What was your most lucrative or satisfying writing job? Was it a magazine, newspaper. policy writing or?
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does this count?
Since I work for large Corporations, most of my business writing is part of my everyday job.
Does this count here?
Since I work for large Corporations, most of my business writing is part of my everyday job.
Does this count here?
Re: does this count?
I would say so, was there something in particular that you wrote that was really fun to do? Was it easy to write or did you have to do a lot of research?
Do you get the same pay for every writing job or are you paid more for some than others. Are you paid by the hour?
Do you do anything else besides writing or is the main part of your job writing (reports, assessments etc?) would it be hard to get a job like yours?
I would say so, was there something in particular that you wrote that was really fun to do? Was it easy to write or did you have to do a lot of research?
Do you get the same pay for every writing job or are you paid more for some than others. Are you paid by the hour?
Do you do anything else besides writing or is the main part of your job writing (reports, assessments etc?) would it be hard to get a job like yours?
Re: does this count?
My biggest job to date was working on a(n integrated) curriculum development project for middle school students. I began editing documents (now that was a huge job...the writers weren't really writers, but they were content experts) and eventually ended up writing filler material (career interviews/related extra reading segments). This lead to a couple of assignments from another textbook company that stretched out over a couple of months. I enjoyed it because I learned a bunch of new stuff (the second job entailed writing for an instructional AutoCAD textbook for high school students...and I didn't even know what that was when I started!). I wasn't writing the procedural part, just related materials, such as math concepts and career preparation tips.
I've only been doing this full time since June, though, so I'm hoping for even bigger, more challenging jobs.
My biggest job to date was working on a(n integrated) curriculum development project for middle school students. I began editing documents (now that was a huge job...the writers weren't really writers, but they were content experts) and eventually ended up writing filler material (career interviews/related extra reading segments). This lead to a couple of assignments from another textbook company that stretched out over a couple of months. I enjoyed it because I learned a bunch of new stuff (the second job entailed writing for an instructional AutoCAD textbook for high school students...and I didn't even know what that was when I started!). I wasn't writing the procedural part, just related materials, such as math concepts and career preparation tips.
I've only been doing this full time since June, though, so I'm hoping for even bigger, more challenging jobs.
Re: does this count?
Yes, that is a great job opportunity. I never thought about something like that but I could see where once you got established there would be more work coming your way as they are always changing things in the schools.
How did you get this job?
Yes, that is a great job opportunity. I never thought about something like that but I could see where once you got established there would be more work coming your way as they are always changing things in the schools.
How did you get this job?
Re: does this count?
When I was in grad school I was willing to do anything for my assistantship BUT teach! (the department automatically assumed all English folks wanted to be college professors...so wrong!!) So I sought out an assistantship in an area that at least came close to matching my career goals, and was connected with a part of the university in the mid-to-late stages of the development project I mentioned in my previous post. So, the editing work I initially did wasn't as a freelancer but as a grad assistant.
After I graduated, however, I asked the project coordinator if he had any suggestions for freelance projects similar the one I had been working on. He gave me an acquaintance's name in the educational publishing industry, I contacted him, we talked, and I got more writing assignments. (I took an editing test initially, but they liked my writing samples better than my editing :\ )
The project coordinator, who has since moved on to other projects, continues to send occasional editing jobs my way. Mostly proposals and such. I'm grateful that he continues to keep me in mind! We've got a good working relationship...I think that's just as important (if not more so) than being an outstanding writer or editor (although that certainly helps!).
When I was in grad school I was willing to do anything for my assistantship BUT teach! (the department automatically assumed all English folks wanted to be college professors...so wrong!!) So I sought out an assistantship in an area that at least came close to matching my career goals, and was connected with a part of the university in the mid-to-late stages of the development project I mentioned in my previous post. So, the editing work I initially did wasn't as a freelancer but as a grad assistant.
After I graduated, however, I asked the project coordinator if he had any suggestions for freelance projects similar the one I had been working on. He gave me an acquaintance's name in the educational publishing industry, I contacted him, we talked, and I got more writing assignments. (I took an editing test initially, but they liked my writing samples better than my editing :\ )
The project coordinator, who has since moved on to other projects, continues to send occasional editing jobs my way. Mostly proposals and such. I'm grateful that he continues to keep me in mind! We've got a good working relationship...I think that's just as important (if not more so) than being an outstanding writer or editor (although that certainly helps!).
