As an online marketer or freelance writer, you need to keep pace with new trends in your field as well as gain new knowledge and skills not only for survival but to enrich your work and gain new opportunities.
You also need to plan how you will absorb new knowledge and information to avoid confusion and being immersed in a deluge of irrelevant details and time wastage. You need to draw a plan/timetable or programme of action on how you will approach the whole matter.
When we are talking of updating your skills we are mainly talking of research and training. The two are complementary and are very important. If we take the Internet as an information medium, then we will find that it contains a mass of information, knowledge, products and opportunities which have to be sorted out to be of any meaning.
Here are some tips on how you can keep abreast of knowledge and information.
1 Take a writing/ marketing course
If you are a freelance writer or marketer you cannot afford to miss an opportunity to learn new and essential skills on your craft. Even for the experienced there are new courses emerging or even existing courses which can broaden your knowledge.
Courses available range from paid courses on location, distance learning courses by mail or online to free and paid for ecourses by email/auto responder. Some follow a formal curriculum with examinations provided and certificates issued at the end to informal ones where only a few tips exercise and assignments are provided.
Here are a few websites you may visit and see what suits you:
Freelance Writing

http://www.writersvillage.com

http://www.writingschool.com

http://www.writersdigest.com/wds/

http://www.worldwidelearn.com/writing-courses.htm

http://www.active-online-courses.com/freelance-writing.html

http://www.worldwidelearn.com/advertising-copywriting.htm

Marketing

http://www.worldwidelearn.com/marketing-courses.htm

http://www.marketing-resources.com/course.html

http://www.onlinewebtraining.com

http://www.marketing-register.com/directory/o/Online_Courses_Marketing/

http://www.edu-advisor.com/online-marketing-degree.htm

http://www.get-a-degree.com/distance-learning/marketing-links.htm

2 Subscribe to Ezines and Publications
There are hundreds of ezines and magazines relevant to freelancing and marketing you can subscribe to for the regular dose of news and information. While there are a lot of junk ezines that will only fill your mailbox, there are many good ones which are indispensable to any writer and marketer. Select the few that are good and relevant to your work and subscribe.
You do not need to confine yourself to online ezines, there are also many print books and magazines which you could look into. While you may not have the wherewithal to subscribe or purchase all, there are some which you cannot afford to miss.
Check out the following sites for ezines or publications relevant to your business:

http://www.directoryofezines.com

http://www.ezinelocater.com

http://dmoz.org/Arts/Online_Writing/E-zines/Directories/

http://www.go-ezines.com/

http://www.investing-sites.com/News_and_Media/Newsletters/Directories/

3 Online Search and library research
From time to time, you will have questions which you do not know where to find their answers too. You may also need comprehensive and up-to-date information and news. This is where using Internet search engines and on-line virtual libraries and off-line libraries and databases comes in. These are indispensable tools for finding news, knowledge and information.
As a freelance writer, the search for information is an endless exercise. Whether you want to check facts for your article or book or need information for writing a new piece.
For the marketer, pay – per – click search engines are a goldmine for getting prospective clients. Since searchers are looking for particular information using relevant key words, there is likelihood that the information could be on your site.
Here are a few search engines and virtual libraries.
Search Engines

http://www.overture.com

http://www.findwhat.com

http://www.google.com

http://www.yahoo.com

http://www.inktomi.com

http://www.msn.com

Virtual Libraries

http://www.questia.com

http://www.brint.com

http://www.knowthis.com

http://deserthost.net/wd141/

http://www.ipl.org/

There are many other ways you can increase the quality and quantity of your knowledge and skills as a freelance writer or online marketer. However, the few mentioned above are some of the most important.

About The Author

Abdallah Khamis Abdallah is a freelance copywriter and ghost writer.To learn more about how you and your business can benefit from our viral and credibility marketing solutions and how your business can benefit from infinite publicity visit his website at: http://www.qualitywritingsolutions.com.
quantumpro@lycos.com

So, you want to freelance as an editor, writer, copy editor, copywriter, graphic designer, proofreader, etc. But, how do you go about it
My mother was fond of saying, "If you want to know something, go directly to the source." Taking this advice to heart, I interviewed professionals in the industry for the e-book, How to Really Make a Living as an Editorial Freelancer.
Publishers, editorial directors, human resource managers and editors, among others were a vocal lot regarding freelancers and what they should/should not do to get their foot in the door.
What nuggets of information can you glean from them Here are five concrete points about which they were adamant.
1. Know your craft: Most clients like to see direct experience. This usually means working in the industry full-time for a number of years before going out on your own as a freelancer.
A vice president of publishing at a major trade publisher says, "Experience is key for us. Three to five years minimum, with a proven track record on our types of books. We dont linger over education, but I suspect most have a four-year degree."
As an editorial recruiter, I generally advise two to three years of full-time experience in the position/discipline for which you want to freelance. Five or more is better. Also, provide samples

