Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone and Pushing Your Boundaries

photo credit: mallix

How comfortable are you with your writing?

Many writers specialize in a genre or niche. Creative writers are focused on fiction or poetry, copywriters specialize in web writing or marketing, and technical writers are steeped in jargon and code that other writers might find impossible to decipher.

Sure, some of us explore various types of writing, but how deeply are we willing to immerse ourselves in unknown waters? A novelist might dip her toes in web writing. A copywriter might wade in children’s literature. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to dive into a completely new style of writing, or deeply explore a style you’ve only tested?

Do more than test the waters

I’m often proud of the fact that I’ve tried my hand at so many different types of writing. I am an experienced poet and blogger. I get paid to write articles, website copy, and press releases. I’ve written some fiction. And here’s where I always stop and hold my breath. Right when I get to the F-word. Fiction.

Sometimes I say that poetry is my first love because that’s what I started writing. But the truth is, my first love was fiction, because that’s what I read and what I’ve been reading for longer than I can remember. It stands to reason, then, that as a writer, one of my goals is to write a novel or get some short stories published.

But fiction seems to elude me, which is odd, considering I’ve read more fiction than anything else. It should be a breeze but I’ve always struggled with it. It’s not like I can’t do it. I can and I have and usually whatever I write is somewhat decent. But I have a hard time finishing a piece of fiction. I’m great at character development (you wouldn’t believe how many character files I’ve got). I’m not so great at coming up with villains though. And plots - forget about it. Every time I come up with a plot, I scratch it out because I feel like it’s already been done.

Setting Goals

Over the past few years, my apparent inability to complete a piece of fiction (even a short story) has created a huge barrier for me. It’s almost like the fact that I haven’t been able to master fiction has made me want to avoid it or just put it off for an unknown length of time. This is a problem since I really, really want to write a novel.

One of my goals for this year is to step out of my comfort zone and get real cozy with fiction. I’ve spent time thinking about my strengths and weaknesses in this area and I’ve promised myself that I will participate in NaNoWriMo this November and attempt to produce a 50 thousand word manuscript, complete with plot and villain.

For this week’s writing exercise, the objective is to set a goal to explore unfamiliar territory. Are you one of those people who only get in the pool if it’s more than 80 degrees (Fahrenheit)? Then get yourself into the freezing waters of the northern Pacific Ocean! Choose some type of writing that you’ve never attempted before or choose something that you’ve only toyed with. Or, choose a writing style that you’ve struggled with in the past. Just choose something that you have not mastered and then set yourself the goal of developing your weaknesses in that type of writing.

Seizing Opportunities

This week, an opportunity has arisen, one that I think will be a huge help in developing my fiction skills. The dynamic blogging duo Men with Pens have just launched a creative writing role playing game (RPG) at Escaping Reality. The concept is simple. You register for an account, create and submit a character (which has to be approved), and then join a story that is being generated by a group of writers.

If you’ve never collaborated before, this might be your chance to try something new. If you’re like me, and want to grow your skills in fiction, then this is a great way to push your boundaries. Or, if you just love to write and want to have some fun and meet other passionate writers, then get in and have a good time (note: space is limited so if you’re interested, hurry up).

Opportunities to be a better, more experienced, and multi-talented writer abound. And writing is probably the most accessible activity in the universe, requiring nothing more than a piece of paper and a writing instrument (or a computer with word processing software). Every time you launch Word, you’ve just created an opportunity to write something completely new and different, or to expand yourself as a writer.

What are you waiting for? You’ve got your Friday writing exercise. Tell us what you’re going to do about it!

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How I Launched My Freelance Writing Career

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August, 2007: I had been out of work for almost six months, ever since the company I’d been working for folded. My job search wasn’t going anywhere and the thought of returning to the nine to five cubicle life made me cringe every time I logged into Monster.

Even before the company shutdown, I had been thinking about taking up freelance writing. In my mind, a freelance career would involve writing articles for magazines and newspapers. So, I had embarked on a quest to discover what kind of writer I wanted to become. My experience was pretty vast and included business, technical, and creative writing. Still, I wasn’t sure where I wanted to focus, so I worked on my fiction, drafted some articles, and launched a blog on a social networking site.

