I love reading your comments and email, I love sharing in your good news and learning what you’d like to see here. Knowing that the regulars helped answer your questions or that Jodee and I helped you find a job is so rewarding, I’m not sure I can describe how I feel to read of your successes. I’m just so happy and proud.
I have something on my mind though. I keep seeing comments or emails that start out with “I wish I could get the nerve to apply…” “I wish I had the talent…” “I wish I had the confidence…”
I have something to tell you
I have a secret. It took me a long time to get up the nerve to apply for gigs too. I never thought my work was good enough, and even now when I apply for gigs I wonder if the person on the other end is saying “This is that Deborah Ng I heard so much about? Why her work absolutely sucks!” I’m very insecure too.
For two years before I quit my job to have my son I would troll all of the job boards and writing websites during my lunch hour. I’d print out all of the job listings on all the writing boards. During my hour long commute I’d read through these listings and highlight all that I was qualified for, but that’s as far as it went. I saw all of these great gigs but would lose my nerve once I got home. Now, I see people writing things I could have written and I wonder if I could do better.
Taking the plunge
When my husband and I discussed my staying home for a while with our baby, we knew we couldn’t afford for me not to work. I really wanted to see if I could make it as a freelancer writer and we gave me a year. My nervousness returned. I found myself trolling all of the job boards on a daily basis but never felt I was good enough to submit. When I finally got the nerve, I was met with rejection – several times! I was a little depressed, I didn’t want to go back to an office job. I really loathe office work and I didn’t want to leave my baby boy. But what choice did I have?
Soon after receiving several rejections, I read an article about rejection. Basically it said to suck it up and continuing looking for work. It listed a bunch of writers and their rejection stories. I couldn’t believe how many times some great, famous authors received a “thanks but no thanks!” This was very encouraging. I kept applying and eventually landed a content writing gig, then a newspaper column. This gave me the confidence to continue looking for work. It took me a couple of years to build up a client base and get to the point where I brought in a decent, steady income, but all the work is worth it. I can imagine how unhappy I’d be if I still lacked the confidence to send in my resume or a query. Five years after leaving my job, I know I’m doing the right thing.
Everyone has to start somewhere
I hope those of you who aren’t feeling confident enough to apply for a gig will read my words and realize everyone has to start somewhere and everyone starts out slowly. It took years for me to get where I am today, and honestly, I still can’t explain my success – but I’m not complaining. Work hard, do your best and don’t be discouraged, even if it takes a long time.
I’d like to invite my community to tell their stories now. How did you gain the confidence to apply for gigs? Did you read the want ads without applying or just plunge in? Were you rejected? How long did it take for you to land that first gig?
Remember, every writer receives a rejection notice during his or her career – some of us more than others. Think of it as an opportunity – you didn’t get that job because you’re destined for another.
September 4th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
It took a long time before I was confident enough to go freelance full-time, but for me, it wasn’t confidence in myself I lacked; instead, I didn’t believe there were enough gigs out there to make the legendary work-life balance a possibility. What really helped in this regard was trying to get published as a short story writer. After so much rejection, you learn not to take it personally, to gain some nourishment from the occasional personal note, to target your work better. Once I’d improved my skills and actually started placing things, my outlook improved. Still, it took a while; I’d been in the field about 10 years before I felt I could make a legit go as a freelancer. Fighting discouragement is the hardest part, but once you do it, it beats the hell out of anything the corporate world has to offer…unless, of course, the salary and benefits are your whole raison d’etre, in which case freelancing isn’t for you anyway.
September 4th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Wonderful topic. Today when I was applying for gigs…my confidence was minus 10. That’s when I’m glad it’s over e-mail! I’m getting ready to query for the first time with snail mail. My number one motto right now is too simply keep submitted those queries. So far I have landed two monthly columns and I’m working on the next one. They are low paying, but I think of Deb and what she did in the beginning, and know this will build up to something more…not to mention what it does for my portfolio.
I have burned twice so far, one a for sure burn, and the other a probable. Hard lessons to learn but I have learned them. I even asked for a contract for my recent possibility. It has to be there. I want to work but I want to get paid and I’m starting to build that confidence.
I’m going on here but I wanted to share on that. If I can build up to Deb’s status I will be so proud!
September 4th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Also, the response I had from a query today told me I was a terrific writer. That has done millions for the soul! It’s amazing how one sentence from a stranger can give so much.
