FWJ Mega Icebreaker
August 12, 2008 by Jodee
Filed under Freelance Writing
by Carly Schuna
I’m continually amazed by what a great community we have here at FWJ, but I think we can do better.
That’s right… I’m issuing a challenge. (Isn’t that what Megatron does best?)
One of my favorite things about coming here each day is seeing how all of the community members interact with Deb and Jodee and Ugur, respond to what’s posted, and ask their own questions that spur new posts and dialogue. It’s truly a collaborative process, and I’m proud to be a part of it.
With that said, I don’t feel as if I know every member of the community quite as well as I’d like. So FWJ readers, here’s your challenge:
During your writing lives, you’ve probably gone through a lot of experiences that you felt were unique as well as experiences that you’re sure almost every freelancer has shared. For this discussion, I’d like all of you to post something related to your writing career that you suspect you have in common with another member of the community. If you spy a comment that describes something you’ve experienced, let that person know. That person will be your temporary “buddy” (and yes, you can have more than one buddy). My goal is for everyone who posts to find at least one buddy.
Feel free to comment more than once, and be as specific as you’d like with your comment or experience, but I hope we can go beyond the very obvious (“I’m a freelance writer”) and explore more interesting realms so that we can really find out what we have in common with each other and learn more about our different writing careers.
Newbies and lurkers, please speak up! Your contributions are just as valuable as those of the veterans, and I am personally very interested in hearing from you. If you don’t have an established writing career yet, feel free to leave a comment telling us about your primary areas of writing interest—I bet there are many common areas among us.
I’ll start: I can’t write while listening to music (even if it’s only instrumental) because it’s just too distracting.
If you’re my buddy and also can’t write to music, speak up! Otherwise, tell us something about yourself and start looking for your own buddy!
I’m a journalism professor, and I primarily look at this site to find opportunities for my students.
I’m starting a resume writing service.
The one thing that kills me when writing is trying to come up with a great title! It’s the most difficult part of the article!
I quit my job about four months ago to go freelance full-time. I sort of quit without a plan because my job situation was so unbearable. But, there were also signs pointing toward the ledge to take a leap of faith.
Two days after I quit, an AMAZING writing opportunity fell into my lap, and has totally jump-started my career.
I hear you Nicki – Headlines are the bane of my existance. I’ll be your headline-challenged buddy.
My biggest challenge is getting over procrastination, especially in the summer. Duties call on evenings and weekends but I’m floating around in a pool or hiking in the woods with my family. Not a bad way to spend time, but there are times I can be working.
Hey,
I spend time on “recreation surfing” (as I am doing now) instead of pounding the keyboard….WTH the web’s an interesting place ain’t it now?
I write for a majority of the day. I want to pay off debt so that I can feel secure letting my day job go and working freelance full time.
I hear Deb on procrastination. Right now it is kicking into back to school time, so I’m trying to balance work, which I have more of than ever, spending time with the kids and school shopping. I have to earn the money to pay for the school shopping – it’s a high school requirement here that all incoming Freshman own a graphing calculator and it has to be a particular brand, yet the school is still deciding what this years specific model will be. In past years, the calculators cost at least $100, so I can’t say I’m looking forward to having to spend that money on something that may or may not be used once high school is over.
I left teaching after 10 years to work at home, mainly so my kids don’t have to go to daycare. I quit working for a client recently, after about 10 years, because he brought in some flakes in the front office and it was taking them 9 months to pay me!
Marie, I’ll be your buddy! I’m working toward paying down some debt so I can quit the day job and go freelance full time, too.
I am a Paramedic that found my first freelance job right here on Freelance Writing Jobs. I still have the contract. However as a medical writer I feel sometimes I am either overqualified for some assignments or not qualified enough for others. But I keep trudging along by looking for different job assignments. Great site!
Alex ~D~
Grace, can we be buddies? I am definitely not perfect and I spend a lot of hypothetical writing time doing things on the Web instead. I hear ya.
