![Why Your Photos Are Worth Millions [Plus a $100 Pitchfest Prize]](https://i0.wp.com/beafreelanceblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/pitchfest-2015.png?resize=700%2C300&ssl=1)
Now, let’s be sensible about this.
Most of the people who read this post will never get a million dollars for a photo they’ve taken. It’s unlikely, though not impossible.
But a million views, ah, that’s a different matter. It’s totally possible for a good blog post with awesome photos to get a million views. Yep, even one of *your* posts for a client whose blog is moderately popular.
Sometimes a post goes viral purely on the strength of its visuals. How many times has a photo caught your eye on a social network that isn’t dedicated specifically to images? Like on Facebook or Twitter, say, or on LinkedIn.
You may not go there intending to gawp at photos of other people’s cats, lunch, home office setup or accidental sideboob flash, but all those images are there just waiting to jump in your eyeballs as you scroll down. (OK, not so much sideboob on LinkedIn. But TBH it really depends who you network with — even LinkedIn has lively subcultures of burlesques, erotica writers, vajazzlers and other deviants.)
Why are those images there? Because someone shared the post that photo or video was featured in. Why did they share it? Because of the visual elements that make it more fun, more surprising or more insightful. More cool. More meaningful. More worth pointing out to a friend.
Point is, you can either:
(A) Write a brilliant blog post, or
(B) Write a brilliant blog post with an information-rich graphic, a funny stick-figure illustration, and a sequence of photos or screenshots that show YOU doing whatever you’re talking about in your post.
As the editor-in-chief of this reasonably popular blog you’re reading, I can tell you that I’d pay a writer more for Option B.
And now I’m giving you a chance to win $100 by creating *your* version of Option B.
Yep, it’s Pitchfest time!
In case you’re not familiar, Pitchfest is a blog post pitching contest we run every 3 months. You tell us your blog post idea and we choose our favourites, with prizes of up to $100 for the winners.
The contest starts today — but first, let’s talk about how to win.
Your theme for this Pitchfest
This time, we’re not asking for posts on a specific theme — it just has to be useful to freelance bloggers. But we’re gonna be looking closely at your use of supporting media. We want you to tell us what media you’ll submit along with your post if we choose you as a Pitchfest winner, and how it will add to the reader’s experience of your post.
The rules
Anybody can enter the contest by typing (or pasting) their pitch into the comments box at the bottom of this page.- Only ONE PITCH per person, please.
- Follow the pitch format I’ll tell you in a moment.
- After you submit your pitch, Lauren and/or Sophie will offer feedback to help you optimise your idea for this blog’s audience and improve your pitching skills. You may also get feedback from other entrants, BAFB team members, and innocent bystanders — pay attention, because they represent your readers here.
- After you get our feedback, you can revise your pitch if you like and re-submit it by pasting it into a follow-up comment. And yes, that means you can offer us a completely different idea if we’ve told you your first idea definitely won’t work for this blog.
- If you win, we’ll ask you to send us a draft of at least 1000 words, so bear that minimum word count in mind when you pitch.
The prizes
- First prize: $100 for your guest post, paid on publication.
- Second prize: $50 for your guest post, paid on publication.
- Third prize: A 3-question mentoring package via email.
The deadline
- Submit your pitch before the end of Thursday, September 10th, 2015.
- We’ll announce the winners on September 12th.
- If we choose your pitch, we expect you to deliver your first draft to Lauren by September 26th. (But if you need a little longer, let us know and we’ll work around it.)
How to pitch
- Read our general guest blogging guidelines first, then come back here to submit your pitch.
- Suggest at least one headline designed to make freelance bloggers want to read your post.
- Follow the headline with the opening lines you’d use in the post. No less than 30 words, no more than 60. You DON’T need to write a whole post (or even a whole introduction) before you pitch — we’d like to give you feedback on your idea before you write a draft.
- After the opening lines, give us no more than 6 points you’ll make in your post, and provide a one or two sentence summary of each point. (If you plan to make more than 6 points in your post, only tell us the most important 6 in your pitch.)
- Explain what media you plan to use to support each of your points: will you bring us video clips, photos, infographics, audio recordings, comic strips, or your best hand-drawn Venn diagrams? How will they add to the meaning and value of the point you make?
- Then explain in no more than 3 sentences why this is a great post for Be a Freelance Blogger and why you’re the right person to write it.
- Put your pitch in the comment box at the bottom of this page.
- Check the little box that says “Notify me of follow-up comments” so you’ll know when we’ve given you feedback.
- Submit your comment and if you followed all the steps above, you’re entered into the contest.
Extra tips
- Remember, we’re focusing on your explanation of how you’ll use additional media to make your post even more awesome, so give us plenty of details!
- To get a better idea of what Lauren and I are looking for in your pitch, study the pitches and responses in previous Pitchfests.
- Save a copy of your pitch somewhere before you post it here — if your comment gets lost in the internet, you don’t wanna have to re-write it from scratch.
- Your comment may get held in a moderation queue, especially if it contains hyperlinks. Don’t worry if that happens; we’ll get to it and reply!
OK, it’s time.
Let the Pitchfest begin! This contest is closed.
I agree completely, Sophie. There’s this blog I help manage, and recently, a guest post captured top spot in their list of most popular posts. The topic has already been covered elsewhere, but the fact that it has LOTS of screen captures certainly contributed to its popularity.
That’s really interesting, Maricel! Thanks for sharing a real-world example of what we were trying to illustrate. 🙂
We’d love for you to come back and enter the contest if you have an idea of your own to pitch!
I’m working on it, Lauren. Thank you!
Headline: It’s Midnight Somewhere: Don’t Feed Your Internet Trolls
Introduction:
If you’re a blogger, you’ve dealt with trolls. If you haven’t, trust me you will. When my first article was published at xoJane, trolls had me pulling out my hair. They called me a spoiled, psychotic, jobless, shitty writer. In shock, I started at the soul-sucking comments for over six hours. However, this experience taught me valuable coping skills. Now I can clobber any troll that comes my way.
1. Are you on the troll-spectrum?
Internet trolls engage in a variety of behaviors from being mischievous, playful, and silly to tormenting the friends and family of their typical victims: women, people of color, LGBT, and Christians/Republicans.
2. What do trolls get out of trolling?
Trolls claim that they are motivated solely by “lulz,” which is a corruption of “laugh out loud” — antagonistic laughter indicating the target has responded with strong negative emotion.
3. What’s psychologist say about internet trolls?
A recent study on Personality and Individual Differences confirms what we all suspected: Internet trolls are horrible people. Their main issues were narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism.
4. How to deal with internet trolls?
Remember the three rules from the 1984 movie The Gremlins. Don’t give them water, light, or food! This is one strategy you can use on Internet trolls. You can also kill them with kindness, fight with facts, laugh it off, or by compare troll tales with your blogging buddies.
5. Should you embrace the haters?
Blogging is just like show business because any publicity is good publicity. When trolls leave comments, look up your Linkedin profile, or Tweet about your article, they’re actually doing you a favor. Your post or profile gets a higher rating and can be found easier.
6. When should you report Internet Trolls?
Sometimes no matter what tactic you use, Internet trolls refuse to stop trolling. Blacklist them to prevent them from sending you emails. If it’s on Twitter, Linkedin, or Facebook, block the person and if necessary, report him or her as abusive.
Possible Media:
1. Important passages of the article will be turned into beautiful images using Recite.com. [Since most readers scan articles, they’ll be able to locate passages that are important to them with ease.]
2. A hand-drawn or photo-manipulated “I Survived the Trolls” Banner for Commentators. [Most readers will be curious about the image–it’ll be sent via email to each person who comments–so the comments section will be more lively.]
3. A hand-drawn or manipulated stock picture of an Internet troll’s brain. [This picture will be humorous but psychologically-based.]
4. Screenshots of how to block people on Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook. [The screenshots will let readers know they’re on the right track to blocking harassing trolls.]
5. A webcomic of traditional troll victims. [This image would add humor and informational. Readers will be able to easily remember trolls’ main victims.]
Section: Staying Sane
About Me:
My name is Cherese Cobb, and I’m a freelance writer from Knoxville, Tennessee. I’ve written for blogs such as xoJane, Take Lessons, Be a Freelance Blogger, the Penny Hoarder, and The Krazy Coupon Lady, the number one couponing blog in America. I’m also the 3rd place winner of the International Polish Haiku Contest. My haiku have recently been published in Frogpond and the Asahi Shimbun.
Why does this topic matter?
As we become more vulnerable online, the chances of being trolled increases. The more you put yourself out there, the more likely you will come across people who despise or don’t understand your work. Because technology is maturing faster than we are, trolls will always exist and will feel compelled to sabotage you and your work.
I like this idea a lot, Cherese, and you’ve clearly put some thought into your supporting media – great pitch!
Not sure about presenting paragraphs of writing as image files, though – it makes it harder for some people to read the article if they’re using image blocks or screen readers. Shorter snippets of text as images will work fine as pull quotes, leaving the full text available *as* text. 🙂
Sophie,
I’m glad that you like my idea! I definitely didn’t consider that some readers will be using image blockers or screen readers. I love your idea about pulling out quotes. I’ve changed my media section to reflect it.
Possible Media:
1.Pull out quotes will be turned into beautiful images using Recite.com. [Since most readers scan articles, they’ll be able to locate ideas that appeal to them with ease.]
2. A hand-drawn or photo-manipulated “I Survived the Trolls” Banner for Commentators. [Most readers will be curious about the image–it’ll be sent via email to each person who comments–so the comments section will be more lively.]
3. A hand-drawn or manipulated stock picture of an Internet troll’s brain. [This picture will be humorous but psychologically-based.]
4. Screenshots of how to block people on Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook. [The screenshots will let readers know they’re on the right track to blocking harassing trolls.]
5. A webcomic of traditional troll victims. [This image would add humor and informational. Readers will be able to easily remember trolls’ main victims.]
I like this topic, and it’s definitely relevant to a lot of freelance bloggers. I also like the reference to the Gremlins. Good luck!
Thanks, Alicia. The Gremlins use to terrify me. I’d hide anytime my sister would watch the VHS. The ironic thing is that they’re cute until you decide to put them into the light or feed them. Then they’d grow into hideous, alligator-like creatures. In my opinion, that’s a good analogy for Internet trolls. (Should we call them e-gremlins?)
BRILLIANT!
Thank you, Krithika!
Love the topic, Cherese! Since this Pitchfest is focusing on images, you might want to tweak that part of your pitch a bit (see Sophie’s notes above), but the rest was gold. Great job!
I would definitely read this post–with or without the enhanced graphics. (Which means this comment might not be helpful, since the focus here is on the graphics. Sorry.) Especially for Point #6: when to report.
Thank you for commenting, Tamm. I with you. I’m forever searching for a visual when I’m trying to do something technical. I’ve had to block someone on Linkedin before. He emailed and called me all hours of the day. Plus, he wanted a play by play of what I was doing…workwise and personally. It’s never comfortable, but sometimes you just have to hit block, unfriend, or delete.
I would love to read this, too!
Thanks, Maricel! I’m looking forward to reading your pitch too.
Correction: In shock, I STARED at the soul-sucking comments for over six hours. However, this experience taught me valuable coping skills. Now I can clobber any troll that comes my way.
Are You an Ugly Content Duckling or a Graceful Blogging Swan? Only You Can Choose.
You want to write, right? You can string a decent set of words together, you’ve even had some praise for your work and hopefully not just from your mom. Your sights are set on scaling the dizzy heights of blogdom and suddenly boom! You just hit a brick wall. Let’s be real, it happens. It could be happening to you right now.
What do You Want, If You Don’t Want Money?
Before you go steaming full ahead, take just a moment to think, I mean REALLY think about what you want from this flourishing blogging career of yours. Remember, it’s absolutely okay to be confused in the early stages – I was and often still am.
Are Content Mills all Bad?
Content mills are hammered time and time again BUT can they actually be a good place to cut your blogging teeth? Sure, you don’t want to live there forever but by the same token you don’t jump in a Formula 1 racing car before you pass your driving test.
Making the Transition (AKA Duckling to Swan)
If you chose blogging as your full-time gig, you’ll likely be in one of two places. 1) You still hold down a job that takes care of the bills and want to work up to telling the boss what you really think of him/ her or 2) You gone all in and NEED to get paying work sooner rather than later. There is a third possibility, but if you’re independently wealthy there are probably less challenging ways to spend your days.
Organization – Boring but Necessary
So, you’ve got some work under your belt and hopefully some positive feedback from ecstatic clients, if not you probably need to get some. What next? Well, a good next step is to get your ducks/ swans lined up properly.
WEBSITE –
PORTFOLIO –
Finding Clients to Support Your Crazy Habits – Eating for Example!
The number one thing I picked up in my perilous journey so far is to look for clients where clients actually hang out. That’s why this post is such a bad idea. It’s for budding freelancers (like myself) and budding freelancers won’t hire me or pay my bills
Mindset and Confidence – AKA How I personally Found out I Must be Good Enough
Right, let’s say you’ve done some work for clients at this point. Let’s just imagine for a moment you’ve done it through Upwork, Elance (soon to be Upwork) or some other despicable content mill (that last bit probably won’t fly, libel laws being what they are). You’re ready to up you $25 gigs to $50 or even $100 gigs but there’s that nagging doubt again…
The media I’ll use to support my piece will be royalty free images I find online, maybe a YouTube video or two or possibly hand drawn graphics from my 12 year old daughter (that could work).