Re: does this count?
My biggest job was writing the user manual, operating manuals, sales training course, and most of the marketing collateral for Xfactory, a manufacturing software app I cofounded.
I think there was like 700 or 800 pages of documentation I developed in 6 months while I also ran the entire development/packaging/marketing and sales program.
I enjoyed writing the materials as I knew what the message for each was that needed to be captured. However, I was not supposed to have to write any of the material and did so due to gross inadequacy on behalf of the company (USDATA) that had bought us out.
The burn-out was unbelievable.
I really like the larger projects when I can get them - ones that last at least 3 months.
My biggest job was writing the user manual, operating manuals, sales training course, and most of the marketing collateral for Xfactory, a manufacturing software app I cofounded.
I think there was like 700 or 800 pages of documentation I developed in 6 months while I also ran the entire development/packaging/marketing and sales program.
I enjoyed writing the materials as I knew what the message for each was that needed to be captured. However, I was not supposed to have to write any of the material and did so due to gross inadequacy on behalf of the company (USDATA) that had bought us out.
The burn-out was unbelievable.
I really like the larger projects when I can get them - ones that last at least 3 months.
Re: does this count?
Wow if you can write technical stuff or software help files etc there should be lots of work out there for you. I have done some of that for foreign software manufacturers and wouldn't mind doing more when I get more time. I too like an ongoing relationship when working with someone.
Wow if you can write technical stuff or software help files etc there should be lots of work out there for you. I have done some of that for foreign software manufacturers and wouldn't mind doing more when I get more time. I too like an ongoing relationship when working with someone.
Re: does this count?
Yeah, I'm working to crack SAP right now and it's a seriously tough nut to crack!
But they have gone to all freelance for their writing/editing and they do 10s of thousands of pages of new material a year.
Anybody know of other big corps. that relying heavily on freelancers?
Yeah, I'm working to crack SAP right now and it's a seriously tough nut to crack!
But they have gone to all freelance for their writing/editing and they do 10s of thousands of pages of new material a year.
Anybody know of other big corps. that relying heavily on freelancers?
Re: SAP?
Just the largest enterprise software company in the world!
(ERP, Enterprise Business Management)
Their software is used by the vast majority of large corporations worldwide.
www.sap.com
Just the largest enterprise software company in the world!
(ERP, Enterprise Business Management)
Their software is used by the vast majority of large corporations worldwide.
www.sap.com
biggest?... or 'most lucrative'?... OR 'most satisfying'???
in my decades of writing for a living and then just for giving, none of those three went together... the biggest was not always the most lucrative and the most satisfying is usually not the biggest or most lucrative...
one of the biggest 'jobs' i ever did was to help a lady psychic turn her book into a screenplay... but it was done for free, so can't qualify for 'most lucrative'...
one of the most lucrative [in re highest fee paid for least amount of work done] was writing creative dunning letters for a famous trompe l'oeil artist who couldn't get 'the donald' and joan rivers [among others] to pay up for his incredible works of art... one of which was the main mural in trump's atlantic city taj mahal ... but even though my letters got his bills paid, i wouldn't call it the 'most satisfying' job of my writing career...
that particular 'most' would probably go to my having helped a jr high principal with a masters in education learn how to write a successful admission essay and then the dissertation that earned her a phd, since i never even went to college...
and now that i do all of the above and more for free, i guess everything's pretty much equally satisfying, even though nothing will ever again be 'lucrative'...
love and hugs, maia
in my decades of writing for a living and then just for giving, none of those three went together... the biggest was not always the most lucrative and the most satisfying is usually not the biggest or most lucrative...
one of the biggest 'jobs' i ever did was to help a lady psychic turn her book into a screenplay... but it was done for free, so can't qualify for 'most lucrative'...
one of the most lucrative [in re highest fee paid for least amount of work done] was writing creative dunning letters for a famous trompe l'oeil artist who couldn't get 'the donald' and joan rivers [among others] to pay up for his incredible works of art... one of which was the main mural in trump's atlantic city taj mahal ... but even though my letters got his bills paid, i wouldn't call it the 'most satisfying' job of my writing career...
that particular 'most' would probably go to my having helped a jr high principal with a masters in education learn how to write a successful admission essay and then the dissertation that earned her a phd, since i never even went to college...
and now that i do all of the above and more for free, i guess everything's pretty much equally satisfying, even though nothing will ever again be 'lucrative'...
love and hugs, maia
"Biggest," most lucrative, and most satisfying...all three apply to my current job/project. Four years of contract work, in a program that began life as a Department of Defense project, was absorbed by the Justice Department and eventually, the Office for Domestic Preparedness. The life expectency for this particular gig is approximately fifteen years. In terms of career, I am a very, very fortunate man.
tschurter
tschurter,
If you cracked the SAP nut, my hat is off to you!
