Freelance Writing Blog

The Year of Living Dangerously

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What’s on the iPod: Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love by Carlos Santana w/Los Lonely Boys I’m about to admit something to you that I’ve hidden for close to a year — I haven’t marketed at all this year. Maybe that’s a bit of an overstatement. Yes, definitely an overstatement. Let me rephrase: I haven’t had…

When September Ends

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What I’m listening to: Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day It was that song (link above) that inspires this post. Well, that and the few documentaries playing when I woke up this morning. When it came up on my iPod, I knew this post had to happen. It’s been fifteen years. Somehow,…

3 Easy Freelance Writing Hacks to Improve Productivity

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What’s on the iPod: Hell and Back by The Airborne Toxic Event Today is one busy day. I started the first two days of September on vacation, but that’s not where I’ve ended up. Since Tuesday, I’ve juggled three projects (now four) and have a full day of interviews and writing ahead of me. Time…

Writer Wednesday: How Old Are You?

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I’m back. I had a lovely week along a river in Ontario with my mom. It’s something we’d never done before — spent a week together with no one else. I will say this — we found out we’re much more alike than we are different. We both love to debate! But we both love…

Freelance Writing Advice Redux: Your Favorites

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I’m still out of the office, so today I’m sharing some posts from the past that garnered the most response from you, this blog’s peeps. I’m basing it solely on comments logged (and randomized searching the archives), so feel free to add your favorites in the comments section. And no, your favorites do not have…

Guest Post: Does Lazy Networking Litter Your Inbox?

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I’m away this week, and it’s a shame. You see, Cathy Miller has left us a guest post, and I’m not connected where I am. I can’t comment beyond what I’m doing here (days before I leave town). Cathy and I chat a bit offline (quite a bit). In one recent conversation, we recognized some…

Free Advice Friday: This Job, Not That Job

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What I’m listening to: I’m a Mess by Ed Sheeran Short week for me. My son is visiting, so we’re off to enjoy what’s left of summer while he’s in town. It’s funny how sometimes, you and a friend are on the same page. I received a job listing from a site I belong to,…

Why Your Freelance Writing Career is Stalled

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What I’m listening to: Drive by The Cars Interesting week. I’m trying to locate off-the-record comments for a client project, but no one is talking. I had to come up with an alternate plan for the client, which he likes, but I really wanted to get feedback from these people so we could hit on a…

5 Reasons Why Increasing Your Freelance Writing Rates Matters

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What I’m listening to: Where the Streets Have No Name by U2 Oh, joy. A long-term project I just started a few months ago may be coming to a close, and about three months shy of when it was due to end. Ouch. There goes about $9K in earnings. However, as one door closes, another…

How to Screw Up Your Freelance Writing Career in One Move

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What I’m listening to: Get Out by Frightened Rabbit This re-entry into work is getting ridiculous. I’ve had a relatively slow week so far, and I’m thankful for it. My clock won’t reset — I’m still five hours ahead, which means I’m barely awake at 8 pm and wide awake at 3 am. I plan…

12 responses to “How to Screw Up Your Freelance Writing Career in One Move”

Michael LaRocca

August 18, 2016

The first one to jump out at me, years ago, is one you mentioned right here in this fine post. The things you MUST do. No, sorry, my experience says that people just plain don’t look for their business editors and proofreaders on Facebook, so I’m not setting up a page over there no matter how many times I hear that I must. The bottom line is that I do, or should, know my own particular business better than any particular expert. So folks, get to know your own business that well. I hope you do already. Consider all advice, certainly, and in many cases be grateful for it, but feel free to disagree with it.
1. lwidmer
  
  August 18, 2016
  
  There’s the thing right there, Michael — we should know our own businesses best. Yet too many freelance writers are still thinking in terms of “freelance” and not “business.” We run a business. We should be protecting that business like it’s a loved one (it is).
  
