by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

I've said it before and I'll tell you again. Helping others is an important part of being a web writer. Not only can you use your words to do good in the world. But you can also use them to help other writers get where you are.

But I just started. How can I help? No matter where you are in your web writing career, you've done something or learned something that can benefit someone else. Maybe you discovered a new venue others may not know about. Perhaps you learned of a resource that might help. Maybe you struggled in life and you can help someone else with a similar struggle.

Won't helping others hinder my success? No, no, and NO!! There is plenty to do for everyone. We each have our own unique goals and talents. We also each have our own styles and areas of expertise. For more insight, I discussed this aspect at greater length in the post: "Am I Creating Competition by Helping Others Succeed?"

But I don't have time to help others. What? Sure you do! You can help others while doing your normal work. Help can occur within the posts you might already make daily. Also, think of some of the moments you might waste in the day, such as time on meaningless forums or Facebook posts. Instead, use that time on forums and Facebook posts that might help others. You don't have to ditch all of your fun. But it's not that hard to find some time to help others.

Why should I help other people? Why not? It's simply a good thing to do. For me, this is always my favorite part of what I do. But there are other benefits as well, if that's not enough. Oftentimes, those who help others have the most success. They usually find something people need and help them achieve it or maybe they are just so nice and helpful that people are attracted to them or their business. It also may help you build important business connections.  There are various reasons helpful people succeed. Therefore, if the joy of helping someone isn't enough, at least think of the possible financial rewards.

Have you helped someone today? What are some of the ways you help people?

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

Online article writers serious about their writing must remember the purpose of our content is to provide someone else with the information they need. Even when the writing goes to a client that will not return any page view or click revenue, remember that their audience still needs accurate and relevant info as well. Ultimately, someone will be reading the finished content. Here are five ways online article writers can get and keep clients.

Get and Keep Clients by Learning SEO
I know I must sound like a broken record to regular readers, I mention SEO so often. There's a reason for that. SEO skills are an absolute must if you are serious about making money as an online article writer. The main purpose clients purchase web content is to draw traffic where it's placed. If your articles do not have proper SEO, clients will look elsewhere to meet their content needs. If you often lose out on higher paying clients, gigs, and assignments, SEO skills may be to blame. If so, get and keep clients by reading up on SEO and implementing it into your work.

Get and Keep Clients by Providing Consistent Effort
Some online article writers make the mistake of putting less effort into lower-paying gigs than they would with others. This makes no sense. First, this shows a lack of pride in one's own work. Secondly, your name or pen name will be attached to everything you write. Do you really want potential clients to read one of those lesser-effort articles? Would someone want to hire you after reading them? Online article writers are lucky in that many of us enjoy doing this for a living. Plus, we can make money writing articles from anywhere we prefer - even at the beach. However, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't maintain consistency and professionalism. Putting effort into each and every piece of content you produce gives you better odds of being noticed and appreciated by clients.

Get and Keep Clients by Making Assignments Unique
When a client gives out an assignment, there are times where you may feel the topic is too broad for their audience. To solve this, write on the topic the client has assigned you, but choose a unique slant. Most will likely appreciate the extra effort. For instance, if the client asks you to write about bathrooms for seniors, you could write about eco-friendly bathrooms for seniors. Go for an angle that isn't saturated all over the web. Some clients might need reasoning behind your changes, but in my experience, most understood when I explained about topic saturation. I rarely receive rejections on my work. Sometimes clients will reward the extra effort with extra money or be appreciative enough to buy more content. Even so, don't get upset with those who don't seem appreciative. Just make any revisions and move on. That's another way to keep clients.

Get and Keep Clients by Setting Up and Maintaining an Updated Website
Setting up and maintaining an updated and professional website is an absolute must for online article writers for hire. A website will give you a place to share writing samples and a background on yourself and your writing skills. Have a contact form on your website as well as an alternate email in case the form experiences a glitch. Potential clients may like something they see on your site and bookmark it for later if they aren't yet ready to purchase content. Keep the website updated with current information so that people will want to continue visiting. Maintain a blog with writing tips and business updates. Get and keep clients by referring them to your website for business, rather than an email address. This is an important way to establish your personal brand as a freelance writer.

Network With Fellow Writers
Learning and growing is a big part of being successful in an online writing career. Things change so rapidly that it's important to stay connected with other writers to learn and grow together from each other. Just because you've been writing for years does not mean you know everything there is to know. While you may have expertise on one aspect of writing, another writer may be an expert in a different area. Get and keep clients by networking with other writers to share and discuss knowledge. This will keep you up to date in the online writing field. Plus, it can be a great deal of fun.


*I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network


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8 Musts on a Freelance Writer's Website

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

When freelancing for a living, a business website to refer clients to is a must. This is a simple and professional way to let clients know what services and expertise you can provide. But what information is essential to share? As one who has been freelancing for years, here are 8 things I feel are absolute musts on a freelance web writer's website.

Bio
A bio describing some of your experiences, interests, and areas of expertise should be included in a prominent area. This lets potential clients know exactly what you are all about. You want them to know this because it helps them decide if you may be what they are looking for. Would you rather hire a construction contractor who was upfront with their skills and experience or one who simply stated he was a contractor with no additional information? Freelance writing is no different.

Experience
Experience is touched on briefly above, but you may be wondering what to include. Experience can refer to degrees and it also can refer to work or research that you've done. For instance, are there special clients or media agencies you have worked for? Do you have a degree that contributes to what you produce as a freelance writer? How many years have you been freelancing? These are just some of the things you can discuss on your website.

Writing Samples
Potential clients will need to see what type of work you are capable of. It also is a good way to show your professionalism and skills to more people. You can still email samples to potential clients, but it will be much easier for both of you (and provide a wider reach) if you make these easily available on your website. Some may choose to display these as files that can be downloaded. Others may choose to link to work they've done around the web for various clients and content sites like Associated Content.

