The Freelance Log

Domain Names and Hosting Them

2010-03-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

By Aaron Guzman

If you are thinking about starting up your own website or blog, one of your considerations should be whether or not to purchase your own domain name (.com, .net, .org, etc.). If branding, customization, and control are important to you, then owning your own domain might be a good idea. Obtaining a domain name and hosting it is a simple process that can be affordable for anyone.

There are plenty of places online where you can register your domain name, including godaddy.com, google.com/apps/, and many others. I recommend using godaddy.com. Here you can not only register your domain, but obtain hosting at the same time. Regardless of what site you use to register, take the time to think about and choose the proper name for your domain. Keep in mind that even though there are other options, .com and .net domains are still the most popular and therefore most recognizable, and they should be your priority choices. Registration can cost anywhere from $6 to thousands of dollars, depending on whether the domain name you are trying to register is already owned privately or in high demand. Generally, though, you should be able to secure a domain name for roughly $10 per year.

Once you have registered your domain, you need to host it. This means that another company will give you space on server computer where you can upload your website and files. The server/host will provide you with hard drive space (for your actual webpage, pictures, videos, and related files) and usually a local email address attached to your domain (yourname@website.com). Most host sites offer various packages and services ranging from more space, more emails, to direct support. All of these factors may affect the price of the web hosting you sign up for. Depending on your needs, web hosting can cost you anywhere from about $50 to over $300 annually.

If you are new to the game and just considering purchasing your own domain, go cheap. Shop around and see who offers competitive prices. Make sure that any registrars or web hosts that you do business with are reputable and have a clean service record for their previous clients. It would be wise to do some quick research before choosing to make sure any company you are interested in hasn’t had problems in the past.

If you are being conservative, you should be able to secure your own hosted domain for about $100-150 per year. That’s a small price to get your enterprise going, or simply to get yourself more motivated. Obtaining your own domain is definitely a sound investment. Get started today!

Photo By Jay Simmons

Thinking About Freelance Writing?—What You Should Do First

2010-02-11T13:37:00.000-08:00

By Aaron Guzman

Whether you like to write, want to make some income on the side, or if you are just looking to beef up your portfolio or resume, freelance writing can be the perfect outlet and a challenging and rewarding experience. But before you jump in the pool and start looking for work, here are a few things you should seriously consider doing first.

Develop Your Resume – When it comes down to it, your resume is your ultimate selling point. When a potential client isn’t actually looking at your picture or speaking with you, all they have is the resume. It’s time to re-work that old teaching or dishwashing resume and sell your writing skills! Emphasize what you do well: creative writing, product-oriented writing, health/lifestyle writing, etc.

If you are having trouble coming up with writing-related experience, don’t worry. As you start to build up a portfolio with your online writing you will realize that all the cumulative work you do will act as a resume for you. Take the time now to figure out if you will need to create writing samples or online content to show potential clients, and figure out how to properly organize and display that work.

Specialize – Figure out what your interests and passions are. Do you collect action figures? Are you a yoga instructor? Are you passionate about environmental issues and green living? Any of these areas of interest can help you develop content and writing ideas to help you land a niche-specific writing gig. Write about what you know. Write about what you love.

Write Now! – That’s right (or write?), don’t put it off; don’t start tomorrow; let an idea pop in your head and write it down now. A typical internet article can be as short as 300-500 words. That’s less than a typed page. Easy. So do it! The sooner you start, the sooner you will have content to help market yourself, or possibly even publish.

Read – Get on the net and do some research. Look for job listings to see what types of jobs are in demand. Learn about the craft of online writing and what is expected of writers. Do you want to write articles and content for websites?—find out what else you need to know, including the use of keywords and keyword density. Thinking about blogging?—make sure you know how to use the popular platforms and see what other bloggers can teach you about the process.

The more you read the more knowledgeable and better prepared you’ll be when it comes to finding work and getting it done.

Network, Network, Network – Get out there and talk. Find people with common interests or people in your desired area of work and find out everything you can. Take advantage of social networking sites such as FaceBook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Join groups, follow blogs and participate in forums.

With every network you join, make sure to have a profile that links to your work and any websites or blogs you may have.

