Category Archives: Freelancing

A Day in the Life

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I love being a full-time freelance and mama. People often ask me how I structure my days to make the most of my time. I shared a little bit over on The Traveling Writer, but to give you a sneak peak into a typical day for me, here is a play-by-play account of a day last week:

5:00 a.m.: Our house is up and moving thanks to two little kiddos that have no idea just how early 5:00 really is. I spend the next three hours finding just the right Elmo video, getting myself ready, preparing lunches, packing school bags and feeding the kids breakfast.

8:00 a.m.: The whole family is loaded in the car and we’re driving to Metro to drop my husband off at his train, then it is off to preschool. As my husband is driving to the train station, I check email and have a message from a client asking if I can write about a new regulatory issue for her newsletter. I write back and ask if I can turn it in on Monday morning. She agrees.

9:30 a.m.: Finish the preschool drop off and head off to a meeting with an editor to discuss taking over two sections of his magazine on a regular basis. I am super excited!

10:00 a.m.: Arrive at my meeting. Take a diaper and a Spiderman mask out of my purse and replace it with my monogrammed leather portfolio. Realize I’m a little early and spend some time reviewing the magazine I’m going to be discussing. At this point I also realize that in the morning rush of making sure everyone else was fed, I didn’t eat any breakfast. I check out my snack stash and discover that all that is left are some Cheeze-Its and a half-full box of hard raisins. I opt for the crackers and make a mental note to stick some better snacks in the car.

10:30 a.m.: I have a great meeting with the editor. We discuss his needs and the timing and exactly how he wants the final product delivered (separate files, one file, etc.). I use the face-to-face meeting as an opportunity to discuss the top issues he expects to cover this year and what his readership is the most interested in right now.

11:30 a.m.: Drive back to my home office, grab a protein bar and finish proofing a magazine for a client.

12:30 p.m.: Start researching a story I would like to pitch to a new publication and conduct interviews on two features due next week. Surprisingly, I connect with three sources on the first try! Yeah!

2:20 p.m.: Go and pick my kids up from school. We stay and play on the playground before leaving for home. We spend the rest of the afternoon playing, making dinner and tidying up around the house.

5:30 p.m.: Feed the kids dinner. Then, like a fool, I mixed up some homemade bathtub paints and put the kids in the tub. The kids loved it, but it made an awful mess for me to clean up.

6:30 p.m.: Pick my husband up from Metro.

7:30 p.m.: Put the kids in bed. Wipe the tub down one more time.

8:00 p.m.: Work on the features that I researched during the day. Catch up on Facebook (a guilty pleasure) and watch Jersey Shore (the ultimate guilty pleasure).

11:30 p.m.: Call it a night and go to bed!

P.S. In case you are foolish enough to want to treat your kids to some homemade bathtub paint, mix ½ cup cornstarch, ½ cup hot water and one cup of bath wash. Mix in some food coloring and let your kids have at it.

Well-Meaning Dream Killers

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When I announced my decision to go freelance over three years ago, a handful of well-meaning people tried to talk me out of it. They told me how hard it is to make a living as a freelancer, they reminded me that work would be unsteady and they also brought up the fact that I’d no longer have health insurance or a 401(k) match.

I smiled and nodded. I told them I understood the risks. Sometimes I told them rewards would be much greater. Other times I kept my mouth shut, but each time I thought of my little boy who I wanted to spend more time with and I continued on my path determined to prove them wrong.

The truth is, every day naysayers talk people out of pursuing their dreams. Taking charge of your career path and becoming the captain of your own ship isn’t easy and those that are easily persuaded may not be well suited for the challenges that come with entrpreneurship, but I’m sure plenty are. As hard as it is, we have to silence the negative voices that keep us from taking risks and persuing our dreams. Sometimes those voices are our own.

I had wanted to freelance  years before I finally did it. My fears kept me on a path that came with a steady paycheck and benefits. I loved my job and what I was doing, so rocking the boat felt risky. Then, my son came along. I hired a nanny and returned to work full time after my maternity leave was over, but the fit wasn’t right. Finally, my little guy was the catalyst that made me hang my own shingle. I knew how hard it was to kiss him goodbye each morning and get home just in time to put him to bed. I also knew that I had the skills and the personality that would allow me to chart my own course. I was certain the rewards would outweigh the risks of being self employed and had confidence in my abilities.

I think we all need some motivating factor to make us take the next step. Mine was the deep desire to structure a career around my family, but for you it might be something else. I know not everyone dreams of being a freelancer, but I am certain we all have dreams. No matter what your ambition is, grab onto it because I’m sure your capable of it. I was, but it would have been very easy to let even those well-meaning people I know talk me out of it. Now, nearly four years later, I have two little kiddos I get to spend more time with and I am making a full-time living as a freelancer. If I can find a way to do it, I know you can to.

 

Goings On

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Kids opening Christmas gifts
 

— We’ve spent the past week or so Christmasing with family in Utah. It has been a wonderful time (even though everyone in my little family got hit hard with the flu) and I hate to see it come to an end.

