Category: freelance writing

December 17, 2016

Free Writer’s Resource: All Different Words for “Thing”

Hey #flashers,

Today, I’m sharing a handy little writer’s resource with you. I have an upcoming post (and an old post) about how I use word collections like this to basically build my writing. And today, I’d like to share one of my actual word collections with you. It’s all the words you can use instead of “thing.”

Did you ever have a teacher in grade school tell you to never use the word “thing” in your writing? She probably told you that it’s lazy and that you should actually list out the “thing” you’re refer to. But sometimes, you just need to refer to “things” in general.

I use this word collection all the time at work. When I’m writing product copy about, let’s say jackets, and I want to write a line about the pockets, I could either say something like “Two side zip pockets hold all your things” OR I could say “Two side zip pockets hold all your personal necessities.” The second description is a little stronger, right?

So, I’ve made it a point to “collect” all the words that mean “thing,” so I don’t use the same words over and over and I don’t make my writing sound lazy. Because some teacher in my past told me it was.

So, I’m happy to offer you my “thing” word collection. Make sure you pin this image so you don’t forget about it when you need it:

I’ll be back with some more word collections like this and my framework for using them, so stay tuned. Drop your email below or in my top bar to make sure you don’t miss them.

Do you “collect” words?

December 1, 2016

Freelance Income Report November 2016

Here I am finishing up my second official month of freelance writing. And since income reports appear to be a hit, I will continue them.

And although it’s a bit early in my journey, I can already tell you a few things for certain:

The work you get each month depends on how much you hustle and pitch the month before.
If you don’t have any more hours in the day to work, you probably will level off at some point.
There’s a way around #2. You need to demand higher rates and/or also leverage and diversify your income. What I mean by that is, you need to have other things for sale that doesn’t just trade your time for money. I’m experimenting with this right now.

So, before I go any further, my freelance writing income for November was…

$1650

Not a bad chunk of extra change right before Christmas, eh?

Remember my income from October’s freelance report was $1385. So, it went up a little: 19% if I did my math correctly.

Part of the reason I got a bit more than last month was that I had some “vacation” time from my corporate job so I was able to dedicate several full days to my freelance work.

Expenses:

My expenses were pretty trivial, unless you count the $277 I spent on a business coaching package. But actually, I used my own spending money I’ve been saving up for that, so I don’t really know if that counts.

I also have the cost to maintain my site, but I paid that in full for two years several months back. I don’t divide it out by month, I just pay it when it’s due.

Freelance writing jobs I’m working on:

Writing copy for a fitness app
Product copy for snowboard equipment
A paid post on Make A Living Writing

I was working for several of the same clients as last month as the projects are ongoing for now.

My predictions for next month:

December should be roughly about the same.
I only have a little PTO left, so I don’t have many more full days in December to work.
I didn’t send out as many pitches in Nov to make Dec bigger. It’s a numbers game.
My fitness app job comes to an end in December, so I’ll need to hustle again to bring in some work for January.
And it’s Christmas. I don’t intend to spread myself too thin this month as we settle peacefully into this starry-eyed season.

If you’re getting started on your own freelance journey, I’ve got some must-read articles for you:

I have many more up my sleeve for the future too, so be sure you subscribe so you don’t miss them! And I plan on doing more of these income reports as well. So, if you enjoy seeing the ~~cold, hard~~ warm, fulfilling truth then stick around;)

So tell me…

What other freelance writing/biz topics would you love to hear more about?

Would you be interested to see how I track my income (it’s very low-tech)?

November 21, 2016

How to Send Your First Freelance Invoice

So, I had no idea how to send a freelance invoice before I took my first writing job. I figured I would just have to figure it out once it was necessary. And that’s what I did.

I know myself, and if I get too caught up in details like this, then I know I’ll just not do them. So my advice: Never let these silly things stop you from going after the freelance life.

Because really…it’s so simple.

