Tag Archives: organization

5 Tips for Becoming a Happier and More Productive Freelance Writer

By on March 13th, 2013

It’s one thing to enjoy the freedom freelance writing offers. But sometimes we still get overwhelmed. Deadlines loom, payments might seem to take forever, and our to-do lists could occupy a mile-long scroll. Fortunately there are some things you can do to make yourself more productive than ever, and even happier in your freelance writing work. Here are five tips to help you become a happier and more productive freelance writer: 1. Make a plan. If you don’t already have a business plan and marketing plan, create one. If you have one but you created it a while back, update …

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Posted in Freelance Writing Business, Productivity & Organization |

Freelance Writers: How to Prioritize Your Own Projects

By on September 28th, 2010

I made a comment on Twitter (@queryfreewriter) last week about blog posts. I mentioned how my titles for client blog posts tend to be much better than those for my own sites, and how maybe I should start treating my own projects as I would a client’s. Others chimed in with similar sentiments and LaToya thought it would make for a good blog post idea. Let’s talk about the issue of taking our own work as seriously as we take client projects, and what we can do to make productive changes. How Serious Are Your Own Projects? Whether you write …

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Posted in Beyond Freelance Writing, Freelance Writing Business, Productivity & Organization |

10 Tips to Keep Your Desk Organised for Maximum Productivity

By on May 13th, 2010

The below post is a guest post from Tom Walker. It is easy to end up with a desk piled high with papers, coffee cups, family photos, out-of-date Dilbert calendars, tiny mascots and all manner of stuff. The usual excuse for out-of-control desks is that “a messy desk shows a creative mind.” Whilst that may be true, there is significant evidence that a work space that looks like a landfill is extremely counter-productive. A survey conducted in the UK by office products manufacturer Avery demonstrated that over half of the respondents couldn’t see their desks for the junk they kept …

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Posted in Productivity & Organization |

Organized Marketing

By on April 15th, 2010

I interrupt this scheduled broadcast (a blog post about organized marketing) to bring you an important message from one of the most valuable teachers a freelance writer can ever learn from: experience. As in over the past few weeks I have experienced the loss of two computers and a hard drive and have had to keep business as usual up. This catastrophic situation was made all the less catastrophic by the fact that I’ve done a lot of what LaToya is telling you to do: I’ve got savings and I’ve got an emergency fund. This is a little PSA to …

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Posted in Marketing, Productivity & Organization |

Slaying the Email Dragon

By on January 15th, 2010

Email is a conquest all freelance writers face. Generally daily. It steals our attention, our time and that means our money. In 2010, make sure that you slay the email dragon, not smolder in its clutches. Geeky fantasy imagery aside, spending too much time and energy on email is a serious problem for freelance writers. The time spent on email is too much, too frequent and too inefficient for a serious business owner to condone. Personally, I have some harsh rules regarding my email. Rules I didn’t think I could follow, but it comes to setting firm rules with clients …

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Posted in Productivity & Organization |

What I’ve Already Learned in 2010

By on January 3rd, 2010

Today my vacation time comes to an end. For the last week and a half I’ve enjoyed some time off. I didn’t go anywhere exciting, but rather just enjoyed some peace and quiet and finished a lot of much-needed housework (although I’ll still be cleaning and re-organizing for weeks I’m sure — haven’t tackled the dreaded closets yet!). Even though we’re only a few days into 2010, the time off has given me time to think and reflect both on business and life. I’ve learned a few things — or perhaps re-learned a few things, since none of this is …

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Posted in Freelance Writing Business |

The Freelance Writer’s Guide to Project Management

By on December 15th, 2009

I do a lot of Internet searches and ask freelance writing colleagues a lot of questions about project management for freelance writers–and as a productivity and organization nerd, I’ve been sorely disappointed. I, like most writers, like to tweak everything until it is maximally effective, so I’ve found that an action-based and simplistic approach to project management is key. Below are some steps and some tips to help you find your most effective formula for freelance writer project management. Managing Your Freelance Writing Project Schedule Before you can manage individual projects, you need a setup that helps keep all projects–billable …

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Posted in Productivity & Organization |