There are Multiple Ways to Earn Income From Writing

I've spend the past couple of months researching freelance writing and writing fields overall in an attempt to discover just how many different types and styles of writing careers there actually are.

The results were kind of surprising and kind of not - I mean if you think about it words are absolutely everywhere from descriptions on menus and in catalogs, to magazine articles, new stories, and even technical manuals (yes some people do read them ;) )

In fact there are so many writing fields and ways to find gigs as a freelance writer that I dedicated a whole website to it with all the information. There is even a forum there where I encourage you to join for free and post a link to your own portfolio.

Learn about the many types of writing careers, the average salaries, the training required, how to break into that particular field and even where to look for jobs.

You can also learn a bit about why it is NEVER a good idea to accept a pittance for writing work. Writers I have come to believe devalue themselves WAY too often, and people are out there ready to prey on that.

Do we have to compete with writers from foreign countries who will write for a buck an article - yes. It's a fact of life, does that mean that we can no longer find writing gigs that pay a decent rate? Absolutely not! There are many ways to find decent paying gigs and actually earn a living wage and decent or above average income AS A WRITER.

So join me over at the Income from Writing website which we are going to devote solely to professional writing, finding work, and creating your image etc. This site and blog will remain dedicated to writing of all kinds and encouraging you and inspiring your creativity - but the nuts and bolts belong in their own place where others can easily find this information - and it's all free!

http://www.IncomeFromWriting.com - please join, share, tell your friends. I think this can be a great resource to help put people to work and once you see it you'll know there is enough work out there for ALL of us :) I hope you will use, enjoy and help me promote this resource!

An example of how to do Niche Websites

Last post I spoke a bit about how and why Niche websites can be a great way for writer's to earn money.

I also stated that to be the best at this you should stick to Niche's that are part of areas you are knowledgeable about and have experience with. This allows you to speak to people on a personal level and reach out with genuinely useful and relevant information.

Have you ever searched for something on the internet and then clicked a link to a website or article only to find the content was fluff and you could have written something more detailed and in-depth yourself? And this was for something you were looking to learn more about!

The internet unfortunately is full of these kinds of websites - keyword driven for profit only without a purpose and it's sad. I think there can be room for both and I've found that by using both marketing techniques combined with strong writing skills and a deep passion for my subjects - I can build websites that people will actually find useful.

My hope is of course - that I spread some sunshine into the world :) but also that I have shown people that I am a trustworthy source of information and that maybe they will consider using my resources, clicking on my suggested product links etc. and in the end I'll make some money out of it.

An example of my niche work is the website I just launched last night. I have been living with Celiac for a couple of years now having to learn to go Gluten free. I recognized that the learning curve can be steep - so I chose to focus a Niche site specifically around gluten free foods - I then searched for a name that reflected the subject I wanted to write about and develop around. http://www.glutenfreefoodlist.info was available so I registered that. (.info domains are less expensive than .com/.net/.org also) I spent the past couple of days designing, developing, and writing the content for my website. (I will do some more tweaking as time goes on) uploaded it. Now I submit to search engines, share it with my friends and network and hopefully due to the strong content and the great domain name choice it will place well in search engines. Also, hopefully people will find the information useful enough to share the link with others... voila a Niche website is born. I have others as well, but this was a good example of a very simple website - no real bells and whistles, but good information and good placement of advertising.

Anyway, hopefully I've inspired some of you writers to give this idea a go. It takes time, but over time this technique really does work. I have several others in the works too :).

Building Niche Websites is Lucrative for Writers

Lately I have been buying domains and building Niche websites. My goal with this is to not throw together poorly researched fodder like many adsense websites. I actually buy domains around subjects I am passionate about, write all of the content in a professional manner and put it on my own website.

I am a web designer by trade also, but there are many software and content management systems that don't require a huge learning curve that you can use. This has generated residual income for me that is very nice to have each month. It also allows me to share my knowledge and hopefully provide genuinely useful information to those who are searching.

To get started doing this there are some things to consider...

First of all it doesn't happen overnight, quality matters, and you must be patient. It took me over a year to start getting monthly adsense payments above the threshold. ($100)

The beauty of websites you own though is that if you use a webhost that allows you to host unlimited sites - you only pay one hosting fee per month. I pay mine yearly and get a steep discount.

Domains are inexpensive as well from 5-10 per year depending on who you go through.

Once you build your site with quality content and work regularly to promote it and add it to search engines etc. the traffic and income is there for a lifetime.

You can join affiliate programs or just sign up for Google's adsense program. Follow the rules and don't try to cheat! If you try to cheat Google will blacklist you and remove your site(s) from it's search engine - so play fair and stick with "white hat" promotion tactics and don't be tempted by places that say they can promise you tons of backlinks etc.

Overall I feel that having my own websites and promoting them is more lucrative for me long term. I do still write articles and hubs when I have time for other websites as well and it is useful for getting followers and backlinks and simply sharing my love of writing.

Over time I have built up by developing "evergreen" content and sites and now make around 250.00 per month on average with adsense - and this is with only a few websites live and running. I have several more in the works and hope to expand my residual income from those as well.

It's hard work - it takes a lot of time, but it is also rewarding and I feel I am doing something I love and that it is helpful to others.

Updates on freelance writing and hubbing

a lot of you who work with Google's adsense program may have felt the frustrations of the up and down fluctuations of the past couple of months due to the Panda algorithm changes.

When this all started in August, I saw my adsense revenue go down overall by about 20% and many people bottomed out altogether. It seemed a bit distressing at first, but gradually as Google's algorithms have changed and they have been weeding out a lot of the crap and content fodder and focusing on quality - my earnings the past two months have almost doubled! For those of us who produce quality content and write about what we know and are passionate about (rather than keyword stuffed, article spinning nonsense) we are now seeing the rewards from our devotion to quality and our passion for writing - hooray.

