Writing with Jennifer

So I was reading this inspiring article today from The Cut, and it struck a chord.  Many people have asked me how a writer goes about getting an agent, and I tell them what I know. You query. And you make connections. You join submission parties on social media (not that kind... although you could say writing is a habit of masochists). Maybe you pray. One day the magic happens with a spark and then a flame. Or maybe it doesn't.  You've got to find joy in the writing itself. Some successful authors aren't published until they're dead. Every author you've ever heard of has wallpapered a bathroom with rejection letters. Blah blah blah.  Maybe you just have to be lucky. 

 Okay, so I was dumb. I mean, I know that things can easily be stolen online. But I didn't think it was going to happen to me.  And today it did. It didn't cost me much in terms of money, but it cost me something. And I'm pretty upset about the whole thing.  I had posted an article on Constant Content several years ago. I thought it was a damn good article, but no one bought it. So today I decided to take it off Constant Content and try it on Content Gather.  Big mistake.  It turned out that the article was stolen! Content Gather ran its plagiarism check, and there it was posted on some company's blog. I've contacted the owners of that blog to find out where they got my content, but I haven't had a response.  THIS IS THE CRAZY PART: Do you know that part of Content Gather's terms of use state that you aren't supposed to upload content that was written for ANY OTHER SITE OR ANY OTHER PURPOSE?  For me - and lots of other writers - Content Gather is a pla...

Great writers need great tools. Here are some that I use often. Grammarly Proofreading for spelling and grammar is essential. No matter how much education you have in editing and no matter how many times you've looked over your own work, you are likely to miss something. That's where Grammarly comes in. No, it's not perfect and it doesn't replace a human proofreader. But it's a helpful tool.  Hemingway Editor Simply paste in your work, and you'll get instant feedback about passive voice, adverbs, and how hard your work is to read. You'll also get insight into the reading level of your writing. The site is free to use online, but you can also pay $19.99 to have it downloaded to your desktop.  Omni Writing Calculator If your writing goals are overwhelming you, a site like this can help. This calculator tracks how many words you need to write each day in order to meet your goals. You set the goal and the date, and the calculator will tell you what you need to d...

One way to make your articles stand out is to add quotes from people who know what they're talking about. It's a simple way of instantly elevating your content.  You don't have to go after anyone famous here. Just consider who you know.  If you're writing about cat care, ask your vet to chime in. If you want to write about gardening, head down to the local garden center. Most people will be willing to talk to you. Some might be intimidated at first, but reassure them that they can just speak normally.  In the event that you don't know someone personally who can speak to your topic, reach out to friends on social media. Somebody always knows somebody.  Identify your expert source by name and business. (Dr. Barbara Catlover of the Feline Hospital in Catsville, New Jersey says, "If a cat hisses, it means you are about to be bitten.") It's that simple. 

The Internet has changed a lot about writing. The online world has caused a significant decrease in people's attention spans as well as the way we read. Successful online content is broken up into easily digestible chunks separated by spacing as headings that act as a roadmap through the article.  This is the reason for the rise of the listicle.  A listicle is simply an article written in the form of a list. A listicle title usually contains a number: 9 Reasons Why Pocupines Love to Dance, 10 Ways to Make Your Science Teacher Fall in Love With You. You get it. People like the numbers because it organizes the article for their brains. They know what to expect.  A listicle looks like this:  Title Introduction 1. (numbers or bullets) Content 2. Content 3.  Content Conclusion Obviously, you can have any number of points or reasons or whatever you are going to call them in your listicle.  This is a great format for people trying to sell their first articles to o...

There are several different ways to score freelance writing gigs.  Research writer's guidelines for a specific publication and send a pitch Cold pitch blogs and publications Cold pitch business owners about website copy Apply for jobs on a freelance writing job board.  This post is about the 4th option. Here's a quick list of my favorite places to look for freelance jobs.  ProBlogger ProBlogger is my favorite. I'm not sure why, but the listings tend to be straightforward, and the site is easy to navigate. It's free to search and apply to jobs, and I have had good luck with the listings being legit.  BloggingPro I like this one, too, but I haven't been as successful here for some reason. It's similar to ProBlogger - easy to navigate and free to use.  FreelancWritingGigs Another similar job board.  FreelanceWriting Yes, they are all different sites. They just seem to be exactly the same.  SimplyHired The listings here tend to be for more long-term jobs t...

In my last post , I discussed content mills and why you might want to use one as a freelance writer. Here I'm going to list some popular content mills that are appropriate for writers beginning their freelance careers. These sites do require you to apply and may ask for samples of your work, but you don't need a publishing background to write for them.  Of course, information on these sites could change at any time. Content mills come and go on the regular. They've been known to disappear completely or suddenly shake up their platforms. So be sure to do your research on any of these sites that interest you.  Mills for Beginners Zerys This is a platform that is good for writers who want more experience. It doesn't pay much. Current reports are that most writers start at less than one cent per word but can work up to about 4 cents per word. Writers grab jobs from a list and are ranked with stars.  OneSpace This is another good option for those new to freelancing, but you ...

The phrase might sound a little bland, but content mills can be helpful to freelance writers. A content mill is basically a place where writers churn out content for the Internet. Clients go to these websites to buy articles, blog posts, and general online copy. When the content sells, the site gets a cut and so does the author.  The details vary from site to site, but contact mills do have some things in common. Here are some good reasons to write for a content mill.  You'll get paid... probably.  Content mills are infamous for not paying much. You're probably looking at a cent or two per word. Some offer more money as you build a reputation on the site. A few have areas where you can bid for projects or even set your own prices.  In general, you'll get paid if you are able to successfully complete assignments. Spend some time researching a content mill before you sign up to find out what others have experienced.  It's a way to get experience. Content mills can...

Most beginning authors shy away from cold pitching, and there's a good reason for that. It hardly ever works. But when it does, it's an absolutely fantastic feeling.  Cold pitching is where you send an article or a query for an article or story to an editor who hasn't asked for it. This might happen if you have something to contribute to a publication but you can't find any writer's guidelines. So you track down the email of the right editor, and you pitch your idea.  The reason cold pitches rarely result in a home run is that magazine editors have tons of articles pitched to them nearly every day of their professional lives (and probably most days in their personal lives as well).  Here are some tips for the cold pitch.  Do your homework. Make sure you've looked everywhere for those writer's guidelines. If they exist, the editor will expect you to use them.  Know that your pitch is right for the publication. If you are going to gain that editor's attent...