Not long ago, Jake Poinier and I held a freelance marketing webinar, an hour of fun and advice. In that session sat Joy Drohan.
From that point to this, Joy and I have been friends. She’s a sweet person who’s a lot shier than I realized. I thought she was preserving her privacy when she started sharing her monthly assessment with me in email every month (and kudos to her — she shares it with someone).
No matter what the reason, it was evident to me she was someone who proactively sought ways to grow her freelance writing career. Not only did she attend that session, but she asked questions, shared her story, and applied what she’d learned in our marketing webinar. And whatever she’s doing, it’s working. I won’t share her results without her permission, but she’s knocking it out of the park financially these days. She’s an inspiration to me, and I know she’ll be an inspiration to you, as well.
Friends, please meet Joy Drohan.
Q: How long have you been
freelancing?
freelancing?
Joy: I started freelancing part-time in 1995, while I had a
part-time job as a writer/editor at an environmental research institute at Penn
State University. My first client was a Swiss professor who needed someone to
edit his refereed journal articles on soil bioremediation (the use of
microorganisms in soil to inactivate toxic chemicals) before submittal. I also
hung signs on bulletin boards around campus, offering editing for $11/hour.
part-time job as a writer/editor at an environmental research institute at Penn
State University. My first client was a Swiss professor who needed someone to
edit his refereed journal articles on soil bioremediation (the use of
microorganisms in soil to inactivate toxic chemicals) before submittal. I also
hung signs on bulletin boards around campus, offering editing for $11/hour.
I eventually cobbled together enough work from a few
different sources that I became a full-time employee at Penn State, and I
continued to freelance. In 2000 we moved to Shepherdstown, West Virginia, for
my husband’s job. That area has a lot of federal facilities, and around town
and through the local Audubon Society’s birdwatching trips, I met some key
people who worked at them, which helped me land some small contracts.
different sources that I became a full-time employee at Penn State, and I
continued to freelance. In 2000 we moved to Shepherdstown, West Virginia, for
my husband’s job. That area has a lot of federal facilities, and around town
and through the local Audubon Society’s birdwatching trips, I met some key
people who worked at them, which helped me land some small contracts.
I felt like I’d arrived when I won a contract to edit five
reports for the National Park Service. (My initial bid was so low that they
asked me if I wanted to rebid it. I did, but it turns out the bid was still way
too low for the amount of time the work actually took. I bit the bullet on
those reports, but that work did lead to continuing work with the Park Service,
which I always love.)
reports for the National Park Service. (My initial bid was so low that they
asked me if I wanted to rebid it. I did, but it turns out the bid was still way
too low for the amount of time the work actually took. I bit the bullet on
those reports, but that work did lead to continuing work with the Park Service,
which I always love.)
During this time, I also rode the commuter train part-time into
the Washington, D.C., suburbs for a while to work part-time as a copyeditor for
a private government services contractor for the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.
the Washington, D.C., suburbs for a while to work part-time as a copyeditor for
a private government services contractor for the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.
In 2003 we moved to Las Vegas, again for my husband’s job.
There I first freelanced full-time. I brought along some on-going projects from
West Virginia and Maryland, which eased the transition as I got to know people
in Las Vegas. My business grew each year until we had our first child in 2006,
after which I worked only part-time.
There I first freelanced full-time. I brought along some on-going projects from
West Virginia and Maryland, which eased the transition as I got to know people
in Las Vegas. My business grew each year until we had our first child in 2006,
after which I worked only part-time.
When our daughter was just three months old, we moved to
upstate New York, again—you guessed it—for the hub’s job and to be closer to
our families. We moved again in 2007 back to central Pennsylvania, so my
husband could take a job at Penn State. In 2008 our son was born, leaving me
with limited time to work. I reinitiated contacts from my grad school days and
prior employment at Penn State, and these kept me pretty steadily busy with
long-term projects. (It was then I learned the value of having long-term
clients to invoice monthly and smooth out cash flow.)
upstate New York, again—you guessed it—for the hub’s job and to be closer to
our families. We moved again in 2007 back to central Pennsylvania, so my
husband could take a job at Penn State. In 2008 our son was born, leaving me
with limited time to work. I reinitiated contacts from my grad school days and
prior employment at Penn State, and these kept me pretty steadily busy with
long-term projects. (It was then I learned the value of having long-term
clients to invoice monthly and smooth out cash flow.)
