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.

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One thing I’d like to emphasize is the need to document our lives for the next generation. Blogging has been ideal for this. In the olden days, before typewriters, computers and word processors, people actually kept written diaries. You know, like with paper and pen? Actual ink? I know, isn’t that wild?

Not only did people keep written diaries, they also wrote letters to each other. It was one of the only ways of communicating, especially over distance. I find this fascinating — we take so much for granted, these days. We are a society of instant gratification. Imagine writing a letter to a loved one asking an important question, and having to wait for DAYS…maybe even WEEKS for a response. The suspense would kill me.

Because of Momma’s passing, I’ve come to look at blogging in a whole different light. A couple of years ago, I encouraged her (some may say “nagged”, but that’s not entirely correct) to blog. She once had a column in the local newspaper that she wrote for years, back in the 70′s. She was intrigued and curious about blogging, and did end up blogging until March of this year, when she put all her effort into fighting her epic battle with cancer.

I am grateful beyond what I can express that not only do I have the articles she wrote in the 70′s about her children in the early years, but also the blog she kept in later times. When I feel particularly lonely or sad, I visit her there.  Since there is no grave at which to mourn (she donated her body to the local university,) it is a virtual place for her family to be able to pay homage and receive comfort.

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The point of all this is, you might have a “business” blog, but I encourage you (not nagging, heh, just saying) to keep a private one as well. There are plenty of sites that offer this option; LiveJournal provides filters for subject matter, and MySpace lets you keep your entries to private only. Many sites allow you to password protect your entries; some hide everything from the search engines. The passwords to my private accounts are in a safe place, and should I Buy The Farm unexpectedly, there is protocol in place to unlock all my secrets.

Well, maybe not ALL. A girl has to have some things for herself. Heh. You know, like my Sex Secrets and where I’ve hidden my millions. (Millions of what, I’m not telling.)

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My private blog contains letters to my unborn grandbaby. It documents life-changing experiences that have ultimately affected both my children and their children. Maybe it sheds some light on when and why I’ve done the things I have, imparting some kind of sense on how they’ve become the wonderful people they are.

When I’m gone, my children will have documented memories of me. My grandchildren will know me in a way previous generations never knew their ancestors. Some day, historians will use stories like mine to reconstruct a time gone by, in my own words with my own experiences.

I think that’s pretty cool.

Although my first love is, and always will be, flash fiction, the truth of the matter is it’s very difficult to make a living from writing flash fiction. However, it’s been a great training ground for an actual career in making a living for what I love to do most, which is writing in general.

The working life of a freelancer is full of ups and downs. I’ve had some success in writing web content and articles; the problem is finding a steady market. I did some work for a woman who owned several websites, but she insisted on keyword-stuffing the articles, and there were a couple of experiences with flash fiction that really helped me do this.

One was my daily blogging habit. As I’ve stated before, I’ve had a private blog since 2004 and I’ve blogged almost daily. This is great practice and even better discipline — think of it as exercising your writing muscle. Of course, as with any other endeavor, the more you do something (theoretically, anyway) the better you get at it.

The second experience that helped me was a writing exercise that was the brainchild of a very dear friend of mine called 3 Words. Initially, he would post three random words every day, and then the participants would write 50 words of a story incorporating those prompt words. We would write for thirty days and have a complete story to show for it.  After the first month, he decided (with the consensus of the group) to increase the word count to 100; the 50 word limit was a bit too confining. As a matter of fact, I had a hard time ending the stories on the last day — but I was allowed to carry over into the next month.

This was excellent experience. The first two stories I wrote were abysmal, but I seemed to catch the hang of it after that and I actually wrote a couple of stories that were readable. It was quite challenging to fit three words into your ongoing story, to gauge the pace in order to end on the last day, and to come up with an idea in the first place. It was a blast, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, never realizing how much good the experience would do me when it came to launching a freelance career.

Back to my first freelance job — Okay, this woman wanted her articles keyword-stuffed. (Remember, at this point I am but a neophyte, and had no idea about keywords or SEO practices. I’m not sure I get it even now, to be totally truthful.)  She wanted 45 – 55% of the content to be keywords.

Yikes.  I think if it wasn’t for my daily blogging habit and 3 Words, I never would have pulled it off. It was very difficult writing, but I ended up banging out 70 articles on the same subject for her. I then called it quits, because I was burned out and I just couldn’t do that anymore.

The second job was much better — this time for a company, and all they required was three or four keyword phrases sprinkled through the body of the article. After what I had just done, this was no problem at all. The problem was, there wasn’t enough work to sustain me, and eventually the company went through a re-structuring and soon I wasn’t getting any work at all.

