#great to ignore the 4 deadlines on the 4 projects I have due (I only started one help) 10/10 recommend

[corrie-guard-things]

The one and only <3 CC-1138, Bacara

(also known as Pookie or the love of my life but that's another subject)

unfortunately can't afford the glittery gif version 😔 (I'm lying it's free I just can't be bothered right now and he'd be very disappointed in me)

[tojisveryown]

𝙸𝚗 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝙴𝚢𝚎𝚜 | 𝟶𝟻

© 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔𝚜 𝚋𝚢 𝚝𝚘𝚓𝚒𝚜𝚋𝚋𝚢𝚐 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚞𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚛

𝙰𝚌: 𝚠𝚃𝟼𝙸𝙳𝟸𝚀𝟺𝙰𝙺𝚄𝟿𝚏𝚛 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚠𝚝

𝚂𝚢𝚗𝚘𝚙𝚜𝚒𝚜: 𝚃𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎, 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚜𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚙𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚎 𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚓𝚎𝚌𝚝.

𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜: 𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚕𝚌𝚘𝚑𝚘𝚕, 𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚎𝚡, 𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚍𝚛𝚞𝚐 𝚞𝚜𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜

𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝: 𝟸.𝟸𝙺

𝚃𝚊𝚐𝚜: 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚎 𝙰𝚄, 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚘 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎, 𝚏𝚕𝚞𝚏𝚏 𝚖𝚒𝚡𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚜𝚝

𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎: 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝙶𝚘𝚓𝚘 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚜. 𝙸 𝚐𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚛 "𝚍𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚙𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝" 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛. (𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝙸 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚖!𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚛𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚐𝚗!𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚍𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚎!𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛, 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞.)

𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 | 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝟶𝟻 | 𝙼𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝

(𝚄𝚗𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍)

⋆ 💌 ⋆

The next morning you were greeted with a hangover thanks to everything you consumed. Your head was pounding and your body felt gross. The faint memory of waking up next to Gojo popped in your head. “Damn I wish I woke up to him everyday.” 

“Woke up next to who everyday?” Utahime asked as she was in the middle of brushing her hair, “You know Y/N I never imagined you to be such a lightweight, it was so hard to bring you back here without you rambling about such nonsense.” 

“Huh? Wasn’t I sober when I went to go look for you?” The memory of you waking up and giving Gojo a kiss on the cheek before looking for Utahime popped in your head, you and sworn you woke up sober. 

“Yeah, barely.” She sat down at the edge of your bed giving you a stern look “Do you know how many times I had to keep you from falling over? You almost fell down the stairs, twice. You’re lucky Gojo was upstairs, without him you wouldn’t have made it out alive.” 

Huh, so he helped you after ignoring you and treating you like an outcast? What a bastard. “You know Y/N you should really be careful. Next time make sure you watch over your drinks.” 

“What are you talking about? Did I do something wrong?” 

“Well no.. it’s just that someone spiked your drink. If Nanami hadn’t taken care of you someone probably would’ve taken advantage of you so please for the love of god watch what you drink, for me?” you gave her a smile, she was worried about you and you were glad you had someone like her by your side, it’s not everyday you’re blessed with a good roommate like Utahime. 

⋆ 💌 ⋆

The up coming week was the last week before spring break came around, which meant you only had two months before the deadline for the project came to an end, that same project where you had shitty partner that abandoned you.

As the morning came around you were able to wake up in a pretty good mood. Today was the last day before break and you were glad to be getting some rest. Unlike the other students on campus you weren’t able to go back home due to the money it costs to get a ticket. You weren’t financially stable during your high school years which led you into the mindset that since you weren’t able to afford the newest items everyone was getting that you didn’t deserve to socialize. You were that weird kid who sat in the back drowning yourself in music or getting lost in a good book. You will never forget the first time you had an interaction with Gojo. 

You were seated at the very back of the class, eyes darting from left and right as the book you were indulged in sat in front of you. The loud noises of the students coming into first period had no effect in the way you enjoyed the book. You were getting to the climax of the story, getting so lost into the plot that you didn’t even notice him come in. 

“Hey, whatcha reading?” The tall white haired boy slipped the book out of your hand to take a look at it. “No Longer Human, huh?” 

You wanted to die, you hated how you got his attention, you didn’t want it, you didn’t want the kids in your class analyzing you too much. You didn’t want them to find out you were struggling with money, they’d treat you different. They already do.

“Mmm mind if I keep this?” he stuck his face in your personal bubble, his sunglasses at the edge of his nose, eyes piercing yours as he awaited your answer.

“Um.. yes, please give it back.” a small voice escaped your lips. 

“Why? It’s just some book you can buy again, is it because someone special gave it to you?” he was teasing you, the book was in your face as he began to sway it from side to side, leaving it in your reach and taking it out.

“No I’m just not done with it.”

“Mmm, too bad. ‘m keeping it.” Your face dropped and you allowed him to take your belonging. You watched as he sat down in his seat flipping through the pages of the book that once belonged to you.

Your mother struggled to earn the money needed for the textbooks your school wanted you to obtain, you hated seeing your mom bend herself backwards. You’ve always offered to get a job to financially support her but your mother wouldn’t allow it. She wanted you to have a normal childhood. You never saw her much but due to the amount of jobs she took on but you knew the love she held for you was greater than the father that left you. 

You and your father weren’t the absolute closest ever since he decided to leave but he still tried to have somewhat of a bond with you, he’d send you books and your mother would write back to him saying how much you loved reading them, the book Gojo had taken from you was the last book your dad had sent your before staring another family with another woman. 

The last thing he’s ever left you now lies in the hands of a stranger. Of course it didn’t bother you as much as it should but you couldn’t help but long for the moment of having the book back in your hands.

It was a fresh new semester and your mother couldn’t afford the textbooks that you needed. You knew that you had to drop out and attend a much cheaper school. 

You awaited the day you’d talk to your councilor along with your head teacher, during that day you wished you could get that damn book back, it was just a book but part of you saw it as something more because it was gifted to you from your dad. 

“Hello, good after noon Ms. Kalaber, Mr. Henderson.” you walked into the office and took a seat in one of the vacant chairs.

“Hello Y/N, are you hear to talk about your transfer?”

“Yes, I’m sorry to do so. I really enjoy coming here but it’s been hard on my mother and I to financially keep up and I think it’d be better for us if we made a switch.” 

“Yes of course I understand..” The three of you spent the next few minutes talking about schools that would accept you in open arms, the meeting ended up earlier than expected and you were on your way out but a certain somebody bumped into you causing the transfer papers along with school recommendations to slip from your hands.

Your second interaction with him. 

“Oh shit, I’m sorry I didn’t see you there.” Of course you couldn’t you’re 6′4. He crouched down helping you collect that papers, slowly noticing what the papers were. “Hey, you’re transferring?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Oh.. why?” you stayed silent and began dusting off the papers from any dirt since they did fall on a school floor. “Ah, never mind you don’t have to answer that. Well see you, I guess?”

You and Gojo parted ways.

The next morning would be your last at the high school you spent almost four years at. Your heart felt heavy knowing no one would realize you left, after all you were just one of the kids that no one really paid any attention to. 

In the middle of your first period you were summoned to the office, your mother was seated in the chair you sat in the pervious day. “Y/N, good morning. We have some news!” Long story short someone paid off the expenses for your textbooks and any financial contract you were under while attending the school. 

You didn’t really care. It’s not like you were thrilled to stay, you weren’t exactly thrilled to attend a brand school either. You just accepted whatever was given to you. Even if you wanted to know who suddenly paid off the financial fees you couldn’t since they decided to remain anonymous. You were grateful however you couldn’t help but feel as if they looked down on you. Although their intentions were very different from what you thought.

Your senior year flashed before your eyes, the amount of days left before graduation were alarming to you, you knew what college you were going to, you applied for a scholarship and with the grades you had you were able to easily get it. After all you didn’t have any friends to hang out with so you mostly studied instead of getting yourself caught in things you knew weren’t good for you.

You’ve only had two encounters with the guy who stole your book, and yet you were hoping to see him again. To get the book back of course.

During the going away party for all the seniors a tall figure waited for you to show in hopes that he’d be able to return what was once yours. He wanted a chance to talk to you again. He wanted the message he left inside one of the pages to reach you, but it never did since you believed no one wanted you there.

You imprinted in your mind that everyone would judge you for having money struggles, you gave yourself the thought that they’d judge you for the kind of clothes you wore, or the kind of person you were. 

You failed to realize that your first friend was never Utahime, but the boy who sought for your arrival 

⋆ 💌 ⋆

During the last Friday of your first semester you had decided to be productive, you were in a great mood. You started the day off by going to the cafe to read a bit, you were reading a book that Nanami had recommended to you. 

The two of you had slowly gotten closer over a short period of time, you were glad to have someone timid and reasonable by your side. He was also reliable. Unlike stupid Satoru Gojo. 

Before class started you got yourself along with Nanami a cup of coffee,  “This is what you like right?” He pulled his glasses down to sit at the tip of his nose. “What, is this not what you get?” 

“No it is, thank you Y/N.” His hand reached out to grab the cup of black coffee in your hand, his fingertips brushed against yours, so warm. “I just didn’t expect you to get me one is all.”

“Mhm, why not? Didn’t I tell you that I owed you? I owe you even more after what you did at that stupid party.” 

“Ah, that.” you watched as he took a sip of his coffee, “It’s nothing, I’d rather not let a girl like you be used.” 

A girl like you, What the hell is that supposed to mean. “What do you mean a girl like me?” You couldn’t help but think negatively about what he said, would it have been better to not make friends and remain the quiet kid whose face was always buried in a book? 

“Relax, I didn’t mean it like that. You’re a sweet girl is all, you shouldn’t have to go through anything more than what you’ve already gone through.” 

“Like you know what I’ve gone through.”

“I know more than you think.” 

“Shut up you sick asshole, who even drinks black coffee?” 

“What does my coffee have to do with trauma?”

“Shut up Nanamin.”

Nanami smiled into his cup before taking a sip. “You’re a lot like him..” he whispered.

“Huh? What did you say?” 

“Nothing.”

“’nami tell me.” 

“Enough with the nicknames.”

“’nami.”

⋆ 💌 ⋆

The day was almost over, as you were exciting the main building you caught a glimpse of all the people leaving campus. “Must be nice to go home to your family..” you sighed and followed the staircase the led to the exit closest to your dorm 

“What are you doing? Why are you making this so complicated?” Oh man a fight, this’ll be awkward. You prepared to take another step down the stairs until a very familiar voice spoke out. 

“I don’t have a choice.” you stopped your tracks as the familiar voice rung through your ears, you wanted more than anything to leave but your body wouldn’t move. 

“Bullshit. You did the same thing to me and Suguru.” another familiar voice rung in your ear, it was Utahime. “You can’t keep doing this Gojo.” 

“I know but it’s just a little while longer and th-”

“She really is right you know, you really are a stupid Satoru.” 

You didn’t mean to eavesdrop, you swore you were gonna leave as soon as your body was able to move but the next few things you heard made you freeze. If it was quiet enough you’d be able to hear the sound of your heart beating, you head felt light and your body felt limp but you knew that you had to get out of there. 

You knew this wasn’t something you were supposed to know.

⋆ 💌 ⋆

𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 | 𝙽𝚎𝚡𝚝 | 𝙼𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝

𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎: 𝚢𝚔 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔 𝚐𝚘𝚓𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚗𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚒 𝚏𝚒𝚌 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐! 𝚂𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚊 𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚞𝚙𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚞𝚗𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚝. 𝙰𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚍 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚘�� 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚒𝚌! 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚖𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚏𝚊𝚝 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚖𝚐, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚝'𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚘𝚗? 𝙸 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚕. 𝙰𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚄𝚝𝚊𝚑𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜 𝙶𝚘𝚓𝚘 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚎'𝚕𝚕 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢'𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚕. 𝚆𝚎'𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚏𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚍𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚆𝙾𝙾𝙾𝙾!! 𝙷𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚢'𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢𝚎𝚍(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥

⋆ 💌 ⋆

𝚃𝚊𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝: @peppytine @enesitamor @fairyblue-alchemist @diluczs @honouredsatoru @thankuary @sookyshima

𝙽𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚗 𝚃𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚜. (𝟺/𝟸𝟿)

© 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔𝚜 𝚋𝚢 𝚝𝚘𝚓𝚒𝚜𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚞𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚛

⋆ 💌⋆

[lightacademic]

Study tips for people who’ve never had to study before

It recently came to my attention that there are a whole load of ~highly achieving~ students out there who’ve never had to learn to study, but suddenly being naturally gifted just doesn't work anymore. I’ve been in this exact position & came out of it ok, so here are some important things I picked up along the way/wish I knew back then.

Habits. If you build good study habits early, before things start getting intense, you’ll be well set for when the stress comes. Maybe always finish your homework before tea, or come home and study for an hour before you change into sweats. Association is helpful - if you have an established routine for something else, like getting a coffee or sports training or practicing an instrument, say you’ll always study directly  before or after that. Make it work for you.

Little and often. People say this about languages but it’s the same for anything. Half an hour every day is so much more effective than 3 hours in a day, once a week, and you won't feel wiped out afterwards either. This works for long term projects as well - breaking things down into manageable chunks and doing one little bit per day is much less overwhelming than sitting down and telling yourself you’re writing your whole essay today.

Time management. Parkinson’s law is real. Set yourself a limit, say you’re going to write this essay before tea, or you’re going to do this maths for no more than 2 hours. Things will drag on and fill as much time as you allow them to, especially bigger projects, so stick to a schedule. If at all possible, aim to have bigger assignments complete at least a week before they’re due, so you have time for printer problems, formatting disasters, etc etc. This ties in with organisation, which is equally important. I don’t mean perfectly drawn schedules and bullet journals (even if thats what studyblr wants us to believe) but get a diary, I use a page per day diary but you can use a notebook, wall planner, whatever. Put deadlines and classes and exams and everything in there asap, and then day to day you can make a to-do list of smaller tasks. These should be flexible, so if something comes up or a task is unexpectedly complicated, you can adapt and just add it to the next day. Don’t set your expectations too high - its better to set out to work for 4 hours and achieve that than to say you’ll do 8, only manage 4 and feel like a failure.

Your environment is important! Your desk does not have to be all white minimalism and pastel highlighters to be a good study space, but try make it as clear as possible, well lit, and free from distractions. The bigger the better. Make sure you have everything you need within reach, including a plug for a charger, if you use a laptop. Quiet is ideal but not always possible, so make yourself a playlist of background music (or try one of mine, here.) Libraries are great, because they’re literally designed for reading in and having people working around you can be really motivating. Avoid procrastination at all costs. Leave your phone somewhere far away, turn it off, or use the forest app. And try not to work where you sleep, because that won't help with your work or your sleep (bedroom is fine, in bed is not.)

Test yourself. Repeated retrieval is the best form of learning, so if you have past papers or quizzes thats great, use them! If not, writing your own questions or getting some study buddies and writing questions for each other is a good way of studying, because it forces you to think about the material in a different way.

Teach others. It’s great if you have a friend or two to revise with, but if not, try writing presentations, talking to yourself, a pet, a plant... anyone who’ll listen. Break down concepts into simpler language, as if you were explaining it to someone younger. Use flow charts and clear diagrams, and be concise. This will not only consolidate your understanding, but you'll get some great notes out of it (and presentation practice.)

Your notes do not have to be beautiful! I love looking at these aesthetic studyblr notes as much as the next person but realistically that takes hours and calligraphy is not an efficient use of your precious time. Try to keep them as concise as possible - bullet points are good - and use no more than 3 colours per page or they’ll lose meaning. Don’t go too hard with the highlighters. Arrows and annotations and post it note additions are all excellent - don’t rewrite what you’ve already got! That is not good revision. I’m sorry. Try using a whiteboard.  For short answer questions, calculations, quick diagrams - anything you’d use scrap paper for - a mini white board is great. I mean something like this which is cheap and also better for the rainforests than using a whole bunch of paper that you’re just going to throw out. I *borrowed* mine from school which I do not condone but may be an option.

Take regular breaks. A good rule of thumb is that your break should be around 25% of your study time, so if you study for an hour - 15 minutes off. Study for 8 hours - 2 hours off. And take your breaks properly - get up, leave the room if you can. Get some fresh air, even if thats just opening a window, drink some coffee water, have a snack if you need it. Try not to fuel yourself on junk food - biscuits are essential but have some fruit or nuts or something as well - they actually help your brain work and you’ll feel better for it.

Don’t compare. I know this is easier said than done, but study for yourself. Find your own method, whether that’s what everyone around you does or not. Try not to compare grades, either. A little bit of competition can be healthy, but (especially around exams) don’t listen to the people who “only did 12 hours last night.” Equally, ignore the people who say they haven't studied at all and don’t let either of them get to you. You know how hard you’re working, and who know how efficient they are?

It’s never too late. This is maybe the most important thing to take away from this. You may have weeks, even days until your final/assessment/essay, but it is not too late to start studying. I’ll make a post about how to cram later, but even though its not ideal, it can definitely be the difference between a pass and a fail or an A and an A*. So if you think you’ve left it too late - you haven’t.

Good luck, and feel free to message me if you want more tips/details/a sympathetic shoulder to cry on about how hard all this is <3

[vivi-the-sky-kid]

Sowing the Seeds (of Love), Chapter 1

Aka the Resh/OC Fix-It Fic Nobody Asked for but I'm Inflicting on All of You Anyways as Punishment for Kai's Your Hubris

The King has always been a mysterious figure in the annals of the Sky Kingdom's history, generating both awe and fear within the hearts of the sky spirits. Few can claim to have met them in person; certainly not Tav, a researcher of light creatures for the Vault of Knowledge. But when they discover their research may be used to harm the very creatures they know and love, Tav knows they cannot allow this to happen.

Somehow, they must change the King's mind. If that means throwing butterflies at their royal face, then so be it.

-<◇>-

Warnings: Will be added to each chapter when necessary, but there's not gonna be anything graphic in this (do send me an ask if you think there's something I should warn about tho)

Rating: T (just to be on the safe side)

Pairing(s): Resh/OC

Tag(s): Enemies to Lovers, Fake Dating, Canon Divergence, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies

Additional Tag(s): Resh and Alef are twins, Resh and Tav are both nonbinary, Resh uses he/they, Tav uses she/they, Resh is demiromantic and pansexual, Tav is biromantic and demisexual, no beta we die like moths in eden

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

-<◇>-

Chapter 1

Word Count: 2,477

Warning(s): None

-<◇>-

Fury powered her strides as Tav marched towards the elevator leading to Elder Lamed's level of the Vault. What they had overheard... it was unthinkable! Outrageous! And they intended to let Lamed know exactly that! She couldn't let her research be used like this. Not to harm the very creatures they had spent their life studying.

Onwards and upwards she went, a lone figure on the elevator. Scholars sorting memory cubes and acolytes tending to the spiritual residue of the Kingdom's history flew past her vision. Finally, the elevator came to a stop, its power diamond moving to rest over the Elder statues, and Tav mustered their psychokinetic powers to fly the short distance to the grassy island. That had been a trick the mantas had helped her master; if not for them, she would still struggle to get around Vault's upper levels like before. They took a breath to steady themself, adjusted the prairie lily clipped to their hair, and moved forward.

As they crested the structure bearing the Elder statues, Tav looked around. She could see no sign of Elder Lamed, which meant, more likely than not, the Elder had withdrawn into their private domain. There was nothing for it but to light the altar candles, sit before their statue, and pray.

Their legs had started to fall asleep when they finally felt the brush against their mind that meant Lamed had heard their prayer, and was ready to listen. She relaxed and let the Elder pull their consciousness into that dreamy world. When they next opened their eyes, they knelt in the same spot, although the elevator diamond was now gone, casting the area in comfortable shadows. In the statue's place stood Lamed, gazing down at her with an unreadable look.

“Ah, so you are the one who prayed. Tav, was it? Head of the light creature research effort?”

“That's correct, Elder Lamed. I've come to you regarding a decision involving my research.”

“Is that so?” Their eyes flickered beneath the mask, before they dipped their head. “Very well. Speak.”

Tav jumped to their feet, hands clenching the fabric of their robe. “Elder Lamed, I cannot permit my research to be used to develop these 'dark weapons' R&D is proposing! Light creatures are beautiful, wonderful creatures that share a great deal in common with us. They are intelligent, gentle, and loving beings. To turn them into weapons is... is... is out of the question!”

The Elder's eyes had grown wide at her outburst, but soon closed as they pressed a hand to their forehead. “Really, Tav, you're being unreasonable. R&D has already gained permission from the King to go forth with this project. Are you saying you doubt His Majesty's judgment regarding the good of the kingdom?”

“Yes!”

Silence filled the domain. Sweat began running down Tav's back as a great pressure weighed down on them. When they almost gave in and knelt once more, it lifted, and Lamed turned away.

“I expect your research to be turned in to the Vault at the appropriate deadline. Is that understood?”

Tav was silent.

“I said, is that understood, Tav?”

“...It is, Elder Lamed.”

“Good. You are dismissed.”

With that, their vision swam, and they closed their eyes to ward off the nausea. Upon opening them, she found herself back at the summit, the power diamond shining coldly overhead. They looked up at the statue and sighed.

Resolve filled them once more, and they stood and walked back to the elevator. Lamed may not have listened, but there was one more person she could try to convince. All reports of the King had them as a kind and benevolent ruler who listened to the people, yet these latest projects said otherwise. Which was the truth, and which was a lie? There was only one way to find out.

Tav swallowed the lump of fear in her throat. This was no time to get cold feet. The light creatures were counting on them.

First things first, however. She needed to keep her research out of the wrong hands.

-<◇>-

Another day, another round of paperwork. Resh sighed inwardly as he dipped his manta quill into the inkwell to sign the latest report from the Golden Land's biggest sunsteel refinery. Production was holding steady due to the shipment of light from Daylight Prairie, and they would likely have enough in reserve for the little project Vault R&D had recently proposed.

A soft call from the doorway caught their attention, and they lifted their head. One of the guards—a new recruit, if their nervous demeanor was any indication—was standing there somewhat awkwardly, but snapped to attention once his gaze was upon them.

Yes, definitely new. That salute was just a little bit too sloppy to be one of the older members.

“What is it?” he said, fixing his gaze on them.

They stiffened. “Y-Your Majesty, there is... a researcher from the Vault demanding to speak with you. They refuse to leave otherwise.”

“Return them to the Vault. We have no time for a meeting, let alone with some unknown researcher,” they replied, returning to their paperwork.

“What do they want?” said a new voice, chiming up from the door leading further into the royal quarters.

Resh blinked and slowly turned towards it. Watching the exchange was their twin, Alef, still dressed in the formal wear of the golden mask, yellow-painted pizaine, and midnight-blue cloak they used for being the public face of the King. They must have returned a short time ago from their trip to the Valley.

“Your Majesty, they have requested you withdraw your support for the Dark Matter Bioweapon project.”

“Have they, now?” Resh shook his head. “Unfortunately, it is too late. The proposal has been signed and delivered to the Vault. To withdraw it now would be equivalent to saying We have made a mistake.”

They let the implications of that statement hang in the air like a sword above the guard's head. With a stammered response of, “Of course, Your Majesty,” they left, and soon only Alef and Resh remained in the office. The latter ignored the former's pointed look, turning back to the stack of paperwork that had yet to be completed with another sigh.

“You've been doing that a lot lately. Perhaps you should take a break.”

Resh shot them a glare out of the corner of his eye, but did not stop his work. Only when they had signed a petition to expand the Valley of Triumph, a tally of candle production in the Isle of Dawn, and a request for more light shipments to the Hidden Forest, did they gesture with their free hand to the desk's contents.

“As you can see, Alef, I am kept busy with the affairs of the kingdom. I am King, after all. My guidance is needed to ensure the kingdom's prosperity.” He dipped the quill into the inkwell once more and grabbed another piece of paper—this time, a request from the Valley to provide them with more boats, as some had broken recently.

“I cannot rest until I have dealt with these matters” —and they said this last bit under their breath— “even if they are incredibly dull.”

Alef hummed and moved closer, cloak swishing softly around his body. They picked up one of the papers in the discarded stack, scanned it, and then looked to Resh. “Surely you can rest from these for a short time? All work and no play makes one a dull star.”

“How rich, coming from the one who only concerns themself with attending celebrations and avoiding any work here,” they replied.

Alef narrowed his eyes, then shook his head and shrugged.

“You want me to do some work here? Very well.” They went up to the switch next to the desk, which would summon a guard when activated (not that Resh had ever used it), and called forth their inner flame in one hand to light it. Soon enough, the same guard from before came to the office. They gave the salute again, a little more firmly this time.

“You called, Your Majesty?”

“Is the researcher still here?”

“Y-Yes, Your Majesty. I was on my way to relay your wishes when you summoned me back.”

