by R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network

I feel as if it should be unnecessary to say, but writers are people, too!

A lot of people seem to feel writers lead double lives. One life is “real” and the other is some online life where we can seem infinitely more interesting. Sure, some writers use pen names and sometimes even create alter-egos online. That’s fine. Artists have been doing this for centuries. Writing is most certainly an art.

Whether writers use their real names or not, writers are real people. It’s easy sometimes to forget many writers are just looking for new ways to connect with people through the things they love. While a writer may have a pen name or even an alter ego, online life and real life are unavoidably linked.

Oftentimes, web writing and blogging are often seen as a “get rich quick” appeal. But, for most of us, that’s not it at all. For most writers, web writing is a creative outlet. It’s often a necessary stress reliever. It’s also a way to say things we may not find ourselves able to say in everyday conversation.

For those of us who aren’t social in so-called “real life,” some of us really need web writing to network. But networking in online writing is no less real or fake that in “real life.” Sure, some people on the web are genuine, and others are just looking out for themselves. That’s no different than any “real life” social gathering, though. It’s just easier to be anonymous online, and while that’s certainly a thing in itself, it doesn’t make it not “real life.”

While there are certainly major differences between interacting face-to-face and through a computer or mobile device, they are no more or less real. Even in “real life,” we have facades. Sure, online, it’s often more for safety purposes. But, so is the case in real life. There are other reasons, too, that deserve their own treatments. Really, online people are often allowed to express themselves more freely. The online writing world is so vast now that you can always find new connections.

Really, online writing and blogging allow you to socially network in ways that Facebook, Twitter, and so on can only begin to allow you to do. Blogging gives you a home base, so to speak, to build your own personal social network. You can do this in real life, too, with clubs and other social groups. The only difference online is the people you’re connecting with can be a world away.

Writers are people, too, and online writing is “real life,” too!

by R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network

There's a myth out there that content writing is easy. Yes, when you start writing online, you can write about whatever you want. But,don’t think that online writing doesn't need lots of thought or effort put into it. You can’t just type whatever comes to you and hit 'publish' and expect it to be good web writing.

Content Writing is NOT Easy

Technically, you can write whatever you want online. But as with anything, the more thought and effort you put into your web writing, the better results you’ll get out of it. So, while you can write content on any topic, you need to be sure that you write it in a way that people can find it

You don’t have to write the perfect post every time, though. Yes, there are those of us that can whip out a blog post in 15-20 minutes, slap a Creative Commons or public domain photo on it, give it a snazzy title, and publish it with an immediate audience.

But, is that true of most online writers? Certainly not.

Write Fast, Fix Later

There are writers who can write 1000 words in 20 minutes. But don't feel bad if you can't write that fast right now. It takes LOTS of practice to be able to write so quickly. For me, it was years of journal writing that started back in junior high. But, what helped me the most over the years was retyping my journals into the computer. It helped me practice typing. Also, it also made me rethink how I worded things.

Obviously, when you’re writing in your own journal, you're not going to be as cognizant of how you're wording things. You're just going to write whatever comes to you. It seems that a lot of people think that writing perfect prose just comes naturally to web writers. That’s not true. For every post I whip out in 15-30 minutes, there are five more on my back burner. Of these five, three or four of those will likely end up scrapped.

There are also plenty of articles I whip out, then go back and revise. Online writers are always tweaking. After all, what you write is live to the world. If you’re not happy with it, you’re going to change it. You want to always show something that is strong work. Even if it’s not your best, you want it to be something you’re fine with having your name associated with when it comes to web writing.

Write Ahead, Always Be Ahead

To make up for those times where the writing flow isn’t working, many online writers write ahead. This is why you see so many web writers hammer out a lot of posts at once. That way, you can go back and decide if something is ready to publish or not.

It’s easy to have an idea that you’re not sure how to optimize for search. That’s fine. Write it first, then figure out your keywords. It’s easier to SEO a post after getting it completely written. While many people write to keywords, I usually write first, then keyword later. It sounds backwards, but it helps me to just get words out and not sound like an article spinning machine.

Still, everyone's writing process is different. Some of us take a lot of time to craft the best blog post that we can. When I have a post that I really want to come out the right way, it can be a long process. That post can take days or even weeks to get published online.

What Makes a Good Article or Blog Post?

There is plenty of thought that goes into articles and blog posts. A lot of it is research. Not only are you fact-checking or looking for additional info, but you have to know if that post is going to actually get interest. Will this topic resonate with your intended audience? Is it a subject people will even care about? There's so much going on behind the writing that most people never think about.

