We’ve updated the NAIWE member site engine to the latest version of WordPress to make posting even quicker and easier. You can go to your NAIWE site (http://yourname.naiwe.com) and reach the log-in screen directly from the right sidebar. You’ll find a spiffy new interface that makes posting more fun. Scroll to the bottom of this post to see screenshots of the new Wordpress dashboard. I think you’ll like it!

If you already have a website or domain name, what can you use your NAIWE site for?

Drive traffic to your primary website: Whenever you post on your primary site, copy the first few lines to your NAIWE blog, and finish with a “Read more…” tag, linked to the post on your primary blog. This will be a quality incoming link that will help your site show up higher in search engine results.

If you already have a domain name you’ve been planning to use for a primary website: Forward it to your NAIWE site, and use the NAIWE site as your primary spot for posting. This will eliminate reasons for procrastination, and get your web presence started in the quickest and easiest way possible.

Remember that building quality incoming links to whichever site you choose to use for your primary site is an important part of search engine optimization. Each link provides another way for readers to find you, and the more links you have coming in, the higher your ranking will be in Google and other search engines.

In addition to linking to your NAIWE site from any other sites you own, we recommend that you link to NAIWE and your member site from social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. It’s also helpful to place a link to your member site in your e-mail signature (you do use one, don’t you?). An e-mail signature is a quick, easy and unintrusive way to share your website, book titles, upcoming classes, an invitation to subscribe to your newsletter, or anything else you can fit into a few discreet lines.

Your NAIWE member website is one of the most valuable benefits we offer, and we encourage you to make the most of it. Post on it, then tweet your post title and a link so that others can read what you’ve shared. It’s an ideal way to connect with readers or potential clients, because people who are looking for writers or editors come to NAIWE to search the database. Your NAIWE-linked site is a lot easier to find than an isolated single site with few connections. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

Screenshots

1- How to reach the log-in page:

*Go to your member site and click on "Log in" in the right sidebar.

2- How to log in to post on your member site:

*Use your NAIWE username and password to log in.

3- The back-end or “dashboard” for your member site:

*Your navigation links are in the left sidebar. Click on "Posts" to create a new post or edit an existing post. Add or edit pages through the "Pages" link; comments and links through their respective links. It's pretty easy!

The main thing to remember is to never ever copy and paste something directly from Microsoft Word into any post or page. Convert it first to plain text, then paste it and format it using the tools at the top of the Post or Pages box. Word leaves a bunch of gunky coding that results in odd formatting and symbols that show up in all the wrong places.

Enjoy working with your site!

Tina Games, Journaling Expert

NAIWE Member Teleclass

Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. EST

We’re excited to host Tina Games, the NAIWE expert on the art of journaling. She has focused her writing and coaching career on working with women through the power of focused journaling, and she’ll be sharing some very specific techniques writers can use to power up creativity and defuse stress.

In this one-hour teleclass, Tina will discuss:

• - How journaling is helpful to a writer
• - Setting the stage for journal writing
• - What types of journals are best for writers?
• - What are some journaling techniques for capturing the best ideas?
• - How can journaling help with writers block?
• - How to use journal writing to map out a story, article or book

Members will receive call-in information for the class via a member mailing. Be sure that you’ve whitelisted *@naiwe.com (an asterisk, followed by @naiwe.com) in your e-mail program so that you receive the message.

If you’re not a member and you’d like to join in time for Tina’s teleclass, you may click on this “Join NAIWE” link to do so. If you would like to register for the teleclass only, you may do so for $27 by visiting the Teleclass page.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket!

A no-whiners-allowed guest article by freelance writer, Carol Tice.

Erik Vonk of B|O|T|H

In our first 2010 episode of The Freelance Life, we’ll be hosting Erik Vonk, author of Don’t Get a Job, Get a Life! and founder of BOTH, a business dedicated to “Back of the House” professional services for independent entrepreneurs.

Listeners will learn:

a. How the way WORK works is changing

b. Why an employment contract is a relic of the past

c. How working independently is gaining importance

d. What it takes to be in business for yourself, but not by yourself.

Don’t miss this interesting interview– what you learn can help you kick off the new year in a bigger, more productive way.

Remember, one of the benefits of NAIWE membership is a substantial discount on the set-up fee for BOTH services!