“I have decided to grant them an audience. Please have them escorted to the throne room.”

“Oh, uh...” They cleared their throat. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”

“What are you doing?” Resh said, eyeing their sibling with suspicion.

“Work. You said you were too busy to meet with them, didn't you? Well, it just so happens that I am remarkably free. As your dear elder sibling, it is the least I can do for you, Resh.”

With that, they glided from the office before Resh could stop them, leaving him standing with his hand grasping at air.

They sighed.

-<◇>-

The throne room was easily the largest chamber of the Palace, with a throne built to match—a deliberate choice on Resh's part, during its construction all those years ago. Looking the part was half the battle, and what better way to show your kingliness than by being five times the size of Elder Tsadi, he had said. Which Alef now was, having shifted in size to full height as they approached the throne room. The guards at the entrance snapped to attention, and he nodded in greeting as he passed through.

Near the far wall was the diminutive figure of the researcher, their head craned back to take in the full view of the mural displayed there. Two guards flanked them, ensuring they didn't go anywhere they weren't supposed to be. Alef cleared their throat, the sound echoing to every nook and cranny due to the chamber's acoustics, and every person in the room jumped. The guards soon lined up and stood at attention, and the rogue researcher turned to look at him as he took his place on the throne. One guard said something quietly to them, and the researcher nodded, brushed out their robe, and walked forward beside the guards.

“So this is the spirit who requested an audience with Us?” Alef intoned, glancing down at the guard who escorted them, and they nodded timidly. His eyes returned to the spirit, noting that, even with the crest typical of the Vault's senior members, they barely surpassed most of the guards in height. Despite this huge difference in size between them and himself, they barely trembled.

How interesting.

“We permit you to speak, spirit.”

They bowed in acknowledgment, and upon straightening, called out, “Your Majesty, I must urge you to reconsider this Dark Matter Bioweapon project! Light creatures are our friends. They do not deserve to be treated like mere tools, to be used up and cast aside!”

Alef tilted their head to the side thoughtfully, taking their chin between their thumb and index finger.

“...What is your name, star?”

“My name is Tav, Your Majesty. Head of the Vault's research into light creatures.”

“I see.” They leaned forward, casting their shadow over Tav. “Tell Us, Tav. This project is intended to better the kingdom's future. If light creatures are our friends, do they not owe this kingdom their aid, in whatever form we require?”

Tav stepped forward, their hands balling up at their sides.

“There must be a better way than this! Whatever future that project holds is worse than one where we treat the light creatures as our allies. I know it! Please, Your Majesty, let me show you.”

How very interesting.

And exactly what they needed.

Alef steepled their fingers before them, resting their elbows on the armrests of the throne. A sly grin formed on his face. Though it was hidden by their mask, Tav seemed to sense its presence, because they took an involuntary step back.

“We have an offer for you, Tav.”

At the same time, they called out to their sibling and requested their presence in the throne room.

-<◇>-

Resh sighed as they walked.

At one point, the magnificent tapestries and luminous murals decorating the walls of the throne room had brought him such joy. But that had been many, many years ago—too many to count. Now they were just another feature of the brilliant, intricate, boringthrone room, easily ignored in favor of dealing with the unwelcome researcher currently standing before the throne. The reason they had been called away from their work by their sibling.

“Ah, there you are,” Alef said from their spot on the throne. They turned back to the spirit. “Resh is Our Will, you see. They are the one who approved the project. Now, We will send a message to the Vault requesting that they do not proceed with the project until We permit. You have until then to persuade Resh of the truth of your words.”

...What?

The two of them turned, and Resh winced when he realized he had spoken aloud.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I was just wondering what this task you have given me is.”

“Ah, of course. You see, Resh, Tav here would like to show Us that light creatures should not be used in the Dark Matter Bioweapon project. However, We have our duties to contend with, and so cannot leave the Palace for such a matter. You, on the other hand, are Our Will, and so We have decided that you shall go in Our stead.”

Even from this distance, and even with the mask hiding their face, Resh could feel the gleeful smugness radiating from Alef like heat from a flame. Their most venomous thoughts, directed like psychic arrows at their twin, only increased the smugness, and so, narrowing their eyes, they bowed courteously to the researcher—Tav, was it?

“As you wish, Your Majesty. When shall we be departing?”

“I assume Tav here needs some time to prepare their case. We shall permit them a day to do so. On the morrow, you shall follow after them to...?”

“Oh, uh, Daylight Prairie, Your Majesty.”

“Daylight Prairie. I can see why you chose to do your research there.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Tav said, bowing deeply before leaving with their escorts.

When they were gone, Resh unleashed the full force of their glare at Alef, folding their arms before their chest.

“What are you plotting?”

“Why, nothing! Simply giving you the rest you deserve,” they said, rising from the throne. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I do believe there is paperwork with my name on it. Don't be late for the boat tomorrow, Resh. It would reflect poorly on Us.”

With that, they waved and left, shrinking back down to a more manageable size as they went. Resh watched them go, scowling and boring holes into the back of their head.

Then he sighed and returned to the royal quarters to rest and prepare appropriate clothing for this farce.

Alef would pay for this.

-<◇>-

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

[painted-crow]

Did you model Bookkeeper Badger or Courtier Badger most of the time ?

In regards to the past tense you're using--it's the Badger primary model I dropped. Which, I've held on to some of its ideals, but they're just another part of my Bird primary system, and that feels very different.

My Badger secondary model is still good and kicking though!

I was just gonna write about how I use it (and how I try not to use it) to answer this ask, but then it turned into

Secondary Toast Revolving Door, Part 3

(Badger model edition)

and I'm just gonna roll with it.

I did have an unhealthy way I used my Badger secondary model that was... either extreme Bookkeeper, or it's actually been unhealthy Lion secondary all along and I've been mis-Sorting it and this is why the idea of using Lion secondary wigs me out a little. (It's fine when other people use it, but I find the prospect of using it myself at least slightly terrifying.)

Part of my problem is that I'm way too used to situations where pushing through despite feeling like I was about to collapse was the only option. It's probably got to do with... well, some childhood stuff I won't go into too deeply. My mom was in the hospital a lot. The school situation I was in just made everything worse. It's complicated.

Anyway, if I'm under stress, I dissociate out exhaustion, hunger, emotional distress, and even physical pain for hours or days at a time, and I can buckle down and hyperfocus on work (in what would be panic mode if I were more aware of my emotions during these periods). It sounds useful and badass but it really isn't.

Downside #1 is that I will eventually feel the effects of that panic, and any other needs I've been ignoring--it might be at a more convenient time, but those effects definitely won't be lessened.

Downside #2 is traumatic burnout. Do not try this at home. (I always hesitate to use the word "trauma" for my experiences, but the physical reaction I get to writing about some of this stuff says otherwise.)

Downside #3 is that I don't get to choose when my brain does or doesn't do this. It just happens when I'm under stress. I can't count how many times I've had an actual migraine and not noticed why I was so irritable for hours, when I could have taken something.

Downside #4 is that it works. This is possibly the worst one, because the phrase "do your best" takes on a cold sweat-inducing new meaning. My little "ability" has led to some absolutely buckwild performances under deadline, none of which I want to repeat, and I'm not sure I like knowing how much I can get done if I prioritize not failing over not burning out.

(On that note, if you thought my Badger primary model was Exploded last year, you should've seen it 3-4 years ago. I remember when this Kitten Witch post first went up, because I was like "...what? wait--")

In short, this is a very shitty superpower and I would like to re-roll.

I'm undecided whether this is a Badger flavored emergency mode, or the only Lion secondary I can recall using. I lean towards Badger because I have this pathological inability to half-ass anything, and it does not go away during emergencies. But it's possible that it felt Badger flavored because my unhealthy Badger primary model was egging it on with its self deprecating (...self dehumanizing?) exploded Badger crap.

So, wanna know how I got into these nasty deadline crunch situations where emergency hardcore Badger mode became "necessary"?

(I feel like I should reiterate my trigger warning on this series about now: we're talking about gifted kid burnout stuff and I'm about to sarcastically skewer some of my old thought processes here.)

Adequately warned? Great! Here are the step by step instructions to a real shitty time!

Take on a bunch of work while you're feeling okay, based on how much you think everyone else is doing.

Depression gets inevitably triggered somehow, by life stress or overwork or winter or whatever. Burn Bird secondary because that's been a stress response at least since high school.

Have absolutely no clue about the fact that your "limits" vary drastically and your productivity has huge peaks and valleys due to various forms of undiagnosed neurodivergence, which school/college is not designed to accommodate. So, rather than taking a rest and sorting out the stressful thing, get mad at yourself for "being lazy"!

Continue trying to work. Struggle wildly with executive dysfunction. Panic. Get frustrated and angry at yourself. It's cool, I'm sure this will make your Bird secondary start working again soon. (just kidding lol it's making it worse)

When you've aggravated your depression enough, shut down for a few months! Your work will still be there. Piling up. Taunting you. you're falling so far behind what are you doing everyone else can keep up except you

Get sick for a week. Feel relieved that at least now you have a legitimate excuse to not be working. This benefit may feel like it outweighs the symptoms of the flu or sinus infection or whatever you have.

Go into emergency hardcore mode, complete a ridiculous workload in the week before deadline, turn it all in, be almost too exhausted to feel guilty about doing everything last minute.

me: "I don't have ADHD! My focus is usually fine."

also me: this. ^ what is this.

So, I avoid that now. If I notice when Step 3 is happening and I can switch tasks--maybe clean my living space, do some laundry, get some good food, take care of tasks unrelated to whatever project it is that I'm too freaked out to work on--then Bird will be back in a week or two, assuming nothing else huge and stressful happens, and I'll have another productivity peak that'll let me catch up.

This is not the conventional wisdom. Conventional wisdom says you must never break momentum, you must schedule your work out 6 weeks ahead so you always know if you're on track, you must...!

Totally counterproductive for me. My brain is weird and did not come with a manual.

These days, on top of my Bird secondary, I model a mixture of Bookkeeper Badger and mirroring (a Courtier skill), for a number of purposes. I find work satisfying, I'm not afraid of long projects (that I choose), and that shifting, empathetic mirroring response is my default social mode.

But Badger's most important job is to gently take over when Bird is stressed out, and give it space to recover while methodically fixing anything about my situation that's not helping. It's good for that.

I prefer it to the alternative, anyway.

[rakeshys]

Things you should be knowing as student

1) If you take control of your Sunday, you take control of your week.

2) When assigned a long-term project, finish some amount of work toward its completion that very same day.

3) Start small and start immediately.

4) If you cannot maintain an organized room you will never truly feel that your life is organized.

5) It is important to keep your room clean. And it will make your mother happy.

6) Apply to the scholarships.

7) You should never begin studying without a systemized plan for what you are going to review, in what format, and how many times.

8) Before you even crack your first book, take ten minutes to actually write down exactly how you plan to study.

9) The planning is as important as the process.

10) If you want to become a standout student, you must befriend a professor.

11) Reading a daily paper provides essential food for your ambitious brain. Make sure you don't go hungry.

12) if you are constantly worried about avoiding anything negative, you will never do anything out of the ordinary.

13) Don't let others dictate how you should feel about yourself; strengthen your identity—then go conquer your world.

14) do yourself a favor and give time-blocking a try. It's a much smarter way to manage your day.

15) Remember, giving up, when done strategically, is not a weakness. It's simply smart life management.

16) The happiest students are also the most involved students. When it comes to crafting your slate of collegiate pursuits, the sooner you get involved, the better.

17) always be working on a"grand project "

18) take art history and astronomy before you graduate.

19) Imagine the following scene: Your professor is handing back a major research paper to your class. The groans that begin to fill the room indicate that the professor was particularly demanding for this assignment. And rightly so, it's worth forty percent of your grade. As he gets to your name, he asks you to stay after class. Uh oh. Nervously you wait as your classmates file out, and when you are the only student remaining in the lecture hall, he walks up to you . . . and then shakes your hand. “Congratulations,” he exclaims, “your project was by far the best in the class!”

Sound good? Well, get used to it.

20) One or two good questions a class is enough to keep the professor happy, but not enough to solicit the annoyance of your classmates.

21) Getting involved with research early is like drinking an elixir of success.

22) If you pay your dues with grace and enthusiasm and are mindful of the opportunity you are receiving, you will maximize the many positive benefits of participating in original research work.

23) Take ten-minute breaks in between each fifty-minute chunk.

24) One, it makes you feel better about yourself. If you look good, you can imagine that cute guy or dimpled girl in the front row shooting some glances in your direction. This will make you happy. And when you are happy, you have more energy and pay attention better in class. Two, it makes the day official. When you look like you just rolled out of bed, it's all too easy to imagine rolling back in. If you dressnicely, you are sending yourself the message that you are ready to get started and attack the day.

25) Decorate your room.

26) experience the joy of dominating a test without any hard work,this is done by studying Two weeks in advance.

27) Force yourself to write as much as possible. It is an essential, irreplaceable skill for succeeding. Master it.

28) taking the time to eat a social meal with your friends is a great idea; just don't do it more than once a day.

29) Schedule an escape for yourself every single week. And do it alone. Treat it like taking medicine.

30) “Why waste your time and money in the minor leagues of college courses when you have the ability to be swinging in the majors.”

31) When it comes time to study, go where it counts.

32)The best way to learn difficult material is to go over it by yourself, with a lot of concentration, again and again and again until the concepts become second nature.

33) As long as you are paying so much money to attend college, you might as well maximize what you get out of your investment. If you can get into an honors program, do so. No excuses.

34) The key is consistency.

35) Getting fired up, once or twice a month about subjects that interest you, will go a long to way to helping you succeed. Go to guest lectures and keep your intellectual fires stoked.

36) Don't let the decision to exercise become a debatable question. Instead, make it a habit, like going to class or brushing your teeth.

37) You never realize how important your back-home friendships are until you begin to lose them. Stay in touch.

38) Sleep is just a tool to help you function. Treat your body like a machine—give it exactly what it needs to perform its best, not any more, not any less. Give the snooze button a rest. Try to sleep only the amount you need to make it through the day.

39) The best state for your mind to be in is confident and calm. Take the hour before an exam to relax.

40) Read a nonacademic book. Listen to music that makes you happy. Run a couple of errands. Have a conversation with a friend. Work on unrelated—nondemanding—schoolwork. The key is to keep your mind active and energized, but not exhausted. Then head over to the exam fifteen minutes early. On the way, start to lightly review some material that you feel particularly good about. Imagine yourself writing a strong essay on this topic, imagine the professor handing the class a copy of your essay as an example of a good answer. This technique is more than just shameless ego-stroking, it builds your confidence, and, more important, it warms up your mind in a good and controlled sort ofway. When you arrive at the test location, avoid the temptation to frantically catalog all the concepts you are a little shaky on. Try to keep your mind blank, or, alternatively, continue thinking confidence-boosting thoughts about doing really well. When the exam is finally handed out, take a deep breath and have at it. You should be mentally nimble, rested, and energized by the time your pen hits the paper.

41) If a friend invites you to do something and you are not too busy, find the energy to go. If a friend invites you to do something, and you are really busy, don't go, but make plans to get together later in the week. Most important, if a good friend needs help, drop everything and go.

Making friends your number one priority doesn't mean sacrificing your other obligations, but it does demand that you keep them in mind.

42) Be mature and make the right decisions to keep your mind and body in a condition to perform your best.

43) The point is that there are too many factors that can account for both good and mediocre academic performance on any given day, and none of these factors has anything to do with intelligence.

So save yourself a lot of unjustified grief (or pride), and simply ignore your classmates' grades. Worry about your performance and progress; let your classmates worry about their own.

44) A good listener at college is rare.

45) Don't decide to start working the day before.

46) Find something every single day that will make you laugh.

47) Using a high-quality notebook will not guarantee you success, but it will create the right environment for it to flourish.

48) if you don't actively seek out fun, it won't actively seek out you.

49) Take the most important projects or commitments with which you are involved, and pump up your criteria for success.

50) corporate recruitment sessions, and yes, even parties. In the chaos of classes, extracurricular activities, and a healthy social schedule, these optional events are easy to avoid. Don't avoid them.

51) If you want to be a successful student, forget about your G.P.A. Ignore it. Don't talk about it. Make no attempt to know the numbers. You should approach your collegiate career with confidence and energy.

52) Always go to class!

53) Set arbitrary deadlines.

54) eat healthy

55) don't just volunteer, volunteer quietly.

56) approach every paper as if you were trying to win a Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting.

57) Attend political rallies and keep the flame of progressive thinking alive.

58) Once you have decided on a destination, explore many routes to get you there.

59) Don't take breaks between classes!

60) Don't network. But keep your connections strong.

61) If you can maximize the use of your surroundings, you can maximize your performance as a student.

62) Organize the messages in your e-mail in-box like you would your paper files

63) To be a successful student, you must abandon the start-slow, end-fast mind-set, and instead approach all projects by aiming to start fast, end slow.

64) Spend a semester studying abroad.

65) you want to succeed because you love the excitement of pushing your potential and exploring your world and new experiences, if you want to succeed because life is short and why not fill it with as much activity as possible, then you will win. If you approach life with an attitude of never having regrets and always having a hopeful smile on your face, you can find a measure of success in all your endeavors. Don't have no regrets, but have plenty of fun along the way. In the end, that is what it is to really win.

66) “Don't have no regrets.”

The above points are all from the book I read...

Book: - HOW TO WIN AT COLLEGE: - surprising secrets from the country's top student's

Author: - CAL NEWPORT

Anime forever ✌

[lovemesomesurveys]

a foxandforest original © august 2021

When was the last time you did something that you’ve never done before? What was it? Hmm. It’s been awhile since I’ve done something out of my norm; I can’t think of something at the moment. My life is very routine.

Are there any slogans or mantras meant to motivate employees on display at your place of work? --

Has your favorite actor ever been stuck to a project you dreaded watching (e.g., stuck on a bad TV show for years)? Nah. Alexander Skarsgard does good stuff.

When you are in a group do you more often find yourself wishing people would ask you more or fewer questions? I don’t want to be asked a ton of questions or have the focus on me, but I also want to feel included, ya know? I don’t exactly want to be ignored.

Now that you are an adult, which situations make you feel most like a grown up? Which situations make you feel like you’re still a child? Ha, don’t let my age fool you into thinking I’m a “grown up.” It kinda trips me out that I’m 32 and considered an adult. I feel like I’m behind in life and stunted in some ways because of some of my experiences. I don’t know, it’s just weird. I’ve seen a quote that says something about looking for an adult and realizing you are one, ha. Anywaaay, um I guess the whole having to pay bills and try to be responsible is grown up stuff I do. As for feeling like a child, I have to be dependent on others, especially this past year, I get moody and whiney, I’m stubborn, kinda innocent-like, I still enjoy some things from my childhood like TV shows and movies... stuff like that.

Pretend you work at a bookstore. Which books are your 4 “staff picks” that will go on a shelf for customers to see? What little blurb will you write about each book as to why you chose it? So, I’ve been obsessed with the authors AJ Rivers, Willow Rose, Mary Stone, and now Elle Gray, so I’d pick a book from each of them. It’d be hard, though, because Willow and Mary have a few different series and I’ve been enjoying them all. 

When you were a child did you wish you were named something else? What sort of fantasy life did you imagine for yourself if you’d only had this other better name? Nah, I was fine with my name and don’t think I really gave it much thought. It was just my name and that was it. If you have been working remotely or have ever taken a class or participated in a project remotely, have you noticed any significant differences between remote work and in-person work? What would be your ideal working setting? Some classes I definitely did better in-person than online and others were more convenient online and worked out fine. It really depended on the subject. Like math, for instance, I could not do online. I’ve always struggled with math and needed the in-person lecture and help. I also struggled with some online courses because a lot of them were set up so everything was just due at the end and you work at your own pace, which could be nice, but I need structure and deadlines otherwise I put things off and it piles up all at the end. So yeah, it really just depends.

Are you a plant person? How do you feel about the trend of owning many, many houseplants? Not at all. 

What is something you do that makes you feel alive? Something you do that causes “flow,” or for you to lose track of time and other distractions? Haven’t felt that in a long time. I feel like a robot or like I’m on autopilot just going through each day doing the same things day in and day out. Rinse, dry, repeat.

Do you feel like you act differently among people/peers you’d like to impress? For better or worse, what are some traits of yours that tend to come out when you’re trying to seem likable? I try to be easy going and go with the flow, I guess. I keep things light. I try to keep the focus on them and less on me and not get into anything serious. 

What are three things/interests you are currently into right now? >> Guild Wars 2 (again), the show Reservation Dogs, SaltFactory videos.

What are you sick of hearing about? Hmm.

What was the last small thing that really inspired you, that jumpstarted you to create or gave you a great idea? >> Yeah, I'm still waiting for that. <<< Ha, same.

Do you travel well or poorly? Do you know anyone who always seems to get sick and very exhausted and unwell during travel? I can get irritable and moody if it’s a long trip and I do get exhausted quite easily. My health situation can make things difficult as well, especially my current situation. I really try not to make it difficult, though, and put a damper on things. I try to be easygoing and go with the flow and want the people I’m with to have a good time. I keep a lot to myself and just keep marching forward, but yeah it can definitely be hard for me. All that be said, I still like to travel. 

What are some things that you enjoy but you have no practical use for in your own life (e.g., baby clothes for a non-parent or school supplies for a non-student)? Do you still browse these items at stores? >> School supplies is definitely one, I love looking at the Back-To-School stock come August. <<< Yeah, I’m the same way. That’s the only thing I miss about being student, ha. It was so fun picking out new clothes and supplies. I felt so productive, too.

Do you wish that you had more followers on any platform? Do you even pay attention to how many likes/comments/followers you have? Nah, that stuff doesn’t matter to me.

How much joy do you derive from celebrity/political schadenfreude? Do you think there’s a point when enjoying watching successful people topple goes too far? I admit celebrity gossip and entertainment can be, well, entertaining, and it can take the focus off your own stuff for a bit, but it can also get to be ridiculous and just too much. Plus, these are real people, with real feelings, so they go through hardships and hurt, too, and I think some people forget that. The worst part is it’s being blasted all over to the world and everyone is scrutinizing and judging. I used to keep up with that kind of stuff and was really into it, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve started to lose interest and don’t find it as entertaining anymore.

Is there anything, such as a mantra, quote, or thought in general that you seem to tell yourself every single day - even if it's random and meaningless? No.

[hedwigstalons]

High Expectations - Ch18

Short fic?  Really?  How the hell have we reached chapter 18 already?  

@willow-salix has been a huge support all the way through.  She wields the red pen mightily

Earlier parts: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen

AO3 chapter link

Chapter Eighteen

John closed the apartment door and basked in the silence.  The last few weeks had been awful but the last few days had been hellish.  If you had asked him two days ago what had been the hardest part of this summer he would have answered without hesitation his thesis defence interview, not because he had any difficulty with his project but because, even after 4 years at Harvard some of the faculty still struggled with his presence.  

He had bounced onto the quad aged sixteen, looking more like twelve, and instantly made a name for himself by criticising the work of one of the more well respected professors on campus.  It probably hadn’t helped that he had been right.  Since then he had been dogged by whispers of ‘Daddy’s money’ or heckled as an android freak as he eschewed the company of the peers that would never truly be peers due to the gaps in both age and intellect.  University had been a bittersweet mix of unbridled access to learning mixed with a social web to navigate that made high school look like an insignificant warm up.  The culmination of it all had been his thesis defence in front of a panel who didn’t know whether to be intimidated by him or offer him a cookie for being a good boy.  Still, he was walking away from it all, with dual honours and a postgraduate distinction, at an age not dissimilar from those just starting their higher education journey.

The troubles and torments of university, however, had nothing on the hell on Earth that was Boston airport for an extended period of time. He could now categorically say that this had been the worst part of the summer.  The route between east and west coast seemed to be plagued by delays but this, his final time of making the journey, had topped the lot.  Being held up for an unspecified period of time in an airport lounge had brought out the worst in humanity and after a delay that had pushed past 36 hours in the end he would be quite happy to never see another human ever again.  With the apartment door firmly shut on the outside world he fully intended to recharge and bask in the solitude before Alan got home from school.

He padded up the hallway to deposit the travel bag containing a few meagre essentials in his room but never made it that far.

The apartment might have been silent but it wasn’t empty.  His room was next to Alan’s and through the open door he could see that self same teenager sat cross legged on the bed, head set on, controller in hand and eyes glued to the screen that flashed with neon laser cannons and moved at a dizzying pace.  Part of him wanted to tiptoe on past, pretend he hadn’t spotted his younger brother, and collapse onto his own bed.  John could have sworn that he hadn’t done anything that could penetrate the teenager’s electronic cocoon but before he had crossed the doorway Alan’s head whipped round and fixed him with an intense blue stare.

