Black Bery Software Books

It takes more than just writing skills to be successful in the online freelance writing industry. This is the very reason why a lot of writers today fail to find freelance writing a lucrative job despite its increasing demand in the market.

So, what are the other skills that freelance writers should have to ensure their success in the online industry? Here are 10 of the best practices of freelance writers today.

Utilize the internet. –  Over 20 years ago writers only faced the notable transition of typewriters to computers. Today, technology presents more complications. It is no longer just about learning how to use the computer but as well as knowing how to utilize the internet in both research and writing. There are a number of popular search engines that you should be familiar with, because these sites will provide you links to useful references when doing your research. You should also learn how to use trusted online sites that provide dictionaries, grammar guides or other references. Use only references with valid credibility. – Since the rapid increase of online sites, the number of unreliable sources has also increased. Therefore, it is only important for you to know how to identify credible sites, authors and even businesses online especially when you are dealing with scientific and historical information. The best sources of such information are those sites maintained by government institutions, widely-acclaimed research establishments, reputable online newspapers or magazines and other sites that utilize similar established services. Be at par with your competitors. - There is only one distinction between online writers from the rest of the writing industry and that is their knowledge about the online writing strategies today. So if you are really into online writing, you should learn to be at par with your competitors. Your competitors today already have knowledge in various writing strategies that are commonly preferred by clients. Examples of such strategies include the utilization of SEO and LSI keywords. Knowing these strategies will help you enhance your writing career or even an edge over others. Know when to say NO. – Not all writing jobs will be meant for you. There will always be a lot of tempting jobs; but if you will only fail, just say no for the moment and study how to do them. So if in the future you encounter similar jobs, you already know what to do. Be real. – There is nothing more attractive to employers than having an employee who is honest and trustworthy. While relationships between employers and writers are established from trust, work engagements are prolonged only by honesty. Hence, you should never pretend even if you are a newbie or you should never deny where you are from. Always rely on trust and honesty because they pay off even more than what you expect. Be a member of freelancing sites. – There are numerous sites for freelance writers that provide projects or jobs from independent individuals or groups for a small fee. Find them and be a member of these sites especially if you are just starting your online writing career. These sites will help you gain clients even from scratch. Be like a businessperson. – Like online graphic artists or programmers, writers sometimes meet employers who refuse to pay for the services rendered. There are even times that these employers would simply be difficult to reach after the completion of a certain project. Thus, to keep you from such disheartening scenarios, you should be witty like businesspeople. Have at least one or two precautionary measures. One suggestion involves having your own blog or personal website, posting all the written articles there and insisting the employer to give you a full payment before you remove them from the site. The second one is to have a searchable, online document folder where you can safely keep copies of the files until the employer pays the service fees in full. Keep it short and simple. – Know how to KISS your way out of any writing job by making your written articles short and simple. The online market comprises a wide range of audiences. So, if you want a lot of people to read your articles, make sure that they are not using highfaluting words, too many fillers, colloquial words or unnecessary expressions. Also, write your short essays in 400 to 600 words and informative articles in 500 to 1000 words. This will avoid your readers from growing tired or bored while reading your articles. Market yourself. - The best way to be in demand is to sell like the professional writers; and to sell like one, you will have to do what you do best – writing. There are hundreds of sites online where you can publish articles for free and allow your web links to be posted. Utilize these online publication sites to market yourself. Write articles that would interest your clients. Implement SEO or LSI strategies so your articles will be easily searched online. Use relevant keywords like “freelance writer” or “freelance SEO.” Be the best writer. – Since you have the passion and the patience in reading this long article, it is sure that you have one of the necessary traits of great writers. However, it is not just about passion and patience but as well as the power of knowledge and skill. So follow the next three steps – unlearn, learn and relearn. Unlearn what you do not need in writing. Learn what you do not know and relearn from past experiences.

Job candidates in this economic recession are frequently turning to professional writers to create resumes that will attract the attention of employers. In today’s labor market, a good resume should help you land the right interview, for the right job, to start work sooner rather than later. With selected industries experiencing major shake-ups, like automotive, financial services, banking, real estate, and others, many people are finding job search time required to find a new position is much longer than in recent years. So why consider a professionally written resume?