But by August, time was running out and so was my unemployment insurance. I needed to get some work fast. I realized that I didn’t have time to write articles and submit them with no guarantee of payment. The turnaround time between submission and acceptance (or rejection) and publication (and payment) simply could not meet my immediate (financial) needs.

I began scouring the web for freelance writers and quickly learned that freelance writing was not limited to composing articles for magazines and newspapers. What I discovered was a way to become not just a freelance writer, but an entrepreneur with my very own business.

Research

I spent several days looking at freelance writers’ websites, taking notes, and paying special attention to the services they were offering. Some specialized in specific areas such as marketing or technical writing. Others provided an unlimited range of writing services. Everyone had an online portfolio or writing samples and almost nobody published their rates.

During the research phase, finding rates was almost impossible. After days of searching, I only came up with about three freelancers who published rates.

Samples & Portfolio

It was immediately clear that I would need a portfolio. After all, nobody in their right mind would pay me to write without seeing my work, proof that I could do the job and do it well. I collected some writing projects I had done for employers, friends, and family. Then I put together some samples to make sure my portfolio was well-rounded and showcased the various types of writing I could do.

This step was actually quite time consuming because I had to go through all my files, reformat and edit several pieces, and make sure that there were no copyright or privacy issues with any of the work I was using in my portfolio. Plus, I had to write the sample pieces from scratch.

Prices and Policies

Even though I’d only found a few freelancers who published rates on their websites, I managed to put together a very rough plan outlining how I would charge for services. This was based somewhat on the rates I’d seen online combined with an estimation of how much time I would spend on a piece, broken down by word count.

Initially, I didn’t put any rates on my website although later I did publish some pricing, packages, and special deals. For the most part, clients would need to provide project descriptions and I could then provide them with quotes for each project.

Since writing is so vast in terms of research, word count, and other specifications, such as formatting or style guidelines, I have found it best to use the quote-per-project model while still offering pre-designed plans for standard projects like keyword articles and blog posts.

I also put together my terms and conditions, which explained the process and policies that I would follow in conducting business. There were a lot of questions that came to my mind, which I thought clients would ask; questions about turnaround time, copyright ownership, payment methods, and invoicing. It turned out to be an invaluable resource for my clients and for me. In fact, I regularly update my terms as new situations and questions arise.

Putting together a set of policies, an FAQ, or terms and conditions page would probably be my number one suggestion to anyone who is thinking about getting into freelancing.

Website

The website, of course, would be the headquarters of my business. It was my brochure, business card, and my portfolio, all rolled into one. I knew it was the single most important tool for marketing my services and luckily, I had over a decade of experience designing and developing websites.

All I needed to do was come up with a name for my business and a site design. Then, I could put it into action and open for business.

This proved to be one of the biggest struggles in launching the business — coming up with a name for my site and putting together a marketing campaign. Every idea I had was squashed because every domain I wanted was taken.

After trying for dozens of domains, I realized that I needed to start doing business immediately and didn’t have time to sit around making up names. So, I used one of the domains I already owned (melissadonovan.com) and decided that I would test the freelance waters for a few months and worry about a name and marketing campaign later.

The Blog

Writing Forward used to be hosted at melissadonovan.com and it was originally called Writing for Writers. I had been blogging on a social networking site and loved it so much I wanted my own blog and domain. I also figured that a blog about writing would be an ideal way to showcase my knowledge and experience and show potential clients my writing style and skill.

I had no idea at the time that so many freelancers were also bloggers or how effectively blogs can be used as part of a business model. I also had no idea that this blog would lead to relationships with other freelancers and bloggers or that it would lead to making so many new friends among the online writing community. All that was a big juicy bonus! Yes readers, you are juicy!

