By Jennifer Chait

The question of how much money you should make as a professional blogger pops up a lot; at forums, in my emails from people, etc. The problem with this question is that there is no clear answer. It’s a personal question on top of an already extremely variable paying market.

Just how variable is the market? Well, I’ve seen blogs advertised lately paying $10 a week but personally I won’t blog anywhere for under $100 a month and that’s low end – the posts would need to be extremely manageable (or the perks stellar). I also have two blogs right now that require the same amount of time per month, yet one pays hundreds more.

You have to weigh options that are right for your situation and goals.

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~ Jennifer Chait

Is your own.

Do you re-read your own blog? I hope you said yes. If not it’s time to start. If you have many blogs this can be a daunting task; especially if your blogs are older, with plenty of content. Some of my blogs are old and stuffed so I break it up. Once a month I read one month’s worth of posts from each of my blogs. It doesn’t take that long, it’s a nice break from my regular work, and re-reading offers me plenty of perks such as…

• It offers me new ideas: One of the best places I find fresh content is in my old posts. When I’m re-reading it jogs my memory about something I meant to write about and have since forgotten or I’ll find that I could easily expand on a topic. If you write more than one blog you can take an old post that was popular at one blog and re-slant it at another.
• It tells me how good (or bad) my blog is: Listen, if your old blog posts bore you, if it’s a struggle to re-read then there’s an issue. Imagine how your readers feel. I have blogs that I enjoy reading as an outsider looking in. Sadly, I have one blog that I can’t stand to re-read right now; so I know it needs some work. If I don’t want to read my own words why should I expect others to enjoy them? In a best case scenario this can help you improve your blog immensely. In a worst case scenario this might let you know that a blog should end.
• I find typos: I almost never find my typos the first and second times through when I’ve just written a post. Later, I’ll go back and catch mistakes. You may think it won’t matter if a blog post you did last year has a couple of typos but it might. If I like a blogger’s current posts, I’ll go back and read their older posts as well. If the quality is a lot different it can be disappointing. Each of your posts that someone reads is a chance to make an impression, so it’s nice if that impression is error free. Or at least as error free as possible.
• I find dead links: This is basic blog maintenance 101. When I read other people’s blogs, one dead link won’t bother me enough to shun the blog but if every single link is dead I may stop reading.
• I catch comments I missed: Every time you don’t respond to a comment is a chance missed to gain a possible regular reader. I’ve missed comments (I try hard not to but we all do) if I catch one I missed I respond. I don’t care if it’s been four months; a comment deserves a response. I’ve gained a couple of regular readers this way.
• I’m reminded of broken promises: I’ve visited many a blog where, at the end of a post, the blogger will say, “Coming up next… (insert enthralling topic).” I get all excited and check back and then nothing. I really dislike when bloggers break promises. Guess what though – I’m guilty too. If you have a lot of blogs you will likely promise something at some point and forget to deliver. Re-reading allows me to catch those moments where I had a great promise and then I forgot.
• Re-reading tells me what’s working: More importantly it tells me what’s not working. Ironically my readers and I don’t love the same posts. I can work really hard on a post, decide that it’s brilliant, and then what… no one comments, no one cares, and it can be unsettling. After getting over my initial disappointment I remember that what matters more are the posts people do like; not the ones they don’t. Re-reading reminds me what kind of posts work best for a particular blog so that I waste less time writing the ones that don’t.
• It builds self confidence: If I’m having a bad – I’m – gonna – quit – blogging – because – I – suck kind of day then re-reading my best posts helps. It cheers me up to see lots of cool comments and well-planned ideas. I think that in any kind of writing we all have days where we think we could be better. Focusing on your positive and successful pieces can help calm down your negative thoughts or self-doubts.

Do you re-read your own blog? If so, what have you learned from this process?

Among other places, you can visit Jennifer Chait at Offbeat Homes, 7 Babes A Blogging, and Tree Hugging Family.

By Jennifer Chait

Because I love blogs and blogging so much, it’s hard to admit that the relationship between a specific blog and I are over. I put a lot of time into all my blogs and when it comes to paid positions there’s the additional fact that you know all these other people applied but you won the slot. It’s hard to let go. It’s honestly akin to real life break-ups; at least for me. Also, I hate feeling like I’ve failed (which by the way is not true — quitting a blog does not make you a failure maybe just smart enough to know when to end it).

I recently put in my notice at one of my blogs. It’s taken me two months to decide that the relationship is going nowhere and two weeks longer than that to buck up and give my notice. That’s longer than it should have taken – in reality we both would be happier apart. Lingering so long has been a waste of valuable time both for the blog and me.

