As a journalist, I come across a lot of press releases to process on a daily basis and I noticed quite a lot of these releases are, well, too full of fluff. I have recently written press releases for a buyer as a freelance writer and with years of experience of choosing press releases to use, I could safely say I know roughly what most newspapers want in a press release.
However, instead of listing down what should be included in a press release, I will list down all the no-nos which I feel makes the press release less attractive to a newspaper editor / journalist.
DO NOT:
1. Start with a sensationalized headline with no substantial backing to it - this will only serve to alienate the editor/ journalist looking through it as he/she will definitely feel cheated and annoyed that they have wasted valuable time reading through a release which does not live up to its claims as per the headline.
2. Use too much purple prose and flowery language - if you read the daily newspapers, the news are all about facts in good simple English. Nothing too complicated and definitely no flowery words fit for a poet. So, stick to the format and use good simple English, the journalist/editor will thank you for not complicating the whole press release with unwanted flowery words.
3. Write as if you are writing a marketing piece - a press release may be used to market your product / business but please, do not write the press release as if you are selling your product / business to the newspaper. It will certainly put off the journalist / editor and the press release will end up in the bin. Do it subtly by merging it into the whole storyline.
4. Assume that the newspaper know about the industry you are writing about - it is always wise to add your company background at the end of the press release and pepper the whole press release with facts about the industry you are writing about. This will save the journalist / editor time from having to do thorough research on the industry before using the press release. It is true that they will still check out the facts you presented but at least your efforts in putting in the facts will put you in a better light with them.
5. write a thesis - a press release is suppose to present facts and news of an event / product / business and not a whole book about it. So, keep it to the point and as brief as possible but make sure all the facts are there such as the who, what, where, why, when and how.
6. make any grammatical / spelling errors - though newspapers do not expect press releases written in perfect English, it is always good to ensure your press release is clean and clear of mistakes. It will only endear the journalist / editor to you.
7. write a press release on a non-newsy event - many people make the mistake of sending a press release just for the sake of sending one so they make up topics to write just to promote their business/ product. Many journalists/ editors can see right through them and these often end up in the bin too. So, make sure when you do send a press release, it is about an event that may interest others, or a new product that may interest the readers or even a discovery that may interest people. Do remember, the newspapers or magazines have readers and their articles target their readers. So ask yourself objectively, as a reader, if you are interested to know about this event / product you are writing about in your press release.
These are but the main few no-nos. There are actually more but I guess these few should suffice. Writing a press release is not that difficult. You just need to be more targeted and careful.
Showing posts with label freelance writer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freelance writer. Show all posts
Thursday
Writing foreign topics
For freelance writers, especially newbies, getting writing assignments and winning bids at freelance job boards can be quite a task. In fact, it is an uphill struggle most of the time to get enough to pay the bills, at least in the beginning.
So, for me, I usually put in a bid on as many projects as I possibly could. However, some of the topics are not something I am familiar with. So, what do I do? It is time to break out the research skills and lots of creativity!
Here are some of my tips on what to do when it comes to writing about things we are not familiar with:
1. Even before you put in a bid, do check out the details of the project and what is needed. Is it a long or short article? Or is it an ebook? A blog post? A press release? Then, look at the topics on hand. Is it something you have never written about before? Note all these down and work out how many words or how much facts are required. But why before bidding? Simple, it is so that you will know how much time you will need to put into it and be able to place a bid that covers the time you spent on it.
2. Armed with the initial requirements for the project, you conduct a simple research into it. Then you find out if :
a. it is a topic you could easily understand (not too technical and beyond your understanding that you find it hard to grasp the concept without reading an article about it three times)
b. it is something you could comfortably write about once you have the facts without having to struggle over the technical terms
c. it is something you could complete within the timeframe required with time to spare
d. it is something you could easily find the facts about
3. Once you feel that you will be able to complete the project, then submit your bid. If you win the bid, do bear in mind that you are in for a lot of research before actually starting on the project. However, you have already got your basics covered as you had already done the initial research before placing the bid. This time you will have to do thorough research on the topic. If it is something that relies on facts and figures, you better make darn sure you do your research well! This means really thorough. You can't just go to Wikipedia and extract the information from there.