Not that long ago, freelancing was something people did mainly in larger metropolitan areas where work for writers, artists, and other creative types was plentiful and easily accessible. Today, however, the freelance landscape has dramatically changed.
For one, you can live practically anywhere in the world and still be able to maintain a successful freelance career. Not to mention that the creative fields arent the only areas where freelancing is popular any more.
Today, accountants, trainers, computer technicians, etc. are all able to earn a living as freelancers. Regardless of the freelancing field you are interested in, there are some important things you should know that will help you get started and get successful.
Before we discuss those, however, we need to talk briefly about the pros and the cons of being a freelancer. You need to know both sides before you make your decision so you truly understand what youre getting into.
Freelancer Pros
1. You set your own schedule
As a freelancer, you get to determine what time you get out of bed and what time you turn in at night. You get to decide how much vacation time you can afford to take this year and you can elect to skip work one afternoon to spend time with your children.
2. You dont work for a boss
Even though you are answerable to your clients, they dont wield the same power over your life that a boss does. Yes, they can fire you, but you can also quit working for them if things get too difficult.
3. You determine how much you earn
While a conventional job pays a set amount of money regardless of how hard you work and in some cases how long you work, freelancing allows you to make practically any amount of money that you wish because you determine how much your services cost and how many jobs you take on at one time.
4. You are able to work from your own office
Whether you prefer working in a home office or renting space somewhere to do your business, you are in charge of designing and maintaining your own comfortable office. You get to pick the people you work with. You get to pick the type of computer, post-it notes, and bottled water that you use on a daily basis also.
Freelancers Cons
1. You can become overworked quickly
When you start working steadily as a freelancer, it becomes nearly impossible for you to truly take a vacation. You have projects and clients that need your constant attention, so being gone or getting sick even for a day can put you behind schedule.
2. You have to deal with clients who can be more difficult than bosses
Most of the clients freelancers work with are genuinely good people, but there are others out there that are not. Every freelancer has probably been ripped off by a client at one time or another, even if they take steps to protect themselves.
3. You dont have a steady income
Unless you have one or two truly constant streams of work, you can expect your income to fluctuate dramatically. Some months you may feel like you struck the lottery while others may make you think youre heading for the food stamp line, especially when you are starting out.
4. You dont have a way to separate work from home life
If you have a home office, you may find it difficult to recognize the difference between being at home and being at work which means that while your watching television or eating dinner you may begin to feel like youre actually still on the job.
As you can see, each positive has a negative aspect as well. However, many of these negatives can be easily handled once you have experience as a freelancer, but to get to that point, you need to know how to get started.
Find Something You Enjoy Doing
This is critical to your success. If you dont already have something in mind to do as a freelancer, you need to be sure that you pick an activity that you truly love. Remember, you will be doing this type of work every day. Also, the more you enjoy your work, the more passionate you are about it. Potential clients will spot that passion and will be more inclined to work with you.
Save Some Money
Most freelancers actually start out as conventional 9-5 workers. In fact, many of them maintain their full-time jobs in addition to their freelance work for the sake of a stable income, health insurance, or other benefits. If you choose to go freelance full-time, however, you need to be sure to have a comfortable nest egg in the bank. Most experts agree that you should have enough money in your savings to cover six months worth of your basic necessities. If that sounds impossible, then try juggling some freelance work with your regular job for awhile. Save up all of the money you earn from your freelance work and use that as your nest egg.
Start Finding Clients Today
One mistake that freelancers often make is that think they can only start networking and marketing their services after theyve gotten started. The truth is that if youre considering becoming a freelancer, now is the time to start networking and marketing. Let people know that you are thinking about going solo and get their reactions. Start building a database of possible job leads. In fact, you may want to line up some work beforehand so you can be sure of having an income initially.
Be Prepared
Most potential clients will want to see references and/or samples of your work before they give you a project. You need to have these prepared in advance. Dont wait until someone calls to possibly offer you a project to get your portfolio in order or to line up some qualified references. Have those ready to dispatch as soon as you get off the phone or finish the email.
Find an Accountant
The most difficult part of freelancing can be the handling the financial aspects: tracking invoices, staying on top of bills, figuring your yearly taxes, etc. Unless you are already skilled in accounting, you need to find someone to help you out with this from the beginning. It makes it much simpler for you and for the accountant.
Start a Web Site
Use the Internet to your advantage. Create a professional-looking but simple web site advertising your experience and your services, then place it on the Internet. Its one of the best ways of attracting new clients.
These suggestions will help you start your freelancing career on the right foot, but the most important key to your success will be your perseverance. If you give up easily or dont follow through with things, you may never truly make it as a freelancer. You must be able to take rejection. You must be self-motivated, and you must be persistent. Only then will you be able to experience firsthand all of the benefits of being a modern freelancer.
Useful sites:

