Freedom Writing Has Moved!

I am proud to announce that Freedom Writing has moved to Dreamhost! This site will remain here, and all the posts, giveaways, e-books, etc. have been transferred there.

I have redirected the feedburner RSS feed to freedomwriting.com. However, if you are reading this in RSS, you can change your subscription by clicking here.

I will check back here until January 8th, to ensure all comments are entered into the SOCB E-book Giveaway, and/or into the Blog Showcase.

I want to thank you all for making this blog a great success, and I look forward to getting to know you better at my new home!

~Kimberlee

Sincere Online Community Building Giveaway!

First, I want to thank everyone who has purchased the e-book so far! You are on your way to building a genuine and exciting online community!

I also want to thank Michele Tune for writing a rocking interview of me at Writing the Cyber Highway. You are one awesome writer!

The Sincere Online Community Building e-book is now at its regular price of $24.95 after the holiday special.

But wait! What if you wanted to a get a copy of it at the low price, but missed the opportunity in all the holiday hustle and bustle?

I am giving away (for FREE!) 4 copies of this outstanding e-book! Here’s how to enter:

Leave a comment here – 1 Entry Tell us how you plan to strengthen your community in 2009

Tweet about the giveaway – 1 Entry Leave an additional comment with the link to your tweet.

Subscribe to the blog – 1 Entry Leave an additional comment telling that you subscribed!

Blog about the giveaway – 1 Entry Leave an additional comment linking to your blog post.

So you have 4 chances to win!

The contest will run through January 8th, 6 am Central time. I will use random.org to pick the four winners.

Of course, if you just can’t wait another moment, feel free to get your copy now.

Let everyone know that you believe in the power of a growing, sincere online community! Join in the e-book giveaway today.

~Kimberlee

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Join in the Freedom Writing Blog Showcase!

Enter for your chance at a free copy of Sincere Online Community Building!

Do you want to learn more about community building? Pick up a copy of Sincere Online Community Building for more information.

Freedom Writing Update

With the new year upon us, I thought I’d share the latest happenings here at Freedom Writing.

The Sincere Online Community Building E-book will still be at the low price of $12.95 through January 1st. I will also be opening the e-book to affiliates! So grab your copy today while it is still available at such a great bargain.

I have had a great time at Michael Martine’s Remarkablogger blog. My guest post, Are You Commenting for Traffic or Relationships?, has received wonderful comments! Stop by to enjoy the conversation.

In my social media quest, I will be visiting Facebook for the month of January. (Don’t tell anyone, but I have an old profile filled with game apps that my friends made me add!) I have some clean up to do, but I will let you know when my profile is ready!

I will still be spending a good amount of time on Twitter (follow me: kimferrell) so if you want continuous Freedom Writing updates, visit my twitter stream!

I am also in the contemplation stages of my new e-book for January. What would you like to read about? What questions do you have about the online writing community? Are you ready to become a freelance writer, and don’t know where to begin? Leave you questions or topic ideas in the comments, and I will address them as soon as possible!

I also have one more service I’m adding to the Freedom Writing showcase, but it is not quite ready yet! Would you like personalized answers to your writing questions, not just generalizations that may or may not pertain to your situation? If that sounds good to you, then stay tuned!

I think that’s all! As news arises, I will keep you all informed. What are your plans for the upcoming months? Let us know!

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Do you want to learn more about community building? Pick up a copy of Sincere Online Community Building for more information.

Sincere Online Community Building Release

Here it is! Sincere Online Community Building is now available. Read all about it, and enjoy the ride!

• Are you new to the online community?
• Do you want to be noticed without resorting to spammy marketing tactics?
• Want to join in the virtual conversation, but don’t know where to begin?
• Have you been exploring the internet for a while, but feel lost in the crowd?
• Are you already building an online community, but want to refine and target your efforts?

Sincere Online Community Building was designed for people like you who want to learn how to become a respected member of the online community, but aren’t sure where to begin.