Having worked for a while as a professional blogger this is not the first blog I’ve dropped. The reasons for a break up can vary from blog to blog and can also vary between paid positions and blogs you run yourself.

Overall there are some telltale signs that can clue you in to when it may be time to call the relationship quits:

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By Jennifer Chait

This has been a terrible week for me. My life got in the way about ten times over and as a result I’ve been a pretty poor excuse for a blogger. For instance:

• I haven’t come close to posting regularly nor did I even bother to contact anyone and tell them why.
• I didn’t surf new blogs or visit any of my usual blog haunts.
• I’ve sworn off social networking for the week.
• Plus I have no clue what’s going on in the world because I didn’t even read my feeds this week.

The kind of damage that I’ve likely experienced this week may include losing readers, losing feed subscribers, and missing news stories. Other damage a blogger can run into could be things like losing a blogging gig, having an editor become highly frustrated with you, and hitting a major blogging slump. None of the above is good news. However, there are some basic damage control techniques you can use when life gets in the way and you check out for a few days to a week.

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By Jennifer Chait

Last week Karen asked, “Any advice for those of us who can’t seem to land a blogging gig? I’ve kind of given up on it as I’ve applied for a few for which I was super qualified but never heard a word. Is it a case of “who you know”? Or is there just too much competition out there?”

It’s a good multi-layered question and while there’s no magical spell for getting paid blogging work you can do it.

Step one: Be a blogger.

The first step to working as a professional blogger is to have a blog. If you’ve never had a blog before try Blogger or WordPress. Then blog… a lot. Lately I’ve been considering getting help for a new blog project and if I do I won’t be hiring a non-blogger. I don’t care if you’ve read hundreds of blogs and write for the web. There are blogging quirks that experience with other writing projects just cannot provide. I’m not the only one who thinks so either. All my blog editors have always asked me my blogging history.

Step two: Know where to look.

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 by Jennifer Chait

I’m occasionally asked the question above. My short answer would be that blogging is the best job in town. However, it’s not a general question. I can only give an opinion based on my experience which is… I started out writing business copy, moved on to querying magazines, and somewhere along the way took a paid blogging job and got hooked.

Six months ago I decided to blog full time and I quit querying other work. Now I have one ongoing article project and the rest of my income is blog related. To give you an idea of where my opinions come from; I write around nine blogs. I have a couple of my own blogs but my real income comes from my work with three blog networks and also ghostwriting blogs for some private clients.

For me the three major differences between blogging and other types of freelance writing include income, work load, and social aspects.

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Leads…

• Freelance Writers – Denver
• Proposal Writer – Wilmington, Delaware
• Freelance Financial Writer
• Technical Writer – Contract – San Francisco ($40-$45/hour DOE)
• Technical Writer – Contract – Redmond, Washington ($35-$43/hour DOE)
• Business Objects Report Writer – Contract – Phoenix
• Freelance Writers/Editorial Writers – Toronto/Mississauga ($0.10 per word)
• Web Site Content Editor Needed – Vancouver
• Are You Passionate About Food and Travel? ($25 per article)
• Writers Needed ($100 per week to start)
• Technical Writer – Boston
• Part-Time Blogger – Spanish/Language Policy/Immigration ($25/week)
• Travel Blogger – Dallas (up to $25 per article)
• Sports Handicapper/Writer
• Nightlife Writer – Las Vegas
• Political Writer/Editor for Two Websites and Print Media – Las Vegas
• Freelance Writer for Business-Related Projects
• Not For Tourists Seeking Guide Writers – New York, Brooklyn, Queens
• Screenplay Writer Wanted
• Sociological Sex Writers Wanted ($10 per article/1,500 words) *Low paying, but the topic is interesting!
• Journalist for High-End Minority Magazine ($50-$250/article)
  
• Writer/Editor – San Diego ($18/hour)
• Freelance Journalist with Technology Background
• Freelance Writers Needed
• American Bar Association Journal Accepting Queries
• ADDitude Accepting Queries
• Iowa Review Accepting Poems/Reviews/Esssays ($25 for first page; $15 for additional pages)
• Journal of Asian Martial Arts Accepting Queries
• EContent Accepting Submissions

Good Luck!

Jodee

It would be wonderful if your freelance writing business rolled along smoothly, wouldn’t it? (You got all the gigs you applied for, you always got paid on time, and all of your clients loved you.) It sounds great, I know. Hopefully, most of the time all of these things happen for you.

However, in the unlikely event you need to put out a fire with a client who is less than happy, here are some tips:

Acknowledge what the client is saying.

If the other person feels as if they are being listened to, that will serve to help them to calm down. The last thing you want to do is to let the situation escalate. A simple, “I can appreciate that you are frustrated/disappointed” is appreciated.