Be Realistic – Understand that developing a resume, building a portfolio with content, and properly marketing yourself takes time, just as it may take time before you have any clients who are willing to give you a chance. Even when you are able to find paying freelance work, it might not always be in supply nor will your services always be in demand. Be prepared for these financial dry-spells.

Make sure you use your time wisely: work on a personal project that involves your writing skills, make a website or blog, or write articles for a third-party site such as Bukisa or Xomba to earn some residual income.

Become Web-Savvy – Like it or not, the Internet is the final frontier for the freelance writer. It only makes sense that you know how to navigate out there, including being able to communicate with clients in a variety of ways and being competent in any software you might encounter in your field of work.

A few things freelancers should have a strong grasp of: basic HTML (especially if you are thinking of doing any blogging or work with websites), social networking sites, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point, an FTP program (File Transfer Protocol program for uploading files to servers and websites), instant messaging (AIM or Yahoo), and email services. It would also be useful to have Adobe Photoshop and Dreamweaver under your belt for any creative projects you may have.

Keep Writing! – I can’t stress this enough. If you haven’t started looking for work, keep writing. If you can’t find work, keep writing. If you have plenty of work and high-paying clients, keep writing. You reap what you sow, and the work you do know can always help you in the future, even becoming a source of income.

If you can read this, then you’re not writing.

What You Should Be Doing When Your Blog Is Young

2010-02-06T13:00:00.000-08:00

If you are new to blogging or just starting a blog as a means of generating web traffic and making money, this is an article you really need to read. Things can be overwhelming when your blog is young, and your to-do list can be filled with hundreds of entries, but this article by Darren Rowse pins down some of the more important tasks you should be focusing on for long-term success.

Remember you need to think large. Think beyond just great content--think about building community and readership!

Read the Full Article@ProBlogger!

Photo by Rodrigo Vieira

A Beginner’s Guide to Web Development

2010-02-04T18:25:00.000-08:00

Like it or not, if you are looking for work online, at some point you are going to have to learn some HTML and basic design principles. This article gives us a general outline for picking up the language, as well as some useful hints that might otherwise be overlooked. If you are anything like me, trying to learn this material is a crap-shoot process, and it's something I learn as I go.

Any help is good help.

Read the Full Article@FreelanceFolder!

Photo by Zanetta Hardy

How Getting An F On Your School Paper Makes You A Better Blogger

2010-01-30T14:00:00.000-08:00

The truth is, throughout school and college we are essentially programmed to be "academic" writers. In other words, we've been molded into boring writers. Any writing style you might have picked up won't be of much use to you or of much appeal to the rest of the world. There aren't many people out there who want to read your essay on The Old Man and the Sea.

This article reminds us that poor performance in school doesn't translate to bad writing in the real world. In fact, you might just be better off with a poor academic style: the real world (especially readers on the Internet) want human writing that sounds natural and isn't stilted or lofty. Rob Sutton lists numerous ways to tweak and utilize your writing to make it palatable and possibly even profitable.

Remember, your writing abilities can extend beyond the classroom!

Read the Full Article@ProBlogger!

Why Every Freelancer Should Have a Personal Project

2010-01-19T17:28:00.000-08:00

The decision to go freelance is not dictated solely by money or the want of freedom from the workplace, but also as an outlet for personal growth and artistic development. The freedom we experience freelancing should allow us to pursue our own interests in some productive and meaningful way, whether that be writing, art, development, or exploration into a hobby. Any of these things can be turned into a personal project that can greatly enhance one's resume and professional portfolio.

And you never know--your personal project could turn into a lucrative, full-time job. Remember, think 'down the road.'

This article further explores the wisdom and necessity of pursuing personal projects and what they can do for us.

Read the Full Article@FreelanceFolder!

Photo by Ariel da Silva Parreira

The 10 Biggest Mistakes People Make on Twitter

2010-01-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

If you are even thinking about using Twitter for driving traffic to your blog, website, or articles, then you need to read this article. The primary lesson here: don't bombard or abuse your followers. You are using Twitter to build a network of loyal readers, not just filling a shooting gallery for spam. These are common sense tips to help you be professional, and encourage people to want to follow you.