And Ann, re: the graphing calculator, if your kid uses it throughout all four years of high school (which s/he probably will, almost every day in math class), you can look at it as a cost of only $25+ per school year, and that doesn’t seem half bad. Graphing calculators are really lifesavers in math class, and they can also be used for a bunch of other things.
I’m loving the replies to this post so far. I didn’t even know half of you were on the site, so I feel like I’m learning so much more already!
Hi Marie and Kristen:
My goal is also to become a full-time (preferably six-figure!) freelance writer. I also thought about just quitting my full-time newspaper reporting job last year (it was heinous), but, thankfully, I secured a job as an editor at a health care publication. I still plan to become a work-from-home writer in the next few years–I absolutely hate working in an office and think I’d be much more creative and productive in my own space and own time.
I actually consider myself an editor, not a writer, in that both my professional background and the majority of the work I do is editorial. (To be honest, I love being an editor.) I write a bit, on the side.
Ann:
I used my graphing calculator in college, and I was an English major. My husband still uses his, but as a mechanical engineer he has to do math stuff all the time. I think you can find used ones too, if you’re willing to look to eBay for that sort of thing.
You can also take into account all the fun your kid will have in study hall, playing Tetris and Super Mario Bros. on his/her calculator. (Heaven knows I spent many study halls doing just that on my old TI-83. And maybe a math class or two…)
I’m still so intimidated by the CV and the resume that I just browse all the job listings. I know I’m a capable writer, I just don’t know how to prove it to potential clients!
@ Megatron: Love the interaction going on here!
@ Brandi: I’ve written resumes for clients so I guess that makes us buddies.
@ Alex: I see stuff every day when I do my morning lead troll that I’m underqualified for…you don’t know how often I say to myself, “Wow that sounds like such a great job…to bad it’s not a good fit for me.”
I use a Mac for most of my work but I also have a laptop PC sitting beside me that I use as well. Some of the software that I need is only available in PC format.
@CT – Thanks. I can’t shop on Ebay yet because the school requires a specific model and usually work out a deal with Staples. Last year it was $25 off bringing the price down to $99.99. I think right now my biggest complaint is that they’ve said we have to have one by the 26th and they still haven’t decided on the model, so they’re cutting it close. And high schools here don’t allow freshmen to have study halls, so any game playing he’ll do will be at home. They dropped bus service too requiring parents to now drive and pick their students up every day, so it’s not like he can even play them on the bus. High school’s changed a lot in the 20 years since I’ve graduated.
Kristen and Alex can be my buddies. Kristen, I left a horrible job in June to freelance full-time. I actually liked the JOB (the tasks I was responsible for), but it was a terrible environment. If you didn’t want to gossip about everyone else, you didn’t fit in and everyone else let you know it. I could have ignored it from co-workers, but when your immediate supervisor and your department head are the ringleaders, it’s kind of hard to get away from it.
Alex, I want to get into medical writing. I have background working in medical research (one project with a critical care/anesthesiology physician and one with a major diabetes and weight loss study) and I have a lot of science coursework under my belt. Despite my knowledge and experience, I find that I am underqualified for most legitimate medical writing opportunities and overqualified for the ones that are paying $0.01 per word. How did you break into the field (I am guessing being a paramedic helped)?
Ann G.,
At least it’s a calculator with future use. I bought a Bomar “Brain” for $80 when I was in high school (dating myself). It only did the four basic functions. Now similar ones are given away. And be even more thankful it’s not a slide rule (best part of Apollo 13 was Tom Hanks using one).
Lauren,
I made same journey you are (newspaper, magazine, freelance), did make it to 6 figures, but it took 10 years of freelancing to do so and last few years have been a little light (though this year will be better than last). Get a good, wide base of clients with ongoing content needs.
I am a chronically ill single mom. I have to make freelance writing work – its the only way I have found to work around my health and pay the bills. A perk is that I get paid to do something I love! Plus, I have the best boss in the world
PS> Mega great concept, Megatron. Kudos!