Make sure you understand what the problem is.

This is a simple matter of, “You are saying that you had asked for [X] and you got [Y] instead.” Say or e-mail it back to the client so you are both on the same page.

Don’t lay blame or make excuses.

This is just a waste of time. Even if the problem could be attributed to someone else’s action (or lack thereof), it doesn’t matter at this point.

Commit to fixing the problem.

Once the client understands that there is a solution and that you are committed to helping find one, it helps them move away from being upset and on moving forward. Apologize for the misunderstanding and come to a consensus about how to solve the problem.

I try not to focus on why something didn’t go as planned because we don’t have the ability to go back in time and change things. Maybe there was a breakdown in communication or I just plain got it wrong. It happens. I apologize and focus on fixing the problem. Then I commit to making changes so we don’t run up against the same problem in the future.

Once the problem has been solved, move on.

This one is a hard one. So far (touch wood), I haven’t lost any clients because of a mistake, but I do tend to beat myself up mentally if we have had to deal with an issue. I am getting better about saying, “I’ve gotten on the wrong track here, and I’m glad you have pointed it out so that I can get back on the right one.”

How do you deal with an unhappy client?

Jodee Redmond is a freelance writer, editor, and Internet researcher.

When you freelance, you are the CEO of “Me Inc.” This is an exciting prospect, to be sure. As part of running your business, you need to keep customer services issues in mind at all times. Here are some suggestions:

Respond to questions promptly.

No matter what else I have on my plate, I get back to clients asap. Since I work remotely, they can’t stop by my desk to see how things are going. I wouldn’t want them to think that I have suddenly decided to give all this up and move to Tibet to become a yak herder or some such thing…nope, that would never even cross my mind ;).

Acknowledge receipt of your assignment.

E-mail has been known to get lost in cyberspace and I have a policy of sending a quick e-mail back just saying that I received everything.

Keep your client posted.

If it’s a big project, let the client know where you are in the process. Ask if they want you to send in what you have completed to date. By offering to do this without being asked, you score points for being well-organized and committed to your work.

Likewise, if life throws something unexpected at you (like the broken wrist I am currently recovering from), let them know about that as well. You don’t have to go into a lot of detail, just some basic facts about what happened and how it will affect your work. In my case, I told my clients that I could still work but I was a bit slower than usual. It wasn’t a problem, even though I had to adjust one deadline back a few days.

Put yourself in your client’s shoes.

I try to do this…imagine myself as the client and figure out what they want. Well, they want their work done to their specifications and turned in on time. They want to know that their questions or concerns will be dealt with quickly and professionally.

Ask them if they need anything further.

When I turn in an assignment, I ask the client to let me know if they need anything further. My way of thinking is that if the client isn’t satisfied, then I haven’t done my job. It’s only happened a couple of times where what I came up with wasn’t what they were looking for. Both times they offered to pay anyway, and both times I refused to take it.

It wasn’t a question of not needing the money; I did. It was a question of doing what was right. In both cases I was offered more work ; it more than made up for the assignment I wouldn’t accept payment on.

My clients are not a distraction from my work; they are the reason that I work. I do what I can to keep them coming back to me for their needs. So far it seems to be working.

Now I have a question for the readers here: When it comes to the job postings, what do you need? Are there specific types of job postings you want to see? Let me know by posting in the comments and I will do what I can to find them for you.

Jodee

Leads…

• Writer/Analyst @ The Motley Fool
  
• Freelance Writer @ The Dallas Morning News
• Freelance Writer @ Mahlab Media – Nashville
• Freelance Reporter @ The Indianapolis Star
• Freelance Copywriter @ A&E Television Network
• Freelance Curriculum Writers and Editors – Maryland
• Writer/Project Manager @ UJA Federation of New York
• Freelance Writers
  
• Finance Web Writer, Freelance
• Click Fraud Blogger @ Matthews Middleware Consulting Ltd.
• Porthole Magazine Accepting Queries
• Sew News Accepting Queries ($50-$500)
• Sierra Club Accepting Queries ($150-$1,500)
• Food Critic for Allmenus.com
• Business Plan Writer Needed Immediately ($500)
• Writer/Editor to Start Immediately – (32K/Full Telecommute)
• New Magazine ($15-$25 per article)
• Writer Needed – Variety of Topics
• Writer – Dallas
• Editor Needed for Successful Targeted Magazine
• Copy Writing – Dan Kennedy Style
• One-Day Reporting Gig ($400)
• Freelance Copywriter – Manhattan
• Writer/Project Manager (Freelance)
• Blogger Needed ($10 per post)

Good Luck!

Jodee