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Tick Tock Tick Tock… Time Management and the Business of Freelancing…

Carson Brackney — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:52:04 +0000

I have recently determined why I am not filthy rich. I thought I’d take a moment to share my conclusion with you and how it relates to the business of writing. I’d also like to solicit your assistance.

I’m tempted to blame the fact that I wasn’t born into old money or even enough new money to hang out with old money, but I think my parents more than compensated for that shortcoming in a number of other ways, so I left that off my list and opted to isolate a singular cause for my lack of a massive fortune.

It’s because I have an amazing ability to mismanage time. I’ve been relatively successful in beating back that particular weakness by sheer force of will. I’ve built up a massive sleep deficit in the process.

However, tenacity will only get one so far. At some point, one must realize the truly awesome power of time and its management. After studying my own habits with some care recently, I’ve concluded that I’m doing a horrific job with time.

Unfortunately, I’ve been trying to beat time to a pulp instead of living within it. That’s a fool’s errand. I know that physicists have all sorts of ways to explain relativity and the theoretical means by which one can bend time, but your average (or even above-average) Joe or Jane can’t turn seconds into hours.

Time is time and it’s kicking everyone’s ass one second at a time.

You can get by with that when someone else is writing your paycheck. The only good thing I can think about when it comes to being an employee is the fact that one gets paid for the countless hours spent doing nothing in particular. Even employers realize that they’re paying for idle time; they accept it as part of the cost of doing business. Very few people really work all day at their jobs and those who do… Well, I hope they find better jobs or are duly compensated.

Things change when you own your shop. If you don’t work, you don’t earn. Yes, there are “passive income” pseudo-exceptions, but we don’t really need to muddy the waters with that conversation right now. The fact of the matter is that if you want to make money, you must earn money and that generally means creating and pushing out product while you manage lining up additional opportunities.

You can compensate for unyielding nature of time by doing things that bring in more cash per unit of time. I think I do pretty well in that regard. On the far end of the spectrum (and for those with more limited earnings goals), that might be enough. Not so for most of us. And even when that is enough, it requires properly utilizing time in the first place in order to do that.

So, that leaves me with a burning professional question. How am I going to make better use of my time?

This really is an exceptionally important question, too. I don’t want to get too serious here, but we’re all going to die. Time runs out. We need to do our best to maximize its value. We need to protect it for our families and passions and to improve the yield of the portion set aside for our professional endeavors.

I’m guessing that Deb expected me to provide some helpful hints when she asked me to contribute these posts. However, this time I’m going to try to use this pulpit as an opportunity to get your wisdom.

What are you doing to turn eight hours into the equivalent of ten, twelve, or sixteen? What massive time-wasters have plagued you and how did you fight back (or have you)?

What is your top time management trick?

I’ve discovered that my favorite just doesn’t work any more. For years, I’ve relied upon sleep deprivation as a means of making up for time management blunders. Now that the big 4-0 approaches, I’m realizing that my ability and willingness to greet the sun on a regular basis without the benefit of sleep is waning.

That’s why I’m working on systematizing some aspects of my professional life that I’ve been managing on an ad hoc basis. That’s also why I’m trying to resist the siren song of some of my favorite time-wasters.

So, readers, lay it on me. What are your time-sucks? How are you beating them? What have you done to make your days seem longer or to boost your productivity? Did you find a great way to tame the email monster? A solution to feed overload? A cure for your Twitter addiction that didn’t require a 12-step program? The intestinal fortitude to not watch the Tivo’ed episode of your favorite program?

As Red Green says, “We’re all in this together.” Do share.

Lessons Learned from Cleaning My File Cabinet

Deb Ng — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:44:07 +0000

A couple of weekends ago, I took some time to clean out my four drawer file cabinet. Generally I organize files once a year in order to keep track of items such as freelance writing check stubs, invoices, contracts and receipts. This time I cleaned out the whole cabinet.

I found hundreds, and I mean hundreds, of writing clips from iParenting Media, LegalZoom, Oxygen Media, my old newspaper column and so many other markets I wrote for early on in my career. I also found tons of “idea” files. As I was going through these treasures, I wondered why I don’t do this sort of thing thing more often.

It got me thinking:

Lessons Learned from Cleaning My File Cabinet.

Everything old is new again.

