A to Z Blogging Challenge: N is for Never Say Never

N is for Never Say Never

As an online writer it is easy to get lulled into the habit of sticking with the "tried and true" or to assume that if something doesn't work the first time it will never work. We all know that to find success online we need to keep our options open and be willing to try new sites and new approaches--yet somehow we always fall back on what is familiar.

I've tried Squidoo for a few lenses and although I've had some success with gaining readers, the money hasn't followed. This has led me to draw the conclusion that I will Never make a go of it on Squidoo. Today, I decided to forget my resolve to stay clear and to try a few stand-alone lenses to see what happens.

It isn't like it cost me anything--other than a few hours of my time--but truth be told, they were my play hours. I actually had a little fun putting together a quick lens. Feel free to stop by Healthy Brain Tips: It's Only a Thought.

And remember to Never Say Never to an opportunity just because it didn't work out in the past. People and circumstances change. What may have seemed a waste of your efforts in the past just may prove to be a big success now.

L is for Loosen Up a Little

Writing can be serious business, but when it becomes so serious that you no longer have fun with your writing, its a sign you need to Loosen Up a Little. Find a fun project to do, write a silly article, cast caution to the wind and stop worrying about the grammar Nazi's out there who fill find your misplaced comma.

I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't do your best and you shouldn't take the time to proofread your work. I'm just suggesting that you stop obsessing over it. Give yourself permission to Loosen up a Little today and see what happens.

Should New Online Writers Settle for Low Pay?

Many new writers make the mistake of accepting a dollar or two for their work thinking that at least they are making something for their effort and are often encouraged to do so by other writers. I disagree. The price you are willing to accept for your writing services now determines your long range success in several ways.

• Psychological Impact

What you accept for a fee for your online writing effects your perception of your worth. If you begin with the idea that you aren't good enough to earn more, your self-concept will happily oblige. The messages you send yourself about your writing skills, your ability and your worth as a writer determine your success. You subconscious mind has the marvelous ability to accept whatever you tell it is true, by sending it the message that you are only worth a dollar or two, you create  a vision of your success as a writer. For more insight into the effect your thinking has on your success in life, visit my blog In the Directions of Dreams.

• No Incentive to Improve Your Writing Skills

When you accept low paying gigs, you are typically competing with writers who lack the skill and sophistication to move on to more challenging work. When you compare yourself to them, you may begin to believe that your writing skills are advanced. This lulls you into thinking that you do not need to work on improving your craft and halts your growth as a writer. Without growth, your success as an online writer is questionable.

• The Writing Market

Let' face it. There are many out there who lack the skills or commitment to write their own web copy and they want you to do it for them for nothing . Your hard work makes money for them. They may pretend it is all they can afford -- but they are really laughing all the way to the bank. These people take advantage of new writers who have no concept of their worth. The overall effect is lower rates for all writers because there is always someone willing to do it for a minimal fee.

So What's the Alternative?

You are probably thinking that you don't have any alternatives. That without experience and references you won't be able to earn more than a dollar or two from your writing. If you are like some writers, you may even develop the attitude that $2 is more than you had yesterday so it's worth the taking the low pay and working your way up. There is some value in that, but the truth is--many writers don't work their way up. They get stuck in the same place making the same wage because they have convinced themselves its all they deserve, or because they fail to develop the skills necessary to grow as writer. Don't let that happen to you.

Two simple alternatives come to mind. 

1. Start a blog about something you are passionate about. You can certainly monetize the blog with Adsense or another ad program and probably make more than a dollar or two on your posts -- but at this point the money isn't the big issue. Gaining writing experience is. 
2. Write for revenue share. When you write for revenue share, you retain all rights to your work and are typically free to remove it if you wish. This keeps you in control of what and when you publish and allows you to edit your work as you gain experience.You will likely make more than a dollar or two for your work over time without giving up your rights to the work.

We'll talk further about setting your rates as a freelance or online writer in the next post -- but for now, concentrate on gaining experience and avoid being taken advantage of. You are a writer for a reason. Don't compromise your career as writer by accepting the first gig that comes along.

Finding Your Voice: Let Your Writing Sing

For many writers, voice is difficult to identify because it is often confused with tone or style, but it is more than either of these. Tone refers to the mood of the specific piece of writing and style refers to the way in which you use words to create structure and balance. Your voice is the elusive quality to makes your writing come to life on the page.

