Tag Archives: Facebook

advice, editorial, social networking

Writers: If You Want Work–Be Visible

I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times that somebody found me one way or another and then offered me a job. I can tell you that it pays off to invest some of your time and effort into marketing yourself as a writer. If you are visible, you will get work. The question is…how visible are you? Here are some smart ways to extend your reach and let people know you are out there:

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  • Have a website. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate creature. Mine is fairly simple, but has enough for people to get an idea of what I have done and what I can do.
  • Start a blog. If you want to write on the web, a blog is great practice. I had never done one before Freelance-Zone and now that I have the hang of it, I really enjoy it. Just make sure you are aware that anyone can read what you put on there. Keep it professional.
  • Stay in touch. Yes, I send holiday cards. I e-mail editors and let them know what I’m up to–or just touch base and say hello from time to time. Staying on their radar means they won’t forget about you when work comes through. Plus, it’s nice.
  • Add a bio. Whenever possible, see if you can add a one-line bio to articles that you write. Include an e-mail or website where people can get in touch with you.
  • Use a signature block. I have said this before and I’ll say it again….the signature block is your best friend. All e-mail correspondence should have one. I have gotten a lot of additional work through this. It should at the very least include your full name, a telephone number and your website and e-mail address.
  • Use social media. Not on Twitter? Today is a good day to set up the account. Do you have a Facebook account? If not, perhaps it is time. Social media can really get your name out there and it is FREE. Take advantage!
advice, resources, social networking

FreelanceSwitch.com Says “LinkedIn Rules”

linkedin

A great post on FreelanceSwitch is a reminder that while not all social media networks are as easy to use as Twitter, the same rules apply. On Twitter and Facebook it’s easy for freelancers to get chatty, make new friends and do that much-needed networking. But more complex platforms like LinkedIn are just as important–as is respecting the power of being social and active.

I use LinkedIn, StumbleUpon, Twitter, and Facebook to stay in touch with both friends, fellow freelancers, and clients. Of the four, StumbleUpon and LinkedIn are the most time consuming. StumbleUpon has high value for driving traffic back to a blog or resume site, but LinkedIn is wonderful for developing contacts you might need later on. I find the four together add up to much more than the sum of their parts.

But the key is using each of them in the ways they were intended–to be social, an active member of each community. It is NOT easy to maintain, but I find the results are well worth the effort.

Bottom line for me personally? I try not to sign up for new social media where I can’t actually PARTICIPATE. I’d rather use a smaller number of social networks well than sign up for a bunch of them and use them all poorly.

advice, resources, social networking

Tweet Tweet Twitter

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Do you use twitter? If not, it might be worth looking into. I resisted at first, but have found that in some ways it is better for networking than facebook. (Although I must admit to liking facebook more.) On twitter you can find professionals that you might not normally have access to and link up with them. Plus, you can get the word out to a large number of people about what you are up to in your writing career.

That said, be nice too. It is considered “polite” to mix self-promotion with helpful advice, quotes and other fun stuff. And if someone follows you, it is always a good idea to thank them for it. Personally, I have my privacy settings on so that I have to accept someone who wants to follow me, but do what you are comfortable with.

The learning curve on twitter is a bit more steep than facebook in my opinion, but there is a help page that really does the job. Start there for the skinny on things such as finding people, following and direct messages. You don’t have to dive in and start tweeting away, but not having this social marketing site in your toolbag means you are one step behind as a writer. It’s worth a shot.

(And look me up! I’m catherinetully on twitter. Tell me you are a FZ reader so I know who you are…)

lifestyle

Tunes vs. No Tunes

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OK–so what is your take on this topic? Do you listen to music when you write–or does it distract you? I’ve had music on the brain lately, so I was hoping people might ring in and let me know what works or doesn’t work for them….

I can’t listen to music with words when I am writing an article. I want to listen to the lyrics and enjoy the song. That said, I can listen to soft classical music in the background if it isn’t too rousing–but then–what’s the point? I listen to music when I am writing fiction (shh, I don’t talk about that much) or when I am e-mailing friends or on Facebook. Then it is a great inspiration, but when I’m working, the tunes stay off.

How about you?

social networking

I Found It On Facebook

i-found-it-on-facebookBehold our new series, I Found It On Facebook. I wanted to start this after learning that somebody actually purchased a Snuggie, but instead I decided to do the more responsible thing and try (at least in THIS post, anyway) to point to freelance resources.

I joined the Facebook Freelance Writers group, then promptly forgot I had until today. I had an old DEVO CD on the player, and by the time the goofiest track on the disc came round, it dawned on me that I’d joined this group and haven’t so much as posted a hello.

Then I realized I’ve become a bit of a FB addict, and since that’s the case why not make this time-waster activity into something that might actually be fun to write about here? So begins our newest feature. I Found It On Facebook won’t always be directly relevant to freelance writing, blogging, or earning a living by working at home, but every good freelancer knows the Internet timewaster is a tried and true way to stay sane under heavy deadlines. I’m headed back to FB right now…if you haven’t joined, why not head over and open an account? It’s a great way to network with your fellow freelancers and it’s good coffee break fun.