Life of A Writer

For those of you wondering where the writer behind this blog disappeared to, rest assured, I'm still alive and kicking... just extremely busy these past few months.

As the title states, I've been juggling projects -- personal projects and clients' projects. When I'm not writing content and link building for clients, I'm working on several of my own personal projects, which I hope to complete real soon. Honestly, I've not been neglecting y'all. In fact, all this work on my personal projects will benefit you, and then you may be glad that I didn't blog as often as usual.

So, what's the personal projects? Two niche websites and one blog. Actually, one of the niche websites is for writers, and it's one many of you are already familiar with, so brace yourselves for this surprise. Keep in mind that the news is exclusive. Yes, that's right, you're the first to hear about this announcement! Ready for the big news? Read on...

As you may have already noticed, the Coffee Break for Writers (CBFW) e-zine hasn't been published for the past two months. Seems my busy schedule delayed another existing project, but so many writers e-mail me to tell me how much they enjoy every issue of CBFW, and that's why I can't just let it go. Therefore, I've decided to turn CBFW into a niche website for writers. The site will consist of past articles, resources for writers and past Cafe Fun quizzes, word searches, crosswords and word scrambles. In addition to all that, I'll still add new writing-related articles and continue to pay writers for these. The only change is it won't be a monthly e-zine anymore. Instead, it will be a website packed with free information for new and veteran writers, and subscribers will be e-mailed when new information is added, and they'll also still be the first to receive our new calls for writers.

Aside from the CBFW niche site, I've still been building Best Online Savings and working on a blog that will remain a surprise for now, but I can tell you the secret blog will be inspirational.

Now that you know where I've been for the past two months, please stayed tuned to Life of a Writer for more news about my writing life, as well as more of my tips for writers. I promise I'll try not to stay away for so long this time.

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I promised I'd keep you updated on my oDesk experience, so here it goes...

Since my latest post about oDesk, I've been so busy that I've neglected this blog and put my first niche website on hold. But that's okay, because my income is increasing. The better news is the Lord answered another prayer of mine. Read on for more of the story... and again, oDesk is to thank!

You see, hubby and I -- like many others during these tough times -- have been struggling financially. As you all know, my dad has been battling two types of cancer (Lymphoma and Leukemia). Well, a couple weeks ago he came in really sick and his blood pressure kept dropping. My guess is he wasn't eating well living on his own, so I ended up fixing him something to eat and he began to feel better. Since then, he's moved in with us so I can make sure he's taken care of and eats well. In addition to dad living with us, my 22-year-old stepson is still living with us, and I have my three teenagers when they're not at their dads. The trouble is with just Kevin and me working, it has been hard with an increase on the grocery bill and utilities. Dad's retired and now on Social Security -- all he had for retirement was 401K, which isn't much. As for my stepson, well, he's still unemployed.

Dad does offer to help us with bills and groceries, and Kevin and I appreciate it, but I hate even asking him to help when he's on a fixed income and still has to pay a portion of his medical bills, so I try not to accept his offer for help unless we really have to. Anyway, I've spent night after night praying for God to bless us with more income so we can take care of everyone and at least have just a little left over to treat ourselves to something nice every now and then.

Just a few weeks after I posted Seven Ways to Increase Clients With oDesk, God answered my prayer! He blessed me with two more clients from oDesk, and His blessing allowed me to earn an additional $91.29 this month through oDesk alone, and that income should be more by the end of next month! To some that may not sound like much, but to me, it's a wonderful blessing! A blessing Kevin and I both needed, and I'm still praying for more.

I'm confident that oDesk will continue to increase my clients and income. Honestly, friends, if you're also struggling financially and looking to increase your clients and writing income, I highly recommend you give oDesk a try. It will work for you if you spend each day searching through the jobs and apply the advice I shared in my latest post. The advice I shared is exactly what I've done since I joined oDesk in July of 2008. Since that time, I've earned over $500 already, and that doesn't even include the income I earn outside of oDesk.

