Your Turn: How Long Have You Been Visiting FWJ?
April 23, 2008 by Deb
Filed under Freelance Writing
I’m overwhelmed at the outpouring of kindness and support after my little dive off the deep end yesterday. Thank you so much for your kind emails and comments!
As you know, I started this blog three years ago as a way to share jobs with friends and work at home moms. I’m still surprised by it’s success, but I’m also loving every minute of it. Yesterday I receive a lovely email from Katherine Swan, a regular visitor to FWJ and I wanted to share a couple of lines with you:
You’ve had a lot of writers mention in the last couple of posts how long they’ve been visiting your site. You ought to write a post that invites everyone to say how long they’ve been readers. Your site amazes me because you have such a fantastic mix of loyal, long-time readers and newbies. You’ve obviously done an excellent job of maintaining a site that appeals to both!
That’s a wonderful idea. I know many of you since before FWJ – since the Write for Cash days. Many of you are newer friends too. So tell me…us, how long have you been visiting FWJ? How did you find us and what makes you keep coming back?
Thank you again for your continued support. I can’t wait until guest blogging month next month and look forward to reading and discussing your posts.
With gratitude,
Deb
October 2007 when I made the commitment to migrate from WAHM’s Telemarketing forum to the WAHM’s Who Write forum. It was sometime after my oldest daughter interviewed me for a school project and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. Luckily it was before I felt the need to go back to a corporate job.
So I found you somehow over there and am so glad I did. My success isn’t measured in jobs here as much as I’d like being a newbie and all but it certainly is inspiring and like meeting at the coffee pot with co-workers every morning…who needs a cubicle?
I’ve been visiting for well over a year – since before this site rolled over from the old one. Deb, Jodee – you guys rock!
Also, I have to give kudos to the whole community. I really learn a lot from reading your comments. Thank all of you for sharing your insight.
And thank YOU, Deb, for creating such a great, informative site that engenders such a fabulous community.
P.S. Deb, how do we email you?
I’ve been coming here about a year. Heard about it at the Absolute Write forums. I check the leads as soon as I can every morning. My day doesn’t seem to start out right when I don’t. I truly appreciate the service you provide.
@ Violette: Everyone is a newbie at some point; just keep applying for the jobs you find interesting.
This community is like meeting over the coffee pot. That’s a really good way to describe it.
I’ve been a regular since early 07. I love that it is straightforward in terms of jobs and advice. And it’s great to get different perspectives from the comments section.
My background is a little different with more of an emphasis on print marketing communications, development communications and journalism, but it’s nice to read what other people are doing and how they’ve made it work.
I still remember the days of searching AdWeek for jobs. Sites like this one make me so appreciate the Internet!
I think I’ve been here since the beginning, or at least within the first few months…
I’ve been coming here off and on for about a year (give or take a month or two) and I’ve gotten a bunch of sweet gigs though this site. Thanks Deb and Jodee – and the rest of community, for being so helpful and inspiring and generally wonderful!
I’ve been visiting since Dec 07. I’m not a writer, but I have writing in my bloodlines. I first visited your site while doing research for my 14-year-old daughter who wants to be a writer, and for some weird reason I keep stopping back for ideas… Thanks!
About a year….things slowed down sharply a little over a year ago. Though none of the leads posted here has led to more work, business has picked up and I enjoy being with a nertwork of peers. I’ve even worked with a couple of visitors here, hiring them as subcontractors for some projects.
I’m so amazed that people actually remember the exact MONTH when they started visiting! I can’t even remember how I found the website! I know I’ve been a regular for a while, but can’t (for the life of me) remember when the first visit was.
I found you in the early part of 2006, so I guess a little over 2 year (that blows my mind). Another writing friend saw a link to a job on your site that she thought would be perfect for me (and I actually ended up landing that gig).
I’m not here everyday (life is crazy busy), but I do go back and read every post I’ve missed if I don’t get here for a couple of days. I don’t comment very often, but I do add my thoughts when I feel the need to do so.
