What’s on the iPod: All You Ever Do is Bring Me Down by The Mavericks
How was your weekend? We had glorious sunshine and high temps. Beautiful days to be out and about. Too bad I wasn’t.
Ah, it’s just one thing after another. There’s something about an invasion of the body that brings out every other thing you didn’t want to deal with. Mine is an intestinal infection — one that has happened before but never to this degree. It made walking, even moving, difficult. Luckily no fever, but the ache was enough to halt me in my tracks. Today, so far, is better. I’m hoping the antibiotics are finally working.
Now on to the monthly assessment, which I can’t put off any longer. Given that I worked a total of 10 days this past month, I don’t have a lot to show for it. But here’s the damage anyway: Note that most of these results came in after I got home on the 18th, including any marketing efforts.
Queries:
I sent out two. One has resulted in a double assignment (possibly — the editor is to get back to me this week). Just what I needed. My bank account is holding its own, but I need to replenish the funds. The other is in the hands of another favorite editor. I’m hoping he’s inclined to one of my ideas or has another to send along to me.
LOIs:
I sent some those few days prior to surgery (May 6, 7, and 8), but nothing substantial. I still have a good deal of conference contacting to do, so I kept it simple on the LOIs. However, those sent during the show did net me one quick job when I returned on the 18th, and I’m talking to other clients at the moment.
Exisitng clients:
Two clients came to me: one with a rush request and the other with a job due on Friday, which is manageable. I didn’t market to them, and thankfully they had a need when I had a financial need.
New clients:
As I mentioned before, one new client showed up thanks to an LOI I’d sent not in April but sometime before that (March perhaps?). That resulted in last week’s job and some ongoing possibilities. I have the list of projects before me. I’m waiting to see if my first draft came close to what they’re after. If so, I may have a good bit of work to take me through the summer and well into fall.
Have another new client thanks to the conference. I’m working on a longer term project right now that I’m excited to get going on. I won’t make a fortune doing it, but it will be fun and educational — right up my alley.
Other new clients are in somewhat of a holding pattern. I’m talking with them and they’re holding off partly because of my surgery and recovery and partly because they’re trying to find ways to utilize me.
Earnings:
Ah, here’s the part I’ve been dreading. As of last Monday, I expected to report no earnings at all. Happily though, work came in last week and I was able to send out two invoices. Not great, but considering I haven’t been around most of the month. I’m okay with that. Sometimes there are more important things to deal with and work must take a back seat.
Bottom line:
I’m really glad I got the bank account in great shape this year. That’s been a blessing and one less thing I’ve had to worry about during this entire surgical ordeal. Also, this all happening right after the conference was untimely in a way (couldn’t get projects lined up while the prospects were still thinking about it), but it was also good in that I could get some things scheduled and get some money rolling in again. While I’m at about 25 percent of what I normally bill, I’m still earning and I’m going to cut myself a little slack. Stuff happens. It’s okay to roll with it.
How was your May? Were there any surprises, good or bad? What’s your plan for June?
My May could be summed up really fast: Despite working very hard every day and avoiding medical emergencies, my income was less than half my monthly goal.
The painful details:
Queries: Sent four individual queries plus a batch of ideas to Favorite Editor. One assignment so far; there may be more.
LOIs: Sent three, followed up on two older ones. One of the new LOIs had an immediate, positive reply.
Job Listings: Replied to four listings and actually got a positive response from one of them. First time for everything.
Existing clients: Turned in four articles and four columns. Working on seven more assignments all due by June 15th.
New Clients: Expecting a firm assignment from the place that replied to my LOI so quickly.
Referrals: One of my former résumé clients felt so bad when she had to lay off a longtime colleague that she referred her to me to re-do her résumé.
Earnings: Like I said above, my actual income was less than half my monthly goal. But my outstanding invoices and current work load equal my monthly goal. Sadly the bulk of it is for the long-time client with the new owner whose "new, more efficient" payment system takes 3 months. Ugh. Especially painful with property taxes and quarterlies one day apart.
I'm beginning to think clients collude to delay payments whenever a quarterly tax payment is due.
In following up with one client, the invoice was sent to accounting as soon as they received it (a month ago), but accounting did not process it. It will be processed today.
Another client was billed for a deposit 3 weeks ago on a new project (in which they received a proposal & gave me the green light)and only when I followed up about scheduling a call did they deign to tell me we were "not aligned on fees." My follow-up to discuss terms have been ignored as they are probably waiting until this Friday when we have a call on another project.
A third client was billed 3 weeks ago for the balance on a huge project and only after repeated follow-ups to see if they received the large attachment did they decide to tell me it was "not what they expected." Call scheduled with them tomorrow.
So, if I had all these checks in my hot little hand, it would have been a great May. As it is, I barely met target (which is the 1st time this year I've even done that).
I was supposed to have a series of ongoing projects from the one where we are "not aligned" so who knows how that will end up.
I just landed another project from an existing client. My ongoing blogging projects keep me afloat – thank the Lord.
I did a couple of follow-ups to some prospects I've been chatting with. So, hope springs eternal.
Why do I have a sudden urge to go back to bed? 😉
Always when the taxes are due, Paula. Hope it clears for you soon.
Cathy, good luck on that call tomorrow. Frustrating, for sure!
I had 3 new clients in may, one coaching and a couple folks wanting writing. Just now received the last payment on that group, and more work coming in… love it when it's working well.
Glad you've got income and work in spite of major surgery lady.
Cathy, maybe the best response when anyone says the rates are "not aligned" is to say something like, "I know. It should have been (fill in a larger fee)."
Good news. The assignment I was expecting came through, but instead of one article the editor wants a series of articles. Too bad their pay rate is low. But the articles will be fairly simple and quick to turn around – and it's a respected publication.
Anne, I tried to line stuff up beforehand, and in one case, that worked. It's rolling in now.
Sounds great, Paula. How can you convert that low-paying gig into a higher-paying one?
The low-payer will be for occasional quick turn-around fill-in work only. This series will be easy since there's no research – they're on my b-i-l's creative writing process, his ability to produce high-quality films on a microbudget, and what he's doing to promote and distribute his films.
The sad fact is most of the screenwriting/producing/directing trades pay about the same low rate. And two of my long-time clients are already among the top paying entertainment trades. That's why the new place is just fill-in work.