Welcome to THE WELL-FED E-PUB!

The companion monthly ezine to the quadruple-award-winning how-to
guide, ÒThe Well-Fed Writer.Ó Serving up food for thought and tasty
tips for the prospering FLCW*. Come on in, sit anywhere and bring your
appetite!

*FLCW, peppered throughout the ezine, stands for ÒFreelance Commercial
WriterÓ—anyone who freelances for businesses (vs. writing magazine
articles, short stories, poetry, etc.), typically earns $50-125+ an
hour, and is the sole focus of this e-newsletter.  

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VOLUME 14, ISSUE 3 – MARCH 2015
Publishing the first Tuesday of every month since May 2002  
Read it online at HERE.

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ATT'N SE FLCW'S: JOIN ME AT THE TALLAHASSE WRITER'S CONFERENCE IN APRIL!
I'll be doing 3 talks on the "Becoming Well-Fed" theme! Details HERE.

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2014 EDITION OF ÒTHE WELL-FED SELF-PUBLISHERÓ NOW AVAILABLE!
And itÕs a TRIPLE award-winner! Check out various book AND ebook
(multiple formats!) products/bundles HERE!

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ARE YOU PARTNERING WITH DESIGNERS? IF NOT, YOUÕRE MI$$ING OUTÉ
Get the real-world scoop on a low-effort flow of writing jobs HERE!

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NEW 1-ON-1 COACHING PROGRAMS: SAMPLE/SITE REVIEW & ÒSIDECARÓ!
Low-cost peace of mind and guidance. Details HERE.

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THE WELL-FED WRITER BLOG! Weigh in on ÒÕHire Other Writers! Make
$25-50+ an Hour for Doing Almost Nothing!Ó (if youÕre really luckyÉ)Ó; Why
Writers DonÕt ÔDeserveÕ to Make More than $5 to $10 an Article; How Long
Did It Take You to Become a Profitable Commercial Writer?Ó; & More!

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THIS MONTHÕS MENU:

I. APPETIZER: TURN UP THE SPEED, TURN UP THE EARNINGS
The ABCÕs of Working Fast & Boosting Your Hourly Rate (AND Your Quality of Life!)

II. ÒFIELDÓ GREENS: GOT PR IN YOUR COPYWRITING MIX? (Part I of 2)
OH FLCW Expands His Biz, Offers Clients More Value, and Shares the ÒHow-ToÓ!

III. MAIN ÒMEATÓ COURSE: PROSPECTING THROUGH GUEST BLOGGING
Canadian FLCW Shares How She landed $1,229.99 Gig Through Guest Blog Post

IV. DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
Denmark FLCWÕs Book Project Builds on Growing Writer/Designer Partnership
TIP: Boston FLCWÕs Cool Major-Timesaving, Meeting-Scheduling Tip

V. COFFEE, MINTS AND TOOTHPICKS
- MORE WORK WITH LESS EFFORT? Ebook Serves Up ÒHow-ToÓ!
- GOT ANY SUCCESS STORIES YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? Email ME.
- THE WELL-FED E-PUB NEEDS ALL COURSES!
- The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is RockinÕ!
- AWAI Copywriting (& Other) Courses: Register Here, Get Bonus CD!
- How Can My Mentoring Service Serve You?

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I. APPETIZER: TURN UP THE SPEED, TURN UP THE EARNINGS
The ABCÕs of Working Fast & Boosting Your Hourly Rate (AND Your Quality of Life!)

I love the freelance life, and one of the things I love most about it
is that you have control of your income. Which, of course, is a good
news/bad news thing: Get lazy, and down go revenues, but bust your
butt, and they'll just as predictably rise.

But, hereÕs the key: Control your income, and you control your time.
And when you have control of your time, you have control of your life.


I realized recently IÕd made about $200 an hour on a particular
project. And that actually happens pretty regularly in the work I do.
Why? Because I work fast. Some might say, "Well, I'm a plodder, so my
income will likely be limited." And maybe you're even okay with that.
While that may be the case, I say, ÒAinÕt necessarily so."

It's all about establishing the ideal conditions to be ABLE to work
fast. Some keys:

1) Flat rates: Clients want this anyway, as it helps them plan and
budget. But flat rates also position you to make more per hour. YouÕre
assured of a certain fee, independent of time, which naturally
motivates you to get it done faster. And one key to that isÉ

2) Remove distractions: Get away from phones, email, FB, doorbells,
the fridge, etc. I typically head to a comfy chair in my local library,
put some instrumental jazz on the headphones, and get to work.
Understand the proven science here: 90-minute bursts of total
concentration will allow you to get amazing amounts of stuff done.
ItÕs the constant interruptions (and insidious myths about
Òmulti-taskingÓ) that kill productivity.

Finally, a personal tip that, while unusual, absolutely works for meÉ

3) Write it out longhand: Seems counter-intuitive—and no, it wonÕt
work for everyone—but writing first drafts out longhand allows me to
edit on the fly, which I say, is far easier than on a computer (and I
get to do it in my most comfortable chair).

