I was thinking about what to tell you this month, and really wanted to highlight what it is that I enjoy so much about writing for magazines and print publications. It is definitely a different experience to craft a piece for this medium as opposed to writing one for the web, but it was a challenge for me to explain exactly what I like better
While most freelance writers despise cold calling, this is something I have grown to love over the years. In fact, I get a rush out of making cold calls from time to time. This may not be something I do every day, but here and there is fits nicely into my marketing plan. Recently, when working with a few members of my freelance writing course,
I ran out of patience the other day and I should have run across to the neighbor to borrow some more. After all, this working mom doesn’t rise to perfection without a liberal dash of patience. I must treat my children with patience. I must wait days or weeks patiently for a free hour to watch my favorite show. I must patiently wait on clients
Some days it seems like everyone has an opinion on how you should work. They tell you – don’t take it personally, but you need to work smarter. Well, do take it personally and they’re right But, ignore them if it doesn’t work for you Only you know what working smarter means for you. Three Smart Steps When I started my own business in 2008, I had
Here’s a lesson I’ve been trying to teach my almost-four-year-old: you have to plan for tomorrow today. Of course, I keep it age-appropriate for her, especially since the concept of today and tomorrow are still kind of vague. You know, if you eat all the goldfish today you won’t have any to eat tomorrow. Let’s lay out your clothes tonight so they’ll be ready tomorrow.
Yesterday, I spent the day out of my office meeting with potential clients. While it took up several hours, in the end it was well worth it as I closed a couple of deals. During my time in the car, driving from one appointment to the next, I began to think about what I really needed by my side and what I could have left
As we discussed in the comments of another recent post, every freelancer has a different ideal office situation. Usually we just have to make do with something less than desirable for a time, especially if we’re trying to play mom while also enjoying a home career. Personally, I’ve had a long-time dream of a cozy library style office, but it didn’t seem to be coming
Over the years, I’ve become increasingly more frugal and more DIYish. I blame self-employment for enabling me to figure out just how much I can do on my own. I never buy frozen dinners because, besides the health factors, I can make the same meal for less money. I have decent sewing skills and I’m always passing up clothes because I think I can make
If you are a writer, chances are good that you already understand that relationships in this industry matter. If you want to write for print, this can actually be a subject that is even more vital. When you write for an online publication it is fairly typical to never meet the person you are working with. Most contact is established via e-mail and subsequent information/instructions
As a freelance writer, most of your time will be spent writing. That being said, you need to save time throughout the day for other tasks such as sales and marketing. Even though you may have enough work right now to keep busy, you never know when things are going to slow down. For this reason, marketing your services should be an ongoing task. But
It’s a mistake authors make all the time. They labor away on their manuscript, editing and re-editing; they even hire someone else to help them. And when they’re done, they tentatively put it up for sale. Without thinking about the one thing that can make or break a book: the sales copy. Your content will determine if they read the book all the way through
This morning, as I worked with my kids at school, I realized just how often subjects and verbs get complicated and mismatched. This happens most frequently when you have more than one noun in the subject in the sentence. Consider the following: One of the boys jump over the fence. One of the boys jumps over the fence. Which one is correct? Let’s dissect them
To make a good living from writing, you must (must MUST) charge a rate that you can live on. Years ago, when I first started freelance writing, I routinely accepted jobs for just one or two cents per word. I had a full-time job that paid handsomely, I was just happy to be paid to write, and I didn’t know better. Now, I wouldn’t dream
It’s happening all over the web: bloggers are becoming authors. And you can too. Publishers see bloggers as a safe bet—these are people who already have a loyal audience and a solid working platform. But you don’t have to work with a traditional publisher to get your book out there; self publishing offers some serious advantages especially for the blogger-turned-author. Whichever publishing path you go
Like many freelance writers, I do not enjoy talking about myself. That being said, there is a fine line between bragging on yourself and doing an effective job in the sales and marketing department. Are you comfortable with “face to face marketing?” In short, this is the act of marketing your services to potential clients in person. No matter the setting – from conferences to
