|
||||||||||
|
Subscribe to the Absolute Write Newsletter and get the Agents! Agents! Agents! report free! Click here.
|
Win a 1-year subscription to Writer's Digest by subscribing to Absolute Markets-- all paying markets for your writing. Click here. |
|
| |||||||||||||
|
|
Freelancing in Your 20s Beginning freelance writers are at a disadvantage—not that I need to tell you
that. So many people call themselves freelance writers that you really need to
put yourself ahead of the pack. But you can get tips for beginning freelancers
from lots of places. Young people are also at a disadvantage when beginning a career; they just
don’t have the experience yet that more seasoned colleagues have. (The word young
is broad, I know, but for our purposes here, we’re going to use young to mean
20-somethings starting out post-college or post-master’s degree.) But, again,
you can get beginning career advice from lots of places. Put them together and you’re where I was a few years ago: a 20-something
beginning freelance writer. Yes, much of the general advice for beginners
applies no matter what your age. My approach is to tailor the typical advice and
information to 20-somethings getting started as freelance writers. Let’s
begin. A COUPLE OF BASICS Age Don’t broadcast your age (in today’s world, unfortunately, the perception
is that older is often smarter, better, more whatever than younger)—unless
it’s to your benefit, of course. One of my first clients was a bridal magazine
that I still write for. When I first pitched my editor, I was engaged. Telling
her that was to my benefit (it put me
on the same plane as her readers). She didn’t know I was only 23 (no need to
tell her that!). On the other hand, I included my age when I queried Jenna
Glatzer, the editor of Absolute Write, for this article. Why? It made sense. The
article targets 20-something freelance writers. Who better to write the article
than a 20-something freelance writer? Not broadcasting your inexperience (in the form of your age) seems like
common sense, but many of us do this without even realizing it. We’re
overcompensating: Without a lot of clips, we must sell ourselves as writers. So
the more information the better, right? Not necessarily. Relevant
is the only kind of information you should include. It’s the only kind of
information editors care about. Trust me on that one. Professionalism Let’s face it: Professionalism counts. It goes without saying that you need
business cards and letterhead (you know that because you’ve read Freelancing
101–type articles, right?). Here’s my advice: Keep it simple. Not only will
it be cheaper that way, but you don’t need cute or crazy graphics. Aside from
my contact information, the only graphic element I include on my stationery is a
pencil dotting the “i” in my name and logo. Clever but not cutesy. One other note on professionalism: You know that your outgoing answering-machine message should sound professional. Same goes for your e-mail signature and/or quote. Use this as an opportunity to tout your accomplishments and promote your web site ("Jodi Brandon, author of The Fabjob Guide to Becoming a Book Editor, www.jbedit.com"), not an opportunity to share your favorite Homer Simpson quote. TIPS FOR THE WRITER IN TRAINING Queries The best defense against rejection is to perfect the query. Every article, book,
or even paragraph you read about writing and queries gives you the same advice.
There’s not much more to add specifically to 20-somethings except for this
perk: Think about how much time and effort (not to mention postage) you’ll
save yourself by perfecting your query now. You can use all that time to write!
Take the time to examine successful query letters; model yours after them. A
flawless query will get you the job every time—flawless in every sense. I
don’t mean just using your computer’s spellchecker. I mean proofreading
carefully, even e-mails. I mean making sure your grammar is correct. Why would
an editor take a chance on an entire article if you can’t even get the query
letter on target? Don’t give them a reason to not
hire you! You know better than to address a letter to “Dear Editor.” Let’s take
that a step further. Freelance writer Sara Eckel shared a great tip at
Mediabistro’s “Freelance Survival Strategies” program: Aim low on the
masthead. Assistant and associate editors generally haven’t built a pool of
writers they work with regularly, so you have a good shot of breaking in (and
then working with those people as their careers grow alongside your own). E-queries Most importantly, find out if e-queries are accepted before sending one. If
they’re not, and you send one, and then you follow up with a written query in
the mail, you’ll do nothing but annoy an editor/potential client. Watch your language in e-queries. E-mail tends to be more casual than
letters, but an e-query is still a professional pitch letter. In essence,
you’re asking for a job. One last e-query tip: Use the subject line to your advantage. Editors get a
lot of e-mail; make it easy for them to read your message. Messages from
addresses they don’t recognize or with unclear subject lines will likely be
read last—if at all. Low- and No-Pay Assignments Many successful writers encourage young writers to never take on assignments
that they won’t get paid for or for which they’ll get paid very little. If
only if were that easy! As someone who’s still offered assignments for not
much, I disagree. Certainly we’ll reach that point where we can scoff when an
editor offers us an assignment for little to nothing—but we’re not there
yet. You need clips right? I know, I know: You need the money, too. But surely
you know that the first couple years freelancing aren’t going to be a walk in
the financial park, right? Take what you can get. If you’re writing for free,
ask if you can get, say, your website address listed with your byline. And remember what my friend Rob Brink, who also happens to be a 20-something
freelancer, calls the “snowball effect.” With an assignment (done well and
submitted on time) comes a better portfolio and increased connections, which
leads to more assignments and new clients. Your first steady client will be
the hardest one to get. Rejection Understanding that rejection is a part of every writer’s life is a given
(especially in your 20s when you’re still getting into your groove, finding
your niche, you get the idea). One of my college professors taught me (well, me
and the rest of my “Writing for Publication” class) a valuable lesson: Learn
the levels of rejection. In the beginning, you’ll see form letters/postcards/notes/whatever.