Reworking old clips: It was interesting to read articles written ten years ago and realize many of those ideas are still relevant today. I’m reworking some of my clips into articles with a different, more current focus in order to shop around.
Old ideas can still be put to good use I knew I saved a few “idea” notebooks, but I didn’t realize exactly how many were in there. I didn’t go through all the journals, but I enjoyed reading my old thoughts and ideas. As mentioned above, many of my old ideas are still relevant today. I added them on to the editorial calendar so I’m sure not to forget about this time, and the rest of my notebooks are close enough to keep handy.

Old markets are still around Even before I started freelancing I collected markets. I have three huge accordion folders filled with places to pitch. As I sorted through the files, I checked on many of the saved markets. A bunch are no longer in existence today, but many still are. I’m excited about having new places to pitch or share with you here. (This, by the way, was the inspiration for all the markets posts you’ve been seeing lately.)

There’s a reason I saved those old back issues of Writer’s Digest My husband has a basement shelf filled with back issues of Car & Driver and I have a file cabinet draw filled with Writer’s Digest. These past copies are a bonanza of information, especially the gold mine of opportunities found in the markets section. Though I’ve contemplated tossing them out over the years, re-reading the back issues justified my decision to keep many of the copies.

Those old newspaper and magazine clipping saved to give me ideas? Update them! When I first began freelancing I wrote mostly personal finance articles, especially for my weekly newspaper column. Every now and then I came across relevant magazine or newspaper articles I felt required further discussion or investigation. I saved many of these in folders to revisit when I was looking for ideas or have time to spare for research. Now, I still have those old clips but they’re giving me ideas for a more modern slant.

My old contacts are still around. I also went through a rubberbanded bundle of business cards. I think it’s some of these collaborators, colleagues and clients a call to say hello.

It’s OK to let go of the stuff that isn’t working for you

I’m one of those people who have problems letting go. I’m not a hoarder, but I do hold on to ideas for “some day.” Last weekend I got realistic about the usefulness of some of the articles and clippings I collect. Needless to say shredder has been pt to good use. Being organized allows me to run my business more efficiently.

Your new idea file is waiting for you, but don’t forget to revisit it from time to time

Those old ideas are terrific, but don’t forget to start new idea files and notebooks. Fill them with whatever comes to mind. This time though, don’t forget to check back with them often. The last thing you want is for your best stuff to get locked away in a file cabinet for ten years.

Have you cleaned out your files lately? If so, what lessons did you learn?

Why Routines are Important for Freelance Writers

Deb Ng — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:57:28 +0000

I was just thinking about my morning routine, I call it my “morning ritual.” I wake 30 to 60 minutes before the rest of my family, make coffee, start water boiling for oatmeal, handle lunches, feed pets and open doors for those animals wishing to use the outside, lay out clothes, and more.When the family wakes, I have another routine including packing backpacks, doling out breakfast and making sure shoes and socks are on by the time the school bus comes.

I have my freelance writing routine as well.

Every day, in this order, I:

Check email: delete spam and junky stuff and place other mail in folders to be responded to later.
Check stats and revenue from my blogs from the day before.
Check my calendar to see how I am with deadlines and my own editorial calendar.
Check the social networks to see if anyone is looking for me and to say hi to my friends.
Blog.
Break for lunch at about noon for 30 minutes (unless I’m meeting the girls for lunch).
Blog and write, including my own projects.
Check on any business matters – respond to emails, deal with advertising inquiries, return phone calls, enter any accounting and, if I’m looking for work, query any interesting gigs or markets.
At night, I’ll start working on finding leads for the next days daily lists.

I also schedule less frequent tasks such as banking and filing.

There are a couple of reasons for my freelance writing routine:

By doing the same thing, the same way every day, I don’t forget anything.
I focus more when I know I have time scheduled for every task
I have more respect for my time.
Others have more respect for my time.
I tend to put things off if I don’t write it into my daily calendar.

As freelance writers we pride ourselves on our flexibility. However, we also have to pride ourselves on our responsibility. If I don’t take care to schedule each task accordingly, and have a specific time and range assigned to each task, I may neglect something.

I’m not an organized person. At office jobs I was the girl who always had stacks of papers on her desk and reminders taped all over my cube. I’m the one who, if a project wasn’t staring me in the face, I wouldn’t get it done; out of site, out of mind.That didn’t work out well in the 9 to 5 world, and it certainly won’t work out for me as a freelancer. For me, it pays to be strict with my time.