Getting Those First Clients

The idea of cold calling (or emailing) terrified me. I knew this was a standard practice but on the first day of work as a freelance writer, I simply wasn’t comfortable pitching myself to potential clients in this manner. I wanted to take it nice and slow, get my feet wet, and get a handle on my new career. In other words, I wanted to be somewhat low key.

I needed experience, but on a small scale. My ideal customer was another small business owner. Someone looking for a writer. I asked myself, if I was a small business owner and needed to hire a writer for a project, where would I look? The answer was Craigslist.

This is my little marketing secret: when you’re first starting out, post ads on Craigslist. I got exactly the types of clients I wanted, small business owners who needed writing for their websites. It was perfect. The downside was that I got a lot of inquiries for writing academic papers, something I’m not into for numerous reasons. But I was able to pick up work and acquire clients. I used Craigslist (and only Craigslist) for months.

And So It Goes

Now I have clients coming in through my blogs, my website, and through referrals and search engines. I haven’t posted an ad on Craigslist for several months and business continues to grow.

The past nine months have been crazy. There are ups and downs, moments of sheer excitement when I realize that I’m doing this all on my own and moments of sheer exhaustion when I realize it’s all riding on me. The freelance life may not be for everyone but I absolutely love it.

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Metaphor Creativity

photo credit: franzi ♥ PHOTOS.

I recently realized that the posts I’ve written with metaphors always get a lot of positive feedback and everyone seems to embrace them. I thought why not turn this into a writing exercise?

When I first wrote the aforementioned post, it didn’t tie in with food at all. That happened rather spontaneously while I was revising. The food metaphor was so delicious (or maybe I was so hungry) that I rewrote the entire post with food on the brain.

So, what makes a metaphor like this work? I think the most effective metaphors trigger our senses by connecting an otherwise intangible subject to sight, touch, taste, sound, or smell. If you can engage any of these senses through metaphor, your writing will take on new life. Not only will it become more entertaining and more memorable, it will be easier for readers to relate to what you’re saying.

So let’s try it, shall we? You will need a topic and a metaphor to go with it.

Topic

Just about any topic will do, but keep in mind that some discussions don’t need the help of a metaphor. Subjects like sex, food, music, and anything else that intrinsically affects the senses might not benefit from a metaphor the way more abstract topics will.

Think about subjects you’ve explored recently in your writing. Were there any topics that felt flat or dry? You can revisit those subjects and see how a metaphor adds dimension and makes a piece more compelling.

Also, be on the lookout for two types of metaphoric topics: ones that work and ones that don’t. Some metaphors are just tired and have fallen into cliché status (stopping to smell the roses comes to mind). Look for unique and original metaphors and notice which ones don’t quite make the grade.

Metaphor

Choose one of the senses and come up with something that affects that particular sense. Here are some examples:

• Sight: the bold colors of a Picasso painting, anything with motion (traffic, trains, the sea), scenic landscapes
• Touch: the warmth of velvet, the hard cool of steel, or the scratchy texture of wool
• Taste: foods or flavors — sweet, spicy, rich, or tart
• Sound: city sounds, nature, music, a roaring engine, or absolute quiet
• Scent: spring showers, shampoo and soaps, swimming pools, a wet dog

There is one more metaphor that almost always grabs people’s attention, which has proven to be very effective in advertising, and which could arguably encompass every single one of the five senses. I’ll let you all guess what it is.

Write!

Now that you have a topic and a metaphor to go with it, it’s time to write. Think about how you can extend the metaphor and weave it throughout your piece. For example, if you’re going to use the bold colors of a Picasso painting, you can play off your metaphor by mixing in new metaphors about canvasses, paintbrushes, color, and light. You can even get into museums, history, and just about any other area where art is part of the context.

Metaphors work well in almost any type of writing so you can use this exercise to draft a blog post, a poem, or even a short story. Try going through your journal or files where you store pieces you’ve written and see if there’s anything that could be reworked and made more enticing through use of a metaphor.

If you don’t want to commit that kind of time to this exercise, then simply jot down some ideas noting topics and metaphors that would complement them. Come up with titles or captions that incorporate both the subject and the metaphor in a clever, creative, and compelling way.