Sure, you can just sit there and use a blog as your journal. That's perfectly fine. I used to do web writing that way. That’s when I just wanted to connect with others through online writing without really thinking about it as a career. Web writers should just do whatever works for them. But, if you want to take your web writing to another level, that’s when you have to start treating it with far more care.

Yes, it's absolutely a myth that web writing doesn't require a lot of time and effort. It really does, especially when you're trying to grow it. Just starting a blog and writing anything takes time and effort. Even if you’re just writing for fun, it's never as easy as it looks! After all you're putting something out to the general worldwide public. That’s nothing to sneeze at!

So, the old saying “if you blog, they will come” isn't exactly true. You have to put in a lot of time and effort for a blog or website to live on. For those that can do it consistently, be proud of them for doing something they love! If you have the passion to put extra thought into effort into everything you publish online, there will be a pay-off in the end.

by R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network

People have an instinctual need to communicate and share experiences. It may be through creating art such as painting or drawing. For many others, it involves having conversations with friends or family. But, the most effective and most broadly-reaching method of communication is writing.

Of course, much human communication turns to gossip. While gossip can be fun, it can also be dangerous. Gossip leads to the spread of often inaccurate information which can become well-dispersed myths.

Writing is a field full of myths that hold back many talented individuals who believe one or more of them is actually true. Here, we will take a look at five common writing myths that pervade the writing world. Let’s bust each of these myths once and for all!


Writing Myth #1: Writing is Easy for Some People

Perhaps the biggest writing myth out there is that writing is easy for some people. Whether you’ve been writing for thirty years or just started last week, writing is not easy. No matter your age, experience, or income, writing is hard work and at times quite brutal.

Just like with any skilled labor, though, practice and experience do make some writing tasks easier. Each writer finds different formats and topics that he or she is able to eventually write on autopilot, for the most part. Every writer is different. Find your comfort zone and practice on bettering your strengths. These are both keys to becoming a better writer.

For even the most experienced writers, writing is not easy, and good writing is definitely not easy. There is still so much to write about out there, though. So, you don’t have to be good at writing every single topic or in every single format. You just need to write what you know best and write the best way that you know how. That isn’t always easy, but it does make writing easier.


Writing Myth #2: You Need Writing Talent to Be a Good Writer

Writing talent can certainly help separate the great writers from the good writers. But, talent alone is not enough to make a great writer, or even a good writer! It is not necessary to have writing talent to be a good writer. Just like with any skill, writing can be learned, developed, and fine-tuned over time.

Just as with any other field that “requires” talent, writing is a product of practice and hard work. You can learn more about the writing craft by reading everything you can. Then, reach out for guidance and suggestions about improving your writing. These are great ways to improve and grow as a writer.

But, the number one thing you need to become a good writer is nothing more than dedication. Through dedication, you can discover your own unique writing talent. Dedication to improving your writing skill may not make you a New York Times bestselling author. It may not make you an article writer with a six-figure income. But if you’re dedicated enough, you can definitely write well enough to make a decent living. No traditional “talent” is needed to be a professional writer.


Writing Myth #3: Writing is Not a Skill

This writing myth absolutely baffles me: writing is not a skill? Others will even say, “sure, writing is a skill, but writing is not a useful skill.” This myth is downright wrong. It likely comes from is likely people who simply have never figured out how to put two words together in writing. Too bad for them. Don’t listen to this myth.

Even if you aren’t making a living writing words, writing is still a crucial communication skill no matter what line of work you choose. The better writer you are, the easier it is to get what you want. That’s because well-developed writing skills allow you to clearly communicate your thoughts and ideas.

Even the people who seem to want to perpetuate this writing myth could learn how to write effectively. Some people have this weird idea that you have to be a published author or a seasoned journalist to bother with writing. Every single professional field in the world can benefit from having writing skills. With strong writing skills, you can land better jobs and advance further in your career, whatever it is you decide to do.

Even in fields where you may not use writing in your everyday work, writing is important. Having strong writing skills can allow you to write proposals to new potential clients or customers.  Strong writing skills can help you get connected to the top producers and thought leaders in your field. There are just so many benefits to being dedicated to improving your writing skills.

Writing Myth #4: You Can't Make a Living as a Writer!

Making a living as a writer isn’t only possible, it can actually become a very rewarding profession. While making a living as a freelance writer can certainly be difficult, it’s really no harder than living while working any entry-level job. The difference as a writer is that you have to show up everyday and work a lot more than 9 to 5 five days a week to truly reach your potential as a writer.

You don’t even have to go to college and get an English major to be a professional writer. All you need is the ability to put two words together. Even if you weren’t an A, B, or even C student in English composition, you can always learn and make money from writing. There is so much writing work out there that you can easily earn the same as you would from an entry-level job in far fewer than 40 hours a week. You will likely spend 15-30 hours a week writing for pay, and another 15-30 building your business. Be sure you are willing to put in that level of dedication.