Alan paused the game, dropped the controller next to him and slid off the headset.  He continued to stare in a way that he could see was making his older brother uncomfortable, holding the eye contact that always made John squirm a little, but at this point he didn’t care.

The weeks before Gordon’s departure had been busy.  With a fixed deadline firmly etched on the calendar Jeff had ramped up the pressure on Gordon to gain his pilot’s licence and all the myriad of special endorsements he would need beyond the basics in order to complete a cross-continental journey solo.  Alan wasn’t quite sure why such a high rated licence was necessary but he had appreciated all the extra time at the airfield it necessitated.  Almost every weekend had been spent there so that Gordon could get in the required practice and he had always tagged along, partly to spend more time with Gordon and partly in the hope of getting a lesson himself; it turned out flying was something he had a flair for and he relished those precious moments in the cockpit.  But then Gordon had gained his licence and the lessons had dried up.  Time in the sky went from being a priority to something his father was too busy to provide.  It rankled that he wasn’t worth the effort. 

And then the dreaded day had come.  The day he lost the brother he was closest to to the military might of WASP.  He’d probably come across as petulant and moody, his goodbyes stilted and brief, but the sullen exterior had been his armour protecting him from breaking as something inside him died.  He hadn’t even been able to go with Gordon on the trip up the coast as had been the original plan.  A last minute change had seen their father disappear off on some mysterious overseas errand, leaving Virgil to play taxi service to the WASP to be.  He had begged to go too but unfortunately for him the start date for Gordon had coincided with Scott having some leave and Virgil was staying up north to indulge in some oldest brother bonding time.  So he had been left behind, alone in the apartment, with the promise that John would have arrived by morning. 

Morning had dawned but the promised sibling hadn’t appeared.  The logical side of him knew there would be a perfectly rational explanation for John’s delay but the emotional side of him just added it to the heap of rejection he was feeling.  No one gave a damn about him.  Noone cared what he was doing.  He’d turned right around and headed back into his room to kill zombies.  When the second morning dawned and he was still alone the only difference it made was that the zombies were replaced by asteroids.  

John was pinned uncomfortably by the stare.  Everything about Alan screamed out that he was issuing a challenge, daring John to pass comment.  If he had ignored John’s presence he probably would have been left alone but John was a Tracy too and as with all Tracys he never could resist a challenge. 

“No school today?” he queried, one eyebrow raised in preemptive skepticism.

“Does it look like it?”

“What it looks like is you playing video games on a Tuesday in term time.  The news didn’t mention any schools being flattened by freak hurricanes so why are you here?”

Alan just shrugged and went to pick up his controller again.

“Alan!” 

“What?!  It’s not like there’s any point me being there.”

“There is always a point to school.”

“Yeah?  Well I’m not learning anything there, the stuff they set is just insulting.”

This was one point John could empathise with, boredom in the classroom was a familiar feeling to him.  He felt lucky that he had met forward thinking teachers early on in his school career.  Teachers that had put the effort in to find out his level rather than being happy to have a coasting child in the class that didn’t need their assistance.  The result had seen him progressing through grade school at a pace that, while it still felt slow to him, at least meant he wasn’t inflicted with the full, tortuous twelve years.  Alan on the other hand had been forced to stay firmly in his age grade. 

“What about your friends, surely you’re bored here without them?”

That just earned him an eye roll.

“Can we just skip the questions and head straight to the part where you lecture me.”

“Would it make a difference?  I’m not Dad but you do realise he is going to be majorly pissed when he finds out, don’t you?”

“He’ll only find out if you tell him.”

“You think he won’t find out from school?”

Alan just sighed.

“Seriously Johnny, Gordon and I got all comms from school diverted directly to us years ago.  I’ve already responded to their email.”

“You and Gordon did that?” He was secretly a little impressed that his brothers had found a way to bypass the school systems although he was concerned that their father had seemingly never noticed.

“Well, okay, I did that.  Gordon’s not so hot on the technical stuff but it was his idea.  Dad’s never been that great at dealing with letters and permission slips so I just got in through a school admin account and updated the contact details.  If it’s not a report card he isn’t interested.”

John decided not to pass comment on the low level hacking his baby brother had pulled off.  Instead he picked his way across the minefield that was Alan’s floor to join his little brother on the bed.  The mattress felt deliciously soft compared to the plastic seat upon which he had been forced to spend the night and he felt his bones sigh in relief.  His own bed was still calling out to him but his big brother instincts were screaming at him to fix things, even if he wasn’t entirely sure what he needed to fix.  The screaming won.  He leaned across to grab a second controller off the cluttered bedside unit and synced it into the game.

“So, what’re we playing?  I don’t recognise this one but then there wasn’t much time for gaming at Harvard.”

Alan looked bemused by the turn of events.  Scott held an authority that demanded respect, Virgil would take a softer and more caring approach, Gordon provided a mix of straight talking and fun whereas their father subscribed to the school of parenting that was mostly indifferent until an indiscretion was unearthed.  John was still a bit of an unknown entity, he’d never taken on the role of authority figure for Alan and he couldn’t work out his brother’s strategy.  

  “Uh, it’s something I made myself.”  Alan disconnected his headset and the background music of the pause screen sounded out harshly in the otherwise quiet apartment eliciting an involuntary wince from John.  He guiltily turned the volume down to a more comfortable level before resuming play.

They sat side by side in silence for a few minutes, blasting asteroids and navigating their way through a fast moving debris field.  The game concept appeared simple and John wondered why Alan had done it; it wasn’t like he couldn’t afford to stock up on the commercially available games.

“Games design is a new one for you, this a school project or something?”

John sensed the eye roll even without taking his own eyes off the screen.

“Hardly.  School sucks.”

“So, why make the game?”

“It’s not about the game.  I wanted to see if I could model a debris field.  Thought if I could get it right it could be good training, you know, before astronaut school.”  

“I think you’ll find Tracy College already has their own simulators.  How do you even know this is accurate.”  Alan had made no secret about his desire to head into space and it looked like that was still the life plan.  Part of John hoped the game wasn’t accurate, the objects were flying in thick and fast and he was struggling to react in time to find a clear path for his craft and guide it through.  Alan, on the other hand, was having no such difficulties; his movements were lightening fast and the game seemed to hold no challenge for him.

“Borrowed your books.”  Alan set his own controller down as John’s ship took a direct hit and exploded in a mass of technicolour pixels that ended the game.  He stretched out and plucked a weighty tome off the edge of his desk.

“Borrowed?  I don’t remember you asking.”  John recognised the volume as one of the few undergraduate text books he had investing in the hard copy of.  Slips of coloured paper stuck out at intervals and the pages were rather more worn and well thumbed than he remembered.  

Alan pointedly ignored the question and instead flipped through to the relevant pages.  

“I’m not sure if I got this bit right though.  I struggled to combine the effect of an explosion induced debris field interacting with a meteor shower.”

However John had been expecting his talk to go with Alan, it hadn’t been like this.  He soon found himself drawn into an animated discussion of the core principles of astrophysics and how material behaved in a vacuum.  Alan’s grasp of the subject, considering he was entirely self taught, surprised the elder Tracy.  On his rare visits home Alan had always pestered him to go star gazing or asked him his thoughts on the latest developments in astronaut training but he’d had no idea that Alan’s interest had extended into him seemingly attempting to study most of the first year of his Harvard course from home.  No wonder the kid was bored at school.  

When Jeff returned later that night it was to find the two boys deeply engrossed in some project or other.  Books and piles of scribbled notes lay scattered around them and John’s fingers danced through lines of holographic code as he pointed out some facet or other to the younger boy who seemed to hang on his every word.  He assumed John was helping Alan with his homework and thought no more of it as he settled down to his own evening. 

xoxoxox

“Mr Tracy, a Miss West is on the line for you.”

Jeff frowned at the unexpected intrusion from his personal assistant.  “Miss West?”  He couldn’t place the name.

“She says she is calling from the High School, Sir”

“Put her through then.”  He paused a moment until the slight click indicating a change in caller reached his ears.  

“Mr Tracy?  I’m Sarah West, Alan’s home room teacher.”  The woman on the other end of the call sounded slightly nervous and with good reason, the Tracy reputation was formidable and seeing Alan’s name on her class list when he had joined the school had led to rounds of commiserations in the faculty lounge.

“Miss West, what can I do for you?”  He tried to keep the puzzlement out of his voice.  The last time he had received a call from the school, or any kind of communication now he came to think about it, had been over Gordon’s suspension.  He hoped he was not in for a repeat of that embarrassing incident.

“I just wanted to check on how Alan was doing.  The class are all missing him and hope he is able to return to school soon.”

Jeff understood the words being spoken but the actual sentiments made no sense.  As far as he was concerned Alan was at school at that very moment.  He kept his voice carefully neutral.

“I thank you for your concern Miss West.  I will certainly pass on your regards when I see Alan this evening.”

“Thank you Mr Tracy.  Please accept my best wishes for you and all your family, it can be so hard when these things happen.  Please keep me informed of his progress through the parent portal and once Alan is well enough to come back we will look at putting a catch up and transition programme in place for him.  Alan is a bright boy and I have every confidence that he will be able to catch up with these missed weeks.”

“Thank you Miss West.  I will of course keep you informed.  Now if you will excuse me.”

“Of course Mr Tracy, goodbye.”

“Goodbye Miss West.”

Missed weeks.  The words rang out in his head, causing him to rub his temples.  Trouble at school had always been Gordon’s domain, he’d been gone for months but still his influence was being felt.  Alan had always taken after John until now; good grades, generally studious and with a passion for space. Whatever was going on Jeff knew he needed to nip it in the bud.  Pausing only to inform his PA that he would be heading out for lunch and might not return that day Jeff headed back to the apartment.

Jeff found Alan in his room, engrossed in some project or other.  He rapped smartly on the doorframe, breaking the teen’s concentration and causing him to look round in surprise.  The look Jeff was treated to wasn’t one of fear or remorse though and there was certainly no sign of guilt at being caught where he shouldn’t.

“Alan, my study.  Now!”  He strode off down the hallway without waiting for a response.

Alan sighed and followed, knowing that to ignore a direct command would be foolish.  By the time he reached the study Jeff was already behind the desk in his customary position for dispensing judgement, a situation Alan had rarely been in but had certainly heard about often enough from Gordon.  He was more than a little intimidated at the prospect of what was to come but he tried not to let it show as he stood there, ramrod straight, waiting for his father to make the opening move.

“So Alan, I had an interesting call from Miss West today.  Explain yourself”  

The words caused Alan’s stomach to drop, there was no way he could pass today off as an isolated incident now.  He had been signing off on his absences via the parent portal but if his teacher had actually called up then it was likely his father knew everything.  Not knowing what to do for the best he opted to say nothing.  The silence stretched out uncomfortably as he felt himself being appraised by eyes as hard as flint.

“I see.  Let’s keep this simple.  How long have you been skipping school for?”

“Since the beginning of the semester.”  There was no point lying about it now.  After his few days of indiscretion when Gordon first headed off to WASP John had made sure he went off to school each day.  At the end of the summer holidays though, with John and Virgil departed for Tracy College, there was no one to force the issue.  September had arrived and with it the start of a new school year but among the faces arriving for a fresh round of learning Alan’s had been notably absent.

“Why?  Your teacher seems to be under the impression you are unwell.  Are you unwell?”  The skeptical lilt to the voice and raised eyebrow would have made even John proud.

“No.”

“So why are you risking failing high school?” 

“Failing it?”  Alan snorted  “School’s boring.  I’d be able to get my diploma now if they’d just stick me in the right classes, then I could be done with the place.”

“And what makes you think you could complete your diploma now if you won’t attend class” 

“John did.”  Alan’s chin jutted out in defiance and Jeff was given a sudden and uncomfortable reminder of another son who had found school far too easy.  The arguments may have had a different focus but Alan wouldn't be the first Tracy to have found the system too limiting, the difference being that John had been fast tracked before the boredom got too much.  “I’m not learning anything at school.  It’s not like I’m just flunking out though, John’s been sending me some stuff through that’s far more interesting.”

“That’s as maybe but did John tell you to just ditch classes?  I seem to remember him maintaining an exemplary attendance record”

For the first time Alan felt a wave of guilt, the weight of it causing him to bow his head in shame.  John may have agreed with him that the school work he was being set was far too easy and been coaching him on more challenging topics to feed his thirst for knowledge on all things astronomical, but his brother would never have condoned him skipping class.  He was not going to let John take any of the blame for his choices.

“No, Sir.”  

“I see.”

Alan wasn’t quite sure what it was his father saw as he stood there being appraised like some interesting specimen.  There was another drawn out silence.  He could almost hear his father’s thoughts as he considered his next move.

“Show me.”  Alan’s head jerked up in confusion.  “Persuade me.  A key skill you would learn in school, if you were there, is how to present a well balanced and constructed argument.  Prove your case.  I’ll be here waiting.”

Alan had been expecting some sort of reprimand, either a bawling out or a quietly pronounced punishment.  So far he had received neither and he was feeling a little on the back foot but then his father had a flair for the unexpected, it’s what made him a formidable adversary in the boardroom.  He retreated to his room to think upon the challenge.  He wasn’t sure what he wanted to prove, didn’t have a clue what his argument was or what he wanted to achieve but he knew he had better come up with a plan fast.  It felt like he was being offered a lifeline of some sort but a lifeline that had the potential to cut you down if grasped in the wrong way.

He retreated into his room and sat down at the desk, the detritus of his latest project from John scattered in front of him where he had abandoned it at his father’s command.  What did he want?  He knew he didn’t want to go back into that hell-pit high school, each day of drudgery just sapped the life out of him, but how could he prove to his father that school was only holding him back?  He gazed unseeingly as the scribbled formulae he had been working on, all the time conscious that his father wouldn’t wait forever.

Those same formulae presented him with his answer.  His father had always been focussed on results, getting the most efficient return on his investment and abhorred anything he viewed as a waste of time.  Alan knew that if he could prove beyond doubt that attending school was just wasting precious learning time then he might never have to go back.  He started gathering together the work he had been doing for John as evidence that he really didn’t need to sit through another hour of basic trigonometry when he was already able to apply it to complex problems.  

Jeff sat back and waited.  He couldn’t predict Alan’s next move but then he realised he didn’t really know Alan at all.  All the way through the young boy’s life his care had fallen to others.  Others had formed him and moulded him and evidently turned Alan into someone capable of missing several weeks of school under his nose without him realising.  Those influences had all been evident during their short exchange.  He had witnessed Gordon’s defiance and determination, John’s intellect and Virgil’s sense of justice.  Even traces of Scott were evident in the set of Alan’s jaw and the way he held his shoulders despite Scott only really being present for half of Alan’s short life.  How telling that a brother absent some eight years held more influence than he did as father.  If there was one thing common to all his sons though it was the ability to rise to a challenge; the afternoon had the potential to be surprising.

Jeff never made it back to the office.  He couldn’t remember the last time he had had a meaningful and in depth discussion with his youngest son.  His conversations with Alan were normally limited to a few perfunctory exchanges in the evening and maybe a goodbye if Alan was up before he headed to the office.  Over the course of the afternoon he got more insights into Alan than any mere report card could give.  For a start those bland documents could only show that Alan had met the maximum expected standard for his class, behind the lists of grades his son’s true abilities had been hidden.  

Alan might have been skipping school but he hadn’t been squandering his time.  Jeff was treated to comparisons of the high school math curriculum compared to the problems John had been setting, ostensibly as a way of Alan bolstering a future college application as the middle Tracy had been unaware that the youngest had abandoned his traditional studies completely.  Physics, coding and a raft of other topics handy for the modern astronaut similarly followed and it became clear that Alan was willing to put the effort in on the topics that interested him. 

Once Alan had finished lambasting the Californian education system he turned hopeful eyes on his father.

“So, can I quit?” 

If there was one thing that Jeff agreed on it was that the current curriculum being inflicted on Alan was uninspiring and certainly not challenging for the youngster.  He was also conscious that his lawyers had not managed to secure the removal of their family tragedy from the text books in time for this academic year and therefore Alan would be subjected to the same ordeal as Gordon in just a few short months time if he stayed in the classroom.   However, he also knew that without a high school diploma Alan would be unlikely to be able to access the higher education he needed to turn his dreams of space into a reality; he knew this from his own path to the stars.

“No.”   

“But Dad…” 

“No Alan, I will not have any son of mine walking away from education without a high school diploma.  If you are at all serious about becoming an astronaut then you need to play by the rules, without a diploma you would be ineligible for any of the space programmes out there.”  

Jeff watched the disappointment flood his son’s features and wondered if Alan had really been paying attention to his words and whether he would spot the loophole in his pronouncement.  He waited as Alan put together his next move, he could almost see the thoughts as they played out.  Alan always had been the son to wear his emotions closest to the surface.

“I just have to get my diploma, right?”  There was a hesitancy as a glimmer of hope was seized on.

“That’s right.”

“But there are other ways of getting my diploma, not just in school.  Right?”  

“Potentially.  So what do you want to do?”

“Can I...can I do homeschool?  I’m sure we’ve got everything I need to join an online programme and then just get it done.”

Jeff paused as though contemplating the request.  Really, having Alan homeschooled would be better for both of them; Alan could learn at his own pace and he would find it easier to have oversight of his son’s progress and commitment.  

“You have until the end of the week to find a suitable programme otherwise I will march you straight back to the classroom myself on Monday morning.  I know you don’t see the point of half the subjects you have to take but they are important, your diploma is important, even if it’s only as a paper steppingstone to better things.”  Jeff found himself on the receiving end of one of Alan’s grins and realised sadly that he hadn’t seen one of those since their last flying lesson.  “Now, don’t you have some research to do?”

Alan took the hint and headed out of the study with far more bounce than he’d had when entering it.  Jeff had no concerns about delegating the task to his son, the similarities to John had been clear to see and he had every faith that Alan would find a suitable programme within the allotted time frame.  The fact that the change to homeschooling came with the added bonus of one less loose end to tie up when the time came to relocate was not lost on him.

[mr-entj]

Hi Mr-ENTJ, Love your blog- I’ve been reading it the past two years and it’s been a real inspiration! I’m an ESTP currently in medical school, and in two months I’m moving from the preclinical part, pass-fail part to the clinical, graded part in the hospital. I was wondering if you had any tips (whether for ESTPs or in general) on moving from a school based environment to a more workplace based one where you have no idea what’s happening.

I’m glad the blog’s been useful, thanks for visiting. I have general advice (not MBTI specific) on this below.

Tips on transitioning from school to the workplace

1. It’s not about you anymore. In school, assignments are solo projects that you can work on at all times of the day. If you want to pull an all-nighter and send something 5 minutes before the due date, then cool. If you want to half ass an essay, then cool. If want to completely blow off a test, then cool. It’s only your ass and your grades on the line. At work, this isn’t the case because everyone’s asses are on the line and there’s a chain reaction that takes place. For example, if you’re a doctor and you don’t finish updating the patient’s records then the nursing department can’t discharge the patient and then the billing department can’t process the medical bill and then patient can’t pay the bill and then hospital can’t bill the insurance and then the insurance can’t pay the hospital and then the hospital won’t have money to pay the employees. Your actions have consequences on other people in the workplace. If your actions have no consequences on other people in the workplace, then you’re ignorant of those consequences or you’re in a low-paying job that’ll soon be replaced by robots.

As an example, I once had a chronic procrastinator Senior Manager who was often late with his work and terrorized his team with late night calls and last minute fire drills. He ruined countless birthdays, dinner dates, evenings, and weekends with his sloppy work ethic and disregard for other people’s schedules. This finally culminated in him screwing over one of my superstar Muslim colleagues by dropping a last minute assignment in the middle of Ramadan that forced her to break her fast. She quit the firm soon after. This is why deadlines exist-- other people have their own lives, their own plans, and their own priorities. Respect them.

Be a good teammate by sticking to deadlines, keeping your commitments, and making every effort to help others. Mind your team, colleagues, and clients/patients/customers. Think of others. This will serve you well beyond the start of your career and all throughout your life.

2. Knowledge is not a substitute for experience. More applicable to intuitives and less applicable to you because you’re a sensor. You can’t read your way through life. You can certainly learn abstract theory and do research to prepare for workplace scenarios but knowledge has to applied to be useful and skills need to be practiced to be mastered. Period. There’s a reason why doctors need to complete a residency before being set loose unsupervised on patients, I sure as hell wouldn’t want a brain surgeon operating on me who had only read about doing the procedure in a book or through videos without actually having successful and tangible results. The best way to learn is to do so do a lot and don’t be afraid to try because grades and test scores won’t be closely monitored moving forward. You only lose if you don’t try.

3. Be proactive, always. School has a curriculum where materials are prepared and taught to you. The workplace does not. You will learn through actively engaging your environment, making mistakes, and seeking out answers to fill gaps in your knowledge. If you don’t have a clue-- get one. Go talk to someone, Google it, read a book, but don’t be content with ignorance especially if it’s a skill that’s crucial to know in your field. Life won’t tell you what you need to know, but it will expose what knowledge you lack and not in the nicest of ways. Find mentors and seniors who have already walked the path you’re currently on, it’ll give great insight into what to expect.

4. Interpersonal skills are just as important as technical skills. Patience is a virtue for a reason: people are unreasonable, illogical, and sometimes completely batshit crazy in this world. If you can’t grow thick skin to deal with difficult people, every day of work (and life) will feel like a torture chamber. In the medical field especially, remember to pause and put yourself in your patients’ shoes. I’d encourage you to explore classes on effective communication and skills that aren’t necessarily covered in medical school but are required for the medical field. This holds true for any profession. You can’t avoid people, you have to learn to deal with them.

5. People not in your field bring fresh perspectives. It tends to be the case that doctors associate with doctors, scientists with scientists, artists with artists, lawyers with lawyers, etc. Have a diverse group of friends in multiple fields to hang out with, bounce ideas off of, and give you an opportunity to detach from your work for a breath of fresh air. They’ll expose you to different ways of thinking outside the norm, insight into other industries and opportunities outside your field, and keep you in touch with the rest of the world outside of your area of expertise. 

[dambit-like-gambit]

Hello, there!

Call me Gambit (or “L”, or Lemony)… I hope my fellow literature nerds liked that one XD

Anywho, I’ll just cut to the chase:

I need money for Studying Abroad this summer, so here I am, opening up writing commissions!

For examples of my current posted content, please see          https://archiveofourown.org/users/welcometomystic

What I WILL write:

              Familiar Content:

                 -Harry Potter/FBAWTFT/The Marauders         -The Great Gatsby                          -Yuri on ICE (canon or AU)              -Disney/Pixar (I am a fanatic)                          -Dreamworks (ex: The Road to El Dorado)  -LGBTQ+ content                              -Voltron (for canon-compliant: familiar until the end of Season 5)                          -Dear Evan Hansen               -Heathers (film OR musical)                                      -RENT (FILM of musical)                 -Tokyo Ghoul (s1 anime ONLY)                      -Kamisama Kiss (ANIME ONLY)              -Witches & Magic, familiars                    -Gore, Death, and Disease                           -Hamlet, The Tempest, A                    -21 Chump Street                                      Midsummer Night’s Dream                    -Interview with the Vampire (FILM ONLY)                                                                -Phantom of the Opera (film/musical)                    -Les Miserables                        -“Period” AUs (ex: Victorian England)                    (MUSICAL ONLY)                    -Most AUs: willing to work with ideas/create my own for you                                  -Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, RESPECTFULLY WRITTEN issues with                     mental health, etc.                                                                                                  -A/B/O, vampires, werewolves, faeries/fairies/the fae, shapeshifters,                      immortal characters, etc.                                                                                        -Original poetry (ex: for a significant other) (provide context and any                      additional info requested) -Over the Garden Wall (characters or AU)

             Unfamiliar, but Fair Game:

                 -Hamilton (canon or otherwise)                     -Be More Chill (musical)                    -My Hero Academia/Boku No Hero Academia                                                        -Les Mis (other than the musical)                                                                            -Voltron post-S5 (I haven’t seen the seasons, but I can research and                     write an ALTERNATE UNIVERSE based on the context of post-s5,                       like writing for Adashi (Adam/Shiro) or Shiro/Curtis, etc.)                                      -Heavily religious content of any sort (WICCAN- & PAGAN-                                   FRIENDLY; much research will be necessary)                                                      -Original Characters (provide descriptions)                                                            -Familiar character/Original Character                -Percy Jackson                            -Shakespeare comedies/romances                      universe/plots                                        not mentioned above                                                                                   -Pokemon AUs (never got into it really so I’m not too confident in                           writing without research)                                                                                        -She-Ra -Racist/Sexist/Homophobic/Transphobic/otherwise discriminatory                           content FOR ANYTHING BUT ANGST OR “LEARNING A LESSON                     IN KINDNESS”                    -P0rn/sexual content above PG-13                            -Most kinks (you’d be surprised) -- ask first, and I’ll decide if I am                                                                                    comfortable writing it

            WILL NOT WRITE:

                 -ACADEMIC MATERIAL (homework, projects, essays, creative                       writing assignments, etc.)                                                                                    -Inside Out (the film makes me uncomfortable)                                                      -Sex/ships between an adult and an underaged individual                                                         (ex: Harry Potter/Severus Snape)                                                        -Omorashi/Watersports, Fecal kinks                                                                        -Rape/”Intense” Non-Con (hypnotism/mind control is okay)                                    -Canon-compliant Voltron post-S5 (no Allurance, my dudes; Lance                       gets character development in my works; etc.)                                                      -Pidge/anyone (Voltron) (I just can’t do it, idk)                                                        -Lance/Allura (Voltron) (nothing against shippers, just can’t write it)                      -Historical Shakespeare plays (I don’t understand the content well                         enough to write it)                                                                                                  -Drarry (Draco/Harry) -- I am not well-versed in this ship, so I don’t                         feel comfortable writing it                                                                                        -K-Pop, J-Pop, or K-Dramas -- I am not part of the fandoms and do                       not know the culture

**I may add or remove content from these lists as I come across it, so don’t hesitate to ask if it’s not included here!!**

Fanfiction Rate:

One (US) dollar for every 200 words for items that I am familiar with (see “Familiar Content” list or ask me, if it is not included on any lists above; I may have forgotten something uwu)

                              That means…

                              100 words: $0.50 USD

                              500 words: $2.50 USD

                              1,000 words: $5.00

                              2,000 words: $10.00

          (I do write more than 2,000 words, this is just for reference.)

