Am I Good Enough?
- retroqueen
- cassielu
- retroqueen
- cassielu
- JonathanBall
- Big_Lou
- paulahy
- TheSearcher
- feistyfemale56
- TheSearcher
This archived discussion is "read only".
For the corresponding "live" discussions, post in the active topic forum here.
» retroqueen - Going solo: getting on to being a professional freelancer
How can I tell if I am ready to go it on my own as a freelancer? I take it I could build up a portfolio. But I want to know HOW I break into the freelance market.I do have what in the olden tymes used to be called "tearsheets". I have some credits. But how much is enough? I can spell. I can also write a little. I don't know. I think that I am just scared.
I could also ask how much money is enough. How can I tell if I have all of the trappings, space and so on necessary to make the transition into freelancing work?
You can tell me everything you know on this subject. I want to know it all apparently.
Please answer my question; if not here then give me an email address that I can send my questions to. I have often been disappointed in getting questions answered on these discussion boards(?).
-- posted by retroqueen
» cassielu - Re: Going solo: getting on to being a professional freelancer
In response to message posted by retroqueen:Hi,
I would be glad to help you. Please feel free to contact me at christy_parker@suite101.com. My name is Janet Blaylock. I'm the Writing Center Manager. Are you a Contributing Editor or a Member of Suite101? I have some suggestions that might help you.
Janet Blaylock
-- posted by cassielu
» retroqueen - Re: Re: Going solo: getting on to being a professional freelance
Thanks so much for the prompt reply to my question. I am wondering which form this help might take. Could you mentor me? For example, could you critique my work-if I didn't inundate you with it, which isn't likely.I am trying to become a Contributing Editor, but I am not sure if I have been given permission to fill out the second part of the application. Contacts have been rather vague on this point. I have been a member for many years actually.
Yes. Please give me as many suggestions as you feel like. I have some ideas going; some just in my head, others in manuscript form. I need to go on with them, but I seem to be reluctant to go forward with anything.
In any case, thanks again.
-- posted by retroqueen
» cassielu - Re: Re: Re: Going solo: getting on to being a professional freel
In response to message posted by retroqueen:Carla,
What is your topic that you applied for at Suite101? I'm Managing Editor for some Literature and Writing sites as well as the Writing Center Manager. Jonathan Ball, the editor of this site, is one of my CEs I manage.
As far as critiquing your work, I do edit work for writers. I get paid $2.00 per page. That's what another writer at Suite101 pays me for editing her work. I do the work, and then she sends me the check by regular mail. Why don't we correspond by mail regular e-mail the next time? It's christy_parker@suite101.com.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you again. I also have a list of topic ideas that I'd like to see developed at Suite101. They are topics on writing.
Janet Blaylock
-- posted by cassielu
» JonathanBall - Re: Going solo: getting on to being a professional freelancer
In response to message posted by retroqueen:I'm going to send this message to you via that SuiteTalk thing as well, but I thought I'd post it here because I still don't fully understand SuiteTalk. Becoming a freelancer is a tough thing. I can't answer all of your questions, as I only freelance part time and work at the University of Manitoba the rest of the time. Hopefully I can give you a bit of advice. Sorry for not responding to you earlier, but I've been out of town.
You've got a great advantage as a freelancer, in that you have knowledge of crafts, cheesemaking, and other such specialized things. There are a ton of publications that salivate for articles on these kinds of subject regularly. I would advise getting a writer's market book for magazine articles if you haven't already gotten one (as up to date as possible) and sending queries for article ideas or full-blown articles, whichever the specific market wants. I'm not sure how much you've published in the past but if you're new you may want to pick up a book or find some Suite101 articles on how to write query or cover letters.
Only you can judge whether or not you can move into freelancing work full time. There are certain tax issues that you need to seek out information about and what kind of things you write will dictate what kind of equipment you need. If you're going to write magazine articles then a simple word processor, email, and space for a desk would do fine. If you're going to do corporate newsletter design things could get a bit more complicated. As well, depending on how set up you are financially at the moment, freelancing could be a big cut into your lifestyle while you start up. If you have cold feet at all I would recommend you work part time until things are busy enough and you feel confident enough that you can make a living as a full time writer.
Hopefully that helps a bit, if you have any other questions I'll do my best to answer them. You can visit my lousy in-progress web site if you want at www.jonathanball.com or email me at jonathan@jonathanball.com
-- posted by JonathanBall
» Big_Lou - Re: Re: Going solo: getting on to being a professional freelance
In response to message posted by Christy_Parker:"Don't quit your day job" until you're making at least 50% of its income writing on weekends and evenings. If you can't/won't give up free time to write now it's fairly certain that you won't make it as a writer later, for writing is a hard, lonely job that I love. But then I'm odd.
I've been a full-tfreelancerncer since 1969 with well over 12,000 articles and columns -- I sell things more than once, 38 books, a musical All the Kings Horses and far too much else.
Nobody knows how they will do freelancing. In my case I quit law and started cold. The first year I made about $20,000 and after that have averaged $4,000 a month since. But I write very fast from three in the morning to noon and generally finish one article or two newspaper columns a day. So if you're looking at a life that amounts do finishing a term paper every day or two you're at the right place.
-- posted by Big_Lou
» paulahy - Moving into authorship
I'm wondering if anyone can offer me advice on moving into authorship. I currently freelance, but already know that at some point in the near future I would like to pursue writing celebrity biographies.I already cover the music business, doing profiles on artists and I'd like to turn that into co-authoring bios for entertainers.
But I have no idea where to start? How would you go about such a thing (approaching the artist for such an extensive project) and how would the payment work..would they pay me as the co-author and I make proceeds from the book?
Besides my 'net stuff, I've contributed to Black Elegance, Upscale and Girl's Life magazine. I've only been freelancing full-time for about 3 months, prior to that I did corporate PR for over 10 years.
I intend to attend a writer's conference this Spring but would like as much info as possible before than. I am a Suite101 CE - www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/6848 (R&B/Soul music).
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Paula Chase-Hyman
-- posted by paulahy
» TheSearcher - Re: Moving into authorship
In response to message posted by paulahy:No relation to Tom Hyman, are you?
I have a ques. for the Editor here. I would like to post some chapters from my romance novel, work in progress for critique. How can I go about doing this?
-- posted by TheSearcher
» feistyfemale56 - Re: Re: Moving into authorship
I am not the editor, but I know one place where critique is available, of good quality, is independent, and FREE. Lit.org is a site for people just like you who want to hear what others have to say about their writing. They accept just about any genre, and I have found people to be very genuine and intelligent there. Hope this helps.Take care.
In response to message posted by TheSearcher:
-- posted by feistyfemale56
» TheSearcher - Re: Re: Re: Moving into authorship
In response to message posted by feistyfemale56:Thanks for the tip on Lit.org. I now write a column there and will be posting chapters. :-)
-- posted by TheSearcher
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