Because writing is such a flexible skill, you just have to know where to look for people willing to pay top dollar for writing. Earning a living as a writer is extremely rewarding, especially once you find the niche or niches at which you can write on autopilot. So, the next time someone asks you, “Can I Make a Living as a Writer?” you can tell them yes, if you can put the work, time, and dedication into it.

Writing Myth #5: There’s No One Cure for Writer’s Block

Entire books have been written on the subject of writer’s block. It is the most pervasive writing myth in the entire writing world. While there are definitely going to be days where the writing simply will not come, calling it “writer’s block” makes it worse. In fact, most of the time “writer’s block” is all in your head.

If you believe that you are suffering from “writer’s block” ask yourself if you are in one of two states:

Waiting for the perfect time, place, mood, or alignment of the stars to write

Waiting for the perfect moment to write is simply not excusable. There will never be a perfect time for anything you want to do. Just do it! Sorry, I don’t mean to yell, but if you really want to be a writer, then you will write as often as you can. You don’t even have to write well necessarily. Writing really is just like going to the gym. If you do a little everyday, you will never find yourself truly blocked as a writer.

Internal blocks that lead to writing becoming stalled

The second state is more excusable. Especially as an author, I have found myself with a great story but then I find myself stalled. This is not actually a “block,” though, as I’ve learned, but only as long as you don’t see it as such. Sometimes, an idea simply is not done forming in your mind. It’s fine to set your writing aside, let your ideas gel together, then return to it.

The trick is to never call your stalled writing a block. Once you call it a “block,” you just create a new obstacle for yourself. If you ever wish to be the most productive writer you can be, do not give into the idea of “writer’s block.” I used to do that, and I’d say by doing so, I ruined more than one potentially good book that I ended up tossing.

If you find yourself stalling in your writing, walk away and be real with yourself. Sometimes you simply need to step away and do something else. Whatever you do, always resolve to come back to it and get it done. Sure, you may need to do a bit more research on a topic or plan things out better. Other times, you just need your brain to work through ideas a bit longer.  Once you make the right adjustments, your writing will flow again, guaranteed.

Don’t let any of these writing myths hold you back with your writing! If you ever find yourself doubting your ability to write, just sit down and think of any topic. Then, start writing everything you can think of without worrying where it’s going to go. You just never know where simply writing will take you. Whether you write to advance your career, as a hobby, or as a career in itself, I wish you the very best!

by R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network

There are many schools of thought when it comes to the best article length for SEO. The good news is that there isn’t a perfect article length that ranks best for SEO. Both short articles and long articles can perform well in SEO. The best length for an article really depends on the topic itself and how in depth you’re looking to write about it.

Are Short Articles Good for SEO?

A common piece of advice is that articles between 200 and 500 words are best for SEO. While that may not be completely true, many content marketers argue that this is a good length for readers. There’s this common belief that many internet readers won’t read more than 500 words at a time. Another common thought is that short articles are best because otherwise readers will just skim or think that your content is too wordy.

What is true is that many internet readers are looking for quick answers to their questions. They’re not sitting down to read a book, after all. Sometimes, if a topic can be split into several articles, it’s probably a good idea, as long as each article answers a reader’s question.

One suggestion is to create a short series of articles with a keyword phrase as part of the title. Then, break it into several different articles that are accessible from one another. That way, you can list them so readers can pick and choose the specific topic they’re looking for. The advantage of this for you is that if someone is truly interested in everything you’ve written on the topic, they’ll read the entire short series.

Can Long Articles be Good for SEO?

While short articles, and series of short articles, are a good idea, long articles can be good for SEO, too. Just as there are those that preach that short articles are best for SEO, there are others that preach that long articles are even better for SEO. The argument for long articles is that search engines consider longer articles to be more valuable resources. So, they tend to rank better.

But, just as is true for those that say shorter articles are better for SEO, this isn’t the complete truth. If a topic deserves an article that’s 1000 words or even 2000 words or more, then it’s probably worth doing. If your article is really long, one really good idea is to use subheadings that separate your longer article into shorter chunks. You may even consider a short table of contents at the beginning of your article that links to the different sections of the article. That way, readers who may otherwise just skim will click on that specific section.


The Best Articles for SEO Are Targeted and Relevant

If you’re looking to write the best articles for SEO, just be sure to stay on topic. It’s fine to write about multiple ideas in an article. But, for the web, it can be best to split it into multiple articles, or use the subheader tactic mentioned above.

