Freelance Writing Guide: What to Expect in Your First Year as a Freelance Writer

United States of America -- Free-Press-Release.com-- Aug 17, 2012 -- Freelance Writing Guide: What to Expect in Your First Year as a Freelance Writer is a helpful career guide for people who are considering becoming freelance writers. The book covers ghostwriting, book writing, article writing, writing book reviews, self-publishing, traditional publishing of books and magazine articles, business and finance topics, the lifestyle of a writer, income and types of pay, and more!

The book is available in paperback, kindle, ebook, epub, and pdf.

Freelance Writing Guide will educate you on what you can expect in the first year of your freelance writing career so that you will have no questions and no fear of the unknown. The book is written in a straightforward and optimistic - yet realistic - manner. There are a couple of chapters in which the author shares her own experiences of being a freelance writer and speaks directly to her readers. The majority of the book is informative and provides a great deal of insightful knowledge, yet is written simply.

Pick up a copy in any of these fine formats: paperback, kindle, ebook, epub, and pdf.

If you are a writer and are contemplating becoming a freelance writer, but you don’t know what to expect or if you should give it a try, pick up this book! It will give you all the insider tips of what freelance writers do, how they do it, and what the career and work-from-home life is like.

You don’t have to face your career choices alone or unknowingly. Pick up an inexpensive copy of Freelance Writing Guide today so that you will be prepared for what’s ahead and can decide on the choices you will make about your future and your freelance writing career.
Contact the author at: http://christinerice-author.com/

Lai Thanh Ha wins US National Book Award

(VOV) - Lai Thanh Ha, a Vietnamese American writer, has won the 2011 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, a prestigious prize in the US.

Ha’s book “Inside Out & Back Again” tells the moving story of a 10-year old girl's journey to the US in 1975.

For the ten years of her life in homeland, the girl has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, the warmth of her friends close by, and the beauty of her very own papaya tree.
But when the war reaches her home, she and her family are forced to flee Saigon, and they board a ship headed toward hope in a new country.

In America, the girl discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food, the strange shape of its landscape, and the strength of her very own family.

Born in 1965, the book’s author began her hard life in the US and worked very hard to learn English and write books. She got many jobs to earn a living, but always spent a lot of time writing.

In her book, Ha recalls her memories of her father, who died during the war, and her mother who devoted her whole life working hard to raise up her six sons and three daughters.

Ha says she is writing another book about Vietnam, and expects it to be published soon.

Yuvraj Singh to write book on his father

Chandigarh, Sept 23 (PTI)

World Cup hero and cancer-survivor Indian  cricketer Yuvraj Singh will pen a book on his player-turned-actor father Yograj Singh.

"He is writing a book on me, whose title will be 'Arrogant Master'. The book will deal with the days we spent together, what all incidents we went through, his journey in becoming a cricketer and his battle with cancer and how he came out of it with everyone's blessings and support," Yograj Singh said today.

Asked to comment on the book's title, he merely laughed. In his early days, Yuvraj wanted to become a skater and was keen on playing tennis too, Yograj said.

"But I was keen that he should become a good cricketer and molded him that way because I thought he will have some future in the sport," he said.

He further said that Yuvraj will also be seen on TV soon, sharing his experience of battle with cancer.

On his son's fight against the dreaded disease, Yograj said, "I want to say only that it has changed Yuvi completely.

"It has been a U-turn for Yuvi, if I can put it that way. I also wanted him to be a saintly person, who will wake up early and offer prayers.

"After his battle with cancer, he has evolved as a person, become more quiet and his whole complexion has changed. I also want to thank the Almighty, Yuvi's millions of fans and the media, who supported him all through".

After remaining out of action for months, 30-year-old Yuvraj has made a comeback in the Indian team and is currently playing in the World T20 in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Yograj said that he too had turned author and was writing a book "My Lost Days", in which he will talk about his life journey including his experiences in the Punjabi film industry.

Chinese Writers Win Copyright Lawsuit Against Baidu Search Engine

China Daily, USA.

One of the most-read writers in China has won a copyright infringement lawsuit against search engine Baidu.

Han Han and two other writers had sued Baidu over its online library, Wenku, claiming the site offered their works for free without permission.

Although judges at Haidian District People's Court supported their claim, the trio received a total of just 145,000 yuan ($23,000) in damages, far lower than they were asking.

The ruling stated that Baidu was at fault because it had waited for the authors to contact its staff about their work, instead of taking measures to prevent piracy by users.

"The compensation is too low. Many experts and lawyers think the compensation should have been higher," said Liu Yinliang, an associate law professor in intellectual property rights at Peking University.

Liu said legislators are expected to soon increase the financial penalties that courts can levy on companies that infringe on the copyright of Chinese authors.

Han, who sued after three of his books appeared on Wenku, had asked for 760,000 yuan, as well as an apology posted on the company's homepage and the closure of the online library. He was awarded just over 80,000 yuan.

