The Life and Times of a Freelance Writer
Jennifer Escalona tells it like it is
Are you a freelance writer looking for your own little niche in the freelance writing stratosphere? Then this weekly SpecialtyBuzz segment is for you! Every Thursday I post an interview with a freelance writer who specializes in a particular subject matter or style of writing. Feel free to pick each SpecialtyBuzz writer’s brain about the interview and any questions you may have about getting started in his or her particular specialty.
Jennifer Mattern
Today’s SpecialtyBuzz specialist is Jennifer Mattern. Jenn is a business and public relations writer, and is perhaps best known in the general freelance writing world as the founder of former “Worthy Wednesday” pick AllFreelanceWriting.com.
Here’s Jenn on the basics of what you need to know about business and PR writing:
What is your specialty and how did you get started in that particular area?
My specialty area is business and PR writing. I have an educational background in that area which helped, but before going full-time as a freelance writer I ran a small PR firm. The writing aspect of that work (press releases, features, business blogging, media kits, etc.) led to the bulk of my business writing work when I decided I wanted to focus on the writing side and drop the consulting. Right now my primary services are blogging and press release writing. The vast majority of my work involves writing for the Web.
What are three things a writer needs to know before choosing to specialize in your area of specialty?
1. Copy and content are not the same thing. I’m always amazed at how many content writers just assume they can jump into copywriting without any training (and often without any understanding about what copywriting really is). You need a solid foundation in marketing and consumer psychology to be truly successful in any kind of marcomm writing (even if you’re self-taught).
2. You have to understand the true role of SEO. It’s not a be all and end all, but you have to understand the principles and you have to be able to apply them to anything from blog posts to press releases to Web marketing copy. It’s important that you pick up this information from top notch sources though — not e-books or most SEO blogs out there. A lot of the most common SEO advice given is actually terrible advice in the marketing / PR area, and you can’t sacrifice your marketing / PR value solely for SEO (if anything, keeping the focus on them nearly always improves rankings better than traditional SEO “tricks” — the fundamentals work for a reason).
3. You’re not going to get rich overnight. I see new writers wanting to jump into copywriting because they assume it’s where the big money is (and it is!). But you can’t do it just because you want the money. The money won’t always come quickly. For the record, you can earn quite well in Web content writing also, so if you truly prefer that style of writing then stick with it. Either way, it’s up to the writer to decide what to charge, who to target, and when to ask for more.
Does writing in your specialty require any particular training or could a layperson pick it up?
If you were willing to extensively research those marketing and PR fundamentals and you had a solid grasp of basic business you might be able to pick it up. Then again I’ve seen amazing marketing professionals who can strategize with the best of them but who can’t spit out converting marketing copy. In the end, while there are aspects you can learn (formally or not) you’ll either have the instinct for it or you won’t. Marketing and PR writing is about persuasion and influence. Blogging on the other hand could be picked up by just about anyone who can write informative or provocative content and who knows how to value themselves (biggest problem with wannabe professional bloggers is that they sometimes get sucked into believing that bloggers should earn far less than other types of writers – simply not true).
Are there any potential pitfalls associated with specializing in your area?
I can’t think of a single pitfall. It’s an excellent area to work in if you can cut it, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
What is the current market for writing in your specialty? Who is buying and who is selling?
Frankly, just about everyone is buying and selling. That’s the point. What company isn’t trying to sell something (whether that is a product or even an idea)? They need business, marketing, and PR writers to make that happen. It’s not just large corporations either. I actually focus on small and online businesses, some established and many just starting to build their Web visibility. The growth is phenomenal as more and more small to mid-sized companies enter the online playing field.
What do you enjoy most about your specialty?
I enjoy educating my clients actually. I’m so often impressed by how many of them don’t just want to hire a PR writer — they want to understand what PR tactics can really do for them. They’re open to learning. They’re open to trying new things. You can’t say that about every market or specialty, so in that sense I’m very lucky.
What do you enjoy least about your specialty?
While I shouldn’t complain about getting regular gigs (as in larger monthly contracts versus many smaller one-off projects), I’ll admit that sometimes some projects can feel a bit repetitive.
How would you suggest networking within your specialty?
