As a freelancer and budding entrepreneur, it’s a fact that you have to multi-task and wear a lot of different hats. The tasks you have to accomplish in one day resembles a juggling act of Olympic proportions. The flexibility required is enormous, and if you can’t adapt, you’re likely to pull great swatches of greying hair from your head. As you become more successful, you can outsource some of these necessary evils, but in the meantime, you’re the one in charge. Scary, isn’t it?

These are just some of the duties you’ll be undertaking in the Wild World of Freelancing:

• Accountant: You work for yourself now, bub. Ain’t nobody keeping track of your income and expenses for the dreaded year-end tax accounting; this is something you have to do for yourself. It’s your responsibility to document each and every penny coming in and going out. There are a lot of good software programs to help you with this, but you have to learn them. Plan on spending a good chunk of time learning what you need to maintain the program you choose, but get an early start. If you leave this to too late in the year (or horrors! the very end!) those hours will triple or more and you’ll regret it.
• Webmaster: Whether you like it or not, you have to have some familiarity with the tools of the trade. If you don’t have a blog or webpage of your services yet, you should. That means learning basic HTML coding, how to get around your chosen platform, trouble shooting, how to code links, not to mention the basics of buying and maintaining a domain, hosting, and probably a million other things I’m forgetting. The learning curve is high, but if you take it in small steps, not impossible. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time, my friends. One bite at a time. Take advantage of help forums, friends with tech knowledge, and take notes! Again, you can outsource a lot of this work, but knowing what you need and what to ask for really helps in the long run.
• Social Networker: Networking is a huge part of the freelance career. You sure can’t exisit in a vacuum, and the face of freelancing (as in publishing in general, but that’s a subject for another post) is changing daily. The best way to keep up is to network with your fellow freelancers. This means becoming educated about social networking sites and how to connect. Don’t spread yourself too thin; you need to evaluate each social site to determine what is best suited to you, what you expect to get out of it, and how much it costs you in time to maintain. Not all social sites are equal, and if you’re not comfortable there, you won’t spend the time needed. What you’re looking for is quality, not quantity. It is of no value to have umpteen contacts if 80% of them are spammers or entities just looking for a number.

I just want to say on this subject that you get what you give. When I started my writing career and all along the way, I’ve  met some very giving, generous and supportive people. I have never forgotten that and I try my best to pay it forward. Like all karma, it eventually comes back to you. Build your reputation carefully; no spamming, no scamming, and no bullshitting. Word gets around quicker than you can blink if you act in anything but an honorable way. Keep that in mind. Help people along, be kind, be an asset to your community or you’re going to wake up someday with nothing to show for all your hard work but a bad taste in your mouth.

• News Hound: As mentioned above, the face of freelancing and publishing is changing daily. You have to stay informed and on the cutting edge; scour the news for impending trends and information needed by the public in general and clients in particular; whatever is new,  interesting,  and relevant. Your mind must be a sponge.
• Internet marketer: Although it’s probably one of the least favorite of all chores (besides the accountant thing, gah) a writer really must promote themselves. You can’t just sit back and wait for jobs, opportunities or your big break to come to you; you have to go looking for them and you have to make it easy for them to find you. They don’t know how to find you until you get yourself out there. Maybe not all, but many IM  principles will help launch your career to the next level.
• Blog reader (and commentor): Again, this relates to being a good participant in community. You can learn a great deal from reading the sites of others not only in your profession or area of expertise, but in a host of others. Don’t set the circle so close; it pays to read a variety of different blogs. Internet marketers, journalists, mommy bloggers, accountants, webmasters — all the hats  you need to wear. Pay attention and keep a notebook handy for the tips and information that really speaks to you and your particular niche. Leave a thank-you comment if the article or blog has helped you. These people work hard too, and if something they’ve provided has helped, it’s only polite to say thanks.

It’s quite a list, isn’t it? By no means is it complete, or I’d be here all night, and I don’t know about you, but I have some hats to wear. Don’t be intimidated — one bite at a time. To build and sustain a successful freelance career takes time and commitment (no, not to a looney bin, although that’s an option) so don’t expect overnight success. However, keep plugging away and don’t give up.

“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” ~ Richard Bach.

I never liked New Year’s. Since I work second shift in a shit hole, by the time I get off there’s not enough time to get a good buzz on by midnight. Not that’s it’s busy in this place, but the atmosphere is just the way I like it. I tell the bartender to line up the shots and I munch on the free pretzels in the crummy plastic bowl while his fat ass takes its sweet time.