I’ve had short-term jobs here and there, but nothing steady, which is the bane of the freelancer. Thus, I’ve been on a mission to find jobs that suit, with not much to show for it. However, I did find a place to post articles where shoppers for material for their websites could pick them up. No marketing, the money goes directly into PayPal, easy-peasy.

The site is called Constant Content and I’ve had good results, so far. I’ve posted rewritten content from articles already researched and written, and it’s a good way to recycle material I have laying around I probably won’t use again. Spin, baby, spin.

Check it out. While it might not provide a full income for you, or even make you rich, it is a good venue for material you already have just taking up hard-disk space. Cruise the site and take a look at what’s selling, what’s offered and think about the material you have at hand. Join up, post — and let your leftovers earn you some cash. You can thank me later.

Well, the last couple of months have been quite a ride for me. Could you make this stuff up? Momma dies, family drama and financial hardship, pregnant daughter and a high risk pregnancy, more family drama, separation from loved ones, blah blah blah.

It all pales in comparison to a new baby. Mama, MackDaddy and Muffin are all doing very well, thank the Universe. It was a rough haul, but most of it fades when you’re holding a brand-new baby, complete with New Baby Fragrance, soft skin, and innocent eyes. He is very beautiful.

Through most of her pregnancy, little Mama and I lived 300 miles apart, and this was difficult for us. We’re very close. Thanks to technology, we kept in daily touch via cell phone, chat programs and email, and blogging.

Every Sunday night, I’d write a letter to my Muffin and post it on my personal blog. (The nickname started out as a joke — when little Mama told me she was pregnant, she told me he was the size of a blueberry, and that morphed into muffins….well, you see how I got there, right?)  Anyway, I’d write a letter to Muffin every week (more or less, I did miss a few) and she’d read the letter aloud to Muffin and MackDaddy. We now have a collection of Letters to Muffin, and that’s something he’ll always have from me, written from the heart. Once a week, a letter just for him.

I told him stories (there’s one about Marvin the Monkey and the Magic Lawn) and I tried to express to him how much he meant to all of us. When I wrote those letters, it was as if we were just sitting in a room, the two of us, and I was whispering in his ear. It was great therapy, and I think it contributed to forging a bond between the two of us we might not have had otherwise.

It’s fun being a Noni, although the very concept is buggin’ me up. It seems like just ten minutes ago I was nineteen…I don’t know where the time has gone. A grandma? ME? Are you kidding me? I’m not old enough to be a grandma! That would make me…like…OLD.

Heh.

Since my mother’s passing, I have come to realize just how much blogging has meant to me and my family. I visit my momma’s blog regularly, especially when I am missing her the most. I can’t tell you what a comfort it is to me — it’s almost like she’s still with me, like we can still have a conversation, like she’s just a touch away. I’m hoping that my blogging and my letters to Muffin will afford the same comfort when I transition over as my mother’s blog has to me.

I didn’t think of this aspect when I started blogging. At first, it was just a venting mechanism, but it’s changed into something else. Something important. I see now it’s a kind of legacy, and through my words and stories, hopefully my children and grandchildren will know me better. And who knows, maybe further down the line, my descendants will know me for more than a wrinkled up old ancestor. They’ll know me as a real, thinking, feeling person and not just as a name on the family tree.

I like that thought.

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Not literally — that would fall under “Too Much Information,” and I just met you… I mean, what is your purpose in blogging?

I started off some five years ago, brand new to blogging. I followed two fellow writers to a private forum, hidden from the search engines, and was hooked through the bag by the second entry. I have blogged daily, for the most part, for the better portion of those five years.

That’s a lot of words.

Blogging has change a lot since then. My purpose for my personal journal is just that — personal. I feel very strongly, especially since the recent passing of my momma, that blogging is more than just yechhing up the day’s frustrations, trumphs, and boring minutae of the life of a 21st century woman trying to navigate the pitfalls and peaks of her life. My momma blogged for a couple of years, and I can’t tell  you what comfort I’ve been able to take from this, and with a grandbaby imminent, I hope the people I leave behind when the time comes, can find the comfort I’ve been afforded.

I’m the type of person who wears her heart on her sleeve, and my blogging is no different. When I started WordWebbing, I intended it as a showcase for my small successes, to document my struggles as an aspiring writer, and to pass along to others starting out the things I’ve learned along the way. Still personal, but more geared toward the professional.

I’ve come to realize in that respect I’m a dismal failure. Hopefully, my goals here at WW will still be met in spite of, or maybe because of, my inability to keep my emotions to myself. After all, isn’t the job of a writer to chronicle the experience of life, love, and the persuit of the perfect chocolate?