One (US) dollars for every 100 words for items that I am UN-familiar with (anything included in the “Unfamiliar, but Fair Game” list, or ask me, if it is not included on any lists above)

                              That means…

                              100 words: $1.00 USD

                              500 words: $5.00

                              1,000 words: $10.00 USD

                              2,000 words: $20.00 USD

           (I do write more than 2,000 words, this is just for reference.)

Poem Rate: As poems are fairly different across the board, these prices are only rough estimates and will vary depending on what your requests are and what you are using the poem for. PLEASE NOTE: I WILL NOT write academic material for you. If I feel that you are using my writing for a class or for some other academic gain, I have the right to stop working on your commission and to cease communication with you at any time.

                  1 stanza/haiku: $5.00                         2 stanzas: $7.00

                  3 stanzas: $10.00                                4 stanzas: $12.00

                                           5+ stanzas: price varies

SHAKESPEAREAN SONNETS VARY IN PRICE, but will be no less than $15.00, as rhyme, meter, and organization must be precise and perfect per the definition of a Shakespearean sonnet.

EDITING: This is dependent on how long the paper/work is, what the content is, and when the hard deadline (when the paper is due, for example) hits. I may request additonal information on the topic, like classroom notes, previous drafts, and/or related quotes and articles. Prices for service do vary when this is taken into account, as it requires more than just grammar correction, topic guidance, plot clarity, and/or organizational advice.

                                                 1-2 pages: $5.00

                                                 3-5 pages: $7.00

                                                 5-8 pages: $11.00

              Anything beyond 8 pages is on a request-only basis, and I may                                                             not be able to help you.

                                     Though, it’s always worth it to ask.

Payment: I will require of anyone that wishes to request a commission to pay a small portion of the estimated total price so that I know you are committed to our agreement. This price will vary depending on the type of work or service you are requesting. However, the general rule is that I will require that you pay 40% of the estimated total. For example, if I believe that the estimated total will be $5.00, you are required to pay $2.00 after we’ve come to an agreement on what you wish to receive.

I will be making check-ins with you either over direct message on the site, through email, or both. This is to ensure that the work is to your liking and to negotiate the price if updates come along, like a change in word count, if I have a significant question or two for you that prevent me from continuing, or if any extraneous issues/events occur. If I feel that you are ignoring or avoiding my messages for an extended period of time, I will assume that you are no longer interested and I will pause work on and/or withhold your commission.

           If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!!

Contact Information/Social Media Handles:

              Tumblr: dambit-like-gambit.tumblr.com

                           welcometomystic.tumblr.com

              Archive of Our Own (ao3): welcometomystic

[lauraedminsonbcu]

Evaluation

At the start of this project I was excited to work in a team that would all voice their amazing ideas and come together to create some great work for the brand. After a while I discovered that only a few of my team were attending lectures and communicating via our group chat (mainly just myself and Zaina) I was very disappointed to see that as the weeks went on and I tried my best to get everyone communicating and sharing their work even if they were unable to attend lectures however they failed to do so on multiple occasions. In my efforts to better the communication in the group I tried various different ways like setting up teams meetings so that our group could voice their ideas from the comfort of their own home (to which only a few attended) along with asking questions in the group chat to get the conversation going to which only Zaina, Alanah and Sharan responded to on occasion. Another thing I was disappointed at was the fact that our final designs were only produced 48 hour before our deadline for the assignment when they had the opportunity to create them in the space of 5 weeks, however they rushed the designs and created stress for the others as everyone else needed those designs to carry on designing and researching their sections. Another problem we faced as a group along with the communication problem was that even when asked multiple times, only two group member (myself and Sharan) posted their blog links for everyone else to reference in their blogs. I’m assuming the others had no work to present to us on their blogs as they ignored when asked to see the link and only sent it less than 24 hours before our deadline in which we had already written our blogs and created the presentation. The contribution form the whole project seemed to lay on the shoulders of both myself and Zaina (occasionally Alanah) as we were the only two in the group to attend most lectures, communicate well and contribute our work to the project. Juliet’s, Sharan’s and Shanice’s contributions and communications to the group were nearly non existent to the group as they all failed to communicate and turn up for lectures until the last week before hand in. I personally feel that without mine and Zaina’s production of most of our brands research and work, the group would have failed to present a put together presentation and evidence of results (from my survey). I also seemed to produce the majority of the brands work like the colour palette, mood boards, survey, instagram, promotion, the presentation itself etc. Although I understand that as the group leader I should be presenting a good amount of work however I feel that towards the end of the project the only people carrying the brand were myself, Zaina and Alanah. It has been very demotivating having to produce work that should be bing produced by people that specialise in that sector and are quite capable of producing the work however they just seemed to take no interest until the last week of the assignment. I personally feel that I could have produced more detailed work if I didn’t spend so much time trying to get the group to communicate and show their work, for the first 4 weeks of the assignment I was struggling with this and even voiced my concerns to our Tutors who helped in any way they could and gave me the advice to give them deadlines and if they don’t produce work by then, you will need to do the work without them. Although I presented some great research, I feel that my research and sector of the presentation (promotion) failed slightly due to being unmotivated with the poor communication of the team. I also feel that throughout my work I could have been more detailed and voiced my opinion on some things more. Towards the end of the project, as the group leader I felt like although there was still large amounts of work unfinished less than 48 hours before the presentation and deadline, I had done all I could to make the group come together to present our work and let those who were unable to present work until the last minute do so without including it within my blog or the presentation as I feel they had 5 weeks to produce the work and they made a choice to present it the night before the deadline, which in the real world would be deemed unacceptable (especially when working for a company). Hopefully we can all manage to present this brand pitch with the intention of creating a visual that has not clearly been put together a week before and hope we can all finally work together and communicate to create a wonderful presentation.

[ronaldsmcrae86]

36 Underrated Ways to Find PAID Freelance Writing Jobs in 2021

Whether you’re a seasoned freelance writer or a new writer with no experience, freelance writing jobs that pay are still plentiful in 2021 — if:

You know where to look…

You know how to promote yourself…

And you know how to differentiate yourself from your fellow writers.

That’s where we come in.

If you’re a copywriter, blogger, or any type of freelance writer who wants to earn a full-time or part-time income doing what you love, this definitive, A-to-Z guide will help you do just that.

Let’s dive in.

Chapter One: 6 Steps to Help You Prepare (& Land More Freelance Writing Gigs)

The philosopher Seneca (allegedly) said, “luck is what happens when practice meets opportunity.”

The book of Galatians in the Bible tells us we reap what we sow.

Stephen King put it this way:

“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”

The common theme? Success tends to find those who are prepared for it.

As a writer, here are six things you should do to prepare for freelancing glory:

1. Create a Writing Portfolio That Kicks Butt

“Do you have writing samples?” “Can I see some of your freelance writing work?” “What are some high-quality articles you’ve written?”

As a freelance writer, you’ll hear questions like these often.

And your answer?

Here’s a link to my writing portfolio.

At least, that should be your answer. But unfortunately, many freelancers skip the whole “prove you actually know how to write” thing.

As Scott Weiland once sang, “let the proof be in the pudding, sugar.”

Don’t simply tell prospective clients that you’re a talented freelance writer. And don’t assume they already know you’re the cat’s meow and the bee’s knees.

Show them.

Further Reading: How to Create a Writing Portfolio That’ll Wow Potential Clients walks you through everything you need to craft an online portfolio of your work, from portfolio sites like Contently to using your own blog. It also offers tips for building a list of writing samples if your portfolio is a bit sparse.

2. Supercharge Your Writing Skills

Unless you want to spend your freelance writing career slumming through online content mills with entry-level job ads that pay peanuts, you need to level up your content creation skills.

Because those high-paying freelance content jobs you lay awake dreaming about? Companies don’t hand them to just anyone.

They give them to the best writers — content creators who:

Realize the importance of SEO (search engine optimization) and can create SEO content with both readers and Google in mind;

Understand the importance of proofreading and submitting error-free work;

Write fast, meet deadlines for their writing projects, and are seemingly immune to writer’s block;

Craft amazing headlines, write with clarity, and support their points with examples;

Have top-notch communication skills;

Can connect with readers on an emotional level.

The good news?

With hard work, anyone can improve their writing skills. And for the few who are willing to roll up their sleeves and do it, the payoff can be huge.

This site is filled with helpful how-to articles on copywriting, content writing, writing contests, content marketing, article writing, and SEO writing. And if you need training, we have that too.

Further Reading: 18 Writing Tips That’ll Actually Make You a Better Writer shares our favorite must-have skills for writers. Read it, bookmark it, and come back to it again and again.

3. Ask for Testimonials

Have you already landed a writing job or two? Awesome.

Did you ask the client to give you a testimonial? A few words declaring their undying love and/or satisfaction with your work (that you can use to help you land more writing clients)?

No? Well, you’re not alone.

Most writers who do freelance work, either due to ignorance or fear, don’t ask for testimonials. Our own Jon Morrow says he’s only had a small handful of writers over the years ask him for a testimonial — even though he would’ve been perfectly happy to give one to them.

So how should you ask for one? Keep it simple.

Here’s how Karen MacKenzie asked for a testimonial after we published her first post on Smart Blogger:

“Would it be possible to get a testimonial for my website? I know you are really busy, but I’d really appreciate it.”

And because Karen did such a good job on her post, I was happy to give her the following testimonial:

Karen offers everything I look for in a freelance writer: Her work is excellent, she finishes on time (if not ahead of schedule), and her attention to detail is wonderful. I enjoyed working with her so much that, as soon as her first article was completed, I asked her if she’d like to write for us again. I happily recommend her.

Want a great testimonial like Karen’s?

Create testimonial-worthy content for your clients and then — this is key — ask them for a freakin’ testimonial.

Note: You can count me among the poor, unfortunate souls who missed out on Jon’s generosity. Before becoming Smart Blogger’s Editor-in-Chief, I was a freelancer. I wrote five posts for Smart Blogger as a freelance writer, which means I passed on five opportunities for Jon to say nice things about me. Don’t repeat my mistakes — ask for testimonials at every opportunity.

4. Learn How to Craft a Killer Author Bio

Picture it:

A wealthy business owner sitting in a Herman Miller chair on top of a rug made out of recycled Herman Miller chairs is reading an article you’ve written.

She’s impressed. She calls to her butler, Jeeves, and asks him to bring one of her suitcases filled with money.

Your article is so good, she wants to hire you.

But then she gets to your byline — the one you threw together at the last minute. The one that lists your hobbies and has no clear call to action.

“Throw the suitcase in the fire, Jeeves,” she says. “I shan’t be hiring a writer today.”

If you don’t want this totally realistic scenario to happen to you, you need to get really good at writing author bios.

Why?

Because someone who’s made it to your author bio is primed. They’ve read your work and want to learn about the attractive, intelligent individual who wrote it.

Maybe they want to check out your website content. Maybe they want to find you on social media so they can follow you.

Or maybe they want your contact info so they can hire you.

A byline should shout to the world your expertise. It should say to prospective clients, “if you thought this article was great, you should hire me and see what I can do for you.”

Taking the time to craft a great one is time well spent.

Further Reading: How to Write a Bio Like a Superhero (Easy 3-Part Process) will show you the step-by-step process for crafting bylines that’ll make rich people want to give you suitcases full of money.

5. Know How to Write a Pitch

Few people enjoy cold pitching to prospective clients.

But you know what?

The job seekers who are willing to do it have an edge. And the ones who are good at it — and I mean really freakin’ good at it — are never more than an email or two away from snagging a new writing job.

So how do you get really freakin’ good at cold pitches? For starters, don’t make these rookie mistakes:

Don’t write long emails. Editors and clients are busy. Respect their time.

Don’t send the exact same pitch to different people. Every editor and every client has unique needs, audiences, and styles.

Don’t ignore their guidelines. Want a sure-fire way to have your email deleted? Pitch to a website that has clearly stated submission guidelines, but ignore said guidelines.

But just as importantly, do these things:

Research. Do your homework.

Find the name of the person you’re pitching to. Address the person by name in your email.

Get to the point. Don’t beat around the bush. Tell them what you want and why.

Sell them on you. Popular websites receive pitches all the time. Why should they hire you? Explain it to them.

These pointers and more (as well as email templates) can be found in our post, How to Write a Pitch That’ll Wow Editors & Clients.

Read it, bookmark it, and reference it often.

6. Learn the Legal Side of Freelancing

One of the big, scary unknowns when you’re working online is how to handle the “legal side” of things.

Should you have contracts with your freelance clients? How do you send invoices? What about taxes?

The legalities can seem so scary and daunting that many freelance writers choose to stick their heads in the sand and ignore them — or, worse, give up on their freelancing dreams rather than have to deal with any of it.

That’s why we put together this resource:

The Definitive Guide to Freelance Contracts, Invoices, & Taxes

If you’re a freelance writer or any kind of self-employed contractor, it’s a resource you’ll want to bookmark.

Chapter Two: 16 Hacks for Finding Under-the-Radar Writing Opportunities

Anyone can find a job board and search for a freelance writing job.

But that’s both a good and bad thing — anyone can do it.

That awesome writing job you found online? The one you’d be perfect for? Fifty other “perfect” people found it too.

We’ll go over some great job board options in a moment (because they do have lots to offer new freelance writers), but first, we’ll take a trip down the road less traveled.

By knowing how to identify hidden opportunities many of your fellow freelancers don’t know about (or do know about, but are too lazy to pursue), you can find writing jobs from well-paying clients who fly under the radar.

For example, did you know you could…

1. Use Twitter to Reverse-Engineer Online Writing Jobs

Want an outside-the-box way to find writing job opportunities?

Try Twitter’s advanced search engine.

In the example below, I searched for tweets that included the phrase “writer wanted”:

I kept the search simple, but I could’ve also searched by language (native English, Spanish, etc.), hashtags, date range, and more. The more options you choose, the more refined your search results.

Click “Search” and you’ll see a list of tweets with various job postings for writers:

Scroll through the list and tweak your job search, as needed.

Some of the results will be scams, but most will be legitimate. Many will be for remote writing jobs, but some will be location-specific (usually New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Miami, Washington D.C., Dallas, Saint Paul, Minneapolis, Portland, Oklahoma City, Greenville, Atlanta, and other major cities in the United States). Just skip over the ones that don’t apply to you.

If you look at “Top” tweets, as shown in the screenshot above, you’ll find brand-new freelance jobs mixed with older ones. Click “Latest” if you want to see recent tweets first.

Tip: When you find a tweet for a job that shows promise, click Twitter’s like/heart icon. That way you’ll be able to easily find your shortlisted tweets later.

The nice thing about Twitter’s advanced search feature is it’s only limited by your imagination.

Want to find guest blogging opportunities (since many websites these days pay for guest posts)? Enter “guest post” into the “this exact phrase” option and you’ll see every tweet written by someone looking to promote their latest guest blogging masterpiece.

That’ll give you a list of websites that accept guest posts, which you can later whittle down (after you’ve done a little more research) into a list of sites that pay guest writers.

Wash, rinse, and repeat.

2. Follow Leads on Social Media

When you use Twitter’s advanced search feature for finding freelance writing jobs online, you’ll discover certain Twitter handles pop up fairly frequently.

One example is @write_jobs:

When you find a good lead, follow them. That way you can cut through the noise of Twitter and go straight to your best sources.

Even better?

Add them to a private Twitter list so that tweets from all your leads can be found in one handy repository.

Here’s how you do it:

Here are a few more handles to get your Twitter list started:

@FreelanceWJ

@WhoPaysWriters

@jjobs_tweets

3. Check Out Agency Job Postings

Everyone likes to talk about job boards (which, again, we’ll discuss in a moment). But you know what resource most freelance writers ignore?

Agencies.

Per Jon:

One of the best potential clients is agencies because they usually have an ongoing need for writers. Instead of only getting paid once, you can develop a relationship with a few and get new freelance blogging gigs for months or even years into the future. How to Become a Freelance Writer, Starting from Scratch

So how can you get work from agencies? Well, you could contact them directly and ask if they have any freelance work (Jon calls this a “gutsy but effective approach”).

The other way is to keep checking their “career” page:

The Content Marketing Institute maintains a detailed database of agencies. Click here to check it out.

4. Find (and Woo) Clients on Their Turf

Most articles that tout social media as a good place to find leads will point you to Facebook Groups.

And it makes sense. After all, search Facebook for “writing jobs”, click the “Groups” tab, and you’ll see dozens and dozens of options that are open to the public:

If you’re looking for a safe space where like-minded individuals offer tips, advice, and writing inspiration; such groups are great.

But if you’re looking to find paying gigs, you’ll likely be left wanting.

Most members of these groups are looking to be hired, not looking to hire writers. And when someone wanting to hire a writer does come along, the person who raises their hand first is usually the one who gets the job.

That’s not to say Facebook Groups can’t lead to writing jobs that pay. The trick is you need to find groups where the buyers, not the sellers, hang out.

Think “masterminds”, “think tanks”, etc.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. Such groups are usually private. So, what’s a writer to do?

Skip the Facebook Groups. Go Straight to the Sources.

One of the amazing things about technology is the way it allows us to connect and interact with people with whom we’d otherwise never have the opportunity.

In 2014, I didn’t know Adam Connell of Blogging Wizard. But I joined his mailing list and, lo and behold, a “welcome” email with his address arrived in my inbox. I responded, he wrote me back, and a friendship was born.

After reading one of her posts and admiring her writing style, I connected with Henneke Duistermaat of Enchanting Marketing through a humble blog comment. The same was true with Syed Balkhi. I connected with Pamela Wilson via Twitter. For Jon Morrow, the man who would one day hire me at Smart Blogger, I got on his radar by becoming a student in one of his online courses.

Want to write for a mover and shaker in your industry? Want to befriend an influencer who can open doors for you (the kind of doors that lead to paying jobs)?

Make a connection. Be generous. Give without asking or expecting anything in return.

That means following them on Twitter, sharing their content, and interacting with them. It means subscribing to their email list.

And, yes, it may mean buying one of their products. Because here’s the thing:

When you’re their student, an influencer is invested in your future. Your success is their success. You’re a walking, talking testimonial. So many — not all, but many — will do everything they can to help you succeed.

And that includes pointing leads in your direction.

5. Pitch to Software Company Blogs

More from Jon:

You want to work with businesses that have money to spend on marketing. Chances are, those companies are subscribed to various apps for email marketing, analytics, and so on. Most software companies in the marketing space (like HubSpot, Sumo, PayPal, Ahrefs, etc.) also publish a great deal of content. So, who better to write for? You’re instantly getting in front of thousands of the right clients. Many of these blogs will also pay you to write for them, so in many cases, you can get your first client while also prospecting for clients.

e-Commerce companies with blogs tend to publish a lot of content. After all, every article they publish tends to pay for itself (and then some) thanks to the traffic it brings to the website — traffic that often leads to sales of their product.

As with agencies, you can either cold pitch the software companies (which sometimes works), or you can keep an eye out for open freelance positions:

6. Don’t Be Scared of Ghostwriting

A lot of writers don’t like the idea of ghostwriting.

I get it. You’re letting someone else put their name on and take credit for your hard work.

You mean I get to spend weeks pouring my heart and soul into a piece of content, infusing every syllable with my very essence to the point I no longer know where I begin and my words end, and no one will ever know I wrote it?

Yes, that’s ghostwriting in a nutshell (minus the theatrics). But here’s the thing:

Ghostwriting pays better than regular freelance writing. When you ghostwrite, it’s not unheard of to increase your fee by 15%-20% (or more).

The opportunities in ghostwriting are virtually endless. You could ghostwrite blog posts, articles, scripts used on YouTube channels, or even books sold on Amazon.

You can make great freelance writing business relationships by ghostwriting. People who pay for ghostwriters tend to have money (and connections). Oftentimes, these clients can refer you to others.

If your primary goal is to build up a strong list of writing samples, ghostwriting isn’t for you.

But if your goal is to make money writing and build potentially profitable business relationships, it’s something to consider.

And here’s the best part:

Because so many freelance writers loathe ghostwriting, there isn’t as much competition.

Editor’s Note: These next few freelance writing hacks come courtesy of Smart Blogger Certified Content Marketer Germano Silveira.

7. Find Clients Who are Already Hiring Successful Freelance Writers in Your Niche

Want to write for great clients in your niche who pay top dollar?

Well, you can either wait until they post job ads, then compete against everyone else who applies…

Or you can take initiative and proactively seek out these ideal clients.

One of the best places to find ideal clients is in the portfolios of successful freelance writers in your niche.

By studying other writers’ sample content, you can identify clients they’ve worked with in the past.

These clients are ideal targets because:

You already know they hire freelance writers;

You know they have years of experience working with freelancers, so they’ll be easier to work with;

And you know they pay decent wages, otherwise the successful freelance writer wouldn’t work with them.

Start by finding freelance writers in your niche. You can find them by Googling “[YOUR NICHE] + freelance writer” like so:

Scroll through the search results until you see a freelance writer’s website. These writing sites don’t always rank highly, so you may have to go through several pages of search results to find them.

Click on a writer’s website and check out their portfolio. There you’ll find links to articles the freelance writer wrote for various companies in your niche.

Click on a writing sample and visit the client’s website to make sure you’d be interested in writing for them. If everything looks good, add them to your list of potential targets.

Do this over and over again for every freelance writer you find in your search. When you’re done, you should have a big list of ideal clients to target.

Pick one client to target and visit their website.

Study their content to get an idea of what they publish. Pay close attention to their most popular content, as well as the article the freelance writer wrote for them. These will give you a good idea of what type of content to pitch.

Check their website for submission guidelines, which will give you a better sense of what they’re looking for from freelance writers and tell you who to send your pitch to.

Use all of this reconnaissance to brainstorm ideas for good articles to pitch them. Pick your best idea, develop it into a pitch, and send it in.

8. Apprentice With a Successful Writer in Your Niche

Another way to get work from established freelance writers is to build a mutually-beneficial partnership with them.

Many successful freelance writers need help with certain aspects of their business. They could use someone to do their research, proofreading, copy editing jobs, etc.

Of course, they could pay a professional writer or do these tasks themselves. But most would prefer to have someone do it for free.

That’s where you come in.

By offering free assistance to a successful freelancer in your niche, you can save them time and help them make more money in exchange for steady work and writing experience.

Often, successful freelance writers have to turn down work because the client can’t afford to pay their rate. Instead, they can pass this work off to you and split the earnings (again, more money in their pocket).

They can also help you by critiquing your work, giving you tips on how to succeed in the industry, and endorsing you to editors.

Once they trust you and you’ve proven yourself as a writer, they may also let you do some assignments for them.

Successful digital marketing entrepreneur Dan Lok got his start in the copywriting industry this way — by apprenticing with his copywriting mentor Alan Jacques:

“Why did this work out so well? It wasn’t worth Alan’s time for that price, but it was worth my time, because I wanted the experience. I needed clients to gain experience and get better. I got my clients with his endorsement and supervision.” — Dan Lok

So how do you start such an arrangement?

