Adventures In Freelancing

Emotions of Setting Your Freelance Rates

marybabysteps — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:04:43 -0800

I've written before about what your writing is worth. It's a real hot button topic for many. People get pretty heated about it. The subject's been on my mind again recently. In fact, I just wrote a post about a blogger's worth at Type-A Mom. Everyone has an opinion about how much writers and bloggers should be paid, as well as the kinds of writing they should do.

My Views

Personally, I kind of cringe at the word "should". I'm very much an advocate for doing what works for you. I've heard the argument over and over that if writers accept extremely low wages, it will cause the market to go down for the rest of us because employer will no longer be willing to pay fair writers' rates. Honestly, that argument truly does make sense to me. I can see that one may be worried about their own future freelancing income and that it can be upsetting to see others accept such low fees. I get that you may want others to do better for themselves and to change for the better. What doesn't make sense to me is cutting others down for their actions, using condescending tones, and making assumptions about people's character in the name of trying to give freelancing advice.

I'm not going to give links or point people out. It's not my style to publicly criticize. And, frankly, I don't wish to give links to those I don't feel deserving of the time it would take. But there are a number of writers who are doling out tons of "advice" on the kinds of jobs not to take and the places writers shouldn't work for rather than giving helpful, encouraging advice on what new writers could do to increase the amount they are paid. I read these folks preach that there are lots of well-paying writing jobs out there, that you have to go beyond the job boards to find them. I get that. And I think we're all smart enough to be able to know that. I don't believe people necessarily want to have their hands held or are too "lazy" to find the good paying jobs. I just really think that they may not know how or that they feel overwhelmed at what's involved in the process. And the writers who are taking this stance are not making things seem any less confusing.

My Advice

I've spent the last year and half sort of floundering. I've found myself struggling between not wanting to accept low-paying gigs and finding it difficult to manage the time and the waiting game of querying. And you know what? I haven't been making much money at all. Again, I don't completely regret the time I've spent learning, What I do regret is allowing myself to be deterred from just going out there and writing because I've been too concerned about whether the pay is enough or whether people will consider me a real writer.

I'm done with that. I've just picked up some regular writing work, and the pay is good enough for me. In fact, I'll be freelancing for a well-known lending site and their subsidiaries. No, I won't be making $100 a post., but when I break it down per hour, it should be about $20 an hour, which is sufficient for me. And it's a start. It's a better rate than I was making earlier this year, so I'm making progress. I intend to be satisfied with that.

Jodee Redmond wrote some good advice over at Freelance Writing Jobs. She talks about diversifying your work. That's just what I intend to do. I'm going to be happy with the great blogging jobs I've just scored, and I will probably even write for some content and revenue sharing sites as I have time so that I can add to my income. I also intend to continue querying print publications as I have great ideas. I'm a mom. My time is limited and sporadic. Blogging works well for my lifestyle. Writing short pieces is ideal for fitting in during a nap or while waiting for the kids' bus to come. As a mom, I also need to be concerned with bringing in some income and being satisfied with my life, NOT with what others may think or what they would do.

Final Thoughts

I wanted to write this post as a means of encouraging others to pursue writing in a way that works for them. If you're satisfied with your writing, that's what matters. However, if you feel a nagging doubt or worry that you're not working to your potential, don't hesitate to do some research and to learn how you can move forward with your writing career. What do you think? Honestly. If you disagree with me, I welcome conversation and discussion.

Use Cision To Get Sources

marybabysteps — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:55:58 -0800

As freelance writers, we often find ourselves stuck for ideas. It seems that every topic has already been covered. Finding a new slant is necessary if we want to get our articles published. Fortunately, there are always new developments and changes occurring in every industry. The problem is finding out about those developments.

We're busy people. We don't have scads of time to spend researching and hunting down the latest information in our area of interest. That's why you'll want to sign up for inclusion in the Cision database. Signing up is easy. Just fill out the form with your information and the topics you're interested in. You'll soon be receiving information and pitches relevant to all the subjects you cover. Not every email or press release will be useful to you, but I've found that much of the information I receive can be used in some way, either as blog content or to spark an idea for a freelance article.

