3 Benefits of Being a Blog Ghostwriter

by

3 Benefits of Being a Blog Ghostwriter

Many writers get into blog writing because they want to have their work published online. However, if you have started blogging for a living, you will quickly learn that the benefits of not having your name published on something can far outweigh the name recognition you’ll get on a piece of content written under your name. Here’s one of many tips for freelance writers: consider being a ghostwriter.

Writing content that isn’t going to be published under your name (and is instead published under someone else’s name) is called ghostwriting. Published authors have been using ghostwriters for years on their books, and now the market for digital ghostwriters is stronger than ever.  Higher rates, more work, and better guidelines are all things you can look forward to as a ghostwriter.

[Read more…]

Calculating Your Worth as a Blogger

by

There is no magic calculator that will tell you how much your blogging services are worth. We each have an interdependent relationship with money that is uniquely our own. The $7.50 you just earned for that 500-word blog post might be worth your time. Or not.

During discussions with bloggers, I have found that the average blogger (not a superstar, but not a slouch) earns around $10 per 250-word post. Of course, most people exceed the word count to please their employer. (Heck, this post is contracted for 250 words and it’s closer to 500!).

So we’re looking at $.04 cents a word. But there are other factors that bring down that fee considerably. Here are a few things to consider when trying to determine if a blogging job is worth taking/keeping. [Read more…]

The Best $50 I Ever Spent on My Blog: Part 6

by

When to apply…

This is a multi-part series on the lessons I learned while seeking a freelance blogger to contribute to my Web site.

It should come as no surprise that the majority of applications poured in as soon as the job was posted. Many people feel that if they are first they will stand out from the pack. This is true to a point. You should also consider the fact that being one of the first to respond can label you a job board stalker, and in the eyes of the employer, that comes along with a negative connotation. It makes it appear as if you are not interested in a specific job but ANY job – and that’s a turn off. One could make the argument – depending on where your job post appeared – that the first people to apply are actually your biggest fans. Each hiring agent will have a different take. [Read more…]

The Best $50 I Ever Spent on My Blog: Part 5

by

best_50_contentOne of the unforeseen perks of posting a job for your blog, is the unexpected content that is generated.

Guest Posts
With so many people applying there is a good chance that applicants will be willing to write a sample post. I’ve been on the other end of these before, and that’s why I always offer to pay a few bucks for a sample post (whether it gets published or not). Time is money, and even though blogging can be a business, I always like to put the writer’s craft first and respect the industry. But there are plenty of people who generate content via unpaid sample posts. Proceed as you see fit. [Read more…]

The Best $50 I Ever Spent on My Blog: Part 4

by

best_50_momAttack of the Mommy Bloggers!

Gosh there are a lot of mommy bloggers out there. I always knew that blogging was appealing to stay-at-home moms who are looking for a way to express themselves, but I never realized just how many child-bearing females are ready to post. Over 13% of the applicants for the Jobacle writing gig mentioned that they were a mommy within the first sentence – that’s almost 100 people! And while I have nothing against mommies who blog, I did find it interesting that many people applied thinking that the mere fact that they had offspring would get them the gig. My advice would be to only mention you’re a mom if it is relevant to the blogging job. In this case, a snarky career blog could benefit from a mother’s experience, but it by no means should be the #1 selling point. [Read more…]

7 Ways Freelancers Can Ease The Move From One Site To Another

by

In my daily scavenger hunt for good reads and interesting stories, I came across two stories by Nicholas Carlson. He used to write for Gawker Media’s Valleywag, now defunct in effect and the brand is now a part of the main Gawker site. These days he’s on Silicon Alley Insider, and by the looks of it he’s having a hard time transitioning in the eyes of the readers. [Read more…]