Fun with freelance links

March 13th, 2008

Still chugging away on writing my new book. Meantime, some links you might like:

Inkthinker skewers 7 heinous freelance writing practices. Kudos to Kristen King for reminding us why acting like a selfish, immature, vindictive freelancer is unbecoming. Best blog post I’ve read in ages.

Getcher top 100 freelancer blogs here. The listmaker (Bootstrapper) does it again. Everything from The Golden Pencil to DIY Photography to The Anti 9-to-5 Guide. (Aw, thanks, Bootstrapper.)

The readers speak: Your on-spec design contest sucks. Sounds like this guy was trying to be helpful to newbie designers, but he should know better than to announce an on-spec design contest to a community of professional freelancers (given that he writes about freelancing). I’m glad he pulled the plug when the peanut gallery threw tomatoes.

Red Herring deflates Helium.com. Personally I wish freelance “marketplaces” like Helium’s would shrivel up and die. Once those new freelancers using the site get tired of competing against each other, on spec, for $.10/word gigs, they’ll still have to learn how to go out and look for decent-paying work.

Freelance Switch launches a Client Analyser tool. Is your client bleeding you dry? Now you have a digital algorithm to help you make the call. You have to enter eight clients into the tool for it to work.

Want to know what editors want? Check out Editors Unleashed: Magazine editors growl about their writer peeves, a much-needed e-book from The Renegade Writer. Short, sweet, and endlessly informative.

Seattleites, want to know how to sell your writing without checking your soul at the door? Check out this one-day marketing workshop in April taught by my buddy Diane Mapes. (For full class description, click here. Then scroll down for description or search on “Mapes.”)

Are you Not An Employee? You might like this fun new freelance site/swag seller/blog. I’ll be curious to see where it goes.

Entry Filed under: This freelance life, Toolbox