You know, May can be a bit of a transition month, can’t it? You’re itching for summer, but you’re looking at an unruly weather forecast. Some of you got snow last week, some of you were sitting on your back deck sipping iced tea in the heat. It’s May, which has become (at least in…
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This Job, Not That Job
Some days I think I’ve seen it all. I’ve seen the shittiest job postings, worked with some of the more “out there” people, watched writers help their own careers implode …. But this? This job posting is one of those “Did that just happen?” moments. Thanks to Devon Ellington, who was insulted enough to send…
Writing Rate Wake-up Call: Is Today Your Day?
I remember the exact moment I realized that compromising on rates to get the work is stupid. I was working my way up the “rate food chain” and as I brought on new clients, I would charge them a little more than the existing ones. I didn’t want to give up those tried-and-true clients now,…
Idea File: Finding Freelance Writing Ideas in Conversation
You’ve heard this starting out, I’d bet: Ideas are all around you. And I’d bet you wanted to scream every time you heard it, too. How ironic that the one piece of advice that made me want to scream “You don’t get it!” when I was first starting out is exactly the advice I needed…
How to Keep the Freelance Writing Checks Rolling In
Anyone who’s close to me knows I spent about a month waiting for an overdue check recently. Normally, I wouldn’t notice because other checks would be rolling in, but naturally, it was tax time. The time when checks go missing right when you need them most. My mom always asks “Did you get any money…
Reality Check: Are You Freelance Writing Material?
Yesterday, my workday looked like this: I revised a client article most of the morning. Due date — as soon as possible. Simultaneously, I was dealing with phone calls and texts from family members about our summer place. There’d been flooding. Apparently, I’m the designated calm voice in a sea (pun not intended) of anxiety…
Tuesday Idea File: Creating Freelance Pitches from Headlines
Welcome to our second Tuesday Idea File day. I’m rather glad we’re going down this path. As I mentioned in the comments section in last week’s post, it was something I struggled with at the beginning of my freelance writing career. No matter what career stage you’re at, there’s no need to struggle. I know…
3 Things to Change That Will Make You Look Like a Professional Writer
Social media browsing is interesting sometimes. Interesting in that “train wreck” sort of way, that is. I was cruising around Twitter and some blogs yesterday, and it’s a bit surprising what shows up that people put out there on purpose. Sure, you get the political opinions, which I try to shy away from (I don’t…
Finding Balance in an Unbalanced Freelance World
Hey, you. Writer — what are you doing here? Same thing I’m doing, I bet. When the client work comes in and you have some free time, you get a head start. I plan to give an hour of my time off to a favorite client this morning, then off to enjoy the rest of…
Hidden Freelance Writing Gigs You Can Uncover Now
Not long ago I was supplying a steady client with articles. The process went like this: I proposed article topics They selected I wrote and got paid I’ll say upfront I wasn’t compensated terribly for the articles, though I wasn’t going to become rich off the work. What was sucking up a bit too much…