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to job ads, but you don't want to come across as dry and boring either. As corny as it sounds, I've had success by mentioning that I love to write. You don't have to say "I love to write" (others would even advise against it), but the idea is to sound like you're genuinely interested and excited about the opportunity.

Boast a little. This is about convincing someone why you're the best person for the job, so modesty is not a virtue at the moment. Why should they take you on? Have your articles been published in magazines? Do you have a lot of first-hand experience with the topics they want you to write about? Play up your accomplishments and accolades.

LOOK OUTSIDE YOUR OWN CITY
Writing is one of those jobs you can do no matter how far away your client lives. Don't just stick to the job listings in your own city, especially if you live in a small town. You're missing out on a ton of opportunities if you do.

To increase your chances of finding the writing gig you're looking for, keep an eye on all the major cities. For the matter, post your ads in different cities as well.

SUBSCRIBE TO CRAIGSLIST'S RSS FEEDS
You could browse to the writing/editing jobs section for every major city. But that's a pain, and it wastes valuable time. You could bookmark all the writing/editing categories for each city, but clicking on each bookmark to see if there's anything new will still eat up a lot of time. Remember, you're competing with others: Time is of the essence, and the qualified people who respond the fastest are the ones who get the job.

Your best strategy is to subscribe to the RSS feeds for writing jobs in each city. That way, new listings come straight to you. It makes life so much easier.

Here's how you do it:

Sign up for an online RSS reader with Google (www.google.com/reader). It's free, simple, and you shouldn't have to download any software.

Go to the writing/editing jobs section for any city on Craigslist, then scroll down and look for an orange RSS button. Click on it.

At the very top of the next page, you should see a drop-down menu. Select "Google", check the "Always use Google to subscribe to feeds," then hit the subscribe button. Now the new listings for that city will show up whenever you log into your Google RSS reader.

BE PATIENT
Sometimes you get lucky and hit the jackpot on the first run, and other times you get nothing but silence. Persistence pays off, though: Keep at it, and you're sure to find something.

Learn more about this author, Victoria Neely.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

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