First of all, writers need to remember that it’s not about being where other writers are. You need to be where the clients are. For me that’s relatively easy — I stick to webmaster and small business communities where those online and small business owners hang out. I’m not an association-joining, conference-going type. I find those things to be more distracting than anything else, and my networking (both in the PR industry and my client market) never suffered for it. My networking is done almost entirely online since I prefer Web-based work. In the end the absolute best networking tool though is your own writer platform — you visibility (your professional site, your blog, etc.). Then your network grows rapidly with little effort on your part. Clients and colleagues come to you.
What advice would you give to freelance writers interested in specializing in your area?
Focus on those foundations of business, marketing, and PR. Real world experience in those areas is priceless. If you want to get into PR writing you might also want to spend some time building your network of media contacts. Most importantly though, forget the hype and techniques everyone else is using (directory submissions, article marketing, SEO’d to death press releases, etc.) and focus on your client’s ROI. That’s how you’ll set yourself apart – not by jumping on any bandwagon.
Jennifer Mattern is a professional business writer and blogger, sharing no-nonsense business advice for freelance writers at All Freelance Writing and The Query-Free Freelancer. You can learn more about her business and PR writing services at ProBusinessWriter.com or follow her on Twitter @queryfreewriter.
This Week’s State of the Freelance Writing Union
In: Links
30 Oct 2009While I’ve had my head buried in a 20 page paper trying to prove that flash fiction is short story at its most distilled, many of my friends and colleagues have been up to much more interesting things. (More interesting than literary criticism?! I know, I couldn’t I believe it either.)
NaNoWriMo Word Counters
First, a little gift for the NaNoWriMo crowd. Jennifer Mattern over at AllFreelanceWriting.com has released not one but two new word counters for all your novel writing needs. In the spirit of stripped down, quick and dirty NaNo, one word counter is a simple tool with no bells and whistles to distract you from your furious typing. On the other hand, if you’re like me and like to procrastinate with shiny new toys, you can check out the super duper word counter that not only counts up, but counts down, tracks your progress toward a goal (like weight loss) or just generally takes care of all of your counting needs.
Scary Freelancing Story Contest
Further, in the spirit of the Halloween season, this week’s SpecialtyBuzz specialist Jake Ponier has started a Scary Freelancing Stories Contest over at FreelanceWriterville II, the Freelancewriterville.com Social Networking community. Submit your tale of “vampirish clients, very unfortunate events, or deadliest deadlines” for a chance to win a $10 Amazon.com gift card.
Don’t forget to sign up for FreelanceWriterville II while you’re there.
Days of Gratitude eBook Released
Just in time for Thanksgiving, someone I am very thankful for, my friend Vanessa Lowery, released an ebook calledDays of Gratitude. The book consists of 30 gratitude exercises that will only take 5 to 10 minutes per day, so you could probably squeeze it in around Nano, writing, business management, family, and Thanksgiving no sweat. Earlier in my freelancing career, Vanessa helped me immensely, so I can testify that she won’t steer you wrong!
Everybody have a safe and happy Halloween weekend!
[SpecialtyBuzz] Corporate Copywriter Jake Poinier
In: SpecialtyBuzz
29 Oct 2009Thursday is SpecialtyBuzz day on The Life and Times of a Freelance Writer, and that means that I’m once again posting an interview with a freelance writing specialist. Whether you are a new freelance writer who hasn’t yet decided on a specialty or an old timer looking for a new niche, the weekly SpecialtyBuzz segment allows you to get a feel for what it’s like to practice a particular freelancing specialty.
Jake Poinier
Today’s writer is corporate copywriter Jake Poinier. Feel free to use the comments to pick his brain about corporate copywriting, and don’t forget to read his bio for a little something extra to help us all with our freelance writing businesses.
What is your specialty and how did you get started in that particular area?
During a decade in the editorial world, I had always done a bit of freelancing on the side – ads, magazine articles, annual reports, resumes. While in year three of a stint at a custom publishing job (that was rapidly reaching a dead end), I figured I could cobble together enough freelance jobs to make a go at it full time. Corporate copywriting was a natural fit since I had a background in several industries, from travel to banking to high-tech to healthcare, and had dabbled in various elements of advertising, sales and public relations. In August, I celebrated 10 years of being in business for myself, and I like it more than ever.
