It's no secret that my passion is fiction. In fact, my ultimate dream is to have a beautiful home on the beach with a glass-encased office with a fabulous view, where I will spend all day, every day, creating characters, plotting story lines, and pumping out novel after novel. Not to mention answering bags of fan mail, signing copies of my books, and doing radio interviews.
What? Delusional, you say? Way to crush my dream.
Seriously, it could happen. In the meantime, until I earn enough money writing novels to pay for this fabulous house on the beach and everything that goes with it, I will continue to freelance. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful to be able to stay home and do what I love to do - write. And getting paid for it? Hello.
So that brings me to the point of this blog post.
I by no means consider myself a freelancing guru. I probably would not even consider myself successful. I'd describe myself as someone who has experienced good timing, some nice breaks, and whom, for some reason, God has chosen to shower with a little extra favor. But I guess I do know a little about submitting work to publishers, and I have learned a couple things over the past few years about the business of freelancing. At least, enough to be earning some okay money doing it. And enough to fool other writers into thinking they can learn something from me.
Next month, I'll be teaching a workshop at the FaithWriters conference called This Little Writer Went to Market. I'm excited, but I'm also extremely nervous, since this will be the first writing class I've ever taught and because public speaking is my greatest fear (see this post). So as I am beginning to prepare my material (I really hoped to have it done by now), I'm desperate for your help.
As I said, I've received many emails over the past few years from beginning writers asking various basic questions about submitting work for pay, where to find freelancing jobs, and asking for advice on how to get started. And now I'd like to hear from you. If you are just beginning to wade into the freelance writing waters, particularly the Christian market, what would you like to know? If you will be at the FaithWriters conference, is there anything you would want to see covered in this class? If you have a specific question about anything related to freelancing, please let me know. I want to include information in my workshop about the things you're most interested in learning.
After the conference, I'll be sure to post a recap of the class with the answers to your questions.
Thanks so much for your help!
11 comments:
Thanks!
Blessings,
andrea
Lynda, I'm not familiar with Faith Writers, but I plan to change that. This Little Writer Went to Market sounds absolutely wonderful I hope you get your house at the beach. Or maybe a condo?
Oh it could happen, oh yeah!!! I'm agreeing with you and believing. :O)
Hi Lynda,
Good luck at the FW conference - you will do great. I have put freelancing on hold to work on my novels but I would like to get back into it for some pay and experience. Are there good markets for articles that don't require so much time and still pay a little more than nothing? I have some old resources but have been out of the loop to know if there are new places to submit Christian work. Last time I freelanced, it took all my time away from writing books. Thanks for your help.
Hi Lynda. Good luck at the Faith Writers conference. I'm sure you will do fine. What I would like to know is how to find online paid markets. I'm from the old-school of writers. Snail mail submissions I'm very familiar with. Submitting via the Internet is still scary terrain and, quite frankly, unknown terrain, to me. I've had hundreds of articles published in the past but I need to familiarize myself with how to submit online. Susan
Ah, yes, those illusive writing dream houses! Mine is on a Hawaiian beach. Floor-to-ceiling windows. A library walled with books. And a window seat. I've always had a thing for window seats. See you there!
How about some more info about Faithwriter's conference? Benefits versus other conferences, ect.
How does one break in, i.e. before you have clips to provide?
Are there certain Christian markets that are more open to new writers than others?
How much research do you do for your articles prior to querying in order to present yourself as an expert?
Contrary to popular belief, I have had tremendous success by responding to craigslist ads. I have received two ongoing gigs that I get two assignments or so per month. I have ghostwritten over 100 web content articles for pay and managed a blog (other than my own) to the tune of over 1,000 dollars in one month. So far, only one ad I answered was "junk" and recognizable almost immediately. I also have been published several times by one small-town newspaper - and twice they have given me specific assignments. Now the newspaper stuff is free - courtesy of free reprints on FaithWriters, but I also gave away the articles that were assigned. But, in exchange for that, he will print something that I ask him to print. Just wrote an article about our becoming surrogate grandparents to my daughter-in-law's best friend and he will be kind enough to print it for me. So, I'm not complaining, I almost have my own little soapbox
All of this low-pay stuff has covered the expenses for my first two conferences. I'm getting ready to start looking again for work to cover my ACFW fees. So, I am a fan of craigslist, you just need to be careful.
Amazing what you learn. Craiglist. Who would have thought. I've been looking at the guidelines to Cup of Comfort and wonder how that will go. Some of my work would fit very well I think. Anyone written for them?
Lynda, all the best for the conference and for your class. I'm sure you'll do great..:)
Oh, and I have my beach house with ocean views, but it is rentedl out to someone else while I live in a small apartment in Brisbane! Go figure!
Great questions so far. Thanks for your input. I hope to post some of the answers (or a recap) after the conference. :-)
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