This morning a fellow LinkedIn Group member sent me an e-mail. He complimented my writing style and said he'd love for me to write the copy for his new fashion-related website. My first thought: 'Hells Yeah!'
With my freelance career I've slowly been trying to make the transition from a strict business writer to a fashion and lifestyle writer. It's no easy task since journalism is usually a niche profession (more on that later this week). But I've been working on my own fashion blog, started blogging for a lifestyle/fashion blog out of Australia, and been doing several one-time articles for various pubs/blogs/sites. So, obviously my initial reaction was 'Finally someone recognizes my writing talent in this area.' Well... that was until I read the next line...
This potential client went on to say that because it was a start-up company they would be unable to compensate me in anyway for my work. Once the business was financially viable they might be able to pay me for future work. *bubble BURST* At this point my sunny, excited disposition swiftly turned into annoyance and anger.
What is it about freelance that makes people think you have the opportunity and desire to work for free? I'm no longer at the start of my career, when I might have tripped over myself to get an opportunity like this, regardless of compensation. I don't need a couple great clips to pad my portfolio. And I'm not naive enough to believe the experience from this writing gig will be more valuable than any monetary compensation.
I'm a professional. I work hard. I write well. And I rely completely on the money I make from writing to pay the bills. You wouldn't walk into the Gap and say to the manager 'give me these Long and Lean jeans for free. It'll be great exposure for your brand and really worth it in the long run.' The manager would kick you out of the store and not entertain your request for even a split second. (incidentally Long and Lean jeans from Gap are some of my all-time fav denim styles)
In this man's defense, I don't think he wrote me with any ill will. He probably honestly thought this would be a great opportunity and something a writing professional would jump at. So, instead of delete his e-mail without a response I wrote him back and kindly explained that I am unable to take non-paying gigs at this point in time. I offered to write if he could come up with some kind of payment in exchange.
Showing posts with label freelancers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freelancers. Show all posts
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Friday, December 11, 2009
What's Urgent, What's Important, What's Both, What's Neither?
If you were working in cubicle life involving bosses looking over your shoulder, content meetings and brainstorming sessions you'd also have drop-dead deadlines from your editor. That knowledge is usually enough to scare you into producing content by the due time. But... It's a whole other story when you are your own boss.
Sure, your bank account will know if you didn't get that pitch sent out on time or weren't prompt with getting an outline to a potential client, but no one else will know. And let's face it, sometimes just staying on Twitter another 30 minutes is more appealing then getting the needed words down on paper.
When being your own one-man (or woman) show, you've got to establish the same sort of drop-dead time limits. If you train yourself to respect these self-imposed deadlines your work will get done better and faster than it would when put off indefinitely.
This takes a whole hell of a lot of self discipline.
What works for me is a simple chart.
Each morning take a look at your pendings. Separate them into four categories: urgent/important, not urgent/important, urgent/not important, not urgent/not important. For instance: the article that should be sent to the editor by the end of the day is urgent/important. The phone bill due in two weeks is not urgent/important. Painting your nails is not urgent/not important (most of the time). Taking advantage of a sale on a new bluetooth you don't technically need is urgent/not important.
Look at those in the urgent/important category and make reasonable but demanding goals for completing these items today. Still have time? Move to the items listed in the not urgent/important category and then to the urgent/not important division. Afterall it is crucial for you to get your phone bill paid. It's not crucial to get the new bluetooth, even if it would be nice.
True, this way the not urgent/not important things won't get done today and probably won't even get done this week. Fine. That's OK. Interestingly enough, if you break up things this way you'll see that when procrastinating you are a lot more likely to work on the not urgent/not important things because they are less stressful and usually more enjoyable.
Sure, your bank account will know if you didn't get that pitch sent out on time or weren't prompt with getting an outline to a potential client, but no one else will know. And let's face it, sometimes just staying on Twitter another 30 minutes is more appealing then getting the needed words down on paper.
When being your own one-man (or woman) show, you've got to establish the same sort of drop-dead time limits. If you train yourself to respect these self-imposed deadlines your work will get done better and faster than it would when put off indefinitely.
This takes a whole hell of a lot of self discipline.
What works for me is a simple chart.