What are three things a writer needs to know before choosing to specialize in your area of specialty?
1) The breadth and depth of your general business knowledge is absolutely critical, because your clients aren’t just looking for nice-sounding words. They need content that communicates their image and drives business. If your client succeeds, so do you.
2) Relationships are paramount. Treat your best customers like gold and they will chat you up to other people. The best of those referrals will become gold, too. Rinse and repeat.
3) Be very wary of depending on one client for the bulk of your work. Each of us has to define what “too big” is, but I have friends who were forced back into corporate jobs because Sugar Daddy cut off the funds unexpectedly.
Does writing in your specialty require any particular training or could a layperson pick it up?
Much as they were frustrating, my 10 years in Cube World were invaluable training for understanding how business works–I couldn’t have succeeded at this right out of college, regardless of a degree in English or writing skill. Obviously you need to be a solid writer who has an ear for different styles and formats, but it’s equally important that you have an eye and a brain for sales/advertising/marketing, both for your clients and your own business.
Are there any potential pitfalls associated with specializing in your area?
If you focus on a single type of industry, topic, or medium, you may struggle to get enough business at first. Once you’ve grown your business, that risk flips around: You can get pigeonholed. If you love a particular topic, or exclusively write for print rather than web, perhaps you’re OK with that…but it scares me to death.
What is the current market for writing in your specialty? Who is buying and who is selling?
Despite the overall economic sluggishness, 2009 has been a decent year – not every industry is in bad shape.
1) Education and healthcare, particularly long-term care, are among the strongest in my portfolio at the moment.
2) Interestingly, the several mom & pop graphic design firms that I work with have remained busy, perhaps a testimony to the fact that businesses still need to market and advertise, and that small agencies offer a more cost-effective way to do that.
3) Clients in industries that have been hit hard, like construction and leisure travel, have been less active as budgets got slashed. I still maintain close relationships, however, so that they’ll call me first when things pick up.
What do you enjoy most about your specialty?
Too many to name, but I’ll name two. One, I get bored incredibly easily, which is why the editorial staff world eventually wasn’t for me. The best cure for my “undiagnosed ADHD” is to do something different every day – a typical week might include work on a web site, a magazine ad, copy for a video, and a newsletter. Companies always have interesting problems to solve, and I dig being a part of that process. Two, I thrive on the freedom of having my own business. I get to do things I enjoy to help people I genuinely like. What’s better than that?
What do you enjoy least about your specialty?
Call me a Pollyanna, but I have no complaints…or at least none that aren’t self-inflicted. OK, OK, I hate past-due collections and I’ll admit that the occasional non-payment gets under my skin. If you’d lose sleep without a steady paycheck, freelancing isn’t a good choice.
How would you suggest networking within your specialty?
For me, organized groups are in the eye of the beholder. I’ve got several dozen freelance writer and editor friends that I talk with, but I’m not a part of any formal writer’s groups; I find it more interesting to hang out with designers at the local chapter of AIGA. I was one of the charter members of a group in the Phoenix area called “Creative Connect,” a group for all disciplines that recently launched new chapters in Minneapolis and Salt Lake City. I’ve worked with the Editorial Freelancers Association and they have a great reputation.
I know it’s technically not “networking,” but nothing beats cold-calling when it comes to unearthing new clients. The good news is that, if you do a bang-up job of it starting out, you might never have to do it again.
What advice would you give to freelance writers interested in specializing in your area?
Freelancing sometimes gets a bad name, because it can connote flakiness or someone who is killing time between jobs. By positioning yourself as an independent business, including developing connections to other highly skilled creatives, there are countless companies that understand your value and will be willing to pay for it.
Jake Poinier was born and raised in Boston, moved to Phoenix in 1992, and is currently in the middle of a one-year stint in New Brunswick, Canada–living, breathing, freezing proof that you can maintain your freelance business anywhere there’s an Internet hook-up. Visit his company website at BoomvangCreative.com and his Jake’s Take blog, which delves into a variety of topics in freelancing and entrepreneurship. Jake invites all freelancers–and clients who hire freelancers–to participate in Freelance Forecast 2010. The second-annual survey will begin on December 1, but you can sign up to be notified here. (All participants receive a free copy of the final results.) A pdf of Freelance Forecast 2009, including freelance and client survey results, can be downloaded at his blog or web site.
