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  • No, You Don’t Need a Website to Build a Freelance Writing Career — Here’s Why

    No, You Don’t Need a Website to Build a Freelance Writing Career — Here’s Why

    I’ve been a freelance writer for over four years, which means I’ve received my fair share of advice from more experienced freelancers. I’ve consumed endless blog posts and podcasts over the years as well as invested in courses and coaching about how to become a freelance writer.

    And over the years, I’ve noticed that most people share the same basic advice: 

    If you want to be successful as a freelance writer, you absolutely must set up your freelance writer website and optimize it for your niche. 

    And the underlying message always seems to be that if you don’t have a website, you’ll never be seen as credible to potential clients. Instead, you’ll be stuck writing blog posts for one cent per word on content mills forever.

    The advice about setting up a website is spouted off so often, it’s taken as some sort of gospel. But is it actually true? 

    If you’re just getting started as a freelance writer, do you need to set up a website right away? 

    My unpopular opinion is no. 

    4 reasons you don’t need a writer website immediately

    To be clear, I do think having a website matters. I just don’t think it’s the most important thing new freelance writers can focus on. 

    Here are four reasons why.

    1. A website in itself doesn’t do anything

    Just setting up a website in itself isn’t going to find you clients or make you money. How do potential clients even land on that website? You need a marketing plan and a strategy and those come with experience.

    For many people, setting up a website turns into some sort of vanity project. They’re focused on “building their personal brand” when what they really need is paying clients. 

    If you’re just starting out, your time would be much better served by setting up a basic portfolio website. And you can do that in about 10 minutes with a site like Contently or Muck Rack. From there, focus on finding and pitching clients. 

    2. You may not know who your ideal client is

    Some freelancers know exactly what their niche is from the start. They already have a subject they’re passionate about and have expertise in so picking their niche is a piece of cake.

    But for most of us, that’s just not the case. In all likelihood, you probably have a variety of subjects you’re kind of interested in, but nothing you’re ready to commit to. Heck, you may not even know what types of clients you want to work with.

    The thing is, you figure those things out by working with clients and figuring out what you like and don’t like. That’s why I think it can be helpful to get some experience as a freelance writer first and then set up your website. 

    3. It can turn into a giant distraction

    One of the hardest parts about starting any new venture is knowing what you should focus on. After all, your time and money are limited so you want to spend it in areas where you know you’ll get the most bang for your buck.

    What I commonly see with new freelancers is that setting up a website turns into a huge distraction. You’re focused on figuring out how to choose a domain name, wondering whether you should use WordPress or Squarespace and searching for stock photos.

    In fact, you’re so busy working on the website that you haven’t quite gotten around to pitching potential clients yet. It feels like you’re doing something productive, but you’re really not because your efforts won’t necessarily lead to paid work.

    4. A website isn’t necessary to find clients and get hired

    A lot of people will probably disagree with this statement, but I don’t believe you need a website to get hired. After I started freelancing, it took me four months to set up a website. I found tons of clients and earned thousands of dollars in the meantime.

    And today, I write for clients like Business Insider, Credit Karma and Quicken Loans. None of those editors ever asked for a link to my website. They did, however, want to see some writing samples. 

    The idea that you need a website to get hired is an idea that’s mainly perpetuated by other freelancers. It’s a made-up rule that new freelancers use to stress themselves out and waste time.

    The bottom line on your freelance writer website

    If you’re just getting started as a freelance writer then you probably will want a website at some point. But just understand that your website isn’t what’s going to find you clients or make you money.

    All you need to make money as a freelance writer is to find a client who’s willing to hire you. So make it your goal to put yourself out there, find a client, and earn your first $1,000 as a freelancer. Once you’re making money and solving problems for people, then you can worry about setting up a website. 

    Photo by Domenico Loia on Unsplash

  • 5 Commonly Used Phrases That Weaken Your Writing

    5 Commonly Used Phrases That Weaken Your Writing

    Most writers use too many words. That sounds silly, because it’s our literal job to use words. But too often we throw them on the page by the bucketful, like amateur painters trying to recreate a Jackson Pollock. Your canvas of brown splotches affirms how intentional Pollock’s seemingly casual flicks of the brush actually were.

    This is how carefully good writers choose words — or, more likely, cut words from a first draft.

    Wordiness clutters sentences and obfuscates your message.

    5 ways to say more with less

    Conciseness is especially important in blog writing and social media, but it’s nothing new. You might remember William Strunk’s 1918 words: “Vigorous writing is concise.”

    That sentiment is behind the slashing you face under a copy editor’s pen. Avoid the bloodbath and delight your editor with these tips to slim and strengthen your copy before you submit.

    1. A number of

    I see too many of these in instructional writing. My job as an editor is to comment every time, “How many?” Too often, a writer uses this phrase because they don’t know the “number” in question.

    Then don’t mention it. Your copy will be better if you can be specific, but when you can’t, don’t waste words showcasing what you don’t know.

    • You’ll face a number of doors. → You’ll face three doors.
    • The police detained a number of suspects. → The police detained suspects, but haven’t reported how many.
    • You have a number of options. → You have options.

    2. In order to 

    I haven’t met an “in order to” I can’t cut to “to” without changing the meaning of a phrase. 

    I hardly know what it means and suspect “in order” hitched itself to infinitives in one of those professions that convinces its practitioners bloated copy sounds smart, like law or academia or the people who teach you how to write a cover letter.

    • In order to start, we’ll need… → To start, we need… 
    • Go to the website in order to officially apply. → Go to the website to apply. → Apply on the website.
    • In order to determine the aggregate volume… → To determine the aggregate volume… 

    3. The fact that

    You can often lob this phrase from a sentence and be done with it, but sometimes you’ll need to rewrite. 

    “The fact that” isn’t incorrect, and it may feel like your only option, but it’s kind of a limp noodle of a phrase, and I think you can do better. Your writing deserves a farfalle or cavatappi — ingredients with the strength to stand up to sausages and creams.

    •  The fact that you’re reading this means… → Your reading this means…
    • I didn’t like the fact that she stood up. → I didn’t like that she stood up.
    • Given the fact that most people aren’t rich… → Most people aren’t rich, so… 

    4. -ing verbs

    You rarely need the progressive* tense of a verb. Try simple present tense first; it’ll usually convey the same information in fewer syllables.

    • Many families are spending 50% of their income on housing. → Many families spend… 
    • It doesn’t work when you’re standing. → It doesn’t work when you stand.
    • The law, enabling workers to receive an extra $600… → The law, which enables… 

    *It’s also called “continuous,” but I like the option that makes it sound like the verbs support universal health care. I Googled the name to sound smart in this newsletter. Did it work?

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    5. When it comes to

    I feel like this phrase came from a clever writer charging by the word. Its sole purpose seems to be to lengthen otherwise concise sentences — or maybe to insert a search keyword with awkward phrasing? Whatever the reason, don’t.

    You can usually cut whatever clause this phrase is attached to. (And try harder if you have to work in that keyword.)

    • When it comes to writing a book, motivation is hard. → Finding motivation to write a book is hard.
    • I’m not sure what to tell you when it comes to Mary. → I’m not sure what to tell you about Mary.
    • When it comes to finding the treasure, you’ll want to go to the X. → Go to the X to find the treasure.

    This article was originally published in Notes newsletter, a monthly selection of pet peeves, warnings, advice, secrets and pro-tips for pitching, writing and — above all — keeping editors happy.

    Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

  • How to Write Better: 10 Straightforward Techniques

    How to Write Better: 10 Straightforward Techniques

    Whatever you write, you want to get your thoughts across in a clear and effective way — that’s the first thing you need to know about how to improve writing skills.

    If you’re a novelist, you don’t want awkward word choices or repetitive sentence structures to distract your readers from the story.

    As a freelancer, you don’t want your work to seem sloppy or poorly edited.

    When you blog, you don’t want readers to switch off because you’re far too wordy.

    Want the good news? Even if your writing skills aren’t as strong as you’d like, there are plenty of straightforward techniques you can use to improve them.

    Here are some suggestions on how to write better.

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    How to improve writing skills: 10 new ways to clean your copy

    No matter how much of an expert you are, all writers can stand to pick up a few tips to learn how to write better. The same way a piece of writing is never “done” being edited (there’s always something), the work to improve your skills doesn’t end. 

    Whether you write articles, blogs, social media copy or research papers, here are 10 techniques to use to help you write anything well.   

    1. Cut unnecessary words

    Here are two paragraphs that say the same thing. Which one is stronger?

