Freelance Writing Thoughts as the New Year Starts

I revisited my Factoidz profile again and reread the few articles I submitted there several months ago. I missed writing for Factoidz.com because it gave me the freedom to write what I know and express myself. Those articles have also been the first write ups which I included as my writing samples during each application for online work. They have greatly helped me land several freelance writing jobs that pays a little bit higher than my previous clients.

Here are some of my Factoidz articles which I hope can also help you find work online.

Finding Freelance Jobs for a Work at Home Mom Like Me

Writers Needed Where You Could Submit Your Compositions and Get Paid for Writing

One of my first online job that paid real well is English Transcription. I have read an ad looking for a transcriptionist, so I applied for the job and took the test they usually give the applicants. Luckily I got the job and worked as an English transcriptionist for a while. In the long run, however, I developed ear infection due to frequent headphone use and I also got tired of waking up in the wee hours of the morning everyday to download the file, work on it for several hours and submit the finished product by 3pm.

Comparing Different Types of Transcription Jobs to Help You Find the Transcription Work That Matches Your Skills

My experience as a transcriptionist have helped me a great deal in learning about the English language and it further enhanced my grammar usage. Fortunately, before I gave up transcription, I stumbled upon article writing. Writing and reading are two of my favorite hobbies. This made my transition from transcription to freelance writing a bit easier.

The road to online writing or any online work may not be that easy, but it is possible. I already know many people doing it, enjoying it and earning from it. I am also very happy that I have been instrumental in helping a few individuals land some online writing jobs. Some are even earning higher monthly income than myself.

Let's celebrate life and enjoy the freedom which online freelance work is giving us. Happy New Year!!!

-dulz

Few Tips On Freelance Writing

A new writing job opportunity literally crops up every second of every minute of every day on the Internet. For a new writer this would seem quite overwhelming. But to the seasoned writer, this means having work tomorrow after finishing today's assignments. Many freelance writers, especially new ones who are just about to venture into online work, browse through many websites reading about the experiences of other successful online writers. Everyone is looking for the secret formula on how to earn big money from freelance writing.

There are several steps which a new writer can employ to help him land a job.

First Step: Know the Different Writing Opportunities Out There

There are so many writing opportunities in the net. Part time and full time writers know most of them, if not all. It doesn't mean though that one must know all of them, or apply work in all of them. A good writer knows what he can do. And in order to assess himself, he must first learn what are the kinds of writing jobs being offered in the net.

Here's a few writing jobs writers from all over the world choose from:
- article writing
- blogging
- grant writing
- resume writing
- scriptwriting
- academic writing
- ebook writing

- novel writing
- greeting card writing

Second Step: Self Evaluation

After knowing what each type of writing entails, the new writer can now assess himself. He must ask himself the following questions
- What are my achievements? passions?
- Am I knowleadgeable in health, computers, insurance, mortgage, sports, fashion, forex
- What type of writing can I do?
-  How is my grammar?
-  Can I do research and write about the given topic without copying from other articles?
-  Am I willing to explore other writing style?
-  Am I willing to give time to learning about the different types of writing out there?

Third Step: Start Writing

In order for the new writer to find writing jobs, he must have a few writing samples to showcase his stye of writing and build his online portfolio. Clients always look for writing samples which will help them evaluate the writer's style as well as his application of correct grammar in his articles. There are numerous sites in the internet where an aspiring writer could do this. One is Factoidz.com. No fees are collected in order to join these sites and sometimes, one can even share a small percentage from the earnings gained from the adsense placed on their article. He can write about any topic he is passionate about. Some sites may also suggests various topic to choose from.

Fourth Step: Start Looking for Writing Opportunities

Writing opportunities are out there. Once a writer knows what his passions are, he can narrow the search. If he's into academic writing, or resume writing, or if he is passionate about computers, health, tattoos or insurance, he can search specifically for any of them. A new writer can start small by applying to ads he knows he can do even if the said rate per article is small. To test the waters and to know what he is capable of accomplishing, he can definitely do this and move forward to bigger gigs which pays well in the coming weeks or months.

Some words of caution though for new writers. The internet is full of legitimate writing opportunities, but scams are also everywhere. The new writer should be aware of all these, and take extra effort to read through the forums and learn from the experiences of other writers.

Examples of sites that posts writing jobs:
Freelance Job Openings
Online Writing Jobs
Poewar Jobs
Freelance Writing

Fifth Step: Follow Instructions

Once accepted by clients and given writing assignments, writers should do their best to deliver what is required of them. Clients often provide guidelines on how they want the job done. So in order to avoid frequent revisions and complaints, it is best to adhere to what the clients want. After all, they are the ones who hold the dollar.

Sixth Step:  Continue Looking for Opportunities

Apply everyday. Aim high. You might just get what you're looking for.

--- dulz

Applying for a writing gig? What is your sample article?

I write articles for a living. I write for online publications as well as privately owned websites. There are sites which allow me to publish articles under my name, but most clients ask for ghostwritten ones.

A ghostwritten article is something a writer composes and sell for a fee. Once paid, the writer does not have any more rights to it. This means that the client has every right to do whatever he wants with the article. He can publish it under his own name, sell it to other clients or post it anonymously in other publications, online or offline.

Many aspiring writers wanting to test the waters of online writing continue to apply for writing opportunities being offered here and abroad. In order to do that, they have to send their application emails to probable clients. Clients usually ask for a resume, a short letter, and an original writing sample or two.