Dani: I am also have several chronic illnesses. Even if I hadn’t hated my work environment, I would have left anyway. I haven’t built a very stable job history because I will get a job, do very well there, and then four or five months later, I am in the hospital having major surgery! I found out about freelance writing in 2005, when I had to quit my job and have surgery 3 times in the same year. If I had a traditional job, I would have been off from work with no pay for 6 weeks. As a freelancer, I was able to come home from the hospital, prop myself up in bed with my laptop, and do work in short bursts to earn some money. The bills didn’t stop just because my health took a turn for the worse.
I am working on a book about chronic illness & home business to try to get the word out that you don’t HAVE to keep suffering the pain and fatigue of doing a 9 to 5 when you have a chronic condition.
Hmm, it seems that my comment got eaten. Dani, I was replying to your comment. I also have chronic illnesses to contend with (mainly Lupus and chronic kidney failure). While my conditions are now stable, there are times when I can go from being a high-energy go-getter one day to in the hospital, dehydrated and exhausted the next. I found out about freelancing in 2005 – I had surgery 3 times between November of 2005 and April of 2006. The bills didn’t stop coming in just because I was unable to work, so I kept trolling the Internet for information on home business/working at home. I do believe Deb’s blog at Writer’s Row was one of the first I came across, and I slowly started applying for gigs. In the early days, I didn’t know anything about freeelancing and did a lot of $7 articles on Guru. I won two high-paying projects and there and went on to work with those clients directly. I am currently working on forming an LLC and launching two new sites.
I’m also working on a book about home business for people who have chronic illnesses. I want people to know that you don’t have to suffer through a 9 to 5 when you are in pain and exhausted.
Leigh: I am sorry to hear about your illnesses, but that is wonderful that they have stabilized! I can totally relate to the energy swings and being laid up stuff.
Deb’s blog isn’t what got me started in freelance writing but it was the catalyst to more and better jobs/opportunities – plus so much great information that is helping me to grow as a writer and businesswoman. This site is surely the greatest contributing factor to my success (other than being really blessed and stubbornly driven/desperate – lol)
I think the book sounds great! I would love to read it when you get it published – please let me/us know.
Does this make us Mega-buddies?
Linden! OMG! I’ll be your buddy! I browse all the time, too, afraid to post, afraid to apply, and always leave the site disappointed in myself. I thought I was the only one.
I am terrified to apply to jobs even though everyone I know has commented on my writing – even my college professors, so it’s not as if I’m wondering if I can write well.
Yep, I think we are Mega-buddies now.
I am just browsing your site now, actually.
Another quirk about me is that I do my best writing at night. I am a night owl and totally in my element from midnight to 4 a.m. That is when I’m most creative and most happy.
I totally understand Grace’s comments about being tempted by web browsing, especially since I discovered Stumble! I spend my mornings researching articles, ie. something that lets me browse the web. In the afternoon, I write and for that I go into the kitchen and use my husband’s old laptop – fewer distractions.
I’m the opposite of Pinxter – I do my best writing in the morning. The earlier, the better!
Pinxter — You are totally my new best buddy! Even though I have an 8-5, I do my best work from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.(especially once the kids are asleep!)The only thing I’m good for in the morning is popping onto FWJ to see what I could apply for IF ONLY I had the gumption…
I suspect we’re not the only ones who are excited about the prospect of freelancing, yet too intimidated to try for the jobs.
Mark, I meant to reply to you before, but I often use FWJ to toss leads to other people as well. So I guess we can be buddies.
I have a friend who is fluent in German, and lately a lot of German-English translation gigs have been popping up, so I forward them on to him. Your journalism students are sure lucky to have you feeding them work!
CT, I’m primarily an editor as well. I just love writing so much that I can’t stay away.
Linden, do you have any friends who are freelancers? You might want to think about putting together a CV/resume of your experience and pub credits and have someone who knows the business look it over (I would be glad to do it, if you’d like to make a draft and send it to the FWJ gmail account for forwarding to me). I would love to see you start landing gigs, and I’m glad to help in any way I can.
