The first thing to keep in mind is that copywriting is in massive demand. There are plenty of copywriting jobs, but people approach this venture with caution due to the fact that they feel that they just cannot write or they are just too lazy to set about starting an enterprise in alien territory. The motto to be kept in mind is that once you are thrown in the river, you will automatically learn how to swim, or if not swim, at least keep your head above the water.

Novices, with even the basic skills of copywriting will be in big demand. One will just need to contact the right persons and be at the right place at the right time. There are a number of ways to get started, and initially one will need to tap all the possible sources in a bid to strike it big in the long run.

Here are two ways to find copywriting clients…

1. Keep an Eye Out in Local Publications and Magazines

Copy writer hopefuls will do well to keep an eagle eye out for advertisements in local newspapers and magazines calling for copywriter jobs. These ads usually come along with websites and phone numbers where contact can be made directly.

2. Look for Poorly Written Advertisements and Articles

Concentrate on ferreting out any brochures, banners and advertisements on local publications that have been badly written, contain bad grammar and/or misspelled words. Rewrite these and send them back to the owners in correct language, paying special attention to spellings and grammar, explaining why you have made these alterations. Indicate that any badly written articles or advertisements are bad for business. Instill in them the importance of well written articles and the benefits it could bring to their business.

These two ways of getting copy writing jobs are direct and simple and yet assured in the long run. Besides these two ways, there are other ways of getting copywriting jobs to make money online.

To set in motion your freelance copywriting business you will need to follow these four steps.

1. Be Aware of Current Jobs

This entails being well-versed with various firms offering copywriting jobs. Start by thinking of all the types of writing jobs you are adept at writing and topics on which you have much to offer.

2. Advertise Your Services

Creating a special web page advertising your services or sending direct mail letters to prospective clients showcasing your talents in writing abilities is another way of ensuring plenty of copywriting jobs. Create an attractive and informative web page to provide a window into your writing abilities. It should be good enough to immediately instill a feeling of confidence in the client to make him/her approach you with copywriting jobs.

3. Develop Your Client Base

Having a sound client base is necessary in this type of business venture. A client base should be trustworthy and not the ‘fly by night’ types who will take all your copy writing in a jiffy and disappear with your hard work. The client base should also be large enough to sustain you on a daily basis. Depending on only one firm for business is not advised.

Copywriters should try to find enough time to work for two or more firms at the same time so as to be assured of a continuous inflow of work which will result in a steady income.

4. Keep Writing Samples for Prospective Clients

Copywriters will need to submit samples of their work to clients before they can be assigned regular writing jobs. These samples will be assessed for writer’s abilities and command over the language and hence need to be of top most quality with careful attention paid to the most minute of details.

Once clients are assured of the writer’s copywriting abilities, they will go ahead with offering writing jobs on a daily / weekly / monthly basis. However, it must be kept in mind that these jobs are time bound and need to be tackled with responsibility with writers keeping deadlines in perspective.

Copywriting can be home based and can be started from scratch. It is not about making a million dollars in the blink of an eye, but a straight road ahead to earning money from your writing skills. All this type of venture needs is a good home computer, an efficient internet service, good writing acumen and the desire to succeed.

Copywriters should be dedicated and conscientious about their writing. Just because they are working from home does not mean they should let household chores or other distractions of everyday life come in the way of their writing. Dedication, concentration and passion for writing is what will get copywriters more recognition and will lead to them making more money online.

Copy writing offers people the advantages of writing from home, not commuting to a workplace on a daily basis and flexibility in writing. This sort of copywriting venture, guarantees success right from the word ‘GO.’ It all depends on finding the right clients, marketing yourself well, and finding the most profitable projects and ventures.

Copywriters will do well if they concentrate on eye-catching headlines and titles, embark on a direct approach, pay special attention to grammar and punctuation and deliver exactly as the customer desires.

About the Author:

This is a guest post by Nathan Brown of buyatt.com, a site that offers savings and current information on at&t uverse coupon code as well as att.com services.

The following is a guest post by Amanda DiSilvestro, If you would like to write for this blog, please check out the guidelines here.

