by Jodee Redmond Recently, I was asked to give an interview on the topic of finding freelance writing jobs by the folks over at LoveToKnow.com. Please feel free to stop by and check it out. The LTK Freelance Writing channel is a new one for them and they have some great articles up already. Now that the channel is “live,” they will be adding content on a regular basis, so you may want to bookmark it.
Software for Clients to Monitor Freelancers? – No Way!
August 12, 2008. 24 Comments
by Jodee Redmond Thank you to one of our readers, Bruno Tilgner, for bringing this to my attention. According to an article recently published in the Globe and Mail, some bidding sites, like oDesk, are offering software to clients so that they can monitor a contractor’s online activities remotely. The goal here is to make sure that the client is not being taken advantage of by someone who would pad their account or spend their online time web surfing instead of doing the work. As I read through the article, I was of two minds: on one hand, I understand [Read more…]
Writing Samples: What to Show a Potential Client
August 8, 2008. 18 Comments
by Jodee Redmond One of our readers sent an e-mail recently wondering about writing samples and what you should share with potential clients. I’ve been giving this some thought and this is what I’ve come up with: If you know what topic or theme the client wants to hire a writer for, then provide a sample along the same lines. Now, some ads are not that specific about the topic that a client wants you to cover, so check the ad closely for the type of writing the client is looking for and provide them with a sample that reflects [Read more…]
Off Topic: How Do You Spend Your Down Time
August 8, 2008. 20 Comments
It’s no secret I love my job. I get to blog, and interact with people and build a community around a very unique social radio community. It’s right up my alley and a lot of fun to boot. One of the things I love best is that I have more time to spend with my family now. We go for a swim in the pool in the evenings or have game or movie nights, and on the weekend we go for hikes, picnics do a little gardening, and my house isn’t looking so much like a tornado lives here anymore. [Read more…]
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things…
August 6, 2008. 30 Comments
by Deborah Ng Here are the top three (freelance writing) things I can’t live without. I believe they’re self explanatory: 1. My laptop 2. My coffee maker 3. The door to my office. What three things can’t you live without?
What’s On Your To Do List?
August 5, 2008. 20 Comments
by Deborah Ng What’s on your to do list? What do you mean you don’t have a to do list? For me, I couldn’t manage my freelancing day without it. Even now with a full time job I refer to an itemized list for my priorities. A typical freelancing to do list for me looked like this: Job boards FWJ: Post Leads Email Client project #1 (deadline today) Client project #2 FWJ: Post tip Email Client project #4 Client project #5 Phone calls
Back in the Day: How the Internet Changed the Freelance Writing Business
August 4, 2008. 23 Comments
by Deborah Ng My first job in publishing was as receptionist for a busy New York City magazine boutique. After one week it was clear my two most important jobs were stroking editorial egos and telling freelancers the check is in the mail. This was 1985 and as a 20 year old I was in awe of the process. I’m still in awe but after 23 years it’s not hard to notice how the Internet has changed freelance writers. Back in the day: A freelance writer queried or sent an article “on spec”. The unopened envelope was tossed to the [Read more…]
When Should You Quit Your Day Job? A Few Things to Think About
August 3, 2008. 23 Comments
Unlike many freelancers, the decision for me to give notice at my job was based on three factors: I was about to give birth, we were moving to another state and my husband had a very good job. Before this turn of events, we discussed the right time for me to leave my job to be a freelance writer. As an accountant he was able to give me some very practical advice and things to think about, and I’d like to share them with you. Set a goal: When I left my job my options were to take a maternity [Read more…]
Your Top 5 And Your Next Assignment
August 3, 2008. 8 Comments
…And then there were five. This certainly proved to be an interesting week. One thing is for sure, each candidate is very talented and as time goes by it gets harder and harder to say goodbye. I’d like to introduce you to your top 5 as indicated by this week’s vote: Candidate #6: Freelance 411: 22% Candidate #10: The Single Best Writing Tip Every Freelancer Needs to Know 18% Candidate #3: The Last Advice You’ll Ever Need 16% Candidate #4: You’re in the Driver’s Seat Now Go 15% Candidate #11: Best Advice for Writers- Don’t Gie Up 15% I want [Read more…]
Learn How to Say No To a Client The Right Way
August 1, 2008. 9 Comments
by Jodee Redmond When you are starting out as a freelancer, your focus is on getting work and building your business. That should always be your goal, but there will be times when you can’t take on any more work or you realize after learning more about the project that you aren’t the right person for the job. You will need to learn how to say No. The word No is very small but it’s a hard one to say for many of us. A toddler has no problem saying No to just about anyone and anything, but they soon [Read more…]
Mistakes Happen. Handle Them With Grace and Keep Your Client
July 29, 2008. 4 Comments
by Jodee Redmond Most of the time, your work will run smoothly, and that is what you and your client expect. Every now and then, though, you are going to make a mistake. It’s happened to everyone, myself included. You can make a mistake and still keep your relationship with your client intact. Just to be clear, when I am talking about mistakes, I’m not talking about a minor error that needs to be corrected in editing. I’m talking about situations where the client didn’t get what he or she was looking for, and you need to get things back [Read more…]
Why You Should Consider Cold Calling to Find Work
July 29, 2008. 28 Comments
by Deborah Ng If I had to pick the freelancing task I despise the most, it’s probably cold calling. To me, that’s what smarmy salesmen do. When I was a receptionist, way, way back in the day, I would cut cold callers off at the pass because no one ever wanted to hear from them. Still, you can get good clients from cold calling, so it’s best not to rule it out altogether. Why Cold Calling? Many small businesses are busy – so busy they can’t take the time to find the help they need. They also don’t think they [Read more…]
Want More Clients? Look to Businesses That Complement Yours
July 25, 2008. 3 Comments
by Jodee Redmond The writing leads we post here at FWJ are only part of the job market for freelancers. While I do encourage you to apply for anything you see here that you are interested in, there are other ways to get clients for your business. One way is to find other businesses that offer services that complement, not compete with, yours. Here are some examples: If you do web content writing, you could contact SEO consulting companies. These people are talking to site owners as part of their business all the time and they need to keep their [Read more…]
The Law of Attraction and Freelance Writing
July 22, 2008. 12 Comments
The Law of Attraction (LOA) is a term that is being used a lot lately, it seems. The idea that our thoughts can manifest into whatever we desire most is an attractive one. When I first heard that “Thoughts become things,” I admit that I was skeptical. If it was that simple, I reasoned, why wasn’t I living the life I had always wanted? Then I read a very simple explanation of how this energy works: Picture throwing a ball up into the air. It always comes back down to Earth – because it must. It doesn’t matter how talented [Read more…]
Is the Customer Always Right?
