Content Efficiency Twitter Chat with Sherry Smith Gray @sherisaid #VCBuzz

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Content Efficiency Twitter Chat with Sherry Smith Gray @sherisaidCreating good content consistently is the constant challenge we have to deal with. So we keep inviting prominent authors to share their tips! Today we are proud to talk to Sherry Smith Gray @sherisaid, the experienced writer and editor!

***Please sign in here to follow the chat -> twchat.com/hashtag/vcbuzz

***Important: Join this event on Google Plus to be notified of upcoming chats (It’s easier with daytime savings and different time zones!)

About Sherry

Sherry is business blogger for @entrepreneur @huffingtonpost @businessdotcom and many more.

Please make sure to connect to Sherry over at Linkedin.

Questions we discussed

Q1 How did you become a professional editor and writer? What’s your career path?

That’s a long one, it’ll take several tweets ? Bear with me.

I was a website developer for a small web host that went under. A friend invited me to write for a content co where she edited. I used anon content writing to learn the ropes and master the styles. Then leveraged knowledge and connections to move up.

I am where I am because I wrote as well as I could when I didn’t have to. My past editors remembered and recommended me.

Relationships have been very, very good to me!

Q2 What makes a good article? How to wow an editor?

Research. Know what the readers want, and put some grit in the writing. Don’t regurgitate, reinvent. Give it personality.

Wow editors with compelling, timely topic ideas. They hear hundreds of topic pitches. Be different.

A good article requires an angle and depth. A mediocre article repeats what others have written. Good articles take a stand.

The hardest thing about writing is not the writing. It’s the idea. The topic, the title, the pitch and the promo. writing is easy

Q3 You contribute to many prominent places for free… What do you say to people who cannot understand why anyone would work for free?

I could write my own website for a limited audience, or a site where 50K random readers will chance on my work. 50K is better. I spend zero time looking for work. Because I write on big sites, clients find me. It’s more efficient than trolling job boards.

Because I write for big sites, potential customers know what to expect. I don’t have to sell them. They are convinced in advance.

It’s also a HUGE thrill, seeing the RTs flooding in…amazing.

I never have time to make my own site! it seems impossible.

Q4 Apart from guest blogging, how else are you building your author brand? Are you available for hire?

I engage with other industry pros: bloggers, marketers, groups. I help other people & refer other writers as often as I can.

I spend a lot of time on Twitter (in chats, duh). Networking is everything.

I would LOVE to go to conferences. Next year. I may even work up the courage to apply to speak ?

I’m always available for hire, but realistically, I’m buried in work. It’d have to be an impressive offer for me to accept.

I’m more likely to connect with editors and publishers, but I have landed several jobs through chat connections.

Inbound lets me see possibilities. I connect with other pros – and find out how much top bloggers charge. “Where do I find a good writer” is a pretty common question. Good writers are in huge demand.

Q5 Writing is a very creative process… How do you keep yourself organized and accountable?

I’m the least organized person alive. I keep a spreadsheet with projects due and track everything until it’s out of my hands.

I recently wrote about considering project management software, but it’s not live yet. Scheduled for Thursday.

*sigh* I know. I’ve tried several and hated them all. Working with Wrike now. I think it has potential.

I connect with purpose. Talented writers I can recommend, editors of good pubs, marketers who need writers

To keep the creative process flowing, I read. Constantly. Everything related to research, writing, marketing, SEO, graphics…

I’ve considered a ghost for non-demanding posts. I do have one or two writers I trust when I’m in a bind.

Our previous content marketing chats:

 

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