I'll continue to keep you informed about my oDesk experience here, but if you'd like to know more or want to interview me for your writing-related publication, website or blog, feel free to contact me; please send all interview requests to media@mistisandefur.com and put "Interview Request for Misti Sandefur" in the subject line. I'd be honored to share my experience and/or advice with your readers, or even talk about how I use faith and prayer throughout my writing career!

Until my next post, take care and may all your prayers receive an answer!

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Before I continue on with my actual topic today, I'd like to send a big cyber hug to Michelle Kafka. While I was searching the Web for one of my previously published articles yesterday (to use as a clip for a writing job I applied to), I came across a blog post on Wow! Women on Writing that had a comment from Michelle. I was pleased when I read that her inspiration to start a portfolio came from me, so thank you so much for the mention, Michelle!

Before I go to sleep, I always say my prayers. As I'm praying, I ask God to bless me with words that will inspire my readers when I sit down to write an article, short story or novel. That said, when I stumble upon kind words expressed about me from my readers and read how I've inspired or helped them, it shows me that the Lord answered my prayer once again. Just reading that I'm an inspiration to Michelle and others motivates me and lifts my spirits! I know I'm doing my job right when someone such as Michelle sees me as an inspiration and/or emails me to let me know how I've helped or inspired them through my writing.

Thanks again, Michelle! You made my night, and I'm so glad that I was able to inspire you. I hope that my writing and blog will continue to encourage you throughout the years. May the Lord answer all your prayers and bless you with an abundance of success!

Moving on to the original topic…

How to Increase Experience on a Topic You Want to Write About

Submit articles to trade magazines, start a blog, create and distribute a free e-zine… those are just a few of the ways writers can increase their experience on an area of expertise. Another way is to create a niche website in the area of expertise they want to build upon. Not only will a niche website help you gain knowledge on the topic you wish to write about, but it could bring in more income for you if you implement Adsense and experiment with affiliate marketing. While you're creating fresh content for your niche website and earning income, too, you'll also be gaining clips to show to potential clients who need a writer on that topic. Just link to a few of your clips, and if they click on the links to view your writing style and voice on the topic, they'll also discover your entire website, and it could land you the writing job.

Announcing My First Niche Website

I've managed to gain several clips related to a few of my specialties, but I don't have very many clips on some of the topics I write about. The downfall to this is I'm unable to show potential clients and editors my true knowledge on the topic if I've not written on it much. Well, no more! I've had plans to build a niche website on one of the topics I enjoy writing on for a while now. However, I have been so busy with other things that I've not found the time to begin work on that site. That is until a few days ago, and I've devoted so much time to that project within the past week that it's almost ready to make its way into Cyberville for everyone to admire.

What's the topic? Shopping! And through Best Online Savings, I'll keep shopaholics updated on the latest bargains. In addition to helping you save money, I'll offer some advice through the online shopping guides that I'll be writing and publishing on my new niche website.

I'm excited about this project, and, of course, I invite you to check it out once it's born. I'll be announcing the site's birth here, on Twitter and in my Christian author newsletter. If you love shopping for bargains on the Internet, then I'll bet you will enjoy Best Online Savings!

Do you have a niche website you update with content to increase your experience on an area of expertise that you've neglected? If so, what's the topic, how has the website helped you and do you have any advice to share on building and/or marketing your writing services with niche websites?

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Back when I first signed up for oDesk I didn't know if they'd really help me gain new clients, but today I'm happy to report that thanks to oDesk I've been able to increase my clients. Not only have I gained new clients through oDesk, but I've gained friendly clients who have been great to work for. The clients that oDesk has blessed me with have been very helpful and provide great instructions, and this, my fellow writer friends, is something we all want with clients.

I'm sure you're wondering how you, too, can increase your clients, and since I enjoy helping others, I'm going to share a few tips with you. These are the things I do to increase clients with oDesk. Remember, oDesk guarantees payment on all hourly jobs!

