Online Writing: Ten “Rules” to Better your Writing Career!

Online Writing: Ten “Rules” to Better your Writing Career!

Manycoloured Manley Nowaseb

Writer, Evangelist & Blogger, Author: To Rise To Fall To Rise Again!

Knowing and trusting yourself as a writer, you have learned about the online opportunities presented to writers, so you thought you would just write two or three quality articles to blow away editors to demand more--- instead of you pitching and hassling them to accept your work? 

Yet with a slow go or no prosperity you are considering giving up on this writing dream because you think you are wasting time? Well, please read on, this may safe you!

I have written over thirty different titles of between 1500-2500 words each, based on different categories and sent them to over fifteen online magazines to get about nothing. One magazine actually accepted and paid me $50 for 1861 words, Two or three magazines wrote back to let me know that it didn’t fit for their readership and four plus, simply did not reply at all and that’s just how things can be for a starter.

I thought I have written over 45,000 words in vain. Concerned, I have been browsing some blogs to see if I was making a mistake in writing and I just learned enough including how fun blogging could actually be, so I said; ‘Wait, let me start a blog myself and at least all I have wrote will not go in vain,’ so I started the Wisdom of God Church Online, obviously based on my spiritual calling as well, you can view the Background of Online Church and the Church Overview to understand better.

I guess that was my major professional movements, that and my eagerness to understanding how the Web world works, but let me not get carried away here, because I am writing to share with you my ten rules to become a better writer, which will stimulate your desire to keep on freelance writing through the heavy weather.

1.      Consistency – Write daily

Consistency may not be the head rule, but I put it first because the foundation and survival in the writing trade is to keep on writing. The more you write the better you write and that would even pronounce you consistent and reliable to the publishing world.

I would advise you to be consistent, not only by writing many articles, but mainly by being consistent in your categories and topics as that would win you readership, instead of writing to get paid or published.

If readers demand your writings, the magazines will chase you down, so focus on categories and topics you have vast understanding of, that way, you will tread your readership. While on readership check out the next crucial point.

2.      Understand readership

If you are a freelance writer, you must understand that just like you want a payment in return for your writing, so the blog also wants readership, or the magazine intents to sell, therefore this guys have to be strict on what works and what don’t.

If you have a brilliant, well written topic about ‘Repenting’ and forward it to a youth dating blog or magazine that would be awkward right?

I know most publisher have submission guidelines and recommend that you read some of their previous published work and frankly most of us never do, when I started off, I didn’t as well. I understand it is out of that desperateness of being published and paid as a newcomer that we often overstep the rules, but unfortunately rules are rule.

Let me give you this hint; sometimes you see it’s a magazine on Christianity and your topic is about that as well, but double check the publishers previous work to see, if your views and standards are the same as theirs.  

 

3.      Learn around and follow publishers work

The little things always matter and yet we jump them and eventually hit our heads, but I have learned to learn around. Like I have boldly put it to you above, I got concerned and decided to learn around, reading some magazines online, as well as blogs especially those with tips on online writing and I have found a lot of insight.

The writing style which was common in blogs, the need to have open spaces between paragraph to write in a lively tone that give the reader enjoyment and more, yes it’s out there, if you take time to learn.

It is important to understand the motive and the objectives of your targeted publisher; online or printed. By knowing more about the publisher you will avoid covering a topic which was printed last week, yet you may see an opportunity to reversion one of their most read articles by presenting a revamp article on what was previously published and you could actually link back in your article from their web to that article that was and this will show them that you are following them and they would be at ease trusting your work.   

  

4.      Why Pitch

Well I have recently decided to invite guest posting on Wisdom of God Church Online and in just my first day of making such an invitation I got seventy-one reply’s with almost everything I was not looking for and I was so embarrassed to tell most of the writers that I am unimpressed, but I had to, its ethics to maintain standards of the industry.

On the contrary, my concern was on the part of the writers whom like myself for instance, had written as many words as I have said and I know how disappointing and discouraging it is if you get negative or no reply, therefore I would advise any writer to pitch before writing.

Unless the magazine outlines no pitch, I recommend you to pitch first, it’s a play safe rule to avoid spending time writing what will not be accepted. Pitch is as simple as to notify the editor/publisher of your intention to write on a certain topic and what your goal is through the writing. I would recommend that even if you have written the complete article, its best to sometimes just pitch it as if you have not started and only present it if the publisher ask you to write about it.

I have learned most publishers may say hand in a full manuscript, yet if they read it all, they may disagree on opinion with a few of your points and would reject the entire writing on those points, however if you pitch them and they agree, they may just ask you to reconsider the few points they find offensive and you would still have the gig for that matter.

5.      Be Well Presented

How we present our manuscript is one of the vital rules in freelancing, making sure that whatever reach the publisher is outlined professionally.

Professional people often judge by document layout to grade our professionalism that is why most companies hire professional branding agencies to be well presented, nevertheless, Microsoft Office, which I am using has quality features which can make documents turn into “five star” presentations.

If it is for a magazine publication, check out the style, formatting and standard text usage of some magazines, in fact checking on samples of the actual magazine you are targeting to write for is the best approach, yet if you write for a blog, use blog suitable style, formatting and layout for your article.

As part of presentation, it is very important to provide your biography with every submission and I know many of us write a one line biography of simply who you are and that you are a freelance writer. I suggest that you present more than that to the publisher; applicable previous work even outside your writing career which relates you to write on the topic and list names of organizations you have worked with could serve as a better presentation.

Remember the old saying, first impression counts, therefore make it count. If you have your own writing blog, just throw in a link for the publisher to view it, the publisher may read through some writings on your blog and see something else in you.