You can read a bit more about it, as well as accept and share the invitation, on the Facebook Event Page.

Copywriter and NAIWE member Michelle Hill was downsized early this year, which gave her the perfect opportunity to take her copywriting business full time. But how do you take a freelance career from spare-time moonlighting to a full-time income quickly enough to keep your house, car, and sanity? When I noticed that Michelle’s Facebook post about celebrating her best client week ever, I knew we had to have her on The Freelance Life to tell us how she did it.

Mark your calendar for Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 3:30 EST; 12:30 Pacific and join us for an inspiring interview at The Freelance Life on TalkShoe Online Radio.

While you’re there, you may want to listen to 7 Things Every Writer and Editor Needs in the New Economy. It will help you as you plan for 2010.

Finally, don’t forget that today (Monday, Novemeber 30) is the last day for the Thanksgiving Dues Discount for new members. Use Coupon Code 9A4DEC0 to get $27 off dues. We look forward to having you join us so that we can work  together toward your growing success.

Wednesday’s Teleclass with Janice Campbell

Carefully honed craft, top-of-the-line skills, plus sound business practices still form the foundation of a successful writing or editing career, but in the 21st century, seven things have emerged as increasingly essential to lasting success. At the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE), we believe it’s possible for any writer or editor to cultivate these 7 Essentials, and we’ve created an association that encourages best practices in each area. Here is a birds-eye view of the 7 Essentials to help you implement the pieces you may be missing.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

12:30 noon PT / 1:30pm MT / 2:30pm CT / 3:30pm ET

If you’re on the e-zine mailing list (you can sign up on the NAIWE home page), you’ll receive an e-mail with a call reminder and the call-in number on the morning of the call. We may host this teleclass on The Freelance Life podcast site, so be sure to watch for details!

You’ll learn:

• The 7 Essentials for creating a successful writing or editing career
• Tips for tweaking what you do now so that it reflects 21st-century reality
• How to add social media to your life without wasting time
• And more!

*Don’t miss our Annual Thanksgiving Membership Drive! Use Coupon Code 9A4DEC0 to get $27 off dues when you join before November 30, 2009.

It’s time once again for our annual Thanksgiving season membership drive, and we’ve been thinking about what sets NAIWE apart from other professional associations. It’s not just the fact that we welcome and respect both literary and commercial members, or that we provide more marketing and promotion opportunities for your books and services than other groups. NAIWE is different, and I believe better, in many ways.

We exist to help members succeed. We serve as a friendly mentor and marketing partner, and it’s our goal to help you achieve the freelance life you want to live.

We believe in writers who cross borders, blur boundaries, and do what it takes to earn a living as a writer. We’ll cheer you on when your first novel hits the shelves, or the third printing of your business book sells out. We’ll support you as you add new skills to your repertoire and learn to make a great living doing what you do best.

We believe in editors who love the rhythm and cadence of the language, and are committed to polishing even the humblest prose to its highest luster. We’ll be there with advice and concrete help to get your marketing message to your ideal clients.

At NAIWE, we know that a writing or editing career isn’t all about the art. It’s not all about the money, either. Writing and editing is about the joy of creativity, the freedom of working independently, and the fulfillment that comes from creating an authentic, abundant life, earning a great living doing what you love to do.

We believe that every writer or editor should belong to two professional organizations. The first is a large, career- and credibility-building association such as NAIWE, and the second is a smaller craft- or genre-focused association that will help you develop additional skills in the minutiae of your craft.

“Whatever your specific field, if there’s a National Association for…, join it.”

From Zen and the Art of Making a Living by Laurence G. Boldt (2010)

Frankly, there are many things we do. The About page tells you more about us, and you’re welcome to browse the website and read even more. Study our benefits, browse our member’s blogs, check out Words Matter Week, and really get acquainted.

The bottom line is this: If you are serious about your writing or editing career, we want you to join us, because we’re serious about helping you succeed. Countless experts advise joining a professional association as one of the first things you need to do when you commit to a career, and we want NAIWE to be your career-building association. We look forward to welcoming you as a fellow member. It’s your move!

P.S. As always, we are offering you a special Thanksgiving Coupon Code, good for $27 off dues through November 30, 2009. Just copy and paste the coupon code 9A4DEC0 into the coupon box when you join.