September 4th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
I can’t exactly explain my success, either. I find it very refreshing that you can’t pin it down, Deb. I think most of us who “made it*” don’t really know how it all worked out. As per “Shakespeare in Love”, it’s a mystery.
I do remember fighting discouragement, however. Getting past it was a bit of sour grapes (those cretins wouldn’t know talent if it …), determination, and some of the “writing fluid” that F. Scott Fitzgerald and William Faulkner made heavy use of. I think in the end I just had to do it because I was out of options and writing is all I really know how to do.
(Insert your comment on my inability to write a coherent post here.)
I think Brandon is also right that the biggest problem with taking the plunge is believing there’s enough work out there. There sure is, but sometimes you need to convince people that they need to hire you. I had to learn to shut up long enough to hear what they had to say so that I could spit it back to them more eloquently and succinctly. Works every time!
* Whatever “it” is.
September 4th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Thanks for this topic. I am going through this right now. So far I haven’t had the nerve to apply for much of anything. But I feel better from this blog; at least I know its common among writers.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
I quit my job a month ago to plunge into the chilly waters of freelance writing. After making a grand total of $130 so far, I can’t say the confidence is rushing over me in glowing waves. But faking confidence is getting easier. If I proclaim myself to be THE ABSOLUTE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB AND I MEAN EVER in my cover letter, I’m far more likely to get a reply.
Fake it, even if you’re cringing as you press “send.”
Good luck everyone!
September 4th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
My initial goal was to freelance write for magazines. For nearly two years I submitted query after query. At one point I simply gave up and considered taking a job as a editorial assistant or staff newspaper writer. Like you, I also hate office work, and the thought of sitting at a desk for eight hours a day was depressing. Fortunately, I discovered web content and was able to snag a variety of online copy writing jobs, which has provided me with steady work.
September 4th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
I just started getting paid to write. I too felt like I couldn’t do it. I’m applying for more jobs now thinking, hey if I don’t do it someone else will. There are still a lot of writing jobs that intimidate me, but I figure it’ll get easier the more I write.
September 4th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
This may sound cliche, but I decided to give freelance writing a shot when I turned 30. I’ve always wanted to be a writer, and I submitted a story or two every few months. As soon as I turned 30, I started thinking about my life and about whether I have any regrets. I decided that I would no longer treat writing as a hobby.
For the first few months, it was rejection after rejection. Then I received my first paycheck, and I started to submit more. I’m still at the “beginning” stage, and it’s been a steady climb. Now rejection doesn’t even bother me. As soon as I receive a rejection notice, I start thinking of other places to submit the piece.
September 4th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
A basic philosophy of sales: He (or she) who gets the most no’s wins.
Yes, we’re all writers. But unless we sell, we are very broke writers.
This is something I have to keep reminding myself, especially when times are good, because a big client can always close or go backrupt. I had a newsletter that I wrote for for nine years ask me to pursue a story, then nine days later I got the notice it was stopping production.
September 4th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Note to Brandon (which also puts me ahead of anonymous!),
Maybe salary and benefits aren’t one’s main reason for writing, but if one approaches it like a business, after a lot of hard work and effort, one can do quite well.
I’ve made more in the last 15 years of freelancing than I ever would have in the corporate world — even when you consider that I have to buy my own health care (though that’s becoming a higher cost all the time).
September 4th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
Great subject Deborah!
I am a rare case in that I started freelancing as a Junior in college and, 13 years later I’m still successfully unemployed. However, after my senior year I did try and get jobs at some of the top agencies in nation, only to be rejected over 15 times. I kept all those rejection letters and let them fuel my success. I’ve launched five (5) marketing companies since then (Advertising, design, PR, Product development, creative staffing agency) and I have learned that it is not about what others think about you, rather what YOU think about YOU. Never give up, ever.
Our latest venture (launched yesterday) is TheFreelanceNation.com, a network of 119 freelance job directories and collaborative community, is the culmination of my professional experience – a life dedicated to self-reliance, networking, charitable philanthropy, and a willingness to help others achieve a life of professional independence. Maybe it can give some of your readers confidence as they persue professional independence.
thanks for the fun read and the chance to chime in!
