But the topic just didn’t appeal to her and she realized it would be a lot of work for a very small amount of money. Since she really doesn’t want to write for print in the future, a clip holds very little value for her.

Since the majority of my writing experience has been in print publications, she asked my opinion about the very concept of “clips.” What are clips? And do you need them?

What is a “Clip?”

A writing “clip” carries the broad definition of any writing sample that has been published anywhere (including on the Web.)

The word “clip” comes from the days when writers would use scissors to cut (“clip”) their article from a newspaper or magazine, glue it on a sheet of white paper (for uniformity), make a clean photocopy and send it to their favorite magazine along with a winning query in the hopes of getting an assignment.

Nowadays, most writers scan in their clips and attach a PDF to their e-mailed query. (Am I showing my age?)

Do You Need Clips?

Some prospective clients today actually request “samples” rather than clips. There’s a big difference. A writing sample is simply something you wrote. It doesn’t have to have been published. A clip, however, has been published and implies experience. It can give you the leg up over the competition when you apply for a job or submit a query.

Ideally, you will accrue a variety of the clips in the fields you want to work in. A well-rounded magazine writer, for instance, wants to have clips of:

• Q&A interviews
• News items
• Feature stories
• Personality profiles
• How-to articles

Many beginning writers ask me, “I don’t have any clips, and they ask for clips. What do I do?” Easy — send a sample. Don’t let a lack of clips hold you back from applying for your dream job or submitting to your dream publication. If they say yes, Voila! You have your first honest-to-goodness clip. Now what do you do with it?

What Should You Do with a Clip?

Scan it in to your computer and save it in a folder titled “Clips.” If it’s already electronic, then do a screen capture and, again, save it on your hard drive. Just because your article is on the Web now, don’t assume it will be there forever. Whether it started life digitally or on paper, also put it on some sort of back-up source, too… an external hard drive, flash drive or CD.

To easily find your clips on the Web, set up Google Alerts for your name. If your name is frequently misspelled, set up Google alerts for alternate spellings, too.

Then, when you need a particular type of article to showcase your writing skills, you can go to that folder on your hard drive and pull out an appropriate story. You can choose to sort your clips by date, publication/industry or style of story. You might even want to cross-reference them so you can find what you need easily.

Remember, only include an attachment if the client/editor says it’s okay. Otherwise, copy and paste the text in the body of the email, including the name of the publication where it originally appeared, and the date (if it’s less than one year old).

It’s totally okay to use older clips if they’re relevant, especially if you can’t see the date on the clip. It’s also okay to use a clip with no byline, or a clip with a pseudonym. (Although you may want to point it out in your query or cover letter.)

For my friend, who really has no aspirations to write for print magazine markets in the future, it was smart to turn down the assignment. Clips are worthless if they can’t help you achieve your writing goals.

Learn from My Mistakes

The answer to the question, “What should you do with clips?” is very different from the answer I gave when my friend asked me: “What do YOU do with clips?” I have clips dated from 1990 and on piled in Rubbermaid containers in my attic. They are, essentially, acting as home insulation.

No one told me back when I got my first clip to start scanning them in so I’d have a digital archive forever. But then I guess I’d have to buy fiberglass insulation to keep the upstairs offices warm all winter, so maybe I’m ahead of the game?

What do YOU do with clips?

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But there’s a fine line between encouraging controversial discussion and going completely over the top.

Here are six ways to generate controversy with a blog post that you should avoid.

1. Insulting your readers. Using words you’d hear on a playground (“stupid-head” … and worse) doesn’t support your argument, and it doesn’t paint you in the best light as a human being. And why would anyone want to visit the blog of someone they don’t respect?
   
   Liking you is a completely different thing; take Rush Limbaugh or Bill O’Reilly. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who calls these right-wing talk show hosts like-able, but plenty of people respect their opinions, or at least care enough about what they say to keep tuning in.
   
   In short, your readers don’t have to LIKE you, but they should respect you. And calling people names won’t earn you respect from anyone.




2. Failing to support your arguments. “Because I said so,” may work (for a little while) when your toddler asks you why she can’t have another cookie before dinner or soda pop before bed, but don’t expect your readers to take your word as the truth if you don’t have strong supporting arguments. As a parent, I typically believe in giving reasons for telling children “No.” As a blogger, I give my readers the same respect and support every incendiary post with facts, statistics and/or anecdotes to back up my beliefs.




