The Writer's Block

Attention All Moms: About.com Guide Needs for the Week

2009-03-31T10:47:00.000-07:00

Attention all moms! A little birdie from About.com flew into my window this morning to let me know what some of the Guide needs are for the week. Here they be:

Stay at Home Moms
Teen Advice
Soap Operas
Crochet

These topics are great for stay at home moms, or retired moms that want to make a little extra cashola. If you are a self-proclaimed expert on any of the above topics, maybe it's time you applied to be a Guide at About.com. It is a great job and you will love it.

Just in Time for Summer: Freelance Jobs at About.com

2009-03-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

Are you into extreme sports? Or, how about fun-loving, outdoor activities? Why not share your passion with the rest of us and be a Guide for About.com. I absolutely love my freelance job at About.com. My only complaint, it's not full-time, but if it were, I'd be on it like white on rice!

This week, I bring to you some Guide needs for About.com, just in time for summer:

Sailing
Scuba Diving
Offroading/4 Wheel Driving
Mountain Biking
Rodeo
Waterskiing/Wakeboarding

Come on, what are you waiting for? Be a Guide.

Demand Studios: Are They for You?

2009-03-22T20:22:00.000-07:00

If any of you have written material for Demand Studios, then you probably know that with a little bit of work, you can actually make some decent money with them. In fact, yesterday, I was scrolling around the site, and found that some of the top earners are making over $30,000 per year (I am guessing per year, but it did not specify). If you think about it, that's a decent amount of money for part-time work. And, you get to stay at home and work in your pajamas!

I have written about 20 articles for Demand Studios in the past and find that they are easy to work with, they pay on time and their writer's guidelines are fairly simple to understand. For "How To's", you only have to write about 300 - 400 words and you'll get paid $15.00. That, my friends, is a cake-walk, if you think about it.

So, in light of this epiphany of sorts, I have decided I am going to "step it up" with Demand Studios this week, and going to see how much I can earn if I devote the entire week to it. I am going to get up at a normal time (like I am really going to work), and take regular breaks. And, I am going to try to put in 8 hour days for most of the week. I will let you know how it goes as the week progresses, in fact, I have already claimed some articles. They pay $5 for a fact sheet, $15 for "How To's", and other similar types of articles, and they also just started doing rev share. Check it out and let me know how you liked it:

Demand Studios

Carpal Tunnel: The Price We Pay

2009-03-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

Do your hands tingle the day away or, do you wake up at night because they are so numb and painful that you wish you could cut them off? If any of this sounds familiar, then you may be like one of the millions of Americans suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel occurs when the median nerve, which runs down the forearm to the hand, is compressed, causing, in its later stages, unbearable pain and discomfort. The median nerve innervates the thumb and fingers, especially the first two (pointer and bird finger). It is also responsible for providing impulses to parts of the hand responsible for moving the fingers and thumb. So, what happens when this little guy gets compressed?

The symptoms of carpal tunnel are rather insidious in onset, meaning they start gradually and keep getting worse, especially if you keep doing the very thing that caused the symptoms in the first place. My symptoms include having a constant "pins and needles" sensation in both of my hands every minute of every day. At night, I am forced out of a dead sleep because my thumb and first two fingers are completely numb. When I try to wake them up, by shaking them, or repositioning them, there is a fiery, burning sensation that throbs up my arm which literally brings me to tears. The process of waking my hands up so I can function can sometimes take hours. It is awful. I recently started wearing braces at night, which does seem to help, although my hands still tingle all day long.

To learn more about carpal tunnel syndrome and what you can do about it, visit:

The Carpal Tunnel Fact Sheet

About.com Health Guide Needs

2009-03-13T12:05:00.000-07:00

About.com is still looking for freelance writers to guide the following health sites:

Alternative Medicine
Leukemia/Lymphoma
Urology

Are you considered to be an "expert" in any of these topics? Why not be a guide and apply today!

As a guideline, why not visit my COPD guidesite on About.com.

Making Money Freelancing

2009-03-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

I was browsing the web today, and found an interesting article about how to make a 6-figure income from freelancing. The program looks pretty good to me, so I thought I would share it with you.

This step-by-step guide gives you the recipe for how to score all the freelance writing jobs that you can handle. If you are the kind of person who needs a "kickstart" to get into this business, then this is the e-book for you:

How to Become a 6-Figure Freelancer

And, another:

25 Ways to Make Money Writing

Please let us know how you liked them.

Follow Me on Twitter

2009-03-06T16:30:00.000-08:00

I'd like to invite you to follow me on Twitter (I will return the favor, of course). Here I am:

http://twitter.com/thewritersblok

Never heard of Twitter? It is a really cool social networking site that really rocks. You can invite all your friends and your friends, friends and anyway, you get the picture. Join for free here:

www.twitter.com

Hope to see you all there.

