Freelance Writing - Four Dangerous Things to Avoid As a Baby Web Writer
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Angela_Booth]Angela Booth
In days gone by, freelance writers started their writing career writing for magazines and newspapers.
This meant writing for months (and years, in some cases) collecting the proverbial shoebox full of rejection slips. I didn't collect a shoebox-full, because I started out as a romance novelist, so I sold the first magazine article I proposed, but I collected more than enough "not quite right for us..." rejection letters.
Time moves on and things change, but for new writers today aiming at a Web writing career they don't change for the better.
If anything, the situation offers dangers which make rejection slips look like kisses in comparison.
Let's look at four dangerous things you should avoid as a baby Web writer:
1. Low-Paying Gigs: They're Writer-Abuse
If you hope to make a career as a Web writer, avoid low-paying gigs. If you're not making more per hour writing than working at the golden arches, it's a low-paying gig. Run, don't walk to the golden arches. Asking "will you have fries with that?" is better for your self-respect.
$2 per article, $5 per article - avoid these gigs, unless you're using the gig as a promotional tool. By this I mean you've got a Web site, and you're promoting the site to other sites, by getting links.
2. Scammers Who Ask You to Write a Chapter or an Article or an Essay or Anything to "Test" Your Skills
It's just a scam. Move on.
3. Freelance Writer Job Ads on the Web
Yes, avoid ALL freelance writer job ads on the Web. Does this sound harsh?
OK, consider that genuine writing markets don't need to advertise. Genuine markets have a publication, or a business, and alert freelance writers approach them with proposals and queries. Sometimes (not always) they have a "writer's guidelines" page on their Web site.
A genuine market for writers hasn't got the staff to read/ respond to 400 neophyte writers who answered an ad. If they've got the staff to handle 400 responses to their ad, they have an ulterior motive.
4. Web Writing Jobs Which Pay on a Revenue-Sharing Model
Revenue-sharing sites advertise for writers. They add your articles to their site, and then place ads on the articles that you write. You get a share of the revenue these ads generate.
However, revenue-sharing assumes that there's some revenue to share. There may well be a few cents, but a year of writing for a revenue-sharing site generally won't earn you more than a cup of coffee.
Want to build a well-paid writing career? You can, with Angela Booth's new Writing Hacker Web site at http://writinghacker.com/ - watch Angela's "Make money Writing: Write and sell Web articles - they're in hot demand" video.
For more writing tips, subscribe to Angela's Fab Freelance Writing Ezine at http://fabfreelancewriting.com/ezine/fab-freelance-writing-ezine.html and receive Write And Sell Your Writing: The Power-Write Report. It's 21 pages packed with information to help you to develop a six-figure writing career, and it's completely free. Angela's Fab Freelance Writing Blog at http://fabfreelancewriting.com/blog/ brings you fresh writing tips several times a week.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angela_Booth http://EzineArticles.com/?Freelance-Writing---Four-Dangerous-Things-to-Avoid-As-a-Baby-Web-Writer&id=947059
Related Articles:
Can You Really Make Six Figures As A Freelance Writer?
Does $100,000 a year sound too ambitious? I hope not. Thousands of freelance writers have broken the 6-figure barrier and with some determination and a clear set of goals, it's very achievable.
How Do You Judge A Writing Contest?
Are writing contests worth your time and energy? If only there was a simple answer to this controversial question..
Top 5 ways to find an Authentic Custom Dissertation Writing Service
When a dissertation is written according to your requirements and subject of your interest and choice, without any sort of plagiarism, then it?s called a custom dissertation. Custom dissertations cannot be written hurriedly or haphazardly. Writing a custom dissertation is a grueling task because of its long process and it requires assistance at all stages. Let?s see in what ways you might require help and then how you can manage to find an authentic dissertation writing service:
Winners Announced for 2006 War Poetry Contest
Ed Frankel of Los Angeles, CA is the winner of the fifth annual War Poetry Contest sponsored by Winning Writers. This contest seeks today's best poetry on the theme of war. Mr. Frankel's poems "Instrumentum Vocale" and "Gladium Vocale" were judged the best of 868 entries from around the world. The winning entries are published at WinningWriters.com.
Why Manners Maketh the Freelance Writer
Lately I've been noticing an odd trend amongst the freelance writers who contact us every week: rudeness.First there was the writer who accepted a job found on our boards and forwarded the completed assignment to the employer with the words, "Project attached.
Crystal Senter Brown releases "Doubledutch", a Book of Poetry and Short Stories
Crystal Senter Brown has released a 10 year collection of poetry and short stories entitled "Doubledutch".
Great Job Opportunities for Spoken Word/Poetry Enthusiast Now Being Offered at PoeticWorks
PoeticWorks (www.poeticworks.com) has 25 immediate part time positions that's perfect for someone who loves to frequent poetry events. One can perform Spoken Word, interact with interesting people and get the word out about the many different publishing options available by PoeticWorks to assist them in writing/publishing their work.
Humorous Book Helps Children (And Adults) Discover the Joy of Reading Poetry
L.W. Lewis' children's poetry book "Poodles, Tigers, Monsters & You" is packed with short and snappy, hilarious poems that delight both young readers and their parents.
Lulu.com Publishes Parekh's 5,000 Poetry Pages in 11 Titles
World Record Holder poet Parekh's 5000 poetry pages now available in 11 titles via Lulu.com.
Ava Tyler's Book of Inspirational Poetry, God's Paradise, Is Released by Christian Publisher, Holy Fire Publishing
Tyler's book, God's Paradise, shares an inspirational message of love and kindness through poetry. The book contains spiritual and uplifting poems from the author's perspective as well as poems about incidents in someone else's life.
$1000 for the First Chapter of a Novel? Now That's a Writing Contest
The third annual Writing Show First-Chapter-of-a-Novel Contest is awarding $1000 for the best first chapter of an unpublished novel. We're also offering four other cash prizes and ten 750-word critiques.
From Local Store Fronts to New Online Store, Massachusetts Mother Takes Children's Book of Poetry to the Web
dandelion bubbles™ now available at dandelionbubbles.com.
Outskirts Press Announces The Window At The Top Of The Door, the Latest Highly-anticipated Poetry Book from Syracuse, NY Author Douglas P Smith
Outskirts Press, Inc. has published The Window At The Top Of The Door by Douglas P Smith, which is the author's most recent book to date. The 5.5 x 8.5 Paperback in the Poetry category is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $11.95. The webpage at www.www.outskirtspress.com/window was launched simultaneously with the book's publication.
Western Events Page Added to OldWestNewWest.Com eZine to Highlight Upcoming Festivals, Rodeos and Cowboy Poetry Gatherings
OldWestNewWest.Com, the eZine about today's West, has added a Western Events page on its Web site to showcase Western festivals, historic events and cowboy poetry gatherings.
Outskirts Press Announces "Whispers of the Mind", the Latest Highly-Anticipated Poetry Book from Inman, Sc Author Antonio b. Nelson
Outskirts Press, Inc. has published "Whispers Of The Mind: An expression of spontaneous emotions that can take place at any given moment." by Antonio B. Nelson, which is the author's most recent book to date. The 5.5 x 8.5 Paperback in the Poetry category is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $11.95. The webpage at www.outskirtspress.com/whispersofthemind was launched simultaneously with the book's publication.