Comments on: Creating a Freelance Writer’s Resume

By: Alicia

Alicia — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:42:02 +0000

That’s true, Rob! I don’t think the scariness goes away, either (maybe from huge monster butterflies gnawing at your insides to little cute one fluttering away, but that’s about it, ha)! GOOD LUCK, and keep me posted on Twitter or on here!

By: Rob F.

Rob F. — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:31:13 +0000

Thank you for having a look at my blog and the post on producing clips, Alicia! I’ll have to give those a try soon, especially the series and interviews.

I have the feeling I just need to find some gigs to apply for – not to mention present myself to potential leads! That’s the really scary bit…

By: Alicia

Alicia — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:38:40 +0000

Hi Rob,

I have a few thoughts on that –

1. At this point in your writing career, is it imperative to apply for gigs that require actual resumes? Not all of them do, so, depending on your own situation, you might wait until you build up some clients (and references) you can refer to on your resume.

2. Don’t underestimate those video game articles! Many job ads call for 1-3 samples or “clips,” so you won’t want to use all of them, but I’d suggest choosing the best one and using it.

3. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never had a paid gig. Throw that thinking out the window! You’ve provided writing that people have used. You should be able to list those papers on a resume, right? What about using those editors as references?

4. I checked out your blog, and I see you’ve done book reviews, too. No reason you can’t use those as clips and to sell your writing. Check out this WritingSpark.com post about the various ways you can use your blog to produce clips (and sell your writing): http://wp.me/pykPf-az

What do you think of those ideas/thoughts?

By: Rob F.

Rob F. — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 10:44:52 +0000

My biggest problem is that I’m literally at the starting point – I’ve got some samples, including articles published in daily papers, but almost all of them relate to video games and I’ve never had a paid gig. How can I sell my writing skills when I’ve never sold my writing skills?

By: Charles

Charles — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 07:45:18 +0000

When I first started do freelance writing, the biggest obstacle to overcome was when people asked for references (not just samples). The way I dealt with this is to offer free writing services to about 10 people on a popular forum. In return for the free work, they had to agree to give me a testimonial and be willing to act as a reference. Fortunately, once you build up some client base, word-of-mouth pretty much eliminates this problem. But if you’re just starting, consider it.

By: Kellie

Kellie — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:24:03 +0000

This is exactly what I need right now. Thank you so much. I am a freelance writer apply for a copywriter job at a newspaper. My resume can use a little sparkle, and this is a step in the right direction.

By: Sally

Sally — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:05:06 +0000

Thank you for this! I have been tying to write my writing resume for a while and had no idea what to put on it.

By: Anna

Anna — Tue, 10 May 2011 21:46:32 +0000

The beauty of the being a writer in the web age is that you can easily brand yourself. Register your name (if still available), personalize your website, post your resume and link back to you online articles. For print articles, post a .pdf.

By: Jimmy Sorenson

Jimmy Sorenson — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 06:58:46 +0000

Thanks for sharing the information.

Was looking out on the same topic. My friend needs one resume ready for him, so told me to help him out and this post has certainly helped in a great way.

Jimmy Sorenson
Visit us at: Connecticut Summer Camps

By: Kristen

Kristen — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:59:21 +0000

Great advice! I was on the right track and this article confirmed it for me. Thanks!