My reasons for thinking this piece is great (confidence lol) is that it’s based on exactly what I’m going through right now. I’m sure many of us are in the same place if we’re completely honest. Someone on the way up in their blogging career may well identify with the experiences of a fellow duckling rather than a long-time graceful swan…
Les,
I like this analogy, but you don’t seem very confident in your media samples. What will the pictures be of? What topics would your choice Youtube video expand on? Better yet, what Youtube video would you use, and where would you place it?
The other pointer I have is not to say “this post is a bad idea for me.” If you won Pitchfest and were paid $100, that makes Sophie a client (although not on-going). So that itself is a success story. Instead of saying posting on this blog is a bad idea, you could leverage the fact that you hang around Pitchfest to land the job.
Good luck!
Hey Alicia,
I had a think on the media side of my pitch as you suggested and thought a great way to go would be with totally original graphics. I saw a style of stick men I liked so used that as inspiration and drew my own. I also drew a duck thinking about becoming a swan which ties in with my pitch.
I would place the stick man under the “What do You Want, If You Don’t Want Money” heading (or in the text) and the duck under the “Making the Transition (AKA Duckling to Swan)” heading/ text.
You can see the graphics here:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/bafb/think.png
https://s3.amazonaws.com/bafb/duckswan.png
The nice thing is that they are drawn by me so no copyright issues at all. I can produce more graphics as needed to make the piece engaging for the reader…
Thanks for the feedback on the “bad idea” part of my pitch. I agree that in isolation it looks a little stark but I was a bit restricted in content because of the rule of the pitch i.e. no more than 3 sentences. If you still really hate it, I’ll pull it, no worries. It’s designed to hammer home a point so with more meat on the bones it might read:
“The number one thing I picked up in my perilous journey so far is to look for clients where clients actually hang out. That’s why this post is such a bad idea. It’s for budding freelancers (like myself) and budding freelancers won’t hire me or pay my bills.
Okay, okay, I’m only joking. I’ve followed Sophie and BAFB for a long time now and to get a spot on here is worth its weight in gold. But now I’ve got your attention…etc.”
If you still detest the idea, I’ll throw it in the trash and re-think.
Thanks
Les,
No need to throw it in the trash. 🙂
Thanks for sharing those graphics. I really like the one with the duck thinking about becoming a swan. It’s so cute!
Thanks Alicia,
I’m even thinking I could put together little cartoon strips, say 3 scenes with dialogue between 2 characters to enhance the piece as well. If done with humor that would also help to pull the reader in…
Cheers
Oh, I love that idea! It’s awesome when writers draw their own visuals. 🙂
What I’m missing here is a sense of the guidance you’ll offer your readers — I see the issues you plan to discuss, and they’re all valid, but I’m not clear about the solutions or coping strategies you’re going to recommend.
I know the pitching format we use is tighter than some writers are used to, but I would like to see you come back with a more reader-guidance focused version of this pitch. 🙂
^ What Sophie said here is something everyone entering should keep in mind.
Pitchfest is, at its heart, a pitching contest. So we’re going to be very strict about the format of the pitches — much moreso than usual!
There have been times in past PF contests where someone had a brilliant idea, but their pitch wasn’t strong enough to win the pitching contest so we had to give them a lesser prize…
Make sure you — and I’m talking to all y’all! — follow the guidelines exactly. Even if your idea isn’t the best ever, it will increase your chances of winning exponentially. 😉
I wrote this for the last PF, but the tips in it are pretty timeless if you want extra help: http://laurentharp.net/pitchfest-hints/
Thanks for that feedback Sophie, it gave me great clarity on where I need to go with my idea and pitch.
Here’s my revised pitch.
HEADLINE: Are You an Ugly Content Duckling or a Graceful Blogging Swan? Only You Can Decide.
SUB HEADLINE: X Actionable Tips to Help You on Your Path to Freelancing Super Stardom
OPENING LINES: You want to write, right? You can string a decent set of words together, you’ve even had some praise for your work and hopefully not just from your mom. Your sights are set on scaling the dizzy heights of freelancing in general and mega-blogdom in particular, then suddenly – boom! You just hit a brick wall. Let’s be real, it happens. And it could be happening to you right now.
POINT 1: Back to Basics – What do You Want if You Don’t Want Money?
Designed to get the budding freelancer & blogger to sit down and evaluate, really evaluate, why freelancing & blogging is for them and what they hope to achieve from their leap of faith into the great unknown (supported by graphic “think.png” linked below). The guidance & strategy element will be a pen and paper exercise where the reader clarifies their thinking by writing down the answers to a number of questions designed to tease out information that forms the outline of a basic, useable roadmap.
POINT 2: Let’s be Counterintuitive for a Moment – Are Content Mills all Bad?
We time and again see content mills such as Elance, Upwork Freelancer etc. getting slated and for very good reasons (which I’ll explain) but Point 2 will encourage the reader to explore whether they have a (temporary) role in their development as a freelancer & blogger. You don’t want to live there forever but you don’t jump in a Formula 1 racing car before you pass your driving test, and these places of ill repute can help you identify what a worthwhile job looks like, build a portfolio, get some cash, evaluate if you CAN get 5* reviews, develop your confidence and build customer handling experience without making career-threatening mistakes.
POINT 3: Making the Transition (AKA Duck to Swan)
This point will talk about making the transition from cutting your teeth to playing with the big boys; in real terms, transitioning from $20-$30 jobs to $50 to $100 jobs and even the $1 per word (or more) nirvana we all seek as freelancers. The guidance & strategy element will be around pricing per job based on the value of the finished product to the client and why pricing per word or per hour may not be ideal in achieving maximum reward for effort (supported by graphic “duckswan.png” linked below)
POINT 4: Organization (Yawn) – Boring but Absolutely Necessary
We’re “artistes” and should only concentrate on producing outstanding words and nothing else, right? Wrong! This point will be about the importance of organization in relation to transitioning from “duck to swan” (as well as beforehand) and offer guidance and strategy in the form of advice on (in order of importance) i) portfolio ii) website (refers back to point 1 above in making sure website content resonates with target audience i.e. write for clients) iii) CV. Guidance and support will be further provided by discussing how to organize prospecting for clients (supported by graphic extracted from my own spreadsheet “prospecting.png” linked below).
POINT 5: Finding Clients to Support Your Crazy Habits – Eating for Example!
At this point I’ll bring in some more humor to keep the reader engaged and talk about places to find some decent paying clients. Including a link to the excellent Mandy Gardner “9 Places to Find Blogging Job Ads That Don’t Suck” BAFB post here: http://beafreelanceblogger.com/blogging-job-ads/#more-5939
I’ve also found another premium source myself recently and will include that also.
POINT 6: Your Big Aha! Moment and Why You ARE Good Enough.
Here I’ll talk about confidence and assure the reader that if they’re being paid (no matter how little) for writing blog posts, articles and content (I’ll relate back to Point 2 above about content mills) then someone, somewhere sees them as being valuable and is using their content; albeit mainly ghost-written at this stage. I’ll show the reader how to find their content online (I found mine on CNN and a government website among others!) with the aim of giving them a huge confidence and mindset boost and encouraging them to believe they can make the transition from duck to swan (leave the reader on a high).
MEDIA I PLAN TO USE:
Point 1 graphic – https://s3.amazonaws.com/bafb/think.png
Point 3 graphic – https://s3.amazonaws.com/bafb/duckswan.png
Point 4 graphic (extract from spreadsheet): https://s3.amazonaws.com/bafb/prospecting.png
Other graphics I produce myself if needed/ appropriate.
WHY THIS IS A GREAT POST FOR BE A FREELANCE BLOGGER AND WHY I’M THE RIGHT PERSON TO WRITE IT: The information in this post is of genuine, actionable value to the reader, be they a beginner or intermediate. All of this is written from my own personal experience and distilled from thousands (yes) of hours of reading, research and trial and error. The piece will be written in a truly engaging style, employing humor and graphics (also produced by me) to support the content and the flow of the piece.
Much better, Les. 🙂
Title: Mind Mapping and Why it’s the Most Useful Thing I’ve Recently Learned
Introduction:
If you’ve ever struggled with ideas on what to write about (and who hasn’t) for your blog, book, or article, mind mapping is the best tool I’ve used lately to get those creative juices flowing. It is an easy thing to do as I’ll show you step by step.
1. Begin your mind map with a central idea or writing prompt.
2. Start with a blank piece of paper and put that central idea or prompt in the center. Now, draw a circle around it and stems off of it where you will put your next ideas.
3. Not using this tool will lead to hours of looking at a blank screen in frustration, clueless about what subject to write about.
4. This tool is useful for writing blogs, books, articles etc.
Possible Media: Hand drawn illustration of an example mind map, picture taken with my iphone of my writing desk and materials
Section: Blog Better
About Me:
My name is Kim Smyth and I’m a freelance blogger, trying to break into copywriting by first building a portfolio. I have a blog, more like a blog page, called Essentially Paleo Life on wordpress, I’ve written a few articles on various subjects for Ezine and Article Document. I’ve submitted material for a couple of magazines and I’m awaiting possible publication.
Why it Matters:
It is a tool that has been proven effective and it has inspired me to overcome my fears about getting started and getting writing something, anything. I now know how to get the ball rolling, so to speak, and no longer have to worry about what to write about.
I can attest to the value of Mind Mapping and have used it a lot in the past. There are paid tools like Mindmeister which I’ve previously used but you can also get started with XMind for free…
Thanks Les, I’ll have to check those out very soon!
I like this idea. I know there are some software programs available for mind-mapping, so some good media might be to take screen shots of those programs.
Thank you Alicia, if that is what will help me along on my quest to win the contest, I’ll definitely take your advice!!
I second what Alicia said. I think a hand-drawn mind map could also be really helpful for tactile or physical pen and paper type learners.
Well, oddly enough, that describes me to a t! I did download the software that Les suggested and I look forward to seeing what it can do for me. I’ll probably use both a hand drawn illustration and the screenshot of the software. The more photos the better unless it’s about quality, then I’ll choose the best one to proove my point.
Mind mapping is cool, but I’m concerned that this pitch doesn’t have enough detail to flesh out into a 1000 word post. Can you expand your outline? 🙂
Hi Sophie
Thanks for the feedback, I had planned to include links to 365 days of writing prompts and also to the person I learned this useful tool from and then expand on the ideas about how many different ways this tool could help you in your writing. If you think I may still come up short, I’ll come up with a new idea.
Hi Kim, the idea is fine – don’t switch tracks. 🙂 I’d like to see your point 4 about the many uses of mind maps expanded into, for example, (4a) mapping for blog post ideas, (4b) mapping to help you find new clients, etc.
I don’t want to set a precedent for multi-layered sub-bullets in pitches, but in this case I think it would strengthen your outline if you break that point open more.
Ok, should I add those thinks and resubmit my pitch?
Things, lol
Yes, please! 🙂 I, too, like this idea but would love to see an expanded pitch that focuses on how mind mapping will help freelance blogger blog better.
Thanks, Kim!
Headline: Five Great (and Free!) tools that will allow you to blog anywhere
I think it’s a fairly arguable statement that each of us in the freelance world have one common thing high on our list of “why” we got into this business. Flexibility. The ability to make money with nothing more than a laptop and an internet connection, right?
So what happens when that laptop goes kabluey?
Let’s pray that it never happens, but just in case, while you’re waiting for the insurance company to send you a replacement (you do have insurance, right?), you’re still going to want to be working.
Luckily, we live in an age where you can!
Points:
Google Drive
As far as things go, keeping track of our documents is a pretty vital aspect of this business. Google Drive is one tool that syncs well with any device, be it Apple, Windows or otherwise.
Google Docs
All well and good to have your files in place, but you still need to be able to write, right? Google Docs is an online word processor with great functionality that will allow you to keep the words churning.
(Bonus point: Google Sheets for a variety of tasks including project/task management and finance tracking – but keep reading, too!)
Evernote
Ideas come at any time, but usually they’re pretty inconvenient times: in the shower, in bed, on the bus, etcetera. Evernote is a great little tool that you can keep on your phone, laptop and tablet to keep track of your ideas – and it’s fully functional in a browser as well, allowing you to access all of your notes wherever you happen to be.
Freedcamp
How do you keep track of all the different projects you’re working on? Freedcamp is a leading project management tool that helps you keep track of everything you have to do. It gives you unlimited users and unlimited projects for free!
Wave
Besides keeping track of files, perhaps the most important thing for anyone in a job like this is keeping track of finances. Wave is a fantastic piece of free accounting software that will allow you to track your income, create invoices and more, all online!
Media: Not much. Just the logos for each particular point. Plus a good feature stock image of a person tearing their hair out with a broken laptop in front of them.
Why:This article is a great guide, not only for the sake of reference for people, but also to spark some ideas of, “Oh yeah, I hadn’t thought of that,” regarding having cloud-based tools. As much as I love my laptop, the reality is that it would be dangerous to leave my entire livelihood in a single place. I am the right person to write an article of this nature because I use these tools myself, and spent five years working in an organization before going freelance as they transitioned from server-based technology to cloud-based solutions.
I love hearing about new free tools for writers. Trello is one tool I’ve recently started using, and I really like it. I’ve never heard of Freedcamp, so that’d be interesting to learn more about.
One thing I’m curious about though: Isn’t Google Docs part of Google Drive? I thought Drive was all the programs (Docs, Sheets, and Slides), so I’d think those two points could be combined into one.
For your media, a screen shot of each tool would work well, too. (Just a suggestion.)
Good luck!
I like this idea, but I’d feel like we were skimping if we only covered 5 tools! This would make an awesome list post if it had, say 21 different tools – the bigger the list, the better. 🙂
Thanks for the feedback, Alicia and Sophie.