I can see the piano dude is taking another break. Jesus, that guy breaks more than he plays. I wish I could work like that, but one fifteen-minute break at six and a lunch break at eight is all I get. I came in here right at the stroke of quarter after eleven, still dirty, sweaty, and smelling from the factory. One time, a girl at the bar slid over a bar of scummy soap from the bathroom and said, “Hey, give this a shot”. Some pick up line. This is the same chick that told Al she wanted desalinized water for her drink. I laughed fit to split at the look on Al’s face.

See that guy in the corner there? He’s always here. I look at him and see me sometimes, gives me the creeps. Always has a full ashtray and a full beer, keeps his eyes on the table like he’s looking for the answers to life. I asked Al what his story was and Al just snorted in his usual sensitive way and said,” He’s a closet ballerina.” I took that to mean the poor guy has a gender problem, but I don’t really want to know.

There’s not many more people here than on a usual night, even on this festive occasion. Looks like Al went the extra yard and hung streamers, and I can see some plastic champagne glasses on the back bar. The piano dude is back and he has on this funny looking party hat, all green and yellow. I wouldn’t wear that stupid thing even for all the breaks he gets to take. He’s taking the paper clip off the sheaf of music on the piano, must be we’re finally going to get some music in here. Oh wait, he has to take a call on his cell phone. I tell you, what a job.

I hate cell phones, how stupid is it to carry one of those things around? I bet they give you brain tumors and they sure do give me a pain in the ass. Nothing like putting the moves on a cute chick at a bar and getting put on hold while she answers her damned phone. There’s a nut cutter for you.

“I’m vacillating between a Rottweiler and a Doberman,” I hear the piano dude say into his phone. That pisses me off, and I yell “Hey! Vacillate this! Play some fuckin’ music, it’s New Year’s Eve for Chrissakes,” and I grab my crotch. He just looks at me with vacant eyes, and continues his conversation. The closet ballerina in the corner looks up, finally, with his eyes all squinted. I look at him with the don’t-even-go-there stare, and he goes back to studying his life’s lessons in the pitted and sticky table. What a life.

Al turns up the T.V. so we can watch Dick Clark’s balls drop. 3..2..1…big fucking deal. Al passes around the cheap glasses filled with cheaper champagne, and the few people that are here whoop it up. Me, I just want my double shot of JD - make that two. Nothing like bringing in a new year with a buzz on. They say the way you bring in the New Year is the way the whole year will go. I look around this dingy, stinking place and look down at the pitted and sticky bar. Maybe my answers are there, too.

I am  a Link Hound, a Research Ho, and I’m going to share with you some of the best links I’ve found on the ‘net the last couple of weeks. Hopefully, there’s something here that will inspire you, help you, or amuse you. If so, please leave a comment on the site you visit, or leave me one here . Enjoy!

Helpful:

A brand new forum of internet marketers, Simple Machines Forum promises to be THE place to be for all things related to getting your business off the ground and running. It’s in the early stages yet, but there’s the potential for a great meeting of the minds and an opportunity to get in on the ground floor. I’ll definitely be picking some brain cells here.

About Freelance Writing - Anne has a great website  for freelancers. She sends out a newsletter twice a week with the jobs she’s been able to scour from the ‘net. Definitely worth signing up, and I have never received any spam.

I advocate the use of social networking sites to get your brand and your name out there, and Twitter has been great for that. Using TweetDeck, an application that helps you manage your Twitter feeds, allows you to filter searches and connect with other people with similar interests. Of course, I must have my toys, and to make it easier for people to follow YOU, here are some free Twitter Buttons for your site and some free backgrounds to pimp up your Twitter profile.

Blogging Tips is a fabulous resource for bloggers. They have a cast of professionals publishing articles on everything from article marketing to how to set yourself up for 2009 looking for freelance work. Their newsletter is crammed with good information from some of the best in the business.

If you’re on FaceBook (if you’re not, you should be!) check out this freelancing group, where freelancers meet and share job links and information. There’s strength in numbers, and in the Wild World of Freelancing, we all have to stick together.

Insipiring:

Long Distance - I have been an admirer of this man’s work for some time, but this particular story tugged at my heart, and hard. I’m a lover of flash fiction, and this is actually the best I’ve read in a long time. Leave him some comment love if you have a mind — it’s really an excellent story. Flash can teach us a lot about writing in general, and to me, this is a brilliant gem.