First and foremost, you should be writing for your readers. Your content should be centered on your target audience, and your aim should be toward giving advice and adding value to your readers that find your site.

However, many companies write for reasons aside from reader experience; in particular, SEO. For those who are unfamiliar, SEO stands for “search engine optimization” and is a way for search engines to find content and determine where it falls on the search engine pages. The search engines use an algorithm that looks for several different components — duplicate content, keyword stuffing, doorway pages, etc. — and then it ranks the pages according to quality.

Now, every company knows that it is important to show up on search engine pages. Whether you’re starting a small business or are a veteran business owner, this is a great way to drive traffic to your site. For this reason, many companies write specifically for SEO purposes. They do keyword research, write content based on that keyword, and fit in unnatural keywords into an article just so the search engine bots will find the article and deem it “quality.” In some cases, there is nothing wrong with writing for SEO, but there is something wrong for writing only for SEO.

Here’s why:

• Search engines do not like websites that write strictly for SEO. Unfortunately, it can sometimes be hard to catch this, and sites have been getting away with it for some time.
• Readers do not like sites that write strictly for SEO because the content is not catering to their needs.
• Your website will surely never win any awards or special mentions in the online world. Editors and other website owners don’t like when content is written specifically for SEO.
• You will have a bad reputation. Although you may show up on page one of a search engine page, no one will want to stay on your page for more than a few seconds because there is nothing of value.
• You run the risk of getting penalized if the search engines do find out you’ve been writing (or even creating pages) specifically for SEO and not readers.

What many businesses don’t realize is that it is possible to get to the top of search engines if you write for your readers. This will boost your traffic, people will want to link back to your site when writing their own content, and you will eventually find your way to the top of search engine pages. If you think you’re ready to change your ways and start writing for readers instead of bots, consider a few of these changes you’ll need to make:

5 Ways Writing for Readers is Different than Writing for Search Engines

1. You need to write content that will get shared

When you write content for readers, readers will want to share this content via their social networks. This means that when writing, you need to be conscious of what you promise and what assumptions you make. If you’re writing strictly for SEO, you are likely writing in generalities, but writing for your readers is more personal. You cannot say “all of the customers at my last job weren’t nearly as much fun as you” because this could get back to your old customers! You also can’t offer a great deal to some people one week and then a mediocre deal to some the next week. I think you will find that writing in this way really does take a conscious effort.

2. You must be completely open and honest when you have made a mistake

If you’re really going to focus on writing for your readers, you have to acknowledge when something bad has happened with your company. If someone has a complaint, you cannot simply keep quiet about it because that customer won’t keep quiet about it. They will surely put a negative comment on your website and share it on all of their social networks. For this reason, it is important that your content changes as things like this happen. If there is something that needs to be addressed, you will need to address it through the content on your website (mainly because it probably began through content on your website).

3. Variety is important when it comes to content

Generally when a website is only focusing on SEO, they are focused on one or two specific keywords. This can get boring for readers because the general topic of the content is so similar. When you’re writing for readers, you want to make sure you have a variety of different topics on your website. The topics can fall under a general umbrella such as “business,” but each article should be something different about business. Not only that, but it helps to have content written in different forms. For example, you do not want an entire website full of “Top 5 Things” type blogs or a website full of only opinions.

4. The content will not always be about you and your company

While SEO is focused on your company, writing for readers is about being honest. Giving credit where credit is due is a great way to show that you are active in the online community. This will increase your exposure because whomever you are discussing will likely want to pay it forward and do the same for you. Even if they don’t, you have their audience looking at your content because they recognize a name or a blog you are referencing. All in all, this is a great way to connect and seem “real” to your readers.

5. Have a conversational and informal tone

You don’t always have to sound informal when trying to write for your readers, but it can help. Even if your website is very serious and centered around facts, you can offer a conversational tone that will help make things easier to understand. After all, if you’re writing for readers, you want to sound like a reader. If you’re writing for the bots, well then you will sound like a robot.

About the Author:

Amanda DiSilvestro is a writer on topics ranging from social media to workers compensation insurance. She writes for an online resource that gives advice on topics including phone systems to small businesses and entrepreneurs for the leading business directory, Business.com.