The interesting thing is how out of my element I feel if I miss a scheduled task. For example, if I’m helping out at school one morning, it will throw me off for the whole day. I love going on vacation or going away to attend conferences or other business, but I also spend a lot of time thinking about what I should be doing. I’m one of those sick people who needs a routine.

I think the most important thing about having my regular routine is how I, and others, value my time. When I sat down to type every time I had a few minutes, it was viewed as more of a hobby. Establishing business hours and times to take calls, write or file, showed me – and others – that I have a business and I’m taking it seriously.

That’s my takeaway, by the way. If you don’t respect your freelance writing business, no one else will.

What’s your routine?

You may have a different routine, but I’m willing to bet you have some sort of ritual each day. Rituals are comforting. They keep our job familiar and allow us to stay on task.

What are your routines? Do you find having a routine helps you stay on track?

Rocking the Productivity and Making Good Use of My Freelance Writing Time

Deb Ng — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:06:09 +0000

When I first began freelance writing my son was an infant. As any parent knows, building a career and nurturing an infant simultaneously is, well, it doesn’t happen. I consoled myself with the theory that once my son was older and in school full time, it would be easier to balance a full time career. That’s sort of a joke too.

I don’t know about you, but for me it’s hard to get into my work day and end it all at 2:30 when there’s still so much to do. I did the 4:00 a.m. thing for years, and frankly, I’m too old and cranky for that now. So I took a few other steps to help me become more productive while still being there for my family.

I’ll share my methods with you here, and when I’m done, I’d love for you to share your methods in the comments. Let’s help each other focus and get the job done.

A separate office

I used to pick up my laptop and bring it to the kitchen table, the dining room table, or even the back deck table. I had no home. Trust me, when you have to pack up and move every time a meal is ready or someone needs your work surface for an art project, you’re short on focus. Two years ago, my husband fixed up a small bedroom as my office. Having a place that is mine where I can write and even close the door when I need extra quiet time is priceless. It makes a world of difference to have a specific spot only for working. Others respect my work now – but more important, I respect my work more.

Aftercare

After seven years of having my son home with me when he’s not in school, I broke down and enrolled him in the school after care program three days a week. There were several reasons for this:

It was difficult for me to pack up work every day at 2:30.
My son’s friends are all in after care or activities so he wasn’t spending much time around kids his age.
The after care program enables my son to participate in sports, science projects, crafts and more.
I can actually finished my work at 5:00 and my family has me for the rest of the day and night.

During the first after care day, I felt so guilty that I picked my son up an hour early. He was having so much fun playing he asked me to please never do that again. School aftercare is affordable, and two and a half hours three days a week is making a big difference in my productivity. I especially notice that on aftercare days, I’m not rushing to get everything done. Childcare or having a mother’s helper can be a Godsend while trying to build your career. Don’t feel guilty for wanting help.

Sleep

I used to wake at 4:00 AM each day, and often recommend this to parents who can’t get work done when their kids are at home. It was perfect for part time work as I’d work from 4:00 until 7:00 or 7:30 and have the rest of the day for my family. Truth be told that while I credit it for allowing me to work at home, I was glad when I didn’t have to do it anymore. I was so cranky. My options were to go to bed at 8:00 and not spend time with my husband, watching movies or reading books, or go to bed later and not get enough sleep at all. When I ditched the 4:00 wakeups, I was much more pleasant to be around and found I had more focus. I don’t regret doing it to start out, but I’m so glad that time of my life is over.

I think freelancing is a lot of trial and error. We all find ways to be more productive and focused on our goals. Sometimes it finds years to find a balance.What’s working for me today, may not work tomorrow. but at least I have the flexibility to reinvent my methods.

Now share your tips. What are some of the things you do to remain productive throughout the day?

Positivity Rocks: Why Having the Right Attitude Will Ensure Freelance Writing Success

Deb Ng — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:19:43 +0000

Would you like to know why I looked for freelance writing work for two years before actually applying for a gig? It’s because I doubted myself. I was very shy and to apply for something out of the blue took me out of my element. That’s also why I stayed with a couple of jobs I didn’t like for so long. I doubted my ability to land another job. In the real world and in the freelance world, I let negativity get the best of me.

