I have a few questions about freelance writing…
(All questions assume the writer actually has talent and acceptable work):
1. Is it better to write an article and search for somewhere to have it published, or look for specific requests for topics and then write the article and hope it is accepted?
2. How many submissions does a typical freelance writer send out a month and how many normally get accepted?
3. How much does a freelance writer typically earn in a year (or per article)?
4. If you are one (or have been one), do you feel it is a waste of time or worth the effort?
5. Give me some examples (besides Associated Content—who frequently offers their writers $3 for time-consuming articles) of good companies/publications/sites to submit work.
6. What is the best book out there that lists places for writers to submit their works for payment?
Thanks!
By the way, I am the author of two published novels, and I know all too well, not much (if any) money can be made through writing and freelancing. I just wanted to get an estimate of what to expect.
Tagged with: Acceptable Work • Freelance • Freelance Writer • Freelance Writing • Money • Novels • Submissions • Waste Of Time • Writing
Filed under: article writing companies
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www.writersmarket.com
and
www.writersdigest.com
good places to start.
1. You can do both. Some publications accept completed manuscripts. Others give out assignments. There is no “better” way. You have to research the individual markets and see what they want.
2. Anywhere from 1 to a 1,000. There is NO way to offer an estimate, as there are too many variables. An author who has a proven track record has a list of contacts, and can generally get a higher submission to print ratio than a new author with no contacts. It is also dependent on how much research (there is that word again) you do before submitting. A writer who takes his time to understand potential markets and only submits two or three articles a month will have better odds than someone using the “throw enough crap” against the wall approach.
3. Freelancers freelance to supplement their income. Few make a full time job out of it. “Professional” rates are allegedly 10 to 20 cents per word published, but in reality few markets pay this much. Generally, you can be looking at rates between 1 cent to 5 cents a word as a newbie. That may buy you a pizza, but you aren’t gonna live on it.
4. Writers write because they HAVE TO WRITE. If you don’t consider the joy of writing worth the effort in and of itself, you will never amount to anything as a writer. Money is a secondary reward.
5/6–Writer’s Digest, The Writer, freelancewriting.com
7 (which you didn’t ask but you get my opinion anyway). You are too fixated on the money aspect. If you think writing is going to be your ticket to money, you will be sadly mistaken. Most freelancers write to supplement their incomes, not as a full time income. Others write because it is expected in their field to “publish or perish” (i.e. education). Others write just to share what they know. If you are not passionate about the written word, and if you do not enjoy writing for the sake of writing, everything else means nothing because you will fail.
http://find articles.com/
Easy to use links that will help with all your research needs, try typing a keyword or two into the search engine and see what happens.
http://vos.ucsb.edu/in dex.asp
http://www.aresearch guide.com/
http://www.geo cities.com/athens/troy/886…
http://www.student researcher.com/search/…
http://www.cha cha.com/
You will have to write these links into your address bar