3. Make full use of all three major search engines, Google, Yahoo and MSN. You can even go to Ask and About. If the topic is about local issues, check out the local media and look for local sites. It is important that you get as many references as possible and double and triple check all your facts to be sure that the facts are right. Sometimes, facts gathered from a site may differ from another site so it is best you check at least three or four other sites for more accuracy.
4. Use specific keywords and phrases in your searches. If the topic is about 'breeding of St Bernard dogs', then try searching for the whole phrase and from there search some more. Possibly, you could start with St Bernard and if it comes with too many unrelated sites, then try to narrow it down with more specific phrases such as St Bernard dogs or the whole phrase. Otherwise, you could also look up 'Pets' or 'Dogs' and from there you can search through pet sites and dog sites for more information on St Bernard. This exercise may take hours to do but the preparation is well worth it.
5. The writing starts. I could not really tell you how to start writing except to let your creative juices flow and use the facts as the skeleton of the project. It you are still stumped, do drop by for help at writers' forums or better still, go get some inspiration by reading articles by others. Get a feel of how others write it and perhaps you will somehow manage to get your article in motion. Now, please DO NOT do the unthinkable of copying and pasting! It is called plagiarism and your buyer may end up not paying you or worse, you could be sued for copyright infringement!
6. Double check the facts and compare you work with others on the internet. This is your own editing and proofreading process to ensure that your work is no less professional than others. You also do not want to sound too green about the topic even though it is your first time writing about it. So, the best way to see if your article is on par or not is to compare it with others.
7. Deliver it and offer one or two rewrites. Since you are new to the topic and despite much checking and cross referencing, your article may come out different from what the buyer wanted. So, do be professional about it as to offer free rewrite of up to twice but not more. I usually offer one rewrite.
8. When rewriting it is best to first ask the buyer specific questions as to what is really required so that the rewrite will be according to what the buyer wanted. You do not want to waste more time doing a second rewrite. Usually the buyer have no qualms answering whatever questions or uncertainties you may have. The golden rule here is, ask when you are not sure. It is better that you get the rewrite done correctly this way than trying to work it out on your own.
Of course we never aim to do rewrites as it would take up more of our time and at the same time create a really bad first impression on the buyer. But of course, most buyers are understanding and will not decide to drop you just because the article does not suit their taste. As long as the article is written articulately, presented in a format required by the buyer, is factually accurate and does not contain any grammatical mistakes, you are quite safe.
Again, these tips are gathered from my own personal experience so it may work for some people and not for others. Whichever it is, I do hope it helped! Happy writing.
So, for me, I usually put in a bid on as many projects as I possibly could. However, some of the topics are not something I am familiar with. So, what do I do? It is time to break out the research skills and lots of creativity!
Here are some of my tips on what to do when it comes to writing about things we are not familiar with:
1. Even before you put in a bid, do check out the details of the project and what is needed. Is it a long or short article? Or is it an ebook? A blog post? A press release? Then, look at the topics on hand. Is it something you have never written about before? Note all these down and work out how many words or how much facts are required. But why before bidding? Simple, it is so that you will know how much time you will need to put into it and be able to place a bid that covers the time you spent on it.
2. Armed with the initial requirements for the project, you conduct a simple research into it. Then you find out if :
a. it is a topic you could easily understand (not too technical and beyond your understanding that you find it hard to grasp the concept without reading an article about it three times)
b. it is something you could comfortably write about once you have the facts without having to struggle over the technical terms
c. it is something you could complete within the timeframe required with time to spare
d. it is something you could easily find the facts about
3. Once you feel that you will be able to complete the project, then submit your bid. If you win the bid, do bear in mind that you are in for a lot of research before actually starting on the project. However, you have already got your basics covered as you had already done the initial research before placing the bid. This time you will have to do thorough research on the topic. If it is something that relies on facts and figures, you better make darn sure you do your research well! This means really thorough. You can't just go to Wikipedia and extract the information from there.