My family has been fortunate that my work is mobile, and it
even helps me when we move because I meet more people who might need my
services. (I find that most of my clients are people I’ve met in person, or
people who know someone I’ve worked with.)
even helps me when we move because I meet more people who might need my
services. (I find that most of my clients are people I’ve met in person, or
people who know someone I’ve worked with.)
Q: What’s your area of focus?
Joy: I focus on writing and editing about environmental and
agricultural science and forestry—everything from editing books and refereed
journal articles to writing 4-H curricula, grant proposals, website content,
academic administrative reports, magazine articles, etc.
agricultural science and forestry—everything from editing books and refereed
journal articles to writing 4-H curricula, grant proposals, website content,
academic administrative reports, magazine articles, etc.
I also write and edit frequently about higher education
issues, landscape architecture, and historic buildings.
issues, landscape architecture, and historic buildings.
Q: How were those first few years of freelancing?
Joy: When I started out, I was supplementing a full-time job, so
any money I made was gravy. I had no idea at the time that I would eventually
make my living solely as a freelancer through my own business. I was an
extremely shy child, so I never would have believed back then that I could
successfully run my own business.
any money I made was gravy. I had no idea at the time that I would eventually
make my living solely as a freelancer through my own business. I was an
extremely shy child, so I never would have believed back then that I could
successfully run my own business.
Q: What’s been your toughest challenge? Why?
Joy: I struggle most with uneven
income. In the last year or so, I’ve finally come round to the realization that
I need to be marketing basically all the time and my earnings are smoothing out
(and at a higher level). I try to make at least two contacts every week now.
These could be people I know but haven’t been in touch with for a while, or
people whose organizations I’d like to work with. I also force myself to make
follow-up phone calls to people I don’t hear back from. I’ve been surprised at
the number of times I get people on the phone on the first try. I’ve also been
surprised at the high level of positive feedback I’ve gotten from my emails and
calling. And I’ve found that making the calls is not nearly as bad as I’d
feared, and is sometimes even kind of fun.
income. In the last year or so, I’ve finally come round to the realization that
I need to be marketing basically all the time and my earnings are smoothing out
(and at a higher level). I try to make at least two contacts every week now.
These could be people I know but haven’t been in touch with for a while, or
people whose organizations I’d like to work with. I also force myself to make
follow-up phone calls to people I don’t hear back from. I’ve been surprised at
the number of times I get people on the phone on the first try. I’ve also been
surprised at the high level of positive feedback I’ve gotten from my emails and
calling. And I’ve found that making the calls is not nearly as bad as I’d
feared, and is sometimes even kind of fun.
I’ve also started breaking
large project invoices into smaller, more frequent bills to smooth out cash
flow.
large project invoices into smaller, more frequent bills to smooth out cash
flow.
Q: What was your a-ha moment – the event or
circumstance that shifted your perspective or had you changing the way you do
things?
circumstance that shifted your perspective or had you changing the way you do
things?
Joy: When I was finishing up my master’s degree in
environmental pollution control, my thesis advisor signed me up to present my
research at an international conference. I was terrified, but there was no getting out of it. I had a long time to
prepare, so I just kept telling myself that I was the expert on this work, and
my talk and my slides were done far in advance. So I practiced and practiced
and practiced. On the big day I was nervous, and I sounded it, at least
starting out, but as I went on, I got calmer and more confident. Overall, it
went much better than I could have hoped, although of course it wasn’t perfect.
I have since thanked my advisor several times for forcing me to make this
presentation, because thereafter I knew that if I could do that, I could do
anything.
environmental pollution control, my thesis advisor signed me up to present my
research at an international conference. I was terrified, but there was no getting out of it. I had a long time to
prepare, so I just kept telling myself that I was the expert on this work, and
my talk and my slides were done far in advance. So I practiced and practiced
and practiced. On the big day I was nervous, and I sounded it, at least
starting out, but as I went on, I got calmer and more confident. Overall, it
went much better than I could have hoped, although of course it wasn’t perfect.