Contact Form
A contact form is an easy way for potential clients, as well as readers, to communicate with you. These are easy to set up and can be customized to fit your purpose. These forms will forward directly to your email address. It makes contacting a simple and quick process for those who visit your website. They also can help to cut down on spam requests, as many can be customized to track IP addresses, ask for a captcha code, and other preventative measures.

Blog
This is where you can engage and interact with your audience. It's where you can talk about different aspects of the writing business, give writing tips, and also give updates on your business ventures. Don't be afraid to add some fun things in every now and then. Who you went out with last night and what you did may not be a good topic for a blog on your business website, but adding an appropriate personal touch is good. It helps followers and potential clients connect with you.

RSS and Email Subscriptions
Freelance web writers should always have a way for their audience to stay updated on their work. RSS feeds and email subscriptions can be extremely helpful here. Some content sites that freelancers may write for already have RSS feeds available to the writer. These can be placed in widgets that allow readers to view or subscribe to the content via email or feed readers. Each time a piece of content is published to the feed, those who are subscribed will be updated. Making this available on your website can be helpful in building a following.

Social Media Connections
If you are using social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc) to increase your online presence or to make connections in the writing world, place those links on your business website. This will help people connect with you around the web and can be useful in creating a following. Not everyone is comfortable with every form of communication. Social media helps create a variety of ways to connect with your readership.

Interaction
Every freelance web writer should have some form of interaction on their website. RSS, blogs, and social media links are a few ways people can interact with you and the site. You may also want to have an advice page where readers can use a simple contact form to put in suggestions or ask advice that you can answer in upcoming articles. A forum is also a good source of interaction, but only create one if you have time to keep up with it. The main point is to have some way that readers can interact with you and/or your website. This will keep people coming back.


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*I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network

"Followed. Follow back, please." I and other fellow writers are probably just as sick of hearing those words as you are of typing them. Seriously. It's time for a new strategy because all that one does is make me NOT connect with you. Harsh? Possibly. Necessary? Yes.

Don't Make Demands or Expectations
If I see words of expectations or demands in comments on my profile or content, I ignore those users. To me, if you are the type of person that expects or demands things from people, you aren't my kind of people. Therefore, there's no need to check out your work. You'll have much better luck by leaving comments on my work or that of someone I read. I thoroughly enjoy seeking out and connecting with new members. However, if I am expected to or someone tries to force me to, it'll never happen.

Do Show Me Your Awesomeness
If you want me to check out your work, give me a good reason to instead of demanding or expecting that I follow back. Write good content that people will want to check out. The thing is, I am not going to connect with you just because you connected with me. That would be too many notifications to handle in a day, not to mention the fact that some would likely be spammers. No thanks. I connect back when I like the content or the person behind the content -- or both. Show me I should connect with you simply by doing what we writers do best.

Don't Connect With Me Just So I'll Do The Same
It's very obvious when people do this. Unless you actually have the intention of reading my work and aren't just seeking a follow back, don't bother connecting with me. A connection is worth nothing if you never intend to read the content posted by that member. I repeat, if you are only hitting that follow button just to see if I'll do the same, go away. Please. Umm, now. On the other hand, if you actually want to read my work, I'd love to have you around, of course. Just don't ever ask me to follow back. If you're any good, I'll likely do so naturally without the demand.

Just be you.
This goes back to showing me your awesomeness. I don't want to see you using techniques to get a reciprocal follow from me. I just want to see you. The uniqueness of each writer is what gets me to connect with them. A connect back request will prevent me from seeing that awesomeness because from that point on, you are invisible to me. But unique content, thoughtful comments, and a respectful attitude toward fellow members is very likely to win me over. Just be you and I just might connect back.

*I originally published this elsewhere (no longer published there).

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

As a long-time web writer who now also helps fellow writers succeed, people often ask me how to make more money. What are the best ways to succeed in web writing and how does one apply them for the maximum reward?

Maximize your content. Keep the rights to your content as often as possible and re-purpose it when you can. Many publications will accept non-exclusive work, which means you can do the work once and get paid for it repeatedly. Just be sure that the information stays up to date and syncs well with each publication it's submitted to. Even if you have ti make a few changes now and then, it will be easier than writing new content every time. While new content has its place as well, there's no reason you can't re-purpose existing content when appropriate.

Be flexible. We all have our own habits and methods. However, sometimes it pays to bend personal rules if it makes a client happy to do so. You of course want to always let a client know when you feel what they want isn't what's best for them. However, you should also be flexible in some of the ways you work so that may better provide the service in the way clients expect. They each will expect something different. Therefore, it pays to listen, keep an open mind, and be able to adapt to varying situations.

Meet or exceed deadlines and expectations. Happy clients will often be repeat customers, which means there will be more money lining your pockets (or your PayPal funds). A big part of keeping clients happy is meeting the deadlines and guidelines laid out in the contract. When you can do this every time -- and exceed expectations when possible, clients are more likely to use you again or even recommend you to others. Just like any other business, word of mouth can be paramount to making more money in web writing.

Spread your talent. Some people will be content with just one client. I've been there before. However, no matter how well one client pays, it's always good to have more than one. That way, if something happens unexpectedly, you don't lose all of your income. Keeping a variety of clients also provides more experience writing upon request in varying styles and topics.

All web writers need a website. I've said this many times before. But I will say it again and again. All writers need a website. Your website is where clients can find more about what you do and contact you for services. A good writer's website should include at the bare minimum a contact form, an online resume, samples, and a blog. For more on what to include, please read "8 Musts on a Freelance Writer's Website." If you use your site correctly, you'll be making more money just by having an easy way for clients to interact with you.

Maintain a blog on your professional website. As mentioned above, a blog is an essential part of a writer's website. In addition to helping fellow web writers succeed, keeping an active blog helps showcase what you can do to clients, which can lead to more money. Some things successful web writers can blog about include writing tips, marketing tips, information for clients, book releases, tour/book signing dates, events, and special features of your work. The possibilities are endless. Just keep it active and keep it relevant. The more you blog, the more traffic your site will get if you do it right. This can lead to more clients. Active writers generally make more money than those who are simply waiting around without action.


