If you’ve ever thought about becoming an author or professional illustrator, a new contest could be good news for you.

More than 600 novels have been published by the winners and over $30,000 in prizes awarded annually through the Writers of the Future contest. The most successful contest for aspiring writers to have a chance for their creative efforts to be seen and acknowledged, it has the highest success rate in launching careers of any writing competition.

The contest was started by L. Ron Hubbard, himself one of the most successful writers of the Golden Age, and other famous science fiction authors have praised it.

What Authors Say
For example, Neil Gaiman, author of dozens of books, including “Coraline,” said, “Writers of the Future has a record of nurturing and discovering writers who have gone on to make their mark in the science fiction field. Long may it continue.” While Orson Scott Card, who pens the “Enders” series, among many others, said of the contest, “It’s what keeps sci-fi alive.”

About Writing
As for how to write the story, here’s some advice that Hubbard himself gave an interviewer at the time of the first contest:

“There are some activities that are simply so much fun that one can’t give them up. Writing is that for me. I love every opportunity to write.

“Many young writers are told to write in order to learn how to write. That is good advice. I used to find any excuse to write because I loved to do it. If I didn’t have a typewriter, I wrote in longhand.

“I chose science fiction because there is great versatility in this genre. A writer must pick his medium as carefully as a painter must pick his brush and colors.”

According to Joni Labaqui, contest director, there are no entry fees. All the judges see is a number assigned to a submission.

Where To Learn More
To enjoy fine sci-fi and to get an idea of the type of work that wins, you can read previous collections, available online and at bookstores. For more information, go to http://www.writersofthefuture.com.

The Web is built on words. For savvy writers, that means opportunities. Leading copywriter and writing teacher Angela Booth has just created her top ten tips to help writers to make money in 2010.

Angela writes several popular blogs, and offers a free weekly writing tips ezine for professional writers. She believes that there’s never been a better time to develop a high-powered freelance writing career.

“Oddly enough, the economic downturn has been good for writers. As businesses strive to cut costs, they move their marketing online, and they also ramp up their ecommerce efforts. This means there are many more opportunities for writers, particularly in writing Web content, and in blogging,” explains Booth.

The best writing jobs with great rates are never advertised. Unfortunately, she says, many writers both new and established, find the Web intimidating. She receives questions every day from writers asking her how to find writing jobs online which pay well, and how to make money online.

She says she created her Top Ten Writing Tips for 2010 to help writers to plan now for their best-ever year. She encourages writers to be both productive, and professional, because they’ll be amply rewarded.

In 2010, she encourages writers to set production goals, as well as marketing goals, and to ensure that they have a Terms of Service Agreement which they send to prospective clients. She reports that few writers understand that it’s necessary to set their own terms of service, as well as their rates, and that clients appreciate transparency.

She says that writers always want to know what they should be charging, but in a free market, it’s up to writers to set their own rates.

“There are no standard rates,” she reports. “New writers often get upset at what they perceive as low rates, but they’re not experienced enough to realize that the best writing jobs with great rates are never advertised. They go to known writers who have contacts, and who market. Becoming a known writer isn’t difficult. Writers who make getting known a top priority in 2010 will succeed far beyond their expectations.”

For further information on Angela Booth’s Fab Freelance Writing Ezine, and to subscribe, visit http://www.freelancewritingezine.com/. A sample issue is available. To download the free ebook, visit http://www.freelancewritingezine.com/2010tips.html.

She’s written hundreds of articles for newspapers, magazines and websites, and now writing coach Maya Payne Smart is sharing her business know-how with other journalists—for free.

Smart knows it takes more than just writing talent to succeed as a freelancer in today’s competitive market. She’s teamed up with journalist Kate Eckman to create the free Breakthrough Freelancing Quick-Start Kit http://breakthroughfreelancing.com.

Eckman, a former TV news reporter, grills Smart about what it really takes to thrive as a freelancer in a challenging economy. Smart’s responses to the aspiring freelancer reveal tried and true methods for getting paid to write. She teaches listeners how to choose a niche, find and attract great clients, value themselves and their work, write once and sell multiple times, and stay motivated despite the odds.

