By Cambridge Who’s Who Member and Contributing Author Shirley Patterson

Freelance writing – the act of submitting authored works to a company or individual on a per project basis – offers a lot of advantages, especially for people looking to shapetheir own schedules. There are endless possibilities for the freelance writer, depending on your ability to tackle a wide range of projects. Writers are needed at every level of business, from corporate to creative. Some companies may hire a freelancer for copywriting, which is the act of generating copy specifically for advertising campaigns and publicity projects. Other organizations will seek out freelance writers for more in-depth marketing materials, corporate communications and correspondence with shareholders, investors and/or clients. Magazines usually have a reserve of freelance writers who can tackle investigative stories, depending on their specialties and interests.

You don’t have to be a published journalist to become a professional freelance writer; people are constantly looking for articles on every topic. With the migration of newspapers and magazines to the Internet and the emergence of blogs as self-publishing tools, there are more outlets than ever to choose from. You just have to prove that you possess the knowledge and skills needed to contribute relevant articles that will reach the organization’s intended audience.

How to Start a Freelance Writing Career

At first the idea of beginning a career in freelance writing may seem daunting – even impossible. But all you need is commitment, dedication, some specific areas of interest/expertise and the ability to come up with creative ideas, or story angles, that you can pitch to editors. Constructing a winning pitch is a skill that every writer considering a career in freelancing should have. Think about the different points to your story as well as the story’s cultural and historical context. Figure out a unique way to approach the subject matter that will make it more interesting or intriguing to the reader.

Now that you know how to approach an editor, let’s figure out where to begin. To make a living out of writing for the Web can be challenging because a lot of online publications do not pay well and you will have a lot of competition. Nonetheless, the Internet is a good place to start looking for freelance writing gigs. You can begin by writing engaging articles, blogs and essays on popular topics and sending out some article proposals to magazines and websites. Even if you do not get compensated initially, by getting your name out there and building your online visibility, you will create a robust portfolio that you can present to potential employers. You should also diversify your writing abilities and the outlets you select to publish your work in order to make more money. Write e-zine articles, contribute newsletter content and become involved in a variety of projects – your work load will grow and so will your income. Start your own website, join forums and writers groups and cover various article topics for an online magazine of interest. If they are pleased with your work, some of these online publications may ask you to contribute content-for-pay, including features in their print properties. Be patient. This process will take a lot of hard work and determination, but it can be very rewarding.

Gaining Success as a Freelance Writer

Perseverance and dedication will help you to reach your professional goals. If you work diligently at writing and obtain the necessary exposure for your content, your dream to build a lucrative career as a freelancer will come true. And the harder you work at your craft, the more your skill set will develop and the easier you will be able to find inspiration for your work. Once you are focused, ideas will begin to appear out of nowhere. Your characters will whisper in your ear as you are standing in line at the check-out counter of a grocery store. You will come up with a series of fascinating article ideas while sitting in the waiting area of a doctor’s office. It will hit you like a bad habit, but this time it is for the good! Actively seek work, maintain a website, join online communities, network with other professionals, and write articles and submit them to article directories. Your hard work will ensure your success as a freelance writer.

Shirley Patterson’s Biography

Cambridge Who's Who Contributing Author Shirley Patterson

Cambridge Who’s Who member Shirley Patterson is a writer who uses her personal experiences to inspire the creation of fiction and non-fiction works. Ms. Patterson is currently studying journalism at The Writers Bureau . She is also nearing the completion of her first novel, titled “Canadaville: The Beginning.”

Shirley Patterson is open to sharing her life story with others, which centers on the devastation she witnessed due to Hurricane Katrina. Forced out of New Orleans by the engulfing flood waters, she relocated to an unfamiliar location in search of shelter and safety. “The looting was getting very dangerous for anyone to hang around,” she remembers, “and it became all about survival.” Once she was ready to leave the Big Easy behind, she ended up at the Baton Rouge River Center, a facility used to house 5,000 displaced hurricane victims. Packed in like sardines, she faced several obstacles before finally ending up in Canadaville – a self-sustaining community on 900 acres of land in Simmesport, Louisiana, designed specifically for Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita evacuees.

After six months had passed, Ms. Patterson settled into Canadaville, but she began to feel restless and depressed. “There were no jobs here, and I had no transportation,” she recalls. “I asked God, what am I going to do here?” The next morning, she awoke, walked to the front door and opened it. She marveled at the beautiful setting before her. She stared at the trees and, without hesitation, picked up a pen and pad. She began writing nonstop until she had completed six pages. The next day, she repeated her steps and wrote 10 pages.