Break into Becoming a Freelance Editor

2009-03-06T10:56:00.000-08:00

You have heard about them. In fact, there are probably more of them than there are of us. What am I talking about - freelance editors. If you are like me, you have scrolled through endless lists of freelance editing jobs, only to find that most companies want 3 years of this and 5 years of that before they hire you? Don't be discouraged. The perfect editing job may be only a click away! Here's why:

I recently got an editing job with a great company. Keep in mind, I have NO prior experience, except that of a freelance writer. How did I do it? I just answered their ad, was given an editing test and they hired me. They don't pay much, but for those who want to gain experience, this may lead into something more lucrative further down the line. Interested? Here is the link to apply:

http://www.newyorkjobs.com/jobdetails.cfm?jid=696850

Good Luck and Let Us Know How You Did!

About.com Hiring Guides as Experts in Big Cities

2009-03-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

Are you a freelance writer who lives in a big city like Los Angeles? If so, you may be qualified to guide one of About.Com's City Guidesites. The following cities are currently unguided and available to apply for:

Boston, Massachusetts
Columbus, Ohio
Las Vegas, Nevada
Los Angeles, California
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Salt Lake City, Utah

Go ahead, apply today to Be a Guide. Tell them Deborah the COPD Guide, referred you!

Fathers' Day Poems Needed for Blue Mountain Arts

2009-03-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

Looking for a freelance writing job? Did you know that Blue Mountain Arts will pay you $300 to write a poem for one of their greeting cards? If you have a knack for writing inspiring prose or poetry, you may want to check out their submission guidelines. Here they are:

http://www.sps.com/help/writers_guidelines.html

Father's Day Submissions are due by March 9th.

Good Luck!

Freelance Writing Tips

2009-03-05T10:58:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't notice, I took a rather long hiatus from blogging on this, and my other site, RN ONline. But, I am back with bells on, so to speak and hope to continue providing you with great leads and tips for freelancing.

What I have found out in the last few months, is that freelance writing takes a lot of time and energy to succeed. And, unless you have the Nobel Prize-winning articulacy of William Faulkner, you are not going to find overnight success in this industry. I am still working for About.com, but luckily, in the last few months, I have acquired several new freelance clients, not without due diligence, of course. How did I do it? Here are some tips:

Create an attention-getting cover letter and resume
Subscribe to every freelance job newsletter you can find
Spend time each day searching and applying for new freelance jobs
If you get rejected, ask if there are any other projects available that may be more suitable to your style
Keep track of every lead you follow in a program like Excel, so if you get a response, you can respond appropriately
Join social networking groups to promote yourself, such as Twitter and Facebook.
Send everyone you know emails asking them to follow you on your social networking site
Never give up hope

Hope these tips help and hey, why not follow me on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/AboutCOPD

Guide Site Needs for Week of May 12, 2008 for About.com

2008-05-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

About.com posts a list of the most needed guide sites every week. For your viewing pleasure, I always post this not-so-top-secret information here at The Writer's Block. So, without any further adieu. for the week of May 12, 2008, here you have it:

Insomnia
PDAs
Bladder Cancer
Exotic Cars
Hardscaping

Wow, I don't even know what hardscaping is? If someone has a clue, please inform me! If you are an expert in any of the above fields, and want a fun and exciting freelance writing opportunity, be sure to visit About.com at www.beaguide.about.com and apply today. Please tell us how you did!

Writers: Make Money Online With Shvoong

2008-05-06T12:24:00.001-07:00

I received an email advertisement today from a website that I have never heard of before. I don't know much about it, but it looked rather interesting if you are a freelance writer and looking to make some extra money online. Check it out at Shvoong and let The Writer's Block know how it goes by sending me, the Cranky Editor, an email with your review. I will guest post your review and include a link to your blog or website with your guest post. Good luck!

Week of May 5, 2008: Guide Site Needs for About.com

2008-05-06T12:11:00.000-07:00

For the week of May 5, 2008, About.com is looking for guides who are experts in the following topics:

PDAs
Smart Phones
BlackBerry
Ear, Nose, and Throat
El Paso, TX

For a fun and exciting freelance writing job with unlimited potential, check out the qualifications needed and apply online at: http://beaguide.about.com/ .

Let us all know if you get accepted into prep by posting a comment. Good luck!

New Guide Needs for About.com

2008-04-23T21:13:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen!

About.com currently has a need for the following freelance guides:

Senior Money
Kids and Money
Mutual Funds
ENT
Cystic Fibrosis

If you are an expert in any of the above fields, and are an avid freelance writer looking to advance your career, visit http://beaguide.about.com and apply today!