This free kit includes a digital audio file of the 45-minute interview, a 32-page PDF transcript with links to key resources. Also included is a free subscription to Writing Coach — Smart’s bi-weekly newsletter full of insights and inspiration to help freelancers create wealth and enjoy the writing life.

“As print media scrambles to reinvent itself and online news organizations struggle to find profitable business models, many writers can no longer rely on employers for a steady paycheck or benefits, let alone any sort of professional development or long-term career path,” Smart said. “Given these trends, business skills must quickly assume their rightful place beside writing ability and reporting chops in the journalist’s toolbox. Freelancing, for many, will be the first step in moving in an entrepreneurial direction. I hope the Breakthrough Freelancing Quick-Start Kit inspires someone to get going already.”

Aspiring writers, current freelancers or journalism students won’t want to miss this limited time offer. Smart’s advice is not only informative, but uplifting and inspirational—something every journalist could use, especially in this economy.

“If you decide that this is what you want to do, be confident that you can do it,” she said. “It’s possible and you’re capable.”

To sign up for the free program, visit http://breakthroughfreelancing.com/.

I began my illustrious freelance career with visions of tweed coats, elbow patches, cigars, and pensive photos. My mind’s eye saw a cluttered office, checks strewn across my desk, and waking to one illuminating thought after another.

I believed I’d tap at the keyboard, mail queries, read my articles on glossy paper, and assignments would flow like water.

Small problem with that scenario. Tweed coats don’t look good on me. I don’t smoke, never have. And I usually wind up looking goofy in photos, no matter how hard I try to strike a pensive pose.

Ah, but my desk is cluttered. I do occasionally find a stray check in amongst the mounds of papers. But illuminating thoughts? Bah.

There’s a fundamental problem with my original scenario: my freelancing model missed a crucial element necessary for financial success.

For example, the cash I expected to earn from writing articles just didn’t add up to the numbers I hoped they would. Seriously. Spending weeks writing, rewriting, and finally submitting an article, only to reap a whopping 25 bucks just didn’t pay the bills.

Then I decided to write books. Unfortunately the small royalties barely covered my promo expenses. It’s exciting to sell books, but we needed some large volume sales to make this endeavor financially worthwhile.

How ’bout publishing? Again, after wholesaler discounts, distributor expenses, author royalties, and postage, we’re talking some pretty slim profits. And again, we’re talking volume sales to lower expenses and prop profits.

But then something magical happened. I discovered the wacky world of copywriting.

In case you’re unfamiliar with copywriting, a copywriter is a master persuader. They write ads, direct mail, sales letters, and such.

And (little did I know) proficient copywriters earn a lot. World Class Copywriters earn astronomical fees.

Copywriting isn’t difficult. But there are definite tricks to the trade. And you can cut your learning curve by years if you receive proper training.

But here’s where things really get cool.

Turns out these new persuasive skills made it far easier to write awesome queries. Boom. Article sales jumped.

Next, I revised the sales copy for my books. Boom. Another jump in sales.

I applied “copywriting language” to everything I wrote and kaboom… even more sales, more exposure, new readers found me.

And I haven’t even gotten into copywriting as a business: writing for clients turned out to be quite lucrative as well.

Now, I love to write. It’s my passion. There’s nothing like receiving a complementary e-mail outlining how something I’ve written has made someone else’s life easier, gave them hope, helped guide them through this wacky profession.

On the other hand, I hate marketing. It sucks. One rejection and I’m down for the count. At least for a while.

But by combining my writing skills with copywriting psychology, my self-promo time is automatically sliced in at least half because I’ve learned stealth persuasion to draw clients my way.

So now, clients (and publishers and editors) are attracted to me rather than my gunning after their very fractured attention.

So… where does the “farming” come in?

Simple. Rather than concentrate on one aspect of your writing career, think like a farmer. Plant many seeds and watch them grow at different rates.

Instead of becoming an article writer extraordinaire, write articles when the spirit moves you. Submit them when they’re polished. Start writing the novel that’s burning your heart. Eventually publish it. Research a nonfiction title. Write ad copy.