I was afraid of rejection. I thought there were better writers applying. Finally, I saw a job for a humor columnist that was right up my alley. I applied and got the gig. The first freelance writing job I ever applied for, and I was accepted. I can’t tell you what that did for my confidence.

Not too many people I meet nowadays would consider me shy, because I’ve learned to overcome many of my insecurities in order to succeed outside the salaried workforce. Freelancing and working at home may look perfect for introverts, but I’m here to tell you it’s not for the meek. If there’s one thing I learned over the past decade, it’s that the right attitude makes such an big difference.

We’ve talked about confidence on many occasions in the past. Today’s let’s look at why positivity matters.

People Dig Good Vibes

Enthusiasm is contagious. Have you ever noticed how people with a certain effervescence attract others? It’s contagious. Confidence is a turn on. Think about who you would rather hang out with. The upbeat, positive person, the shy wallflower, or the ranty malcontent who always has a gripe. Clients feel this way too. They can sense confidence. A writer who knows she can do a job to the best of her ability is always more likely to land the gig over someone who exudes doubt. Potential clients can read body language and they can hear hesitation in your voice. Confidence even comes through in the written word via email – but when your positive it shines through.

If You Think You Can’t, You Won’t

To say you can’t do something won’t get you anywhere. “Can’ts” keep us from finding gigs or getting out of our home offices and meeting the people who pay the big bucks. “Can’ts” keep us from stepping outside our comfort zone and applying for more prestigious opportunities. Say you can…and then try. I won’t lie. You may receive rejection at first, but perserverance pays off. If you say you can’t, you won’t. Think positive. Say you can. See if it makes a difference.

There’s a Difference Between Confidence and Arrogance

Being confident is terrific, it means we have faith in our ability. Being arrogant and pushy is a whole other story. People who are positive display confidence because they absolutely know they can get the job done. Arrogant or pushy people aren’t confident, they use aggressive, almost bullying behavior to get their way. This may land them some great gigs, but it also keeps people away. By all means, go out and get what you want but be mindful of how you’re doing it. Think about how others see you. You’ll see there’s a difference.

POSITIVITY

My theme for 2010 is positivity. I wrote the word in big block letters and have it taped over my desk. Every time I doubt myself, every time I want to fire back at someone in anger, every time I make a quick judgment or say I can’t, I look up and see “POSITIVITY” staring me back in the face. It may sound simple, but having a mantra and creating a new positive goal is making a big difference in how I see myself, and how others see me.

Can’t isn’t part of my vocabulary. If I’m not sure of a situation, I analyze the reasons why and act.

Positivity does make a difference. Don’t believe me? Try it and see what happens. I’m confident you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

How has positivity changed your life?

5 Mistakes Freelance Writers Make During the Holidays

Deb Ng — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:04:05 +0000

There’s no right or wrong way to be a freelance writer. Everyone has a different formula for success. What works for me, might not work for you. That’s why I love the Internet. So many freelance writers are sharing their experiences, it’s interesting to see how different writers are tacking their careers. Inspiration and motivation is never a bad thing. Take the holidays, for example. Some freelance writers choose this time to step away from their laptops for a few days, while others use this time to pick up work during a time when traditionally fewer freelancers are looking for work. Again, there’s no right and wrong.

Whether or not you decided to vacate during the holidays, consider these common mistakes made by freelance writers during the holidays season.

1. Not checking email: Emergencies happen. Clients may need to source a quote or have you resend a file. If you’re on vacation they probably don’t want to bother you, but what if they need a crucial bit of information before publishing? Checking your email at least once a day may put you in a position to save a project. At the very least your clients know they can count on you at all times.

2. Not checking in with clients: As mentioned above, stuff happens. Taking 30 seconds to say, “Happy Holidays” or “Do you have everything you need before I take time off?” can prevent disaster. Your clients will appreciate your professionalism and you can take a few days away with a clear mind.

3. Not taking time for yourself and your family: It’s the holidays. Earning extra money and building a client base is fine, but don’t forget to take time off for what’s really important. You and your family. Having fun, sleeping late and enjoying good company will allow for rejuvenation. Besides, you won’t be distracted while having regrets or watching everyone around you enjoy themselves.

4. Not looking for work: Take some time out now and then to see if what kind of jobs are floating around. Even if you won’t be working, it can’t hurt to send out a query or respond to a job ad. It doesn’t mean you have to start right away, but the last thing you want is to miss out on a good opportunity because you weren’t paying attention to the ads.