3. Make full use of all three major search engines, Google, Yahoo and MSN. You can even go to Ask and About. If the topic is about local issues, check out the local media and look for local sites. It is important that you get as many references as possible and double and triple check all your facts to be sure that the facts are right. Sometimes, facts gathered from a site may differ from another site so it is best you check at least three or four other sites for more accuracy.
4. Use specific keywords and phrases in your searches. If the topic is about 'breeding of St Bernard dogs', then try searching for the whole phrase and from there search some more. Possibly, you could start with St Bernard and if it comes with too many unrelated sites, then try to narrow it down with more specific phrases such as St Bernard dogs or the whole phrase. Otherwise, you could also look up 'Pets' or 'Dogs' and from there you can search through pet sites and dog sites for more information on St Bernard. This exercise may take hours to do but the preparation is well worth it.
5. The writing starts. I could not really tell you how to start writing except to let your creative juices flow and use the facts as the skeleton of the project. It you are still stumped, do drop by for help at writers' forums or better still, go get some inspiration by reading articles by others. Get a feel of how others write it and perhaps you will somehow manage to get your article in motion. Now, please DO NOT do the unthinkable of copying and pasting! It is called plagiarism and your buyer may end up not paying you or worse, you could be sued for copyright infringement!
6. Double check the facts and compare you work with others on the internet. This is your own editing and proofreading process to ensure that your work is no less professional than others. You also do not want to sound too green about the topic even though it is your first time writing about it. So, the best way to see if your article is on par or not is to compare it with others.
7. Deliver it and offer one or two rewrites. Since you are new to the topic and despite much checking and cross referencing, your article may come out different from what the buyer wanted. So, do be professional about it as to offer free rewrite of up to twice but not more. I usually offer one rewrite.
8. When rewriting it is best to first ask the buyer specific questions as to what is really required so that the rewrite will be according to what the buyer wanted. You do not want to waste more time doing a second rewrite. Usually the buyer have no qualms answering whatever questions or uncertainties you may have. The golden rule here is, ask when you are not sure. It is better that you get the rewrite done correctly this way than trying to work it out on your own.
Of course we never aim to do rewrites as it would take up more of our time and at the same time create a really bad first impression on the buyer. But of course, most buyers are understanding and will not decide to drop you just because the article does not suit their taste. As long as the article is written articulately, presented in a format required by the buyer, is factually accurate and does not contain any grammatical mistakes, you are quite safe.
Again, these tips are gathered from my own personal experience so it may work for some people and not for others. Whichever it is, I do hope it helped! Happy writing.
Sunday
Tis time to celebrate!
Yep, I am so excited and happy that I was awarded two projects after weeks of patiently bidding and visiting job boards. And right before Christmas too! I would definitely see it as a Christmas present as these two projects are definitely one way for me to get some feedback. The extra income is also of course a bonus!
The first project I got was a virtual assistant cum writer sorta job which involved coordinating, composing emails and writing short articles. It should be fun as the subject is an interesting one.
The second project is a writing job where I have to produce articles, blog posts and copy writing for the employer. The topic at hand is a relatively new one for me so it will prove to be an eye-opener and I will definitely get to learn something from it.
On top of that, I have finally got my high-speed internet connection in place so no more waiting for sluggish downloads.
Triple YAY!!!
I have already committed a several hours of work to these two employers each day, five days a week, for at least a month. But I am still going to continue bidding for other projects, perhaps those which does not take too much time to complete. Hopefully, I will be able to manage and still get my required shut-eye everyday. The idea of going around Panda and blurry-eyed like a zombie is not really good in the long run.
Oh and I almost forgot. I was suddenly struck by my long missing muse and have started outlining a new fantasy fiction book. It has promise of becoming a five-series book and I will have to set time aside to work on it too.
And finally, another YAY for the year-end bonus which was banked in last weekend!
It is actually not a bad way to end this year (despite having more out-of-office work to do). As long as I am on the path towards working from home, I am happy as can be.
So, a Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year!
