Breaking into commercial writing is not as easy as everyone tells you. Like any business it requires dedication and the correct use of marketing strategies and tools.
When I began writing, it was because I wanted to express myself and write novels. I wrote my first in 10 weeks and was successful in having it published. For me, it was a great learning curve. In the meantime I started to explore other avenues for my writing.
I don’t mind what I write as long as I am writing. If you’re a writer, you’ll fully understand that.
I started off by writing a few articles for women’s glossies. First I chose a topic that I knew would appeal to their editorial staff and I drafted around 1200 words and then submitted it to the features editor. They loved the idea but wanted it edited to around 800 words but who was I to complain? I did so willingly and they paid me for my story. This got me to thinking.
If I wrote the same story but with a different headline and angle, could I submit to other glossies? It worked to an extent but most women’s mags want original content so it was back to the laptop. What I did realise is that this approach works for online publications so, I changed tack and submitted my work to a number of online women’s interest sites and, hey presto, they were all accepted.
Working online is easier for a writer as the need for content is huge. Building up a name for yourself can be difficult though and for me the best way to go about it was to use article submission sites like ezinearticles.com and goarticles.com. These are article distribution sites that allow publishers to trawl through submitted articles and use them in their sites/publications. You don’t get paid but your byline goes with the article and is carried through the net increasing your own visibility and driving traffic to your website.
Oh yes, I forgot to mention I set up a professional writers site just in case some publisher wanted to contact me directly. Instead of a static site I use a blogsite on wordpress. This allows me to change content regularly and use social media applications to drive awareness and traffic. It’s a must for a budding writer!
I also use Twitter a lot. I post daily and read voraciously to find new topics of interest. My first client came to me via my blog – so kudos to me! It was great. I was paid peanuts for doing a series of online articles but the client was so pleased that I now write regularly for them. From this humble beginning I soon gained recommendations and other clients in property, legal, finance, marketing and travel/tourism and now I write for each of them on a regular basis.
Before you start writing commercially set out your terms and a price list. I was so surprised by my first client that I didn’t have it professionally set up and I lost out because of that. It also meant that the price I gave him then was the price he then expected all the way through our working relationship – not good.
Writing content has great worth to a client as it give them an edge over competitors and brings them new business so don’t sell yourself short when pricing a project. I reward clients for long term projects. Those I write monthly ezines and blogs for receive a huge discount. One off projects I charge more for.
Think about the commercial aspect of writing before you set up your shop i.e. what are you offering your clients and why? I write because I love writing but I also need to earn a living. I’m happy servicing a few loyal clients over long periods of time and discounting my rates. You may not be.
Writing allows me freedom to build my work around my life – not the other way around. So I’m the lucky one. I also don’t struggle to write, so it’s not a difficult job for me. However, writing commercial takes skill and time so I need to maximise my hours.
Writing online soon makes you familiar with social media and that too, becomes a marketable commodity for clients who are looking to increase their online visibility. If I add up the average time I spend online for a client managing their social media it amounts to at least an hour or two a day if done properly. I don’t recoup all that time as I set a monthly fee for this activity but what it does for me is ensure that I’m visible on line as the author of everything that client wants online.
In short, a good writer can earn a good living online which allows you to follow your writing dreams inbetween when you get a few hours to churn out your novel!
If you need help or advice please contact me. I’m happy to share!