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5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Web Content

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

While it’s true that writing often can lead to a successful web writing career, that isn’t the only way to success. In fact, your business strategy should involve more than being productive. You should also know how to make the most of your existing content. As a career freelance writer and advocate to fellow web writers, I have years of experience doing just that.

Submit non-exclusive work as often as possible.

The more rights to your content that you can keep, the better. While exclusive pieces can sometimes net you more upfront, you won’t always make the most from exclusive work in that piece’s lifetime. If done right, evergreen (ever-relevant) non-exclusive work can net you more over time.

Save all of your work in more than one place.

Always have more than one copy of everything you write. For instance, if you save it in an online word/drive program (like Google Drive), make sure you also save it to your computer and also to a flash drive. This ensures that if something happens in one of those places, you’ll still have your work stored in another place. It never hurts to over-store your writing. But it can often hurt to under-store it. Just because one thing is reliable does not mean it always will be. At the very least, have your work stored in two places. But I recommend more, if possible.

Re-use your non-exclusive submissions whenever possible.

 The reason you want to submit your work as non-exclusive wherever possible is so that you can re-use that writing elsewhere. Many venues will accept work that has been previously published. This means that you can get more use out of one piece of content than if you had originally submitted it as exclusive. In fact, you can republish that content as many times as you wish if it isn’t exclusive to a particular venue or individual.

Keep your published content updated.

Generally, when you post content online, most of the time you’ll have access to keep it updated. This way, its “shelf-life” is longer. Links and information can get outdated. If you always keep your content as up-to-date as possible, readers will trust your work and you’ll be able to direct people to your content for longer periods of time. Many online venues pay per view. No one wants to look at stale content. But if your content stays updated, you can continue to promote it and keep people interested long after its original publication date.

Reference and promote your existing content often.

Don’t forget to link to existing content that is relevant to new things you publish. Also, when promoting new content, always remember to cycle promotion of your existing content as well. This keeps attention on your content for longer periods of time, which means more views and usually more money.

People often say “Work smarter, not harder”. I say “Work both smart and hard for the best results”.  You still have to write often to keep people interested. But making the most of your existing work will help you earn more from each piece of web writing you produce.

Photo Credit/Copyright: Lyn Lomasi

I originally published this elsewhere (no longer published there)

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

"Amy who?" If you get that question often, you need some help branding yourself. Have you ever thought about twitter? Perhaps you've tried twitter already but don't know how to brand your company with it. You're just talking to thin air, right? Wrong. If you use twitter correctly and tap into the available resources, you have access to a very wide audience. I've been using twitter to brand myself in several niche areas for years. So how do I do it?

Follow people who represent what you stand for. This is one of the most important ways to show people what your company is all about. If you want people to know you are involved in a particular activity, be involved in it everywhere, including twitter. One of my missions in life is to help rescue and bring appreciation to small animals. Anyone who knows me, even for a second, knows this. Why? I put it out there. I talk about it, write about it, have a web page about it, facebook about it, and yes, twitter about it with a twitter account dedicated to that alone. On that account, I interact with other animal lovers. Following and keeping up with these people not only shows I'm involved, but it keeps me up to date with what's going on in that niche area.

Tweet tips about your purpose. If your purpose is to bring attention to homelessness and you're tweeting about your new cat and his cute tricks, you are targeting the wrong audience. It's one thing to have random fun posts. But most of your posts should be related to the niche you want to brand yourself or your company in. Otherwise, your followers will be very confused as to what exactly you represent. Do people need to ask what your purpose is? Do your followers often have nothing to do with your niche? If so, work on tweeting more about your purpose, lest you branded for something completely unrelated, such as silly things cats do, instead of fighting homelessness.

Tweet links to more information. This shows your followers you know what you're talking about. An authority on a topic should have an outlet where the topic is further discussed. This could be a blog, a website, a facebook page, or all of the above. Tweeting these links helps to brand your name (or company name) to a niche topic because it shows activity on a particular topic. I am well-known for my parenting and pet content. Why? I live it, write about it, and share content about it regularly. Those links go out to twitter every single time so that followers know what I stand for. When your followers know what you're about, they will start to look forward to this information. That's when you know you've done a good job branding. But don't stop. Keep up the momentum.

Use hashtags that represent your purpose. This helps readers and potential followers find your tweets. If you tweet about homelessness, you might use the tags #poverty, #homeless, or #homelessness after your tweet to indicate what you're talking about. If you do this with every single tweet, people come to associate you or your brand with the topic. To reach the maximum amount of people, experiment and search twitter for various hashtags that mean the same thing. Choose the ones that produce the most results. The more people that regularly use a hashtag word or phrase, the better.

Use hashtags that represent your brand. You can also take it a step further and create tags that represent your company or name. Place those tags, as well as other related tags, in every tweet so that it's easier for people to find you and associate you with certain topics. I add #LynLomasi in many tweets that I want associated with my brand. One of my websites is called Life Successfully. When I tweet about something I want branded to that website, I use the hashtag #LifeSuccessfully.

There are many ways to brand yourself on twitter. Be clear and consistent in the methods you choose to gain the most positive results. Be fair and don't spam too many links or over post. That will actually cause you to lose followers, rather than gain them. Be authentic and use twitter to enhance what you already believe in.

**Photo Credit: Lyn Lomasi

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E Media Staff

OK, so those of you who know me real well probably figured this one out a long time ago. But for those who haven’t or just don’t know me, I’m an extreme multitasker. When I say extreme, I really mean it. No exaggeration here.

A normal work day for me is something like this: Do a couple hours of work for my F/T job, open a bunch of tabs in FireFox that consist of all my social media outlets and possibly some research and other stuff too, open a bunch of blank docs all at once and write about half of them, possibly eat sometime in between, do 6 more hours of my F/T career, fill up the other half of those blank docs with more awesome writing from my head (hey, writers write), take care of a bunch of kids and pets during that time, and more.