3. Disagreeing for the sake of disagreeing. If you truly believe in a viewpoint, it’s fine to voice your opinions. But don’t take the side opposite of popular opinion just for the sake of controversy. You won’t be able to argue it well if you don’t really believe it. And when the argument escalates, you won’t feel good about yourself, defending a point you don’t really believe. Remember, everything you say on the Internet is there, forever, for people to read. Consider how you’re representing yourself and what you’re telling the world about your beliefs.




4. Alienating your readers. There’s a huge difference between discussing relevant, controversial topics and putting up a post purely for shock value. Profanity and posts that cross the line over what most people would deem “appropriate in mixed company” can alienate your readers. Know your audience. You can be respectful and controversial.




5. Permitting trolls. Everything I’ve said about how you should act in controversial posts applies to your readers, as well. It’s your blog — don’t permit behavior from others that you wouldn’t allow from yourself.




6. Letting the argument drone on incessantly. Even the best controversies get old after a while. People begin repeating themselves. Arguments become circular. You can end any controversy politely with a statement along the lines of, “Let’s agree to disagree.” If you absolutely have to, close the comment thread before things get nasty.

Controversial posts are fun to read — and to write. If you follow the “golden rule” and keep it friendly, there’s a good chance that the next time people stop to talk around the water cooler (or, more likely, on Twitter), they’ll be talking about your blog.

What do you think makes a successful, or unsuccessful, controversial post?

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Write What You Want
• Associated Content – At Associated Content, compose a well written article on any topic that you want. You upload your content to their site and after an editor reviews it, they will offer you an upfront payment for your work. After the piece is published, you can also earn money from how many people view your article. Posting your links in social networking sites, like Facebook, is a good way to increase your page views.
• Helium – Helium is similar to Associated Content, but it’s more difficult to earn money with. The amount of money you can earn is based on ratings that other writers give you. This is a cause of frustration for many because the ratings that you are given aren’t always fair.
• Constant Content – Constant Content is a place for more advanced authors. They are pickier when it comes to the quality of your submissions. It’s a great place to work if you can meet their requirements. At Constant Content, you get to decide how much to sell your articles for and what kind of licensing options to offer.

Write On Assigned Topics
• Textbroker – Textbroker is a great site. You’ll be ghost writing for people who need content for their websites and blogs. Textbroker only allows you to select one assignment at a time, but most of their work is easy to write. They have a low $10 minimum payout and you can earn that in just one day.
• Demand Studios – Demand Studios pays anywhere from $5 to $15 for articles. You can write as many articles a day as you want. It’s a wonderful place to start for beginners.
• Break Studios – Break Studios pays around $8 per piece and they have a lot of easy topics to choose from. You’ll mostly be writing for male-oriented websites, but you don’t have to be a man to sign up.
• eCopyWriters – eCopyWriters is much like Textbroker. You sign up and start taking assignments to write. If you decide to use eCopyWriters, you should be aware that they are slower than other sites. It takes more time for your work to get reviewed and there are fewer assignments available.

Freelance writing is a great way to earn money. You’ll need to really dedicate your time and efforts to writing, but you can earn a full-time income online. The opportunities are available for anyone willing to work at it.

Melissa Tamura writes about accredited online schools, higher education and distance learning for Zen College Life. She most recently ranked the best online schools in the USA.

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Rather than keeping  this series continuing forever, I’ve narrowed down the list to the 10 best posts designed to generate traffic, and, I admit, many of these are my personal favorites to write.

6. Motivational posts - Most people need a little kick in the pants sometimes. Motivational blog posts are designed to spark your readers into action, remind them why they love their industry or hobby, or just make them feel good.

7. Fun stuff - A cartoon. A funny photo. A quick joke, quote or one-liner. These are the fun things you can put up in a hurry, when you don’t have time to write a full-length post. It gives your readers something new to see when they visit your blog and takes you only a few minutes to find and share. These posts, usually culled from other sources, have a great chance of going viral. (Who doesn’t love to share a good joke or funny picture?) You’ll also get the benefits of spreading the link love when you share the original source (which you should, of course).

8. Controversial posts – My post “Is Ghostwriting Ethical?” was designed to spark debate. It did, but perhaps not as much as I would have liked. Part of the secret to writing successful controversial posts is knowing what really sparks strong feelings in your readers.