Did you know most of H.P. Lovecraft’s work can be found online for free? Neither did I! Sure to steal at least a few nights of sleep, almost his entire body of work can be downloaded for your reading pleasure in a handy-dandy zip file. I am not responsible for the nightmares — enter and read at your own risk. (Thanks, Eric!)

I’ve loved this book since I read it in middle school. In my opinion, it should be required reading for every person. Here it is some thirty-some years later, and this story still resonates with me. That should tell you something (other than the obvious fact that I’m OLD. Like, O-L-D. *sigh*)

Amusing:

Let’s face it, we all spend a lot of time on the ‘net. A LOT. Every once in awhile, you have to let the brain cells rest, lest they overheat and cause a fire with smoke and flames. When I get to that point, I’ll meander over to Crazy Days and Nights for my celebrity-trash fix. The blogger is hysterical, pulls no punches, and it’s refreshing to read about people with money and fame that are worse of than I am, poor and unknown. Heh.

If that doesn’t blow your whistle, then I’d recommend getting a free reading from the Tarot. No, I don’t know what the hell it means either — I keep getting swords, and THAT can’t be good. Oye. You can earn Karma coins, although I’m not sure how, and I’m not getting that involved. I just like to peek in on the Universe and see what it’s up to.

Of course, one must have music to work. Open Pandora, and tweak to your heart’s content, creating a radio station that plays ONLY WHAT YOU WANT. How cool is that? If you’re all set with music, head on over to Jams Bio and read some spectacular memories other people have of the very same music you’ve heard. There’s plenty of inspiration there as well — it’s amazing to me how different, yet how similar, we all are.

Those are my top picks for this round. Leave me a comment if you’d like to see this as a regular feature, and I’ll make it so. Meanwhile, if you visit, don’t forget to leave a comment to thank those that put out such quality work. It encourages them to keep doing so, and we all benefit.

Karma, yanno.

Sometimes, in order to know where you’re going, you need to take a look back at where you’ve been. By the same token, it’s not good to dwell too much on the past — it’ll bite you hard, if you let it. The trick is, to take stock and the lessons learned, and hopefully apply them in the challenging times ahead.

This week between Christmas and New Year’s is a strange one, for me. My brain feels like it’s floating in limbo, I can’t remember what day it is, and it feels like free-fall. Maybe my choice of reading material (”World War Z - An Oral History of the Zombie War” by Max Brooks) or my movie viewing (”Children of the Corn”) has something to do with it - heh!

At any rate, I think I’ll use this time between years to take inventory and get a little more organized. Rest up, because the coming year will present a lot of challenges for all of us. The publishing business is changing rapidly; the economy is in the toilet and in spite of the Hope of Obama, it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. Job markets are shifting, and one of the most valuable skills to have right now is the ability to adapt.

I preach all the time — Put not all ye eggs in one basket, and keep thy basket full…and that holds more true in the days to come than anything else. I plan on thinking outside the box, keeping my options open, and working as hard as I can. Providing a quality product; meeting all deadlines; keeping up with egg-hunting and basket-filling.

I have learned in the last year I am stronger than I thought. I am better than I believed. I have learned that all the worry in the world does nothing more than make you sick — it definitely doesn’t change the inevitable. (Doesn’t mean I won’t worry, just hopefully I won’t worry as much. What can I say, sometimes I’m a slow learner. Heh.)

I don’t make resolutions because…well, I was never good at that kind of thing. But, I can look forward, and I can hope. Believe me, friends and neighbors, that’s a major accomplishment after the beating of last year.

I’m going to work smarter and harder.

I’m going to read more and become more educated.

I’m going to share what I know with as many people that want to hear it.

I’m going to become more organized. (Suggestions welcome.)

I’m going to eat more cookies.

What are YOU going to do?

I participated in something very interesting from the Before I Am Famous blog. Several people provided words/lines, and the owner of the blog fashioned a holiday poem that you can read here, titled “Broken Christmas Carol”. The last four lines are mine, but I bet you could have figured that out without me telling. Heh.

Poetry and the writing thereof is not usually my thing, but I have flashes now and then. What does a writer do? Say it with me, children — WRITERS WRITE.

****

On that note, I shall go ingest some sugar and watch a movie. Take care, don’t overindulge, and enjoy your loved ones.