    Example 1: In my opinion, the majority of freelancers should probably avoid working for free (or for a nominal sum) unless they are at a very early stage of their career and as yet have no pieces for their portfolio at all.

    Example 2: Freelancers shouldn’t work for free unless they’re just starting out and don’t have any pieces for their portfolio.

    The second clearly states a stronger case, especially since it reaches the main point with fewer unnecessary words you don’t need in a sentence.

    If you write a blog post, most readers will assume it gives your opinion, so you don’t have to state that. Mastering brevity is an easy way to improve writing skills. Simply be clear, firm and direct.

    2. Avoid well-worn phrases

    Some phrases are so familiar they’ve lost their impact: they’ve become clichés.

    For instance, “In my opinion,” from the previous example is a phrase you can always cut. Here are a few others:

    • At the end of the day…
    • Like stealing candy from a baby…
    • For all intents and purposes… (sometimes miswritten as “for all intensive purposes!”)
    • Let the cat out of the bag…

    It can be tricky to spot these in your own writing, so take a quick look through this huge list of clichés to avoid here on the Be a Better Writer site.

    When you edit, you don’t need to cut every cliché…but check whether it might work better to rephrase.

    In dialogue, or in a first-person narrative, clichés can be a helpful way to characterize someone’s speech or thought patterns — but if you want to improve your writing skills, make sure you’re careful and deliberate.

    3. Write directly to “you” (in nonfiction)

    Although this isn’t appropriate for every form of nonfiction, bloggers and freelancers often write directly to the reader as “you.”

    This is a great way to make your writing better, direct, conversational and stronger.

    Blog posts and articles quite often use “you” or “your” very early on, in the title and/or introduction. For instance, this post on The Write Life:

    Freelance or Full Time: Which Journalism Path is Right for You?

    Want to work in the media industry as a writer?

    You generally have two options: You can seek employment as a staff member of a publication, or look for freelance writing opportunities.

    (Emphasis mine.)

    Or this one about book formatting: 

    How to Format a Book: 10 Tips Your Editor Wants You To Know

    Unless you prefer your friends to be story nerds or those who lean toward obsessive-compulsive tendencies when it comes to grammar, you shouldn’t necessarily seek to befriend your editor.

    Similar to these examples, use the singular “you” and avoid phrases like, “Some of you may know”. Yes, you (hopefully!) have more than one reader, but each reader experiences your piece individually.

    You can also use “I” where appropriate (e.g. to give an example from your own life) — though, usually, it’s best to keep the focus of your piece on the reader.

    4. Vary sentence structures

    What’s wrong with this paragraph? 

    You should write regularly (not necessarily daily). You should aim to write at least once or twice a week (I recommend a total of 3 – 4 hours per week). You may find it difficult to keep this up at first (especially if you’ve not written much before).

    There’s no question the advice it shares is sound and reasonable. Plus, there’s nothing wrong with the actual words used. Still,  the structure of each of the three sentences is very similar: each one starts with “You” then a modal verb (“should”/“may”), and each one ends with a phrase in parentheses.

    When you have several sentences in a row that follow the same pattern, they stand out…in a bad way.

    Sometimes, it’s appropriate to structure your sentences like this — e.g. in a bullet-pointed list — but in regular paragraphs, it’s often unintentional on the author’s part, and it seems artless and poorly edited to the reader.

    For more help with sentence structure, check out, “It Was the Best of Sentences, It Was the Worst of Sentences: A Writer’s Guide to Crafting Killer Sentences,” by June Casagrande.

    5. Use subheadings as signposts

    If you write blog posts, articles or sales copy, subheadings are crucial.

    They break up long pieces and help readers stay focused; they also offer “signposts” to readers who may skim for specific information.

    When you craft your subheadings, think about how to:

    • Make them clear and direct (just like titles/headings) – Don’t try to get clever!
    • Keep them short  – Subheadings have a larger font than regular text and don’t generally look good when they wrap around the end of a line.
    • Be consistent with the structure – For instance, each subheading might start with an imperative verb (as in this post).

    6. Use direct, straightforward language

    It’s rare that you’ll want to write something deliberately indirect! That would be the opposite of better writing. Instead, you’ll want your words to come across clear and strong to the reader.

    This means avoid the passive voice like the plague — advice most writers have heard before as they learn to improve their writing skills.  In case you need a recap, here’s a quick rundown:

    Active voice: John threw the ball. ➜ Succinct and clear.

    Passive voice: The ball was thrown by John. ➜ Wordier and less direct.

    The passive voice omits the agent (the person who performs the action) from the sentence altogether: The ball was thrown. See?

    This small detail can be useful in many ways to make your writing better; for instance, you might write about something where the agent is unimportant, or where you want to conceal the agent. (“Mistakes were made” is a classic example here.)

    A good rule of thumb is to always write in a direct, straightforward way.

    Make it as easy as possible for readers to engage with your ideas or your story.

    7. Read aloud (or edit on paper)

    No one’s first draft is perfect, and the above six suggestions should help you rework yours.

    Often, it helps to go through your piece at a slow and methodical — many writers find it helps to read aloud since it highlights the cadence of your words.

    If you prefer not to read aloud (or if your colleagues, family or cat would give you funny looks if you tried it), then print out your draft so you can edit it on paper.

    Use a different format to make it easier to spot typos and repetitive phrasings.

    At times when it isn’t practical to print, I’ve also found it helpful to convert my draft digitally: that might mean I turn a Word document into a .pdf, put a novel manuscript onto my Kindle or preview a blog post so I can get closer to the reader’s experience.

    Confident, powerful writing will help your message (or your story) have its full impact on your reader.

    8. Use a grammar checker

    If you have a serious desire to learn how to write better and don’t have access to an in-person editor, consider using a grammar checker tool.

    It’ll help you fix grammar and replace common words with more unique options. Some tools even tell you why you should make a certain change, which is an added bonus because it helps you further learn and improve your writing skills.

    (But remember, don’t write and edit at the same time!)

    9. Liven up your writing with descriptive verbs

    Adverbs are the pesky parts of speech that can be tough to eliminate from your writing.

    Because they’re descriptive words that modify verbs, adverbs that end with -ly constantly find their way back into sentences. Since people use them so commonly, they sneakily manage to influence our vocabulary. 

    Did you notice all the unnecessary adverbs? Here’s another way I could’ve written that sentence: 

    … adverbs that end with -ly always find their way back into sentences. They’re easy to use in conversation, so adverbs are sly in how they influence our vocabulary. 

    To improve your writing skills, tighten your copy and clear your blog, novel or article of -ly adverbs you can replace with more descriptive verbs. The first way I wrote the sentence isn’t incorrect, but the second version is less wordy and complex in comparison. Plus, it contains less fluff. 

    Rather than write, “She drove quickly down the street,” focus on the action to help your reader: What’s the driver doing? Speeding, so you could write, “She raced down the street at lightning speed.”

    It’s a small change to swap out adverbs, but the impact is huge when you do so to better your writing with powerful verbs and less fluff.

    10. Make your sentences flow

    Your amazing story won’t reach your readers if it’s not composed with sentences that pace well, have proper punctuation and vivid details to enhance the reader experience. 

    If someone has to read your sentences more than once to grasp the main idea, that means your writing lacks flow. 

    To improve your writing and create more flow, incorporate this checklist of sentence structure elements in your writing routine:

    • Contractions – Despite the old-age advice, a lack of contractions — didn’t, can’t, weren’t — dampens your writing with stiff informality. Smooth sentences that flow require the use of contractions to make them less uptight, plus they make your writing more conversational, personable and easier to comprehend.
    • Punctuation – Take risks with punctuation to add rhythm to your writing. Without semicolons, em-dashes, apostrophes, periods and more, our stories would fall flat with no diversity in tone, cadence and feeling. For example, you can use ellipses to add mystery… Or, allude to a somber tone with shorter sentences; the kinds that create tension in your story, one word after the word. 
    • Imagery – Paint a picture for your readers that lures them in page after page, or scroll after scroll. You can make boring sentences all the more exciting with vivid details that create visuals strong enough to ignite your reader’s imagination. Don’t go overboard and paint the entire picture — just enough to keep them going.

    Besides these 10 effective tips to use to be a better writer and improve your skills, the one thing you have to do is write. (Then, don’t stop.)

    This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

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    Photo via Alissa Kumarova/ Shutterstock

  • Get Your Book on Kindle: Everything You Need to Know About Amazon Self-Publishing

    Get Your Book on Kindle: Everything You Need to Know About Amazon Self-Publishing

    When I started writing my first book, I knew it was destined for Amazon self-publishing. 