5. Taking on new clients during the holiday lull without thinking ahead: If you’re taking on extra clients during the holidays, consider what having those new clients will do for your freelance writing load once the holiday season ends. You may find yourself with too much work or in a stressful situation because you can’t keep up. By all means, keep up the client hunt but be realistic as well. Before taking on any new work, make sure you can keep it up once the holiday lull ends.

Whether you decided to take a break or work through the holidays, be sure to remain professional and make sure all your clients’ needs are met before you shut down…and don’t forget to take time for yourself. You deserve the break!

3 Tips for Making a Positive Start in 2010

Deb Ng — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:39:23 +0000

I’m all for clean slates. I always look at the beginning of a new week or a new month as a brand new opportunity. A new year has even more of that clean, white, not yet been used, new notebook feeling of hopefulness. What I especially like is entering a new year with a positive outlook, even when things don’t look so positive.

The way I see it, it’s all in the frame of mind. There are no negative situations, only opportunities and chances for improvement.

Instead of making resolutions, set goals

Maybe it’s only semantics, but I think “goal” sounds more positive than “resolution.” Resolution reminds me of something offered up at a New Year’s Eve party after one too many glasses of punch. A goal indicates a long-term plan for the future. Instead of raising my glass and offering a few hurried wishes for the New Year, I like to take some time to sit down and record my goals for the upcoming year. As I write, I also bullet out an outline or plan on how to achieve my goals. I may even use my editorial calendar to set up some steps and actions to take throughout the upcoming weeks or months so I don’t forget my goals.

Tackle one challenge at a time

Everyone faces bad spots. We all have rough times. We all have to deal with negativity or bad publicity. Don’t even try to take the entire weight of it all at once. Tackle each challenge one at a time. It’s so much easier to see the light at the end of a tunnel when you’re organized and approach each task with focus and determination. Multitasking simply means you have your attention scattered in several different directions. Identify the source of negativity or the one thing keeping you from completing your goals and list all the things you need to do to render it obsolete. Don’t procrastinate and don’t say “I can’t.” Identify and act.

Always use the “glass half full” approach

Life always looks better when you look at the bright side. A positive attitude does wonders for even the most negative situation. Many of the obstacles in our way are all in our mind. Count your blessings. List your assets and strong suits. Know what makes you stand out from the rest. It’s good to be thirsty and it’s good to want more. Know that having a glass that isn’t quite filled to the top isn’t a bad thing. Look at the bright side and remember there’s always room for improvement. Make it a goal to fill your glass a little more with each coming year.

How will you be making a positive start for 2010?

Why a Half Empty Glass Isn’t Such a Bad Thing

Deb Ng — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:47:27 +0000

I’m a glass half full kind of girl. I count my blessings and know many people wish they could trade situations. I know how fortunate I am to be able to support myself doing what I enjoy. I also feel looking at the bright side is more positive and productive than being cranky about what I don’t have or haven’t achieved.

With that said, I also think it’s important to look at the other side of the coin sometimes. Having a half empty glass reminds us that being thirsty is a very good thing.

There’s Always Room in the Glass for More

When a glass is full, it indicates a lack of space or room to grow. The whole “half empty” thing is supposed to be a negative analogy but to me it shows the need for improvement. Taking a half empty approach is encouraging. It means you have analyzed your situation and know you need to earn more money or take on more clients. It means you have the ability to look at your situation and know there are some things that need changing. Now think about this:

How is your glass half empty?

Are you thirsty because you’re not earning enough? Is there room in the glass because you’re not at the point you hope’d you be career wise? This is an excellent opportunity to rock the self-analysis. Identify the reasons for the half empty glass syndrome. Make yourself a good old fashioned list. When you’re done, take each point on the list and note the ways you can remedy the situation. Maybe you need to go back to school or work longer hours. Maybe you need to ask for a raise. Identify the problem areas and work out a solution, then act. You can make lists until the cows come home but if you don’t act, it doesn’t mean a thing.

Wanting More is Never a Bad Thing

You should be thirsty. It’s not greedy to want more. Name any person in any career who doesn’t strive for a bigger paycheck or a berth on a higher rung on the corporate ladder. For some strange reason we’re supposed to associate “more” with “greed.” Why? I prefer to look at greed in a Gordon Gecko-esque manner. Greed IS good. Thirst IS good. Wanting more IS good. It’s the difference between making ends meet and building up a bank account. It’s the difference between just getting by and having a comfortable retirement. It’s the difference between a one room apartment in a bad neighborhood and a house in the suburbs.To make more you have to want to make more and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

How Will You Fill the Rest of Your Glass?