Wait, there’s more? Of course there’s more. There’s always more when you’re talking about me and there’s always a way to squeeze something else in. Don’t I ever get overwhelmed? Every now and then I will have a frustrated moment, but generally, no.

I thrive on having multiple tasks at once. It’s when I am at my happiest. This is true in all aspects of my life, not just work. If I actually watch TV (rare for me), you can bet I am doing something else too, like writing an article, playing a game with kids, or talking on the phone with a friend – most likely all of the above.

When it comes to pretty much everything, I don’t do just one thing. I just don’t. OK, so if someone I care about asks me to, I’ll deal with it. But I don’t prefer it at all. Yup I am an extreme multitasker and I love it.

But, give me a little credit for still being able to live while I do all this. My kids and I have many awesome adventures regularly. Also, I did recently just slim down my app notifications by miles.

Do you multitask? Why or why not?

Photo Credit: Lyn Lomasi
(Photo is free to use for both commercial and non-commercial purposes with credit to Lyn Lomasi as the photographer and a link back to this page as the source)

 I originally published this elsewhere (no longer published there)

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

Most who know me will know that I spend a considerable amount of time utilizing social media. I still will. It’s essential to the work I do and is a significant method for keeping in touch with those I care about. However, starting tonight, I’ve decided to go about it in a different way. I’m minimizing my mobile notifications for Facebook and Twitter – specifically, the SMS (text) ones… and yes, I can feel the shock coursing through the veins of anyone who knows me personally, as they read that statement.

SMS is Outdated and Unnecessary
Why the heck am I getting both text alerts and push notifications for the same exact things on Facebook? I receive several types of push notifications. Two of those include email and Facebook – and I get Facebook alerts in my email too. This means I am getting three notifications for the same updates (email, Facebook app, and SMS). Why? This is a bit excessive. At first, it was a precaution to be sure I don’t miss anything important. However, there hasn’t yet been a time when any of those methods has failed. Besides, with push notifications coming directly from the Facebook app, SMS is actually quite outdated, not to mention unnecessary. Why would I choose text alerts when the push notifications get me directly to the update in the Facebook app? The text notification leads to the mobile web version of Facebook, which is not how I prefer to access Facebook. I prefer the app because the features are better and it loads faster.

Text Alerts Are Annoying
My poor loved ones have to hear the constant annoyance that is my text alert going off literally every second sometimes. This is ridiculous and I’m putting an end to it. In fact, it’s even starting to annoy me and I’m the one who set it up that way. Yes, some of the notifications are important – some. But as I mentioned above, I’m already getting them via my mobile device in other ways. So the SMS is really just an unnecessary annoyance and distraction. Text messages that happen all the time are not cool and neither are those that wake people up in the middle of the night, unless they are an emergency. I don’t need to receive a text message every time a friend or business updates their status on Facebook or tweets on Twitter. I check those that matter via apps or my laptop anyhow. Seeing them more than once is annoying and takes time away from more important things.

My Family Deserves More Attention
I am a mother first before anything and these notifications can be a distraction. I’m not the type to ignore my kids. But glancing at my phone less is something they’ll likely appreciate. The same could be said for my lover, friends, and other family. I’m sure everyone in my life wouldbe very happy if there were fewer reasons for me to glance at my phone during fun activities. I still get things done and if you ask any of them, they’ll tell you I’m very loving and attentive. However, it’s just the principle of the matter.

I’m Hoping for More Productivity
I added so many notifications to increase productivity. Those who know me will also know that I am extremely productive. They’ll probably also be shocked if I can increase that and wonder how I can do that with fewer notifications. If you remember what I said above, you’ll remember that I am getting the same notifications more than once. Therefore, this should actually save me some time. If I’m being honest, I actually don’t look at every notification. However, I do sometimes look at the same ones in more than one place. So taking these away will end that possibility.

My Cell Phone Battery Dies Too Quickly
More notifications equal less battery juice. The whole point of a cell phone is having it available for use at any time. That becomes less possible if I am on the go and for some reason am unable to charge my phone for a lengthy time period. My cell phone battery often dies quickly because I have so many notifications coming in every direction. Cutting off most of the SMS alerts will help remedy a great deal of that issue. Twitter and Facebook notifications come to my phone so often that if I stop receiving text alerts for even five minutes, I know that my phone is having issues and I need to restart it. It’s cool to have that indicator, but at the same time, that’s just too much. In addition to reasons stated above, I need my cell phone to keep its juice.

Certain SMS and Mobile Alerts Are Staying
Because some people do rely on me for emergency situations, certain alerts will still come to me via SMS. However, most will not. For instance, Twitter DMs will stay for people I follow back because those people rarely DM me unless it’s important and about work. I need those SMS notifications, as I do not receive push notifications for anything Twitter-related. But Twitter notifications for specific people and companies will likely go away. I really don’t need to know every time every entity I follow posts to Twitter. But I do need to know when someone needs assistance.

In short, I’m cutting off many of my mobile notifications for family, life, and business purposes. Therefore, if you notice me slowing down on responding to less important things, that could be part of it. I love all of my friends on both sites. But there’s a point where too much is just…well, too much.

**Photo Credit: Lyn Lomasi

I originally published this on BUBBLEWS (no longer published there)

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

Because of my career choices (and because it became quite fun), I found myself spending tons of time on Facebook daily. Although I have the application on my phone AND receive text and email notifications, I would always have at least one tab open in FireFox with something from Facebook. But lately that has changed and here’s why.

I’m busier with other aspects of my career. I offer a good portion of support surrounding my work via Facebook. There is also much more to it than Facebook support. Once I answer what is necessary there, I simply have to go away to get other things done, such as answering emails, writing articles, writing reports, publishing, editing, and so much more. Sometimes that means I can’t answer my friends right away. But I will always answer eventually.

