Navigating a Career In Freelance Writing: Ten Keys to Success Melissa Shultz - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Navigating a Career In Freelance Writing:

Ten Keys to Success

Melissa Shultz

Ten Keys to Success

# 1 Establish A Plan.

All good plans are inspired by a goal. What is yours?

Plant a seed.

Generate a concept

Ten Keys to Success

Determine the types of writing you will focus on and the minimum income you can survive on.

Save money before you begin.

Ten Keys to Success

Set up an office.

Open a business checking account.

Get a business credit card.

Ten Keys to Success

Print business cards.

Get insurance.

Dance around the new office.

Ten Keys to Success

#2 Get Help.

Employ the help of groups that represent writers

National Writer’s Union www.nwu.org
American Society of Journalists and Authorshttp://www.asja.org
www.authorlink.com

www.writersgarret.org

Ten Keys to Success

#2 Get Help.

Trade Associations

www.asaecenter.org
www.consumeraction.gov/trade.shtml

Ten Keys to Success

#2 Get Help.

Careerbuilder.com
JOBcentral.com
Monster.com
FederalGovernmentJobs.us
Jobs.com
Flipdog.com
Indeed.com

Ten Keys to Success

#3 Be Prepared.

Offer different rate options.

30 Hours Total

22 Hours Total

Creative Director - 8 hours @ $100 / hour

Copywriter - 14 hours @ $ 50 / hour _____________________________

$1,500

$1,500 / month

for 3 months

Ten Keys to Success

#3 Be Prepared.

Offer different rate options.

Keep track of your hours.

Determine payment stages.

Review types of rights.

Include a cancellation clause.

Ten Keys to Success

#3 Be Prepared.

Be prepared to make quarterly payments to Uncle Sam.

Get an accountant for at least one round of taxes.

Stay on top of what the IRS permits and doesn’t.

Ten Keys to Success

#3 Be Prepared.

Set up an accounting system.

Save for a rainy day.

Get health and disability insurance.

Ten Keys to Success

#3 Be Prepared.

Hire your own freelancers.

Send out written agreements.

Send out 1099’s.

Ten Keys to Success

#4 Learn How to Market Yourself.

Check out other writer’s websites.

Create your own website?

Ten Keys to Success

Experiment with queries.

Create a business card.

Ten Keys to Success

Consider your appearance

Ten Keys to Success

Create a bio

Get a photo of yourself

Ten Keys to Success

Network

Ten Keys to Success

Create a list of editors and executives and their contact info.

Check out mastheads and websites.

Ten Keys to Success

Don’t flaunt your degrees

Ten Keys to Success

List your services.

www.MediaBistro.com
www.FreelanceWriting.com
www.ASJA.org

Ten Keys to Success

#5 Be an Armadillo.

Ten Keys to Success

#6 Be Curious.

Ten Keys to Success

#7 Read.

Focus on your area of expertise.

Ten Keys to Success

#8 Be Flexible.

Be willing to take jobs that help pay the bills or get you published.

Check out local publishing houses that hire ghostwriters.

www.brownbooks.com
www.benbellabooks.com

Use your client’s voice.

Ten Keys to Success

#9 Create a “Projects-In-The-Making” File.

Write your ideas as they occur to you.

Have more than one project going.

Always have at least one pitch ready to go out.

Ten Keys to Success

#10 Get Published.

Start small and work your way up.

Show only relevant material.

Ten Keys to Success

#1 Establish A Plan.

#2 Get Help.

#3 Be Prepared.

#5 Be an Armadillo.

#6 Be Curious.

#7 Read.

#8 Be Flexible.

Ten Keys to Success

#1 Establish A Plan.

#2 Get Help.

#3 Be Prepared.

#10 Get Published.

#5 Be an Armadillo.

#6 Be Curious.

#7 Read.

#8 Be Flexible.

Navigating a Career In Freelance Writing: Ten Keys to Success Melissa Shultz - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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