Want to know the truth about your writing skills? Send Miss Deb a 1,000 word short story (or a 200 word non-fiction article) in 3rd person (using he, she, it), and write it in PAST tense. Title it:
FREE CRITIQUE
Stories must be G-rated. One evaluation per person. Send to Creative Writing Institute's CEO and Founder, deborahowen@cwinst.com.
Allow two weeks.
Writing Tips
1. If you will write articles that have many angles, they will be more adaptable to many markets without excessive rewriting. For example, if four-wheeling is your subject, you could write about problems in four-wheeling, using GPS to go four-wheeling, four-wheeling with a caravan, or preparing for a four-wheeling vacation. Writing articles that closely relate is much easier than jumping around from one subject to another.
2. Some articles sell better than others. Health and wellness articles are very popular, as are beauty tips, dieting, exercising, recipes, and instructions for crafts. Things that people want but do not necessarily need are popular, too, such as chocolate, face lifts, and new trends.
3. Not only are some articles easier to sell, but they also pay better. Hobbies and crafts are two examples. Traveling articles also pay well. Some companies pay a flat fee, while others pay by the word. Look for publishers that "pay on acceptance" and those that offer a kill fee. (Kill fee = If the editor accepts the article, the company will pay you a portion of the amount promised, even if they don't publish it.)
How to Become a Writer
Most people have a book inside them. If you can speak proper English and if you can write a proper letter to someone, the chances are you can become a writer. Writing is not something you are born with. It is a learned skill. Almost anyone can learn to write for a living within one or two years, depending on their education, aptitude, and perseverance. See the column on the right to learn how Debbie Day did it.
Scared of writing? Afraid to fail? Start by writing about your fears. Work your way through them!Don't know where to begin? That's why we're here. Creative Writing Institute has caring tutors who will answer your every question. Review the list of classes on the upper right, and click on the class to see what it has to offer.
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TESTIMONIES:
Tim Finnegan: The [Short Story Safari] course definitely met my needs. I wanted to put my work under a professional's microscope and see what they thought and that definitely happened... The course was fairly priced... I would recommend CWI to a friend.
Gayle McCain: I found [Punctuation Review] tremendously helpful. It was well thought out and thorough. The comments that I received back on each assignment was perhaps the most helpful aspect of the class. They enabled me to not only see what was wrong, but to understand how it should have been said. What I learned thru the classes has made a tremendous difference in my writing.
Online publishing is an easy way for new writers to get published. Content for website sites, blogs, and newsletter publications get reviewed and paid for faster than sending similar pieces to a print publication.
You really can earn steady income from online writing. It isn't a get rich quick opportunity, but almost anyone can do it. How much you get paid depends on the buyer. There are numerous opportunities to sell articles on any topic.
Do your homework and investigate writing opportunities before you make a commitment. Some sites require a minimum number of articles per month, some pay up front, and yet others pay a token amount based on page views. By writing for only a few sites, you establish an online presence, a relationship with readers and publishers, and the opportunity to begin building a niche.
My first experience with online writing began three years ago. Since 2006, I have had 200-300 articles published on content based websites. Not all the pieces were paid in advance. In fact, the first year I wrote online, I didn't consider requesting up front payment. I had to gain confidence in my abilities and the articles I wrote before I could expect someone to pay for them. Now I earn advance money and in some cases, also earn a monthly ‘bonus’ for page views. I’m seeing a slow but steady increase in monthly income.
As a new writer, 300-500 word articles paid from $2.75-$3.50. Residual bonus payments based on page views of all my published articles now average $35-$50 per month. Three years after my first paid published article, I now earn $6-$8 for a 500 word article done on speculation, $25 for assigned topics, and $25-$50 for a 300-500 word article done as ‘Work for Hire’.
Associated Content is a good place to begin, so don't put it off. Start your writing career today. The hardest step is making that first submission!
New beginnings are wonderful. Aren't you glad you have a chance to become more this year than you were last year? What are your goals for 2010? How will you accomplish those goals? Let us help you.
Get your writing mentor today.
"The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair."
