The Realities of a Freelance Writing Career
February 28, 2010 by John Hewitt · 2 Comments
Leaving the comforts of a regular job for a freelance writing career means adjusting to a much different world. You will no longer be able to count on regular paychecks and company subsidized benefits. You won’t get paid sick days or overtime. You are on your own.
Your life and your career start to meld
As a freelance writer, there is no moment when you are suddenly at work or off work, especially if you work out of your home. There is nobody to tell you when you are done working for the day, and if you sleep in and miss a couple of hours in the morning, there is no one standing over you telling you to get to work or to keep working into the evening to make up for it. This leads to a perpetual feeling that you really should be doing something other than what you are actually doing, whether you are working or relaxing.
Your are responsible for your own goals
In a job you may have been able to blame your boss or the company for your lack of career advancement or your low pay. As a freelance writer, your career is entirely your responsibility. You make the decisions and you live with the consequences. Instead of negotiating with one boss, you have to negotiate with multiple clients and each one may have their quirks or issues. Some may even be hoping to rip you off. That is the reality of the business. It isn’t as safe as a regular paycheck and it isn’t for people who are afraid to make decisions.
You create your own network
As a freelance writer, you don’t get to meet coworkers in the lunch room or gossip over cubicle walls. If you want allies and friends, you have to forge the connections and keep them active. It can be lonely sitting in a home office all day with only the cat for company. A feeling of isolation is common. Social tools such as Facebook and Twitter can help you feel connected, but there is no replacement for face-to-face contact.
Life becomes deductible
As a writer, you have to manage your own taxes. That means paying the government out of your own account once a quarter to cover both income tax and social security (in the USA). It also means that anything in your life that legitimately helps you write becomes a deductible expense. Some of the typical deductible expenses are books, classes, Internet access, phone, office supplies, business cards, and computer equipment. Depending on what you write about though, other things become deductible. Someone who writes about exercise might deduct their shoes and gym membership. Someone who writes about travel might deduct their vacation expenses. This is why it is important to track all of your expenses and make sure you can justify any deduction you take. It may be smart to consult a tax accountant.
Your income relies on your output
If you get nothing done all day at a regular job, you still get a paycheck. Some people manage to survive in corporate America for years without accomplishing anything. As a freelance writer you don’t have that luxury. If you don’t do the work to land new clients and produce new writing, you don’t make money. Everyone has an off day once in a while, but if your off days start to stack up it can seriously endanger your financial stability. This is especially hard for freelance writers because people respect your time less than they do if you work a regular job. The friend or relative who would never call you at work won’t hesitate to call you at home. If you give in to these distractions, you have no one to blame but yourself. You are your boss.
Think about these realities before you jump into a freelance writing career. Full-time freelance writing is not for everyone.
Six Tips for More Organized Freelancing
February 27, 2010 by John Hewitt · Leave a Comment
Make a daily to-do list
Sit down at the beginning of each day and look at your current assignments. If you don’t have any assignments, make marketing your assignment for the day. Make a list of the three things that you most want or need to move forward on that day and decide what steps you are going to take. Tackle those items as soon as possible, before the day gets in your way.
Make a daily don’t do list
Make a list of the things that you aren’t going to do that day. This is for your peace of mind. Write down any of those nagging tasks that you think you need to do but know you won’t do. Get those items on paper and off of your mind.
Throw away everything you don’t need
By throw away I mean throw it in the trash, recycle it or give it to someone else. Everything in your office that you don’t need is a potential distraction. Yes, you are welcome to have art and other things that aren’t entirely necessary but make life better. Just get rid of the junk, and realize that most of the things in your office are probably junk.
Keep track of the ways that you waste time
If you stop working to log on to Facebook and read your messages or play Viking Clan, write it down. If you stop to check your email, write it down. Make yourself list all the ways that you waste time. It will keep you honest.
Log your thoughts and ideas
Keep an open text file, a notebook, a smartphone or an audio recorder. Whenever you have a thought that seems valuable or won’t get out of your head, record it for later. You can review these thoughts at the end of the day to determine their value and any ways that you want to move forward.
Apply the 80/20 rule
The 80/20 rule, which applies to so much of life, is simply this. Twenty percent of effort results in eighty percent of results and benefits. Review your time and your projects and determine the most valuable way to use your time. What do you do that actually results in income, and what do you do that doesn’t result in income.
