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Writing Etc. – April 1, 2006

ISSN: 1545-5580

Tips, Techniques, and Resources to Transform You From An Average Freelancer to A Highly Paid Professional.

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Forward Writing Etc. to all your writing friends! They’ll be glad you did.

For easier reading and red hot links, surf to http://filbertpublishing.com/current.html

Your Key to the top secret Writing Etc. vault is here:   http://filbertpublishing.com/Top_Secret_Vault.html

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Notes from Minnesota

My Most Powerful Freelancing Secret by Beth Ann Erickson

Recommended Resource to Jumpstart Your Writing Career

2006 Action Plan to Jumpstart Your Writing Career

Paying Markets

You Speak Out: Q&A

We Recommend…

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This issue is sponsored by:

While many freelance writers struggle to earn a decent wage, Bob Bly has proven again and again, year after year, that it’s not only possible to earn far more, it’s possible to to transform words into a $100,000 per year freelancing business.

And he shares all his secrets within these pages. Secrets like:

• The hidden market most freelancers overlook that can boost your income to unbelievable levels
• The “quiet” magazine market that’s easy to break into and often pays very well
• How to ask for (and get) the fees you deserve
• How to use Bob’s “positioning” techniques to set you apart from your competition
• How to write a “bullet proof” book proposal
• 22 rules for successful self promotion
• Insider secrets to effectively use the Internet to reach your income goals
• How to do more... in less time 

Bly goes on to list resources... books, websites, organizations and magazines... that are designed to help you succeed as a freelance writer.

Bob Bly’s Guide to Freelance Writing Success is an indispensable resource for the serious freelancer. Bly’s track record is impeccable. And now he’s spilling his secrets.

Buy your copy today: http://filbertpublishing.com/bob.htm

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Greetings from Minnesota!

You probably noticed that last time I experimented with an audio version of this zine.

I love experiments. Never know what’s going to happen. Plus, I’ve long ago given up trying to figure out how they’ll turn out.

But I’m willing to try almost anything, at least once.

And so, in the spirit of adventure I embarked on Filbert Publishing’s first podcast.

And the results?

Well, turns out not many people like it.

In retrospect, I shoulda known. Writers like to read.

Whoda thought.

But I’m glad I gave it a whirl. T’was quite the adventure. I learned a lot, too.

Perhaps someday I’ll work up the nerve to give it another whirl. In the mean time, Happy reading!

To your success,

Beth

P.S. Here’s our best seller list… be sure to pick up a copy of each of these titles. They’re awesome.

1. Jumpstart Your Writing Career and Snag Paying Assignments by Beth Erickson http://filbertpublishing.com/jumpstart.htm

2. Bob Bly’s Guide to Freelance Writing Success: How to Make $100,000 a Year as a Freelance Writer and Have The Time of Your Life Doing It. http://filbertpublishing.com/bob.htm

3. Weekly Writes: Exercises in Creative Writing by Shery Ma Belle Arrieta http://filbertpublishing.com/Weekly.htm

(You’ll get a ton of free writing/freelancing tools direct from Shery at http://WeeklyWrites.com when you order this title!)

4. Writing Wide: Exercises in Creative Writing by Billie A. Williams http://filbertpublishing.com/WW.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Advertisement~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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• Think like a writer so you can turn every opportunity into a writing assignment
• Hone your writing skills until they're razor sharp
• Tackle the most lucrative branch of writing
• Learn secrets of fiction to make your story lines sing
• Organize your nonfiction articles so editors will happily publish your work
• Write powerful queries that’ll open new doors of opportunity
• Promote your writing business for little or no money 

Absolute Write calls Jumpstart “a marvelous tool for novice writers and often published authors alike. It’s refreshing, easy to use, and applicable”.

Pick up your copy today so you can jump ahead of the pack and start snagging great paying assignments, read more here:

http://filbertpublishing.com/jumpstart.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Feature Article ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Most Powerful Freelancing Secret

By Beth Erickson

My most powerful freelancing secret is knowledge.

No.  I’m not the most knowledgeable writer in the world.  I’m not even the best.  However, I’m a voracious reader.

I read everything I can get my hands on.  My library houses books by Bly, Hatch, Lewis, Throckmorton, Ogilvy, Kennedy, Stein, Adair-Hoy, Levinson, and Nash – just to name a few.

I also subscribe to a ton of writing e-mags and magazines.  This helps me keep my e-mag, Writing Etc., up to snuff plus it provides me “inside information” on how to write articles that will be accepted by them.  When another publication runs one of my articles, they’re, in effect, paying me while giving me prime advertising space.  (I do believe I learned this incredible technique from a Mr. Bob Bly....)

I work on projects and market my writing services during the day, then I curl up with a good book every evening.  We rarely turn on the television at night, instead opt to keep the radio tuned to our favorite station.

