Off Topic Rant: If I Wasn’t So Politically Correct:

by Deb Ng

..I’d tell that really cheap person in front of me at the supermarket check out to please stop analyzing all 500 items on her receipt and holding up the damn line.

If you think your grocery total is a penny or two off, step aside and do what you have to do. To hold up the entire line so you can compare everything on your gargantuan receipt to supermarket sales flyer is just rude and inconsiderate.

It’s bad enough you decided to wait until after you loaded up the conveyor belt to look through your massive coupon pouch, only to have a hissy fit when the frustrated cashier handed back half for being expired. And it was bad enough for you to have her stop and read items and prices back as she went along, even though you bloody well memorized prices before you even left your house for the store. And it was bad enough you stopped your cart in the middle of the aisle to read the sales flyer, even though you receive it at home too. And it’s bad enough you stroll through the aisle yacking as loud as you can on your cell phone so everyone in the world knows you’re a chronic malcontent.

Is it really necessary to hold up a line of people on a Saturday afternoon because you have to go over every single item on your receipt to make sure the proper discount was applied? Read more

10 Things You Could Be Doing Instead of Reading this Blog Post

by Deb Ng

Don’t get me wrong. I love that so many of you visit our blogs every day and I hope you continue to visit. After all, we’re a great place to network and find leads, especially now with our new forum. However, I’m also aware that we’re a great place to procrastinate as well.

I’m not trying to scare you away,  without you there wouldn’t be us. However, if you find you’re only here because you have no other writing tasks, I’d like to offer you a list of things you can do with your spare time.

1. Troll for leads – There are so many places to look for freelance writing work. Some writers are complaining of slim pickings, but in my travels I see at least 20 to 30 good leads a day. How many are you finding?
2. Network - As we discussed other times, networking is essential for a successful freelance writing career. You can meet people who hire, people who know people who hire, people who know places that hire, people who have ideas and tips to share and more.
3. Go through your accounts – Have all your clients been invoiced? Have all your invoices been paid? Is your paperwork filed away? Tidy up your accounts and chase payments if necessary.
4. Read – Read books, blogs and magazines about writing or the topics you write about.
5. Answer your email – Stop procrastinating! If you’re like me your email piles up if you don’t get to it right away. Deal with it and move on. Read more

Don’t Confuse Holiday Down Time with the Current Economy

You’ve probably noticed slim pickings these past few weeks. Everyone looking for work are reporting dismal findings. In fact, I receive many letters each day asking if this is a result of the current economy. My answer is “maybe not.

Don’t get me wrong, times are going to be a little bit tough coming up, but that’s not the main reason you’re not finding any work this month. November and December are traditionally slow months because folks don’t want to hire during the holidays. They don’t want to spend money on writers during that time. Indeed we’re experiencing tough economic times, but there will always be folks looking for writers, especially online. Even though advertising is down for many websites, folks still need to stock their sites and blogs with content and that’s where we come in.

Things will pick up after January.  I’m not saying there’s going to be a big hiring boom, but you’ll see more jobs. December is always a dismal month for freelancers, please don’t get discouraged.

Let’s Talk About Why You Really Want to Work at Home

by Deborah Ng

One of the reasons I changed the FWJ logo from the pajama blogging lady to the coffee cup is because I was getting a little tired of the assumption that folks who work at home are a little lazy. It’s assumed that it’s too much trouble for those of us who work at home to change out of our sleep clothes. It’s assumed that those of us who work at home do so because we don’t want to work a “real” job or “real” hours. It’s assumed that those of us who work at home do so because we can’t adapt to the strong work ethic we need to spend our days at a cube farm.

Wrong.

If you’re looking to work at home because you love the idea of being able to write in your pajamas or design websites for a couple of hours a day, think again. While I have no desire to ever return to the traditional office job, the reasons aren’t out of laziness. In fact, I maintain one must have a stronger work ethic than those who work in an office because we have to remain focused and not let the television or friends distract us. Moreover, I maintain those of us who work at home put in more hours than those who work outside of the home.

So if you have romantic preconceived ideas about luxuriating through a work at home job instead of putting in the time and effort needed to hold down a “real” job, put that thought out of your mind right now. I wonder, is it the actual working at home or the romantic idea of working at home you’re after.

Why Do You Really Want to Work at Home?

Is it because you want to spend more time with your family? If so, you many be frustrated because you’re having a hard time balancing home and work. The truth is, it’s extremely difficult to work while children are demanding your attention or fighting in the background over the last chocolate chip cookie. Sometimes I wonder if I would be a more hands on parent if I left my “real” office job at 5:00 and didn’t return back to it at 8:30 a.m.