At the beginning of every month I do a recap of last month’s blog posts. I also include a few of my favorite blog posts from other bloggers I follow. This gives you a chance to catch up on any posts you may have missed here, and you also get to check out some awesome bloggers that provide valuable content that’s worth reading.

I always recommend leaving a comment on any posts you find helpful. Comments are also great if you have a question you’d like to ask. Either way, they let the blog owner know you appreciate their time and that there are people who actually read their content.

With that said, let’s take a look at last month’s post on this blog…

September 2011 Blog Posts on ReplaceYourSalary.com

Most of these are guest posts, so be sure to show the authors some love by leaving a comment.

How to Get Health Insurance When Working From Home

4 Skills That Will Help You Land More Freelance Writing Jobs

5 Things About Working From Home I Wish I Knew When I Started

3 Things I’m Grateful for as a Blogger

Top Tips: Increasing Your Web Traffic Through Unique Online Partnerships

Is Google Counting All of Your Hard-Earned Backlinks?

Blog Posts Around the Web

Here are some blog posts I’ve found from other bloggers I follow that I hope you will find helpful. Take some time to read these as well.

TechChunks gives us 5 really good reasons to have a blog for your business. I can’t imagine running a business these days without a blog. It is an integral part of online communication that cannot be ignored.

Andrew Walsh details 3 very common Google Keyword Tool mistakes that a lot of people make. Avoiding these mistakes can be the difference between making money online and making nothing online.

If you use Google Adsense at all, you may be interested to know that comment spam can get you banned from Adsense. I didn’t know about this, so thanks to Dennis for pointing this out.

That’s all for now. This month I’ll be discussing tips for WordPress bloggers, so stay tuned for that. You’ll also get to read content from more awesome guest authors as they just keep lining up!

The following is a guest post by Carmen Rane Hudson. If you would like to write for this blog, please check out the guidelines here.

Freelance writing provides a wonderful opportunity for people who want to work from home.  However, building a successful freelance career is about more than getting the words on paper. Some of the most helpful skills a freelance writer can possess are not writing skills at all.  These “other skills” are the skills that can set you apart from your competition and help you land more jobs.  Here are 4 skills that will help keep those gigs coming.

Interviewing Skills

Some of the best information, the information that will really make projects great, can’t be found on any website or in any library.  Some of this information is all locked up in the minds of some fairly fascinating individuals.

You don’t have to be a reporter to make this work for you.  Often, the only person you’ll have to interview is your client.  Clients often start looking for ghostwriters specifically because they have information or stories to share.  They don’t necessarily want to waste a lot of time jotting down a bunch of notes for you.  Yet many freelance writers don’t want to use any other mode of communication besides e-mail and instant messaging.  You can land these gigs by being the one guy who is willing to spend a few hours on the phone, asking questions and listening to the answers.

Besides, these writing pieces can be some of the easiest products you’ll ever craft.  Interview subjects, especially those who want you to write a book for them, tend to be very passionate about their subject matter.  Many can talk for hours while you quietly take notes.  Once you’re off the phone the research phase of your project is generally complete.  You will be able to immediately turn your attention towards presenting that information in a format the reader will enjoy.

Formatting Skills

A lot of people who buy writing services just want a finished product so they can get on with the business of marketing that product.  Offering even the most basic of formatting help can give you a jump on your competition.  This could mean adding borders, inserting a table of contents, creating basic covers and using footers in a professional way.  Offering a PDF version of your work could also represent a major boon for clients.

Though it’s not an art I’ve yet comfortable with for myself, writers who learn how to format their work for e-readers are likely to enjoy a massive income in the very near future.  This skill isn’t an easy one to master, but it’s growing in demand.  Clients ask me about this service constantly. I predict that anyone who can both write, and format that writing for the Kindle, will find clients ready to hand them money by the shovel-load.

Posting and Submission Skills

Do you know how to post an article directly to WordPress or Ezine.com?  Can you create an auto-responder with all of the correct settings in GetResponse once you’ve written the text for the e-mails?  If a client asked you to submit his press release through PR Web, would you know how to do so?