    I had been working as a developmental editor for years at that point, so I had a pretty good understanding of the industry and the various publishing options available to me. The book I was writing was very niche, and I didn’t have any desire to commercialize it. I just wanted to write the book I wanted to write and make it available to people who would appreciate it for what it was.

    So at that stage in my career and with that particular book, self-publishing on Amazon was undoubtedly the way to go.

    Of course, even with my experience and the years I had spent helping other authors navigate both the self-publishing and traditional publishing paths, I still found myself feeling completely overwhelmed when it came time to put my book out into the world.

    Theoretically, I knew exactly how to self-publish a book. But this was the first time I had done so for myself, which meant I had one heck of a learning curve ahead of me.

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    What is Kindle Direct Publishing?

    As you might know by now, writers have several different self-publishing platforms to choose from. I chose to go through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). 

    For me, it was a simple choice. KDP (which was known as CreateSpace back when I published my book) was one of the more established platforms, with countless reviews from other authors verifying how seamless the process was and even outlining step-by-step directions for publishing. I liked that publishing through KDP meant my book would automatically be available through Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited Program, and since selling through Amazon was a priority of mine, publishing through their platform made the most sense.

    Is Kindle Direct Publishing really free?

    Self-publishing through KDP is free. But as with all publishers, KDP does take a commission for each book sold — what you pay to them comes out on the back end, after your book has been purchased by an eager reader.

    It’s also important to know that while the answer to the question, “Is it free to publish a book on Amazon?” may be yes, the reality isn’t exactly that simple. 

    KDP doesn’t charge anything to self-publish, but if you’re hoping to make money off the book you’ve written (even if you’re just hoping to get it into the hands of readers beyond your friends and family), you’ll likely have to make a financial investment.

    Formatting your book, edits, cover designs, building an author platform — you typically have to pay for these services to create a quality book. And while you could technically skip out these steps or do everything yourself, that would likely result in a finished product that contains errors and appears less professional. Which can impact your ability to sell the book once it’s published.

    So yes, Kindle self-publishing allows you to publish your book for free. But remember that getting to that point is rarely free. And once you’ve published with Amazon, the company will be entitled to its share of every book you sell. Of course, this is true with any self-publishing platform. 

    So if you’re wondering, “How do I publish on Kindle?” let’s get started!

    How to publish a book on Amazon using KDP

    I’m here to save you some of the research I had to do by walking you through the steps of Kindle Direct Publishing. 

    Here’s a step-by-step guide for how to publish a book using Kindle Direct Publishing.

    Format your book for KDP

    Once your book is written, edited, revised and edited again (as many times as it takes to get it right), you are ready to format for publication.

    Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing makes both ebook and paperback print-on-demand publishing possible. Unfortunately, each of these options requires a different file format.

    For ebook publishing: KDP uses a file format called “mobi.” This is a different type of file than used by other ebook publishers. While KDP does offer step-by-step directions for ebook formatting, this can be a bit of a complicated process, especially if you’re not comfortable with coding. I hired an ebook formatter for this step and considered it money well spent to avoid the headache and frustration of having to figure it out.

    For paperback publishing: Amazon self-publishing offers step-by-step directions for preparing your file, and doing so is much simpler than preparing an ebook file. I am not especially tech-savvy myself, but I figured out the formatting of my own paperback version using KDPs instructions. That said, it took me several hours to do so. If you don’t have the time or patience to commit to that project, a book formatter can also help you with this version.

    Set up your KDP account

    Start by visiting the KDP registration page. You’ll sign up with your Amazon credentials, or your email, if you don’t have an Amazon account. Once signed in, you’ll want to click on “Your Account.”

    From here, update all the pertinent details in the Author/Publisher Information Tab, the Getting Paid tab and the Tax Information tab.

    Complete this information prior to publishing so Amazon can pay you for the books you sell.

    Input your book details

    Once your account details are established, you can return to the KDP home page, where you will find the “Create a New Title” heading. From here, you can select “Kindle eBook” or “Paperback.”

    Regardless of which option you pick, you’ll be brought to a similar page asking you to input your book details:

    Language: From a drop-down menu, select the language you would like your book to be published in.

    Book title: Enter your book title (and subtitle if you have one) exactly as it appears on your book cover.

    Series: If your book is part of a larger series, identify the series name and what number in the series this book will be.

    Edition: If you have previously published this book and are updating it now, identify which edition you are on here.

    Author: This is you!

    Contributors: Did you have a co-author? Does your book include illustrations? Did you have an editor you felt was invaluable to your process, or a photographer whose pictures are prominently featured? This is where you would identify those people who helped to make your book a possibility.

    Description: You know that initial blurb you read when looking for books on Amazon? It’s one of the first things to show up, and it’s usually what helps you decide whether or not to purchase the book. That’s the description you’re asked to provide here. Similar to back cover copy, you want to describe your book in a way that will leave people desperate to read more.

    Publishing rights: So long as you wrote the book and the work is entirely your own,  select the “I own the copyright” option.

    Keywords: The keywords you select are an important part of your marketing strategy. These words will help establish how easily searchable your book is and how often your book appears in the feeds of those looking for something just like what you wrote. Out of all the fields you are asked to complete here, the keywords really are the most valuable to your ultimate success. For this reason, make sure the keywords you select are true to your book without being too generic. Focus on your setting, your characters and your overarching themes. 

    For instance, a book about a teenage witch trying to save some future version of the world might do well with the keywords “magic,” “witch,” “dystopian,” “YA,” “strong female lead,” “end of the world,” and “teen hero.” Or, if we were going to publish this article as a book through KDP, these might be the keywords we would select. KDP offers some great advice on how to choose the best keywords for optimal searchability. 

    Categories: Just like in a physical book shop, Amazon has categories people search through. Children’s books, YA novels, historical fiction… what category does your book fit in? And where might you find it in a bookstore?

    Age and grade range: Who do you imagine your typical reader to be?

    Pre-order: You have the option of publishing your book right away, or setting it up for pre-order. Immediate publishing might be best for authors who have been promising their readers a pub-date for a while and have only now just finished their book. Otherwise, choosing pre-order can often be a better marketing strategy, allowing you to build hype for your book in the lead-up to your actual publishing date, and allowing your readers to support you before the book is even available.

    Upload your manuscript and book cover

    Once you’ve finished filling in your book details, you’ll be taken to the Book Content section. 

    Here you’ll have to work through a few final sections: 

    Digital Rights Management (DRM): DRM is basically a system meant to protect authors from the unauthorized distribution of their books. While you might be fine with readers sharing your work widely and elect not to have this protection for your book, DRM helps to ensure you get paid when people read and enjoy your work. Which means it’s generally a good program to opt into.

    File upload: You can choose to upload now or later, but you will have to do so before your publication date — hopefully at least several days before so you can have some time to preview the finished product and check for any errors. Once you’re ready to upload, simply select that option and KDP will walk you through the necessary steps.

    Book cover: You have the option of uploading a cover that has already been created or launching KDPs cover creator. Using the cover creator can be fun, but it is also time-intensive and might not be the best option for writers who don’t have an artistic eye.

    Book preview: Once you have your manuscript and cover uploaded, preview the finished product before publishing.

    ISBN: Ebooks do not require an ISBN, but print books do. The good news is KDP is set up to provide you a free ISBN if you haven’t already purchased one yourself. Simply select “Assign me a free KDP ISBN,” and they will take care of it for you.

    Print options: For the print version of your book, select the type of paper that should be used, the trim size, bleed settings and paperback cover finish. The default options are the most commonly used and typically what you should go with for a standard print manuscript. If, however, your book contains a lot of photos or illustrations, you may want to select better suited options for the book you are planning on publishing.

    Establish your pricing: How much will your self-published book cost?

    The final step of your Amazon self-publishing journey is establishing your book pricing. 

    KDP offers some wonderful pricing support and advice. For ebook pricing, you simply want to ensure you’ll still make a profit after KDP takes their cut (unless you are using some limited time promotional pricing to get your book into as many hands as possible). With print pricing, you need to consider not only KDPs cut, but also the cost of printing, which will be deducted from the overall price before you receive your cut.

    Pricing can be complicated because you want to price low enough to appeal to readers but high enough to still make a profit. It may be helpful to look at other books in your genre to get a sense of where you might want to price your book. The good news is you can revisit your pricing later and reset your overall cost if you find you haven’t priced correctly one way or the other.

