| Beginner's Blues: How to Collect Samples,
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| | for free. Leave this information out. Go
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| Testimonials, and References as a
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| | for it and good luck!"Brian Konradt (copy
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| Freelancer by Brian S. Konradt of BSK
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| | writer/DTP publisher): "Years ago I had
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| Communications and AssociatesMy samples
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| | joined a national writers' group. I
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| are self-selling. They gleam behind
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| | started a newsletter for the
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| protective covers in my portfolio and
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| | organization, out of my own expenses, and
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| snatch me business. "Wow, I really like
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| | charged each member $3 for a copy. I also
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| this one," says a new client, studying
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| | wrote a press release to publicize the
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| one of my newsletter samples. "That's
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| | newsletter. My press release was
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| what I want. Can you do something similar
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| | published in three trade magazines. I
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| for me?""I sure can," I tell the client.
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| | never made a profit -- in fact, I lost
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| "I think we should shoot for four colors,
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| | money on this endeavor. But I used the
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| instead of two. And thick texture paper
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| | newsletter and the published press
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| would be better for self-mailing."The
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| | releases as samples. Members also mailed
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| client agrees. He also agrees to pay me
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| | me testimonials about how much they loved
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| $850 for the 4-page newsletter, half now
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| | the newsletter and how professional it
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| and the rest when I complete the
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| | looked. This was my very first
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| job."Your samples are your most
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| | professional sample that I stuck in my
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| persuasive tools to seal the deal,"
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| | portfolio, and possibly, I believe,
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| advises Mary Anne Shultz, a NY-based
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| | persuaded my first client to invest in my
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| freelance writer who specializes in ad
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| | services. You can do something
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| copy."At least seven out of my ten
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| | similar."Michelle O'Reilly (copy writer):
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| clients had asked to see some sort of
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| | "Network. Meet people. You got that? My
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| samples before hiring me for the job,"
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| | first client came as a result of my being
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| says freelance writer Joan Berk. "Clients
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| | in the right place at the right time with
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| want to know what you are capable of
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| | a stack of my bright white business cards
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| doing for them.""Even if your new client
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| | tucked away in the fist of my hand. I had
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| does not ask to see samples, you must
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| | attended a marketing seminar that was
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| have samples," says Louie Markowitz, a
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| | held by a local business chapter. The
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| freelance writer specializing in
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| | seminar had attracted a large gathering
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| corporate newsletters. "I show every new
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| | of business professionals, entrepreneurs,
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| client at least one of my samples -- a
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| | and other freelancers. There was time
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| sample that is similar to what they have
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| | afterwards for networking -- and that's
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| in mind. This helps me get constructive
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| | what I did. I handed out my business
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| feedback and insight into what the client
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| | cards to anyone who sounded as if they'd
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| wants."This is easy for the established
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| | be interested in my writing services. And
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| freelancer to say, who has collected
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| | somebody was interested! A few days later
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| professional samples over the years and
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| | I received a call from a young
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| knows that samples sell themselves to
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| | entrepreneur who was looking for a way to
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| clients.But what about the beginning
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| | promote a new product. Was I interested
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| freelancer who has nothing?According to
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| | in writing a brochure for him? I told him
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| freelance writer, Scot Card: "Don't
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| | let's get started, I'm ready, with not
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| panic. Many freelancers start at the
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| | even an idea of what I was going to
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| bottom. It's where I started. And
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| | charge him. I only got paid a fraction of
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| probably so will you."As a beginning
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| | the amount I demand now, but it helped me
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| freelance writer embarking on a part-time
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| | launch my career. Whenever there's a
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| or full-time freelancing career, you'll
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| | social gathering in your area, make sure
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| need to do a lot of "grunt" work in your
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| | you attend and network. Put your face in
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| field of specialty. Depending on your
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| | front of the crowd. Let everyone know you
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| approach or what you choose, you'll be
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| | exist and you have these great skills as
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| doing assignments and working on projects
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| | a writer. Network. Remember it. It's a
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| for little or no money, but the payoff
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| | great way to get clients and
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| will reward you in the long run.Writing a
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| | referrals."Andi Lipschein (technical
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| brochure for a local non-profit
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| | writer): "If you want to get yourself
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| organization or writing a press release
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| | samples, attend a workshop. It's how I
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| for your church's summer events will come
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| | got my first professional sample: a
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| in handy the day you need to show your
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| | technical manual, critiqued and corrected
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| first client what you've been up to. But
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| | by the instructor, on how to operate a
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| it doesn't just begin with freelancing to
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| | piece of equipment. My advice is attend
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| local non-profit organizations or
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| | as many workshops as you can in your area
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| churches. You can tap into many other
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| | of specialty. They offer tremendous
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| outlets to collect samples while
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| | benefits: you increase your knowledge on
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| improving your experience, skills and
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| | the subject, you get trained by a
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| knowledge before you begin freelancing
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| | professional, you get hands-on
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| part-time or full-time.Your first step to
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| | experience, and you walk away with
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| get started is obvious: Take inventory of
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| | professional, critiqued samples for your
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| everything you have written.Everyone has
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| | portfolio. Many local community colleges
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| done some writing in the past: writing
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| | and high schools offer writing workshops
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| term and thesis papers; writing articles
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| | as part of their Continuing Education
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| for your college newspaper; providing
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| | series. The information and samples you
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| copy for a flier or brochure for an
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| | obtain will last a lifetime."Rita
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| organization; helping your friends write
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| | Clayborne (PR writer): "I interned my way
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| their resumes, or your own. The list goes
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| | to success...My experience and skills
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| on.Of course, a client won't hire you
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| | came from interning for five different
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| after he glosses over your high school
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| | public relations firms in New York for
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| term paper (with the bright red A at the
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| | two years. I got a lot of hands-on
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| top) or a short poem you scribbled in a
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| | experience -- and a lot of headaches, but
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| birthday card. But all of your past
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| | I learned how to work with deadlines and
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| writings can serve as a benchmark as to
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| | how to deal with clients. I also got
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| where you stand now. You may even possess
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| | tremendous insight into the field, such
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| samples hiding in your closet or lost
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| | as pricing my services competitively, how
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| somewhere in the massive directories of
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| | to tap into my market, and how to make a
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| your hard drive, waiting to be reworked
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| | business succeed. This had a positive
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| and re-edited for a fresh facelift.Take
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| | impact on the success of my PR business
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| inventory of all of your writing samples
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| | today. You can intern part-time (a couple
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| and evaluate them as if you are the
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| | of days out of the week), or full-time
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| client. What grabs your attention? What
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| | (five days out of the week). I got paid
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| makes you squint away. Do your samples
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| | for my work as an intern, but don't
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| have anything in common with your
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| | always expect to get paid. Call up some
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| specialty? Can you rewrite any of your
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| | PR firms in your area and speak with the
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| samples for improvement? If so, redo them
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| | person in charge. Ask if they offer an
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| and use them to begin your portfolio. If
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| | internship program; if not, ask if they'd
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| not, listen closely...Here are some ways,
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| | be willing to accept you as an intern.