It’s not easy, and there’s no direct path. But your best bet is to buy one of their courses or products. As mentioned earlier, when you become their student, they become invested in your success.

You can also try:

Getting an introduction from someone who knows them;

Connecting with them on social and building a relationship;

Creating a piece of content (perhaps copy for a landing page?) they could use and giving it to them for free.

9. Reverse-Engineer Writing Samples From Job Ads

Ultimately, most clients don’t care about your experience or credentials. They just want a freelance writer who can complete their assignment and get results.

Your job is to convince them YOU are that freelance writer.

And the best way to convince them you can do the assignment is… to do the assignment.

Most job ads ask for relevant writing samples. When applying to these ads, most freelancers provide similar writing samples.

In other words, they provide articles they wrote for another client that sort of match what the ad is looking for, but not really. Unless they’ve written for an identical client before, their writing samples will be a bit off.

You can immediately differentiate yourself from other applicants and increase your odds of getting hired by creating a writing sample tailor-made for each client.

Start by finding job ads on job sites like Upwork.

Don’t just look for any old job. Get specific with your search criteria to find ideal jobs — jobs that are in your niche, about subjects that interest you, and offer to pay premium prices.

When you come across an ideal job description, study it from top to bottom. Make note of everything the client is looking for in a writer and the assignment.

Then brainstorm ideas for articles that perfectly match what the client wants. If necessary, research tactics and techniques for creating such content.

For example, in the screenshot above, the client is seeking someone who can “write about boring, dry, technical topics.” You could Google, “how to write about boring topics”, then apply what you find to your sample article.

Select your strongest idea and write it. Try to pick a short, simple idea that won’t take too much time to write. Otherwise, the client may hire someone else before you finish.

Finally, apply to the job and submit your tailor-made content as a writing sample. You can either publish the article on a free site like Medium or submit it with your application as a Microsoft Word or Google Doc.

The best part of this strategy?

Even if the client doesn’t hire you, you’ll still walk away with a strong writing sample to add to your portfolio. And if you repeat this process, you’ll quickly build a portfolio of writing samples that are super-relevant to your ideal clients.

10. Pitch Every Service You’ve Used in the Last Year

If you’re a beginner freelance writer, one of the best places to find writing gigs is with the companies/products you already use.

They make great potential clients because:

You’re already familiar with the product/service;

You’re in their target market, so writing for their audience is easier;

You already have a relationship with these large and small businesses.

In fact, you should include these points in your pitch.

Start by making a list of every product/service you’ve used in the last year. This can include gyms, hair salons, landscapers, etc.

Visit their websites and perform a content audit:

Are there problems with their web copy you could offer to improve?

Do they have a regularly-updated blog? Could you contribute to it in an impactful way? Could you help them target certain keywords with their content?

Basically, you’re trying to match the services you offer with the content they need.

While you may be able to convince these companies to start a blog, the best targets are companies that understand the importance of content marketing and invest in it accordingly.

Once you’ve identified your targets and how you can help them, send an email to someone on their marketing team offering your services.

Your pitch should mention you’ve used their product/service and love it, as well as the fact you’re a member of their target market and will be able to effectively influence their audience.

Offer to work for a price you think they can afford, based on your research. You may not get paid top-dollar initially, but the real goal is to establish a working relationship, get steady work, and contribute to your portfolio.

By sending out 30 such emails, Julie Wilson was able to generate over $1,000 in her first month employing this strategy.

11. Write Tutorials for Products You’ve Used

This tip is similar to the previous one in that you’ll be soliciting a business you’re familiar with.

However, this technique differs because it involves writing articles on spec — creating articles for free before you pitch them.

Make a list of products you’ve used that fall into your freelance writing niche. For example, if you want to become a SaaS writer, make a list of software you use or have used in the past.

Visit the websites of these companies to determine if they’re good prospects. Look for companies with well-established, regularly-updated blogs.

Check to see if they have submission guidelines, which will give you information on the type of content they’re looking for and let you know if they hire freelance writers and/or accept guest posts.

Then write a tutorial (that includes a thorough product description) on how to use their product to achieve a desired result. If possible, create a case study describing the results you achieved with the product and how you did so.

Contact someone in the company via email or LinkedIn. Tell them you’re about to publish the article on Medium (or some other blog) and were wondering if:

They want to publish it on their blog instead;

They’d be willing to share and/or link to the article once you’ve published it.

Even if they don’t buy the article, you’ll add another writing sample to your portfolio while establishing a relationship with a potential client who may keep you in mind for future work.

12. Find and Fix Weak/Old Content

By now, we’ve established the benefit of demonstrating your value to potential clients in advance.

Another way to demonstrate value is by improving their weak, flawed, or outdated content.

You’d be surprised by how many influential, well-established organizations have flawed web content.

Often, these organizations are so preoccupied with creating new content they overlook small errors or forget to update their content to meet new developments.

That’s where you come in.

By identifying weak spots and fixing them for free, you can establish a relationship with a potential client that gets your foot in the door.

Of course, you shouldn’t just visit hundreds of random websites hoping to find bad copy or content. Think of how time-consuming and unbearably boring that would be.

Instead, make a list of 10 to 20 blogs, companies, or influencers you’d most like to write for.

Visit their websites, analyze their content, and make note of areas you can improve.

Look for older content that could use an update. For example, a headline like “How to be a freelance writer in 2016” is a great candidate for modernization.

(On the other hand, something like “Google Authorship: The Complete Handbook for Getting Respect, Readers, and Rankings” wouldn’t work because its main topic, “Google authorship”, is no longer relevant.)

Dan Lok used a similar tactic to get work from guerrilla marketing guru Jay Conrad Levinson. Dan rewrote Jay’s entire sales pitch on spec and sent it to him. Not only did Jay use the updated sales copy and pay Dan for his spec work, but the new copy tripled Jay’s conversions!

Maybe you’re not a copywriting expert like Dan. But if you find a website with weak or unremarkable sales copy, you could try researching the subject and giving it a shot. At the very least, this makes for good practice.

Once you’ve identified and updated your content, send an email to your target explaining what you did.

Tell them you came across their website or blog article, noticed some flaws, and thought you could help them out by improving it.

While they may offer to pay you for your work like Jay did, I don’t recommend trying to sell it to them.

The true power of this tactic is you’re establishing a relationship by being helpful and demonstrating value upfront. And it works best when done for free.

Trying to sell them your work can come off as opportunistic, arrogant, and reduce the chances they’ll bite.

But if you help them for free and they like your work, they may decide to pay you (like Jay did) and/or keep you in mind for future assignments.

13. Dominate Quora

Quora is a social media platform where users can post questions and get answers from other users.

Whether or not you get clients from Quora, it’s an insanely useful marketing platform for writers that allows you to:

Connect with people in your niche in a helpful way and demonstrate your expertise;

Show potential clients you can write for their audience;

Generate long-term traffic from each answer you post (popular Quora questions and answers often get ranked in Google);

Establish yourself as an authority in your niche and build an audience, both of which make you more attractive to potential clients.

Networking on Quora can be an effective, albeit indirect, method for getting freelance writing jobs online.

The essence of a Quora marketing strategy is this:

Find questions that are relevant to your niche; provide helpful, in-depth answers that demonstrate your writing skill; and advertise your writing services in your profile.

Start by creating a stellar Quora profile.

Treat your Quora profile like your freelance business website. You should include your position as a freelance writer, a high-quality profile picture, a description of the benefits of your services, and links to your writing samples and website.

In the “Credentials & Highlights” section, list all of the credentials and experiences that reinforce your position as an authority in your niche.

In the “Knows About” section, be sure to include topics related to your writing niche as well as your role as a freelance writer (SEO, content marketing, blogging, and so on).

Next, find and follow trending topics related to your writing niche as well as the type of content you create (articles, content marketing, email copy, web copy, etc.).

When your profile is all set up and ready to go, start searching for questions relevant to your writing niche. “Relevant questions” include questions that are of interest to potential clients and/or their audience.

You can find relevant questions either by clicking on a Topic and scanning for them, or by typing relevant keywords into the search bar.

When you come across a relevant question, bookmark it in the “Answer Later” section for easy access.

Finally, write phenomenal answers to your saved questions.

Your answers should be helpful. They should answer all parts of the question in the best way possible. And you should include links to additional resources if and when necessary.

Your answers should tell stories. Stories are not only a great way to engage readers and increase views, they also help readers learn and retain information better.

Your answers should incorporate visuals. Visuals break up your text and make your answers more visually appealing and easier to read.

Be sure to link to your writing samples when possible. In fact, whenever you publish a new article, you should spend some time finding and answering Quora questions related to it as a way to drive traffic.

Regularly answer questions to build your Quora audience and views. You’ll increase your position as an authority in your niche, increase your value to clients by building an audience, and potentially get freelance work from employers who come across your answers.

14. Offer Referral Deals

If they like your work, most clients will happily refer you to others.

But some clients may be reticent to refer you to others because they want to keep you to themselves.

Other clients simply require a bit of motivation.

A simple way to provide this motivation is to sweeten the pot with a referral deal.

Tell clients that for every referral they send your way that turns into a job, you’ll create one free piece of content for them.

Even though you’ll waste some work hours on free work, you’ll more than make up for it with the steady stream of new clients you get.

Short. Sweet. And simple.

Just remember:

It’s important you honor your word.

If a client finds out they referred you to someone, you got the job, and you reneged on your end of the deal, your relationship with the client will end and your reputation as a writer will be tarnished.

15. Monitor Companies That are Hiring for Content Marketing Roles

When you see an ad for a content marketing role, a “job opportunity flag” should be raised in your head.

A new content marketing hire is a sign a company is either investing more in content marketing or changing its content marketing strategy.

It can also simply mean they’re filling a vacant position.

Either way, a new hire still signifies a change in strategy. And it’s likely they’ll need more content and more help creating that content.

Rather than waiting for the company to post an ad for freelance writers (like those other lazy freelancers), take the initiative and demonstrate value upfront.

Reach out to the company (or even their new hire) and offer your help executing their new strategy.

First, use LinkedIn to monitor job ads seeking content producers and marketers.

With LinkedIn, you can use filters to narrow your search by job role, job type, and industry.

You’ll want to filter out any companies that aren’t in your writing niche using the “Industry” filter. If you write for software companies, limit your search to software companies.

It’s also best to limit your search to top-level content marketing roles. Top-level hires are the best indication a company is investing in a new content marketing strategy and increasing content production.

To filter for top-level roles, use keywords like “Content Marketing Strategist”, “Content Marketing Manager”, “Content Marketing Specialist”, “Head of Content Marketing”, etc. You can also use LinkedIn’s “Experience” and “Title” filters to narrow your search to top-level positions.

The best part about using LinkedIn for this strategy is you can set a job alert and have new job ads emailed to you. No need to waste time running new job searches over and over again in order to find job openings. Just set it and forget it.

Next, read the job ads to get a sense of the opportunity potential.

If the job ad indicates the company will be producing lots of new content, you know they’ll be a good source of potential work. Often the ad will say something like, “we’re looking to ramp up our content marketing efforts.”

Keep an eye out for any information on the new direction of their content strategy. If the ad says they’re looking to use written content to build authority in their niche, then make note of it. You’ll use it later in your pitch.

Once you’ve identified a few good prospects, it’s time to start crafting your pitch.

A great pitch should include:

1. An introduction that aligns you with their goals.

You might say something like, “I understand you’re looking to build authority with your blog and I think I can help.” This shows you’ve read their ad and understand what they want to achieve.

2. An article written on spec that you’ll let them publish for free.

This demonstrates your value and writing abilities upfront. It’s also a great way to start a positive relationship by giving them something of value for free.

3. A list of 5 to 10 article ideas you think they’ll like.

This demonstrates your ability to regularly produce great content ideas and will be a valuable asset to their new strategy.

Finally, send them your pitch.

It’s best to send your idea to the newbie hire once they’ve filled the role — the new hire will be most receptive because they’re new to the company, eager to make a good impression, and stand to benefit most from bringing a talented freelancer on board.

While this tactic takes a bit of effort, the potential for steady, long-term work makes it worthwhile.

16. Use an Ad Fishing Strategy

Ad Fishing is a technique that involves using Facebook or LinkedIn ads to target warm leads.

For simplicity, we’ll describe how to employ this strategy on Facebook, but the process for LinkedIn is identical.

To perform this strategy, you’ll need:

A Facebook Page;

Your own website/blog with the Facebook Pixel installed;

A case study describing how you helped a client achieve a certain result with your content marketing.

First, you’ll need a case study that demonstrates the value of your freelance writing.

Your case study should describe a positive result you helped a client achieve and the process you used for doing so. The positive result could be as simple as helping them boost monthly web traffic with a blog post.

Make sure your case study has a killer, benefit-oriented headline. For example:

“How I Got 10k New Monthly Visitors for a Client With One Blog Post”

The case study should also include a CTA (call to action) at the end inviting readers to contact you if they want similar results.

Next, create a “Bait Article” — an article your target clients will want to read.

For example, if you want to work with health care companies, you could create an article titled “7 Ways Health Care Companies Can Generate More Web Traffic”.

Promote the article wherever your target clients hang out. Post it in relevant Facebook Groups. Link to it in answers to relevant Quora questions. Or, simply promote it to your targets using Facebook Ads.

Finally, create a Retargeting Ad sharing your case study with anyone who reads the “Bait Article”.

The essence of this strategy is to use the “Bait Article” to find and qualify warm leads — people in your target market who want the results you can help them achieve.

Then you hook those warm leads with a case study that clearly demonstrates how you can help them achieve the desired result.

Because the ad only targets a small number of qualified leads, ad spend will be low and ROI (return on investment) will be high.

Chapter Three: 14 Writing Job Boards That are Packed with Writing Opportunities

Next up, let’s look at some popular (and some under-the-radar) job boards used by freelance writers all over the world.

If you’re new to freelancing, job boards will likely be your easiest entry point. You’ll be able to find writing jobs of all shapes and sizes.

Once you have some writing samples under your belt and you begin getting good referrals from clients, more opportunities will become available to you.

Let’s start with possibly the biggest one:

1. LinkedIn Jobs

If you’re a professional, there’s a good chance you already have a LinkedIn profile (even if, like me, you tend to forget about it for months at a time).

Its job board, as you would expect from a site that specializes in professional networking, is huge.

How huge?

Well, at the time of this writing, there are over 35,000 job postings for “copywriter” alone:

Thankfully, LinkedIn offers lots of filters. Search by date, the job’s industry, the job type (full-time jobs, part-time writing jobs, etc.), experience level, and more.

If you’re already on LinkedIn, it’s a good place to start.

2. Upwork

Depending on who you talk to, Upwork (formerly Elance-oDesk) is either awful or amazing. And the funny thing is, the reasons for its awfulness and amazingness are one and the same: low rates.

Employers love Upwork because you can typically find qualified applicants who live in areas with lower cost of living. As a result, they can get great work at reduced costs.

Those who hate Upwork do so because they’re competing with the aforementioned applicants who can comfortably live on less money.

So what does this mean for freelance writers?

Unless you’re content with low-paying rates (because you need the practice, you want to build up your portfolio, you need all the work you can get, etc.), you’re better off with one of the other job boards mentioned.

3. ProBlogger

As its name would suggest, the ProBlogger Job Board is a popular one among bloggers in search of freelance writing work and blogger jobs.

With a $70 starting price for posting a job, you tend to find smaller companies on ProBlogger. There are exceptions, of course.

One neat feature offered by ProBlogger is a Candidate Database employers can search to find writers. It’s free for writers to join, and you can use it as an online resume and sales page. Here’s an example from Smart Blogger student Mark Tong:

4. BloggingPro

BloggingPro requires clients to publish job ads that pay a minimum of $15 an hour (or have at least 500 words).

Job categories are blogging, content writing jobs, copywriting, and journalism. And types of work include contract, freelance, full-time, part-time, internship, and temporary.

As job boards not named LinkedIn or Indeed go, it’s pretty detailed.

5. FlexJobs

FlexJobs specializes in all types of online jobs and remote work, including remote jobs for writers. It isn’t free, but you get a lot for your money.

For starters, you’re safe from scams — each job posting is vetted by an actual human. You also don’t have to hunt for work from home jobs that’ll allow you to write in your pajamas — all online writing job ads (from blog posts to white papers to press releases to academic writing) are for remote positions. It’s kind of their thing.

Plans start at $14.95 per month. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, which means you can try it out, see if there are any promising writing jobs, and cancel if you don’t like what you see.

6. Freelance Writers Den

Founded by Carol Tice, the Freelance Writers Den is a paid membership site with a long track record.

Unlike most job boards, you also get bonuses. There are over 300 hours of training material, pitch examples, templates, and monthly live events.

Membership is $25 per month with no contract. You can cancel anytime and not pay the next month’s dues. There’s also a 7-day money-back guarantee when you first join.

7. Who Pays Writers?

According to its website, Who Pays Writers? is “an anonymous, crowd-sourced list of which publications pay freelance writers — and how much.”

Translation: Once you’re ready to write for a high-profile publication that’ll look amazing on your portfolio, Who Pays Writers? will be a helpful resource you can use to discover which publications accept applications (and how much they tend to pay per word).

It’s definitely one you should bookmark.

8. FreelanceWriting.com

Curating the best writing jobs that Indeed, Craigslist, BloggingPro, and others have to offer (as well as their own, exclusive writing opportunities); freelancewriting.com is a one-step resource for freelancers.

Not all job listings are for remote writing jobs, but you can filter the ads to fit your needs. Categories include blogging and marketing jobs (WordPress, SEO, content manager, content strategist for startups, etc.), writing (freelance copywriter, staff writer, short stories, article writer, non-fiction writer, creative writer, grant writer, medical writer, healthcare report writer, real estate writer, personal finance writer, creative content writer, script writer for podcasts, etc.), proofreading (writer/editor, copy editor, content editor, proofreader, etc.), journalism, non-profit gigs, copywriting jobs, social media (marketing manager, social media manager, etc.), and technical writing (technical writer, proposal writer, cover letters, service writer, resume writer, etc.).

If you’d like to keep your list of remote job boards short, freelancewriting.com is a good one to keep on it.

9. Freelance Writing Jobs

Freelance Writing Jobs curates blogging jobs from Craigslist, Indeed, Journalism Jobs, MediaBistro, and others.

Every week day, Monday through Friday, they publish a short list of hand-picked job ads. So, if you prefer quality content over quantity, it’s worth a bookmark.

10. Be a Freelance Blogger

Owned and operated by a Smart Blogger student, Sophie Lizard’s job board keeps things pretty simple: if you want to publish a job ad on Be a Freelance Blogger, it has to pay at least $0.10 per word or $50 per post.

If you’re just starting out, it’s definitely worth looking into.

11. Behance Creative Jobs

Though it’s primarily known for its portfolio features, Adobe’s Behance has a job board for creatives of all shapes and sizes.

Job listings for everything from advertising to public relations to freelance writing can be found, making it a solid resource for all kinds of freelancers.

12. Constant Content

Constant Content is a freelance writing platform that facilitates connections between brands and writers. You register for an account, complete a quiz, provide a short writing sample, and — once you’ve been accepted — start applying for writing jobs.

The brands they work with include Uber, Zulily, The Home Depot, Walgreens, Hayneedle, CVS, and eBay; and they claim their top writers earn up to $90,000 per year.

13. Journalism Jobs

If you want to target magazines and newspapers, Journalism Jobs is a great resource. With close to 3 million page views each month, it’s the largest resource for news writers and journalism jobs on the web.

So, if publications are your focus, it should be on your short list.

14. Copify

Copify is a different kind of freelance writing job board. First, you apply for membership. Once you’re in, you can take writing jobs when and if it suits you.

Its aim is to provide you “hassle-free” freelance writing opportunities. So, there are no contracts or commitments, and no need to submit bids or proposals. If you value simplicity, Copify could be a good fit.

Free Class: Want to make real, tangible money online as a freelance writer? Check out Smart Blogger’s Six-Figure Freelance Writing Class. You’ll get instant access to the first video when you sign up.

Chapter Four: Common Freelance Writing Questions (& Answers)

Still have questions? Don’t worry. It’s perfectly normal.

We’ll wrap things up with a quick FAQ.

Here are the common questions we receive from freelance writers. (If you have a question not discussed here, be sure to leave a comment below!)

You should also check out our Freelance Writing Hub. From elevating your writing skills to getting paid to write, it’s a go-to resource for everything you need to know about freelancing.

Now on to the Q&A…

What is freelance content writing?

Freelance writers are self-employed contractors who are hired by clients to create content for them. The type of content ranges from production descriptions to email copy to full-fledged eBooks — and everything in between.

What do you do as a freelance writer?

Well, hopefully, you write. A lot.

But you also:

Proofread and edit

Market and network

Hone your craft

Send invoices, do taxes, and other administrative tasks

Find paying gigs

And speaking of looking for work:

How do freelance writers find work?

How freelance writers land gigs tend to vary based on their experience writing. When you have a good body of work, you’ll get many of your blog writer jobs through referrals and repeat customers. As a result, if you’re an experienced writer, you typically make more money.

So, when you first start writing, you’ll need to be proactive. The job boards we discussed earlier will likely be where you have the most success initially. And don’t forget about the outside-the-box, under-the-radar strategies we discussed. You can find success with those too.

How much do freelance writers make?

When you’re just starting out, you’ll likely be in the $0.10 to $0.15 per word range. But, as you grow, you can command $500, $1,000, and more per article.

Once you have a body of work and you can prove you get results for clients, your pay increases.

How do freelance writers get paid?

Every client will have their own methods for paying writers, but typically you’ll submit an invoice via a service like PayPal, Stripe, or TransferWise.

Make sure you understand the payment terms before you begin work. If you’re unsure, ask the client.

How much do you charge for a 500 word article? How much should I charge for a 1000 word article?

Using the $0.10 to $0.15 per word range we just discussed, as a new freelance writer you can expect to earn between $50 and $75 for a 500-word article.

For a 1,000-word article, a new freelancer could expect to earn between $100 and $150.

But again, as time goes on, your rate should be higher.

How much does a freelance writer make per hour?

It depends.

Most clients will pay freelance writers by word count or individual project. For such clients, your hourly rate will depend on how fast you work.

But there is some data available to give you a broad (probably too broad) idea:

According to PayScale, the hourly range for freelance writers is $11.50 to $63.02. On average, the hourly rate is $24.07.

ZipRecruiter’s numbers are even broader. It says the hourly range is between $5.29 and $76.68 for freelance writers, with $30 being the national average in the United States.

Takes these numbers with a grain of salt, though.

How do you start freelance writing? How do I become a freelance writer with no experience?

Freelance writing experience or no, if you’re willing to accept lower-than-ideal pay rates on job boards, blog content mills, or freelance marketplaces (think Fiverr and Textbroker), you can get started right away. Find freelance job postings, apply to them, and get to work.

But big picture, the answer depends on which group do you belong to:

I’m a skilled writer, but I don’t yet have a body of work. Or,

my writing leaves a lot to be desired.

If you’re in the former group, focus on building a good writing portfolio. If you have your own website, publish articles on there. Medium is a good option too (and it’s free).

If you’re the latter, you really should focus on improving your writing skills. You can probably find work as you are, sure, but a portfolio filled with crappy articles won’t help you find good clients.

Our writing articles here at Smart Blogger can help you. So can the excellent writing content at Enchanting Marketing, Copyblogger, and others. And if you need formal training, the free class I mentioned earlier is well worth your time.

Can you be a freelance writer without a Bachelor’s degree (or even High School Diploma)?

Absolutely. I have a Master’s in Computer Science that I paid way too much money to acquire. Know how many times I’ve been asked by a potential client if I had a degree? Zero. Know how many times the word “degree” popped up when Jon was interviewing me for Smart Blogger? Zilch.

If you can do the work, you can do the work. A degree in creative writing, or lack of one, won’t matter.

Are “guest posts” the same thing as freelance writing jobs?

Semantics aside, yes.

With a guest post, you’re writing content for a website you don’t own, you’re credited as the author, and you get an author byline (or, at least you do with good guest post opportunities). With a freelance writing job, you’re writing content for a website you don’t own, you’re credited as the author (unless it’s a ghostwriter assignment), and you get an author byline (unless, again, you’re ghostwriting).

The only difference is compensation.

All freelance writing jobs will pay you money. With guest blogging, some blogs and websites pay writers to write guest posts for them; with others, you don’t receive monetary compensation, but you get perks like having your work seen by new audiences and beefing up your writing portfolio.