I’m spending more time with family. Summer break is over and my younger kids are back in school (the older ones are in homeschool). That means that when I pick them up from school in the afternoon, once I’m finished with my work, they want my attention. They haven’t seen me all day. Therefore, they want and deserve my attention. I love my family and friends on Facebook too and I do my best to keep up with everyone. But as any parent knows, the kids must come first. I’m a single mommy as well, which adds to their need for me to be there.

I’m doing more things that keep me away from Facebook. Blogging is one of the things I like to do that keeps me away from Facebook. You may get an indicator that I’m online and think I’m available to talk. But really, I’m probably in another tab on FireFox posting to my blogs. Or maybe I locked the computer screen instead of turning it off and I’m actually gone walking the dogs on the trail. I’m a busy person, both in work and play. While I do have Facebook installed on my phone, it isn’t always appropriate to check it, depending on what I’m doing. For instance, if I’m cuddling up to someone I love while watching a scary or suspenseful movie, I’m sorry, but I’m not checking Facebook. My phone is probably on silent in the other room with the screen locked and I probably won’t see it for a while.

I’ve organized my notifications to prioritize work and family. Another thing I’ve done on Facebook is create lists, as well as organize my notifications in various ways. This means, I look at things related to work and family first. Then, I answer other things, based on time, as well as urgency. Sometimes I even miss things because I get thousands of notifications daily. Also, if you message me and I’m not your friend on Facebook, your messages are likely not going to show up in my regular inbox. They’ll probably be in my “Other’ inbox, which I don’t check as often because honestly, sometimes I forget about it. I have strict filtering activated on Facebook, due to spam issues.

I just don’t have the time. I know that many of my Facebook friends are used to me responding as soon as they send messages, tag me, or leave a post on my wall. But the thing is, it has gotten to a point where there are just so many that I can no longer do that every time and still have time for everything else going on in my life. There was a point where I couldn’t stand to leave anything unanswered longer than a couple minutes. Now, it can sometimes take a couple days or more for me to reply to a message. There are just so many of them and so many other things going on in my life that I just don’t have the time anymore to spend so much time on Facebook.

Nowadays, aside from career-related support and tasks and conversing with my closest family and friends, I haven’t been doing much on Facebook. Although, I usually do come in at random times and meme-bomb my wall. I’ll look in my favorite lists I’ve created from various pages rather than the regular newsfeed and I’ll post a bunch of memes in a row and then leave. Hey, I can’t help it! They’re funny! Facebook is supposed to be fun!

**Photo Credit: Lyn Lomasi

I originally published this elsewhere (no longer published there)

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

I've been using Facebook for several years now. I don't know if people are getting ruder or I just never noticed or experienced it before. But lately, it seems that people are getting extremely pushy about everything under the sun. Don't get me wrong, I spout my causes there too. But sometimes it isn't what you do, but how you do it. Or maybe I'm just being picky again. You tell me.

Have you ever had a friend complain about something you posted on your Facebook wall? I'm not talking about posts which would be against the law – and in some cases, the posts are not even controversial, as far as I know. I'm merely talking about the everyday things in which you're interested. By complaining, I don't mean disagreeing, which is normal and fine. I've actually had people demanding in private messages, emails, and even directly on posts that I don't post certain things, like animals needing to be rescued or reputable scientific information. And I'm not even posting anything graphic. This is happening with normal pictures of sheltered animals and other normal, everyday things.

From shelter animals to scientific information and everything in between, people are actually attempting to dictate what I post on my own Facebook wall. I can surely understand people disagreeing with me – and I don't expect everyone to agree with what I post. In fact, I love a good discussion because it's how we all learn things. I post what I do because it's me, not because I want it to be you or I want you to believe what I do. I also post it because maybe someone else out there relates to me and it helps them feel they are not so alone in this world.

To me, my Facebook wall is like my home. In my home, I feel comfortable to freely be me and this is what I do on my Facebook wall as well. If you don't like what I do in my home, then why stay? We can hang out elsewhere or not at all. I am not forcing anyone to come into my home – or in this case, to look at my Facebook posts. No one should feel unwelcome in their own home and lately, it seems that certain people would like to make me feel this way on my own Facebook wall. Sorry to tell you, but that game doesn't work on me. Feel free to hide my feed or unfriend me if I'm really all that annoying. But please don't tell me what I can and cannot post, especially since the same is respected for you from my end.

I've already moved on from the effects of those who have done this and continue to post what interests me. However, I hope that if anyone else is getting the same, this post will help them not feel so alone – and possibly motivate them to speak up about it too. Bullying or attempting to control others in any form is not okay.

Has anyone ever asked you not to post certain things on your own Facebook wall?

Photo Credit: Lyn Lomasi

I originally published this on BUBBLEWS (no longer published there)

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

Comments from readers can make a person laugh, cry, or even stare off into confusion. Readers can do anything from asking genuine questions to trolling posts and leaving comments to get a purposeful rise out of the author or other readers. Should web writers answer reader comments? I've written on this topic before but it's been a while and is a good time for a refresher course, as well as some new information.

Is responding to your readers allowed?
Depending on where you are doing your web writing, responding to readers may not be allowed. If you are writing for a website or blog other than your own, be sure to know the terms and what is and isn't allowed. Some venues encourage commentary between authors and readers, while others prefer that only the readers do the commenting.

Is the comment genuine?
Before you lay your fingers on that keyboard to draft a response, consider whether the commentary left is genuine or not. Does the reader appear to be truly curious about the subject or does something seem off? Sometimes readers may leave comments meant to reel you in, so to speak. Consider the motive behind the comment before deciding about responding to it.

Is your response reactionary or truthful?
Are you just responding a certain way in a moment of frustration or passion or are you being completely truthful? Be genuine and true if you are going to respond to your readers. If you can't be truthful, there's no sense in engaging readers via the comment section. Sometimes what you want to say at first may not be totally in line with the way you truly feel after some thinking. Some comments don't really need a response and many times you'll find that your readers will come along and defend you if the comments seem to call for it. You won't have to say anything because they will do that for you. Of course, I am one who really doesn't care what people think of me, so I generally don't feel the need to be defensive anyway.

