I’m not going to lie - I’ve been known to curse like a sailor from time to time. I work part-time at a day care, so I’m pretty good at watching my mouth when I need to do so, but when I’m just around friends…well, we all curse.

Image: sxc.hu

What about your personal blog…or even a professional blog or work for a client? Should you pepper your posts with curse words or does that make you look bad?

Personally, I think sometimes, you can get away with it.

• Does your subject cater to an audience that doesn’t mind cursing? For example, the video game audience of one of my blogs really doesn’t mind cursing.
• Do you only use cursing minimally, without the words distracting your readers from the actual content?
• Do you avoid strong curse words that offend most people?
• Do you avoid using curse words if children probably visit the blog?
• Have you made sure that your client is OK with the cursing (if someone else is paying you for the work)?

If you answered yes to all of the above questions, I think a curse word or two here and there can be effective for some blogs. It isn’t just blogs, either. Sometimes a few curse words in article work, ebooks, etc. can also work well, depending on the subject matter. Keep in mind, though, that there will always be some people who aren’t on board with the use of curse words. If they make up the bulk of your readership, you probably shouldn’t use curse words at all.

Do you use curse words in your writing?

Let me tell you from first hand experience: There’s not a lot of demand in the freelance world for literary analysis.

I’m not saying that you’ll never find a job relating to literature. And hey, if you want to go through the query and print publishing process, you may be able to get something published in a literary magazine. Normally, though, you aren’t going to find freelance work online relating to literature. Unfortunately for most English majors, that’s where most of their experience lies, since that’s what we all tend to write about in college.

So what are your topic options?

For some people, finding a niche is a non-issue. You don’t need a ton of experience to write about certain topics. However, as you begin to dive into freelancing, you’ll find that you’ll have much better chances at getting jobs you want if you have a niche. In other words, become and expert on a topic, and apply for jobs that have to do with that topic. Some examples that are pretty popular include raising children, food and drink, medicine, and law.

And though some may argue me on this topic, no, I don’t think that you have to be super knowledgeable about a topic to write a general article about it. You just have to be able to do research - and that doesn’t mean looking up subjects on Wikipedia. As you zone in on a niche, though, you’ll have to do less and less research because you’ll already have a base of knowledge.

So how do you find your niche? Here are some tips:

• Look to your hobbies to find your niche. For example, I always loved football, so I began taking on sports writing jobs.
• Write about topics covered on the websites you like to read. You’re probably already up to date on the news, so it’s a natural choice.
• Take a class at a local college or community center to start learning about a topic.
• If you have a part-time job, that could be a source of experience for a niche. For example, I work part-time at a day care, and after I work there for a few years, I’ll have enough experience with kids to write about it, even though I’m not a mom.

Don’t get too specific with the topics you’re willing to cover with your writing. You might have tons of experience bird-watching, but you’ll increase your net worth as a writer is you write not just about birds, but about pets in general. Similarly, you could be an expert at karate, but you’ll find more jobs if you learn more about martial arts in general.

At the same time, don’t be too broad. If you have legal experience and like to write about law-related topics, it might do you well to specialize the same way a lawyer does. You’ll be much more impressive for a drug recall writing job if you’ve written about the legalities of recall situations in the past.

Being a new freelance writer is tough - I understand better than most people, since I jumped right in with both feet after college without having a backup plan. Having a niche (or more than one) can really help you be the most desirable candidate for a job.

Like what you’re reading here? Sign up for Allison’s One Prompt, One Product weekly newsletter.

Image via Flickr.

(www.thegoldenpencil.com)
Hi Anne,
Is it my imagination or do you NOT publish ads from those outfits that sell term papers to students? I’ve noticed several of them on the boards I check, but not on yours.

How come?
BG

Hi BG,
Great eye! Or are you checking up on me?

Seriously, I think the term paper mills are just one more example of unbridled capitalism. Students should write their own darn papers and I try not to support those people who I think are exploiting them.

On the other hand, a student who is looking for editing or coaching to get papers written is another story - I will publish those ads. I’ve worked with two students, one Chinese and one German. Each had done their own research and simply needed help with language.

Sharlene Thomas, a freelance commercial writer wrote an article called Should Freelance Writers Accept Jobs Writing Term Papers? She does an excellent job of explaining why she won’t take those gigs.

Of course, I’m always willing to hear the other side. Or from those who agree with me.

Do you have a question about freelance writing? Ask Anne, The Writing Pro - that’s me ;) Ask in the comments or send an email and put Q&A in the subject line so I can sort it out from spam and I’ll do my best. Meanwhile, you’ll find some Q&A’s here:
http://www.bizzia.com/category/ask-anne-the-pro-writer/

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image from http://www.sxc.hu

(www.thegoldenpencil.com)

Most of you who follow this blog are probably vaguely aware I’m writing a book about getting your book written. It’s designed to go with a class I’ll be teaching and I’m getting close to the end. I’ve figured out what’s wrong with the exercises and I know how I want to fix them although I haven’t done it yet.

After some soul searching I decided I have to include a chapter on marketing books, even though I don’t feel like I know much about getting books sold. So I drafted a chapter a month or two ago. Yech! I just read it and it’s awful. But there are some things in there I want to say to people who are trying to get a book written. So I’m in for a major rewrite. I don’t want to do it. I can think of a dozen or more things I’d rather do… sigh.

