Writers Unbound

First day of the work week: we’re all tired from the weekend (ironic, since weekends are supposed to be when we get more rest), and we tend to treat Mondays like a hangover: just live through it.
Monday is the make-it-or-break-it day of the week. Being productive on Monday means less stress and more productivity through the rest of the week. Pushing ourselves a little harder on Monday means we can coast a little at the end of the week.

1. Take 20 minutes with your planner and/or wall calendar to write in your appointments, meetings, social events and deadlines. Now, with the time that remains, write in (with ink!) WRITING at least once a day for an hour.
2. Write out a Master List of your to do items for the week. Put on your writing projects, writing jobs, personal obligations, family events, things to do around the house, and other errands and projects. You can use the Master List to compose your daily to-do list for each day of the week, and at the end of the week you will know what you didn’t get to. That’s much better than the hazy, guilty feeling of knowing you’ve missed something important that can ruin a perfectly good weekend.
3. Take some time during your Monday to make sure you have what you need and where you need it: books for review or research, paper and ink for your printer, pens, paper, and if you can, go ahead and get the groceries and household items so you don’t have to waste time thinking about while you’re in the middle of writing a great scene later this week.
4. Towards the end of your Monday, set aside thirty minutes to an hour, set a timer, and attack the pile of busy work. Open your mail and deal with it. Answers important emails. File your papers, pay your bills, sort your photos, clean out your in box. Then straighten your desk. If you work full-time, you’ll need to do this at work and at home.
5. Before you go to bed on Monday night, straighten up your house. Pull out your clothes for the next day. Get your lunch in the refrigerator, ready to go. Put your purse or briefcase by the door. Then grab your Master List and your planner and decide what you’re going to do on Tuesday.

More:
Read Donald Latumahina’s great article on The Art of Nonfinishing; it’s an important concept for busy writers (and other busy people, too…).
And this article by Allen Galbraith at Life Is a Journal can help you Let People Have a Bad Day (they will be the ones not making Monday count.)

In my last entry, I whined about scheduling issues. Some of you were kind enough to leave comments- - thank you!

In an attempt to realign my priorities and deal with these types of issues more pro-actively, I did a little research. Sue LaPointe of Working Writer, Happy Writer wrote a great ebook which I recently reviewed, and it had a few great tips. I think that Freelance Switch may have also touched upon this solution.

Time for some realignment.

What do you think of the practice of letting some of your lower-paying clients go as your business booms?

Do you have any other tips for aligning/scheduling your work?

I am having  hard time making some scheduling decisions this month. I have a client who could potentially take up all of March, which is fine, as the pay also meets my March income goals. However, it is most likely that that pay won’t come until April, leaving my March income very skimpy.

That’s difficult. Do I look for additional March projects in order to round out my March income, even though, in reality, this client should take most of my March time to meet the deadline? Or, do I go ahead and devote March to this client, meet the deadline easily, but not meet my March income goals.

It’s very likely going to be choice three: do both, therefore working myself into a jello heap, imposing on my family time and  burning myself out.

Good times.

Today’s Tuesday Tip for novel writers is to read this article and also to subscribe to the New York Times’ book page, as it’s really valuable.

The article talks about purposeful brand placement in your novel. For example, does your teenage male character only wear Adidas? Is your heroine a Marlboros smoker? Where is the line between description and over-selling in the hopes of sponsorship?

One thing that really got me about this practice is that…once again…it’s being aimed at children. HarperCollins Children’s Books is releasing MacKenzie Blue, a book aimed at girls aged eight to twelve. The main character, MacKenzie,  ”loves Converse,” among other product placements. Surprise, surprise, the “author” is a marketing exec.

Ugh. I am so sick of advertisers attempting to covertly brainwash my kids.

Great article…be sure to check it out.

And, moving on to the amusement file, freelance writers will want to take a look at this hilarious posting on craigslist. I guarantee you’ll feel like shouting BRAVO!

Another bravo for writers comes in the form of the proper use of the semi-colon on the number 5 train in NYC. Apparently the marketing writer paid attention in English class. Bravo to him, the usage is one I often have to research/remind myself. (Bad freelance writer!) 

Happy Tuesday- now go back to your writing!