It's a very nice bonus for my family in a tough economy to have this extra residual income every month coming in - and it has kind of restored my faith in the internet being a great place for writer's (real ones) to actually make a difference.

Once Hubpages took their initial hit, they split up into subdomains, with each writer controlling his/her own. This gave them a measure of quality control they didn't have before and my earnings there have gone up despite not having had the time to publish hubs regularly the past few months. The quality of my content is so good that my subdomain already has a google pagerank of 3 - not bad! I actually get consistent search engine traffic I wasn't getting before because now I am not competing with article spinning software and junk content as much.

I am very happy that Google has dedicated itself to cleaning up the internet - it means more quality information being placed front and center. I love Panda :) and I am sure that those of us striving to provide high quality content (not merely for a profit) are liking it too now that the dust is settling a bit.

Writing, Speaking - or both?

I recently signed up to take a public speaking class. I was down to the wire and my original class had been cancelled. To keep my scholarship I am required to take at least 12 credit hours this semester. In a panic, I had to search through the few classes left and the only one I found that would work with my current work/school schedule was a public speaking course - gulp.

I love to write. Writing is my passion and there was never an English class that I didn't feel confident about. A 30 page research paper fully cited over summer semester you say? No problem - bring it on! Been there did that, but public speaking... oh my. I am not an outgoing person at all. In fact, many writers that I know are not either and for many of us writing is our "voice".

Although I am somewhat nervous, I do feel this is going to be a great experience for me. As writers, we have to be able to communicate verbally as well. Think about it. How else will you promote your writing? If you can build confidence in your ability to speak with as much passion as you write you suddenly have an edge in a very competitive field. I know that this class is going to benefit me in more ways than a letter grade at the end of the term. My hope is that it is going to build me up and help me speak with poise and confidence about my writing.

I had never really stopped to consider before this how beneficial a public speaking course might be. I know though that the universe has a way of leading us to the right place at the right time and so I am going to roll up my sleeves, swallow that lump in my throat and go for it! Hopefully it will help me in the future when it comes to promotion - and well, just feeling more confident in general.

Where NOT to look for writing jobs - unless you like slave wages.

It boggles the mind how many people are hiring content writers these days - and what is even more puzzling is the amount of pay they list for these various jobs. I have seen people advertise for a "job" that pays $1 per 500 word article. They also stipulate that it must be well-written by a native English speaker. I have seen listings like this all over and it bothers me immensely.

No one can make a living on that kind of money. If you are a seasoned writer it takes at least 20 minutes to come up with a decent article let alone proof read it. You may end up making $2 per hour. It angers me that people post jobs for these rates, but what really irks me are the writers who devalue not only themselves, but all of us - by accepting these ridiculous rates.

I know many newer writers feel pressured to "take what they can get". What these writers need to realize is that they are doing themselves a great disservice (and they are to the rest of us as well) These kind of clips for your portfolio are NOT going to get you anywhere when it comes to finding real work.

Here is what I suggest for content writers who want to make themselves some money - rather than help others profit by taking advantage of them.

Write great content and place it on HubPages, Squidoo, etc. At least on sites like that you build back links to your website(s) and also earn revenue. You can earn through Adsense and Amazon affiliate programs on these websites.

Use a website like http://www.constant-content.com and name your own price for your work! People who are wanting to purchase quality material do go there and they do purchase articles.

The websites I have found that offer the most ridiculous rates for articles/content are freelancing sites like 0desk and Elance. Once in a great while you might see something that pays "fair" - but mostly it's the same slave wages postings and not worth your time for the writing jobs.

I have also seen absolutely ridiculous advertisements for "writing gigs" and "writing jobs" on Craigslist. I can't count how many times I've seen the following variation for both web design and writing.

I have the next greatest thing since sliced bread idea. I want you to write/build it for me and I will give you a percentage of the profits when it takes off..... Give me a BREAK. The thing is they wouldn't keep advertising crap like this if it wasn't for naive people being duped into thinking they'll get rich down the line.

Folks, if the people with the great idea don't have capital, don't have talent to develop ideas themselves, or write that book - do you think they have marketing skills and the ability to "stick to it" required to push a new product/idea into a huge profit maker? No - they don't they are clueless and that is why they are looking for someone to do all the work for them for a "percentage". A percentage of 0 is 0. No writer or designer should spend those kind of hours working on a project that may never (and probably wont) pay off in time.

Do all the rest of us freelancers a favor and stop writing for pennies an hour and developing projects for free. It devalues our entire profession(s) and makes finding real work harder for ALL of us.

Soapbox finished....

Remember - If you are willing to work for pennies - at least get an Adsense account and a blog and let those pennies be for you - not the other guy who is essentially taking your hard work for slave labor prices and making a huge residual lifetime profit on it.

You CAN build up your own residual income. I started off never reaching the 100 dollar Adsense threshold each month, but over time and with continued efforts my Adsense residual income is always over 200 per month - for things I wrote that were evergreen and just sit there. Much of my content makes search engine rankings which gives it the ability to generate income. That means that essentially I do very little for that money once I put in the initial effort. The more content and information (that is valuable by the way not a 5 minute throw together) that I develop that is useful - the higher the search rankings over time and the more residual income I generate.

Now think of these marketers who just bought your article for a measly $1.00 - do you think they are not making nice residual income off of that or reselling it themselves for a huge profit?

Think about it - and then think long and hard before taking a writing job that pays a pittance. You aren't only harming yourself!

