Category: Elite Writer’s Lab Members Area

If you are a writer, you need a website or blog. There are three main reasons for this:

1. You Can Showcase Your Writing

Having your own website is like a shop window online, where people can read your writing and follow you as a fan. A lot of people have turned to social media for writing and marketing, but the truth is that social media is here today and gone tomorrow.

In addition, the social media sites set the rules, not you. Even if you have 5,000 fans on your Facebook page, for example, you might notice that you only get a tiny fraction of views. This is because Facebook rewards pages that have a lot of likes, shares and comments, and shows their content to more people. If your fans are not showing these “social signals”, your great content might not get seen by anyone at all.

With a site or blog, on the other hand, you can publish regularly and then let your follower know what’s new.

In addition, you can sell directly from your own site, cutting out all of the publishing middlemen. All you need is:

* A PDF file of your content, such as a short story or novel
* A PayPal account
* A Buy Now button you will create in your PayPal account
* A download page for customers to get their purchase

You can also link to content you are selling on Amazon. Amazon will take a percentage, but they are:

a) The largest bookstore in the world
b) A search engine for shoppers
c) A safe and secure digital marketplace where you will get paid for your work every month
d) A place where you can appear side by side with top authors in your genre, such as romance, mystery or horror

Use your site or blog as the hub of all your activities.

2. Fans and Publishing Professional Can Learn More about You

As you build your reputation as a writer, more and more people will want to know who you are, including:

* Fans
* Literary agents
* Editors at publishing houses
* Writing contest judges

…and more. Make it easy for people to find you, get your biography, and see your full list of works.

3. It Can Be a Writing and Resource Tool for Yourself and Others

If you start a WordPress blog, you can showcase your work to the public if you wish. You can show off your creative writing, blog about topics important to you, share writing industry news, and more.

WordPress also allows you to password protect content, or make it completely private. If you’re like most writers, you probably have a lot of favorite sites, works in progress and more. If you participate in a lot of contests, put your work on your blog with the name of the contest, deadline date and so on to keep track of your success and publish it once the winners have been announced.

Store links, writing tips, your resume and more. Update your writer’s portfolio and biography any time you wish.

Use your blog as the hub of all your writing and promotional activities and watch your career grow.

Do This Next, If You Want to Make a Better Living from Writing

WriterHelpWanted.com and EliteWritersLab.com co-founders, Ron Douglas and Alice Seba, recently got together to discuss the 5 obstacles that keep most writer from earning a good living from their writing.

Inside this free video, you’ll learn about the 5 obstacles that keep most writers from earning a full-time living from their skills. If you ever procrastinate, doubt your skills or just aren’t sure how you can get started, this is for you.

To receive free instant access, just click here to get started.

There are a number of pros and cons to entering writing contests. There are many out there, some more legitimate than others, and some with some very strict rules you need to follow.

There are four main points you should consider when thinking about entering a contest:

* Is it in a genre I want to write?
* What is the cost to enter (if any)?
* What prize will I win?
* Would I be proud to list it in my writing credits if I won?

This is the best way to start considering the pros and cons of entering any contest in particular, but here are some of the pros and cons in general.

PROS

1. Making you write to a deadline

There’s no time to waste, so the deadline can help you get more done.

2. Stretching you as a writer

The topics and themes can often be interesting and make you try new things.

3. Increase your prestige

There are a lot of writers out there. Winning a prize in a contest can help you establish credibility as an author.

4. Money and other rewards

It’s always nice to be paid for your work. Plus, even if you don’t win cash, you might have the kernel of an idea you can expand on or use in a full-length work.

5. Getting a publishing credit

If the winners are printed, there is nothing quite like the buzz of seeing your name on the page.

6. Having the chance to submit multiple entries

If you really love the topic and can think of all sorts of ways to go with it, a contest that allows multiple entries allows you to write what you love, plus have more chances of winning.

CONS

1. Some really are cons

Watch the fees. They can really all start adding up if you are not careful, with little to show for your efforts.

2. Exclusive submission requirements

Some contests insist that you can’t submit your work anywhere else during the contest, or sometimes even if you win a prize. You should always maintain your rights over your own work whenever possible, and not tie it up for weeks or months on the off-chance you might win.

3. Less than prestigious contests

Some contests are recognized in the writing world, while others are more interested in grabbing your fee. Do your due diligence before writing a single word or paying a penny.

4. Too many rules and regulations

It can be really frustrating to find a contest with a topic you would love to write about, only to discover that for some reason you don’t meet the eligibility requirements. Read the fine print before writing a word. But if the topic really excites you, write it for yourself anyway. Anything that gets the creative juices flowing is always a good thing.

5. Too much formatting, copying or other picky requirements

If the rules about formatting are more than a couple of paragraphs long, skip it. You’re supposed to be judged on your ability as a writer, not a typist/word processor.

Do This Next, If You Want to Make a Better Living from Writing

WriterHelpWanted.com and EliteWritersLab.com co-founders, Ron Douglas and Alice Seba, recently got together to discuss the 5 obstacles that keep most writer from earning a good living from their writing.

Inside this free video, you’ll learn about the 5 obstacles that keep most writers from earning a full-time living from their skills. If you ever procrastinate, doubt your skills or just aren’t sure how you can get started, this is for you.

To receive free instant access, just click here to get started.