Websites for Young Writers

2008-04-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

If you have a little one at home who has caught the writer's bug at an early age, here is a great hub with a list of websites for young writers that you may want to check out with them:

Websites For Young Writers

Freelance Writers Needed

2008-04-12T20:11:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Are you a doctor, nurse, health educator or journalist who enjoys writing? Do you consider yourself an expert in specific areas of heath care? Are you looking to make a few extra bucks with your writing to supplement your income that could lead to something BIG! If so, the Cranky Editor has the most perfect job for you! Freelance writers are needed as guides at About.com for the following health channels:

Arrhythmias
Bladder Cancer
Cystic Fibrosis
Downs Syndrome
Drugs
Headaches and Migraines
Schizophrenia
Skin Cancer
Testicular Cancer
Urology
Uterine Cancer

If you have excellent writing abilities and are an expert in any of the above topics, be sure to check it out to see if you have what it takes to become an About.com guide. It is a GREAT opportunity for freelance writers and health care professionals who may be getting burned out on traditional health care. Spots are available for many non-health related topics, as well. Be sure to leave a comment to let us know how you did!

What Should I Write About?

2008-04-10T15:58:00.001-07:00

This is the question often posed by the writer to himself in an attempt to find his own true, unique voice. Without it, writing is futile, at best.

If you have found that you are an excellent writer, but aren't sure what to write about, writing about topics that you are passionate about is always an excellent choice. Not only does it make writing more enjoyable and interesting, but when you are filled with passion about a subject, your readers will almost FEEL the energy that transcends from your soul to your pen! Without a passionate voice, you may as well put the pen and paper down and with your tail between your legs, turn around and go home!

The bottom line, you must have purpose and passion in what you write about. The benefit of this is threefold:

It will drive you on your journey so that you will always strive to accomplish your goals.
It will keep you going when times get tough and you open the mail to read one more rejection letter.
It will allow you to not only be true to yourself, but to the rest of humanity, as well.

A writer's passion can only be found by searching deep within himself to find what moves the spirit. If you are still confused, don't worry, it will come to you. Perhaps you need a muse! Mine has always been nature and the ocean. If you are blocked about what direction your writing should take you, take a stroll amidst nature and let the earth answer your calling. The answers can always be found within your own heart, if you have the courage to ask the questions!

Tooting My Own Horn: Dreams Do Come True!

2008-04-08T16:40:00.000-07:00

I am a freelance writer. I am also a nurse. As an RN, I am often frustrated with the current state of health care. Being a nurse just "ain't what it used to be", and I often wonder why the powers that be can't see that the nurses of today would better serve patients if they actually took care of them instead of the paperwork. I really despise it, and decided to do something about it when I started focusing more on my writing. I did not want writing to be merely a "hobby". I wanted it to be a job, something that I could make money doing, while working towards getting away from bedside nursing. This mind you, is not because of patients, but because of bureaucracy.

And so I did just that. I have been working night and day for months on end doing different freelance writing jobs that focus on health care. And, it has not been that lucrative, until now. I have just become the guide for About.com's COPD site and could not be happier. About.com is owned by the New York Times Company! Finally, a real freelance job that allows me to use my knowledge of health care while helping people in an online forum.

The job is perfect for me and I just wanted to tell everyone about it. I have been working for almost 3 weeks developing the site, and when it goes live, I will of course provide readers with a link to my new site. I am so excited!

In the meantime, I will not forget The Writer's Block or my other blog, RN ONline. Just remember if you are a writer, don't give up. Your dreams can and will come true!

ODesk: Global Marketplace for Writers

2008-04-05T07:44:00.000-07:00

To guide you in your quest for landing a freelance writing job, you may want to check out ODesk, a global marketplace for writers looking for remote work. They have a large daily selection of jobs available, and, after signing up and posting your profile, they will even email you with a list of prospective daily jobs that match your qualifications. The bad news, you compete for the jobs with other writers and there are ALOT of them! Good Luck!

Jobs in Journalism

2008-04-03T20:47:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought you've looked everywhere to find a writing job, finally, your prayers may have been answered! If you are looking for freelance writing jobs or other types of journalism jobs, try journalismjobs.com. They have a variety of hot job listings including writing gigs with newspapers, magazines, television, radio, to name just a few. With a convenient tool allowing you to search by specific job and location, you may just get lucky tonight after all! Be sure to post your comments to let readers know if you found anything of interest on this site. Good Luck!

Freelance Writing Tips

2008-03-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a freelance writing job and don't know which avenue to venture down, here are a few places that will pay you per article for your invaluable efforts:

Hubpages pays you $25 for producing a flagship hub consisting of 1500 words. There are strict guidelines to follow and if interested, you will have access to a list of flagship topics to choose from. After approval, you have 7 days to produce the content.