Read the Full Article@GuerrillaFreelancing!

Photo by Cecile Graat

How To Stop Procrastinating and Start Your Blog

2010-01-01T18:57:00.000-08:00

Procrastination has always been and continues to be a problem for me. The act of procrastinating also includes not thinking about why we procrastinate. This article sheds light on the psychological reasons why we avoid working on our blogs, or simply don't start them, including fear of failure, trying to achieve perfection, and others.

The real skinny? Endorse Nike and Just Do It! Don't wait or make excuses--start writing and posting today!

Read the Full Article@ProBlogger!

Photo by Pedro Simao

ProBlogging – 10 Things I Wish I Knew when I Started

2009-12-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

Here's a list of things all bloggers should be paying attention to and, ideally, they should be focused on these lessons from the very beginning. My number one item on the list is the same as the author, Nathan Hangen, focus on good design for your blog. The visual appeal of a blog is in many ways as important as the blog's content. This is something that all bloggers, especially myself, struggle to improve upon.

Read the Full Article@ProBlogger!

Copyscape

2009-12-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

Copyscape is a an excellent tool for double-checking that your articles or content are not plagiarizing other people's content. Many article development sites where you can submit articles for money use copyscape and will run their submissions through to make sure all of the written content is unique and original.

Visit the Site!

Rookie Lessons for New Bloggers

2009-12-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

When you enter the world of blogging for the first time, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the stock of knowledge one is expected to know. This is especially true when it comes to SEO and driving traffic to your content. Katie Kimball's article lists a series of tips and lessons new bloggers should utilize early in their blogging career to maximize their success. Some of these lessons I had to learn the hard way.

Read the Full Article@ProBlogger!

10 Reasons Why Your Blog Sucks

2009-12-19T18:38:00.000-08:00

Not to say that your blog sucks, but it might be lacking because of one of the more common mistakes authors make listed here in this article. If you aren't producing enough original, engaging content, or perhaps if you are trying to take a more automated approach to blogging, there's a good chance you're slipping in one of these areas. Give it a read!

Read the Full Article@DailyBlogTips!

5 Ways to Kill a Good Article

2009-12-14T20:46:00.000-08:00

This article contains practical advice to follow when writing articles for Internet submission. These five pitfalls are fairly common, but also easy to avoid. Read and learn.

Read the Full Article@FreelanceWritingGigs!

Self Editing Tip #1: Distancing yourself from your work

2009-12-14T20:32:00.000-08:00

This article has damn good advice. I know that I personally suffer from a "tunnel-vision" problem when it comes to editing my own work. Sometimes you grow so used to your own work, predict what's already been written, that you easily overlook your own mistakes. The solution? Take some time off, put some distance between yourself and your project.

Read the Full Article@FreelanceWritingGigs!

The Business of Freelancing--Tracking Your Expenses

2009-12-14T18:50:00.000-08:00

When freelancing, one of your greatest and most tedious responsibilities will be to accurately manage your money. This article fosters good advice and common sense, specifically, keeping track of every expense you incur while writing. While it may seem like a lot of work, you'll be thankful you made the investment come tax time.

Read the Full Article@Factoidz!

Getting Started as a Freelance Writer: 10 Steps to Success

2009-12-14T18:34:00.000-08:00

Here are some basic "To-Do's" if you are thinking about freelance writing on the Internet. As the article states, I strongly recommend you get yourself a PayPal account and form a routine where you devote time just to writing.

Read the Full Article@Factoidz!

Plagiarism: What it is and How to Avoid It

2009-12-14T18:04:00.000-08:00

Every writer, whether it be a student, a teacher, a novelist or a freelance writer needs to understand just what plagiarism is. This article gives a straightforward explanation of what plagiarism is, plus a common sense explanation of why it is wrong. Here you'll also find several tools to help you avoid plagiarizing other people's work.

Read the Full Article@Factoidz!

Progress I: Still Warming Up

2009-12-14T00:31:00.000-08:00

Well, since the site is up and running and I already have a fair amount of links posted, it’s obvious that I am not entirely new to the freelance game. However, up to this point, I have been unsuccessful in finding any work. In an effort to expand my own portfolio, attain more writing experience, and have something tangible to put on my resume, I began working on several blogs of mine, all of which are listed in the Links section.

