Are You a Professional Writer or Not?

You know, if there is one thing that is absolutely driving me out against the walls it is so called self acclaimed “professional writers”!

What I understand from the term professional and in order to be called a “professional writer”, you need to have knowledge of your subject field. In our case – Writing! It is imperative that you have an outstanding command over the language you are working in, and in the majority of cases – English.

Apart from the skills that you need, you need to have proper practical experience. What does that mean? Having experience is something you only accomplish by writing and writing and more writing.

My personal opinion is that in the web writing industry you can never gain enough experience. Why? Simply because there are too many subject fields or niches one can write on, unless you focus on a specific niche and only write for that particular niche.

A major distinction between an apprentice and a professional writer is the quality of work you present and the way you approach your work. A professional web writer provides his client with a piece of work ready to be published.

There are countless self acclaimed “professionals” who deliver work in a format that make editors cry! Ask yourself if the articles you present are ready to be published. Nine out of ten “professionals” do not make the mark on this factor alone!

Being a professional web writer demand from you to provide your client with an elevated standard of ethics and conduct while executing your task. As a professional you are obliged to present your client with amplified responsibility. A client expects from a professional to treat a project as if it is your own.

Disappointedly, another quality plenty of writers fail to establish. There is this current amateur attitude of “just getting the job done as soon as possible in order to get paid”.

If there is one thing that will show you the difference between a professional and an amateur writer, it is editing. An amateur is so attached to his piece of work he spent hours on that the slightest request for revision or editing will result in a fiery remonstration.

The professional on the other hand knows that there are various factors involved for various clients. With this said it does not mean that professional writers say thank you every time you request them to revise or change their work! However, they are well aware of the fact that a good editor makes them and their work appear only better. Writers who can not live with or accept editing on their work are not regarded as professionals for very long.

Surely the most significant difference between amateur and professional writers is their level of eagerness to adjust. Most amateurs are resistant to change or not capable to make adjustments. This serves to be an indication that their devotion to the language is just another recreational thing to do.

The true professional writer is the one who have a passion for his work, adapt and change as needed with the fulfilling advantage of being paid for what he loves doing and does it for a living.

At the end of the day it seems that being a professional writer has got more to do with your approach and mind-set than the amount of creativity and competence you have.

Are You Professional or Not?

The Importance of Character

Character – How Important Is Character it in the Freelance Writing World?

Being a Christian, it is important to me to start my day in the presence of the Lord and request His guidance for the day ahead. This morning I received this daily devotional on character…

After a few moments chewing on this thought, I could not help to think how a freelance writers’ and article buyers’ character reflects in their dealings.

What made me think was this story of George Jones. I did not know about George Jones before today, simply because I am a South African and not really into the American printed media and even less the history thereof, however, the story of George Jones gave me hope to act in good faith and let the bad characters in the freelance writing world just pass by.

I learned that George Jones started his career as a humble clerk in a supermarket. He soon gained a firm reputation of being someone with commendable work ethics and being a perfect example of Proverbs 12:22; “False lips are hated by the Lord, but those whose acts are true are his delight.”

Due to this commendable character of George Jones, a very famous journalist at that time, Henry Raymond, was so impressed with George character that they became good friends. This friendship resulted in one of the greatest business partnerships of all times! The New York Times.

Years after the birth of The New York Times, George received a bribe offer of £500 000 to retire and relocate to Europe, because of the firm stand the paper took against the gangster Boss Tweed. This was in an extreme amount in the late 1800’s! Even today one would smile if your bank account carried that type of balance!

George declined the offer even after he was reminded that he could live like a prince until the day he dies with the remark: “Yes, but I should know that I was a rascal. I can not consider your offer…”

This just once more reminded me that nothing is so important than your character. Regardless of how rich or how poor you are, how successful your life may or may not be, what you achieve in life or did not achieve, once you have lost your character, you have lost everything.

Next time that thought of “who will know” comes to mind, just remember – You will know!

I have to live with myself and so,

I want to be fit for myself to know.

I want to be able as days go by,

always to look myself in the eye.

I don’t want to stand in the setting sun

and hate myself for the things I’ve done.

I don’t want to keep on a closet shelf,

a lot of secrets about myself;

and fool myself as I come and go,

into thinking nobody else will know –
the kind of man I really am.

~Author Unknown~