I have a variety of “rules” I try to follow as a writer.  Many of them include things related to writing rituals and good habits that writers should stick with as often as possible. Sometimes, I do not adhere to these rules. I break them.

Do writers set themselves up for failure by creating a set of good habits that are not reasonable to follow? Do we set up rules that are too strict? Is is simply too hard to have any consistent writing habits or practices?

I don’t think so. These rules, or guidelines, or even commandments, are in place to keep us on track. To help us stay on the chosen path as a writer. They essentially keep us in check when we start to drift or become complacent.

Some writers have rituals in place that they follow each and every time they write. They may even be considered a bit pathological or compulsive.

Maya Angelou went to a hotel early in the morning with a bottle of sherry, cards, the Bible, a Thesaurus, and writing pads in hand.  The hotel staff removed all the art from the walls, and by the time she left, Maya had written 10-12 pages of work.

I recently cam across this article titled, Ten Brutally Brutal Writing Commandments, describing what the blogger considers important rules to live by.

I don’t know if these would be MY commandments, but there are some good points in there.  A couple that stand out to me relate to the importance of being a reader and a writer.

Writers MUST Read and Write

Just these two commandments sum it up nicely. Sure, there are more, and the others are also important, but these two are the greatest commandments. In my opinion. If you can only stick with two, I would go with these two: read and write.

Just as Jesus states the two most important commandments to follow are to love God and love thy neighbor, the two most important “writing rules” to follow are read often and write often.

The other commandments (whatever they are) will help you improve your writing skills, and become a better writer. But if you neglect these two, you can’t really be a writer.

Writers Must Write

Obviously, if you don’t write, you are not a writer. Nothing else to say about this. Except this: don’t get lazy or your creative mind will atrophy! Write as often as possible.

Writers Must Read

Many wonderful ideas and creative genius begins in the imagination of writers. Writers feed off of words. Ingesting words are part of thriving as a writer. Words build the creative strength that writing demands.

Take in words. Read. Get inspired by other people’s words.

As a matter of fact, this post was inspired by the “ten commandments” blog post I mentioned above. Just like that, I found an inspirational spark to get this post rolling. It works.

I don’t know what your rules of writing or rituals are and maybe you don’t have any. But I want to tell you that it would not hurt to find some that work for you, are reasonable to follow, and you can habitual stick to. No matter what though, regular reading and writing should be on all of your lists. Trust me. Everything else comes from those two habits, or commandments.

Now go. Be a writer.

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Timer (via Wikipedia)

When I am under a deadline, I don’t always have the time to spend hours creating the perfect article.  Although I would love to always have that luxury, there are occasions the clock is ticking faster than I can write.   The truth is that sometimes a deadline is the best cure for my lack of inspiration. Working under pressure can do wonders for the creative mind.

When you need to get content written in a hurry to meet that deadline, these tips will give you some suggestions without sacrificing quality.

Start with an Outline

When your mind is either drawing a blank or filled with scrambled thoughts, jot down an outline.  This can help break your ideas into manageable chunks.  An outline is also a great road map to guide you into a coherent writing piece, preventing far-reaching tangents.

How to write an effective outline:

• Write down about three to four subheadings
• Create quick thoughts or bullets under each subheading without pausing to edit
• Add links to helpful websites or other resources you want to refer to for your article
• Leave space for the introduction and conclusion to your article

Writing the Article

After you have an outline, fill in the blanks with content. The more focused your outline, the easier it will be to actually write the article. However, even with a good outline, there are a few more tricks to help you move he writing along quickly.

1. Just Write. An outline can trigger some great ideas that will want to come spewing out of your fingers. This is a good place to start. Don’t worry about the thoughts being perfect, you can edit later. First, just get the ideas from your mind onto paper. With practice, you will become more comfortable ignoring the inner editor and just keep writing.

2. Set A Timer. This may or may not work for some people. It is worth a try.  When you have a deadline, a timer forces you to focus and avoid distractions. Anyone can avoid distractions for 30 minutes. The pressure of the clock can do wonders for your creative psyche. A sold, focused thirty minutes of wiring is much more productive than two hours of squandering.