The biggest problem I found with SAP is that people only want to utilize some modules but not the whole package. They then try to roll everything up in Excel or some other method. Since everything is interactive, people lose the advantage of SAP.
Another problem I found is that the System's Administrator becomes the Mysterious Guru. They would have you believe that they, and ONLY they, are the only ones who can use this software. When I was forced to troubleshoot reports I found it cumbersome but not that big of a deal.
PeopleSoft has similar problems, they will sell it in increments. Oracle would not for the reasons touched on above.
Me? I was happy with the basic accounting packages and principles offered from the original IBM AS500's in the 70's and 80's. Simple, customizable and extremely comprehensive.
RT
tschurter,
If you cracked the SAP nut, my hat is off to you!
The biggest problem I found with SAP is that people only want to utilize some modules but not the whole package. They then try to roll everything up in Excel or some other method. Since everything is interactive, people lose the advantage of SAP.
Another problem I found is that the System's Administrator becomes the Mysterious Guru. They would have you believe that they, and ONLY they, are the only ones who can use this software. When I was forced to troubleshoot reports I found it cumbersome but not that big of a deal.
PeopleSoft has similar problems, they will sell it in increments. Oracle would not for the reasons touched on above.
Me? I was happy with the basic accounting packages and principles offered from the original IBM AS500's in the 70's and 80's. Simple, customizable and extremely comprehensive.
RT
Re: tschurter
Liam-"Office for Domestic Preparedness"...Wow!! Ill have you know my apron has been washed an ready for some time now..huh,huh..an my can of Pledge? Always at my side!!!!
Jus kiddin....couldnt resist..
PS-Had to say somethin...since I have no idea whatsoever about what yall is talkin about.....
Liam-"Office for Domestic Preparedness"...Wow!! Ill have you know my apron has been washed an ready for some time now..huh,huh..an my can of Pledge? Always at my side!!!!
Jus kiddin....couldnt resist..
PS-Had to say somethin...since I have no idea whatsoever about what yall is talkin about.....
Re: tschurter
rtilryarms,
Well I'm NOT going to be using their software, only writing about it. I know more than I want about that space and it is far from the pretty picture these companies love to paint.
Course if I get in then I'll be one of those painters too, eh?!?
rtilryarms,
Well I'm NOT going to be using their software, only writing about it. I know more than I want about that space and it is far from the pretty picture these companies love to paint.
Course if I get in then I'll be one of those painters too, eh?!?
SAP
SAP went after the Dot.Cons. That's where I had my training. I had previous training in the others I listed above so it was a snap for me. But for the novice, it is mind boggling.
We had a VP that we found out later was in bed (literally) with our consultant who had a stake in SAP.
We sunk...........{drum roll}......almost $6 million into SAP.....{cymbol}
Welcome to the world of Enterprise Software strategic Alliance Partnerships.
Gawd we spent some dime on the strangest stuff. But what fun!
SAP went after the Dot.Cons. That's where I had my training. I had previous training in the others I listed above so it was a snap for me. But for the novice, it is mind boggling.
We had a VP that we found out later was in bed (literally) with our consultant who had a stake in SAP.
We sunk...........{drum roll}......almost $6 million into SAP.....{cymbol}
Welcome to the world of Enterprise Software strategic Alliance Partnerships.
Gawd we spent some dime on the strangest stuff. But what fun!
G'day,
I've just picked up a 5 month job writing a set of franchise manuals for an American company that is going down the franchise route. This is a big, and lucrative, one. I already have another one (similar) waiting in the wings until I have enough time. Funny how I live in Australia yet pick up work from US corporations. I love you Yanks!
Grant
I've just picked up a 5 month job writing a set of franchise manuals for an American company that is going down the franchise route. This is a big, and lucrative, one. I already have another one (similar) waiting in the wings until I have enough time. Funny how I live in Australia yet pick up work from US corporations. I love you Yanks!