Thanks, Jennifer James, of Mom Bloggers Club, for sharing this resource!

Use Google to Find Markets in Your Niche

marybabysteps — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:54:23 -0700

I just learned this trick for using Google to find writing markets from fellow writer, Linda Hutchison, and I can't believe I never thought to do this before. Sure, I've Googled "women's websites" or "college magazines" when looking for publications in my areas of interest, but this method is rather ineffective. Instead, try Linda's way.

Go to Google. Put your topic in quotation marks. Type the words "submissions" or "writers guidelines" in quotes. Then put the word "and" between them. You'll get a list of links to writers guidelines you can explore for paying markets. For example, if you type "women" and "writers guidelines" into Google, or your search engine of choice, you'll find links to lots of online and print publications for women. Probably a bunch you've never heard of before.

The thing to do now is o go through the list and read the guidelines to determine if it's a paying market and if it looks like one that would interest you. You may need to try several versions of your search. I've searched on both "adult students" and "non-traditional students", looking for markets that cater to adults going back to school. You can also substitute "subission guidelines" or "submissions" for "writers guidelines", though I had better luck with the latter.

Take some time to play around with this method and see what you find. I found a number of new markets I'd like t check into further, ones that seem to be a good fit for my writing and experience. Let me know what you learn from your search. You may want to set a goal of querying one or two of the markets you find within the next week. That's what I'm doing. Good luck!

Beware of Scams When Applying for Writing Jobs

marybabysteps — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:30:46 -0700

Photo by rightee

I wanted to take a moment to warn you of some scams I've become aware of recently that target freelance writers. I received these "responses" in my inbox after applying for writing jobs online. Here's one such response:

Mary,

After reviewing your resume, I think you would be a great fit for the position. The next step is a mandatory credit and background check. You can access the website we use for this by clicking here now. Please send us the file you receive so we can review it. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Regards,
Christine Rawley
Hiring Manager

I found this email to be suspicious on many levels.

The email didn't specify what position I would be a great fit for. There was no mention of a company or website. Even the signature, "Christine Rawley, Hiring Manager" was vague. Hiring Manager for whom?
The email mentioned reviewing my resume. I rarely send resumes for freelancing jobs. Usually, I apply for jobs that ask for samples of my work. I'm pretty sure I didn't send any resume.
Mandatory credit and background check? I've only been asked for a background check once when applying for a writing job. That was for Examiner.com, which I ultimately decided not to pursue further when I realized that I wasn't interested in writing for revenue share. It's very scary to me that this person with no identifying credentials whatsoever is asking for my personal identity information.

Here's another email I received that I believe to be fraudulent.:

Hey Mary,

Thank you for your prompt response to the craigslist ad. We got someone to write a decent percentage of the articles but that means we still need 30 more 400 word articles written before 1:00 PM on Friday, October 9, 2009. The pay is now $55 per article. Full details are available on the freelance website GoFreelance which you can get to by clicking here. We use this website for security reasons, to keep a record of our conversations, to make sure we get the articles and that you get paid in full and on time for your work. You will be required to electronically sign a non-disclosure agreement on the freelance website.

Regards,
Brian Longfellow

My concerns with this one are:

GoFreelance.com seemed to ring a bell with me, but I clicked on it anyway. After reading through the site, it seems there is a monthly charge to use it after your 7-day free trial. Hmm...
So I looked around a bit and found that GoFreelance.com has been scamming writers for some time. Check out this article from Katherine at Swan's Blog for more informaiton about this scam site.
Not that the rate of $55 for 400 words is totally outrageious. I think it's a fair rate, actually. But rarely do I see this kind of pay on Craig's List ads. That, combined with the ambiguity of the types of articles that were to be written, caused me to wonder.