So, in this tutorial, I’m going to show you exactly what it looks like to invoice a client using Paypal.

Why Paypal? I’ve found Paypal to be the universal tool for all of my clients so far, and it’s the platform that I’ve used for all of my own invoices. You could make your own generic document in Microsoft Word or Excel, if you wanted. Just try not to overthink this.

You probably already have a Paypal account. If you don’t, it takes seconds to start one. Just do it. You’ll need a bank account to link it to, so have your routing number and account numbers available.

Don’t worry, I’ll wait…

K, so now you’re in Paypal.

See that little button that says Send and Request? Click that.

Then, you’re going to end up on a page that looks like this: Click on “Create Invoice.”

From there, you’ll click on “Create New Invoice.” Pretty self-explanatory so far, eh?

Now, you’re going to have a completely empty invoice to fill in as you see fit. It’s very straightforward, but just in case you’re wondering about it, I’ll walk you through all the parts anyway.

Insert logo here. If you have a logo, you can add one. If you don’t yet, you can send it without. No one cares.
Your business information. I only add my name and Paypal email address here. You can add whatever you feel comfortable adding. I’m not comfortable putting my address here, but if you have a physical biz address, then you might be ok with it.
Bill to: Ask your client what email address they use for Paypal. Add that email address here.
Invoice number: Paypal automatically populates this field for you, but you can manually add whatever number you want. Like, if you’re embarrassed by numero uno. But really, I don’t think anyone cares about this either, so don’t sweat it. Plus, it’s easier to keep track of your work if you start at 1. And think about how one day, three years down the road, you want to look back at where you started. Invoice #1. That’s the start of your story.
Reference/PO number: I don’t use this field. You might choose to, but invoice number is good enough for me.
Due date: there’s a drop down menu that allows you to choose when your client must pay, whether that is immediately, within 7 days, within 30 days, whenever. You’ve likely already discussed this in some capacity with your client.
Item name and description: Paypal instructs you to make a detailed description, and I agree with Paypal. This is especially important if you’re having your client pay for your services up front. You need to spell out exactly what services you’re providing so it’s completely clear. For something like product descriptions, you might say “300 stationery product descriptions, each unique, with a catchy headline, 3-5 lines of description, and order details. Expected completion date: 1/1/17.” Explain each line item in detail.
Price: Take a deep breath. Paypal does the math for you. Just enter the price, the quantity and the tax percentage, if applicable, and the math is done like magic. Thank goodness! (We’re writers, not mathematicians).

Now, on to the second half of the freelance invoice.

9. Total: Again, Paypal is your best friend and calculates everything for you.

10. Note to recipient: Say “thank you,” add a funny little tagline, send a knock knock joke (that’s a fun branding idea, isn’t it?). Or, on the serious side, you can send a note about when you’ll be in contact, what the next steps are, etc. I usually just say “thank you.” Plain and simple.

11. Terms and conditions: if you have any policies (i.e. refund policy), put them here. If you request payment before you begin a project (I recommend at least half upfront, in many cases), then you can paste your terms and condition here, instead of having your clients sign an additional contract. By sending payment, they’re agreeing to the terms. This is a touchy subject, so I’d advise speaking with your own attorney. But don’t let all the legal stuff stop you either! In all honesty, I’ve only done this once or twice so far.

12. Attach files: if you’re providing a document in exchange for money, you can easily attach it here. I find it easier to send my clients a link to my writing via Google docs, but this is just another option for you.

13. Preview and Send: You can “preview” your invoice before sending it. It just gives you more of a bird’s eye view of the document. And then, just hit “send” when you’re ready.

That’s it! See, that wasn’t too scary, was it?

Try not to overthink this. I flew by the seat of my pants on my first several jobs, so I didn’t let that stop me and I didn’t act clueless either. I just figured it out on my own and got on with it.

But I’m sharing this with you so you can save a few steps and really see for yourself how easy and doable it is if you had any hesitations before reading this.

Now, go get ’em!