Jay Lohmann
Linkedin.com/in/JayLohmann
September 4th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
I am really new to freelancing - well writing in general. Because of the support of others on this board, I am slowly gaining my confidence. I have learned (so far) that even if I don’t “feel” qualified for something, if it looks like something I would REALLY love, then apply. It is better to apply and be told no than to never apply and regret it. I applied for a blogging job that was posted on the problogger board this morning, and I am happy to say they hired me! I get to write about what I love (pregnancy - I know this subject well!) and I get paid WELL!
If I hadn’t tried, I wouldn’t have gotten this great paying gig. My husband is already trying to figure out what he can buy with my money! (Silly man!)
So while I may be new to this, I can say that if it looks like your perfect job, apply - you never know if you might be their perfect hire.
September 4th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
I am taking the plunge,
from lurker to commenter!
Hi, everyone:
I am so at that spot where you were when you had all the insecurities.
I admire all of you for going for what you want.
I am quite new to all this, and extremely intimidated, but determined.
I appreciate all honesty from everyone who wrote in.
Marla
September 4th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
Rejection is part of the game, no matter how great a writer you are. Stephen King’s short stories received rejections, including “The Jaunt”, which he wrote when he was famous (Omni Magazine rejected it because the science in the story was too “wonky”). A writing instructor said that with today’s market, F. Scott Fitzgerald probably would not get published. The wildly-successful novel “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” by Robert Pirsig received more than 120 rejections by publishers before finding a home and making it.
I believe in myself, which helps. Also, I look at a lot of stuff out there that IS published (such as a column I once read, aptly titled “Barely Relevant” where a guy talks about a hair growing on his toe) and think that I could easily do better. The worst a person can tell you is no, and even then years down the road they may look at what you’ve become and regret having rejected you.
September 4th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
Thanks for all your comments guys and gals! I had written a post under Jodee’s leads telling everyone how I am gaining confidence but haven’t applied for anything yet. I don’t know if my post is what inspired Deb’s blog post today but I really appreciate knowing that I am not the only one that feels or has felt that way!
Anyway. I am getting good practice writing on my blog everyday. Some of Deb and Jodee’s ideas on this blog have inspired some of the content on mine. I really would appreciate any feedback on my blog from you seasoned writers.
http://www.entrepreneurmoms.blogspot.com
Thanks!
September 5th, 2007 at 5:42 am
I’m terrified every single time I hit send. I always wrote, ever since grade school and had a few winning poems and stories for contests here and there, but never made more than ten bucks.
This year, because of finacial problems, I thought, hey…why not try it, just send some emails and go with the flow.
Doing that landed me two blogging jobs, one person liked my writing enough to refer me to another blog (the one my name leads to here) and then I screwed up enough confidence to try a local mag. My first article was chosen as a feature for this coming April and by then I had enough audacity to ask if the editor needed anything for this October. You know what? She did, I sent her a list of ideas, and she chose one! She told me she had a hard time choosing which is such a boost to the underfed ego.
In most cases, those who are afraid are better than they think.
September 5th, 2007 at 5:42 am
Thanks Deb for this great topic, I am a relativley new to freelance writing. I have recently relocated to the USA and having been an entrepreneur all my life decided that I wanted to work for myself here too. Of course my husband doesnt think too much of it and calls it esoteric nonsense. To him a real job would be one in the financial services with a fat paycheck and benefits. Its been eight months since I have been writing and though I have been getting gigs at a steady pace they are still not extremely lucrative. I too suffer a crisis of confidence from time to time . In fact yesterday when I opened my inbox I received my first rejection letter. Rather than getting disheartened and upset I decided to take it in my stride and just soldier on…
September 5th, 2007 at 6:52 am
Actually, it’s really weird but I never had a problem with confidence. From the moment I decided I want to freelance, I started sending query letters without qualms. I was inundated with rejections — as expected — but they had never affected me. I always thought that what’s meant to be mine will be mine and what’s not will never be. So instead of taking it to heart, I polished my cover letter, improved my marketing skills, and made sure that I’m always professional (yet at the same time, friendly) in dealing with clients. Is it weird? My mother thought me, callous, but it was just natural for me. Actually, it’s more like I KNOW if I’ll get accepted or rejected even before the reply comes in. The tension is always high when I get accepted. Conversely, I’m always calm when I know I’ll read another letter of rejection.
September 5th, 2007 at 7:33 am
Medical writing is definitely a lucrative niche to go into. However, when I decided to quit my medical writer job to go freelance 2 years ago for family reasons, many people were very skeptical. I had only one year experience in the industry and no pharma company will ever hire a fledging, inexperienced writer like me.
