Writer’s Tools: Freelancing 101

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that on occasions I’ve said that freelancing is not for the faint at heart. It’s a lifestyle of freedom that comes with joy and smiles for the outcome of your work, but it comes with a price. You have to be disciplined and be prepared for the tears and stress of building and maintaining that income. Lately I’ve been reading up on other freelance writers and what they’ve had to say on the subject; in particular how they got started. For the most part it seems that they had a steady 9 to 5 and opted to quit once they felt the time was right.  For me, my story is something like that, but to be in the position that I am now, I wonder if my actual start in freelancing was forced as well as a desire.

For those that know my story, you know I spent much of my teen and early adult life working in the federal government. My main desire was to become a journalist within an established media outlet (my desired 9 to 5) and write creative fiction on the side. It’s something that I’ve quasi been doing all along but only gained traction once I returned to school and finally graduated. In order to reach my goal of being a full fledged writer, in 2005 I opted not to renew my term with the feds or my “Not To Exceed” (NTE) date. My job there was only suppose to be temporary as it was to help me through school. Instead, it became a way of holding me back, plus I had done a LOT of growing as a person and a professional there. It was time. However, I was still soooo naive once I was able to jump back into school full time. By then I was a mom of a toddler and my mission to complete school was more about her than for me. Silly me, even as the economy turned and the journalism industry did a total flip flop I still held out hope that I would be hired with some experiences under my belt and fresh out of college at 30.  NOT!

As documented here, I’ve been close to scoring jobs and I’ve been rejected. The competition is tough, especially here in D.C. While I may have thick skin, I’m not going to lie and say a few of those rejections didn’t hurt. They did, especially when I was practically handed a key and told to start the next day only to have been told later “NO!” In between I got my hustle on by freelancing.

And as someone told me not long ago:

“Many companies are afraid of people who have options, or at least those who have already exercised their freedom option successfully working for themselves.”

With no steady 9 to 5 since graduating three years ago, I’ve been programming my brain to think in entrepreneurial terms. From researching what I need to do to register my consulting business to working on my website and networking and gaining new contacts and clients, I’m getting into position. Even though I’m a bit seasoned, I’m also continuously learning from my fellow writers, who offer daily encouragement; in particular Britni Danielle and her GOAL Diggers Project and The Write or Die Chick herself, Janelle Harris. Actually meeting Janelle was interesting. I had been following her writings for a while. An old co-worker who was her old college classmate told me about her.  Little did I know I would meet her in yoga class! Recently Janelle was featured on the blog Fabulous and Frugal and did a guest post that offers tips for those just getting their feet wet in the world of freelance writing.

Janelle offers some really good tips for newbie freelancers. I have a few of my own:

1. Janelle brings up a good point of taking a rejected idea and restructuring it to fit another publication/media outlet. This will help you stay sharp on your pitching. My added point, even if an editor of one publication rejected that idea, never consider that a closed door. Pitch another idea to that editor, but make sure it’s something specifically for that publication’s audience. Case in point, I’ve pitched the Washington Post Magazine a few times, and each time a rejection. Yet there is an open door between myself and the editor. She’s done her research on me as I’ve done on her. We’ve kept an open line of communication.

2. Pitching on social media is a NO! NO! Unless an editor states in a tweet to you or on their bio that it’s ok, I’m pretty sure that it’s not ok to pitch an editor via social media. There are a LOT of editors of various publications that are touchy about this, especially as people continuously try to hit them up on Twitter, when writer’s guidelines are available on the publication’s site. Social Media is a wonderful tool to promote and connect. However, do your research first on how to connect with an editor. Media Bistro, Writer’s Digest and Writer’s Market are a few sources that actually have listings and the “how to” in pitching a certain editor or media outlet. If you absolutely cannot find contact info for that person and you have their Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn info, just send a brief message; something along these lines “Hello…I would like to send a formal pitch to you for _______Magazine. However, I don’t have your proper email. Please send. Thank you.” True, researching one person’s contact info may feel like an non-paid full time job, but you do what you need to do to get your desired paid work done!

3. In some cases you maybe offered a contract. Read it through! Understand the rights of your story; if you have all rights, first rights and if you collect royalties if your story shows up in another publication or non-fiction work connected to the media outlet you’ve written the story for. Normally, the contract will explain the rights and the terms of the rights you have. READ! READ! READ!

4. Also, if you are really new to writing, don’t go for the big fish – like The Washington Post – right away. Start out small. Start with a blog, a web publication or a local print publication. Start small and build a portfolio of at least ten published items. Show off your best ones when pitching and a writing sample is required. But don’t show them all at once. Unless a publication asks for a specific number of samples, only show them one of your best so they can sense your writing style and tone.

5. Don’t be afraid to follow up with an editor, but don’t pester or nag neither. Give appropriate time – usually 2 to 5 days depending on matter – to follow up. Editors are hella busy, and emails do pile up and voice mail boxes maybe full.

Go forth and write!

Tagged: Britni Danielle, freelance, Janelle Harris, journalism, Washington DC, Writer or Die Chick, writing

Posted in: regular, Writer's Tools