Many of your potential clients don’t know how to do many of these things.  Many more of your potential clients would prefer not to take the time to do them.  These skills give you an easy way to add value to your work.  They also don’t take up very much of your time.  Thus, you achieve a win-win for both you and the client.  Few writers offer these sorts of services as part of their standard service package.  Being one of the few writers who does will give you an edge.

Consulting Skills

It pays to understand exactly what a client is attempting to accomplish with a particular writing piece.  It also pays to know how he can go about accomplishing that goal.  That way, you’re prepared with a real, helpful answer should the client ask you what his next steps should be.

Educate yourself on branding, marketing, traditional publishing, self-publishing, list building, traffic generation, social media and copywriting.  At some point, one of your clients will have a question about at least one of these items.

Some of your clients are brand new entrepreneurs.  They may be using your writing services to help them build their work-from-home internet business.  Don’t just be a contractor to these people—be a resource.  Be ready to steer them in exactly the right direction.  If they’re about to make a change to the title of their book, for example, that would absolutely gut their ability to differentiate their brand, be ready to say so.  They might not always take your advice, but they’ll appreciate the fact that you’ve given it with confidence.  Just make sure you know enough to give good advice.  Be able to tell your client why you’re advising what you’re advising.

This awareness also helps you up-sell, which will increase your income faster than finding brand new clients each time you try to get to work.  Up-selling is as simple as asking: “Will you need a press release to go with this book?”  It’s a sale you’re more likely to make if you understand how and why the press release would help your client in the first place.

The Bottom Line

Look for ways to increase your value as a writer and as a business partner.  If you do this, you’ll be more than just another freelancer—you’ll be that professional people are dying to have on their side.

About the Author:

Carmen Rane Hudson is also known as The Deadline Dervish, and has been a freelance writer since 2009.

If you are a freelance writer or editor, or would like to be, you can find many places online that post new job opportunities every day. With a little bit of time and a few clicks of your mouse, you may find just what you are looking for. Here are 10 great sites that regularly post freelance writing and editing jobs.

Freelance Switch – Although it costs nothing to browse job listings here, for $7.00 a month, subscribers to Freelance Switch can apply to any of the jobs they are interested in. Freelancers are welcome to view forums, read blogs, and have access to a comprehensive resource directory for free.

Freelance Writing – Since 1997, this free user-friendly website has assisted many freelancers in finding successful writing and editing jobs. This site also features current workshops and events, writing contests, discussion forums, and more.

Freelanced.com – Here job seekers can search writing and editing jobs and even post a profile so they can be sought out by potential employers. Before browsing, writers and editors can view featured freelance jobs. Each of the featured posts indicates how much the job pays as well as the number of people that have already applied. This information can be seen without even clicking on the job, making it easier to decide if it’s something worth checking out.

FreelancerCareers.com – Membership at FreelancerCareers.com is free, and it allows freelancers to browse a large database of jobs. Here members can choose projects that best fit what they are looking for.

GoFreelance – At GoFreelance, writers and editors can browse jobs by choosing a specific category or by doing a simple keyword search. Freelancers also have the option of signing up for “The Secrets of Freelance Success.” This feature is free and includes daily updates on job postings via email, a report entitled “How to Find Freelance Work,” and a free course on successful freelance writing.

iHirePublishing – By signing up for a free membership, freelance editors can search over 2,000 job postings. Job searches can be done by keying in a job title or zip code.

Online Writing Jobs.com – This site allows freelance writers to view thousands of job opening ads. Quick searches can be done by clicking on a category–categories include Freelance Writing Jobs, Freelance Magazine Writing Jobs, Blogging Jobs, Website Writing, and more.

PoeWar – This easy-to-use site features “job lists” to help the browser narrow down job searches. Searches can also be done by category or month. Being able to search by month makes it simple to find the most up-to-date postings.

Simply Hired – Here freelancers can view writing and editing jobs by location or keyword search, or simply by browsing posted ads. By signing up for a free account, members are able to save job searches, and can even receive email alerts when new jobs are listed.

Sunoasis Jobs – Becoming a subscriber to Sunoasis is free, and it allows freelance writers and editors to search job postings and job links. By signing up, new job posts and links can be sent directly to the member’s email.