Screenshots were something else that I thought of in that amazing time of inspiration that occurs about three milliseconds after you hit “send” on a comment or a text message! Definitely would include that.
Google Docs integrates with Google Drive, which is the “virtual hard drive” part of what you get in your Google account. The whole “Google Suite” of products could be reviewed either as a whole package or one by one. I considered them as separate tools because of the different purposes behind each.
I love the bigger list idea, too, Sophie! I’m thinking on that idea that I could instead break the main headings down into purposes (File Storage, Word Processors, Ideas/Project Management, Finance – and add graphics), and then promote three or four solutions under each one?
eg. Storage: Google Drive, DropBox, OneDrive, iCloud
The only question I’d raise would be the length, though? My initial thought was to provide a brief rundown of each item, how it can be used, what it can do, etcetera.. And now you have me thinking of expanding the idea into an e-book!
Not bad, Josh. But I agree with the other two lovely ladies: Needs more than five items.
And don’t worry too much about the length. Guest posts here have a 1,000 word minimum with no set maximum.
Headline: Top Tips For Surviving Your First Year of Freelancing with Kids
When people hear that I work from home as a freelancer, they assume that my life is a cakewalk. With no alarm clock, scheduled work hours or office politics to deal with, I assumed the same before jumping into this career. Reality hit me hard and I had to adjust quickly to avoid failure. Let me save you the heartache.
1. You Still Need a Schedule: Your schedule doesn’t have to start at six in the morning but you do need some sort of routine in your life. This will keep your work hours more productive and also give you more free time than you had before.
2. Get Used To Organized Chaos: Working from home is a balancing act. You need to work but also manage the house and more times than not you will be doing them at the same time.
3. You Will Be Working Harder Than You Ever Have: If freelancing is your passion and dream, you will be putting your heart and soul into it. The work is mentally, physically and emotionally draining.
4. Thicken Your Skin: Even the best freelancers hear no. In this business, hearing no does not mean failure but it certainly can be difficult at times.
5. Focus on the Positive: You are doing what most people can only dream of. When you have down days, remember that you were brave enough to take the leap and that you have control of your future.
6. Lists Are Your Best Friend: Lists will save your deadlines and your sanity. Make a monthly, weekly and daily list to keep yourself on top of your tasks.
Media Options: I am a stay at home mom/freelancer so there are plenty of pictures that I can use to show what freelancing REALLY looks like. I would love to put the truth out there for everyone, including the good, bad and the ugly. Possible pictures could include what my home office really looks like (it’s not what design magazines tell us it should look like) or how I cook and “write” at the same time. A pie graph could show how your day should be broken down and several sample schedules could be designed as an infographic to give people options.
Why It’s Important: Freelancers are a unique group; we love to help each other out. This post would help new freelancers (and even the experienced) avoid frustration and despair. So many people ask me how to begin freelancing and I feel that my experiences combined with your platform could help countless aspiring freelancers.
Great pitch, Rochel.
For this topic, I agree that personal photos would work well.
Could you maybe share a link to a sample photo you might include?
Here’s a couple links to something similar that I would take. I don’t have any pictures of my own family right now since I’ve never had a reason to take them but hopefully this gives you an idea of what my brain is envisioning.
http://mylifeandkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Tips-and-Resources-for-Work-at-Home-Moms-from-My-Life-and-Kids.png
this picture is what it REALLY looks like
http://www.wahmresourcesite.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/mom.jpg
This is what people think it looks like-so far from the truth!
I may be missing something, but I expected more parent-focused tips in your pitch because of your headline. These tips apply to pretty much any work from home or freelance situation, so I think you’d need to adjust either the headline or the points to make your focus consistent. 🙂 I can see this working either way you do it.
Sophie, you’re right. I should have gone into more detail in my points. You do follow the same guidelines when working from home whether you have kids or not but there’s a little more tweaking involved with toddlers.
1. Schedule-Your schedule needs to be a compromise of what you need to get done and keeping your child’s schedule on track. I would focus on how to schedule phone calls around “quiet time” and how to still build in playtime with your kids. There’s a difference between physically being home and being physically available at home.
2. Organized Chaos-Give up your dreams of having the perfect home. There will always be dishes, laundry and cleaning. Lower your standards to a degree on your home but never on family time and finding quality work and clients. You can’t do it all.
3. Working Harder-Being a parent is a full time job. Add another job on top of that, especially when it’s driven by passion, and your heart is being pulled in several directions. I would focus on ways to not burn out.
4. Thick Skin-When you feel discouraged, remember why you do what you do. Providing for your family and creating a great home life should be motivation to keep you going.
5. Positive-On days when it seems impossible, remember how many moms had to say bye to their children when they dropped them off at daycare to go work a job that they despise. Despite the hardships of freelancing, you really are lucky.
6. Lists-Have a work list and a home list. Focus on each equally. I would focus on how to “rank” tasks to make sure that you remain productive and complete the most important items first, whether work or home related.
Hey, Rochel! Love the tweaks you made to get the focus back on track. (And your sample photos made me chuckle).
Just make sure that you also keep the focus on freelance blogging parents rather than freelancing parents in general. 🙂
Title: 6 Signs That You Need To Fire A Client (And Why It’s a Good Thing)
The client is always right.
Yeah, when you work for a corporation or front desk of a service company. Not when you a freelance blogger. And this is the beauty of being a freelancer – you can fire clients.
[quote]
Surprisingly, so few of us are doing it. We struggle, lose sleep, write and rewrite for pennies and waste time and self-confidence.
And for what? Out of fear to actually be the boss.
I bet most of you started with freelance blogging to experience independence and freedom. In fact, we become slaves. We just get another job doing what we don’t want and working with people we don’t like.
“You should have better stayed at the office” is not a thought I have never had.
1. Doesn’t Know What They Want
The worst of clients are those who have no idea what they want and leave everything to you. People always have an idea what they want but they might not be able to express it. So when you submit your work they ask for endless corrections or change direction completely.
2. Knows Exactly What They Want
If they were the blogger, that’s great but they are not. Clients who just need you to type what they have already curated in their mind are going to give you hard time. Guidelines are important but that’s what they should be – guidelines.
3. Are we talking or writing here?
When endless meetings don’t even turn into blog posts.
4. Just do that little thing and then…
….I will hire you. Happened a bunch of times when I was hired to do a few fiction books/stories. After being promised a book writing contract the client asked for Freytag’s pyramid, outline, character development and a bunch of other details before signing with me. I get it – you want the whole book idea for free, that’s okay….NOT.
As the song goes….put a ring on it if you want it!
[image]
5. Money matters
Are you getting paid on time? Most probably yes.
But are you getting a fair price for your work?
6. Weren’t you going to publish and social media blast this blog post?
Some clients just won’t understand what it is that you do. Without further explanation, I think the comics below says it all.
[comics]
Those signs are not a big deal if they happen once or twice. Everyone has a bad day. The horror starts when they become the pattern in a client-freelancer relationship.
My personal rule is that if any of these becomes more than an incident, i.e. happens more than 3 times with a client, they are out. Of course, I am way more tolerant with old clients than with new ones but that’s up to you.
You can make you own rules, whatever makes you happy and comfortable but don’t become an employee. You are a freelancer. FREElancer.
As much as this makes sense to most of you I am sure that you are wondering about the how of firing a client.
It’s easy once you have made the decision it’s over between you two.
You can email, message or tell them something in those lines:
“Our communication, conversations and your feedback on our work together over the past month has lead me to think that we are not a good fit.”
No guilt, no blaming. (but just see what happens directly after that)
…..
MEDIA:
Jeff Walker’s video How To Fire Clients (one of the most well-known online marketers)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVkAQ5vSzmw
Comics Doing The Whole Site
http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/the-whole-site.png
(Image Source: 1stWebdesigner)
Put a ring on it image
http://quotethattalk.tumblr.com/post/14391852184
(Image Source: QUOTE THAT TALK)
Visual quote: You are a FREElance blogger. You are the boss.
SECTION: Stay Sane
WHY IT’S GREAT: This article is about being able to say NO. And that’s tough for all of us. It’s important because there is so much information out there about finding the right client. Nobody talks about the firing a client when you know it’s not the right fit. This blog post will give confidence to freelance bloggers to be in the power position. Firing a client means freeing more productive energy for the right clients that you want to work with and you can help.
ABOUT ME: I am Antoniya, a freelance copywriter from Turkey but working in the English speaking world with businesses from the U.S., UK and Australia helping them introduce content into their marketing strategy. I had to fire a few clients and didn’t think twice about it. However, as I network with other blogger it seems to me that others hesitate to do it even when it’s needed. There might be multiple reasons. I want to share my experience and show freelance bloggers that its okay to say NO.
Antoniya,
Nice topic. I particularly like the media section of your pitch and how specific you are about what media you’ll use.
I think we just recently had a post on this topic… Or maybe I was only *thinking* we should have one. It’s getting late here and my memory is shot. 😉
Either way, it’s a good topic and a solid pitch. I’ll have to check for previous posts, but even if it’s been covered before there’s always room for fresh insight!
Hey, Antoniya! Wow! That was quite a long pitch. Are you sure you didn’t accidentally write the post instead? 😉
Good topic though and I liked the variety of images. Thanks!
Headline: How To Be A Creative Freelance Blogger?
Opening lines: There are some bloggers who use there creativity in posts and readers enjoy reading them. But also, there are the other ones that are writing just for money and they don’t put there soul into posts, so this post of mine is for them and all of you who’d like to become more creative in writing.
6 points:
1) Just love what you write!
Either you’re writing on business blog, financial or about pats, books, or something else, if you don’t do it from your heart and with love, you wont be great, maybe good but not great. And if you are writing just for money, be a creative money maker, not a boring one.
2) Be a creative freelancer.
We are all creative souls and we love to read and feel the blog post in front of us, so when you write, make sure that it’s interesting and relaxing.
3) Use creative tools for your post.
Such as video clips, images, wise thoughts, quotes from some books, movies, etc…
4) Creative business writers.
If you write for IT, business, or financial blog, you can also be creative. With some cool pictures, quotes, don’t be so serious, be funnier and people will like that more than cold-money-making post.
5) Get music into posts.
I don’ know a person who doesn’t love music, do you? So, put some good chill out song and let good feeling come from you to your readers, even if it’s not connecting with topic that you write about.
6) Do something deferent.
If you are original in your blog, if you’re not fake, you’ll have more readers than a person who doesn’t have his own idea. And idea comes from creative mind!
Media:
1) and 2) youtube clips about creativity in your posts
3) My favourite wise thoughts for creativity
4) Funny pictures from ahajokes.com
5) Some music from youtube.com
6) Picture from shutterstock.com or quote from a book put into a nice graphic photo
Why?:
beafreelanceblogger.com has excellent posts about writing, but I don’t see a post about topic that I want to write about, and I’m sure that this could be helpful to others.
I am a creative person who writes from her soul and I know how to make my imagination work for my own good, and I would really like to start whit my first creative blog post on this very blog.
Hey, Jana!
This seems like it would make an excellent post… But I’m not sure if it’s a good fit for BAFB. I’m getting the “blogging” vibe from the post, and I liked the media choices for the pitch, but I’m not really feeling the “freelancing” aspect coming through. It’s important to have both elements (blogging and freelancing) in order to get published on BAFB.
BLOG VISUALS FOR DUMMIES
Are you one of those bloggers who wants to bury your head in the sand when the professional network talks about how VISUAL the online world is these days–who wails inwardly, “But I’m a WRITER!!!”?
So am I. But let’s face it: you can’t be an entrepreneur and expect the market to make all the allowances for taste. …
[OUTLINE]
1. Why prospective clients WILL want visuals: all their competitors are doing it; visuals DO draw customers and build relationships; visuals can even build rapport among your clients’ staff.
[Note: somewhere in this point, or in transition to the following one, I will include a few sentences on how no business–even a CPA, computer programmer, or super-private-matters therapist–is “non-illustratable.”]
2. Starter tools: you probably have most of them at hand already. A review of the capacities found in virtually every office-app package and smartphone.
[The remaining points each include advice on helping clients plan how to use blogs to further their business goals.]
3. Photo vs. illustration: illustrations (especially infographics) are more work, but also more effective for presenting specific information. Here’s how to decide which works best (and which best blends with the tone of the larger post).
4. Stills vs. video: the pros and cons of each; deciding which best fits the needs of the situation. To go the extra mile, include a full-transcript option with each video.
5. How to use a variety of visual options in different posts, while maintaining a “consistent” feeling in the blog as a whole. Or: deciding whether an all-visual, same-format-every-time blog is the way to go (it rarely is).
6. Do you need professional help and/or stock-image sources? Rarely, with ordinary blog posts; here’s how to decide when extra effort is warranted.
[Supporting media]
“Headline” the post with a stock-photo-style image of a hair-tearing, primal-screaming character to typify the excellent writer who HATES the thought of working with visuals.
Point #1: infographic illustrating the value of visuals for business blogs.
Point #2: Chart of visual-related functions found in today’s most common apps.
Point #3: Photo and illustration of matching subjects (a computer, perhaps?) with a big red question mark between them.
Point #4: Like #3 in format, but showing identical subjects, one in a picture frame and one on a television screen. Will also use a different and probably contrasting subject than #3 (maybe a spa?).
Point #5: Infographic portraying frequency of styles used in three top-of-their-fields blogs.
Point #6: Something illustrating a “best image” award.
WHY THIS POST? WHY THIS WRITER?
