About.com Health Guide Needs

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.

Freelance Writing Tips

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

Freelance Writers Needed

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?

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!

Freelance Writer Jobs

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!