Writing Freelance Articles
Consider your expertise. If you take the time to
reflect on your experiences, you will realize that you
have more knowledge about which to write than you
might think. Begin by listing three assets that define you,
such as your profession, a special hobby or a personality
trait. Next, list three things that inspire you, such as
religion, education or charity. Finally, list three of your
dreams, such as getting married, traveling or spending
more time with your children. These three lists should give
you many ideas of topics about which you can write. [14]
Learn principles of effective writing. As a freelance
writer, much of your work will likely be published on
the internet. The principles of writing for the web differ
slightly than writing for print. The content must still be
high-quality and well-written, but the presentation must be
adjusted for the way people read online material. [15]
Because of the low resolution of online text, readers
tend to scan rather than read everything from top to
bottom. Make your text easily scannable by breaking
up text using descriptive headings and bullet points.
[16]
Get to the point by using the inverted pyramid style.
This means writing the conclusion first and then
providing examples to support it. [17]
Make your copy effective by being concise and using
simple language. Aim your writing to an eighth-
grade reading level. Remove unnecessary or
confusing words or terms. [18]
Include keywords and phrases that improve your
ranking in the search engines. [19]
Find work. When you first start out, you may have to
accept work writing about a topic you don’t find all
that interesting. You must keep an open mind and be
willing to accept work that may not be in your desired
field. However, as you continue to write, you not only
learn about more topics, but you also build your
reputation. With time, you can be choosier about
assignments you want to accept. [20]
Browse the internet for freelancing websites that hire
contractors to do work online.
Get samples. When you first start out as a freelance
writer, it can be hard to get work without any
published samples. However, it is possible to get quality
samples if you are willing to do some writing for free.
First, you can publish content on your own blog or
website. Also, you can write guest posts for someone
else’s blog. Finally, you can write blog posts for free in
exchange for a byline. [21]
Write pitches. If you have located a client for whom
you want to write, send pitches, which are topic
ideas for articles. Write pitches that not only show your
expertise, but also demonstrate your enthusiasm for the
topic. [22] First, read the publication to which you are
sending pitches to familiarize yourself with what they
publish. If applicable, identify a specific section and send
our pitch to the appropriate editor. Also, include a brief
summary of who you are. [23]
Create a writer website or blog. A website not only
demonstrates your technical ability, but it also
creates an online hub that allows clients to connect to
you. Keep the design of your website clean and
uncluttered. Include examples of your work that
demonstrate the kind of writing you do. Make the samples
easy to find and to read, and make it easy for visitors to
figure out how to contact you. [24] . A blog highlights your
technical ability and showcases your ability to write blog
posts. Your blog can be about different topics than those
you write about for your clients. In fact, it should be on a
topic that interests you. Visitors will see that you can not
only write, but you can also build an online community. A
good blog has the potential to earn you many referrals for
more clients. [25]
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Method Four of Four:
Selling Your Stuff Online
Find items to sell. Purge your house. Set aside a few
days or a weekend to clean out and declutter your
house. Identify items to throw away, donate and sell.
Categorize the items you want to sell. Different categories
of items do better on different sites. [26] You can also go
out and buy items for selling online at a mark-up.
Books, CD’s and DVD’s sell well on Amazon.
Collectibles, high-end clothing and small electronics
sell well on eBay.
Craigslist is best for generic items such as tools or
toys.
Open sellers accounts. Create accounts on Amazon,
eBay and Craigslist. These platforms make it simple
for sellers to set up accounts. You generally need to
provide some personal information such as your name
and address, and you may need to provide financial
information for processing payments. [27]
Amazon sellers connect their checking accounts,
and proceeds from sales are directly deposited into
their checking accounts.
eBay will either send your payments directly to your
checking account or will deposit them in your PayPal
account.
Learn then selling guidelines. Each marketplace has
guidelines that define what you can and cannot sell.
State and federal laws also impact what items are
prohibited. In general, you cannot sell alcohol, weapons,
service contracts, animals or event tickets. Also, while not
always prohibited, you may find restrictions on how you
can sell items in some categories, such as art, gift cards
and coupons. [28] eBay , Craigslist and Amazon publish
these guidelines on their websites.
Research selling prices of items similar to yours.
Look up completed sales or current listings of items
similar to yours. Find the high- and low-end prices, and
price your object around the median price level. If you
want your item to sell quickly, price it at the low end. The
condition of the item also affects the price. Items in
poorer condition should be priced at the lower end. Also,
consider how many listings there already are of items
similar to yours. If many similar items will be competing
with yours, you may have to set the price lower to get the
sale. [29]
Consider selling in lots. A lot is a collection of
similar items that is sold in a group. For example, if
you have a collection of books, magazines or similar
pieces of jewelry, consider selling them all at once in a
lot. You many not make as much money as you would
have if you sold each item separately. However, the items
will likely sell more quickly in a lot than they would
individually. [30]
Write a thorough description. Including more details
increases the likelihood of making a sale. Since the
buyer can’t see the object in person before purchasing,
give them as much information as possible so they feel
like they know what they’re buying, If an item is used, be
truthful and upfront about its condition. [31]
Proofread your description before publishing it.
Write a descriptive title that provides information
about the product, such as size, color or design.
Add high-quality pictures of the item. Use several
images that show the item from different angles.
Remove all clutter from the background because it detract
attention from the item you’re selling. Use natural lighting
instead of a flash. Take close ups so people can see all
the details of the item. [32]
Provide excellent customer service. Answer any
questions buyers post as quickly as possible. Be
professional and courteous. Positive communication
builds your reputation with buyers and gets you return
business. Also, package your product well and ship it out
quickly. Allowing an item to become damaged or taking
too long to ship can negatively affect your reputation
among buyers. Wrap all items, especially fragile ones, in
appropriate packaging. Commit to shipping items as soon
as you receive payment.
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