The Pitchfest header itself (“Why Your Photos Are Worth Millions”) gave me the idea to propose a whole post related to that specific topic (and I know for sure you can’t say it won’t work here). As a visuals rookie and something of a technophobe myself, I have a lot of empathy for others who write well but feel that’s all they can do. While there are plenty of existing resources on how to use visuals, I know of few that are written from the viewpoint of a “words person.”
I love how your idea is super relevant to this Pitchfest’s theme. Great pitch, Katherine.
I’m intrigued by your infographic idea. Do you have one in mind, or is it something you would make?
Alicia,
I’ll probably design at least some of the infographics myself. Truth is, I have only starter ideas so far on the specifics of preparing the visuals, and writing this post will be a learn-as-you-go experience for me. I refer you to Carol Tice who advised (exact quote not guaranteed here): “When someone offers you a writing job that involves doing something you’ve never done before, say ‘Yes’ right away and THEN figure out HOW to do it.”
I loved this, Katherine. haha. Your pitches just keep getting better and better!
Nice pitch, Katherine! If you win, I can offer some help from my graphic designer with creating infographics. 🙂
Headline:
Mobile Optimization: A buzzword every freelance blogger MUST know.
Introduction:
Almost everyone today has a smartphone or tablet that they use just as much, or more, than their desktop computer. It has become imperative for freelance bloggers to consider mobile optimization when completing projects for clients. With Google’s introduction of the Humming Bird update earlier this year, mobile optimized pages are now placing above others in mobile search results.
Points:
1. Keep your lede short.
We all know that you want to make sure your reader understands the premise of your post. However, mobile users tend to scroll right past lengthy intros.
2. Use white space and breaks to your advantage.
Typical mobile visitors only read a few words out of each line of text. Using breaks and white space ensures they understand what it is they are reading.
3. Keep images small to allow for fast loading.
High resolution images may look great on a computer screen; however, on a mobile device the reader is likely to click the back button before the image is even done loading.
4. Add in colors and/or graphics that will keep the reader scrolling down the page.
Just like huge blocks of text will quickly lose the readers attention, so will a plain white page with nothing but words.
5. Make sure links are placed far enough apart for easy clicking.
When optimizing for mobile reading, keep in mind that most of your readers will be clicking the links with their thumbs.
6. Use available resources to test your content for mobile optimization.
There are lots of resources available that will let you see and “feel” how your content will look on various mobile devices.
Media:
– Samples of good mobile content and bad mobile content. This will be through the use of side-by-side screen shots of the same mobile content (in mobile format), one optimized and one not. These will appear as if they are on a mobile phone.
– Samples of good and poorly spaced links. This will be through screen shots of mobile content with links too close together to click, and ones that allow enough space to click. These will also appear as if they are on a mobile phone.
– Screen captures of mobile testing sites. This will be visual samples of how a mobile testing site can show your desktop content in mobile format.
– Color pop examples on important info. These will be in the form of called out text and colored backgrounds.
– A fun little graphic that directs the reader to continue down the page. This will be an Infographic or line drawing that keeps the reader scrolling.
(Basically the graphics will be perfect examples that illustrate the main points of the post.)
Why it is a great article for BAFB:
Considering all possible angles, including mobile optimization, gives the freelance blogger a competitive edge over other freelance bloggers.
Much of my work and research is done from (or started on) a mobile device. Mobile optimization is one of the first considerations I make when laying out a new piece.
I really like this topic. This is a great pitch, Anna!
If you wrote the full post, one thing I would personally like to see is a statistic for your first claim: “Almost everyone today has a smartphone or tablet that they use just as much, or more, than their desktop computer.”
Pew Research has a lot of recent data on this: http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/01/us-smartphone-use-in-2015/
http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/mobile-technology-fact-sheet/
Thanks Alicia!
I do plan on including some statistics about how people use their mobile devices to really drive the point home about why mobile optimized content is so important. Maybe include an Infographic on it 😉
Hey, Anna!
Love your pitch!
Unfortunately we have a post VERY similar to this one going up on Halloween…
Though yours might be JUST different enough to be able to get published too. Hmm. It’d be up to Sophie to make the final call on that.
Great stuff though!
Great minds think alike ?. Thanks Lauren!
Maybe I’ll try to get it posted elsewhere if I don’t win.
Good luck to everyone!
Hey Anna, this was a good pitch – if you bring it back for our next Pitchfest in December, you’ll be able to read that similar post at the end of October and make sure your own pitch offers fresh info or a different angle. 🙂
Not something I’ve thought about before, I’d like to read that!
This is great, Anna.
I am currently working with a mobile marketing company – and statistics are your friend for this topic! (i.e. 90% of American adults own a smart phone …) How many of us use our phones for an alarm clock or surf our tablets right before bed? Very relevant topic. Bloggers need to think about their posts fitting into readers’ hands – not just on their screens. I would read this! 🙂
Good luck!
Amanda
HEADLINE: 10 Tips for Landing Clients With Your Website (From Bloggers Who Have Done It!)
*Note:* This post will include real tips from freelance bloggers I will interview. Therefore, the amount of tips may vary depending on how many get back to me. The following tips are from real bloggers I’ve already contacted about this project.
INTRO:
“I have a writer website, so why aren’t clients knocking down my door *begging* to work with me?”
That’s a valid question.
You knew you needed a writer website, so you eagerly built up your little corner of the Internet. Yet…nada.
It’s frustrating. Like, I-give-up-and-I’m-just-going-to-go-hide-in-the-corner-now frustrating.
BODY:
1. Write a Killer About Page
“Your about page isn’t about you…it’s about the client. Find a way to show how you can help clients by talking about yourself.” –Elna Cain
2. Feature a Blog on Your Site
“Having a great blog yourself is super important, particularly on the topic or similar to what you’d like to focus on!” –Williesha Morris
3. Publish Your Rates
“Nothing has worked better for me than this…Once I decided to publish my rates online, my business grew.” –Samar Owais
4. Balance Professionalism and Friendliness
“You want to impress prospects with your skills, but you also want to create a connection with them.” –KeriLynn Engel
MEDIA:
For each tip, I will dig into how each blogger makes the advice work for them, and I will take screenshots to illustrate each point. Let’s take Elna’s for example. I would analyze her About page and screenshot it like this: https://www.flickr.com/photos/79437167@N03/21056492290/in/dateposted-public/
These screenshots will help drive points home and illustrate how to make each point work for you.
I will also add graphics for each writer’s quote and accompany the quote with a click to tweet link. Here’s an example of Samar’s quote: https://www.flickr.com/photos/79437167@N03/21244599075/in/dateposted-public/
These graphics will not only add visual appeal, but the accompanied click to tweet links for each quote will help drive social shares.
WHY IT’S GREAT:
One of the biggest areas I see BAFB readers struggle with is making their writer website come to life, and this post will give them real-life examples of how to do it. I’m a great candidate to write this piece not only because I’m familiar with the BAFB audience but because I’ve reviewed countless writer websites, have co-written an eBook on the subject, and am very passionate about it.
Another post I’d be keen to read.
Thanks for including me, Alicia, and good luck with your pitch! Super-helpful topic, and I love your ideas for media, especially the click-to-tweet links.
Great as usual, Alicia. And a nice follow-up to this post: http://beafreelanceblogger.com/writer-website/
Headline: How Turkey Legs, Belly Dancers and Chainmail Bras can help Your Blogging Career
Intro:
It’s happening. You’re staring at a blinking cursor; fingers at the ready, and the ideas are not coming. You have no inspiration. You are lacking creativity. You’ve feared this day for months… The day you got writer’s block.
But how will you emerge from the depths of dullness?? Try taking a trip back in time.
Body:
1. Attend a Renaissance Fair to break free from your writer’s block.
Renaissance Fairs are happening all around the world. Summer, fall, and even winter. There is no better place for inspiration than stepping back in time – into another era.
2. Mow down on a turkey leg to escape your fears.
That’s right – bear those teeth and sink them deep into that tasty poultry. (Vegetarians, try a spinach pie?) Let the juice run down your face and smile at the people walking by. Be fearless.
3. Shimmy with a belly dancer to ignite your imagination.
Put on that coin belt and bear your stomach. Feel the beats of the drums and let it all go. Dancing helps relieve every day tension and stress that may limit your creativity. Shake loose that stress.
4. Try on chainmail to fuel your creative lust.
Don’t sneer at the knight walking by in head-to-toe metal. Embrace it. Better yet, try it out yourself. Feel the weight of the metal and imagine yourself in a different time and place, racing to [writing] victory.
5. Not keen on the Renaissance? Try another creative venue.
Civil War reenactments, Star Trek Conventions, Comic-Cons, Medieval Times… The list is long, and your imagination will run wild. It does not have to be Halloween to wear a costume. Find a new environment, step out of your comfort zone, and be inspired!
Media:
For each section I will submit entertaining photos from Renaissance Fairs I have attended. These photos will draw attention to the post (nothing draws a crowd like a belly dancer) and entertain the reader. The photos may inspire other bloggers to attend a Renaissance Fair (or other themed festivals or conventions) to help inspire creativity in their writing. It may also be fun to include an info graphic of how the Renaissance (in the 14th-17th centuries) inspired a cultural movement and creativity in the arts. Hello, Shakespeare!
Why this post is great:
A lot of BAFB blogs discuss this evergreen topic: breaking free of our writing fears. Writers always need new inspiration and new ideas for breaking free from their fears and conquering their writer’s block. Also, the Renaissance was a period in time where writers flourished and creativity was celebrated – so let us bloggers get into that spirit!
Why I’m the right person to write this post:
Renaissance Fairs have been a part of my life for over 14 years, and I am very passionate about celebrating and preserving history. The imagination skills needed to attend and enjoy these types of festivals are the same skills writers use to create new topics and story ideas everyday. I also have loads of fun images to go along with this theme…
I have to admit. That’s a crazy intriguing headline.
Thanks Alicia. 🙂
This is a super cute idea and I’d love to see it as a post somewhere. As for here… I’m concerned you wouldn’t be able to meet the 1,000-word minimum without a bunch of fluff/filler. :\
I’d love to see more about how you’re going to make these points apply to freelance bloggers. As in: How will these tips help make the blogger (or their clients) more money?
Thanks Lauren!
I agree this might be a bit of a fluff piece… but sometimes fluff is fun! This post will be more toward the entertainment/motivational side…
As for helping freelancers/clients make more money: I am surprised how many potential clients and networking opportunities freelance writers can find at these type of events. There are plenty of vendors with amateur websites that need help with content, event organizing companies that need help with online marketing, people with great ideas that want to start blogs, etc.
Networking opportunities may present themselves anywhere. This is where I’m going with this fun piece 🙂
Thanks so much for your input!
Amanda 🙂
Since the topic is limited to Free Lance Blogging or a side topic, how do I,a newbie , have a chance to contend. I pursue topics that cater to my expertise and my interests. Thus, I am not qualified to enter the conversation.
James,
We’ve seen a lot of new freelance bloggers write excellent pitches and posts on freelance blogging topics. Even if you’re new, you may have experienced something that could help other bloggers, or you may have previous work experience that you can carry over into blogging, such as negotiation skills, brainstorming ideas, etc. New freelance bloggers sometimes have the best ideas because they’re coming at it with a fresh perspective.
Give it a shot!
^ She speaks the truth.
Headline: Pitchfest Problems: Do Newbies REALLY Have A Chance at Winning? And If So, How?
Intro: So you’ve found Sophie’s blog. You’ve seen the Pitchfest posts – they’re really cool. They make you drool. Oooh, $100 for a post, on a blog like hers? It’s a contest – and a rare opportunity. Pitchfests – and guest posts – are only accepted once every three months. You want to be the winner. But you don’t feel qualified.
Points: 1. Why you ARE qualified: You don’t need to be experienced to win a Pitchfest. All you need is a good idea, to follow instructions, and to know your audience.
2. Before pitching: First, don’t make the Pitchfest deadline your sole focus. Take a look around the blog. Read the posts and get to know the community and style.
3. Get your creative juices flowing: Read the guidelines for the current Pitchfest. Stand up and walk away from the computer; ask a friend; do something else. Then come back, reread the post, and read the comments.
4. Write out your great idea: Copy and paste the instructions into the comment form. Write your idea at the top. Then take a few minutes to think it through, and decide which approach is best.
5. Check it over: Edit your submission before you press “Post Comment”. Reread what you’ve written – does it lack anything? Does it have too much information? Ask a friend for a second opinion.
6. Say a quick prayer and submit! Good luck to you!
Media: I think a flow chart would be good for this post. Something similar to what you use in teaching kids to write. This would help those frustrated newbies remember how awful, boring (kidding!), and easy it was to write in school – and that writing is writing, and pitching is writing, too.
Photos for this subject should be easy to find; all you need is someone who feels really frustrated and scared, and then someone reading or writing. I’m not sure what they would add to this post more than they add to any other, except maybe some humor and emotional connection (okay, that’s a lot).
A comic strip would add a lot to this post – something along the lines of, “Bang head here – cry – lightbulb idea – sits down to write – jumps up and down celebrating – throws a party.” It adds humor and releases newbie tension. Laughter is always good, and if you laugh, you may well win.
Or maybe something – not sure what media is best – with, “How do you get from here [banging head] to here [throwing party] in half an hour?”
Why this is a great post for BAFB: This post is aimed at newbies ON BAFB, who want to participate in Pitchfest and have no idea how to do it. It’s tailor-made for BAFB; of course you want it! And I should write it, because I’m the brilliant one who figured out how to make participation in Pitchfest easy-peasy-shmeezy; I’m cool, creative, and good at teaching people.
