<![CDATA[UNFILTERED PERSPECTIVES

<![CDATA[UNFILTERED PERSPECTIVES - Writing Advice]]>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:46:40 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[How to succeed at a freelance writing career]]>Sun, 24 Sep 2023 18:12:16 GMThttps://www.unfilteredperspectives.com/writingadvice/how-to-succeed-at-a-freelance-writing-career

Have you ever thought about starting a freelance writing career, and you don't know where to start? You have come to the right place!

Succeeding at freelance writing requires a combination of skill development, effective marketing, time management, and professionalism.

Here's a step-by-step guide to help you succeed in the field:

Hone Your Writing Skills:
Continuously improve your writing skills by reading widely and practicing writing regularly. Understand different writing styles and genres, such as blog posts, articles, copywriting, technical writing, and creative writing.
Choose Your Niche:
Identify a niche or a few niches you are passionate about and knowledgeable in. Specializing can help you stand out.
Create a Portfolio:
Build a strong portfolio of your work. Include a variety of samples that showcase your expertise in your chosen niche(s). If you're just starting, consider writing spec pieces or guest posts to showcase your skills.
Set Clear Goals:
Determine your income goals, the number of clients you want to work with, and your preferred work schedule.
Establish an Online Presence:
Create a professional website or blog to showcase your portfolio and provide potential clients with more information about your services. Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram to network and share your work.
Network and Build Relationships:
Connect with other freelance writers, clients, and industry professionals through networking events, social media, and online communities. Building relationships can lead to referrals and repeat business.
Market Yourself Effectively:
Craft a compelling pitch or proposal to send to potential clients. Tailor each pitch to the client's needs and industry. Join freelance job boards, websites, and marketplaces like Upwork, Freelancer, or Fiverr to find clients. Leverage content marketing by writing blog posts or guest articles to demonstrate your expertise.
Set Competitive Rates:
Research the market to determine fair pricing for your services. Be transparent about your rates in your proposals and consider offering different pricing packages to accommodate various client budgets.
Deliver High-Quality Work:
Meet deadlines consistently and exceed client expectations whenever possible. Communicate openly with clients, asking questions and seeking clarification when needed.
Manage Finances and Taxes:
Keep track of your income and expenses and consider hiring an accountant or using accounting software to manage your finances. Set aside money for taxes, as freelancers typically pay both income and self-employment taxes.
Continuous Learning:
Stay updated with industry trends, writing techniques, and tools that can help improve your skills and efficiency.
Time Management:
Create a structured work schedule to balance client work, self-promotion, and personal time. Use productivity techniques and tools to manage your workload efficiently.
Handle Rejections Gracefully:
Not every pitch or proposal will be accepted. Learn from rejections, adjust your approach, and keep applying.
Client Relationships:
Foster positive, long-term relationships with clients by being professional, responsive, and accommodating.
Seek Feedback:
Ask clients for feedback after completing projects. This can help you improve and build your reputation.
Legal Considerations:
Familiarize yourself with freelance contracts and agreements. Ensure you have clear terms and conditions in place to protect your rights and payment.
Scale Your Business:
As you gain experience and a solid client base, consider hiring subcontractors or assistants to help with workload, allowing you to take on more projects.

Remember that success in freelance writing often takes time and persistence. It's essential to stay committed to your craft and continuously refine your approach to meet the evolving needs of clients and the market.
Being a freelance writer is a hard, yet lucrative career. You will need to have a thick skin, and you will need to have the drive to write your pieces. If you do not put in the effort, you will not see any results.
If you put in the effort, you will see the results.

]]><![CDATA[What are Evergreen Topics?]]>Thu, 10 Aug 2023 02:37:24 GMThttps://www.unfilteredperspectives.com/writingadvice/what-are-evergreen-topics

Those of you embarking on a freelance writing career may run into many terms. One term that you may see more frequently than others is: "Evergreen."
Evergreen topics are subjects that don't change. They are topics that people are always (and will forever be) interested in. These Evergreen topics will always be trending and always searched for.

Some examples of Evergreen topics include:

Money
Anything to do with the stock market, credit, etc are always trending.
Employment
Employment news and advice, especially nowadays, is a very hot topic. With the recession and Obamacare, people are hungry for the latest information. Many new laws are impacting small businesses, and people who are looking for employment, or to open a new business need to know what is going on in their area of the world. Not to mention, people are also curious about working from home. People want to know which sites legit, and which ones are are scams.
Relationships
Relationships will always be a hot topic. Love, marriage, dating, divorce, friendships, etc are topics that are searched for on an hourly basis. People look for advice. People want to know how to keep the spark in their marriage alive. People want to know how to handle "fair-weather" friends. People want to know how to handle that creepy co-worker who is always giving you the eye.
Parenting
Parenting is a 24/7/365, for-the-rest-of-your-life job. It is the most important (and rewarding) job a person will have. A new parent may want advice on how to handle their 2-year old's "terrible two's." Someone may want advice on what schools to send their child to.
Gardening
During the spring and summer, you may pass many beautiful gardens on the way to your destination. You may find yourself wondering how to make your garden just as beautiful. If you're a writer, help out your fellow gardens and share some of your secrets. Also, with the rising prices of fruits and veggies, many have taken to growing their own food. People want to know how to grow their own food. Help a fellow food grower out and offer your expertise to your readers.

If you're looking to reach more viewers, try writing an article using an "Evergreen" topic.

