Ferociously Fast Freelance Writing Site Reviews: Writer's Relief

Getting back into the game after an arduous couple months, I stumbled upon this beaut of a freelance writing site to help all of you'ns make money writing online.

This "Ferociously Fast Freelance Writing Site Reviews" is a new mini-series I am going to start. Essentially, whenever I find a new site, I'll write a quick review of it and link some of the material I receive after signing up. 

My purpose in doing this is so that you can decide for yourself whether or not it's worth your time to register. In the freelance writing business, time equals money, so you need to be as efficient as possible.

Writer's Relief is for those of you who're looking to get published, self-published or to access a plethora of other useful writing tools and resources. A lot of it is free, but there are paid versions for certain things as well as contests and something about becoming a client. The following is taken from the Writer's Relief freelance writing site and concerns the client status:

Let's Help a Fellow Freelance Writer Out by Nominating Her Book on Amazon

Hi again everyone. Long time, no see. I'll get into my absence in another post, but first I'd like to get the FWP Blog/Forum community involved by helping a fellow writer make money online.

My newest freelancing friend is Vicki Zell, and she needs to get her book nominated on Amazon. Nominating the book is so simple that you'll be done before a bunny can finish a single hop, an owl can finish "Whooing" or a cheetah can finish one half stride at 70 mph.

Yea, that's super fast, and a bit of an exaggeration, but it really is simple and feeling good about helping a fellow writer take one step closer to success is an added bonus. Not to mention, if she gets the nominations, we all get a free copy of "HELLEN BACK".

Below is a short excerpt and other info I got from Vicki during a LinkedIn conversation:

5 Tools That Will Help You Make More Money Writing Online

Before I took the leap into the freelance writing business, I worked as a
tradesman in the construction industry. Jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none was my career focus, and I've carried many job titles over the years.

I spent the better part of a decade framing walls and setting trusses as a residential carpenter. Then several years came when I craved independence, so I decided to work as an independent contractor installing satellite television systems. While living in Hawaii, I tried my hand as a finisher on a drywall crew, worked as a maintenance man for an apartment complex and built cabinets at a shop by the beach.

A Day in the Life: Mistakes Made, Lessons Learned and the Real Freelance Writer Arrives at Last

Part 4: A Present Day in the Life of a Freelance Writer

E.B. White the author of Charlotte’s Web said:“A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.”

In this really, really late installment of "A Day in the Life", we join Mikey Freelancer at a time that parallels our present day. As our tiny dust mite bodies float on unnoticeable currents of air and dance in between streams of photons bursting into the modest house, our hero seems at ease, confident and totally in control for the first time in, well, forever. If looks are an indicator, he exudes far more success and confidence than when he first started a freelance writing business. 

Michael is Still Alive and Here's a Quick Update to Prove It

Just a quick post to prove to ya’ll and the IRS that I am still alive. I was able to come up for a breath after nearly drowning in deadlines and while I was going through my morning routine I ran across this great post. It may be one of the simples articles ever and yet it’s chock full of some great freelance writing job board links. There were a couple sites that I had never heard of before and that is a bit surprising. You can never have too many freelance writing sites in the old toolbox.

Here’s the article. Enjoy!

http://workingwritersandbloggers.com/2013/07/01/41-places-to-find-freelance-writing-jobs/

Oh, by the way, if you have never heard of FlexJobs, you may want to check that site out as well, take a little tour, look at some freelance writing jobs and then drop it into your toolbox for safe keeping.

PS: Part 4 of A Day in the Life will be posted shortly. I promise.

7 Online Goldmines for Entrepreneurs Looking to Start on a Pauper’s Budget

Introducing Guest Poster Jelly Shah from Designhill.com

There are many rewards of starting your own freelance writing business or content marketing career; you get to work your own hours, at your own pace and be your own boss! But most freelance writing job seekers still do not wish to risk their 9 to 5 jobs over their dream business venture. Now, why is that? It’s because they believe that the marketplace for start-ups is too fragmented and highly confusing. In addition, a huge segment of people strongly believe that it demands a lot of effort, time, resources and money to give wings to their dream ventures.

