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Monthly Assessment

Monthly Assessment: September 2015

Posted on October 6, 2015June 30, 2016 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Timeless by The Airborne Toxic Event What a weekend. Cape May, New Jersey in October is usually sunny, warm and busy. This year, skip the first two qualifiers. Imagine howling winds and driving rain in nonstop, multiple-day fashion.  It was wet — inches of rain three days out of the four…

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Monthly Assessment: July and August 2015

Posted on September 3, 2015June 30, 2016 by lwidmer

SOLD OUT: Sorry, but the FREE Marketing Q&A webinar hosted by Jake Poinier and featuring yours truly has no room. However, you can get on the list for the next one! Get on the list here What’s on the iPod: The Loneliness and the Scream by Frightened Rabbit This week’s marathon is nearly complete. I have…

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Monthly Assessment: June 2015

Posted on July 2, 2015June 30, 2016 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys What’s on the iPod: Naked Kids by Grouplove What an interesting day yesterday. In an instance of the most asinine behavior imaginable, some guy behind me objected to my waiting to turn left (didn’t want to chance it), he honked, screamed, and then turned left —…

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Monthly Assessment: April and May 2015

Posted on June 1, 2015June 30, 2016 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: God Help the Child by Toni Morrison What’s on the iPod: Everything by Michael Bublé What a great Writers Worth month! Thank you to every single one of you who contributed your stories and ideas. I’m always amazed by the incredible talent and insight of my colleagues at all career levels. Everyone…

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  1. Paula Avatar
    Paula
    June 1, 2015

    I'll play along.

    April:

    Queries – three sent; one assigned

    LOIs – one sent

    Social Media – got some great follows and interactions on Twitter

    Jobs postings – zero

    Existing Clients – Mega-listing for one client kept me really busy, did three things for another client, a quick turn-around story for another client (literally did the interviews and wrote it in two days and it was online the next), and picked up a quartet of short assignments from a local editor who was in a difficult situation, earning more brownie points than actual dollars. Was so busy I only wrote two columns.

    New clients – none

    Referrals – sent some pricing options to one of my sister's clients who was thinking of adding a blog to her new website. No bites.

    Earnings – Actual money received was slightly less than my monthly goal, but the total amount of invoices sent was pretty much on target.

    May:

    Queries – none

    LOIs – one, and one follow up

    Social Media – one new LinkedIn contact that may be promising; more good Twitter interactions

    Postings – replied to one

    Existing clients – picked up two new assignments from one client (one is already done); wrote and turned in the four pieces I was assigned in late April; was assigned another piece from the quick-turn-around client; turned in a couple more columns. But the best part was what happened with an 800-word assignment. My editor asked if I could write 1,000 words plus a sidebar, and when I turned that in I mentioned I had a lot of great info left, and she said she had space for more sidebars. So that 800-word assignment wound up being nearly 2,000 words…and this client will probably round up and pay for 2,000 words. (Of course, it's a client with a slow payment process, but at least I'll have something to look forward to by the end of summer.)

    New clients – none

    Referrals – one. Someone had told the photographer from the photo shoot held in my front yard last week that I was a writer. After the shoot, he asked to exchange contact information because he'd just met with a publisher who is planning to do a book about our region. The publisher has done similar books in other cities, and apparently they're beautiful. (I want to see one, though!) At their meeting the publisher had mentioned needing to find some local writers. So the photographer has forwarded my info to the publisher. Turns out one of my neighbors (who owns a camera store) has known this photographer for year – the guy even worked at my neighbor's store when he was in school – and said he's trustworthy.

    Earnings: My Actual income was only slightly more than half of my goal, but the amount I have invoiced out and am currently working on is roughly double my monthly goal, so I hope it will balance out.

    Bottom line: Steady work is great, but does not always equal a steady flow of revenue.

    Reply
  2. Paula Avatar
    Paula
    June 1, 2015

    Oh – under "referrals" in May, that photographer also asked for an estimate on regular press releases. Written and emailed. I gave the estimate for writing them and said delivery was extra…hopefully he'll find it more advantageous to send them himself. I will also suggest he might get more value from a regular blog than scheduled press releases…which just feel like spam to me.

    Reply
  3. Gabriella F. Avatar
    Gabriella F.
    June 1, 2015

    I'll also play, though I'll lose!

    May:

    Existing Clients – They all came through for me when I contacted them to let them know I had time for work. Problem was I'm incredibly unmotivated! So I got work. Just didn't complete it so I could honestly considered it billed this month.

    New clients – One; editor emailed and said she was moving on but that the publication was looking for a remote consulting editor. I responded within 30 minutes, explained my background, and boom! I'm now the consulting managing editor on a publication that's paying my full hourly rate. Nice!

    Earnings – Awful! Refer above to the lack of motivation. June will be totes fine. But seriously, girl, get your behind in gear!

    Reply
  4. Lori Widmer Avatar
    Lori Widmer
    June 1, 2015

    Paula, not bad at all!

    Gabriella, you never lose at this game. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Gabriella F. Avatar
    Gabriella F.
    June 1, 2015

    Thanks, Lori. But last month, I was a loozah, as Ahnold might say!

    Reply
  6. Lori Widmer Avatar
    Lori Widmer
    June 2, 2015

    LOL! Hardly. Just a rough month. Who doesn't have those?

    Reply
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