Ask Men will pay you $50 for articles written about dating, sexuality and other related topics. To apply, you must send a current resume, along with a sample article for the channel you are applying to. It takes them quite a long time to answer and sometimes they don't, but it is worth the wait if you are chosen.

About.com pays a monthly minimum and per performance amount if you are accepted to host a guide site with this online company. To apply, you must pick a topic you consider yourself to be an expert in and write an article pertaining to that topic. They do have strict guidelines that you must meet for each topic to be considered an expert. You also need to send a resume detailing your experience and work history. They do not take a lot of time to get back and if accepted, you will spend 2 weeks in a prep program building a guide site from the ground up using their tools. You will compete with up to four other people for the spot. You are not compensated for any of the time you spend in prep, but if you get chosen to run the site, you will be paid a bonus upon completion. It is a lot of work, but well worth it if you are an excellent writer and lucky enough to be chosen.

Remember, becoming successful as a writer takes a long time. There is no overnight success. You must be perservering and dedicated and if you are, you will be rewarded in the end!

I will add to this list as time permits. Gotta run and do some writing!

Freelance Writer Jobs

2008-03-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, you are always looking for ways to make extra money with your freelance writing abilities. If you have a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD and you like to write, you may want to try getting a part or full time position at EssayWriters.net.

EssayWriters.net typically pays anywhere from $3 to $16 per double spaced page for your work. They have a list of approximately 100-200 assignments that you can choose from, with a wide range of subject matter, including art, biology, health, nursing, psychology and much, much more. Most jobs are either in essay or research format, and you should be a bit familiar with the APA or MLA citation method, although they do provide basic guidelines to follow if you are not at ease with this style of writing.

To be hired, you must fill out an application and wait for a week or two, or maybe even three before they get back to you. In the meantime, if you have any questions, they do have customer service that you can chat with online, if you want to call it customer service!

Ultimately, the bottom line however, is, making money this way has its frustrations. For example, many times, the customer places an order, but does not give clear instructions on how he/she wants the paper to be done. When they don't return the writer's emails, which is often the case, the writer may be unable to complete the assignment in a timely manner, ultimately causing the order to be released back into the que. Consequently, if done to close to the deadline, this can cause the writer to be fined. There seems to always be a down side to everything, don't you agree!

The way to get around this dilemma is to pick a relatively simple subject and paper that gives you clear instructions that you understand from the get-go! If you follow this advice, you should be ok and many times, you will get a customer who actually responds to you.

On the plus side, in my first 2 weeks with EssayWriters.net, I made about $150 and could have made much more, had the customer and customer service been more responsive!

Give it a try and be sure to leave me a comment to let me know about your progress!

Make Money Online with Hubpages

2008-03-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

Attention all Writers! For further details on how to earn money online by self-publishing articles on Hubpages, check out this article by affiliateprograms:

Get Paid To Write Online Articles

Make Money Online Publishing Your Writing

2008-03-15T08:08:00.000-07:00

If you are eager to get started as a writer, but are having trouble figuring out how to do so, you may want to begin by writing articles on topics you are familiar with and publishing them online in forums that share the revenue with you! I have composed a list that I started with, to help you along the way. The process is simple. You will start by creating a user name and password and signing up for an account at each of the places below. When writing, pick topics that best suit your knowledge base and simply start writing. Publish your article on these sites and you are on your way to creating a nice, residual monthly income. The more articles you write, the more money you will make. This will also help you when you are ready to look for a real freelance writing job, as you will have some published articles to add to your resume.

Hubpages-Sign up and publish articles on any topic you want and earn a share of the revenue when you also sign up as an affiliate for Google Adsense, EBay and Amazon. Get started today with their easy to follow instructions that guide you through the entire process, as well as an online forum whereby you can gain knowledge from more experienced hubbers!
EHow-Share your knowledge and expertise on any topic by signing up to become an EHow writer. EHow is quick and easy and publishing articles is a breeze with their easy to follow instructions.
Helium-Another online forum to publish your articles, with Helium you will get somewhat of a share of the revenue when you publish articles here, but beware, if you want to quit the site, the content belongs to Helium FOREVER AND EVER!
Associated Content- Write your own articles here, or answer calls for exclusive content. Either way, you will get paid an upfront payment for exclusive work and/or per performance, when people visit your articles.

This should get you started. If you are looking for more places, do a web search under a variety of search terms associated with the topic "writing" and you will find tons of other websites that do the same thing.

Best Writer's Guides

2008-02-17T15:42:00.000-08:00

Hi, and welcome to my new blog, The Writer's Block! This blog will include a wealth of information that I have found along the way to becoming a successful writer. For my very first blog post, I would like to include a link to my latest article on Hubpages that lists the top 5 writer's guides on the market today.

Top 5 Writer's Guides

I hope you check it out and make sure to leave a comment.