| If you are serious about your writing, in | | | | Listing your articles or putting a selection |
| fact even if you aren't, you need a web site. | | | | on your site will get your name linked with |
| Let me repeat that -- every writer needs a | | | | various key words surrounding that topic in |
| web site! | | | | the search engines. |
| | | | |
| If you don't believe me then here are five | | | | 4. For writers, your name is your brand and |
| very good reasons why: | | | | you need to continually have your name out |
| | | | there and furthermore you need to have it |
| 1. Your web site can serve as your showcase | | | | connected with your areas of expertise. The |
| and portfolio. It can include your biography, | | | | more articles and essays you have published |
| experience, and writing credits as well as | | | | on the web then the more times your name gets |
| copies of your work or better yet--links to | | | | out there for readers, clients, and editors. |
| your published work. So many queries today | | | | Owning your own web site for example) is like |
| are done electronically and it much easier to | | | | owning your own billboard on the internet |
| simply include an url for editors or | | | | superhighway. |
| prospective clients to visit than to try to | | | | |
| attach copies and/or a long list of urls on | | | | 5. You can earn money with your own web site |
| various locations. | | | | and your writing even without getting paid by |
| | | | publications. Place Pay-Per-Click ads on your |
| 2. Your web site can be your creative outlet. | | | | site or sign up for some affiliate programs |
| Perhaps your bread-and-butter writing is in | | | | to advertise on your site. Depending on the |
| the financial field but you really enjoy | | | | size of your site and the traffic you attract |
| writing poetry or about fly fishing. Then you | | | | this may become a major new source of income |
| can publish those pieces on your web site to | | | | for you! |
| receive exposure or simply to reward yourself | | | | |
| for a job well done. Who knows, you might | | | | I hope I've convinced you that a web site can |
| even find yourself with some new paying | | | | be an asset to your writing career, but I |
| assignments in these fields! | | | | must warn you that web mastering can be very |
| | | | addictive to us creative types. Don't let it |
| 3. You can demonstrate your expertise in your | | | | overtake your writing time. Start out simple |
| particular field or fields by demonstrating | | | | and build over time so you can work out a |
| the number of articles you have written in | | | | good balance between your writing and your |
| that area as well as any experience and/or | | | | webmaster chores. |
| education you may offer in this field. | | | | |