Creating a blog entry kvetching about it was one strategy, but that’s done now. So it’s make another cup of coffee and plunge in.

Thanks for listening!

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image from http://www.sxc.hu

(www.thegoldenpencil.com)

Writing well usually means writing in an uninterrupted fashion - without distractions. Avoiding or eliminating distractions when you’re writing takes some thought and planning.

Distractions come in two flavors, if you will. The most obvious are the interruptions that come from the outside. If you work at home these may include your kids, your spouse, the phone, the door bell, friends dropping in, email, the fax machine, instant messages, etc. At times the list seems endless. Even if you write in an office away from the home, many of these apply.

The other types of distractions are the internal ones. You know what I mean – the sudden need to wash the dishes or bake a cake, switching from writing to reading email or playing solitaire or petting a cat that shows near my keyboard. This list can go on and on as well, and often morphs into including the interruptions that come from outside.

Here’s what I do about the external distractions:

• Turn off the phone
• Turn off the radio
• Ignore the door bell or tell whomever is there now is not the time.
• Train friends not to expect me to respond before noon.
• Train my kids not to interrupt unless the house was on fire – I made this work some of the time as they got older. Same thing with a spouse and/or other adults in the household.

Probably the best way to sum up how to avoid external distractions is to take a strong stand for my writing. Others will only respect my writing time if I do. Once they understand how serious I am and how important it truly is to me, most will work to support my efforts by leaving me alone during stated times.

Internal distractions are another matter altogether. Here the culprit is me. This is a matter of practice and self-discipline. Years ago, I started that discipline by going to a restaurant from 9-11 a.m. every weekday. Then came the time when I knew I could trust myself not to go back to bed. It’s helped to discover I write best in the morning.

But mostly it’s a matter of just not allowing myself to read the email, play the game, pet the cat, bake the cake, clean the house… at least until I get a stint of writing done. That might be a blog entry completed, or an hour spent editing or 1,000 words written. It does help to have something specific in mind. I also make good use of book ending.

These days I trust my writing process. I know I’ll get it done. That wasn’t true in the beginning and may not yet be true for you. You can get there though, I know it!

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image from http://www.sxc.hu

Mary Emma Allen who blogs at HomeBizNotes is focusing July on how writing and publishing fits in as a home based business. She’s done considerable writing herself and I, for one, am going to keep an eye on her blog to see what she’s up to. I’m bound to learn something.

Today her post is titled: Thursday Thirteen - 13 Home Based Writing Businesses

I added commercial writing in the comment section… what else did the two of us miss?

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image from http://www.sxc.hu

You’ve head me say it before - they are upgrading the electricity on my 1920ish cottage… it’s a fair drama for sure. I’m one of four, that is part of 10.

The next step is to “cut over” to the new box and this takes at least two agencies… the city and the electric company and at least one inspector. I’ll be running off extension cords until that process is complete and we don’t know if it’s half a day or a week and a half! So if the blogging seems spotty…

Darn, guess I should be set up with a laptop, but I’m not… I don’t like writing in coffee shops.

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image from http://www.sxc.hu

b5media’s list of blogs grows so fast that I often miss something that might be of interest to you. This morning I stumbled into One Book Two Book, a blog about books for kids of all ages.

Turns out it’s only a few days old, meaning none of us are too far behind. If books for kids are of interest you’ll probably want to subscribe to this blog.

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image from http://www.sxc.hu

My printer has finally given up the ghost. It’s an HP PhotoSmart 2410 and I got it free because I became a beta tester for them. That was over five years ago, maybe more than six. I remember when they came to set up the test unit, and how I had to go to a special website and answer certain questions and forward them stuff. It was a cake walk.

Then, they came and took the test unit away and in about a week I received a brand new unit as a reward. I think, back then, the printer sold for four of five hundred dollars because it was color, an all-in-one unit and had a slot to insert a card from my camera. The card reader never worked very well, but everything else worked like a charm. My only complaint is that it doesn’t have a sheet feeder which means faxing multiple page documents, which I do maybe three times a year ;) is a real pain.

But now my work horse has announced it’s quit and it’s time for a replacement.

Which means online shopping, right? I love the net. I checked the websites of the three major office supply / computer places near me and sure enough, I can get a similar printer, brand new, with a sheet feeder, photo card reader that will probably work for well under $200. And, because I can check prices, I know where to go to get the best deal. In this case, it’s Staples, and I’m about to go there right now.

Don’t you just love the ‘net?

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image from http://www.sxc.hu

Jennifer Williamson who owns her own writing service and blogs about it all at CatalystBlogger recently took a temporary full-time, on-site writing job even though she’d promised herself and the world she wouldn’t ever do that again.

She tells the story in a post called: On-Site Writing vs. Freelancing: The Showdown

As she points out, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. She then lists some benefits of on-site work and some drawbacks. Included in her benefits is Quick feedback on your work. And, apparently, in this on-site job that’s what she got, often in a matter of hours. My experience on-site has been different. Feedback in offices where I’ve written has often taken as long as it does with clients.

Of course, I identify with the drawbacks. I’m truly a committed freelancer who never ever wants to see the inside of an office on a regular basis again.

What do you think? What are advantages to on-site work?

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image from http://www.sxc.hu