Any other questions about invoicing your freelance clients? Or do you have a fun story about your first invoicing experience?

November 4, 2016

Published on MakeALivingWriting.com

Hey there #flashers,

I am so excited, I can now say I’ve been published on the renowned writer’s website, Make A Living Writing!!!! Head on over to see:

How I Landed a 3K Freelance Writing Job on Twitter.

If you like that article, you might also like this one from Jorden Roper, the girl who convinced me to give it another shot:

Twitter for Freelance Writers: Exactly How I Use Twitter to Attract and Land Clients (+Case Study)

November 1, 2016

Freelance Income Report October 2016

I always love when freelancers or bloggers share their income reports. The transparency and raw insight is so refreshing.

And although it’s a little nerve-racking to put it out there, I figured I would be transparent about my very own freelance writing income for this month since Oct was my first official month of freelance writing.

As of yesterday, I made…

drumroll please…

$1,385 on my freelance side hustle

This is in addition to my corporate job and the product of working after the kids go to bed, on weekends and on my days “off.” (If you want it bad enough, you’ll find the time!)

So, now that you have the numbers,

Let me show you how I got there:

I hustled my butt off in September. The efforts that you put in the month before show up in dividends the month after. You can get the exact pitch tracker I use for keeping track of all of them here.
I sent cold pitches and I applied for Problogger and projects.
I tended to my social media profiles, optimizing them for my freelance writing business. Just by updating my Twitter profile alone, I landed one of my sweetest gigs in which the client found me (and I have a full article about how I did it coming out soon, keep watch!)
I stayed active in my entrepreneur Facebook groups and did a little bit of free work there to get some lucrative testimonials.
I was firm on pricing. I was offered many more jobs than I actually took because I refused $0.04/word offers and $20 blog post offers. With my credentials and experience, I wouldn’t settle for those “content mill” prices.

So, that’s sort of an overview of all the work that went into getting the income streams going this month. There is soooo much more I could say about pitching and pricing and networking, but for the purposes of this article, I’ll leave it at that. Feel free to comment with questions if there’s more you want to know.

So, what have I been working on?

Exercise copy for a new major fitness app
Coffee table book about New Mexico
Copy about snowboard equipment
Small business blogs for a website design business

I love the work I’ve been commissioned with. I’ve been learning so much and writing about my passions, so things are aligning just the way I believe they were meant to.

I can’t wait to delve more and more into my health and fitness, travel and mental health niches.

The fun part?

To reward myself for all the hard work, I went on a little bit of a shopping spree on Amazon. I found the pineapple chamomile tea I can’t find anywhere anymore. I bought some more writing books, one about writing white papers and the best freelance writing resource ever. I bought two barre workout videos to improve my teaching craft. And I bought a new journaling Bible that was soooo “me” that I can’t wait to dig in to. There might have been a few other things, but they escape me right now;)

What’s next?

I put in quite a few pitches in October alongside the work I did. I’ve already turned a few offers down, but I hope that a few more amazing opportunities come out of the work I put into October.

I’m also working on a swap offer for writing in return for some web design, so there could be some website changes coming. It’s exciting to think about where this all leads.

Not bad for my first month, eh?

If you’d like, I’ll keep you posted! Let me know in the comments.

Do you like seeing freelance income reports like this? What parts of the freelance journey would you like to know more about?

October 6, 2016

Free Client Pitch Tracker for Freelance Writers

This has been the season of up-leveling my freelance writing game.

I’ve been reading every book I can get my hands on about content marketing, contracts, pitches, SEO and anything else pertaining to the world of freelance. (Want me to share some of my favorite resources? Tell me in the comments below).

I’ve been sending out pitches like crazy.

I’ve been guest posting as much as possible.

I’ve really found my stride, in a way that I didn’t even know was possible. (That’s another story.)

So, today, I just thought I’d give out a freebie for you all.

