Tips for freelancing
One of the great benefits about going it alone is also one of the downsides, and that is you work when you want to. The downside comes as very often you realise at the end of the day you did not do any work. And if you don't work you don't get paid, simple as that. So following on from my previous post, here is an expanded version of those tips.
- Schedule. Make a pact with yourself about what hours you are going to work, and stick to them. Once you have done this, make sure you have washed, had breakfast and dressed. This will put you in the right mindset for a days work. Sitting in frot of your computer in your pyjamas is appealing, but it wont give you that push to get on and do some work.
- To do list. Make a to do list, which includes both long and short term goals. You will find your long term goals will shape your short term goals. Be realistic about your long term goals, and specific about your short terms ones. So instead of writing work on this for two hours, say what you are going to do, it will help provide you with focus.
- Make sure your work area is organised and personalised. The work space is yours now, and so are the rules. Music, open windows are all you call. Make the most of setting a good working environment.
- Look to outsource accounting and administration. The time you save and can devote to working on projects will pay for the costs.
- Though the myth of multitasking is very much alive and quoted often, the reality is it's rubbish. Stick to one task at a time and you will find this far more productive than flitting between several tasks and completing none of them.
- Take breaks. Make sure you have half an hour for lunch, and that you try and ignore the temptation of working right through the day. This way your concentration levels remain more focused and make you more productive. A good thirty minutes is better than an average hour.
As you can see, these tips are largely about focus and mindset. See how you get on. If you have any more tips feel free to leave a comment about them.
Ready to run and jump
Hey folks! Well over the last few days a few things have happened that I feel are worth mentioning. I finally managed to get in touch with John at Dreamtemplate, and he has paid for 30 more blogs for both his sites. This is all very welcome, as we had a good chat about the direction of the blogs, and I feel we have reached a place that is good for the both of us.
Link-optimise.com, has had the home page rewritten and made more SEO friendly. This is welcome news to me, as I have been itching to get my hands on it for some time. Also, we may just have our first customer. Fingers crossed.
Tonight I am going to be writing about stag nights and the ultimate Internet marketing strategy. Groovy!
Taking time out for new ventures
The freelance writing road has been a very interesting one, and thrown up all sorts of situations that you can only learn through experience. Negotiations, types of articles, payment, what work to go for and avoid, and the different types of clients have all benefited me as a freelance writer. It is with this experience that I now have managed to plan the next two projects, www.link-optimise.com, and the new children's website. These are what I shall be concentrating on for the next few weeks, and less of client writing work.
Saying that, I have just received an assignment for delegate2 for 25 articles, and possibly more work from dreamtemplate, so I shall definitely be very busy over the next few weeks.
The direction of freelance writing
Hey, sorry for the lack of posts. Been busy with children and its been great. As I come back to it tonight I have been wondering what direction this blog should take. It is one thing to talk about freelance writing this, and freelance writing that, but after a while one post becomes another. There has been a few deviations between the posts. I did one on voter apathy which I am particularly proud of, a short story, and an experience with a guy who was a fascist and didn't realise it. The majority though, have been about dealing with this type of client and how things are changing etc.
Therefore, I am throwing it open to you to decide on the direction of the blog. If there is a subject or a direction you want me to write about, then suggest it. The floor is open.
A night like this…
All this week I've found it hard to find that writing groove. It is hard to explain but sometimes it just flows and other times I have to drag it out of myself. There is a lot going on at the moment: Trips, moving house, financial matters, workload, and so on and so fourth, but really this has little to do with the lack of application from myself.
Right now, I should be tapping away at the keys writing articles and bringing fourth a little creative juice, instead I'm struggling to write the first title. Freelance writing is curious in this way.
A little news my friends.
John from Dreamtemplate.com appears to have vanished. He is not answering if I try and talk to him on Aim, or replying to emails. This is not like him, and is a kind of a strange way to end our business relationship.
Precise-English are lowing the pay for the word count, guess I expected it to a certain degree. We shall see what the future holds with this one.
Right now, I'm off to try tapping the keyboard.
Work, work, work, no rest for a freelance writer!
Well my friends, I've had a blast from the past and my old mucker Dr Teng has resurfaced and asked me to write 10 poems for him. I have said that I would and that I am more than happy to do this. In the spirit of capitalism, he has stated $3 each, and I imagine he's paying a similar fee to the bands and artists he is going to pay to put music to the poems. As my last bash at song writing turned out fairly successful, I know how hard it is to put the music to the lyrics. This will not really be a consideration for the poems though, as Dr Teng likes them to rhyme at the end of each line, and I don't have the job at putting music to the lyrics!
The word count for my Precise English articles has gone down, and though this means less money it does make my hectic workload a little easier, which I must say is a little bit of a relief. Especially as I have another article to write for a company called delegate2. This could lead to lots of work, money, and another step to quitting the boring day job. Fun, fun, and more work.
Tonight, I am behind in my schedule, not that this is anything new. I spent a long time talking to my girlfriend on the phone which is always fun, and I spent quite bit of time on an article for Cowinkidink.com. Both of these were extremely worth while. Did you know that all beautiful women never hang up! You do now.
Freelance writing disappointments
This post my friends, is the fiftyith post, and with it comes a sense of achievement. A few months ago I was writing the first post, and now I am here. A lot has happened: I have made new connections in the form of writers and clients, earned a little bit of money whereby I have written over two hundred articles, experienced poverty, launched a company, and soon will be launching another with my business partner Phil Wood of Odakudesign.co.uk. This has been a good few months.
Sadly, the fiftieth post is also marred by disappointment with my first article rejection. This was particularly profound, given the effort I put into it to source pictures and put the whole thing together. I even got Phil involved to convert it to an HTML file. The rejection came as a complete surprise given that it had been warmly received by the editor, Walter, in draft form. The comments on submitting the article, were in contrast to the ones given on draft submission, and subsequently, the direction and thrust of the article will have to be completely changed. I am not sure if I am going to get the time to do that, so the whole thing will probably be shelved.
The experience is one that I still think about, and I am trying to move on from it. It is a sad way to mark the fiftieth post.
The Blackmark Trilogy
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