Do guest bloggers get paid?

Some do. As mentioned above, some websites pay writers to write guest posts for them.

To find out if a guest blogging opportunity is a paying one, you need to check their website. Look for a page named “editorial guidelines”, “guest posting guidelines”, “write for us”, or something similar.

Then (and this is important) you need to thoroughly read said guidelines.

If it’s a paying freelance writing gig, or even if it’s just an unpaid freelance writing opportunity for a popular website, you want to get your relationship with the target website off to a good start. And nothing will get your relationship off to a bad start quite like failing to read their guidelines.

Many websites, especially large ones that receive lots of inquiries, will use their editorial guidelines to eliminate sub-par candidates.

For example, here are a few of the guidelines Smart Blogger used to have in our since-retired “Write for Us” page:

On average, writing a post for us takes 10-20 hours from start to finish. re: the chances we'll accept your post

During our rigorous editing process your post may go through five or six drafts before we feel it is ready to publish.

If you prefer to deliver one draft and have it published pretty much as-is, this is not the blog for you. If you prefer not to have your ideas tested or your writing scrutinized, then again, this is not the blog for you. re: the grueling blog writing process

We like longer posts in the 2,000 – 3,000 word range. Don’t think of a 1,500 word post padded out. Think of a 5,000 post trimmed down to its essence. re: guest posting length guidelines

And, trust me, there was a lot more where that came from. Each paragraph, each sentence, was carefully designed to filter potential candidates.

Most blogs and websites won’t have such detailed guidelines. But they will have some guidelines (and if one doesn’t, it isn’t one you want to do business with).

Read the guidelines, follow them, and you’ll do fine.

What are the highest paying freelance writing jobs? What niche should I pursue if I want to make lots of money as a writer?

The list of profitable writing niches can change for a variety of reasons (just look at what the coronavirus did to the “travel” industry in 2020), but here’s an evergreen tip for finding high-paying gigs:

Follow the money.

If you see lots of job ads for freelance writing jobs in a particular niche, chances are the niche is profitable.

True, smart, and sophisticated businesses will continue to hire freelance writers and produce content during a recession (it pays off for them long-term), but unsophisticated clients will stop — unless they’re still making money.

This is a simple but effective hack for finding profitable niches.

To learn more, check out 17 Freelance Writing Niches That Still Pay Big Bucks.

Is freelance writing legit?

I’ll resist the urge to make an M.C. Hammer joke. Instead, I’ll simply say:

Yes, freelance writing is legit.

(You could almost say it’s too legit.)

Ready to Become a Successful Freelance Writer?

There may be lots of online writing jobs out there, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy out there.

Landing paid writing jobs is difficult. Getting started with a freelance career is difficult. But, that doesn’t mean it isn’t doable. It’s very doable.

With the tips and resources in this post, you’re now armed with knowledge. You know what steps you need to take in order to be prepared, you know under-the-radar places to look for opportunities, and you have a sizable list of freelance writing job boards from which to choose.

All that’s left is for you to take action.

Are you ready to get started? Ready to take a huge step towards quitting your day job and following your dream? Ready to find that first (or hundredth) paying assignment?

Then let’s do this thing.

The post 36 Underrated Ways to Find PAID Freelance Writing Jobs in 2021 appeared first on Smart Blogger.

from SEO and SM Tips https://smartblogger.com/freelance-writing-jobs/

[theladyofdeath]

Castaway. {ACOTAR/Chapter 4}

Word Count: 3,168

Summary:  A modern-day University AU, from the A Court of Thorns and Roses universe. All characters belong to Sarah J. Maas. The idea for this fanfic hailed from prompts sent in by Anonymous, and @queen-archeron. You can read previous chapters here.

Author’s Note: Decided to switch it up and add some scenes told buy our favorite baby bats. I want to remind all my (beautiful wonderful magnificent) readers, especially before we dive into the next few chapters, that this story deals with some sensitive content (see Castaway masterlist for details) and is intended for mature readers. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and I would love to know what you all think! :)

September 5 – The day after I got punched in the face. Again.

I consider myself a forgiving person.

I don’t always come off as the nicest around, but I do my best.

I’ve been dealt an interesting hand – we all have.

And yet, we’ve tried our best to get away from our pasts. To move on. To make something of ourselves.

But my past keeps following me around.

Everywhere I go, he’s there.

It’s not that I’m scared of him. I’m not.

But my skin crawls at the sight of the him. Bile rises in my throat with every word that comes out his misogynistic, hypocritical mouth.

And the thought that he has someone like her – kind, smart, beautiful – the thought that he kisses her, beds her….

It’s revolting.

I don’t think I will ever get the sight out of my mind of her fear when he lost his temper.

Still waiting for the day karma comes to claim him.

 Sincerely,

Orphan boy

 Rhysand read over the rubric. Again.

Summary of project: Ten paintings, five by each member of the pair. They must be submitted by the deadline, November 1. This is part of your final, and will count as twenty percent of your final grade. Paintings will be added to your portfolio.

Guidelines: Each member must complete five paintings of their partner in various poses. No two paintings should look alike. Be creative. Do your best.

Rhys threw the paper across the room before he could read any more. Feyre wouldn’t even look at him for the remainder of the class period – how were they supposed to work together?

His head fell into his hands, causing him to flinch. Shit.

That morning, he had woken up to a pounding in his head and the loss of sight in his left eye, due to the swelling. He had a thousand reasons to hate Tamlin, and the night before was just the icing on top of the cake of utter hatred.

His roommate threw open his bedroom door, and froze at the sight of Rhysand sprawled out on the futon.

“Fuck, mate,” he said, eyes growing wide. “You look like shit.”

Rhysand blinked, with the one eye that could. “Thanks. So do you.”

Kallias glanced down at his red, silky boxers. “Viv got me these for Christmas last year. She thinks I look sexy in them.”

Rhys just grinned.

Kallias and his girlfriend, Viviane, had been together for nearly two years. Rhysand was waiting for the day he would ask her to marry him, and he knew it was coming. But, the two had been roommates since freshman year, and he would secretly be somewhat sad when the semester was over and the two would graduate, Kallias moving on to marry the love of his life and start a family. While Rhys will get his degree in architectural engineering……and that was it.

He had no more plans after that.

“Viv and I are going to dinner tomorrow night. Care to join?”

“And be the third wheel?” Again?

“Bring a date,” Kallias suggested. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

It had. Rhys hadn’t even kissed another girl since Amarantha – she had scarred him a bit too deeply. It’s not that he was in love with her. He loathed the woman. But, she kept coming back. And Rhys….he had trouble getting away. She was seductive, and captivating. Beautifully manipulative. After he had finally said goodbye, and considered her a part of the past, Rhys had a hard time getting close to women. He’d gone on a few dates, but didn’t take any of them back home with him.

“Who would I bring as a date?” Rhys scoffed.

He ignored the first face that popped into his mind as the throbbing in his eye worsened.

“Anyone. Come on, mate. It’ll be fun. You may even enjoy yourself.”

Rhysand grumbled. He couldn’t remember the last time he truly enjoyed himself. “I’ll think about it.”

He knew he was in a mood. He knew he was feeling sorry for himself, and probably seemed pathetic, but he couldn’t help it. Kallias didn’t seem to mind, though. He had seen Rhys at his best, and his worst. He gave his roommate a pat on the back before heading to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water.

The door to their apartment swung open and Mor swept in. It was always a dramatic entrance with that one.

She took one look at Rhys before halting. “Your face.”

“I’ve noticed,” Rhys muttered.

“Did you at least hit him back?”

“No, I handled it like a mature adult,” Rhys proclaimed. “After telling him to fuck off and throwing a certain finger in his direction.”

Mor shook her head, suppressing a wistful smile. “What are we going to do with you?”

Rhysand threw his hands in the air. “I wasn’t the one throwing punches!”

“Good morning, Mor,” Kallias smiled, directing the conversation away from his mutilated face, to Rhysand’s relief.

The stares he had received on his way to class that morning were much different than the usual stares of adoration he typically received.  

“Good morning.” She openly observed his silk undies. “Viv certainly is a lucky lady, isn’t she. Is she here?”

“At work,” Kallias explained. “Should be here soon, though. She worked the night shift. She’s been doing a lot of overtime lately. She said they just hired a new nurse, though, so hopefully things will go back to normal. She’s exhausted.”

Mor frowned. “Hopefully. I haven’t seen her in weeks.”

“Morrigan,” Rhys interrupted, smiling when Mor grimaced at the use of her whole first name. “Not that I don’t love your unexpected presence, but aren’t you supposed to be in class?”

She rolled her eyes. “Cancelled. Professor got food poisoning.”

“And you didn’t have anything better to do than come stare at Kal in his silk panties?”

Kallias winked as Mor rolled her eyes at her older brother. “I’ve come with a note for you from a certain roommate of mine.”

Rhys sat up and grabbed the folded-up paper from in between Mor’s fingers. “Did you read it?”

Mor blinked. “Of course I read it.”

Kallias leaned over the back of the futon as Rhys opened it up, and read out loud, “We will meet at your apartment. I will be there tomorrow night at 11. We will begin then.” Kallias took the note and read it again, silently. “And here I was, thinking you haven’t gotten laid lately.”

Rhys snatched the note back and read it for himself. “I haven’t. It’s for a project.”

“Awfully secretive for a project,” Kallias crooned.

“That’s because she’s O’Brien’s girlfriend,” Mor informed him.

Kallias stared at Rhys. “She’s Tamlin’s girlfriend?”

Rhys nodded.

“As in the one who gave you that.” He gestured toward his roommate’s face. “Not to mention everything else the bastard has done.”

“Feyre isn’t to blame,” Rhys said, simply. “She probably doesn’t even know about……Tamlin’s cunning. He puts on a good show, we know that. But, yes – we got paired together in the elective I’m taking.”

Kallias whistled. “You’re entering dangerous territory.”

Rhys shrugged. “I stopped being scared of Tamlin a long time ago.”

“Why don’t you just drop the class?” Mor asked. “Or ask for a new partner?”

“That’s a bit much, don’t you think?” Rhys laughed. “It’s just an assignment. It’s not that big of a deal.”

Mor blinked. “Have you looked in the mirror today?”

Rhys rose to his feet and balled up the note, tossing it across the room into the garbage can in the kitchen. “Like I said. I’m not scared of Tamlin.”

 The fashion world was new for Azriel. He was a mechanic. His hands were calloused, and often dirty, considering he was used to working with grease and various automobile parts. It was always a relief when Elain gave him a task that didn’t have him handling the clothes…..He was always afraid he would ruin them in one way or another before they even made it onto a rack.

But today, he built shelves.

“It’s looking great, Elain.” Azriel glanced around The Fawn, admiring all the work they had put into the small boutique over the last month. “Have I mentioned how proud I am of you?”

He caught Elain blush just before she turned away from him, to hang up another dress on the rack. “Once or twice.”

“You deserve the praise,” he said, watching her for one second too long. “You’ve got a date tonight?”

“I do,” she faltered. “I’m thinking about wearing this. What do you think?”

Azriel watched as Elain lifted the knee-length, olive green dress up to her body. “I think you would look beautiful in that dress. But you will be beautiful in whatever you wear.”

Elain hesitated – Azriel caught the look in her soft, brown eyes as she stared at him. He told himself he should look away, but he didn’t. Neither of them said anything as they watched one another in the silence of the boutique, the humming of their air conditioning the only sound that could be heard above Azriel’s nervous breathing.

“Would you like to come over and help me get ready?” she asked, her voice quieter than it had been before he’d said what he did.

He cleared his throat. “Yeah.”

He didn’t know why he said it. No, he didn’t want to help her get ready for a date with Lucien. He wanted to come over, hang out, and watch movies while they ate a bunch of junk like they usually did.

Neither of them said anything else as Azriel turned back toward the shelves he was hanging.

And as he attached the wooden shelves to the wall, he couldn’t help but think of all the other things he would like to do with Elain Archeron.

 Cassian waited.

He’d taken a cab because he didn’t want to bother Azriel, as he knew he was helping Elain at the boutique all afternoon.

After the cab dropped him off at the curb, he hobbled down the brick path, toward the center of the park, where a small pond was surrounded by trees and paths and benches.

On one of the benches sat an elderly couple. They were holding hands and whispering into each other’s ears. Cassian wondered if it had always been that way – if when you find the love of your life, every date is like the very first one.

The other bench had a homeless man sleeping on it. Cassian had removed his jacket and laid it over him. He didn’t even stir as Cassian went on his way after slipping a five-dollar bill that was left in his jeans into the man’s new coat pocket.

He’d occupied the last free bench, sitting just off the side of the main path, staring at the pond. There were ducks swimming, and he’d wished he had brought something to feed them while he waited.

He knew it was a lost cause. He knew there was a slim chance that she would actually show. But, he went anyway.

And he waited for her.

After thirty minutes passed, he had perfected a duck call to communicate with the furry, swimming birds.

After an hour passed, he had already scrolled through every social media feed on his phone at least twice.

After two hours passed, he attempted to balance one of his crutches in the palm of his hand. And failed fifteen times before becoming successful.

And, after two and a half hours had come and gone, Cassian rose to his healthy foot, and took the crutches under his arms.

He didn’t know what it was about her – Nesta Archeron – that made his palms sweaty, and his heart race at unhealthy levels. She was rude. She was incredibly difficult to talk to. And, she had not given him any indication that she had any sort of attraction to him.

Except when her slim fingers had lingered when she was helping him out of that damn hospital gown, and when she had blushed when he’d called her his future wife.

And yet, Cassian felt a tug in her direction. There was something about her that he couldn’t stop thinking about.

She was different.

But, after three hours, Cassian hobbled back down the brick path. He didn’t bother trying to get a cab before he hobbled two blocks back to Azriel’s apartment.

 Azriel knocked on her door just before seven.

“Come in!” he heard a soft, sweet voice from the other side.

A small, black cat greeted him as soon as he opened the door. “Hey, Shadow.”

The kitten gave him a soft meow before brushing up against his shins, and lying on his boots once Azriel had discarded them by the welcome rug.

“Elain?”

“Bedroom!” she called.

“Are you decent?” he called, and hated himself for the tingly feeling in his gut as he awaited her answer.

Elain laughed. “Yes, I’m decent. Come in!”

Once Azriel turned the corner that led into her bedroom, his mouth fell subtly open.

She looked stunning. The olive-green dress hugged her frame in all the right places. She wore a silver necklace that dangled in between the deep neckline of the dress, the long sleeves hiding the tattoo of a sunflower she had on her forearm.

Azriel loved that tattoo. He was there with her when she got it, and held her hand the entire time.

She caught his gaze in the reflection of her floor length mirror and smiled. “What do you think?”

Azriel cleared his throat as she turned to face him. “You look beautiful.”

Her smile deepened as she patted her mattress. “Sit. Help me with shoes.”

This wasn’t anything new. Azriel had helped her get ready for dates before, but it was early in their friendship. Elain hadn’t dated anyone for years. Neither had Azriel. Over time, he had come to care for Elain more and more.

He had begun to fall in love with her.

She was perfect. She was beautiful, smart, kind, graceful…..any man would be a fool not to see the beauty she had, inside and out.

But, they were friends. That’s how Elain saw him, and he didn’t want to mess that up. Didn’t want to destroy the bond that he cherished so much, that they had created between the two of them.

“How about the brown ones?” Azriel suggested, taking a seat on top of the fluffy, purple comforter.

“The wedges or the flats?”

Azriel blinked. “The…..brown ones.”

Elain laughed, taking two different brown shoes out of her closet. One had a thick heel, the other did not.

He pointed to the ones on the left, the ones with the heel.

“Wedges,” Elain confirmed, giving him a wink.

Azriel grinned. “Noted. Next time I’ll be sure to correctly label your shoes.”

Elain sat next to him as she strapped on her wedges. It was then that Azriel caught a better glimpse of the necklace she wore.

“It’s my favorite,” she said, when she caught him looking.

He’d gifted it to her for her birthday, the year after they had met. A small set of silver antlers hung from the chain.

“You reminded me of a deer,” Azriel said, and when Elain raised her brows, he continued with a smile. “Graceful. Beautiful. Peaceful. Could kick a guy in the face if feeling threatened.”

Her serious expression faded, and she began to giggle. “That’s true.”

“As long as it’s not me.”

“Don’t threaten me, then.”

Azriel smiled, and reached up to brush a curly lock of golden-brown hair back that had fallen from her braid. He froze, midway there.

Elain looked as if she’d stopped breathing.

Azriel let his hand fall back to his lap. “You…..a hair, um, fell loose.”

Alarm filling her eyes, Elain waltzed back to the mirror.

“Well,” Azriel stood, and rubbed the back of his neck. “I should get going. Cass has been gone all afternoon. I’m beginning to worry.”

“Oh, okay,” she said, giving him an encouraging smile through her reflection. “I’m sure he’s fine. Let me know when you find him?”

Azriel simply nodded before coming up behind her in the mirror.

They were complete opposites. Elain looked like a beaming ray of sunshine, while Azriel….

He was darkness. Thick, dark hair hung over his hazel eyes. His black jeans were ripped in the knees, and his black and gray plaid shirt revealed the tattoos on his forearms, on his chest. He wore fingerless gloves to hide the scars on his hands.

The only people who had ever seen his hands without the gloves were his family.

And Elain.

“Want to take Shadow for the night? She needs some love. I’ve been gone a lot lately.”

When she turned toward him, after fixing her braid, he nodded. “Of course.”

“Great.” She took one last look in the mirror, and he had to force himself to push his jealousy aside.

“You look perfect,” he promised, before backing back out into the hall. “Have fun, okay? Tell me how it goes.”

“I will,” she said, and maybe it was his imagination, but she almost seemed sad to watch him go.

After one last smile, Azriel turned around and walked away.

He didn’t look back as he grabbed Shadow, and his boots, and went back to his apartment across the hall.

Cassian was passed out on the couch when he entered, and Rhysand was sitting at the kitchen table, eating a bowl of leftover pasta from Azriel’s fridge.

Azriel blinked. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Rhys said, mouth full. “We just got here.” He motioned to Cassian with a nod of his head. “Caught him walking here from Harris Street Park. Chasing after some girl. Again.”

Azriel chuckled. “Sounds about right.”

Rhysand put down his fork, and lifted an eyebrow at his brother. “You don’t look so good. You okay?”

“Yeah,” Azriel promised, sounding much more confident than he really was. He set Shadow down on the floor before unbuttoning his plaid shirt, and throwing it in an armchair that sat in the corner.

“I don’t know why you don’t just ask her out,” Rhys said, taking yet another bite. “You two are made for each other.”

“She doesn’t see me like that,” was all he said.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Like that.”

Rhysand just shrugged, as Shadow curled into a ball under the table at his feet. “Never know until you try.”

But he wouldn’t try. Elain meant too much to him. He couldn’t lose her.

He didn’t deserve her, anyway. Elain Archeron was a rare gift in this cruel, obscene world. She deserved someone……better. Someone with a good job. And a good, normal family. And a nice car. And whatever else she had named that made Lucien seem perfect on paper.

She deserved someone that could give her everything she ever wanted.

And Azriel….

He was nobody. He didn’t make much. His car was crap and his family was beautiful, to him, but surely not normal. Not even his parents loved him. He didn’t even love himself.

So how could she?

Chapter 5 coming soon.

 @wingedillyrian @throne-of-ashes-and-beauty @photofeesh @southern-by-gods-mercy @randomfanficshit @high-lady-of-perranth @ifinallygavein@xmanorianx @eleniherondale @eye-of-elena @feyreismeiamfeyre@littlehoneyybee @turtlesnook @willsrune @gcarroll@tiny1hallie @iwouldtrusthagridwithmylife @my-parabatai-is-a-herondale @highlady-of-slytherin @fireflyangelxx @theantisocialbookworm310 @redqueenfandom @aelinxfeyre @saybell1994 @nofantasynolife @priyahayes@fireheartbitch @live-the-fangirl-life @rishorro @literarynonsense @thebookqueen01 @highlady-of-night @beaches-and-books

[clubmoneda]

Best Laravel Development Services | PHP Web Development Company in the USA

PHP is one of the earliest programming languages for web development. Using PHP for website advancement, you can empower your business with a robust set of feature possibilities. Hire PHP programmers and developers with a proven track record of delivering PHP consulting services. With a PHP Web Development Company in USA, your business can benefit from maximum functionality and high-quality software at an affordable price.

Why Should You Choose PHP Web Development Company?

When it comes to developing dynamic and interactive web applications, PHP is always a great option. It offers a lot of excellent capabilities features for web design and development. It's widely used in designing advanced business software, both server-side and client-side. Here are a few reasons why many developers and entrepreneurs choose PHP. Arkss Tech is a top PHP Web Development Company in the USA focused on providing robust web application development services.

· Free and Open-Source Technology

One of the main reasons for the popularity of PHP development services is that PHP is an open-source language. As a result, it is completely free for web developers and everyone who doesn't want to pay any money. It means that PHP is completely free! It has a strong community that supports and upgrades the language, keeping it consistent with the new web technologies. There's no dearth of PHP developers as a popular server-side scripting language.

All      Operating Systems are Supported

PHP is compatible with all operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and Mac, and it works flawlessly with the MySQL database and Apache server. This means that PHP is suitable for a wide range of execution scenarios that have gained popularity in the market recently. As a result, you can easily hire dedicated PHP developers to create highly advanced web solutions for your company that run on any popular operating system.

Less Time      Consuming

The PHP development process is fast and reliable due to the reusability of the code. PHP adheres to object-oriented programming, which encourages code re-usable. As a result, PHP enables you to create clean, effective, and high-quality coding for web applications.

PHP      Platforms

One of the major strengths of PHP development is the number of PHP frameworks available. You may use any other PHP platform or Laravel Development Services in USA to rapidly develop innovative and sophisticated web solutions.

The Advantages of Hiring PHP Development Services for Web Development:

Hiring a dedicated PHP developer is not easy, and the process can be prolonged at times. Additionally, once you find a partner, hiring PHP developers becomes even easier. You will enjoy several advantages from hiring a PHP Web Development Company in the USA for your web development project, and the following are only a few of them.

1. Developers Have Professional Skills –

The primary reason you want to hire a web developer would be that they possess the skills and expertise necessary to complete your project. Thus, a PHP developer possesses all of the required skills for designing a website or web application. Having worked on various projects, the developers understand each nuance, allowing them to provide the ultimate solutions.

2. Don't Cost Much –

Another significant benefit of hiring PHP developers is the cost savings. PHP developers are readily accessible at an affordable price, and you can hire them as required. This means you hire a PHP developer for a particular project, saving you money rather than hiring and training new developers. It is also simple to change a developer when you don't like their performance and have your expectations not been achieved.

3. The Value Schedules –

One significant benefit of hiring PHP developers is that the project will be completed on time. PHP developers have the expertise and skills needs to finish your project on time or before the deadline. They emphasize strict deadlines since they want to ensure their images remain consistent and offer the best possible services to customers. Therefore, you have confidence that your project is finished on time and delivered on time when you hire a PHP Web Development Company in the USA.

4. Infrastructural Assistance –

If you hire PHP developers, you will be responsible for ensuring operational resources such as computers, software, and other services. However, by hiring developers, you can reduce the effort and cost associated with managing these resources. As a result, dedicated PHP developers will assist you in creating the right solution for your business without requiring additional support.

5. Guiding Users in Commercial Aspects –

In the beginning, a PHP developer with no experience cannot be expected to guide the commercial aspects. You must have adequate training to ensure that he or she is valuable to your organization. However, if you hire a knowledgeable PHP developer, he or she will have sufficient expertise to assist you with your project.

6. They Have Post-Development Assistance –

When a project is completed, a developer's work does not end. There is more work to be done, such as testing and implementation. Additionally, testing is a critical phase in any PHP development project, as a single error may bring the entire framework down. At this point, the developer's expertise is needed. Additionally, the developer offers service to users post-delivery assistance.

Hire the Professional PHP Developers:

Hiring a professional PHP developer to work on your PHP web development project is not as simple as it seems. You must ensure that the PHP Web Development Company you choose for your project meets your requirements. If you're wondering how to find qualified PHP developers, there are many factors to consider. As such, here are a few guides to assist you in selecting the most professional Development services for your web development project.

Don't Ask      Generic Questions –

You've carried out extensive research on PHP, analyzed the requirements, and are prepared to conduct interviews with a few individuals. Additionally, you must avoid simplistic questions while making your list of questions. That is, you can avoid asking questions such as "Who developed the PHP parser?" “What is PHP?” and so forth. You should avoid these database testing questions and instead ask about something more relevant, such as "How to encrypt information with PHP?" “How much expertise do you have developing websites in PHP?” “How do I set cookies in PHP?”, etc.

