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The Fundamental Error Too Many Bloggers Make

Carol Tice

The Fundamental Error Too Many Bloggers Make. Makealivingwriting.comI recently attended an interesting Webinar about affiliate selling as a way to make money off your blog. It was put on by successful online business entrepreneur Erica Douglass of Erica.biz. Her guest was $1 million Amazon affiliate-seller Chris Guthrie of MakeMoneyontheInternet.

Chris told a story that reminded me of a simple truth about blogs:

Many blogs go wrong from the very start.

He related that his first website didn’t make any money. Eventually, he unplugged it and started another one.

What was the problem? The site was for fans of the game Halo 2. There was no way to earn from this topic — everyone visiting the site already owned both the popular first-person shooter game and an Xbox.

Readers were happy to come on and chat all day about how much they all loved Halo 2, but what could Chris sell to this crowd? Nothing much.

So he started another site with a broader topic, where he could review and sell many different games to visitors as new games were released. Presto! Big money.

How to put your blog on track to make money

When you want to earn from a blog, the best time to start thinking about how the blog will earn is before you ever push it live. What audience are you going after? What sort of things might that audience be buying already, that you could sell them?

Many bloggers don’t ask this question before they start. They start blogging about whatever catches their fancy, with a dim idea that it would be great if the blog earned money — but no clear idea how. Then, they end up with a blog that’s tough to turn into a money-earner.

Like any other business, a blog should start with a business plan if its mission is to earn income.

If your blog is already going, think about who your readers are. What do they buy in the course of their regular, daily lives, that you could sell them?

Bloggers who just stick up a bunch of random ads often find readers drifting away. But if you can find that sweet spot where you can provide what readers want to buy, readers will feel you are kind and helpful, not sleazy, when you offer those items for sale.

20 Ways to Find Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners

20 Ways to Find Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners

Best Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners. Makealivingwriting.com

Right now, a record-high number of people are considering a freelance writing career. My inbox is overflowing with questions from newbies. And the first question is: “Where can I find freelance writing jobs for beginners?”

If that’s you, sending hugs! I totally feel your confusion. The freelance marketplace is a big, complicated place. There are lots of types of paid writing, and different kinds of clients, too.

I’ve been helping writers get started for a dozen years now. And I know how mystifying it can be. You feel like there’s a door you need to find, a person you need to know, a secret you must unlock to become a freelance writer.

But really, the path to freelance writing jobs for beginners is simple.

You need to find someone willing to let you write for them. That’s it.

You get a few samples and boom — you have a portfolio to show. And you’re on your way.

There are fairly simple, break-in writing assignments that newbies tend to get. I’m going to outline what they are below.

But first, I need to explain something…

How to Write a Personal Narrative (And Why It’s So Important)

How to Write a Personal Narrative (And Why It’s So Important)

The purpose of a personal narrative is to describe a specific story in your life. No matter who you are, you have a plethora of life experiences, events, and stories that can be crafted into a compelling personal narrative for use in an article, blog post, case study, etc.

Writing an Article vs. Writing a Blog Post: What’s the Difference?

Writing an Article vs. Writing a Blog Post: What’s the Difference?

Ever wonder what the difference is between writing an article and writing a blog post? It’s a topic that comes up a lot when people ask how to become a freelance writer. Besides style and research, you might be surprised by one of the key differences between blogs and articles.