| To get writing work, you have to let people | | | | know that someone else could be cleaning up |
| know you exist. Setting up a Web site is the | | | | your writing. So it never hurts to show a few |
| best way to start, no matter where you are. | | | | clips in an unaltered state. This may sound |
| If nothing else, it makes your work visible | | | | like extra work. But it's really an |
| and accessible to a large audience. | | | | opportunity for you to write some original |
| | | | material that you can reuse later. |
| Today, every working writer absolutely must | | | | |
| have a Web site. The reality is editors | | | | 4. Your complete contact information, pricing |
| expect you to have an online presence. | | | | or payment policies, and if you are |
| Editors are your customers, so you need to | | | | collecting email addresses, your privacy |
| meet their needs to get published. With a web | | | | policy. |
| site, you can prove your writing is good by | | | | |
| putting your portfolio online. Plus, because | | | | Along these lines, many writers start an |
| the site is accessible 24/7 in all time | | | | ezine or newsletter. Yes, it's a commitment. |
| zones, it can be promoting your work even | | | | But it's also the easiest way to start |
| when you're asleep. | | | | developing content and promoting it directly |
| | | | to your niche writing markets. An ezine is |
| People who work in publishing are extremely | | | | certainly one of the lowest cost ways to |
| busy. Deadlines are a constant pressure. They | | | | promote your writing talents. |
| don't want to wait for a 500K file of your | | | | |
| latest article to download. Or worse, a | | | | However, starting an ezine is a bit of work, |
| poorly scanned version of a press release you | | | | so first get your Web site up and |
| wrote. It's a lot easier for them if you give | | | | functioning. Then once that is working for |
| them a list of links and let them read online | | | | you, decide on a focus and a format for your |
| at their convenience. | | | | ezine. Write a few articles ahead of time. |
| | | | Then get an autoresponder or list mailing |
| A Web site may seem like a daunting task. But | | | | service set up, and begin promoting. Of |
| a site doesn't have to be complicated. Think | | | | course that's the bare minimum, but there are |
| about what your customer wants to know (i.e., | | | | many resources online on starting up ezines. |
| those editors you want to impress). Then make | | | | As a writer, you're probably also a |
| pages to answer their questions. | | | | researcher, so this is a great opportunity to |
| | | | learn. |
| All writer Web sites should contain: | | | | |
| | | | One classic writer question is, "how can I |
| 1. Concise information about your writing | | | | get published if I don't have any clips?" |
| specialty. What do you do? It's not a good | | | | It's the chicken and egg problem recast for |
| idea to try and be everything to everybody. | | | | writers: you can't get work without any |
| It's a recipe for confusion, so pick a | | | | clips, but you can't get clips if no one will |
| specialty and focus on it. | | | | give you work. |
| | | | |
| 2. A list of writing credits. Now that a lot | | | | Creating your own Web site content solves the |
| of magazines are online, you can often link | | | | problem. Write your own articles and publish |
| directly to your articles. At a minimum, you | | | | them yourself online in your ezine. If you're |
| can usually link to the main publisher or | | | | concerned that these "self-published" clips |
| client home page. | | | | won't be as impressive as published clips, |
| | | | don't be. Remember what editors want: |
| 3. Samples of your writing. Some editors want | | | | articles that are original, easy to read, |
| to see articles that haven't been edited by a | | | | accurate, and on time. Your Web site proves |
| pro. Why? A really good editor can make bad | | | | that you can at least deliver on the |
| writing almost unrecognizably good. Editors | | | | "original, easy to read, and accurate" parts! |