THanks to Stephen Poff for the photo.
There are a whole lotta ways to live in this great big world. That’s what an ex-boyfriend of mine used to say when he’d encounter something, or someone, on a totally different spectrum. I love that thought and think it applies to most things.
Take freelance writing, for instance. There’s no one way to be a freelance writer, never has been. There’s no formula, no secret and no expert. There’s only the way that works best for you.
When you announce your decision to freelance, you also announce your decision to be a small business owner. And that means you have a lot of new hats to wear, and, somehow, you’re supposed to wear them all at once. You’re now the bookkeeper, the secretary, the talent and everything else to your business.
If there is any key ingredient for successful freelancing, it’s hard work. That’s not the sexy answer, but that’s the truth. If you’re like most freelancers, you’ll learn how to run your business as you go. At least that’s how I’ve learned. But, I have a background in business and, to some degree, feel I was ahead of the game to begin with because of that.
There are a lot of things to consider before taking the plunge into self-employment. For instance: If a client stiffs you, will the rent still get paid? What do you plan to do for health insurance? Who can you ask if you’ve got a question about a freelance contract?
You also need to think about what working by yourself will feel like. From what I understand, not everyone’s suited for it. Personally, I love it. I’m a self-starter and I’ve endured my fair share of kooky co-workers for this life, thanks. Plus, I work in complete silence. Co-workers and their chatter annoy me. Even still, there are days when I miss the opportunity to gnaw on an idea with someone who can punch holes in it and there are times when I need to crawl out of my cave and be around people who haven’t buried themselves in some complex topic.
Beyond all that, there are plenty of other things to consider and deal with as a freelancer. Because I’m over here going at it alone, I figure I’ve missed some short cuts along the way. I bet there are other freelancers, right here in Charlotte, that could teach me a thing or two about freelancing that I haven’t thought of yet. I’ve got a lot of tips to share, myself.
That’s why I’m proposing a monthly gathering for freelancers, of all sorts, to gather and talk shop. Between the lot of us, I bet we could solve a lot of our problems over coffee. Think if it as a think tank for freelancers.
If you’re interested in joining us, send me an e-mail and I’ll add you to the interest list.
Tagged as:
advice,
Business,
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Freelance,
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meeting,
suggestgions,
suggestions,
work
Together, we'll figure this freelancing career stuff out. (Thanks to Rapport Center for the photo.)
I believe in the power of mentors. When I first got started in the business world, back in the early 1990s (I was still in high school), I also started collecting mentors because, as we all know, it’s easier to learn from another person’s mistakes than to stumble through them on your own. One of my mentors encouraged me to go into marketing (which I did) and one used to repeat things his mentors taught him that stick with me to this day. For example: When you’re trying to decide what to do, ask yourself whether that task will get you closer to or further away from your goals. He used to tell me, “If you know the answer to that question, you’ll always know what to do.”
Advice like that has helped shape my world, so I pass it forward whenever possible. Fortunately, I have a lot of opportunities to do so because, somehow, I’ve become a go-to person for people in my area who are interested in trading words for dollars. Just this week, I’ve received over a dozen e-mails, Tweets and phone calls from people seeking answers to their freelance questions. And, today, I spent an hour and a half on the phone with a young writer who’s fresh out of college. A couple people even suggested I teach a class on the topic.
I thought about that option, but I’ve decided against it. Here’s why: All of us already have plenty of things to pay for and, with this economy’s dark cloud hanging over us, I can’t in good conscious charge people for advice. Maybe one day I’ll feel differently, but right now I’m happy to share what I know for free in an effort to repay my past mentors for their kindnesses. Only, I’ll call myself a reluctant mentor because I don’t think I have any special secrets for freelance career success. (Sorry to burst ya’lls bubble.)
With that, I’ve decided to start a small, informal gathering in the Charlotte area for freelancers who would like to talk shop. There will be no charge and no formalities. I won’t lead the meetings so much as I’ll facilitate conversation. Come, don’t come, participate, don’t participate … it’s really up to you. If I end up at a coffee shop by my lonely, I won’t feel bad. Instead, I’ll enjoy the break to reflect on my own freelance writing career.
If you’re interested in participating, please send me an e-mail so I can add you to my contact list for the meetings. Also, you should know, I’m part of the group helping to form a Charlotte chapter of he Society of Professional Journalists. Ultimately, I’d like for this meet-up group to be under that chapter’s wing. If you’re interested in joining the SPJ, I highly recommend it — especially if you’re serious about being a freelance writer. The bonus: You’ll be in on the chapter from the beginning and avoid paying chapter dues this year. (Can’t have chapter dues if you don’t have a chapter yet.)
With that, I hope you’ll join me at the first gathering which will be held in September sometime after Labor Day. (I’m thinking Sunday the 19th).
I’ll announce more details soon, so stay tuned.
Tagged as:
advice,
Business,
class,
Freelance,
mentee,
mentor,
Society of Professional Journalists,
SPJ,
Writing
I'm a big fan of Carolina Pad's Sasquatch line of notebooks.
