This month's articles cover marketing yourself with a good portfolio, dealing with rejection and tips for bidding. There's a humorous look at one of the reasons why the freelance life appeals, and an update on what I've been up to in the past month. See you in September!

In this issue:

• How I Created My Writing Portfolio 
• Working Through Rejection 
• Bidding In Brief 
• Writing Talk: Commuting
• Diary Of A Working Writer August 2009

How I Created My Writing Portfolio

by Sharon Hurley Hall

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Last month, I spent some time putting together a new writing portfolio. One of the reasons I did it was because I've amassed a lot of writing credits, which can make it difficult to show people what I’m about in a quick and accessible way. So my thoughts when creating it were that it had to be short and that it had to be visual, because people retain a lot of what they see.

To put it together, I decided to use the Google Presentation tool. This gave me a template and a series of sample layouts to choose from. I picked a number of key areas I wanted to be known for and put a short bit of introductory text with each one. Then I took screenshots of sites where my work had appeared and used them to illustrate each page.

The result was an eight page presentation which takes only a minute or two to view. I chose a cover image and included my photo, name and tagline. The last page includes links to further information about me, so that potential clients can research my work further. Finally, I uploaded the presentation to Slideshare so that I could have an embeddable slideshow. I have now embedded this slideshow on both of my sites, so that anyone can see my writing skills at a glance.

Feedback on the presentation has been very positive, though I still think it could be improved. Slideshare allows you to add audio to your presentations for true multimedia goodness.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on using this means of presentation. Contact me through the Get Paid To Write Online contact page to share your views.

Working Through Rejection

by Sharon Hurley Hall

How do you handle having work returned to you? If you're anything like me, you don't like it at all. Yet it's something that happens even to the most experienced writer, especially when not dealing with the client directly. You've heard the phrase 'cut out the middleman' - well, this often applies when taking writing jobs. Sometimes the people explaining a job to you give their understanding of what the client wants, and they don't always get it right. Here are a few lessons I have learned about working through rejection:

1. Even experienced writers sometimes have work rejected (get used to it and have a thick skin.

2. Rewrites and revisions are part of the job, so there's no point in complaining; that just makes you look unprofessional.

3. Speak to the client directly wherever possible.

4. Ask questions and keep asking them till you find out exactly what the client wants. This will cut down on misunderstandings and wasted time.

Bidding In Brief

by Sharon Hurley Hall

Wondering how to create the perfect bid? While there’s no blanket answer, the following steps may make the process a bit easier. First of all, try to work out what the deal breakers are in a job. The brief may indicate that there are must-haves for the ideal bidder. If you match those, you are already ahead. Make a short list of the main points you need to address and rank them, so that you target them in order. If the potential client reads only part of your bid, he or she will still get a good first impression.

Why should the client choose you? Can you outline your unique selling point (USP) in a couple of sentences? That’s what you need to do to start your bid. Follow up with the points you have identified above, then provide links to two key samples and client references (testimonials). Add your contact information and you’re done. To make it easier next time, keep a copy of any successful bids and queries so you can use them for inspiration. Happy bidding!

Writing Talk - Commuting

This is just one of the many reasons why I love being a freelance writer. Check out the other Writing Talk strips here.

Diary Of A Working Writer – August 2009

Summer’s in full swing and I’ve been busy, turning out a bumper issue of Canmaking News and continuing my work for the other magazine. On Get Paid To Write Online, one of the highlights of the month was the Location Independent Blog Carnival, with an inspiring selection of posts on this wonderful lifestyle. I also updated my writing portfolio, and I’ve written about that experience in this newsletter.

On the Taking Off Travel Blog, I looked at business travel gadgets (a feast for my inner geek), and asked whether you dare to unplug on a business trip. That question’s also a good one for freelance writers, as we often take our work with us. Meanwhile on the Appvita blog, I played around with Geni, creating my own family tree in the process, and looked at Mad Mimi for email promotions.

In the coming month, I’ve got a range of projects coming up, including a course review, a website revamp and more reviews, articles and travel posts. Have a great month!