Since I desperately need money and work, I have been combing most of the job listings that I have posted, applying for any job that I can (mostly those that I can provide some sort of relevant writing sample for). It’s been frustrating, though. Most of the employers I’ve tried to contact simply don’t respond (Craigslist isn’t all it’s cracked up to be). I imagine most of this indifference is due mainly to the fact that there are so many other writers applying for the same job, and I am nowhere near being the ideal candidate with my limited experience.

I have also created profiles with Guru and LinkedIn. I hope to have my profiles up to date, complete with resumes soon.

Since looking for online writing work hasn’t yielded me any results, I’ve decided to expand my search to include transcription work. There are quite a few companies out there that offer regular work to qualified applicants. There are even a few that don’t require previous work experience, and it’s those companies that I will targeting in my own job search. However, if I do happen to land a transcription job, I will need to purchase and learn to use a transcription pedal.

I’m still trying to get into more of a routine when it comes to blogging. I need to be producing more content, at least updating my blogs more consistently. Related to my blogs and articles, I have updated my social bookmarks and coordinated with Stumble Upon, Diigo, and Delicious, and I am periodically contributing to Digg. I hope to soon be adding more content to Fish Flats, Ashtar’s Think Space, Daily English and The Common Man’s Critique in the near future, so make sure to visit them regulary!

In addition to my social bookmarks, I have begun creating separate Twitter accounts for each of my blogs that are automatically fed through Twitter Feed.

I am still struggling to learn HTML and figure out my blog templates. I am having mixed success adding buttons for retweet, follows, etc. I am still trying to figure out how to properly add special meta tags for search engines to list the blogs, and I still need to add meta descriptions and keywords to all of the blogs. But that should also be done fairly soon.

Right now my major focus is looking for a job, even if that means settling for something not teaching/writing/freelance oriented. Next to that, my main priority lies in generating more content for my blogs. Finally, driving traffic to my blogs via social bookmarks, social media, backlinks, and other methods are last on my to-do list.

What I can gain from all this is that I need to develop a more solid routine for me to work by and not allow myself to be overwhelmed by all the things I need to do for both my blogs and articles. It’s easy to get bogged down or simply distracted.

Back to the race!

Editing Jobs

2009-12-11T18:24:00.000-08:00

EditorLive

2009-12-11T14:16:00.000-08:00

This site offers editing and proofreading jobs for those fluent in the major style formats. You can apply directly through their website, but be mindful that when you apply, you have to take an on-the-spot test that is timed. The test is multiple choice and you will be quizzed on grammar as well as all the major style formats (MLA, Chicago, etc.). You'd better know your stuff, because their cutoff is 95%!

Visit the Site, take the test, and apply!

Transcription Jobs

2009-12-11T13:19:00.000-08:00

AccuTran Global
Mountain West Processing

Mountain West Processing

2009-12-11T13:07:00.000-08:00

Mountain West Processing hires transcriptionists for entry level positions (which focus more on corporate transcription) as well as experienced individuals for medical and legal transcription.

Inexperienced transcriptionists should expect to be paid roughly .35 USD per audio minute, and are expected to obtain a pedal within the first 60 days of employment. You will be reviewed twice a month for pay increases. There are some well paid positions for accurate, experienced transcriptionists.

Visit the Site, and apply!

AccuTran Global

2009-12-11T09:49:00.000-08:00

This employer focuses on hiring transcribers, with a focus on corporate transcription. However, they also hire formarters, document reviewers, editors, real-time writers, and management positions.

Keep in mind that when you apply for these positions, you will have to download their online form, fill it out, and perform the supplemental testing for each position. For transcription, this means listening to an audio file and transcribing it, perform proofreading tasks, and take a test on corporate terminology.

Visit the Site, download the form and apply!

Express Scribe

2009-12-09T21:16:00.000-08:00

This professional audio player software is specially designed for transcribers, and integrates with transcription foot pedals. Based on my observations, many transcription companies endorse this software and encourage their employees to use it. Like most good things on the Internet, the software is free.

Download and try Express Scribe Here!