The first few months were very depressing, highlighted by one rejection after another. Or no response at all. However, thanks to you and your site, Deb, I landed a couple of nice-paying gigs, which not only boosted my self-confidence, but my portfolio as well. Now I can honestly say that I offer global medical services, having worked not only with European, but with North American clients as well. And I’m happy to say that business is picking up.
Take home message: don’t let the skeptics deter you. Just go for it!
September 5th, 2007 at 8:46 am
I submitted work on a website where people could leave comments and that was rough. Some of the people were done right nasty in the comments they left. That’s when I knew how important it was to me to NOT do that to someone and to be professional…no matter how people acted. A positive attitude is key in this business.
September 5th, 2007 at 9:01 am
That’s another thing I learned too — to draw ideas from criticisms instead of dwelling on them. it took me some time, but I finally learned to think that criticisms are part of the business and that I could only improve in time, so leave any bitter feelings behind (unless the criticism is personal) and go on living.
September 5th, 2007 at 9:21 am
So true, so true.
Takes time to build up a thick skin and more time to develop a business-savvy mentality.
September 5th, 2007 at 9:29 am
What a great thread! I’m positively inspired!
I have to comment on two things (to the extent any of us “have to” speak up, but that’s what makes us writers, yes?):
Phil sed:
> A basic philosophy of sales: He (or she) who gets the most no’s wins.
I should go back through my library of books on sales and see if there are a few that I can reccomend. You are very right to link the pitch we have to do to make money with sales, and the same basic rules apply. It comes down to understanding what the customer wants/needs and building the appropriate relationship. That’s why these internet gigs seem so strange to me - I don’t know how to build a relationship that never involves a handshake.
Mariella sed:
> That’s another thing I learned too — to draw ideas from criticisms instead of dwelling on them.
Very, very important stuff. I wish I could say something eloquent to teach this in one stroke, because my kids need to hear this, too. I do not have those words, sadly. All I can say is that if you go back and look at the earliest stuff you wrote up until today, it will be painful to see how bad you were back when your English teacher thought you had promise. Promise? In this dreck? Ah … that’s the magic, isn’t it? What did that person see in this? There is something better hiding in everything you write, in everything ever written. No one writes a great piece by just sitting down and doing it - editing is everything, Kerouac aside. Some people edit gently with red marks on a page, some people do it harshly with strong comments and twisted faces. It’s all good advice, if you know how to take it.
September 5th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Deb,
Just a general question. Does anybody know where I can go to investigate paid writing for Christian blogs? Thanks.
September 5th, 2007 at 10:06 am
Erik>> reminds me of something I’ve read before — many good writers tend to think they can edit; many good writers turn out to be wrong.
And I agree with what you said. LOL. I still have my old school publication. My English teacher thought I was the best among all her students. But then I read what I had written back then and had to burn my copy out of shame.
September 5th, 2007 at 10:07 am
^what I meant was, I still HAD my old school publication just until about a few years ago.
September 5th, 2007 at 10:09 am
I still freak out about putting myself out there. I still feel under qualified and a bit like a hack. But then I remember this is what I want to do, and if I don’t put myself out there, I won’t be able to keep doing it.
September 5th, 2007 at 10:09 am
Longtime lurker, first time caller. I’m an editor (both in an office and freelance), and while I’ve been freelancing since my first year in college, I’ve just fallen into most of those jobs. Because we’re likely moving soon, I’m trying to shore up more freelance work in case I don’t get a job right away, so this post on confidence in applying for positions (rather than simply being recommended) is really helpful.
I would like to ask if anyone has recommendations on a freelancer’s resume. I don’t think my traditional job resume is cutting it anymore, but I can’t seem to find any decent editorial resumes by googling. I don’t do a lot of writing, so I have very few clips to send in lieu of a resume.
And thanks to all the commenters! I really learn a ton!
September 5th, 2007 at 11:17 am
I must be living a charmed life and didn’t realize it, because I have yet to receive a genuine “rejection letter” from the myriad job postings I’ve replied to for the past several months from this great writing jobs website.
I struggled in the past from not receiving any response at all, then I read a blog from Deb about how she created a resume for her job queries and that really increased her positive responses. I did the same thing that day, and the next writing gig I responded to I got that day!