The environment I’m in influences the quality of my work, or at the very least how I feel about the work. For example, I can’t write in bed. I can’t sit with a laptop in bed and expect to create great things. I’d rather just sleep so long as I’m there. I need a real office space where I feel empowered and professional in order
For many self-employed workers, taxes and savings are the two hardest expenses to keep up with. I think it’s because there’s no immediate benefit or consequence to either of them. A lot of people mentally plan their budgets based on a certain dollar amount that often hasn’t been adjusted for taxes or savings. So you might end up spending all your money and not having
Grammar, in so many ways, is like the seasoning in a soup. A dash of salt and a pinch of pepper and the soup tastes amazing—too much though, and you get an uneatable mess. Too little and you get a bland broth. In order to be a good cook, you need to know your herbs and spices. Well in order to be a good writer,
As you continue to market your services, you will receive many of the same questions from potential clients. You are sure to hear the following from time to time: What sets you apart from other writers? Why should I hire you instead of another freelancer? These are legitimate questions – and you need to have legitimate answers. If you are unprepared for the above questions,
There was an interesting comment in a recent article of mine that made me think. Another mom-who-happens-to-work-at-home mentioned that she “just can’t call herself a WAHM.” It made me smile for a couple of reasons. One – I smiled because I suspect I know exactly why that particular title makes her uncomfortable. And – Two – because I use that particular term on purpose here
Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe it’s another new year already. I usually have my goals and resolutions set by late October or early November. But I’m a bit late to the game this year. In fact, I’ve been somewhat absent here for months. I had a crazy year in 2011. My guy and I started looking for a new place around May. That
Did you start 2012 with the goal of becoming a full-time freelance writer? For many people, the writing part of a writing business is the easy part. The business part – making a living and following the necessary tax rules – is harder. Income & Taxes To be a successful freelance writer, you need to make enough money to pay your taxes, save money, and
Are you comfortable with your current marketing plan? If not, there is no better time than now to make the necessary changes. As soon as the calendar turns over to 2012, you will want to focus your time and effort on marketing your freelance writing business through a variety of methods. In short, the beginning of the year is one of the best times to
I’m not sure how much of a mother’s personality comes from her career, her children, her life perspective or her own personality traits that have been recessed since everything else came along. I have plenty of friends who don’t have a career inside or outside of the home. I have ample friends who are highly educated professionals in their fields as they work for “the
It’s the end of another year and that means it’s time to make financial plans and goals for next year. Most of the financial advice you’ll read this time of year revolves around getting your taxes together. But, there’s more for freelancers to think about. Reflect on what you’ve done well and not so well this year, and decide what you’ll do differently next year.
Cold calling is a numbers game. In other words, if you make enough calls you are eventually going to find somebody who is interested. This leads to one very common issue: compiling a cold call list that is big enough to keep you busy, day after day. Here are three tips that I have successfully employed: 1. Local phone book. Although phone books are pretty
While we all love a good colloquialism, there is most certainly too much of a good thing at times. Idioms, or those charming expressions that don’t make any sense to anyone outside of your area, can be overused. We’ve done a bit on the more offensive and odd slang in the (American) English language, but there are plenty of more polite, if occasionally idiotic, expressions
If you are trying to break into print writing, the holiday season can be friend or foe, depending on how you use it. Over the years it has been my experience that trying to query in the period from Thanksgiving until around the Superbowl is a huge waste of time. That said, you can use that time to get your foot in the door if
Whenever I think about sinking ships, I think of the movie Titanic and how so many people stayed onboard the boat and denying its – and their – fate. Don’t ignore the signs that your writing business is sinking. You don’t have to call it quits, but you do need to make changes to ensure your business keeps going. Has your monthly income been declining
Over the years, I have found that many small businesses are in need of freelance contractors. This holds true with many types of professionals including writers, designers, and internet marketers among others. Before you pitch your services to a small business, regardless of your method (cold calling, in person, etc.) you should ask yourself these three questions. 1. Do I know enough about the industry