Happy Holidays.

(Frankly, I prefer “Festivus” and really like the “Airing of the Grievances” part. Heh.)

Not having such a good couple of days…I knew the holidays would be tough. I miss my momma very much. I realize it’s only been a few months since her passing, but I guess I expected a little more of myself than I have.

Tonight, one of our favorite movies is on — The Princess Bride. I’m watching it for the second time, through a veil of tears. I miss her so much. And that’s all I really have to say.

“Life is pain, Highness. Anyone telling you differently is selling something.”

Appreciate your loved ones. Even the ones that can be a pain in the ass. Especially your momma.

Like I was saying, making a list (no! please dont’ sing it again!) is a great way to maintain your motivation, work flow and inspiration. However, life can really knock one out of the park when it wants to. Thus, the deviation from my semi-regular blog posting. I have recovered from 48 hours in a coma to drag myself to the keyboard to post, in case you thought I fell into a black hole.

Because I have been keeping a list, I’m only a wee bit behind, and hopefully will be able to catch up and maybe even get ahead. Hey, a girl can dream.

The moral of this little story? Make plans, and the Universe laughs. Still, make them anyway. Amusing the Universe can’t hurt, right?

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My Ruminations of the Week (discuss amongst yourselves):

1. A writer writes. The subject doesn’t matter; the genre or format doesn’t matter. There will be some you are better at than others, but writers WRITE. Fiction, non-fiction — for the web or in print.

2. A web presence of some kind is essential for a writing career. Whether it’s a blog, a bio-page, or a portfolio of work, you need an internet storefront of some kind. Setting up a free blog is easy, and you should at least own your own domain name before someone else buys it.

3. Networking is an important part of a writing career. If it seems like I’m repeating myself, I am. But, you can’t just sit there with an account, you have to actively participate. Why should anyone offer your a Re-Tweet, visit your site, whatever, unless you show some support? Become involved and offer value. If nothing else, at least you’re banking good karma, and who knows where the roads of networking lead?

4. Being sick SUCKS.

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Updates as time and health allow. In the meantime, think about what I’ve said — make a list, network, get your own blog/site going, but most of all — WRITE. Now get out there and do it.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

Oh, the life of a freelance writer. Doesn’t it sound glamorous? Fun? Easy? Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but sometimes it’s none of those things. It’s not like digging ditches, don’t get me wrong, but I’m willing to bet that a freelance writer can expend as much energy and get just as dirty as a ditch-digger.

Can I get an AMEN??

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In my last post, I recommended making a list, checking it twice (go ahead and sing the rest of the song. I know you can’t resist, especially this time of year. You can cuss me out later) but remaining flexible. It’s too easy to lose your focus if you don’t have some kind of road map to guide you.

It will take you a bit of time to find your rhythym, and there will be plenty of distractions along the way. The phone will ring, someone knocks on the door, the kid throws up and has to be picked up from school, YOU throw up…the list is endless. Some things can’t be helped, but there are some factors you can control. (Not the puking, though. Sorry. Beyond your control.)

Turn off the friggen’ phone. I realize you must have a phone (how I hate the phone, I truly do) especially if small children are around, but if you were working outside the home office for someone else, they would most likely not allow you to chat with your bestest bud for two hours and listen to her lastest dating fiasco. Although that may be good fodder for a future article or blog post (and hopefully she won’t kill you when she sees it in print) the truth is you’ve just lost two hours of productive writing time. Set aside a couple of hours for writing; stick to it, and turn off the phone. Tell your friends and family to leave a message, and  you’ll call them back later, or arrange a code for emergencies ONLY. Like if blood or pukage is involved.

Limit the social butterfly stuff. I am the first one to tell you that an important part of the freelance life is participating in social networking. Especially for introverted, possibly neurotic and definitely weird writers, sometimes that’s our only contact with the outside world. That being said, spending three hours feeding your NeoPets or another two hours exchanging virtual Christmas presents on Facebook is NOT networking, people. It’s PLAYING. Although I am not opposed to blowing off some steam when in the middle of a particularly stressful writing session…STEP AWAY FROM THE FUN APPS. Those things will eat your time like a tapeworm. You’ve been warned.