The Importance of Building Backlinks to Get Your Writing Noticed

I touched on this in my post yesterday about how every writer needs a personal website to get noticed. Backlinks (quality ones) are a very important element of SEO(Search Engine Optimization).

As you work to build your portfolio or hubs, blogs, etc. you want to be sure that you are getting links to your work to help it rank higher in search engines. You will also want to use sites like PingoMatic to "ping" out the feeds to your most recent posts.

I have also started using a site called SocialMonkee to help me build free quality backlinks. You can use it for free and submit one url for 25 backlinks per day. a Handy little tool that is very easy to use. I would suggests using it to help boost the ranks of your blog posts one at a time.

You don't want to "overpromote" websites as that can be considered "spammy" and that's not cool and will get you slapped by search engines if they catch on to you. However some promotion is necessary and required if you are going to make it in the sea of writers and marketers out there.

Other ways to get backlinks include answering questions (in a meaningful way to establish your credibility) on sites like Yahoo Answers as well. You get to talk to others, help them, and ultimately gain some name recognition in the process as well as the all important backlinks to your webpages.

You can also comment on blog posts - in a meaningful way that shows you are participating - and get backlinks to your work that way. Be sure that you are actually contributing to forums and blogs and not just spamming! Do unto others applies on the net as well - though many people seem to forget that!

Every Writer Should Have a Personal Website - It's a Vital Tool!

In my latest hub I share my perspective as both a web designer and writer why a personal website is not only a good idea - but vital to building your reputation as a writer.

If any investment in yourself ever pays off this will be the one. Why? I can almost hear you say. There are several reasons

1)Establishes your credibility and gives you a professional, businesslike presence
2)Gives people a convenient place to read your work
3)Gives you a convenient place to organize and store your work
4)Helps you build traffic and increase your ad revenue and reader interest. Backlinks are vital for your business.
5)You can link your primary portfolio to other sites and cross promote, establishing a larger presence and more name recognition.

Learn all of the reasons in detail by visiting my latest hub and see how you can establish your brand for a lot less than you think. It's a time investment, but ultimately it will lead to more success for you.

Why Every Writer Needs A Personal Website

Restoring Photos - Another Way to Earn Income In Addition to Writing

Even if you don't decide to do it as a sideline, it still makes a great gift idea for others - digital photo restoration!

Old photographs can be digitally archived and reworked/touched up. People will pay for this service and although there is a lot of competition - it's a great business to develop using "word of mouth". Do a few free restores for family and friends and ask them to show them off to others and give out your business card.

I do this as a small sideline business and people absolutely love to see their photographs restored - especially ones they thought were beyond repair. I have trained extensively in Photoshop and because of this I can take on some major projects that others may not be comfortable with.

Typically though you'll find plenty of old photos that really only need minimal work. I wrote a step-by-step tutorial on how to do a very basic restoration
http://christins.hubpages.com/hub/revive_photos . Check it out and see if this might help you generate some more income yourself among your friends/family.

Summer will end soon and before you know it the holiday season will be upon us. If you want a thrilling gift restore some old photos and place them on a digital frame (or have them printed) I did this for my folks last year and the looks on their faces were as the commercial says "priceless"... :)

Help me out and vote for my hub as a hub nugget award :)

My hub "9 fatal query letter mistakes and how to remedy them" has been nominated for an award. Please visit the link below and scroll down to the section on the books, literature and writing nominees and give my hub a vote if you find it to be a worthy contender :)

http://koffeeklatchgals.hubpages.com/hub/A-Step-Back-in-Time-A-HubNuggets-Tea-Party

Thank you very much I really appreciate your support
Christin

How to Outline and Write a Book Quickly

I am one of those many writers who wants to get a manuscript published. I know what I want my book to say, I am filled with ideas, but I struggle in figuring out exactly how I want to organize and present them. This makes it difficult for me to sit down and write a book, because I am stuck in a mindset that says I need to do it in "linear fashion" in much the same way I write articles or blog posts.

So what happens? I start to feel overwhelmed, and because I feel like I am standing at the bottom of a mountain looking up, I do something else because it just seems like too much to do right now... and alas the book sits in my brain and not on paper.

The hard truth is a whole book is not going to come out in perfect order without some organization in place. It will have to come in chunks and be arranged later (against my writing grain)

So this is what I have come up with and it is working very well. It breaks the whole process down into "doable" tasks that are actually fun. You get the benefit of free writing where you can explore fully multitudes of ideas because you are not worried about structure.

You can use a free software like "free mind" or use index cards or whatever you feel comfortable with.

The idea is to sit down each morning and write ten ideas - express them well and place them on a card or in your mind map software - even on notebook paper. If you're like me you'll find you don't stop right away and may come up with 20 or 30 "thought capsules" a day. Do this every day and keep the ideas all separated and don't run them together. At the end, you'll be cutting them out into little slips of paper or if you used cards and hand wrote them (something I don't have the patience for) you can simply arrange the cards in a recipe box in order.

Write whatever you like without worries about structure, grammar, spelling etc. and keep it until you are finished (usually a few weeks) and at the end print off your sheets and cut out the ideas and spend a couple of days sorting them. What goes with what? make piles and then those will essentially be your full outline... you'll have them in order and can develop your table of contents from them and all you have to do as you write your chapters is "flesh out" any ideas you didn't fully express in your notes or cards.

You can then retype them and as you do you will likely note any grammatical/spelling awkward wording and can fix that as you write the second time.

This makes a seemingly ginormous task of writing a book - more like some short daily exercises. After all 30 minutes on a treadmill is easier and much less daunting than running a marathon right out of the gate ;).