Who could benefit from this book? Just about anyone (in my opinion) but especially:

• Entrepreneurs beginning their own business online
• Freelancers who want to build up their online connections
• Old school marketers who wonder why direct advertising isn’t working in the digital age
• SEO specialists who want to increase the quality of the visitors to their website
• Bloggers who want to turn their blog into a fun, enjoyable community

Sincere Online Community Building is filled with tips, advice, and suggestions for creating a sincere, likable presence online. People will want to spend time with you on social networks and on your blog!

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s inside:

Table of Contents

• Introduction: Welcome to my Community!
• How do you build a sincere online reputation?
• Chapter 1: Say Hello
• Blog Comments
• How do you gain followers with blog comments?
• Social Networks
• How do you find followers and join in the conversation?
• Your Blog
• How do you gain followers with a blog?
• Chapter 2: Create Value
• What’s Value?
• Why should I create value?
• How do I create value online?
• What methods can I use to create value?
• Chapter 3: Link Building
• How do I gain quality links pointing at my site?
• You are becoming a trusted, notable person within the online community.
• Chapter 4: Selling Your Products and Services
• You cannot sell your goods, until you sell yourself.
• How do I sell my goods to my online community?
• Conclusion: Enjoy Your Online Community
  

Ready to learn more? Here’s what others are saying about Sincere Online Community Building:

I’ve seen Kimberlee Ferrell around the Web for a while now, and have bumped into her and conversed with her on various online social networking sites, such as Plurk and Twitter. Her professionalism and genuine, kind ways impressed me from the beginning. When she contacted me with a guest post for my blog, I knew right away she was a star.

Now I’ve read her e-book, Sincere Online Community Building, and realize her writing talent far surpasses my original expectations. I know Kimberlee will go far, and I highly recommend her e-book to anyone who is looking to create a successful online presence and build a lasting community. (I’ve learned so much from her already, and I’ve been freelancing since 2005!) Here’s to a fabulous 2009, Kim. You deserve every ounce of success that comes your way!

-Michele L. Tune, Writing the Cyber Highway

If you are prepared to take the time to build your online community, and find people who enjoy listening to what you have to say, then Sincere Online Community Building is for you!

Originally, Sincere Online Community Building was going to be offered at the incredibly low price of $24.95 USD, which is already far below the price of most e-books.

However, as a special holiday bonus, you can purchase Sincere Online Community Building for only $12.95 USD! This price is only good until 12:00am CST January 2nd, so act now if you want to be one of the first to own a copy of Sincere Online Community Building.

Money Back Guarantee: If you are not satisfied with your copy of Sincere Online Community Building for any reason, just contact me at onenewhope@gmail.com, and I’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

Sincere Online Community Building will only be available at this price for a short time. Pick up your copy today, and begin building a fun (and possibly profitable) online community of loyal followers!

Sincere Online Community Building – $12.95 USD

P.S. Remember, this special price of $12.95 is only available through the holiday season. Starting on January 2nd, the price will return to $24.95 USD.

P.S.S. You can purchase Sincere Online Community Building with no risk to you. If you do not find this e-book to help you build a better community, you are guaranteed a full refund.

P.S.S.S. Why do people read these P.S.’s at the bottom of these pages? I’m not sure, but I know I do it too! Let’s make the internet a great community today! Learn how through Sincere Online Community Building.

UPDATE: Ice Storm ‘08: A Call for Help: Success!

UPDATE: The power of Twitter has pulled through again. Thanks to all of your support, we have raised enough money to have my windshield replaced. Thank you, with all my heart.

Everyone who donated or retweeted will get a free copy of my upcoming e-book, “Sincere Online Community Building.” Look for it in the next few days.

Again, I cannot thank you enough. I am in awe, and very humbled by the generosity of my online friends. Thank you!

~Kimberlee

Hi everyone. This blog is a rather personal one, unrelated to writing and all that. I encourage you to read through it anyway, and do what you feel is right.

As you may know, I live in Iowa now. Iowa is the home of winter, where all the cold in the world comes from. Or so it seems right now.

We have had a lot of bad winter weather, including a bad ice storm, on top of the snow we had before. Today, the weather had cleared, and I ventured out to uncover my car and do some errands.

