Brandi-Ann Uyemura » Freelance writing jobs

The Odd Ways I Found Jobs

brandiwplogin — Thu, 20 May 2010 04:43:32 +0000

I’m not sure how common this is, but I rarely find jobs on online job boards and never found any in the newspaper. So how do I rack up the clients and freelance writing opportunities? Instead of going on the same path with the rest of the thousands of other freelancers vying for the same positions, I find the path least traveled. It’s kind of like waiting until the crowd flocks to the parade at Disneyland, then running quickly toward the rides on the other side. There’s less competition and more chance for better opportunities.

Here’s a few often overlooked areas you might want to try for yourself:

I network with other nonwriterly people. This means that I often attend networking events or meetups. I don’t just check out groups for writers, but events for professional women and small business owners. Although my intention isn’t to talk shop at these events, I often find that once someone gets to know you, they’re more likely to offer you a job. The best part? Once you make a connection with someone, there lies potential for a future position. Several months later, that person you met may contact you for a position or refer you to a friend who’s looking for a writer. I’ve found a few jobs this way and I’m sure you can too!
Trying again. Have you ever received that obligatory email saying, “Thank you for your application, but we’ve found someone more experienced/better fit than you?” Do you delete that email and say good-bye to that job and that client forever? Big mistake! The single most important secret I have is to give it another go. Just because you didn’t get that position, doesn’t mean you’ve lost your chance for good. I’ve won articles that way and clients. How? Be kind, courteous and ask them if there’s anything else you can do for them. You may be surprised by the answer.
Tell everyone you know you’re a writer. I’ve found in the past that by spreading the word about my business, business comes back to me. Even if the person you tell doesn’t need your services, they might know someone, who knows someone else that does. Believe me. It works!

What about you? How do you find those plum jobs? Willing to share them here? Would love to hear them!

It’s Not All About You

brandiwplogin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:46:47 +0000

I went to a new writer’s group last weekend. I was on a hunt to find like-minded folk locally and decided that since it was 2010, it was about time. Though I was full of gusto and excitement of meeting new writing peeps, the group left a lot to be desired.

The two guys who showed up were really nice and all and all I felt comfortable and supported, but it just wasn’t a good fit. The one thing that stayed with me was something one of the members said. He commented that a lot of poetry was “self-absorbed.” That stuck with me and made me question how much of my own writing was a form of narcissism.

The desire to be heard, the glory of the written word and the recognition that writing sometimes brings, all makes writing a self-indulgent gift. Yet, none of it has to do with making a living as a freelance writer or does it?

If you are just starting out, you may have to take a step back. Think about what you can provide for your client instead of what your writing can do for you. In one of my favorite books Steering by Starlight, Martha Beck says to think up 3 words to describe your perfect life (career, relationship, etc.). Then visualize bringing them into the worst parts of your life.

I think that also applies to your freelance writing career. If, for example, I want to provide a service, be inspirational and informative, I need to focus on writing for others instead of writing for myself. Visualizing being helpful, bringing something to the table and providing a service in an area where my career is lacking has definitely helped me to tackle new opportunities in a more positive, rewarding light.

That doesn’t mean I can’t write a self-indulgent poem here and there. I think writing for the sheer pleasure of it is an important part of keeping writing fresh and inspiring to you. But when you transform your life from writing as a hobby to writing as a career, you may need to give up your ego so that you can inspire and touch a bigger audience.

Beginning Writer’s Dilemma: How to Survive as a Freelance Writer

brandiwplogin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:44:15 +0000

I was talking with a fellow writer the other day and then it hit me. We were both striving for the same thing-to make a living as a freelance writer. But we had very different ways of reaching our goal.

For me, business is a lot slower. I really want to focus on magazine and newspaper writing but the process is a lot longer than other writing gigs. There’s querying, waiting, writing and then waiting again. To make up for it, I do have a few clients that I do copywriting for. But even with that, I’m still a world’s away from my writer friend’s work load.

She’s at the other extreme with a diversity of clients from resume editing and blogging to writing for content sites. While she is busy working hard and making more money, she also has less time to query publications-something she’s also interested in doing.

The ideal scenario would lie somewhere in the middle, between working too much on non-writing things and too little where there’s not enough income coming in. The difficult part is deciding what to do when you’re at the beginning. When you need the money to survive and may need to sacrifice better paying writing gigs to keep your head above water.

What about you? What do you writers do to achieve a balance between the two?