Basically, see what articles that keep visitors on your own sites. Watch for the lengths of those articles. If your audience likes shorter articles, write shorter articles and break up longer ones. If they favor longer articles, see if you can combine some shorter pieces into longer ones, and create more long-form articles. If it’s somewhere in between, just keep up what you’re doing already! Essentially, the best article length for your content is whatever your audience likes best.

What do you find is the best article length for your own web writing?


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by R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network

Online writing is just a hobby, they said. It will never be a real job, they said. Well, that online writing myth can be busted right now.

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Online writing is “big business.” There is so much competition out there in starting your online writing career now. Yes, it can be extremely difficult to gain traction online. But it’s not impossible. You CAN still start web writing and have it be more than a hobby.

When Can a Online Writing Hobby Become a Business?

If you’re looking to start writing online as a business, you just have to find the right niche. That’s the most common advice you’ll find. Then again, you can just write whatever you want and not care about turning it into a business. That’s how I was for years.

Yes, there are web writers who write online just as a hobby. There’s nothing wrong with starting a blog as a hobby. But most online writers do want to earn something from their online writing. Even if you don’t want your writing itself to be a job, some sort of monetization is a good idea.

Like any other business, it’s hard to get to the point of actually making your online writing profitable. But there’s good news. While finding a niche is important, you don’t have to do something that's completely different from what's out there. You actually can write about what you want, even if it’s a competitive field. You just see what’s out there, and find a way to do it better. Doing that can be hard, but it’s very rewarding when you find success with it.

Writing online as a business is the same thing as starting any other small business. It’s just like an author has to treat his or her craft as a business. It’s all about differentiating yourself and offering value to your audience. Sure, your hobby blog could turn into a business success unintentionally. But, that’s highly unlikely.

Really, all you need to do to turn a writing hobby into a business is just finding ways to monetize your content. That’s really all there is to it. As long as you have an audience, you can do it. It doesn’t matter what you decide to write about. As long as you’re consistent and offer the best content that you can, there’s decent profit to be made. At the very least, you can make your website pay for itself.

So, Should I Really Make My Online Writing Hobby a Business?

With all the websites you can buy today to take over, it’s pretty obvious that you can make any blog or any other web writing venture into a business if that’s your intention. Starting businesses is extremely hard. Web writing is just another business. Still, don't have feel forced to make your web writing or blog into a profitable business if you don't want to.

But, whether you like it or not, web writing can make a lot of money. So, why not at least look into some sort of monetization if you can? There’s affiliate programs such as Amazon Associates, Google AdSense, ShareASale, and many others that can help you at least grind pennies and occasionally even dollars if your content becomes extremely popular.

But, the best way to get revenue for your blog is always going to be sponsors. All you need for that is a way to prove your content gets seen and that you have an engaged audience. Just be sure that your sponsors are on board with what you’re doing. Don’t let them dictate what you can and can’t do. Just like with any business, you have to stick to your plan. Make little changes if you have to do, but if sponsors or ads don’t fit with your vision, it’s fine to let them go.


Do I Have to Devote My Whole Life to Writing Online to Make It Into a Business?

If you started a blog as just a hobby, you don’t have to devote your whole life to it. But, taking steps for it to bring you passive income is always a good idea whether you see web writing as a hobby or not. There’s little point to leaving money on the table, even if it’s just a few extra dollars each month.

But, yes, if you want to scale it up to a business, you are going to have to make web writing a full-time job. Most of the time, web writing becomes a second job in addition to your existing job that pays the bills. There’s just no getting around that.

Yes, writing online is fine as a hobby. But, it’s better for you financially to look into its potential as a business. Web writing isn’t only a hobby anymore. People can make a real living with their blogs and websites, after all. But, it can still be a hobby if that’s what you want. Just like anything, it’s all about what you put into it.

Still, don’t let anyone tell you that online writing is only a hobby and try to mock you for it. It’s a real job for a lot of people, and it’s much a harder job that what non-bloggers think. Between consistently creating quality content, promotion, keeping up your online presence, and more, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes.

But really, just relax. If you want to write online, even with just a free blog, just do it. Do it on your own terms. Write about whatever you’re passionate about. Share it where you can. But most importantly, build your audience and network by bringing other web writers up. That’s the key to becoming successful, not just in writing online, but in life.

Who knows, you may inspire someone to turn their own online writing hobby into a business. Just remember, there’s real money to be made. Find what you love and do it better, whether writing online is “just” a hobby for you or not.


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by R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network

Sometimes, I don't consider myself a very good writer. At times, I won't publish an article for even a month or two. Honestly, even though the common advice is to write every day, sometimes you do just need a break. If you feel like your writing is getting stale or is losing direction, it's actually a good idea to go and do something else completely different for a while.