In the freelance writing world, posts about money and rates generate controversy. It’s the same argument over and over again, but people never tire of it. When you post about a controversial topic, add a new perspective or a fresh viewpoint. Don’t generate controversy just for the sake of argument (so to speak). But if a situation has really gotten your hackles up, post away! You’ll get to share your views and generate traffic to your website. It’s a win-win, as long as you monitor the comments and make sure no one gets nasty about it.

9. News posts - When the FCC introduced fair disclosure standards for bloggers, this was big news for the industry. Many writers shared their views, tips and advice on the subject. The trick to writing a successful news post is either to break the story or to come up with an original perspective — to share insight you haven’t read anywhere else. (If you can’t be first, be the best!) You can also take a news topic not directly related to your industry and think about how it affects your blogs readers.

10. Videos - Like cartoons and photos, videos have a great chance of going viral. Since this is a writer’s blog, I won’t offer too many tips about posting videos on your blog. There are nearly as many types of video blogs as there are written blogs. I will say this: Even if you think of yourself as a writer, be open to posting a video on your blog now and then. You may find a whole new audience for your work.

Why types of posts have you had the greatest response with on your own blog?

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Over the years as blogging has grown into a full-time, moneymaking endeavor for many people, bloggers have discovered many different types of blog posts that draw traffic to your website. This list could go on forever — as I write, I keep coming up with more ideas. So I’ll share with you the Top 10 blog posts that draw traffic to your site. Please add your own favorite type of posts in the comments section!

1. List posts - This article is an example of a “list post:” — “Five types of…” I could also have written about “Five Ways to…” or even “The Top 10…” These are some of the easiest posts to write, because you don’t have to worry about transition sentences between ideas, and they receive a lot of hits.

2. “Link love” - A variation on a list post, a link love post lists the Top 10 (or five or 100) blogs, bloggers, posts, videos or people in a specific field. These are called “link love” posts because you link from your site to other top blogs. These type of posts pay off because the people you link to typically link back… sometimes to show their readers they made the list, and sometimes just to return the favor. When you do a link love post, you may also gain new readers — the names on your list! Even if none of this happens, spreading a little link love is good karma.

When fellow freelancer Thursday Bram listed me as the number 17 writer of 100 Freelance Writers You Can Outsource Your Blog Content To, I got a few gigs and quite a bit of attention from making the list. (Thanks, Thursday!)

3. How-to posts. For many blogs, how-to posts are the meat and potatoes of their website. At a glance, I’d say more than 50% of the posts here at Writer’s Roundabout are “how-to” posts. We read blogs for information, and most people want to know how the experts do what they do to achieve success.

4. Reviews – We live in a consumer-driven economy and people want to know what other people are buying. Whether you’re reviewing books, iPhone apps or products that interest your audience, you’ll get lots of hits from review posts. These also offer the opportunity to earn residual income with affiliate links. (Just be sure to disclose that you get a percentage if your readers buy the product.)

5. Interviews - Many blogs are designed to provide their authors with a personalized voice in a specific industry. Even if your blog is mainly about you, your business or your life, interviews with other experts in your field offer another perspective and a change of pace.

You can also ask experts to provide a guest post on a particular topic. This offers the same benefits as publishing an interview, but it’s less work for you. Interviews and guest posts are a great way to cross-promote your blog and grow your readership, because your interview subject is sure to share the link with her network, too.

Stay tuned for part two of “10 Types of Blog Posts to Draw Traffic to Your Site.”

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The writer noted that she used to attend Chamber of Commerce meetings, collect business cards, follow up, and sign clients. I realized that many of my recent clients have come from similar means – except I rarely leave the house for networking events.

Here are three steps to land clients on the Web using time-tested networking techniques.

• Set up an impressive website.

  By impressive, I don’t mean flash everywhere and zillions of pages of marketing copy. While I’m not thrilled with the look of it (I did it myself) my Website at www.allcotmedia.com has gotten me many clients. It contains five important elements:

  • A photo of myself
  • What I can do for clients/visitors
  • A bit about my credentials and experience and how that helps potential clients
  • Links to a diverse collection of published clips of my work
  • My contact information

  Beyond that, it’s clean, easy to navigate, and professional-looking, albeit a bit on the dull side in my opinion.

• Promote the Website and yourself through LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social media outlets

By promote, I don’t mean sending out tweets every hour that read: Need a writer? Go to www.mywebsite.com. Instead, share links to your work and your own knowledge about writing. Most importantly, be yourself. Engage others – both other writers and potential clients – in conversations.

