This is driving me crazy. I just got an email with the subject, “Yeah a Birthday Baby is Born”. I’m not sure the sender (who is not known for her grammatical prowess) meant to sound as sarcastic as the teenagers we teach, but to someone who knows the difference between “yeah”, “yea” and “yay”, she did. And just what is the difference? If you don’t
Some freelancers are natural networkers. They have no problem introducing themselves to clients and colleagues, and they know how to build real relationships that benefit both parties. Other freelancers don’t have the same social skills. In general, that’s okay. I’d like to think we’re a fairly welcoming bunch overall. But every now and then someone takes networking or marketing too far, and they come across
As a freelance writer at networking events, it is easy to sit back and let potential clients ask all the questions. While there is nothing wrong with listening and answering questions, you should feel comfortable opening up and asking some questions of your own. Not only does this show more interest on your part, but it gives you a better idea of whether or not
For years I’ve been a total rock star. But I’m retiring as I approach the ripe old age of thirty-two – how very rock star of me. I’m still writing – don’t get me wrong – I’m just not going to be working toward superstar status any more. Some of the most interesting advice I ever had was from a professor in my library program.
Business writing gigs can be some of the most lucrative writing work you’ll ever take on. You can easily earn $100 per hour and more with this kind of work. You can take on projects for corporate clients. Or you can work for small businesses if you prefer (and contrary to popular belief, they often significant budgets to hire professional contractors). What are some examples of
Do you ever land bad freelance writing clients? Maybe they’re too needy. Maybe they don’t pay on time. Maybe they expect the world while paying next to nothing. These aren’t good clients to have. Yet many freelancers face these situations. You don’t have to. Here are three simple ways you can better insulate yourself from bad writing clients. 1. Be Choosy As a business owner,
I realized something kind of depressing today. I’m spending 30% more now than two years ago and the extra 30% isn’t being spent on new shoes. I was reviewing my budget earlier and it occurred to me that it’s taking a lot more money to pay for living expenses than it used to. I’m going over the numbers thinking there should be more leftover, but there’s
I ought to be declared the queen of the tech gremlins given how much time they like to spend around me. If you didn’t catch my Twitter rants, I recently had my server hacked (this site was fine). As soon as that was settled, my laptop hard drive died. The data was not recoverable. Of course, things weren’t backed up as recently as they should
Writing for print has a lot in common with writing for the web, yet they are also quite different. Today I’d like to share some “tools of the trade” that have helped me navigate my writing career–especially when it comes to magazine writing. That said, many of these can also be used for freelance writing in general. Here goes: Desk Calendar There’s nothing quite like
To reach all your freelance writing goals, it is essential to market your services on a regular basis. From query letters to cold calls to cold emails and everything in between, the more time you spend on marketing the better off you are going to be. Year after year, I have found that my marketing success is an up and down affair. By this, I
Nobody’s perfect, but most of try to get as close as possible, at least in our writing. Over the years, I’ve developed a laidback approach to the grammar and spellings of others, probably because I’m bombarded with bad spelling mistakes and grammar choices on any given day. Unlike many other writers, I also feel there are markets for all sorts of writing – including the