Keep the boob tube OFF. I’m sure you CAN write while Oprah or Rachel Ray natters on in the background, but i’m not sure you SHOULD. If you can’t bear to miss Paula Dean’s latest tasty recipe or what’s happening on Judge Judy, TiVo it. There is a lot of inspiration from watching TV, but when you’re in your Dedicated Writing Time,  you need to be writing, not looking over your shoulder at the new Geico commercial.

Walk the line. Sure, Twitter about your life to a certain extent; blog about your new puppy or announce you just bought new curtains for the living room. You are a person, after all, and it’s really nice to know about the person behind the online persona. But honestly, no one wants to know about your hemmorhoids, how much you hate your ex, or exactly what sexual position you prefer unless that is your niche. Keep in mind there is a personal space, and a professional space, and try to keep the two apart. By all means have a private blog where you can rant about the ex or complain about your personal problems, but professionally, keep that stuff private. Okay?

I know I’m a fine one to talk; after all, I’ve blogged here about my momma, but hemorrhoids have not, and will never be, blogged about here. See the distinction?

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Those are my pearls of wisdom for a Sucky Monday, friends and neighbors. I will admit to feeling a wee bit snarky today — the state of the economy is starting to seriously freak me out, and sometimes it seems no matter how hard I work, I get no further ahead. However, I know too, since all good things come to an end, so they say, logically the bad things have to end, also.

The best thing I can say about this Monday is…tomorrow’s Tuesday.

Wrap it up, I’ll take it.

Onward.

Like what you’ve read? Stumble it, bookmark it, hell, put it in a Christmas stocking…or just comment and let me know!

It’s a big transition from working for someone else to working for yourself. Not everyone is cut out for it; it takes discipline and Mad Organizational Skillz. A freelancer doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for the muse to hit. We all know she’s a tricky wench, and she’ll take a hike when you have most need of her. If you think freelancing is easy or doesn’t take a lot of time, think again.

Plan your day, but before you do that, determine which part of the day is most productive for you. Are you a morning person? Do you write better in the afternoon, or are you a night owl? It may take some time for you to figure out just what kind of a schedule works, but it’s imperative to recognize your work habits and utilize them to your best advantage.

Make a list. Try to do this the night before, and not the morning you start. Make a list of projects that have deadlines; these take priority. It’s a nail in your professional coffin to miss a vital deadline; so of course, these tasks go on the top of the list. Next come the other eggs in your basket, be it a content site like Constant Content, Helium, or another passive stream of income. Even if you post one article a week, that’s 52 articles per year. Those articles will earn for you long after you’ve posted them, so they are important.

Following projects with a deadline and your passive stream, another important part of freelancing is looking for new work. You can decide if this is a daily project or not, but keep in mind nothing is forever and gigs come and go. Keeping an eye on what’s out there is crucial to maintaining a steady flow of work. Sign up for the free newsletters like at The Core Creative Group or Chasing The Muse; I’ve never received spam from either of them, and they are a great resource for job searching.

Next comes networking. You never know from where your next fabulous contact will emerge; hopefully you have a blog or website to promote yourself (if not, what are you waiting for?) because that’s part of the freelance world. It’s difficult to get work if no one knows where or who you are. Choose your contacts carefully. Use Twitter, Blog Catalog, Facebook, MySpace, Entrecard – the list of social networks is endless. Put your website address in your email signature. Reach out to other freelancers, interact with people – it’s true a lot of writers are introverts, and working from home can be lonely with no other adult interaction. We’re writers and we need human contact, otherwise, who are you writing for? Get involved, and give back to the writing community. I promise it will come back to you.

In between all of this, you must write, write, write. Need inspiration? Check out this post on blogging and SEO from Cute Writing for how pro bloggers work it, and tweak it out so it suits you. Again, interact with other people; find out what they need, what they’re talking about. Read current events, check out new gadgets, new sites, or even old ones…there’s a whole world of inspiration out there, but you have to get out there to see it.

Keep flexibility in mind when you plan your day. It won’t always go smoothly. Events and emergencies will happen, and flexibility is one of the main perks of a freelancing career. Don’t forget to schedule down time for yourself, time to take care of business and household chores, spending time with loved ones and just getting out of the house. Have some damned fun once in awhile! Don’t schedule yourself so tight that you feel strangled – that goes against the fun of freelancing.

First things first; one step at a time. Make a list, and go from there. Before you know it, you’ll have everything under some kind of control, and you’ll get more done than you thought you could.

Now, if I could only get twelve more hours added to the clock….heh!

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