Is your response useful?
Don't waste your time typing up a response that isn't going to benefit your readership in some way. If your reader is asking about lizard care, there's no point in answering questions about your college degree, unless you graduated from some lizard specialty school and it's relevant to the questions at hand. A helpful comment section will include questions and information that adds to what is available within the article itself.

Is your response helpful or hurtful to your desired image?
Is the language and context you present in your commentary what you want to present to readers and potential clients? I personally am my true self no matter where I am. Therefore, I don't worry about this one too much. I know that I am not going to say anything that I wouldn't say in front of anyone, including business contacts. But if you know that you don't have the same awareness and control, be sure to examine what you are posting before hitting that comment button. Some people may find it helpful to type up potential comments in a document and read it aloud before posting.


At the end of the day, if you are truly comfortable with what you are posting and it is acceptable to the venue, readers do appreciate interacting with writers. Therefore, if done correctly according to your personal standards, this could actually boost your career.

Photo Credit: Lyn Lomasi

I originally published this elsewhere (no longer published there).

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

Try doing a Yahoo search on anything related to freelance writing jobs and you’ll pull up a multitude of opportunities, many of them scams. The simplest way to tell if one’s a scam is that it usually starts with “make easy money” just like any other scam. While it’s true that some aspects of a freelance writing career will become easy to an experienced writer over time, freelance writing as a whole is NOT an easy full time career path. But it’s worth it.

As a full time freelance writer, I used to spend countless sleepless nights thinking, researching, and typing out the results endlessly. Wait, “used to”? If I’m no longer a full time freelance writer, what do I know? The thing is, I spent years as a full time freelance writer and I slowed down, not because of the lack of money or interest, but because I wanted to help other freelance writers. That’s right. Now my full time job is helping others do what I did. But I still write almost full time as well. Therefore, I assure you, you can trust my experience.

Some people think “Oh, I can write. My poems from high school are great. I should be a writer.” And if that’s you, writing might be a good career choice for you. But just keep in mind that writing for the web and writing a poem here and there are two entirely different things. Freelance writing as a full time career path will involve writing for a considerable amount of time most days. Decide which you REALLY want to do and do that.

Writing for the web as a full time freelance writer is hard work. Yes, work. Forget all those scammers out there telling you it’s easy. Yes, it’s easy for them at first because they’re copying and pasting the text that I (or another talented writer) put real time and heart into in order to create it. But it no longer becomes easy for them when we decide to pursue it legally.

Ah yes, there’s another thing about freelance writing. You’re not JUST a writer. You’re a writer, researcher, marketer, CEO, manager, self-appointed attorney, and many other things.

The first part – the actual writing – may come easy to you sometimes and maybe even most of the time. But there will be days when you may not be able to form a complete sentence no matter how many deadlines you’re facing or how much money is on the line. Even for writers who seem to just sprout creative words in an instant, writing all day every day can become difficult. And you WILL need to write very often (among other things) in order to make the most money at web writing.

I know what you’re thinking because it’s me as well. I definitely said it too. You’re saying “but I love writing. I already write all day long, nonstop. I can do this.” If so, then you probably can, just like me. However, keep in mind that even you will likely have days where you just can’t. Also keep in mind that everything you write, though it may come from your heart, is for someone else. And, while you are in charge of yourself, you do still have to actually work. Otherwise, what are you getting paid for?

Up until this point, I may have turned some people off already because it sounds like a big complaint. But heck no! I love what I do and wouldn’t trade it for the world. The thing is, if you’re going to be in the business, someone needs to tell you the real facts. Yes, I can spend more time with my kids (human and fur variety). Yes, I make a fairly decent income when I’m consistent with it. But it does take real work and effort and if you can’t commit to that, this is NOT the career for you because if you stop working, the money stops coming.

For me, the benefits of staying home with my kids, the satisfaction of knowing my words may help people, being able to finally start saving some money, and some of the other things directly related to being a freelance writer are worth the hard work. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.

Still want to be a freelance writer? If you said yes, I commend you. Feel free to reach out to me on my Facebook page for help getting started: facebook.com/LynLomasi

(No, I’m not going to charge you anything for advice, unlike those scammers out there looking for a quick buck. NEVER pay for work. You’re the one working. YOU should be the one getting paid.)

**Photo Credit/Copyright: Lyn Lomasi

I originally published this here on BUBBLEWS (no longer published there)

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

Help! I can't stop writing! I told myself I wouldn't write anything for a couple days - you know, actually take a break for more than errands and doing things with the kids. Well, here I am doing it anyway. Writing is such an addiction. I am so addicted to writing that I asked Facebook friends for tips on how not to be productive. Then, it came to me. I could write an article about not being able to stop writing. See, I'm doing it again! It's a never-ending cycle.

Every time I do something - anything - an article idea arises. So much for not writing today. I guess I'll have to try again tomorrow or would that be the following day instead? This is my life as a natural born writer and natural born multitasker. Sure it's my career. But I love writing so much I want to do it all the time. No, I don't just want to. I have to. I even write tips on how other people can write more often like I do.

Oh no! Somebody stop me! I'm spreading the workaholic addiction! I even became a volunteer Community Guide (and later, community staff) at Yahoo! Contributor Network so I could teach others my addictive techniques. What will I do next (queue scary music)? Ooh, it is getting close to Halloween. Time to start writing some Halloween articles. See what I mean, the ideas just never end!

Natural multitasking and a love for writing is a very dangerous combination. I should know. I have mastered writing large numbers of articles quickly and even writing on multiple computers to speed productivity.

Can somebody please help? Seriously. Alright, in all honesty, I really don't want help on this front. But wait, doesn't that prove the addiction even further? Oh well. I'm already too far gone for help at this point.

