By: Scott O. Cosby Scribd Edition Copyright 2012 - Scott O.

Cosby

Disclaimer..3 Dedication..4 About Freelance Writing................................5 My Freelance Writing Experience...6 About The Course..........7 I. Getting Started....9 Writer Quotes - Part 1.......11 II. Writing Niche Discovery...12 Writer Quotes - Part 2.......14 III. Writing Job Search..................................15

Writer Quotes - Part 3.19 IV. Writing DownTimes.....20 Writer Quotes - Part 4.....21 V. A Writers Workspace........22 Writer Quotes - Part 5 23 VI. The Writers Process.........24 Writer Quotes - Part 628 VII. Other Recommendations.....29 VIII. A Final Word.31
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I do not make any warranties or guaranteed success in freelance writing with this course.

This course is dedicated to family and friends who have all emotionally supported me in all things Ive attempted in writing, and to those aspiring freelance writers out there in the world.

Not the traditional compensation and benefits. Wider variety of work compared to traditional employment. You are in business for yourself, even in a part-time or secondary income capacity. A freelance writing career requires discipline, perseverance, and self-motivation. Dont limit yourself, explore new writing work. Must keep your writing and business skills updated either through online or instructor-led courses. Always the ability for growth available depends on the person and writing experience. Writing skills are in all people (e.g. email, letters, workrelated), these skills can be easily honed.
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Im a civil engineering technician that began in 2006 a parttime, second career in freelance writing later specializing in technical writing. In six (6) years; I have produced over hundred (100) articles in print and more than five hundred (500) articles as web content on a variety of subjects. Prominent Clients: Siemens Corporation, WorldWide Drilling Resource (WWDR) Magazine, and myself. I currently have four (4) other titles on the Scribd website, these titles are: Infinite Possibilities: A Freelance Writer's Journey (July 2011), Superheroes of my World (January 2012), A Fans Guide of Science Fiction Comics (February 2012), The Road Taken: My FWD Experience (August 2012).
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Based on my e-book: Infinite Possibilities: A Freelance Writer's Journey on Scribd. Simple; easy to follow course, by advancing to the next page. Self-paced for any level of freelance writer. Review the contents again from time to time for a refresher. Quotes from famous writers are presented for inspiration, and can be applied to any writing type. These quotes can be found here with links to the writers: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/writing
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Non - grading based. Its all dependent on the person wanting to learn freelance writing from personal experiences.
The best way to learn is by doing! There will be times of failing and other issues, just keep working at it. This course is not a scam or requests money in any way.

A good starting point is to do research on the topic of freelance writing at the library or by online sources. Online resources: http://www.freelancewriting.com/ http://allfreelancewriting.com/ Take your time with this research. My research on freelance writing took one (1) year.

Read, read. A freelance writer must be a reader!

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Another good starting point to gain writing experience is to do an opinion or two for a local newspaper or other publication. Submit a piece. See and note how its edited. Ask questions if possible. Grammar is important, but content is even more important, and will depend on the audience. Start keeping a Journal of your research, process, and other writing activities.

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Writing is its own reward. Henry Miller The reason one writes isn't the fact he wants to say something. He writes because he has something to say. F. Scott Fitzgerald Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you're doomed. Ray Bradbury If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write. Stephen King

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Niche {nich} noun, adjective, verb; niched & niching. 1. a place or position suitable or appropriate for a person or thing. Example: to find one's niche in the business world. 2. a distinct segment of a market. (Source: Dictionary.com) The freelance writer must discovery his or her own writing niche to be successful. These niche(s) can include personal interests (e.g. pets, home improvement, politics, etc.) as well as professional abilities (e.g. accounting, engineering, and so on). Specific writing types can be niches; such as poetry or fiction, my niche is: Technical Writing.

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The next step should be to document the top three (3) niches in your Journal, and use them as a focal point for writing.

My Niche Examples: 1. Technical Writing (writing type). 2. Non-Fiction (writing type). 3. Science & Technology (personal interests).
Another point here is to characterize your three (3) niches, to better maintain focus on them.

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There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. Ernest Hemingway You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you. Ray Bradbury If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. Stephen King You can make anything by writing. C.S. Lewis

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The next step is the writing job search. At this point, prepare a writing resume and generic cover letter.
The writing resume should list any writing skills, previous published works (such as opinions, essays, and etc.). Additionally, include professional and academic work as in a traditional resume. A few of my personal freelance writing job search recommendations will be presented on the next page.

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http:/www.writerfind.com/freelance_jobs/ The WriterFind site is an excellent source for freelance job announcements. http://www.mediabistro.com/ Has a detailed job board, but those interested in this website will be required to sign-up for a free account to log on to the website. http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/ The FWJ network consists of a freelance writing job board and a valuable resource for freelance writers and bloggers.