I have since thanked my advisor several times for forcing me to make this
presentation, because thereafter I knew that if I could do that, I could do
anything.
I’ve carried that confidence into my business, and without having
lived through that presentation, I doubt I’d have had the backbone to
continually do what it takes to run and grow my own business.
lived through that presentation, I doubt I’d have had the backbone to
continually do what it takes to run and grow my own business.
Q: If you could tell new freelance writers one
thing to help them build a better business, what would that be?
thing to help them build a better business, what would that be?
Joy: Don’t ever assume that any client is permanent. People
change jobs, funding falls through, you’re underbid, etc. You really do have to
be marketing all the time. There are many ways to do it. Find the ways that
best suit you. Get out and meet people face to face, especially when you’re
starting out. Use all your contacts. If you do good work and meet deadlines,
most people will be glad to help spread the word about your services.
change jobs, funding falls through, you’re underbid, etc. You really do have to
be marketing all the time. There are many ways to do it. Find the ways that
best suit you. Get out and meet people face to face, especially when you’re
starting out. Use all your contacts. If you do good work and meet deadlines,
most people will be glad to help spread the word about your services.
Writers, how does your story mirror Joy’s?
Do you have questions for Joy? Any story of your own to share?
10 responses to “Writers Worth: An Interview with Joy Drohan”
I'm thrilled to meet you here, Joy, and will likely stalk you on social media until you follow me. LOL!
You've really forced your shyness to the side to do the marketing and presentations.
I'm shy too, at least until I get comfortable with people or situations. (Lori has obviously made it very comfortable here, since I'm constantly spouting off.) The one area I'm not shy about is contacting people about work. Long ago, one editor remarked that I wasn't afraid to try calling ANYONE. Why? Because work gives me a mission, a reason to call – something lacking in a lot of daily non-work related interactions.
Please, Joy, don't be shy around here!
Great advice, Joy. I know how tough it can be to put yourself out there (I'd much rather stay behind the scenes too). But forcing yourself to make contact with people really does pay off.
Hi Paula and Sharon,
Thanks for reaching out. I will never be an extrovert, but I do frequently marvel at what I've been able to accomplish. I have my niches, and my client list and earnings are growing. I am so much more comfortable in my own skin than I used to be, and it feels so good to be self-confident. I enjoy meeting new people and need a good amount of social time to be happy. One of my great delights is that my daughter is so much more self-confident than I was at her age.
Good idea to connect on LI, Paula.
Best,
Joy
Hi Joy, nice to get to know you on Lori's lovely blog! I've moved around a bit for my husband's job too (four states in three years!), so the mobility of the career really is a selling point for folks like us. 🙂
I think your end point is key–clients constantly come and go, no matter how good of a relationship you have with them.
What a fascinating journey, Joy. You are the poster child for the perseverance needed to succeed as a freelancer. So glad to "meet" you! ☺
Thanks for the kind words, Cathy!
Joy
"Don’t ever assume that any client is permanent. People change jobs, funding falls through, you’re underbid, etc." So true. It's also an important reason why you don't want to burn any bridges–even for people who can't afford you or don't value you right now. Eventually, they may learn a tough lesson and come back to you or be replaced by someone who appreciates the value of having a strong freelance writing partner.
Joy, I told you you'd rock. 🙂 Thanks again for being part of this month-long Gorge Fest of writerly advice and fun. Now stick around and comment — these people love you!
Joy – great point that clients come and go. One of my contacts retired recently, but I had made other contacts at the company, and so I was able to keep working for them. It really pays off to get to know others at the company if at all possible!
Great post, Joy! I've learned about so many interestng writing niches this month (including yours!), which just goes to show how strong of a need there is for good writing, no matter what the field! And good for you breaking out of your comfort zone. I'm not the most assertive person, either, but I have to say I'm not afraid to call anyone for the sake of a project. I think freelancers have to have a certain amount of fearlessness regardless of niche.
Nice "meeting" you on LI, as well!