That was a real eye-opener for me and since then I have gotten 6 out of ten positive responses from prospective clients. I now have six publishers I’m writing for and my website, perfectwebcontent.com is already being solicited for advertising queries.
I only started freelance writing since May of this year and it is truly the best experience of my life without question. If any readers out there are filled with self-doubt, all I can say is STOP! You are just as good as anybody else out there- you just need to write every day and visit web content sites to hone your writing skills and take them to the next level.
Just remember one thing: Never give up!!
September 5th, 2007 at 11:29 am
Wow, Rob., congratulations! I’ve yet to trim my resume to befit a writer. Though, to tell the truth, I really still have no idea how. Perhaps in my free time one of these days, I could try to do it. The only question is what do I do? LOL. Anyways, I’ll figure it out later ♥
September 5th, 2007 at 11:58 am
I’m glad I found this website, but I’m at a loss as how to get started. I really want to break into the freelance writing market.
I’ve been a TV News producer for many, many years and while that means writing many, many stories every day I fear that’s not good enough.
I want to get started before quitting my fulltime job - is that even possible?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated
September 5th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Tina,
I think starting part time before quitting your job is wise. I began freelancing while pregnant because I wanted to stay home with my daughter. I cut my job down to part time and freelanced a few hours in the evenings.
You are probably much more experienced than I was, so if I did it, I have no doubt you could also.
Good luck.
September 5th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Hi TinaK,
If you have that much experience, you might not have a hard time finding projects, all you need is to know how to market yourself. Yes, I know freelance writers who still do have jobs. They’re slowly taking the transition from working office jobs to full-time freelancing. What they do is to write only during the weekends and their off-days. I think it IS advisable to start freelancing before you quit your day job — especially if you need the money. As Deb said, it takes a while to build a substantial client base. Perhaps you could start with a couple of clients, get used to working full-time and moonlighting as a freelancer, then take it from there.
September 5th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Like Moose and Micah (sounds like a cartoon), I find email to be a saving grace. It’s easier to sound confident and professional in writing…which probably is not surprising, considering we’re writers.
I spent some time a couple of years ago putting together a kick-a$$ cover letter to send out with my resume. The letter allows me to tailor my submission to the specific ad, but not have to reinvent the wheel every time. I update the template periodically, so it continues to work quite well for me, even two or more years after I initially wrote it.
September 5th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
^That’s actually what I’ve done too. The moment I wrote a decent cover letter, the response rate has definitely risen. Though of course, I’m sure I’ll revise it soon enough as it’s tailored for a new freelance writer. Gotta beef up those credentials~
September 5th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
After rereading some of the comments, I’d like to add that, like Mariella, insecurity is no longer a major issue for me. I know I’m damn good at what I do, and I’ve earned my right to say that.
I wasn’t always that confident about it, though. I have been writing since I was a kid, and in high school I started writing novels and sharing them with friends and family. While most of my readers raved about my writing, every criticism was a mortal blow… But back then, I suppose I struggled with self-esteem in other areas, too.
I stopped writing for a long time in my teens and early twenties, and I think insecurity was a major part of it — not just insecurity about my abilities, but also about whether I could earn a living as a writer. I was told I couldn’t so many times that I just stopped considering it at all.
The good news is that by the time I started writing seriously again, I had matured in many ways, and self-esteem was no longer an issue for me. I am now fairly good at brushing off rejections and focusing on the praise I get. My clients love my work, and the few who don’t are usually idiots anyways (at least, I think they are
).
I think my point is that you don’t have to settle for being insecure. Most of us — particularly women — are taught that confidence is unbecoming, but I say screw that! You have every right — and every reason — to believe in yourself. And if you don’t (or don’t at least act like you do), who else will?
September 5th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
I trolled job boards for a long time before taking the plunge. But once I finally emailed that first prospective client, I realized that I could do it! I had spent awhile cleaning up my portfolio so I had some signature pieces to submit and felt good about them. I crafted a general info email/cover letter that I could use, and I was off.
I am still new at this (working with my first job-board client now), but at least I know I can do it.
September 5th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
I’m having a harder time dealing with rejection than I thought I would. What bothers me most is when someone expresses interest and then disappears! I’ve had that happen at least once so far and I’ve only been doing this for a little over a month. I’m also not very patient, so sending a query and knowing I’ll have to wait weeks is hard for me.
