WebWriter Jobs

Blogging for a living?

MrWebWriter — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:28:07 +0000

Can you make a living simply by writing blog posts?

Well, as with many things in the writing world, the answer is yes…and no. There are certainly bloggers out there making a good living (Remarkablogger comes to mind) – but they are usually selling some type of information product, and their blogging is simply the way they sell it.

There is, however, another type of blogger – let’s call them ‘freelance bloggers’. They are ‘bloggers for hire’, and you’ll see ads for these jobs right here on WebWriter Jobs. You’re usually paid by the post, with a minimum expectation of post length and frequency. You’ll need to have some content knowledge. If you can find the right combination of venues, ‘freelance blogging’ can certainly pay the bills – but you won’t get rich.

For most professional writers, blogging offers another avenue for creating income through writing. For a lucky few, it offers a way to make a living.

Technical writing – there’s always work

MrWebWriter — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:06:49 +0000

Every technical writer I’ve known has kept busy, in up economies and down economies. Why? Because companies need technical writers. They need someone who can bridge the gap between their products and services, and the end user.

Technical writing is broad in scope: industries as diverse as finance, robotics, aerospace, information technology, and consumer electronics rely on technical writers to explain how things work to a non-technical audience. Usually, a technical writer is not a subject matter expert, but instead gathers and assimilates information from experts and existing documentation.

A good technical writer always looks first to his or her audience: how much do they know? How well educated are they? What types of analogies might be used with them?

Next, a technical writer examines the resources available, whether they are documentation or experts. Finally, the deliverable must be defined: Is it a book? PDF? Web page?

If you master the techniques and build up some clips in a few industries, you’ll find that you rarely face a lack of work.

For further reading and exploration:

How the web drives writing jobs – and why you need a resume!

MrWebWriter — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:22:38 +0000

It’s an interesting phenomenon – even as we are seeing the decline of newspapers, long a major employer of writers, we have seen the rise of blogs and web-based news sites create new demand for writers. In fact, several writers with extensive print backgrounds, such as Josh Marshall, have parleyed their journalism experience into new and sometimes profitable websites.

Why? The web needs content to thrive – and who better to provide such content than professional writers. Of course, when the barriers to entry are low (i.e., blogs), the number of people purporting to be writers rises. So as a professional writer, remember that now more than ever you need a well-written and comprehensive resume. Even though most employers will end up spending time reviewing your work, they start with the resume. Think of it as the door opener.

As an ex-publisher, I’ve noticed that writers often fail to present themselves well on paper. Ironic, isn’t it? Most likely they’re too busy chasing the next assignment to allow time for their resume.

Don’t let that be you! Spend a half-hour today updating and refining your resume. It will pay off. I promise.