Hi Writers, Once again I’ve received questions on freelance writing bid sites such as elance and guru.com. They’ve obviously got a bad rep in the freelance world, and I am one of the very few who is happy with my experience.

The main reason for my happiness is one of my biggest customers. I edit materials for a company 4-5 times per year at an hourly rate of $30-80 per hour- depending on the subject of said materials. Obviously that’s a big range, but this is an educational curriculum company, so the subject and level (K-12) has a lot to do with the amount of fact hcecking I have to do. Either way, it’s not a rate to sneeze at!

This company found me through iFreelance last Spring, and has used me for about a year now.

Last fall I met a mortgage/real estate broker who offers short ebooks on his website. I edit and format his ebooks for $150 per book. They usually take me anywhere from 1-4 hours. Again, not bad. This customer found me on elance and has used my services twice.

You do have to invest money in a bid site. That alone can throw people off. I don’t particularly like paying for jobs. I struggle with it every day. However, when I did my 2007 taxes, I used my records to compare the cost of elance to the customers I obtained from elance. The cost was about 6%  of my total elance income.  

Bid sites can work. However, you need to be smart about how you use them. Here are some ways to make bid sites work for you.

• Begin at the beginning. Veteran writers are not going to get the rate they  deserve on bid sites without any feedback on the bid site. That’s really silly, but that’s the way it works. Join a site when you are just starting out, that way you don’t have to compromise your rates.
• DON’T COMPROMISE YOUR RATES. Come up with your bottom hourly rate and stick to it. Most of the complaints about bid sites focus on the low paying buyers. Who cares? Ignore them. 
• Focus on the companies. I have found that the most reliable and best paying buyers are mid-sized American or UK-based companies.

I think my success with elance is due to these 3 guidelines. I have noticed that little by little, as my company grew, I needed elance less and less. I generally use elance for some quick turnaround projects that I need to meet my monthly income goals.

Good luck. And, if it’s not working for you— DON’T waste your writing time on it.

Hello, is it Wednesday? See, I wouldn’t know, because I am actually dripping these posts ahead of time in an effort to be a more efficient freelance writer.

Either way, it’s time for some writing work for you!

• Copywriter needed at a company with a really cool name. This is a virtual position.
• If you’re in Chicago, you may want to check out this op from Mintel.
• Poetry Coach needed. Must have a college degree.
• WRG is hiring hiring again. This is a virtual position.
• A POD Publisher needs production help.
• If you have a creative mind, you can make some extra money with Sandbox International.
• Got a niche you that you know a little something about? About.com is looking for Guides for many of its niche sites. Minimum pay is $725 a month.
• McFrank needs an advertising copywriter.
• A Tech Writer is needed by a software company. This one requires a degree.
• Eh. I don’t like this one so much, but I will put it out there for you to check thoroughly.
• Here’s a short term opportunity for writers in North Caroline. I wouldn’t mind having Wake Forest on my resume! I’ve been called an education snob though. Hmm, on second look, I’m not positive this is for the University though.
• Several positions are listed this week at Editors Only classifieds. Don’t let the name throw you off- I saw several postings seeking freelance writers.

As always, I wish you the best of luck! (And I do so sincerely, as there are literally thousands of writing positions out there, and I am willing to share! : }  )

Ok, so I actually cleaned out the mailbag when I did FAQ Friday last week. However, I did have a fellow writer ask me an interesting question regarding my personal blog post showing a picture of my office. I thought those who write at home may find the answer somewhat interesting.

Allena, I saw the gorgeous picture of your office at this link. I am working on starting up my freelance writing business, and wondered how much such a set-up set you back? I mean, I know it’s completely deductible, but do you feel that it is worth it for a writer to set up a home office?

Well, I’ll start at the end. I do think it’s “worth it” as far as the deduction goes. My writing business really didn’t make all that much profit last year, my first official “full time” year, but I still made enough of a profit to have to pay taxes. Which I didn’t like much, I may add. Had I been able to write off this office, it would have helped me out alot.

You read that right- I don’t get to write off my office. It’s not used exclusively for my business. My husband’s office is also in here, along with a treadmill and a storage closet. I wish I could write it off. I want to write it off. I just can’t. I’ve looked into some rearranging of the rooms in my house, but have not yet come up with a solution for this.