So, I’m at that stage where I’m saying “what am I doing??” And trying not to get discouraged.
September 5th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Peggy,
I understand what you are going through. As long as you keep plugging away something will come through. It’s those dark hours when we are our own worst enemies.
September 5th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
Katharine sed:
> I think my point is that you don’t have to settle for being insecure. Most of us — particularly women — are taught that confidence is unbecoming, but I say screw that!
I haven’t started a firestorm in a while, so let’s see how I do with this.
There aren’t a lot of men on this board, and there aren’t a lot in the profession, really. My approach is a bit different than what clients usually get just for this reason, I think.
Do I use this to my advantage? Hell, yes! I think it’s funny as all Hell to have some advantage based on being uniquely pale and male.
The thing is that everyone has an advantage of some kind, some angle on the world that is uniquely theirs. Mine happens to be my love of and connections within Community District Councils in Saint Paul. It’s work I enjoy doing and it shows.
Those of you who are discouraged should probably think about what your passions really are and what unique perspectives you might have. Hopefully, they are the same. But if you think about who might particularly like your outlook on the world, it’s not all that hard to be confident with them. They like you! They really, really like you!
I’m trying to figure out why I’ve always been so confident and relate it back. It’s to keep my status as Wise Elder or something. If it fails I can resort to the Tao Te Ching or quoting Polonius. (Well, I sorta already did …)
September 6th, 2007 at 4:30 am
Peggy>> I’ve experienced the same thing before. I’ve had clients who expressed interest and then disappear. Don’t let it get it to you, for every client you lose, you’ll get 10 more, at least that’s how I always looked at it.
September 6th, 2007 at 5:38 am
To Erik,
If I’m not mistaken, “he (or she) who gets the most no’s wins” is from Zig Ziglar. In addition to sales books, I have found “success” books, like Steve Covey’s “7 Habits” to be very good.
September 6th, 2007 at 8:18 am
I have always had a huge fear of rejection. I looked for writing jobs on the web for a long time before I ever applied for one, partly because of fear of rejection and partly because of the horrible pay of many of them. I finally got up my nerve to apply for one, was accepted, and found that it just wasn’t the job for me. But it built up my confidence enough that I was able to keep on keeping on.
My persistence paid off. I now have two steady gigs and am able to write full-time. I still get nervous about applying for jobs, but I’m getting much better about handling rejection. When I get those “thanks but no thanks” emails, I just curse a little under my breath, let it go, and move on.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:10 am
The one negative aspect of getting a positive response from a prospective publisher is the fact that you won’t hear back from them for awhile, and sometimes never. I have been going through that just this week since Labor Day.
The reason for that could be because the publisher contacted too many writers for a particular publication date or there is not enough writing work to substantiate immediate work for me.
Whatever the reason is, I don’t really care because I am continually searching for a steadier writing gig all the time anyway. The only time I won’t is when my eight hours alloted time schedule is way too full with writing already, which has not been close to happening yet.
That would be my advice to you, Peggy. After you don’t hear back from your future publisher, contact him one more time to see if they forgot about you, and them write them off and look to replace them immediately. You’ll be a lot better off in the long run.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:32 am
^I agree with what you said. I find that I get forgotten sometimes. But the thing is, I also forget about them most of the time! LOL. So it’s seldom that I get to do follow-up emails.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:48 am
Mariella –
That is so funny, because the same thing happens to me! I’ve actually started copying and pasting the ad below my cover letter, because otherwise I forget the details of the job, and sometimes I can’t find the ad again to refresh my memory.
Have you ever had someone response to your cover letter and resume months later? I’ve had it happen more than a few times. Usually I have absolutely no clue by that time who they are or what the job was.
Peggy –
Rob is right about following up. If you really want the job but haven’t heard back, call or shoot them an email. Sometimes that makes you stand out enough from all the other submissions that you’ll end up getting the job or getting published. But if it doesn’t work, move on — plenty of other fish to fry!
September 6th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
DEB:
I’m not sure this is the right venue for my question … I have been visiting your site regularly for the last 4-6 weeks, since my husband and I (both former newspaper reporters/freelance writers) are considering getting back into the biz. You’ve got a great site that I wish had been around when I started freelancing 10 years ago.
We have owned our own business, a B&B for nearly 5 years and have not been writing, but my husband is getting back into and I likely will, too.