For the record, neither of these folks replied to my emails questioning them and their authenticity. Interesting. Also, I want to mention that I rarely apply for freelance gigs lately, as I"m putting a lot of my energy into my own personal blogs at the moment. The jobs I have applied for have been ones that truly seemed worthwhile and that I would be interested in. In addition, the sites that I use to search for jobs are very reputable, ones that I trust implicity. These are Freelance Writing Jobs and About Freelance Writing. If I was foooled into applying for these jobs, and they slipped past Deb and Anne's radar, you know these were well-worded ads that anyone could be tricked into applying for.

So please be careful when applying for writing gigs. Don't give any personal, identifying information unless you feel completely comfortable with the authenticity of the person or company offering the job. If you have any doubts, be sure to ask for references. Also, there is often a contract or tax documents that are required for legitimate jobs. Not always, but often. And never pay money for work. Check out this article by Deb on Top 10 Freelance Job Ad Red Flags for more things to be on the lookout for.

Always do your own due diligence and research. Don't let the scammers intimidate you into not applying for jobs. Just be aware that they exist and that the job boards aren't the only place to find paying gigs. Have you ever been scammed? Please share your tips for avoiding scams in the comments.

More Than Just the Writing

marybabysteps — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:01:08 -0700

In my last post I talked about setting writing goals and sticking to them for 100 days. When I told my husband about it and the goals that I set for myself, I noticed that he looked at me a little strangely. I immediately realized what the issue was. My goal of posting to two blogs each day and sending out three queries per week didn't seem like very much to him, I believe. So I then reminded him of what else I spent my days doing - marketing.

Marketing means many things to many people. For a business it may be advertising your product, sending out press releases, and creating buzz about your product. We freelancers need to market as well. Writing is our business! Without getting ourselves in front of our audience or people who could potentially help us in our pursuits, our chances of earning an income significantly decrease.

For me, marketing includes writing query letters. Those are a key marketing piece for many of us. My marketing efforts also include social networking on sites like Twitter and Facebook to spread the word about my blogs. I recently spent some time creating a fan page on Facebook around my new blog for adult learners as well as submitting the blog to various blog directories.

All of this takes a tremendous amount of time. So if you've decided to take the writing challenge, please don't neglect to think about all the other aspects that go into your career as a freelance writer. Choose goals that are realistic for the time you have available to dedicate to your business. Like me, many of you may be juggling freelancing with raising children. You may have a full-time job and be writing on the side. Whatever the case may be, it's imporant to take outside obligations and the big picture into account when setting your goals.

There. Now I've explained myself to you as well. I feel better. What are your thoughts on marketing? Do you enjoy it or would you rather just write? I have mixed emotions about the subject. I find it fun to reach out and enjoy the challenge of using my creativity to advance my projects; however, it can get kind of tiring as well. It's a delicate balance.

Well, I'm off to do some marketing!

Will You Take the 100 Day Writing Challenge?

marybabysteps — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:31:04 -0700

Photo by Sun Dazed

I just read about a fantastic movivational challenge at Writing Spirit called The 100 Day Writing Challenge. The gist of the challenge is that you'll choose a writing goal or two and work for 100 days to complete them. You can keep track of your progress in a few different ways. I've thought long and hard about this and have decided that I plan to take this challenge and will be using the Box a Day method to stay on track. What this means is that I will keep daily inventory of whether or not I've met my goal. This way I can have a visual of how successful I am. There's even a handy chart you can use to keep track of your goals.

My Goals

My goals are to post on at least two of my three blogs each day and to send out one query or manuscript to a website or print publication at least three days a week. One thing I know about goal setting is that your goals must be specific, measurable, and realistic. I think mine are. I feel very empowered having shared my goals and commited to completing them.

Join Me!

The challenge technically began September 23rd and is to end December 31st, but according to the rules, you can start any time. So what do you think? Will you join me in The 100 Day Writing Challenge? There's a forum at Writing Spirit to share goals and encourage others. I'd be honored if you'd share your goals and check in right here with me as well. What are your goals, and how do you plan to implement them? Is there anything I can do to help?