AceFTP Pro

2009-12-09T21:04:00.000-08:00

AceFTP Pro is a solid file transfer program that will come in handy when you are trying to upload finished files to clients or download audio files to begin transcribing. Best of all, it's free!

Download and try AceFTP Pro Here!

Paid Article Writing

2009-12-09T19:12:00.000-08:00

Ehow.com
Bukisa.com
Xomba.com

Xomba

2009-12-09T19:06:00.000-08:00

I like to treat Xomba less as an article writing site and more as social bookmarking site. Here you can write and publish full articles (called Xombytes) or summaries of your articles that are posted elsewhere (called Xomblurbs).

I tend to stick with writing Xomblurbs for all of my other articles and generate backlinks through their network. Although there is nothing to stop you from rewriting and republishing them on Xomba for some extra residual income as well.

Xomba pays you through AdSense. If you use custom channels in Adsense you can track the performance of all of your individual articles, which should help you with rewrites or tell you when you need to alter your keywords.

Check out My Articles or visit the Site.

Online Writing Jobs

2009-12-09T18:59:00.000-08:00

FreelanceWritingGigs
Online-Writing-Jobs
WritersWeekly

WritersWeekly

2009-12-09T18:43:00.000-08:00

This daily updated ezine focuses on writing: fiction, non-fiction, and commercial writing. WritersWeekly provides updated online writing job listings, new and current writing markets, book recommendations, a forum, and more.

One of the best features of this ezine is the Whispers and Warnings section. Here you can hear about people's problems and complaints with employers and paying writing sites, get the scoop on known scams, and have access to information to help you protect your interests.

Check out the Site, publish those stories and articles, and find work!

Bukisa

2009-12-09T18:10:00.000-08:00

Bukisa is another great site to publish your articles and build residual income. One of the characteristics that makes Bukisa so attractive is that you can repost articles that you've published elsewhere.

I recommend writing and publishing your nitch articles somewhere they will generate money and/or traffic, repost those same articles on Bukisa, and make sure to backlink both of the articles. Think: if you write one article and post it somewhere like Ehow.com, then rewrite it several times and republish it on numerous other sites such as Bukisa, you will generate that much more potential traffic and residual income.

Join Bukisa today and make money with your articles!

Ehow

2009-12-09T17:48:00.000-08:00

Ehow.com pays you to produce "How-To" and instructional articles. Their pay rate is based on traffic driven to your articles and on advertisement clicks.

Lately Ehow has been cracking down on poorly written/edited articles, articles that don't strictly adhere to a "How-To" format, and those that discuss other websites or products too openly.

I have written nearly 30 articles for Ehow, but haven't really been pleased with them. They pay very little unless you are generating large amounts of work that is very popular. Many members, including myself, have had problems with their payout system, as well. They tend to pay very late in the following month, if at all. But the real problem with their site is trying to contact the staff or some sort of representative if you have a question or a problem. If you join Ehow and find yourself having problems, I suggest using their forums as a method of contacting a staff member rather than trying to email them or go through their own system.

If you choose to write for Ehow, I suggest you only think of your profits in terms of residual, "background" income. You won't get much from them, but if you write and publish regularly, interact with the community, and advertise your work, in time you might be able to produce a fair paycheck.

Visit the Site.

Blogging Jobs

2009-12-09T17:25:00.000-08:00

ProBlogger

2009-12-09T17:19:00.000-08:00

ProBlogger specializes in listings for blogging jobs. Keep in mind that most of this site's listings are higher paid jobs--meaning that there will be plenty of competition and experienced bloggers with plenty of samples and a snazzy portfolio will find the most success here.

Even if you are a beginner, however, don't overlook these job listings. At the very least, the employer's expectations should give you some sense of what you should be aspiring to as a professional blogger: years of experience, "proven" writing experience, and tons of professionally published samples.

Check out the Site, and get blogging!

Online-Writing-Jobs

2009-12-09T17:01:00.000-08:00

Here is another site specializing in job listings for online writing work. All of the job listings are categorized from blogging, to editing/proofreading, to research and screenwriting. This site should definitely be in your rotation when looking for online work.

Check out the Site, and let the job search begin!