6.      Get recognized

Brand yourself, be known for writing, be known for the genre you focus on, let your readership know where to find your type of articles. If you are going to make an impression, start by selling yourself to your industry.

Start a blog and post daily (it shows you are a professional writer), have Twitter and Facebook, make sure you have something going on, on this platforms as well. Have another professional profile on LinkedIn and speak to your connections daily. Be active, let people see your online existence and have that presented to your publisher as well.

The ideas it that the publisher must see that you have a recognition as a writer. In my writing

“Leading writers, Writing tip and Emerging writers,” I say that you don’t write to have only that one article published, but you write to have a reputation and to be proclaimed a professional writer.

 

7.      Double Check

Double check typos, grammar etc… I like to agree that we don’t have the equal English standard, especially if we rate African, US, UK and China English for example, but let what you present at least have something close to standard instead of it looking like the editor will have to figure out and redo the entire artifact for you.

Because you are trying to make an impression to your publisher, have a couple of people read what you have written, let them give you their honest opinion.

Proofreading is almost essential for any writer and if you consider going professional you probably have to look for that old school classmate that was good in English in high school and come in agreement with them that they may be your proof reader to double check your work before it is seen by the publisher.

       8.      Secure future, offer more

With whatever you hand in let it be clear what you are capable of a writer-publisher relationship. If the publish give it a shot to read your manuscript make sure it includes everything that will present your intention for future relationship. 

For example if you approach a paying nature and wildlife blog with an article and you are busy with a book on wildlife, let them know as well and offer that you will be able to give them a book review.

In fact you can even present it to them without an upcoming book. If they agree to have that review - you have to start writing that book because you have secured a platform to publish your book review and be paid both ways.

Writing is not limited to write one article and look around for a platform to see if it fits here or there, instead you are in control of moving you career so explore markets that can provide you with future opportunities. What I mean is, don’t be limited to online freelance gigs only, but use such gigs to negotiate professional future relationships with publishers. After all you don’t want to be a freelance writer forever, but you want to have a couple of books released and probably get an award or two through your career.

 

9.      Don’t lose it

One thing that I have learned in my short life is that it’s hard to get the best things in life, yet it is very easy (if you are not careful) to lose everything you worked hard for. Once you got a breakthrough with any publisher, uphold to your end of the deal, proof the person that actually agreed to assign you that they have made a wise decision.

Once you get a relationship with a publisher be professional, meet deadlines and be upfront if you have to. Keep truck of the publishing activity of your publisher, I mean research the topics including previous articles they published and  look at what important focus points they have not covered and pitch them for publication, telling them boldly you have reviewed their past work and you think it is time they also focus on the topic you present.

Pro-activeness can make it seem that you are willing and are part of their team, rather than them to think that you are just writing for money. Also if you can throw in a freebie, that can work too. Focus on a topic which was already published but which you want to motivate from your perspective. Yes, tell them it’s free – it would not kill to have an article worth $200 given away for free to secure a relationship from which you can net $200,000 over five years or so.

10.  Flexibility, Confidence and Perseverance

My motto is; “I have a lot to offer!” therefore I have this energy that makes me keep moving on searching for greener pastures.

Keep writing, be confident and persevere, you have to pursue your happiness. If your happiness is money – I am afraid you will soon stop writing if you realize it takes long to get money, but if your joy is in writing, I tell you that you will keep writing long after you pass away. Your writings will still write about you and for you.

To remain a successful writer you have to be flexible in writing on multiple topics, I mean this in light that if you have built reputation, readership and beyond. You will have to associate with different environments, read more, read other writings, explore different industries and to have vast understanding of the world.

What I mean is, you have to write to be able to expand your horizon and remain in the market even if online gigs are not available anymore, directed to explore new platforms of having your writer career prosper on.

Let me use a driver career to explain the above. At some point most drivers aim to get all other class drivers licenses to accommodate them for new opportunities of employment and that should be the same as a writer, to make yourself conversant to any other perspectives in writing.

Moreover the point is to write to remain in the game and not to give up. Writing is not as long as the current article last, but to presume the next one which you have not started yet.    

Lastly, become part of what you are getting out, share and join in making your article successful.

Many times we write to get payment from the publisher and after we are paid we just fade out as if that was all we needed, but I suggest that once the publisher have post or print your article, that you have to make sure to promote that article, by sharing it in your circles or promote it to your fans to respond to your article. I am sure if your publisher notice that kind of input from your end, he would keep having you around as a writer.

Don’t be surprised of why Donald Trump would be published by any blog or magazine, the mere reason is the man has branded himself so well that he have over ten million followers and that is a bonus for the publisher a Win-Win situation!

Learning the above steps did not just put me a rank or two up as a writer, moreover it encourage me to explore more opportunities and to position me to be able to exit ten years from now as a writer.

 

The point in looking at the writing industry from a professional perspective is that we think everything we write is suitable for the industry, yet we make too many flaws that even get a good written idea be rejected on some few flaws and sometimes our reputation is also going down the line with the flaws we make.

After starting my blog I realized that most of what I wrote initially, could not published even on my blog, I now understand how over twenty publishers could ignore me. I had to either edit most of my writing to suite readership or void some of the writings which initially I thought were awesome.

I am sure if you consider the above set of rules they may be helpful for you to move a step up in the writing industry. That’s what I had for this post and I hope you have got something out of this.

Have fun writing!

Manycoloured Manley Nowaseb

Writer, Evangelist & Blogger: Wisdom of God Church Online

Author: To Rise To Fall To Rise Again!