I can cross out, insert new text above the cross-outs, number the copy
blocks in order, use arrows to point circled bits of copy to their
proper homes, and most importantly, see ALL IÕve written, right in
front of me. Then, using Dragon Dictate (HIGHLY recommended, and
reviewed here), I can easily dictate it into my computer.

ItÕs a beautiful thing to make $200 an hour writing work (or, say, $100,
if youÕre currently making $50), and itÕs not that far out of reach. On
that happy note, letÕs eat!

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II. ÒFIELDÓ GREENS: GOT PR IN YOUR COPYWRITING MIX? (Part I of 2)
OH FLCW Expands His Biz, Offers Clients More Value, and Shares the ÒHow-ToÓ!

Part 1 of a great two-parter from friend and accomplished Jamestown,
OH FLCW Gery Deer about expanding into PR. As youÕll hear, Gery
talks about getting his clients on TV. Well, several times, when up in OH
visiting family, I did events with GeryÕs local writerÕs group, and he got ME
on TV both times. The guy knows what heÕs talking about, so pay attention!

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In todayÕs market, diversifying can be the key to long-term business
success, regardless of industry. As a professional freelance writer, I
have spent the last decade working as both a commercial content
provider and a stringer for regional media.

During the recession, however, freelance journalism work all but dried
up. Publishers were laying-off full-time employees and entire media
groups filed for bankruptcy. A considerable chunk of my income rapidly
evaporated. The most logical choice was to combine my skill sets.

As The Concierge Copywriterª, I provide quality commercial content.
But now, I can offer clients a full-service, on-demand public
relations firm, ensuring the message I helped to create remains
consistent and reaches the intended audience—customers!

The transition into PR was relatively quick for me. I already had the
most valuable tool in the chest—media contacts—which provided the
distribution channels for public relations content. Within a few
months, I was being hired as often for my PR services as my
copywriting alone.

So, how can you benefit from my experience? Breaking into the PR game
may come more easily to some than others.  But if youÕre willing to
work on building new connections in the media and learn the
methodology and value of publicity, your expanded offerings will help
grow your client base.

Poll your existing client base. Thank them for working with you, and
outline your expanded services. Most are likely unaware of what that
entails, so you may need to provide some detail about Public
Relations, and how it relates to your current services.

Additionally, if youÕre not already doing so I canÕt stress enough the
need to get out and build some business relationships in your area,
particularly within the media. Get involved with local events and
activities that put you right in the middle of the action so that
people start hearing more about you and what you do.

In Part 2, next month, IÕll share revenue-generating areas into which
IÕve expanded over the last ten years, along with tips on why your
clients might just find them beneficial.

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III. MAIN ÒMEATÓ COURSE: PROSPECTING THROUGH GUEST BLOGGING
Canadian FLCW Shares How She landed $1,229.99 Gig Through Guest Blog Post

Got this cool combo success story/how-to piece from Brandon, Manitoba
FLCW Stephanie OÕBrien. Good strategy and a proven one to build
awareness of you AND your expertise to the kinds of people in a
position to hire you. Thanks, Stephanie!

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How would you like to get a $1,229.99 client by publishing an article on another site?

I recently did exactly that. HereÕs how:

1. Contact bloggers to see if they feature guest posts (after checking
their site to see if it states their policy). DonÕt spend a lot of
time ÔresearchingÕ each blog before making contact. You can waste more
time researching bad leads than sending enquiry emails, so ask first,
research later.

2. If the answer is yes, check their submission guidelines, then send
an article that clearly demonstrates your writing skills and expertise
in your field. For example, if you specialize in writing promotional
emails, you might write an educational piece on how to craft a
compelling marketing email.

3. At the end of the article, include easy-to-follow instructions to lear
more about you. In this call-to-action, mention how working with you
will help readers make better use of what they learned in the article.

4. Offer a small product on your site. Something that gives people a
further taste of your expertise, but doesnÕt replace the need for your
writing skills.
For example, I have an ebook that teaches people how
to describe their products.

Make sure it includes a call-to-action at the end, to encourage them
to hire you. This part isnÕt mandatory, but it definitely helped me to
land my latest client, and itÕs a source of passive income whether the
buyer goes on to hire you as a writer or not.

5. When someone who found you through a guest post contacts you, be
prepared to have a selling conversation with them. If you know how to
write, but you donÕt know how to sell in a conversation, youÕre going
to lose clients. During this conversation:

a) Acknowledge the client for their willingness to take action for
their business, and for any other good trait you notice in them.

b) Ask questions to learn what they really want, and whatÕs holding
them back. Discussing them first and talking about your services later
allows you to tailor your sales offer to their needs, so they can see
youÕre exactly what theyÕre looking for.

c) Give a bit of wisdom for free. During my conversation with my
client, I made suggestions to improve his website, and told him how I
could make his site better through my writing. I earned his gratitude
and displayed my expertise. This set me apart from the bargain-bin
writers who work for $5-10 per article, and showed that my abilities
were worth the price I was asking.