The October teleclass with Paulette Ensign, our Tips Booklet Expert was inspiring, and we got a lot of great feedback! As a direct result of the teleclass, we have decided to commission Paulette to create a “collection of experts” booklet that the Association and participants can offer, both on our websites and at the conventions and speaking engagements that we’ll be going to next year. With Paulette’s amazing promotional ideas, plus fourteen people and the power of the Association behind it, this booklet should travel far and fast!

The idea of a tips booklet fits into the kind of cooperative marketing that NAIWE advocates. By joining with other members and experts, we can share great information to a much larger audience than we would have alone.  People who purchase or receive a copy of the booklet will have plenty of reason to keep it, and the freelancers who share tips automatically gain a greater measure of credibility through the quality of their information and their inclusion in the project.

We have settled on the theme of “Building Credibility as a Freelancer” because that was the number one reason people cited for joining a professional association in our January survey, so it’s obviously a concern. The booklet will be a wonderful way to introduce the association and those of us who want to participate by sharing 5 tips and a short bio.

I’m way too busy to take on another big project, and I’m sure you are too, so this sounded like an outstanding way to promote without a lot of effort. Paulette is the most organized person I know, so it’s nice to have her doing the work. Each participant will be able to use the booklet in any way– as a promotion, list builder, bonus, or just a “sticky business card.” Every time it goes out, it will promote all the participants by offering useful information people will want to keep and use.

I have already invited our NAIWE Experts and members, and some of them will be participating, so there are fewer than twelve spots left. As experienced freelancers, I know that each of you has worked hard to establish credibility, and you probably have some very good tips to offer. You’ll find all the details below and at Paulette’s website.  I’d love to have you join me in this!

Invitation to Participate in the NAIWE Tips Booklet

You know what it’s like balancing your marketing and delivering your services, even if you enjoy the marketing part at all. Like you, I’m forever looking for ways to promote my business as easily, economically, and uniquely as possible so it doesn’t get in the way of doing the part of my business I love most.

Wait ‘til you see a solution I discovered. This is probably the easiest promotion you’ll ever do, since your colleagues are marketing your business for you, positioning you as a leading expert in your field in the process.

It’s a cooperative tips booklet, spearheaded by the Queen of Booklets herself, Paulette Ensign. Paulette has personally sold over a million copies of her own booklet without spending a penny on advertising, so she knows how this is done.

• It takes you less than 10 minutes to participate
• You get instant credibility with your prospective clients as an author in addition to  your book
• The price can’t be beat.

This is not some slicked up brochure, but rather a resource packed with information that prospects and clients will be begging to get their hands on.

It’s a no-brainer. For a small investment of time and money, you’ll get tons of things from Paulette’s company. I was surprised by how much she put into this package and how little she’s charging. And Paulette makes it incredibly easy, which is also why I’m bringing this to you.

To see what you get and how you can benefit from a Collection of Experts Tip Booklet, go to www.CollectionOfExperts.com.  A link for our booklet, “NAIWE.com Building Credibility as a Freelancer – Tips from a Collection of Experts” is at the bottom of the page.  If you still have questions, contact Paulette at paulette@tipsbooklets.com or 858-481-0890 (Pacific time zone).

A maximum of 14 experts will be accepted for the booklet and the deadline for your commitment is November 6. Priority is given to NAIWE Members and Experts.

This is an easy, inexpensive way to add more options for your clients and readers to know about you and your company or your books. Do this today! Go to www.CollectionofExperts.com   The link to our “NAIWE.com Building Credibility as a Freelancer – Tips from a Collection of Experts” is at the bottom of the page, ready for you to take action.

If you’d like to participate, please don’t wait– there are fewer than twelve spots available at the last count! Visit www.CollectionOfExperts.com right away to sign up.

Topic
When I want to give someone a special gift, I give them [name of book] because…

If you’d like to participate in Friday’s topic, write a post on your own blog, then leave your post title and link in the comment section of this post so that others can enjoy what you’ve written. Be sure to share your posts in Facebook, Twitter, and other social media!

Topic:

I hated … when I had to read it in high school, but when I read it on my own later, I loved it because….

If you’d like to participate in Thursday’s topic, write a post on your own blog, then leave your post title and link in the comment section of this post so that others can enjoy what you’ve written. Be sure to share your posts in Facebook, Twitter, and other social media!