A Way With Words

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Do you have a way with words? Of course you do, or you wouldn’t be here. The question is, what is the best vehicle for your wordsmithing?

The writing world is much bigger than you may realize. You might start out in fiction, but don’t let a definition limit your possibilities. The sad truth is, you can starve to death writing fiction, but if you know the basics of telling a story, you can market your work in a variety of venues.

1. Fiction: Again, you may starve to death before you make a living writing fiction (and we’re talking short fiction, here,) but once the fiction bug bites you, you are never the same again. Writing fiction for money as opposed to “for the love” is a long-standing debate between writers. The general consensus seems to be if the publication has a good reputation, and generates good exposure, negligible payment is acceptable. It’s a chance to build your own reputation and start a portfolio of work.

Read your favorite e-zines, and check out Duotrope for a complete listing of publications, what they’re looking for, and what they pay.

2. Articles: The possibilities for simple articles are limited only by your own imagination. There is a constant need for fresh, unique web content on an endless variety of subjects. You might consider placing a listing on Elance, or GoFreelance. Other options include writing and marketing your own PLR (Public Label Rights) packet (subject for a future post) or writing and marketing an Ebook on a subject you are educated on or passionate about. Remember, if you are interested in a subject, it’s likely a lot of other people are interested, as well.

3. Copywriting: The booming internet market has a need for talented copywriters. Writing a compelling sales page that converts can command big bucks…it’s not unusual to hear of $10,000 paid for a ten page sales letter. However, you really need to know the psychology of sales to pull this off — if you have a background in sales, writing sales pages can be quite lucrative.

Start small, build your portfolio, and study the greats, like Gary Halbert, Clayton Makepeace or Michael Fortin. If you can tell a good story, you’re well on your way to writing a good sales page.

This is just a small sampling of the things you can do if you have a way with words. Don’t let a label or narrow expectations limit your horizons. A wordsmith is a wordsmith — talented and skilled, there are many avenues to explore.

So get going! What are you still here for?

If there’s a topic or question on which you’d like more information, please let me know in the comments section.

Now go! Write!

Tags: articles, fiction, sales, Submission Suggestions, writing