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…
The Beauty of Brainless Networking It happened again yesterday – I was talking with a PR “colleague” (we’re all in this together) and he was asking how business was. He was referring to my monthly newsletter, but as I was wrapped up in a ton of freelance work, that’s what came out as a response….
Writing Tips from Writing Chums What a coincidence! Yesterday I wrote about supplementing the freelance income, while at the same time waaaay across the country, my dear friend Anne Wayman was doing exactly the same thing! Anne’s approach to the topic is well worth reading – please visit her weblog. The Golden Pencil Another notable…
Supplementing the Income The question comes up often, usually from those just starting their freelance careers – is it possible to survive on a freelance income? I’m here to say it’s not only possible; it’s very likely. If you don’t mind supplementing, that is. Most of us who have been freelancing for a while recognize…
Exposure Revisited Should I just rename this web log “Will Work for Money”? Here we go again – another ad for “invaluable exposure!” from yet another startup. The owners are like the others before them – they expect us to buy into their dream without any compensation beyond seeing our name in print. And there’s…
Public Sniping Ladies, please. That’s what I’d love to say to both Star Jones Reynolds and Barbara Walters. It’s bad enough they couldn’t get along well enough to work together – do we really need to be subjected to their public sniping? Things done wrong: Jones Reynolds chose to “surprise” her bosses on-air with her…
Paying (or Not) For Professional Work I know it sounds as though I beat this drum too often, but I really cannot stress often enough the reasons why you should stand up for what you’re worth. I just had a conversation with a potential client, and I had to let that client down gently (and…