You wouldn’t go up to someone at a Chamber of Commerce meeting, business card in hand, and say, “Hi, My name is ___ and I’m a writer. Do you need me to write copy for your business?” There’s a simple rule for Internet networking: If you wouldn’t do it in person, don’t do it on the Web.

I often send out tweets promoting the blogs I write for, but I have never tweeted asking for clients. They can figure out what I do based on my tweets, my links and my website – they come to me if my talents fit their needs.

To paraphrase Alec Baldwin in the movie “Glengarry Glen Ross,” writers may not “always be closing,” but they should always, always be networking.

In another post on AW, this one from last year, a new writer received advice that he should network to jumpstart his career. In a thread titled “Just Hit Send,” many of us post our goals for each month, and some even post daily to-do lists. In his next JHS post, that writer posted his schedule for the week, with time set aside Wednesday morning for networking.

While networking can be a discrete activity, performed only when you check your Twitter and Facebook accounts twice daily, it’s much better to approach it as something you’re always doing – or at least looking for opportunities to do.

If you go out to dinner and engage the waitress in a conversation about her day job – you’re networking. If you compliment the person in line behind you at the bank on her brooch – that’s a potential networking opportunity. Networking, when done correctly, is really just another way to say, “Asking people about themselves so you can find out how you can help them.”

Now, go network!

Leaving a comment here is networking too!
What are the most effective ways you network?

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Often, I decline invitations.  It doesn’t matter what I’m asked to partake in, I decline.  I have a bag of excuses, mostly surrounding the health of my toddler.  While the rejections are often accepted gracefully, the offers have dwindled.

Networking is vital for any business, but especially for writers.  If you are a reclusive writer, chances are you are missing out on precious opportunities for new clients, gigs, and interview subjects. 

How to begin again?

• Say “Yes” once a month.
  • Start small.  It doesn’t take much effort to get “out there” with the public.  Spend an extra hour in church, mingling during the coffee/cookie hour before or after services.  If you typically stay after your service, opt to go an hour early and mingle with the earlier service or vice-versa.  While I wouldn’t hand out business cards to everyone, a simple conversation about what you do for a living will leave a lasting impression on a business owner.
• Offer to host a coffee meeting.
  • For those with local clients, hosting a coffee meeting between companies can increase the work-load for you!  While you might not have a new project available immediately, bringing clients together to network will keep you in mind when he isn’t able to take on a project. 
• Join a writing group.
  • The group doesn’t have to be locally based.  Joining any writing group for accountability or editing, your style of writing is out there, and fellow writers can call on you when they aren’t able to take a gig for any reason.  This might lead to some ghost-writing positions that you can claim on your resume as well.

Networking online is important for many writers, but failing to network off-line can be detrimental.  By not answering the knock of opportunity, you are failing yourself and your business.  Take the chance to change just one “no” into a “yes” and begin sowing the benefits of all your hard work.

Don’t forget the Writer Must-Have’s when you venture outside your own writing nook.

How do you make the most of opportunities to say “yes” instead of “no” when networking?

Photo Credit: 06-03-06 © Amanda Rohde

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The way I see it, there are three major advantages of taking low paying writing gigs. The first – and perhaps the most important – is that you never run out of work. There are hundreds of opportunities posted every day for all kinds of writing so if you want to, keep as busy as you want to.

Gain experience/build skills

That’s also a driver of the second advantage of low paying writing gigs. Getting experience in all kinds of writing and building skills. Never mind about your feelings of working for nothing; it’s a great way to try out different types of writing and become proficient enough to charge more. In this case, writing for peanuts is a stepping stone to greater things because you will also …

Beef up your resume

… improve your writing resume, which means you can charge more for your services. The greater your offering to your clients, the more impressed they will be and the more likely to hire you. They will also be less likely to quibble at your new improved rates. You’ll be moving into a different client pool, where the overriding factor is quality rather than simply price.

Many disadvantages

Of course, there are many disadvantages to this kind of work, many of which have been discussed ad nauseam by both myself and my fellow writers. For one, if you are working longer hours for less money, what’s the point of having escaped the cubicle? Working on low paid writing jobs without having a good reason such as those listed above is senseless. That’s because you will need to work even harder than most to earn a decent income and will be sliding down the slippery slope to writer burnout.

Sharon Hurley Hall is a professional content writer and blogger. See more of her posts on writing at Get Paid To Write Online.

Is It Worth It?

