Comments on: Four keys to getting consistent freelance work

By: #9

#9 — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:01:05 +0000

Thanks Colleen, #4, and Cindy.

Colleen, keeping track is necessary and will make doing taxes much easier.
No. 4, I grappled with the length as well, and thanks for your input. It was longer until I edited it. But I’ve learned that the best way to handle it when you just can’t make a long story short (in a blog post), is to break it up into sections as I did. Despite the length, the content, presentation and structural organization still kept you engaged–yes?

Regarding proper business etiquette, you are quite right, but there are those that would argue otherwise. The irony is that my original sentence did read especially important, but when I edited the piece, changed it, realizing that there are people (including employers) who are more laid back and casual, and there will be the freelancers who say “I’m never formal and I get gigs.”

@Cindy, you make a good point about organization staving off confusion and feelings of being overwhelmed. Can you explain a bit more by what you mean by “possible clients on our waiting lists?” Do you mean open deadlines or pending responses to queries?

By: Cindy

Cindy — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:52:33 +0000

Great tips. Being organized helps us know what we are doing without feeling confused and overwhelmed, especially when we have a lot of possible clients on our waiting list.

By: #4

#4 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:17:58 +0000

#9, good post. I would have appreciated a more concise presentation of the information, but again, I know how difficult it is to edit.

It’s interesting that you say “Even in the freelance world, using proper business etiquette is still important.” I would say it’s especially important in the freelance world.

By: Colleen

Colleen — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:17:32 +0000

Great post. As someone who kind of jumped right into freelancing, I am a bit unorganized about the admin end. I actually don’t keep track of what I’ve applied for! But with the suggestion of a spreadsheet, I’m going to start. Thanks!

By: #9

#9 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:45:18 +0000

Thanks for your comments everyone! Glad that you all found the post helpful. @#7, that is a great idea…keeping track of your earnings, it not only gives a freelancer criteria for applying to other positions, it also gives a nice benchmark as well for getting an increase in earnings if you’ve been working with a client/publication for a while. Great point to add! Thanks!

@Jenny, I like having a template to work from because then you’re ready and set to go if the perfect gig lands in your lap and you need to present a formal application. Even with tailoring them for every situation, it’s nice not to have to create a new one each time from whole cloth.

@RobinMarie–that is funny when the freelancer is more organized than the client, but that also speaks to the fact that the freelancer (in this case, you) is really treating freelancing as a business. Good for you!

By: #7

#7 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:05:51 +0000

#9. Nice post. I like to keep track of how much money I’m making per hour/word/blog post, etc. That’s my baseline pay. Then I use that as another criteria for applying to other positions. My goal is to find gigs that pay more than what I’m making currently. That way I continue to improve my income.

By: Connie

Connie — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:56:24 +0000

This is an excellent article, thank you!

By: RobinMarie

RobinMarie — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:25:44 +0000

Excellent post. Though it’s all stuff I know in my head, it’s nice to see it right out there in front of me – a great reminder.

By: Jenny B

Jenny B — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:14:30 +0000

Hi #9,
I like the detail that you add to your spreadsheet. Mine is very simple, but after reading this post I should probably add more to it. I also like your suggestion about having a template cover letter on the ready. Though I do individualize each cover letter, I’ve never really thought of having one as a template. Thank you for your post.

By: Melody Platz

Melody Platz — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:54:06 +0000

I like your list of info to keep on a spread sheet. I save a lot of time by keeping myself organized. What’s humorous, but sometimes troublesome, is when I’m more organized than my client. That situation takes patience.