This is the exact tracker that I use for keeping track of the businesses and people that I have pitched for freelance writing opportunities:

Here’s a little breakdown of the Freelance Pitch Tracker:

I track all my freelance writing gigs using a simple Google Sheet document.

(Were you expecting something more complicated? Do not make this more complicated than it needs to be!)

The first thing I would suggest is breaking the spreadsheet into chunks based on your pitching goals. Whether your goal is to send out 100 pitches a month or 100 pitches per day, you can bold the outline under the row of your goal so you know exactly where to stop each day.

The columns are pretty self-explanatory. You’ll notice my color-code key at the side. Color-coding helps me see at a quick glance who I still need to follow up with (still in white white), which contacts have given me a “no,” who I am in conversation with, and who I am currently doing business with.

This color coding system is a huge time saver. First of all, I can completely overlook the contacts that have said no (although, some of these come back and surprise you). A quick glance through another color helps refresh my memory about which clients I am currently doing business with, so I don’t forget any upcoming projects. And the white lets me know I should schedule a follow up.

The date column and follow-up column are used for the purpose of follow-up as well. Let me just tell you a little secret: there is magic in the follow-up. People get emails all the time and if they don’t know who you are, will likely delete your emails too. If you follow-up to the first email though, suddenly they take notice. Mark my words! I’ve nabbed more than one client through the follow up. If you don’t hear back, follow up until you do–just not in a pushy weird way. I could probably do a whole other post about this (and I just might!).

The Notes and Conversations columns are where I put little snippets of our conversation so I remember who I was talking to about what. I once made the mistake of emailing a customer saying I fit all the job qualifications on his page and he didn’t have any job qualifications on his page! I was mixing people up! No-no-no!

The second sheet is my article pitch sheet. If you’re a freelance writer, you are likely pitching guest posts to online publications (if you aren’t, you should be–it’s an incredible credibility- and portfolio-building opportunity). But you definitely need to keep track of the people and places you’re in conversation with.

There’s also a column for submission guidelines. Keeping submission guidelines at your fingertips is a good idea too, so you can pitch to those publications multiple times. Never give up after the first try!

Now, let me tell you why you need a freelance pitch tracker:

If you’re serious about freelance writing, you need to be pitching like it’s your full-time job.

But when you have sent out over 100 pitches, you WILL NOT remember who they all are or where you found them, no matter how good you think your memory is. It just won’t happen. Write down every single pitch you send, even if you think you’ll remember. This tracker will help you free up that mind space!

That first little “name” column has some special magic behind it, if you pay close attention. Let’s say you apply to a job on Problogger. The name of the person doing the hiring is typically not listed. So, once you do find out that name, make sure you list it. Or do a little digging to find out the name of the person. If you can speak to someone directly by name in your pitch, your pitch will be exponentially more powerful. Do whatever you can to fill in that NAME column.

Keeping track of where you found a contact is crucial too. It’s so much easier to make a connection to someone this way rather than coming at them out of left field. Plus, it’s something you’ll add to your pitch letter: “Hey, I saw your request on the [fill in blank] job board for a content marketing specialist.”

Funny story, I found one particular fitness personality after perusing the #BettyWhite trending hashtag on the actress’s birthday (such a sneaky little tactic to get followers). It was an incredible attention getter in my pitch letter. And I can’t tell you how many times I go back to look at that column wondering, where did I find this person again?

This “how found” column also helps when I need to brainstorm where to find new leads. I can look back and see “oh hey, I found quite a few people in this entrepreneur group on Facebook, I’ll look there again.”

You also need a quick at-a-glance reference like this tracker to remember who you’re working with, who said “no,” and everyone in between. You might even want to refresh your memory to see if you’ve already pitched a place in the past (this happens!). You don’t want to look like a fool sending a business the same pitch multiple times. The freelance tracker spreadsheet is so much more searchable than the heap of content that lies buried in your email.