    What about editing after the book is published?

    You can absolutely edit your book after it has been published. Simply revisit your KDP account, click the ellipsis next to your book in your bookshelf, and select “edit book content.”

    Keep in mind: Just because you can edit your book doesn’t mean you should rush to publication assuming you’ll just fix errors later. Every reader will judge the content in front of them — and leave reviews based on that content. So make sure your book is in the best shape you can possibly get it in before publishing.

    The edit option is always there, but you only get one chance to make a first impression on your readers. Don’t rely on them to be your editors and point you to the sections you should  improve.

    Can you make money writing a book and self-publishing on Amazon?

    This is the question almost all of my developmental editing clients ask me. And I’m going to give you the same answer I give them: It depends.

    That answer is then almost always immediately followed up by: It isn’t easy, but it is possible.

    Very few people get rich off writing a book. And while getting rich may not be your goal, it’s important to understand that there is also a very small percentage of authors who even manage to break even on their publishing endeavors.

    This is especially true for first-time authors. 

    By the time you figure in the hours you spent on writing and editing, the money you spent on hiring editors, formatters, and cover designers, and whatever funds you may have dedicated to promoting your book — an author often needs to sell thousands of books to see a return on their investment.

    That’s not an easy goal to accomplish. Especially if you don’t already have an established social media presence. 

    You can make money writing a book, but it takes more than just writing a phenomenal book people don’t want to put down — it also takes having a phenomenal marketing plan, and knowing how to get your book into the hands of the people who will best help you to spread the word about it.

    Just know it’s not as simple as hitting publish and raking the money in. Having realistic expectations about what success means to you, and how you plan to achieve that success, is the best way to avoid disappointment in your publishing endeavors.

    However, writing (and selling) a book is a major accomplishment.

    Once your book is published, take some time to celebrate. You’ve accomplished something huge — a goal most people won’t ever achieve themselves. You wrote a book, figured out how to self-publish on Amazon, and put your words out into the world for everyone to enjoy. That’s a big deal!

    Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels

  • How to Track Changes in Google Docs: Using the Suggest Edits Feature

    How to Track Changes in Google Docs: Using the Suggest Edits Feature

    Do you do most of your writing in Google Docs?

    From collaboration to easily checking word count in Google docs to its Suggest Edits feature, many writers rave about this free word processing software. (Here at The Write Life, we’re big fans of Google docs!)

    Since its emergence in 2014, Google Docs’ Suggest Edits feature has had editors everywhere rejoicing because of its almost-seamless ability to make content collaboration a whole lot easier. 

    That wasn’t the case at first, though. Initially, Google Docs dropped a track changes add-on that came with a few quirks and kinks that needed to be ironed out, making the editing process more clunky than desired. 

    Within the last few years, however, the process of tracking changes in Google Docs has immensely improved. It’s since been a great way for multiple people to access and revise the same document in real-time without the frustration of wondering if you’ve got the “latest” version or if someone’s working off a different draft than you — I’m looking at you, Microsoft Word. 

    If you haven’t taken the ever-evolving Suggest Edits feature for a ride to see how it’s been updated, we’ve taken several trips for you, and here’s what we found.

    How to track changes in Google Docs

    While Google’s new editing collaboration tool is called Suggest Edits, many writers still refer to it as Track Changes, and not just because that was the name of Google Doc’s previous editing tool. “Track Changes” is the name of Microsoft Word’s editing tracker, which many writers used long before transitioning to the more collaborative Docs.

    Unlike Google Doc’s old Track Changes, which was somewhat clunky in that it required the installation of an add-on, Suggest Edits is now a built-in feature in Google Docs. That means you can use it immediately, whether you’re working on a new doc or you’ve created one from scratch.

    It’s simple and easy to use. When you’re in a doc, you’ll see a pencil icon button on the upper right-hand corner of the screen. (It’s underneath the “Comments” and “Share” buttons.)

    Click this button and you’ll see a drop-down menu that allows you to switch between several modes:

    • Editing, or straight-up working on the doc, where your changes are not tracked
    • Suggesting, whereby revisions are visible via tracked changes and
    • Viewing, which allows you to see what the doc will look like in its final state

    The mode you’re currently in will appear next to the pencil icon.

    To suggest an edit, simply select Suggesting mode and make changes in the text of the doc — add words, change fonts, add subheadings, delete paragraphs, etc. Your changes will be highlighted and a revision box (that looks just like a comment box) will pop up next to them showing the date and time you made these changes and what specific changes were made.

    If you want to add an explanation or further notes to your changes, you can “reply” to the revision box just like you’d reply to a regular Google Docs comment.

    For more information on this feature, check out Google’s help page.

    Pros of Google Docs’ Suggest Edits tool

    Overall, I’m a huge fan of using this new tool to track changes in Google Docs. Here’s why:

    Huge improvement over revision history

    Before Track Changes and Suggest Edits came along, the only way you could tell which changes had been made to a Google Doc was via the less-than-stellar “revision history” setting. This allowed you to see everything that was different between your current doc and its previous versions, but you had to play compare-and-contrast to guess which specific changes had been made between versions, a tedious and imperfect process. Now all the changes are highlighted individually and you can see them all at a glance.

    Eas(ier) to use

    Like most Google tools, Suggest Edits is super simple to use. Once you know where to find Suggesting mode on the navigation bar, you’re good to go. And Suggest Edits’ in-text revision boxes are much easier to scan and work with than the old Track Changes add-on, which displayed all revisions that had been made to a doc in one long sidebar you were forced to scroll through.

    “Accept all” option

    This long-awaited feature is finally here, and it’s as useful as it was anticipated to be. If you’re working on a Doc with numerous changes and you want to accept or reject everything a previous user suggested, hit the “Tools” button on your toolbar, then select “Review Suggested Edits” from the drop-down menu. From there, you can either accept or reject all, or even make your selections individually from the neat pop-up box without having to scroll through the page.

    Ability to preview your suggested changes

    Remember when Google Docs Track Changes required you to accept/reject each individual change if you wanted to see the final product? Those days are long gone. While you’re in “Tools” > “Review Suggested Edits,” you have three options you’ll see in a drop-down menu: “Show Suggested Edits,” “Preview ‘Accept All’,” or “Preview ‘Reject All’.” Preview the accepted version and edit a clean page that doesn’t contain highlighted or crossed out text everywhere. Your eyes will thank you.

    Easy to share and collaborate

    With Word’s track changes, you still have to trade documents back and forth, updating them as you go and hoping everyone is working off the same draft. This Google Docs feature allows you to work in the same document as your peers and view changes as they happen, keeping everyone on the same page and storing that page conveniently in the cloud where anyone can access it at any time.

    Ability to differentiate editors

    Track Changes didn’t demarcate which revisions had been made by which users, which could prove troublesome if you were working with a team of people and needed to know who’d done what to your doc. Thankfully the comment-like format of Suggested Edits addressed that issue and it’s now clear to see who’s made which changes.

    Manage your suggestions

    Sometimes you need to share a document with multiple clients or other users, but only some of them have editing privileges. You can update document users and permission levels as often as you’d like and at any time as you see fit — users you’ve given “can comment” permission can suggest edits but not approve or reject them; those with “can edit” permission can do both; and the “can view” permission prohibits users from making any changes to the document.

    Added dialogue potential

    Sometimes you need to explain why you’ve made a certain change, or you want to add extra comments or questions for your team to see when they’re considering your revisions. With Suggest Edits, you can make these notes right underneath your revision box, making dialogue and discussion much easier than in the old static sidebar.

    Synchronization with Word docs

    Still got that one guy on your team who hasn’t gotten on board with Google Docs and insists on sending you his revisions via Word attachment? Now when you convert a Word file to a Google Doc, any track changes in the Word doc will automatically be converted to suggested edits on the Google Doc.

    And when that same guy takes your Google Doc and converts it back into Word? Any suggested edits are automatically converted back to tracked changes.

    Mobile access

    It used to be that you needed an actual computer to take advantage of prevalent Doc functions, but not anymore. Gotta edit and track changes on-the-go? No problem! Whether you’re #TeamAndroid or #TeamiPhone, all you need is the Google Docs app to suggest edits, accept/reject edits, add comments, share the document with others and more. At the top right-hand corner of your screen, you’ll see three black dots. When you click that option, a drop-down menu will reveal all of the editing options you can access.

    Cons of Google Docs’ track changes

    While there are many pros to using Google doc’ track changes feature, there are a few minor cons to consider.

