A round of applause please for those who attended our September 10 Writers Roundtable. A success by all accounts! As is our custom, we did not record the meeting out of respect for everyone’s privacy. But that doesn’t mean those who couldn't attend should be kept in the dark. I’d like to share some of the knowledge gained during that hour that may answer some questions on your mind as well. Such as...

1. How do you find work? This is the $64K perennial question that comes up at all our Roundtables. Here's a sampling of suggestions offered, all worth exploring:

• LinkedIn: According to Consumers Advocate, LI is one of the top five resources for job recruiters. So how successful is it in matching you up with prospective clients? In talking to IWOC-ers it varies widely. I know of one who, after a few years of not having any luck with LinkedIn, credits it for recently having landed her steadiest, most lucrative client. Conclusion: If you’re not on LI, it’s worth the try. Just make sure your profile is tempting enough to attract clients. There are five LI presentations on IWOC’s Member Resources page offering tons of invaluable tips.

• Freelance Success (FLX), a membership-based website and publication. Subscribe for a monthly or annual fee and gain access to a treasure trove of resources, job listings, classes and more. IWOC members who belong swear by it.

• Network wherever. Think you have to attend planned business-oriented events to network? Actually, you can network at a wedding. In a grocery line. In the bleachers at a Bulls game. Wherever you may strike up a friendly conversation with strangers, what you do for a living may come up. Mention you’re a writer and you’d be surprised at the wide-eyed reaction, followed by something like, “Hey, I need a press release done!” or “Do you write websites?” That happened to me when I attended a fundraiser hosted by a real estate company, resulting in several writing projects (press releases, videos) for a dance company! One of my most awe-inspiring clients ever.

• IWOC’s Job Site Page lists 50+ job sites, ranging from the most popular (Zip Recruiter, indeed, etc.) to numerous ones you may never heard of – but look very promising. Check ‘em out.

• Cold Calling Karma. Yes, it’s old-school. Yet the human voice can go a long way in making connections in this otherwise email- and social media-obsessed world. But there are rules, such as always starting the convo by succinctly identifying yourself and asking “Do you have a moment?” when a prospective clients picks up the phone. Most miraculously, once you get in the cold-calling groove, a client that wasn’t even on your list may come calling you out of the blue. That’s the karma part. Jim Leman’s guide to “Cold Call Marketing” can be found on our Member Resources Page. The advice is timeless.

2. What do I charge? Another one of those questions that eternally plague us. How much to charge for a magazine article? A website? A blog? Several suggestions poured forth. Among them:

• Writers’ Market not only includes a pay rate chart for an extensive list of writing categories, but it is a gold mine of: writing opportunities for writers of nearly every discipline, lists of professional writing organizations, and more. Buy online or peruse at your local library.

• Search! Ask Google or Duck-Duck Go what a particular writing profession charges. All sorts of info will pop up.

• Communicate. Negotiate. What to charge may simply depend on who you’re working for. Various magazines will have a set rate for article writing. Ad agencies may have a range of rates they’ll pay copywriters according to their experience. It’s just a matter of communicating and even negotiating, once a client has expressed interest in your services.
  

Much more was covered in our session. To those who attended, thank you! And to everyone reading this, feel free to comment below to share advice that has worked for you.

Till the next round...

-- Laura Stigler