I also like to keep a list of guest post submissions I’ve sent out as well so I can cross-submit. What that means is, if I have a great idea for an article, I might want to pitch it to another media site after the first one rejected it instead of letting it die.

The last thing I’d like to say about why you need one of these trackers is the infinite possibilities that lie therein. It’s validating and satisfying to see the tracker fill up and change color and become more vast every day. And I want the same for you!

To Wrap Up

Well, that’s about it. If you have any questions about what the columns or for or how to use this tracker, just hit me up with a comment or an email. I filled in one example for you so you can see what it’s like. Happy pitching!

Cool, so if you haven’t already:

June 20, 2012

My Foray Into Freelance Writing and Tips

I’ve also checked another item off my bucket list, this one a little more meaty than the last. It’s not so much something I want to do before I die as it is something I want to do while I’m making a living. I’ve always wanted to dip my feet into the freelancing waters, bringing in some extra cash for my family, expanding my knowledge, and adding new fields to my resume. I think a lot of us middle-ground-ish folk have toyed with the idea of getting a second job for fun money or just to make ends meet. This is my way of doing it in my own home, with my Peanut next to me stealing my headphones because he likes my Pandora stations too, ya know.

The cash factor isn’t the only reason why I wanted to freelance. It also sounded so intriguing to me. Writing from home, developing articles, researching new subjects–it all just expands me. I’m learning so much about subjects I had never even thought of before. The doors that freelance writing could potentially open are also intriguing. Perhaps one day I will pen an article that will be accepted for SHAPE magazine because of the accumulating evidence that I actually can write well.

Here are some of the best tips for freelance writing that I’ve quickly learned:

#1: Pick a time to do the work and stick with it.
I was in a frenzy during the first few weeks of my second job. Every night I would think, “I could be writing right now” or “I should be researching the next article instead of going to the park.” The constant inner nagging was wearing on me. Instead, I chose two nights during the week to dedicate to the job. I leave home, grab a coffee and a two-hour internet pass, and get to work. This way, I can enjoy all the other nights, guilt-free. Structure is important. Without structure, before you know it, you’ve blown three hours on a researching tangent (off the clock, naturally) for a 500-word article. And you haven’t written a word. And you’re kicking yourself because your family is waiting for you to go on a bike ride. Structure the time, just like you do at your “regular” job. This is my best gem of advice.

#2: Limit time spent surfing the web.
Similarly to #1, you need to limit time spent researching. Do not fall into the trap of surfing non-related stuff, for sure. But when you actually are researching for an article, keep a time limit. Yes, you will hear that perfectionist voice in your head telling you that you could find out more statistical evidence about teen weight issues, but you probably already have enough information to write a solid article. You could go off on “idea tangents” only to never return. And just because you’ve booted up your computer doesn’t mean you need to check your email, Facebook, favorite news page, favorite blogs, Pinterest feed, and everything else while you’re at it (including, ahem, catching up with your favorite fitness personalities).

#3: Reward yourself.
As with any job well done, set up a simple reward system for your achievements. Say, for example, after every 5 articles, you buy yourself a new magazine. After every two months of success, you enjoy a dinner out. Just going to the coffee shop to work and getting a good latte seems like a reward in itself. Positive reinforcement is important for self-motivation. You shouldn’t be doing all that extra hard work without reaping some rewards for it.

#4: Work With Your Family.
Work with members of your family to prioritize and organize a writing schedule that works for everyone. I have a little bit of buffer time between my personal deadlines and the actual article deadlines, just in case we have a doctors appointment or other priorities to tend to. Before I even accepted the freelance writing offer, my husband and I decided on an action plan to make it work–and to even decide that it was feasible. When I’m working at home, I work with my son to ensure that both of us have what we need. Yes, sometimes that means letting him listen to my headphones while I type out an article. I always give him notice and explain to him what I need from him when I’m working so that expectations are clear. However, my son comes first, so when he really needs me, I clock out. Find that balance.