The field of resume writing has attracted many people working as writers with a wide range of talent and ability. The quality of writing varies widely. A careful selection process will help you find the best writer. It is wise to review their examples of their work, and that samples look customized, and not “one size fits all” templates. Also, contact customers and other references to verify claims. There are five governing bodies in the United States that certify resume writers. Check their websites and see what constitutes certification. You will find that some groups are more rigorous than others.

Things to do when considering use of a professional resume service include the following:

1. Seek certified writers in your locale by contacting trade associations or checking their Web sites. Examples include CPRW (Certified Professional Resume Writer), Master Resume Writer through the Career Management Alliance, or certification as a human Resource professional (Professional in Human Resources or Senior Professional in Human Resources) through the Human Resources Certification Institute.

2. Carefully review any resume samples provided. The resume maker should be able to provide several samples. Look for writing styles and resume formats that are attractive, that you like, and would represent you well.

3. Seek recommendations for resume writers from recruiters and members of your peer group. The good writers develop a reputation and people are often more than willing to talk about them.

4. Ask for detailed references and check them. Do not expect to receive long client lists because of confidentiality, but generally there are a few clients who are willing to serve as a reference.

5. Ask the writer if he/she will permanently store your resume. Many people displace their resume, then may need them on a moments notice. It is nice to be able to contact someone who has your resume readily available for quick updates and quick dispatch.

6. Someone willing to consult with you over the telephone is nice. Not all resume writers like to speak on the phone or have consultative skills.

7. The writer must capture the real you. A deceptive resume is always a deal breaker.

8. Your resume writer must understand your industry or profession. The resume should realistically capture an employers’ attention.

A well-written resume is a vital element in your successful job search. Please take a little time, do your homework, and find the best professional resume writer for you.

There are two things of great importance to learning to write well that many home-school parents may not have considered. Those two things are Rubrics and Rough Drafts. No paper is written at one go. Effective papers require a minimum of three completely separate drafts, tackled with time in-between each. Each of those drafts is written against a clearly laid-out plan, called a rubric.

In my college classroom, I mark and grade all drafts according to a rubric. A rubric is a chart with 10 grading areas worth 10 percent of the grade each. Each draft has a different rubric. For each draft completed, the student receives back from me a blank rubric with scores and comments filled in.

Your teenager at home should begin writing each draft knowing what it must contain in order to do well. However, the rubric is used strictly. If something is not listed on the rubric, then it is not considered as part of the grade. For instance, spelling is not listed in any draft 2 rubric, therefore spelling is not considered in the grade. On the other hand, if the rubric calls for dialogue and your child’s paper has no dialogue, then 0 points will be awarded for that category.

One of my students, Jackie, made this comment: “I learned from Mr. Yordy’s writing class to follow the rubric. The rubric is the instructions on how to write the essay he wants to read. If you don’t follow the rubric, you will have problems! In a similar way, building a bike is harder if you don’t follow the instructions.”

Have your own writer always check his or her draft against the rubric. No matter how brilliantly well it is written, if it does not contain what the rubric calls for, it cannot receive those points. The rubric helps the writer know exactly how the paper will be marked. Follow the rubric and you will do well.

Each paper written should have at least three drafts. However, the first step is always Pre-Writing.

Pre-Writing: Since you can write well only what you already know, Pre-Writing is an effort to increase and focus your knowledge.

Draft 1: Once you have focused your knowledge, or researched to learn more, then the rule of writing the first draft is always -

Rule 2: There are no rules; just write. It is important to write freely without worrying about a grade. Draft 1 is always graded easily. Learning to write well must operate on the premise that you can’t steer a parked car. You cannot learn to write better unless you first freely write.

Draft 2: This draft is where the hard work of revision takes place. Major changes must happen. Your parents must edit and grade Draft 2 severely.

Draft 3: This draft is the final polish. Here you worry about such things as correct grammar and spelling. When grading Draft 3, your parents will lean more towards the overall impression. The grading is not as severe as Draft 2.

Through my years of teaching writing at home and in the junior high, high school, and college classrooms, I have found that using rubrics and rough drafts helps my students find a real edge on knowing how to write. “I finally get it. Writing is easy for me now,” is a comment I have often heard.