Strive for the Best and Shine through Tough Times

Every writer’s site I have gone to recently has been discussing grammar or lack of it and generally poor writing appearing throughout the web. After all, there are more freelance writers on board these days due to the appearance of numerous ads stating one can earn money easily by writing. Well meaning friends and relatives will say, “well you do it; how difficult can it be, so why can’t I?“

Don’t discourage them but instead let them in on the secret that writing is a full time job. Yes, you can work your own hours but there is much responsibility to writing if you want to earn a living.

Freelance writing takes time for factual research, coming up with unique ideas and the dreaded edits. Everything has been said already, so writing becomes a matter of expanding a flow of words that speaks your true inner voice. Every day you will be job hunting and composing effective cover letters and clips in order to secure another new writing job.

The web may be the instigator of poor writing skills and undervaluing writers. I read recently that approximately 150,000 articles are needed per day. The good news is that there will always be plenty of work for all of us. The bad news is that under-bidders who either spin existing article or have poorer writing skills are getting through and clients do not seem to care. Personally I believe this to be a temporary setback for writers who do widen their knowledge and training.

Many of these a articles appear to be based on rich SEO content with clients wanting the same key words plastered 20 times in a 200 word blurb in some cases. Talk about redundancy! So besides complaints of grammatical problems, what many are finding is the writing is beginning to become boring.

What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure - Samuel Johnson

Boring sites mean fewer hits and less income for those who own them. Perhaps those who hire will now realize that quality work will always reign.

We all started out as novices but cultivated our craft, while taking pride in our work as it improved. We are open to learn from others and continue to do so, probably to our last typed sentence.

Developing your craft will always be a continual objective; write everyday, brush up on your vocabulary and grammar and add that little extra that comes from deep inside you that sets you apart from the rest.

Howdy! It's your Weekend Update from the Freelance Room

Okay, I kind of went AWOL and I apologize!

Summer is rough - three kids don't leave me with enough time to get all my work done, let alone blog. Thanks to all who post here and help keep things going.

Since I have a migraine today and am doped to the gills, I can't really gather my scattered brains together enough to come up with deep insight and words of infinite wisdom. Instead, I figured I would give you the Grace update -- since I know y'all are simply DYING to know everything about me and what I am doing.

On the home front, I managed not to get divorced this summer, though things are still shaky. I and my sig other are in a state of truce and trying to work things out - it's hard when you have kids and are trying to make the best decision for everyone involved.

We have a new vehicle ('05 Chevy Suburban) which we were forced to buy when some idiot ran a stop sign and drove hubby into a ditch, totaling our almost paid for truck ('01 Chevy Silverado club cab). Only good thing about it is that our payments and the interest on the loan actually went down, and we got the hulking thing for about half what it would have gone for four years ago, even used. Go decline of the SUV market, woohoo. Gets the same MPG as the truck did, is more convenient for hauling tools (rain can't cause problems) and LOTS more room! (Plus, DVD player for the kids for trips to Dallas, Yay!)

On the work front, I am about sick and tired of my boss at my 'real life' work at home job where I am down to what is more or less a token position. I'm pulling in less than $700 a month supervising a small crew... but every time I try to bail my crew has hysterics (Oh please don't go! We'll eat you up, we love you so!) so I keep hanging in there. Boss is a total (insert derogatory word here) and I hate him. Seven years of him has been six and a half years too much.

Writing. Going well, actually! I keep busy and make enough to get by most months. Made some good contacts, and the repeat work keeps coming in. This month I tried something a little different; a lot of one-offs to fill in gaps. I started bidding on the little bitty jobs since Elance has a $50 minimum, and managed to do about three this week, bringing in a nice bit of side money.

Rewrite a social media newsletter, edit 2500 word sales landing page for a real estate book, and come up with 2,000 words in first person on solutions for premature ejaculation. Seriously. I pulled it off according to client, who said (and I quote) "You write really well in first person for a problem you've never experienced, haha!" I replied that I had "asked my husband if he had any input, but he got affronted and asked me if I was complaining." LMAO.

Who says you can't have fun at this job?

All right, next week maybe I'll have something better to offer, but for now keep trying, keep bidding, keep hunting for jobs, and don't ever give up. Those who persevere may one day land a premature ejaculation gig of their own. :D