It's not something I've dabbled in before, but I think I'm going to enter this one:
http://www.affordableinsuranceoptionsonline.com/essay-contest/
If any of you have any interesting writing competition links you'd like to post or promote, let me know and I'll put them up. Preferably competitions that have some value to them and aren't just looking for free articles.
I have to give kudo's to the irreverant freelancer for this one as I came across the link while browsing her blog.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Hope for the newbies... :)
So, when you have decided that virtual work is definitely the path for you. Do you limit yourself to only certain areas? Choose niches that you are familiar with? Or open yourself up to learning new techniques, hence widening the catchment area for your business?
When I first started working through oDesk, I was very unsure of what I could offer to make myself stand out from the crowd. I'm a nifty typist, so I thought maybe data entry or transcription? Not a chance! It seemed like the world and his mother had the same idea, and were willing to do it for less than the cost of a cup of coffee. I couldn't compete with that.
I had to do a rethink. What else was I good at? I'd been working as a buyer for the past 12 years and had spent a lot of time doing technical writing, tenders, specifications, contracts etc. so I thought, okay, this is what I'm going to concentrate on. Little did I know how quickly that was all going to change.
After landing my first assignment on oDesk, I knew that the only way was up. I finally had the coveted 5* feedback that makes such a difference to landing the good jobs. I came across a post for a travel writer... hmm.... I've travelled, I can write... I'll give it a go! The buyer liked my application letter, I remember even now that I spent more time on that cover letter than any other since or before. I knew in my gut, that this was my calling and that I could do a great job with it. He took a chance on me, he knew I had never written like that before, but I think he too felt my excitement. Within hours of starting the assignment, I had churned out pages and pages of travel articles, they were just pouring out from my fingers to the keyboard without me even thinking. All along, this information had been stored in my head and had just been dying to get out there on paper. I never stopped writing after that.
Shortly afterwards, another travel website spotted my writing on the aforementioned site and got in contact with me, I got an email through the travel site, telling me they loved my writing and would I be willing to write some pieces for them? They too moved to oDesk and we started an illustrious relationship. Things just kept getting better.
I wrote more travel pieces, composed cover letters, designed resumes, wrote sales letters, provided content for over 30 websites and wrote articles for numerous clients. Why didn’t I know I could do this before now?
Before I knew it, I was making plans. Plans to leave my day job and start up my own writing business. I spread the word locally and scored some writing jobs within my own community. All of the feedback I received was extremely positive and things went from strength to strength. 20+ oDesk assignments later and I can tell you it was one of the best moves I ever made. However, as far as I’m concerned I’ve barely scratched the surface yet. The best is yet to come.
All I’ll say to you, is don’t limit yourself. I didn’t know I loved writing, and I certainly never for one moment believed I’d be any good at it. I just took a chance and didn’t close any doors until I had checked them all out. Make yourself different, stand out from the crowd and when you want a job, let the buyer know it, and I mean that, tell them you want it, tell them you can do a great job and tell them that he / she can rely on you.
I’m starting my 23rd oDesk assignment today, and my 24th tomorrow. I’m meeting a new local client on Monday and I’m pushing for a second meeting with another client for Tuesday. All of this has grown from what was just a simple job application on oDesk.
If you put your mind to something you can achieve it, trust in your abilities and know that only you can do your work justice.
Until tomorrow.......
When I first started working through oDesk, I was very unsure of what I could offer to make myself stand out from the crowd. I'm a nifty typist, so I thought maybe data entry or transcription? Not a chance! It seemed like the world and his mother had the same idea, and were willing to do it for less than the cost of a cup of coffee. I couldn't compete with that.
I had to do a rethink. What else was I good at? I'd been working as a buyer for the past 12 years and had spent a lot of time doing technical writing, tenders, specifications, contracts etc. so I thought, okay, this is what I'm going to concentrate on. Little did I know how quickly that was all going to change.
After landing my first assignment on oDesk, I knew that the only way was up. I finally had the coveted 5* feedback that makes such a difference to landing the good jobs. I came across a post for a travel writer... hmm.... I've travelled, I can write... I'll give it a go! The buyer liked my application letter, I remember even now that I spent more time on that cover letter than any other since or before. I knew in my gut, that this was my calling and that I could do a great job with it. He took a chance on me, he knew I had never written like that before, but I think he too felt my excitement. Within hours of starting the assignment, I had churned out pages and pages of travel articles, they were just pouring out from my fingers to the keyboard without me even thinking. All along, this information had been stored in my head and had just been dying to get out there on paper. I never stopped writing after that.