6. If you see something else your client needs, bring it up. While
rewriting one of his web pages, I noticed that one section of the page
would be better as a separate page. I mentioned this to him, quoted
him for the new page, and he quickly agreed to hire me for the
additional work.

7. Be persistent. Sometimes youÕll get results overnight, sometimes
you wonÕt. It largely depends on how many articles you put out there,
and how well youÕve mastered each of the steps I outlined above.

If the strategy doesnÕt pan out right away, donÕt give up. Just keep
refining your process, get guidance if necessary, and know you CAN
land $1000+ contracts if you do it right.

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Stephanie OÕBrien is a copywriter, marketing coach, entrepreneur,
novelist, and self-growth addict. To learn more about her, AND
discover how to land $1,000+ contracts, visit her HERE.
 
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IV. DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
Denmark FLCWÕs Book Project Builds on Growing Writer/Designer Partnership
TIP: Boston FLCWÕs Cool Major-Timesaving, Meeting-Scheduling Tip

Got the low-key success story below from Denmark FLCW Anne Neilsen
about the everyday workings of a good partnership between a copywriter
and a designer. As Anne says, ideally, the partnership works both ways,
and benefits both parties, as each can approach prospective clients with
ÒturnkeyÓ solutions (which ALWAYS makes you more valuable than just
being a Òservice providerÓ). Thanks, Anne!

After that, a cool tip sent by Boston-area FLCW Neil Rhein, after seeing MY
my
tip on Talkshoe in last monthÕs issue. Thanks, Neil!

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Peter: I just ordered your ÒProfitable – By Design!Ó ebook because
right now IÕm partnering with a graphic designer and would like to get
more of that type of work.
 
Actually it was me who got the work for my partner, with whom I have
worked on several other projects. Right now, weÕre working on a how-to
handbook for which, by fortuitous coincidence, I was well prepared,
thanks to a course I just finished that taught me how to break up my
text into manageable, logical, bite-sized chunks.

I got the job, and my client didnÕt even realize that if they wanted
to produce a book, theyÕd also need a book designer. I had to tell
them that, and knew whom to recommend. My designer and I have a good,
back-and-forth way of working; she supports my text and I support her
design. The result is looking really, really good.
 
So it works both ways: work does flow from designer to writer but
certainly the other way around as well.

Update from Anne: IÕm still working on the book, by the way. The
customer kept wanting more material included in the book, so both the
designer and I are being paid extra.

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Just read your latest newsletter and enjoyed it as always. Your piece
about Talkshoe made me think of Doodle, a great tool for scheduling
meetings with multiple people. Rather than sending emails back and
forth to a group, it allows you to send a ÒpollÓ with multiple possible dates
and times. People complete the poll, saying when they can meet. ItÕs
a great timesaver. Like Talkshoe, it positions you as Òsomeone with
their act togetherÓ with corporate clients. Some have even told me they
plan to use it themselves.
 
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V. COFFEE, MINTS AND TOOTHPICKS
- MORE WORK WITH LESS EFFORT? Ebook Serves Up ÒHow-ToÓ!
- GOT ANY SUCCESS STORIES YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? Email ME.
- THE WELL-FED E-PUB NEEDS ALL COURSES!
- The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is RockinÕ!
- AWAI Copywriting (& Other) Courses: Register Here, Get Bonus CD!
- How Can My Mentoring Service Serve You?

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MORE WORK WITH LESS EFFORT? Ebook Serves Up ÒHow-ToÓ!
ThatÕs not hype. ItÕs how my business has worked for the better part
of 18 years, thanks to some juicy partnerships with graphic designers.
The result? 1-2 jobs virtually every month with little or no effort on
my part. And I put all the how-to details down on paper. Details HERE.

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GOT ANY SUCCESS STORIES YOUÕD LIKE TO SHARE?
While my call for submissions netted some things a few months back, IÕm
still a bit lean on success stories. Whether starting out or experienced, if
you recently had a noteworthy success (i.e., landed a new client—perhaps
in an unusual way—a new gig, new work from an old client, or anything
else that has a good lesson for your fellow FLCWÕs), send it on to ME.

100-300 words is great.    

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IÕM (STILL) SERIOUSLY LOW ON ALL WELL-FED E-PUB COURSES!
Got a great strategy, approach or specific expertise youÕre willing to share?
Turn it into a Feature (MAIN COURSE) for the EPUB (500-600 words;
query first). ALSO, send your ÒGREENSÓ (200-400 words), TIPS (100-200)
and SUCCESS STORIES (150-300) to ME. Archived issues HERE

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The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is RockinÕ!

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AWAI COPYWRITING (& OTHER) COURSES: Register Here, Get Your
Choice of Bonus CD Program! Six-Figure Copywriting, Graphic Design,
Internet Writing, Fundraising, Health Market and more!

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HOW CAN MY MULTIPLE MENTORING PROGRAMS SERVE YOU?
For details and testimonials, visit HERE.

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