3. Use Voice Recognition Software.  Turn your voice into text with this software. If you’re not a fast typist, take a look at Dragon Naturally Speaking or similar software to help get the ball rolling. If you have thoughts organized in your head, you can turn those thoughts into words without lifting a finger to type.

These tips are just a few of many. Ultimately, it all comes down to practice. Just like anything, the more you do it, the more efficient you become.  Create good habits; the faster you can learn to type without editing, the easier it will be to write a quality article in a timely manner, meaning more jobs and more money.

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Writer's Block

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Lindsey Harper Mac.  Please read more about Lindsey in the author’s footer.

Writer’s block. The words are enough to make any writer cringe. When you have writer’s block, you don’t know what to write next. Your mind may be blank, or you can’t think of anything new to say. The pressure is even more intense when you have a looming deadline, such as a paper for a class, an article for a client or a news story that needs to break. These suggestions can help you re-focus your efforts and get over writer’s block faster.

1. Get your mind flowing. Hanging on the wall in front of you, you might have a poster with some sort of vague question that can act as your prompt. Or, you might do better by leaving the room and going to a special place. A forest is nice if you are near one, but city-dwellers like me may need to depend on urban scenery. My special spot is on my front steps. It’s not glamorous, but it serves the purpose of making me feel calm while I clear my head.

2. Write something. Anything. Take a few notes on paper or on the computer to get started, and then flesh out your ideas to create a cohesive piece. Or, start writing in the middle or end. Thinking and writing about the topic will help you organize your thoughts. Write anything that you can think of without worrying about the initial quality; revising your work later will be much easier than starting with a blank page.

3. Don’t miss opportunities. Writer’s block is frustrating any time, but it is downright infuriating when you have it because you can’t remember an idea that you had before. You can prevent this from happening by making sure that you are always ready to capture your thoughts. An old-fashioned paper notebook is a tried and true method for taking notes anywhere at any time.

4. Set up your writing space. You are the best judge of your own preferences. Are you at your best when you are sitting up straight in a traditional office chair at a neat desk, or are you in top writing form when you are sitting on a beanbag chair with a laptop computer? Do you concentrate best in silence or when you have music playing in the background? Some people work best at a small table in a coffee shop with the constant buzz of the crowd. Stick to whatever set-up works best for you, and mentally shut yourself into the world of writing for a certain amount of time or until you finish a certain amount of writing.

5. Do more research. If you are writing a research paper for your higher education class, an essay, historical non-fiction or any other piece that requires extensive and specialized knowledge, writer’s block can occur if you don’t know enough about the topic. Extra research can give you more confidence and direction for your writing. Even if you already know plenty about the topic, further delving into the topic can give you more ideas on how to proceed.

Writer’s block is nearly inevitable, but you can make it much less severe. Sometimes you need to focus a little harder, while other times, taking a break is a better solution. Make sure that you always have a good workspace available; figure out when to be disciplined with yourself and when to distract yourself.

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I was not an English major. I have no formal writing education.

My undergraduate degree is in psychology and my master’s degree is in education. So I may be impelled to teach or at least analyze people. How does that apply to writing? It doesn’t directly. But as someone who appreciates education, I know how important it is to learn your craft, whether formally or informally.  Not to mention I have written a lot of papers. Too many.

Please don’t tell me you write good and don’t need any grammar lessons. Because if you used goodas an adverb here, people will come after you. The grammar police will hunt you down for such a blatant disregard to the English language. Again, I am not a perfectionist, but there are obvious grammar mistakes that, well, bother me. Don’t worry – I won’t arrest you if I catch you. I’ll let you off with a warning.

In the meantime, I encourage you to learn the rules. My favorite reference is Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips. Find an English book or reference guide that works for you and learn to respect the language. And then use it in your writing.

If you are going to display your (not you’re) writing publicly, please take some time and memorize some fundamental grammar rules. Some grammar rules are up for debate, but there are grammar rules that are hard and fast. To help get you started, here are a few of my pet peeves. Please change your habits if you use any of the below grammar blunders.

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As a writer who has only begun to openly share my thoughts outside of a private journal entry for a few years, I am still discovering my own voice. We all have a writing voice, whether it is exposed in non-fiction, fiction, or poetry, it is there.