Shortly afterwards, another travel website spotted my writing on the aforementioned site and got in contact with me, I got an email through the travel site, telling me they loved my writing and would I be willing to write some pieces for them? They too moved to oDesk and we started an illustrious relationship. Things just kept getting better.
I wrote more travel pieces, composed cover letters, designed resumes, wrote sales letters, provided content for over 30 websites and wrote articles for numerous clients. Why didn’t I know I could do this before now?
Before I knew it, I was making plans. Plans to leave my day job and start up my own writing business. I spread the word locally and scored some writing jobs within my own community. All of the feedback I received was extremely positive and things went from strength to strength. 20+ oDesk assignments later and I can tell you it was one of the best moves I ever made. However, as far as I’m concerned I’ve barely scratched the surface yet. The best is yet to come.
All I’ll say to you, is don’t limit yourself. I didn’t know I loved writing, and I certainly never for one moment believed I’d be any good at it. I just took a chance and didn’t close any doors until I had checked them all out. Make yourself different, stand out from the crowd and when you want a job, let the buyer know it, and I mean that, tell them you want it, tell them you can do a great job and tell them that he / she can rely on you.
I’m starting my 23rd oDesk assignment today, and my 24th tomorrow. I’m meeting a new local client on Monday and I’m pushing for a second meeting with another client for Tuesday. All of this has grown from what was just a simple job application on oDesk.
If you put your mind to something you can achieve it, trust in your abilities and know that only you can do your work justice.
Until tomorrow.......
Friday, July 2, 2010
Seeing past your writers block.
I'm sure many of us have suffered through a time when we just could not open our minds to writing. I'm pretty sure that it happens to all writers at one stage or another. How do you push through it? Are there methods out there that can help us overcome this terrible infliction? Does it really exist or is it just a product of our overworked imaginations?
This morning, as I sat down to write this post, I hit a brick wall. I didn't know what to write! (pretty shocking really after only 5 posts) So, I guess my way to push through that is to write about the fact that I had a writers block.
Now give me a topic any time of the night or day and I'll write about it for you, with relish. Maybe I'm just one of those people that needs a push, or, maybe I'm not as imaginative as I gave myself credit for. However I've decided not to be too hard on myself, after speaking with some fellow writers I've actually found that this is very common place. Sometimes you get so used to writing for a living, that you forget how to write for yourself. So one of the new things I'm going to add to my 'to do' list is to rediscover why I started writing in the first place. (another days work i think).
Some will argue that there is no such thing as writers block, I tend to agree with this on some levels. There are times, let's be honest when we just don't feel like writing, there are times when we do but don't know where to start. This in part is down to lack of research, motivation, imagination and surroundings. Here are some ways I find useful to get past the block;
Until tomorrow......
This morning, as I sat down to write this post, I hit a brick wall. I didn't know what to write! (pretty shocking really after only 5 posts) So, I guess my way to push through that is to write about the fact that I had a writers block.
Now give me a topic any time of the night or day and I'll write about it for you, with relish. Maybe I'm just one of those people that needs a push, or, maybe I'm not as imaginative as I gave myself credit for. However I've decided not to be too hard on myself, after speaking with some fellow writers I've actually found that this is very common place. Sometimes you get so used to writing for a living, that you forget how to write for yourself. So one of the new things I'm going to add to my 'to do' list is to rediscover why I started writing in the first place. (another days work i think).
Some will argue that there is no such thing as writers block, I tend to agree with this on some levels. There are times, let's be honest when we just don't feel like writing, there are times when we do but don't know where to start. This in part is down to lack of research, motivation, imagination and surroundings. Here are some ways I find useful to get past the block;
- Take a break from your surroundings for a bit, even if this is just popping out to the shop for a walk or nipping to the kitchen for a cup of coffee.
- Read something else, pick up the paper or the book your currently reading.
- If you're not properly rested, then you need to take some time to relax or take 40 winks to rejuvenate yourself.
- Still can't write what you need to? Then put it away for a while and start on something else.
- Eat well; I cannot stress enough the importance of eating healthily. If you have a high carb, sugar or fat laden diet, then you're really not doing yourself any favours. A healthy diet = a healthy mind.
- Motivate yourself; surround yourself with reminders of why you are writing from home for a living. Whether that be to spend more time with the kids, to indulge in being your own boss, or to simply get away from the daily grind and have your own routine.
- Push past it; sometimes it's just too easy to blame writers block, when in fact it comes down to a combination of idleness or lack of motivation. Put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) and just write, write about the first thing that comes into your head, and after a while you will feel the words starting to flow again.
Until tomorrow......
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