Hi Deb,
I found FWJ about a year and a half ago when I was searching for new job prospects. I check the site every day for work but have also picked up plenty of useful pieces of information here that have helped my writing career!
Keep up the excellent work!
I found this site and group a few months ago, when my main client hired full-time people and I declined to be one of them. I needed a business plan — fast! — and set a goal to send out at least one query or answer at least one post every day. I don’t remember how I found FWJ, but it’s at the top of my list — I go there every day. (well, except for the day the tree fell on my house …) I appreciate the job listings (GREAT JOB Jodee and Deb) and find the discussions invaluable. I’m starting to feel at home and will try to post more often, if I think I have something useful to share.
I’ve been coming here for six months and LOVE every post about it. It’s fair dinkum and I tell everyone I come across about it. Good onya, keep up the excellent work.
Wow! It’s been an eventful couple of days here, hasn’t it? I always miss all the good stuff.
I’ve been visiting since March of 2007. It was just leads then, but it was my lifeline. I landed my first major gig here – the Sidestep one. At that point in my career (I had been writing for two months) 3 cents a word was an unbelievable offer! That clip is still on my portfolio, and Deb, I can’t tell you the number of jobs I’ve got from that very clip.
I remember Deb, one time you said you had no time to post leads anymore, and I was so panicky. Where would I go now for leads!!!
Now, more than a year later, I rarely check the leads, but I visit twice a day, except for the last couple of days when I didn’t drop in because I’ve been so overwhelmed with work. That’s right. The work that I now get because I was lucky enough to stop by a place called Freelance Writing Jobs one day!
I’ve been here for 1 year – actually, it’ll be exactly 1 year in a couple months! It was right around the time when I started thinking that being a college student DOESN’T have to mean that I come home from a $7/hour job with a busted up back every night.
My education keeps me busy, so the work hasn’t exactly been rolling in – still, in the past year, I’ve rediscovered my love of writing and changed my major to reflect it! I hope to have a somewhat solid presence in the writing world before I graduate.
Most importantly, I’ve learned a valuable lesson here: a person isn’t doomed to horrible jobs for the rest of one’s life. With a little hard work, one can carve out a dream job
I haven’t done much posting in discussions, but I have been scrolling your jobs and clicking on your links for about a year. I just left my full time job to pursue freelancing permanently – and my stress level has gone way down! I have one specific client that I found here on your site, and it has really helped me build a base income each month.
I think my favorite part is that as I read all the different needs there are out there, I also learn what my strengths and weaknesses are… what I prefer to write about… and what topics I want to challenge myself with. The more I learn what kind of writer I really am and want to be, the less time I waste applying for work that doesn’t fit my style or talents.
It was probably early 2007. I followed Anne Wayman from About to her site which had the FWJ link. I wrote for Write for Cash too.
Niki
I don’t know the exact timing, but I know I was reading when you were still doing “Finding the Right Words,” and before I had even heard of feed readers
I’m remembered, that I’m first visit FWJ on 20th Feb last year ago. I was referred by a frelancer, Mark that this FWJ is the right place to learn and gain knowledge from the wise writers, Deb and Jodee.
Since that day, I’m visited FWJ every fortnight to keep me update about the latest news in the freelance arena.
Wilson.
@ wilhb81:
Thank you! You have made my day!
I’ve been visiting FWJ since nearly the beginning. At the start I visited to inspire myself by the range of jobs out there. I landed one of my first freelancing gigs through the site, and I’ve been a regular reader and irregular commenter ever since. I keep coming back because of the community and because you’ve expanded the site with thought provoking posts as well as the leads. Keep up the good work!
gosh, i’m not sure. i was originally pointed over here by anne wayman, when she worked for about. that was what, 2 years ago? i came over sporadically then, but have been here regularly since last fall. i only recently really started commenting.
1 day!!
Welcome, Ryan! Nice to have you here.
2 Days!
So glad I found this site!