Comments on: To Spend or Not to Spend: That’s a Damn Good Question http://allfreelancewriting.com/2009/04/23/freelancing/business-career/to-spend-or-not-to-spend-thats-a-damn-good-question/ Your Freelance Writing Resource Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:17:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Yolander Prinzel http://allfreelancewriting.com/2009/04/23/freelancing/business-career/to-spend-or-not-to-spend-thats-a-damn-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-9527 Yolander Prinzel Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:53:38 +0000 http://allfreelancewriting.com/?p=2055#comment-9527 I do outsource, but only those things I absolutely hate doing myself. I have a VA who handles my blog (posting, updates, affiliate book updates, etc.). She also handles my calendar, entering clients, project history and rate info into a CRM program (okay, we just use Excel but I wanted to sound fancy :P), handles advertising on my blog and of my blog, and other assorted tasks. I also hire someone to clean my house because, well, I work here, I don't want to have to clean it too! That's about it for now, but as soon as I think I can comfortably afford a bookkeeper--I'll be adding that to the outsourcing roster. I do outsource, but only those things I absolutely hate doing myself. I have a VA who handles my blog (posting, updates, affiliate book updates, etc.). She also handles my calendar, entering clients, project history and rate info into a CRM program (okay, we just use Excel but I wanted to sound fancy :P), handles advertising on my blog and of my blog, and other assorted tasks. I also hire someone to clean my house because, well, I work here, I don’t want to have to clean it too! That’s about it for now, but as soon as I think I can comfortably afford a bookkeeper–I’ll be adding that to the outsourcing roster.

]]> By: Jennifer Mattern http://allfreelancewriting.com/2009/04/23/freelancing/business-career/to-spend-or-not-to-spend-thats-a-damn-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-9517 Jennifer Mattern Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:39:51 +0000 http://allfreelancewriting.com/?p=2055#comment-9517 Thanks for your thoughts on your <a href="http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2009/04/outsourcing-lifestyle/" rel="nofollow">FWJ post</a> James, as faulty as I believe a few of them are, and as disappointed as I was in your approach that felt more like a personal attack over solid reasoning and addressing all of the real questions and issues at hand (speaking of a lack of critical thinking). As I mentioned there, there are still other elements that I won't be touching on until next week, so I'm not going to comment in full until I've finished this post series (which as I also mentioned will cover other elements discussed in your original post - which you imply in your response I simply neglected altogether). Thanks for your thoughts on your FWJ post James, as faulty as I believe a few of them are, and as disappointed as I was in your approach that felt more like a personal attack over solid reasoning and addressing all of the real questions and issues at hand (speaking of a lack of critical thinking). As I mentioned there, there are still other elements that I won’t be touching on until next week, so I’m not going to comment in full until I’ve finished this post series (which as I also mentioned will cover other elements discussed in your original post – which you imply in your response I simply neglected altogether).

]]> By: The Outsourcing Lifestyle for Writers: A Bad Thing? : Business Tips for Writers http://allfreelancewriting.com/2009/04/23/freelancing/business-career/to-spend-or-not-to-spend-thats-a-damn-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-9514 The Outsourcing Lifestyle for Writers: A Bad Thing? : Business Tips for Writers Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:09:39 +0000 http://allfreelancewriting.com/?p=2055#comment-9514 [...] have noticed that Jennifer Mattern of AllFreelanceWriting was quite the champion and had strong opinions on the [...] [...] have noticed that Jennifer Mattern of AllFreelanceWriting was quite the champion and had strong opinions on the [...]

]]> By: James Chartrand - Men with Pens http://allfreelancewriting.com/2009/04/23/freelancing/business-career/to-spend-or-not-to-spend-thats-a-damn-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-9511 James Chartrand - Men with Pens Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:44:29 +0000 http://allfreelancewriting.com/?p=2055#comment-9511 Great post, Jennifer, and I'll respond with a post of my own at FreelanceWritingGigs.com this week. Great post, Jennifer, and I’ll respond with a post of my own at FreelanceWritingGigs.com this week.