A writing voice comes through in most advanced writers. You can recognize it without even knowing the author. In the early stages of a writer’s career, the voice may be suppressed, afraid to come out, or not quite matured.

How Do You Discover Your Writing Voice?

When you are formulating your voice, there will be many trials and errors. Think of it like trying on shoes. Sometimes, you will know instantly if they are not comfortable to walk in. Other times, the aches and blisters do not show up until miles later.  Over time, you start to know what works for you – wide width, short heels, real leather, or other various styles. Just as shoes, you will have a different writing voice for different occasions, but you will still have your own style that you prefer. (I love that I was able to use a shoe analogy for writing!)

There are a few things that will help you develop that writing voice.

1. Read and find voices you can relate to.

Reading is an important part of being a writer. By reading, you can find inspiration and other ideas. When you find a voice that you can relate to, figure out why you identify with that voice. Is is similar to your voice? Is the writing style close to yours? If you can recognize a hint of your voice in others, you have a foundation to further develop and grow. Continue to read, but also continue to write.

2. Write Freely.

Practice your writing voice by putting your thoughts on paper, no editing, no thesaurus. Just write. Take the words that are floating in your mind and reveal them on paper or a word processor. Remove them from your head and keep writing. Don’t stop until the tank is empty. You will be surprised at how much information has been dying to get out and jump onto a page. You can edit when you are finished.

3. Write about your passions.

When you write about things you are passionate about, your voice will rise to the surface quick. When you are trying to find words to describe something you don’t care much about, it can be a battle to squeeze out words. Like a dry sponge. Topics you carry a lot of passion for are going to be closer to your true voice. Most likely, you have read about these topics or have brought them up in conversations. You are intimately familiar with them, so there is more to be said without being contrived.

4. Use your imagination.

When you are writing, imagine yourself there. Picture yourself visually in the story. Use all of your senses. What does the scene look like, smell like, sound like? Pay attention to the details and the emotions the place brings to the surface. Write this stuff down. Freely, openly.

5.  Read Aloud

This is something I probably don’t do enough of. It feels funny. But I notice that when I do read words aloud, I can sense my voice either coming through or being surpressed. When you are finished writing a blog post, a chapter, or an article, read it aloud. See how it sounds. Make adjustments if necessary.

6. Work outside your comfort zone.

You may not discover your authentic voice until you are forced to write in a style you are not used to. It is like working a different muscle. As a writer, you should exercise all different creative muscles. Soon, you will be able to focus on the muscle that is required for your voice. Much like athletes who play one particular sport, they will work thier whole body, but pay particular attention to the motions required for the sport.

We all have a voice, but it may not be formulated yet. The voice is inside, but will only develop with time and practice. Often times, as we are trying to find our voice, we try on other voices to see if it is a fit. We may write things as we think they should be written. We fake it. Maybe out of fear, lack of confidence, or even to impress.

Although it is important to remember your audience and the character’s role in your writing, you also need to be true to yourself. Don’t try to be someone you are not. The truth is if you are faking it, you will eventually get bored or burnt out. There is only one Mark Twain and one Jane Austen. Be yourself.

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George Clooney

George Clooney was on Inside the Actor’s Studio a few weeks ago, and a few things he said struck me as a writer.

He was talking about going in for auditions and the handling of rejection. I am paraphrasing here. Clooney stated as an actor, you are selling yourself. There is nothing else, so when you get rejected, they are rejecting you.  If they don’t like it, you can’t sell them another vacuum cleaner or car.

Clooney went on to say that when you walk in, you are not selling acting, you are selling confidence.

“Confidence is one of the big things you’re selling.” 

Is this the same with writing? Bearing your soul and hoping your confidence can sell it?

Confidence weaves in and out of the lives of many writers. Especially in the beginning. Some days, you wake up and words flow flawlessly. Clients are calling or emailing you for work and your confidence is high. Other days, writing can be a struggle. Inspiration eludes you and your inbox is empty.

In the end, when you feel confident, doubt hides and self-assurance reveals itself. The writing comes easier. You feel optimistic and begin to chase down profitable opportunities. More doors open. When you can sell your writing, you make more money.

How Do You Boost Your Confidence?