Long gone are the days of daunting job searches. With today’s technology, freelance writers and editors can find work online without even stepping outside the home or office. It’s quick and simple, and most of the sites are free to use. By taking some time to browse for freelance writing and editing jobs online, finding a job that fits your needs and qualifications might be easier than you think.

The following is a guest post by Brendan Cruickshank. If you would like to write for this blog, please check out the writing guidelines here.

I’m amazed at the increasing number of job postings for freelance writers these days. While I’ve noticed this merely as an observer, albeit one who’s been working in job search and recruitment for many years, I thought I’d check to see what researchers are saying. Indeed, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, a compendium of descriptions of hundreds of jobs types, including information on education requirements, earnings, and job prospects over a 10-year period, agrees that the trend is real.

The official word is that between 2008 and 2018, employment for authors, writers and editors is projected to grow about 8%, about as fast as average. The Handbook says that an increasing number of writers today are freelancers. I bet that now, with the current economic recession, the number of freelancers is going to be even higher than BLS predicts. Budget woes are causing governments, businesses and organizations to tighten their belts, and one good way for them to save money is to contract out their writing needs.

So, you’re a freelance writer and you’re looking for jobs. What do you do? In part, it depends on what kind of writing you do, what the topic(s) are and who your markets – both the employer and the readers – are. These are all questions you’ll need to consider as you develop a marketing strategy for yourself. However, I’ve got some suggestions and strategies to help you, and they’re appropriate for any type of freelance writer

Using LinkedIn

Do you have a LinkedIn profile? If not, you should spend time setting one up for yourself. As soon as you contact a perspective employer for work, it’s more and more likely that they’ll Google you to learn who you are and what you’ve done. LinkedIn profiles almost always come up on the first page (because the site is one of the most popular social networking sites), and it’s to your benefit to be there. Your LinkedIn profile will show that
you’re a professional and that you value communication.

You will need to create a well-written and complete profile, and then start seeking connections. The more people who have access to your LinkedIn page and can track your activity on the site, the more obvious you are. And, if you’re working from home – whether it be in the middle of the desert or on the 28th floor of a Manhattan apartment building – you’re likely alone. You need to find a way to remind people that you exist. Seek out
recommendations from colleagues, engage in group discussions, ask and answer questions, and demonstrate what you know and how well you write.

You can also use LinkedIn to research potential employers. Many companies and organizations have Company pages that identify staff members and their positions. Through your connections, you can gain access to people who may be looking for your writing services. With LinkedIn, you can play the networking game for all its worth!

Self-Branding

If you’ve set up a LinkedIn profile, you’ve already started the personal branding process, but there are additional ways to establish your presence. The first step is to figure out who you are, what you want to do and how you want to appear to others. Chances are you know a lot of this already, but it’s important to consider the image of yourself and your work that will best help you get freelance jobs. Do you want to market yourself as a specialist
in niche market – as an expert in nanotechnology, for instance – or as a generalist who understands science and technology, and who can communicate about latest trends?

Once you’ve determined this, there are an increasing number of tools you can use to project your image and brand. One is the tried and true resume, which you’ll want to spruce up to indicate your interest and experience pertaining to freelance writing. Next, set up a website for yourself, and include a description of who you are, your clients, writing samples, and testimonials about your work. Next, is a blog, which serves your branding
strategy, and more. See below. Finally, become active on a variety of social media websites, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and others. Project yourself so that people will get to know you and remember you.

Face-to-Face Networking

Getting out and talking to people is another of those tried and true methods of getting a job. That’s not to say that there are automatic or direct pay-offs for having coffee with someone, even if you’re the one paying for their Venti Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream. What I mean is that the more you actually meet people in person, and communicate who you are, what you’re like, and what kind of writing you have done and
can do, the deeper the impression you’ll have on them. And, the more likely they’ll think of you when they or their colleagues have freelance writing needs.

Face-to-face conversations are more open, revealing and free form than written communications. They provide participants with opportunities to ask questions and respond directly to answers. And, you’ll also gain valuable non-verbal information from your interviewee. For instance, when querying someone about a potential employer, body language may indicate more than the words spoken. In general, a personal interaction is warmer, more memorable and more informative than a series of emails or phone calls (though, if you and the employer are physically distant, telephone or Skype are good alternatives).