Meanwhile, I just enjoy my office as is, treadmill, tv and all.

Thanks for the mail! Keep sending Q’s here or to gwpublications@gmail.com.

Alo!

Well, like I said last week, the only problem I can foresee with Writer’s Work Wednesday is that it isn’t drip-able. As you read this particular entry, I’m wining and dining with clients in NYC.

Ok maybe not wining.  Is that a word?

Since I’m dripping this post on a Thursday night (directly after Lost, which I find to be both the most interesting and the most frustrating show ever made), I’ve decided to give you a taste of my 88 freelance writing job lists. Yes, 88. Now you know why I am rarely looking for jobs….going through half my list tends to fill me up for 2-3 weeks.

On to some Writer’s Work Wednesday leads: 

ACES Editorial Jobs: Ok so they’re editorial, but the bonus on this particular list is that they come directly to your inbox. Always nice.

No Agencies Please: Has all freelance jobs, not just writing.

Freelance venue has a few here and there.

This site says “Writing Well Is The Best Revenge.” Ah, yes, yes it is. I’m going to have to agree, but add “having a decent bank balance” in the mix.

All Freelance Writing Jobs seems to be updated pretty often.

I tend to get at least one or two solid leads from WriterFind.

Last, but not least, let me say a few words about Elance and other bid sites. I know the rep they have out there, and honestly, sometimes I think I’m on a completley different planet than everyone else. I never bid under my set hourly rate, I’m always paid on time and fairly, and I usually get a new client out of the whole deal.

So if you finish up a project early, or find yourself with some billable hours to fill, I highly recommend poking around on elance.com. Be careful, bid your set rate, and fill up that bank account! :) 

I just finished up two pieces of one-time local work. Other than my ongoing magazine editorial client, these were some of my first forays into local work. I had been, up to now, avoiding local work because of some perceptions on my part.

Many freelancers want to delve into the local market, so I’ve decided to list the pros and cons of getting into this particular market for my freelance colleagues out there.

PROS:

• Immediate pay! Yay! Both of my local clients paid me when they picked up their project. They probably felt like they were exchanging a product for pay, instead of a service for pay. Since I was giving them something tangible, they felt that they had to do the same.
• Ability to make connections and to ask for referrals. The face to face interaction give you lots of opportunity to take that next step.
• Getting a little interaction outside the house! I don’t know about you, but I get a little tired of talking to my dog all day.
• The ability to get immediate answers to your questions. Just pick up the phone! 
• The higher likelihood of tax write-offs occurring. For example, if you meet outside of your home or office, you’ll be able to write off mileage and the coffee you purchased at Starbucks. 
• Local recognition. Depending on your clients, you may have the opportunity for some local recognition.

CONS:

• Clients come to your office…which means you have to clean it beforehand…Yeah, dust balls aren’t professional.
• Small talk cuts into your bottom line. There is no option to “just hit send.”
• If you live in a state with a craptastic economy, you may need to adjust your standard rates.
• Phone calls feel more pressing than emails, so I feel the need to respond quickly.

Overall, I would definitely recommend taking on local work. I’m glad I did both of these projects, and am looking forward to some more!

In order to make more money and work less hours, I’ll need to be more efficient. This past week has been an experiment as such for me, and so far so good! So, I’m going to share with you, dear reader!

• Check your email once or twice a day- no more. I’m addicted to my email, and I really like having a clean and clear email box. But, that means that I will follow up on things if I think I can do so quickly. However, those quick follow up almost always get drawn out. Turning off my email notification has solved that.
• Speaking of notifications, I’m addicted to my Crackberry. I”m kind of a geek about it. At anytime of the day, it’ll make a little noise telling me I’ve got a call, an email or a text message. I love it. I love the connection, I love being “in the know.” Guess what else I like? Quiet. It’s been working out!
• I have more issues. I can’t transition well. When I finish one project, I take too much time to move on. I get up and move around, check email, etc. One solution to this is to restrict “transition time.” Instead of getting up and walking about after one project or piece of a project, I require myself to complete two or more pieces, thus avoiding transition time wasters.
• Another way to ease the transition between projects is to compile a to-do list at the beginning of the work day. This may seem obvious, but it tends to get lost in the shuffle of early morning email and phone calls.