There are times you need a break from writing in order to get yourself refocused. While your writing muscles do need the exercise, it doesn't make any sense to burn yourself out when you're not really producing anything worthy. So, if you're asking yourself should I take a break from writing then the answer is most likely you should. The question then becomes for how long?

How Long is Too Long to Stay Away from Writing?

The answer really depends on how you feel. If you really are not feeling like writing anymore, then there's probably a good reason for it. If writing is how you make a living, however, then you obviously don't want to stay away from it too long. But, breaks are important to take.

The idea is to not let yourself go forever without writing. If you find that you're staying away from writing for days or weeks at a time, then you probably need the break. But when you find yourself not writing anything after months, even little notes in your journal, that's when you probably should reconsider if you're really even that interested in writing at all anymore.

I've actually been at that point in my life several times. There actually have been times where I haven't even written a single word for maybe even a month at a time, maybe even more. Why did this happen?

I can tell you straight up the main reason that I have gone long stretches without writing. It’s feeling forced to write things that I didn't feel like writing. For example, college papers were often a major struggle for me, as I just couldn’t get involved with the subject material. The other major thing is articles that weren't really paying a lot of money, but I needed the cash. So, when the writing started feeling forced like slave labor, it really was just no fun anymore. I didn't want to do it anymore.

Should Writing Feel More Like Work or Feel More Like Fun?

With anything that you do, it’s probably not going to be fun all the time. But should it be? Sometimes, if you get a lucrative opportunity you're going to take it, even if it's not for that much money. You may just need the cash. But, if you find yourself getting to the point where you hate writing, then obviously you need to take a step back and really reconsider your goals.

It's funny because for so much of my life I actually didn't really write with much of a goal in mind. But I will tell you this right now. If your only goal with writing is simply to make money, then you're probably really needing to find a deeper meaning and purpose to what you want to write.

For example, I really wanted to be a novelist for a long time. At other points in my life, I wanted to be a sports writer. So, at some point, there were actually times where I felt it was important to practice and polish my writing skills so that I could get a job later with writing. The practice alone was a good goal and it kept me focused. But as I became less interested in those jobs, my writing really lost focus for awhile. That’s why I turned to poetry and journal writing, and eventually articles.

Sometimes, you just have to find a different kind of writing to get going again. If it’s getting to feel too much like work, find something else that’s more fun. Sometimes you’re going to have to take assignments that feel like work, so be sure to balance it out with writing something fun. That way, you never have to take too long a break.


When Should Writing be More than Just a Job?

Even when you do something you enjoy, the sad truth is that you may end up feeling burnt out at one point or another. That's only natural. You may be overwhelmed with how much writing you're trying to do at once. If that’s what it is, you should probably scale back. Also, you might find that you don't have a good enough goal and motivation to keep yourself with the proper energy and focus that you need to write.

So, when should writing be more than a job? For a long time, writing for me was simply a hobby. It was something to take my mind off of other things. When I did try to turn writing into my regular job, it honestly didn't really feel that great. While I was making some money doing it, I started feeling like my skills were not being properly compensated. I kept asking myself: why am I even doing this anymore?

When you're writing purely for yourself, sometimes you find yourself saying: “Oh, well, I'll just write some more tomorrow.” Then, tomorrow becomes next week, and next week becomes next month. So what I suggest, if you're going to take a break from writing, is to switch gears. Take a break from writing, per se, as far as trying to write complete articles and the like. What you should keep doing instead, however, is to keep your mind coming up with ideas.

Take notes, whether that's in your phone, or a diary, or a little notebook. If you really are serious about writing, you need to keep putting things down. What I’ve found is that if you go too long, even a week, without just putting your thoughts down, it becomes very very difficult to get the momentum again. When you try to write again, you may find your writing is very sloppy for a while. But as long as you keep the ideas flowing one way or another, even if you just have to doodle in the margins of something, that's important.

Just need to keep the free flow of ideas going. If you’re continuously generating ideas, you'll find the other parts of your life improve, as well. If you sit there and let your mind stagnate, you're going to end up being pretty miserable. Even if you find that you’re not really writing for awhile, you can always use ideas.

Taking a Break from Writing Doesn’t Mean You Should Take a Break from Ideas

Even if you’re not writing, don’t ever take a break from ideas. If you continue to take down ideas, even when you're not actively writing something, you may find that you're able to start writing again all of a sudden. I know that I found this to be the case when I write poetry sometimes. If I haven't written for a while, it's great to try to force myself to rhyme a few phrases or even just keep track of syllables in a simple pattern. That way, I can sort of create a little framework to write around. Even if I only write 4 or 8 lines, I find that I've at least produced something. Producing something, even if it's only a little bit and even if it's not good, at least makes me force myself to put words together.