Is it because you want to dress more comfortably? Indeed it’s a perk. My stocking bill is lower and I rarely wear heels anymore. I don’t always work in my pajamas though because I feel the need to separate work from home. Getting changed into some casual clothes to work in puts me in the proper frame of mind. Different freelancers have different opinions on that. However, dress isn’t really a reason to work at home.

Is it because you want more flexibility? One of the best reasons to work at home is the ability to work via your own schedule. I love working early in the morning before everyone is a wake while the house is so quiet. Plus I can take time off to lunch with friends or help my son with his homework and take him to activities. My recommendation is to set aside specific blocks of time as “work hours”. When you start and stop constantly it’s hard to be productive. I also found others respect your time more when you set non-negotiable business hours.

Is it because you keep reading about so many work at home jobs? It’s true, the Internet has created so many work at home opportunities. Be forewarned you can’t quit your day job one day and have a huge clientele the next. It takes time to cultivate relationships. Moreover, in today’s economy, work at home jobs are coveted and competition is fierce. My recommendation is to have work set up before taking the plunge.

Is it because you want a lighter load? If so, you may not necessarily get that working at home. If you freelance you’ll probably have a heavier load because you’ll need to find lots of gigs to help compensate for the salary you left behind. You’ll also need to work hard to find clients and meet deadlines. If money is no object, a lighter load is certainly a good reason to work at home. If you need to support a family, this is rarely the case.

If you’re looking to work at home, first think about the reasons you really want to work at home. It’s not all fuzzy slippers and bon bons. There’s a reality here and it’s not always a free and easy lifestyle. I’ve never worked so hard in my life – and if that’s not your goal you may as well stay back in your cube farm.

Ok…Now I’m a Little Angry

Unoriginality bores me. Except when someone steals my blog’s title, logo and more. Check out this poor copy of the FWJ website.

It’s using FWJ to send people to Get-a -Freelancer. Please help me spread the word that these scammers are in no way affiliated with FWJ.

thanks

Craigslist Ad of the Day: The “I Hope This Guy Isn’t in Med School” Ad

Lordy.  There are no words.

Biology Final (12/19) (CSI)
Reply to:
Date: 2008-12-18, 8:09PM EST

Is any1 a BIO major and want to be hired to take a basic BIO 106 FInal
ASAP let me know

* Location: CSI
* it’s NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
* Compensation: negotiable

What’s the going rate on an exam these days?

Also? Dude took out the ad yesterday and the test is today. I’m not a scholar but I’m thinking it’s not enough time to screen the applicants, if you know what I mean.

I mean, I could say I’m a biology major and take this guy’s $500 or whatever he’s paying, and then blow off the test or do a major screw up. Not that our friend here really deserves a good grade or anything. How nice that you can buy an education these days. Who will he pay to do his job for him – if he’s ever hired anywhere?

What is More Important: Your Brand or Your Job?

I’ve been thinking about my “brand” a lot lately. I didn’t realize I had one before the past year or so but now, or so others tell me, I do indeed have a brand. My brand is my blogs and building community, and really, I can’t argue with that. Here’s the thing though, this branding thing has me worried. I mean, now that I now I have a brand I can’t screw it up, right?

So riddle me this:

What is more important, your brand or your job? Please don’t tell me my brand IS my job, because that’s not true at all. My job is pimping someone else’s brand.

Which brings me to another question. What happens when your job interferes with your brand? What if, for instance, your association with your place of employment does damage to your brand? Or, what if (gosh forbid) bad things happen within your place of employment you’d rather not have your name associated with? And if that isn’t enough, what happens if the line between your brand and your job’s brand becomes blurred, and everyone forgets about your vision because your employer’s overpowers it?

I worked hard to build up my brand. It took me a while to realize it, but a lot rides on my good name. I’m sure it’s the same for many of you. What do you think? Is your brand more important than your job?

8 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting the High Paying Freelance Writing Jobs

by Deb Ng

We get letters here at Freelance Writing Jobs. We also receive many comments on our job leads blog. While most comments are positive, some thoughtful comments aren’t so favorable about a few of the jobs we post here because they don’t pay a lot. Though we do offer a good mix of writing jobs, I do get that not all gigs will be to everyone’s liking.