OK, so I'm just having fun and it's not really that bad. But sometimes us writers do wish we could turn off the ideas in our heads just for a little while. Writing does feed and clothe my family and it keeps me really happy. A happy mom is a good mom, right? Yes, that's it! See, I don't need help at all!

So what should I write about next? Oh, never mind, I have plenty of ideas already!

**Photo Credit: Lyn Lomasi

** I originally published this content at Yahoo! Voices on July 17, 2010.

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

No offense meant to the writers this applies to. But I have been doing this a long time and am a natural observer. I've noticed that oftentimes the writers who have the most interaction from readers are those that update their profiles, especially photos. I mean, who wants to look at the same picture for years, no matter how good looking it might be?

When you update your profile photo often, it shows that you are active and it also gives readers something fresh to look at. Think of your profile photo just as you would your written content. Random browsers may find an older photo or piece of content interesting. But those faithful followers need something new to look at or they might wander somewhere else more interesting. Yes, most of what readers will be focused on is the written content. However, it does help when the author photo is shiny and interesting. People on the interwebs like shiny things. It's a given -- and new shinies appear often.

How often do you update your profile photo? Have you observed the same things I have? Tell us about your experiences in the comment section.

Photo Credit/Copyright: Lyn Lomasi

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

If you browsed my Facebook wall (or other social media sites I am a member of) and hadn't before (or were not made aware of what I do), you might quickly become confused. Why? I often share work written by my friends as well as what I create myself. This means some topics might conflict with my personal viewpoints and other things posted -- and that's okay. However, it is confusing to some people and I receive questions about it often.

Here's the deal. Freelance writers often get paid based on page views. Therefore, I frequently share to help them out once I have read a piece. Sometimes I agree with the points made in my friends' articles and sometimes I don't. I don't always share based on topic because I can disagree with a topic and still feel the article has value. Even if someone doesn't agree with me, they have a right to speak their mind as well. Unless it's harmful to others, opinion doesn't affect my choice to share the link to someone's work on various social networks.

My strategy for reading when my friends do the same is to click what I'm interested in and ignore the rest. It's silly to send a message to someone asking them not to post certain things. Yes, I have had that happen: (http://www.articlewriterforhire.com/1/post/2013/10/please-dont-tell-me-what-to-post-on-facebook.html). I realize I do share lots of stuff on social sites. Please ignore what you aren't interested in and only share what you are. After all, sharing should be organic, not forced.

What's your sharing strategy? Do you use opinion as one of the deciding factors in sharing content on social media?

Photo Credit/Copyright: Lyn Lomasi

I originally published this on BUBBLEWS (no longer published there)

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

"Please subscribe to my work. I promise I will read yours too." Those are words many web writers hear on a daily basis. But should those words be put to rest? In mentoring fellow writers, I often get asked about promotion. Many times people ask me what to do. Now I'm going to tell you what not to do. Here are 5 of the many marketing no-nos for web writers.

Don't blast the same links on twitter all day long.

Not only is this annoying, it is considered spamming and can get you banned from twitter. It makes me cringe when I see fellow writers sharing the exact same article link every hour all day long. If you want to reshare an article, wait for another day or share it elsewhere, not continuously in the same space. The same goes for when you're sharing on other social networks or anywhere else you promote your links. Oversharing could be a TOS violation. When you violate one thing, readers and clients may question your ethics.

Don't use social networks purely for link posting.

If you join a social site, then be social. Posting only links is not considered being social. Even if you click on links others post, you still aren't being social. Have conversations. Participate in the community. If you aren't going to do anything but post links, then you are probably promoting to dead air space because that's considered spamming.

Don't demand reciprocation.

If you follow another writer's work, don't expect them to follow yours. Sure, they might want to return the favor or they might like your work. But just because you read their work does not mean they are required to read yours. Think about it from their perspective. How do you feel when people expect you to do something? It's not a fair way to treat people. Instead of asking for or demanding reciprocation, leave people to make their own decisions about your writing.

Don't expect family and friends to read everything you write.

This is something many web writers will deal with. It's definitely a good feeling when family members and friends want to read your work. But don't make them feel as if they have to. Not everyone is going to understand your passion for writing. That doesn't mean they don;t support you. They may just have other interests. It's one thing to drop a quick link on facebook where everyone you know can see it. It's quite another to repeatedly email the same links to family members and friends.

Don't use shady promotional tactics.

If you want readers and clients to take you seriously, avoid certain marketing tactics. Selling traffic traffic clicks, using pyramid schemes, and other such promotional tactics may sound tempting at first. But these type of marketing campaigns are often frowned upon and are even against the TOS of many content sites and publications. Keep the trust of your clients and readers by only using trusted promotional techniques. Your clients will trust your work ethics when your traffic is verifiable and your readers will trust what you say if you are ethical in all your actions.

**Photo Credit: Lyn Lomasi

**I originally published this content on Yahoo! Voices on July 5, 2011

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

You get all excited to share your latest piece from Bubblews or other sites and you hit that recommend button. But while some people can see it in your activity, unless you do it a certain way it will never hit the newsfeed of many of your friends, nor will it post to your wall. Why?

If you've hit that recommend button only to see the recommend is not posting to your wall, you're doing it wrong if you wanted it there. The solution is actually a simple one. You might even smack yourself for not thinking of it after I tell you.

The recommend button is meant for telling people how you feel about a particular topic. When you hit that button, a box pops up for sharing to your Facebook account. If you just hit the button to post to your wall without leaving a comment, the recommendation goes into your activity. But it will not post to your wall.

That's right. In order to get it to post to your wall (thus be seen by more of your friends), you need to leave a comment with it. As long as there is text placed in that box before hitting the button to post it, the recommend will then post to your wall and be seen in more newsfeeds.

Yup, that's truly all there was to it. That's the huge secret. Test it out. You're welcome.

What are some of your Facebook sharing secrets? Let us know in the comment section.

