Posted on by

Jump Start Your Writing Career

, ,

Happiness is excitement that has found a settling down place. But there is always a little corner that keeps flapping around. ~E.L. Konigsburg

 

 

 

 

 

Article by Wendy McCance

I want to try something new.  I’m calling it, Jump Start Your Writing Career.  For the month of February, as an experiment I will be writing up goals for you to undertake each Friday.  Once the entire month is complied, I will put up a page with the entire month’s information for you to easily go back and review.

Here’s what I am hoping to accomplish:

1.  Each week, if you would like to participate, you will receive 5 goals to achieve the following week.  You can schedule each days goal on your calendar.

2.  By the end of each week, I would love to hear from you.  Let me know what you have accomplished and the amazing things that have occurred because of the steps you took.

3.  Between hitting the goals and the response from readers, I am hoping we will form a support group that will help you get to the next level of achievement as a freelance writer.

4.  I have seen so many programs out there where you sign up, pay a fee and get information on what to do.  In this program, there will be no fees, there will be free community support and hopefully a very noticeable boost in your client base and income.

5.  By the end of the month, I am counting on each of you having 3 potential clients at the very minimum.

6.  If you follow the plan completely, 3 new clients should be a piece of cake.

7.  As you go through the month, I’d love to hear your feedback.  Let me know what works best for you and share those moments where you accomplished something you are proud of.

8.  How you go about each task is up to you.  You can do everything in one day, multiple days or any way that fits your schedule best.  This is your business that is being set up.  You make the rules.  Love that part!!  It’s so empowering!

9.  Please note that for this plan to work, you MUST have a blog.  Without a blog, this system won’t produce the same results.  If you don’t have a blog, put one together and then you can refer to these posts or check out the page that I will add at the end of the month.

10.  I highly recommend that you grab a notebook or create a word document and label it, Accomplishments.  You are going to feel a sense of accomplishment as you get over each hurdle. You will also have some extra-ordinary moments (it comes with the territory).  Writing down these special times will fuel your mind and help you to stay focused, determined and proud of what you are doing.

 

Here is next week’s list:  

Getting Ready To Promote Yourself

  • Review your blog.  Make sure there is a contact page, about me page and if you are looking to do any advertising, sponsored posts etc… on your blog, you will need a media kit.
  • If you haven’t done so, sign up for Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and if you want a page, Facebook.  Make your profile complete on each site with contact information and the link to your blog included.  Add these social media sites as buttons on your blog so people can hit and gain more information about you.
  • Fill in as much information as possible on your LinkedIn page.  Join relevant groups.  Blogging and writer groups are great.  If you write about a certain topic, find a group that discusses the topic you write about.  For an example on how your LinkedIn profile should look, you can check out my profile. Hit the LinkedIn button on the top right of this page.
  • Connect your blog to 5 new sites by filling in your profile and adding your blog link.  Sites to try might be mom blogs, Klout, Quora, Pinterest, StumbleUpon, meetup groups, Goodreads, Digg etc…  Remember, the more places your name and blog link appear in search results, the more relevant you become in a potential clients eyes.
  • Write a blog post that shows off your blogging or writing skills.  Make the piece informative or talk about your experiences.  Demonstrate your knowledge or expertise on a given topic that you write about.

Now you can celebrate!!  Relax over the weekend and feel good about all that you have accomplished.  The set up is what takes the most work.  You will find that as each week goes by, the work will be easier because you have everything in place.

Wendy McCance

Wendy McCance is a Michigan based freelance writer and social media consultant. Wendy has gained attention as the founder of the popular blog Searching for the Happiness which can be viewed in 9 local papers online, including the Oakland Press. The combination of writing skills and social media knowledge is what makes Wendy such a powerhouse to work with. Stay tuned for opportunities to advertise, guest post and as always, have your questions answered.

To contact Wendy McCance about a writing or social media assignment, interview or speaking engagement, please email her at: [email protected]

Latest posts by Wendy McCance (see all)

Related Posts

15 thoughts on “Jump Start Your Writing Career”

  1. I have a Linked-in profile and a Facebook page. I have a web site and a blog, (which I haven’t touched for months.) I’m stuck in a rut and need desperately to find clients that are more interesting, rewarding, satisfying and lucrative. I just haven’t been able to take it to the next level. I appreciate the step-by-step guidance!

    Reply

    • Hi Mary, I am so happy that you let me know what type of advice you are looking for. We will cover those topics and hopefully, you will see a difference in the type of clients you get. In the mean time, focus on your dream clients and send out offers to write to them. Don’t worry if think they would decline. I have had some incredible opportunities just because I got brave and went after what I wanted.

      Reply

      • Thank you! Can you provide a little more information about how you go about finding those dream clients? I read your blog a few months ago about finding contacts via LInkedIn, but I’m still confused. For example, should I do a generalized search for businesses in my field, then send an email (through LinkedIn) to that person? Or, is it better to go directly to the company web sites and look for their marketing/PR person? This is where I”m stuck. I don’t know the next step.

        I’m so ready to move forward on this, right now. Although I have a couple of interesting and rewarding comments, I have been writing for the same content company since 2009. I make fairly good money, (in spite of what many people think, they don’t all pay $0.01/hr.) However, I am demoralized, frustrated, bored, beaten down and just plain burned out and sick of it.

        I so appreciate you willingness to help. I’m sure many share my questions, so hopefully this will help them too.

        Reply

        • Both examples you used about how to find the marketing person will work. I connect with people through invitation, and then send them an email through LinkedIn a month or two later. I also pay attention to who is checking out my profile and will write them asking if they are looking for a freelance writer. Hope this quick answer helps. I’ll try to cover these topics more completely in the coming weeks.

          Reply

  2. Pingback: Newbie freelancer advice - Day 2: it's real simple.. read more!

  3. Pingback: Newbie freelancer advice for the month of February - Day 1

  4. Pingback: Why It's Important to Diversify As A Writer | Searching For The Happiness

  5. Oooooh, so looking forward to this challenge! I have already done everything on your list, so I’m moving forward already. My next step is to get my own site, but I’m working on that right now…

    Looking forward to learning from you, Wendy. 😉

    Reply

      • The blog I currently have is more of a personal than a professional one. My new one will be more professional and less personal! The niche? Guess? Yep, writing! 😉

        I’d love to share the details with you, but for right now, it’s all top-secret stuff. LOL I’m still figuring out a few things. As a non-techie, it’s challenging.

        Reply

        • Wishing you the very best. I ended up splitting my personal and professional blog apart too. I left this blog for writing because it already had a strong following. Even though I write the personal stuff elsewhere, I am still seeing a demand for it here. It’s a tough choice for sure. 🙂

          Reply

  6. Will be giving this a try. SO tired of working for others’ financial benefits. At 48, I believe it’s time to work solely for mine and my family’s financial benefits. Besides, I LOVE to write so it’ll be a win-win! You rock for doing this, Wendy! Thanks!

    Reply

Leave a Reply