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A Copywriter Never Mumbles – and Other Principles of Effective Ad Copy
H.L. Mencken, the author, jounalist and social critic observed that most people "write badly because they cannot think clearly." And the reason they cannot think clearly, he went on, is that "they lack the brains." Putting aside H.L.'s cricisim...
Copywriting Tips for Sales-generating Brochures
Copywriting Tips for Sales-generating Brochures by Karon Thackston © 2003 http://www.copywritingcourse.com Brochures have held an important place in marketing plans for longer than most of us can remember. There is no doubt that they have the...
How To Find Freelance Copywriting Jobs
Your goal is to land a few nice, secure freelance copywriting jobs, but how do you get them? The most important factor in finding these jobs is that you pursue the job you are looking for with all of your ducks in a row, so to speak. Here are a...
The Not-So-Mysterious Art of Getting Clients
Sure, you can print business cards and letterhead. Launch a web
site. And hang your shingle as a freelance copywriter.
That's easy.
But you're not really "in business" until you GET business. And
that means having at least one paying...
Writer's Block Begone
Back when I was in college, I belonged to one of those professional associations for the video industry. (I was a student member.) The monthly newsletter had a column called "Writer's Block." Although called Writer's Block, no one ever wrote about...
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New Year's Resolutions for Writers
Whether you're an experienced writer looking to boost your
career or a complete novice desperate to break into the world of
freelance writing, there's a good chance that you'll be using
the New Year as the excuse you need to start a whole new writing
regime.
New year is a good time for freelance writers. It's a time of
chance, when staff writers start looking for new jobs (leaving
editors desperate for freelance contributions), and editors
start thinking about new directions for their publications (and
hence need new freelance writers to help them out).
If you're determined to make this year the year that your
writing career really takes off, here are some of the
resolutions you should be making.
1. I will write every day
Freelance writing is a job, just like any other, and that means
you have to do it every day (weekends and holidays excepted).
Make writing a habit by sitting down at your keyboard at the
same time every day, and don't allow yourself to leave until
you've got some words down on paper. Start taking your writing
seriously, and other people will take it seriously too.
2. I will set goals for my writing
It doesn't really matter what your goals are. Maybe you want to
finish that novel you've been "working on" for the past three
years, or perhaps you want to get a feature published in a
national newspaper or magazine. It's important to have goals to
give yourself something to work towards, to motivate yourself,
and to measure your success. Make goals for each week, each
month or each year - just make them.
3. I will get a website to showcase my writing
If you're really serious about your freelance writing career,
you need a website, it's as simple as that. A writer's website
allows you to find new clients, display your portfolio,
'Phantom Tollbooth' Creators Reunited By An 'Ogre'
In the early 1960s, writer Norton Juster and illustrator Jules Feiffer created <em>The Phantom Tollbooth</em>, which quickly became a kid-lit classic. Now, 50 years later, the two have finally collaborated once more -- this time, on a picture book called <em>The Odious Ogre</em>. They speak to NPR's Liane Hansen about their partnership and their new project.
Pulitzer-Winning Cartoonist Paul Conrad Dies
Paul Conrad took on U.S. presidents from Harry Truman to George W. Bush, mostly in the <em>Los Angeles Times</em>, where he worked for 30 years. He was fierce in his liberalism and expressed it with a stark, unmistakable visual style.
and
present a more professional image to the world. Who wouldn't
want that?
4. I will try different types of writing
Sometimes when you're good at something, it's hard to move away
from it and try something else. If you're used to writing
articles for the web, for example, you may not even consider
trying to write and sell a short story. You should. By trying
out new types of writing, you'll not only have fun, you could
also discover something else that you're good at. If you're a
novelist, then, try writing some non-fiction: if you're a
business writer, try a short story. You might even like it.
5. I will find new markets for my writing
If you've kept resolutions one to four, you should by now have a
whole lot of new writing just waiting to find markets. Now you
have to try and sell it. Make a resolution to spend a part of
each day or week finding and querying new markets for your
writing. Let this become as much of a habit as writing every
day, and sooner or later you'll start to see results.
6. I will make new contacts
In the world of freelance writing, contacts are everything. Make
the effort to write down the names and contact details of all of
the editors, employers and other useful contacts you come across
in the course of your writing. These people are your ticket to
freelance writing success: keep in touch with them and the next
time they need a freelance writer, they'll be the ones getting
in touch with you.
About the author:
Amber McNaught is a freelance writer and the owner of
www.WritingWorld.org, an online community for
freelance writers and freelance writing jobs.
Amber also co-owns website
design and copywriting firm, Hot Igloo Productions Ltd.
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