However, evidence of the severity of the infringement was insufficient, the ruling said, adding that the request for compensation was too high and the demand Wenku be closed had no legal basis.

"The verdict was reasonable ... but under the existing law, if a writer's copyright is violated online, the compensation is very small," said Wang Guohua, the attorney representing Han. "We urgently need a revision."

Both Wang and Zhang Yongyi, Baidu's attorney from Beijing Dadi Law Firm, said their clients had so far not lodged any appeal of the decision.

Liu added that Baidu is under no obligation to check whether documents or works uploaded to its Wenku platform infringe on writers' rights, and that it would not be able to check every uploaded work.

"Shutting down the online library, which is what the plaintiffs were asking for, would have a negative effect on those people who upload documents that can legally be shared," Liu said. "So the court's judgment is reasonable," he said.

In March 2011, more than 40 writers, including Han, signed a letter saying the online library provided their works for free download without their permission. Four months later, Han and several others established the Writers' Union to appeal to Baidu, aiming to protect their online copyright.

Contact the writer at caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn

Article Writer Ryan Willis Launches Groundbreaking Online Magazine

Edmonton, Alberta (PRWEB) September 04, 2012

Article writer Ryan Willis and I’m Write founder Nerissa McNaughton and have teamed up to launch an online magazine titled We Are Quietly Screaming (WAQS).

The idea for WAQS came from Willis, who served on the board of Edmonton’s long-running publication, Other Voices. After a long and frustrating fight to save Other Voices from ceasing publication, Willis obtained permission to use the magazine concept and re-launch the publication under a new name. Willis, an article writer with the freelance writing company, I’m Write, discussed the situation with I’m Write founder, McNaughton. Together they came up with the concept of WAQS. “For me it was getting back to my roots as a creative writer,” McNaughton says. “I love the commercial aspect of SEO, but doing the interviews, learning about the hidden aspects of our city, and connecting Edmonton residents with something truly unique – I couldn’t turn that down.” For Willis, the draw was in launching the careers of talented Edmonton writers and artists. “Starting an online magazine for the purpose of breaking people, both writers and readers, into something new and different is exciting and challenging. I look forward to everything we will do,” states Willis.

The purpose of WAQS is multi-functioned. The tagline “a voice for those that don’t have one” is meant to draw attention to the overlooked citizens and subgroups in the city. So far an interview has been conducted with local poet/article writer/photographer and artist Cory Hamilton from Dramatic Situations, and essays have been submitted from Edmonton writers including Tannis Art, Anglia Redding and Lacey Paige. Although in its infancy, the magazine is being expanded to encompass art, poetry and photography. The theme of the magazine will change semi-monthly so a variety of subculture topics can be discussed from an artistic perspective.

WAQS also serves to launch the careers of new talent and to foster the small business community in Edmonton’s trendy Whyte Ave. As an article writer, Willis knows first-hand how difficult it can be to break into the business of doing something you love. The intent is that as WAQS gains momentum, local companies looking for an article writer, photographer, poet or artist will turn to WAQS where the work of talented locals will be on display. Edmonton’s Whyte Ave is a trendy art district that has many small boutique shops, restaurants and café’s. Advertising can be costly for these businesses as they are constantly competing with the national brands that also share Whtye Ave. WAQS offers these companies affordable advertising, again to raise awareness of the hidden gems in Edmonton and to help launch careers in Edmonton’s subculture community.

While the business aspects of WAQS are overseen by McNaughton, it is the article writer Willis that brings the creative edge to the project. Willis discovers the writers, talks to local businesses about advertising and has keeps abreast of the subculture issues affecting Edmonton.

Like all big dreams, WAQS is starting small and overcoming the hurdles that come with launching new businesses; but like all dreams, this one is off and running with a new, cleaner website underway and many a great article writer in the wings for upcoming issues. WAQS is truly a voice for those that didn’t think they would be heard – even if they were screaming.

You can check out WAQS at http://www.wearequietlyscreaming.com/default.html

About the Author: I’m Write is a freelance writing service specializing in SEO. If you are in need of an article writer, creative writer, or just need words that work, turn to I’m Write. I’m Write is cheering for Willis as the creative lead of WAQS.

Amanda Chatel: From Office Manager to Freelance Writer: How She Built Her Career

Amanda Chatel is a freelance writer in New York City. She has written for AOL’s Lemondrop and MyDaily, The Grindstone, New York Magazine, HowAboutWe and is a frequent contributor to The Gloss, YourTango, BlackBook, and the Huffington Post. Read her success story in her own words. courtesy: The Daily Muse


When I was 26, I moved to New York City to be a writer. It was my dream, and I was going to make it happen.

But, of course, that’s easier said than done. So when I got to the city, I landed a job as an office manager. I worked for a couple different companies over a few years, always writing on the side—but I was terrified to take any major steps toward my dream.