They’re unsigned, they’re generic (“your query doesn’t fit our current
needs”), and they only arrive in your mailbox because you sent a SASE with
your query. You’ll then graduate to a signed letter that still appears
generic, but, on a good day, you can convince yourself that it really is the editor’s signature on the page and not her assistant’s.
Finally, there’s the cream of the rejection crop: a personal letter with a
note from the editor to keep pitching her. Okay, okay—on some level rejection is rejection, but which would you
prefer: an unsigned form postcard or a letter with a handwritten note from an
editor? Me, too. Networking Every writer needs to network. Just think about the advantage you have as a
young writer. You have years and years ahead of you in this business, so
cultivate your network early and keep in touch with people as time passes. These
are people who can introduce you to others, who can recommend you for writing
assignments, who you can interview, and so on. The typical advice writers get
applies to you: Tell everyone you know you’re a writer and that you’re trying to
build your client base. THE BUSINESS SIDE Taxes The most important piece of information I can share with you is this: Taxes
are not taken out of your freelance paychecks. A friend of mine, 20-something
freelance writer April Prince sums it up best: “Sit down with your accountant
before you start freelancing, or at least in very beginning. Make sure you
understand what you owe and when.” I used to file my own taxes, but I find
that, frankly, the cost of my accountant is much less than the cost of therapy
bills from the stress of tax time. Being the Boss I cannot stress enough the appeal of being your own boss. No one to answer
to. No one to tell you to get off the phone. No one to tell you your lunch break
ran long. You’re likely as disillusioned as I was a few years ago. Oh, how
times have changed. As the “boss,” you’re everywoman: receptionist,
photocopy slave, office supply manager, proofreader, accountant, and, oh yeah,
writer. Maeve Binchy, author of Circle of
Friends and Tara Road, among
others, said in Writer’s Digest in
1997, “I insist on being at my desk at 7:30 AM. I rush just as if I were a
commuter.” Maeve Binchy I’m not, but I do have a schedule I try to stick
with. Things come up (just as they do when you’re in an office environment),
but if you have discipline you can manage. Remember this: As a “sole proprietorship” (whether you register as a
business or not), your reputation is on the line each time you accept a writing
assignment. It usually takes just one bad piece of writing to turn an editor’s
nose up. Marketing and Promotion Again, this job is yours. If you don’t market yourself, who will?
Publishing companies don’t have the resources to focus on every magazine issue
or every book they publish, which means it’s easy for writers to fall through
the cracks. I had an ebook published earlier this year and was shocked at my
definition of a marketing initiative versus my publisher’s definition. Writing the article, the book, the whatever isn’t necessarily enough. Yes,
it brings in the paycheck. But marketing efforts can often get you even more
money. Try to sell reprint rights or get a new assignment out of your marketing
and promotion efforts. FINAL DOs AND DON’Ts
ARE YOU READY? Let’s face it: You’ll never be 100-percent ready, whether you’re
leaving a day job or starting fresh from college. If not for the financial
stability of a day job, there are the health benefits, the 401K, the discount
movie passes…all the perks that come with the stress and restrictions of an
office job. There’s nothing like setting your own schedule and charting your own course, though. Before you know it, you’ll have too many assignments, too many ideas you want to develop into articles, and not enough hours in the day. Your age doesn’t matter. In fact, I think it’s to your advantage. Jump in and get started. Good luck! Jodi is a faculty member of Absolute Editorial. In her role as president of JBedit, she has edited and/or contributed to a number of high-profile book projects, including The Barnes & Noble Guide to Children's Books (3rd Edition), The Buzz on Beer anthology, the Frommer's Irreverent Guide travel series, The 50 Best (and Worst) Business Deals of All Time, and Copyright Plain & Simple. In addition to her editing responsibilities, she has also completed a number of writing projects on behalf of national and regional clients, including Arcadia Publishing, Inc., Amateur Chef magazine, The Newark Star-Ledger, Bride's Guide magazine, Lebhar-Friedman Books, The Pathway School, and TheOddSpot.com.
|
Sponsored links 
Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer! How to find a book publisher |
Text on this site Copyright © 1998-2007
Absolute Write, all rights reserved.
|
