What’s on the iPod: Magnificent by U2
Yesterday was a small part work and a large part distraction. After her 24-hour bout with the flu, daughter woke up and packed for her Disney trip. I dropped her and her boyfriend at the airport, then headed straight for 30th Street Station to pick up the stepson, back from his Brazil visit. I’d say my life was interesting, but only vicariously so.
Got one smallish project out and started in on a few queries. However, he’s home all week, so I was eventually drawn to the stenciling project in the bedroom. We’re painting a Swedish poem around the top border of the room. His godfather was a Swedish poet, but his poems are a little dark. So he found a beautiful substitute. I can’t wait to see this done.
I was glad to see some new commenters here in the last few weeks. I love when newcomers ask questions. The most prevalent one is how does one transition from low-paying jobs to something more lucrative?
And it’s a great question. Let me answer it first by telling you where not to look.
Bidding sites. A repository of willing clients looking for writers to complete projects. Who wouldn’t want that? Only these places, with all their polish and promise, quickly turn into time sinks and wastes of honest dollars. Because the site owners typically will not weed out the paying customers (the job listers), you’re wading through the same mounds of garbage littering free sites like Craig’s List just to locate one potential gem. As for paying for the privilege of getting better leads, guess what? You still have to wade through the $4/article offers. I know. I paid my membership, then cancelled when I realized there was no gate keeping.
Content farms. It may seem like good sense to work for a place that has plenty of work available and will provide you with published clips. However, you’re grossly underpaid for your troubles, you’re often expected to submit to revisions, and the clips are worthless to other clients, who have long since tired of badly written or edited clips.
Job boards. I love a good job board, so this could also be considered a good place to look. Yet there are only a few really good ones I know of (one is Anne Wayman’s About Freelance Writing) that actually have good jobs listed. That’s not to say you won’t have luck with them – you will. The ratio of good jobs to bad is worlds higher than the paid job sites. Why I don’t like them is because applying for work is the passive approach, and it’s potentially harmful to your career. You’re now letting someone else dictate your fee (unless they’re willing to negotiate, which most aren’t). And you’re applying and taking what comes instead of researching and choosing your own clients.
So where do you look? Start with what you know.
Magazines. Both online and print magazines are in need of content. If the 2010 Writer’s Market is any indication, there are more magazine possibilities available to you than you can wade through in one year. Find a magazine that interests you, study it, then hit them with a great idea. This suggestion works for content “farmers” as it allows you to increase exponentially your rate while writing better copy for legitimate editors.
Local events. I’ve mentioned it before, and it bears repeating. Chamber of Commerce meetings, local business gatherings, networking events, etc. – all should be on your current to-do list. Tell everyone you know you’re a writer. Listen to them describe their businesses. Then go home and draw up a plan to sell them your writing services. Case in point – in talking with my daughter’s college professor last week, I mentioned I was a writer/editor. She’s now interested in talking further about a project she’s developing.
Printers, advertising firms, marketing firms. Get local if you can, but don’t be afraid to expand into different regions. I work with a printer two states away. I also have worked with two local marketing firms. Send them a letter of introduction and ask to help them.
Social networking sites. Forums, Twitter, LinkedIn, even Facebook can be client sources. I’ve mentioned my availability on both Twitter and LinkedIn and was hired within a few days. Don’t be a pest about it, but mention casually that you have some time coming up and you’re available to work on XX or YY project.
Targeted queries or mailers. Haven’t you wanted to work for that company or client for a long time? Then let them know you exist. Send them a letter of introduction, a brochure, postcard, email, whatever. And follow up in a week by phone. They can’t hire you if they don’t know about you.
Writers, where do you find better-paying work?
9 responses to “The Big Question”
I've landed some nice gigs from Hope Clark's Funds for Writers, and she also has information on full-time jobs, grants, and residencies.
It'll be interesting to see what local gigs I land here with my next marketing push over the next few months, or if the bulk of my client list remains all over the map.