Think of your favorite singer. He or she probably has a preferred style of music— from soulful Blues to good old rock-n-roll. He may also prefer a certain tone from uplifting songs of praise to the dark and foreboding.  Others may share the style and tone of his music—yet he possesses the power to create a unique experience for the listener. That power is his voice.

A writing voice is a lot like that.  It embodies more than style and tone. Your writing voice makes connections with your readers and inspires action or elicits emotion. Your voice is the director, while style and tone are merely actors. They can be recast at any time, but your voice cannot.

Finding your voice requires courage and faith. The courage to put a bit of who you are into everything you write and the faith that there are readers who seek what you have to offer. It isn’t always easy, and it is always comfortable—but until you are ready and willing to go beyond the basics of style and tone and add your personal voice to your work, you will never really know what you are capable of as a writer.

Tips for Finding Your Writing Voice

Write from the heart. Whether you are writing fiction or a simple instructional article, when you write from the heart, your natural voice is unveiled. Use your passion to develop a clear voice.

Picture your audience. Write as though your readers are a friend that you want to share your information with. Use language appropriate for the reader and your voice will come shining through.

Read. Read. Read. Think about the ways the author uses her voice to enhance the style and tone of the piece.

Explore. Write on a variety of topics geared to different audiences. Observe how your writing voice affects the outcome.

How to Make Money Writing Online

Nearly every beginning writer asks the question “How can I make money writing online?” and promptly grabs the first opportunity that comes along. Somehow, earning a small fee and seeing your writing in “print” makes it worth the effort. Many online writers continue to write for sites that pay them a minimal fee in hopes of suddenly producing that one article that will send them over the top. The thought that they too could make it big, clouds their vision keeping them in the same position for years.

Blogs and Teaser Sites

Some online writers make the mistake of creating blogs and teaser sites to redirect readers to their main body of work on a writing site, instead of concentrating their efforts on making money from their blog. Although this seems logical, writers are missing the real power of their own words. Putting your writing skills to work for you by creating your own blog with Google Adsense will earn more money over time than the small amount many writing sites pay their writers—but it will likely take more time.

Combining Writing Sites With Blogging

For that reason, successful online writers combine both, by writing for writing sites such as Yahoo! Contributor’s Network, Helium, List my Five and others while they develop a blog to feature their best writing. If you are in a position where you need to make money now from your writing, then by all means begin by signing up for a writing site and devote your time to building a solid base of articles to make money from your writing.

Choosing a Writing Site

The particular writing site you use depends on the type of writing you do and your personal preferences. Each offers benefits that the other may not. You can find information on specific writing sites in this list by freelance writer Linda Batey Top Five Writing Websites for Freelance Writers. You may also be interested in  Reasons to Write  for Associated Content and Benefits to Writing for Demand Media Studios.

Starting Your Blog

If you have the luxury of delaying earning money from your writing, starting a blog may be your best alternative. This allows you to take your time to develop your personal style as writer and to create an abundance of quality posts that provide what the readers in your niche really want and need.  I won’t bore you with my ramblings about selecting a writing niche. If you need further information --or just want a quick refresher course--on identifying a writing niche you can find that info in the post on How to Find Your Writing Niche

Monetizing Your Blog

Once you have identified your writing niche, have a supply of information for your posts and have gained a few readers, it is time to get serious about making money from your writing. Using Google’s Adsense program is quick and easy to install on many blogs, but you should always check with the blog site before you choose a host for your blog. Some free blog sites, such as Wordpress, do not allow you to monetize your blog.  Simply sign up for Google Adsense and follow Google’s simple instructions for adding it to your blog. Simply put, ads are generated to match the content of your blog and blog posts. The better you get at targeting specific ads, the more money you will make. For more information on how you can use keywords to draw in ads that will earn you money from your writing you can find that information in Lesson Two: Finding Keywords.

Going the Extra Step Allows You to Earn More from Writing Online

Writing for writing sites to make money from your writing is certainly an option. Many online writers earn a good living doing just that. But, if you are serious about earning money from your writing, go a step further and use your writing skills to create a blog that provides a service to your readers.