Archive for October, 2008
Like much of America, I have been mad at insurance companies for a long time. I was doubly mad when I turned 40 and my rates went up 35 percent. Like many self-employed professionals, I raised my deductible so I could afford to pay the monthly premiums.
I was triply mad when I went to the ER this summer after having chest pains and palpitations for days (anxiety from overwork between the books and my regular freelance workload; there, I admitted it) and my $2,000 bill was not at all covered, thanks to my newly raised deductible. (In an attempt to highlight what other single freelancers and employees were doing to get around the insurance question, I wrote an article about marrying for health insurance for ABC News.)
Well, yesterday’s New York Times article about how U.S. women who buy individual health insurance often pay significantly higher rates than their male counterparts has my blood boiling all over again. (Thanks to Gwynneth for the heads up on the piece.) Apparently, we cost more because (a) we have babies, and (b) we tend to go to the doctor more than men when we’re sick.
I recently contacted an insurance agent to help me find the cheapest yet best coverage for me. She helped me save $1,000 a year by scrapping the maternity benefits I was paying for, as I’m not looking to get pregnant. Problem (a) averted. As for problem (b), I encourage you to join (free!) the Freelancers Union, a New York-based group that’s been lobbying elected officials for better healthcare solutions for independent professionals on a national level. And of course, vote on Tuesday.
October 30th, 2008
If you’re in the Seattle area and missed my big fat book launch shindig last week, don’t fret. We’ll have the opportunity to meet this weekend at my Elliott Bay Book Company reading and Q&A.
The agenda:
- Elbow-rubbing with like-minded indie professionals and creative types
- Your best attempts to stump me with “freelancing during a recession” questions
- Talking shop about the freelance life in the Pioneer Square pub of our choosing after the reading
The details:
When: Saturday, October 25, 2 p.m.
Where: Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 South Main Street, Seattle
Co-sponsor: Hedgebrook
Can’t make this event? Check my events page for others. Or join my mailing list to get notified about future events and classes.
October 23rd, 2008
From today’s ABCNews.com column…
People keep asking me, “Isn’t it scary to not have an employer and steady paycheck in this economy?”
As a freelancer, I get paid by about half a dozen companies each month. So job security is not something I fret too much about. If one client dries up, as happens at least once a year (if not once a quarter), I have four or five other sources of income to rely on. And while my nine-to-five counterparts might spend the better part of a year looking for work in the wake of a layoff, my pavement-pounding phase usually lasts all of two to three weeks, if that.
I’ve been through financial fallouts before as a freelancer. OK, maybe not the “worst financial crisis since the Depression.” But I was self-employed when the dotcom bubble burst in 2000, taking much of my freelance work with it, and after 9/11, when many staff and freelance budgets vanished seemingly overnight. Both times, I spit-polished my resume, hit the online highway and came up with a new set of clients and projects.
And while I know that the rapid-fire freelance job hunt can’t compare to the umpteen weeks and financial and emotional toll that looking for a staff position takes, I can’t help but think that full-time job hunters could learn a trick or two from their scrappier self-employed counterparts.
In an economic climate like this, you can’t entrust your fate to the employers and hiring managers. Not when you have a mortgage to pay and a family to feed. You have to be proactive, flexible, enterprising, even bootstrapping.
In short, you have to operate like a free agent.
Read the rest of this article on ABCNews.com.
October 23rd, 2008
Here’s another excerpt I wanted to share from my interview with the fabulous Mir on Work It, Mom! last week…
Mir/WIM! asks: You’re a huge proponent of life-balance as a matter of not just sanity, but better professional production. You’re a young, single woman with an immediate family consisting of one dog. Do people criticize any of your advice based upon your not having a spouse and/or kids and therefore the experience with those added demands? Do you think you’re qualified to speak to those sorts of issues without having gone through them, yourself?
I answer: No, no one has criticized, maybe because I’m 41 and have been working for myself for 16 years. But thank you for calling me young. That makes my day! I’m also not without responsibility. I have a mortgage on a house I bought and own by myself. I have a committed relationship with a guy I’ve been with for more than four years (we don’t live together or share expenses, but we’re talking about it). Negotiating my work schedule with him does come into play a lot, since I’m the one who’s often working longer hours, between my book stuff and my regular freelance workload, and he has a 9-to-5 job with four weeks of vacation time and incredibly predictable work hours. I also have a mom who lives a couple hours away and has some health concerns I’m increasingly becoming involved with. So I am not as footloose and fancy-free as I was when I was a young pup of 27 and could afford to just work 25 hours a week and make $25K a year.