Jodee, thanks!! I do, too! (And I’m so a Mac person. Through and through!)
Dani, thank you. You’re so sweet. And I’m sure your freelance writing business is flourishing if the skill, talent, and kindness you’ve demonstrated in your past comments are any indication of the way you usually work!
Leigh, it sounds as if you’ve overcome a ton of adversity to get to where you are now. That really speaks to your strength, and I feel like you should be donning the superhero (or supervillian, technically… but powerful!) mantra instead of me.
I’m so glad to hear that you’re doing better and that your projects are taking off!
Megatron — are you my fairy godmother(godfather)? The only access I have to other freelancers is FWJ — and I guess I always thought that the experienced writers would get tired of asking questions from newbies.
My ultimate goal is to be a work from home freelancer, but I’m afraid of the transition period. The thought of working full time and freelancing scares me away from applying to jobs. I’m afraid other parts of my life will fall apart.
Is there ever a good time to jump in?
@Alex: I think everyone here can be your buddy because we are here and not writing!
Would anyone like to be my non-traditional student buddy? Whenever I mention the fact that I graduate in December, I am afraid that clients will think that I am still wet behind the ears. I do have > 10 years of combined job experience in insurance, taxes, and customer support, but it is hard to relate to writing.
I would also love to find someone else who is doing freelance writing and translation (FR>EN). I have found that the two careers compliment each other very well, but I have not found very many people with this specific job combo.
(I have never understood how anyone can write with music going. I find it impossible.)
I am a freelancer who finds it extremely difficult to say no to any article, even if I am already carrying a full load or its simply something I’m not keen on doing. I always take the job and never say no to an Editor with an assignment.
Megatron — great idea! I can’t listen to music while I work either. But ironically, I can’t sleep without the tv on for background noise.
Kristen — Add me to the “those who ran from unbearable jobs” list.
Pinxter — You can be my night owl buddy.
This was a great idea, Megatron! And I’m the exact opposite of you when it comes to music. I do my best, most creative writing when blasting Dave Matthews into my ears. If I don’t, my mind wanders to everything else and then some.
Marlene, I can be your ex-teacher buddy! I only taught for a few years, but I left it to be home more with my kids. I made the decision before my son was diagnosed, but it worked out rather well all things considered.
Samantha, I also do my best writing in the early morning. When I’m working on a novel, I force myself to get up by 5 so I can spend an hour writing before my kids get up.
I write mainly about music, usually from an arts/humanities angle rather than an entertainment one. sometimes I write while listening to music, sometimes not — but I do listen to quite a lot of music! don’t come on fwj all that often but always find it interesting when I do, so thought I’d join in on the thread
Count me as a freak here – I can’t work unless I have music or some other type of noise in the background. For me, silence is deafening – and stills my pen – lol.
My son laughs at me because I will have multiple documents open at the same time that I am working on, multiple tabs open that I am researching from and submitting to (and playing on – like this!), and I will have another window open with music or (are ya read?) a show/movie at HULU running while I work. He always asks me what is going on in the show/movie but I can never tell him – I run it for the noise.
Cyber me is quite hyper now that I think about it. lol
*edit* it should have read:
(are you ready?)
Wow. Great discussion.
Megatron… I am with you. Music makes me crazy. I need as much silenzio as possible!
On another note, I was writing about coffee and started munching on beans… is that weird?
@Rachel
I did find a good time to jump in, but my method was as much luck as it was strategy. I had been going to school part-time while working full-time. At a certain point, while the flexibility at my work place became too low and the stress on our family became too high. We took out a small student loan and I have arranged my coursework to eliminate the need for afterschool care for our daughter. I did work part-time at an internship, but that paid little enough that the cliff I was jumping off when I quit was not that high.
I fully admit that my husband’s increased earnings in the past few years have provided us with the freedom to make choices like this. However, we have also worked as a family to keep our debt down and our savings high. The time that I have to establish my freelance career is not infinite. If my earnings are not comparable to what I would make at a “real job,” I will eventually need to get either a part-time job or go back into the workforce, but this gives me the space that I need to get started.