When Mr. Escalona and I were relative newlyweds, we embarked on a road trip. At a rest stop one afternoon, I emerged from the bathroom to find the gregarious, friendly and helpful Mr. Escalona engaged in conversation with a middle-aged female stranger.
“I need a ride a couple miles down the road, but your husband said I had to ask you,” the stranger said.
A glance at Mr. Escalona gave me no clues as to what he wanted me to do. The lady seemed nice, they had been in what sounded like a friendly conversation in Spanish (considering that most Spanish sounds like yelling to me, this seemed positive), and both were looking at me expectantly, so I said, “Sure.”
If you don't implement POLICIES, she could kill you
After we let the stranger out – she didn’t kill us, as us for money, or come out with any freaky indecent proposals – my husband said, “Why did you do that? She could have killed us!”
“I thought you wanted me to!” I said, wounded.
Oops! Our lack of communication had led us to engage in a dangerous behavior neither of us really wanted to perform.
Boy, you know what would have prevented that situation? If we’d agreed beforehand on a “No Hitchhikers” policy.
Of course, you can’t be ready for everything that comes your way in life. How on earth was I to know that I would need a “No Hitchhikers” policy when navigating South Florida? But luckily, with your business, you have a little more warning when it comes to situations that may arise. And the best way to be prepared for those crazy situations is to have a firm policy in place. That way, if a client asks you “Hey, do you write copy and pick up my laundry?” you are ready to answer with a firm, “Nope, copywriting only.”
Of course, not all situations you’ll run into in your business are as easy as that one. None of us pick up laundry, right? Right? Most situations that warrant a policy are sticky. Here are some examples:
1.) Late Payments – If you do not have a policy in place regarding collecting late payments, a late or non-payment situation can go downhill really fast. Maybe the client is stringing you along, promising a check that’s never truly in the mail. Or perhaps they are arguing with you about the terms of your contract—long after the work was completed and delivered. This is where it’s important to have a plan in place for dealing with late payers, even if you’ve never experienced this particular phenomenon. (Lucky you.) A sample policy might include tacking on a late fee to payments late over 30 days, calling the client bi-weekly for the next two weeks after that, and then taking the client to small claims court if they still do not pay after 60 days. Any time you don’t get paid is a stressful time. Having a policy in place can actually prevent you from going crazy as all those bill deadlines pass and you still don’t see a paycheck in your account.
2.) Setting Fees – You’re talking to a potential client. Discussions are going well. You are both excited about the project and ready to get started. Then the client drops the bombshell that he can only pay half of your going rate. Because you are a savvy freelancer, you have already set your going rate based on what it takes to live, save for rainy days, save for retirement, and maintain the lifestyle to which you are accustomed. If you take this project, no matter how exciting it sounds, you are going to have to short something else in your life. This is where it’s vital to have a firm fee policy. No matter how exciting the project sounds, it’s not as exciting as not having to dine on cat food when you enter your dotage.
3.) Taking On Work – Despite my firm anti-cheating stance, I have been contacted directly at least three times about writing term papers for college students. A No-Helping-Your-Sorry-Ass-Cheat Policy was one of the first policies I implemented in my business, but I can see where other people might fall down that slippery slope of fast, easy money for term papers without thinking through the consequences of their actions. The same goes for other jobs, such as using black hat SEO tactics or writing for someone you consider a merchant of death. If you have a firm policy in place about not taking on certain types of work, it will be easier for you to turn down the devil when he comes calling with piles of cash.
4.) Emergencies – Obviously, nobody plans for an emergency, but you can implement an Emergency Policy for when one does occur. After all, the last thing you want to be wondering while watching your house burn down is “What am I going to do about my clients?” Implement an emergency policy and be ready with a form email, a list of contacts to notify, and perhaps even another freelancer to back you up while you recover.