    You need to plan ahead for offline use

    A big difference between Microsoft Word and Google Docs is accessibility. If it’s installed on your computer, you can access and edit a Word document just about anywhere. Google, on the other hand, requires a bit more finagling. Working on a Google Doc without setting up offline access means your work won’t save automatically and you’ll lose all of it. To avoid this sticky situation, set up your offline access beforehand, or only set it up for certain Drive files. 

    You lose access to edits once you accept them

    Before you reject or accept all suggested edits, make sure you’re absolutely sure, because there’s no going back (…ish). Once you implement changes into your document, they’ll disappear from your revision history and you won’t be able to access them under “Review Suggested Edits.” Though, all hope is not lost. Here are two silver linings that weren’t available with Google Docs Track Changes:

    1. Alternatively, you can click the comment box icon (next to “Share”) to see all the suggested edits and comments in one place. It’s not the greatest view, but it’s better than losing access to all the suggested edits entirely.
    2. Say you’re doing a final edit of a document whose owner has already edited the copy under the “Suggesting” mode, and you go through accepting/rejecting each one. While the edits disappear from your revision history, it doesn’t from theirs! Since you’re not the document owner, your final decision isn’t so… well, final. 

    The verdict on tracking changes in Google Docs

    Google Docs’ first attempt at offering an editing feature with its Track Changes add-on had a decent amount of pros and just a few cons.

    But the product keeps improving, and has even more pros and two cons that come with solutions. In other words, it’s a serious step up, and a feature many editors now can’t imagine living without.

    Whether you’re working with an editor on your ebook, collaborating with another writer on a series of case studies or working with a blog management team to get content ready for publication, Suggest Edits is definitely worth checking out.

    Have you used Google Docs’ Suggest Edits feature? What do you think about it? Share your thoughts in the comments!

    This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

    Photo via Roman Samborskyi / Shutterstock 

  • Want Bylines in Big-Name Publications? These Freelancers Will Teach You

    Want Bylines in Big-Name Publications? These Freelancers Will Teach You

    When New York Times contributor Kristin Wong started freelancing, her first client offered her zero dollars for a screenwriting gig and she accepted it. She had to pay her dues, right?

    Then a friend who was already a successful freelance writer told her she had to stop accepting low writing rates. Not only for herself, but because she was lowering the bar for writers everywhere.

    This caused a shift in Kristin’s mind, and she began to view her writing as a business instead of a hobby. Now she’s a full-time writer, journalist and author — and living proof that you can make money as a freelance writer.

    To help others who want to make money from freelancing, Kristin and fellow full-time writer Alex Webb created Come Write With Us, a course that teaches how to break into the writing business.

    When I first started freelance writing, it seemed like such a mysterious and exclusive world. I wish I had a roadmap like Come Write With Us to help me navigate the world of professional writing! 

    If you want to make money from your writing but don’t know where to start, this course is for you. In this post, I’ll explain what I found most valuable about the course and what to expect when you enroll.

    A chance to learn from seasoned freelancers

    Both Kristin and Alex are the real deal with the bylines to prove it.

    Since transforming from writing hobbyist to working professional, Kristin has written for the New York Times, Glamour magazine and Travel + Leisure. In 2018, she published her first book, “Get Money”, with Hachette Book Group.

    Alex works full time as a freelance writer, and he has authored and contributed to books published by National Geographic, the Financial Times Press and Skyhorse.

    It takes real work to get published by big publications — but there’s a difference between working harder and working smarter. Come Write With Us teaches you how to work smarter.

    Here’s an example. When Alex first started writing articles, he was satisfied to get paid $50 per piece… until he did the math and realized he couldn’t make ends meet that way. Working harder would mean writing more articles for $50, and there are only so many hours in the day. Instead, he focused on working smarter, finding clients who will pay higher rates — $300, $500 and even $650 or more — for an article.

    In this course, he teaches how to take that smart approach.

    What’s included in the Come Write With Us Course

    Come Write With Us is an online course about the media industry and how to make a freelance writing business work in the real world. 

    Over nine self-paced modules, you’ll learn how to take your writing from amateur to professional, create a personal brand for your writing, and set rates or negotiate better ones.

    The course also includes worksheets, tips and tricks, advice from writers and a Facebook group filled with other students you can share your experience with.

    Text-based modules that teach you how to become a freelance writer

    While the course includes a few videos, most of the lessons are written material. Here’s a preview of what you’ll learn:

    • Schedule time to practice: Improve your writing by practicing. This module teaches you how to make time in your schedule for this discipline.
    • Brainstorm epic ideas: Learn strategies for coming up with fresh topics to write about.
    • Write like a pro: Take your freelance writing to the next level by learning what editors expect from writers.
    • Build your portfolio: If you want bylines, you need a platform and personal brand. This module walks you through how to set up an online writing portfolio.
    • Pitch like a pro: Want to see the pitches Kristin and Alex used to pitch the New York Times and National Geographic? They share pitches that worked for them.
    • Find work: When you’re just starting out, finding and landing great gigs can be tough. Learn where to find work, with tips for looking beyond the obvious places.
    • Set your rates: Learn how to set your prices and how to negotiate higher rates.
    • Network with other writers: Practice reaching out to established writers and influencers in the industry in a way that feels good.
    • Protect yourself and your business: To help you understand the legal side of your writing business, this module covers taxes, media liability insurance and more.

    These modules are packed with content and contain behind-the-scenes examples, writer Q&As, homework assignments and exercises. You’ll need a writer’s notebook and time set aside for completing the assignments. 

    If you follow through on all the advice in this course, you’ll have a polished, professional writing clip by the end of the third module and an online writing portfolio by the end of module four.

    Bonus material in this writing course

    Come Write With Us also includes two bonuses:

    • Access to the private Facebook community, where Kristin and Alex post job listings and answer questions.
    • The Writer’s Toolkit for Getting Sh*t Done guide, which includes all the resources, tools and strategies they use in their own freelance writing businesses.

    Come Write With Us is available on demand and is self-paced, so you can take the course when it works best for you. Most people get through the course in four to six weeks. 

    Connect to the Internet to read through the modules, or download homework assignments to print and work on later. Other downloads are available as well, including worksheets, schedules and checklists.

    The course is hosted on Teachable, a teaching platform for online courses or coaching businesses. 

    Pros and cons of Come Write With Us 

    One of the biggest things that stuck out to me about this course is how it’s friendly and inviting. Kristin and Alex really want to help writers make money and they understand all the big emotions we wrestle with.

    If you feel like a complete imposter, they get it. If you’re totally insecure, that’s OK. And if you lack confidence or skills, no problem. They’re here for it, and ready to guide you through the process of figuring out how to be a professional writer.

    This is a text-heavy course — really wordy. However, the writing is comprehensive and not at all pretentious. If you’re interested in the topic of starting a freelance writing business, it will hold your attention. 

    Come Write With Us covers everything from choosing a niche and launching a website to setting rates and pitching. It holds your hand through the entire process and focuses heavily on the emotional hurdles new freelancers are facing. If dealing with your feelings isn’t your thing, this approach could be a turnoff. 

    While the modules contain a ton of actionable information and advice, one of the biggest values of the course is the supportive community, as well as access to the instructors.

    This course is aimed at people who are completely new to freelancing, people who want to write but lack know-how or people who already work in freelance writing and want to take their business to the next level. Although it teaches the skills needed to run a full-time freelance business, the training can be adapted to suit a part-time writing business or side hustle as well.

    While there’s some industry jargon to watch out for, this is a great overview for beginners without being overwhelming. Overall, the lessons are detailed, outlined well and a solid way to get a complete newbie up and running.

    The course costs either a one-time payment of $197 or three monthly payments of $72 for lifetime access.

    The truth is, you don’t need to take a freelance writing course to have a successful career or earn hundreds of dollars per article. But taking a high-quality course might help you get there faster. 

    Come Write With Us doesn’t offer any shortcuts (there aren’t any), but it will help you avoid the pitfalls that make the journey longer or more frustrating than it has to be. With solid advice and business acumen, Kristin and Alex will teach you how to avoid getting scammed, find high-paying gigs and pitch articles editors love. And that will put you in the fast lane on the road to becoming a freelance writer.

    This post contains affiliate links. That means if you purchase through our links, you’re supporting The Write Life — and we thank you for that!

    Photo via shurkin_son / Shutterstock 

  • 5 Words You Almost Never Need in a Sentence

    5 Words You Almost Never Need in a Sentence

    My high school English teacher called them “deadwood.” I’ve heard them called “inflation words,” “filler,” “fluff,” “clutter” and “couch potato words.” You probably have another pet name for them.