I love this, Chana! Very cheeky. haha. But it feels like you might’ve said all you have to say in the pitch… I’d be concerned about whether or not you’d be able to meet the 1,000-word minimum for guest posts.
Actually, no. I worked really hard to stick to the summary, and I have lots more to write. But, just for kicks do you want me to try writing out a full draft? (Of course, I won’t post it in the comments. If you want to read it, you’ll need to send an email.)
Headline: We All Have to Write Outside the Box: Thoughts of a Newbie
Introduction:
How to begin…”Seven Proven Ways to Monetize your Blog”, “How to Improve your Website”, “What Mistakes to Avoid”…the list goes on. Many of these articles are useful. The advice out there is like our universe…endless. One blog is but a galaxy in this solar system. What would I know?
1. What is Your Personality?
Some of us are natural social butterflies others are more calm and collected.
2. What is Your Learning Style?
Some of you may already understand where I might be getting at just by reading this. That would make you Visual-Spatial.
3. What are Your Strengths?
No I am not talking about dead lifting two or three times your body weight. However, that is impressive and scary if you can.
4. What are Your Weaknesses?
Again, do not confuse this with being in shape.
5. What Do You most Fear?
We all are scared of something even the heroes in our lives. Dust the cobwebs from your inner locked doors.
6. Which Pill Will You choose..the Red or Blue?
Life is about choices as Morpheus told Neo in The Matrix.
Media:
For all six points that I bring up, some of my images will be hand drawn. I might include pieces from my Facebook art page to give the post a more authentic effect http://Facebook.com/ArtedeVallombrosa/Romo. To add humor, I will have memes sprinkled throughout with quotes from the Matrix and martial arts movies to give it an ethereal vibe and get the creative juices flowing.
Section: Get Started
About Me:
My name is Hannah Romo and I am a graduate student, an aspiring writer, martial artist, and artist from Carrizo Springs, Texas. I have had poems published in two college anthologies: the “CTC ByWays: Journals of Art & Letters” and the UMHB “Baylorian.” I recently created a WordPress blog which is still in its beginning stage.
Why This Topic?
Looking from a third person perspective and stepping into the shoes of new writers getting their feet wet may give other newbies and experienced writers alike a better idea of our thought processes. Combining art and psychology gives blogging a creative twist outside the box. Coming from the mind of a newbie, this may give a “It speaks to me,” or “It’s ok. You got this,” moment to other newbies who may need reassurance or a little nudge. How do we expect to start something, if we don’t know ourselves in the process?
I’m not a newbie, but I like this topic. I might add: What’s your passion? (This will help you determine what you love to write about.) After all, you can see your passion for art, writing, and martial arts (matrix) throughout your pitch. 🙂
Thank you very much for the advice. I will definitely keep it in mind. 🙂
Not bad, Hannah. 🙂 Though I’m sad I wasn’t able to get the link to your art page to work for me.
I’d love to see a bit more of the freelancing aspect shine through on this topic. To be accepted as a post on BAFB, it needs to be about both blogging and freelancing (even if the emphasis is ultimately stronger on one topic than the other).
I just now was able to see your feedback, Lauren. Thank you very much for your feedback. I’m new to this so I wasn’t exactly sure how to go about it 🙂
Headline:Finding it Free and Making it Pretty on a No Stock Photo Budget
You landed an awesome blogging gig and you send your first draft over for publishing. You get some positive feedback from the editor along with a note that makes your stomach hit the floor running: “This is great, but when will you add the media?” Uh-oh. You never realized that you would have to write and find awesome photos for this gig. You start browsing photos and get overwhelmed about licensing jargon and the low quality that free stock photo land offers. You are left stuck after hours of searching and still.no.photos.
So What’s a blogger to do?
First, learn your licenses, how to search, and how and when you have to give credit. This paragraph will discuss the type of license necessary and why, how to give proper credit, and how to narrow down searches to cut down on wasted hours.
Insert Media here: Screenshot of Search tool on popular stock photo site.
Second, There are plenty of sites that offer free and higher quality stock photos. This will present a list of stock photo sites that are free and a few that offer a free trial subscription. In this paragraph, we will pick a pretend blog topic to search for photos so that the post will continue as a tutorial. **POTENTIAL affiliate opportunity.
Insert Media here: Screenshot of searching for and selecting a photo based on mock niche topic.
Third, now that we have a photo that is safe to use for our blog, we will now discuss some free, online photo editing programs to make the photo really pop. We will discuss the two major ones and some of their features and pros and cons of both.
Insert Media Here: Screen shot collage of resizing, cropping, lighting, other basic features.
**Blogger tip: These basic edits may be enough. Take a look at your clients past work and save this image as a standalone in the event they want a clean image. Follow the additional steps to make attractive social media images to impress your client an add value to your work.
Need additional help?
Insert Media Here: YouTube video on how to use basic editing techniques using online photo editing tool
Fourth, now that the photo has had some basic edits, you have lightened it, cropped it, resized it appropriately, it is time to dress it up. This part will discuss different options for creating an image that pops by adding a quote or blog title that would entice a reader to click through from social media or a newsletter. This section will include tips on how to find free for commercial use web fonts and how to install them to use.
Insert Media Here: This will show a collage of how to add overlays and text
**Blogger Tip: Impress your client by making your image social media friendly by resizing to the appropriate guidelines, this will include the dimensions for major social media posts.
Conclusion
Insert Media Here: Finished product
With these tips, you will add value to your work and be an online photo finding and editing pro in a jiffy. Not sure how this tutorial will help you? Well, you may already have clients who demand high quality photos but you don’t want to approach them to ask them to pay for stock photo subscriptions. You may be trying to win projects so you can now send a pitch along with a “hey, this is what your post will look like, I am already invested and believe that this idea will work for you”, or maybe you have your own blog and want to make it look more appealing to potential sponsors and clients.
Most importantly, basic photo editing can open up a whole new avenue for new projects and income, heck yea!
Insert media here: Want this tutorial minus all the talking? Click here to download. This will be a step by step collection of images from post above.
About Vanessa: first time mum, chocolate lover, student, and creative entrepreneur. She is scheduled to be published for the first time on thepennyhoarder.com and is preparing to launch her simply-better-blogging, design and lifestyle blog, http://www.simpleandvanessa.com.
Just a note, working with bloggers I find that so many bloggers really struggle with creating media. I think this could be a very beneficial post for readers to increase their value and awesomeness 🙂
Also, I think this would fit super into ‘Blog Better’ or ‘Level Up’ categories. And why I am the best person to write this post: I have struggle my way through free tools and resources and have frustrated myself endlessly over the poor quality of stock photos. I have learned-with an agonizing degree of striving to perfection- how to make photos that are awesome and have turned it into a side business.
Not bad, Vanessa. 🙂
Hey, thanks Lauren 🙂
Have been *needing* to write this post for awhile, so this was a super motivator. Would love to see it on BAFB, but it surely won’t go to waste!
Love the media you’re proposing with this, especially the summary people can download. 🙂
When your self confidence gets knocked – 5 steps to regain your confidence as a freelance blogger.
Intro
As a freelance blogger you are constantly putting yourself and your writing out there in the world. Your self confidence as a writer will change on a daily basis depending on what you are working on and how much work you are getting.
What happens when something happens like a rejection or someone criticises your work? In this pitchfest article I am going to explain 5 steps to regain your confidence quickly so you can get back to doing what you do best which is blogging.
5 Steps
1) Be accepting of yourself with what you are feeling.
Often we want to bury our feelings and run away of what we are feeling about the rejection or criticism we have received as a blogger. The best way to move forward quickly is to face your feelings head on and accept it’s ok to feel like this. Which I will go into more detail here.
2) How to make friends with fear
It’s a fact fear will pop up time and time again in a bloggers work life such as things like will this editor like my blog, will I get published and why doesn’t this editor like my work? When our confidence is down fear and negative self-talk, which is internal chatter, will be very loud. I will talk about how to make friends with fear and how to use this to you advance instead.
3) Your message and your voice is not going to resonate with everyone – be ok with this
We all have different writing styles and the way we express ourselves, as a blogger will be different to the person next to you. Every single one of us has a unique voice, which makes us well uniquely us. It’s going to happen in your blogging career that some people won’t like your writing and you will get rejected because it’s not correct for the publication. I’m going to go into detail about been ok with this.
4) Celebrate something you have achieved to put a positive spin on your blogging
When you get knocked down instead of focusing on the negative why not focus with what you have achieved instead? Getting stuck in the negative mindset will do nothing for your blogging career and it will stop you in your tracks. So I am going to go into how to celebrate the things you have achieved instead to see what a powerful creator you are.
5) Get straight back on the horse and don’t wait
The best way to move forward quickly is to get straight back into it and write something new. The longer we wait to more self sabotage will happen and it will be harder to get back into your next blog. I will explore more detail from here.
Media
I will use images of people looking away from the camera or the back of people’s heads. The idea is in the pictures the people aren’t making eye contact as confident people always make eye contact.
I am going to create a visual pyramid to include the steps on for all the visual people out there. (Examples leadership and coaching pyramids with my own spin)
Why I’m a good person to write this post and why does this suit?
I am a qualified life coach as well as a freelance blogger/writer so subjects about what is going on within the mind, fear, judgement and things that hold us back are what I know about the best. I know what sabotages and fears we have as I coach people one on one about these subjects so I am basing my blog article on my own experience. Us freelancer bloggers need to work on our confidence and mindset as this is just as important as our writing.
Thanks, Rebecca! So long as this is focused on freelance bloggers, I think it could be really good. I like that you have a background as a life coach — that would put a good/unique spin on an article that might otherwise be run-of-the-mill. I like it.
Thanks so much Lauren 🙂 Yes it would definitely be for freelance bloggers and our struggles (just using my coaching background to make it more unique).
9 ways to make your content hotter than Jon Hamm
Let’s face it, nothing is hotter than Jon Hamm. Could we, perhaps, go for something else? Better than hot? Oh yeah! Hippocampus! Hello, autonomic nervous system, bring on the emotions, the writers’ best friend.
“Don’t get it right, just get it written” – James Thurber
Begin with a habit: There’s an age-old practice in the east of rubbing hands together and opening your eyes to the sight of your empty palms. This is supposed to guide you towards better spending, better knowledge and a better world. “What new habit could you start to write better?”
Seek the unusual: Watch three TED talks and write your opinions merging the three subjects. How do you think biomedicine was born? Or technical writing for that matter? “What are considered unusual in a general sense and how can you seek them?”
Historify: We all know how to storify our content, but how do we historify? Or herstorify?! Analyze the significance of your writing. “How would this have fared 200 years ago, would it be valid 200 years later?”
Test new waters: I’m not going to suggest that you talk to strangers in the street while hanging upside down, like Patch Adams. Although, that may not be a bad idea. “What else could you do and how would it help you create better?”
Expand your boundary: If you have a certain style of writing, add to it. Learn how to convey your thoughts as a poem. Practice doodling and experiment your ideas through cartoons. “What can you start learning that your haven’t, before?”
End your day with affirmations: Writing can be tedious at times. Freelancing may often seem unstable or unforgiving. Creative juices may dry up some days and leave you feeling empty or insecure. “What can you do every night (other than sex, perhaps) that will help you charge up and start the next day with gusto?”
Media: I’ll be using posters, images and stick diagrams to make my point.
Why this is a great post for BAFB:
#1 Freelancers want to produce new content & want new sources to find them
#2 Freelancers want to know how to keep up motivation and maintain self worth in absence of an external judging factor
#3 Freelancers want to learn new ways of representing content
#4 Freelancers want their content to stay up to date, make history as well as be eternal (how selfish of them!)
#5 Freelancers want to have fun while doing what they love
I believe my post will fulfill and educate the readers on the 5 points above and may be more.
Why am I the right person: If my post does the job, isn’t this question redundant? After all, in this context, who am I without my content!
Sowmya! This is a really fun pitch and I like it a lot — but you forgot to add what kind of media you’d be including with it!! :O That’s the whole point of this particular Pitchfest. Please come back and tell us what images/videos/whatever you intend to include otherwise your entry won’t count.
Hah! Whoops. My bad. Just saw this line tucked away: “Media: I’ll be using posters, images and stick diagrams to make my point.”
You’re all good, Sowmya! <3 Thank you!
Thanks Lauren. Let me know if you want samples of the stick diagrams or posters. 🙂
How to Get your First WordPress Website Running: Start to Finish
How to Get Your First Website Running for Free
Learning to Put Yourself Up on The Web
Setting up a Professional Writer’s Website: On Your Own For the First Time
We have all been there, on our computers wondering what the next step in our creative career should be, but we all know the answer. You and I need a website.
• Free and for fee places to set up your first website
• The difference between free domain and hosting and for fee pros and cons (short list)
• Step-by-step with pictures of me setting up my first website
• SEO for your website, how to metatag for better results
• Why freelance writers need a website
Media will either be a series of screen shots or a video following me through my first attempt at putting up a free website where I can market myself.
I find that getting a website up and running, even if it is a short bio, a picture and a link to a sample, is a large milestone in any freelancer’s career and with so much fear of failure (and success) this huge step tends to get put off indefinitely, really. I am a new freelance writer, been at it 3-4 months, and I want to give other’s the confidence to put themselves out there. I know I can start with nothing and end with a functional (and hopefully great website that I can be proud of) at the end of this project and with any luck I will spread a little confidence, a little determination among my fellow writers.
Not a bad idea, Randi. This is definitely something newbie freelance bloggers need. (I know several of my own mentees would LOVE a piece like this!).
