Comments on: 4 Tips for Approaching Freelance Writing With an Open Mind http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2009/09/4-tips-for-approaching-freelance-writing-with-an-open-mind/ Freelance Writing Jobs for All Writers Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:14:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Phil http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2009/09/4-tips-for-approaching-freelance-writing-with-an-open-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-117327 Phil Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:00:20 +0000 http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/?p=5399#comment-117327 Though I've now been out of newspapers longer than I was in them (13 years in dailies), it's a shame what is happening to the industry. They thought this would hapopen with radio and TV, but the Internet seems to be the real culprit...and the shrinking size of staffs means that those who are left are pushed to their limits on a daily basis, without the time for longer, in-depth articles that had always set newspapers apart. Though I’ve now been out of newspapers longer than I was in them (13 years in dailies), it’s a shame what is happening to the industry. They thought this would hapopen with radio and TV, but the Internet seems to be the real culprit…and the shrinking size of staffs means that those who are left are pushed to their limits on a daily basis, without the time for longer, in-depth articles that had always set newspapers apart.

]]> By: Cheril Vernon http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2009/09/4-tips-for-approaching-freelance-writing-with-an-open-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-117316 Cheril Vernon Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:01:33 +0000 http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/?p=5399#comment-117316 I still work full-time in the newspaper industry. Our staff has been cut in half since I started working there 15 years ago. Needless to say, I am ready to move on to full-time work elsewhere. For almost two years I have been doing freelance writing for the web part-time and loving it. I have tried to get some of my other newspaper friends interested in writing for the web for the future, but most of them don't want change or want to learn how to look and apply for these jobs. Their loss. I still work full-time in the newspaper industry. Our staff has been cut in half since I started working there 15 years ago. Needless to say, I am ready to move on to full-time work elsewhere. For almost two years I have been doing freelance writing for the web part-time and loving it. I have tried to get some of my other newspaper friends interested in writing for the web for the future, but most of them don’t want change or want to learn how to look and apply for these jobs. Their loss.

]]> By: Freelance Writing Jobs for September 30, 2009 : Freelance Writing Jobs for Web and Print http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2009/09/4-tips-for-approaching-freelance-writing-with-an-open-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-117050 Freelance Writing Jobs for September 30, 2009 : Freelance Writing Jobs for Web and Print Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:35:11 +0000 http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/?p=5399#comment-117050 [...] 4 Tips for Approaching Freelance Writing with an Open Mind [...] [...] 4 Tips for Approaching Freelance Writing with an Open Mind [...]

]]> By: chris http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2009/09/4-tips-for-approaching-freelance-writing-with-an-open-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-117042 chris Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:51:22 +0000 http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/?p=5399#comment-117042 This post is right on the money! I graduated from highschool in 1998 and everything I learned is obsolete! But I don't see writers fighting the change as much as I do editors and agents. Some magazines and newspapers still want you to snail mail or fax your queries and that's always a pain. The only thing I fight are the business decisions. In the end, it's all about business and we writers don't like the b word. It seems to make us less writers and more corporate. Sure, we're all in this to make a living and in order to do that we much change with the times. After all, who's gonna keep buying the same ol' same ol'? Soon enough, the internet will become passe and we'll have to move on yet again. It's life! This post is right on the money! I graduated from highschool in 1998 and everything I learned is obsolete! But I don’t see writers fighting the change as much as I do editors and agents. Some magazines and newspapers still want you to snail mail or fax your queries and that’s always a pain.

The only thing I fight are the business decisions. In the end, it’s all about business and we writers don’t like the b word. It seems to make us less writers and more corporate. Sure, we’re all in this to make a living and in order to do that we much change with the times. After all, who’s gonna keep buying the same ol’ same ol’? Soon enough, the internet will become passe and we’ll have to move on yet again. It’s life!