You can even take this further. I speak to the local high school. Elementary schools, too. How ’bout local organizations and the Chamber of Commerce? Once a businessperson sees you in action, they’ll be hooked.

Just keep planting seeds (remember, you’re a “farmer”) and before you know it, you’ve got more paying clients than you know what to do with.

But copywriting’s the linchpin that binds all these endeavors.

That’s because effective persuaders control their destiny… and their income.

So here’s to effective “farming” and inevitable success.

About the Author:
Beth Ann Erickson is the queen bee of Filbert Publishing and editor of Writing Etc., the free zine that’ll make your writing sparkle, help you create a profitable writing career, and get you on the road to publication fast. You’ll receive the e-booklet, “Power Queries” when you subscribe today. http://FilbertPublishing.com.

Writing an e-course is an excellent way to connect with your list and start making money, especially if you are new to the internet and have a very small list.

Here I will show you exactly how you can create your own e-course very quickly. In fact, there is no reason you can’t be ready to write your own to market to your list by the time you finish this article on writing an e-course!

The most important thing I want to share with you here is something that isn’t spoken or written about very often. This may even be considered a secret. Lean close so I can share this with you – teaching sells! Teach people about something you know and you will make money.

I like to divide my course into five lessons. Seven also works well, but I stick with five. In each lesson I introduce the idea, teach a few concepts, tell them what will be in the next lesson, and then give an assignment. And, all of this is done in about four or five paragraphs.

You will want to find affiliate products or your own products to promote at the end of each lesson. Make sure these products are appropriate to the information you are teaching if you want to make sales. When done correctly this can be an excellent way to generate income for months, or even years, to come.

After you have written a few e-courses and given them away to your prospects, think about one you will be able to sell. Remember that teaching sells, so teach people how to do something that will help them to achieve their goals.

Remember that the reason to start an internet business is to give you the time and money to live the life you choose. Download a free teleseminar on building your online business by visiting http://www.OnlineWritingSuccess.com to learn how to write articles, blog, become involved in social networking and learn the technology needed to build a profitable online business.

About the Author:
Connie Ragen Green has been online since 2005 and teaches people how to build their own online business in record time, offering free teleseminars weekly, as well as online courses in a workshop environment with webinars.

Everyone is an expert on something. You may not realize it or acknowledge it, but you are quite familiar with some service, activity, or product.

Whether you are a horse trainer who has won multiple competitions or a customer service agent at the local phone company, you have knowledge that others don’t have and surprisingly, you can make big bucks off of selling this information.

An information product simply has the definition of being any product that ends in the form of information. Basically, you’re selling knowledge you’ve gained through experience so others who don’t want to spend time going through the trenches can learn from your realizations or mistakes.

On average, you can make 1 sale for everyone 100 visitors to your information product’s website. If your product sells for $100 and you make at least five sales a day (equal to about 500 visitors to your website), you can make around $15000 a month.

So you’re thinking, why would people buy an information product when they could just use Google and get the information for free? It’s simple – using Google and searching through all of the websites is a time-consuming task and it’s hard to sort the good information from the bad – not mentioning all the advertisements you’ll have to dodge to get to any information at all. People are willing to pay because it provides them good, valid information that takes them no time at all to find – they can just read it and go to work with their newfound knowledge.

As a marketing executive and purchaser of many information products myself (Tony Robbins, Zig Ziglar, Dan Kennedy, Bill Glazer), I have been helping experts design and market their information products for over 10 years to great success and high profits. Here are some tips to helping make your product successful as well:

You can begin with as little as a CD of information, a transcript, or as much as a book. If you have a CD, first create a transcript of the CD and from the transcript, edit it down to your key points. If you have a book, you also need to edit it down to the key points. If the customer only wants certain particles of information from your product, don’t make them wade through everything else (remember – they’re buying your product to save time!). Also, a CD of just the key points should be created as well.

Once you have completed the key points CDs and have your information transcribed in some way, shape or form, create a workbook for the buyer. This way, they have benchmarks to make sure they really understand the information you’re trying to teach them and they know how much more information they need to consume before they’re ready to go.