However, I’m concerned that it’s focused on general freelance writers rather than freelance bloggers specifically…
I agree, this would be an extremely valuable post. Since WordPress is a blogging platform it could be tied into optimizing your blog to attract clients, certainly a few link to articles from BAFB.
Specifically a freelance blogging website is something that I am more that willing to include in such an article.
Photos are so important. I used to not even use them, but now I know they are key to getting your content read, especially when it’s shared on social media.
Very true, Kayla! One of my mentees was resistant to using images with his content, but he’s been toeing the water a bit with an image on every other post or so and those are the ones that have been getting read. I think we’ll have a convert on our hands in no time. Hehehe. 😉
Facebook Marketing: If it Works for Max Bialystock, it Can Work For You
How do you sell tickets to a musical at a Jewish Community Center starring a gay Adolf Hitler? The same way you market a freelancing business.
After creating the marketing plan for my community theater’s production of The Producers, I realized that I could use the same strategies to promote my own business.
1. “We Can Do It”: Creating a plan
a. Before posting, it was necessary to make a plan that would best market the show without being too complicated to delegate tasks to other cast members.
b. Before you create your page, you want to consider drafting up a marketing plan, keeping in mind your goals and what you’re able to accomplish each week.
2. “Keep It Gay”: Setting the tone
a. Once you have an idea of your audience and the image you want to project, make sure all of your content reflects the “voice” you want to use. Remember to “Keep it gay,” or, happy and appealing for your audience.
3. “When You Got It, Flaunt It”: Making your assets work for you
a. Our strongest advantage in marketing The Producers even before we had flashy sets and costumes was the talented, funny people in the cast; I knew that photos of the people would gain a lot of traffic online.
b. What marketable assets can you post to better engage your audience?
4. “Where Did We Go Right?”: Reading the results
a. Even in the early stages of this plan for The Producers, we instantly saw an increase in audience engagement.
b. Using similar strategies, you can grow your business and keep your audiences engaged with your content.
Media to be used:
1. “We Can Do It”
a. Photos my color-coded spreadsheet detailing the marketing plan for The Producers.
b. Promotional video for Facebook starring cast members from The Producers singing parody of “We Can Do It”.
2. “Keep It Gay”
a. Screenshot of Facebook audience analytics
b. Cast selfies
3. “When You Got It, Flaunt It”
a. Screenshot of Facebook photo from first rehearsal side-by-side with screenshot of post analytics.
b. Rehearsal photos/video/gifs
c. Photos of my office/surroundings (my business’ “marketable assets”)
4. “Where Did We Go Right?”
a. Screenshot of J-ART Facebook analytics while implementing plan
b. Screenshot of Facebook page developed for my business
c. Screenshot of Facebook marketing plan from my business
This post puts a unique twist on the concept of marketing and showcases a visual approach to promoting one’s brand. This idea is both relevant to the social media sphere (and therefore crucial to bloggers) and ties in nicely with the theme of the contest. Given my unique position of having created this particular marketing plan and being involved with such a visually captivating project, I feel that I bring a fresh perspective with this analogy that readers will enjoy experiencing.
Just don’t end up in prison, right? 😉
Love it, Brianna! And great use of media. Thank you.
Hey everyone 🙂 some great entries so far! Time for me to have a go.
Headline #1: Fast Food For Astronauts – How NASA Can Help Save Your Freelance Blogging
Headline #2: Bulletproof Your Freelance Blogging Career With HACCP
Opening lines: You know when someone asks what you do for work? “I’m a freelance blogger.” Concern fills their eyes. “Is that secure? Wouldn’t you be better getting a real job?” The truth is 100% job security today is a myth, no matter what you do. But, if you want to improve your odds, you can follow NASA’s example and use HACCP.
Get Your Flow On – The first step in HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is to conduct a hazard analysis. Sounds painful, but it doesn’t have to be. This is where you look at your process from start to finish. Get your coloured pens out, it’s time for a flow chart!
This is Critical – Step two is identifying critical control points. In everyday speak, this means the point where if things go wrong, it’s seriously bad news. For the food industry that might be making sure meat’s fully cooked. What might the critical points in your process look like?
Push the Limit – 2 Unlimited might have thought there was no limit, but for if you want security there’ll need to be some. What’s ‘good’ and ‘bad’ look like for your critical points? For this to be meaningful, they have to be specific and measurable. We’ll take a look at examples of possible limits that would be helpful for freelance bloggers.
I’ve Got My Eye On You – There’s no point in having limits if you’re not keeping an eye on them. This means you don’t set it and forget it. You have to have a way of monitoring your critical points, so you can see at a glance which way things are going.
When it Hits the Fan – So it’s all gone wrong. All your best laid plans have been dumped on from a great height. So, you walk away and get that job at McBurgerland. No? Then you’ll need a plan. Pointers for when you want to panic.
How’s it Going? – You need to set aside time to check everythings going to plan. Verification means not waiting for it to all go wrong, but taking time and reviewing how things are going. See how the big companies do it, and apply it to your own freelance blogging.
Media – A photo of an astronaut, ideally with a pot noodle or some similar snack based goodness.
An example flow diagram for the freelance blogging process.
An embedded youtube of 2 Unlimited – There’s No Limit. Tune!
An infographic showing the HACCP process from start to finish, created with Canva
Why this, why me – People can be put off from pursuing freelance blogging because they fear it isn’t secure. HACCP was developed for where safety was essential and you couldn’t afford mistakes, perfect for the cautious blogger. I’ve been working with HACCP and food safety for ten years, and can combine that expertise with freelance blogging to create an entertaining post with genuine value.
I’d like to read that.
Daniel,
I love how you fused your 10 years of food safety experience with blogging. By the way, I’m a fan of headline #1. 🙂
Not bad, Daniel! Your pitches keep getting better. But my initial thought was that it didn’t really show how these tips would make a blogger (or their clients) money…
That said: I love that you’re incorporating your decade’s worth of food safety experience into a blog post on how to be a better freelance blogger. Genius!
Good point Lauren. Actually, my intention with the post is to focus on specifically the freelance blogging process and the aspects unique to them, from pitching potential clients and niches to the the bottom line of income.
I could also include a sample HACCP worksheet for freelance bloggers that they could download.
Thanks for the feedback Lauren 🙂
Blogging without borders: how to take the headache out of working with international clients
Intro:
Name one self-starter business that’s likely to deal with international clients right from day one?
If you said “freelance blogger”, boom. Nailed it.
If you said a different job you may well be right, but since you’re on this site I assume you want to learn about freelance blogging and the unique challenge of launching yourself into being an international company of one.
1. Keep track of timezones
From sunny Hawaii-Aleutian time to snowy Alaska time, timezones are a headache even for bloggers who work solely inside the US. It’s easy to think you’re on top of a deadline only to get that sickening realization that you mixed up your acronyms and now you’ve got to write 1000 words in half an hour. Having a system in place to manage this could save a lot of future panicking, so here’s a few pointers…
[Media: A cartoon* blogger staring at their clock in despair – “Wait, was that AK time or AKS time?! Argh, I forgot about daylight savings!”
*My cartoons may well be photos of some of my more open-minded friends bribed to pose with speech bubbles.]
2. Be a style guide snoop
I once worked as a “Britpicker” for a friend in the States who was writing a novel and needed someone to make sure his token British character wasn’t accidentally saying the wrong thing (AKA the American thing).
Editors won’t throw a manuscript out the window if you’ve not spelled color/colour their preferred way, but having worked in an office alongside editors I know that they give preferential treatment to the writers who send work ready to publish. There are a few ways to get on top of the quirks of international English…
[Media: A cartoon editor – “Wow, this is ready to publish! Oh wait, she called aubergine eggplant.”]
3. Managing those dollars/pesos/pounds/rupees
You got your work in on time and the editors are happy – great. Now it’s the hard part: get paid.
OK, the writing was actually the hard part, but I assume that as a blogger you enjoyed it at least a little bit. Getting your finances in order without getting ripped off is another matter, especially with the added headache of exchange rates. Luckily there are tools out there to help…
[Media: Blogger checking phone in a cafe, looking shocked: “Wall Street is down! What does that do to my Paypal balance?!”]
Why?
Most bloggers will have clients across a border. This post is reassurance, pragmatic tips and links to free tools to help make this inevitable challenge more manageable. I’m a Brit living in Chile, writing largely for Americans: cross-border blogging is my bread and butter.
I love the idea for this, Corinne! However, your second point made me concerned that you might try to stray from freelance blogging to freelance writing in general. The stuff you said about writing novels is true…but it probably shouldn’t be in a post for BAFB.
That said: If you keep the focus strictly on freelance blogging, I think this could be fantastic!
No worries, the bit about editing the novel is just an anecdote to explain the “Britpicker” concept, and I probably should have said draft instead of manuscript. I can drop the anecdote if you think it muddies the water. The point is it’s a good idea to make a note of dialect when snooping through the back catalogue of a blog you want to write for. Thanks for the feedback!
Do you have any feedback that I can work on for next time?
What Professional Wrestling Can Teach You about Freelance Writing
Introduction:
Sweating at the overwhelming amount of pressure, freelance writers face the same tribulations as that of a pro wrestler. Just like a dedicated, muscle clad athlete, we too are capable of becoming the heavyweight writers of the year. Learn how a little training and a lot of heart can get you closer to achieving your advancement goals.
1. Use Soap
Andy Kaufman ended up playing an historical role in the world of professional wrestling by provoking audience members and the industry through a series of provocative performances. While I’m not asking you to create an over-the-top satire that exposes an illusion based industry for exactly what it is, I am suggesting that it is paramount to think outside the box and approach both pitching and content writing with a fresh eye in order to gain attention in this very competitive field. Kaufman’s daring approach brought pro wrestling into popular culture, what can you do differently to bring your work to the forefront?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpyv78YAsaM
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173920/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl
2. The Greats
Mohammed Ali was a man with such a strong and original stage personality it’s hard to believe that he could have taken pointers from anyone else. The truth is, he based a lot of his performance off of the early wrestler: Gorgeous George. This is to say, read blogs you like, get to know the voice you aspire to be and make it your own!
http://wpmedia.o.canada.com/2012/01/muhammad-ali-screaming1.jpg
3. What if No One Cares?
Guess what, pro wrestling was one of the most joked about sports industries in the market, and now it’s a 900 million dollar industry. Rolling Stone even has a regular wrestling beat. The important lesson to take home is that whatever you’re thinking about, it’s valid somewhere. If it isn’t now, create a need.
http://www.rollingstone.com/topic/wrestling
4. Who’s your Daddy?
While the campy side of wrestling is something we prefer to acknowledge in the industry, it also happens to be an industry riddled with corruption. This is not to say writers should be fearful of falling victim to some corporate structure, but it is important to be well aware of your clients’ ethics and motivations. You should be asking- who are you writing for and do they have a regard for their writers?
http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/InVincible-WWE-boss-McMahon-sits-down-for-a-chat-591071.php#photo-268957
5. Pushhh!!
The extensive training and persistence it takes to get closer to what we’d like to achieve. The history of hardship that wrestlers have faced is no stretch for freelancers.
6. Do you Smell what the Rock is Cookin’
What is your headline? Who are you as a writer? How can you become identifiable?
Supporting Media: I believe that both my examples and corresponding photos/videos make sense of what seems like an outlandish correlation between writers and professional wrestlers. Two professions with struggle and triumph, I believe the provocative imagery of wrestling will make for a compelling and inspirational article for freelancers. I can’t say I’m any wrestling aficionado, but I’m the best person to write this article because no one else is thinking to make this connection.
About Me: My name is Jillian Shea. Really, I’m just your average lady with a full-time job looking to expand my abilities and outlets as a freelance writer.
Looks good, Jillian! 🙂
INTRO: Every attempt to smile into a mirror and say, “You’re awesome,” I want to mutter, “I look freaking ridiculous.”
Saying positive affirmations sound constructive. But what exactly are they doing? Preparing you for a life in politics?
The best motivation could happen while your computer screen goes idle, or when you step in front of a web cam.
KEY POINTS:
1) Motivational quotes make awesome blog posts, but they just aren’t battle-ready. The most amazing affirmations look great on paper, but they aren’t really making a difference when things get rough.
2) The best motivation evokes emotions, memories and moods that are tangible. Yes, that would be photos. Photos on your best days. Photos when things, even for a moment, seemed perfect.
3) Don’t have a cache of awesome photos? Try recording a Skype session with a client. Watch yourself kick butt in real time. Agree to a podcast or a video blog from a guest.
4) These aren’t dated quotes from long-since dead speechmakers. And we’ve memorized every quote from the Steves – Steve Jobs and Stephen King, that is. These photos and videos feature you. And those are the ones that work, because they show you what is, not just your potential.
5) Bonus boosts – Photos are great for sharing with others – read: family and friends – to encourage them. They also look nice on Instagram and Facebook. Videos are great ways to show off your blogging knowledge and can be used for anything – from a public speaking portfolio to video posts for your readers.
HOW MEDIA WILL BE USED:
I’ll include some of my favorite moments on photo and video – when I got engaged or married, when I did an online seminar or presentation. These truly inspire me to be the very best blogger I can be.
WHY THIS POST ROCKS & SO DO I:
I’ve personally experienced how these visual motivations can impact the mind – especially one that’s generally anxious, depressed or riddled with unnecessary thoughts. These photos and videos helped me to focus not just on the project at hand, but on crafting my services and skill set.
Hooray! Haven’t done PitchFest in ages.
Uh oh. It looks like you forgot a headline!
But great pitch. 🙂 I really like personal media.