Exciting New Additions to the Freelance Writing for Profit Blog and Some Emotional Stuff, Too

I am super stoked right now. I'm tired, greasy and a bit zombie-fied, but I am soaring through the clouds on a natural high of excitement that I haven't felt since the day's of GI Joe, Micro Machines and Skeletor. I feel giddy, like a kid on Christmas.

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure if the handful of announcements I have for you all warrant this feeling. It's not evident why I am so uplifted especially considering how many years that have went by since I last experienced such unbridled joy. I'll tell you this much though, I am definitely going to enjoy it while it lasts. Maybe I can pass a little bit on to you, too. Perhaps in relating these feelings to you, I will be able to put my finger on the nature of this wonderful mood I am in.

Day in the Life: Selling Content, Hustlin’ and a Jivin’, Would the Real Freelance Writer Please Stand Up

Part 3: It's a Hard Knock Life for a Freelance Writer Like Mikey 

 

Here we are again, Part 3 in a Day in the Life of Mikey Freelancer. As we glide from our perch in the rafters of a tiny and hot living room, we come to rest on the corner of a couch that has seen better days. Mikey sits hunched over a blocky laptop. All we need is a quick glance at the screen to see that he’s still mired in bid hell on Freelancer.com.

Read Part 2 of a Day in the Life: Bid Blisters are Bad M'Kay?

Tweet #DayInTheLife

As we look over his shoulder, we see that he has managed to land a few projects here and there. But the glint of light from a crinkled Ramen package hits our eye to testify to the real truth of his supposed success. The handful of completed projects described on his profile page show that he did finally achieve that high star rating and those stellar reviews he was so convinced would guarantee him access to the big-time jobs. But upon deeper inspection, it’s clear that he’s still wallowing in the shallow end of the budget pool. There’s not one project with a budget over $100.

Exclusive Interview with Co-Founder's Dariush Vollenweider and Michael Speziale About the Newest Freelance Writing Site

Exclusive Interview with Co-Founders Dariush Vollenweider and Michael Speziale of the newest freelance writing site on the Internet; CopyContest.com

Dariush is one of the nicest guys I have met on LinkedIN in a long time. He has a passion for what he does, and it shows in his vision of what CopyContest will provide both clients and writers.

I have scoured CopyContest and truly believe it could change how freelance writers find jobs. The pay is exceptional and could give us all a place to earn what we deserve. I will write a complete freelance writing site review in the next few days. Until then, enjoy what Dariush Vollenweider and Michael Speziale have to say about their vision of a new way to earn money writing.

Also, I am not an affiliate of CopyContest nor am I trying to promote the site for any hidden benefit. I am just a member and a reporter interested in giving my freelance writing colleagues the chance to make their own decision on whether they should check it out or not.

The Freelance Writing for Profit Wishes Everyone a Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day, and I Come Bearing Gifts for All my Loyal Members or Any Freelancer Who Wants Them!

Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day to all and to all a good night....

No wait. That's Christmas.

Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day cause ain't nobody got time for that...

Nope, wrong. That's just a saying that has been bouncing around my brain for an entire year refusing to leave...

What is the (Belated) Valentine's Day saying?

Is it just "Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day"? That's kind of boring.

Oh Well, not my problem I don't reckon. Because it was a double whammy for me and a damn good thing that I actually remembered this year!!!

A Day in the Life: Bid Blisters Are Bad, M'Kay

A Day in the Life Part 2: Watch Out for Scumbags

Last time on a “Day in the Life”, we watched Mikey Freelancer try to make money as a freelance writer on Textbroker. Alas, an A-Hole client trapped our hero in a revolving revision door and put the ax to his efficiency for the day. Read it here to catch up and see what Mikey learned.

In Part 2, we go back even further in Mikey’s freelancewriting career, back to the time when all that existed for our hero were unending questions with too few answers. This episode will cover nearly a year so that the story can be told properly and provide you with the most benefit.