By no means are these the only freelance writing situations that require a policy, but they are a start. If my husband and simply said to one another “No hitchhikers, honey” then we wouldn’t have had to try and read one another’s minds when it came to the friendly hitchhiker in Florida. And if you cement your policies firmly in your mind, you won’t have to hesitate when someone asks you to forgive his late fee, pick up his laundry, or write a white paper while your house burns down.
Are You a Grammar Nazi?
In: Writing Craft
26 Oct 2009…Then maybe you’re just a snob.
Check out this article on Salon.com about class warfare in language and think about your intentions next time you slap someone upside the head for a dangling participle.
- (11) Comments
- Tags: Writing Craft
As my favorite freelance writer Yolander Prinzel says, if you are a full-time freelance writer, then you are a business owner first, writer second. It’s very important to stay in that business owner mindset when doing everything from marketing your business to collecting the fees you are owed, but it is especially important to keep that in mind when you find that well-meaning but clueless friends, family members and even strangers decide it’s time to give you advice on how to run your business.
Listening to this crowd of what appears to be either crime fighters or well-meaning 16th century burghers will NOT help your business
I’ve managed to freelance full-time for almost two years without anyone butting in on how I run my business, but recently I’ve been faced with a few “helpful” bystanders armed not only with advice, but actual interference. Here’s how it happens:
You talk with someone about your business. You are excited about your growth, your marketing plan, your next project, your whatever, and it shows. That person, we’ll call her Betty Buttinski, gets excited, too. She wants to help!
Then she helps. Boy does she help. She sends your portfolio to random job postings on Craigslist. She makes appointments with contractors. She poses as a collection agent and calls people who owe you money.
Okay, okay, so I was exaggerating (slightly) with all three of those examples, but you get the picture. When you are passionate about something, it’s easy for those who care about you to become passionate about it, as well. That’s why boundaries are so important when it comes to running your business. Don’t let people assume you can go out to lunch because you “work at home,” don’t let people call you and interrupt your work day, and especially don’t let them interfere in the running of your business.
The ones who love you should be cheerleaders, but ultimately, you should be the one making all the big decisions in your business. After all, what if your friend/Mom/1st grade teacher helps you and it backfires and costs you and your business? The relationship is damaged. Nobody wants that.
While it’s all well and good to take business advice from people who know what they are talking about, beware of the hangers on who simply want to “help.”
[SpecialtyBuzz] Katy Lindamood, NASCAR Writer
In: SpecialtyBuzz
22 Oct 2009It’s Thursday again, and that means that its SpecialtyBuzz time. If you’re new to this blog, every Thursday I interview a freelance writer who specializes in a certain subject matter (i.e. health, sports) or a certain style of writing (i.e. copywriting, press release writing). If you are a new freelance writer seeking a specialty, or even a seasoned freelance writer tired of being a generalist, then this weekly segment is just for you.
Today’s SpecialtyBuzz guest is Katy Lindamood, and her appearance here marks a bit of a milestone when it comes to SpecialtyBuzz – this is the second subject matter writer I’ve covered who writes about sports. And both of our sports writing specialists have been female! Let me just throw in that Mr. Escalona, who works for one of those national cable news networks, tells me that their up and coming sportscasters are majority female. No pressure or anything guys, but sports writing and commentary doesn’t belong solely to you anymore. Right on, ladies!
In that spirit, are you a female NASCAR fan? Read on to the very end of this post for an opportunity that just might float your boat.
And now, I give you Katy Lindamood, NASCAR writer:
What is your specialty and how did you get started in that particular area?
In reading blogs and websites covering the sport of NASCAR I noticed that nearly every site I visited had similar stories. It seemed like most sites were happy just regurgitating the same story you can find on 100 other racing related sites. While I admire all the writers in the field for giving it their best effort I wanted to see articles that were thought provoking, questioned the status quo, and brought a different side of the story to the table.
