By Jennifer Mattern I’m in again for Lori today. Lori will be back next week, and tomorrow Cathy Miller will share a post with you on setting rules for yourself and how she’s done so in her freelance writing career. But first, let’s talk about something you can’t avoid if you want to succeed in…
Freelance writing advice
Freelance Writing Rules (and Why You Should Break Them)
By Jennifer Mattern Once upon a time, I was newly self-employed and living much too close to my mother. (In my defense, she moved near me, not the other way around – into my apartment building, I kid you not.) There was no avoiding her. Every time she visited, without fail, she plopped a newspaper…
4 Issues Every Freelance Writer Will Face
What I’m listening to: Trip Switch by Nothing But Thieves Sometimes you come across something that’s stated simply, and it’s so brilliant that you have to share it. That was the case yesterday when I read this blog post by Jason McDowell. He said this: Never let a client treat you like anything but an equal. Take…
6 Sanity-saving Freelance Writing Moves
This week is busy. Aside from actual work, I’m fielding updates on my dad’s condition and updating my kids and my aunt. You don’t think that’s going to take up much time until you’re actually handling it. Then there’s the workload. For every project I finish, I seem to be getting two more in. I…
What Mosquitoes and Rain Teach Freelance Writers
What I’m listening to: All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down by The Mavericks What I’m reading: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman I did something last week that turned out to be the most refreshing, relaxing experience I’ve had in ages. I spent a week in a riverside cottage. In the rain….
The BS Litmus Test for Freelance “Expert” Vetting
I like to cruise Twitter to see what freelancers are talking about. A few days ago, I was doing my usual cruising. Maybe I’m just ultra-cynical these days, but it seemed to me the thing people were talking about was themselves. Specifically, they were bragging about how they had the secret to boosting their freelance writing…
4 Reasons Why You Suck at Freelance Writing (and How to Fix Them All)
It’s funny how random conversations get you thinking. I reconnected with a friend on Facebook, and it brought back a conversation we’d had years ago. It’s when I knew if her fortunes were going to change, it would have to be accidental. She is one who is always about to start the diet, about to…
What I Learned About Freelance Writing from a Possum in My Trunk
There’s still time to sign up for Peter Bowerman’s Well-Fed Craft Marketing Course – don’t miss out on learning from one of the best in the business. We spent the July 4th holiday weekend in West Virginia visiting the newest member of the family (and his family, of course). Because descending on parents of a newborn…
The $100-a-Day Freelance Shell Game
What I’m listening to: Laminated Cat by Jeff Tweedy There’s a bit of a disturbing trend in freelance writing, and it’s pointed at new writers and those who are struggling. It’s the lowering-of-the-bar promise. In one week, I saw four different blog posts tweeted out, full of can-you-believe-it exclamations about how much money you, freelance…
The Freelance Writing Location Myth
I was on Twitter last week when I noticed a study by HubStaff that talked about freelancers and earnings. Some interesting things in there, and not all of them I agree with. Here’s one that stood out: The rates that freelancers charge are highly dependent on location, discipline, and experience, so it’s impossible to provide average…