]]> By: Jennifer Mattern http://allfreelancewriting.com/2009/04/23/freelancing/business-career/to-spend-or-not-to-spend-thats-a-damn-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-9506 Jennifer Mattern Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:50:06 +0000 http://allfreelancewriting.com/?p=2055#comment-9506 You gals have some good points. There always is a choice - those who want more than that freelance lifestyle always have the option of going the more traditional business route, and there's nothing wrong with either option as long as we do what feels right for each of us, while still managing a sustainable business or career (the difference between someone being happy with that $50k because it's their goal and someone not being able to get by because they haven't thought about the business side at <em>all</em> to build a real livable wage. Hazel - your point about increasing skills is also incredibly true. As a copywriter for example, our skills are much more in demand if we can handle the basic design work on top of the writing (planning a full brochure or newsletter for example rather than solely writing the content). Personally I prefer sticking to the writing, but in a pinch I know enough about coding, design work, etc. that I can offer a full-service solution if I need to. It's also great to have those extra skills if you run your own projects - being able to design a new site or e-book cover quickly that meets your needs for example. You gals have some good points. There always is a choice – those who want more than that freelance lifestyle always have the option of going the more traditional business route, and there’s nothing wrong with either option as long as we do what feels right for each of us, while still managing a sustainable business or career (the difference between someone being happy with that $50k because it’s their goal and someone not being able to get by because they haven’t thought about the business side at all to build a real livable wage.

Hazel – your point about increasing skills is also incredibly true. As a copywriter for example, our skills are much more in demand if we can handle the basic design work on top of the writing (planning a full brochure or newsletter for example rather than solely writing the content). Personally I prefer sticking to the writing, but in a pinch I know enough about coding, design work, etc. that I can offer a full-service solution if I need to. It’s also great to have those extra skills if you run your own projects – being able to design a new site or e-book cover quickly that meets your needs for example.

]]> By: Hazel http://allfreelancewriting.com/2009/04/23/freelancing/business-career/to-spend-or-not-to-spend-thats-a-damn-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-9503 Hazel Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:26:22 +0000 http://allfreelancewriting.com/?p=2055#comment-9503 Thanks, Jenn - I had some of these same thoughts when reading James's article but no time to write them down. Another reason I thought of for not outsourcing is that by doing some ancillary tasks myself I learn and add to my skill set - I'm talking about projects to improve my website, for example. I've been able to handle some writing jobs that included web presentation because I learned how to work with different web authoring programs when doing my own site. I wouldn't have been able to bid on those jobs if I had outsourced. On the business side, I find that the bookkeeping keeps me focused on my business in a way I wouldn't otherwise - and I go looking for information about my business that I might not have sought. This week I discovered that I have a client more than 45 days overdue ... not sure a hired hand would have pointed that out to me. What I really hate to do is apply for gigs - not sure how to outsource that one! Thanks, Jenn – I had some of these same thoughts when reading James’s article but no time to write them down.

Another reason I thought of for not outsourcing is that by doing some ancillary tasks myself I learn and add to my skill set – I’m talking about projects to improve my website, for example. I’ve been able to handle some writing jobs that included web presentation because I learned how to work with different web authoring programs when doing my own site. I wouldn’t have been able to bid on those jobs if I had outsourced.

On the business side, I find that the bookkeeping keeps me focused on my business in a way I wouldn’t otherwise – and I go looking for information about my business that I might not have sought. This week I discovered that I have a client more than 45 days overdue … not sure a hired hand would have pointed that out to me.

What I really hate to do is apply for gigs – not sure how to outsource that one!

]]> By: Lillie Ammann http://allfreelancewriting.com/2009/04/23/freelancing/business-career/to-spend-or-not-to-spend-thats-a-damn-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-9489 Lillie Ammann Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:42:46 +0000 http://allfreelancewriting.com/?p=2055#comment-9489 Excellent article, Jenn. I owned a business for nearly 20 years with as many as 18 employees. When I sold that company and started freelancing, I vowed I would never deal with another employee or subcontractor ever. No, I don't bring in nearly as much money as I did in my previous business, but I have far fewer hassles and keep much more of what I make. I tend to do everything myself because I like to learn new things and I'm impatient and hard to please. :-) Running a freelancing business is great for those who want that. Living a freelance lifestyle is great for those of us who prefer that. Isn't it wonderful that we can choose? Excellent article, Jenn. I owned a business for nearly 20 years with as many as 18 employees. When I sold that company and started freelancing, I vowed I would never deal with another employee or subcontractor ever. No, I don’t bring in nearly as much money as I did in my previous business, but I have far fewer hassles and keep much more of what I make. I tend to do everything myself because I like to learn new things and I’m impatient and hard to please. :-) Running a freelancing business is great for those who want that. Living a freelance lifestyle is great for those of us who prefer that. Isn’t it wonderful that we can choose?

]]> By: Dan http://allfreelancewriting.com/2009/04/23/freelancing/business-career/to-spend-or-not-to-spend-thats-a-damn-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-9486 Dan Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:16:57 +0000 http://allfreelancewriting.com/?p=2055#comment-9486 This is so nice article. I also cannot understand all those that ask me for a test task. I tend to believe that all of them are trying to scam me. This is so nice article. I also cannot understand all those that ask me for a test task. I tend to believe that all of them are trying to scam me.

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