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Freelance Tips - Freelance Writing, Freelance Jobs

Zoho Writer: A Free Word Processor

February 23rd 2010 19:12
New freelancer writers can't afford to splash out lots of money on software, but using a powerful word processor is non-negotiable. Luckily, today writers don't have to buy apps like word processors anymore. They don't even need to install office applications on their machines - there are online applications that allow you to create and edit documents in your browser.

Zoho is a full online office suite with apps for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. There's also email, chat, a wiki, notes, a document management application and a whole suite of business apps - the invoicing application in particular might be worth a try. There are free versions of all Zoho products for individual use. The free version of Zoho Docs offers 1GB of storage space; the 5GB version is 3US$/month.


Zoho Writer is the word processor of this online office suite. It offers all the features you need to format a document. It is compatible with Word and Open Office documents and allows you to export your files as .doc, .docx, .rtf, .pdf, .swx, .odt, .html or .txt.

Zoho Writer has a few really useful features. It saves documents as versions, so if you need to revert to a previous version, you can do simply choose it in the history view. This view also allows you to compare two version with one another. You can post documents to your blog. If you collaborate with other people on a piece, you can share it with them. Instead of many people making changes in their local copies, you can find everybody's changes in your Zoho doc.

I find online word processing very useful. Not only can I access a file from any computer with an internet connection, online word processors are also a good way to back up your work.


I wrote this blog post with Zoho Writer. I haven't tried any of the other apps yet, so I can't say anything about them. I like Zoho Writer, though. The only down-side I could find is that Zoho doesn't support Safari. It works fine in Camino and Firefox, so it's no big deal.
I'm sure many of you are familiar with Google Docs - Zoho Writer is better.
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I've noticed a trend recently: Writers who write for online content mills seem to be forgetting that they are not writing for the page impressions. Or at least they shouldn't, they should write for their readers.

Content mills can be a great way for new freelance writers to get started and build their confidence. Writing for a content mill means writers are free to choose their topics, how they present them and how polished the finished product is. Only in the minority of cases there's editorial support.

There's no need for proof or typographical and grammatical correctness. All that matters for the page views is how well articles rank in Bing or Google. The temptation to get anything out as long as it contains enough popular keywords is big. To me, it looks an increasing number of writers are succumbing to it. They sacrifice quality for the sake of a few quick bucks.

Bing and Google need their search results to be relevant for the people searching. They can't afford their search results becoming clogged up with useless content. Useless content results in high bounce rates and the search engines have ways to penalise high bounce rates. By writing poor content, writers may well shoot themselves in the foot in the long run.

The implication for writers is this: Respect the readers. Remember that at the end of a Google search, there is a human being looking for useful information or entertainment. Provide readers with what they want: quality content.
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Finding Writing Jobs: Be Proactive

February 6th 2010 12:57
You don't have to prowl the job boards to land a new writing job. There are many job opportunities for good content writers and they aren't advertised anywhere. It may take you longer to find these opportunities, but when you spot one, chances are you don't have any competition.

So how do you spot these potential writing gigs? Easy: You keep your eyes and ears open.

Read fliers and adverts of local small businesses, identify the ones that might improve their marketing efforts by using a skilled copywriter and contact them with a proposal. You'll have to be diplomatic in your proposal: Don't tell them that their current copy is bad - show them how you can improve it.

As part of your online job hunt, read forums for small businesses. Many small business owners don't know anything about writing web content. Get active your favourite forum and offer basic writing advice. Questions about search engine optimisation are frequently discussed and many budding entrepreneurs ask for help with SEO. Contact them and explain how you can help with relevant, keyword-rich copy.

Do you live in an area with independent shops? Then talk to the owners when you shop there, find out if they might be interested in your services. Leaving your business card can't hurt.

As a freelance writer, you need to be resourceful and proactive. If you notice what's happening around you, you will identify many potential writing jobs nobody ever puts on the job sites.

Have you ever landed a writing gig by using a any of these methods? Do you have other tactics for sourcing writing gigs? Let the Freelance Tips readers know in the comments.
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The Book Drum Tournament is a contest for avid readers that could turn into a full-time or a freelance job.

Book Drum is a new online community geared at book lovers. The community members create profiles for their favourite books. Profiles include a summary and review of the book, information on the author and page-by-page bookmarks. The bookmarks are the feature that set Book Drum apart - you are encouraged to use photos, videos and background info to point out specific passages in the text (note: material must be in the public domain.

For launch, Book Drum are hosting a tournament. First price is £1,000, second prize is £500 and £100 each for five other entrants. Book Drum will also recruit full-time and freelance editors from among the best entries.

More info is available in the Book Drum FAQ and on the Book Drum Tournament page.
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Writing for Dollars

January 31st 2010 00:48
Writing for Dollars! is a useful website for freelance writers. They offer a weekly email newsletter with the latest paying markets. On the website, there is a huge database of paying markets with information on what each market is looking for and a link to the guidelines.
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Freelance Work/Life Balance

January 28th 2010 23:18
As a freelance writer, getting the balance right can be a bit tricky when you start out. While you are not making much money yet, it often feels like you should be working constantly. If you do, it will wear you out and you might lose your passion for writing.

It is important to remember that you need time to relax, do something you enjoy. You need to have a life outside of writing if you want to have a variety of things to write about


[ Click here to read more ]
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Writing Contest for Freelancer Writers

January 25th 2010 22:07
I've put up a post on Writing Words that should be interesting for freelance writers, too: There's a writing contest about writing.

The deadline is on Sunday and there's an entry fee. The winning entry will receive £100 and will be published in the first edition of Leaf Books Magazine, other entries may also make it into the magazine.
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New Freelance Writers: How to Stand Out

January 24th 2010 00:48
So you want to be a freelance writer? The good news is that thanks to the Internet, it is easier today to find freelance writing jobs. For the same reason, however, the competition is tougher than ever. To launch a successful freelance writing career, you must distinguish yourself from the competition.

These are our top tips for new freelance writers on how to stand out


[ Click here to read more ]
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Writing for Free?

January 21st 2010 22:27
As a website editor, I know how content decisions are made in companies. Here's the inside scoop: They want good content and are aware that poor copy does more harm than good. They also don't want to pay a lot for content, if they pay at all.

This can be frustrating for freelance writers. Why should you give away your services for free? You have bills to pay, and last time you checked the utility companies didn't accept words, not matter how well they were put together


[ Click here to read more ]
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Freelancing: Fact and Fiction

January 19th 2010 22:45
Many people have a romantic notion of being a freelancer that bears little resemblance to the truth. There's the old cliche that as a freelancer, you can wear your pyjamas all day. Many fantasize about working in the sun. And too many people think that you can get away with working for five hours tops and then recline to the sun lounger.

Freelancing reality comes in many different versions, but more often than not clothes, a desk and long working hours are part of it


[ Click here to read more ]
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