Now, those of you who remember me from back in the day when I was just starting out will remember I was kind of vocal about the low payers too. Then I had an epiphany. It wasn’t the people who were accepting the low paying gigs who were keeping me from getting the good jobs, it was me.

Why You’re Not Getting the High Paying Freelance Writing Jobs

If you’re spending a lot of time ragging on the low payers and not getting the high payers, there could be a very good reason behind it.

1. You’re Not as Good as You Think You Are

I know. Harsh, right? The fact is, great writers command great pay. That’s not to say you’re worthy of $5 writing jobs, but if you want to be paid $1 per word your work has to speak for itself.  Many editors do like to reward good writers with good pay but if they end up doing most of the work for you, it’s not very cost efficient. Turn in clean work. Why would an editor want to pay you good money when she has to practically rewrite everything you turn in?

2. You Don’t Have Much Experience

I don’t every believe a writer has to earn next to nothing to gain experience. Even the newest writer shouldn’t earn $1 a blog post or $1 an article. With that said, I understand starting out at $10 or $20. Though it’s not totally unheard of, not too many brand new writers will get thousand dollar gigs. As your experience grows, so should your pay.

3. You’re Not Asking

If you feel you’re deserving of a pay raise, ask. Many writers don’t ask for an increase in pay because they don’t want to lose their clients. If you’ve been working for the same person for years at the same rate, that person is taking advantage and you need to get aggressive. Inform your client you’ll be raising your rates. If he balks, decide whether or not it’s time to move on. If your client values your writing and your customer service, he’ll pay the increase.

4. You’re Not Looking in the Right Places

We talk often about where to find the higher paying freelance writing jobs. The truth is, you won’t always find these online. We do try to bring these desirable gigs to you here, and though some might laugh, I know Craigslist often has very high paying jobs. If you want to find the really high paying gigs, you may have to close up your laptop and do some cold calling. If you’re not going to take the time to really look for work, quit complaining the jobs aren’t out there. They are, you just have to stop looking in the “easy”places.

Read more

What’s Your Response Time?

Deb Ng

Congratulations. You landed a new gig with a terrific client who is not only easy going, but has the promise of a lot more work in the future. Many of her projects are small, but plentiful. You promise to get right on it and set a date for the first’s projects completion.

Deadline date comes and goes, and your client doesn’t hear from you. Two days later she sends a note asking how it’s going. You assure her things are going smoothly and your project will be done by that evening. A few days later she checks on you again and you promise completion by that evening. You contact her the next afternoon to tell her the project is ready.

Life goes along this way for a while. Your client asks you for stuff and you disappear for a while, surfacing only when she asks you how it’s going. It takes you days instead of hours to respond.

Don’t Be That Guy!

Do you know what’s happening now? Your client is worried and frustrated. She has so much to get done but now she’s not so sure you’re the right person for the job. A relationship that showed promise in the beginning is now …not so much. What happened? Poor customer service. Now your client has to choose between going with you, and worrying about whether or not the job is getting done, and having to search for someone else all over again.

If I had to choose the one trait a freelancer has to have to succeed it’s the ability to communicate, specifically, a good response time. If you promise work for Wednesday, turn it in Wednesday. If you can’t turn it in on Wednesday, contact your client to discuss why. Read more

30 Types of Freelance Writing Jobs and How to Get Them

by Deborah Ng

We talk about writing for web and print as if there are only two forms of freelance writing – magazines and newspaper (print) and web content (web). This isn’t the case. There are so many ways to support one’s self as a freelance writer and the aforementioned print and web opportunities are only a part of it. Today I’d like to explore some of the different types of opportunities available to freelance writers, and offer a few hints as to how to land some of these jobs.  While this report is nowhere near being “in-depth” I did do a bit a research. I’m hoping this can be used as a starting point for further research. I give you:

30 Types of Freelance Writing Jobs and How to Get Them

1.Web Content

Associated Content, LovetoKnow, Constant Content, About.com , Demand Studios, WiseGeek, and many others are looking to hire writers to stock content for their websites. Many of these content sites request their writers rely on keywords and top search terms to bring in traffic and pay either a flat fee or a fee plus page view or traffic bonuses. Some web content places pay very little so do read all the fine print before signing on.

• How to Get it: To work for web content sites, visit the website and look for a “Write for Us” or “Jobs” link and apply. Some places like About.com and LovetoKnow are strict in their acceptance policies. Others, like Associated Content, accept all who apply.
• College: No
• Experience: Depends on the content site.

