My word, has it been a month already? It seems like I just wrote my monthly assessment for July. Well, the calendar says it’s time, so here goes.
It was a short month for me in the earnings department thanks to two weeks in Scotland – has it really been two weeks since I came home? Feels like months. In that two weeks, I managed a ton of new work, some which came in prior to the vacation and a few “Help!” things that showed up right in the middle of the madness. Let’s hope it’s a trend.
Queries –
This was my main focus my first week back. I had compiled some ideas and outlines for articles while on vacation, which I find happens a lot. The minute the mind is allowed to relax, ideas come rushing in – do you get that, too? Anyway, I sent out five or six queries that week, and a few this past week. Nothing has come of any of it, which is beginning to annoy me. A “no thank you” note would be better than silence. Do all editors these days think common courtesy is a waste of time? But I digress…
Job postings –
Yea, no. I didn’t go here. I was busy, and I wasn’t in the mood to be depressed. As you’ve probably heard me complain in the past, online job sections such as Craig’s List are something I can take about 10 minutes of before I feel like a career change. In general there’s not much out there for professional writers wanting a decent rate for their efforts.
Existing clients –
Here’s where I cleaned up this month. I came home to three projects from past/present clients and found two more in my email, as well. That, on top of my ongoing project, will sustain me. Not make me rich, mind you, but sustenance works until the market eases up.
Earnings –
I haven’t had five minutes to figure it until now. For half a month of work, I invoiced a little over $2K. To me, that’s dismal. But that’s not including the current project I haven’t invoiced for yet. That should bring my total up to $3K, which sounds better for two weeks of work.
Bottom line –
Once people get back into their “working” mindset, which for some reason happens after Labor Day, I intend to hit the queries hard and really dig to find markets for those vacation-related proposals. My goal for September is to secure contracts from at least two of my uncommitted clients. Perhaps they too are waiting for vacation season to end? I’m also looking to pick up more insurance- or risk management-related clients. It’s my specialty, doggone it. I miss writing this stuff and I’m inches from resurrecting my risk blog just to be able to talk shop. Also, I’m back to putting words down on the current fiction book manuscript, so I intend to get at least 10K more words finished on that in September.
How was your August?
August was hit and miss, mostly because Apple refuses to come up with an acceptable solution to the fact that they sold me a heap of scrap metal masquerading as a computer, and they don't want to do anything about it.
I lost thousands of dollars and days' worth of time dealing with this, and they still just want to "talk."
I don't want a therapist. I want a working computer.
And I re-iterate — if I was a man, this would have been solved the first time I brought the non-working computer through the door. But since I'm a woman, I'm treated like the cute, dumb little errand girl who's supposed to run back and forth from store to store for solutions that don't work.
I am done.
I expected more from Apple.
Did some good work on the fiction.
Prepping for Prague.
September will be dismal as far is income because of the trip, but October is almost fully booked, and I'm getting out an enormous mailing (provided the computer doesn't eat it) when I return from my trip.
August has been more
oh, my, I trailed off in mid-sentence. Sorry.
August has been more of a seed-sowing month than a harvest month, I'm afraid.
But hopefully, I'll be able to harvest in a few months.
It does seem like we did this just yesterday!
OK, as with July, my revenue is solid and steady. However, I'm still doing a ton of procrastination. So an assignment I could have finished this month is flopping over into September (the deadline is Sept. 9, but I certainly could have had the article done by now). That means my August income isn't as high as it could be. Que sera sera.
On the marketing side, I'm still not doing enough to market myself to new customers. It seems I do that in spurts, and I haven't been able to make myself have a spurt in the past several months. Fall goal: make new marketing contacts!
Like you, I didn't apply for a single posted job. I read them, but it's plain they're all an utter waste of time.
The good news is that one of my clients for whom I did a bi-monthly column and who dumped me in June because of a budget slash has now rehired me. Money's back!
Maybe that's a good sign for all of us?
Thanks, Lori, for your transparency each month!
Gabriella, sometimes transparency makes me feel a little naked! But I'm determined to bare my, er, soul so everyone else will examine their own situations. It's the ony way to keep on top of your goals.
Devon, I'm surprised at Apple. You'd think by now they'd have had this solved for you. Disappointing to say the least.
In a word, my August was crappy. After having a solid May, June and July, I was hoping for a fourpeat. That was not to be. And unlike you, I put out all kinds of feelers on job postings (being very selective of course) with my free time. Not a one panned out. My only work in August came from existing clients. Keeping my fingers crossed that the day after Labor Day brings all the clients out of their summer slumber.
They'll be back, Kathy. We gotta have faith (as George Michael says). 🙂
Following Devon's agricultural metaphor, my crops have greatly improved. I completed several articles and a few columns, am working on seven more articles, and nabbed two very promising new clients.
Next comes the hardest part: waiting patiently to reap the harvest as payments begin filtering in.
August was good for me, not quite as lucrative as July, but close! I didn't apply for any job postings, but here's what I'm happy about: I was able to make nearly as much as in July, despite all the time I spent at the barn, doing pre-wedding stuff with my friend, and going to lots of doctor's appointments for a medical study I'm participating in.
I totally understand what you said about how idea come when you are relaxing! I just took 4 days off this last weekend & on the long drive home I had some great ideas for magazine articles! And I've never been published, just fantasized about it!
I think it may be time to stick my neck out there!
Maybe it's because you're doing things you like, Katharine, that you were able to be productive in the time you had. Or hey, you're charging what you're worth. Go, girl!
Stick your neck out, Brenda. 🙂 Look at it as dipping a toe in. Starting is the hard part – keeping at it is tougher. But we're here for you!