And then, of course, come back here and tell us all about it!

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Recipe for Freelancing

photo credit: caffeinatedjedi

Freelancing is serious business and if you’re thinking about taking a slice of the pie, first take a little time to plan your meal carefully. Do you have the right personality for freelancing? If so, your next step is to do some research and make a few decisions about how you’re going to construct your business. After all, you can’t just snap your fingers and expect a tasty meal to magically appear.

There’s a delicate balance to planning your business. You don’t want to serve it raw (unless you’re serving sushi) but you also don’t want to overcook it. Do your research, ask the hard questions, and then go for it.

Building a Menu

What kind of writing have you done on a professional level? What are you good at? What do you enjoy? One of the most important steps to building a successful freelance writing career is to hone in on the specific services you’re going to offer.

You can choose to specialize in one field (white papers, sales letters, website copy, etc.). Or, you can offer a variety of services. The first option allows you to target jobs and clients, build expertise in your niche, and establish yourself as a specialist. However, offering a range of writing services has its benefits too. You get to try your hand at different cuisines and experience a variety of flavors. This approach allows you to find out where your professional writing strengths lie and what types of clients you have a knack for attracting.

Ultimately, the decision is yours and you should do what feels most comfortable. Will you be a Jack or Jill of all trades or a master of just one? If you do decide to offer a broad range of services, try to narrow it down enough so that you can list your services in your marketing materials and website since that will help perspective clients understand what you’re offering.

Cultivate Flavor

Branding and identity can make or break a business. It can keep you hovering just above the poverty line or send you rocketing toward success. Is your business going to have a snappy name? Are you going to splurge and get a professional logo to help build your identity? How are you going to get the word out about your services?

Every freelancer, every entrepreneur, must learn a little something about marketing. There are plenty of experts and resources to help guide you in your efforts. I recommend you pay a visit to Itty Biz, which is by far the best and most entertaining marketing site I’ve found to date.

Marketing is closely related to sales. It’s all about finding clients, appealing to them, and convincing them to hire you. In many ways, your marketing plan is the invitation to your dinner party. Does it make people want to try your cooking? It should!

Check Please!

Rates are one of the most controversial topics among freelancers. Should you charge five cents a word or a dollar? Charge by the project or by the hour? What is everyone else charging?

There are no easy answers to these questions. A writer living in New York City is probably charging more than a writer living in Idaho simply because the cost of living is higher. People with extensive experience or a degree in the field can also charge more as can freelancers with an impressive portfolio. When I first started I scoured the web to find out what other freelancers were charging and set my rates just a little bit lower. Since then, my rates have increased at least twice and they’re scheduled for another hike in the near future.

One of the first questions out of your first client’s mouth will be “what do you charge?” You should definitely have some idea of your rates before you launch your business so that you can confidently answer this question without stammering. Keep in mind that you can negotiate with your clients and reach an agreement that makes you both comfortable and over time you can raise or lower your rates until you feel you’ve hit your stride.

Your Receipt

Paperwork. It’s a huge part of your business and your clients will take you a lot more seriously if you have a few official documents as opposed to a generic invoice through PayPal or quotes issued via casual email and IM conversations.

Also, keep in mind that a signed work agreement acts as a contract and binds the client to issuing a payment to you when the project is completed. An official invoice will help both you and your clients track charges. In some cases you might need a full-blown contract and a few clients might ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement (yes, paperwork goes both ways).

Get your paperwork in order before you start freelancing. Make sure you’ve also determined how you’re going to track your revenue and business expenses. This is also a good time to establish a filing system both in your email and on your hard drive. My personal tip here is that the more organized you are, the more time you’ll save on administrative tasks later. Since your time translates directly to income, being organized basically frees you up for more billable hours and directly increases your revenue.

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service

Policies. Terms and conditions. What are the rules? It’s your business and it’s up to you set standards and limitations. Believe me, clients will try to take advantage of you and you will need to establish a set of policies and then stick to them. Many clients will also come to you with questions that will be more easily answered if you have already taken the time to decide exactly what your terms are.