Trying to then force yourself to write a thousand word article is not always the best way to get going again. The trick that I found with writing  is to not burn yourself out. Simply keep your thoughts flowing and note them somehow. The ideas don’t even have to be good. After all, to get good ideas, you have to have a lot of bad ones, too.

I can tell you right now that when I'm not doing very well with writing I'll still open up a whole bunch of documents and stick ideas in each one. Sure, probably 9 out of 10 of them never go anywhere. But, that's okay. Eventually I will find some way to connect those thoughts, even if they don't become articles on their own.

I've even found Speech-to-Text, even the simple kind that's on a lot of Google and Apple phones, is very helpful in getting your ideas out. Even when you don't actually feel like writing, using Speech-to-Text is different. That’s because when you talk, you're using a different part of your brain. You actually want to exercise this part of your brain, as well. By vocalizing your thoughts, all you're doing is expanding how you can express yourself. Heck, if you’d rather express yourself through art or other creative activities, that's good, too. The idea is to not let your mind stagnate. If you're not going to write, find some other way to express yourself.


How Long Your Break is From Writing is Up to You

So, how long should you take a break from writing it all is up to you. However long feels right to you is how long you should take. But, whatever you do don't keep the ideas from flowing. That's the most important part that is why I love writing so much. It’s a way for me to get my ideas out of my head so that they're not zooming around at a million miles an hour.

At times, I feel extremely unorganized, and that's when I feel like I need to take a break and refocus. If you can't focus with your writing, you're going to find yourself writing a lot of crap or things that you just can't do anything with. In fact, you end up confusing yourself. So, only write when you feel like you can have a clear path to what you're doing.

But even if you're not feeling clear, make sure you get the ideas down. The more ideas you get down, the more you have to come back to later. The worst thing you can ever do as a writer is to come in with a blank page with no direction. Make sure that you always come back to writing with some sort of direction. Even if you end up changing direction midstream, that's okay.

The idea is to make sure that you stay focused as a writer. Once you lose that focus, go do something else for a while. If you don't want to come back to writing maybe you never will. But that's okay. You can't worry about that. If you're meant to be a writer, you will come back to it. Even when I’ve felt like I was done with writing forever, I obviously still came back. That's what I've always found.

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If you’re a web writer, there are some things you’re probably doing that you just shouldn’t. Learn how to examine your web content to find the painful truths you can fix in your online writing.

You need to write for search. This is where many people new to online writing often struggle. But it’s really not as hard as one might think. Start with one easy good SEO technique, such as LSI and build up from there. Stay away from blackhat methods, as these may appear to work at first but can be the downfall of your entire site or blog.

Many writers don’t write to their intended audience. Are you writing to yourself or to your targeted readers? Sometimes, that’s the same thing. But occasionally, it's really not. The good thing is you can fix that. Simply pay attention to comments in your online writing, as well as where your readers are coming from.

Your content needs to be shareable. Read your online writing back to yourself. Is it something you would share if written by someone else? The title should make someone want to click and read it (but please avoid clickbait). The first paragraph should make them want to keep going. The rest should provoke them to reshare it when finished.

Proper grammar and spelling is a must. If you can’t spell correctly or use way too many commas, do you really think people are going to take you seriously? Study up on your grammar and spelling and use free tools like Grammar.ly to analyze your online content writing before hitting publish. Your readers will thank you by not clicking away due to nonsense.

If you can’t word it right, your audience can’t read it right. This falls in line with grammar and spelling. If your posts are all over the place or are nonsensical, your readers can’t follow along and will just go away. Be sure you are saying what you mean so that people can actually read your online writing and understand it as intended. Otherwise, you’ll either get misinterpreted or skipped over very quickly.

by Lyn Lomasi; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network

Most web writers will get questioned about their price at least once, but usually quite often. Who doesn't like a bargain? But your writing's worth is dependent upon what you make it. Here's why.

Discounts Are Fine, To A Certain Point

It's fine to have sales or deals for new or regular clients. But you still should keep the worth of your writing in mind. The lower you are willing to go, the less valuable people will see your content as being. Give discounts, but don't go so low that it's not worth both your time, as well as the value the client will get from it.

The Proof Is In Your Work

Quality web writing is getting more difficult to find. More and more people are discovering they can put their words online. This is a good thing, as far as communication. But those looking up specific information need accuracy and quality. This is where you come in as a web writer and prove to your client that your work is worth top dollar. Sometimes it takes that client paying a low quality writer less and finding out the hard way that they should have continued coming to you. I’ve had clients return after doing this more than once. It’s like the old saying goes “You get what you pay for.” Some people charge less than they’re worth, but in many cases, quality writing will cost more because of the time and energy put into creating a quality piece. 

