From Bunny Slippers to Business Plans
Hey there everybody! I returneth from a looong day of pigging out with my husband’s extended fam, and man do I feel wiped out. The turkey was divine, but I think the twice-baked potatoes were my favorite. I digress, though.
As Thanksgiving conflicted with my usual Wisdom of Others post, and as I didn’t want to give this week’s purveyor of wisdom short shrift, I held off for a day. Take a peek after the jump for my e-interview with freelance writer/blogger Katy Lindamood.
…and by freelancedom, I mean my somewhat charmed lifestyle, in which I actually enjoy my work to the extent that I have trouble calling it a day, and in which I get to wear my Cookie Monster pants and fuzzy socks all. day. long if I so choose.
Though by all means. Place Freelancedom on your list of things to be thankful for this year.
Some other things I’m thankful for:
In these times of necessary financial restraint (boo!), it’s more important than ever before to make sure that you’re setting your rates at a level you deserve, and that you’re receiving full compensation for the work that you do.
This has always been a struggle for me. When in an office setting, I was never aggressive enough to pursue or negotiate the raises I felt I deserved, and now that I’m a freelancer, setting fair rates seems an impossible task!
I spoke too soon! My new wireless adapter has wreaked havoc, malfunctioning and eventually causing my computer to self-destruct. I am…not happy (to put it mildly).
Tonight will include another trip to the tech-type store, to buy a network card and a cable allowing me to directly connect to the Internet. Finally!
All this grappling with my home office equipment has started me daydreaming about what else (like, besides a cable) I’d like for my dream office. I already have my ideal office chair, but there are a few other things I wouldn’t mind picking up (or being gifted…hint hint…):
Hey there everyone! This is Chantal. She leads the glamorous life of a writer living abroad, and as such, you shall all be jealous of her. Especially after reading my interview with her, after the jump. Enjoy!
[Photo via]
Aaaand I’m back, thanks to a new wireless g USB network adapter. Yes, I spent the bulk of today losing my shit as my Internet connection went down every five minutes. As a result, I was able to squeeze in three Modern Materialist posts, but not much else.
But that’s not the only reason it’s been quiet around here this week, and that’s why I’m writing this post.
Things have been looking up here, finance-wise, despite the fact that I still haven’t found another regular gig. I’ve gotten three new clips, with a fourth on the way, and also talked my way into a bit of a “raise.” Huzzah!
It’s not enough, of course, which is why I read the following two blog posts with such interest:
The teeny-tiny person pictured above is Kristine Brite,a freelance writer and blogger over at teleTwenties, and our next interview subject. (She also featured me on her site yesterday.)
As always, do e-mail me if you’re interested in being interviewed next. And now, Kristine’s words of wisdom:
Check me out over at teleTwenties, one of the latest additions to my Google Reader. There, freelance writer Kristine Brite shows a day in my life.
Plus, she includes that photo of me where my hair looks perfect.
As you well know, I’ve been struggling lately with how, exactly, to find the perfect balance between my freelance work and more regular income sources. The state of the economy hasn’t been helping, and so I’ve been considering other options, including the utilization of staffing agencies.
My previous experiences with staffing agencies were as a college student, looking for temp work during my breaks. I worked with one temp agency down in Central New Jersey, which was able to find me fairly regular work within the nonprofit sector. The other agency — much closer to where I’m living now — didn’t often have much to offer. Which is why I hadn’t seriously considered such avenues when the New York Sun first folded.
Now, having come closest to paying work with the help of two such agencies, I’ve been forced to reconsider their effectiveness.
After the jump, eight staffing agencies that specialize in the creative industries:
