One of the first people I met when I started my freelance writing career was Anne Wayman. Anne was then the moderator of About.com’s Freelance Writing page, and she’d built a great community of writers.
So when she started her own community shortly after leaving About, many followed. Then Anne and I teamed up on the AboutWritingSquared.com membership forum. In general, Anne has been a strong presence in the freelance writing community, and I consider her a good friend. She’s supportive of writers at all levels of their careers, and she gives of herself without hesitation.
Friends, I’d like you to meet Anne Wayman.
Q: How long have you been freelancing?
Anne: Over 30 years, which is why I hesitate saying… into denial about my age.
Q: What’s your area of focus?
Anne: I like blogging… for writers, real estate agents and shot blogs on liberal / Buddhist philosophy.
Q: How were those first few years of freelancing?
Anne: Held together by what I now call throw-away jobs … waitressing, call center work, telesales. … those jobs did work in the sense they let me hold body and soul and kids together over time, but every time I took one I knew it was temporary. Each one was taken as an emergency response…to running out of money. I did discover I could do a variety of things… a large variety. I’d look in the newspaper and see what job I could get that day or the next. And I’ve done other jobs I didn’t consider throw-away, including some commercial fishing and boat polishing and some sales.
Q: What’s been your toughest challenge? Why?
Anne:Cash flow… poor training and also need to market. With regard to cash flow, I took a 12 Step program, two of them actually (Debtors Anonymous and Underearners Anonymous) to begin to get a real handle on how money works and how I can work with it.
Q: What training was missing?
Anne: My mom told me men would take care of the money and my dad told me women shouldn’t work and it wasn’t nice to be poor. I had no real idea of where money came from… there was a huge disconnect between say writing and earning money from it.
How has your marketing improved?
Anne: The ‘net has made it easier. People find my pro site – www.annewayman.com and come to me through www.aboutfreelancewriting.com – I reach out to possible clients much more regularly and I stay alert and willing.
Q: What was your a-ha moment– the event or circumstance that shifted your perspective or had you changing the way you do things?
Anne: It’s been gradual… learning as I go.
Q: If you could tell new freelance writers one thing to help them build a better business, what would that be?
Anne: Learn to market regularly, don’t sell yourself short, and save money!
Writers, do you have any questions for Anne?
How does Anne’s story mirror your own?
8 responses to “Writers Worth: An Interview with Anne Wayman”
Thanks for sharing a bit more of Anne's story, Lori. Like you, I found Anne online when I was first considering freelancing and have been following her ever since. Anne, you're a great mentor – thank you!
Yes, Sharon. I think she helped plenty of successful writers get their "sea legs" so to speak. 🙂
Twins, Sharon. 😉 Or maybe triplets, Lori. 🙂 Anne was one of the first I found as well. Wasn't it funny that I didn't actually meet Anne face-to-face until after I moved from San Diego (after living there over 20 years). My annual lunch with Anne is one of the highlights of my 3-Day Walk for the Cure in San Diego.
I'm bucking the trend here. I "discovered" Anne through this blog. Now she's a daily part of my writing life.
Just imagine how many writer's Anne has helped over the years—and how many more of us she'll share good, practical advice with in the future!
You know, I'm trying to remember how I found Lori and Anne. I'm not sure who I found first, and I don't remember how I got here. I guess that doesn't matter, as long as I'm here!
That's true, Ashley! You're here. That's what counts. 🙂
Always great to see Anne on board!
Yikes, I missed this one being published… talk about late to the party! Happy to answer questions too.