Category — Freelance Writing

Yo recently started a firestorm by tackling some issues writers and bloggers face head on. Her post on Jenn’s blog called out some of the illogical things writers and bloggers say to each other, and I posted a trite response initially before delving into the issues more thoroughly. Then I realized I’d do better to post the rather lengthy reply here than add more pages of responses to the comments.

Am I angry and elitist? Nope. I’m a bitch. In Texas, that’s almost a good thing.

Okay, that’s not really all there is to it, although I am rather proud every time someone calls me a bitch – I figure it means they are somehow threatened by me, why else resort to crude names?

But in regard to the original message, being elitist and angry, at least in my humble opinion, tends to be counterproductive. In fact, I work very hard to not get angry about much of anything, least of all someone else’s business or thoughts. In my other role teaching alternative high schoolers, being angry is the same as giving students something of a show and is a huge waste of energy and resources. Fortunately, I have the right personality to avoid that sort of thing regardless.

As far as being elitist, I will absolutely own that one. I don’t know many people who can do what I do – and I don’t just mean cranking out some written materials. That being said, I have a great deal of respect for people who are dedicated to a chosen field or practice and have a lot to show for it. I love a good web designer as much as I love a good kindergarten teacher. Personally I couldn’t do either very well and am 100% okay with that.

I also love writers who crank out cheap articles. The articles have a purpose for a lot of people and the writers have their own reason for charging those rates. They aren’t helping or hurting me in any way as I offer a very different service. Granted the disillusioned writer is another story, but there is a lot of help out there and most know what they should do after a time but can’t bring themselves to do it.

I’ve had clients very frankly tell me they have “worker bees” on one level cranking out that sort of low cost thing while giving me something else entirely to work on at a much higher level. As a businesswoman, I understand that and encourage it. I don’t really want to write 150 articles on colon cleansing anyhow.

As far as talking down to people who don’t operate at the same level I do, I’m afraid it happens quite a bit. I know the value of what I do and I reach out to help others when I can, but as my post on Jenn’s blog next week will actually describe in some detail, I’m not a touchy-feely kind of girl. My purpose is not to make other writers feel good about themselves necessarily or try and train the populace to do what I do. I’m running a business that does not specialize in career counseling.

One comment in the thread struck a chord regarding a work-at-home mom earning a full-time living with a content mill. I’m not in a position to say if it’s best for that mom or any other, but I can say that for someone who is not a competent marketer and is just easing into the industry looking for a way to supplement her income that was likely just annihilated by staying home for the first time, it might be a great option. Or it might be a horrible one. I really just don’t know.

I make my personal elitist position an easy one.

I make the bold assumption that everyone else knows their own abilities and preferences far better than I ever would.

Will I provide information to get to the next level? Sure.

Will I give tips and tricks of the trade? Absolutely.

Will I tell someone what to do with their career and choices? Eh, probably not. I already get paid to do that with surly teens and have my own kids to deal with. I’m just not that interested in what others want to write or how much they charge for it. I trust them to take care of their own business to the best of their abilities.

I guess I am rather bitchy after all. Go figure.

I’m the first to admit that I’m not an expert in SEO, however I know enough about the subject from a high-level perspective to talk about it intelligently with clients and the occasional SEO consultant who seems to be in constant need of new material for clients. If you think SEO is just jamming keywords into articles, at least you have a (very small) foundation in the topic, but dig a bit deeper to see what SEO can do for you and your business.

Optimize Your Own Site
If you have a site or blog project of your own, why not learn a bit of SEO to work your site into a higher spot in the search engine rankings? Granted, there are some pretty big sites out there for the main writing keywords, but if you specialize in a particular area or do some writing work offline, you can likely rank for your location easily with some attention on content, keyword placement and inbound links.

Work with SEO Consultants
If you’re going to partner with an online worker in a professional sense, I’d opt for an SEO consultant. Companies spend thousands of dollars with their consultants as they work to build a brand and increase their own rankings online. As part of that, the SEO consultants are almost always looking for optimized and quality site content, press releases, distribution work, ghost written materials to place for links and any number of special projects. Because the bigger names in SEO are paid so dearly by clients and know the value of certain forms of written materials, they don’t balk at engaging the services of a writer who knows what she is doing in the area of SEO.

Start Reading
You don’t have to buy any books to learn about SEO. The online resources are endless. Subscribe to feeds and newsletters from firms and individuals who know what they are doing and start reading threads in the forums other than just those you find in the content or copywriting section. There is a wealth of knowledge shared publically on the subject and the more you know, the better you can apply SEO in your own business – and that doesn’t mean writing penny-word gibberish articles, although there seems to be an inexhaustible need for those if that’s what rocks your world.

Many anxious webmasters ask frequently about what they should do to hire a freelance writer. Here’s a very simple guide for the first timer, or someone looking to branch out from basic SEO articles.

What do I need from a writer?

Needs vary between sites and between projects. You might have two or three writers helping you with a single site at a given time. Usually the more specialized the service you’re seeking, the more you should budget for that portion of the project. For example, if you need a professional press release or marketing materials, you’ll need to find someone who really knows what they are doing and should plan to pay accordingly. If you’re thinking about 200 articles on health supplements to spin and distribute, you can get a real bargain from just about anyone with a functioning keyboard.

What does this writer specialize in?

It’s rare to find a writer who can do everything you might possibly need for a project. That copywriter who makes killer sales pages might not want to touch a white papers project and the article writer who can prepare bulk articles on toe jam likely hasn’t a clue about how to convert a sale. Some writers offer more varied services than others, but generally speaking, if you stick with a professional who knows her industry and skill inside and out, you’ll get far better results and wind up saving money in the long run on revisions and brand redevelopment.

Will this writer provide the level of service I need?

A major shortcoming of certain tiers of writers is that they aren’t business people. Making $5 an article for regurgitated “research” isn’t a sign that a writer knows the industry and can help you identify your target market. Don’t count on materials tailored to your niche.

It’s simple.

If you know you need the basics, stick with a basic writer – there are plenty to choose from. If you know you need guidance and true professionalism, opt for the professionals. You’ll definitely notice a difference.

I sent over a casual email to Jenn about her new blog efforts and landed a column – who’d have known?

I’m thrilled to be hanging out with my old DP copywriting buddies again.

Jenn’s already welcomed me to the blog graciously – look for my first post later this week!