Good luck with your writing!

Write Your Passion and the Money Will Follow

The Hub I wrote about the 12 universal laws in a nutshell became very popular. It has inspired me to devote a whole blog/site to the subject so that I can delve into the universal laws in-depth.

It is a subject I am knowledgeable and passionate about and I believe it is a way for me to further use my writing/creativity to help others. For anyone interested the link is: Universal Laws Explained.

The main reason I am writing this post however is not for shameless self promotion ;), but to share my theory on why it is important to write about what you LOVE - and do it regularly.

As a writer - writing your passions is the best way to start. I read once that writers should take time to write what they would also love to read. If you spend all of your working time writing things that are purely for money or don't really interest you - your writing will lose that "spark" that special something that gets people to take notice.

Have you ever noticed that you can completely disagree with someone's opinion, but if they are an engaging and passionate writer you will still want to hear what they have to say? Why? Because we "feel" the person who is writing and we long to understand their passion and experience. That passion is what brings a whole new level to the words on the page. Words can be "just words" or "just info" or they can be moving and thought provoking.

Writing your passion, even if not for profit directly, (like sharing on a blog) gives you exposure - which in time can lead to great paying opportunities. It may even lead to paying opportunities writing about your passion - even better right?

Write what you know, write what is in your heart and share that knowledge. It's a gift to others that will return to you.

Don't have a blog? Share writing on HubPages - my Hubs in one short month have been visited and read over 2000 times! Why? because writers there are passionate about writing. They read, they share, the encourage and they help you. I wrote engaging hubs to help others and they have been recognized. Just yesterday the Hub newsletter went out and my Hub 101 Free Tools Every Freelance Writer, Web Designer, and Graphic Artist Needs was featured.

Today, I found out that I have had many new visitors and from the comments people have left they truly appreciate that I took the time/effort to create a resource that is valuable and useful. I am getting exposure as a writer and freelancer because that hub links to my portfolio as well. I did something that helped others, and it also provides reciprocal benefits.

From a business perspective, Hubs are also a great way to generate back links to your own websites and blogs which will help improve your search engine rankings as well. Ad Sense can be used to monetize your Hubs for residual income.

On a personal note, I take pride in knowing something I created is giving benefits to others. I believe that what we put out is returned to us. Use this in your writing practice - do what you love - show your passion! It's that passion and drive that will ultimately sell you!

Query Letter Fatal Flaws & How to Avoid Them

If you're like me the art of querying hasn't been without it's bumps and bruises along the way. Pitching at the right time, to the right person in a manner that is engaging and gives a great hook can seem intimidating at first.

Over time, you kind of start to develop a system though and every rejection I have chosen to view as a lesson in tweaking my system.

Writing is a competitive field and there are many players so it is important to not only follow tips on "what to do" - but also what NOT to do and my hub today shares 9 "fatal flaws" that will kill any query letter and what to do to remedy or avoid them. Using these tips will help you to write good query letters that have a better chance of being accepted.

Learn more: 9 Fatal Query Letter Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Cheap or Free Ways to Market Yourself

My hub today talks about 25 ways to promote a business on the cheap. Many freelance writers don't consider themselves to be "a business" and this could be costing you a lot of potential customers.

As a writer, you can list yourself locally as a copywriter or as providing Editing services. this allows you to list yourself for free locally which can dramatically increase your viewership and customers.

Although my hub today is about "small business" in general, don't make the mistake of thinking solo work or freelancing work is not an "actual business". You can enjoy many of the same advertising perks that brick and mortar businesses do.

Learn more at my latest hub 25 Cheap or Free Ways to Market Your Small Business

Totem Wisdom - My Latest Creative "baby"

I have been meaning to do a website on animal totems for as long as I can remember. I love animals, always have. I also believe that humans have revered the animals throughout time because they truly do show us a lot about ourselves.

When I developed this website with Nick, our goal was to look at an animal, learn about it's habits, diet, where it lives, and it's most unique traits. We then blended those qualities into individual totem animal pages that show viewers how different animals carry lessons that they can use on their path.

Totem animals have often sparked my creativity and I had written about them before, but I wanted to create a place where I could use all of my skills - graphic design, web design, and writing all in one place to create something beautiful that others would enjoy as well.

This project was the funnest thing I have done in ages and I am going to keep expanding on it, adding more animals and custom art.

Please stop by and let me know what you think. Perhaps a free totem reading will spark your creativity today.

www.TotemWisdom.com

Self-Promotion - The Importance of Backlinks in Marketing Your Work

As you may have noticed lately, I have posted links to articles I have written on HubPages. There is a good reason to write content for a few larger websites. The revenue you earn on these sites is not very high, but what it does allow you to do is build "backlinks" to your primary websites and blogs. This increases your exposure to new readers, and brings traffic to your own websites or blogs where you can also share your expertise with others.

Backlinks help your website or blog to rank higher on search engines, particularly is your sites and articles are getting backlinks from well established websites. In my few weeks hubbing, I have met a lot of great writers and my website traffic to all of my sites has increased noticeably as has my AdSense revenue.

Writing well on other sites also helps you to establish your credibility in your area(s) of expertise and can be great to use as clips when you are looking for freelance writing jobs online or in print.

That being said, avoid websites that are merely link farms or that have tons of low quality content. You don't want your name associated with websites of poor quality. If anything and everything gets approved and there is no efforts in place to maintain quality standards, you want to stay away from them.

Another benefit to cross promotion and more exposure is the chance for things that you have written to "go viral" on social networks etc. The more something you have written is voted up, shared, etc. the higher it will climb in search engines.