Analyzing      Communication Capacity –

Another important factor to consider is communication skills. Although communication does not seem to be a crucial factor in choosing the appropriate PHP development company, it is necessary for a successful PHP developer. Throughout the duration of your project, you can periodically communicate with the PHP developer to discuss various details of the project. If the developer has no communication skills, you would be unable to communicate the performance requirements, resulting in the project failing.

Evaluate the      Attitude –

Another critical factor that may seem insignificant to you is the personality of a PHP developer. However, it is crucial to consider the developer's attitude when choosing the right PHP developer for your business. If a developer is proficient in PHP development but ignores leadership skills or has negative attitudes, you're unable to like signing over your project to them. As a result, attitude is another critical characteristic of a developer you would look for when hiring the developer.

Analyze      Their Past Projects –

One of the best ways to determine a PHP developer's intelligence and capabilities is to look at the previous work he or she has completed. If you're searching for an outsourcing PHP development company in the USA to hire, it's always important to consider their past work performance. The most efficient way to do so is to revisit their portfolios. Look at case studies and customer testimonials to discover the types of projects they've worked on and the expertise they have specialized. This information will assist you in determining their viability for your project.

Prefer      Aptitude than Skill –

Often, those looking to hire PHP web developers for their projects emphasize their expertise and ignore their aptitude for technological innovations or developments. Although skill is required to make the desired web apps, aptitude is required to ensure that the PHP developer can perform in an evolving world as required by the project. If your developer is adaptable to the requirements of your project, he or she is prepared to go.

Final Thought:

PHP has emerged as a leading computer programming language for developing dynamic web solutions. In terms of the language's popularity, it is reported that about 79% of the network uses PHP. If you're developing a simple web application or a more complex e-commerce website, you can focus on PHP to deliver the best results. Tightened security, improved database efficiency, and outstanding features are a great way to develop secure and responsive websites.

You may hire a PHP Web Development Company in USA to design the web solutions that your business requires. However, selecting the right developer is not simple. However, there are a few things to remember when hiring developers for PHP website development services. Arkss Tech offers the top web application development services with the industry-leading Laravel Development Services in the USA, ensuring complete customer satisfaction.

More info: https://arksstech.com/laravel-development-company/

[klaudiasfilmblog]

GRIPPED: Filming Process and Crit Feedback

Crit Feedback:

I agreed with absolutely everything that was said to us during the crit and I really appreciate the time the lecturers gave us to talk about the issues we had during the filming and why we think this project didn't work. Starting off with the positives Catriona felt there was a sense of an Arc there in the project and that the scene we had at the end was a really powerful and engaging moment that would have been the perfect ending for a film that was edited with more care. The other lectures also agreed with this statement and peers from the class also added that they believed in the characters' relationship and wished for it to have worked from the start. Paul believed that there was a powerful moment there but it was pushed aside with all the other moments that didn't work.

There were a lot of issues with the film that I fully agreed with starting with Zoe saying that for a film that was meant to be based around the feeling of being gripped, there was a full lack of connection. The project needed to be bolder and more focused instead it just felt like everyone gave up on it which really wasn't the case for most of the members of the crew however that's exactly what the final version of the film portrayed which is really heartbreaking. Kieren and Andrew said the film looked really set up as if it was a soap or a stage play which is the case because the edit wasn't solid and it showed the audience nothing special to be engaging enough. Some of the moments in Jack's performance weren't great and that was because the editor didn't do his best to take justice, I believe this could be because the Editor chose to only work on shots filmed during day two even though we did two full days of shooting where Jack's performance was a lot more engaging.

There were also a lot of issues with the sound and that was due to Anne Marie just not getting enough time to work on the pro tools edit due to the edit not going into picture lock till 4 days before the deadline. Anne Marie had to sync all the sound HERSELF due to the editor not doing so even though he was asked to do it multiple times by both Zoe in a tutorial, myself and Anne Marie.

Overall this project was a real learning experience and showed me that you won't always work with people you get along with and agree with. It was really disheartening to hear from a group member at the crit that he believed the film was unfixable and didn't work from the start which tells me he didn't believe in the project from the start and didn't really care about where it would conclude. I learned a lot from this module and will definitely carry this experience to all my later projects next year.

Process of filming Gripped:

This week we had a crit for our fiction project films where we got to showcase what we have been working on for the last few months. Working on Gripped has been a mixed experience for weeks, at first during the planning and production stage I felt really confident in how everything was going. I felt as though my group was organised and really engaged in the project we had going. Pre-production went smoothly, I felt as though the actors were really involved and liked the project which was really important to us as a group since Lauren took a lot of time writing a script she cared about and wanted to be engaging. There were a few communication issues between the Director and the other departments that I tried to fix by arranging zoom calls and starting conversations in the group chat however I definitely feel like I should have been continuously talking to my group about how they feel and if they need any more assistance even if I felt as if I was always there to provide any help.

I think this project overall failed during post-production. There were a lot of issues with communication in the last few weeks before the deadline. I would very rarely receive updates and versions of the edit even when asking for them in the early stages and only saw the film during the first tutorial when I found out that the edit was only two shots. This was something me and the rest of my group didn't discuss early on during the pre-production stage so my trust was in the edit being set out the way we intended but to my surprise, it wasn't. After that tutorial, I kept being told that the film was "Unfixable'' and that "It won't work" with the footage we had. I didn't believe that to be the case and actively pushed for more footage and shots to be included in the edit often sending full sheets of feedback however I would rarely get a response which tells me my feedback and approach wasn't taken on board and there was very little I could do because I felt like my feedback was just ignored. It wasn't really till the last week where I felt like I was getting more responses other than just "ok" and "will do." Which wasn't great especially since we couldn't work on the sound edit until we locked the picture.

Overall I think this film failed due to differences in interest for the project as well as communication. Working with people you don't really get along with creativity can be hard and this is one of those times where things just clashed due to that. I can't say that I didn't continuously push for things to be done faster but still felt like I was getting nothing back however I do believe that this project isn't over and I and the DOP are currently working on our own cuts of the film to see if we can re-edit something we actually believe in which is what I should have done before the deadline.

[williamlwolf89]

35 Ways to Find Freelance Writing Jobs (Even in a Pandemic)

Are you afraid it’s impossible to find freelance writing jobs due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic?

It’s certainly more difficult out there in certain niches, but here’s the reality:

Whether you’re a seasoned freelance writer or a new writer with no experience, online writing jobs that pay are still plentiful in 2020 — if:

You know where to look…

You know how to promote yourself…

And you know how to differentiate yourself from your fellow freelance writers.

That’s where we come in.

If you’re a freelance writer who wants to earn a full-time or part-time income doing what you love, this definitive, A-to-Z resource will help you do just that.

Let’s dive in.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: 5 Steps to Help You Prepare

Chapter 2: 16 Under-the-Radar Writing Opportunities

Chapter 3: 14 Job Boards for Writers

Chapter 4: Freelancing Q&A

Get Your House in Order: 5 Steps to Help You Prepare (& Land More Freelance Writing Gigs)

The philosopher Seneca (allegedly) said, “luck is what happens when practice meets opportunity.”

The book of Galatians in the Bible tells us we reap what we sow.

Stephen King put it this way:

“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”

The common theme? Success tends to find those who are prepared for it.

As a writer, here are four things you should do to prepare for freelancing glory:

1. Create a Writing Portfolio That Kicks Butt

“Do you have writing samples?” “Can I see some of your writing work?” “What are some high-quality articles you’ve written?”

As a freelance writer, you’ll hear questions like these often.

And your answer?

Here’s a link to my writing portfolio.

At least, that should be your answer. But unfortunately, many freelancers skip the whole “prove you actually know how to write” thing.

As Scott Weiland once sang, “let the proof be in the pudding, sugar.”

Don’t simply tell prospective clients that you’re an amazing freelance content writer. And don’t assume they already know you’re the cat’s meow and the bee’s knees.

Show them.

Further Reading: How to Create a Writing Portfolio That’ll Wow Potential Clients walks you through everything you need to craft an online portfolio of your work, from portfolio sites like Contently to using your own blog. It also offers tips for building a list of writing samples if your portfolio is a bit sparse.

2. Supercharge Your Writing Skills

Unless you want to spend your freelance writing career slumming through online content mills with entry-level job ads that pay peanuts, you need to level up your content creation skills.

Because those high-paying freelance writer jobs you lay awake dreaming about? Companies don’t hand them to just anyone.

They give them to the best writers — content creators who:

Realize the importance of SEO (and can create SEO content with both readers and Google in mind);

Understand the importance of proofreading and submitting error-free work;

Write fast, meet deadlines for their writing projects, and are seemingly immune to writer’s block;

Craft amazing headlines, write with clarity, and support their points with examples;

Have top-notch communication skills;

Can connect with readers on an emotional level.

The good news?

With hard work, anyone can improve their writing skills. And for the few who are willing to roll up their sleeves and do it, the payoff can be huge.

This site is filled with helpful how-to articles on copywriting, content writing, writing contests, content marketing, article writing, and SEO. And if you need training, we have that too.

Further Reading: How to Become a Better Writer: 14 Tips to Up Your Writing Game in 2020 shares our favorite must-have skills for writers. Read it, bookmark it, and come back to it again and again.

3. Ask for Testimonials

Have you already landed a writing job or two? Awesome.

Did you ask the client to give you a testimonial? A few words declaring their undying love and/or satisfaction with your work (that you can use to help you land more writing clients)?

No? Well, you’re not alone.

Most writers who do freelance work, either due to ignorance or fear, don’t ask for testimonials. Our own Jon Morrow says he’s only had a small handful of writers over the years ask him for a testimonial — even though he would’ve been perfectly happy to give one to them.

So how should you ask for one? Keep it simple.

Here’s how Karen MacKenzie asked for a testimonial after we published her first post on Smart Blogger:

“Would it be possible to get a testimonial for my website? I know you are really busy, but I’d really appreciate it.”

And because Karen did such a good job on her post, I was happy to give her the following testimonial:

Karen offers everything I look for in a freelance writer: Her work is excellent, she finishes on time (if not ahead of schedule), and her attention to detail is wonderful. I enjoyed working with her so much that, as soon as her first article was completed, I asked her if she’d like to write for us again. I happily recommend her.

Want a great testimonial like Karen’s?

Create testimonial-worthy content for your clients and then — this is key — ask them for a freakin’ testimonial.

Note: You can count me among the poor, unfortunate souls who missed out on Jon’s generosity. Before becoming Smart Blogger’s Editor-in-Chief, I was a freelancer. I wrote five posts for Smart Blogger as a freelance writer, which means I passed on five opportunities for Jon to say nice things about me. Don’t repeat my mistakes — ask for testimonials at every opportunity.

4. Learn How to Craft a Killer Author Bio

Picture it:

A wealthy business owner sitting in a Herman Miller chair on top of a rug made out of recycled Herman Miller chairs is reading an article you’ve written.

She’s impressed. She calls to her butler, Jeeves, and asks him to bring one of her suitcases filled with money.

Your article is so good, she wants to hire you.

But then she gets to your byline — the one you threw together at the last minute. The one that lists your hobbies and has no clear call to action.

“Throw the suitcase in the fire, Jeeves,” she says. “I shan’t be hiring a writer today.”

If you don’t want this totally realistic scenario to happen to you, you need to get really good at writing author bios.

Why?

Because someone who’s made it to your author bio is primed. They’ve read your work and want to learn about the attractive, intelligent individual who wrote it.

Maybe they want to check out your website content. Maybe they want to find you on social media so they can follow you.

Or maybe they want your contact info so they can hire you.

A byline should shout to the world your expertise. It should say to prospective clients, “if you thought this article was great, you should hire me and see what I can do for you.”

Taking the time to craft a great one is time well spent.

Further Reading: How to Write a Bio Like a Superhero (Easy 3-Part Process) will show you the step-by-step process for crafting bylines that’ll make rich people want to give you suitcases full of money.

5. Know How to Write a Pitch

Few people enjoy cold pitching to prospective clients.

But you know what?

The writers who are willing to do it have an edge. And the ones who are good at it — and I mean really freakin’ good at it — are never more than an email or two away from snagging a new writing job.

So how do you get really freakin’ good at cold pitches? For starters, don’t make these rookie mistakes:

Don’t write long emails. Editors and clients are busy. Respect their time.

Don’t send the exact same pitch to different people. Every editor and every client has unique needs, audiences, and styles.

Don’t ignore their guidelines. Want a sure-fire way to have your email deleted? Pitch to a website that has clearly stated submission guidelines, but ignore said guidelines.

But just as importantly, do these things:

Research. Do your homework.

Find the name of the person you’re pitching to. Address the person by name in your email.

Get to the point. Don’t beat around the bush. Tell them what you want and why.

Sell them on you. Popular websites receive pitches all the time. Why should they hire you? Explain it to them.

These pointers and more (as well as email templates) can be found in our post, How to Write a Pitch That’ll Wow Editors & Clients.

Read it, bookmark it, and reference it often.

Pound the Pavement: 16 Hacks for Finding Under-the-Radar Writing Opportunities

Anyone can find a job board and search for online writing jobs.

But that’s both a good and bad thing — anyone can do it.

That awesome writing job you found online? The one you’d be perfect for? Fifty other “perfect” people found it too.

We’ll go over some great job board options in a moment (because they do have lots to offer new freelance writers), but first we’ll take a trip down the road less traveled.

By knowing how to identify hidden opportunities many of your fellow freelancers don’t know about (or do know about, but are too lazy to pursue), you can find writing jobs from well-paying clients who fly under-the-radar.

For example, did you know you could…

1. Use Twitter to Reverse-Engineer Online Writing Jobs

Want an outside-the-box way to find writing job opportunities?

Try Twitter’s advanced search engine.

In the example below, I searched for tweets that included the phrase “writer wanted”:

I kept the search simple, but I could’ve also searched by language (native English, Spanish, etc.), hashtags, date range, and more. The more options you choose, the more refined your search results.

Click “Search” and you’ll see a list of tweets with various job postings for writers:

Scroll through the list and tweak your job search, as needed.

Some of the results will be scams, but most will be legitimate. Many will be for remote writing jobs, but some will be location specific (usually New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Miami, Washington D.C., Dallas, Saint Paul, Minneapolis, Portland, and other major cities in the United States). Just skip over the ones that don’t apply to you.

If you look at “Top” tweets, as shown in the screenshot above, you’ll find brand-new jobs mixed with older ones. Click “Latest” if you want to see recent tweets first.

Tip: When you find a tweet for a job that shows promise, click Twitter’s like/heart icon. That way you’ll be able to easily find your shortlisted tweets later.

The nice thing about Twitter’s advanced search feature is it’s only limited by your imagination.

Want to find guest blogging opportunities (since many websites these days pay for guest posts)? Enter “guest post” into the “this exact phrase” option and you’ll see every tweet written by someone looking to promote their latest guest blogging masterpiece.

That’ll give you a list of websites that accept guest posts, which you can later whittle down (after you’ve done a little more research) into a list of sites that pay guest writers.

Wash, rinse, and repeat.

2. Follow Leads on Social Media

When you use Twitter’s advanced search feature to find freelance writing jobs online, you’ll discover certain Twitter handles pop up fairly frequently.

One example is @write_jobs:

When you find a good lead, follow them. That way you can cut through the noise of Twitter and go straight to your best sources.

Even better?

Add them to a private Twitter list so that tweets from all your leads can be found in one handy repository.

Here’s how you do it:

Here are a few more handles to get your Twitter list started:

@FreelanceWJ

@WhoPaysWriters

@jjobs_tweets

3. Check Out Agency Job Postings

Everyone likes to talk about job boards (which, again, we’ll discuss in a moment). But you know what resource most freelance writers ignore?

Agencies.

Per Jon:

One of the best potential clients is agencies, because they usually have an ongoing need for writers. Instead of only getting paid once, you can develop a relationship with a few and get new freelance blogging gigs for months or even years into the future. How to Become a Freelance Writer, Starting from Scratch

So how can you get work from agencies? Well, you could contact them directly and ask if they have any freelance work (Jon calls this a “gutsy but effective approach”).

The other way is to keep checking their “career” page:

The Content Marketing Institute maintains a detailed database of agencies. Click here to check it out.

4. Find (and Woo) Clients on Their Turf

Most articles that tout social media as a good place to find leads will point you to Facebook Groups.

And it makes sense. After all, search Facebook for “writing jobs”, click the “Groups” tab, and you’ll see dozens and dozens of options that are open to the public:

If you’re looking for a safe space where like minded individuals offer tips, advice, and writing inspiration; such groups are great.

But if you’re looking to find paying gigs, you’ll likely be left wanting.

Most members of these groups are looking to be hired, not looking to hire writers. And when someone wanting to hire a writer does come along, the person who raises their hand first is usually the one who gets the job.

That’s not to say Facebook Groups can’t lead to online writing jobs that pay. The trick is you need to find groups where the buyers, not the sellers, hang out.

Think “masterminds”, “think tanks”, etc.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. Such groups are usually private. So, what’s a writer to do?

Skip the Facebook Groups. Go Straight to the Sources.

One of the amazing things about technology is the way it allows us to connect and interact with people with whom we’d otherwise never have the opportunity.

In 2014, I didn’t know Adam Connell of Blogging Wizard. But I joined his mailing list and, lo and behold, a “welcome” email with his address arrived in my inbox. I responded, he wrote me back, and a friendship was born.

After reading one of her posts and admiring her writing style, I connected with Henneke Duistermaat of Enchanting Marketing through a humble blog comment. The same was true with Syed Balkhi. I connected with Pamela Wilson via Twitter. For Jon Morrow, the man who would one day hire me at Smart Blogger, I got on his radar by becoming a student in one of his online courses.

Want to write for a mover and shaker in your industry? Want to befriend an influencer who can open doors for you (the kind of doors that lead to paying jobs)?

Make a connection. Be generous. Give without asking or expecting anything in return.

That means following them on Twitter, sharing their content, and interacting with them. It means subscribing to their email list.

And, yes, it may mean buying one of their products. Because here’s the thing:

When you’re their student, an influencer is invested in your future. Your success is their success. You’re a walking, talking testimonial. So many — not all, but many — will do everything they can to help you succeed.

And that includes pointing leads in your direction.

5. Pitch to Software Company Blogs

More from Jon:

You want to work with businesses who have money to spend on marketing. Chances are, those companies are subscribed to various apps for email marketing, analytics, and so on. Most software companies in the marketing space (like HubSpot, Sumo, PayPal, Ahrefs, etc.) also publish a great deal of content. So, who better to write for? You’re instantly getting in front of thousands of the right clients. Many of these blogs will also pay you to write for them, so in many cases you can get your first client while also prospecting for clients.

e-Commerce companies with blogs tend to publish a lot of content. After all, every article they publish tends to pay for itself (and then some) thanks to the traffic it brings to the website — traffic that often leads to sales of their product.

As with agencies, you can either cold pitch the software companies (which sometimes works), or you can keep an eye out for open freelance positions:

6. Don’t Be Scared of Ghostwriting

A lot of writers don’t like the idea of ghostwriting.

I get it. You’re letting someone else put their name on and take credit for your hard work.

You mean I get to spend weeks pouring my heart and soul into a piece of content, infusing every syllable with my very essence to the point I no longer know where I begin and my words end, and no one will ever know I wrote it?

Yes, that’s ghostwriting in a nutshell (minus the theatrics). But here’s the thing:

Ghostwriting pays better than regular freelance writing. When you ghostwrite, it’s not unheard of to increase your fee by 15%-20% (or more).

The opportunities in ghostwriting are virtually endless. You could ghostwrite blog posts, articles, scripts used on YouTube channels, or even books sold on Amazon.

You can make great freelance writing business relationships by ghostwriting. People who pay for ghostwriters tend to have money (and connections). Oftentimes, these clients can refer you to others.

If your primary goal is to build up a strong list of writing samples, ghostwriting isn’t for you.

But if your goal is to make money writing and build potentially-profitable business relationships, it’s something to consider.

And here’s the best part:

Because so many freelance writers loathe ghostwriting, there isn’t as much competition.

Editor’s Note: These next few freelance writing hacks come courtesy of Smart Blogger Certified Content Marketer Germano Silveira.

7. Find Clients Who are Already Hiring Successful Freelance Writers in Your Niche

Want to write for great clients in your niche who pay top dollar?

Well, you can either wait until they post job ads, then compete against everyone else who applies…

Or you can take initiative and proactively seek out these ideal clients.

One of the best places to find ideal clients is in the portfolios of successful freelance writers in your niche.

By studying other writers’ sample content, you can identify clients they’ve worked with in the past.

These clients are ideal targets because:

You already know they hire freelance writers;

You know they have years of experience working with freelancers, so they’ll be easier to work with;

And you know they pay decent wages, otherwise the successful freelance writer wouldn’t work with them.

Start by finding freelance writers in your niche. You can find them by Googling “[YOUR NICHE] + freelance writer” like so:

Scroll through the search results until you see a freelance writer’s website. These writing sites don’t always rank highly, so you may have to go through several pages of search results to find them.

Click on a writer’s website and check out their portfolio. There you’ll find links to articles the freelance writer wrote for various companies in your niche.

Click on a writing sample and visit the client’s website to make sure you’d be interested in writing for them. If everything looks good, add them to your list of potential targets.

Do this over and over again for every freelance writer you find in your search. When you’re done, you should have a big list of ideal clients to target.

Pick one client to target and visit their website.

Study their content to get an idea of what they publish. Pay close attention to their most popular content, as well as the article the freelance writer wrote for them. These will give you a good idea of what type of content to pitch.

Check their website for submission guidelines, which will give you a better sense of what they’re looking for from freelance writers and tell you who to send your pitch to.

Use all of this reconnaissance to brainstorm ideas for good articles to pitch them. Pick your best idea, develop it into a pitch, and send it in.

8. Apprentice With a Successful Writer in Your Niche

Another way to get work from established freelance writers is to build a mutually-beneficial partnership with them.

Many successful freelance writers need help with certain aspects of their business. They could use someone to do their research, proofreading, copy editing jobs, etc.

Of course, they could pay a professional writer or do these tasks themselves. But most would prefer to have someone do it for free.

That’s where you come in.

By offering free assistance to a successful freelancer in your niche, you can save them time and help them make more money in exchange for steady work and writing experience.

Often, successful freelance writers have to turn down work because the client can’t afford to pay their rate. Instead, they can pass this work off to you and split the earnings (again, more money in their pocket).

They can also help you by critiquing your work, giving you tips on how to succeed in the industry, and endorsing you to editors.

Once they trust you and you’ve proven yourself as a writer, they may also let you do some assignments for them.

Successful digital marketing entrepreneur Dan Lok got his start in the copywriting industry this way — by apprenticing with his copywriting mentor Alan Jacques:

“Why did this work out so well? It wasn’t worth Alan’s time for that price, but it was worth my time, because I wanted the experience. I needed clients to gain experience and get better. I got my clients with his endorsement and supervision.” — Dan Lok

So how do you start such an arrangement?

It’s not easy, and there’s no direct path. But your best bet is to buy one of their courses or products. As mentioned earlier, when you become their student, they become invested in your success.

You can also try:

Getting an introduction from someone who knows them;

Connecting with them on social and building a relationship;

Creating a piece of content (perhaps copy for a landing page?) they could use and giving it to them for free.

9. Reverse-Engineer Writing Samples From Job Ads

Ultimately, most clients don’t care about your experience or credentials. They just want a freelance writer who can complete their assignment and get results.

Your job is to convince them YOU are that freelance writer.

And the best way to convince them you can do the assignment is… to do the assignment.

Most job ads ask for relevant writing samples. When applying to these ads, most freelancers provide similar writing samples.

In other words, they provide articles they wrote for another client that sort of match what the job ad is looking for, but not really. Unless they’ve written for an identical client before, their writing samples will be a bit off.

You can immediately differentiate yourself from other applicants and increase your odds of getting hired by creating a writing sample tailor-made for each client.

Start by finding job ads on job sites like Upwork.

Don’t just look for any old job. Get specific with your search criteria to find ideal jobs — jobs that are in your niche, about subjects that interest you, and offer to pay premium prices.

When you come across an ideal job description, study it from top to bottom. Make note of everything the client is looking for in a writer and the assignment.

Then brainstorm ideas for articles that perfectly match what the client wants. If necessary, research tactics and techniques for creating such content.

For example, in the screenshot above, the client is seeking someone who can “write about boring, dry, technical topics.” You could Google, “how to write about boring topics”, then apply what you find to your sample article.

Select your strongest idea and write it. Try to pick a short, simple idea that won’t take too much time to write. Otherwise, the client may hire someone else before you finish.