Seven Simple Ways to Increase Clients With oDesk

1. Check writing job listings daily. If you don't want to visit the oDesk site on a daily basis, you can subscribe to be notified of new listings via e-mail, or use the search feature on your left to search for the jobs you want, and then subscribe to the RSS feeds for each search you perform.

2. Apply for jobs that only pay by the hour. This guarantees that you'll be paid for your time and work.

3. Create and save a pre-written cover letter on your hard or flash drive. Then when you run across a writing job you want to apply for, edit your pre-written cover letter to match the writing job your applying for, and then follow oDesk's steps to submit that cover letter to the potential client.

4. Use your best clips on your oDesk profile,and update every so often with more recent clips.

5. Post your resume on your oDesk profile, along with any client testimonials.

6. Follow up with potential clients who requested an interview but never got back to you.

7. Take the free oDesk skills tests, and when you score high, make the results public so potential clients can see you really do have the experience you say you have.

Disadvantages

While oDesk has been making improvements, there are still a few things I believe they could improve. For one, if you're writing in Microsoft Word or researching (reading through information), the software that tracks providers' hours doesn't always log the time as "online." Instead, it logs it as "offline," and pay for "offline" time is not guaranteed. I guess it logs it as "offline" time because it considers you idle since you're just reading and not typing. That said, if oDesk could improve this, it would be great!

Finally, there's no guaranteed payment for fixed-price jobs. Personally, I don't understand how oDesk can guarantee their providers payment on hourly jobs and not fixed-price jobs. Although I'm already grateful to oDesk, they would earn my respect more if they'd change this policy.

Rest assured that this won't be my last post about my success with oDesk, because I plan to continue sharing my oDesk experience with you. To stay up-to-date with my oDesk experience, subscribe to my full RSS feeds or opt-in to receive free updates via e-mail.

Do you use oDesk to increase clients? Feel free to share your oDesk experience in the comments area.

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Following are a few giveaway ideas related to public speaking topics. I know there are numerous topics that you may discuss at your upcoming public speaking events, so all of the following topics may not be in your plans, but when they are, here's a few giveaway ideas related to the topic.

Public Speaking Topic: Marketing Writing Services

Some tips you may share when talking about marketing writing services are to create a portfolio to keep track of clips and show to potential clients. That said, a binder and tab dividers are great to use for creating a portfolio and keeping clips organized, so this would make a great giveaway when you talk about marketing writing services.

If you'll be speaking to a small group and can afford it, another excellent giveaway idea related to your public speaking topic on marketing writing services could be a free one-year subscription to the online edition of Writer's Market.

Public Speaking Topic: Writing Fiction or Non-fiction

Whether you plan to discuss how to write fiction or non-fiction or share a few writing tips, there are at least three giveaway ideas that relate to this topic and would make wonderful gifts:

1. Pens with your logo and website imprinted on them.
2. Most all writers love to jot down story, character and article ideas. That said, your audience would appreciate a small journal that they could carry with them.
3. Handouts of novel and character outlines.

Public Speaking Topic: Beauty

Are you a beauty writer or author who enjoys sharing beauty tips and information to promote your beauty expertise and/or beauty-related book(s)? Well then, next time you're invited to give a presentation about beauty why not consider the following giveaway ideas:

1. bath oils;
2. aromatherapy candles;
3. a gift basket filled with beauty products such as creams, makeup, lotions and etc.;
4. or any beauty products you plan to mention in your presentation.

Giveaway Ideas for Any Public Speaking Topic

Your books, any book you've had published that relates to the topic you'll be discussing, desk calendars, and/or coffee mugs with your logo and website imprinted on them.

Have you spoke on a topic I didn't mention and were able to brainstorm a few giveaway ideas that fit well with your public speaking topic? Then I encourage you to share your topic(s) and giveaway idea(s) by leaving a comment.

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