1. Focus on Your Strengths

Chances are there are writing topics or styles you feel more confident about than others. Offer the services you excel in. Some people feel more comfortable with blog posts or copywriting than technical papers. Write about topics you know well or enjoy writing about. Become an expert in your niche. This doesn’t mean that you can’t expand to other writing areas, but focus on the things you are good at. Once you become confident in those skills, you may want to be open to other areas.

2. Be Open to Constructive Critiques and Learn

I understand how difficult it can be to get negative feedback on your writing. Adopt a positive mindset. Take it and learn from it – let it motivate you to improve your writing.

Every writer has room for improvement. Some people have a tendency to be negative without providing any constructive feedback. Don’t put too much thought into it and move on. Take the helpful advice and put the feedback to use by improving your skills. View every new writing project as a  new opportunity to learn and improve your writing skills.

3. Read About Writing

Most writing experts will tell you that behind every good writer is a good reader. Take a proactive approach to reading. Dig into your niche and see what others are writing about. Read about writing. Just like any career, it is important to stay educated in your industry. Find blogs written by writing experts. Take writing classes and read books that offer advice on becoming a successful writer.

4. Share Your Knowledge, Network, and Connect

As a profession, writing can leave you feeling isolated. Connect with other writers. Networking is part of your professional development. Simply speaking and sharing your knowledge with other writers can help you build your confidence and get fresh perspectives. Connecting with other writers can help you realize that they are dealing with similar challenges you are and how they adapt to these challenges. You begin to feel better about your writing skills and career path.

When people outside your career ask you what your profession is, confidently tell them you are a writer. Soon you will gain confidence and grow as a professional writer.

Practice, practice, and then rehearse again. Exercise your writing brain. It really is the best way to improve your skills and the more you write, the better you will become. This is such an important recommendation that it is almost become cliché to even mention it. Enough said.

6. Start Raising Your Rates for New Customers

Raise your rates. Sounds like a risky step, right? However, when you raise your rates, and clients pay them, you begin to realize that you actually may have a talent at this writing thing. Additionally, your client’s expectations begin to rise when your rates increase. This forces you to put you best writing foot forward.

Celebrate the positive feedback your clients give you. Relish in the inspirational moments and don’t stress during the struggling ones. Learn from the constructive feedback, and realize that writing is a continual process of growth and improvement. Confidence comes with experience. Apply your strengths, read, write even more, and network with other writers to expand your experience and boost your confidence.

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The headline determines a reader’s next move. Will they continue to read or walk away?

The tricky part is coming up with a headline that is not boring, but instead captures your reader’s attention without being misleading or flimsy.

As a copywriter, active and compelling language play an important role in drawing your audience in for more.  You only have seconds to do this.

With the right headline.

There have been plenty of expert copywriters that have spent time on this topic alone. One of the best places to garner helpful information on copywriting in general is Copyblogger’s blog. He has a whole series just on killer headlines.  Successful and well-known copywriter David Garfunkel wrote a book about writing headlines that make you rich.

There are several basic keys to creating compelling and selling headlines. Here are three basic tips, followed by more ideas from other bloggers.

1. Know Your Audience

When you are creating a sales letter, or a blog post, know your audience. Who are your prospects? Who will benefit from your products or services? This is where to start. Picture your readers and imagine what they would want to know. What would entice them to read further? Knowing your audience is key to a developing an alluring headline.

2. Do You Solve A Problem or Concern?

Address a problem or a concern. Then state how you can help in a concise headline.  Answer the “What’s in it for me?” question in your headline. Determine how your products or services will help people life better lives or solve a problem.

3. Tap Into Your Audience’s Emotions?

Sales is all about emotions. You have probably heard that people buy based on emotions, and then justify their purchase with reason. This can apply to products, services, or even an idea or concept.  The best headlines tap into the reader’s emotions.

Focusing on your audience’s emotions can be a powerful attention grabbing tool.

The common emotions harnessed in copywriting and compelling headlines include:

1. Greed – How Many People Are Robbing You Blind?
2. Frustration – Are You Tired of Wasting Time on ____________ ?
3. Pride – Want to Impress Your Friend’s and Family with this Secret?
4. Fear – You May Be Vulnerable to Losing Your Retirement Savings!
5. Anger – How You Can Stand Up to Your Boss and Anyone Else

One final point. To address the needs of the readers, expert copywriters may use headline templates that:

* Make a promise
* Asks a question
* Makes an announcement
* Arouses curiosity
* Is newsworthy

When sitting down to write your next sales page, article, brochure, or newsletter, spend some a significant amount of time writing the headline. Create a dozen different possible headlines. Then test, and test again to find the one that works.