So that was today’s motivational speech and this is today’s assignment. Contemplate your glass. Don’t just sit it down in front of you. Consider its size and depth. Consider your choice of libation. Consider all the steps necessary to fill that glass. How are you going to do it? Are you going to get yourself a glass of water, or are you going to treat yourself something premium or aged to perfection? Are you content to live life with a half a cup or are you interested in satiating your thirst? There are a lot of analogies and metaphors in there, but I think you get my drift. Knowing you want more isn’t enough. You have to know how to get more.

Are your thirsty? What are you going to do about it?

Top 10 Reasons I Make So Many Lists

Deb Ng — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:31:35 +0000

In case you haven’t noticed, I write a lot of lists. On any given day you see me throwing out a quantity of tips, reasons and things to get you through your day. I do have good reasons for serving up lists every day. Since some folks are asking, I thought I’d provide you with a list featuring reasons I like to write lists.

Briefly(because it’s Sunday)…

10 Reasons I Make a Lot of Lists

1. It’s an easy way to organize my thoughts: Lists are like outlines or bullet points. I can organize my thoughts and arrange them in a way that makes sense. Sometimes I’d like to briefly touch on a topic but don’t have too much to say. A list allows me to get my point across in a couple of sentences for each point, instead of a blog post devoted to a single topic.

2.Lists grab attention: Which post are you more likely to read: “Bad Freelance Writing Habits” or the “Top 10 Worst Freelance Writing Habits?” I’m not so clever with the headlines, but with a list I can draw in more interest than if I tried a generic title.

3. Lists are fun: Simply put: I enjoy writing list posts. They’re fun, they break up the day and they’re well received. Why not go with a good thing?

4. People like adding to lists: One of the reasons I always liked lists is because I enjoy seeing how others add to them. I may only be able to think of ten points for this list but I’ll bet those of you who are playing the home game can think of a few more.

5. It’s a challenge to see how many items I can add to my lists: Sometimes I can only think of two or three points, other lists can go into the hundreds. Sometimes lists just write themselves because the ideas don’t stop coming. I never know the outcome, but enjoy the challenge.

6. Lists are scanable: The folks who read blogs and articles enjoy lists because they can scan the highlights without having to commit to an entire read. (However, those of us who take the time to write these posts do hope you take the time out to read it all).

7. Lists hold the attention of the short attention span crowd: Instead of one big article, readers are turned on to a bunch of smaller topics. The points on a list post are easier to digest than a regular blog post. One point, one paragraph. I can write a whole blog posts about how a list post satisfies short attention spans, but I can also sum it up in a matter of sentences here.

8. You don’t have to read the items you don’t like: Item number five doesn’t interest you? Move along down the list…

9. This community responds well to lists: The FWJ community appears to like lists too. You respond in the comments and write me to let me know you enjoy my lists.

10. Lists are a departure from the usual freelance writing job blog fare: We all need a break from rates, content sites, and marketing. Lists are like our Calgon, they take us away. We can use them to be funny or serious, but it’s an enjoyable way of getting our point across and giving our readers a few things to think about.

Here’s a bonus. Lists also help me gauge interest in a topic. When I post a list, I can tell by the response which items on each list the community here wants to talk most about. The items with the biggest response are expanded to full fledged blog posts.

I’ll also admit this: sometimes lists posts are a lazy bit of writing. There are times I want to throw out a topic for discussion and only have a certain amount of time to blog. Lists are quick to write and quick to read. As you know, I also do more in-depth blog posts. Lists help to break up my day, and, I hope, yours.

Do you like list posts? Why or why not?

10 Things Freelance Writers Need to Stop Doing

Deb Ng — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:30:31 +0000

Though freelance writing has changed so much in the past twenty years, so many things have stayed the same. It’s still a hustle to find work, and we still have some less than stellar clients. The good news is that it’s easier than ever to become a successful writer. Those who make good choices and act in a professional manner will go far.

In the Internet age, more freelancers are talking and sharing ideas, which is terrific. Something not so wonderful is how some freelancers take the anonymity of the Internet too far, or how they don’t make good business decisions.