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| endorsed by established freelancers in
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| | You can locate PR firms in the Yellow
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| the field, that can help you collect
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| | Pages. Alternatively, you can contact the
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| samples of your writing, including
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| | Cooperative Education department of your
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| testimonials and references; but by no
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| | local college and ask the director to
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| means do you have to follow them. Be
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| | help you in your search. As an intern,
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| creative and seek out other
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| | you will collect many professional
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| alternatives.Joseph Martenello (technical
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| | samples, references and contacts!"John
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| writer): "I worked as a part-time
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| | Palmeri (graphic designer): "When the
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| stringer for my local newspaper for a
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| | company I worked for was planning to do a
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| year. How'd I get the job? I responded to
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| | newsletter to celebrate its 30 years of
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| an ad in the newspaper, even though I
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| | service, I jumped at the opportunity. I
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| barely had any writing experience. Next
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| | was only a stock clerk there, but I was
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| thing I know, I was covering town
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| | attending college for my bachelor's
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| meetings and local events, boring stuff.
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| | degree in Communications Arts, and I had
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| I didn't get paid much -- not enough that
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| | some skills as a layout artist. My boss
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| I could live off -- but this lead to a
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| | agreed to let me produce the newsletter,
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| higher paying position writing short
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| | and boy, did I get excited. I didn't get
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| features for a while and freelancing for
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| | paid for doing it -- although there was a
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| neighboring newspapers for dirt pay...I
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| | bigger Christmas bonus for me -- but it
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| was able to collect my published articles
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| | helped me produce my first sample with my
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| and put them into a portfolio. Even now,
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| | name on it. At that time I wasn't
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| six years later, I'm able to state in my
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| | planning to freelance -- but that changed
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| sales letter that I worked as a newspaper
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| | down the road when I wanted to make more
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| reporter. That title has a lot of clout
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| | money doing what I love most: producing
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| with clients. My clients expect short,
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| | newsletters. To this day, I still produce
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| tight copy -- the type of copy evidenced
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| | newsletters for the same company I had
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| by my published newspaper clips."Judith
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| | worked for five years ago. The difference
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| Corbishley (PR consultant/writer): "I
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| | now is I get paid top dollar to produce
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| started my so called 'freelancing' by
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| | it, and I'm my own boss."NOW WHAT? Once
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| catering my writing services to local
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| | you have samples, you'll need to prepare
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| organizations. You wouldn't believe the
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| | a portfolio, plus a brochure or sales
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| demand for freelance writing in
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| | letter or web site selling your services.
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| organizations! And the reason why is that
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| | Your promotional material should contain
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| many [organizations] will not pay you, at
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| | testimonials for hard-hitting power. As a
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| least the non-profit ones won't. I
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| | beginner, don't spend a lot of money
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| basically immersed myself in everything I
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| | advertising your services. The time will
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| could get my hands on. I wrote press
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| | eventually come when you'll turn "pro"
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| releases, developed brochures, published
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| | and you'll spend at least 25% of your
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| fliers, you name it. Gradually, my
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| | earnings on promotion. For now, decide to
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| specialty -- from having to handle many
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| | place a small classified ad in your local
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| writing tasks -- emerged. I fell in love
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| | newspaper, tack up fliers on the bulletin
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| with PR, and now do it full-time,
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| | boards at your local supermarkets and
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| supporting myself with my writing. And it
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| | libraries, or advertise your services on
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| all started by contacting the director of
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| | free job boards on the Internet. See what
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| a local non-profit computer education
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| | types of responses you get. Be persistent
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| organization. You can do the same. Check
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| | in your search for clients. Most of all:
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| your community newspaper or local
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| | Don't give up! The professional is the
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| bulletin board for volunteer help. Then
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| | amateur who had never quit in the first
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| call up the director or contact person.
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| | place.When you get your first client, let
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| Ask if they need somebody for writing.
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| | the client do most of the talking. You
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| Most likely the answer will be yes!
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| | will find that many clients will not even
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| You'll be able to do the writing at home
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| | ask to see your samples -- so don't even
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| under a flexible deadline. When the time
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| | bring it up. Many clients will accept you
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| comes to produce your promotional
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| | as a writer -- on your word alone -- and
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| material, you can list the organization
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| | will work with you.Work hard and good
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| as one of your clients. You are under no
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| | luck!
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| obligation to state that you've worked
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|