If your content is useful and "evergreen" - meaning it is something people will value for a long time to come, residual income and future contacts will always flow your way from that work. Some people see a few cents a day on sites like Hubpages as not worth the effort, but they are not considering the larger picture. Don't be those people ;). Persistence and strong, evergreen content pays off for an unlimited time.

Be sure to visit my latest hubs for more great freelance resources for freelance creatives of all kinds!
http://hubpages.com/profile/ChristinS

101 Free Tools for Freelance Creatives

I did a contest entry hub for the HubPages share and share alike contest. The post I entered features 101 very carefully selected and reviewed links that are the best free resources around for freelance writers, freelance web designers and graphic artists.

It is my hope that this post will give freelancers some new tools and that you will find it useful and share it. There is something there for every freelance creative. I can't believe how much I learned simply compiling it. I brought together a lot of my current favorites and to flesh it out I researched even more resources. It has turned out to be an excellent compilation and I plan to bookmark and use it myself LOL.

Please view my Hub "Every Freelance Writer, Web Designer, and Graphic Artist Needs" Vote it up, ping it out to your friends on Facebook and Twitter and spread the word. I really appreciate it!

How to Write With More Purpose

I spent some time this morning on Hubpages sharing with other writer's a detailed explanation of how to do a Writer's Collage.

Although it can seem a bit daunting or like a lot of work at first, the benefits are so amazing.

It's ironic that pieces of my past writing were actually able to illuminate future goals for me that I hadn't considered. I learned so much about myself in the process of doing the exercise that it not only helped my writing, it proved to be quite cathartic to me personally as well.

I believe writing heals. It has worked for me since I was a child and I am always in awe of how it seems to show me new things even now. The more I write, the more I learn about myself and the more I am able to use my creativity to encourage and inspire others. Writing is the tool I use to realize my larger goal of helping others find their own inner light.

Visit my hub and learn how to do a Collage for yourself. This is a great exercise whether you are a new writer or a seasoned pro. You'll definitely gain something new from the process and I hope it will inspire you to write in new ways, with more purpose and meaning.

101 Writing Prompts for Creative and Non-Fiction Writers

I believe our writing flourishes when we experiment with different writing styles.

Creative writers benefit from learning the more structured forms that non-fiction writing adheres to, while non-fiction writers are better able to make their content engaging when they make it creative and connect well with their readers.

Please view my latest hub for 101 writing prompts that are challenging for every type of writer! Challenge yourself and grow - both personally and as a competent writer.

http://hubpages.com/hub/101_writing_prompts

The prompts here will provide great ideas for articles, short stories and self-discovery journal writing. Enjoy! :)

The 12 Universal Laws Explained

Many of you are probably familiar with the "Law of Attraction" due to popular movies/books like "The Secret".

While I also enjoyed that series very much, I've found that there is a lot more to it than that and a lot of people are left without the full knowledge they need to truly manifest their desires.

I have spent a great deal of time learning and pondering the various laws of the universe - long before I knew the specific names of the laws ;).

This has led me to write my latest piece The 12 Universal Laws Explained in a Nutshell

The Law of Attraction DOES work - but not without the full application of all the other universal laws which correspond with it. This article teaches the other universal laws by describing them with real world examples. I hope you will find it useful and pass it on :)

Sincerely,
Christin

Daily Power Words - Freedom *Video*

Hub Pages - What I like about them

I just discovered the whole Hubpage phenomenon and I think it will give me a good venue to show off some of my other writing.

Writing a Hub is easy and allows you to produce articles about whatever subject(s) you are knowledgeable about. You earn revenue through Adsense and Amazon, but I think one of the best things about it is using it as a way to showcase different writing styles.

I have used it so far to publish some articles on herbal remedies (another passion of mine that doesn't fit in with any of my established blogs) and a short story. I am of course just getting started with it, but I hope it will generate some sideline income. Like anything, you get out of it what you put in. Needless to say I have "hopped" some really beautiful writing there and some just made my cringe.

If any of you reading have used HubPages please comment and let me know what you think of them. I'm happy to follow your hubs if you follow mine :)

3 Simple Steps to Take Your Power Back

As you all know - I am a big advocate for personal growth and self-discovery. I believe each person comes here to learn and that all experiences have something beneficial that can be gleaned from them.

I found this article this morning - something I wrote a long time ago and hadn't shared yet so I thought I would post it because it is relevant :).

Take Your Power Back in 3 Steps

Take your power back! The few steps outlined below will start you on the path to liberation and show you how to live a more rewarding life.

Acceptance: This is the first important lesson to living an empowered life. Living in the past does not allow us to move forward. Let go of futile things like regret. We don't always have to like what happened, or what others have done that is harmful, but dwelling on things only keeps us stuck. Holding onto pain ultimately hurts us more than the original transgression anyway. Accept what has come before, that is the first step to finding peace. This doesn't mean "like it" - but accept it and look for the lessons that can be gleaned from it.

Secondly - Forgiveness. We don't have to "forget" to forgive, but in the act of forgiveness we say "I am not going to allow this person or this situation to have power over my life". When we make a conscious decision to forgive, we allow ourselves to move forward with a new sense of freedom. Forgiveness is the ultimate act of taking your power back.

Finally, Release. Once we have accepted the person/situation and made a conscious decision to forgive ourselves/others etc. we are free to release that burden from our soul. In release, comes the ability to rebuild and start fresh. Release lifts the weight of the negative emotions of anger, regret, sorrow. When we release them, we open up to higher vibrational frequencies which in turn draw more positive people and circumstances into our world.

