Later That Day, Post-Trauma…. Dear Abby was right – most of the things we worry about usually work themselves out. Of my three concurrent headache inducers today, two have managed to solve themselves. First, the software reviewer never shipped the software, so I get an automatic extension until it arrives to get the review done….
I Give UpYou know, some days it doesn’t pay to get out of bed. So far this morning, I’ve miscalculated my lines-per-page count on a client project, so instead of having 80 pages of copy, I now have 46. Doesn’t sound that bad until you realize I need 300 pages. By mid-October. Oy. On to…
The Shame of It All There was an arrest in the JonBenet murder case. Unless you’re living under a rock right now, you already know the details, so I’ll spare you that. The man confessed, and prosecutors are pretty sure they’ve got their man. Then again, they thought that ten years ago when they thought…
Client Disclaimer, Anyone? I love my current clients. They’re terrific people in that we communicate well, work together well and manage to agree on a number of ways their projects should go. It works because they’re great personalities and I’m flexible. It’s Paradise for the working freelancer. Yet even in Paradise there are speed bumps….
Congratulations, Kristen! Have you ever wondered what it was like for friends of insanely talented people to watch their friends climb up that ladder of success? I’m one of the fortunate ones, folks. I get to witness Kristen King, one amazingly talented young woman, achieve more in one year than most of us could hope…
Exclusivity Revisited Wow, this topic has created a good deal of conversation! And I love it. Any time any topic elicits conversation is a good thing. And so far we all agree – without monetary compensation and a contract providing that, exclusivity isn’t happening. Here’s why we may not get what we want. Employers, specifically…
Freelancers and Exclusivity In the past few weeks, I’ve seen mention of writers who are being asked to work exclusively for a particular publication. Let me rephrase that – they’re not being asked to work for the particular publications but are being told not to work for other publications while working for these pubs. Let…
Do Your Homework Warning – rant ahead. I was on a writing forum recently when I noticed that a lot of beginning writers were asking questions such as “Where can I send this article?” or “What publisher is right for my story?” I wanted to scream out loud. First, the questions are too broad, too…
Your Logo, Your Image One of the forums I frequent (www.aboutfreelancewriting.com) recently had a post asking if writers created their own logos or had someone else do it. Interesting question, lots of interesting answers. Some writers had created their own, with very good results, while others let the professionals handle it. I’m here to tell…
Sane or Insane? I think I’ve hit upon the key indicator that helps new freelancer writers determine if the advertisement they’re reading is from a “real” employer or a slimeball. It’s the Sanity Factor. Saw an ad on Craig’s List yesterday that made me realize that we had the answer to this age-old mystery all…