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Freelance Tips - Jenn Hollowell

 
Most of the information presented here is based on my experience, on the spot findings, and progress in my own freelance writing career.

helpful - Freelance Tips

It’s Not as Easy as it Looks

August 23rd 2008 19:00

Are you the type of freelance writer who is surrounded by people who think or say:
· You’re so lucky; you get to stay home all day while I have to go work.
· You’re job is so much easier than mine because you don’t have to [insert whatever job they’re performing].
· I wish I could stay at home all day and play on the computer like you do.

· You’re home anyway, so could you go pick this person up, run this errand, or do this home improvement project for me?
· I don’t have time to do this because I work, so could you take care of this for me?

If working with your inner critic isn’t hard enough, throw in comments and suggestive conversations like these. Yes, being a freelance writer does award the opportunity to work whenever and wherever you can. However, it does not award the luxury of not having to work.

I have found that the majority of the people making these comments really have absolutely no clue what it takes to have a career such as this one. It’s obvious because, after all, you wouldn’t hear comments such as these made to an accountant, someone who does transcription, an ebay seller, or anyone else who can operate their business from home.

So, why is it that writers catch so much flack? Why is it that this profession is not viewed as “real” work? This is a quandary I’ve been facing for nearly ten year and, to be honest, it’s getting really old. It is not as easy as it looks to complete freelance assignments, write books, and query new leads. I just can’t understand where these people are coming from.


Have you been faced with comments and suggestive conversations such as these during your freelance career? If so, how have you handled this diplomatically?
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I Am a Writer And a Reader

August 23rd 2008 17:42

Yes, it’s true. I do read. I like books. There, the truth is out. Although, if you know me in real life, this is a fact that’s already known to anyone who visits. I have a lot of books lining my shelves, collected in corners, collected in baskets, and still in boxes waiting to be unpacked. I read a lot of books

I’ve written about this in the past on other websites, but it’s worth mentioning here also. In order to really understand what kind of writing you want to do, or how you want to do it, you have to read. You have to read a lot. If you’re not the type who likes to read much, then it kind of defeats the purpose of being a writer . . . who will eventually be read. See the distinction?

I’ve come across a lot of writers who don’t like to read over the past decade and, to be quite frank, it boggles my mind. How is it that writers want to be read, but they don’t read themselves? This has never made much sense to me.

One of the first things I learned when I entered into this field is that a writer reads more than they write. I don’t know if I do this now, but I certainly did when I started out. Every bit of information I could get my hands on, be it in print or on the web, I consumed in healthy portions. I didn’t want to leave anything un-researched, nor did I want to overlook any important details about being a writer.

I read a lot of different genres, as well. I had interest in fiction writing at the time, but I didn’t know what sort of fiction I wanted to write. So, I read a variety in order to get the feel for the author’s writing, where they found their ideas, and how they developed their plots. This was also true for non-fiction writing. If the book could help me as a writer, a person, or a parent, I was reading it!

Do you read a lot, or do you find that you read more in the past than you do now? If you don’t read much now, is time the biggest obstacle? Do you feel a writer should read more than they write?
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Home Office Woes

August 19th 2008 18:19

That’s it. There’s no more getting around this fact. I have GOT to get my home office back in order. No more putting it off. Not more making excuses. It HAS to be done!

In the beginning of the summer, I think if memory serves me correctly, I moved my home office from one corner of the basement to another. (Yes, the desks were VERY hard to move by myself.) I got as far as arranging the furniture and stacking the boxes of “stuff” neatly . . . and that’s where it ended.

There still isn’t any power or Internet hook-up, there’s stuff pile everywhere, and I can’t find anything I work with regularly. It’s a complete mess. I can work down there during the day, so long as I don’t need an Internet hook-up.

I’ve been working on a TV table in the corner of my living room (my printer is hidden nicely next to a love seat), but it’s hard. I move to the coffee table, to the gliding rocking chair, and then to the couch . . . sometimes to the bedroom, too. I don’t have wireless Internet, so there are cords everywhere.

It’s getting old. I need my office back. I worked in there (it was framed, but not finished) for two years and now I’m back to no office, and no walls. I can live without walls, but I can’t live without power and I can’t live in a MESS. So, I’m going to pick away at this disaster for a half hour per day (or more, if possible) until it’s as organized (well, usable) as it was before I moved everything.

Do you have “issues” with your home office? Do you wish you had a dedicated room to use as a home office?
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Staying Organized!

August 13th 2008 18:41

It’s so easy to let things fall through the cracks without proper organization. This is a topic that seems to be exhausted in blogs, newsletters, and websites. It’s important to keep talking about it, though, because it seems to be a big mistake in freelance writing businesses.

What do you use to stay organized? I use:
· My daily planner
· A month map notebook
· A large wall calendar

I also use, as mentioned before, Julie Hood’s Organized Writer’s Side-Tracked Planner. Lately, though, I haven’t been using it because my office is still under construction – so, I have to keep my materials very streamlined and portable.

It’s easy to fall out of organization when you get sick, overwhelmed, or something personal comes up. Creating a “safety” net is important to prevent this from happening. For example, plan ahead if you keep a month map or daily planner for on-going gigs. If you have a foundation in place that outlines things well in advance, it’s easy to pick things back up when you return to work. Creating drafts ahead of time will also help, too.

How do you keep your freelance writing assignments organized?
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Sharing News

August 7th 2008 22:18

There are times when I want to shout from the rooftops when I’ve accomplished something or made a huge stride in my career. Other times, though, these shouts are kept to myself because they create negative feelings. Even though, for the most part, the response is positive . . . there are a few negative pokers who will sling a jealous comment or two to take away from the feelings of excitement.

So, what do I do? Do I keep these good news announcements to myself, or do I keep jumping for joy and sharing my excitement with the writing community?

Honestly, there are always going to be negative people encountered both online and offline. We can’t avoid them, but we can deal with them. Stifling our enthusiasm, excitement, or happiness is not a healthy way of dealing with someone who can’t handle hearing good news. So, I’ll continue sharing news, being excited, and being proud of the strides I’m single-handedly making in my freelance writing career.

What do you do? Do you keep your news to yourself, or do you continue sharing despite any negative comments you may hear or receive?
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Supply Shopping

July 15th 2008 14:35

I love this time of year for a number of reasons, particularly because it is back to school shopping. Whenever I walk into a department store, drug store, or office supply store . . . I feel like a kid in a candy store! I've found that there are two or three locations I like to hit for the best deals. Typically, I purchase what the kids and I will need to get us through the majority of the year:

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BIC Writing

July 13th 2008 20:33
Desk Chair
Get Your But In Your Chair and Write!

I've been reading quite a bit about how BIC writing is a constant challenge for writers. This has been a huge topic of conversation on various writing boards and forums, so it sparked some interest in this little brain of mine.

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Are You in Control?

May 20th 2008 13:30
Are You in Control?
Are You in Control of Your Writing Career?

When you think about your writing career, do you feel like you are in control? Look where you started or how far you've come . . . are you on the path you want to be or on the path you think others expect you to be on? There's a huge difference.

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Take Charge!

May 15th 2008 15:23
Your Writing Career
Take Charge of Your Writing Career!

The beginning of my writing career was a terrifying one. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, how to write a query letter, or what type of writing suited me best. What was my niche? What was my passion? What was my drive?

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