Comments on: 10 Things I Did Wrong In 2008 http://www.freelancedom.com/2009/01/01/10-things-i-did-wrong-in-2008/ From Bunny Slippers to Business Plans Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:45:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sarah http://www.freelancedom.com/2009/01/01/10-things-i-did-wrong-in-2008/#comment-532 Sarah Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:09:57 +0000 http://www.freelancedom.com/?p=297#comment-532 Your list is great. Even given the short time I have been a full time freelancer, I see myself in a number of your bullet points. I have failed myself in similar ways. You should know, though, that to an outsider looking in (particularly one who's still a newbie and hasn't lucked into much success yet themselves) your accomplishments seem pretty great. Sometimes, we lose perspective from being too close to a situation. Sounds like you've not only had several accomplishments that a literal army of new freelancers would kill for (several steady gigs, published clips, an online following, and so forth) and you've got the right attitude to keep building on them! Your list is great. Even given the short time I have been a full time freelancer, I see myself in a number of your bullet points. I have failed myself in similar ways.

You should know, though, that to an outsider looking in (particularly one who’s still a newbie and hasn’t lucked into much success yet themselves) your accomplishments seem pretty great. Sometimes, we lose perspective from being too close to a situation. Sounds like you’ve not only had several accomplishments that a literal army of new freelancers would kill for (several steady gigs, published clips, an online following, and so forth) and you’ve got the right attitude to keep building on them!

]]> By: Steph Auteri http://www.freelancedom.com/2009/01/01/10-things-i-did-wrong-in-2008/#comment-529 Steph Auteri Sun, 04 Jan 2009 19:11:20 +0000 http://www.freelancedom.com/?p=297#comment-529 Thanks everyone. It feels awesome to have your support, and it also helps to be reminded that so many people are struggling right now, whether or not they made mistakes. It's just a rough time right now, for the publishing industry and for all industries. @Susan: As always, I am blown away by your generosity. It's what I miss about my old writer's group. It was awesome to have that support system. @Kristine: Reading Gawker's daily posts about layoffs and folding publications has been so scary. I wonder when -- or if -- it will ever turn around. I enjoy writing for the web, both because of its immediacy and because of the opportunities for interactivity and ongoing conversations, but the magic in a tangible object...a glossy mag...a book...still feels necessary to me. I almost had a heart attack the other night when my friend said she wouldn't mind switching permanently to the Kindle. @Judy & Smart Boy: Welcome! It's nice to see some new faces! I'm sure we all have a lot to learn from each other (ahem...Judy...you're obviously way ahead of me in financial smarts...) Thanks everyone. It feels awesome to have your support, and it also helps to be reminded that so many people are struggling right now, whether or not they made mistakes. It’s just a rough time right now, for the publishing industry and for all industries.

@Susan: As always, I am blown away by your generosity. It’s what I miss about my old writer’s group. It was awesome to have that support system.

@Kristine: Reading Gawker’s daily posts about layoffs and folding publications has been so scary. I wonder when — or if — it will ever turn around. I enjoy writing for the web, both because of its immediacy and because of the opportunities for interactivity and ongoing conversations, but the magic in a tangible object…a glossy mag…a book…still feels necessary to me. I almost had a heart attack the other night when my friend said she wouldn’t mind switching permanently to the Kindle.

@Judy & Smart Boy: Welcome! It’s nice to see some new faces! I’m sure we all have a lot to learn from each other (ahem…Judy…you’re obviously way ahead of me in financial smarts…)

]]> By: Smart Boy http://www.freelancedom.com/2009/01/01/10-things-i-did-wrong-in-2008/#comment-524 Smart Boy Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:01:09 +0000 http://www.freelancedom.com/?p=297#comment-524 Wow - you went through a lot the past year. I'm glad you have a great new outlook for the year 2009, and hope you can accomplish your goals. Good luck! Wow – you went through a lot the past year. I’m glad you have a great new outlook for the year 2009, and hope you can accomplish your goals. Good luck!