As new freelance writers begin their careers every day, I thought I’d share:

10 Things Freelance Writers Need to Stop Doing

1. Apologize for your choices

Are you happy with the writing you do? Do like your clients? If so, why are you apologizing for your choices? Very few people get to live their dream and work at jobs that make them happy. Always make the choices best for you, there’s no reason to be sorry. When you apologize for taking on a client someone else might not approve of or working for someone another writer doesn’t recommend, it shows a lack of confidence and if you can’t trust yourself…how can others? Never apologize for being happy just because someone else couldn’t hack it.

Bad mouth clients

A major pet peeve, bad mouthing clients has become commonplace on blogs and writing forums. The problem is, these things are left online forever. What happens if you one day reconcile with that client or end up regretting your choice of words? You can’t always remove a forum thread or blog comment. Even blog posts that are deleted often turn up later thanks to caches. What if a potential client or employer Googles you and visits a writing forum only to see some of your harsh words directed at past clients? He’ll probably pass in favor of someone who is more professional and trustworthy.

3. Make Excuses

Does this sound familiar:

“I can’t…”
“I don’t have time…”
“I don’t have the experience…”

Those are excuses all freelance writers use to keep them from working to their true potential. Now, if you’re happy in your career, more power to you. However, if you’re looking to get ahead but put out more excuses than effort, you won’t get far. Instead of making excuses, make a list of excuses. Next to each excuse, write down why. For example, if you don’t have enough time to look for work, list the reasons why. Chances are, most of your excuses are easily remedied. For example, if you don’t have time, cut out an hour of watching TV or get up earlier in the morning. Excuses only keep you from achieving your goals if you let them.

4. Knock other freelancers for their choices

Do you call other writers “hacks” because you don’t approve of their choices? Do tell everyone they must not know better because they don’t follow your path? If so, it’s time to climb down off that ivory tower. There are ways to get your point across without insulting people. Moreover, no one wants to hang around with someone who continuously spouts negativity. If your purpose is to share tips with other writers, by all means do so. Insulting someone isn’t sharing a tip, it’s showing people you can’t validate your own choices without resorting to name calling.

5. Miss deadlines and make excuses

Do you have regular excuses for missing deadlines? Is someone in your family always sick? Did your Internet connection go out for the 20th time this month? It doesn’t matter if these are really things that happen or if they’re excuses because you kept putting off your assignments or didn’t budget your time wisely. Your client needs the work done in a timely manner. That’s why he hired you. If you can’t meet your deadlines or if you hate the writing you do so much you procrastinate, you need to find another line of work – or another type of writing.

6. Treat each client differently

If Client A pays less than Client B, you might be tempted to treat Client A differently. Pay is no reason to be unprofessional, however. Use good customer service practices regardless of how much a customer pays. Consider your name, your brand and your reputation. Also, lower paying clients now might be higher paying clients tomorrow. They may want you to grow with them.

7. Forget freelance writing is a business

Freelance writing is a business in the same way a restaurant is a business or a Fortune 500 company is a business. Though there are hobbyists, it’s safe to say most of us are doing this to earn a living. That means we have to practice good customer service, handle sales, act professionally and remember our deductions.

8. Stay inside the comfort zone

This isn’t a low pay/high pay/content mill thing. This is more about trying new things. Sometimes when we stay in our comfort zones we get a little bored. Branch out and see the world. Try a new form of writing or take on a new client. Mix it up a little and see how much more interesting life becomes.

9. Follow someone else’s path

Do you pitch magazines because someone told you this is what freelance writers are supposed to do? Are you only looking for journalism jobs because some blogger thinks this is a better idea than blogging? That doesn’t sound like you’re following your own path. It seems like you’re following another person’s vision. You’ll be a happier person if you stay true to your calling. It’s important to try new things, but don’t take on something you don’t enjoy simply because another writer thinks it’s what you should do.

10. Let one rejection set you back

I like to tell writers about Stephen King. In his book “On Writing” Stephen King talks of how he stuck a railroad spike in the wall of his bedroom and soon that spike was filled with rejection slips. King isn’t the only writer who has received numerous rejections. It’s all part of the job. Just because one person doesn’t think you’re a good fit, doesn’t mean you don’t fit another publication or website’s vision. I don’t know of a single writer who hasn’t received at least one rejection. Don’t let it get you down.