Once you have worked on these steps, it is important to keep the ball rolling. Accountability is the final lesson for leading an empowered life. Stop being a victim, stop blaming others. Take ownership of your own life. You are in control of your destiny based on your choices and actions. You cannot control the actions of others, but you can choose your own. Recognition of this fact allows the individual to feel more in control of his/her own destiny as opposed to feeling victimized by circumstance.

3 Quick Tips to Beat Writer's Block that Actually Work!

There are tips galore for breaking the grip of writer's block. Writer's block happens to the best of writers and it can be a very foreboding feeling - especially when you depend on your writing to help feed the family and pay the bills.

I have an ironic inner issue that I have learned to play along with - and it has prompted some of my better writing. I feel amazingly pressured by deadlines - so much so that I freeze. However, when I am playing a game I love the pressure to solve a puzzle or do something as quickly as possible - which leads us to tip one.

Beat Writer's Block Tip 1

The little game I play with myself is to get ideas down on paper - everything else can come in revisions later. It involves a timer and free writing.

I do this in a couple of ways - either by choosing a subject or just writing whatever comes out. I set a timer and the idea of the "game" is to see how many ideas I can come up with in the allotted time. Usually just one "round" of this free writing will get my words flowing. Sometimes, the brain is still stubborn though and in that case I set the timer again and "compete" with myself to get more ideas during the second round.

The key components to excellent free writing:
Granted some of these can be harder than they sound, but keep practicing and you'll find free writing techniques the most valuable for overcoming writer's block and allowing words to flow more easily and frequently.

* Forget punctuation, spelling and other distractions - it's only for you
* If you get off topic keep writing anyway sometimes you'll come around full circle and end up developing even more well-rounded ideas.
* Allow your ideas to flow freely and don't try to "correct" them as you write - let go and ALLOW yourself to just write - without fear or consequence just do it.

Beat Writer's Block Tip 2

Sometimes it's just difficult to come up with ideas. A few things I do for this is consciously ask questions. Watch the news or read a magazine and as you do ask deeper questions - "why would someone do that" or "what lead to this", "how else could you...?" etc. Those questions can lead to neat new ideas to explore.

Another idea is to use SEO tools to see what people are searching for - what do they want to know? Find something interesting and write an outline for that type of article to pitch (or write the article and sell it as online content right away)

Beat Writer's Block Tip 3

set up a mic and voice record - ask questions, talk about what's on your mind, share insights you had about something you read etc. It's the "speaking" equivalent of a free writing session, but allows you to get a lot more ideas out in a short time. Later on listen to your recording and glean ideas from that.

Journaling Exercise: Acceptance

I have decided to do a few videos that highlight the power words articles and journal exercises.  I hope you will enjoy and pass along to friends :)

Blessings,
Christin

6 Best Paying Websites for Talented Writers

Below are the best options I have found for websites that offer up-front pay to writers for quality content.  

I have just recently applied to a few of these and I am still waiting on the results.  I am impressed that these sites pay an up-front fee for assigned articles and also participate in revenue-sharing.  I thought I would share a few of them here for any of you looking for higher-paying, freelance writing work.  My primary focus of course is still going to be print magazines :) - and other obligations I currently have, but these may be useful to someone so here you go! :) enjoy. 

Love to Know  Love to Know requires writer's to have some experience.  The application process will take awhile.  Have a current "writing focused" resume as well as 2 samples of relevant work.  On this site you can apply to specific channels where you have knowledge which I thought was very nice.  You can apply to as many channels as you like, but in the third part of the application process be prepared to share what makes you an expert in those areas with working examples.  

Writer's are expected to be very knowledgeable and have the willingness to contribute regularly.  In return they offer up-front payment for accepted articles, a professional team of editor's to work with you, and you also earn a share of ad revenue from your pages. 

Demand Studios: This is another website that is highly competitive and accepts only the best writer's.  When you apply be sure to have your "best stuff" on hand and be able to demonstrate your knowledge in the areas you are interested in writing about.  Demand Studios offers up-front pay ($16.00 per accepted article the last I heard) and also continued profit sharing for your content.  Very nice gig if you can get it. 

Bright Hub: I have been accepted here very recently and I am looking forward to writing for them.  They offer excellent training materials, up-front pay for assigned articles when you write for an editorial community channel. (I'll be writing about green living - one of my passions :) )  and the ability to also write about whatever you like in a "self-publish" area and earn ad revenue (without an up-front payment). 

If you are accepted, you will be limited to 5 articles per month the first month.  This is to ensure that writer's don't just dive in and get in over their heads.  I am very impressed with how Bright Hub seems to genuinely want their writers to succeed.  A team of editors to support and guide you is always a good thing when really digging into freelance writing.

About.com Contributing Writer:  High competition here, but for good reason.  About.com is the place to be as a freelancer.  Guides and even contributing writer's are compensated very well.   The contributing writer process - like the Guide process, is very extensive.  You choose from topics that are available and send in your application.  If your application is accepted, you are put through a training process with other writers and at the end of the training period a team of editors decides whether or not to accept you.  About.com is by far the place where one must jump through the most hoops to prove themselves - but what a resume builder if you can get it.  Many About.com Guides and Writers do only that full time and earn a very nice living.

Yahoo Contributing Writer: Associated Content was purchased by Yahoo and now is the Yahoo Contributor Network.  I have not looked at this very extensively yet since being accepted, but they offer several ways to earn money.  Up-front offers, assignments, performance, and distribution.  Yahoo states their typical up-front payment ranges from $2 - $25.  

You can choose work from their assignment desk, or you may write your own content and have them make an offer. 