Good suggestions, LW. Along the lines of your 3rd item, graphic designers have been my best resource over the years. Someone who understands the importance of good content, and how much better he or she will look to her clients, is a wonderful creative and business partner.
Two caveats: 1) You DON'T want to waste time trying to convince someone who *doesn't* care about the text, just move on; and 2) At the risk of generalizing, designers tend to be more sensitive than writers to criticism, so act accordingly. You can't have an adversarial relationship the way so many editors do with their art directors.
Great ideas all the way around. I have used Hope Clark's as well and keep saying I'm going to "hook up" with graphic designers, but haven't done it. My bad.
Another is asking for referrals. I have done personalized emails to friends and clients that don't sound like a begging plea or annoying advertisement (at least I hope not) and I chat about what kinds of things I have been doing. Which of your friends don't work for a living and have contacts? If you're like me, not many. And they are inclined to help but they just don't think about it until you ask.
Devon, thank you for the suggestion. I've never heard of Hope Clark's before, and I welcome the new avenue!
I think you'll be swimming in gigs soon. Sounds like you've immersed yourself in the culture and community already. I'm eager to see the results, too. 🙂
Another great suggestion, Jake! Thank you. I've worked with a few designers in the past, and you're right on both counts. I've not had any prima donnas, but they're creatives, too. Criticism should be gentle and helpful.
Great idea, Cathy! Sometimes just asking around in your current circle opens doors.
"I'd say my life was interesting, but only vicariously so."
A bit off the general topic, but I nominate this sentence to replace "Write what you know" as the world's standard writing aphorism 🙂
I mean, I realize that many of us have fascinating existences, but there's a reason that we ended up in gigs that require spending a lot of time alone in a room, writing about other people (real or imagined), right?
Back on topic, I'd like to emphasize your advice to err on the side of the "soft sell" when it comes to promoting oneself via social media. For example, Twitter is a fantastic platform for making connections & drawing attention to your work, but folks whose Twitter feeds are nothing but sales pitches are more likely to alienate than attract.
It's yet to prove incredibly fruitful, but I try to keep in touch with former editors who've moved on. One moved to a trade that doesn't use freelancers, but I e-mail her every now and then just in case. Another editor is about to leap from an industry trade to a top ($2/word) consumer mag in the same genre, so you know I'll be sending him congratulations once he starts his new job.
I get Hope Clark's newsletter and check her site, too. Another favorite is Writers-Editors Network. For the past four years or so I've sprung for a mid-level membership that includes a listing in the site's writer's database. A couple of editors have sought me out through the database, but I've also landed some long-term jobs through their Member's Only job board. The $49/year membership fee (they have cheaper levels, too) pays for itself many times over each year.
Look locally. I like working with local clients,because you get to know each other. Also, some people shy away from hiring over the internet because their afraid of scams, etc. They see you in person and feel a little better paying higher rates. Well, some do anyway. Not all.
I would love to see the end result of the painting. Sounds cool.
The first half of this post would have really been useful when I was just getting started a year ago – I had to figure all that out the hard way!
The second half, though, is very useful to me in the present though. I love this kind of practical advice. Great post!
Hugh, I never thought about it, but I guess it's true! I sit in a room all day and create visions for other people. I guess we're all in someone else's dream. 🙂
And I couldn't agree more on the Twitter feeds. I've stopped following people who are too self-promotional, and I refuse to follow them if their last ten tweets were all about themselves.
Thanks for the tip, Paula! I'll check out the site. Not sure I'll ever pay for a membership unless there's more promised than jobs, but if it's tried-and-true, I'm listening.
Wendy, we have all the words done. Now it's time to find some illustrations for line breaks (it'll make sense when I finally get a picture up here).
Jessie, I hear you! It's tough starting out because you think work is no farther away than the Internet, which is true. It just depends on where you look and how you approach it. 🙂