Blogging

Since you’re reading this, you’re aware of the power and outreach of blogs. They’re excellent vehicles for demonstrating your interests and writing style, and bringing attention to your abilities. For a freelance writer, especially one who doesn’t have a lot of published work yet, blogs are an easy way for you to show off your stuff. You’ll need to write well: clearly, concisely and interestingly. That is, you’ll need to be articulate, using
proper grammar and punctuation, and be able to keep your readers’ attention. You want your audience to read all the way to the last word, and to beg you – on hands and knees, if possible – for more.

Finally, the nature of blogging is that you’re creating a continuing conversation – one that the blogger initiates and readers respond to. This means that you need to be diligent and dependable, establishing a publication schedule and keeping to it. In doing this, and in maintaining dialogue with your readers, you demonstrate that you are responsible and communicative, features which employers of freelance writers value as much as the writing itself.

Now go to it, and come back to let us know how it works! Best of luck.

About the Author: In his 8 years in the job search and recruiting industry, Brendan has served in senior client services roles with major sites like Juju.com and JobsInTheMoney.com. He has been regularly quoted on topics such as employment as well as jobs. His opinions have appeared in the Wall Street Journal and US News & World Report as well as other major publications.

Why Guest Blogging?

I’m a firm believer in guest blogging and have written about the subject in the past. Guest blogging is a win-win for both parties involved. It’s a win for the guest poster as it helps them expand their reach to a new audience and bring in new readership, along with building quality backlinks. It’s also a win for the host blog as it provides their readers with a new, fresh face and a different style of writing, along with unique content.

Knowing the benefits of guest blogging, I opened up my blog to guest writers last year and received an overwhelming response from writers wanting to write for my blog. I couldn’t have been happier. That told me that people valued my blog and liked what I had going on here and wanted to expand their brand to my current readership. This year (2011) is already seeing much of the same.

In 2010, I also did a little guest blogging of my own. Many of the blogs I follow allow guest bloggers and have a solid reader base, and I wanted to get myself in front of that new audience. Other bloggers came to me requesting I write for their blogs, which of course I agreed.

I plan to do a fair share of guest blogging this year and the years to come, but I wanted to showcase my current guest posts as I never really shared them on here before. I alluded to a couple of them in previous posts, but I want to dedicate this post to all of my guest posts for 2010.

What I’ll also be doing is creating a permanent “Guest Posts” page that contains every guest post I have already written, as well as any and all new guest posts that have yet to come. I already a couple of guest posts in the works as I type this, so I know there will be new ones to add to the list.

Without further ado, here are my guest posts from last year.

My Guest Blog Posts of 2010

When is the Right Time to Monetize a Blog

Does More Traffic Mean More Sales?

Best Ways to Market Your Online Business

3 Tips to a Better Blog

What Will Happen to My Blog When I Die?

Can You Really Make Money on the Internet?

Some posts received a lot of response, while others received very little. Knowing this, I can plan future guest posts accordingly. I also have a list of other blogs I plan to write posts for, and I plan to write more posts for some of the blogs above. All will be added to my Guest Posts page once I get it up.

I invite you to check out my guest posts and leave a comment on them. Your feedback is appreciated.

This summer is going by so quickly… too quickly. July was a crazy month for me, mainly due to the fact that my fiance broke up with me. That was tough emotionally and physically. It took a while to get over the fact and finally move on. I knew that if I didn’t… my professional life would suffer dramatically, and I didn’t want that.

I’m back on track with some exciting new things going on. I’ll update you on them later on. For now…. let’s take a look at the blog posts from last month…

June Comment Contest Winners!

Adapting Your Style: Make Your Writing Work for You

Is Your Blog Grabbing Your Visitors’ Attention?

How to Increase Fan Numbers on Your Facebook Fan Page

Anatomy of Credit Card Processing

Take a second to leave a comment on any you may have missed. I hope to do more sponsored posts in the future as it adds a different flavor to the blog, as pointed out by Jason. The guest posts are also a nice addition, and I hope you’ve been enjoying them so far. Expect to see them around frequently.

