Wednesday, 7 September 2011

6 Key Tips on How to Write Effective Blogs


Any serious blogger knows there are a few expert tips to creating a successful blog. Here are a few used by the best and successful bloggers in the business. 

1.      Search Engine Optimized
A good blog needs to pass the crucial SEO test before the reader even gets to access it.

2.      Simple
The blog article should be interesting, refreshing, catchy and informative.

3.      Keyword Use
 Many blogging beginners fail to pay attention to the use of keywords in their blogs.
A blog may have very useful information but if the reader cannot find it because it is out of the search engine’s reach then it truly has failed in its purpose. Keywords promote a blog.

4.      Clear and Precise
Make sure that the blog articles are precise and simple to understand for the reader. They should also address the specific needs of the users of this information.

5.      Short
Blogs of about 200 words are long enough, most readers are looking to spend just a minute or two to read a blog article before because they would like to sample other sources to get more information. So keep it simple.

6.      Specific Topic
Blog posts should be particular to the topic of interest to the blogger. If the post is about blog writing, keep it specifically to that, if the blog is about writers, journalism, entertainment or even medicine, stay within the bounds of the blogs theme. This will ensure repeat visits by the readers as they get the feeling the blog is a resource in their areas of expertise.
More Sources:
Darren Rowse’s Ten Tips for Writing a Blog Post www.problogger.net

Sunday, 4 September 2011

Writer's information sources

For you to succeed in writing, the need to have access to information is paramount. You must write on topics you have thoroughly researched to ensure that you deliver the quality and the point of view that a professional writer must display.

Access to information is therefore one thing that good writers need, not only to validate the information they have, add to what they already know, but also to enable them to see the issue(s) they are tackling from an objective perspective so that it appeals to any person who will read the story. The other thing is that this also builds a lot of credibility in the person as a proficient writer, and builds the trust needed in the users of this information.

The growth of writing as a skill may take a while but there are plenty of resources and platforms online to help anyone willing to make a little effort. Poets, novelists and all kinds of writers can interact in an expansive online forum at Writing.com ,with thousands of other writers and hone their skills and build their portfolios. Big freelancing sites such as oDesk , eLance   and  Vworker now have considerable demands for lyricists, ghost writes, copywriters, and bloggers.

Business writers can also find a lot of important tips on how to master the finer details of  Business Writing very easily on the internet. And for those whose passion is in blogging then you might want to try ProBlogger or Angela Booth to get to learn from those who have made blogging more than their favorite pass time.


Saturday, 3 September 2011

How to increase your income as a freelance writer

With the increased level of bidding by writers on online job sites, and employers able to find writers for as little as less than a dollar for an article, it is not a surprise that there quite a number of people who may not see how writing could be a viable source of income.

The truth is, there are people making thousands of dollars a month from freelance writing, and that is not even the best part. They don't have to bid for the assignments they do, they actually sometimes have to turn down some of them.

How do they do it? It’s simple, just as it is believed that good things come to those who wait, these professional writers know that for you to get at the level they operate at, you need to have a lot of patience and be willing to start small. Also they like give their clients the best quality of service from the very start. And once a client gets high quality work from a professional for a job that was lowly paid, he/she becomes more than willing to work with the person again even though at an increased charge.

Most people are deceived by the low pay the employer proposes and believe that the client cannot afford to pay well. They take the job do it amateurishly and move one to other new jobs, not realizing that they have missed on a very good opportunity to market themselves and grow their client base. These small projects are usually like low cost training for their future employees, and them from there they can work with them full time having known the quality of work they deliver and are willing to pay them handsomely for their work.

There are writers who will earn hundreds of dollars per article with their clients writing articles that get published and get numerous page reviews.

Therefore, when you win your next a dollar an article job, do it professionally and you will break through the multitude of others who cannot see beyond, in to the world where writers get hundreds of offers instead of making hundreds of job applications, choose among the offers they are given, instead of waiting to be chosen from among several other applicants, and earn a good full time income, not a painstaking menial income.

How To Win and Make Money With Freelance Writing For Non-Native English Speakers

By Josh

The internet is increasingly becoming a platform of choice for many freelance writers.  There are many people who earn big money by taking contracts online on freelancing sites like eLance, Vworker, oDesk, Guru just to name but a few. 

The range of topics available for those seeking writing jobs vary from technical writers, SEO writers, bloggers, article writers, business writers, medical writers, research writers, academic writers - the list goes on and on.

For many first-time seekers of these opportunities, finding a writing gig could be a nightmare, and even seem like chasing a mirage, but this need not be so. There are plenty of writing and freelancing jobs, if you know how to land them. We cannot obviously ignore the fact that the competition for these jobs gets stiffer each day as more and more people join in the internet job searches. But on the flip side, so do the providers willing to trust the online workplace to get them qualified contractors to do their projects on terms and cost they can afford.

The challenges seem to be especially stacked against the non-native English speakers, whether or not potential employers expressly ask for native speakers or not when they post jobs.

It might be this kind of hurdle that makes the dominant outsourcing workforce to be largely from certain countries. These countries are either the native English speaking countries, or world renowned outsourcing hubs such as India, South American countries, or West European countries.

So, how do the rest of the workers, with impeccable written English, and perfectly capable of doing what their global counterparts can do, find their place in this freelance culture that appears to pay them little attention?

The trick lies in the way you market yourself. And am not talking about building a fake profile, it's plainly in the way you market yourself: your skills, your credibility, your availability through the communication channels, and possibly your past work experiences.

You need to look at the situation from your potential employer's perspective. He/she my not know anything about your country. On the internet, it is probably listed as a non-English speaking country, and it has a barely noticeable reputation freelance writing or outsourcing world. You need to prove to your employer that you can communicate properly in English, are easily available through email or even phone and have some kind of academic qualification.

Do not take it for granted that the as a contractor, the would-be employer will assume your ability to communicate effectively and frequently; they will need an assurance, it should even be part of your personal statement. After all, communication is the backbone of any kind of business, especially over the internet where you have to work with people from anywhere in the world.

Showing that you have skills to communicate, the means to communicate, and are consistent and reliable in your communication precedes many other requirements. In addition,  being specific about your areas of expertise are and demonstrating your understanding of what the client wants will have them looking for you, not the other way round; I know this from experience.