— During my trip, writer and solopreneur Alexis Grant featured me in a Q&A about freelancing on her blog, which is a valuable resource about writing and striking out on your own. It was great to be a part of her site. Thanks, Alexis!

— Also while in Utah, an editor reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in providing regular support for a few sections within his magazine. I am so excited to take on the project and I’ve already been plotting how I’m going to re-organize my desk to create room for my new responsibilities.

— As part of my Christmas gifts, my husband gave me a Kindle, and I’m becoming an e-reader convert. It is super easy to buy a new book at any hour of the day. I think it was 2 a.m. when I downloaded Christina Katz’s The Writer’s Workout. This quote by Stephen King within the book resonated with me: “If you wrote something for which someone sent you a check, if you cashed the check and it didn’t bounce, and if you then paid the light bill with the money, I consider you talented.” I love little reminders that I am finding success as a writer. 

— We still have a few more days before the kids start school again and life returns to normal. I'm hoping to soak in a little more of the Christmas spirit before we start packing away all the decorations and find places to put all of the wonderful gifts we received. I hope you're enjoying the holidays as much as we are. 

Writing for a Living

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Writing for a Living

Often times when I tell people I’m a freelance writer, they comment on how great it is that I get to right about whatever I choose. But the truth is, being a writer and writing for a living are two different things.

Whether you’re writing a feature story or a novel, you have to get those pieces published before you can get paid, and publishing on any level is a business. In business, you have to produce a product you can sell or you’ll end up having to close your doors.

When I first became a full-time freelancer, I wrote down every realistic market I planned to pursue. For me realistic meant those publications where I already had a contact. I had been covering transportation issues for a number of years, so it made sense to continue on that path and rely on the expertise I had gained. Given that my freelance income has now surpassed my full-time income, it was a wise choice.

One of the biggest benefits of pursuing an area of expertise is that I don’t spend a lot of time pitching articles that may or may not get picked up. Since a well-crafted pitch letter can sometimes take as long to write as an article, skipping that step is a huge plus. At this point in my career my assignments usually come via a phone call or an email from an editor saying he needs a feature on a certain topic. We’ll email a bit about potential sources and the angle, and then I get right to work.

On a personal level, I would love to spend more time writing essays and pitching parenting magazines, but I know that I will likely spend more time on those projects and see less money. As someone who writes for a living, I choose to focus on getting the most bang for buck. My goal is to create products I can sell, and I think that is the key difference between those who write and those who write professionally. 

The Power of a Thank You Note

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Sometimes a thank you note is more than a thank you note, such as when it results in a steady freelance contract that brings in $500 a month.

I don’t make time to do it enough, but I always like to send thank you notes to sources that have been particularly helpful. For the most part, my sources don’t get any personal gain from talking with me, so thanking them for taking time out of their busy days is the least I can do.

A few years ago I sent a source a thank you and was surprised when he called me the day he received it. He told me it was the first time he’d ever been thanked for his time and we spent the next 30 minutes getting to know each other outside of our initial interview. That little thank you note opened the door to a deeper relationship with my source.

Since then, we’ve talked a few times a year for stories. Earlier this year he called to let me know his colleagues in a different division of the company were looking for a writer to work on their internal monthly newsletter. He recommended me and took care of the initial introductions. After a few interviews and written proposal, I secured the project and now write a monthly newsletter for his company.

Obviously I had to prove I was qualified to do the job and my pricing had to be right, but I am certain that my thank you note helped build the relationship that led to the contract. When I wrote the thank you, my only goal was to show my appreciation, but you can never underestimate the power of saying thank you. 

*Photo by Anna Mailie Design via Flickr

 

Uncommon Women

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Do you know any uncommon women? I am fortunate because my life is full of them. I’m sure yours is, too.

Uncommon women are all around us yet they manage to stand out from the crowd. They launch businesses, raise families and take risks others dream of. I see them every morning when I drop my kids off for school, I get to work with them each day and just this weekend I got to reconnect with an amazing group of them that I don’t get to see nearly enough.

Uncommon women inspire us to try something new. Whether it is dancing to Funky Cold Medina or launching a freelance writing business, uncommon women guide us out of our comfort zones. They offer their support and they cheer us on. They become our role models and our friends.

Most of the uncommon women I know make everything they do look easy, but the ones I love the most admit how hard it actually is. The best share their tricks of the trade and they’re brave enough to share their not-so-stellar moments too. Whether it is on a blog post, over a drink or while waiting in the preschool pick-up line, uncommon women offer up their insights to help the rest of us do what we do better.

The uncommon women I am lucky enough to know make me a better mom, writer and friend. I’ve met them through school, work, my husband and my kids. I’ve found them online, at my dentist office and connected through a friend of a friend. No matter how I’ve met them, I’m happy to have them in my life.

Thank you to all the ladies who encourage and inspire me every day and a special thanks to the uncommon women I got to hang out with this weekend.

I know how hard it is to spend time connecting with those around us, but every time I do, I know I am better off because of it. Now I just need to try to do it far more often. 