]]> By: Judy Jenner http://www.freelancedom.com/2009/01/01/10-things-i-did-wrong-in-2008/#comment-517 Judy Jenner Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:34:53 +0000 http://www.freelancedom.com/?p=297#comment-517 Interesting summary, and you sure are a determined fighter -- congrats on hanging in there and going forward. I just discovered your blog via The Urban Muse, and I like it (adding to my RSS feed). I am a translator and writer and went through the same transition you did this year -- I left behind a corporate in-house translation gig at a large dotcom to finally run my translation business full-time with my twin sister, which is potentially much more lucrative and much more rewarding. Luckily, I had saved up some money from both working full-time in corporate America and running my business on the side for a few years; that really helped. Having money saved up gives me a sense of security, but I still get very nervous when I have a quiet week. I can totally identify with your occasional lack of motivation. Sometimes it's hard to get things going when you are feeling down about business. It helps me to just get up, put on my running shoes, go for a run, or meet a friend (or potential client, etc) for coffee. I think you should be really proud of yourself for jumping and going freelance! No one said it would be easy, but like everything in life, it's worth working and fighting for. Here's to a happy and successful 2009! And it sounds trite, but, as long as I can pay my bills, I can't put a value/money on the freedom/happiness/fulfillment of freelancing. It's a total overused cliché, but it is priceless, isn't it? Interesting summary, and you sure are a determined fighter — congrats on hanging in there and going forward. I just discovered your blog via The Urban Muse, and I like it (adding to my RSS feed). I am a translator and writer and went through the same transition you did this year — I left behind a corporate in-house translation gig at a large dotcom to finally run my translation business full-time with my twin sister, which is potentially much more lucrative and much more rewarding. Luckily, I had saved up some money from both working full-time in corporate America and running my business on the side for a few years; that really helped. Having money saved up gives me a sense of security, but I still get very nervous when I have a quiet week. I can totally identify with your occasional lack of motivation. Sometimes it’s hard to get things going when you are feeling down about business. It helps me to just get up, put on my running shoes, go for a run, or meet a friend (or potential client, etc) for coffee.

I think you should be really proud of yourself for jumping and going freelance! No one said it would be easy, but like everything in life, it’s worth working and fighting for. Here’s to a happy and successful 2009! And it sounds trite, but, as long as I can pay my bills, I can’t put a value/money on the freedom/happiness/fulfillment of freelancing. It’s a total overused cliché, but it is priceless, isn’t it?

]]> By: Kristine http://www.freelancedom.com/2009/01/01/10-things-i-did-wrong-in-2008/#comment-516 Kristine Thu, 01 Jan 2009 22:32:52 +0000 http://www.freelancedom.com/?p=297#comment-516 I think some of your mistakes were inevitable. As a fellow ex-newspaper writer, we all knew our industry was declining, but who would have guessed a recession to come along and completedly kill newspaper and come close to wiping media jobs off the face of the earth. Good luck next year, and I can't wait to read more about your successes! I think some of your mistakes were inevitable. As a fellow ex-newspaper writer, we all knew our industry was declining, but who would have guessed a recession to come along and completedly kill newspaper and come close to wiping media jobs off the face of the earth. Good luck next year, and I can’t wait to read more about your successes!

]]> By: Susan Johnston http://www.freelancedom.com/2009/01/01/10-things-i-did-wrong-in-2008/#comment-515 Susan Johnston Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:52:30 +0000 http://www.freelancedom.com/?p=297#comment-515 Happy New Year, Steph! Though you had a touch year in some respects (as we all did), you still managed to make the jump to full time freelancing, regain control of your finances, and break into some new markets. So don't be too hard on yourself and don't forget to celebrate those accomplishments, as you enouraged others to do. PS I'll email you about a possible new market. :) Happy New Year, Steph! Though you had a touch year in some respects (as we all did), you still managed to make the jump to full time freelancing, regain control of your finances, and break into some new markets. So don’t be too hard on yourself and don’t forget to celebrate those accomplishments, as you enouraged others to do.

PS I’ll email you about a possible new market. :)

]]> By: Posts about Top Ten Ways or Things as of January 1, 2009 | The Lessnau Lounge http://www.freelancedom.com/2009/01/01/10-things-i-did-wrong-in-2008/#comment-513 Posts about Top Ten Ways or Things as of January 1, 2009 | The Lessnau Lounge Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:57:16 +0000 http://www.freelancedom.com/?p=297#comment-513 [...] sites that…Top 10 Free iPhone Productivity Apps Last week I blogged about the new Using 10 Things I Did Wrong In 2008 - freelancedom.com 01/01/2009 [ me-equal-fail] 2008 started out strong. I was finishing up an [...] [...] sites that…Top 10 Free iPhone Productivity Apps Last week I blogged about the new Using 10 Things I Did Wrong In 2008 – freelancedom.com 01/01/2009 [ me-equal-fail] 2008 started out strong. I was finishing up an [...]

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