Does that mean writing for peanuts must be avoided at all costs? Not at all. The trick is to have an exit strategy and work towards it from the moment you take your first gig. Once you feel confident in your niche, have built up some knowledge and can match client requirements without too much difficulty, it’s time to start trading up. You have nothing to lose by raising your rates a notch and – if the world doesn’t end when you do – raising them again when the time seems right. For new writers, taking low paid gigs can be their first step on the path to a lucrative writing career – it certainly worked that way for me.

What other pros and cons do you consider when asked to write for low or no pay?

Photo Credit: renwest

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“Goals are dreams with deadlines.” ~ Diana Scharf Hunt

Being a freelancer often means burning the midnight oil – at both ends – and sadly, by the time assignments are completed, invoices are sent in, files are up-to-date, the laundry and dishes have been tamed, we’re simply too exhausted to turn our attention to our own projects.

You know what I’m talking about, right? The novel that’s burning a hole in your soul. The eBook you want to share with the world. Stacks of poetry that’s crying to be assembled.

Don’t let the dreams and goals you put on the back burner because life – and work – comes first become so removed that the flame goes out.

There’s nothing worse than realizing one day that something you intended on completing years ago, is still left unfinished.

Don’t let your dreams collect dust in a drawer or on your hardrive.

Life is short. Our dreams are valid. And there’s always a few minutes to spare if we find them.

Here’s a few tips to help you move your passions from the flickering back burner, to the front:

1. Wake up before the house does. Whether you live with roommates, a husband or wife, have children – or even pets – consider sneaking up while they’re all sleeping so you can steal a few moments (or an hour or so!) for your personal projects.
2. Not an early bird? Okay then, stay up after everyone’s gone to bed. If you have to, sneak back up once they drift off to dream land. Enjoy the peace and quiet. Savor every moment!
3. Leave the house. If you have a laptop, steal away to your local coffee shop or library. And if the weather’s nice, try the park.
4. Evaluate your dreams and set realistic, short-term goals to help you achieve them. It can be done. You can find a few minutes here and there to work on your own projects.
5. Create a vacation for yourself. You took vacations off work before you started freelancing, right? Why not enjoy a little downtime now? Allow yourself a couple days a week or even take off a week. Save up for it. Plan for it. Make it happen!

You absolutely do not have to give up on the very dreams and goals that made you write to begin with. Nothing says you have to write for everyone else for the rest of your life. Stand up, rare your shoulders back, but a confident smile on your face, and step in to your writing destiny. You can do it!

And as my good friend, George Angus, recently shared: It’s Never Too Late!

Credits:

Photo: djcodrin

Resource: Tumblemoose.com

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The standard resume consists of an introduction, work history with featured experience proficiencies, educational experience and with or without references. Expanding a resume to include awards, school transcripts and letters or recommendation can – and does – set you apart.

Following the two-page rule can cut you out from any position. While it is important to highlight key points quickly in a cover letter, also include additional information that is included above and beyond the standard resume. A potential employer is looking for the best person to fill a position. It is up to you to ensure your expertise and quality of workmanship is adequately represented.

While attending college, say you won an award for the most original Web site design. Take the time to scan or photo copy the award to include after your standard information. Showing proof of various achievements will only secure your value to the hiring firm.

Letters of recommendation should always be included with a resume. While stating, “References Available Upon Request” is typical, including recommendations from former and current colleagues and bosses establishes further rapport and drive to achieve.

I had mentioned that in a former relationship, my ex had an enormous resume. When I compiled all the information together, I learned a great deal. While he is now overseas making more money than most could fathom in a year, his resume was key to that – along with a solid work ethic and history.

His standard resume included:

• Cover letter of one full page, ten-point Times font. The letter was signed either by pen or digitally with a copy of his signature scanned into the PC.
• Resume consisting of four pages. All job responsibilities and additional educational awards were listed.
• Seven letters of recommendation from various projects he worked on as a Civil Engineer.
• Two letters of recommendation from current colleagues.
• Photocopies of all awards and certifications he had received, along with a copy of his college transcript and diploma.

While the bulky stack of information seemed quite daunting, it served a purpose. My ex was able to showcase all of his abilities and proficiencies in his field before ever speaking with a potential employer. His interviews delved past the initial questions and moved quickly into what he could do for that company and what that company could offer in return.

The same process can be applied with freelancing. Showcase everything that you can, without digging out articles or out-dated Web site designs. If most of your work is done digitally, consider investing in USB flash drives to include with your resume. You can hold a great deal of information in a small space. Be smart in your resume decisions. What you share of yourself can make – or break – the deal.

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