Become a Six-Figure Writer - July issue

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Become a Six-Figure Writer

Tips and Techniques to Build
a Six-Figure Writing Business

July 2007 – Part II
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Yes, you did already see a July issue from me a couple of weeks ago, but this is the bonus issue I promised.

Although we usually think of summer as a time to kick back and relax, for many publishers – and writers – the summer months are some of the most hectic. July and August are when magazine editors put the finishing touches on the thick back-to-school issues and when book publishers gear themselves up for the important fall book releases. That can spell plenty of opportunities for writers like you and me.

I hope you’re as busy as you want to be right now!

Happy reading,
Marcia

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Finding Writing Opportunities

Not too long ago I was a writer in search of writing jobs. I had contacts in the book publishing world and a core group of marketing consulting clients, but I wanted to branch out. At the time, all I could do was network and scour job postings for potential freelance and contract opportunities. (If you’ve tried it, you know reading through job postings can be extremely time-consuming.)

Fortunately, there are now a number of freelance job sites that provide a steady stream of writing opportunity announcements. Granted, you’ll see job postings that are downright ridiculous – 5,000-word industry overviews for $25 each – but there are also plenty of lucrative gigs, too. You just have to watch for them.

To save you some time, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite sources of writing projects, in order of my personal preference:

Freelance Daily. http://www.freelancedaily.net/. This is my top source of job leads, which are culled from several job boards and emailed to me every weekday morning. The cost is $29.95 and well worth it. I’ve made thousands of dollars from projects I’ve found here.

Journalism Jobs. http://www.journalismjobs.com/. A free site that lists full-time, part-time, and freelance job opportunities in print, broadcast, and online media. Well worth checking out.

Media Bistro. www.mediabistro.com/joblistings. Although the large majority of jobs posted here are for full-time, on-site positions, I often find publications I hadn’t heard of before that I can add to my list of places to pitch. And once in a while, there is a freelance gig of interest. Mainly, however, this is a great place to see who’s coming and going at various publishers.

Monster. http://www.monster.com/. Although I can’t say I’ve found freelance gigs very often here, from time-to-time I search for writing jobs and have come across possible contract and local opportunities.

Craigslist. http://www.craigslist.org/. Yes, in addition to helping you find a roommate or sell off an old juicer, you can also use Craigslist to scope out writing projects. If you sign up for Freelance Daily, however, you can cross this site off your list of places to visit, since Freelance Daily does that for you.

There are many, many other freelance writing sites, too, and you should check them out for yourself. Places like elance.com, guru.com, writejobs.com, writerclassifieds.com, sunoasis.com – and many others – post writing gigs that may be right up your alley.


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CONFERENCE CONNECTIONS

Although you may not think of professional writing conferences as marketing opportunities, they are actually one of the best ways to develop relationships with referral sources. Yes, you’ll meet editors and publishers at these events, but more important, you’ll meet fellow writers – writers who often hear of projects that aren’t right for them, but might be perfect for you.

Consider adding writing conferences to your list of things to do in the coming months. Not only will you learn new writing techniques, hear about potential opportunities, and find out how best to pursue them, but you’ll make friends who can send business your way if you make a good impression.
My favorite writing conferences include:

ASJA Annual Conference. http://www.asja.org/. Held in NYC in April each year. Great for networking and for learning more about the business of writing.

One on One Conference. http://www.magazinewriters.com/. Held in Chicago in July for established magazine writers interested in face-to-face meetings with select editors.

Neiman Conference on Narrative Journalism. http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/events/conferences/narrative2006. Held in Boston in November or December, all the discussions here deal with the craft of writing.