I have been a fan of the sport since the age of 12 when, for some reason, my family chose to watch a race on television. Bored out of my mind, I sat there hoping for a wreck and then a car went into a barrel role down the backstretch and flipped at least a dozen times. From that point on I was hooked. Choosing to write about NASCAR began with my fan blog, The Biff Files, which I co-author with my best friend. From there I was given the opportunity to write guest posts for a few different sites. I recently accepted a position with Examiner.com covering driver Kyle Busch and have also been involved in the site’s coverage of the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup covering driver Kurt Busch. This is by no means the end of what I am hoping to accomplish but it’s a good start.
What are three things a writer needs to know before choosing to specialize in your area of specialty?
When deciding if NASCAR or any type of motorsports or sports related niche is right it’s important to look for a distinctive point of view. There are thousands of sites and writers covering the same topic and if you can’t differentiate yourself from the pack you get lost. For instance, my choice to cover Kyle and Kurt Busch for Examiner.com doesn’t make me popular with a lot of fans. Why? Of the 43 drivers in the field each weekend these two brothers are among the most disliked. Most of the articles you see relating to them are negative and I wanted something that looks at them from the opposite point of view.
Secondly, anyone writing about this sport has to understand you are going to get criticized if your point of view goes against what the majority of the fan base believes. NASCAR fans are passionate about their drivers and team owners and if you say something against a popular driver it’s going get attention from his fans and followers. They aren’t always nice, but that’s one of the things that make this sport so entertaining and I love the back and forth between fans of rival drivers.
Finally, competition between writers is brutal when it comes to being the first to break a story. If you are the first to get a story out then you are going to get more readers than someone who covers the story 48 hours after it broke. You’ve got to be ready at a moment’s notice and stay on top of official NASCAR press releases and team releases.
Does writing in your specialty require any particular training or could a layperson pick it up?
You don’t need to be a mechanic or a member of a team to become a writer covering the sport, but you do need to have a basic knowledge of how it all works. The sport is very technical in terms of how cars are designed and set up for the race. If you don’t know the basics or at least the key teams, drivers, and terms used to describe the handling of a race car then you aren’t going to have much success.
As for education, I’ve seen writers that only have a high school level education successfully cover the sport. It depends on your point of view and how you present yourself and your writing. Some see those without a journalism degree as unworthy to write about the sport, but anyone with the talent and drive can become successful regardless of their educational background.
Are there any potential pitfalls associated with specializing in your area?
NASCAR has and always will be a male dominated sport and because of that it’s hard for women to break in as writers. There are quite a few successful women covering the sport, but they are largely outnumbered by men. For this reason it’s even more important that females covering the sport have a unique perspective.
What is the current market for writing in your specialty? Who is buying and who is selling?
Since I only recently choose to go all out writing about NASCAR, I’ve not yet had the opportunity to fully explore all the options that area available for writers. Finding a paying gig is difficult because even some of the most respected sites covering the sport don’t have the money to pay writers. Luckily many will allow you contribute articles. Even if you aren’t getting paid it’s a great way to build up a portfolio and get your name out there. If your contributions add value to the site your nonpaying gig might become a paid job in the future. Locally a writer may be able to get in with their newspaper writing a blog or covering the sport for the printed edition. Some writers who live in smaller communities may have more success with this. Most of the time the stories found in newspapers come from the Associated Press rather than local journalist, so if you can get your foot in the door that’s a great place to start.
What do you enjoy most about your specialty?
I love being able to write about something that I have a passion for. It much more fulfilling that writing for content mills or struggling to cover a topic that bores you to tears.
What do you enjoy least about your specialty?
The one thing that really aggravates me about writing about NASCAR is readers who personally attack the credentials or the ability of a writer to successfully cover a story rather than just disagreeing with your point of view.
How would you suggest networking within your specialty?
Twitter and Facebook are great resources to have in this specialty. Drivers, teams, tracks, and other media outlets use Twitter and Facebook for promotion. There is also a huge group of fans who tweet their play by play coverage of races and other related events each weekend.
What advice would you give to freelance writers interested in specializing in your area?
Know your market, find your voice, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Other than that, become a member of NASCARMedia.com in order to get access to breaking stories, press releases, historical data, and photographs. Also make friends with the bloggers and sites that NASCAR officially recognizes. There are 25 sites that are considered Citizen Journalism sites. If you can contribute to any of those, go for it. It’s a step in the right direction. Finally, don’t give up. Your favorite driver doesn’t give up when his day doesn’t go as planned and you shouldn’t either.