Each morning take a look at your pendings. Separate them into four categories: urgent/important, not urgent/important, urgent/not important, not urgent/not important. For instance: the article that should be sent to the editor by the end of the day is urgent/important. The phone bill due in two weeks is not urgent/important. Painting your nails is not urgent/not important (most of the time). Taking advantage of a sale on a new bluetooth you don't technically need is urgent/not important.
Look at those in the urgent/important category and make reasonable but demanding goals for completing these items today. Still have time? Move to the items listed in the not urgent/important category and then to the urgent/not important division. Afterall it is crucial for you to get your phone bill paid. It's not crucial to get the new bluetooth, even if it would be nice.
True, this way the not urgent/not important things won't get done today and probably won't even get done this week. Fine. That's OK. Interestingly enough, if you break up things this way you'll see that when procrastinating you are a lot more likely to work on the not urgent/not important things because they are less stressful and usually more enjoyable.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Freelance Failure - What I Learned
[Sidenote: Today I was drawing a blank on what to post, minus the rant. Tim Beyers (@milehighfool) blogger of The Social Writer sent me post suggestions. Special thanks to him for this idea.]
My first freelance attempt after college was a pitch to the New York Times real estate section. Sounds lofty, I know, but when I moved to New York I landed a job in the editorial department there and was encouraged to pitch the different sections in my free time. I sent ideas to the education, entertainment and real estate sections.
The real estate one was picked up and I got to write a feature on a new mutli-family residential building going up in TriBeCa, designed by Enrique Norten. The whole thing was simultaneously nerve-wrecking and exhilarating. From the experience I learned two invaluable lessons.
One - Always carry a map and contact information. I’m pretty good with directions, getting around new places and I’m a very punctual person. But this time I took the subway to a stop I’d never been to and by the time I hit street level I was so turned around I nearly gave up. Luckily I was early. I wandered around for nearly an hour - late by that point - and still couldn’t find the building under construction.
To make matters worse I had forgotten the cell phone number and work numbers of the people I was meeting to discuss the project. I asked the postman for directions, he’d never heard of the place. I asked a local drunk, a homeless man and a street vendor - nothing. (It was a new building after all so the address wasn’t exactly common knowledge yet.) I called 411, but they could not locate the site or the construction company. I called a friend and had her google it - nada. Defeated I went back down the subway steps stopped at the map for one last look and realized I was one block away from where I needed to be.
From then on I never went anywhere without all the contact information written down - almost to an OCD level.
Two - “Once you know the rules, know how to break them.” When I got the interview, transcribed the notes and wrote the story I had lofty ideas of writing in a style that was worthy of the Gray Lady. I followed all the journalism rules - all but one; the one about breaking the rules.
When I turned the story in to the editor she sent it back within 30 minutes saying it was boring and lifeless. ‘But it’s news,’ I thought. She suggested I liven it up. Add some flare to the piece, not make it so cut and dry. I inserted more descriptive words and sent it back to her proud of the progress. She sent it back.
The piece sounded better, but where was my personality? Where was my voice? She wasn’t telling me to add my personal editorializing, but what she did want me to do has been helpful ever since. A news piece, an article, a research paper doesn’t have to be boring and lifeless. You’ve got to make the reader want to get to the second paragraph.
When the piece follows all the journalism rules, lays out all the facts but has no soul it’s not going anywhere.
My first freelance attempt after college was a pitch to the New York Times real estate section. Sounds lofty, I know, but when I moved to New York I landed a job in the editorial department there and was encouraged to pitch the different sections in my free time. I sent ideas to the education, entertainment and real estate sections.
The real estate one was picked up and I got to write a feature on a new mutli-family residential building going up in TriBeCa, designed by Enrique Norten. The whole thing was simultaneously nerve-wrecking and exhilarating. From the experience I learned two invaluable lessons.
One - Always carry a map and contact information. I’m pretty good with directions, getting around new places and I’m a very punctual person. But this time I took the subway to a stop I’d never been to and by the time I hit street level I was so turned around I nearly gave up. Luckily I was early. I wandered around for nearly an hour - late by that point - and still couldn’t find the building under construction.
