Posted by Teresa Martinez+ on March 31st, 2013 in Writing | No Comments »
Writers need to build their own portfolio to present themselves in the best light to possible employers or clients. No matter how much freedom the writers allow themselves with freelance writing, they must never sacrifice professionalism. Not in their attitude, not in their presentation, and certainly not in their work.
Writer’s Portfolio
A writer’s portfolio or a writing portfolio is a collection of a writer’s best works for the purpose of showing to potential clients, employers, and schools under specific writing programs. It is intended to showcase a writer’s capability, range, skill, or expertise. It can help the viewers assess if the writer is the right candidate for the project, job, or program.
It is the most suitable way of presenting a writer’s credentials since a mere list of educational programs or job experiences may not be able to provide a clear evidence of writing style. To many clients and employers, writing style is a major consideration because it has to jive with the image they seek to project. Technical proficiency in the chosen language can also be determined through the provided portfolio.
How to Assemble a Writer’s Portfolio
Writers need to write in a wide range of topics, styles, and platforms to build an impressive portfolio. However, it would be best to write in a language where the writer is comfortable with and has mastery of technicalities. The same goes with the choice of topics since lack of knowledge can easily show if the writer is not capable enough.
That said, this should not prevent writers from venturing into unknown territory to expand their writing opportunities. Utmost care however should be taken in tackling new writing grounds. Having a blog is a good way to gain more writing experience.
Blogging
Published writing through blogging is one of the most important avenues given to writers today. Whereas before one has to pass the often strict standards of traditional publishers of magazines, books, and other printed materiasl, blogging has made possible instantaneous publishing. This has also made it possible to have instantaneous feedback as well from family, friends, or even online readers who just happen to find the blog.
Writers need to be very careful with the quality of work they produce in their blogs. Each and every article included in it will comprise a writer’s online portfolio, whether they like it or not. It is important therefore not to relax with the apparent freedom in blog publishing and concentrate on writing quality content at all times.
Teresa is a researcher-writer who covers a wide range of topics in search of useful information.
Image: write-strong.com
Posted by Teresa Martinez+ on March 1st, 2013 in Writing Content | No Comments »
How is professional content determined? Is it by the words used? Is it by the idea brought forward? What separates professional-looking content from the amateurish content?
At first glance, it is primarily about the structure, the grammar, the spelling, and all the other technicalities of the language which a writer chooses to use as a medium. Then of course, it is also about the idea being presented in an article and the manner it is brought forward for the consideration of the reader. Lastly, it is about over-all cohesion where the whole content just jells in together to deliver a compact message.
Many newbie writers defend their lack of proper form in the fact that they would just like to write what they want and nothing else. It is however a show of respect to readers to make sure that a written piece presented in the online environment has value for whatever its worth and to make them as reader-friendly as possible . Making an article reader-friendly includes ensuring that they will not be so disturbed with the glaring grammatical and spelling errors that they will no longer be able to appreciate the message of an article.
It is incumbent upon a writer to make sure that he or she checks the right way of using a language. Better yet, writers can choose to write in the language they are most comfortable with. However, it is a fact that English remains to be the universal language which is understood by more people from different parts of the world. It is necessary therefore to brush-up on the technicalities of the language so as to provide professional-looking content.
About the Author:
Teresa is a researcher-writer who covers a wide range of topics in search of useful information.
Image: zeebero.com
Posted by Teresa Martinez+ on January 31st, 2013 in Business Blogging, Writing | 1 Comment »
Most bloggers adapt the freelance status in blogging. However, there are those who specifically aim to be hired by companies on a permanent basis as a professional blogger. This is possible if and when bloggers are able to provide qualifications that hiring managers would consider suitable for their offered positions.
All professional bloggers start as newbies. Bloggers need to go through the whole experience to really understand and learn what it takes to be an effective blogger. This is the only way to gain confidence in blogging and attract the attention of companies who are in need of professional bloggers.
Reality check however says that companies usually hire someone within the organization to act as their bloggers. This is because insiders have the advantage of knowing what the company is all about, what it is offering, and what related products and services are possible. Teaching someone to feel company values takes time and bloggers can only write from the heart of the company through correct understanding of goals and objectives.
An outsider can be hired to do the job by letting the target company know of his or qualification as a blogger. Bloggers need to know their expertise and be able to define it and announce it to the public which is visible to the eyes of possible employers. Companies who hire bloggers have specific expectations that need to be met that is why they are willing to pay. Blogger-applicants should make sure that they have such expertise to offer or make sure to attain it before applying.