FreelanceWritingGigs

2009-12-09T16:38:00.000-08:00

Here is an excellent website that provides freelance writing job listings, updated on a daily basis. Not only will you find writing jobs of all kinds (blogging, copywriting, editing, proofreading, etc.), but you can also access stores of supplemental information such as job hunting tips, grammar, article writing, and more.

If you are looking for a place to start your search for freelance work, or just another great resource to help you in your own quest, I highly recommend this site!

Check out the Site, apply for some work, and get paid!

Tweetmeme

2009-12-09T00:57:00.000-08:00

Here's a great tool for every blogger! Make sure you have some sort of tool to allow for retweets of your content and watch the word spread through the world of Twitter.

Here you'll find helpful, clear instructions on how to add the button, including a handy little tool on their website that allows you to paste your blog's code and have the button added automaticallly.

Check out the Site, add the button, and grab those retweets!

26 Sites That Pay You to Blog

2009-12-09T00:40:00.000-08:00

Very interesting list of companies that will pay you to blog. Sometimes this involves posting their content on your blog. There are also other blog-related activities listed here that you may be able to get paid for. I haven't heard of many of these before, but rest-assured I'll be checking them out. Any good finds I'll be sharing and handing out the information.

Read the Full Article@Hongkiat.com!

20 Useful Web Applications For Firefox Sidebar

2009-12-09T00:30:00.000-08:00

For the FireFox users out there, here's a nice list of useful applications to help you surf and stay plugged in! If you're wanting to post on FaceBook or Twitter while you work, now you can. Check out the list, but don't let yourself get distracted!

Read the Full Article@Hongkiat.com!

40 Beautiful and Colorful Blog Designs

2009-12-09T00:27:00.000-08:00

A list of 40 very creative blog templates. If you click on some of the listed templates, you can get linked to some sites with large collections, usually free to download. If anything, these should get your creative juices flowing and help you picture how you want your own blog to look.

Read the Full Article@Hongkiat.com!

4 Steps to Increase Your Blog Traffic

2009-12-09T00:15:00.000-08:00

The key to success is high quality content, and then of course the proper advertising of that content. This is a great article that focuses on how to train yourself to produce excellent content and manage your time in the process. I think if you are going to take blogging seriously, you need to make a schedule for yourself and budget your time.

Read the Full Article@DailyBlogTips.com!

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Ways of Getting Traffic to Your Blog

2009-12-09T00:07:00.000-08:00

The very "hands-on" approach to generating traffic to your site. The basic philosophy of this article seems to focus around the concept of community: give and you shall receive. This article by Daniel Scocco should make you think about the many ways you can get involved in online communities and the social media jungle--and by doing so, funnel that many extra people to your own work.

Read the Full Article@DailyBlogTips.com!

Here’s Hard Data for Headlines that Spread on Twitter

2009-12-08T23:57:00.000-08:00

This article by Dan Zarrella should be a big clue to those of us who use Twitter on a regular basis in an attempt to drive traffic to our sites. Give it a read and pay special attention to the most commonly retweeted words.

Read the Full Article@CopyBlogger.com!

5 Steps to Going Viral on Twitter

2009-12-07T23:52:00.000-08:00

It can't be denied. Twitter is a force, and if you want exposure for your content, you're going to have to grab the blue bird and dive in. Essentially, this article describes how to properly use and structure tweets and retweets to drive traffic to your content.

The most interesting part, I found, was that the use of the word "please" statistically generates many more retweets than not being polite.

Maybe there's hope for the world, yet.

Read the Full Article@CopyBlogger.com!

Why You Can’t Make Money Blogging

2009-12-07T23:45:00.000-08:00

Another reality check here. I believe these articles are important and that's why I post them: not to discourage, necessarily, but rather make sure that prospective online writers, and especially bloggers, realize the reality of the Internet and the market it represents. If you are going to put forth the effort to blog and write, you need to know what you're getting into.

Like the article says, don't expect to make much. You certainly shouldn't be expecting to live off your blog earnings, but ultimately you should be building towards that goal. The fastest way to get there? Write good, unique content that people can't find anywhere else.

Read the Full Article@CopyBlogger.com!