]]> By: LIsa http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2009/09/4-tips-for-approaching-freelance-writing-with-an-open-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-117038 LIsa Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:32:54 +0000 http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/?p=5399#comment-117038 I think it's important, though, to be strategic about lower-paying choices. Is this an opportunity to establish myself in an area of real interest? Is this job likely to lead to bigger things? I recommend against taking low-paying, on-time opportunities with steep learning curves. You can easily invest many hours with nothing but $20 to show for it. Good investments might include: Low-pay blogging on a topic that you love (and establishing a body of published work on the topic) Low-pay or even no-pay work for an organization for which you are dying to work on a regular basis Low-pay work for an organization that clearly uses freelancers on a regular basis and is "trying you out" to see if you're a good organizational fit. Rotten investments: writing someone's college admissions essay for $20 ghost writing someone's article for peanuts (for real bucks, of course, it might be worth it!) writing a single press release for a dirt-poor startup in another state that is doing a type of business in which you're not interested. Lisa I think it’s important, though, to be strategic about lower-paying choices. Is this an opportunity to establish myself in an area of real interest? Is this job likely to lead to bigger things?

I recommend against taking low-paying, on-time opportunities with steep learning curves. You can easily invest many hours with nothing but $20 to show for it.

Good investments might include:

Low-pay blogging on a topic that you love (and establishing a body of published work on the topic)

Low-pay or even no-pay work for an organization for which you are dying to work on a regular basis

Low-pay work for an organization that clearly uses freelancers on a regular basis and is “trying you out” to see if you’re a good organizational fit.

Rotten investments:

writing someone’s college admissions essay for $20

ghost writing someone’s article for peanuts (for real bucks, of course, it might be worth it!)

writing a single press release for a dirt-poor startup in another state that is doing a type of business in which you’re not interested.

Lisa

]]> By: Omar http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2009/09/4-tips-for-approaching-freelance-writing-with-an-open-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-117037 Omar Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:05:54 +0000 http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/?p=5399#comment-117037 Thanks for the advice Deb. I have to expand my horizons. Once inawhile I get fearful because I don't have the skill set for one particular area of writing. I just have to acquire the skills. The way the economy is it seems it pays to be a generalist (imo). Thanks for the advice Deb. I have to expand my horizons. Once inawhile I get fearful because I don’t have the skill set for one particular area of writing. I just have to acquire the skills. The way the economy is it seems it pays to be a generalist (imo).

]]> By: Phil http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2009/09/4-tips-for-approaching-freelance-writing-with-an-open-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-117021 Phil Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:11:26 +0000 http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/?p=5399#comment-117021 I was a print writer before Al Gore invented the Internet :) . I still write for a number of print pubs, but don't know how anyone could survive on that alone any more. A thought on base pay: If you offer a discount to get the work, show the discount as a line item on the invoice. Good reminder to client and you that your base rate is indeed higher. I was a print writer before Al Gore invented the Internet :) .

I still write for a number of print pubs, but don’t know how anyone could survive on that alone any more.

A thought on base pay: If you offer a discount to get the work, show the discount as a line item on the invoice. Good reminder to client and you that your base rate is indeed higher.

]]> By: rebecca subbiah http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2009/09/4-tips-for-approaching-freelance-writing-with-an-open-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-117020 rebecca subbiah Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:28:35 +0000 http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/?p=5399#comment-117020 thanks Deb for great advice as always thanks Deb for great advice as always

]]> By: Lauren http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2009/09/4-tips-for-approaching-freelance-writing-with-an-open-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-117019 Lauren Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:41:24 +0000 http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/?p=5399#comment-117019 I think you are absolutely right, especially regarding people who may come from a print journalism background. I wanted nothing to do with the Web when I first started writing, and now I fully embrace it and all its possibilities. Always keep your eyes open and look into things outside your normal scope--you may be surprised at what you find. I think you are absolutely right, especially regarding people who may come from a print journalism background. I wanted nothing to do with the Web when I first started writing, and now I fully embrace it and all its possibilities. Always keep your eyes open and look into things outside your normal scope–you may be surprised at what you find.

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