Happy writing!

Motivational Video From Deb Ng

marybabysteps — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:30:53 -0700

I just wanted to take a moment to share a video with you all from Deb Ng of Freelance Writing Jobs. In it, she shows how she built her blog from a sole endeavor with few page views to a highly successful network. She tweeted it to me this morning just when I was struggling with where my priorities need to be. This is just another example of the amazing connections you can find through social media. Thank you, Deb, for being my friend.

Check out the video for yourself on YouTube. It's great motivation if you're struggling with where to go with your passions or are wondering if your efforts will pay off. They will. Just keep going!

Custom Publishers: A Little Known Market

marybabysteps — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:20:26 -0700

I'm not sure where I first read about customer publishers. I think it may have been from Linda and Diana of The Renegade Writer. From what I understand, a custom publisher puts together and distributes magazines or newsletters for corporations, businesses, or organizations. It can be an in-house publication, an industry specific journal, or a companion magazine for a store or business. I came across information about custom publcations while doing some research on letters of introduction for freelancers. So I decided to revisit this market venue to determine if this would be a good option for me to pursue.

From what I've learned, custom publications are definitely worth looking into. Here's why.

Less Competititon

From what I've read, there is less competition from other freelancers when it comes to custom publishers. Most publications put out by these publishers are specific to a particular industry or consumer group. They may not be as widely read as the glossy national magazines. It's this low profile that allows freelancers to approach customer publishers with a letter of introduction, rather than a full-fledged query.

Targeted To Your Interest

I love the idea of writing for custom pubs because you can choose ones that fit your area of expertise and interest. You'll find some links to custom publishers in this Writer's Weekly article on letters of introduction. I plan to target pubs that cover topics I'm interested in like beauty, fashion, parenting, and education. I've just started researching various publishers, but I've found a number that seem like a good fit. In fact, I've even sent out a few letters of introduction.

Good Pay

It looks like custom publishers offer a fairly decent rate of pay. Some can even compete with the national magazines. There are large corporations like Walmart and Curves behind some of these magazines, so there's a budget to pay writers. So often, new freelancers settle for low paying gigs because we feel that we have to work our way to the top. Any established freelancer will tell you not to simply settle for low pay. There are a lot of good paying markets out there for talented newbies. I think custom publications are definitely a good place to form relationships and obtain high paying writing jobs.

So what do you think? Will you try breaking into the custom pub market? For more information, you'll want to read this article on how to get into writing for custom publishers. Good luck!

Start Writing Letters of Introduction!

marybabysteps — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:30:11 -0700

You may know that I took some down time this summer. Frankly, it was just too hard to juggle caring for the kids and writing, particularly when the money I was bringing in wasn't especially mind blowing. So I took some time off and enjoyed my summer. I'm back and refreshed. And I was totally scared out of my mind that I wouldn't be able to dig up any paying work. Sure, I've got enough to keep me busy with my three blogs and writing for Type-A Mom, but I also want to balance that writing with some regular paying gigs. And I was really afraid that I had jinxed myself by not keeping busy this summer.

To my delight, I was able to get back in touch with an editor whom I had worked with a while back, and she passed a couple new assignments my way. Whew! What a relief. Now I feel like I can get myself back in the swing of things. Those few paying jobs will really help to motivate me to move forward with my goals. And the paycheck will come in handy, too!

As I started thinking about the best way of going about getting more paying leads, I decided to take the approach that has worked best for me so far. I'd like to share that approach with you.

Introduce Yourself

I've already written about how I've used networking to find paid blogging jobs. I swear by networking, both in real life and online, to make the connections that may eventually lead to opportunities. But what happens when your networking leads have run dry? I've learned that it's often helpful to make new connections by introducing yourself. I've read about letters of introduction in the past. A letter of introduction is simply a letter to an editor of interest introducing yourself and informing them of your desire to write for their publication, as well as your qualifications to do so. I don't think writing a letter of introduction would work in all situations, but it has worked for me.