The 7 Harsh Realities of Social Media Marketing

2009-12-07T23:32:00.000-08:00

It's easy to have lucrative visions of prosperity and crowds of eager readers when we first start to blog or engage in Social Media. The truth is, the world is a big place, and nearly everyone in it has something to say. That's why you need to provide something that people want to read, and make them want to come back for more. But this takes a lot of time and effort, and as amateur writers and bloggers, we need to have realistic expectations going into the game--we need to be prepared.

Read the Full Article@CopyBlogger.com!

Get Off Your Computer and Become a Better Blogger

2009-12-07T23:28:00.000-08:00

This is an article that all writers need to read, not just bloggers. It is so easy to get "tunnel vision" when writing (especially when blogging). The reality is, just as this article points out, we were good writers and bloggers before we ever sat down to type it all out. That means that it was life and our experiences that gave us our inspirations, and we need to make sure to connect back with that as often as possible. Limit your time on the computer.

As Mom would have said, "Go outside and get some fresh air!"

Read the Full Article@CopyBlogger.com!

Stealing an Article Idea vs. Being Inspired By One

2009-12-07T15:45:00.000-08:00

A short article here by Terreece Clarke making note of key differences one should consider when writing their own articles for publication on the Internet. It's easy to get ideas by reading other people's work, but make sure that the ideas you write are your own. Something everyone should read and respect to help fight plagiarism.

Read the Full Article@FreelanceWritingGigs.com!

What to Do Before Applying for a Freelance Job

2009-12-07T09:55:00.000-08:00

In this article you'll find 12 helpful tips to prepare you for your application process in a freelance writing job. Most of these are common sense: do your research before hand, be professional, etc. This is excellent material for those new to the online freelance writing game, and it works as a helpful checklist for those more experienced.

Read the Full Article@FreelanceWritingGigs.com!

Fish Flats

2009-12-07T01:24:00.000-08:00

Fish Flats is up and running! Check it out:

http://fishflats.blogspot.com/

When it comes to raising fish, everyone starts out as an amateur. Being a seasoned hobbyist is a combination of experience, shared knowledge, bonds between you and your fish, and good luck. The objective of this blog is to pass on what knowledge I have in order to help others be successful.

For more advice on fish care, visit Fish Flats

Ashtar's Updates

2009-12-07T01:20:00.000-08:00

Ashtar's Updates is up and running! Check it out:

http://ashtarsupdates.blogspot.com/

Ashtar's Updates provides a steady stream of updated articles, content from blogs, and information regarding Aaron Guzman’s freelance writing work.

TwitterFeed

2009-12-07T01:11:00.001-08:00

TwitterFeed is a tool that relays your blog feed and automatically posts it to your Twitter account. This can save you a lot of time and eliminate a lot of unnecessary leg work. This tool also lets you manage multiple Twitter accounts.

Plus, you get the added bonus of having your blog posts regularly posted, read, and indexed!

Check out the Site. Sign up for a free account, connect to your Twitter and Facebook accounts, and get cracking!

http://twitterfeed.com

Increase Traffic By Changing Your Code

2009-12-06T23:57:00.000-08:00

This article focuses on changes to make in your code (HTML, XHTML, etc.) to improve rankings and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). While most of the information in this article was above my head (remember, I'm fairly new to HTML), some of it made plenty of sense. For example, use your header tags to place keywords and improve indexing and SEO.

Also, this article reminds us to use site title tags, something easy to overlook, especially in the beginning when you are first making changes to your code, or just learning.

Anyone just beginning to make alterations to their site, possessing some knowledge of HTML, or just looking for a few tips to improve their site performance and traffic should read this article.

Read the Full Article!

Get Your Pages Indexed by Google

2009-12-06T23:42:00.000-08:00

Here's an interesting article with some straight-forward, common sense advice on how to improve your page ranking and ensuring that all of your blog or website entries are indexed by Google.

Interesting note: this article emphasizes writing good, original content. Duh. But of course, this is something easy to fault on when you are writing large volumes of content. Remember, originality and perseverance are the keys!

Read the Full Article!