While you’re creating the aforementioned parts of your information product, you must create a compelling title and subtitle to attract customers to your information product at all. If you don’t have a compelling title, they won’t be as interested in your product. Along with your compelling title and subtitle, you need to have a complimentary image or logo. The title and image must match and look nice when placed together.

This title and image will be used as the face of your company so make sure they are reflective of your product. You will apply the same title and image to all of your products including the CD, transcripts, key points guide, workbook, and anything else you’re including with your product.

Next, write and edit your biography; your information becomes more valid if you have extensive experience. People want to know where this knowledge came from and the different experiences you have had that may impact your outlook. Include your other information products in your biography because if this one is good, they’ll want to purchase your others as well.

Once you are done developing the title, logo, biography, and internal product, you’ll need to create other graphics to advertise your company. For example, take pictures of all of your products and arrange them together to graphically show customers everything they will be receiving when they purchase your information product. This image will be useful for catalogs, banner advertisements, a web store, a flyer, or an Amazon.com sale page.

When you have created your information product and have all of the images in place, don’t forget to market it! No one will buy it if they don’t know it exists – and this is one of the biggest mistakes I see.

About the Author:
Andrea Ratajczak is a seasoned marketing consultant and co-founder of PDA Marketing, a full-service marketing and design firm in Baltimore, MD. If you’re interested in having andrea help design and market your information product, contact her at andrea@pdamarketing.net or by phone (410) 788 – 2007.

In spite of what you hear about publishers accepting submissions only from agents, and about what an agent can do for a writer, there are still many instances in which you don’t necessarily need an agent.

This is good news at a time when it seems fewer agents than ever are open to new talent.

Small or Specialized Publishers
The smaller publishers-and today there are more than ever, most of them outside New York City-are usually perfectly happy to accept submissions directly from writers. In fact, I have found that many of them are intimidated by literary agents, and prefer to work directly with writers.

You can find the names and addresses of smaller publishers, from regional presses to university presses, in Literary Market Place (LMP). This expensive volume can be found in almost any library’s reference department. It includes a listing of publishers by subject matter. If you believe that your novel has a niche audience that makes it right for one of these publishers, or has a regional appeal that makes it a good bet for a local publisher (an example would be a story based on a local historical incident), try submitting directly. Unless you have a good reason to do otherwise (for example, instructions from the publisher), begin with a query letter and follow up as appropriate.

Major Publishers Willing to Work Direct
There are still some major publishers that state openly that they are willing to receive material directly from writers. This does not mean they are happy to receive unsolicited manuscripts. It means they are willing to receive query letters from writers, and will ask to see manuscripts that sound promising. When you submit your manuscript in response to an editor’s invitation to do so, it becomes solicited.

In directories like Writer’s Market, you can learn whether a publisher is open to unagented submissions. You can also visit the website of a publisher you have in mind; often you will find submission guidelines. Submission policies differ greatly; a company’s preferences always supersede traditional practice.

One notable example of a publisher that not only is open to unagented material but even encourages it (by periodically holding writing contests and competitions) is Harlequin, the world’s largest romance publisher, whose divisions include Harlequin itself as well as Silhouette, Spice, Mira, HQN, Kimani Press, Steeple Hill, Red Dress Ink, Luna, and Worldwide Library. Within these lines are imprints that publish contemporary romance in all its variations, historical romance, romantic suspense, mainstream women’s fiction, “chick lit,” fantasy, inspirational fiction, African American fiction, and even erotica. The company does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, but requires a query letter containing specific components, as well as a brief synopsis of your novel. Visit their website at http://www.eHarlequin.com and read their author guidelines.

Helpful Hint: Most publishers of genre fiction (romance, mystery, horror, men’s adventure, etc.) are open to queries directly from writers.

Special Circumstances
There are other ways to get editors to consider your work without having an agent, even if the editors work for publishers whose official policy is not to accept unagented material.

You may know someone, or know someone who knows someone, whose books are published by one of the major publishing houses. If so, as that someone for a referral. If that’s not possible, as for permission to use this person’s name and send a query letter with SASE (a self-addressed, stamped envelope), mentioning that name right up front. Chances are good the editor will agree to look at your manuscript, if only out of politeness.

