Getting Published and Noticed

So, how do you get noticed by businesses that would love to pay for your writing? Here are seven tips to help you get started:

1. Start a blog

If you don’t already have a blog, now is the time to start one. Since the world lives online, that’s the first place people will look when searching for writers to work with.

Not only will a blog help you get found online, it will also give you the opportunity to showcase your writing. Since many businesses are looking for writers to blog for them, it’s important to show that you are comfortable writing in this medium.

2. Guest post on other blogs

Whether you’re just getting started with blogging or want to expand your reach, guest posting is a great way to get your writing in front of a new audience.

It also gives you some credibility and will improve you search engine rankings if your website is linked from another high-quality site.

Reach out to bloggers (who are always in search for content) and offer to guest post for them. This offer not only helps you get noticed, but it also helps the blogger.

3. Comment

Strategically leaving a well-thought comment on other blogs is a fantastic way to get yourself in front of the right the audience.

Look for companies or people that you’d like to work with and leave smart, helpful comments on their blog posts. This will help you get on their radar screen, fast.

4. Get social

Social media can help you hone your writing skills. Distilling your thoughts into 140 characters or less challenges you to be incredibly succinct.

As a marketer, I want to know that you can write a tweetable headline or convey a message with a compelling Facebook post.

Getting active on social media sites helps you flex your writing muscles and prove you know how to write for this environment. Additionally, social media offers great way to connect with the very people and businesses you’re trying to attract.

Connect with those that you would like to work with, and strike up a conversation. You never know where it might lead.

5. Get testimonials

Can you meet deadlines? Can you work under pressure? Are you responsive and easy to work with? Is your writing effective?

Testimonials help answer key questions business owners will have about working with you. And, they allow you to convey these important messages without having to say so yourself.

If you don’t have any testimonials yet, it’s time to ask for some to showcase on your site.

For more click   goinswriter.com/get-writing-no…

Written By Alexandra Romanov

The Top 5 Publishers for New Authors

If you want to publish your creative writing, this article is for you. Especially if you dream of publishing a book.  Today I am going to focus on a handful of top-notch publishing companies that don’t require you to submit via an agent.

These companies vary widely in what they publish, how fast the respond to submissions and how they accept those submissions. The goal here is to give you the information necessary for you to take the next step in getting your book published by a publishing house.

While in most cases there are exceptions to every rule, in the publishing business the rules are carved in granite. The top publishing houses will not accept unsolicited manuscripts. For those you have no choice but submit through an agent. Sending your book to them yourself is pointless as they flatly refuse to consider anything unsolicited and simply throw them away.

The Crossroad Publishing Company

This publishing company is focused on religious thought and spiritual living. This company is the oldest on this list which means that it has a historic track record of success. They don’t offer advances but they do offer a larger share of the profits than other companies so that should be taken into consideration.

Company History

This is a rare publishing company that has an incredible history and yet still welcomes unsolicited manuscripts. The roots of the company go back to 1798 and the Herder family. In 1980 Crossroads was formed with the Herder Book Company booklists. With a history spanning centuries and not just decades you know that this company is capable of handling your manuscript and your book with great care and consideration.

What they publish

This company focuses primarily on books with a religious basis to them. The popular Bad Catholic humor series is published through them as well as notable works on Christian theology. While many of the books have a Catholic frame of reference, all Christian works are considered in both fiction and nonfiction categories. There are also books on families, relationships, children’s books and everyday living.

Notable Authors

This is a rather notable list of the top personalities in Christianity including Pope Benedict and Mother Theresa. Robert Barron is also published here as is of course John Zmirak, the writer of the previously mentioned Bad Catholic Guides

What you need to know before submitting your manuscript

Take a few minutes before submitting your manuscript and look over the submission guidelines on their website. They are fairly standard but you should note a few things are requested. Please see their website at crossroadpublishing.com for a more detailed list:

• Proposal Title
• A brief pitch of the project
• A few paragraphs describing the project
• Intended format for the book
• A table of contents
• Approximate word length
• A mostly finished book
• Intended audience
• Your bibliography and resume

respond within 6-8 weeks, they cannot guarantee that this will happen or that you will receive a response at all. For more please click
 www.freedomwithwriting.com/fre…