Every evening, I study effective direct mail packages.  I read about writing techniques and innovative ways market products and services.

As I read each book, I stick a post-it note on the page that has a technique I want to try.  The next day I crack open that same book and actually DO what it suggested.

I repeat what works for me and chuck the ideas that didn’t do what I thought it would do.

When I’m working for a client I read all the background materials they provide.  Then I research on my own, trying to know their industry inside out.  I also study their past promotion efforts and try to get my hands on their competition’s marketing materials.

I draw ideas from everything I’ve read to make my and my client’s marketing materials as powerful as possible.

Just like educators and healthcare workers continually attend classes to earn their “Continuing Education Units,” I invest time and money in purchasing the best books I can find to make my writing efforts more effective than my competition.  But I don’t just read and reread them, I study them and apply what I’ve learned in everything I write.

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Beth Ann Erickson is the “Queen Bee” of Filbert Publishing. She’s also the author of Jumpstart Your Writing Career (http://filbertpublishing.com/jumpstart.htm ) and the upcoming 101 No Cost and Low Cost Techniques To Promote Your Writing Biz. Keep your eye out for it in early 2006. She’s also a busy copywriter, speaker, and publisher of Writing Etc., the free e-mag for writers. 

P.S. You can use this article free of charge on your own website or zine. Just don’t make any changes to is and be sure to include the entire byline. Enjoy!

~~~~~~ Recommended Resource to Jumpstart Your Writing Career ~~~~~~~

Secrets of a Freelance Writer: How to Make $85,000 A Year by Robert W. Bly

ISBN: 0-8050-4760-3

Where the original version of this book focused more on writing techniques, this updated edition of Secrets of a Freelance Writer contains information on growing your freelance business.

And what a fantastic resource it is covering everything from beginner tips to get started to setting your fees… self promotion to closing the sale… common problems (and how to handle them) to keeping clients satisfied.

You’ll find the appendix section particularly helpful because Bly includes an abundant resource section along with a copy of his information kit, model documents, and his (then) current fee schedule.

If you’re a freelancer who takes this business seriously, this book is a must-have for your library.

Here’s a link to learn more:

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2006 Action Plan to Jumpstart Your Writing Career

Our Copywriter Mastermind Group is just starting our High Profit Writing Book Club. Get in on the action and learn some stellar techniques to help your writing generate the income you need.

Our first title is Bob Bly’s “Secrets of a Freelance Writer.”

Pick up your copy, join the group, and get in on the fun.

Here are the links:

To join our High Profit Writers Group:

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/CopywriterMastermind

Pick up your copy of Secrets of a Freelance Writer

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Paying Markets – check ‘em out!

Ceramics Monthly

http://www.ceramicsmonthly.org/submissions.asp

Comic’s Journal

http://www.tcj.com/1_frontdesk/guidelines.html

Critical Ceramics

http://www.criticalceramics.org/info/submit.shtml

Dragon Writers’

http://paizo.com/writersguidelines/dragon_writers_guidelines.pdf

Fuse Magazine

http://www.fusemagazine.org/write.html

Garden Railways Magazine

http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/003/126zmmqj.asp

Pantarbica

http://www.pantarbe.com/info/submit/index.htm

Pyramid

http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/writing.html

HWB Quilting

http://www.quilters-world.com/pages/Quilting_guidelines.pdf

Ready Made

http://www.readymademag.com/submissions.php

Seaways’ Ships in Scale

http://www.seaways.com/writers.html

Sew News

http://www.sewnews.com/aboutsn/guide/

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You Speak Out: Q&A

Wow! Thanks to everyone who sent in your questions!

Watch for your answers to start heading towards your e-mail in-box. In the mean time, you can send your questions here:  http://www.filbertpublishing.com/tinc?key=TTjJjZfx&formname=question

You just may get your question in an upcoming issue of Writing Etc.

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We Recommend:

Writing For Dollars! The FREE ezine for writers featuring tips, tricks and ideas for selling what you write. Receive the FREE ebook, 83 WAYS TO MAKE MONEY WRITING when you subscribe. Email to subscribe@writingfordollars.com -*- http://www.WritingForDollars.com

WRITERS FIND MARKETS EASILY - Worldwide Freelance has a NEW fully-searchable Markets Database. Discover writing markets from North America, Europe, Australia and other places. It's free, so come and try it out here: http://www.worldwidefreelance.com

Are your book sales in a slump? http://BethAnnErickson.com

E-Mag And Web Site Owners! Did you know that Filbert Publishing has an entire cache of articles you can use FREE. Just click the “Freebie” link to your left.

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Feel free to forward Writing Etc. to all your writing friends. Just be sure to include the entire issue. Thanks!

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Writing Etc.

Box 326

Kandiyohi, MN 56251

Maurice and Beth Erickson, Publishers

filbertpublishing(a)filbertpublishing.com

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© 2006 Filbert Publishing