I’m just starting out as well, but already I’ve had clients and potential clients comment on my customer service, timeliness and quality of writing. With writing for the web you get a kind of second chance at creating a persona for yourself, since your clients only see what you show them. As far as they know, you know what you’re doing, and as long as your knowledge and writing skills can back up your presentation, the work will come to you.

It kinda bothers me that people wake up and decide they want to do the things that I’ve spent that last couple years training and getting educated to do.

Now, I don’t mind if you want to LEARN my trade- I’m ok with that. In fact, I encourage that. It’s one of my fave things to do- teach others. But that’s the thing. You DO have to learn it, just like any other trade.

Ok, #2 I have three kitties and a dog and I adore them ALL ;0

Speaking as a beginning freelance writing, one other thing I would recommend (although I know that other people will disagree) is writing for some place like Suite101 or Helium or Associated Content, especially if you don’t have many/any previous published clips. It’s really, really hard to get paying jobs without clips, and while one certainly can write for local alt-weeklies, the company newsletter, local charities and churches, etc., the advantage of places like Suite101 is that you can write about anything you want and build up your own niche, and since each of those sites have some (not always a lot, but some) editorial oversight, it is slightly more “officially” published than a personal blog. Does that makes sense? I just got my first paying gig, and I got it using my Suite101 articles as my “published clips.”

Deb, you have two of them? I’m so jealous. Rest assured, I won’t really try to hijack them. Sadly, I’m allergic. I just rescued a new baby bunny on Friday, so I guess he’ll have to do until modern medicine comes up with a drug to keep hives out of my lungs.

Sue, I haven’t done laundry in close to a month, so I guess I’m more dedicated to writing than I thought. Seriously though, you’re SO right. Sometimes I miss having 20 lawyers looking over my shoulder.

That’s Logan, he’s about 10 months old and is very mellow guy. Though I wish you a very happy birthday, you can’t have Logan because not only would my family be very unhappy without him, but his twin sister Gnocchi would be too.

@ Sue – You’re right. And working alone at home isn’t as easy as it sounds. I think I’d do great if I lived somewhere without Internet access, Food and TV.

A bit off topic, but is that YOUR itty bitty kitty? SO cute. May I please have him? (It’s my birthday.)

Back on topic, I get a lot of mail like this, too. I may start referring them to this post and save myself some typing. I will also have to check out Essential Keystrokes, so thanks for that.