OH NOOOO! LOL Can you tell I copied and pasted it from somewhere else? Ha!
HEADLINE: Crazy Simple Ways to Use Media to Motivate and Move Your Blogging Business
I know that you would totally nail this if you wrote it because I know you, Willi; but, judging it by the pitch alone, I’d need to see a bit more of the freelancing element come through. I see how this would be beneficial to bloggers, but I’m not getting a clear picture of how it would benefit freelance bloggers (as in: how would it help make them/their clients money?)
Please come back and say how! Because I know you already have this element in your head. haha. I just need to see it “on paper” for it to count. <3
Headline:
When The Money’s Not In The List: What To Do When Your Readers And Clients Are Different People
Opening Lines:
So, here’s how it works:
You start a site, grow a mailing list, and then your loyal fans contact you for freelance work. The money comes in.
At least, that’s supposed to be what happens.
But what if your readers and your clients are two completely different people? Strangely, your clients never seem to come from your email list.
Points:
1. Why does it matter that your clients aren’t the same as your readers?
It’s nice to get business from drive-by traffic, but email is still the best way to get loyal readers to become long-term clients. Drive-by traffic tends to attract clients that are not looking for a long-term relationship with you.
2. Change up what services you’re offering
The services you’re offering might appeal to other people, but not your readers. You could be losing out on potential income by not directly aligning your offerings with what your readers what.
3. Look at the source of where your readers come from
Maybe your readers come from sites where they tend not focus on using the service you’re offering. It could be time to re-evaluate where you do promotions.
4. “What do you want from me?”
Ask readers what they want – do they want to read posts on a certain topic, or maybe a different service offering? You can do this by talking to them in a number of ways: talking one-on-one, designing a survey, or sending out a message to your list asking for thoughts.
5. Ask the expert blogger
It’s easy to feel frustrated when your list isn’t buying. But many people have experienced this situation and can offer advice. Even if you don’t know an experienced, successful blogger personally, you can reach out on forums for advice from fellow freelance bloggers.
6. Ask clients what blog posts they’d like to read more about
Maybe the money is in a different list from your mailing list. Since you and the client are in a working relationship, why not ask them what they want to know more about?
Possible Media:
Venn diagram showing overlap between readership and clients – one diagram would illustrate the ideal situation (some overlap), and another diagram would show the current situation (no overlap), which would show a visual comparison between ideal and non-ideal situations
Cartoon/comics with alien from Mars (the client) and human (the familiar, loyal reader) – it would be memorable and humorous to the reader (and I know that Lauren likes cartoons 🙂 )
Infographic summarizing the 6 points in a visual form – visual summary would be easy to read and re-tweet
Section: Get hired.
Why this is a great post:
Freelancer bloggers blog in order to attract clients for work. Oddly enough, clients might not be loyal readers (just as readers may not convert to clients). They could be drive-by traffic that need something done urgently.
It’s time to take a step back and see whether your blog posts are helping your business or just “fun reading” for your subscribers. Also, I’ve experienced this phenomenon, heard about it from others, but haven’t seen this topic on BAFB yet!
Why me:
I’ve experienced this first-hand in a previous niche (online tutoring for academic courses) and found a way to overcome it. My writing has been featured on other sites, including Write To Done, The Write Life, and Firepole Marketing. Plus, I love promoting the site I’m posting on!
Melissa I would really like to read this 🙂
Not bad, Melissa! This is definitely something that happens to freelance bloggers regularly, but hasn’t been talked about yet on BAFB. I like it.
HEADLINE: The Freelance Blogger’s Guide to Meeting Tight Deadlines Without Pulling Your Hair Out
It’s a nice problem to have – the continuous flow of work, clients, and more clients sending job brief after job brief. But are you happy?
If you’re writing late nights or working weekends to meet client demand, be careful. Working yourself to the bone is bad news. Burnout has been known to cause cognitive decline, relationship problems, and serious health concerns.
1. Plan ahead.
Often, stress-free freelance blogging is all about planning. Working with regular clients means you already have an idea of the topics they’re likely to order from you. If you’re part of a company’s blogging team, you may be asked to pitch your own topics. A handy list to reference reduces the pressure off scouring the Internet for suitable topics to write about on short notice.
2. Do your research and unplug from technology.
The Internet is one of the best inventions of the modern world, but it can easily become a time suck, too. Once you’re done researching your outline’s every point or sub-point, turn off your mobile phone and stay away from the Internet. Unplug your modem or disable your computer’s network/wireless adapters. Write your first draft based on your initial research. Do additional research, if needed, when done with the “vomit” draft.
3. Use editing software.
Editing software like Hemingway and ProWritingAid exist to help you quickly spot vague writing, overused words, sticky sentences, long sentences, adverbs and passive sentences, and more. The advice to let your draft sit for at least 24 hours before editing is good advice, but if that’s not possible, aside from editing software, another alternative is to use a different font and font size than the ones you used when writing. You may also print out the draft on paper and edit from there.
4. Stick to a niche.
Effective blog posts require a certain amount of research. If you’re not familiar with the topic you’re writing about, the research part will take up most of your time. Sticking to a niche or a short list of niches not only establishes you as a leader in your field, the writing part becomes easier as well.
5. Get help.
Consider hiring ghostwriters when the load becomes too much for you to bear. It may take some trial and error to find your perfect “partner/s in crime,” but delegating extra work to people you trust is a win-win all around.
6. Be honest.
Honesty is still the best policy. Set your clients’ expectations and be upfront about what you can realistically deliver.
Media:
Images: Public domain images via Pixabay manipulated using Photoscape or Picmonkey to highlight passages/sentences from the article
Screenshots: Excel list of topics, how to unplug your network/wireless adapter, and Hemingway and ProWritingAid in action
Why this topic is great for BAFB:
This topic is great for BAFB because meeting very tight deadlines can be a nerve-wracking experience. Planning and using all the help you can get, technology included, are often the answer.
About me:
I’ve been freelance blogging since 2012. It’s normal for me to work with two to four clients at any given time, and I’ve managed to stay sane using the pointers above.
Cool stuff, Maricel. 🙂
Also: I call it a “vomit” draft too. haha.
Thanks, Lauren! 🙂
Sounds good, Maricel! I’d like to see a bit more focus on the “tight deadlines” angle, as some of your points are broad productivity tips. 🙂
Working Headline: How A Spoonful of Mary Poppins can cure blogging pains.
Intro:
What if you could snap your fingers and have your words march onto the page in perfect order? Or jump into a chalk painting to find your next story? Sounds practically perfect, right?
With Mary Poppins by your side, this is possible. Except…
She’s a nanny who works with young children, not bloggers.
All is not lost…
We can pull tricks from Mary’s carpet bag to cure common blogging pains.
1. Pull out a tape measure to size up the angst (examples: perfectionism, procrastination, fear of rejection, lack of ideas) My measurement often reads, “You write painfully slow as if one wrong word will get you kicked off the internet for good.”
Note: Points 2 thru 5 summarize a problem and its cure(s).
2. (Perfectionism & blank page syndrome): Make a mess. Let your inner child (creative self) play with your words (free write, mindmap, brainstorm, write on paper with colored pens). No judgment allowed.
3. (No fresh ideas or troubleshooting a topic): Jump into a chalk drawing when stuck. In other words, switch locations (examples: park, coffee shop, hotel lobby, art museum).
4. (Procrastination): Struggling to start? Join the race anyway. Try this game: Pick a word count. Set a timer and go. You just might win.
5. (Fear of rejection): Take a medicine you know tastes good (example: get feedback from someone you trust before submitting a post or proposal to your client or prospect). Feedback from a fellow writer is more likely to taste like rum punch than battery acid.
6. Throw a tea party on the ceiling or a dance party on the roof. This means putting a reward on the line to motivate yourself into action.
Media idea: Fun photos and/or animated gifs with captions (Examples: a picture of my hand-written, colorful mindmap with doodles; fun writing locations (mine or a stock photo), Mary Poppins Gifs from Giphy)
Why this is a great post. And why me: We bloggers spend too much time in our own heads making the writing process beyond painful. This post can help cure that. Over the past year, I’ve overcome many writing hurdles by weaving fun into my writing routine.
Hi, Marianne! I love it when the pitch has a theme and sticks with it. I’d be a little concerned that the freelancing element isn’t coming through strongly enough, but the tips for bloggers are definitely there. Not bad.
Thanks for your feedback Lauren! I tweaked the body of the outline to address freelancing better…
1. Pull out a tape measure to size up the angst (examples: perfectionism, procrastination, fear of rejection, lack of ideas) Example, “Writes painfully slow. Needs to speed up to earn a living wage as a freelancer.”
Note: Points 2 thru 5 summarize a problem and its cure(s).
2. (Perfectionism & blank page syndrome): Make a mess. Let your inner child (creative self) play with your words (free write, mindmap, brainstorm, write on paper with colored pens). No judgment allowed.
3. (No fresh ideas in niche or struggling with client edits): Jump into a chalk drawing when stuck. In other words, switch locations (examples: park, coffee shop, hotel lobby, art museum, bookstore).
4. (Procrastination, marketing freelance services): Struggling to start? Join the race anyway. Try this game: Commit to a goal (updating services page, reaching out to 3 new prospects). Set a timer and go. You just might win.
5. (Fear of rejection): Take a medicine you know tastes good (example: get feedback from someone you trust before submitting a post or proposal to your client or prospect). Feedback from a fellow writer is more likely to taste like rum punch than battery acid.
6. Throw a tea party on the ceiling or a dance party on the roof. This means putting a reward on the line to motivate yourself into action.
Media idea: Fun photos and/or animated gifs with captions (Examples: a picture of my hand-written, colorful mindmap with doodles; fun writing locations (mine or a stock photo), Mary Poppins Gifs from Giphy)
Cheers!
Hi, Sophie and Lauren!
As new freelance bloggers, many people in your audience are still navigating the transition away from the structure of an office job, and learning to be their own boss while they learn the blogging industry and the craft of writing. To help your readers rock this transition, I would like to write a post introducing them to a tool I use and love called Habitica. The post could be called “Slay Your Day–How To Use Gamification to Stay Motivated and Accountable”.
The post would start like this: “Have you ever wanted to literally kick your day in the teeth? As a freelance blogger and adult with ADD, “Just Do It” is never as easy as “Just Do It” for me. So, while struggling to transition away from the structure and accountability of an office job, I found Habitica–the productivity tool that looks like something I would have played on my GameBoy Color.”
In the article, I would cover four points:
– It can be hard for freelance bloggers to recreate the structure they had at work while working for themselves, and a “Just Do It” attitude can actually set you up to fail.
– Gamification is a growing trend in apps and tools that turn boring things into a game, creating motivation through fun, challenge, and instant gratification.
– Habitica is a dorky, highly visual game version of a productivity tool. You earn points and gear for your avatar by completing your goals and building good daily habits that you set for yourself.
-Habitica also comes with the ability to organize into groups to complete “quests”–giving you the accountability and companionship that you had when you had coworkers.
-Habitica is great for writers and people like me with ADD, who needs tools that are highly visual, hands-on and challenging to stay focused and motivated. By rewarding you for your successes, the game builds a sense of accomplishment rather than guilt and frustration.
Habitica works precisely because it is highly visual, which is why the article would be accompanied by visuals from the game itself, as well as hand drawn cartoons from me. The site boasts gorgeous pixel-art created by the community, and I would lead the article with an image of my real Habitica avatar. Aside from the fact that my avatar is tricked out in some pretty sick gear that I want to show off, this would make the article authentic and personal by showing my real online player, while communicating the vibe of the site. The pixel art is inviting and instantly familiar to anyone who plays RPGs, loves videogames, or had a Gameboy as a kid. Throughout the article paragraphs, I would also strengthen each point with a single-panel chibi style cartoon of my avatar fighting off the challenges discussed, sword in hand.
I think that your readers are a fun-loving group who may struggle with staying on task and staying motivated, because blogging is a creative activity that you can’t always cruise through by setting your brain on auto-pilot. Many of the new freelancers may also be struggling with the sudden loss of community by going solo. Habitica is a tool that helps both of those things because it provides instant gratification, fun visuals, and a supportive community that would be very useful for your readers. As a game-loving nerd with the attention span of untrained Pokemon, I’ve used it to successfully create structure for myself and replace frustration with empowerment, which is why I think I’m the perfect person to introduce it to the group. (I’m also a level 52 Rogue and Guild leader in-game. Just sayin’.) I’ve demonstrated my conversational, humorous writing style for blogs such as Kinkly, ResumeToInterviews, and Ms. CareerGirl. I’ve also been cartooning as a hobby for many years, and have been using my doodles to enhance my personal blog. (Examples of my cartoon posts can be seen here: http://bit.ly/1OE6Sed and here: http://bit.ly/1Nsrjh9)
Thank you for the opportunity. All the best, – Nicole Pieri
Great stuff, Nicole! I’d love to see a post for bloggers with ADD. Sophie and I are doing a post together for bloggers struggling with mental illness, but it’s a bit more general (and neither of us has ADD — I have OCD and she has bipolar). It’d be nice to see something specifically on how freelance bloggers with ADD can earn more money through good habits.
Headline: How I’ve Landed $100 Freelance Blogging Gigs Without a Single Pitch
Not to knock BAFB’s pitching contest, but I have to say it: pitching sucks. It’s so time consuming! While I appreciate having an opportunity to hone my craft as a blogger by creating short, to-the-point, attention-grabbing elevator speeches, every time I’ve done a pitch or written up a topic sample to submit for a guest blogging opportunity, a voice in the back of my head whispers “how much are you getting paid per hour for this?”