These are only a few recommendations that I use; there are many more out there on the internet, but watch out for scams. Remember: Do the research!
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A suggestion when applying to a freelance writing job is to read it carefully, and ask questions if necessary before applying to it. Know all before doing it, and make sure you can deliver the work requested. Another suggestion is to: sign-up for a free Gmail, AOL, or Yahoo email account, and maintain as a primary writer email address for writing job searches, correspondence, and separate from a personal email account. A freelance writers primary contact is through email, so be concise in any correspondence which means no abbreviations or slang in the correspondence to potential clients. Remember: You are representing yourself and your writing skills!
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Always send a follow-up email if you are accepted or declined for a freelance writing job. Pay particular attention to deadlines and formats for the freelance writing job. Maintain electronic and hard copies of all your writing work. They can become useful for gaining new freelance writing work or continually work with an existing client. Note all your freelance writing job searches and contact in the Journal for future reference. Even when you have a current freelance writing assignment, always keep an eye out for the next one. The following section will explore options for a freelance writer during down times.
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I write for the same reason I breathe ... because if I didn't, I would die. Isaac Asimov It's none of their business that you have to learn how to write. Let them think you were born that way. Ernest Hemingway There is no rule on how to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly; sometimes it's like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges. Ernest Hemingway Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink. Drink and be filled up. Stephen King
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A fact is that every freelance writer will experience downtimes in work due to any number of reasons, and the key for the writer is to occupy his or her time. Some suggestions to combat down-times in writing work (which can be applied to writers block as well): Improve on writing skills with traditional online or instructorled courses. Explore other writing skills; such as blogging or writing an ebook, outside ones comfort zone. Build a writers website. Read, read!

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To write well, express yourself like the common people, but think like a wise man. Aristotle You know how writers are... they create themselves as they create their work. Or perhaps they create their work in order to create themselves. Orson Scott Card Writing is the geometry of the soul. Plato If people cannot write well, they cannot think well, and if they cannot think well, others will do their thinking for them. George Orwell

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The workspace of a freelance writer is important, and will vary from person to person, desktop or laptop computer, and an actual desk or some other work surface.

Tip: When using a desktop or laptop computer, back-up your work with a flash-drive or external hard-drive. I enjoy doing my work on a laptop on a comfortable couch in front of the television or listening to music.
Some may enjoy a quiet space as opposed to one with the background noise of people, TV, or music. The choice is up to the writer.
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Coming up with ideas is the easiest thing on earth. Putting them down is the hardest. Rod Serling As a writer, you should not judge, you should understand. Ernest Hemingway Write without pay until somebody offers to pay. Mark Twain The scariest moment is always just before you start. Stephen King
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My writing process is simple, and can be applied to any writing niche:

Writing Subject

Tell the reader about the subject.

Tell the reader.

Tell the reader what you told them.

Edits, if necessary.

Completed Work
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Every writer must often face edits from the client. Dont despair, its just a fact in freelance writing. Editing has several levels: Content, Overall Structure, Clarity, Paragraph Structure, Style, Citations (optional). Proofreading is the final level of the editing process, focusing on spelling errors and mistakes in grammar and punctuation. Proofread only after going over the other editing levels. Most word processing software has adequate spell and grammar checkers, but its good idea to include human involvement as well.
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Another Writers Process Chart is presented below:

The process used by one writer will often differ from the next. The writing process usually includes three (3) stages of Prewriting, Drafting and Revision, which may vary with the writing task at hand and the client.
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Some good editing book sources Ive included below: Einsohn, Amy. The Copyeditors Handbook. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2000. Lanham, Richard. Revising Prose. 3rd ed. New York: Macmillan, 1992. Tarshis, Barry. How to Be Your Own Best Editor. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1998.

My advice is have either one or all of these editing books in your writer workspace for reference. Additionally, check the library or online for other editing books.

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The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go. Dr. Seuss It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it. Oscar Wilde It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. C.S. Lewis The best books... are those that tell you what you know already. George Orwell

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Consult a tax professional on the extra income through freelance writing concerning 1099 forms, deductions, and etc. before tax time. Keep track of that income with a simple spreadsheet (e.g. Excel) or a basic accounting software package. Additionally, keep all paperwork regarding freelance writing income. I would consider obtaining a PayPal account. Some writing jobs require this account. PayPal is a easy and reliable system to receive writing assignment payments.

https://www.paypal.com/
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Do some additional research into the business side of freelance writing. A good place to start this additional research examine the SBA (Small Business Administration) website: http://www.sba.gov/

Examine closely the Starting and Managing a Business section of the website for more information. Its good reference information on Businesses.

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This is the end of the course. The facts are; freelance writing is not easy by any means, but it can become an interesting and rewarding career just by putting the work into it. All good things, take time! Maintain your Journal through the entire process: Initial Research, Niche Discovery, Writing Job Search, Assignments, and Payment notes. Note the failures as well as successes.

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