Professional Writing - Make Your Web Site Work For You

Want to make money writing? If you want to be a professional writer, you need a Web site which works for you.

(Note: a blog is a Web site, so in this article, I use the terms interchangeably.)

If you don't know WHY you need a Web site - and/ or blog - you're not alone. Many writers, even those who've started to make money writing, still don't understand why their site is vitally important to their career, and their income.

I was speaking with a casual friend, who's writing a book. He told me he's searching for an agent. I told him that the last thing he needs at the moment (or is likely to get, for that matter) is an agent; what he needs is a blog.

"You like blogs, don't you?" He smirked. His tone implied that blogging was just a weird hobby, like collecting Clarice Cliff pottery, or playing golf.

"Yes, I do," I replied, and left it at that. My friend is young. He needs a few years' of experience in dealing with the publishing industry; it will do him good. He will realize why he needs a Web site and blog soon enough.

So, assuming that YOU know you need a Web site, let's see how to make your site work for you.

1. Set Your Site up So That It Helps You to Meet Your Writing Goals

Your Web site can help you to meet your writing goals. In my young friend's case, he could start blogging as he started writing his book. If the book has potential, an editor or agent will content him to talk about it.

2. Get Writing Jobs from Your Site

Your goal may be to getting writing jobs. All you need to do is advertise your availability to do specific writing jobs on your site, and post samples of your writing, so that buyers can see what you can do.

Contrast this with the majority of writers who haunt the outsourcing sites. They have no Web site, and few writing samples - if any.

Potential buyers know they're buying a pig in a poke - there's no indication that this person can actually write - so these writers find that their bids, no matter how low they price their services, are ignored.

Your Web site shows:

* That you can write;

* That you know how marketing works;

* If your blog is updated frequently, that you're likely to be reliable;

* That you have a name and are building a reputation that you want to protect.

3. Network Using Your Site

Your site helps you to network, both with other writers, and with people who buy writing services.

Visitors to your site get to know you, and they can judge your abilities. If you post that you've just completed a series of articles for a travel site, they know that you're the right person to approach for an travel-related writing job.

If you post that you've just written the content for a specific site, they will consider you for other content jobs.

These are just three ways to put your Web site to work to help your professional writing career; there are many more.

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