For those reasons, I definitely think I’m qualified to speak for those with bigger financial and family responsibilities. But just to make sure I’m not talking out of my ass, I interviewed a number of freelancing moms and other caregivers for both my books. I kind of take issue (respectfully) with those who would say it’s easier for a single person to freelance than someone who’s married or shacked up and has a second income in their household as a cushion. I pay my own health insurance (which costs a fortune, even on my cheapskate plan). And if I have a particularly un-lucrative month because I decided to spend valuable working hours promoting one of my books, I have to work twice as hard (and often twice as long) the next month to make up for it financially. There’s no cavalry to call to chip in on my bills.
It’s of course much harder to juggle freelance deadlines with a baby on your boob or kids under your roof. But I do think that many things are easier on two incomes (my mortgage costs me at least twice what all my married friends pay per person). And while I went out of my way while working on my books to only interview freelancers who are the main, the sole, or an equal breadwinner in their household (many of them married with kids), I also know a lot of married freelancers, some with kids, some without, who just earn grocery money from their freelance work, if that. Some of them have even said to me, “I could never do what you do. Without my husband’s income, I couldn’t afford to live.” That’s all well and good, but I’m here to tell you that just like their single counterparts, plenty of freelance live-in girlfriends, wives, moms, and other caregivers make a handsome living working for themselves.
Want more of my Q&A with Mir? Here’s part 1, and here’s part 2.
October 21st, 2008
Last week, I had the pleasure of doing a two-part Q&A with Mir, freelance writer and mom extraordinaire, who writes an incredibly insightful freelancing blog on Work It, Mom! Here’s my favorite excerpt from part 1 of the interview. I’ll post an excerpt from part 2 tomorrow.
Mir/WIM! asks: This recent post at FreelanceSwitch about freelancers sharing knowledge had me nodding all the way through. You’ve made a niche for yourself in the how-to’s of freelancing — so obviously you believe in that knowledge-sharing — but what about freelancers who aren’t in the business of helping others? Do you think it’s possible to thrive as a freelancer without being a supportive/helpful member of the freelance community?
I answer: The item in that post on shunning the “this town ain’t big enough for the two of us” mentality is the aspect of it I like the most. (As for the item on being psyched that someone copied your work because it’s flattering — WTF? Clearly that poster is not concerned about money and credibility lost over copyright infringement. That’s just bad advice, especially coming from a designer. Passing off someone’s work as your own is never cool and can get you in a lot of trouble, as it should. But reprinting someone’s work with permission — and, I would hope, compensation? Now that’s flattery. But I digress.)
I find that far more freelancers are willing to band together with their “competition” than shut them out (or rip them off). That’s not to say you have to share your entire contact list with everyone you meet or give away all your trade secrets or ideas. But a little mutual back scratching goes a long way. Help a freelance pal answer a burning question about how to handle a problem client and she’s likely to do the same for you later on down the line. Pass along a lead to a job you’re not interested in or able to take on and any freelance friend worth her salt will return the favor later.
To answer your question, no, I don’t think you have to be a sharer to get by as a freelancer. Not at all. But for the reasons I mention above, it’s to your advantage. Given the isolation so many at-home workers report, I’d think you’d want to cultivate as many mutually beneficial freelance friendships as possible. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself asking your cat for professional advice, which isn’t very useful.
This isn’t to say that all freelancers play fair in the world of share-and-share alike. I’ve met those solo workers who are all too happy to try to steal your gigs right out from under you or who exhibit a lack of gratitude upon receiving a referral so offensive that you vow to never lend them a hand again. Fortunately, these bottom-feeding opportunists are easy to spot. They’re all take and no give.
Want more of my Q&A with Mir? Here’s part 1, and here’s part 2.
October 20th, 2008
In case I haven’t said as much in the last 24 hours, here are the deets on my book launch party in Seattle. Tonight!
Book launch party - Thursday, October 16
When: 6 to 10 p.m.
What: Reading and Q&A at 7 p.m. Plus: Schmoozing/boozing before and after. As well as: Prizes! Snacks! Book signing! And of course, meeting of like-minded freelance minds!
