Writings of an Introvert

Freelance Writing Online – Tips, Ideas and Anything You Might Want to Know

• Know the terms. In any job we get into, there are always the jargons and in freelance online writing, you may want to browse a little on what SEO or PPC means. You might also want to familiarize terms such as AdWords, landing page, resource box, keywords, keyphrases, search volume, SERP, SEM, paid listings and many others. Indeed, you should have knowledge on internet marketing as well.
• Know the basics. Writing for the search engines is different from writing in a magazine or a newspaper. You have to have articles that are informative to readers at the same time being friendly to the search engines. This balance is crucial because having one without the other would cripple the purpose of your online article.
• Speed is a factor. Freelance writing online is not just about delivering good quality articles free from plagiarism, it is also about beating deadlines and giving your clients on-time services. Keep in mind that in the online world, there is no night and day. Transactions happen round the clock, visitors browsing every minute and every hour, competitors strategizing all the time. Of course, you can drive away competitors with speed. The virtual world is quick-changing, so you have to keep up with the pace. If you want to do freelance writing online, you have to learn how to write 500-word articles in less than an hour. Indeed, if you want to make money online, do not waste time.
• Know where to find work. The challenge of online writing is where to find work. Indeed, there are a lot of people looking for writers but can you find them? If you are interested to make money online, make the internet your gold mine. Dig and pan until you can find. It is not about waiting for clients to come by, it is about looking for them.
• Upgrade your skills. The internet is fast changing and every time clients are screening for online writers, they often add another preference -- ‘must know how to build links,’ ‘familiar with article spinning’ – they all ask something new each time, so take the challenge to upgrade your online writing skills.
  
• Enjoy your work. It’s not that freelance writing online is not a great work. In fact, you can find a lot of things to enjoy. Great pay, no rude supervisors to deal with, you can bring work if you want to travel, you can be with your family all the time, you don’t have to deal with annoying workmates and you can do your work at your own pace. Just don’t cross beyond the deadlines and don’t be someone full of excuses (clients hate to hear typhoons, blackouts, hospitals, not feeling well, grandmother died….). You are not allowed to get sick, and you are not allowed to procrastinate either.
• Invest on a treadmill. No, it doesn’t have to be a treadmill. Just give time for a regular exercise. Deadlines, article submissions, researching your topic and sitting in front of your PC all day can be a back pain. So if you want to do online writing, make sure you do regular exercise as well to keep those joints in good shape. Happy writing!
  
  

What’s Keeping You Busy These Days?

Ask me the question and I can tell you a lot of things. It’s not that I go out a lot. I am actually just stuck at home but it seems I had more to do being at home than being outside.Writing has been eating a lot of my time lately, and Poker (shhhh).

I use to not like Facebook but when I get to explore some of its applications, I got hooked with Texas Hold’em poker, and I was just so addicted to it. I’m glad it’s just about virtual chips, or else, losing 200 thousand dollars in one game would be so bad. Somehow, the rollercoaster feeling of winning and losing and winning again is insanely fun. Ron and I even find ourselves pounding on the table while waiting for flushes or a straight. I remembered one time a client asked me to write about poker and I just hated it (I don’t know how to play it back then), and I end up being careful not to pick topics about poker or online games. I love them but I hate to write about them. After all, games are better played, not written.

Anyway, I am also finishing up the latest on my Korean drama marathon. It’s called City Hall and it starred the funny actress who played Kim Sam Soon. She was just so hilarious, and I could not just stop myself laughing from episode to episode.

I used to tell myself not to be with the PC on weekends but it seems like it’s a whole different world to me now. It’s not just tabs and icons, it’s where friendship grows and fun begins. It has also been my ATM, my bank and my employer for some time now. It has also been a source of motivation - yeah, I write a lot of motivation and positive thinking articles and somehow, it has also given me the ‘push’ to be positive with life.

So that’s it. I am just actually giving myself a few minutes' break. I have to go and finish up this article on mentalism and mind control. This sure is interesting. Have to finish all up 'coz I will be stuck with paperwork in the next few days... and it's making me very excited!