http://www.elance.com/

http://www.guru.com/

http://www.allfreelance.com/

Copyright 2004 Vishal P. Rao

About The Author

For opportunities, ideas and resources to start a home based business, visit: http://www.home-based-business-opportunities.com
For more articles by the author, visit: http://www.home-based-business-opportunities.com/library/reprints.shtml

At the start of this new year, like at the start of every other new year, I came across dozens of articles about the importance of setting achievable goals, challenging myself to do new things and fixing measurable standards and working towards them.
But what happens when you mess up the goals from last year Where

Its not important if you dont know how to programm, design, optimize sites or do similar things. You can still earn money doing things everybody knows. Start working from your home today, without any extra investments.
You can do many "non-technical" things. Some of them are writing articles, reviews ..., data research/collection finding specified info on the web, data entry mostly copy/paste, translation and many more. Offcourse for all those technical people, there are things like programming, design, seo and others.
Sites to find jobs/projects :
Scriptlance - This is a great website. Most of my projects were done on this website. And I recomend it. While its name determins that most of the jobs are in web development, there are other not so technical jobs as article writing, data entry, data collection research and others. You dont need to pay for signup, their fees are one of the lowest 5% and you can withdraw money in many ways. They also offer escrow system, so you are enshured from cheaters. Users can leave a feedback about eachother - wich is a nice option.

https://www.scriptlance.com/cgi-bin/freelancers/r.cgitechcode

Rent A Coder - I did only one project over this one. The overall mood on this site somehow isnt right, but never the less, you can find lots of different jobs there, not just coding. Also there are some restrictions that make communication with the buyer a little dificult, and they dont offer bank wire withdraw - wich I like to use. Their fee is 18%, one more reason for me not to use it to much.

http://www.rentacoder.com

Freelancers Network - This is a UK based website. So naturaly many of the jobs are UK specific. Offcourse there are many jobs that you can work from anywhere in the world from your home. The good thing its FREE, yup no fees, at the same time, thats the bad news, and it might happend that you finish the job, and not get paid. That canot happend when using escrow systems.

http://www.frelancers.net

There are many other websites. But these should be enough for you to start. Eventialy you will realise that its best to concentrate on one or two of this websites. Mainly for the reason of feedback. Most freelance websites offer a way that buyers rate service providers after project is completed, and few good rates, with some nice words about you can work magic in geting future bids.
So at first it might we wise that you bid a little lower than people with more feedback. But dont think that giving the lowest bid, will enshure that you are picked. Sometimes I won bids even if there were people that had much more projects behind them, and less bids.
Your words also decide, make nice bid text, send personal message with questions if you have some, and details of what you plan to do.
Also you will realise that many of the people wich you found over this sites, will contact you latter for some additional work if you worked ok for the first time - so you will start to build your regular clients.
Good luck with your bids !

About The Author

Aleksandar Petrovic is an freelance web developer. And he has been freelancing for more than two years.

As a home business entrepreneur who is primarily involved with a program wherein I sponsor Affiliates in a downline, I often find that I am the recipient of emails from new enrollees who are clearly confused on several fronts. Commonly received initial emails consist of questions such as