How to Approach the Learning Process as a Writer
February 26, 2010 by John Hewitt · Leave a Comment
Writers are learners. When you write for a living, you need to constantly be learning or else you will simply run out of things to write about. Most writers embrace the learning lifestyle. They want to discover new things. Some writers explore one or two areas in depth while others hop from subject to subject, learning a little and then moving on. There is no right or wrong when it comes to learning a little about a lot or a lot about a little. The choice is up to the writer.
If you do want to explore a new area in depth, there are ways to do this that will make approaching a new subject easier. There are many ways to start. Some people learn by reading. Some people learn by listening and watching. Some people learn by actively doing the thing they want to learn about. While any of these approaches can work when you want to learn a little about a subject, you will need to embrace all three if you want to develop a deep understanding of a subject.
Write as you learn
The important thing to do, as a writer, is to write about your learning process. Take notes about what you read and what you do. Record your story or book ideas. Express your thoughts as you go through the learning process. Doing so will put you ahead of the game when you start to try to make a living writing about the new area. Preparation always pays off in the end.
The reading approach
The quick and cheap way to start is with the web. Find blogs and other web sites that discuss the subject and read what they have to say. After that, you should invest in one or two well-regarded books on the subject. An introductory textbook is always useful, and they can often be found used through sites such as Amazon.com. See if the subject has any dedicated magazines, and subscribe to the most useful ones.
The watching and listening approach
Some people prefer to learn by watching and listening to others. People who like to learn this way should consider taking classes or purchasing video and audio guides such as documentaries and lectures. Apple’s iTunes store has a section called iTunes U which is filled with college level lectures on hundreds of topics. You can watch and listen to podcasts that are, for the most part, free. Another option available to writers is the interview. Find knowledgeable people in the area you want to learn about and interview them. This is a way to write and sell articles while you are still learning about the subject and will allow you to make valuable contacts in the area.
The action approach
The action approach is simple and direct. You learn by doing the thing you want to learn about. In many cases, this is the only way to truly get a feel for a subject. If you have never snowboarded, then all the reading, listening and watching in the world won’t make you a snowboarder. You have to actually go out and do it. If you want to write about something, you shouldn’t just do it. You should join groups of other people who do the same thing. Make connections within the community of people with similar interests. Embrace the activity.
Put them all together
To move beyond the basics, you need to use all of these approaches. Read about the subject. Interview people. Take classes. Listen to lectures. Join groups. Go out and get active. Just remember to write about it as you go.
Project Management and Editorial Calendars for Freelance Writers
February 25, 2010 by John Hewitt · 2 Comments
Managing your freelance writing projects can be complicated and the needs can differ from writer to writer. Some freelancers have many small assignments that they have to manage. Others work on long assignments and need to provide updates to their clients along the way. Some writers face a combination of these assignments. They have some small projects and some large projects, and they need to make sure every assignment is getting the attention that its size, deadline, and priority demands.
Focusing on your projects and your days
When you track projects as a freelance writer, you need to keep your eye on both the big picture and the details. On one end you have to keep track of deadlines and milestones. You must be able to report your progress to a concerned client or editor, and you must feel comfortable with your own progress. On the other side, you need to set your tasks each day, making sure that you are setting aside the proper amounts of time per day to keep moving forward on those tasks.
Setting an Editorial Calendar
On the big picture end, you should set up an editorial calendar. Your editorial calendar tracks all of your projects, both for clients and for yourself, on a weekly/monthly/yearly basis. For smaller tasks such as short articles or brochures, you may only need to track the due date and put a reminder to work on it for a date that is somewhat ahead of that deadline. For long articles, books, reports or web sites, you may need to break up the editorial deadline with milestones on which you intend to accomplish certain tasks such as a draft, a section or a chapter. The editorial calendar isn’t meant to tell you what you should accomplish every day. It is simply there to keep you apprised of the big picture.
Setting Daily Goals
On a daily basis, you need to set your short-term goals. These short-term goals can be managed by time or by task. If you use a time management approach, you might set a goal to spend four hours on Project A, two hours on Project B and two hours on Project C. If you use a task management approach, you might set a goal of 1500 words on Project A, write draft of second chapter on Project B and finish article for Project C. Either method works. A task approach makes it easier to set specific goals, but an hourly approach might work best for projects that pay by the hour.