If you attend a writers conference or convention and meet an editor who publishes the kind of book you’ve written, ask him or her for permission to send your manuscript. If the editor agrees, mail your manuscript the minute you get home, being sure to mention where you met the editor and that he or she agreed to read your book. Put this information at the very beginning of your cover letter, so that an assistant screening submissions will be sure to see it and place it on the “Look” pile!

Helpful Hint: When you send material in response to an agent or editor’s invitation mark the outside of the envelope REQUESTED MATERIAL. That way your package won’t work itself into the dreaded slush pile-the stack of unsolicited manuscripts, which receive little or no attention.

Perhaps you happen to know an editor who publishes what you write. If so, simply ask if you can submit your manuscript. Few people put on the spot in this way have the guts to say no. You’ll get a reading, and if your novel is as good as I hope it is, your friend, relative, or acquaintance will be happy he or she said yes.

Oh, What the Heck!
Don’t tell, but despite their “official policies,” many major publishers that claim to be closed to unagented material do open query letters, and do ask to see manuscripts. If you’re certain a particular editor at a particular publishing company would be perfect for your novel, what have you got to lose by sending a query and SASE? The worst that can happen is that you will receive no response.

On the other hand, a few weeks ago I got a call from a woman whose first approach to an editor at one of New York City’s largest publishers was by means of a query letter, without any special recommendation or connection. She and this publisher have just signed a healthy, two-book contract. If you don’t have an agent but are eager to get your writing career going, try one or more of the above techniques. I see them work for a large number of writers.

About the Author:
Evan Marshall, president of The Evan Marshall Agency, is a former book editor and packager. Recently, he and coauthor Martha Jewett released The Marshall Plan® Novel Writing Software, based on his bestselling The Marshall Plan (R) writers’ guides. Evan is also the author a number of popular mystery novels including “Death is Disposable” and “Evil Justice.” Visit http://www.writeanovelfast.com and download Evan’s free 77-page Fiction Makeover Guide with tips and ideas on writing a great novel.

Fresh from presenting a sell-out masterclass, I was looking forward to writing this article for my ezine and had it scheduled in my diary to do the following morning.

My most creative and productive writing time is usually in the mornings so I always aim to organize my other business commitments around this fact. The title of the article popped into my mind as soon as I picked up my pen.

I wrote it down and then decided to deal first with a specific task which also needed to be done that day. It was a financial task which I thought would only take about 30 minutes. Over an hour later (do you recognize that one?!), the task was completed but it had involved some serious working out and concentration.

So although it felt good to have it done, the process had shifted me out of feeling like writing! Fortunately I have been working consciously with the creative process for quite a few years now so instead of feeling frustrated, I knew that I could turn the situation around. This did not involve pushing myself to write when I didn’t really feel ‘in the flow’ but instead came from accepting fully the way events had unfolded and finding a way to re-ignite my creative feelings.

So I had an early lunch and went for a walk up the track near the house. I stopped at the brow of the hill where a broken branch provides a welcome resting place to breathe in the magnificent view across the landscape…

Without consciously thinking it through, by the time I began my return journey, the outline of this article had already ‘arrived’ in its entirety. Once I was back, the words found their way freely onto the page and I felt energized by the whole process.

So here is my 5 step process to help ignite your creativity when you need it and to keep it burning day after day:

1. Write a list of activities which lift your spirits and inspire your soul.

If you’re not sure what to include, think of what you enjoyed as a child and then interpret the principle to suit you as an adult. For example, I used to enjoy being outside and making ‘dens’ in the small patch of woodland by our house. Today, I enjoy being outside & walking through trees, especially when the sun dapples through the branches …

2. Identify what’s stopping you from incorporating more of these creative triggers in your current rhythm of life.

Many people will have time and/or money on this list of factors which hold them back from incorporating more creative activities in their lives. If they are on your list, take this opportunity to review what is truly important to you, and if necessary, reframe your thinking around the value of your creativity?

3. Write a list of solutions which ideally includes asking a friend or colleague if they would become an active partner – or even simply a ‘sounding board’ – in support of your creativity.