July 22, 2008. 11 Comments
by Deborah Ng You can’t please everyone but you should always try and please your boss. Every time I talk about putting one’s client’s needs first, I get a few voices of dissent. Whether you agree or not, your client is the one paying you to do the job to his specifications, it’s in your best interest to make him happy – even if he doesn’t always make you happy. I might not have always agreed on the “customer is always right” philosophy, but I never let him feel otherwise. If someone is paying me good money, I’m not about [Read more…]
Weekend Link Love for a Hot Summer Day
July 20, 2008. 17 Comments
Are you finding jobs from Jodee’s leads? Tell us how it’s working for you in the comments. Knowing how it’s going for you and what kind of jobs work best assist us in our search. Plus we just like hearing from you. Do you have any news or tips to share? Questions to ask? Please do. In the meantime, here’s what I’m reading this weekend: Blogging Jobs: How Much Are Bloggers Paid to Blog? at Blog Herald Blogging Freedom is a Mixed Blessing at Confident Writing (Is anyone else really digging this blog? It’s one of my new favorites!) The [Read more…]
Looking for a Niche? Consider “Evergreen” Topics
July 18, 2008. 14 Comments
by Jodee Redmond You may have heard that as a freelance writer, you should specialize in a certain niche (or a few niches) to achieve success. Choosing a niche to focus on can be challenging, to be sure. I want to suggest that you consider choosing evergreen topics for your niche. What are evergreen topics? Like the type of tree they are named after, they don’t change with time. Let me explain. There are some topics that people will always be interested in reading about, and they don’t go out of style from year to year.
Why You Should Add Blogging to Your Freelance Writing Portfolio
July 16, 2008. 4 Comments
By Misti Sandefur Boost Your Freelance Writing Income By adding blog writing to your freelance writing portfolio, you’ll increase your freelance writing income. Blog writing consists of writing short blog posts for potential clients. When I say short, I mean anywhere from 200 to 400 words, and if you know the topic well enough, it shouldn’t take no more than an hour to write the post. When I began offering blog writing services, my freelance writing income increased by $100, and that was with only one client who wanted me to write one blog post each week. So not only [Read more…]
Why a Freelance Writer Needs to be Like a Duck
July 15, 2008. 6 Comments
by Jodee Redmond If you want to be a successful freelancer, there are a few lessons you can learn from our fine, feathered friend pictured here. (Isn’t he beautiful?) Stay Calm on the Surface As the duck sits on the surface of the water, he presents a calm, peaceful demeanor. This is the face you need to display to your clients. You are someone who understands their needs and can help them reach their goals. If you send out an application for a gig and you get rejected, just let it roll off of you like water off of our [Read more…]
How to Turn a Low Paying Client into a High Paying Client
July 15, 2008. 10 Comments
by Deborah Ng Not all employers are cheap. Many of them have a good idea but not a lot of money. When it comes to start ups and the web, it takes time to build up advertising dollars or a customer base. Before you turn down a lower-paying gig, you might assess the situation and consider whether this client has the potential to pay more later. Think about this: I had one client who went from paying me $500 a month to paying me $3000 a month. So how do you turn a lower paying client into a higher paying [Read more…]
Freelance Writing Jobs for Thursday, July 10, 2008
July 10, 2008. 21 Comments
Good morning FWJ Friends! I’ve got leads for sports writers, fashion writers, bloggers and content writers for you this morning. Jobs for technical writers and copywriters and a couple of internships also made today’s list. The female online talk show host opportunity looks interesting, too! I hope that you find something that calls out to you on today’s list.
Pajama Freedom and Freelance Writing
July 9, 2008. 35 Comments
by James Chartrand Ah, freelancing, the life of pajama attire. It’s the dream of every hopeful freelancer: to work wearing nothing but that oh-so-comfortable home office attire that so many out there promote. It starts off simply enough. The first day at your own job, you fall out bed, blindly grope for coffee and decide that changing into sweatpants is just too much trouble. Why bother anyways? Who will see you? This is your life now. This is the world of the free, where corporate suits and skirts are banished after exorcism and three rounds of the house while burning [Read more…]