Do you have a dream, but keep postponing it because you feel trapped by the responsibilities of life Want to be a writer, work from home, own your own business First, we will examine how your dream got deferred. Then, we will outline definitive steps to get you back on track.
"How did I get to this point in my life" Many of us look back and realize if we had it to do again, we would do some things differently. As the owner of a staffing agency for the last seven years, I have developed a theory.
In my opinion, many people "fall" into a job. Most accept the first decent paying position out of school. If its not something theyre particularly crazy about, they surmise theyll take this until they figure out what it is they really want to do.
Usually, the demanding responsibilities of rent, student loans, credit cards, etc. take over, making it hard to focus on what they really want to do. After 3, 5, 7 years in a field, it becomes more difficult to move into a different area because it often means a salary cut. At this point, however, a salary cut is often out of the question because of the above-mentioned responsibilities. It evolves into a vicious cycle.
So, how do you break the cycle The guidelines outlined below will put you well on your way to achieving your dreams. Some of this advice will fly in the face of what you have been told all your life. Its up to you to decide if your dream is important enough to accept it.
1. Make your dream one of your top three priorities. The mistake many make is putting their dreams on the back burner, eg, "Ill focus on [you fill in the blank], when the kids graduate from high school, when I pay off that student loan, once I get that promotion, etc."
There will always be something that can get in the way, if you let it. If you really want to be a writer, work from home, own your own business, travel more, whatever it is, you have to make it a priority. Otherwise it will always remain just that, a dream.
2. Manage debt. Massive debt limits the ability to make life changes.
Most people are forced into having to make a certain salary because theyve become accustomed to a certain lifestyle. Lets face it, most of us work to live. Our lives dictate to us, not the other way around.
Look at all the pressing demands in your life. Outside of keeping a roof over your head, putting food on the table, saving for retirement and health insurance, how many obligations can you cut back on
I personally do not believe that parents owe children an education. Its nice if you can help out, but you dont have to outright pay for it. Cut back on the college fund, outright buy a car instead of making payments, eat out less, and really, how many white shirts does one need - cut the shopping.
I live in New York City, one of the most expensive cities in the world. Yet, in the last seven years, Ive managed to build two businesses, work from home and basically plan my days to suit my needs, instead of having them planned for me.
New Yorkers have a running joke that you spend $20 just walking out the front door - and its practically true.
There are street vendors who sell the most beautiful baubles: jewelry, African art, sunglasses, shirts, books, CDs the illegal ones of excellent quality for $5!; restaurants and coffee bars litter almost every corner; oh-so-convenient bodegas; and we wont talk about the large Salvation Army in my neighborhood that should be renamed in my honor.
In spite of all this temptation right out my door, I rarely spend $5 during the week - really! How do I manage Two things help: 1 I grocery shop once a week and once a week only; and 2 I use my ATM card once a week to take out cash for the weekend on Fridays margaritas with my friends is almost a ritual!. No exceptions.
I guarantee you, if you start making your dream one of your main priorities, youd be amazed at how what you can do to achieve it.
3. Invest and save: Start a dream fund. Securing your dream is not about how much you make, but how much you save.
If you want to work from home, start planning and saving for it now. Most wait until they are so fed up with a current situation that they find themselves doing something drastic out of sheer frustration.
You will have a much better chance at success if you slowly and methodically start to plan months or years in advance. This will give you a chance to start freelancing and pick up clients while you are working full-time; pay down debts, save more aggressively, buy needed equipment, etc.
Starting early has another benefit as well. You will become calmer inside because you are doing something toward your dream. This will make your current situation more tolerable. In almost any given situation, taking positive action almost always makes you feel better.
So, although you may not be able to live your dream right away, taking these steps will allow you to start realizing it today!

About The Author

May be reprinted with inclusion of the following: Yuwanda Black is an entrepreneur, author, speaker and syndicated small business columnist whose focus is controlling your destiny through small business ownership. Her most recent e-books, How to Really Make a Living as an Editorial Freelancer and Advice from Successful Freelancers: How They Built Their Careers & How You Can Too! are available for immediate download at http://www.InkwellEditorial.com/bizguides.html Visit her on the web at http://www.EntrepreDoer.biz for a complete list of how-to, small business books and articles.
columnist@EntrepreDoer.biz

