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CONTEST: Win a Free Year of the Freelance Writers Den!

Carol Tice

UPDATE: Congratulations to our essay contest winner, Lisa Hewitt! Enjoy your free year in the Den!

Congratulations also to our runner-ups:

  • 1st runner-up: Stacey Langheim
  • 2nd runner-up: Linda Caradine
  • 3rd runner-up: Dharmik Shah

Thanks to everyone for your great stories/entries!


Ten years ago-ten!-I got a crazy idea in my head: I was going to start an online writing community for freelancers. But what should I call it? Maybe the Freelance Writers Den.

The goal: Provide a place for writers to learn how to market their services and earn more.

When we opened the doors in 2011, I had no clue how needed this sort of all-you-can-eat learning platform was for freelance writers.

The Freelance Writers Den turned 10 this year and is over 1,500 members strong.

The Den is packed with 300+ hours of trainings members can access anytime, on everything from how to do lucrative types of writing like white papers, to how to find better-paying clients.

Curious about the Den? We’re opening the doors and welcoming new Denizens for a few days, starting on December 8.

To celebrate the holidays, we’re giving away a year-long membership to the Den! That’s a $400 value.

We’re holding an essay contest to award this juicy prize. Find out more below:

Essay contest rules

The essay question that can win you a year in the Den:

Tell us about your WORST experience pitching. 

Why this question? Because all of us have had an awkward or downright bad experience when making a pitch to a prospective client. Whether we flubbed the pitch or the client made things hell, we’ve all been there. Tell us all about it, and perhaps a bit of what you learned, in a 300-word essay.

Here are the details on where to post and how to win:

  • One entry per person. Multiple entries will disqualify you.
  • Limit 300 words.
  • You can post your essay in the comments below or on our Facebook page (look for the post with the graphic you see on this post).
  • Current Den members are eligible to participate.
  • Winner will be announced on our blog post of 12/7. We’ll also email the news to subscribers, and update this post and Facebook.

Is our online writing community for you?

Maybe you’re new here and not familiar with the Den. If so, recommend you visit the Den home page and watch the video that goes through all our member benefits.

We serve new, returning, and mid-career freelance writers around the world with focused bootcamps, 24/7 forums, monthly live events, podcasts, an exclusive job board, and training resources galore.

It’s been a thrill to serve so many writers, and to create a platform that makes freelance knowledge affordable for the hungry writers who need it. And it’s still early days! Great trainings are coming up in the New Year.

Good luck, everyone! And hope to see you in the Den.

 

Your Shortcut to Success. Freelancewritersden.com

How to Make Money Writing: 113 Grow-Big Actions to Earn More

How to Make Money Writing: 113 Grow-Big Actions to Earn More

Long ago, I came up with a list of ways working freelancers can grow their writing income. If you’ve been wondering how to make money writing—serious money, that is—this list is for you. If you’re a newbie, you’ll find plenty of useful suggestions here, too.

Fire Up Your First Draft: 10 Time-Saving Ways to Boost Writing Speed

Fire Up Your First Draft: 10 Time-Saving Ways to Boost Writing Speed

The Blazing-Fast Way to Boost Writing Speed. Makealivingwriting.com

Are you struggling to boost your writing speed?

You’re not alone. Cranking out a first draft is agony for many freelance writers. It can kill your productivity and suck the joy out of your work. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

I used to hate first drafts, too. I could sweat for hours over one paragraph. Hours! My writing speed was so terrible, I even quit freelance writing for a while. Don’t do that, OK?

When I came back to freelance writing after a long break, I had a new attitude-and a new skill set. I learned how to triple my writing speed. I’m happier, I’m a better writer, and I make more money in less time.

No matter how slow, scared, and perfectionistic you are, you can light up your first-draft writing speed.

It’s not a mysterious, magical gift. It’s a skill, just like knowing where to put the commas or how to pitch an editor. And the better you get at it, the more you can earn.

Ready to fire up your first-draft writing speed? Check out these ten tips to write faster.