I've pm-ed Cheryle and asked to have this stuck to the top, so please list your best advice here. Also, feel free to disagree with anything I say here. Some frequently wondered about questions:
How do you find time to write?
Time to write must be stolen from your other activities. Watch less tv, give up some of your weekends, stay up late or get up early. I admit that when I deadline is looming I'll use the tv as a babysitter, but I try to not do that too often.
What should I write about?
We can't tell you what to write about here. You need to figure that out on your own. Especially if you want to write a blog or an ebook, find out what topics are in high demand and try to find a unique way to discuss them. You can do this by reading reviews of current ebooks.
Where can I find jobs?
Check out the "Looking for Work?" thread at the top of this forum. Save
Deb's blogin your favorites folder or subscribe to her leads updates and apply for jobs you find there. You can also find good leads through the weekly newsletter sent out by
Writers Weekly. If you're interested in writing magazine articles, you'll need to send query letters to magazine editors detailing your article ideas. You can find a lot of books with advice for writing query letters in your library or bookstore. If you want to write for businesses, get the word out to the people you know that you are ready and willing. Read one of Peter Bowerman's books for more information about this type of writing.
What about the bidding sites?
Bidding sites such as guru.com and elance.com let you compete with other freelancers to win projects. You can break into different fields of writing such as ebook writing, ghost writing, and content writing this way. Bidding sites have mixed reviews around here. Some people have gotten good work and steady clients from these sites. Others are put off that many of the projects go for rates far below a U.S. living wage.
I have so many stories in my soul bursting to be set free. What should I do?
By all means, set them free from your bursting soul. Dedicate some time to writing and write them down. If you really want to write, you will. If you really want to get published...well, that's a lot more work. With fiction, you need to complete your short story or book before you even think about submitting it to publishers so worry about that first. Also, check out
Miss Snark's excellent blog that gives advice for wannabes.
Hey, I just found out about this great place called Associated Content that buys articles. Do you want to come join it through my link?
No. We already know about AC here.
Do I need a Web site?
A Web site can become useful later on as a place to direct potential clients to view your past work. Don't create a Web site with the expectation that it will create customers for you. Use it as a marketing tool and plan to generate your own traffic.