"Hey, I didnt know you were a writer, I thought you were a Virtual Assistant."
No matter how many times I hear this comment it still surprises me. I learned early on that writing was one of the most lucrative services that I could offer in my virtual assistance business, not to mention an incredible means of free marketing.
I have discovered a valuable resource for writing assignments and other types of work. The Freelance Work Exchange is an innovative web site that incorporates nearly every aspect of the freelance process. It features the components with which you are familiar as well as those for which you may not have an accurate understanding, and quite possibly, some aspects about which you have never even heard.
As with most legitimate professional freelance web sites, membership at http://tinyurl.com/3v69r is on a paid basis. In this case, membership is paid on a monthly basis at the standard rate of $29.95 per month. You may feel this is excessive especially since you dont know exactly what the value of membership is actually going to deliver for you.
Since this is the perspective of the average person, me included, the Freelance Work Exchange has a solution for addressing your questions directly. And no, you dont have to submit an e-mail with a list of questions and then wait for a reply. All you have to do is take advantage of the Freelance Work Exchanges valuable test drive.
For only $2.95 you can literally test drive the Freelance Work Exchange with a 7-day temporary membership. Unlike most other trial memberships that offer very limited access and no access at all to members only features, the Freelance Work Exchange gives you the run of the road. In other words, you dont just get to drive it around the block; you get to actually make a real road trip with your temporary membership.
Guess what The Freelance Work Exchange even gives you some souvenirs to make your road trip worth your while. Heres what your $2.95 is going to net you, even if you decide at the end of the 7-day trial that one trip was enough for you.
* Unlimited 24/7 Access to Professional Members Area
For 7 days, youre going to be able to explore and take advantage of each component of the Professional Members Area at the Freelance Work Exchange. This doesnt mean that you get to read about them, but that you get to make full use of each members only component.
* Freelance Job Report
You will receive immediate access to the current issue of this Freelance Work Exchange professional edition bi-weekly newsletter, which is a paid subscription. Each issue features career advice and strategies as well as hot freelance job opportunities.
* The Jobs Database
Okay, so the Freelance Work Exchange has a freelance job bank, but so do other freelance web sites. However, this site actually allows you to use your test drive to go through the process of finding projects and applying for them. This will give you a good idea of how the site works for you without an ongoing commitment.
Categories in The Jobs Database include:
* Writing, Editing and Proofreading
* Design & Illustration
* Programming & Software Development
* Consultancy
* Administrative & Miscellaneous
* Work-at-Home
* Million Dollar Freelancing
The Freelance Work Exchange publishes this valuable freelancers publication feature in serialized format. A perk that you receive as a temporary member is a free subscription offer. Youll receive this innovative publication in chapter-by-chapter format delivered directly to your e-mail address.
If you decide that Million Dollar Freelancing offers no value to you, you can simply discontinue your subscription anytime you choose. The Freelance Work Exchange will promptly remove you from this subscriber list.
* Featured Freelance Listing
The Freelance Work Exchange offers all its members the opportunity to purchase a "feature" listing as a freelancer for the price of $50.00 for a 1-month listing or $100.00 for a 3-month listing. This same offer is available to you as a temporary member. If you purchase a Featured Freelance Listing and decide not to continue with a monthly membership, you still have the benefit of having your professional profile featured for the period for which you purchased it.
* Freelance Billing Rates
A common issue among freelance writers and service providers is how to determine rates for professional services. Freelance Work Exchange has reduced it to black and white for you. Taken directly from the U.S. Department of Labor is a chart featuring average rates for various professional services. For some specific freelance services, there is an indicated range of from low to high.
True, you can find this information yourself for free at the U.S. DOLs web site, but you will have to dig for it. The Freelance Work Exchange has done the digging for you.
* Gold Seal of Professional Membership
As a supportive service to its professional members, the Freelance Work Exchange has published a Freelance Code of Practice for which it has also created an image or graphics design. Your temporary membership entitles you to post this Gold Seal of Professional Membership directly at your own web site, provided that you are also willing to link to the Freelance Code of Practice.
What better way to declare your professional status than by associating yourself with a highly recognizable Gold Seal of Professional Membership It will add a significant recognition factor of your professional expertise.
* Searchable Newsletter Archive
Not only does your 7-day temporary membership grant you access to current newsletter content, but it also grants you access to all the archived newsletters as well. Simply enter a keyword search to find a listing of relevant articles that you can actually read.
* Categorized Newsletter Search
If a keyword search is not your preferred method of finding information on a particular subject, Freelance Work Exchange features a categorical listing from which you can search for an article on a particular topic. Immediate access is provided to this feature with your temporary membership. You can read an unlimited amount of articles with seven days about any category that interests you.
* Priority Resume Bank
The Freelance Work Exchange gives you a genuine first chance opportunity for consideration with its recurring employer client base. It has established many solid relationships with employers for whom they provide freelance referrals as needed. As a temporary member, you are invited to submit your resume and/or other professional credentials via its online form for their review and inclusion in its exclusive group of professionals whom they refer to various employers.
There is no additional fee for reviewing your resume and maintaining it in the Priority Resume Bank for employer consideration.
* Freelance Job Finder
The Freelance Work Exchange features a meta search tool that you can use to do a quick search for freelance opportunities currently posted at all the major online job markets. This is an incredible timesaver that gives you an instant overview of what is available instead of having to go to each major employment web site and do an individual search.
* The Big List
For convenient viewing, the Freelance Work Exchange maintains a current listing of over 100 freelance markets grouped categorically. Its a deep goldmine of places for marketing your services.
* Totally Free Software
The only thing better than free software is software that is free and useful to you. The Freelance Work Exchange reviews the benefits of several premium freelance software products to which it has linked directly for easily downloading. Again, you can find this information and the free downloads yourself on the Internet, but youll invest more than $2.95 worth of your valuable time searching for it.
* E-Mail Support
The Freelance Work Exchange publishes a Frequently Asked Questions FAQ page in which it details specific information about the various features it offers. If you need assistance beyond what is provided there, it will gladly provide additional support for you via e-mail.
* Your Free E-Book on Viral Freelancing
Immediately upon purchasing a $2.95 membership, you have access to this innovative publication. Simply download it and save it to your desktop.
This valuable e-book is filled with easy how-to ways to boost your freelance earnings. Even if you decide not to continue your membership after the 7-day road trip, you still get to keep Your Free E-Book on Viral Freelancing. This feature alone is worth a considerable purchase price.
* Special Report - The Formula For Success
A proven reality, the Freelance Work Exchange gives you immediate access to a simple 5-part business plan for achieving success as a freelance professional. This intriguing report is delivered via download in Adobe Acrobat or PDF file and makes genuine common sense from what can be a complicated prospect.
Simply download the file and save it to your computer. You get to keep this valuable report even if you decide to cancel your membership your 7-day road trip.
* Post Your Own Job
The Freelance Work Exchange offers an online job submission form that allows you to submit your own specific job for inclusion in The Jobs Database. This valuable feature is available free of charge during your 7-Day membership period. It is a perfect opportunity to find an editor, a ghostwriter or simply an extra pair of hands to assist you as needed.
For the members only fee of $20.00, you can upgrade your job to a Featured Job Listing for placement in the Freelance Job Report Newsletter. This is a very nominal fee considering that the subscriber base of the newsletter currently exceeds 120,000. That means more than 120,000 talented freelance professionals are actually paying to see your job posting.
* Featured Members Specials Offering 30% Discount
During your Freelance Work Exchange road trip, youll have the opportunity to enjoy a 30% discount on Featured Member Specials such as professional resume writing services and web design services as well as other valuable resources such as the Work At Home Success Kit.
Okay, so thats the map to your 7-day Freelance Work Exchange road trip. The final destination at which you arrive is yours to determine. Answer one question though before postponing your temporary membership purchase ... just one. And my question is...
What previous $2.95 investment has ever netted you as much professional mileage
c 2004, Davis Virtual Assistance. All rights in all media reserved. Permission for reprint granted to all venues so long as they are opt-in.

