More on money

Seattle writing coach Rachel Whalley commented on my recent post "Is there money in blogging?" She says:

"I would totally agree that the blog itself isn't a great moneymaker. I use mine to demonstrate my credibility as a service provider, and that's why my clients create theirs, as well. Can you say what yours is for, or how you think about it related to making money?"

Great question, Rachel!

The Writer Way blog is intended to put me in the best possible competitive position for contract work. It does that by doing three things a resume can't:

1. It demonstrates to potential clients and collaborators that when I commit to a project, I stick with it, modifying it to meet a changing user/business environment. The blogosphere and the business world are full of clever writers with bright ideas who get bored in a month or two and flit off to the next trendy thing; Writer Way is intended to distinguish me from the pack.
   
2. It showcases at least part of my wide range of writing styles. As someone who makes money writing for other people's sites (both corporate and individual) I'm not selling "Karen's voice." I'm selling a set of writing skills that can be, as appropriate, inspirational or authoritative; buttoned-down or quirky; thoughtful or breezy; inquisitive or instructional.
3. Finally, I'm hoping that Writer Way will occasionally contribute to the creative community by sharing information, taking stands, or raising questions about practical and ethical issues that confront writing professionals. Because much of my paying work is on collaborative creative teams, I'd like to be part of the discussions on many of these issues. (The recent posts on online plagiarism and writers tracking their productivity are two examples.) Not all potential clients will find this a positive, but the ones I want to work with will!