    They’re the words you almost never need in a sentence. They occupy space, trip tongues and take readers down a long, winding path when a short, straight one would do.

    Many exist, but a few grind my gears, because they show up in everything I edit. Once you commit this list to memory, they’ll jump off the page, and you won’t believe you ever deigned to include them before. 

    5 words you (almost) never need in a sentence

    Cut these from your writing! Here are five words you never need in a sentence.

    1. Different

    Writers use “different” often to indicate variety, but I rarely encounter a “different” I can’t cut from a sentence without changing the sentence’s meaning.

    • We have many different types of soup. → We have many types of soup.
    • Each waiter serves a different segment of the restaurant. → Each waiter serves a segment of the restaurant.
    • You have several different options for dinner. → You have options for dinner.

    The words “types,” “segment” and “options” each imply difference, so the word is unnecessary. And the sentences are sharper without the redundancy. Notice the cut “several” in the third example, too. It’s just another way to say “different,” so that original sentence is drowning in fat.

    2. That

    I built this into my routine years ago after getting this self-editing tip from TWL’s founder Alexis Grant: Nix “that.”

    It rolls off the tongue when you speak, but it clutters your written sentences. Plus, it’s easy to cut: Literally CTRL+F your document for “that,” and cut it anywhere you can without convoluting your sentence.

    • Can you believe that she doesn’t want to come with us? → Can you believe she doesn’t want to come with us?
    • I know that you don’t want this. → I know you don’t want this.
    • She decided that she’d go after all. → She decided she’d go after all.

    3. Currently

    It feels necessary, I know. You feel like you have to say “I currently work at Acme Co.” But you don’t. “I work at Acme Co.” means the same thing.

    In rare cases, “currently” may help clarify what is now versus another time. But most of the time, a simple present-tense verb will do the trick.

    • She’s currently dating Taylor, but she was married to Jamie before. → She’s dating Taylor, but she was married to Jamie before.
    • I’m currently between jobs. → I’m between jobs.
    • Currently, you have two options for student loans. → You have two options for student loans.

    4. Certain, specific or particular

    Confoundingly, these words are vague, which makes them useless to most sentences. I can’t tell whether writers use them in an attempt to narrow the definition of a noun or for emphasis. Either way, they don’t work.

    Cutting these will strengthen a sentence, but replacing them with a more precise modifier will do even better.

    • A specific location → a location → a location to be named by your instructor
    • A certain amount → an amount→ a large amount
    • Your particular problems → your problems → your unusual problems

    5. Very, really, totally — any emphasizing adverb

    Instead of adding a boring adverb to emphasize the greatness of an adjective or verb — e.g. “really big” or “greatly appreciate” — use a stronger adjective or verb on its own.

    Instances of these adverbs abound, but here are a few examples and alternatives, from simple to I-obviously-own-a-thesaurus.

    • Very big → Huge, gigantic, enormous, prodigious
    • Really want → desire, crave, covet, yearn for
    • Extremely tall → giant, towering, soaring, altitudinous
    • Highly likely → probable, feasible, expected, anticipated 
    • Totally surprised → astonished, dumbfounded, flabbergasted, nonplused
    • Greatly appreciated → applauded, relished, treasured, extolled
    • Truly believe → affirm, conclude, suppose, ratiocinate

    This article was originally published in Notes newsletter, a monthly selection of pet peeves, warnings, advice, secrets and pro-tips for pitching, writing and — above all — keeping editors happy.

    Photo via Lamai Prasitsuwan / Shutterstock 

  • How to Break Into the Lucrative World of Grant Writing

    How to Break Into the Lucrative World of Grant Writing

    As a freelance writer, you’re likely constantly searching for well-paying, recurring gigs. But often the pickings are slim. You might feel stuck with one-off assignments that pay only meager returns.

    That’s where grant writing offers a huge opportunity.

    I started grant writing as a college intern, then for a small after-school nonprofit program, and never looked back. Now, 13 years later, I run a seven-person team at Professional Grant Writers, and we work with organizations around the world to develop and maintain robust grant writing programs.

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    Why you should consider writing grants

    Grant writers are in high demand for nonprofits hoping to raise money for operations, capital expenses, events and programs. 

    This type of work can be incredibly rewarding. You could have the opportunity to work with a nonprofit that is impacting the world, affecting change on a local, regional or even worldwide basis. You can work for causes that speak to your values, and perhaps have opportunities to learn more about certain social issues and meet amazing agents of change. 

    Even better, as a grant writer, you’ll help fund that important work, making it possible for these changemakers to continue or even expand their efforts.

    Do grant writers make good money?

    Yes! This work pays well: as a freelance grant writer, you can start out charging about $25 an hour and work your way up to $100 an hour, though this varies depending on the organization you’re working for. 

    Even better? Nonprofits often look to enter into long-term contracts with a reliable grant writer. They may have a large volume of grants due every month, so you can earn good, steady income – all while working from home.

    If you dip your toes into this arena and want to turn it into a full-time career, a typical grant writer salary is about $49,825/year according to Payscale, and $67,399/year according to Glassdoor.

    Here’s something to watch out for, though: while some nonprofits may ask to pay a grant writer a commission, or a percentage of the grant award, this is considered an unethical practice. Instead, look to earn an hourly or project rate for your work. 

    What is grant writing?

    Before we get into the details of how to write a grant, let’s take a step back and review some of the basics.

    Grant writing is the process of filling out a grant application for funding from an entity like a foundation, corporation or government body. The process can be straightforward, involving simply writing a few sections of text and disclosing some basic financial information, or it can be complex, with lengthy guidelines that require nuanced, well-crafted responses. 

    Grant writers need to have a keen eye for detail, a love of research, and a working knowledge of nonprofits, finances, sociology, politics and more. It’s a trade that requires a wide-ranging skill set  and a sense of curiosity. With all of these components, grant writers can craft reasoned, compelling applications that help their clients win crucial funding.

    How to become a grant writer

    Keen to launch your grant-writing career? Here are a few tips for getting started.

    Consider a grant-writing certification

    If you’ve never written a grant before, consider taking a grant-writing course and even earning your grant-writing certification.

    Introductory grant writing classes are usually available at community colleges and universities, or you can find online training that will cover the basics over the course of just a few weeks. Nonprofitready.org offers several free courses on grant writing, and GrantSpace and the Grant Training Center offer instruction, too.

    From there, you may want to pursue a more strenuous course through the Grant Professionals Certification Institute. Lots of grant-writing certification programs exist, but this one is the most extensive and well respected.

    I decided not to get certified because I had significant experience in grant writing before launching my business, but if you’re just starting out, certification can help you gain credibility and overcome a limited background.

    Person filling out a grant application -- grant writing

    Connect with organizations that rely on grants

    One way to get started is volunteering at a nonprofit, even if your tasks are nowhere near grant writing. Assist at fundraising auctions, help an office with data entry, join a board, work a phone bank, solicit event sponsorships — any of these options will help you get a foot in the door with a nonprofit and learn about the organization’s needs.

    If they host any conferences, you’ll want to attend and start to meet people face to face.

    Contributing your time to administrative and fundraising initiatives will help you see the inner workings of this type of organization, more so than direct-service volunteering. You’ll build connections as you build your business.

    Nonprofits often form a small, tight-knit community, so your volunteering will help get your name out there — and maybe even turn into a paying gig. It might even be worth it to spend some time doing nonprofit research in similar fields.

    Finally, consider volunteering your grant writing services to a local nonprofit as you’re starting out. While I wouldn’t recommend doing this for long, it will help you build a solid portfolio. Having a few grants under your belt and a nonprofit or two to vouch for you will help you sell your services as a paid grant writer when you’re ready.

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    Build your network in the fundraising community

    In addition to lending a hand at a specific nonprofit, join your regional professional fundraisers organization or local nonprofit employee organization. Any professional organization along those lines that meets regularly is a good place for you to meet other people in the industry and eventually shop your services.

    Other professional groups can be helpful, too. Maybe there’s a young professionals group that meets for cocktails and networking, or something similar. These won’t be as directly helpful as shaking hands directly with nonprofit professionals and other fundraisers, but it can’t hurt to get your name out there.

    Make business cards, build a website, and add your grant writing work to your email signature; these are all great ways to create a legitimate business and to market your services effectively. And when you attend networking events, hand out as many business cards as you can.

    I find that even though grant writing is a growing profession — especially among freelance writers — there’s still lots of room for more writers.

