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So many freelance writers I talk to say they don’t own a business. “I’m a writer,” they say.

In actuality, being a freelance writer, whether fact or fiction is a business. And you are losing money every day you don’t treat it that way.

Just like any other entreprneur, you have to market yourself. You have to sell your skills to those you want to write for. Even if it’s a non-paying learning gig, to get your foot in the door or get clips for your portfolio.

You must hone your writing skill. Be consistently improving your spelling, grammar, and your writing craft. Take classes, learn to self-edit, get a writing coach. If you’re not at the top of your game, you are losing the gigs you want to other people.

Keep good records – just like any other entrepreneur. Keep track of the time you put in and for which project. Keep track of your expenses, keep receipts, and know how much it costs you to write an article, or a story on average. (This will happen over time.)

By keeping business records not only will you have a checks and balances system to know if you’re sinking more money into your craft than you’re getting out. More importantly, though, you will have accurate records to take proper deductions on your income taxes.

It is a pretty well known tactic to submit articles to article directories as a marketing tool for your business or writing career. Whether you are a freelance writer, a small business owner, an entrepreneur aiming for expert status, or desire to do one of these things – article submitting may be the thing for you.

Many article directories do not pay money. And while that may deter you – consider some of the non-monitary rewards that you may reap from submitting original content in a subject matter that interests you.

Tip: Quality is Key! Make sure your articles are well researched, spell-checked, and edited! Poor articles make you look bad & may be rejected for quality standards.

Marketing – when you want to get the word out about you, or what you do – you use marketing to do it. Rather than paying for advertising – you can submit your articles to content directories and include a promo blurb about you or your business. People that read your article about the stock market and find the free information helpful will be very likely to click through to your website to find out more about your expertise in that industry.

Google Page Rank – this is especially important if you have a website that relies on SEO, search engine placing, search engine ranking, and advertising to pay the bills. Many article directories, like the one linked here, allow search engines to follow the links in your bio. More quality pages that link to yours – the more value the search engine robots see in your site. That improves ranking and exposure. This generally leads to hits, sales, and making money.

Note: The article directory that I’m checking out now is currently accepting original submissions. They must not be published elsewhere. Feel free to check out if Web Articles is the right site for your article marketing.

These are just a few of the benefits an author gets when they market their ideas through writing articles and publishing them in directories. Research the industry a bit and you’ll find out what features would most benefit your online business and help you make money online.