Word Gets Around

Remember that business owners talk to each other often. This includes many topics, but who they hire for writing and other services essential to success is very common. If you charge one client a fee that is significantly less than you usually charge, other business owners will learn this and expect the same deal. The reason for the deal often doesn’t matter. Keep things consistent and accurate where your prices are concerned. You want the word to get around regarding your quality, instead of your low price.

Price According To Actual Value

The lower your price, the less value is likely to be given to your content. Remember that word gets around. So, whatever one business owner feels it’s worth may be what others are saying as well. In order to keep your value high, you need to keep your quality high and price your work accordingly and consistently. Obviously, there is some customizing involved in most web projects, based on topic matter, research, word count, and so on. But try to be as consistent as possible and consider the value of your time, as well as what the client will potentially get from said work.

Your work is worth what you make it worth. So, be sure to price it accordingly, limit the bargaining to a reasonable point, and show your clients what your worth via quality.

Many factors go into determining work and payments from business owners and other clients. These can differ depending on several things. While following this guide may not guarantee that you will receive more work with higher payments, you may see greater opportunities by adhering to the following suggestions. The key is not necessarily to increase every single payment, but to maximize the opportunities available, as well as maximize your long-term benefits from said work.

What types of content are eligible for payment?

All of it! Whether you are soliciting jokes, articles, blog posts, recipes, web page content, product descriptions, photography, or any other creation, it deserves payment if it’s quality material. The key is to submit to the most appropriate venue for best results.

Focus on a specific issue

When you have a tight focus on one topic, readers are more likely to be looking for your content. Think about the things you look for when searching online. For instance, instead of general tips on pet adoption, you may want something geared specifically toward the pet you are considering adopting. “Where to adopt a poodle in Denver” should perform better than “How to adopt a pet,” as an example. Write your articles on specific subjects that will be relevant and useful to readers looking for that topic.

Follow assignment details

If you are hired for an assignment, be sure you follow the exact instructions. That means if the instructions say something different from any advice herein, defer to the assignment. When editors and business owners see that you can follow all assignment details reliably, they may be more likely to offer you future opportunities. Remember that, while you should be creative, the content you’re creating is not for you. It’s for the person you are creating it for. Therefore, it should be the way they want it. It’s good to suggest corrections of facts that might be wrong or improvements that might help the client or their website. But again, if they do not agree, unless you are breaking the law or doing something you are strongly against, just do things the way the client wants.

Do your research

When you need to back up your content with facts, be sure these facts are from reliable sources. Also, make sure to cite those sources properly, according to submission guidelines and any additional assignment guidelines. Using multiple highly-trusted and relevant sources also helps to build credibility. Wherever possible, use sources from your client’s website, in addition to the others. This helps them build more relevant inbound linking. When  client chooses to hire an expert, they expect expert material.

Examine the intended website

If you are submitting to a new client, study the website you are interested in writing for. Think of topics that could work well there but are not yet covered. Having an idea of what could potentially align with a particular property can give you a greater chance at getting accepted. Being unique is key. That means that you don't want to submit something you already see covered on the property. Instead, try submitting something that works well alongside existing content, provides a new angle, or has not been covered at all but could appeal to that property's audience.

Consider the audience behind the topic

Are you writing about parenting? What stages? Think of the age of the kids you're writing about - and then think of what ages the parents are likely to be; they are your most likely audience, and you should cater your content to them. The tone and style used in your article should be something readers can identify with. For instance, if you are writing an article for kids, using complicated business terms is not going to keep them reading. Acceptances of paid submissions are more likely on content that shows attention to detail in this and other areas.

Personalize the experience

When you write an article or blog post, readers should see the real person behind the story (unless your client is not interested in first-person accounts). At the same time, you don't want to ramble about something that has nothing to do with the subject matter. Find that perfect level at which the article provides the information needed with relevant personalization where it fits in with the main point of the article.

For instance, if I'm writing an article about picking the perfect daisies, instead of telling a long story about a time when I picked daisies, I would mention how I determine which daisies to pick. I would do that in a way that readers can tell I am knowledgeable and passionate. But it would also need to be something readers can benefit from to answer their questions. When you can use your own unique experience and style, readers can relate more easily. But at the same time, you don't want to say so much that they get bored and click away.

Focus on evergreen material

Focusing on evergreen material is one way to maximize your earnings, as most business owners can use long-lasting content. Evergreen content is that which will draw a reader's interest for long periods of time, such as unique ways to solve common parenting issues. Evergreen slants can also be applied to trending topics. Some editors may value those topics that have a longer shelf life. This is not to say that other content will not be valued, as articles with a shorter shelf life can be useful as well. They each have their own place and are both great ways to maximize your work in different ways. Getting the most out of paid opportunities often involves taking advantage of more than one way to earn.

