Freelance Writing on the Internet

By Mridu Khullar

So, you've decided to take up a freelancing career in writing.
You've hooked up the computer, installed the printer, and learnt
the nitty-gritty of your word processor. You've maybe even got a
couple of published clips. You're all set to conquer the online
world of publishing. But wait. Do you know all the options
available to you?

We've compiled a list of all the jobs a freelance writer can find
on the Internet to keep the cash inflow steady:

MAGAZINES
-----------------
Most of the freelancing industry focuses on magazines, so let's
start there. You'll find magazines on every topic imaginable.
From teen issues to running, you'll find at least one magazine to
fit your interests. While magazine publishing is huge and
widespread, don't try to get published everywhere at once. Find a
few niche topics and start your way up from there. As your
expertise and interests grow, branch out to other magazines as
well. Topics most writers start out with include health and
nutrition, computers, parenting, teens, relationships,
disability, travel, etc.

FILLERS IN MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS
--------------------------------------------------------
Not all writers make it to the cover pages of magazines. At least
not at first. In the beginning, you might just have to make do
with fillers. And they pay as much as they're fun to do. Jokes,
opinion pieces, short lists, news items and other short pieces
are termed fillers. Editors are always on the lookout for good
fillers, so you stand a good chance of breaking through. Another
great area to break into the industry.

GREETING CARDS
-------------------------
With e-cards, paper greeting cards seem to have taken a backseat.
Nevertheless, the sale of paper cards is still ongoing and they
are still preferred when it comes to relatives, long-lost friends
or special occasions. Despite popular myths, greeting card
markets are not as easy to break into as they seem, can take a
long time to respond and an even longer time to get your card
into print. The upside is that greeting card markets pay
extremely well for short writing. So when you need to take a
break from the regular work, dip your fingers into the greeting
card pool

DOORMATS, MAGNETS, BUMPER STICKERS, T-SHIRTS, ETC.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
If you've wondered how those words made it to t-shirts, stickers,
doormats and magnets, think no more. Freelance writers are often
required to write the slogans for such material and are paid
quite well for it. If you have the ability to coin a catchy or
humorous one-liner, this could be your shot to riches. You won't
get a byline, and certainly no fame, but you could be earning up
to $50 per word!

POSTERS
------------
They're up in your room, you've seen them in your friend's
office, and you often find a funny one at the fast-food place
down the street. Someone must have written them. Why not you? A
lot of companies sell posters and generate handsome sales from
them. In fact, writers of posters are usually paid in royalties,
that is, by the number of posters sold. So, instead of being paid
one-time, you'll be paid over and over again for something you
wrote years ago.

RESUMES
--------------
Practically every one needs a resume (yes, even us freelance
writers). Some people write them up themselves, some prefer to
take the help of professionals. Write up a resume for a friend or
two at work (even if she doesn't need one!) as samples and
respond to advertisements and calls for resume writers. Keep in
mind though, that resume writing isn't your regular every day
writing. You're not supposed to decorate the page with flowery
prose or funny anecdotes. You need to be professional, crisp and
attention-grabbing. Practice with a few fake ones, and you'll
soon be on your way.

ADVERTISING
-------------------
Advertisers need writers, commonly known as copywriters. They're
the flesh and blood of the campaign. Getting into advertising can
be a tricky business, but with a few credentials and a polished
resume, you'll have no trouble at all showcasing your talent to
the world. If you are indeed good at what you do, advertisers
will line up to get you to work for them. If you prefer not to
work for someone, you could set up your own copywriting business
and promote it to get clients.

WEBSITE COPY
---------------------
With the Internet revolution finally having realized in its full
form, small and big companies alike are looking for writers to
write content for their websites. Not only do these companies pay
well, but they also give the writer a much-desired break. If you'
ve written Website copy, you'll have no trouble finding more
assignments of the same kind. Simply guide the prospective client
to the Website and he'll know what kind of work he can expect
from you. Aim for start-up companies at first. They'll usually
hand over the whole work to you and you can make a great
portfolio.

E-BOOKS
-------------
E-books are not here to replace print books. They're here to
provide an alternative resource for distribution. However, most
e-books, as opposed to print books are short, contain lots of Web
links and usually provide answers to a customers immediate needs.
They can be downloaded off the Internet in seconds, and you can
profit from a single e-book long after you've written it. Don't
get fooled though-- writing e-books takes just as much time and
dedication as writing print ones. It's only the mode of delivery
that's different.

E-ZINES
-----------
Online newsletters, or e-zines as they are frequently called, are
becoming the rage of the publishing industry. Many of these
e-zines are paying markets and run regular features and columns.
Many of them have associated websites too. While the pay in this
market is less, you'll be writing shorter articles in much less
time.

NEWSPAPERS
------------------
Generally, when we think of newspapers, we think news. News
reports, latest happenings and current events are what rule the
day. But newspapers hold a lot more information than that. With
regular columns, reviews and updates, latest findings, and
point-of-view articles, newspapers are the writer's best bet. And
if you've gained entry into one section of the newspaper, the
other sections of writing open up to you automatically. Though
slow on the income, getting published in your local daily is
still a major ego-booster!

NEWSLETTERS
---------------------
There are many households and small companies that publish
newsletters. And all the more are springing up each day. These
newsletters are a great way to break into freelancing and gather
clips. Their requirements are not as tough to meet as those of
magazines and most editors are quite quick in their responses. To
add to that, some newsletters also pay quite well, sometimes
almost as much as small magazines.

GHOSTWRITING
-----------------------
If it's the fame you're after, you won't get it here. But you can
earn a decent amount of money ghostwriting memoirs, books or even
articles for people who don't want to or can't write themselves.
Ghostwriters are quite in demand today with more and more people
trying to preserve their family history by getting memoirs or
biographies written. However, apart from the money, there's
nothing else. You don't get the credit, the fame or even the
byline.

The prospects for writers today are immense provided you're ready
to experiment in different areas. The Internet has made it easier
than ever to find writing assignments not only in your own
country, but around the world. A simple email is all it takes to
apply for a job and send in the assignment.

It's easy for a freelance writer to get stuck doing the same old
thing over and over. It's not only fun, but sometimes necessary
to introduce a little spice into your writing routine. If you've
been writing articles all your life, try doing some greeting card
writing instead. If the money is slow, and you could really use
some extra money, apply for a resume writer job (freelance of
course!). If the book manuscripts are lying unsold, try selling
short stories for a change.

With a little variation now and then, you'll not only find your
income shooting up, but also your inspiration. So next time you
find yourself waiting for word on that manuscript, send out a few
short pieces instead. It'll definitely be worth the effort.


=====>About the Author <=====

Mridu Khullar is an internationally-published writer and the
Editor-in-Chief of http://www.WritersCrossing.com. Her credits
include Business World, New Woman, Femina, Gurlz, College Bound,
Living Digital, India Post, Senior Connection and the anthology
SoulFood among others.

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