    How to write a grant proposal

    How do you write a grant proposal? Each grant proposal is its own beast. A grantmaker like the Gates Foundation, for example, does things differently than the small family foundation based in rural Kansas. Each has its own worldview, and its own process of vetting potential grantees.

    Most grant applications do have some similarities, though. The application will likely ask for an organization’s mission statement, vision, and program details. It will also ask how much money the applicant is requesting, and you’ll need to include a detailed budget that shows how the funds will be put to use.

    The most challenging — and important — parts of any grant proposal are the outcomes section and the accomplishments section. Here, grantmakers want to know: What are you planning to accomplish with our money? What exactly is going to change in society as a result of your work? And, have you done this work before? If so, prove to us that your organization has a long and impressive track record of moving the needle for a specific population or in addressing a specific problem. 

    The grantmaker wants to see detailed, well developed statistics that the applicant organization is capable of making changes in the world, in accordance with its mission and vision. Most grant funders receive piles and piles of grant applications, so those with proof of their efficacy are the most likely to be funded time and again. It’s your job as a grant writer to lay out all of this proof and argue that your client deserves the money. 

    Want more ideas? We write frequently about the various aspects of grant writing and offer tips and best practices on our Professional Grant Writers website.

    Looking to take your writing to the next level? Join the Freelance Writers Den!

    This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

    Photo via Tero Vesalainen/ Shutterstock 

  • Freelance Writing Contracts: Tips for Protecting Yourself and Your Work

    Freelance Writing Contracts: Tips for Protecting Yourself and Your Work

    Do you start wincing with anxiety when it comes to contracts for your freelance writing jobs? Or are you unsure about all that legalese from big-time lawyers at ginormous companies that sounds like you’ll be roasted over hot coals if you put a comma in the wrong place?

    Getting sweaty palms over freelance writing contracts is one of the biggest struggles I see writers have; from newbies all the way up to seasoned content marketers. But drilling down and understanding what these complex clauses mean, why they’re becoming more frequent in our contracts, and what steps to take if your potential client pushes back on your changes can give you a lot of confidence when it comes to signing on the bottom line. 

    Over the last decade or so, I’ve seen simple, one-page contracts morph into pages-long, detailed documents with new clauses, explanations, loopholes and confusing verbiage. Yet, it doesn’t have to be that way and there’s plenty that freelance writers and contractors can do to achieve writer-friendly contracts.

    7 freelance contract clauses you should understand

    In this post, I’ll review several crucial freelance writing contract clauses you should understand, and offer steps on how to get agreements that work best for your business and your client.

    Here’s what to look for in your freelance contract.

    1. Scope of work

    What it is: This outlines what the project details are including the type of content you’re writing, the word count, agreed upon deadlines and your revision policy.

    Why you need to know this now: It seems simple enough, but sometimes clients change your scope of work before they sign the contract without telling you; making the project bigger than what you originally quoted or agreed to. Double check for changes to your scope of work, and if it grew, note the change with your potential client and charge accordingly.

    What to do if the client pushes back: If your potential client doesn’t like the increased fee, discuss whether or not it makes sense to go back to the original scope of work, explain why the fee increased, or see if there’s an alternate route of a second project to break up the cost. Also, make sure to include this sentence in all your future contracts: “Changes to this scope of work will lead to additional fees.” 

    2. Rights (Businesses, magazines and work for hire)

    What it is: This section describes who owns the content copyright, whether that’s a business, publication, larger entity or you.

    Why you need to know this now: Recently, I’ve seen contracts from potential clients get much more rights-grabby, with a large uptick in Work For Hire agreements. Especially with the changes in technology, many companies are trying to hold onto not only current rights to all platforms and tech, but future rights in case a new form of media comes along that they want to take advantage of and promote the content you created there. But rights differ between writing for businesses and magazines. 

    For me, that means this is the clause I use with corporate clients: 

    “Until completion of the scope of work, Freelancer retains all copyrights of works developed in whole or in part by Freelancer in connection with the scope of work described in this agreement. Upon payment, the copyright will be transferred to Client and will be the exclusive property of Client. Client grants Freelancer the right to display the finished product in her portfolio and on her website.”

    And this is my clause for magazines: 

    “Until completion of the scope of work, Freelancer retains all copyrights of works developed in whole or in part by Freelancer in connection with the scope of work described in this agreement. Upon payment, Client receives First North American Serial Rights plus a 30-day exclusivity publishing period. Client grants Freelancer the right to display finished articles in her portfolio and on her website.”

    With businesses, you’ll transfer all rights to them since re-printing their content is a nonexistent revenue stream for freelance writers. The key here is that they don’t own the rights until they’ve paid for the work. They don’t pay, you own the rights and can use that if you have to take action.

    With magazines, we’re walking a different rights rope. Usually, you’ll get emailed an all-rights contract (AKA Work For Hire) where you’ll submit your finished piece and transfer all current and future copyright to that publication. When you sign a Work For Hire Agreement, you’re agreeing to create the content, give up claim to it when you turn it in, and have the copyright owned wholly by your client who paid you for the work. 

    This isn’t your only option, though, since with magazine articles there’s still a chance you can re-sell the article to another publication and get paid again… if you retain the rights.

    Ask if they have another contract with more writer-friendly terms, if it’s possible to get First North American Serial Rights (FNASR), or if you can change the rights clause to an exclusivity period of 30, 60, or 90 days. That way, you can still retain the rights, but they’re able to run the first print of the story and be first to market.

    What to do if the client pushes back: Don’t panic! Pushback on rights is totally normal, especially for publications (P.S. big magazines often have several different contract templates so don’t be worried about asking for their other contract). And it’s not the end of the world to sign a Work For Hire contract; it’s pretty common nowadays.

    With so much content being created, I’ve noticed the re-sell magazine market is low so it can make sense to sign the rights away. What you want to pay attention to is if your article has the potential to re-sell well. If so, try your best to secure FNASR, an exclusivity period, or more writer-friendly terms than your client getting all rights now and forever for everything currently and potentially created.

    For businesses, much of the issue is making the work publicly available on your website or portfolio. Ask if you can send the sample out to show your work to potential clients as long as you don’t publish it on your website; most of the time, they say yes. 

    3. Indemnification and dispute resolution

    What it is: The indemnification clause outlines who’s responsible for legal fees and expenses in the event that someone sues the business or publication over your content, interviewee quotes or media project. And dispute resolution explains how you and your client will solve any issues (disputes).

    Why you need to know this now: More contracts that have popped into my inbox recently have come with stricter indemnification clauses. The super complex language involved means you need to know how to protect your assets from legal harm, and ensure you know what it means when you sign a contract with this type of clause. If you indemnify your client, you’re on the hook for anything legal that pops up about your work. But with mutual indemnification and verbiage that explains you’ll work together on any complaints, everyone is playing together against any legal situation. 

    For me, I use mutual indemnification in this clause: 

    “Any legal action or proceeding relating to this agreement shall be brought exclusively to relevant courts and each party consents to the jurisdiction thereof. The prevailing party in any litigation related to this agreement shall be entitled to an award of its attorney’s fees and costs. In the event any complaint or claim relating to the copy is made by any third party at any time, Client shall fully indemnify Freelancer and hold Freelancer harmless with regard to all costs, expenses, damage and losses (including reasonable attorney’s fees) arising from that complaint or claim, and will fully cooperate with Freelancer in responding to and defending against such complaint or claim. Additionally, Freelancer shall fully indemnify Client and hold Client harmless with regard to all costs, expenses, damage and losses (including reasonable attorney’s fees) arising from that complaint or claim, and will fully cooperate with Client in responding to and defending against such complaint or claim.”

    For dispute resolution, I like this one: 

    “The parties will attempt to resolve any dispute out of or relating to this Agreement through friendly negotiations amongst the Parties. If the matter is not resolved by negotiation, the parties will resolve the dispute using the below Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedure. Any controversies or disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement will be submitted to mediation in accordance with any statutory rules of mediation. If mediation is not successful in resolving the entire dispute or is unavailable, any outstanding issues will be submitted to final and binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitrator’s award will be final, and judgment may be entered upon it by any court having proper jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of THE STATE YOU LIVE IN.”

    What to do if the client pushes back: Your first step is to ask your potential client to remove the indemnification clause, but if you get a no, submit the mutual indemnification clause above (legal departments are usually onboard with this option). If the client wants to keep the original indemnification or dispute resolution clauses, you’ll have to decide whether or not you want to work with them. Typically, if it’s a dream client you really want to work with, and you have business insurance or created an LLC, you have some legal protection and it may be ok to sign. 