The first project I got was a virtual assistant cum writer sorta job which involved coordinating, composing emails and writing short articles. It should be fun as the subject is an interesting one.
The second project is a writing job where I have to produce articles, blog posts and copy writing for the employer. The topic at hand is a relatively new one for me so it will prove to be an eye-opener and I will definitely get to learn something from it.
On top of that, I have finally got my high-speed internet connection in place so no more waiting for sluggish downloads.
Triple YAY!!!
I have already committed a several hours of work to these two employers each day, five days a week, for at least a month. But I am still going to continue bidding for other projects, perhaps those which does not take too much time to complete. Hopefully, I will be able to manage and still get my required shut-eye everyday. The idea of going around Panda and blurry-eyed like a zombie is not really good in the long run.
Oh and I almost forgot. I was suddenly struck by my long missing muse and have started outlining a new fantasy fiction book. It has promise of becoming a five-series book and I will have to set time aside to work on it too.
And finally, another YAY for the year-end bonus which was banked in last weekend!
It is actually not a bad way to end this year (despite having more out-of-office work to do). As long as I am on the path towards working from home, I am happy as can be.
So, a Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year!
Saturday
Job boards and bidding
It is not easy to bid and win projects in job boards, free or otherwise.
This I have discovered in this past month. In the free job boards, it is even worse as competition is stiff and more often than not, some bidders' rates are so low it is hard to compete with them.
In paid job boards, competition is equally stiff but not as bad and there are also bidders whose rates are so low, you wonder how they could actually make a living with those rates.
Another thing I found out is that it is very difficult for new freelancers like me as we do not have any positive feedback from other employers yet. Many of the employers preferred those who have positive feedback and of course, also the lowest rate.
With this conditions, it is very difficult to break into the market. I noticed many new freelancers lowered their rates in order to win some projects so that they could get feedbacks at last and perhaps, be able to get more customers in future.
I have contemplated that but I could not bring myself to it. I am of the opinion that I should not lower my rates just to get a project when the amount of time and energy put into it cost more than the quoted rate. It does not make good business sense.
In situations like this, it reminds me of a very wise advise from the shoe fashion guru, Jimmy Choo, whom I interviewed a few years back.
"We must always set a standard and pricing for our masterpieces and never lower it no matter how much you needed the money."
The reason is simple, he had said that if the price was lowered, you lose your integrity and customers will expect you to lower it again in future. It would be very difficult to bring the price back up without losing customers.
Not surprisingly, Jimmy Choo was practically broke trying to sell his handmade shoes in the beginning because he placed a very high price for his shoes and were not getting any customers. He only had his big break when his shoes were showcased in a women's magazine and the rest is history.
Despite being world-renowned for his beautifully crafted shoes, Jimmy Choo remembered his poor background and remained a humble, nice and polite man. Even now, he is very friendly and courteous to everyone he meets.
But I digress. To get back to the point of bidding and rates, I decided to follow Jimmy Choo's advise. Considering where he is now in the fashion industry, I am sure he is not wrong about setting a standard for our work and never lowering it just because we needed the money.
So, I shall steadfastly stick to my usual rates and continue bidding till I get my break!
This I have discovered in this past month. In the free job boards, it is even worse as competition is stiff and more often than not, some bidders' rates are so low it is hard to compete with them.
In paid job boards, competition is equally stiff but not as bad and there are also bidders whose rates are so low, you wonder how they could actually make a living with those rates.
Another thing I found out is that it is very difficult for new freelancers like me as we do not have any positive feedback from other employers yet. Many of the employers preferred those who have positive feedback and of course, also the lowest rate.
With this conditions, it is very difficult to break into the market. I noticed many new freelancers lowered their rates in order to win some projects so that they could get feedbacks at last and perhaps, be able to get more customers in future.
I have contemplated that but I could not bring myself to it. I am of the opinion that I should not lower my rates just to get a project when the amount of time and energy put into it cost more than the quoted rate. It does not make good business sense.
In situations like this, it reminds me of a very wise advise from the shoe fashion guru, Jimmy Choo, whom I interviewed a few years back.