]]><![CDATA[Can you make a living as a blogger?]]>Mon, 07 Aug 2023 22:16:59 GMThttps://www.unfilteredperspectives.com/writingadvice/can-you-make-a-living-as-a-blogger

Have you ever thought about becoming a blogger? Have you wondered if you could make a living as a blogger? You're not the only one! Many people who have considered becoming a blogger wondered if they could make any money as a blogger. The answer to your question is, yes. You CAN make money as a blogger. However, it can take a while before you see the fruit of your labor.

Keep in mind that there are hundreds of millions of blogs out there. You have A LOT of competition. If you're just starting out, you have an uphill battle. Is it worth it in the end? If you put in the work, effort, and you educate yourself on what it takes to make it as a blogger, it will be worth it.

Going back to blogging being an uphill battle, it will take time for you to see any results. I have been a freelance writer/blogger for 14 years, and it took me a long time to make any money. I recently had to start over due to someone in my personal life sabotaging another website I ran. It was a devastating blow. Starting over, however, has been a good thing. I have a new site, new sound, and it's working for me. Am I making money? Not yet. However, I am building an audience, and that is the first step on the ladder of success. That audience will continue to build. Soon, that audience will tell their friends about my site, and the word of mouth will keep spreading. The more my audience grows, the higher chances I have to make money.

You may be asking yourself; how can you make money from blogging? Ad revenue! If you're looking to make a living from blogging, you need to hook your blog up with ads. Google Adsense, Rakuten, Amazon Affiliates to name a few, will pay you when you've reached a certain number of page views, impressions, clicks, and product purchases (Amazon Affiliates). It is important to note that Google Adsense can be a bit tricky. Before you sign up for Google Adsense, have your blog running for a month or so. Build your page views up. Adsense is more likely to approve you if you already have an audience. In the meantime, sign up for Rakuten Marketing.

"How do I get an audience?"
Social media! Share your blog posts on social media, and use hashtags so your posts can easily be found.
Continue to build that audience. You will have some slow days, where you only have 100 views. You will also have amazing days where you have thousands of views. It is important that you do NOT give up!

Make sure you are also communicating with that audience. If someone comments on your posts on your website and/or on social media, comment back. Your audience wants to know that there is a person behind that post. Interact, make friends, network with other writers, put yourself out there!

When I first started out in 2010, I was a little fish in a big pond of intellectual sharks. The first person I wanted to network with was a fellow writer on Yahoo Contributor. She was (and is still) well-respected in the web writing community. We became colleagues and then we became friends. She's still my friend to this day, and I learn so much from her. I've also met some amazing fellow web writers through her.

The moral of this long post is, build your audience, monetize your site, share your posts on social media, and NETWORK with other writers. The hours may be long, but you get out what you put into it.

I want to add in that it also helps if you are a guest blogger on other blog sites. On some of those sites, you can add your own ads onto your posts, so you can make money while helping your fellow blogger make money.

Don't give up. Keep working hard and you will see results! :-)

]]><![CDATA[Why social media is essential for blogging success.]]>Mon, 07 Aug 2023 00:39:26 GMThttps://www.unfilteredperspectives.com/writingadvice/why-social-media-is-essential-for-blogging-success

When people think about blogging, they don't see a lucrative empire. They see a past time, one that has no real future. In some ways, they are right. Blogs cannot become a money-making empire, especially without an audience.

This is why social media is essential for blogging success. There are billions of users on social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Google Plus, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, and more. With the right title, evergreen content, monetized ads, the right hashtags, and social media profiles on all platforms, you can turn your blog into a money maker. However, it won't be as easy as you think.

Before you start sharing your posts on social media, make sure you monetize your blog site and posts with ads. As I have mentioned in a previous post, have your blog running ad free for a month so you can generate an audience. Ad sites like Google Adsense only approve profiles that already have generated an audience. While you are waiting for approval from Adsense, you can sign up with Amazon Affiliates and Rakuten Marketing.

Any successful blogger will tell you that one of the first steps to success is gaining an audience. Again, social media comes into play.

Along with having a personal social media profile, you should make a profile that is 100% dedicated to your blog. Invite your friends, family, and co-workers to your page, and have them add people they know.
Next, share your blog posts on your social media sites. If you make fanpage on Facebook, you can boost your blog posts for a small fee. Follow the prompts on your screen and set the amount of time you want your post to be sponsored for. The more money you use to boost your post, the more people will see you post and likely visit your page.

When you share your posts, make sure you use the right hashtags so people can find your post. Ideally, use hashtags that are already trending. Peruse Facebook, Twitter, Google Trends, and Yahoo for terms that are trending. If they match your content, add the hashtag.

Engage with your audience. I have mentioned in previous posts that it is important for you to engage with your readers when they like and comment on your posts. Keep in mind that not everyone will agree with you, and that there are a lot of social media trolls who have nothing better to do than to spread negativity. Please do not feed the trolls. This blog is your business. Maintain professionalism. Thank people for visiting your page, ask them questions, answer questions that they may have for you. If someone is being abusive, ban them from your page.

If you want to do video blogs (vlogs), you can monetize your videos and make money that way. After you make your vlog and monetize it, share it on social media and you can run ads to pull people to your YouTube channel.

Do not give up. There is no such thing as overnight success. It takes months and months of hard work and dedication to make your blog a money-maker. You get out what you put in. If you "half-ass" your work, you won't see much success.

Remember, social media is essential for blogging success. Without an audience, you have nothing. You have an audience out there. Find your writing topic niche, and your audience will find you.

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