Hour Workweek, who advocate cutting yourself off from
constant email.
Instead, schedule two or three times a day when you’ll take a
look at your email inbox. By limiting your access, you can
reclaim minutes or even hours of productive time every day.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
COOL TOOL
Anyone trying to map out a complex project, such as a feature
article or book, take a look at this mindmapping website:
www.bubbl.us.
You can start with your core pieces of information and add more
over time. It will help you keep track of those brilliant
thoughts that come to you, as well as helping spot the
connections between all the pieces.
I just used Bubbl to map out a new book project. Seeing all
the pieces in front of me helped generate new chapter
ideas.
And it’s FREE! How cool is that?!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Become A Six-Figure Writer is a free monthly e-newsletter
for freelance writers. Feel free to share this newsletter in
its entirety with anyone who may be interested, or sign up
for your own copy at www.becomeasixfigurewriter.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Email: marcia@becomeasixfigurewriter.com
Web: www.becomeasixfigurewriter.com
Blog: becomeasixfigurewriter.blogspot.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2007 Marcia Layton Turner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Become a Six-Figure Writer
Tips and Techniques to Build
a Six-Figure Writing Business
May 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snapshot of Six-Figure Writers Revealed
A couple of months ago I asked my colleagues in the
American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA)
and Freelance Success to complete an anonymous,
10-question online survey about their income and writing
habits. My goal was to identify what writers who earn
$100,000 or more a year do differently
from writers who don’t yet earn that much.
A total of 113 writers participated, including me, and I wanted
to share with you some of the most striking results.
Of the 113 respondents, 17 writers make more than $100,000 a
year and four of those make more than $150,000. Yes, the sample
probably isn’t large enough to be statistically significant, but
there are still lessons to be learned.
First, writers making six figures earn that money from a variety
of sources – magazines, books, web content, corporate writing,
teaching, newspapers, and editing. Writing magazine articles,
however, was the one income source common to all six-figure writers.
While some six-figure writers made the bulk of their money from
a handful of profitable projects (1-9 projects per year), the vast
majority of writers completed at least 20 projects last year, with most
writers tackling more than 40. Yes, six-figure earners are busy.
The good news is that they’re not killing themselves to earn all
that money. Very few six-figure writers work more than 50 hours
a week – most work less.
And they can make a six-figure living because the value of each
project they take on is typically worth at least $1500 if not
more. At that rate, they need no more than 67 projects annually
to hit the $100,000 mark.
What was most interesting to me, however, was the breakdown of
marketing activities six-figure writers invest in. Just under
100% of the six-figure writers reported having their own website
(but 100% of those making more than $150,000). And nearly 100%
of the writers send out queries, probably because everyone is
working with magazines. Most surprising to me was that private
meetings with editors was the third most common marketing
activity of writers making more than $150,000 – 46.2% of writers
making more than $100,000 also set up these editor meetings.
Many writers also sent out letters of introduction and
book proposals. Writers in the $100,000 camp, however, were more
likely to pay for online directory listings and online ads and
to participate in associations, like ASJA, while those in the
$150,000 and up category were more likely to have a blog and to
pursue publicity.
So what’s the take-away from all this? I’d say it’s that you
don’t have to be a workaholic to earn six-figures, nor do you
need to focus on landing that $10,000 feature from O or Vanity
Fair, although it certainly wouldn’t hurt. But do take another
look at your marketing plan for the year and consider adding
some editor visits to your to-do list.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
BETTER TIME MANAGEMENT
Although I must admit I go into withdrawal without my regular
dose of incoming email messages, I’ve recently heard from
several experts, including Timothy Ferriss, author of The
Four-Hour Workweek, who advocate cutting yourself off from
constant email.
Instead, schedule two or three times a day when you’ll take a
look at your email inbox. By limiting your access, you can
reclaim minutes or even hours of productive time every day.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
COOL TOOL
Anyone trying to map out a complex project, such as a feature
article or book, take a look at this mindmapping website:
www.bubbl.us.
You can start with your core pieces of information and add more
over time. It will help you keep track of those brilliant
thoughts that come to you, as well as helping spot the
connections between all the pieces.
I just used Bubbl to map out a new book project. Seeing all
the pieces in front of me helped generate new chapter
ideas.