Are you going to let clients cancel projects at the last minute even though they’ve signed an work agreement and issued a deposit? What happens if they make changes to the project halfway through that require you to spend several more hours? Do you have a minimum rate? Do you require a deposit? Who owns the copyright to the work?

I got lucky because before I launched my business I found several freelancers who published policies on their websites (and now I do the same). After reading their terms and conditions, I started to realize the many issues that could arise and set to work putting together my very own set of terms. And it has come in handy! Plus, I add to it regularly as new issues arise.

Ah, Dessert

One last thing I want to mention here is a portfolio. This is sort of like a treat for your clients, a little something to tempt them into your restaurant. With a portfolio, clients get to find out if they like your cooking before they make a reservation. This is good because you don’t want to get hitched to a client who’s not agreeable to your style of writing.

Of course, the best place for your portfolio is right on your website. You can include projects you’ve already done professionally or create projects yourself and show them as samples. A blog is fantastic way to show off your style and your skill. If you don’t have anything for a portfolio, don’t worry. Just develop three to five samples and make sure they are in line with the services you’re offering.

And Now, Time for Drinks

Hey, I just served five — no six — courses. Drinks are on you guys so pour a cold one and start discussing. If you’re just thinking about freelancing, did this answer any of your questions or give you some new ideas to chew over? Hopefully it whet your appetite for going into business for yourself. And if you’re already a freelancer, what advice or tips would you add to this?

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Freelance Cutout Q&A

photo credit: katiek2

Earlier this week, I asked “are you cut out for freelance writing?” and gave you some of my ideas about what traits a freelancer needs to have in order to succeed. Today, let’s expand on that a little. Instead of a traditional writing exercise this Friday, I’ve prepared a Q&A that should help you get started in determining how you can move into a freelance writing career, or start building a freelance business that you can do on the side.

If you are remotely interested in freelancing, try answering some of these questions. They’ll get you thinking about how freelancing could fit into your life. These are questions to address even before you enter the business planning stage. If you are already a freelancer, feel free to expand on these questions by adding your own in the comments section.

Reason

The first and foremost question to ask yourself when you’re thinking about freelancing is why. Why do you want to be a freelancer? Is it because you want to stay home with the kids? Want greater control over your earnings and schedule? Knowing why you’re drawn to this crazy profession is something you absolutely need to identify and understand. Because it is the one thing that will keep you going as you move forward.

Time

How much time do you have (or can you create) in your life right now to dedicate to your freelance business? Can you squeeze a couple of hours out of each day? A few hours on the weekend? Also, do you want to transition into full time freelancing right away or do you want to ease into it over time? You can become a freelancer by dedicating just a few hours a week, but it helps to know in advance exactly how much time you can invest in this enterprise. Be realistic!

Money

How much could you trim your budget if you really needed to do so? Are there things you could give up temporarily so that you can build your business? Do you have savings or could you qualify for a business loan to help subsidize your income while making a transition? If you’re married, maybe your spouse’s income could cover the budget for awhile, or you can take some time in advance to save up a little funding.

It’s unlikely that the day you launch your freelance business, you’ll immediately start earning your previous salary. In fact, I read somewhere that it takes about a year to get to that point (the good news is that in the second year, you can surpass your previous salary). The goal of business is to make money but before you make the leap, know where you stand financially.

Summary

I’ve said it before and many freelancers say it on a regular basis: freelancing is a business. It’s not something you can jump into halfhazardly and expect wild success. Some freelancers plan more than others before they launch their business and there’s a happy medium in the planning stages where you don’t want to cut yourself short, but also don’t want to spend so much time planning that you never actually launch the business.

It helps to understand why you want to do this and what you can afford to invest in terms of time and money before you begin to plan your freelancing business. Next week, I’ll publish a post that explores some things you can do to actually start planning and laying the groundwork to become a bona fide freelancer.

If anyone has other questions or thoughts to share on what needs to be considered before the real planning begins, please share and discuss!

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