Bloggers need to convince companies that they are the right person for the job. Nothing can prove this more than a credible online presence. Companies need to see that a blogger can add value to the company and that will set him above the rest. Bloggers should also be ready to come up with exceptional samples when required by potential employers.
Image: burnetts
About the Author:
Teresa is blogger handling multiple blogs.
Posted by Teresa Martinez+ on January 26th, 2013 in Tips | No Comments »
Image: bestbloggingzone
Before one thinks of giving up on a blog, it is important for those contemplating in starting a blog if they should even start it. So to make things quick for everyone, let us be straight to the point. A person has no business opening a blog if he or she has no information to offer, no time to post at least once a month, and does not care for all types of online social interaction. Starting a blog with these three limitations from the onset has already doomed the blog for failure. So why bother?
Presuming that a budding blogger pushes through and starts a blog and possesses none of the limitations above, then he is on his way to the exciting journey of creating and developing a blog which is worthy of success. One good thing about blogging is that anyone can be part of it. Succeeding however is an altogether different thing since blogging will eventually prove unforgiving to absence of knowledge, no time, and anti-social behaviour.
In the ordinary course of building a blog, bloggers are optimistic that they will realize success in the soonest possible time. Some would expect to do that in a matter of months. Realistically speaking though, blog success rarely comes within a short time. It could take one to two years before the start of success can even be realized. This is the very reason why those who are not willing to consistently work on their blog should not even attempt to start.
Blogs are expected to last since they are basically developmental in nature. This means that they should be designed to progress with the calling of the times instead of remaining stagnant. Many bloggers give up before reaching the first year and surrender due to frustration and disappointment for failing to achieve their set goals. It is not yet time to give up if bloggers are still willing to do what needs to be done. When bloggers say no more to their work, then it probably is time to give up.
Posted by Teresa Martinez+ on January 2nd, 2013 in Promotion | No Comments »
Image: johnchow
A lot of commenters are not aware that they will be affected by leaving poor quality comments on others. This will specifically affect people who seek to establish a reputable online presence. Poor comments do not mean comments that oppose the writer’s idea. Comments that are considered of poor quality are those that are clearly irrelevant to the article or short “hi” or “hello” notes with links to their own site, which are just clear signs of asking for link juice.
Industry experts advise commenting on high ranking sites to possibly improve the ranking of blogs or sites owned by those who made the comments. However, this is not that simple. High-ranking sites also choose the sites to which they link to. If the quality of comments can provide any clue as to the quality of a site, then poor comments will not even stand a chance.
Site owners and blog owners are interested in getting quality comments whether positive or negative. Comments that genuinely seek to emphasize a point or ask a question can provide site owners with valuable information as to how their readers think about certain topics. Writers can then produce articles that are more responsive to their readers. Comments can reveal readership profile which can guide writers in their future articles.
Interacting with readers through commenting and responding to comments is a healthy way of encouraging added traffic and loyal following. It shows that writers care for what their readers think even if they do not necessarily agree on all points. Relevant comments encourage recipients to acknowledge the effort and further encourage natural reciprocation.
Posted by Teresa Martinez+ on December 31st, 2012 in Professional Blogging | No Comments »
Image: famousbloggers
More than the length of time spent for blogging, attitude separates the professionals from the amateurs. Professionals are able to absorb the lesson while the amateurs repel it. The journey in blogging is characterized by mistakes and lessons learned.
What makes a professional blogger? With the relative ease of becoming a blogger, many are under the impression that it doesn’t take much to be one. Nothing can be farther from the truth. It takes as much hard work as any other profession to be categorized as a truly professional blogger.
The words professional blogger are being used without much thought by many as a way to give themselves an air of superiority over bloggers they see as amateurs. Most would boast of their tremendous traffic and subscribers. Others would emphasize the number of posts contained in their blogs and how often they post in it. Still others would point to how readers comment on their posts. Professional blogging to some is about earning profitably from the practice. This is simply premised on the idea that a blogger must be professional since he/she is paid for his/her work.
When one thinks of it, all these can be considered in determining the professionalism of a blogger. Truth to tell however, a blogger’s professionalism cannot be determined purely by statistics and numbers, since bloggers do not graduate from a certain course, pass a specific exam, and require to go through experiential blogging to attain professional status. This may require more thought for bloggers to attribute professionalism on themselves.
Without clear cut determinants for determining what makes a professional blogger, the best we can do at this time is approximate. Therefore, a professional blogger will have to have authority in the subject tackled in his/her blog. A blogger must also have had consistent exposure to the blogging industry by writing, interacting, and socializing. Lastly, a professional blogger earns because of what he/she blogs about which is a lot different from earning through ads and links placed solely on the blog in exchange for financial consideration.