"We must always set a standard and pricing for our masterpieces and never lower it no matter how much you needed the money."
The reason is simple, he had said that if the price was lowered, you lose your integrity and customers will expect you to lower it again in future. It would be very difficult to bring the price back up without losing customers.
Not surprisingly, Jimmy Choo was practically broke trying to sell his handmade shoes in the beginning because he placed a very high price for his shoes and were not getting any customers. He only had his big break when his shoes were showcased in a women's magazine and the rest is history.
Despite being world-renowned for his beautifully crafted shoes, Jimmy Choo remembered his poor background and remained a humble, nice and polite man. Even now, he is very friendly and courteous to everyone he meets.
But I digress. To get back to the point of bidding and rates, I decided to follow Jimmy Choo's advise. Considering where he is now in the fashion industry, I am sure he is not wrong about setting a standard for our work and never lowering it just because we needed the money.
So, I shall steadfastly stick to my usual rates and continue bidding till I get my break!
Tuesday
Writers an underpaid lot?
Yep, I would definitely think so judging from the rates I see at freelance online job boards these past weeks.
Previously, I have no idea what were the rates charged by freelance writers, especially on the net and in other countries. That is until I saw those low rates at the boards.
Imagine my shock to see rates as low as $1 to $2 for a 600 word article. That is even less than 1 cent per word. I mean, sure, it is relatively easy for us writers to come up with 600 word articles but to get paid only a buck for putting our talent to use? I don't know, it just does not seem right!
A 600-word article often takes at least 30 minutes to complete and by complete, I mean to write, edit and polished till it is ready for print. That does not even take into account the research that has to be done before the article can be written.
Okay, lets say on average, the process of researching and producing an informative yet creative article takes about 1 hour. The rate is $1 which means the hourly rate is $1. Isn't that a bit too low for even minimum wage?
Even at best effort, a speedy writer can research and complete an article within 30 minutes, that would mean, the writer is being paid a $2 per hour rate.
Writing is not only a skill. It is an art, an expression of self, a way to paint a better picture and most of all, a professional trait. So, why the low rates? Sure, sure, I've been told this is what is called the open market system where the market price is often controlled by the demand and supply, etc.
Still, I find it extremely ridiculous to be paid pittance for our creativity. Can you imagine an artist selling his paintings for $1 or $2?
Just like painters, our written work are our masterpieces. Our work should not be traded as if it is worth nothing more than pocket change.
Previously, I have no idea what were the rates charged by freelance writers, especially on the net and in other countries. That is until I saw those low rates at the boards.
Imagine my shock to see rates as low as $1 to $2 for a 600 word article. That is even less than 1 cent per word. I mean, sure, it is relatively easy for us writers to come up with 600 word articles but to get paid only a buck for putting our talent to use? I don't know, it just does not seem right!
A 600-word article often takes at least 30 minutes to complete and by complete, I mean to write, edit and polished till it is ready for print. That does not even take into account the research that has to be done before the article can be written.
Okay, lets say on average, the process of researching and producing an informative yet creative article takes about 1 hour. The rate is $1 which means the hourly rate is $1. Isn't that a bit too low for even minimum wage?
Even at best effort, a speedy writer can research and complete an article within 30 minutes, that would mean, the writer is being paid a $2 per hour rate.
Writing is not only a skill. It is an art, an expression of self, a way to paint a better picture and most of all, a professional trait. So, why the low rates? Sure, sure, I've been told this is what is called the open market system where the market price is often controlled by the demand and supply, etc.
Still, I find it extremely ridiculous to be paid pittance for our creativity. Can you imagine an artist selling his paintings for $1 or $2?
Just like painters, our written work are our masterpieces. Our work should not be traded as if it is worth nothing more than pocket change.
Wednesday
Freelance jobs abound!
Wow, I recently found a very interesting entry in another blog (MakeScratch.com) . It is very informative and helpful for freelance writers who are mainly dependent on online job boards where freelancers have to bid for jobs and sometimes not get any at all.
