Blog posts by Evan Jensen

Blog Archives

Quit Your Job to Freelance? A Teacher’s 5 Sink-or-Swim Moves

If you’ve been thinking about ways to quit your job and freelance full time, you’re not alone.

There’s a lot of unknowns right now. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a little more control over your income, your schedule, and your life?

When you’re a freelancer, you’re not at the mercy of a global pandemic, a hard-to-work-with manager, or the day-to-day drudgery of work you hate.

You make the rules. You’re the boss. Your schedule, your workload, and your income depends on you.

If you’re thinking about this, chances are pretty good you’ve got questions:

Do you have what it takes? Can you get freelance writing clients? Will you be able to pay your bills and do meaningful work?

The answer: Yes, you can. I quit my job as a mid-career teacher to be a freelancer. But instead of taking the side-hustle-for-years route, I decided to go with the sink-or-swim approach.

Ready to quit your job to be a freelance writer? Here’s what you need to know:

Tagged with: guest post, persistence, quit day job

A Blog Editor’s Wish List: Avoid These 4 Gaffes to Pitch a Popular Blog

Posted by: Evan Jensen — 8 Comments ↓

If you want to write for a popular blog, you might be quick to second guess your chances of getting published. Don’t do that, OK.

Why? There’s an estimated 500 million blogs on the internet, and many of those pay freelancers $100 to $500+ to write blog posts to engage readers, drive traffic, and generate sales.

Right now popular blog editors in every niche need freelance writers. And they’re flooded with pitches. Only most are bang-your-head-against-the-wall terrible.

For example: “I like to read and I’m passionate about writing. Will you hire me?” It’s like spraying my eyes with toxic chemicals. Never…Ever…Ever…send a blog editor a pitch like this.

So how do yo pitch editors for popular blogs and get noticed? Study the guidelines and read the blog before you pitch an editor. That’s a good place to start. Duh!

Most editors also have a wish list of what they’re looking for when they review a pitch, along with a trigger finger for certain types of gaffes and mistakes.

Want to write for a popular blog? Avoid these mistakes to get an editor’s attention.

Tagged with: blog, blogger outreach, blogging, editors, pitch

Blog Writing Workout: 10 Expert-Blogger Tips for Rock-Solid Success

Posted by: Evan Jensen — 9 Comments ↓

If you’re chasing blog writing clients or you’re trying to manage a lot of work at the same time, you might be feeling a little out of breath.

You know…maybe you’ve got blog writing gigs with multiple clients in different niches. Or maybe you’re trying to get more freelance work writing blog posts, and pitching a ton of prospects.

There’s a lot to think about when you take that route.

You’ve got to keep track of things like editorial calendars and deadlines, come up with ideas, write great headlines, and know enough about SEO to go the distance.

It can be a fast-paced, publish-often challenge. And it can pay well. But if you’re not in shape, you might be sucking wind, along with your hourly rate for blog writing.

So how do you boost your blog writing skills to climb the path to freelance success?

You could wander around and probably find your way eventually. But you’ll get there faster if you follow someone who knows the way.

Check out these pro-blogger tips for rock-solid success.

Tagged with: blog marketing, blogger outreach, blogging, guest post

Government Contracts for Writers: 11 Red-Tape Cuts to Get Hired

Posted by: Evan Jensen — 9 Comments ↓

Ever thought about getting freelance work through government contracts?

You’re probably thinking something like:

There’s a lot of red tape to cut through
It’s too hard
It’s not my niche
I don’t know enough about government

Sound familiar?

FYI, those are just excuses. Maybe this will change your mind about pursuing this kind of freelance work.

Take the time to cut through the red tape, and you can find government contracts that pay writers $100 to $200 an hour.

Bill $5,000 to $25,000 in a month writing for one client? This is happening for writers hired to create content for government contracts at the federal, state, and local level.

Can you see past the red tape now?

Sure, finding clients and writing content for government contracts is a little different than writing for magazines and businesses.

But there’s lots of work. It pays well. And if you’re willing to cut through the red tape, some of it can be yours.

Here’s what you need to know to get government contracts for freelance work:

Tagged with: government contract, marketing, networking, technical writer

Blog Writing Fails: 5 Brain-Dead Zombie Mistakes That Sicken Editors

Posted by: Evan Jensen — 2 Comments ↓

Do your blog writing pitches stink?

There’s an easy way to tell…you’re not getting ANY responses from editors or marketing directors.

That ever happen to you?

When you send an editor a rotten pitch for a blog post, there’s a good chance your approach makes you sound like a brain-dead zombie.

And there’s protocol for that in the Editor’s Universal Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse:

Hit delete. Writer may be infected. Quarantine inbox immediately. Warning, freelancer appears to be devoid of creativity, brain dead, unable to communicate with words. Do not engage.

If your blog writing pitch is so bad it makes an editor sick or triggers their zombie-response training to avoid you at all costs, it’s going to be tough to make a living writing.

So what are the telltale signs of a brain-dead pitch for a blog post? These mistakes will sicken an editor faster than the smell of rotting flesh.

Tagged with: blog, blog marketing, blogging, marketing, pitch

How to Write a Blog Post Like a Boss: 100+ Insider Writing Tips

Posted by: Evan Jensen — 2 Comments ↓

What if you knew how to write a blog post like a Boss?

You know…you write blog posts that drive traffic and get results. And clients are more than happy to pay you pro rates for your blogging skills.

Not those $25 and $50 assignments, either. When you know how to write a blog post like a Boss, clients are ready and willing to pay $100, $300, $500, or more per assignment.

Sound good? Shut the door. Hold your phone calls. Grab an extra cup of coffee. And tell your people you’re busy.

If you want to learn how to write better blog posts, solid writing skills get your foot in the door. But that’s not enough.

You’ll also need some behind-the-scenes knowledge about things like keywords, SEO, headline writing, social media, and more to craft better blog posts.

In this post, you’ll find pro tips about how to write a blog post, engage readers, generate traffic, make your clients happy, and make more money.

It’s go-time. Check out this list 100-plus insider tips to get started.

Tagged with: blog, blog marketing, blogging