Katy Lindamood is a freelance writer, blogger, and a self diagnosed NASCAR addict. Katy is currently the Kyle Busch Examiner for Examiner.com, covering one of the most hated drivers in the sport. Katy’s Examiner articles also appear on 4wide.com. In addition Katy, along with her best friend and fellow NASCAR fan, maintains a personal blog called The Biff Files and she is a contributor to The Final Lap. Katy resides in Ashland, Kentucky with her husband, 3 dogs, and 1 cat. If you are interested in contacting Katy for additional info on this topic or hiring her for a job she can be contacted via email or through Twitter.
Female NASCAR fans, listen up! Katy is in the process of creating, Skirts and Scuffs, a NASCAR site written completely by women. If you are interested in contributing the female point of view to NASCAR coverage, contact Katy via email or Twitter for more information.
Is Your Fiction Part of Your Freelance Writing Portfolio?
In: Freelance Writing| Freelance Writing Questions| Writing Life
21 Oct 2009I have a question for all of you freelance writers/fiction writers out there. Do you use your published fiction as a sample in your writer’s portfolio or not? I’m especially interested in responses from freelance writers who mainly deal with business clients but write fiction on the side.
You see, I’m asking this question for a hypothetical friend, Yennifer Jescalona. Yennifer is a fiction writer who chooses to keep her freelance writing portfolio on point by only including business writing. On the other hand, she was recently offered a freelance writing job because the client felt that her fiction “stood out.” That, of course, presents Yennifer with a problem:
Do fiction stories have a place in the freelance writer’s portfolio?
Why They Do – Like the client said, they make you stand out. Not only can you write a killer landing page, you have the capacity for creative thought, can tell that story on paper, and have been recognized by your peers for it.
Why They Don’t – In my… Yennifer’s line of work, she’s not going to get asked to write fiction, therefore fiction stories included in a portfolio are distracting and off point. Further, fiction is highly subjective. If you were in Yennifer’s place, a potential client could be thrilled about your work and then put off by the subject matter or tone of your fiction, thus costing you the job.
So Yennifer and I want to know – should the fiction stay in the portfolio and serve as a conversation piece, or stay where it belongs, on the bookshelf? Even if you aren’t a night time fiction writer, I look forward to hearing your opinion.
I am currently plowing my way through Technorati’s State of the Blogosphere 2009 report and thought that many of you fellow bloggers might find this information helpful.
Technorati has been publishing this report since 2004, and this year’s report focuses on a subject that is near and dear to many of our hearts – professional blogging. For example, did you know that fully 9% of active bloggers are self-employed and blogging to get business? Considering all the blogs out there, this seems like a huge number to me. (The hobbyists – the ones blogging without any particular agenda – still lead the pack by far at 72%).
Only two parts of the five part report are currently out, but a new part is slated to appear every day this week, and all make for excellent morning coffee reading. I’m especially looking forward to the section on monetization which, if I’m not mistaken, will appear on Thursday.
Give it a read!
50 Awesome Courses for Web Writers
19 Oct 2009Today is Monday, meaning that I get to take a break from freelance writing, hop in my car, and meet with a group of likeminded creative writers and talk about esoteric topics in a little place known as grad school.
Okay, so sometimes that experience is more like this: I have tear myself away from my real work, dress up, fight Atlanta traffic, dodge college Freshmen hanging out in the crosswalks, and then think about work for three hours while I should be discussing esoteric topics with a group of likeminded creative writers.
Either way, school is school, and it’s good for me. And it’s good for you, too! So today I wanted to share a post from AccreditedOnlineColleges.org:
50 Awesome Open Courses for Web Writers
There are courses from MIT, SUNY, the University of Virginia and even the BBC on topics from basic writing to understanding cultural perceptions.
The only downside is that because these courses are “open” you only get access to course materials and not the instructors, classmates, and feedback that characterize traditional university courses. Still, we’re freelance writers – we’re used to working alone and at our own pace.
Check out the list. I can almost guarantee you’ll see something that you want or need to know more about. Why not set aside a little time every day to learn something for free?
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