As a self-employed writer, you lose one of the greatest assets most professionals take for granted: co-workers. Not too many like-minded people visit your home office each day. But we’re out there, and we want to connect both to further our careers and to discuss the ins and outs of our business. The internet all but erases the barriers to allow communication across the globe. Now the only problem is finding where everyone hangs out!

A fairly recent discovery of mine is the Videogame Journos Network, a social site where fellow writers talk about recent news or just chew the fat. It’s a great source of both inspiration and jobs, and you’ll probably recognize quite a few names there (like me). Don’t be shy!

Of course MySpace and Facebook can be used, but I actually recommend against using them for your professional work unless you keep it confined to just that. A better option is LinkedIn, as it’s designed specifically for business folk to make work connections and further their career. Here’s my LinkedIn profile as an example, and don’t hesitate to add me!

No matter what or how many networking methods you choose, the most important thing to remember is keep at it. Don’t be afraid to tell people what you do (and how good you are at doing it). Half the battle of a freelancing career is learning to plug yourself without sounding like a used car salesman.