Aurora — I don’t know how anyone can write without music! Funny how we’re all different that way.
Hm, my biggest issue these days is getting started. I live and die by the deadline, probably because I always have so many projects happening at once that a deadline is a good thing. I write best in mid-late afternoon and I’m definitely a night owl. Oh yeah, I’m probably different from a lot of writers here because I don’t blog for pay (tried it; wasn’t really for me). The bulk of my work comes from b2b publications.
I’m a cafe writer. I work best when I’ve got my laptop, my headphones, and a cup of whatever’s brewing by my side.
I *don’t* conduct business from cafes, though. If I need to make a phone call, I step outside or (gasp) head home.
I’m also one of those many freelance writers who juggle paying projects with creative work — in my case, fiction, memoir and performance.
I’m enjoying learning about the rest of you!
I’m a self-proclaimed computer geek and addict. Yes, call me the quasi-guru of the Internet! My specialty in freelance writing has more to do with celebrities, television and film -and I sincerely love sarcasm and satire. I have to have a sense of humor. I’ve been a military wife for over 20 years…
@Aurora and the FWJ Idol: I absolutely cannot write while I’m listening to music, either. For me, music isn’t conducive to finding words; images, on the other hand… it’s great for drawing or visualizing a character or world.
–
I love when a piece of mine is being critiqued. I don’t take the feedback personally, and the idea that someone else is reading what I wrote is pretty cool.
Good lord, I’m late to the discussion and I think I’m just about everybody’s buddy, here.
- I like music – preferably rock as it keeps my brain going
- I’m a total procrastinator
- Left the hell job full-time, but stuck around on a part-time basis
Here’s something I don’t think has been mentioned.
I made the leap of faith, but kept the part-time job just in case. Glad I did. The lady who owns the freelance company I’ve been working for over the last year is sick and not handing out projects. That was my bread and butter. But, since that was all ghost writing, I’m having to build up a portfolio of work and I’m having a hard time getting gigs for which I’m qualified for, I just can’t prove it. So, I had to pick up more hours at the bank to help ends meet. Sad story, huh? *sigh*
That’s ok, this site has given me two gigs of my own, so I’m confident I can get some more!
Marlene and I can be buddies. I left teaching after 7 years (was a substitute teacher then moved on to teach 3rd grade and 4th grade.) My goal is to work full-time for an educational publishing company. I have a client who I particularly love to work with and who likes my work, but my position is contract/project only. Unlike many here, I don’t think blogging is for me (something that I realized due to Deb’s many posts on the subject.)
Andrea – I always listen to Dave Matthews when I write. Rapunzel, Tripping Billies, Two Step, etc. are upbeat and keep me energized. Just don’t listen to “Digging a Ditch” and try to work – I love the song, but it is very relaxing and usually lulls me to sleep.
Dani – There’s another thing we have in common. My boyfriend is always making fun of me because I usually have about 9 Internet Explorer windows open (each of them with about 4 or 5 different tabs going), Windows Media Player, AIM, Google Talk, MSN Messenger (my clients in the US usually use AIM and my clients overseas seem to use MSN most of the time), 8 or 9 Word documents, a few spreadsheets, etc. He’s amazed that my computer doesn’t crash more often.
@ Leigh: ROFL! Yeah, I personally am surprised I don’t have to restart mine more often! I run Firefox, and I found a bunch of fun addons I have been finding quite useful – one colors the tabs so I know what I have looked at, what I haven’t, and what tab I am currently on.
Did you know you can create a word count button in MS Word? I did it and it saves me a ton of time and clicks (I am a chronic word count checker).
I can’t multitask with IM running – that and the phone pull my attention solely to them, so I tend to shy away from jobs/clients that want you to have IM running while you are working.
I am so glad I found a Mega-Buddy (and so cool, at that)!
Thanks, Megatron!