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Remember these?

Far removed from the days of typewriters, writers are faced with distractions right in front of their face as they write. The Internet.

As you are reading this right now, I bet many of you have multiple tabs or windows open in your browser.

Besides this one, I have eight other tabs open. Eight. Why?  I don’t know. I don’t want to miss out. I want to jump back and forth when there is an uncomfortable pause. Maybe an excuse to procrastinate. Let me check Facebook one more time.

Hold on…

Okay. Now, I only have this one open. Time to focus. I am quite sure I am not the only one that works this way. Many of us have SOS (Shiny Object Syndrome) in this digital age. We have to check our phones, our social media sites, the news, our tablets, and our email. Many, many times throughout the day. It is like our mind is not allowed to focus on one thing for more than five minutes.

Try it. For five minutes, stop multi-tasking.

Hard, isn’t it?

As a writer, this makes it difficult to get any writing done. It seems I can never get past the “research stage.” Well, when I am productive, I have learned some things that have helped.  Although I don’t stick to these things as I should, I am aware that they work.

1. Write when you first wake up.  

This is one of the most challenging. Because after eight hours in a restful sleep, the whole world went on without us. We HAVE to check our email and Facebook in case we missed something. I mean 8 hours is a LONG time to be away from electronic media. What if Kim Kardashian got married again or your ex-boyfriend emailed you wanting you back? Skip it – get to writing.

2. Disconnect.

This is another challenge. What do you mean, “disconnect?” Like the Internet, my smart phone? Yes. Use a blank screen. Remember Microsoft Word? Yep, you can still use it to type your ideas. For those who have wireless, this may be more difficult, but you actually can turn off the Internet. I know, shocking.

3. Only write when you are in the mood.

I don’t mean that you have to feel overwhelmed with creativity. We all know that inspiration comes when it is well and ready. However, you should be in the mood to sit down and put down your thoughts. All it takes is an idea. Your fingers will take it from there. Accomplishing things works so much better when you are in the mood for it.

4. Don’t neglect the rest of life.

When you stare at a computer screen all day, writing does not become easier. Sometimes, it can be counterproductive. Go for a walk, or a run, call a friend, read a book, watch the news. Go be social. Don’t get lazy and become a recluse. You still have to leave your house, pay your bills, and buy groceries.

5. Don’t stress about it.

I know many successful writers will tell you that you should write everyday. And maybe you should.  But there will be days you just don’t feel like it. Or you are busy with other things. For those who own a blog, this adds to the stress. You may think, Google will punish me if I don’t write in my blog everyday. Probably not. Don’t neglect it for weeks, but if you miss a couple days of writing, don’t stress. And remember, it doesn’t always have to be a masterpiece! Hakuna Matada.  Um, that dates me.

 It really is amazing at the results you will get when you try some (or all) of these tricks. All writers have their secrets of success. These are just mine. Find ones that work for you and follow them. As often as you can.

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• Four Smart Writers to Learn from Today! (writeandgetpaid.wordpress.com). Listen to what successful writers and bloggers have to say about being a professional writer.
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Once you find good clients, the goal is to keep them. This seems obvious, but sometimes by raising your rates, you may lose even your best clients. But you can’t stay at the same rate forever if you want to maintain a freelance writing career. How do you raise your rates without scaring off your clients?

When just starting out, many freelance writers set their rates too low. I know I did. It could be fear or lack of confidence or just not knowing what to charge. After a while, you realize you are just not getting ahead and most of you spend most of your day writing with little in return for your time. No matter who you are, your time is valuable. Life is short. And quality writing takes time.

You may be more comfortable sticking with your current rates than telling your clients that your prices are going up. Again, fear and lack of self-confidence can rear its head again.  If they value your writing, a small increase should not scare your clients. But take these tips into consideration when you decide to break the news.