About The Author

Bonnie Jo Davis is a Virtual Assistant and the webmaster of the Articles That Sell Center. To join her no cost, unique monthly marketing e-zine visit http://www.ArticlesThatSell.com/newsletter.htm
Bonnie@ArticlesThatSell.com

Do you want to make $5000, $10,000 or more every month as a freelancer Does your current published materials earn you that much or are you still struggling looking for new jobs every month Well, ghost writing articles and books for businesses could earn you a lot of money and end your painful quest for writing jobs.
Making money as a freelance writer can be tough especially for newbies with no samples or prior experience. Most editors want published writers with a proven track record. And the few acceptances you will receive may get you paid $50 or $100 an article. With these figures you can only imagine whether you can make a living freelancing.
Well, its not all doom and gloom as there are other better alternatives. One of these, is ghost writing of articles, books, manuals, e.t.c. for business for fees ranging from $500 to $5000 or even more for big work. A single how-to article could be ghost written for businesses for a fee of $1500 or $3000 depending on the work involved writing and the publications placed in. Surely this is much more than many magazine and newspaper editors pay for single articles from newbies. Sell four or five articles per month and you can consider going full time into freelancing.
GETTING STARTED
To begin with, you need to identify a niche area of you expertise .It could be in medical writing, business writing or a narrow area which you are knowledgeable in or you can make easy inroads into. Not that this limits your market potential but having a niche area of specialization would make it easier to operate, as you will be constantly drawing ideas from a rich and ready knowledge base.
Next, you should research a few ideas and convert them into a few how-to articles in your market niche. Post the finished articles to article submission databases such as:

http://www.ideamarketers.com

http://www.marketing-seek.com

http://www.goarticles.com

http://www.ezinearticles.com

http://www.articlecity.com

Use the published articles as samples of your writing ability and work. At the same time the articles will be picked and published in hundreds of ezines and high traffic sites, thus gaining free publicity for you and your business.
FINDING BUSINESS
To get business you will need to send letters or e-mails to your local businesses and even those beyond with proposals to write articles for them. Explain to them the benefits of your business such as boosting their businesss image and credibility as well as generate leads for later follow - up. Enclose a few samples, a tentative contract agreement and a cover letter.
You can also purchase or rent business names and addresses from direct mail list brokers, fish out names from your business and yellow pages directory.
Before writing to them, you could do some background check and find out the status and details of the business. If they have a website, you could check it out and get the name of their marketing executive. Address your letter to him/her and offer to call or visit for a detailed business presentation. For businesses which are far away, you could refer them to you website or offer to send them more information by post or e-mail.
WRITING THE ARTICLE
Once you have secured the businesss acceptance and you have signed a contract, you should ask them to send to you brochures, press releases, manuals, e.t.c. Write down a list of questions and send to the marketing executive seeking answers about the business or industry.
You can also do further research at the local library, online libraries and databases and read trade and industry publications for further information to write an outline for a how to-article.
However, do not make a mistake to think that the article will be about your client or load it with so many facts that bore you reader. That could be suitable for a custom -made booklet, manual or newsletter for the client. For articles, it is a different matter. Offer tips, solutions to consumer or business problems or give a valuable insight into a common issue or problem. The article could be about self-improvement, making more money, improving health, planning finances, training e.t.c.
The article would contain the client’s by line and bio. The bio would explain briefly who the client is, the client’s websites URL and e-mail address. This is very useful and will be the centrepiece of the credibility and viral marketing campaign.
Once you have written the article, you need to send a draft to your client for suggestions and revisions. Adopt the suggestions, proofread it and prepare a final draft. Send the final draft to your client and post it to article databases, ezines and syndicates online and offline. In the course of time, the article will be distributed and circulated online and off generating wide publicity for you client.
How long should the articles be For how-to articles 500-750 words is the standard but where the subject needs exhaustive treatment 1000 to 1500 words is good length. For a higher word count, you should advice your client to consider an ebook, booklet or book. Of course, the longer the article, the higher the fees.
SETTING YOUR FEES
There is no standard way of pricing your article writing services. You should set your fees based on the research work involved, the hours you spend on the work, and expenses involved in producing and publishing the article and a profit.
For a 300 to 500 words article $200 to $300 is fair but as the word count leaps into the hundreds, figures of $1500 to $5000 are reasonable. To convince your customers to cough such amounts, you will need to tell them the benefits of your service and business promotion through articles. You could also offer them various packages laden with bonuses and offers. For example, I offer a package, which includes paid placements to article databases and syndicates, ezines solo ads and press releases writing and posting. All this is done to assure the client cheap maximum and wide exposure no matter what. For booklets and ebooks of less than 50 pages, rates of $3000 to $10,000 are not uncommon. For books a ghostwriter may be paid anything from $20,000 to $100,000 depending on expertise, length and research involved.
At those rates obviously, you will not get everybody in, but for prospective clients who are used to paying hundreds of thousands in advertising dollars they would see it s reasonable and beneficial in the long term.
To ensure that you do not miss business from those who have small budgets to spend on promotion, you can structure your packages according to ability to pay. Those who pay less would get good exposure with no assurance of leads while those who pay more will get an almost guaranteed response.
BENEFITS
Everyone wants to know how he/she will benefit from a product or service. For yourself as a freelancer, you will get booming business and enjoy making money as a freelance ghost writer. You will get more business by collecting and showing testimonials of your satisfied clients and establish a reputation as a prolific writer.
For the clients, you will need to explain to them the benefits of your service. Here are some benefits you can tell them:

Free publicity to millions of prospects online and offline.
The published articles may be used by the client to mail to existing and prospective customers as a free service, building credibility and a positive image of the business in the process.
Leads will be generated for future follow -up. Enquiries will be made about the business and some sales will be made.
The publication of the article online which contains relevant keywords with the clients website URL will increase its link popularity and improve its search engine ranking. This may bring in more targeted visitors to the website.
The client will be given progress reports for at least six months on the places where the articles has been published .You can inform him/her to also search for it on search engines using his/her by-line or article title.