As a stay-at-home mom, what little time I have to write between preparing snacks, changing diapers and talking down tantrums is very valuable. So much so, that about 2 months into my freelancing career, I decided to stop wasting my time pitching and try a different strategy to get work.
Guess what? Once I stopped seeing my writing as a talent waiting to be discovered and started treating writing like a business with its own brand, target audience, and social media strategy, my freelance blogging career took off. Here’s how it happened.
1) I attracted Twitter followers who were influenced by the same people as me.
(GIF: via GIPHY)
When I first set up my Twitter account, I had never sent a tweet in my life. Within two weeks of setting up my Twitter account and creating a content curation and publication plan (more on that below), I had a digital marketer direct message me with an offer to hire me to write 36 blog posts per month! I’ll tell you how I collected the right followers to make that happen.
2) I join the heck out of Google Plus communities.
GIF: via GIPHY
Something you should know about Google Plus: the people who hire bloggers aren’t hanging out in blogging communities. You need to schmooze with marketing types: content, social media, and digital. One of the posts I shared caught the attention of the editorial manager for a search engine community who interviewed me for an article that led to leads through my website. I’ll give you some pointers on what communities you can join to get the right eyeballs on your work.
3) I curated and published content that reflected my personal brand as a freelance blogger.
GIF: via GIPHY
Instead of sending query letters and pitches out each week, my time is spent creating blog posts centered around the nature of storytelling, business and human connection. My target audience: digital marketers and entrepreneurs who are looking for insights on creating meaningful content. I’m going to give you some tips and point you in the direction of great content curation and branding resources like Klout and Sniply.
4) I re-print every blog post I write on LinkedIn Pulse.
GIF: via GIPHY
LinkedIn has been fantastic for connecting with digital marketers. The online publishing venue, Pulse, not only appears on the LinkedIn website, but every post you publish also gets delivered via an email newsletter to all of your LinkedIn connections. I’ll walk you through some of the ways I created a great LinkedIn network so my Pulse posts landed in the inbox of the right people.
5) I earned a marketing budget on content mill websites.
GIF: via GIPHY
Yep, the pay is crap. But every penny I earned on Textbroker and Constant Content has more than paid for itself because I invest it in PPC advertising which has brought me several ongoing clients. I’ll give you some insights I’ve gained as I’ve tried out different paid advertising venues.
I almost feel like I’m cheating the system by not pitching for work (with the exception of Pitchfest), but hey…whatever I’m doing is working!
Why this will work for BAFB: It can save BAFB readers hours of heartache over rejection emails and the irritation of waiting for a response to a pitch she’s poured her heart into. Although the setting up of social media campaigns can be time consuming, the rewards are more immediate and more direct. And frankly, the pay has been much better than I’ve seen on blogging submission posts.
Why me: I’ve been getting consistent, high-paying work working with content publishers who love what I do and sought me out to do it. Not bad for someone who’s only been freelancing since April of this year!
I would love to read this, Alaura!
Great stuff, Alaura! 🙂
This is totally me, I don’t have time for pitches either as a stay at home momma. When I do write a post or pitch to send it off, I make sure it serves a dual purpose so if it gets rejected, it can still be utilized somewhere else, so no wasted time.
This would be an excellent resource.. for me especially. Would love to read it, wherever it is published!
Alaura,
I really like your title. It’s super captivating while being a bit mysterious.
I’m completely speaking for myself here. One thing I have to say is that I’d be wary of giving the content mill tip. Most freelance bloggers who would click on a headline like this are trying to escape the content mills. It also doesn’t convince me as a reader of your authority. If you’re still willing to work for pennies per word, are you really getting paid a decent wage by your other clients? How much do you have to write for other clients to hit that $100 mark?
That being said, this is still a great pitch, and I’m intrigued by your other tips (I didn’t know you could republish content on LinkedIn).
Thanks for the insight, Alicia! As a former serf of the content mills, I understand that people are seeking ways to break free. So that’s exactly why I added that tip: we’re told over and over that the content mills are a waste of our time, but as we’re just getting started, the content mills can be a good way to gain writing confidence. Why not use the pittance we earn on places like Textbroker to invest in our burgeoning writing business? I haven’t written a Textbroker article in months since my website has taken off, but it was a resource for funding my business as I was getting started. All of these points will be included in my post, should it be selected!
Oh, and BTW, im currently earning around $70 per 500 words. So quite a leap from Textbroker’scrates!
Yes, it is!
Thanks for clearing up my concern.
I feel like adding that to the post would trump uncertainties of the last headline.
The 2016 Presidential Election
This article will attract millions of readers, gain credibility for the web site, and provide a logical explanation for what is happening in this historic election.
While the rest of the media struggles to figure it out, we will have a logical theory that is rooted in history.
American Politics is on a pendulum that swings from the right and to the left and then back to the right. This year we are swing to the right, and that means Donald Trump probably will be elected.
Peter: This has nothing to do with how to be a better freelance blogger.
Fun title possibility #1: Pick a Tool, Any Tool, Be a Winner
Fun title possibility #2: 8 Online Tools to Clear Your Brain Space for Blogging
Intro words:
Overwhelm.
Did you just make a face? Heave a resigned sigh? Maybe shudder a little?
Feeling overwhelmed freaking sucks, and it’s so, so easy to fall into as a freelancer. There are a hundred things vying for your attention, and at least a dozen of them need to be done right now or preferably actually yesterday.
6 Points:
1. Scheduling: Google Calendar
Inspired by a post on Freelancers Union [https://www.freelancersunion.org/blog/2015/06/16/3-biggest-time-management-traps/], I made a strict daily schedule for myself, outlining when I’d eat, when I’d work, when I’d take breaks — and it’s been supremely helpful. The post said “The truth is this: when you have a plan, you feel relaxed; when you don’t have a plan, you feel overwhelmed,” and I went “Oh. Yeah, let’s try that.”
2. Clearing the mental clutter: 750words.com
This site takes its inspiration from the idea of “morning pages,” but since I’ve never actually read the book that’s from I just know how I use the site: as a way to clear mental clutter, or quickly go over the things I need to do that day, or write down the bit of dialogue I woke up thinking about so I won’t forget it before I add it to a story later (and it won’t be trying to take over my brain while I’m trying to do the paying work during the day).
3. Blocking time-wasters: StayFocusd
Everyone has their thing online they need to stay away from for the good of their business; for me it’s Tumblr (and, um, fanfiction). If your willpower is as crappy as mine, it takes courage (or at least a moment of wild determination) to set StayFocusd up in a way that will really benefit you, but once that’s done there’s no going back, and willpower is no longer in the equation.
4. Tracking work time: Harvest
I personally really, really love being able to look at how long I worked on a particular project, or for a particular client, and average that out with what I’ve earned to find my hourly rate. Also, it’s probably good to do that for, like, actual business reasons, too.
5. Music to help you focus: focus@will
This site is pretty amazing — music scientifically designed to help you focus, which it totally does. (I don’t know how it works, but it’s sciencey, I promise.)
6. Turning productivity into a game: Habitica
Formerly called HabitRPG, this fun little site lets you create an avatar, then earn (completely fake) money — through completing self-designed tasks and generally being productive — to buy them weapons and equipment. You can join a party and fight bosses, join guilds and complete challenges, and collect little virtual pets.
(Keeping this to six points as requested, but tools 7 and 8 are RescueTime and Evernote.)
Media:
SCREENSHOTS. SCREENSHOTS GALORE. SO MANY SCREENSHOTS. Screenshots to show how I personally use these tools, plus some how-to images if those would be helpful. Also, if I’m feeling super-fancy, maybe The World’s Simplest Infographic to round everything up? That would be new territory for me, but with a title like The World’s Simplest Infographic I think I can do a pretty awesome job.
Why this post & why me:
Some of these tools have been mentioned previously on BAFB, but they were just mentions — this post would go in-depth on how each tool can be helpful in fighting overwhelm and creating an individualized daily framework for being a freelance blogger, by making space in your day and in your head for doing the work without it completely taking over your life.
I personally use each and every one of these tools, and recently they’ve all been helping me clear out my own mental clutter and finally get back on track with my business.
Plus, I just really like taking screenshots (and explaining awesomely helpful tools).
[Alternatively, I could write a post tentatively titled “How to Run a Freelance Blogging Business While Being Subjected to the Actual Worst Internet Connection Ever in History”, with suspenseful questions to keep readers on the edge of their seats: Will Katie’s e-mail load this time? Will she actually be able to submit this pitch before midnight? Why doesn’t she have a smartphone?? So much mystery. Such intrigue. Readers will feel the frustration seeping from every line.]
Not bad, Katie. 🙂
Tons of useful tools here! I especially like that you would go into detail about how these have helped you be productive. I am super unorganized, so this would attract my attention as a must read post. Nice job 🙂
I think we had a post already that covered some of these tools — otherwise I’d say this would be a good fit for the blog. 🙂
3 Ways To Give Them What They Want
Are you stuck? Want to find out what your audience or clients want? There are various resources that can help. There are resources out there that will tell you exactly what they want. You don’t have to do all the heavy lifting. Just do like Burger King and follow McDonald’s to the new location.
1. Magazines: Hot and Trendy
Magazines are a great place to look for new and fresh information. The pictures and articles get your attention whether you’re looking for them or not. I can’t count how many times I have picked up a magazine at the checkout counter with weight loss headlines or celebrity drama. Don’t want to stand at the bookstore looking at hundreds of magazines? Checkout magazines.com and search for magazines in your industry. Just look at the headlines on the cover to see what the hot topics are for that month.
Media- I would use a very enticing magazine cover.
2. Who’s A Dummie?
As a mom, I never want to hear my kids say the d-word, but being a dummy has become very popular. The dummies.com brand provides every how-to you can imagine. The great thing about their website is you can search a variety of categories and sub-categories to find what are the “most popular” topics in that area.
Media- Info graphic
3. Used Up? Maybe.
I guess everyone uses Google keyword search. It is not just useful to determine the relevance of your keywords. We go to the internet for everything these days. I have done searches for everything you can imagine from DYI’s to business strategies. Use it to find out what people want to know then provide the information.
Media-Info graphic
Why me? Why this?
I love everything related to marketing. This would be a perfect article for Freelance Bloggers. In business, it is best to know what prospective customers want and provide it for them. You take a lot of guess work out of the equation.
THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED!!!
Huge “thank you” to everyone who entered this time!
This is going to be a hard Pitchfest to judge! Everyone really stepped up and tried and it’s been really exciting. There’s no clear winner! Sophie and I are really going to have to think on this…
Also: If you haven’t gotten a reply from us yet, don’t worry — you will. We’ve been reading each and every entry as they come in (whew!), but it sometimes takes us a little while to write back.
The winners will be announced by Sophie here in the comments’ section within the next couple days!
Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the results! And thank you all again. 😀
Oh shoot! Didn’t see your critique until afterwards. Ah well. Thanks Lauren!
OK, THE WINNERS ARE:
1st prize:
Alaura Weaver on earning money without pitching — read her winning pitch at http://beafreelanceblogger.com/photos-pitchfest/#comment-147072
2nd prize:
Katherine Swarts on blog visuals for beginners — http://beafreelanceblogger.com/photos-pitchfest/#comment-146463
3rd prize:
Alicia Rades on writer websites — http://beafreelanceblogger.com/photos-pitchfest/#comment-146487
Other people whose pitches we feel are ready to draft:
(If your name’s on this list, we encourage you to either pitch your idea to one of the sites in The Ultimate List of Better-Paid Blogging Gigs, or write a full draft and submit it to lauren@beafreelanceblogger.com for publication as a traditional, unpaid guest post on Be a Freelance Blogger.)
* Cherese Cobb on Internet trolls
* Melissa Chu on readers vs clients
* Chana R on newbie Pitchfest tips
* Daniel R on HACCP for bloggers
* Nicole P on ADD blogging and gamification
* Vanessa on finding and editing photos
People we hope will bring their idea back to the NEXT Pitchfest in December 2015:
(If your name’s on this list, we like your pitch but we’d like to see you work on it a bit more before we invite you to submit a draft.)
* Rochel
* Les Blythe
* Kim Smyth
* Jaguar / Josh Mitchell
* Antoniya K Zorluer
* Amanda Toerdal
* Rebecca Ruiz
* Randi
* Corrine Pinfold
* Williesha
* Maricel Rivera
Congratulations and well done to everyone who entered!
Congratulations to all the winners! 🙂
Congrats everyone!
Congrats to Alaura, Katherine, and Alicia! I can’t wait to read your articles 🙂
Congrats, looking forward to the new posts!
Sophie, Lauren & co, do you have any feedback apart from “work on it”?
*Happy dance*
Thank you guys so much! Sophie, I’ve been using your emails as inspiration in so many ways, so it’s beyond exciting to be invited to contribute to BAFB!
Congrats to Katherine & Alicia, as well and everyone else who put in some butt-kicking pitches.
Can’t wait to get to work writing this post!
Congratulations, everyone! 🙂
Thank you all, and congratulations to the winners! I’m looking forward to reading these posts!
Congratulations, everyone! 🙂
Congrats to Alaura, Katherine & Alicia 🙂
Also it’s great to be on the list where my pitch needs some work before summiting a draft. Any feedback on how I can improve my pitch would be much appreciated?
Congrats to the winners, and thank you all! Will definitely participate again soon, but like others I would love it if you guys have the time for more detailed feedback.
Congratulations!
Can’t wait for the next one! I was travelling abroad when this started. Just quit my job to freelance full time and a lot of that includes freelance blogging! I’ll have more insight in a few months 🙂