    4. Payment terms

    What it is: This maps out how and when you get paid, your freelance writing rates, if you give refunds, if you get a kill fee, circumstances for late or rush fees, agreement termination and how that works with payment and length of contract.

    Why you need to know this now: Over my years of freelancing, I’ve had payment terms from pay on publication (months and months after submitting the work) to a 48-hour turnaround. It varies a lot, and especially with COVID, I’ve seen clients rolling out longer payment terms. 

    I like NET 14 (getting paid 14 days after submitting my invoice). But many businesses align freelance writer terms with how they pay other contractors (anywhere from NET 30 to NET 90 or longer), and publications can have wonderful NET terms, or pay on publication terms, which means you don’t get paid until the piece goes live or is printed. You also want to make sure that additional fees, refunds or termination are covered as well. 

    For business clients, I use this clause: 

    “Changes to this scope of work will lead to additional fees, and changes to deadlines with less than a 7-day turnaround may incur up to a 50 percent rush fee. Client agrees to pay Freelancer the amount of USD $XXX for writing services provided. Virtual or phone meetings beyond 1, 60-minute meeting, or 2, 30-minute meetings are billed at $XXX per hour. Payment will be invoiced via MY PAYMENT PLATFORM and made via ACH (direct deposit), company check or Stripe. Payment terms are NET 14 DAYS. Overdue payments will accrue 2 percent monthly interest, and no refunds are given. In the case of early termination of this contract, Client and Freelancer agree to give 15 days notice of termination, and Client agrees to pay Freelancer in full for work completed.”

    For magazines, I typically take their payment terms unless the publication isn’t planning on running the piece any time within the next six or so months. Pay on publication can be quite lengthy, but if you get NET 30 or NET 45, you’re in good shape.

    What to do if the client pushes back: If your business client has super long contractor payment terms, you can always ask if they’ll make an adjustment to your contract, but if they say no, you’ll have to weigh whether or not you can wait that long for payment. 

    Publications are more cut-and-dry. You can ask about pay on submission terms, or changing the NET terms, or payment date, but usually their details are set. However, you can always ask if there’s any wiggle room in their budget to up the rate (which may make it easier to handle longer payment terms), or see if you can get paid quicker through ACH (direct deposit) rather than a mailed check. 

    5. Non-compete clause

    What it is: Non-compete clauses explain that you’re not able to work for your client’s competitors. Any business or publication they consider competition is now, essentially, outlawed from your client list. 

    Why you need to know this now: Due to the fact that these clauses (just like rights) have been creeping into more contracts, it’s critical to know how to deal with them; see this helpful presentation from the FTC about restraint of trade and antitrust laws.

    Because they restrain the freelance writer’s ability to grow their business, and therefore make more money, they’re technically illegal in this context as restraint of trade. And usually, these clauses end up in those one-size-fits-all buckets that larger companies send to all contractors of all professions. But, you don’t have to keep these in your contract no matter how often you see them; you can ask the company or magazine to remove it. 

    It may look like this: 

    “Contributor will not, until 30 days after publication of the issue in which the work first appears, write or publish, or cooperate in the publication of in any form, an article or other communication or submit to an interview on the same or similar subject as the work unless Contributor has received writer consent by Client.”

    Or this:

    “Contributor will not, until the applicable exclusivity period herein expires, write or publish in any form, an article or other communication on the same or similar subject as the work unless Contributor has received written consent by Client.”

    Potentially this:

    “Author promises and agrees to not author or assist with the authoring of any works on the same subject matter as the Assignment for publication in print, online or any form of media for one year from the Publisher’s first publication of the Assignment without written consent of the Publisher.”

    Or even this:

    “Contractor acknowledges that they are expected to read, understand and adhere to the Contractor Code of Conduct. Below includes a list of potential conflicts or possible violations of the Code that Contractor is aware of at this time. I understand that at any time, when I become aware of a conflict or potential violation of this Code, I will inform Client immediately for a resolution.”

    What to do if the client pushes back: If your client won’t remove the non-compete completely, and you really want to work with them, ask them to list their top three competitors and you can agree not to work with those companies. If that doesn’t work for them, or you don’t want to have any non-competes in your contract, walk away. You also have the option of noting FTC regulations that restraint of trade is illegal and see if they’ll remove the clause then.

    6. NDAs and confidentiality

    What it is: NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) or Confidentiality clauses are included to form a legally-binding confidential relationship between you and your client. When you sign a contract with this clause, you’re agreeing that any sensitive information, trade secrets or intellectual property (IP) will not be shared with anyone else. 

    Why you need to know this now: Are you a freelance writer who often works with tech companies, start-ups with creative solutions or giant companies with specific, in house-only processes? These companies may want you to sign an NDA to ensure their proprietary solutions aren’t sent over to their competition. With more emerging tech and cutting-edge innovations, you may see these clauses grow, and it’s important to know your options.

    No, you don’t have to sign an NDA that lasts forever, or even five or 10 years. Try for one year, or potentially two, and see if your client will work with that; it’s always worth it to go for the least amount of time possible.

    What to do if the client pushes back: Most times, as long as the NDA is within a reasonable amount of time, say one year, I sign it. If the client has a longer period of several years, or even forever, I ask if we can shorten the timespan to a year or two. If they won’t budge, it may not be worth it to work with that client or sign a long-term NDA and worry about legal issues down the road. 

    7. Insurance

    What it is: When we talk about insurance in contracts, we’re talking about E&O (Errors and Omissions, or Professional Liability) Insurance and General Liability Insurance. Essentially, these policies help protect you if your content runs into legal trouble and gets you or your client sued.

    E&O protect you against legal claims of negligence, errors, omissions, misrepresentation, inaccurate advice, libel and slander as well as undelivered services, accusations of negligence and missed deadlines. General Liability protects you or your company from copyright infringement, reputational harm, and injury and property damage claims.

    Why you need to know this now: A few years ago, a potential client I totally wanted to work with asked if I had E&O and General Liability Insurance. Nope, I don’t… but I could get it. Since then, I’ve had other contracts of mine, and freelance writer friends, include clauses mentioning these two types of policies.

    With plagiarism checkers and the wealth of Internet content, protecting yourself against copyright infringement, reputational harm, defamation, libel or slander, is always a good idea. Plus, if you have insurance and a new client asks, you’re already set to go instead of scrambling like I was trying to get policies secured ASAP.

    What to do if the client pushes back: If you’d rather not pay around $1,000 to $2,000 per year for these insurance policies, ask that this clause is removed from your contract. However, to me, it’s better for your business overall to have protection ahead of time so you’re not caught in a bind.

    Saying no, red flags and contract negotiations

    Any time you run up against a clause that doesn’t work for your freelance writing business, you can always ask for the client to remove it. And, a surprising amount of the time, they’ll work with you on negotiating a fair compromise.

    If it turns out the potential client is throwing up red flags, like they treat you like an employee and not a freelancer, the contract has terms that obviously don’t apply to you, or they get upset when you ask for realistic, fair changes, you don’t have to work with that client. No contract is worth losing your business or reputation over. 

    And if you see too much legalese, offer to send your contract that’s clearer and more concise. I always try to make the terms as easy to understand as possible because this is a partnership where we work with our clients, not for them. Our contracts, then, should be mutually beneficial and as simple as possible, without any fluff.

    Don’t lose sleep or stress over contracts. Find the clients who pay you well, treat you like a partner, give you fair terms, and understand why you’re negotiating for writer-friendly terms that work for you. 

    Photo via fizkes / Shutterstock 

  • Nominate the Best Websites for Writers for 2021

    Nominate the Best Websites for Writers for 2021

    You did it! 

    2020 is (almost) OVER. Here comes the big question: Whose words helped you sprint across the finish line? 

    In January, we’re continuing our tradition and publishing a seventh edition of the 100 Best Websites for Writers in 2021 — but we can’t do it without your worthy feedback. 

    Whether you visit them to learn about freelance writing, self-publishing or writing tools, we want you to nominate the websites for writers that have earned space on your bookmarks bar.

    Which sites do you turn to religiously for guidance about craftsmanship or freelancing? Whose blog do you trust the most when it comes to brand building or editing?

    Because we’re dedicated to giving our readers the best tools and resources to empower you as writers, we only choose websites that educate and inspire writers across all genres.

    Tell us: What website should every writer know about? Share your favorites with us in the comments! 

    We’re excited to see who you nominate. 

    Stay tuned for the final list in January!