#5: Refuse to Believe in Writer’s Block.
Yes, I too have days where my wording seems sloppy to me or I just can’t think of another thing to write about. This is a classic sign of burnout. Take the night off. Sleep. Go back at it in the morning. There is something so miraculous about sleep that seems to vaporize any concerns from the previous day and wipe out those vigilantes that live in your head. I don’t believe in writer’s block. I think it’s just a really good excuse that some people demised to take responsibility away from themselves. Go to a museum, hang out on Pinterest, or zen out with yoga until your mind is freshly abuzz again.

#6: Get Into the Practice of Writing.
My mind has been so abuzz with ideas lately, because I’m in the practice of writing again. I remember when I was in college and the last page of all my subject notebooks was filled with little idea dribbles. Anytime a thought struck, I would quick flip to the back page and write it down. Those little dribbles were sometimes expanded upon later into poems or storylines. It seems like when I’m a little pressed toward my limits, the ideas come a whole lot easier. And I enjoy being in a place where ideas flow readily and I feel the writing energy at full voltage. I enjoy teetering on that fine edge between underwhelmed and overwhelmed. I don’t like either side of those “whelms,” but the middle is “just right.” But just getting back into that daily writing practice makes everything seem lemon fresh.

I owe this freelance writing job to a friend of mine, and I am so thankful to her for bringing it to my attention:) I owe her a drink, doncha think?

September 23, 2011

What to do with an English Major

The most unjust thing a college counselor can say, with brows furrowed, to an English major is: “So what are you going to do with an English major?” You can either become a teacher or a starving poet. That’s what everyone thinks. Even the most trusted, well-meaning adult authority figures in your life will nudge you toward something “more lucrative.” You’ll get annoyed by the dollar signs in their eyes. Don’t they understand that words and literature give your life meaning, thrill you to the soul, and push blood through your very heart?

I’m here to tell you to go for it! There are ways to go about a career with an English major in the right way. If reading, writing, analyzing words or editing give you a rush, don’t ignore that. After all, the most fulfilling concept you can practice is: Feed your hopes, not your fears. Here is a list of lucrative and exciting careers that having an English degree can prepare you for:

1. Internal Communications
2. Public Relations
3. Social Media Marketing
4. Product Copywriter (that’s me!)
5. Advertising Copywriter
6. Freelance Writer
7. Journalist
8. Editor
9. If you’re as lucky and strategic as some, you could make money as a blog writer.
10. Resume Writer/Consultant
11. News Writer
12. Technical Writer
13. Magazine Article Writer (on almost any subject, might I add: food, travel, fashion, sports, fitness…)
14. Magazine Editor
15. Author (fiction, non-fiction, adults, children, young adults…chick lit? Oh yes!)
16. Grant Writer
17. Screenwriter
18. Speech Writer
19. Songwriter
20. Proofreader
21. E-book or E-course writer
22. Website Content Writer

There are so many more that I’m missing and so many careers outside of reading, writing and editing. Check out this list of famous people with English majors to see how they’re using them. Some of these careers take a long time to infiltrate, building a portfolio, making connections and such. But just take a look at the jobs being posted on sites like MediaBistro and freelancewritinggigs.com if you’re feeling discouraged.

Good communication skills are a dying, yet highly valued art form. Good writing is also one of those skills that translates well to every single business and even to the the digital world. It will not die with technological advances. In fact, technological advances have actually opened up whole new opportunities for writers, including SEO content, social media marketing and brand writing.

A lot of writers defect into the business world, but you can always pen and submit your personal essays and poems on the side. I myself have several poems and a short story in print. One that even provided some pocket money.

An English degree? Lucrative it is!

Get your Fitness Word Collection right here:

So, before I go any further, my freelance writing income for November was…

If you’re getting started on your own freelance journey, I’ve got some must-read articles for you:

Here’s a little breakdown of the Freelance Pitch Tracker:

Now, let me tell you why you need a freelance pitch tracker:

To Wrap Up