Grant
US work
Hi Grant,
Congrats on your contract with the us firm. I am in Canada and also do a lot of US writing work, so like you I am bi-linual and have to make sure to drop the 'u's' in words like favorite and neighbor.
How did you get the US contracts, from a job board or reference from another client of yours?
Hi Grant,
Congrats on your contract with the us firm. I am in Canada and also do a lot of US writing work, so like you I am bi-linual and have to make sure to drop the 'u's' in words like favorite and neighbor.
How did you get the US contracts, from a job board or reference from another client of yours?
Re: US work
What part of Canada? I'm meeting a magazine editor from Toronto to handle some stuff for him specific to Dallas.
I think I want to move to Canada. Good comediennes, people are more "real", less violent crime, reasonable approach to health care...
How's the cost of living there???
What part of Canada? I'm meeting a magazine editor from Toronto to handle some stuff for him specific to Dallas.
I think I want to move to Canada. Good comediennes, people are more "real", less violent crime, reasonable approach to health care...
How's the cost of living there???
US work
I am near the west coast in BC, come on up!
It is quite expensive to live in BC actually, the only thing wrong with Canada is we are taxed to death and in BC we have just lost most of our health benefits in that they have been steadily raising the fees for all of the government services which of course includes health care.
I don't think it is this bad in the rest of Canada but it is really expensive here.
let us know how you make out with your dallas thing.
I am near the west coast in BC, come on up!
It is quite expensive to live in BC actually, the only thing wrong with Canada is we are taxed to death and in BC we have just lost most of our health benefits in that they have been steadily raising the fees for all of the government services which of course includes health care.
I don't think it is this bad in the rest of Canada but it is really expensive here.
let us know how you make out with your dallas thing.
Re: US work
I got the job - 10 to 15 advertorials. I may do accompanying photography as well. Seem like real nice folks.
I've been working hard to shift into more creative work (versus corporate business writing) and it seems to be going quite well.
Weird that I would do this as I'll never make the $$ with this work I can in the corporate space. But I certainly LIKE this kind of work a lot more.
Doesn't sound to happy about the taxes/health care situation. I had the impression that health care was a RIGHT in Canada, although I did know that taxes were a bit steep.
God I hate the health care industry, that and the health insurance companies. There is no amount of money in the world that would make me ever write for them.
They are truly the scum of the scum.
I got the job - 10 to 15 advertorials. I may do accompanying photography as well. Seem like real nice folks.
I've been working hard to shift into more creative work (versus corporate business writing) and it seems to be going quite well.
Weird that I would do this as I'll never make the $$ with this work I can in the corporate space. But I certainly LIKE this kind of work a lot more.
Doesn't sound to happy about the taxes/health care situation. I had the impression that health care was a RIGHT in Canada, although I did know that taxes were a bit steep.
God I hate the health care industry, that and the health insurance companies. There is no amount of money in the world that would make me ever write for them.
They are truly the scum of the scum.
Re: US work
Ok friends, keep your fingers crossed for me (or whatever you do).
I made it through the initial SAP interview so I should be getting signed up in a week or two. Because this is an ongoing gig (that yeah, pays really well) I am very excited and nervous.
Interesting how timing works sometimes. I just got an article published about business process management (BPM) on newsfactor.com and low and behold - BPM is a hot topic for SAP. Being able to point them a the newsfactor site with my article linked on the front page seemed to wipe out any issues.
Ok friends, keep your fingers crossed for me (or whatever you do).
I made it through the initial SAP interview so I should be getting signed up in a week or two. Because this is an ongoing gig (that yeah, pays really well) I am very excited and nervous.
Interesting how timing works sometimes. I just got an article published about business process management (BPM) on newsfactor.com and low and behold - BPM is a hot topic for SAP. Being able to point them a the newsfactor site with my article linked on the front page seemed to wipe out any issues.
Re: US work
In my previous life as a consultant, I did a lot of business writing (proposals, analysis, reports, etc.) It was not very fun, but the job paid well. I worked at Scholastic for a while doing technical writing and editing -- too bad they didn't want any of my children's stories about smurfs and prostitutes. *sigh*
In my previous life as a consultant, I did a lot of business writing (proposals, analysis, reports, etc.) It was not very fun, but the job paid well. I worked at Scholastic for a while doing technical writing and editing -- too bad they didn't want any of my children's stories about smurfs and prostitutes. *sigh*
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