I think all writer’s have their tricks and quirks, and I’m no different. So, since I’ve recently discovered a new-to-me way to organize my notes for a story I’m working on, I thought I’d celebrate it by telling you. It’s nothing exciting, but it works for me.
In the past, I’d have notes scattered all over the place. Now, I’m using a spiral-bound notebook with pockets and divider tabs. I’m also using different colored inks to help me quickly find different information, like a quote or a figure.
And, so far so good. The story I’m working on has a lot of puzzle pieces. But now when I have to take my work on the road, I’m only carting around one notebook — not a big, heavy backpack. Even better: when I need to double check something or look up a quote, it’s easier then ever to find.
How do you organize your notes when you work on a story? What used to work for you but doesn’t now?
Tagged as:
Interviews,
magazine,
notebook,
notes,
organization,
quotes,
story,
tips,
trick
Thanks to orkboi for the illustration.
I don’t suffer from writer’s block. I’m not even sure it’s real. Sometimes I get held up — take today, I’m waiting on a few people to call me back with comments, but I never come to a full stop.
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Tagged as:
avoid,
banish,
myth,
overcome,
writer's block
Thanks to techbirmingham for the photo.
Seriously. I love it. I hate it. It’s amazing. It drives me nuts.
Thanks to technology, I can work from home and communicate instantly with friends, family, peers, editors and prospective clients. I can take, literally, thousands of photographs and never once worry about how much it will cost to view the photos or buy new film. I can also share my thoughts and photographs instantaneously on blogs like this. Heck, I can even do all of this from my snazzy iPhone. It is all very, very cool. We are living in an amazing age and should feel lucky, because we are.
And, in all honesty, if it weren’t for technology my husband (Mr. Cell Phone Industry), my mom (a retired computer programmer) and I (a freelance journalist) would all be on the street. Technology doesn’t only make our lives easier, it is an integral part of our careers.
At the same time, technology can be infuriating! Or, at least it can be to me.
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Tagged as:
distraction,
Freelance,
gadgets,
software,
tech support,
technology
Thanks to oufoxy for the photo.
I guess it’s not accurate to say I pretend, but it is fair to say I try. I’m also happy to report I’m learning a lot and getting better.
If you’re a writer, taking pictures is part of your job. Especially in these days of tight freelance budgets.
In a lot of cases, it’s helpful to take pictures both for your memory as well as the publication you’re writing for. Or, at least that’s what I’ve found. In fact, when I first started trading words for dollars, I only took photos to jog my memory.
When I read a story about someone, I think it’s interesting to also read about what their surroundings are like, how they react to some stimulus or what color their walls are. I figure the people who read my articles would like that kind of detail too. At first, pictures helped me out when I wanted to insert that type of detail into a story. Now, I’m quite good at noticing that kind of stuff as a matter of habit.
After a while, editors would ask if I would mind taking a photo or two while I was out interviewing someone or at an event. And, I didn’t. I still don’t. I’ve found I like taking pictures. I see it as part of the gig.
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Tagged as:
Freelance,
photograph,
photographer,
photography,
photos,
pictures,
Writer
Thanks to id-iom for the photo.
When you become a freelancer, you may find you love what you do so much that you work two or three times as much as you did when you worked for someone else. At least that’s the situation in my case. I love writing. I love reading about writing and journalism. I love researching new story ideas or articles already in progress.
So, it’s not unusual for me to work nights and weekends. In fact, my “weekend” is often Thursday; though I doubt I ever actually take an entire 24 hours off. (Recent trip to Europe excluded, of course.) And, I didn’t pick Thursday, it picked me … and it keeps picking me week after week after week.
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Tagged as:
benefits,
day off,
errands,
freelance life,
weekend
Thanks to Toban Black for the photo.
The United States Congress has decided to stick their noses into our businesses. While I get where they’re going and realize their intentions are good, Senate bill S.3254: Employee Misclassification Prevention Act may harbor unintended consequences for freelance and contract workers.
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Tagged as:
1099,
Al Frankin,
Barbara Mikulski,
Bernard Sanders,
Christopher Dodd,
Coalition to Preserve Independent Contractors,
Congress,
contract,
Employee Misclassification Prevention Act,
entrepreneurs,
Freelance,
Great Recession,
independent,
Jeff Bingaman,
Jeff Merkley,
John Isakson,
John McCain,
John Reed,
Jon Tester,
Judd Gregg,
Kay Hagan,
Lamar Alexander,
legislation,
Lisa Murkowski,
Michael Bennet,
Michael Enzi,
Orrin Hatch,
Pat Roberts,
Patty Murray,
Richard Burr,
Richard Durbin,
Robert CAsey,
S.3254,
self employed,
Sherrod Brown,
Small Business,
Society of Professional Journalists,
SPJ,
Thomas Coburn,
Thomas Harkin,
unemployment,
work at home,
workers