Anyway, my husband is in the “prep” process for a guide position at About.com. I read that you used to be the freelance writing guide. He is not “prepping” for that spot. I’m wondering if you can tell me a little about the prep process (i.e. he’s a week in and he’s getting positive feedback but not a lot of it) and, if he gets the gig, I’m wondering if you would mind sharing how the pay works, since About.com seems to play that close to the vest.
I’d sure appreciate your thoughts. Thanks much.
JILL
September 6th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
^Yep. Haha~ happened to me several times. I’ve had clients suddenly email asking me if I’m still interested in such and such, but the problem is, I don’t even know who they are! And I don’t want to offend them by asking, so usually I search for their names and/or email address to see if I can get a lead on what the job was.
I’ve also been down in the dumps lately because I’ve found out that several job offers ended up in my spam folder so I never got to read them. It would have been all right since I already have quite the client base recently, but one of those is the blogging job I’ve always wanted! I worked really hard to be eligible for that but the email got buried in my spam folder for a month and I only saw it last week….
September 6th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Oops, the above post is for Katharine. And if you don’t mind me answering one of your questions, Miss Jill, I think About.com pays their new guides a $725 flat fee per month (which will increase in time, or so I’ve heard).
September 6th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
That’s awful, Mariella! I am so sorry. I actually don’t use a spam filter, partly for that reason.
I also don’t like to ask who they are when I get an email like that. I usually do a bit of sleuthing, just like you. If I really can’t find anything about it, I’ll ask them to “refresh my memory” about the specifics of the project. It makes it sound like I don’t remember the details, rather than them.
September 6th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Katharine>> yes, it was really awful. I even had to talk my mother about it (which is what I do when I get upset LOL). It would have been better had I really not been accepted. But to be sent the email containing the details, saying they’re only waiting for my confirmation, and then finding it a month later in my spam folder — it was the worst day of my (professional freelance writing) life.
September 6th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
The way I got up the nerve to take the plunge and apply for that first gig was: I was laid off from my job as marketing and programming director for a TV station, penniless (had just paid off a boatload of debt but had not a penny to my name), and decided there was no way in he– I was going back to the corporate world! The potential for financial ruin was far preferable to working for someone else ever again. I had loathed the corporate world for years and wanted to be a writer but just never had the nerve to go for it as a profession. I would write a screenplay or a short story and dream of writing for a living.
Like everything in life, your reality exists only by how you choose to view it. So instead of being angry or down that I’d been let go, I figured being laid off was the greatest opportunity I could possibly have. I went for it. I had business cards made. I declared myself a successful writer, and away I went. This blog was key to one of my first steady gigs, in fact!
It took a couple of months to really get going but I’ve worked every day since on projects of my choice. I’ve even started coaching other people to help them find the courage to live their dreams. I love it!
Not having a safety net nor a plan B was definitely one of the greatest reasons for my success. Yes, I am so grateful that I was so broke!
You can read more about it a t http://www.squidoo.com/freelancewriting1. It contains info for those thinking of going freelance.
September 7th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Good for you Beth! I have almost exactly the same story. I was working at Verizon Wireless’s main corporate headquarters making fairly good wages as a corporate rep, but then they started making me come in on Saturdays- that was the final straw! I quit immediately, took my 401k money and my bonus money and lived off that while trolling the job boards for writing gigs.
I created my website that deals with writing and used this blog to find six publishers that I work with on a weekly basis. Now I’m moving to Hawaii where my mother will help with the bills for at least four months rent free.
I really believe my good fortune came about because of taking life by the horns and telling myself “I’m better than Verizon thinks I am!” Now it’s just a matter of time before I make a lot more than Verizon would ever pay me. And I am in no hurry, just enjoying the long road to success that every writer goes through.
As far as making sure you don’t miss any important emails, I would advise everyone to get a Gmail account ASAP. You can actually set up your account by importance, such as putting a star by important publisher’s names and putting in a long description of an important contact person in the “Contacts” list. I’ve never missed any important emails using Gmail.
Hope this was helpful for everybody on the writer’s road to success, and good luck to everybody.
September 7th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Rob>> it was actually Gmail which flushed my important email down the Spam toilet…
September 22nd, 2007 at 12:29 am
Getting the first gig is easy, it’s the one’s that come after that are difficult. This is standing true for me today. I find a positive attitude and professional manner are the keys for me. Can’t make money if we don’t keep working on our art.