Can a writer use the articles he had ghostwritten as writing samples? For clients who paid for those articles, it is not okay that the articles they already paid for, and therefore own, be used as sample articles. Clients looking for new writers will also evaluate the aspiring writer for his article samples. He usually reads them, take note the flow of words and the overall tone of the article as well as for grammatical and spelling errors. He can also check the article in various softwares which detect plagiarism. Just imagine his surprise if the article claimed by the writer is already published somewhere else under the name of a different person. This means the article was copied, and the client – who would have considered the writer for the job – becomes disappointed and he scans his inbox again to look at the application of other writers.

There are several publication sites, like Factoidz, Hubpages, Triond and Suite101, where an aspiring writer can submit his original articles and have his own name under them. These sites does not usually give writers an upfront payment. The writer however is usually paid for the page views he gains from his articles and depending on the popularity of the article, the dollars can accumulate.

So why write for these sites? The articles written by the writer under his name can be added to his writing portfolio. And these can be used as writing samples in applying for writing jobs. These sites also allow comments, and a writer often knows what his readers and other writers think about his article.

I hope this helps some new and aspiring writer proceed with their writing ambitions.

----dulz

The Highs and Lows of Working Online

What are the advantages of working online?  I love being an online worker for the following reasons:

1.  Stay at Home.   I guess I am just a homebody.  I can also see to the needs of my family anytime and everytime. I can attend PTA meetings and watch their school programs even on weekdays.

2. Flexible Hours.  Working online allows me to choose what time I work - daytime, when the kids are at school; night time, when the kids are asleep; or anytime that inspiration overtakes me and I wake up in the wee hours of the morning to do some work.

3. No Boss.   Having no Boss to answer to puts so much less pressure on things. I guess, this is not totally true, however. The clients who give me work are still the Bosses. I must comply to their guidelines and submit work on a given deadline.

4. No Transportation Expense.  This is self-explanatory. I stay at home, I don't commute to and from work everyday. I also save on lunch money and snack money.

5. Work in Comfortable Attire.  Staying at home means wearing comfort clothes while working.

6. Several Work Options.   There are several opportunities online to choose from, like online selling, transcription jobs, ghostwriting, blogging, copywriting, web designing, translation, journalism, tutor online, virtual assistant jobs and many more. Anyone can learn about them by just browsing the net and reading through the blogs of other helpful online workers.

7. Unlimited Income.   I work and I get paid for it. The income is often equivalent to the efforts spent in work. In short, the more work done, the bigger the pay.

Just like any kind of work, online work also has its disadvantages. Maybe, it's human nature not to get contented with the way things are in life. Here are some points why working online is not for everybody.

1. No Benefits.  As a self-employed, freelance online worker, I do not have an employer who will share in my SSS, Healthcare and Housing contributions. I don't expect to receive a Christmas bonus, either.

2. Income Not Fix. Because the amount of money coming in is always dependent on the amount of work done, the monthly pay is not really fix. It could go from zero to the top, still depending on ones efforts and initiative.

3. Job is not Steady.  Work may come and go. A client may only require work for the duration of four weeks and then he may not give anymore assignments. Having a job online usually depends on the clients needs. That's why it is advisable to have many clients to ensure continuous work and pay.

4. Difficulty Landing Work.  Out of 50 applications I send in a week, it is a good week when I receive one or two replies. Finding work online however, still depends on a lot of factors, like qualifications, experience and willingness to start small. As soon as one gets the hang of working online, he becomes open to try bigger opportunities that also pays higher.

5. Plenty of Scam.  The internet offers plenty of opportunities. If there are legitimate job offers, there are also an equal number of scams. It is advised by many online workers to research the companies and people to work for and to visit forums and other blogs about what other people are saying about certain opportunities in the net.

6. No Lunchbreaks with Officemates.  One drawback of working online is being lonesome. Lonesome as in alone, but not lonely, that is. Online chat is still available, although if one loves being in a crowd of friends everyday, then working online might prove lonely.

7. Dependent on Technology.  Working online means I depend on electricity, the speed of my Internet connection, and functionality of my computer. If one of them presents a problem, work is definitely affected. It's good to know though that in case of electricity outage, there are cafes, hotels and restaurants nearby which provide wifi access. Going there is a must especially if I am rushing work on a deadline.


So there, I'm sure other online workers can add more to the above list. It doesn't really matter at all where one works - be it in the office or at home. What matters most is having work to do, doing something one loves to do, getting paid, and experiencing a sense of accomplishment in oneself.

----- dulz

FOW, or Filipino Online Worker

Let me coin a new term for Filipinos who work online. In contrast to OFW, or Overseas Filipino Workers, FOWs are residents of the Philippines who find work in the Internet and earn some sort of income to support their daily needs. I was once very skeptical about online work because of the many scams which are often heard of in association with working online. I was however, motivated by lack of funds in my pocket which made me open my eyes and really study what online work is all about.

Along with the large number of scams, are real and legitimate offers of jobs which one can really do online. This is not to say though, that one should just go ahead, and just apply to any jobs offered online. Research is often needed, lots of it, on what working online is all about.

There are so many helpful sites in the internet, most of them are free, which can truly help anyone who wants to learn more and earn more. With learning, comes more options on what to do next. For starters, here's a list of jobs many FOWs are engaged in:
-Blogging
-Writing
-Transcription
-Graphic Designs
-Online Selling

And many more. Watch out for detailed descriptions of each of these work opportunities in the coming posts.

----- dulz