Freelance Forum Tower of Babble

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Matt Willard

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I only post once a week. Typically, if things go well, I spread a blog post over three/four days. On one day, I draft a post. On the next, I revise it for clarity. On the third/fourth, I add in the jokes. Joke writing is easily the longest part of making any blog post.

Normally I spread it over multiple days because not only do I want to make sure my mind is refreshed between each section, but since I normally blog in the day, I have other things to do. With blogging at night, though, I can see how my morning activities are affected. I guess there's some way to shorten the length it takes to make each post, but I haven't come up with a good idea yet for doing so.
 

SouthernFriedJulie

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I only post once a week. Typically, if things go well, I spread a blog post over three/four days. On one day, I draft a post. On the next, I revise it for clarity. On the third/fourth, I add in the jokes. Joke writing is easily the longest part of making any blog post.

Normally I spread it over multiple days because not only do I want to make sure my mind is refreshed between each section, but since I normally blog in the day, I have other things to do. With blogging at night, though, I can see how my morning activities are affected. I guess there's some way to shorten the length it takes to make each post, but I haven't come up with a good idea yet for doing so.

Perhaps you need to visit the one writer's board we talk about so much here- Freelance Writing Jobs- and read up on blogging and writing for the web.

If you want your blog to become popular or even gather readers, spreading a post over 3 to 4 days isn't going to do it. A potential employer is going to be like...'What?'

I know I would and there's people here in this thread who have guest blogged for me. If it would have taken those guys that long to write a post, they surely would not have been chosen.

Why not work on becoming more prolific? Make shorter posts by breaking the long one you're writing on for so long into several. Save drafts to be posted ahead and learn how to market yourself.

And again, get over to Freelance Writing Jobs www.freelancewritinggigs.com
 

CatMuse33

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To give you an idea (and hopefully some help) if you want to make a living as a writer -- I'm going to be perfectly blunt here -- you *must* get faster. I can knock out a *challenging*700-word blog post on a topic I have to research in 2 hours. For a subject I know well (like freelance writing) it takes me 15 minutes. Others here ARE faster. I'm not going to go into all my projects here, because it will sound like bragging, but I work with multiple regular clients and always have at least 5 projects going at once. I *write* for about 5 hours a day, with another 2 or so devoted to marketing/job searches, and often complete multiple projects in one day.

Just from an hourly rate perspective, you're going to want to write MORE and, as you do that, you will write FASTER.

Trust me on this... do it BEFORE school starts for you, when you'll have LESS time. I look back at all the time I *wasted* before I had Ashley and I cringed. Now I'm doing the same amount of work in 1/4 of the time.

<<I guess there's some way to shorten the length it takes to make each post, but I haven't come p with a good idea yet for doing so.>> - There is: Sit down. Write. Edit. JHS.

Hope this helps... you or any other beginners who stumble across this. :)
Dawn

ETA: Julie, our messages crossed. We were typing at the same second..
BTW, Matt, when I said "others are faster," Julie was specifically the person I was thinking of. LOL
 
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Matt Willard

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I'm not sure about chopping up my stuff. I tend to do in-depth examinations of a topic-chopping it up would really break the flow. The only way I think it would work is if I did a week-long coverage and broke a topic down into certain sections and covered each section a bit more extensively than normal.

Of course, that's only taking the in-depth coverage into account. Shorter topics would be easy to toss out more quickly in the way you described. Now that I think about it, it wouldn't be that hard to just give a basic snarky overview of a show. I guess I just really like getting into the meat of it and picking at details. That's the real fun part for me.

Anyway, this already sounds too much like whining (which I'm not trying to do), so I think I'll let my subconcious stew over it.
 

Nancy

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Matt:

It doesn't so much sound like "whining," as it does "yes, but..." While I applaud your efforts to figure out the world of freelancing, you are getting amazing, spot-on stellar advice from the cream of the crop here. You don't seem to be integrating it, however. Sooo, why not put some of their suggestions into action?

And the time issue that both Julie and Dawn just addressed is a key component of making money doing this work. The process you are describing, while it may be thorough, would earn you about .12 an hour. Those of us who do this for a living have to pull in a reasonable hourly rate.

Just sayin'
 

Matt Willard

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Well, I definitely agree about the time thing. High standards do hold me back in that department, so I can pull back on that. Plus I can always back off for about half an hour instead of the next day to do revision. In fact, that's how I approached the work I did for bid sites. I finished that stuff pretty quickly.
 

stldenise

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Ug...argh! I've joined the zombie bandwagon. Believe it or not, I took that photo some time ago and wasn't trying to be a zombie. Kinda works, doesn't it? (Or do I look more Wicked Witch? Hmm, need to add blood or something.)

Hey, I just have to say that I LIKE having a chat thread, because I tend to hang out here with the freelancers. I don't know all the people who go to the party room, and I really don't have time to read up on all the threads to figure out who's who.

And I never read the JHS thread anymore...it's too depressing for someone who can't give freelancing a full time attention. So, I didn't notice if it was getting too chatty.

On that note - I got an 'early' Christmas present! A shiny new 10inch Dell Mini! I've never had a laptop before, so it's quite a treat. I was testing the wireless range (part of the gift) and found I could get internet from the kid's playhouse. Woo-hoo! I actually browsed Demand looking for titles while blowing bubbles in the backyard. I haven't seen this much sun on a weekday in forever! (My big computer is in a basement rec room.)

Guess I'm not a luddite anymore.

wda0283l.jpg
 
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wyntermoon

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Welcome to the zombie horde! :D

How do you like the 10"er? I'm contemplating getting one for my daughter. And it sounds like it's time to convert that playhouse into a private writing studio. ;)
 

CatMuse33

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Denise,
CONGRATS on the laptop! That's AWESOME!

