Want to make money from home as a freelance writer? That’s the goal, right? Work in your pajamas. Be your own boss. Make your own schedule. Being a freelance writer is a great career and lifestyle, but it’s also hard work. And scammers know it. If you have a writer website or social presence as a freelance writer, prospects aren’t the only people checking you out. Scammers are sifting through the same information in search of freelancers who are looking to write articles for money. You might think you’re too savvy to fall for the cash-this-fake-check and bankwire-transfer scam, but at least on ..read more

Want to write for magazines? It’s a great way to make a living writing if you pitch the right publications. How about $500 or more per assignment? If you’ve been cranking out magazine stories for $50 to $150 a pop, you may be wondering if that’s really even possible. That’s often the going rate for local, regional, or small-circulation magazines. If you want to write for magazines, and have limited experience, these are great places to get some clips, and earn some money, but it shouldn’t be your last stop. Many consumer and trade magazines pay $500 or more per assignment. And the pitching pro ..read more

Ever come across a job ad, membership site, or business opportunity when you’re hungry for work as a freelance writer? Click here. Pay now. Limited-time offer. Get exclusive access. You probably already know the buzzwords. Some of these might be legit opportunities for freelance writers, but many aren’t. They’re scams In fact, there’s an entire underworld of scammers out there preying on broke and desperate freelance writers. Ever been scammed by a client or fell for a get-rich-quick writing opportunity? It’s a painful experience that can take a toll on your bank account, creative energy, and ..read more

Thinking about attending an event to help you crush your goals? Writing conferences can be a great way to give your freelance writing career a boost. How? You’ll meet writers, editors, publishers, and marketing peeps in your niche. And you’ll learn more about the business and craft of freelance writing. Writing conferences can also open your eyes to aspects of freelancing you might not even know about. Not to mention the training, marketing tips, and story ideas at writing conferences that you can pitch to magazines and trade pubs. Looking for writing conferences to attend? Check out this list ..read more

Want to make money on Medium? Real money. Not pennies for your thoughts. Sure, you could start publishing your own work on this popular platform…for free. But if you know where to look, you can make money on Medium and get paid pro-freelancer rates. Interested? Medium is the brainchild of Evan Williams, co-founder of Twitter and Blogger. It’s been around for about a decade and has upwards of 100 million readers. And an estimated 400,000 subscribers pay for full access to the site’s content. That’s great news for freelance writers. Why? Medium has 10 official pubs, and more than 10,000 others t ..read more

Ever wonder how to stand out at a writers conference? Here’s what most writers do… Sign up to attend a writers conference weeks in advance Make travel arrangements Scour the agenda looking for the lectures, workshops, and presentations that sound the most fun, interesting, or helpful And that’s it You show up. There’s a zillion writers, editors and publishers, and you roam from one lecture to the next. If “that’s it,” you’re missing out on a big benefit of going to a writers conference—making connections. Fortunately, a little pre-planning can help you get more from a writers conference than ..read more

Do you wonder, is freelance writing a sure thing? If so, there’s a newly minted online writing “expert” who’d love to take your money. You may have heard that if something seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. Well, if someone tells you that freelance writing is an activity even a “broke, jobless dummy” can for-sure earn a middle-class income with, because “anyone can write” and “earn a safe, secure income” from home (all quotes from this pitchster’s website)…please be wary. Here’s what I ‘ve learned about the wild promises being made to online writers about the easy riches that sup ..read more

One of the most frequent questions new writers and authors ask is how to price an ebook. With many factors that go into this decision, there aren’t many easy answers or hard and fast rules. I’ve learned how much to charge for my books through trial and error and came away with a few ideas about how to price your own. There’s no harm in treating your ebook pricing like an experiment. When you land on a price, always keep in mind that you could revisit that price, halve that price, or maybe double that price, depending on the reception it gets. Or you might decide to make your ebook free. There ..read more

Have you ever wondered if a freelance-writing opportunity you’re looking at is a scam? It certainly could be. Scams that target writers are common. Some of these rip-offs are age-old and never seem to go away. And new scams are always emerging, keeping writers on their toes. We’re past due for an updated guide to the scams that target writers—with tips on how you can avoid falling for them.  Please don’t get scammed! Keep reading for the top 10 scams that target writers, or fill in the form below to get this as a digital ebook. (Or both!) Send me the guide Built with ConvertKit The to ..read more

It’s the number-one question I get asked: “How can I make more money writing?” I’ve given a lot of answers in past posts, but today I’ll focus on one great technique any writer can use to up their income. I learned this strategy back when I had my first business in the mid-1980s. I lived near a couple of the movie studios in Los Angeles, and I had a script-typing business. I had a fee for typing scripts I had another fee for typing scripts in a big hurry. It was nearly double the regular fee Sometimes, screenwriters would come to me all disheveled and hung over and say, “Oh my God! This draf ..read more