Today: Blogging Basics for Writers

6 simple steps for starting your freelance writing blog – Includes information on picking a topic, choosing software, committing to regular postings and more.

How to write great freelance blog posts – Not all great blog posts are alike. Some are lists, some Q&As, some really long, some really short. The secret is to mix it up.

The art of the link – The one thing all good blog posts have in common: links to other material on the same subject.

Tips for improving traffic to your freelance blog – SEO isn’t the only trick to getting more traffic to your blog.

Should you put ads on your freelance blog? – Some writers do, some don’t, all have an opinion.

How to write blog posts that get comments – Being controversial helps. But be careful what you wish for.

Later this week:

Tomorrow: Tips for improving your writing

Thursday: Best blogs for writers

Friday: Career development for freelancers

This week, FWJ announced they’re looking for a paid blogger to write two posts a week. The pay’s $100 a month. It’s a job search with a twist. Instead of asking candidates to submit resumes, they’re running an American Idol style open audition. Interested candidates have until this Friday, June 13, to read the contest directions and then pitch themselves in the comments section of this FWJ post. On Friday, FWJ readers will choose their 12 favorite ideas, and over the coming weeks, all 12 will write a blog posts on a given theme and readers can comment on the bloggers and their posts. Bloggers will be eliminated as the weeks go on until the winner’s announced.

Because of the relatively low pay this won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but some might want to give it a go. So may the best blogger win. But will they be as cute as David Cook?