1. Be Honest!

It is amazing how the truth is the most impressive reason for raising your rates. Tell your client that since you began your career, you have developed as a writer. Mention that you are getting more clients and it is time to focus on the jobs that provide the most effective use of your time. Maybe you are more established in the market now, or have learned additional skills you can bring to the table. Your clients will appreciate your honesty. This is a business, not personal, and there really is no need to apologize for increasing your prices.

2. Give Current Clients Plenty Of Notice

When you plan to raise your rates, give your current clients a heads up so they are not caught by surprise. Send out an email and let them know you will be raising your rates in the near future.  Give them an opportunity to place an order before the increase using a “Buy Now” offer at your lower rate.

3. Have Confidence In Your Writing Skills

As I prepare for book, Calling All Freelance Writers, I have learned that the biggest thing that holds people back from charging more is the lack of confidence in their skills. The key is to find customers that understand the value of quality writing. This is even more true with Google chasing down all the content mills and poor quality websites. If you believe you are worth more than $15 an article, than don’t be afraid to ask.

4. Be Aware that you May Lose Clients and That it’s Okay. 

The good news is that many of your clients will understand and if you have proven yourself, they will stay with you even after you raise your rates. There will probably be a few who just can’t afford it. Don’t stress! Remember, even if you’re only raising your rates by a couple of cents per word, it still means earning the same amount of money for less work. You can afford to lose a few clients if you are charging more for your writing. In the end, you want the clients who can afford to pay.

As long as you communicate with your customers, are honest with them upfront, they can afford to pay for content, and they like your work, increasing your prices should not be an issue. If you are hesitating to send over that email to your clients: don’t! Remember, most will see the value in your work and continue to work with you.

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When writing motivation is not there, writing articles can sometimes be a laborious task you avoid. If inspiration has not pulled up next to you as you sit down and write, facing a blank screen seems like a chore.

When you are a web owner or a freelance writer, creating web content is going to be a part of your life. You may write articles for your blog, guest posts, content sites, or magazines, or clients. You may also write using other various article marketing tactics.

What are some ways to succeed with article writing?

Here are some tips from others…

1. Article Writing Tips For A Conversion Boost…

www.earthinvest.info1/17/12

Yes, it’s true that a huge number of people make a lot of cash from article writing, but the good news is that you can discover this knowledge for yourself and begin to do the same. It’s like article marketing is the best kept secret …

2. Article Writing – Solid Tips To make use of Straight away | News blog

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If you’re looking for the highest quality traffic, few things can beat article marketing in that arena. But, the potential downside is that if you produce poorly written articles, then your efforts will largely be in vain. It’s a fact, though, …

3. Article Writing Tips to Help You Succeed | Lisa Mason

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If you are an article writer, you probably already know that there are many other people out there trying to do the very same thing that you are doing. If you want to have success on your own, you need to know some tips and …

4. Article Writing Tips: SEO Basics

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Mastering SEO or search engine optimization is one of the key article writing tips you can learn. When you write for the web, you have to meet the challenge.

5. Article Writing Done the Right Way – JunkLife.net

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Is the article writer inside you aching to be set free? But maybe you’ve been churning out articles but no one seems to like what you write? This article really can help you a lot because it contains three already-proven article …

6. 3 Reliable Article Writing Tips For Greater Reader Satisfaction | Tax …

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3 Reliable Article Writing Tips For Greater Reader Satisfaction. Most online marketers do not bring great article writing skills to the table, and that can prove to be a stumbling block for many. But at the same time it can work out really well if you …

7. 3 Article Writing Tips To Remember …

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If you understand how to go about it, article writing can be immensely enjoyable and you can make money with it, too. In this article we will be sharing a few effective tips that will make it …

8. Article Writing Tips That Are Easy, Fast, and Effective »

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Any knowledgeable online marketer knows that top quality articles can yield targeted traffic for years to come. So please move forward and learn the following…

9. 3 Article Writing Tips You Should Remember | Blogging Fresh …

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Article writing is like many other things, if you know what you’re doing and are competent, then it can be fun and provide a lot of satisfaction. So continue reading to learn about some effective and proven writing tips for your …

10. Excellent Writing Tips from Successful Authors | Writing Tips | Writing …

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Today’s writing tips are a collection of quotes from some of the world’s most successful writers. Get inspired!