What’s on the iPod: Unbelievers by Vampire Weekend
So far, a really productive week. I’m writing this Wednesday afternoon as we wait for our “first significant snowfall” of the season, as they call it on the Weather Channel. I’m staring out at snow, which has been the case since what feels like January, so I’m not sure what they’re talking about.
But I guess 5-8 inches is significant enough to talk about.
It’s also why I’m writing this overdue monthly assessment a day ahead of when it’s scheduled. See, we had an all-day ice storm on Tuesday. Now snow formed from what would otherwise be a really big rainstorm. Last time that happened, we were sitting in the dark for four days.
So I’m planning ahead. To do the post that’s late in coming. My life is that kind of ironic.
For those of you new to the blog, feel free to share your own monthly progress on this blog every month. It’s a great way to push yourself to reach those goals you’ve been talking about.
Let’s get to it.
Queries:
I sent out three. The result: two assignments that came in this month. The other one has me concerned. This is an editor I’ve worked with quite often. In the last eight months, she’s not responded to any of my queries or follow-up notes. Must follow up by phone or at the conference. I hope she’s okay.
LOIs:
Not as many as I’d liked to have sent, but I did send out 18 letters of introduction. I got three conversations out of the effort.
Social media:
I sent out a few invitations for conversations, but nothing yet.
Job postings:
Having found a more vetted source of job listings, I applied to one job that fit perfectly. And of course they immediately turned me down. That’s why I hate job listings — you’re competing with way too many writers. Even a perfect fit gets lost in the crowd. Do I think they hired someone with less experience? Not necessarily, but in a traditional setting, I’d have been interviewed. It was that good a fit.
Existing clients:
I finished a larger project for a favorite client, started on a project for an existing client,, and wrote an article for an editor I like working with. The existing clients made up 80 percent of my earnings.
New clients:
Then there’s the new client. I’m enjoying working with this one as he’s very communicative and gives positive feedback. Most people are great at giving negative feedback, but forget the good stuff. Not that I’m craving it, but it’s nice to have once in a while.
Poetry:
I set a goal to send out one poem a week and write at least three a week. I’m a little off the writing part as I’ve been spending a lot more time editing, but I’m on target with the weekly submission. Until I get a larger body of work, I don’t want to overdo it with the simultaneous submissions. No acceptances yet, but I do have one coming out in published form this month.
Earnings:
I started February surpassing my earnings goal based on the projects sitting in my in box. I ended the month with all but one project (and naturally, the one that pays most) finished and invoiced. Since I count my invoiced totals, I just missed my earnings goal by $1K. It sucks that it’s not done, but if I can get it completed by the end of this month, that will be a great boost to March’s total.
Bottom line:
I’ve put a lot more energy into diversifying the projects I’m trying to win. It’s worked. I’m going to continue doing so, and I’m continuing with a new letter of introduction approach. Also, I’m pushing hard this month to reach as many conference exhibitors as I can since I did manage to book my room and my flight for the show in April.
My goal is to continue marketing every day and increasing the number of people I market to.
Writers, how did you do in February?
What worked?
Where did things go awry?
How do you plan for work a few months out?
Queries: Two sent out, responses zero. Boo!
LOIs: Following on from my pathetic three in Jan, I sent out a whopping thirteen this month. I'm targeting the pet industry a lot more, and that's really working for me. Although nothing signed and sealed yet, I'm talking to a number of vets who are interested in what I have to offer.
Social media: After your tip about sending a message when people follow/connect Lori, I've got one meeting with a local potential client this month, and have been chatting with a number of others who *may* need me in the future.
Existing clients: I'm now writing two articles a month for a national cat magazine, and I have four regulars who I write for weekly/monthly.
New clients: A couple of fab new clients, I'm ghostwriting a business blog for one but they're promoting me personally on Twitter/LinkedIn, which is really nice! Another came from my finance background, and at £1 a word for website/newsletter articles I'm hoping they're going to stick around!
Referrals:Two referrals from a writer friend in a similar niche – she's happy writing about dogs but when her clients want a cat writer she sends them my way. I've also helped her out with her workload this month because she's in the middle of a huge project.
So all in all, I'm happy with the way things are progressing! I've re-written my website slightly to concentrate on the pet niche, and my marketing is all geared up towards that as well. Onwards and upwards! ;o)
Emily, that's great progress! Wonderful to hear. 🙂
Thanks Lori :o) I didn't think that pets could be a niche (silly me!), but I'm so glad I'm going in that direction. Going to a pet trade show later on in the year, which will be a big step for me.
In fact, I'm just reading through a blog post of yours from 2011 about trade show marketing, and making copious notes, so thank you x
You're really working it, Emily!
I had a couple odd issues arise, so this will be long.
Queries: Sent five ideas to two editors. One was assigned. Another was perfectly timed since the editorial staff had just discussed the need to cover what I'd pitched.
LOIs: Sent one LOI on Monday so I haven't had a reply yet. Followed up on two others.
Job Postings: Replied to three that felt like good fits.
Existing Clients: Finished two articles for Favorite Editor, am working on a third; sent in ~34 entries for a huge list; wrote an education article. Checked in with two editors I hadn't heard from in a while; one asked for some pitches.
Bad news about my column: I sent my editor a time-sensitive column. No reply. It didn't run in print. I emailed to see if it would run online, reminding him that it needed to run by a certain day. No reply. A week later someone replied saying my (associate) editor no longer there and he was the replacement. He said readers love the column and they want to keep it.
I had the prior editor's contact info, so I checked in. Seems the executive editor cleaned house and brought in all new people. The executive editor has a reputation of being impossible to work for, so the new people probably won't last long.
A few days later the new guy sent me a press release about a film screening at SXSW this month, saying the editor wanted me to cover it because the filmmaker ias from our area. Um…#1 my column is about TV, not movies; #2 they have staffers for things like that; #3 they pay next to nothing so I only write about things requiring minimal research and interviews, are things I really want to write about, or let me use material and quotes leftover from my real work. Worse yet? They misspelled my name in my byline and removed my bio blurb.
New Clients: My first assignment for a new market fell through when the key source bailed. It was a single-source story about an HR initiative the guy started. The publicist said the exec wanted to do the interview but he'll be traveling around the world (he runs a major hotel chain) for several weeks ahead of some big summer push. So they were hoping we could postpone it to Q3. I let the editor know – and he asked for more ideas.
Something promising balanced the scales. In December I applied to write a series of short articles. The editor assigned it and he said he needed copy by January 2. I contacted him to explain that deadline was impossible, especially since it would require celebrity interviews. No response. In January I replied to two more pitches, only to realize they were for the same editor. I thought I'd blown any chance of working there. In late January I was told the pieces from December had been reassigned. A couple weeks later another message said they'd been reassigned yet again, then another said the project had been canceled. A few days later I had an email from a different editor there saying the first guy had left, but he'd keep me in mind for future assignments.
Earnings: Pathetic, if you could tanglible income. But if you count invoices (whether paid yet or not), then I'm $300 above my monthly goal.
Bottom Line: I need to get those pitches out!
Emily, glad the info is helping! I'm happy to share specifics with you, if it helps.
Paula, wow. Sounds like publishing is going through some pretty awful growing pains. Truth is they probably don't pay enough to keep good people.
And yes, invoices count. 🙂
If invoices count, I sure wish the gaps and power companies would accept them as payment? 😉
At this point, if they give me any grief or start making demands about to column I'll tell them to pay up or I'll take it elsewhere. Since starting it I've developed a working relationship with a larger local paper that's part of a small syndication group, so perhaps there's a chance to earn more per column…but the parent company seems more interested in profits over quality, so it could be trading a less-than-ideal situation for a worse one.
Gas. I means the gas and power companies. But you knew that, right?
You mean I have to remember what happened in February when I struggle to remember yesterday? 😉 We'll give it a shot.
Existing Clients: I start with the positive. I have never been so buried in projects. That's the good news. The bad news is they all keep shifting around and seem to forget I have other projects I'm working on. But if that's the worst that happens, I'm a happy camper.
Currently, I have an ongoing monthly ghostblogging gig, a ghostwritten article for a trade pub, 3 new resource documents, and 4 updates of old white papers.
New clients: Spoke with two prospects and sent proposals. Speaking for the 2nd time with one today and the other has been traveling and assured me she has not blown off my proposal.
Industry stuff: Existing client is hosting a Wellness Symposium (like they did last year). I will be attending to cover on their behalf but it also a great networking opportunity.
Marketing: I sent out 10 postcard mailings that I will be following up on this week. Emails sent as well but without having it in front of me I don't remember how many.
Earnings: The delayed checks from January helped. Second highest earnings month since I started freelancing.
Bottom line…very busy. 🙂
I knew that, Paula. 🙂
How are things going with the postcards in general, Cathy? Sounds like you're buried in work — AMEN!
So glad you keep doing this column, Lori. 2014, in general, was a weak year for me. Partly that stemmed from my cutting back on major projects to focus on the MFA but a bigger chunk of it resulted from the educational projects drying up.
I'm happy to report that 2015 has been a complete turnaround. I've already picked up two educational projects and have been in contact about a few more. Better still is that I met my earnings goal in both January and February. And the best news of all? My deadbeats claim the final installment of my one-YEAR-old invoice is in the mail. I'll believe it when I see it. In the meantime, fingers crossed my current trend continues!
Kathy, that's fantastic! One year later sucks, but payment! Yes!
I've seen the same thing –2015 is definitely busier.