Try shifting your focus away from how hard it is to find the time and/or money onto how much you get from feeling creatively inspired. This should make enough of a difference for you to incorporate more choices each and every day which bring you closer to your creative intentions.

4. Choose an activity from your list to engage in at least once a week and ideally 3 times a week, or even better, every single day!

These don’t all have to be large, time consuming activities. In fact many of them should be easily manageable alongside other commitments. I recommend having a mix of different ideas to suit different occasions, moods, time frames and feelings. Sometimes a 20 minute walk at lunchtime will do the trick. Other times, a longer session making a colorful vision board is just what you need to inspire you subsequently with the words on the page.

5. Share your choice with your creativity partner and then let them know how you get on!

Announcing your intention out loud to someone else is an excellent way of helping yourself to stick to it. The sense of accountability and support for staying on track can work both ways so offer this opportunity to your creativity partner too. He or she does not need to be a writer for this purpose. Anyone who values creative expression no matter what the form can be a good creativity partner. Once a month, catch up by email, on the phone or in person and exchange summaries of what you’ve enjoyed most from your creative focus that month.

Enjoy the journey!

About the Author:
Julia McCutchen opens the way for writers to find their true voice, discover themselves in the process, and write consciously, creatively, successfully and with soul. A former managing director and publisher with over 20 years’ publishing experience, Julia’s holistic approach includes coaching, mentoring and masterclasses for aspiring authors. To access free articles, audios and other resources for writers, visit http://www.JuliaMcCutchen.com.

Creative people aren’t usually the most organized. It’s not uncommon for them to have disorganized piles of notes and papers scattered throughout their work area.

But, this won’t work for you when you’re the boss of your own booklet business. You need to be able to stay on top of your writing projects and your customers. If you don’t, your profits will suffer.

The Cost Of Lost Notes
Having to search for notes or information you need costs you time – time that you could be spending doing something else that will move your business forward. And, if that information isn’t able to be found, it can cost you money.

Imagine Mr. Bigwig from XYZ corporation is calling to speak with you about your booklet. You know you’ve spoken to Mr. Bigwig once before, but it was a while ago and your memory is a little fuzzy about what was discussed. You made some notes during the conversation, and you really need them now that Mr. Bigwig is on the phone. But, you don’t remember where you put them.

Not having those notes means you’re starting over from scratch. Mr. Bigwig knows why he’s calling, but without your notes you’ve lost all the history you had with this potential large quantity buyer. And if it becomes obvious to Mr. Bigwig that you don’t remember your last conversation with him, he may feel that you don’t deem his business important. At the very least you could end up looking foolish or incompetent because you don’t remember details that have already been discussed.

This scenario should tell you two things:

• It’s important to make notes during your conversations with potential buyers.
• It’s important to have a place, such as a file, for those notes to go so you can always find them on a moment’s notice.

An Easy Way To Stay On Top Of Your Projects
Even if your booklet business is only a small, part time venture, you need a way to stay on top of what’s happening on a daily basis. One way to do this that works very well is to use a bulletin board and some 3×5 cards.

Divide your bulletin board into sections and place a 3×5 card at the top of each one. Each section will have some relevance to your specific business. You might have a section for booklets you’re creating, and another for clients your working with, and another for promotions you’re working on. Or you might simply have a section for work needing to done, work that you’re in the process of doing, work you’ve delegated to someone else, and work that is finished.

Once you’ve got your columns headed the way you want them, you can use 3×5 cards to write your projects on and post them in the proper section. This way, you can quickly see at a glance what you need to do and where each project is in the creation process.

Get Organized And Be Empowered
There are many ways you can organize your booklet business so that it’s efficient for you, and contrary to popular thinking – getting organized can actually be fun. It’s a way of making progress in your business, and it lifts your mood and elevates your mindset. It’s both refreshing and empowering. Organization is a tool that is free to everyone for creating wealth, but nobody ever talks about it.

About the Author:
Six time author Kim Hillman publishes the Writing For Riches With Booklets blog. If you’re ready to jump-start your writing career, make more money and enjoy the success you’ve been dreaming of, get your FREE tips now at http://www.kimhillman.wordpress.com.