Where: Office Nomads, a fabulous coworking space @ 1617 Boylston Ave, Second Floor, Seattle [map]
Co-sponsors: University Book Store and Office Nomads. This event is held in conjunction with Office Nomads’ Fall Open House.
“Local author Michelle Goodman has done what so many of us are terrified to do (and may all be forced to do in our looming recession economy): cut the strings for a completely freelance existence. Luckily, she made all the mistakes first, then compiled her wisdom in My So-Called Freelance Life: How to Survive and Thrive as a Creative Professional for Hire (Seal Press, $15.95). It’s a well organized how-to book about overcoming all those fears that keep us clinging desperately to our cubes. Turns out, getting a business license isn’t as hard as it sounds. And health insurance doesn’t have to be something you’ll just learn to live without. How much are your services worth? Goodman helps you evaluate your rates, along with advice on pitching, contracts, and learning when and how to say no. Freelancing isn’t easy, As Goodman readily admits. But at tonight’s book launch she’ll answer questions and possibly allay anxieties about your bedroom-to-living room commute. At the very least, it’ll be a great opportunity to network your ass off.”
–Seattle Weekly
October 16th, 2008
Last week I posted a link to the Biznik Live web radio interview I did on freelancing in a down economy. Since then, a number of people have asked me whether I think freelancers have more job security than nine-to-fivers. I do. Here’s why:
- Our checks come from multiple companies rather than just one. If one client tanks, we replace them with another. I just had a client dry up last week. Instead of crying in my coffee, I’m actually excited that I’ll have a bit more room in my schedule to find a bigger and better client to work with and already have a couple leads.
- We’re endlessly flexible. If one market dies off, we adapt. No more travel writing budget at your favorite media outlet? Then you write consumer reviews, or business tips, or pop culture trend pieces for them. And/or you start writing for travel trade publications and the hospitality/travel industry (as in, copywriting). Which any good freelancer would be doing anyway, as diversification is key, even when the economy isn’t taking a nosedive.
- We’re old pros at interviewing and selling ourselves. Especially compared to our nine-to-five friends, who may not have had a job interview in five years and, facing a layoff, may feel daunted at the prospect of having to get out there and market themselves. Freelancers, on the other hand, are constantly “interviewing” on a monthly, if not weekly, basis. Plus, we have the most up-to-date bios, resumes, and portfolios around.
- It’s still cheaper for companies to hire freelancers than employees. That’s not to say freelancers will replace all employees, or that some outsourcing budgets won’t be cut in this crummy economy. But someone has to do the work. And if a company has 100 hours of work that no one on staff has the time or expertise to complete, they’re going to outsource it.
For these reasons, I recommend interested nine-to-fivers hone their freelancing chops and pick up a moonlighting gig or two on top of their day job asap. Why?
- You need the money anyway. After all, gas costs $80 a gallon and a salad at your favorite deli is like $35. Besides, you want to be able to buy your sweetie something other than a lottery ticket for Chrismukkah, right?
- You need the interview practice. You need to get to the point where you no longer say, “Wah! I hate interviewing and looking for work. Woe is me. Wah!” Freelancing gives you that much-needed practice selling yourself. In time, the pain of “interviewing” pretty much dissipates. In fact, many full-time freelancers are so busy that we wish we had more free time so we could pitch for articles or woo more clients.
- You need a fallback case you get laid off. Freelancing might just be the lifeline that saves you financially if you lose your day job. Often, it pays a heck of a lot better than those meager unemployment checks. And, in case you didn’t know, to collect unemployment, you usually need to (a) prove that you’re looking for full-time work, and (b) attend some state-run “how to find a job” workshops. I’ve done it at the end of a full-time contract gig, and I could only keep it up a month. Freelancing is much more enjoyable, and better paying.
October 14th, 2008
Business networking site Biznik has just launched Biznik Live, a web radio show for indie professionals, and I have the honor of being their first guest. The topic? How the self-employed can ride out the recession without winding up on food stamps. The show airs this Wednesday at 10 am PST. Feel free to call in and ask me a question.
October 7th, 2008
Aspiring Columnist asks: I was wondering if you had any advice for securing a regular columnist position like you have with ABCNews.com (online or print). I am looking to derive more of my income from writing, but find pitching individual freelance stories to be very time consuming. I’m curious as to whether you think I need to start that way, or whether I could apply on my existing credentials. [Note: Aspiring Columnist has published a couple of popular career books with a major NY publisher and does have some national writing credits.]