Don't Get Beat by Low Pricing, Earn What You Deserve as a Freelance Writer

Countless marketing studies have shown that buyers build their initial opinion
about a service or product based on cost. When asked which item is better between two that are identical, consumers almost always prefer the higher-priced item. Even when they are exactly the same. 

In one case study I saw recently, regular people from the street were asked to try a free sample from two cakes. Although the tasters were unaware, the cakes were absolutely identical except for price. One cake was $15 and the other was $55. Every single taster said that the $15 cake was too dry and the frosting was bland and tasteless. However, when they tried the $55 cake, they expounded about its superiority over the $15 variety. The icing was delicious and creamy, the cake had the perfect texture and was anything but dry. Even once they were told that the cakes were made in exactly the same way using exactly the same ingredients, they chose the $55 cake over it's lower-priced variety. 

This goes to show you the power of pricing. Make sure to price yourself right, and your services will get the respect they deserve. This freelance writing rate calculator will help you determine what you should be charging for the work that you produce.

The Initial Plan and Business Model for the Freelancer's Community Co-Operative Website

A Dude on a Chicken

The feedback that I have been getting regarding the Freelancer’s Community Co-Operative Website has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive. That kind of excitement from you all has lit a particularly hot flame under my butt. I want to get this site up as fast as possible, but I am sure you’ll see here shortly that it isn’t exactly the simplest of tasks.

There’s a lot of work on my plate for today, so I’m going to avoid a long-winded (I tried but failed epically, as my daughter would say) post and cut to the chase. As you read through the rest of this post, you will see a basic (and rough) outline of what I have planned for the FCCO site so far. There’s so much more possible, but I’d like all you freelancers/future members out there to chime in with your ideas and suggestions. 

Remember, this is a co-operative and it will follow the 7 Principles of a Co-Op. One of the most important of those 7 guiding principles is that each active member of the Co-Op is as important to the entity as any other member.

A Day in the Life: An A-Hole Attacks, a Process that Kills It and Avoiding A Freelance Writing Trap

Part 1: A Day on Textbroker

After writing the Prologue to "Day in the Life" and expressing the strange occurrence that led to my vision for a Freelancer's Community Co-Operative site, I was at a complete loss for how to follow up and actually start the series with something helpful and meaningful.

So I began to think back to my first few months as a freelance writer, and I remembered the struggles that I went through during those tough times. Struggles that every freelance writer deals with and continues facing throughout their career. The kind of struggles that make a person stronger, wiser and, ultimately, a better writer or designer or marketer, struggles that make a better person.

As I reminisced on the not-so-good old days, a blatantly obvious idea slapped me twice across the face and shook me once for good measure: Contentmills. The starting point for many a successful freelance writer and a great place to begin "A Day in the Life".

A Day in the Life: A Beginning, a Morning Vision and a Tree of Unity and of Strength

Prologue: The First Day of a New Life

The sun is up and bursting through the blinds of my office window. My third cup of coffee sits cold and half full to the right of my laptop I try to jot down notes on this new "A Day in the Life" post that had been rattling around my head for over a week now. Even longer than that, if one thinks back. The idea simply took different forms over the years, but never in such a cohesive state. This new variation that is beginning to form is tangible, usable, but very fragile. I'm clinging to it right now, white knuckled against the fear of losing my grip. 

I look down at the stained paper containing my chicken-scratch notes, and suddenly realize that I have written two dozen phrases with no memory of the task. Phrases like freelance writing jobs, help your neighbor, content marketing, teach your neighbor, social media marketing, love your neighbor, help your community, online community volunteering, writing career, freelance career help, freelance site review, website help forum, freelance blogging jobs,  and on and on and on. Essentially, nothing more than a string of keyword phrases and common moral values, but somehow they strangely hold an astounding amount of meaning for me and, through extension of my own hopes and dreams, my friends here at FWP and all over the Internet, as well.