Imagine being able to work from your own home, doing a job you love, and getting paid handsomely for doing it. Wouldn’t that be great?

Well, the good news is that this is not just a fantasy. It is a prospect that is well within your reach.

Today, millions of people worldwide have established highly-successful careers as freelance professionals. Writers, designers, programmers and many other home-based consultants have discovered that freelancing offers the perfect combination of freedom, creativity, flexibility and profitability.

Of course, the biggest challenge for new freelancers is finding enough work to justify giving up a day job. How can you be sure that you will keep yourself busy with lucrative work? This used to be a concern, but thanks to the advent of the Internet, things are now much easier.

Go Freelance has been established for a number of years, and has a great record of matching freelancers with projects. Wherever you are in the world, you can apply for jobs and projects, most of which can be undertaken remotely from your home location.

So do you need years of experience and fantastic qualifications to join these lucky people? Not at all. You just need a skill that you can offer to potential clients, and the willingness to learn how to run a home-based business.

Here are just a few examples of the types of opportunities available:

Write for Discussion Boards: $1200 per week, plus bonus
A writer is needed for an ongoing writing project. You will need to write copy to stimulate others into joining the discussion board. The writer needs to actively encourage regular and meaningful debate on the relevant discussion board, with some moderating of the content. You must have solid writing skills and good ideas.

Administer a Web Business from Home: $4000 per month
A successful e-commerce venture is seeking a part-time virtual assistant to act as a home-based office manager. You will deal with email correspondence, update site content and deal with general admin issues. You should have your own computer and Internet access.

Transcribe Author’s Notes: $80 per hour, flexible working
A publishing company is seeking a freelance with an eye for detail to transcribe authors’ notes and recordings for a range of ongoing projects. You must have a good grasp of English, be able to edit content into readable form, and be able to submit work from home by email.

An Investment That Paid Off
Karyn Martin was cautious about launching her freelance career online, but she soon got results:

“I remember the days when I dreamed of being a freelancer,” she says. “The word seemed magical to me somehow. Romantic, almost. Now, after having actually been a freelancer for a while, the scales have been lifted from my eyes and I have seen the light. You pay for being able to manipulate your time. You pay by working more, working harder, and – hopefully – working smarter. But what you get in return is priceless. Now I can call the shots about when I work, for whom I work, and how much I make.”

One day, Karyn decided she was no longer willing to commute in smog-laden traffic to sit in a cubicle for eight hours, come home, eat, sleep, wake up, and then do it all over again. Going through the same routine, day after day, week after week , only to wake up one day old and tired – wondering how life might have been if she’d had the guts to go it alone.

So she decided to become a freelancer – but how would she find work? She had spent endless hours surfing the ‘net, signing up with one freelance site after another. Yet there was an incredible amount of competition. She never seemed to win any bids, and was adamant about not lowering her hourly rate.

“I had always heard, “don’t pay to work!” repeatedly, and I was too poor to risk getting scammed, but I took a chance one day when I was flush and sent twenty bucks to gain access to the Go Freelance Professional Edition.

“Since then, I’ve edited a sales letter, a follow-up letter, an 11-page Web site, and a brochure. I’m ‘on call’ to do pinch-hit proofreading for a medical newsletter editor in Florida while he’s on vacation, sick, etc. And I’ve landed a gig editing a new Canadian magazine coming out this fall. All this from taking a $20 chance on Go Freelance.”

Of course, it helped to send prospects a few previous work samples she’d had the presence of mind to scan and save on disk. Also, since she has been ‘in the business’ for more than five years, she has a fairly good résumé with some experience to back up the claims, along with a strong list of references.

“For every one of you out there feeling a little discouraged, and especially for those of you on the verge of throwing in the towel, I’m here to tell you this. There may not be a Santa Claus, but there is a place to find work without paying some ridiculous “transaction fee” or never knowing whether or not the projects are ‘fresh’.”

You can sign up for a trial subscription for just $7.00, and get instant access to all the projects in the jobs database.

Be the next work-at-home success story.