Setting Priorities
It is a good idea to start the day with your highest-priority item. Distractions can come up no matter how organized you are, so try to get the important things done before any distractions have time to present themselves. At the end of the day, assess your progress and make adjustments to your schedule. Some days are better than others and you may find yourself ahead or behind schedule on a particular project. Reviewing your editorial calendar daily is a good way to keep yourself on track.
Writers Should be Learners
February 24, 2010 by John Hewitt · 3 Comments
Some freelance writers can write about the same subject forever. Others need to change gears every once in a while. It can be difficult taking on a new subject though, especially one that you haven’t studied or practiced in the past. The beauty of tackling a new writing topic is that it gives you a fresh challenge. Getting back on the learning curve keeps the mind fresh and helps you develop new skills.
Be an ardent learner
It is always easier to learn about subjects you are ardent about. If you hope to make a long-term living writing about a topic, it should really be one you look forward to learning about and writing about. It is a mistake to invest tremendous time and effort into learning about a subject that doesn’t interest you.
Move from the basic to the complex
When you do find the right topic to write about, you are going to need to get familiar with the basic concepts and practices, as well as learn about the latest trends. You are also going to need to get actively involved with that topic. Reading about something only gets you so far. In order to master a new subject, you need to put learning into action. You need to get involved with other people who care about the topic and are willing to share knowledge. In many cases these people can become sources for your future articles and books.
Create a learning library
Invest in the core literature you need to succeed. Find web sites about the topic, especially news sites and blogs by writers who share the same passions. These people can be the key to your future success and serve as great contacts and interview subjects. Go to the library and look for scientific or trade magazines about the topic you are researching. Subscribe to these magazines and consider contributing to them. Use the magazines to find out who the major players are. Keep track of the people who are writing for these magazines and see if you can track them down online or on the phone. Tap these people for relevant knowledge.
Go back to school
Another good idea is to take classes in the subject. Introductory classes at your local community college are an inexpensive way to make a formal effort to learn what you need to know. Once you have the basics down, get active. Learn the skills involved in the subject. Join online groups or local clubs. Find people who are interested and want to spend time sharing their knowledge.
Keep a learning journal
As you go through all of this, be sure to keep a learning journal. Write down as much as you can about what you learn. These notes will be the basis of your future articles, blog entries, scripts and books. Never stop writing, even long before you are ready to publish. Be an active and involved learner. It will serve you for years to come.
Job Hunting To Do List
February 23, 2010 by John Hewitt · Leave a Comment
If you are looking for a job, you certainly aren’t alone. The economy is bad. Unemployment is high. People are desperate. It stinks. Here is a to do list to keep you moving during your job search.
Make an effort every day
It is easy to get distracted and depressed when you are out of work. The best way to fight that is to start every day with three tasks to do. Make a list of employers to call, to email, to visit and to research. Have a plan for every day.
Make phone calls
Emailing your resume is a passive activity. Making a phone call is much more proactive. After you send your resume, call the company and ask to speak to human resources. Make sure that they got your resume and see if you can get them to talk about possible positions. Beyond HR, try to contact the mangers in the departments you hope to work for. This can be uncomfortable work, but if you need a job, it is the fastest way to get moving.
Customize your resume
When you have a specific job description for what you are applying for, take the time to work as many of the words from the job description into your resume as possible. Your goal is to look like the perfect candidate. Don’t fake experience or knowledge, but make sure your resume reflects the most appropriate version of your job history and goals.
Use a job search aggregator
There are hundreds of sites that list jobs. It is a good idea to bookmark the sites that are local or specialized to your career. Beyond that though, you should use a job search aggregator such as indeed.com or simplyhired.com. These sites track the jobs at all of the major job sites, so you are less likely to miss an opportunity.
Have a complete job search kit
If you are looking for a job you should, at minimum, have a resume and a business card. Beyond that you might want to look at creating a portfolio of past work, a compilation of references and even a web site with online versions of these things. Go the extra mile. If you can provide something the other job seekers cannot, you are ahead of the game.
Practice your job interviews
Job interviews make many people nervous. Some of the questions you get asked can be downright silly and others will make you wonder if you are qualified for the job. Good preparation can help you overcome these obstacles. Get a list of practice questions and either practice reading them and answering them aloud (preferably with a friend) or write down your answers so that you can review them in the future. Below are some links to job interview questions and other sites that might help you in your job search.