To that end, I’m launching Friday Flash Fiction. It’s pretty simple, really. I’ll post some inspiration — I won’t call it a prompt, although you’re welcome to take it as such. A quote, a photo, a word, a phrase — and then you and I will write a flash fiction piece, 500 words or less. Hey, if you go over, I won’t tell. Post your link to your flash piece in the comments, and I’ll go check you out. On Monday, I’ll post a couple of suggestions for markets, based on the stories I’ve read.

Sound like a plan?

My fellow goddess has offered to design a spiffy little badge, and if you participate, feel free to gank it and use it. A link back is appreciated, but not necessary. At some point, if I can figure out how (gods rot WordPress, gods rot their eyeballs) to tweak out my sidebar, I’ll even post a permanent link to those most active.  If you have any questions, or suggestions regarding improvement of the process, feel free to post those, as well.

Let’s get it on!

There’s nothing like starting out a day when you’re recognized as a Kick Ass Blogger. My fellow Goddess and Partner in Blogging Adventureland, LaLa, was kind enough to pass this along to me. (I didn’t even have to pay her to do it!)

What is a Kick Ass Blogger?

A Kick Ass Blogger is a blogger who can grab your attention and give you something to chew over for the rest of the day and in doing so, entices you back for more. A Kick Ass Blogger is someone who is witty, articulate, and informative. Not easy to pull off, especially in the blogosphere where the competition is intense.

Here are the five blogs I feel deserve the Kick Ass Blogger Award:

Copy Write: This is the blog of Jonathan Crossfield. Interesting, informative, and written in a personal style I really enjoy. A real pro and a gentleman, to boot.

Sharp Words: A blog with great information and tips on writing and excellent reviews of books. I always learn something when I read this blog, and it doesn’t feel like learning because of the writing style.

The Bullshit Stalker: This guy CRACKS ME UP. He is so funny, and I’m often giggling like a loon, all alone at my keyboard when I’m reading his blog. It’s better than therapy.

My Girl Quest: Okay, I know it’s politically incorrect, and I shouldn’t like this blog as much as I do. But again, this guy cracks me up and let me tell you, friends and neighbors, I need a laugh these days. This blog reminds me of younger (and dumber) days, even though I’m not a guy and I never participated in a Girl Quest. Heh.

Last, but certainly not least, Here And Now is one of the most beautiful blogs I’ve seen. Unfortunately, I can relate all too well with the subject matter, and I applaud this blogger for her courage and creativity.

Thanks again to Lala for nominating me, and make sure to check out MammaDawg for your copy of the Kick Ass Blogger award, along with some of the best, most hilarious entries you’ll read on the net.

Wooohoo! I kick ass!

As an additional Bonus for joining the Kick Ass Blogger Club, you are offered lifetime membership at ” The MOM and DAD Bloggerhood. You must be a blogging Dad or Mum to Qualify.

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I’m a big fan of blogging. I’ve had a personal blog for friends and family for four years, and I’ve tried to blog every day. To date I have over 1800 pages – enough to fill a couple of large books, or four smaller ones, or a combination thereof.

Why, you ask, would someone blat out a blog entry every day? What on earth have I found to talk about every single day? More to the point, what is the motivation for my daily blogging habit?

I started blogging because a few of my writer pals from another site had blogs, and it seemed interesting and a good way to keep in touch with family and friends who span the four corners of the world. It seemed to me to be a great form of discipline; a good habit to develop. It soon became my daily crack – venting, whining, celebrating, weeping, laughing – and I met some amazing people who were doing the same thing. (Well, maybe not as much whining.)

Then, something happened. All of a sudden my silly blog took on a whole new significance for me. I started doing freelance work for a client, and one of the subjects was spiritual and ethical wills, and how the sum of your life is more than the pile of toys you’ve amassed. And I started to ask myself…Self? If you made out a will today, what would you be leaving your children?

I don’t have a big pile of anything really, other than words. Words that build the story of a life of a woman in the 21^st century, trying to make sense, make a living, and make something of herself. Hopefully, my children and grandchildren will know me as more than Mom, or Gramma, and through my blog and my words, know me as a real person. A person that’s silly and irreverent; creative and still suffering from an identity crisis. Hopefully, they’ll be able to relate to the trials and tribulations, and maybe they’ll find inspiration or even just a laugh or two.

I don’t have a million dollars to leave my children, but I may have a million words – and I think that’s worth more.

So, if you don’t blog, think about starting one, even if it’s just for you, at first. And if you do blog, think about what legacy you’re leaving behind for your loved ones. Blogging is a great way to communicate your belief system, lessons learned from this life, and opinions garnered from the unique experiences of your life. No one can tell your story like you can.

Now, go tell it.

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Today’s Quote: “The only reason people hold on to memories so tight is because memories are the only thing that won’t change when everything else does.” Author (Unknown)

Today’s quote courtesy of coolquotes.com.