To make matters worse I had forgotten the cell phone number and work numbers of the people I was meeting to discuss the project. I asked the postman for directions, he’d never heard of the place. I asked a local drunk, a homeless man and a street vendor - nothing. (It was a new building after all so the address wasn’t exactly common knowledge yet.) I called 411, but they could not locate the site or the construction company. I called a friend and had her google it - nada. Defeated I went back down the subway steps stopped at the map for one last look and realized I was one block away from where I needed to be.
From then on I never went anywhere without all the contact information written down - almost to an OCD level.
Two - “Once you know the rules, know how to break them.” When I got the interview, transcribed the notes and wrote the story I had lofty ideas of writing in a style that was worthy of the Gray Lady. I followed all the journalism rules - all but one; the one about breaking the rules.
When I turned the story in to the editor she sent it back within 30 minutes saying it was boring and lifeless. ‘But it’s news,’ I thought. She suggested I liven it up. Add some flare to the piece, not make it so cut and dry. I inserted more descriptive words and sent it back to her proud of the progress. She sent it back.
The piece sounded better, but where was my personality? Where was my voice? She wasn’t telling me to add my personal editorializing, but what she did want me to do has been helpful ever since. A news piece, an article, a research paper doesn’t have to be boring and lifeless. You’ve got to make the reader want to get to the second paragraph.
When the piece follows all the journalism rules, lays out all the facts but has no soul it’s not going anywhere.
Lies, More Lies and the Freelancers Who Tell Them
This is not a post... This is a rant...
Earlier today I was contacted by a PR rep that I have been dealing with for some time now. She's got great connections, perfect for the publication. She gets the message, the theme, the types of people we look to profile and most importantly she is prompt and easy to work with. Almost two months ago she pitched a new artist and I immediately assigned the story out to a freelancer who had been basically begging for better stories, more exposure, etc...
Probably three weeks ago this PR rep contacted me and asked where we stood with arranging the interview. I thought the interview had already taken place since the freelancer told me she had the appointment set-up for the beginning of the week. Not wanting to interfere I asked the PR rep to refer to the writer directly about the interview time. (I tend to over-manage so I was trying to step back a little.) A week went by. I didn't hear anything.
I contacted the writer and asked when the article would be in, since we were now two weeks past deadline. She said I'd have it by Friday. But guess what... Friday came and went without an article appearing in my inbox. Then yesterday I got an e-mail from this great PR rep asking what the deal was with the interview and why it still hadn't happened. Um... WHAT???!!!!
Obviously, I've pulled the article from the writer, reassigned it to a new trustworthy, deadline-focused, polite freelancer and had to beg forgiveness to the PR rep, her firm and of course her client.
This whole scenario just goes right along with my earlier post about Freelancers Flaking Out. Sure, we're not all like this. In fact the large majority of freelancers are hard working, focused, non-flightly workaholics. But for those few who are just cruising through you're giving the rest of us a bad name!
Earlier today I was contacted by a PR rep that I have been dealing with for some time now. She's got great connections, perfect for the publication. She gets the message, the theme, the types of people we look to profile and most importantly she is prompt and easy to work with. Almost two months ago she pitched a new artist and I immediately assigned the story out to a freelancer who had been basically begging for better stories, more exposure, etc...
Probably three weeks ago this PR rep contacted me and asked where we stood with arranging the interview. I thought the interview had already taken place since the freelancer told me she had the appointment set-up for the beginning of the week. Not wanting to interfere I asked the PR rep to refer to the writer directly about the interview time. (I tend to over-manage so I was trying to step back a little.) A week went by. I didn't hear anything.
I contacted the writer and asked when the article would be in, since we were now two weeks past deadline. She said I'd have it by Friday. But guess what... Friday came and went without an article appearing in my inbox. Then yesterday I got an e-mail from this great PR rep asking what the deal was with the interview and why it still hadn't happened. Um... WHAT???!!!!
Obviously, I've pulled the article from the writer, reassigned it to a new trustworthy, deadline-focused, polite freelancer and had to beg forgiveness to the PR rep, her firm and of course her client.
This whole scenario just goes right along with my earlier post about Freelancers Flaking Out. Sure, we're not all like this. In fact the large majority of freelancers are hard working, focused, non-flightly workaholics. But for those few who are just cruising through you're giving the rest of us a bad name!
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