Photo Credit/Copyright: Lyn Lomasi

I originally published this on BUBBLEWS (no longer published there)

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

Are you competing too much with your peers? Trying to keep up with their writing success so you can match or exceed it? If so, you're doing it wrong. Completely. Why are you in competition with your writing peers when you can empower them instead?

But Lyn, if I empower my peers, they'll beat me at my own game, won't they? I know that's what you're going to ask because it's been asked of me countless times.

I've been in web writing a long time. There is no competition. I repeat, we are not here to compete with each other. Be unique. Be you. Be true. Be helpful. But don't be a poor sport. The most successful web writers work together as a team to help each other succeed. Trust me, there is plenty of work for us all and then some. There is no shortage of content needs and each writer has their own style and topic strengths.

Empower your writing peers by teaching them what you know, as well as encouraging them when you can tell they need a push. What's in it for me, you say? If you're actually asking this question, you just don't get it. It's not about credit or paybacks. It's about working together to empower each other and build something awesome, be it a large venue or a small blog where a few of  you contribute.

What if someone helps you and can't help them? Once again, this isn't about paybacks. It's about working as a team. If you want to be of service, pay it forward to another writer who could use the kind of help you offer.

have you empowered a fellow writer today? If not, get on it!

By Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

Do you actually make money with your writing? It's just for fun or because you're bored, right? How do you pay your bills when you just play on the computer all day? These are the types of questions i get from people interested in learning how to make the most money in web writing. Often they are skeptical, thinking that a decent income is impossible in this business.

You need a website. Some will tell you this isn't necessary. But, I repeat: All web writers need a website. While you can definitely make money writing online without having your own website, you're likely to earn more money if you do. Sometimes my clients find me via the various companies I publish with but they tend to visit my website even if they find me elsewhere. Your website should be a place where clients can learn more about what you do, find out your rates, and contact you for services. Without a website, that's more questions they will need to ask you and some will skip over authors they can't research more readily.  You can even place an easy to reference online resume page on your website to save your potential clients more time.

Query, submit, query, submit.. To keep your name out there, you need to be actively querying new outlets, as well as submitting to existing clients. For instance, if you have signed up with two sites that allow freelancers to submit work, keep those sites active. But in addition, query for other work and sign up for additional sites as often as possible. It is always better to have an overload of opportunities you can pass on to your writer friends than to have none at all.

Publish, publish, publish. Like querying and submitting, do what you can to make sure you are publishing as often as possible. The more your name gets seen in writing, the more potential clients will see you. If one venue is not publishing your submissions as fast as they say they will, don't be afraid to pull them for publication elsewhere if beneficial.

Always have multiple clients and venues available. It is perfectly valid to post the most often with the venue or client that will publish your writing most often. Just be sure you do still have some variety where possible, as variety keeps your name spread around and keeps you learning varied experiences. To make the most money in online writing, you need to be sure that if things are slow or undesirable with one venue or client, you still have other revenue possibilities.

Be yourself. When you see a successful writer, it is easy to fall into line and try to mimic what they are doing. There is only one of each individual. The better strategy is to use some of their techniques and apply them to yourself. Be smart, but also be original and unique. Be you. If you think about the people you look up to in web writing, most likely you will be able to say that there is no one quite like them. The writers that are honest with and about themselves -- and in their experience are most likely to succeed. Copycats will eventually show their true colors -- usually in their work.

Be flexible and choose appropriate work. Clients can sometimes be particular about what they want. It is normal to make suggestions you feel will be helpful. But the end result should always be something your clients are satisfied with. To avoid conflicts in this area, choose topics and workloads suited to your personal experience and preferences and leave the other work for someone else.

Be adaptable. The world of web writing can be largely unpredictable as far as what works at the moment. Smart web writers stay prepared for changes to occur and adapt with the changes instead of running from them. Because the world and the web are ever-changing, it is important to stay up to date with the best current strategies and marketable skills. Those writers who are willing to go the extra mile in preparation are the ones that will continue to succeed now and into the future. 

More from Lyn:

Web Writing Tips: Forming Ideas

Web Writing Tips: Risks are Necessary to Succeed

Simple, Effective Ways to Enhance Your Brand

Why would online article writers need a website if many article submission sites allow a professional profile? This is a question I get asked often when I mention the idea. Learn some of the many reasons all freelance web writers need a website of their own.

Writer's Resume

When applying for online writing jobs and gigs, reference links and/or a resume are often required. This will be much simpler for those with a website. Some may create an area where a client can download their resume by requesting the link. Others may post links to samples. Yet others may do both or handle it another way. Online article writers need a website in order to reference their work all in one place.

Professionalism

Professionalism is key, even though you don't see your clients face-to-face when writing online. A freelance writer's website is like a virtual resume, meeting place, and office at the same time. This is where you can let your clientele know you are professional by including all of the right things. A bio, samples, and a contact page are just a few. Read "8 Musts on a Freelance Writer's Website" for more details on those and other must-include items for professionalism.

Info Source

Even if a client finds your work elsewhere, they may want to know more than they can find in a limited bio attached to your profile on a content site. This is where your website comes in handy. Many content sites allow article writers to place a link to their website in their profile or bio. Also, be sure to link to it from any blogs or other profiles you have. Giving clients (both potential and current) a place to find more information about you as a person and as a writer is very beneficial to them as well as to your writing career.

Announcements

If you have any big writing projects, off days, exciting news, etc it can be posted to your website. Of course you don't want to announce information that is too personal, but a web writer's website can serve as a great way to spread the word. Doing this has many benefits. Some include letting clients see that you are accomplishing things, engaging with your audience, and also depending on the announcement it might bring in more readers or clientele.

File Storage

Depending on how much bandwidth your site allows, this can be a great place to store certain files. Of course you still need a hard copy backup, but storing them in a secure, hidden location on your website can help you keep everything related to your online article writing all in one spot. This also can free up space on your computer if you'd rather not have the files there. Just be sure, as mentioned above to keep a hard copy if you go this route.