Daily English

2009-12-05T04:36:00.000-08:00

Daily English is up and running! Check it out:

http://dailyenglishblog.blogspot.com/

Daily English offers daily vocabulary words with definitions, weekly grammar lessons, and academic writing tips

Job Listings

2009-12-03T02:58:00.000-08:00

Blogging Jobs

Data Entry Jobs

Editing Jobs

Online Writing Jobs

Paid Article Writing

Telecommute Jobs

Transcription Jobs

IconsPedia

2009-12-03T01:53:00.000-08:00

If you blog or manage a website, you will always be in need of icons, especially if your want to spruce up the design of your page. IconsPedia is a site that offers an extensive library of free, downloadable icons.

Visit IconsPedia

101.5 Free Tools and Services

2009-12-03T01:17:00.000-08:00

Here is a great list of useful tools for bloggers. There's quite a variety: ranging from word processors, monetization tools, to SEO and design tools. Some of them definitely caught my interest. Check them out.

Read the Full Article!

Pingoat

2009-12-03T01:07:00.000-08:00

Pinging websites are a great way to increase traffic to your website or blog. Pingoat sends out a "ping" (a signal telling target websites that your site has been updated) to major social media sites and social bookmarking sites. Whenever you make significant updates to your site, send out a ping and in time you'll see your traffic increase!

Ping-O-Matic

2009-12-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

Pinging websites are a great way to increase traffic to your website or blog. Ping-O-Matic sends out a "ping" (a signal telling target websites that your site has been updated) to major social media sites and social bookmarking sites. Whenever you make significant updates to your site, send out a ping and in time you'll see your traffic increase!

Visit Ping-O-Matic

BlogThis

2009-12-03T00:57:00.001-08:00

Here's a nifty little tool for FireFox that allows you to make blog entries while surfing through the use of a drop-down window rather than having to log in and bounce to your blog page. Very handy: saves time and makes you more productive.

Download and install the add-on Here

50 Awesome Twitter Tools

2009-12-03T00:25:00.000-08:00

A very nice list of Twitter tools here. Though I haven't used any of these yet, some of them caught my eye. With multiple blogs, I'll surely have multiple Twitter accounts in the future, and many of these tools look like they would be helpful in that department.

Read the Full Article!

Links

2009-11-24T01:42:00.003-08:00

Ezines:
WritersWeekly

My Blogs:
Daily English
Daily Spanish
Daily Japanese
The Common Man’s Critique
Fish Flats
Ashtar’s Think Space
Ashtar’s Updates

Places to Publish Articles:
Ehow
Bukisa
Xomba

Resources:
Better Business Bureau

Tools:
Copyscape

Additional Links:

About

2009-11-24T01:42:00.001-08:00

We live in tough economic times; the workplace and the world at large are volatile, unpredictable places; a college education no longer has the value it once possessed—for all these reasons and more, people are turning to freelance work in greater numbers either to replace their current career or supplement their income. I have decided to join the migration and attempt to locate freelance writing work through the Internet, with the ultimate goal of generating enough income to support myself.

The Freelance Log will chronicle my search for work via the Internet. Here you’ll find all the helpful information that I come across, including job listings, blogging information and tools, social media, SEO, article writing, and much more. Since I’m new to the game and learning as I go, I hope to provide the information I find in an easy-to-understand/easy-to-learn format.

The Internet is a powerful tool and a potential workplace ripe with opportunities. It is also one of the only places in the world where people can market themselves or begin their own business with little to no costs. Moreover, nearly the entire world and its economy are plugged-in and online. Those wishing to forge their own way in the world would be unwise to overlook this reservoir of potential.

But this should serve as a warning as well: just as there are a great number of opportunities, there is a great deal of competition to deal with. Thus, to increase your odds of success, you need to be prepared, and the best way to be prepared is to be informed. That’s what the Freelance Log is all about: my own effort to be informed, and the passing of that knowledge to those who would seek it.

So read, learn, shoot me some advice, follow my networks and media, and let’s all dive in and try to bring some loot to the surface! The work and the money are out there.

Welcome to the Freelance Log!

About the author:

Aaron Guzman currently lives in Eureka, California and works as a freelance writer. He spends his spare time writing fiction, playing poker, raising fish, and tending his garden.

If you meet him, you should buy him a beer.