The article could provide spin-offs for other article ideas, which you could slant for various businesses and markets. You could also write new articles every month, post them to article databases and send to prospective clients with a cover letter to market your services.
This ghost writing service could be very lucrative. You could earn tens of thousands of dollars every month from it. You could even get clients worldwide through your website and e-mails to direct response mailing lists.
Only the sky the limit!

About The Author

Abdallah Khamis Abdallah is a freelance copywriter and ghostwriter. To learn more about how you and your business can benefit from our viral and credibility marketing solutions, and how your business can benefit from infinite publicity visit his website at: http://www.qualitywritingsolutions.com.
quantumpro@lycos.com

HR Lady stared at me across the desk. She was trying to size me up, to understand what makes me tick. I had explained that I wanted to work for MegaCorp, and that I was the perfect person to fill a position that had not even been advertised.
"Tell me again why you want to be the official MegaCorp scapegoat," she demanded.
I thought I had explained it well enough. Every company needs a scapegoat, someone that others can bring forward when the heat gets hot.
When the Board of Directors grumbles because all the graphs look upside down, the President can call ScapeGoat into the room. Gentlemen, I have identified our problem. It is all ScapeGoats fault. He reversed the gravitational equilibrium, and the graphs are no longer able to forge their customary ant-gravitational upward paths.
The Board of Directors gets a lot less grouchy and they are able to enjoy their six course luncheon. That solves the problem of the upside down graphs. At least for another month.
When angry shareholders notice that their graphs are also upside down, the President can call ScapeGoat into the room once more. It is all ScapeGoats fault. It is all ScapeGoats fault. He reversed the gravitational equilibrium again, and nobodys graph can forge its customary ant-gravitational upward path.
That solves the problem of the upside down graphs for everyone except ScapeGoats disability insurance provider.
When employees want to know why there is no bonus in their envelopes, the President can launch a full investigation. "We will find where ScapeGoat hid your bonus checks, if its the last thing we ever do!" And the investigation will last long enough that it WILL be the last thing he ever does.
When creditors come calling... Its ScapeGoats fault.
When the media wants to know why there are no women on the Board ... Its ScapeGoats fault.
When the fish in the creek all float like the graphs upside down... Its ScapeGoats fault.
When the wind blows too strong on company property and knocks over a soda can, spilling an employees drink and making him very thirsty... Its ScapeGoats fault.
MegaCorp needs a scapegoat.
HR Lady asked another question. "What have you been doing these past thirty years."
The fact is that I had been freelancing. There are lots of people who need scapegoats. Drivers, for instance:
"What! My brand new car!"
"ScapeGoat crashed it."
"But...but, theres hardly anything left of it!"
"ScapeGoat is very thorough."
Parents need scapegoats, too.
"Wheres little Cindy Didnt you pick her up from the babysitter again"
"Oops. Uh, I forgot. ScapeGoat distracted me."
"I hope you dont plan to get distracted tomorrow. If this keeps up, Ill forget what she looks like."
HR Lady seemed amused. "If you were doing so well as a freelancer, why are you applying for a job here"
I had to admit that freelancing was getting tough. Too many people were losing faith.
"ScapeGoat distracted you again! That makes, uh...let me see, 6,342 days in a row. Little Cindy isnt that little anymore. Just who is this ScapeGoat person anyway, the Tooth Fairy"
HR Lady laid her hands on her desk. "MegaCorp has always done quite well without a professional scapegoat. When we need somebody to blame, we can always find someone to play the role."
She was not cluing in. I was offering MegaCorp the chance to use a professional scapegoat, instead of constantly relying on amateurs, some of whom were not even willing players.
I looked HR Lady straight in the eye. "What will you tell your boss when he finds out that HumongaCorp has a professional scapegoat, and you passed up the chance to hire one, too Who will you point the finger at then, an amateur"

About The Author

David Leonhardt writes the Happy Guy humor column:

http://www.thehappyguy.com/positive-thinking-free-ezine.html

Read past columns at:
http://www.thehappyguy.com/humor-articles.html .
He also wrote Inspiration & Motivation To Go

http://www.thehappyguy.com/l/daily-motivation-inspiration.php

and Climb Your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness:

http://www.thehappyguy.com/happiness-self-help-book.html

Info@thehappyguy.com