I LIVED in a basement for nearly 10 years. Looking back, I don't know how anyone could work in one. LOL In our new house, the basement is going to be the grownup rec room (until the kids get older and take it over).

My office will be on the top floor in a cute little attic-style room (slanted roof) w/ south facing windows. ;) SUNLIGHT!!

And yes, your avatar is DEFINITELY more Wicked Witch than zombie. But, hey, let's mix it up a little.

Aren't we a month early for all this spooky stuffy though? Or two months late if we're talking print magazine submissions. ;)

Dawn
 

Nancy

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Hey Denise:

Lancome makes a nice concealer for those green undertones. But it does look kind of foxy.
 

stldenise

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Welcome to the zombie horde! :D

How do you like the 10"er? I'm contemplating getting one for my daughter. And it sounds like it's time to convert that playhouse into a private writing studio. ;)

The Dell Mini (10 inch) is great for people with good eyes and small hands. Its the kind of laptop you snuggle up with on the couch. (Or right now I'm at the kitchen table with the computer about 2 inches from my chest.) I also had to trim my nails short to get a good feel for the keys. I haven't bought a wireless mouse yet, so I'm still playing with the touch pad, which isn't too bad. But sometimes I have to use two hands to do a click and drag!

It has a 92% keyboard, and no number pad. So, no good for data entry.

The screen is crystal clear and high def. The sound is a little tiny if you want to watch a video, but great with headphones. But maybe I'm used to the surround we hooked up for gaming on the desktop!

The battery seems to hold up well -- I've got a larger one that lasts 5 (?) hours fully charged. The bigger battery props it up at a nice angle. It came with a nice long cord too, in case you want to plug in while working.

There isn't a disk drive with this, so I have a separate dvd burner. I'm not sure how you would load software without one of those... But this really cuts down on the weight -- its something like 2 pounds. The other day I was streaming an episode of Castle and I stuck this in the laundry basket and kept watching it as I moved from the laundry room to the bedrooms!

If you have a larger purse, it pops right in!
 
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ritinrider

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Hey, Wynter thanks for starting this thread. I've enjoyed reading all the posts and sort of listening in at the water cooler. :) But now, maybe I need to post this goal. It's not a writing goal, but an important one for me. The goal? To actually leave this house tomorrow. I have plans to attend a rl writing group, but even if I don't do that, and I may not, if I just leave this house it will be good.

I've had plans all week to leave. I did go to Tulsa on Monday, and Tuesday morning I made a quick run into "town" to pick up some chicken feed. But only because the chickens were completely out and I didn't want to make them something to eat. But, that entire trip took less than 1 hour, and it's a 25 min. drive from my house to the feed store. I talked to exactly 2 people, the Ty who wrote the order up, and Larry, who carried the feed to my car. Both former students of my husband. That was the last time I left the house. Good thing I have the chickens or I might not have even gone outside. :(

It's not as if I don't have a reason to go to town, I've planned on going every day, but somehow manage to talk myself out of it for one reason or another. Tomorrow I go to town. That's it. Even if I just go to Braums and the grocery store. I WILL go to town, and I will talk to someone.

Okay, that's it. That's my goal for tomorrow. Now that I've posted it here I have to do it. No excuses.

Thanks
 

ritinrider

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Update, ok got through yesterday, finally. I did go to town. But I don't think I "talked" to anyone. Skipped the rl writers meeting. Ate lunch at Sonic, in my car. Did go to the store and make some purchases, so I must've spoken to the clerks, but that's about it. Still, major progress. I did leave the house. Now to get through tomorrow and Tuesday.

Tomorrow may not be too bad. I'm spending the night with my sister, and will do some shopping before returning. I'll check in again Wed. and let you all know I made it through the weekend from Hades as far as I'm concerned.

Thanks friends.
 

Andreya

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Great thread!

Like Matt, I'd love to learn to write faster too! (while maintaining quality of course)
Any tips? Or places where to look for tips?

I know I spend waay too much time obsessing about both the content & the words etc, or trying to stuff 5 pages worth of interview onto a 1.5 page.

Of course I almost swore to myself never to write an article again (only to ask another interesting person if I might interview her, sigh!! she hasn't said yes yet, but she hasn't said no either!)

I've had computer problems recently - with antivirus software etc. Tech support says we fixed the main computer - but why isn't my avatar showing up?? (is it zombified too?? OoO)

Maybe stuff for another thread, hmm.. Is there a thread with tips for interviews already too? (eg what if the interviewee & the editor want different things, how to go around this? How do you make both happy?) And do you ever allow other people's USB sticks into your computers? I've done a search but couldn't find anything.. Again, not sure if it warrants another thread or..?

Ritinrider, I've been quite antisocial these days too, even if I intended to be more social.. Does contact with interviewees count as a social thing? lol! (It was not socializing as such, just human contact, lol!)

I'm trying gluten-free living again, & it has reduced the brainfog, I'm still tired a lot though..

Love this avatar too, Wyntermoon! & congrats for winning the contest!
 
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CatMuse33

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Great thread!

And do you ever allow other people's USB sticks into your computers? /QUOTE]

Um, isn't that a bit of a personal question? ;)

Actually, Andreya, I think the question about writing faster is very valid.. don't want to clog up the chat thread w/ talk of work though. This is like the 'happy hour thread' (complete with mint juleps, dancing giraffes in tiaras and zombies!) (Hmm... all these odd visions -- makes me wonder what someone snuck into our mint juleps. LOL

And let me congratulate Ritin on the excursion! You did it! Bartender, another round of mint juleps! (Or can we make it mojitos? what is a mint julep anyway?)

Dawn
 
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