I have always used Google for most of my research work and it never did cross my mind that I could easily use it to find freelance jobs. Just by using the correct search phrase. Thanks to Justin of MakeScratch, I now know better!
I have always used Google for most of my research work and it never did cross my mind that I could easily use it to find freelance jobs. Just by using the correct search phrase. Thanks to Justin of MakeScratch, I now know better!
Make money fast!
Don't ever trust flashing ads with titles like this. More often than not it is a scam!
In my search for work at home opportunities, I have come across a lot of sites with similar themes ranging from ' easy money by spending only an hour a day online' or 'earn between $200 - $700' each day just by filling out forms' or 'become a millionaire by cashing in on this XXX system' or something like that.
These sites often offer very tempting deals with discounts and offers and even a money back guarantee. They promise earnings beyond your dreams ranging from a few hundred dollars a day to millions per month. Tempting as it may sound to just fill in surveys or enter data and make loads of cash, remember not to fall for it as there is no such thing as free money.
Trust me on this. Do not ever fall for any of their tempting offers.
I took a chance and subscribed to one of these and found that it is nothing but a scam with only a list of survey sites to sign in to. Most of these survey sites do not even pay cash. Some offer special draws and the prizes may not even be cash while some which do pay cash, pay less than $10! The surveys are not even that frequent!
There are also plenty of sites selling ebooks which purportedly teach you how to get around the affiliates system and earn thousands by applying the system. Though I have not actually tried it, I believe it is also another scam. The only person making thousands is the person selling the ebook and duping others to pay between $20 an $120 to download the ebook.
So, I have come to a conclusion that all those flashing ads with tempting headlines are mostly scams.
The only legitimate way of earning an income is to do freelance work online, joining good affiliates programs, joining good pay per click ads program such as Google Adsense, taking part in free online blog writing sites which offer minimal payments for each blog entry and some of the pay per post programs.
I have decided to stick to offering freelance writing services. I have since found several online job boards and have put in bids for freelance jobs. Although I have yet to get any jobs, I am certain I will be able to get to a day when I can earn enough doing freelancing work to be able to quit my day job.
So, if you need any writing job done (which includes articles, blogging, features, short stories, fiction, creative writing), feel free to contact me and I will forward you a quote.
In my search for work at home opportunities, I have come across a lot of sites with similar themes ranging from ' easy money by spending only an hour a day online' or 'earn between $200 - $700' each day just by filling out forms' or 'become a millionaire by cashing in on this XXX system' or something like that.
These sites often offer very tempting deals with discounts and offers and even a money back guarantee. They promise earnings beyond your dreams ranging from a few hundred dollars a day to millions per month. Tempting as it may sound to just fill in surveys or enter data and make loads of cash, remember not to fall for it as there is no such thing as free money.
Trust me on this. Do not ever fall for any of their tempting offers.
I took a chance and subscribed to one of these and found that it is nothing but a scam with only a list of survey sites to sign in to. Most of these survey sites do not even pay cash. Some offer special draws and the prizes may not even be cash while some which do pay cash, pay less than $10! The surveys are not even that frequent!
There are also plenty of sites selling ebooks which purportedly teach you how to get around the affiliates system and earn thousands by applying the system. Though I have not actually tried it, I believe it is also another scam. The only person making thousands is the person selling the ebook and duping others to pay between $20 an $120 to download the ebook.
So, I have come to a conclusion that all those flashing ads with tempting headlines are mostly scams.
The only legitimate way of earning an income is to do freelance work online, joining good affiliates programs, joining good pay per click ads program such as Google Adsense, taking part in free online blog writing sites which offer minimal payments for each blog entry and some of the pay per post programs.
I have decided to stick to offering freelance writing services. I have since found several online job boards and have put in bids for freelance jobs. Although I have yet to get any jobs, I am certain I will be able to get to a day when I can earn enough doing freelancing work to be able to quit my day job.
So, if you need any writing job done (which includes articles, blogging, features, short stories, fiction, creative writing), feel free to contact me and I will forward you a quote.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