And it’s FREE! How cool is that?!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Become A Six-Figure Writer is a free monthly e-newsletter
for freelance writers. Feel free to share this newsletter in
its entirety with anyone who may be interested, or sign up
for your own copy at www.becomeasixfigurewriter.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Email: marcia@becomeasixfigurewriter.com
Web: www.becomeasixfigurewriter.com
Blog: becomeasixfigurewriter.blogspot.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2007 Marcia Layton Turner
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Get Organized
There are many strategies you can use to earn more money from your freelance writing, but in the end, you really need to learn to get more done in less time. Being more productive will really boost your income potential.
Having recognized this a while ago, I'm in constant search of the latest and greatest tool for time management, project management, and office organization. Yes, I'm an organization junkie.
Well, today I heard about a webinar that Office Depot held in February about a five-day makeover plan for your office, so I listened in. There are some good basic tips for getting and staying organized, and you can jump from topic to topic if you get bored, so if you have 45 minutes or so, consider tuning in at http://www.officedepot.com/renderStaticPage.do?file=/promo/webcafe/general.html&template=promo
For me it was a good refresher and a reminder that putting everything (back) in its place will help me reach my income goals faster.
Having recognized this a while ago, I'm in constant search of the latest and greatest tool for time management, project management, and office organization. Yes, I'm an organization junkie.
Well, today I heard about a webinar that Office Depot held in February about a five-day makeover plan for your office, so I listened in. There are some good basic tips for getting and staying organized, and you can jump from topic to topic if you get bored, so if you have 45 minutes or so, consider tuning in at http://www.officedepot.com/renderStaticPage.do?file=/promo/webcafe/general.html&template=promo
For me it was a good refresher and a reminder that putting everything (back) in its place will help me reach my income goals faster.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Know Your Hourly Rate
We freelance writers too often focus on the per-word rate our magazine or corporate clients pay us. I know I'm guilty of it.
We assume that to make more money, we need to be earning a higher per-word rate. And all things being equal, moving up the pay ladder from, say, $.40 a word to $.80 a word, or $1.50 a word to $2.50 a word should yield more income. But it's not a given, unfortunately. Sometimes those higher-paying clients actually take more time than the lower-paying gigs and end up eating into our potential income.
A much more accurate way to compare how much money you're earning from each client assignment - whether we're talking a magazine article, book proposal, newspaper piece, or corporate project - is to track your time and calculate your hourly rate.
How much time is it really taking you to write those short FOBs? Are you making more money writing features than shorts? It's impossible to answer these questions unless you've fastidiously been monitoring the time you spend on each project.
Since I tend to forget to write down each and every minute spent on a project, I've found a software program called TraxTime (www.traxtime.com) to be a big help in this regard. TraxTime is a computer-based time keeper that enables you to clock in and clock out of projects, keeping tabs on how much time you're truly investing in each assignment or engagement.
I learned that some trade magazine assignments can be very lucrative for me, whereas other higher-paying projects net me less income because they are so time-consuming. Sometimes I choose to continue to accept those projects for reasons other than money, but TraxTime helps me sort out which assignments are the best for my bottom line.
We assume that to make more money, we need to be earning a higher per-word rate. And all things being equal, moving up the pay ladder from, say, $.40 a word to $.80 a word, or $1.50 a word to $2.50 a word should yield more income. But it's not a given, unfortunately. Sometimes those higher-paying clients actually take more time than the lower-paying gigs and end up eating into our potential income.
A much more accurate way to compare how much money you're earning from each client assignment - whether we're talking a magazine article, book proposal, newspaper piece, or corporate project - is to track your time and calculate your hourly rate.
How much time is it really taking you to write those short FOBs? Are you making more money writing features than shorts? It's impossible to answer these questions unless you've fastidiously been monitoring the time you spend on each project.
Since I tend to forget to write down each and every minute spent on a project, I've found a software program called TraxTime (www.traxtime.com) to be a big help in this regard. TraxTime is a computer-based time keeper that enables you to clock in and clock out of projects, keeping tabs on how much time you're truly investing in each assignment or engagement.
I learned that some trade magazine assignments can be very lucrative for me, whereas other higher-paying projects net me less income because they are so time-consuming. Sometimes I choose to continue to accept those projects for reasons other than money, but TraxTime helps me sort out which assignments are the best for my bottom line.
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