2. Web Copy

Web copy refers to writing sales, promotional, or other copy for a website. The difference between this type of writing and the content writing mentioned above is that most web content sites are looking specifically to stock their websites with content in order to bring in revenue. Those who are looking for copy for their individual websites usually have another purpose in mind, to bring in traffic and foster interest in a product or service.

• How to Get it: The most popular way to find jobs writing copy for website is to look on the job boards. Many site owners and web masters advertise at places such as Freelance Writing Jobs, Craigslist and others. You could also contact web owners directly and offer a letter of introduction asking them to keep you in mind for their writing projects. 8 out of 10 of the potential clients may say no, but it’s the 2 who say yes who really matter.
• College: Not always but knowing something about proper grammar usage can’t hurt.
• Experience: It helps

3. Blogs

Blogging jobs abound online now. Not only are individual bloggers doing well, but many blog networks are hiring too, but those aren’t the only game in town. Individual web property owners are looking for bloggers as are businesses. As many companies realize they need a web presence, expect to see more blogging jobs in the future.

• How to Get it: Blogging gigs are some of the easiest jobs to find right now. Plenty of websites such as ProBlogger, Blogging Jobs, Performancing, Craiglist, Freelance Writing Jobs and many more advertise blogging gigs. Keep in mind that most networks are low paying but some do offer traffic bonuses as incentive. The blogging jobs offering the most money are for private clients and corporations.
• College: No
• Experience: Not always. Not for most networks.

4. News Reporter

Reporting for newspapers, magazines and even television might seem glamorous but it’s very hard work, often for little pay. You’ll be expected to sniff out stories, break news and even work on pieces that may not be so attractive. You might also be expected to travel on weekends and holidays and even go to dangerous places, it all depends on your contract with the newspaper or network.

• How to Get it: Apply directly to newspapers and television stations and read the want ads.
• College: A degree in journalism or communications is usually required.
• Experience: For a small local newspaper, no. The more prestigious the news outlet, the more experience necessary.

5. Newspaper Columnist

As a former newspaper columnist I can assure you the pay most columnists receive won’t keep you in fancy shoes or pay the rent on an Upper West Side apartment like Carrie Bradshaw. Most newspaper columnists don’t earn much money at all. It’s a rewarding, fun gig, however, and can lead to bigger and better things.

• How to Get it: Pitch your column directly to the newspaper.
• College: Depends on the newspaper and the type of column
• Experience: Not for a small, local paper. The big guns may want to see a resume.

6. Features Writer

Features writers write articles for newspapers, magazines and other news outlets that will be “featured”, in other words, it will get a cover, cover line, or other type of prominent display. There are many types of features, for instance, a celebrity interview or background to a major news story. As you can imagine, these gigs are coveted and usually go to folks who have long established themselves or have a good relationship with an editor. Also, many outlets employ staff features writers. Still, it’s not unheard of for a new freelance writer to pitch an idea with success. Feature writing is lucrative too – many feature writers are paid upwards of $2,000 a piece.

• How to Get it: Pitch your query to magazines.
• College: Helps
• Experience: Most of the time.

7. Magazine Freelancer

Getting your foot in the door of a magazine can only lead to bigger and better things. If a freelancer does well with a first assignment, this can land many more regular assignments. Once a writer is featured in one magazine, this leads to writing assignments within other magazines and publications. Breaking into print journalism is many writers’ dream. This isn’t always easy because so many writers are vying are pitching queries and most magazines only have a couple of open spots for freelancers each month. If a freelancer has a relationship with the magazine and its editors he has the best shot of landing the gigs. Still, new writers can and do land assignments and are encouraged to keep trying, despite rejection.

• How to Get it: Troll the various magazine markets online or pick up a copy of the Writer’s Market (also available online.) Learn what each magazine expects from querying authors before sending your pitch. Not knowing who to pitch to or the proper format will result in rejection.
• College: No
• Experience: No, but it helps sometimes.

8. Catalog Description Writer

When I was an editorial assistant at a graphic design studio we did a lot of catalog work. For big jobs we brought in freelancers to help write descriptive paragraphs to sell products in the catalogs we designed. In many cases this was boring, boring work. The upside was that we got to keep some of the items sent for us to write about. Ask me about hair in a can or the flowbee sometime.

• How to Get It: Align yourself with catalog designers, graphic design firms and advertising agency by sending your details and following up with some cold calling. Every now and then you might see these gigs advertised, but it’s rare. Most catalog designers go with freelancers from their own pool.
• College: No.
• Experience: Helps Read more

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