What’s on the iPod: Ashamed by Deer Tick
Busy weekend, busier week. I intend to take off much of it as no client is around, but I do have some writing time to put in. In fact, when the clients are away, I can get so much done rather than focus on requests. It’s “me” time to get their projects done without any interruptions. And I intend to get some quality time with my Surface and write. Lots of things stirring in the brain that must come out.
I wasn’t feeling well this month for the first few weeks, then I had a week spent in Maine with the worst WiFi connection on the planet. Don’t advertise it if it sucks, I say. But that meant my earnings goals weren’t going to be met. I suspected as much in May since I’d just come off of surgery, but I always hope. It wasn’t a goal-reaching month, but it was still quite fruitful.
Here’s how everything shook out:
Queries:
I sent a few. One query netted me two article assignments, so that’s always nice. Those two assignments make up the bulk of this month’s earnings, so I was glad they were larger assignments from a source that pays well.
LOIs:
Thanks to my on-again, off-again health issues, I didn’t send any LOIs out. I did, however, get more work from a client who’d received an LOI from me in March. That was fantastic.
Existing clients:
I love my clients because we understand each other. I was able to nail those two article angles, and I worked with another existing client on a regular project. It becomes quite enjoyable when you truly like and appreciate the people who hire you, and this month’s clients are top of the heap.
New clients:
I’ll call it a new client, though I worked with them last month. So far, they’ve given me two assignments, both due in July, and the promise of others to follow. They’re good to work with, too. Just enough explanation, and easy to understand.
Earnings:
Not earth-shattering totals, but I did score some healthy earnings this month. I’m also set to earn well next month, too. I’m about 25 percent off my usual, but it’s summer (the slow months), and I’m positioned well to pick up more projects and clients this month.
Bottom line:
I’m mended well and ready to start hitting the marketing hard again. I have several clients I have to get in touch with again, and I have some article ideas for my favorite editors. Health issues can’t be helped, but it’s great to have a job where I can keep working in spurts and bits while I heal. That has certainly helped keep me earning well.
How did you do in June? What’s your plan for July? Any changes to marketing or client communications you foresee?
Once again, if I received a past due payment, I would have exceeded target for the month. I have a feeling this client is trying to stiff me on the balance. Two follow-ups have not even been acknowledged.
Good news is the earnings for the 2nd quarter doubled the 1st quarter. Of course, everything's relative – the 1st Q stunk. 😉
Existing clients keep me in blog posts and ghostwritten articles and a long-time client contracted for a white paper.
No new clients, but a couple of bids out that look promising.
We're having a family reunion with family here mid-next week and the following week, so will not be as productive. But, looking forward to it.
Cathy, time for the magic words:
"Please pay within 10 days to avoid litigation."
That will get their attention. 🙂
Enjoy the family reunion! Sounds like great fun.
June was decent; July looks a little lean — I'm waiting for some big contracts to come through, and it's hard to plan around those. With Mercury Retrograde, who knows what's going to happen? But I'm getting some steady stuff done, so I just keep plugging away.
Already? Okay, here goes…
Queries: Sent three batches of queries, netted one quick assignment. (The last two batches only went out last week.)
LOIs: Sent 14, replies from four, one led to some assignments. Another was to a family friend who I thought might know the editor of a glossy newsletter I'd seen – turns out they work in the same department (on different publications) and might both have work for me. Followed up on a May LOI and got the name of their editor who works with freelancers and followed up with him. No reply yet.
Existing Clients: Turned in eight articles and four columns. Picked up second (longer) assignment from one of those clients.
New Clients: I'll follow Lori's lead and include someone I worked with once before because now that I've got my second assignment they feel more like a client. Last week they asked me to write two short pieces of catalog copy – for a new-to-them client and could turn into steady work. The one LOI that lead to some assignments is a re-launch of a magazine I used to write for. The original owner (with whom I never worked) bought it back. Sadly, they don't pay well, so when he asked for ideas, I suggested something on my brother-in-law and his microbudget films, He asked me to do a series of 1,000 word articles spanning all aspects of my b-i-l's work. I accepted for three reasons: 1) my brother-in-law prefers e-mail to phones so I wouldn't have any transcribing; 2) it could be good press for his films; 3) it's writing I can fit in around real work. And yes, I disclosed that he's my b-i-l.
Earnings: based on payments I actually received: barley half my monthly goal. If I based it on invoices sent, I would have been over my goal. Since the biggest check won't arrive until at least Labor Day, it's not income. Yet.
Bottom Line: Things better turn around fast.
Devon, right now my July has the same issue — the waiting game. I'm trying to pick up some smaller stuff to fill in the blanks and not overwhelm should the big stuff come in.
Paula, it sounds like the ground work is there. The waiting game sucks though, doesn't it?
The waiting is painful, especially when the coffers are lower than ever. Let's just say I wish I had two months worth of expenses set aside. That all went to pumping out the basement and property taxes. (Worse yet, that was only the first installment of property taxes.)
Last week I also learned that the old client with the horribly slow "new, more efficient" payment system bumped two of my stories until August. The editor said she'd "try" to push them through with the June invoices. Suddenly being paid with the June invoices (which means by the first of September) doesn't sound so bad. Way better than the first of November.
On the good side, I just finished the catalog copy. My contact is out today, but I'll have it sent in tomorrow. They pay within 30 days of invoice. Thank God.