*Photo by Ahmed Rabea via Flickr

Avoid Jealousy to Gain Confidence

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Whether you're running your own shop or working in an office, to be happy you have to make your career your own. Set your own goals, focus on your strengths and take charge as the captain of your own ship. As captain, you need to be confident in where you're going and what you're doing. Gaining confidence can take time, and the surest way to crush it is to compare yourself to others. 

It is easy to look at what someone else is doing and wish you were there, too. Believe me, I get bitten by the jealousy bug from time to time. But all jealousy will do is make you lose sight of what you already have. I'm making my living as a writer while working around my kids' schedules. This is what I've always wanted, yet I am guilty of looking at projects other freelancers are working on or books others are publishing and feel like I'm not doing enough.

When I find myself wishing I had more time in the day or that I was doing work more like someone else's, I try to take a step back and simply be grateful for what I already have. The truth is, it doesn't matter what others in my field are doing. My career goals and priorities are different from theirs, so it is only logical that my achievements will be as well. More importantly, their accomplishments won't  keep me from being successful. So when jealousy rears its ugly head, I simply acknowledge it and remind myself that I'm charting my own course at my own pace. In turn, I can be truly happy for someone else's achievements and use them as inspiration. They say a rising tide lifts all ships and another writer's success may ultimately increase mine. 

Photo by Robert Linder from stock.xchange

 

Movement Versus Action

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“Never confuse movement with action.” – Ernest Hemingway

It is easy to be busy. Whether we’re reading blogs, cleaning the house or wrapping up a feature story, there are plenty of ways to fill our days. The key is identifying our end goal and then determining if what we’re doing is simply movement or if it is action. Differentiating between the two can add to our success in our professional and personal lives alike.

I do better at focusing in on action in some areas than others. For example, as a writer and entrepreneur, I have set income targets I need and want to hit each month. That means every paying project puts me a step closer to achieving my goal. As my business has grown, I’ve been able to take on higher paying projects while cutting back on others. Both qualify as “action.”

Determining our goals and focusing on the actions necessary to achieve them also helps with time management. Unfortunately, I frequently find myself bouncing from blog to blog with no real goal in mind, which equates to only movement. I’ve switched to Google Reader and added primarily writing blogs to my subscriptions. Reading targeted, career-related posts gives my online reading purpose and also inspires me to write.

Goals don’t always have to be big picture. On weekdays, my first goals of the day including getting lunches and school bags packed, kids dressed and everyone loaded in the car by 8:50. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve woken up at 5:30 a.m. yet still had to rush out the door at 8:55. Those mornings are filled with far more movement than action. Now I’m trying to focus on the most important tasks first and save playing and reading for after my kids are presentable and the school bags are prepped and waiting by the door. 

I first read Hemingway’s quote in Papa Hemingway by A.E. Hotchner about twelve years ago. Whenever I think about it, it helps me keep the big picture in mind. As I wind down 2011 and begin plotting goals for 2012, I’m going to ask myself if the steps I’m taking are action or simply movement. How about you? Are there ways you can turn movement into action? I'd love to hear about it! 

Some Weekend Reading

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Are you busy weekending? We are, but I still manage to find some time to sneak in my favorite blogs. If you have some time to fit in a little reading, here are some of my favorite reads (either new or new-to-me posts) from the past week.

Be a Partner

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When it comes to landing and keeping clients, the key is to position yourself as their partner. Yes, you are a writer, editor or [insert profession of choice here], but moreover, you are someone your clients can turn to when they need an extra hand. It is important to be flexible and easy to work with, and I’ve always said my job is to make my clients’ jobs easier. 

My motto was tested this week when I reached out to an editor about a story he assigned me a few months ago only to learn he had forgotten to list me on his editorial calendar and assigned the story to someone else. He apologized (several times, actually), and promised to touch base with the other writer to determine who was further along on the piece.

I took a few deep breaths and thought about what losing the assignment would mean to me. For this paper, I get paid by the word and typically earn $1,200 or more for a feature. This is a heck of a lot of money. I also love the front-page byline this piece will have. Plus, I had several hours in on the project. 

Then, I thought about my editor, the sources who had already shared time and information with me and all of the leg work I’d done on the piece. As a partner, there was no reason to let that work go to waste. I’ve been writing for this paper since I started freelancing three years ago and value the long-term relationship we have.

I emailed my editor and let him know that if he went with the other writer, I’d share my notes and the dates and times of pending interviews in addition to an overall status update.

Minutes later, my phone rang. My editor was confirming that I’d just offered to share my info, apologized again and thanked me for being so willing to help. He also offered to pay me for the work I’d done so far, give me credit on the story as a contributing writer and put me on the editorial calendar for an upcoming feature.

Was it the right move? Part of me wonders if I shared my info a little too easily. But overall, I think I showed my dedication to my client. My editor knows that I put the story first and he rewarded me with compensation for the time I’d spent and, more importantly for a soul proprietor, future work. I'm still a firm believer that putting the client first is the first step in building trust and securing repeat business.