Got any comments, questions or concerns, leave your thoughts below or send me an email.

Thanks for being a reader here, and I’ll see ya soon.

Spending your precious time on your blog should be compensated in some way, right? I mean, why put forth all of that effort if no one cares to read what you have to say and just leaves right away?

Notice in the title I used “visitors” and not readers. You first have to convince your blog visitors to stay awhile and actually read your blog before you can call them readers. Makes sense… I hope.

Getting people to stick around and become a reader, which in turn provides comments on your posts, involves a few factors. These factors can include your blog design, the content (what you write) and the style of your writing.

This certainly isn’t the all-inclusive list to go by, but these are some of the main factors you may want to consider if you just can’t seem to get anyone to take notice of your hard work.

I wrote a guest post on HowToSpoter about 3 Tips to a Better Blog where I go more in-depth regarding these three factors and what you can do to turn that sucky blog of yours into a masterpiece worthy of readers.

Be sure to read the post and comment. You’ll see me over there as well replying back.

What have I done to improve this blog?

One of the major updates I made to this blog was installing a new blog theme. Granted, I didn’t think my blog sucked (hopefully not), but it certainly was due for a face-lift, I thought. The new FlexSqueeze Theme is definitely way more modern than what I used to have and allowed me to customize every aspect of the design.

The content on here I think is pretty good, but I’d love to hear what you have to say about. I try to be as personable as possible and provide a relaxed reading environment, something I hope you all enjoy. Of course, there’s always something to learn here, so let me know if I need to clarify/expand on anything. Afterall, I try to write for you, my readers.

The following is a guest post by Kyle Simpson. If you would like to Guest Post on this blog, please contact me.

Some people just seem to have a better grasp of the English language than others.  Whether they know grammar, spelling, and punctuation like the back of their hands or they have a proven ability to turn a phrase, they can inform, influence, and inspire with their work.  And yet, a strong background in poetry, prose, or even technical writing does not necessarily ensure the ability to make a living with your craft.

So, here are 5 simple tips to help you get it together and adapt your writing style in such a way as to provide for a viable occupation.

1. Try everything.  You won’t really know what you’re capable of until you try, so get your hands on all kinds of work.  Write for publications and blogs with all different subjects, try your hand at marketing or advertising, create an e-zine, or pen some technical service manuals.  The ability to diversify will only make you more marketable (and it will help you figure out what you excel at and what you might want to avoid).
2. Join a service.  As a freelance writer, you will spend a lot of time hustling for jobs and fielding rejections.  This can be extremely disheartening.  To avoid some of the hassle, join a free website like Elance or ODesk that allows you to create a profile (that companies seeking service can peruse) and apply for jobs posted by their patrons.  If you get good reviews and offer a variety of samples, you may soon notice that you receive enough offers to keep you busy indefinitely.
3. Keep learning.  The best writers hone their style through both research and practice, so don’t be too hasty to rest on your laurels.  Just because blogging is big right now doesn’t mean it will keep you employed for the next ten years, so make sure you learn the ins and outs of different types of writing so that you have something to fall back on if the bottom of your bread-and-butter workload suddenly drops out.
4. Be professional.  This means you deliver what the client wants and exercise due diligence to ensure that your submissions meet their standards.  For example, an informative article written for a celebrity blog (think TMZ) is probably not suitable as a press release (even if they contain the same basic information).  And if you can’t tell the difference in style, you are going to be hard pressed to expand your business.  So put in the time to learn various formats so the client isn’t forced to explain your job to you (or give you the send-off).
5. Own it.  Your skill with language and proactive attitude will help you land jobs.  But it’s the personal flair you add to your work that will interest people in hiring you again and again.  Putting your personal stamp on your writing is what makes it desirable, so don’t be afraid to own it.  All famous writers are recognizable in their way.  For example, you wouldn’t confuse Stephen King with Edgar Allan Poe, or Jane Austen with J.K. Rowling.  In the long run, a signature style will get you a lot further than dotting the “i”s and crossing the “t”s.

About the Author: Kyle Simpson writes for Medical Coding Certification where you can find more information about a career and training in the medical field.