Finally, apply to the job and submit your tailor-made content as a writing sample. You can either publish the article on a free site like Medium or submit it with your application as a Microsoft Word or Google Doc.

The best part of this strategy?

Even if the client doesn’t hire you, you’ll still walk away with a great writing sample to add to your portfolio. And if you repeat this process, you’ll quickly build a portfolio of writing samples that are super-relevant to your ideal clients.

10. Pitch Every Service You’ve Used in the Last Year

One of the best places to find freelance writing jobs for beginners is with the companies/products you already use.

They make great potential clients because:

You’re already familiar with the product/service;

You’re in their target market, so writing for their audience is easier;

You already have a relationship with these large and small businesses.

In fact, you should include these points in your pitch.

Start by making a list of every product/service you’ve used in the last year. This can include gyms, hair salons, landscapers, etc.

Visit their websites and perform a content audit:

Are there problems with their web copy you could offer to improve?

Do they have a regularly-updated blog? Could you contribute to it in an impactful way? Could you help them target certain keywords with their content?

Basically, you’re trying to match the services you offer with the content they need.

While you may be able to convince these companies to start a blog, the best targets are companies that understand the importance of content marketing and invest in it accordingly.

Once you’ve identified your targets and how you can help them, send an email to someone on their marketing team offering your services.

Your pitch should mention you’ve used their product/service and love it, as well as the fact you’re a member of their target market and will be able to effectively influence their audience.

Offer to work for a price you think they can afford, based on your research. You may not get paid top-dollar initially, but the real goal is to establish a working relationship, get steady work, and contribute to your portfolio.

By sending out 30 such emails, Julie Wilson was able to generate over $1,000 in her first month employing this strategy.

11. Write Tutorials for Products You’ve Used

This tip is similar to the previous one in that you’ll be soliciting a business you’re familiar with.

However, this technique differs because it involves writing articles on spec — creating articles for free before you pitch them.

Make a list of products you’ve used that fall into your freelance writing niche. For example, if you want to become a SaaS writer, make a list of software you use or have used in the past.

Visit the websites of these companies to determine if they’re good prospects. Look for companies with well-established, regularly-updated blogs.

Check to see if they have submission guidelines, which will give you information on the type of content they’re looking for and let you know if they hire freelance writers and/or accept guest posts.

Then write a tutorial on how to use their software to achieve a desired result. If possible, create a case study describing the results you achieved with the product and how you did so.

Contact someone in the company via email or LinkedIn. Tell them you’re about to publish the article on Medium (or some other blog) and were wondering if:

They want to publish it on their blog instead;

They’d be willing to share and/or link to the article once you’ve published it.

Even if they don’t buy the article, you’ll add another writing sample to your portfolio while establishing a relationship with a potential client who may keep you in mind for future work.

12. Find and Fix Weak/Old Content

By now, we’ve established the benefit of demonstrating your value to potential clients in advance.

Another way to demonstrate value is by improving their weak, flawed, or outdated content.

You’d be surprised by how many influential, well-established organizations have flawed web content.

Often, these organizations are so preoccupied with creating new content they overlook small errors or forget to update their content to meet new developments.

That’s where you come in.

By identifying weak spots and fixing them for free, you can establish a relationship with a potential client that gets your foot in the door.

Of course, you shouldn’t just visit hundreds of random websites hoping to find bad copy or content. Think of how time-consuming and unbearably boring that would be.

Instead, make a list of 10 to 20 blogs, companies, or influencers you’d most like to write for.

Visit their websites, analyze their content, and make note of areas you can improve.

Look for older content that could use an update. For example, a headline like “How to be a freelance writer in 2016” is a great candidate for modernization.

(On the other hand, something like “Google Authorship: The Complete Handbook for Getting Respect, Readers, and Rankings” wouldn’t work because its main topic, “Google authorship”, is no longer relevant.)

Dan Lok used a similar tactic to get work from guerrilla marketing guru Jay Conrad Levinson. Dan rewrote Jay’s entire sales pitch on spec and sent it to him. Not only did Jay use the updated sales copy and pay Dan for his spec work, but the new copy tripled Jay’s conversions!

Maybe you’re not a copywriting expert like Dan. But if you find a website with weak or unremarkable sales copy, you could try researching the subject and giving it a shot. At the very least, this makes for good practice.

Once you’ve identified and updated your content, send an email to your target explaining what you did.

Tell them you came across their website or blog article, noticed some flaws, and thought you could help them out by improving it.

While they may offer to pay you for your work like Jay did, I don’t recommend trying to sell it to them.

The true power of this tactic is you’re establishing a relationship by being helpful and demonstrating value upfront. And it works best when done for free.

Trying to sell them your work can come off as opportunistic, arrogant, and reduce the chances they’ll bite.

But if you help them for free and they like your work, they may decide to pay you (like Jay did) and/or keep you in mind for future assignments.

13. Dominate Quora

Quora is a social media platform where users can post questions and get answers from other users.

Whether or not you get clients from Quora, it’s an insanely useful marketing platform for writers that allows you to:

Connect with people in your niche in a helpful way and demonstrate your expertise;

Show potential clients you can write for their audience;

Generate long-term traffic from each answer you post (popular Quora questions and answers often get ranked in Google);

Establish yourself as an authority in your niche and build an audience, both of which make you more attractive to potential clients.

Networking on Quora can be an effective, albeit indirect, method for getting freelance writing jobs online.

The essence of a Quora marketing strategy is this:

Find questions that are relevant to your niche; provide helpful, in-depth answers that demonstrate your writing ability; and advertise your writing services in your profile.

Start by creating a stellar Quora profile.

Treat your Quora profile like your freelance business website. You should include your position as a freelance writer, a high-quality profile picture, a description of the benefits of your services, and links to your writing samples and website.

In the “Credentials & Highlights” section, list all of the credentials and experiences that reinforce your position as an authority in your niche.

In the “Knows About” section, be sure to include topics related to your writing niche as well as your role as a freelance writer (SEO, content marketing, blogging, and so on).

Next, find and follow topics related to your writing niche as well as the type of content you create (articles, content marketing, email copy, web copy, etc.).

When your profile is all set up and ready to go, start searching for questions relevant to your writing niche. “Relevant questions” include questions that are of interest to potential clients and/or their audience.

You can find relevant questions either by clicking on a Topic and scanning for them, or by typing relevant keywords into the search bar.

When you come across a relevant question, bookmark it in the “Answer Later” section for easy access.

Finally, write phenomenal answers to your saved questions.

Your answers should be helpful. They should answer all parts of the question in the best way possible. And you should include links to additional resources if and when necessary.

Your answers should tell stories. Stories are not only a great way to engage readers and increase views, they also help readers learn and retain information better.

Your answers should incorporate visuals. Visuals break up your text and make your answers more visually appealing and easier to read.

Be sure to link to your writing samples when possible. In fact, whenever you publish a new article, you should spend some time finding and answering Quora questions related to it as a way to drive traffic.

Regularly answer questions to build your Quora audience and views. You’ll increase your position as an authority in your niche, increase your value to clients by building an audience, and potentially get freelance work from employers who come across your answers.

14. Offer Referral Deals

If they like your work, most clients will happily refer you to others.

But some clients may be reticent to refer you to others because they want to keep you to themselves.

Other clients simply require a bit of motivation.

A simple way to provide this motivation is to sweeten the pot with a referral deal.

Tell clients that for every referral they send your way that turns into a job, you’ll create one free piece of content for them.

Even though you’ll waste some work hours on free work, you’ll more than make up for it with the steady stream of new clients you get.

Short. Sweet. And simple.

Just remember:

It’s important you honor your word.

If a client finds out they referred you to someone, you got the job, and you reneged on your end of the deal, your relationship with the client will end and your reputation as a writer will be tarnished.

15. Monitor Companies That are Hiring for Content Marketing Roles

When you see a job ad for a content marketing role, an “opportunity flag” should be raised in your head.

A new content marketing hire is a sign a company is either investing more in content marketing or changing their content marketing strategy.

It can also simply mean they’re filling a vacant position.

Either way, a new hire still signifies a change in strategy. And it’s likely they’ll need more content and more help creating that content.

Rather than waiting for the company to post a job ad for freelance writers (like those other lazy freelancers), take the initiative and demonstrate value upfront.

Reach out to the company (or even their new hire) and offer your help executing their new strategy.

First, use LinkedIn to monitor job ads seeking content producers and marketers.

With LinkedIn, you can use filters to narrow your search by job role, job type, and industry.

You’ll want to filter out any companies that aren’t in your writing niche using the “Industry” filter. If you write for software companies, limit your search to software companies.

It’s also best to limit your search to top-level content marketing roles. Top-level hires are the best indication a company is investing in a new content marketing strategy and increasing content production.

To filter for top-level roles, use keywords like “Content Marketing Strategist”, “Content Marketing Manager”, “Content Marketing Specialist”, “Head of Content Marketing”, etc. You can also use LinkedIn’s “Experience” and “Title” filters to narrow your search to top-level positions.

The best part about using LinkedIn for this strategy is you can set job alerts and have new job ads emailed to you. No need to waste time running new job searches over and over again in order to find job openings. Just set it and forget it.

Next, read the job ads to get a sense of the opportunity potential.

If the job ad indicates the company will be producing lots of new content, you know they’ll be a good source of potential work. Often the ad will say something like, “we’re looking to ramp up our content marketing efforts.”

Keep an eye out for any information on the new direction of their content strategy. If the job ad says they’re looking to use content to build authority in their niche, then make note of it. You’ll use it later in your pitch.

Once you’ve identified a few good prospects, it’s time to start crafting your pitch.

A great pitch should include:

1. An introduction that aligns you with their goals.

You might say something like, “I understand you’re looking to build authority with your blog and I think I can help.” This shows you’ve read their job ad and understand what they want to achieve.

2. An article written on spec that you’ll let them publish for free.

This demonstrates your value and writing abilities upfront. It’s also a great way to start a positive relationship by giving them something of value for free.

3. A list of 5 to 10 article ideas you think they’ll like.

This demonstrates your ability to regularly produce great content ideas and will be a valuable asset to their new strategy.

Finally, send them your pitch.

It’s best to send your idea to the newbie hire once they’ve filled the role — the new hire will be most receptive because they’re new to the company, eager to make a good impression, and stand to benefit most from bringing a talented freelancer on board.

While this tactic takes a bit of effort, the potential for steady, long-term work makes it worthwhile.

16. Use an Ad Fishing Strategy

Ad Fishing is a technique that involves using Facebook or LinkedIn ads to target warm leads.

For simplicity, we’ll describe how to employ this strategy on Facebook, but the process for LinkedIn is identical.

To perform this strategy, you’ll need:

A Facebook Page;

Your own website/blog with the Facebook Pixel installed;

A case study describing how you helped a client achieve a certain result with your content marketing.

First, you’ll need a case study that demonstrates the value of your freelance writing.

Your case study should describe a positive result you helped a client achieve and the process you used for doing so. The positive result could be as simple as helping them boost monthly web traffic with a blog post.

Make sure your case study has a killer, benefit-oriented headline. For example:

“How I Got 10k New Monthly Visitors for a Client With One Blog Post”

The case study should also include a CTA (call to action) at the end inviting readers to contact you if they want similar results.

Next, create a “Bait Article” — an article your target clients will want to read.

For example, if you want to work with health care companies, you could create an article titled “7 Ways Health Care Companies Can Generate More Web Traffic”.

Promote the article wherever your target clients hang out. Post it in relevant Facebook Groups. Link to it in answers to relevant Quora questions. Or, simply promote it to your targets using Facebook Ads.

Finally, create a Retargeting Ad sharing your case study with anyone who reads the “Bait Article”.

The essence of this strategy is to use the “Bait Article” to find and qualify warm leads — people in your target market who want the results you can help them achieve.

Then you hook those warm leads with a case study that clearly demonstrates how you can help them achieve the desired result.

Because the ad only targets a small number of qualified leads, ad spend will be low and ROI (return on investment) will be high.

14 Writing Job Boards: The Low-Hanging Fruit (Packed with Writing Opportunities)

Next up, let’s look at some popular (and some under-the-radar) job boards used by freelance writers all over the world.

If you’re new to freelancing, job boards will likely be your easiest entry point. You’ll be able to find writing jobs of all shapes and sizes.

Once you have some writing samples under your belt and you begin getting good referrals from clients, more opportunities will become available to you.

Let’s start with possibly the biggest one:

1. LinkedIn Jobs

If you’re a professional, there’s a good chance you already have a LinkedIn profile (even if, like me, you tend to forget about it for months at a time).

Its job board, as you would expect from a site that specializes in professional networking, is huge.

How huge?

Well, at the time of this writing, there are over 32,000 job postings for “writer” alone:

Thankfully, LinkedIn offers lots of filters. Search by date, the job’s industry, the job type (full-time jobs, part-time writing jobs, etc.), experience level, and more.

If you’re already on LinkedIn, it’s a good place to start.

2. Upwork

Depending on who you talk to, Upwork (formerly Elance-oDesk) is either awful or amazing. And the funny thing is, the reasons for its awfulness and amazingness are one and the same: low rates.

Employers love Upwork because you can typically find qualified applicants who live in areas with lower cost of living. As a result, they can get great work at reduced costs.

Those who hate Upwork do so because they’re competing with the aforementioned applicants who can comfortably live on less money.

So what does this mean for freelance writers?

Unless you’re content with low rates (because you need the practice, you want to build up your portfolio, you need all the work you can get, etc.), you’re better off with one of the other job boards mentioned.

3. ProBlogger

As its name would suggest, the ProBlogger Job Board is a popular one among bloggers in search of freelance writing work and blogger jobs.

With a $70 starting price for posting a job, you tend to find smaller companies on ProBlogger. There are exceptions, of course.

One neat feature offered by ProBlogger is a Candidate Database employers can search to find writers. It’s free for writers to join, and you can use it as an online resume and sales page. Here’s an example from Smart Blogger student Mark Tong:

4. BloggingPro

BloggingPro requires clients to publish job ads that pay a minimum of $15 an hour (or have at least 500 words).

Job categories are blogging, content writing jobs, copywriting, and journalism. And types of work include contract, freelance, full-time, part-time, internship, and temporary.

As job boards not named LinkedIn or Indeed go, it’s pretty detailed.

5. FlexJobs

FlexJobs specializes in all types of remote work. It isn’t free, but you get a lot for your money.

For starters, you’re safe from scams — each job posting is vetted by an actual human. You also don’t have to hunt for work from home jobs that’ll allow you to write in your pajamas — all writing job ads (from blog posts to white papers to press releases to academic writing) are for remote jobs. It’s kind of their thing.

Plans start at $14.95 per month. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, which means you can try it out, see if there are any promising writing jobs, and cancel if you don’t like what you see.

6. Freelance Writers Den

Founded by Carol Tice, the Freelance Writers Den is a paid membership site with a long track record.

Unlike most job boards, you also get bonuses. There are over 300 hours of training material, pitch examples, templates, and monthly live events.

Membership is $25 per month with no contract. You can cancel anytime and not pay the next month’s dues. There’s also a 7-day money-back guarantee when you first join.

7. Who Pays Writers?

According to its website, Who Pays Writers? is “an anonymous, crowd-sourced list of which publications pay freelance writers — and how much.”

Translation: Once you’re ready to write for a high-profile publication that’ll look amazing on your portfolio, Who Pays Writers? will be a helpful resource you can use to discover which publications accept applications (and how much they tend to pay per word).

It’s definitely one you should bookmark.

8. FreelanceWriting.com

Curating the best writing jobs that Indeed, Craigslist, BloggingPro, and others have to offer (as well as their own, exclusive writing opportunities); freelancewriting.com is a one-step resource for freelancers.

Not all job listings are for remote writing jobs, but you can filter the ads to fit your needs. Categories include blogging and marketing jobs (WordPress, SEO, content manager, etc.), writing (freelance copywriter, staff writer, short stories, article writer, creative writer, grant writer, medical writer, creative content writer, etc.), proofreading (writer/editor, copy editor, proofreader, etc.), journalism, copywriting jobs, social media (marketing manager, social media manager, etc.), and technical writing (technical writer, proposal writer, resume writer, etc.).

If you’d like to keep your list of job boards short, freelancewriting.com is a good one to keep on it.

9. Freelance Writing Jobs

Freelance Writing Jobs curates blogging jobs from Craigslist, Indeed, Journalism Jobs, MediaBistro, and others.

Every week day, Monday through Friday, they publish a short list of hand-picked job ads. So, if you prefer quality content over quantity, it’s worth a bookmark.

10. Be a Freelance Blogger

Owned and operated by a Smart Blogger student, Sophie Lizard’s job board keeps things pretty simple: if you want to publish a job ad on Be a Freelance Blogger, it has to pay at least $0.10 per word or $50 per post.

If you’re just starting out, it’s definitely worth looking into.

11. Behance Creative Jobs

Though it’s primarily known for its portfolio features, Adobe’s Behance has a job board for creatives of all shapes and sizes.

Job listings for everything from advertising to public relations to freelance writing can be found, making it a solid resource for all kinds of freelancers.

12. Constant Content

Constant Content is an online platform that facilitates connections between brands and freelance writers. You register for an account, complete a quiz, provide a short writing sample, and — once you’ve been accepted — start applying for writing jobs.

The brands they work with include Uber, Zulily, The Home Depot, Walgreens, Hayneedle, CVS, and eBay; and they claim their top writers earn up to $90,000 per year.

13. Journalism Jobs

If you want to target magazines and newspapers, Journalism Jobs is a great resource. With close to 3 million page views each month, it’s the largest resource for journalism jobs on the web.

So, if publications are your focus, it should be on your short list.

14. Copify

Copify is a different kind of job board for writers. First, you apply for membership. Once you’re in, you can take writing jobs when and if it suits you.

Its aim is to provide you “hassle-free” freelance writing opportunities. So, there are no contracts or commitments, and no need to submit bids or proposals. If you value simplicity, Copify could be a good fit.

Free Class: Want to make real, tangible money as a freelance writer? Check out Smart Blogger’s Six-Figure Freelance Writing Class. You’ll get instant access to the first video when you sign up.

FAQ: Common Freelance Writing Questions (& Answers)

Still have questions? Don’t worry. It’s perfectly normal.

We’ll wrap things up with a quick FAQ.

Here are the common questions we receive from freelance writers. (If you have a question not discussed here, be sure to leave a comment below!)

You should also check out our Freelance Writing Hub. From elevating your writing skills to getting paid to write, it’s a go-to resource for everything you need to know about freelancing.

Now on to the Q&A…

How do I find freelance writing jobs?

How freelance writers land gigs tend to vary based on their experience writing. When you have a good body of work, you’ll get many of your blog writer jobs through referrals and repeat customers. As a result, experienced writers typically make more money.

So, when you first start writing, you’ll need to be proactive. The job boards we discussed earlier will likely be where you have the most success initially. And don’t forget about the outside-the-box, under-the-radar strategies we discussed. You can find success with those too.

How much do freelance writers make?

When you’re just starting out, you’ll likely be in the $0.10 to $0.15 per word range. But, as you grow, you can command $500, $1,000, and more per article.

Once you have a body of work and you can prove you get results for clients, your pay increases.

How do freelance writers get paid?

Every client will have their own methods for paying writers, but typically you’ll submit an invoice via a service like PayPal, Stripe, or TransferWise.

Make sure you understand the payment terms before you begin work. If you’re unsure, ask the client.

How much do you charge for a 500 word article? How much should I charge for a 1000 word article?

Using the $0.10 to $0.15 per word range we just discussed, as a new freelance writer you can expect to earn between $50 and $75 for a 500-word article.

For a 1,000-word article, a new freelancer could expect to earn between $100 and $150.

But again, as time goes on, your rate should be higher.

How much does a freelance writer make per hour?

It depends.

Most clients will pay freelance writers by word count or individual project. For such clients, your hourly rate will depend on how fast you work.

But there is some data available to give you a broad (probably too broad) idea:

According to PayScale, the hourly range for freelance writers is $11.50 to $63.02. On average, the hourly rate is $24.07.

ZipRecruiter’s numbers are even broader. It says the hourly range is between $5.29 and $76.68 for freelance writers, with $30 being the national average in the United States.

Takes these numbers with a grain of salt, though.

How do I start freelance writing? How do I become a freelance writer with no experience?

Freelance writing experience or no, if you’re willing to accept lower-than-ideal pay rates on job boards, blog content mills, or freelance marketplaces (think Fiverr and Textbroker), you can get started right away. Find freelance job postings, apply to them, and get to work.

But big picture, the answer depends on which group do you belong to:

I’m a skilled writer, but I don’t yet have a body of work. Or,

my writing leaves a lot to be desired.

If you’re in the former group, focus on building a good writing portfolio. If you have your own website, publish articles on there. Medium is a good option too (and it’s free).

If you’re the latter, you really should focus on improving your writing skills. You can probably find work as you are, sure, but a portfolio filled with crappy articles won’t help you find good clients.

Our writing articles here at Smart Blogger can help you. So can the excellent writing content at Enchanting Marketing, Copyblogger, and others. And if you need formal training, the free class I mentioned earlier is well worth your time.

Can you be a freelance writer without a Bachelor’s degree (or even High School Diploma)?

Absolutely. I have a Master’s in Computer Science that I paid way too much money to acquire. Know how many times I’ve been asked by a potential client if I had a degree? Zero. Know how many times the word “degree” popped up when Jon was interviewing me for Smart Blogger? Zilch.

If you can do the work, you can do the work. A degree in creative writing, or lack of one, won’t matter.

Are “guest posts” the same thing as freelance writing jobs?

Semantics aside, yes.

With a guest post, you’re writing content for a website you don’t own, you’re credited as the author, and you get an author byline (or, at least you do with good guest post opportunities). With a freelance writing job, you’re writing content for a website you don’t own, you’re credited as the author (unless it’s a ghostwriter assignment), and you get an author byline (unless, again, you’re ghostwriting).

The only difference is compensation.

All freelance writing jobs will pay you money. With guest blogging, some blogs and websites pay writers to write guest posts for them; with others, you don’t receive monetary compensation, but you get perks like having your work seen by new audiences and beefing up your writing portfolio.

Do guest bloggers get paid?

Some do. As mentioned above, some websites pay writers to write guest posts for them.

To find out if a guest blogging opportunity is a paying one, you need to check their website. Look for a page named “editorial guidelines”, “guest posting guidelines”, “write for us”, or something similar.

Then (and this is important) you need to thoroughly read said guidelines.

If it’s a paying gig, or even if it’s just an unpaid opportunity for a popular website, you want to get your relationship with the target website off to a good start. And nothing will get your relationship off to a bad start quite like failing to read their guidelines.

Many websites, especially large ones that receive lots of inquiries, will use their editorial guidelines to eliminate sub-par candidates.

For example, here are a few of the guidelines Smart Blogger used to have in our since-retired “Write for Us” page:

On average, writing a post for us takes 10-20 hours from start to finish. re: the chances we'll accept your post

During our rigorous editing process your post may go through five or six drafts before we feel it is ready to publish.

If you prefer to deliver one draft and have it published pretty much as-is, this is not the blog for you. If you prefer not to have your ideas tested or your writing scrutinized, then again, this is not the blog for you. re: the grueling blog writing process

We like longer posts in the 2,000 – 3,000 word range. Don’t think of a 1,500 word post padded out. Think of a 5,000 post trimmed down to its essence. re: guest posting length guidelines

And, trust me, there was a lot more where that came from. Each paragraph, each sentence, was carefully designed to filter potential candidates.

Most blogs and websites won’t have such detailed guidelines. But they will have some guidelines (and if one doesn’t, it isn’t one you want to do business with).

Read the guidelines, follow them, and you’ll do fine.

Is freelance writing legit?

I’ll resist the urge to make a M.C. Hammer joke. Instead, I’ll simply say:

Yes, freelance writing is legit.

(You could almost say it’s too legit.)

Ready to Become a Successful Freelance Writer?

There may be lots of writing jobs out there, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy out there.

Landing your first writing job is difficult. But, it does get easier the more you do it. I promise.

Like a Nicolas Cage movie marathon, once you survive the first few, you can handle pretty much anything.

With the tips and resources in this post, you’re now armed with knowledge. You know what steps you need to take in order to be prepared, you know under-the-radar places to look for opportunities, and you have a sizable list of freelance writing job boards from which to choose.

All that’s left is for you to take action.

Are you ready to get started? Ready to take a huge step towards quitting your day job and following your dream? Ready to find that first (or hundredth) paying assignment?

Then let’s do this thing.

The post 35 Ways to Find Freelance Writing Jobs (Even in a Pandemic) appeared first on Smart Blogger.

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