Why? Well, like many of us, it was the fear of rejection. I’ve never been good at rejection, but I knew that it was a big part of being a writer. If you think being dumped on your birthday when you have mono is bad, try getting an email that pretty much tells you to go sell crazy elsewhere—they’re not interested. Also try getting that rejection email almost every day for months and months.

But I finally manned up. I had moved with a purpose, and it was time to fulfill that purpose. Plus, there are only so many fake accents in which you can answer the phone when you’re an office manager before you truly start to lose your mind.

Of course, I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to pull it off. But I figured that the best place to start was from the bottom up. For anyone who’s ever wanted to be a writer—here’s what I did, what worked and what didn’t, and what I learned along the way.

Putting Myself Out There
My first step was to contact anyone I even slightly knew in the industry. Whether they were writers, editors, publishers, assistants—it didn’t matter. If I had met someone even once before, I emailed her asking if she knew of any places that were accepting pitches from freelancers. I also made a list of all the places I’d love to write, and started contacting editors and pitching stories.

And I did get a few leads through these efforts, but nothing really stuck.

So, I took the next step: networking. The fact of the matter is that no one in this industry will give you a chance unless you know someone else. I know, it’s always awkward at first to sit down with a stranger and pick her brain, but I forced myself to do it. I made myself contact bloggers and writers at women’s interest sites and either meet them for drinks or get their feedback via email. Even though some of these editors wouldn’t give my work the time of day, they were more than happy to talk about their own experiences. Everyone’s favorite subject is themselves.

And I can’t tell you how insanely valuable this was. I got tips on not only how to pitch, but how to angle those pitches so they were unique. I learned that writing was just one part of the ball game: Sure, I could craft witty sentences and paragraphs, but in order to actually get jobs doing so, I was going to need to learn how to speak editors’ language.

Name Dropping: Sometimes it’s Necessary

After doing some practice pitches with my writer friends, I started hitting up editors. Now, let me tell you: If you’re dealing with a publication or site that isn’t brand new, it’s hard to get an editor to pay attention to what you have to offer. Even if you’re the next J.D. Salinger, if they haven’t heard your name, there’s a good chance that you’ll either be ignored or directly sent to the spam or trash folder.

So as much as it pained me to do so, I started name-dropping. I even put names of people that editors and I had in common in the subject: “Hey there! Sally Sue sent me your way!” It’s not exactly the classiest of moves, but it does get an editor’s attention. I found that 9 times out of 10, I’d get a response.

Taking the Plunge
So, finally, I started getting jobs. I was in no position to quit my full-time job, of course—but once I had enough editors who were interested in my ideas, I started writing both at night and on the weekends. I wasn’t being paid much (online freelancing gigs can get you anything from $25 to $250, unless you’re famous), and it often meant staying in on a Thursday night to meet a 9 AM deadline, but it didn’t matter—I was doing what I loved. I debated trying to find a part-time job, so I could dedicate the other 50% of my workday to writing, but at the time it didn’t seem feasible. It was a good goal for down the road, but I figured that, if I was only doing a couple pieces a week, giving up my full-time job might come back to bite me in the ass.

Then, one night, at a party with some of my new writer friends, I was introduced to someone—and she actually recognized my name! Just earlier that week, she had read an article I had written for AOL. I couldn’t believe it. I felt like a rockstar (OK, in a very small way, but still), and it hit me that it was time to really do something about my writing career.

Not long after that fateful evening, I was laid off (it was 2008), and I figured it was a sign that I had to go for it. I knew I wasn’t going to be making the money I was before—in fact, I knew it was going to be a struggle financially—but I also knew that if I didn’t take the chance, I’d regret it forever.

No Pain, No Gain
That was almost four years ago, and today, as I sit here (in my underwear) at my desk in my bedroom, I am officially a full-time freelance writer. It wasn’t easy, and sometimes I feel like I wasted time, taking years to find the necessary confidence in my work to be a writer. But no matter how long it took, I’m here now and that’s all that really matters.

Oh, and the rejection stuff? Rejection from editors is a walk in the park compared to what commenters sometimes have to say about your work. While bloggers know that a lot of online commenters are just trolls looking to be cruel to someone they can’t see, it takes a lot of practice to either let it roll off your back or just learn to never read the comments—ever. I’ve realized that writing is like exposing a vein: You’re putting yourself out there to be ripped apart.

But I also had to ask myself which was worse: Sitting behind a desk at a company I loathedanswering phones for nine hours a day, or being insulted by a bunch of commenters I’ll never meet? I’ll take the latter every time, yes, even when the comments cut deep enough to bring me to tears.

Here’s my advice to you: When it comes to following a dream outside of your day job, you have to be willing to take risks, open yourself up to new things, and even face fears like rejection and not being able to pay your bills. But in the end? You can do it. And, take it from me: You’ll be so happy you did.