Ms. Patterson had found the answer to her important, burning question. “The trees sparked my imagination to put pen to paper and write,” she remembers. “I love Canadaville and I will never forget this place for as long as God gives me this will to live.” Aptly titled, “Canadaville: The Beginning” should be completed by the end of June. Additionally, Ms. Patterson is penning a short story called “Living Among the Trees.”

Since discovering her newfound talents and abilities, Shirley Patterson acknowledges that she has found her true calling in life. She feels very enthusiastic about writing and does so in abundance. When she is not authoring her new book, she composes monthly newsletters for Canadaville, contributes to the local newspaper and writes gardening articles. While on her path to becoming a skillful wordsmith, she has learned the importance of meeting assignment deadlines. Her secret to success: “I devote all of my free time to the craft.” In five years, Shirley Patterson hopes to publish more novels and develop a career writing for newspapers and magazines.

In order to remain abreast of trends and new developments in the writing industry, Shirley Patterson reads a lot, subscribes to writers’ websites and reviews industry-related newsletters. She is a member of the Writers Guild of Acadiana. Aside from writing, Ms. Patterson loves gardening plants and flowers and is a member of her local garden club.

Cambridge Who’s Who Resource Center Article(s) by Shirley Patterson

• The Benefits of Freelance Writing New!
  

Cambridge Who’s Who invites you to serve as an expert resource and submit articles for publishing on the Cambridge Who’s Who Resource Center. Being featured as a contributing author on the Resource Center will give you the online exposure that you need to advance in your profession and grow your business, as we will provide you with a forum to share your expertise with your fellow members and the general public. We strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to establish yourself as a valuable resource in your industry and profession.

As a Cambridge Who’s Who Contributing Author you will receive:

• Biography highlighting your areas of expertise, educational background and professional experience
• Announcements about your recent accomplishments and endeavors
• Editing and proofreading of your work
• Links to every article you contribute
• Possible feature of your articles in Who’s News, the Cambridge Who’s Who e-newsletter

To take advantage of this exclusive benefit, send an email to exposure@cambridgewhoswho.com today!

Learn about our Cambridge Who’s Who contributing authors and read their articles and testimonials:

Cambridge Who’s Who Contributing Authors

• Chinonyerem (Chi Chi) Okezie
• Jo DeMarco
• Harold Kestenbaum
• Cheryl Nordyke
• Douglas Hyer
• Susan Gosine
• Philip B. Righter
• Lisa Parker
• Shirley Patterson
• Bruce Deitrick Price
• Jenny MacKay
• Claire Power Murphy

Articles

Networking

• Etiquette Tips for Online Networkers
• Growing Your Business through Online Networking
• Networking Starts and Ends with You
• Why Entrepreneurs Should Invest in Online Networking

Positioning Yourself as an Expert

• The Best Experts Get Involved
• An Expert Lesson From Dad
• An Introduction to Franchising

Entrepreneurship

• Over 40 and Redefining Unemployment through Entrepreneurship
• Leaping into Entrepreneurship
• The Power of the Ripple Effect
• The Benefits of Freelance Writing New!
• The Business of Hiring Freelancers New!
• Grow Yourself As You Grow Your Business New!

Financial Planning

• Understanding Corporate Financial Planning^©

Branding

• “Sassy, Brassy, Direct and to the Point”
• When Branding is All about Appeal
• How Your Personal Brand Makes an Impact
• The Art of Establishing Your Personal Business Brand New!

General

• Overcoming Adversity to Find Strength
• Exploring the Education Enigma New!

Testimonials

Cambridge Who’s Who is an exceptional organization which is extremely instrumental in helping its members enhance their professional goals. I recently published a book and was able to use my resources and connections with CWW to promote the book through the website, newsletter and blog. The blog has provided a lot of positive business exposure, improved my credibility and promoted the sales of my book. The response has been overwhelming in my favor and has catapulted my business to the next level.”

Chinonyerem (Chi Chi) Okezie
Owner, Founder
SIMPLEnetworking LLC
Jonesboro, GA
Cambridge Member Since June 2007

“As a new member to Cambridge Who’s Who I was immediately impressed with the caliber and range of people I now had the opportunity to interact with. The Cambridge staff could not be more polite, well versed, dedicated and dependable, it’s easy to see how a person could flourish and grow personally and professionally with them supporting you. When I started looking through the member directory, I was amazed at the expertise and diversity of this prestigious group. I am not only honored to be included, but as one who always welcomes a challenge, I find myself raising the bar of my own standard level to maintain my place among this impressive group. What a phenomenal “club” to belong to in order to share and grow together!”

Jo DeMarco
Contessa Knows
Chicago, IL
Cambridge Member Since May 2007