  I like this thought: “…feel free to disagree with it.” There are far too many people following blindly the words of self-professed gurus or pseudo-experts. Here’s the thing — we’re experts (or at least should be) in our own spheres. That doesn’t make us experts in all aspects, nor should we assume we know what’s right or wrong for other writers.
  
  It’s a tough line to walk. You want to help when you see someone who’s clearly screwing up, but you don’t want to impose your will on them. The best you can do is offer ideas and “Here’s what worked for me” commentary.
2. Cathy Miller
  
  August 18, 2016
  
  Michael, I am so happy you brought up that bit of MUST do about Facebook. I admit, I originally signed up for Facebook at the beginning of my freelancing career, thinking I would use it for business. I hated the format and business practices.
  
  I never did set up that business page (thank goodness) and am only on it to share family photos and such. The only somewhat work-related activity I have is an automated post when I create a new blog posts (because friends requested it).
  
  Like you, Michael, this was a MUST I could live without. ☺
3. lwidmer
  
  August 18, 2016
  
  Same here, Cathy and Michael. I think Facebook isn’t the right medium. I know people use it successfully, but it’s not conducive to what I do necessarily.
Paula Hendrickson

August 18, 2016

When I first joined LinkedIn, who I presumed as a fellow freelancer and I followed each other and exchanged a handful of direct messages. It was clear she was fairly new to freelancing despite boasting about all of her “mentees” (which for some reason I always read as “manatees”). She was trying to get info about a couple of my clients, too, which was funny since she claimed to have written for one of them a few years earlier. I think she asked who my editor was, but of course it wasn’t the same one she worked for. I decided to check the publication’s online database which archives pretty much everything, and her name didn’t come up anywhere. Sure, I’ve written things for round ups that have a collective “staff” byline, but they typically won’t assign those to people who haven’t already written for them. When I told her I’d looked for her articles but didn’t find any, she suddenly said, “Oh, it must have been XYZ instead of ABC. It’s so long ago I can’t remember.”

Right. What writer do you know who “forgets” which major market publications they’ve written for?

That was the last time I heard from her personally. But I was included in one of her mass LinkedIn messages touting her coaching services. I replied asking to be removed from the list since I had far more experience and credits than she did.

Within a couple of years that same person was a very prominent “self professed gurus.” Pity her “mentees.” (Yep. Still picturing manatees.)
1. Paula Hendrickson
  
  August 18, 2016
  
  Could I have included my typos if I tried? Yikes!
2. lwidmer
  
  August 18, 2016
  
  Manatees — that’s funny!
  
  I had similar experiences with so-called experts, Paula, as you well know. In fact, I saw more than one of my blog posts revised and reposted on one popular blog. This was from a writer who’s said openly and often that the “mashup” articles are perfectly legit. No, it’s called theft.
  
  Oddly, I have said “I wrote for them? I don’t remember!” But I wouldn’t claim it if I wasn’t sure.
3. Jennifer Mattern
  
  August 18, 2016
  
  Given that we know exactly who she’s talking about Lori, I move to permanently adopt the “manatee” title for her mentees / followers / minions.
4. lwidmer
  
  August 18, 2016
  
  LOL Since I’ll never be able to separate it now, I second the motion.
5. p
  
  August 19, 2016
  
  I feel honored.
Jennifer Mattern

August 18, 2016

Now Lori, don’t go scaring them off just because someone’s willing to be buddy-buddy with them. Some of us do (you too I reckon) simply because we’re not assholes. As long as it’s not followed by the sales pitch, you’re probably good.

And better to find colleagues willing to engage in a bit of banter than ones who aren’t willing to acknowledge your existence until you pay up.

We’re not all greedy, conniving, louses that thrive on our own self-importance. Some actually care about helping. Promise. It’s just a shame the bad ones have gotten so good at wearing their “mentor” masks.
1. lwidmer
  
  August 18, 2016
  
  Thank you for clarifying the distinction, Jenn. I didn’t mean everyone who’s being nice is a louse. I’m saying people who are nice to further their own causes.