Constant-Content: This website allows you to answer requests for articles or to simply publish articles and name your own price.  You can offer everything from only usage rights to exclusive rights.  Articles and content can sell for varying ranges here.  I haven't published any articles here in over a year due to other engagements, however I have sold some of my work through them before.  

The article acceptance is quite slow and they are very rigorous in their editing - so you must write, proofread, and edit any work thoroughly before submission to save yourself time and headaches.  I appreciate this though, because people who go here to purchase writing know they are getting high-quality work and they are willing to pay for it!

Freelancing Job Boards - In search of a decent wage...

I have been doing a lot of self-promotion the past two weeks trying to land some gigs and get some more writing done.  I love the idea of being a full time freelancer with my writing, web design, and other projects. 

The newest website I am working on is going to highlight all of my skills and be on a subject I love - animals! More specifically animal totems - it gives me an opportunity to show off some art, web design, and writing all in one place :)

In the meantime, to make some more money I've been filling out profiles/portfolios on sites like Elance and some others.  I will compile a list of freelance sources to post to find writing gigs at some point here in the near future.  I'd like to hear from anyone though who knows of a good freelance job website where you can get decent paying gigs.  Elance has a lot of competition and a lot of the jobs are going to people overseas who are willing to write for a dollar an article.  I believe I am worth more than that and I refuse to take on those super-low paying jobs. 

One cool website I did find though is www.donanza.com - I like the design it's really clean and sharp.  When you sign up (free) you can get job postings sent to you.  Their job postings cover most of the freelance sites and the listings they have sent me have all been relevant.  It's a good way to search "all at once" rather than going from site to site.

More later.... Happy writing! 

Who are you as a writer? Doing a Writer's Collage

I did this exercise in an Composition class I took.  I really enjoyed this process very much.  The first part of the unit was learning to freewriting exercises where you more or less sit down and type or write for a set amount of time.  You don't worry about order, grammar, syntax etc. you just spill whatever seemingly random thoughts come to mind. 

At first, this process seemed very disorganized to me and it was difficult to just go with it, but when I did I found it very liberating.  We even did a blind freewrite where you type for 10 - 15 minutes - but you have to turn your screen off! Now that was an experience! Out of the chaos however came a lot of thoughts and ideas and bits of inner wisdom.  Later on you can go back and sort through the "chaos" and you begin to find order in all the "madness".  I had ideas that poured out of me that will make for several strong future projects.

At the end of this unit was where we did a collage.  After several styles of freewriting the idea was that you would get a better idea of yourself as a writer.  What does writing mean to you? What kind of a writer are you? etc. The collage was a collection of pieces of writing and thoughts about the writing process that painted a picture of you - so that those who read it could understand you and what purpose your writing serves.  I enjoyed it and I decided to share my collage with you below.

I hope that some of you may be inspired to do your own.  You'll learn a lot about yourself in the process and hopefully gain confidence in yourself and your writing ability. 

*~*~*~* Then & Now *~*~*~*

I am someone who loves writing, but not rules.

From the time I was little, before I could even form words on the page, I would sit and “write” on lined paper and then “read” my stories to my grandparents. They loved me and they always smiled when I read them my stories. I felt their approval and it made me feel good. I knew then that I liked it when my writing made others smile. I was doing something good , something that mattered – I mattered.

Growing up, journals were a place to go to express myself and to vent. I grew up in a household that could be ugly – and writing was my way to safely “speak” without fear of retribution from an abusive father who reminded me daily that everything I actually said – every word that came out of my mouth, was “stupid”. Journaling was the doorway to my inner world - a place of beauty to escape to.

In times of darkness, we are continually reminded of the richness and wonder of

life. We better recognize all we take for granted, from the very basic needs of

survival, to the profound and intricate workings of our souls. This moment of

realization becomes the silver lining of the cloud. In painful times, we can loose

hope or we can choose to live in new ways.

Journals were (and still are) wonderful because they didn't talk back. They “listened” to every word I “said” and although a journal can't give you approval, it doesn't berate , demean, insult, or deflate you.

Writing was the way I sought peace when my grandparents were no longer there to rescue me. Once they passed away, my writing became my one true solace in life. It held my deepest sorrows and my greatest joys. It brought me to the place where I could “rescue” myself.

Consciously working with the power of the mind to create new

perspectives enriches life experience, inspires creativity, and boosts confidence.

When we respect and nourish the mind, our thought processes will nourish the

soul.

As I grew, I was determined to be and do all the things that I was told I could not. My writing helped me to heal, to forgive, and empower myself.

Dad used to say “Who gives a damn what you think anyway?” As it turns out – I did.

Freedom allows us to live our lives without self-imposed limitations. When we

refuse to release life-draining forces like anger or feeling victimized, we remain in

prisons of our own making. When we tell ourselves "I can't" or "I'm not", we

restrict our ability to grow and reach our fullest potential. When we act from a

need to please others, or when we do what seems more socially acceptable,

rather than following our own destiny, we destroy the freedom we have to be

who we are. There must be balance between "being practical" and being true to

ourselves. How can living a life that isn't fulfilling be practical?

As I grew my writing evolved.

I began to write on forums about writing, keeping journals, the power of words – and then was born “Daily Power Words” which I wrote regularly for years and published on line in a group. The passages you see throughout are taken directly from those writings.

I received a great deal of positive feedback from them. People who read them were encouraged to use their own writing as part of their own healing process and it felt good to be a part of something positive and uplifting. It made people smile – and it showed them that “they mattered”.

*~*~*~*

My writing saved me because it forced me to look at myself with complete honesty, to understand myself. Through writing I began to consciously make changes and pursue the healthier paths of forgiveness, empathy, and respect for self and others.