Unfortunately, once the ice had been removed from my windshield, I discovered that it had shattered from the storm:

The cracks extend completely across the windshield, and is unsafe to drive (not to mention probably illegal.) It is our only car.

I am coming to you, as a community, in my time of need. I do not have the extra cash necessary to have the windshield replaced. It is also unlikely I will have the money anytime soon.

My hands are shaking even as I type this. I am not good at asking for help. I am the one that all my friends come to for help, and I am more than happy to give. When it is my turn, I usually withdraw within myself and deal with the situation on my own.

This year, I have seen miracles happen due to the power of community on the internet. I have seen thousands of dollars raised to save a podcast studio, to replace a car, and to even find a kidney donor. People have given what they can, and spread the word so others can do what they can.

I am offering my humble story up to you. I need a new windshield for my 1988 Cadillac Seville, and I have no way to pay for it. So, if you feel so inclined, I am asking that you give what you can to make that happen for me and my family.

If you cannot give money, then please spread this link to anyone who might be interested. I thank you for your time and compassion as much as a person can thank another, for even taking the time to read this.

***For some reason, I can’t get the Paypal Donate button to show up. If you feel compelled to donate, please use the “Send Money” tab on your Paypal account to onenewhope @ gmail.com (without spaces.) Thank you.***

Even one dollar toward this new windshield fund would be deeply appreciated. As a bonus, if you leave a comment saying you donated or retweeted, I will give you a free copy of my upcoming e-book, “Sincere Online Community Building.” It may take a few days to complete, but know that you will get value from your donation.

Thank you again. I don’t know what else to say, except thank you.

~Kimberlee

The #1 Freelance Writing Question

Since I’ve began freelance writing, I keep getting the same question:

“How do I become a freelance writer?”

In an effort to quit repeating myself (*wink*), I created a Squidoo page which outlines the basic steps I took to become a freelance writer.

In addition to my helpful writing advice, I also included an area for you to include your favorite piece of writing advice.

If you’re already a freelance writer, I would be honored if you stopped by and left some advice for aspiring writers.

If you want to be a freelance writer, check it out and let me know if the advice is helpful to you!

Here’s the link again: How to Begin Your Freelance Writing Career

Thanks a lot everyone, enjoy!

Zen Koan Writing Series #9: The Moon Cannot Be Stolen

The Moon Cannot Be Stolen

Ryokan, a Zen master, lived the simplest kind of life in a little hut at the foot of a mountain. One evening a thief visited the hut only to discover there was nothing in it to steal.

Ryokan returned and caught him. “You may have come a long way to visit me,” he told the prowler, “and you shoud not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift.”

The thief was bewildered. He took the clothes and slunk away.

Ryokan sat naked, watching the moon. “Poor fellow, ” he mused, “I wish I could give him this beautiful moon.”

My Musings

When the country is in economic crisis, we tend to tighten our purse strings and become a little less generous. It is hard to give of what we have, when we perceive that we just don’t have enough. Uncertainty about the future also drives our decisions, so that even when we have the same amount of money as before, we fear to spend it. We become conditioned by our environment, and by forecasts of the future. In turn, we may grow miserly, and forget about the joy of giving even when the economy has returned to normal.

Writing Applications

Writers face the possibility of theft all the time, in the dreaded form of plagarism. We take all kinds of precautions to ensure our work isn’t snatched up by idea thieves. Yet it still happens, all the time. The worst part is that most plagarists don’t even care about the inspired ideas behind the writing. They only care about how that writing can benefit them.

There is a new school of thought that has come around in the internet age, regarding plagarism. Why not freely give of your ideas, instead of clutching them frantically to your chest? The open source movement has been met with skepticism in many circles, but has worked well in technology. (OpenOffice, anyone?) Even graphics and images can be shared, sometimes with limitations as with creative commons.

Open source is not the path for everyone. Depending on your goals for your writing, you may not be able to freely give of your writing. However, if you do decide to release even a small portion of your writing to the world, perhaps the would-be plagarists could actually see the light behind your words.