Freelance Writing Week: Is Freelance Writing For You?
Welcome to Freelance Writing Week at Bleeding Espresso!
If you’re interested in freelance writing, even as a part-time gig, this is the place for you.
All this week I’m going to share what I’ve learned about freelance writing over the past six years. I’m basing the posts on questions I remember having when I was starting out and also those asked in my Questions post a little while back. If you’ve thought of more questions on freelance writing, please share them in the comments!
OK, so as I see it, the first step in pursuing a freelance writing career is figuring out whether freelance writing is really for you.
Just like not everyone was cut out to be a doctor or lawyer, not everyone is meant to be a freelance writer. I personally love the freedom of researching and writing from home on assignments that interest me, but not everyone enjoys such work, a lack of structure, and a solitary working environment.
Here are:
Five Characteristics Every Freelance Writer Should Have
(Or Be Willing to Work On):
1. Good writing and grammar skills. You don’t need to know everything right now, but it certainly helps to know the basics. If you’re not sure whether your writing is effective and more or less grammatically correct, ask someone whose writing you like to read and critique it.
Also, I always keep two books handy: a good dictionary and The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White.
2. Self-motivated. No one will know if you show up for work except you (and your bank account), so you really have to be able to push yourself to work when you’d rather be flipping through magazines or, ahem, out walking the dogs (or baby goat).
My best advice is to keep a regular work schedule just as you would if you had an office job, and if you want extra time off here and there, work ahead to earn it.
Some people also suggest you dress for work as you normally would as well, but I personally work much better in comfy track suits and also spend zero time getting ready for work in the morning, which leaves me more time to write, take walks, and read magazines. But if you feel and, most importantly, work better in a suit, have at it!
3. Determined and not easily discouraged. Rejection is a part of the freelance writing business for *everyone.* Don’t take it personally.
You’ll apply for far more jobs than you’ll secure, and you’ll send out far more query letters than assignments received. That’s normal. Just keep pushing ahead and building a name for yourself and eventually the work will come to you. Really!
I know, I didn’t believe that either when I started out–until I received some job offers based on writing I’d done elsewhere. Your reputation does precede you, so be sure to always put your best effort out there.
4. Reliable and responsible. Show your clients that you deliver quality work on-time, and you’ll quickly build a good reputation among editors.
Yes, sometimes life happens and you’ll need an extension; most clients will understand that–so long as it only happens once in a while. Simply contact your client and let them know ahead of time, and they’ll appreciate your professional attitude.
5. Organized. As a self-employed person, you have to keep track of everything including assignments, due dates, research, invoices, tax information, and more, so if you’re naturally scatterbrained and not willing to work on being organized, freelance writing may not be the best career choice for you.
I keep an editorial calendar for each month to keep assignments straight and often work in blocks of time, e.g., research for a half hour on one assignment, invoicing for ten minutes, email for fifteen minutes, write another assignment for a half hour, etc. It not only keeps me organized, it also allows me to reward myself for good behavior throughout the day and keeps me motivated.
Be sure to come back tomorrow for Great Freelance Writing Resources to Get You Started!
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Also free free to bookmark, Stumble, and share these posts with friends via email, your blog, and Twitter. The more people we have reading them, the more ideas and suggestions we can come up with in the comments. We freelance writers have to stick together!
What do you think are the most important qualities freelance writers should have?
Are Crocs Dead in the Water?
I’m neither a Crocs lover nor hater, but when I saw this headline on MSNBC.com and literally LOL’ed (because of the title, not the subject matter), I just had to share it:
Is the ugly shoe craze about to end?
Crocs auditor questions whether plastic shoe maker can survive
The article discusses how Crocs Inc. lost $185.1 million last year with revenues down almost 15 percent. Two years ago, Crocs had 5,300 employees but at the end of last year, that number was down to 3,700; in particular, manufacturing facilities in Canada and Brazil were closed.
Sounds like Crocs may become another victim in this down economy where people simply have less disposable income to dispose on, say, plastic shoes.
Disclaimer: I actually do own two pairs of fake Crocs bought for 5 euros each at a Chinese store here in Calabria, and I must say they are super comfortable and were a great transition shoe from summer flip-flops to winter boots.
Now I want to know what you think:
Are you going to help keep Crocs in business or what?
Buon weekend!
Love Thursday: Direct from a Southern Italian Beach
Today’s love-filled photos come directly from the a southern Italian beach town, the home of Charlie, who writes the blog Figs and Lemons and sells amazing soap products at Saponissimo.
Our dear Charlie snapped these gorgeous photos, and sent them to me with this lovely message:
I found this stone on the beach and thought of you!!!
Whee! Love *is* all around!
Anyone else dreaming of a vacation on an Italian beach now?
Happy Love Thursday everyone!
And Happy Italian Father’s Day Dad!
What’s Cooking Wednesday: Calabrian Scrambled Eggs
This week’s What’s Cooking Wednesday is an old *and* new family favorite. My grandmother used to make it all the time, and now P and I make it quite often as well.
Calabrian Scrambled Eggs are definitely one of my all-time fast and filling dishes–and it can also be great for using up leftovers. This is a fab dish for singletons as well as you can easily make just enough for one person.
Now you may be asking yourself: Self, what exactly makes these scrambled eggs Calabrian?
It’s the supressata*, silly:
You can, of course, substitute with any kind of meat you like from sausage to ham to mortadella (bologna), and it will be just as tasty. Only a bit less Calabrian is all.
And in case you don’t already, I hope you think of scrambled eggs in the same way as you would an omelet…anything goes. That is, if you like it and think it will go nicely with eggs, have at it!
Calabrian Scrambled Eggs
Uova strapazzate alla Calabrese
(serves two)
- Two tablespoons olive oil
- One small onion, sliced
- About a handful of cubed supressata (probably about 100 g)
- 4 eggs
- Splash of milk
- Two pinches of salt
- One slice of meltable cheese (Sottilette in Italy)
1. Heat oil over medium in a nonstick pan and add onion and supressata. Let them fry for a few minutes until the onions soften and the meat starts to release its juices.
2. In the meantime, break eggs into a bowl, add milk and salt, and beat together well.
3. Pour egg mixture into pan and add cheese in small pieces.
4. Move eggs around as they cook to get that patented scrambled look; they’re ready when they’ve set and are no longer runny.
5. Serve hot, and if you’re like us, with crusty Italian bread and a nice tomato salad. Yum!
Buon appetito!
*Alternatively known as sopressata, soppressata, suppressata, and “soupies” back in the Anthracite Coal Region.
Head Over to Cherrye’s “My Bella Vita”
I know that many of you also read Cherrye‘s My Bella Vita (especially since quite a few of you so sweetly emailed me to check on her while she was away), so I wanted to make sure everyone knows Cherrye is back blogging.
As many of you probably know, Cherrye’s father passed away while she was gone, but not before she made it back to Texas to see him–there’s no doubt in my mind that he waited for her and Peppe to arrive.
Please head over to Cherrye’s and check out her wonderful tribute to her daddy:
The Life and Legacy of Buddy Moore
And be sure to click on the links; lots of great Buddy Moore stuff there too.
Un abbraccio forte, Cherrye.
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
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