Target Your Letter

I've made connections that have led to paying work by finding publications that are in my target niche. I've found that if I can offer the editor some expertise on the topic, I feel more confident in approaching them, and I have a better chance of success. For example, when I come across websites for college students, I often look to see if they print articles or blogs. Since I have a degree in College Student Personnel and a professional background in academic advising, I already have the informational credentials. So I find the contact information on the website's home page and send off a nice email introducing myself, my professional qualifications, and some online clips. There are times I've gotten nothing back, but there are also times that I've received paying work.

Follow Up

Sometimes, rather than an offer to write for the website, I've gotten an invitation to send my resume or to come back later when they may be accepting freelancers. You can bet I put those emails in a folder for future reference and that I will indeed follow up with them later. You can even follow up with those you don't hear back from.

Have you ever tried this method for obtaining freelance writing jobs? Has it worked for you? Let me know! I'd love to hear about it. What do you think? Would you give it a try? What have you got to lose? Please come back and comment if you try it and find this method to be successful.

Using HARO to Enhance Your Writing

marybabysteps — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:05:42 -0700

As freelancers, we're so lucky to have so many resources at our disposal today. To write an interesting and salable story, it's imperative to include first-hand expert and anecdotal information. These kinds of sources are readily available to us by just sitting down at our computers. I've "met" so many fascinating people online through social media like Twitter and Facebook. Through these relationships, there are many people I could call on for a quote or to provide me information I need to enhance my story and to increase my chances of having an editor accept my pitch.

But for those times you just don't know where to turn for accurate information on the topic at hand, there's HARO - Help a Reporter Out. Many of you may have heard of HARO, but like me, you may not have taken the time to give it a try. Recently, I decided to use HARO for a post I've got in the works at my blog, Everyday Baby Steps, on fall fashion for plus size women. Writing up a simple query and submitting it through Help a Reporter Out brought me all the information I need for my post, and it ever provided me with ideas and contacts for future articles to pitch for publication.

The Process

Submitting your query is easy. Just head on over to HARO and complete a query form. Be as specific as you can. For example, I made sure to mention that I was targeting my article to moms and that I was looking for cute, comfortable clothing that would fit a busy mom's lifestyle. You'll also want to include information that might make people more inclined to contact you. For example, I mentioned that my blog has a Google Page Rank of 4 and that I have a wide online presence. This lets PR folks know that it's likely an audience will see my post, giving exposure to their product. You'll want to do this even if you're not reaching out to PR folks like I was because many sources are looking for some kind of exposure. Often times, professionals volunteer to be interviewed because it adds to their credentials or their resume.

Also, choose your deadline carefully. If you're really in a bind, be sure to indicate it on your form. Your query will then be sent out first as an urgent request. If you can wait, go ahead and allow a deadline of a week or so. My deadine was two weeks, and my query wasn't sent out for a while. From now on, I'll make my deadlines shorter.

The Results

I am very pleased with my HARO experience. I received a tremendous response from well known companies like Lee and Hanes and from smaller boutiques as well. I won't be including every company that responded in my article, as they weren't all a good fit for the audience I'm trying to reach. Take, for instance, the boutique that custom makes $700 dresses for their clients. I don't think the moms that read my blog would be looking for this kind of item!

I'm happy with the response I received, and some of the companies even sent me a review item, which is helpful. If you're hoping to receive items for review, you'll want to be sure your blog has a PR of 4. I was told a while back that (when my blog was a 3) that this is a requirement when asking for products to review.

I will definitely be using HARO in the future. As I mentioned earlier, this experience has generated a number of ideas for more articles, and now I've got sources to track down when I'm ready to write them. Whether you're interested in learning about the latest trends for your blog or in finding an expert to interview for that magazine piece you're working on, give HARO a try. And let me know how it goes!