I had choices to make – and writing helped highlight those choices for me.

~~ When we approach journaling with an open mind and heart, and we commit to

being completely candid with ourselves, we open up to limitless opportunity for

growth and healing. ~~

Writing to me serves a higher purpose. When I use it for its higher purposes it causes me no anxiety or worry. It is what it is.

I am a creative personality with a very fluid, laid-back style – and anything rigid goes against my nature.

When I try to confine my writing and think of it in terms of “formalities” and “rules” and “grades” , my writing suffers.

I struggle to write for others – yet I love to write for others.

When what I write helps others I am passionate and driven enough to write all day, but I will procrastinate when it comes to writing for grades or trying to “stuff” writing into a confined structure.

Writing reflects the contradictory parts of our nature.

*~*~*~* Now & Then *~*~*~*

I am someone who loves writing, but not rules. That will never change – but I can still respect “the rules” enough to learn from them – even when I choose to break free.

I think a lot can be gained in learning to write in conventional ways. It encourages discipline and critical thinking. I don't believe in completely abandoning rules – but I also believe that some rules are meant to be broken.

~Growth means willingness to move in new directions, to take a leap of faith into the unknown and try something different. It is easy to get stuck in old patterns and routines

that keep us comfortable, but don't necessarily push us to reach our fullest

potential.~

~Progress reminds us that in order to continue to have a fruitful journey, we must

get out of our own way. Often we barricade our path with resistance created by

self-doubt, fear of consequences, and a refusal to try something different.~

The passage below illustrates one of my main philosophies in life – and it also corresponds nicely to the writing process as well.

~~Refining metals such as Gold requires continuous cycles of repeated pressure

and heat that filters away impurities and allows the metals to shine with clarity. In

our lives, it is often our "mistakes" and more difficult lessons that refine us. These

strenuous processes draw out our finest qualities, the strengths and wisdom that

make us shine.

Too often we focus on perceived impurities, rather than keeping our sight

focused on the goal of growth. When we focus on all that we see as "wrong" we

take energy away that can be devoted to building on our strengths. It is this

personal refinement process that allows us to reach our full potential. We can

learn and be built up by our mistakes and trials, or we can crumble under the

pressure. ~~

Today, my dad and I get along. I recognize that lifelong alcoholism made him “crumble under the pressure”, rather than reach his potential in life. In some strange way his poor choices gave me a great gift that I may not have fully recognized or developed otherwise. I focus on that now and it leads to good things!

My first piece of $ paid professional writing $ was a feature article on journaling that was published in a nationwide magazine for people and their families who are in recovery from alcohol and drugs. > This was last September.

*~*~*~* My Goals for the Future*~*~*~*

Acronyms are fun and they help me recall important concepts and ideas. Since childhood I have used them to simplify complex subjects so I could commit them to memory. I decided it would be useful to come up with an acronym to keep me focused on my current and future writing goals.

Redirect my energies into more professional writing

Energize my writing by trying new things

Feature my writing in more places

Invoke thought and passion with words

Never give up on myself as a writer

Enjoy writing often!

You as a writer - who are you? Some exercises to try

A lot of us are drawn to writing - we enjoy it.  We use it as a means to express ourselves, make money etc. but what I discovered in a writing class I took this last semester is that a lot of us do not fully understand who WE are as a writer - in other words how did we come to be writers? How did that evolve? What do we aspire to be as future writers? 

In this course we did a collage - a written word collage of ourselves as writers and it was very eye-opening to me.  I thought I had a pretty good grasp on who I am and why I write - but it was still so revealing.  The purpose of the exercise was of course to allow others to get to know us as a writer - but many of us found in the process that we learned a little something more about ourselves as well. 

I'll share mine with you on my next post - 

My hope is that in the meantime you will do some free writing - where you just sit down and type or write whatever comes into your head without concern of typos, grammar, etc.  Do this for 10 to 15 minutes a day and you WILL become a better writer with a clearer voice.  Out of the "chaos" that is a freewrite - you can pull tidbits and pieces of information and thoughts that would have been cast aside had you sat down with the intention of writing for an audience - or with a set subject for that matter. Free write and even if you can't think of what the heck to say - write about that! 

Free writing is a great technique for opening the flood gates, exploring your inner thought processes, and then after releasing all the pent up emotions/thoughts/ideas etc. It is a great way to get your house in order.  

Try this free writing for a few days - after that I'll show you how your free writing will help you develop your collage.  You'll love this exercise - it's therapeutic and it's fun! 

Power & purpose in your writing

I have a book recommendation to share.  The book "Writing to Change the World" by Mary Pipher was assigned reading for my English class last summer.  I found this book to be very moving and it really inspired me to look deeper into my writing and myself as a writer. 

In the book, the author explains in great detail how words have the power to change minds and hearts - for better or for worse - and that writing is a noble calling.  It also goes on later in the book to give some more "nuts and bolts" type stuff to enhance writing technique. 

I found after reading just the first couple of chapters I was inspired to write and encouraged on my path as a writer again.  It gave me a sense of purpose and passion that had faded into the background for awhile.  I would recommend this book to those who need some encouragement or inspiration to pick up the pen and write from the heart.  It is also good for more technical aspects of writing persuasive and thought provoking pieces as well.

Used copies can be picked up cheaply on Amazon.com or check your local bookstore.

Today's the official relaunch :)

I've been working on this redo for awhile and I missed the Power Words very much, but for many reasons did wish to continue using YahooGroups as the method for publishing them  - primarily due to copyright infringement concerns and "spambots" that seem to continually take over there. 

I hope that my readers will begin to visit here and renew an interest in the Power Words as part of their journaling experience.