Pay attention to spelling, grammar, and style

Category and vertical style guides are used for many assignments that offer pay. For the best chances at getting those assignments accepted, be sure to follow them closely. This also goes for any and all other instructions mentioned within the assignment details. Proofreading, even after using spelling and grammar checkers, has always been a lifesaver for me when writing for any venue. Yes, I am a great editor. But, I am also human, so it’s best to double and triple check. Read silently, out loud, and even have a writing buddy take a gander. Programs can miss little things, such as skipped words or typos that are actual words, but not words you intended to use.

Optimize your content for the Web

Studying The Yahoo! Style Guide is a great way to learn basic html, grammar, editing, formatting, and style as it all pertains to writing for the Web. Most content that is submitted to potential clients must be publish-ready. While some venues may have an editor, never rely on editors to fix poor writing. If your writing needs to be thoroughly edited, it is much better to study up so that your submissions are more likely to get acceptances than rejections. You can then submit at a later date when your skills allow you to submit content that is more in line with the platform's needs.

Good Web content displays certain qualities. Apart from being interesting, it must be easy for a wide audience to read. It also must be easily found by search engines. Keep your articles concise and informative in an easy-to-scan format. Web readers often look for something that answers their question quickly and accurately in an engaging manner. For more on writing for the web, again, The Yahoo Style Guide is an invaluable resource.

Maximizing payments on your content is about taking advantage of the many ways to earn. It's also about covering your bases all-around. A solid article is not just well written, but also speaks to the intended audience, giving them exactly the information they expected and needed in a clean, easy-to-scan format.

There have been several times in my life in which I didn’t write much of anything for weeks or even months at a time. Life can come and sweep you away to more urgent things. But for a writer, having to write is urgent even if you don’t really have time.

Recently, I was thinking about how to get jump-started after long absences from writing, on the web or otherwise. Here are a few things to help you get back into writing after a long absence.


Ease Back into Writing

The number one thing to do when you’re returning to anything after a long absence is to ease yourself back into it. There’s a good reason why it’s suggested to work part-time first when returning to the workforce after long periods of not working.

Laura Whitelaw at Selfgrowth.com offers the advice to write down what you hope to achieve when you resume working. That’s excellent advice. The best way to start writing again is often to just begin by writing about what you are hoping to write about. That can help jumpstart your brain and get it moving on a good track.


Focus on What You Know

If you’re writing for money, especially for the web, it’s good to focus on what topics you can write at the highest level and jot these down. Having vague topics and ideas is perfectly fine. Writing these down regularly is good for anyone, even people that don’t write for a living. You never know when you might use them.

Whitelaw also mentions updating your skills at a local community college. This is also particularly good advice for writers if it’s something that may work for you. Online workshops are also a good idea if you can afford them. There are free webinars and workshops all over the internet, too.

Study.com has some online writing courses that offer credit. But along with their own offerings, they have a list of 10 universities offering free online writing courses. Of course, you may not have time for all that. Just reading up on the topics that you want to write about is fine.


Refresh Your Online Presence

When you do get writing again, make sure any writers’ resume or “about me” sections you have online are up-to-date. Even if you’re not actively applying for any positions, you never know if someone may have interest in hiring you for your skills.

Donna Fuscaldo at Bankrate.com offers a couple of good tips when it comes to resume-writing after a long work absence. Her idea of a writing a functional resume, where you list your skills first, is an awesome idea for writers. Again, you never know who may need content in a given area.

Fuscaldo also mentions being upfront about everything you’ve been doing. Say you haven’t written much but have attended trade shows or other events related to your writing topics. It’s good to mention these. It’s also fine to say if you took a break from writing to attend to family matters. That simply happens, and helps explain long absences.

Also, every experience that you have is important to writing. Keeping anything that lists your experience when it comes to writing up to date is essential. Web writing resumes, in particular, need to be updated more often even more than traditional resumes, because of how fast the writing game can change.


What Else Have You Been Up To? What Have You Learned?

While it may not be absolutely necessary for writers so much, listing work outside of writing is not a bad idea, paid or not. Anything you’ve done that has given you practical experience that affects your writing is a good idea to mention, paid or not.

Looking credible is extremely valuable. It's become even more important in a writing world where the competition is continually growing ever fiercer. It also helps you in case someone just happens to be looking for someone to help them write about topics you’re an expert in. Backing up your expertise can only help you obtain potential work. It can also help you gain a better overall following.

Have you ever been away from writing for a long period and have found certain ways of getting yourself “back in the game?” Be sure to let us know!