I answer: Editors and website producers hate when people go to them and ask, “Can I have a column?” That gripe is all over Mediabistro, and I’ve heard editors say as much too, both on public panels and in private. (One editor’s cracks about a freelancer who demanded a column on more than one occasion even made it into my new book.) Despite all these warnings, I have tried to ask for a column before. And it just doesn’t work.
Most people I know or have met who write high-profile columns for indie and mainstream media landed the gig because they were tapped for it, either by a satisfied editor for whom they were already writing articles on a particular subject matter, or by an editor who admired their work (articles, books, high-profile blog) from afar. As frustrating as it might be, you have to hone your niche or beat and start writing one-off articles for an editor first — essentially, dazzle them.
There’s a decent chance that the editors you write for now won’t be the editor(s) who offer you a column two, three, or five years from now. But since the idea is to build up a solid portfolio and prove your mastery of a couple of topics, you’re laying the foundation today for a future column anyway. Of course, if you don’t want to wait, you could start your own blog or webzine and name yourself star columnist. Or you could try to get in with a smaller publication or website that’s looking for columnists (and not worry about the fact that the money will probably suck).
In case you’re curious, here are how three recent column-writing gigs of mine have come about:
ABCNews.com — Editor went to the bookstore in search of an author he could tap for a new career column. Picked up a handful of books, including mine. Called and ask me for CV and clips. The rest is history. Incidentally, this is not my best-paying freelance gig.
Nine to Thrive on NWjobs.com — I was a frequent contributor to the Seattle Times (which owns NWjobs), writing articles on women and careers and flexibility. An editor at NWjobs got my name from one of my Seattle Times editors and asked me if I wanted the gig.
How’d you land that great job? on NWjobs.com — Same as above, though this was an existing column that I took over from a previous writer. After about a year, my editor and I decided to kill this column and morph it into the above blog-style column.
October 3rd, 2008
In honor of My So-Called Freelance Life “officially” publishing today, I thought I’d post a short excerpt from a great Q&A that fellow freelancer Susan Johnston did with me on the fantastic webzine Women on Writing. It’s on my favorite topic: procrastination. You don’t have to be a writer to appreciate the sentiment.
But first (heh — geddit?), I’d like to thank Tara Swords for taking the day-making photo above, Toni Martin for rocking my world with the book’s first Amazon review, and the Feminist Review’s Brittany Shoot for her kickass write-up of the book.
Okay, back to the question at hand….
Susan/WOW asks: A lot of writers (including yours truly) find themselves procrastinating online when they ought to be working. How do you stay disciplined when you have a deadline coming up?
I answer: As you’ll probably glean from the book, I still fall prey to the dreaded P-word from time to time. (Damn you, YouTube!) When a deadline is dire, I’ll have to shut off the phone and unplug the modem. Otherwise, finishing the project just doesn’t happen, or at least, it doesn’t happen without involving an additional six hours of emailing and IM’ing friends about nothing of consequence.
This probably goes without saying, but if you don’t work, you don’t eat, so there’s always that motivation. I’m single and bootstrapping it all the way, so it’s not like I have anyone to pay my bills for me. Besides, the more deadlines you have on the calendar, the more you learn to just motor through the pile of articles or projects on your plate. When you’re mistress of your own schedule, it doesn’t take long to realize that if you have three 1,000-word articles due in a week — articles that require locating and interviewing sources — you need to start now, not the day before they’re due.
Licking procrastination is all about playing mind games with yourself. These days, I’m loving the piecemeal approach to writing articles (write the intro one day, the middle the next, and the ending the day after that) while I research and edit other articles on my plate. So, instead of having to write 1,000 words in one four- to eight-hour sitting, I may only have to write 300 words over the course of an hour or two. Much easier to face.
Bonus answer: In both my books, I talk about some of the tricks we freelancers have to play on ourselves to lick procrastination. The Pretend You Have To Be Somewhere At 6:00 P.M. approach is currently my favorite. Anyone who’s ever made plans with me during the past, oh, decade knows that, as weird as it may sound, I tend to get stressed if I have too many evening outings scheduled during the workweek (and by “too many” I mean, “more than one”). But that doesn’t mean I can’t pretend I need to leave my office by 5 P.M., a tactic that miraculously lights a five-alarm fire of productivity under my butt. Who knew that kicking the I Don’t Need to Crank Today — After All, I’m Here Till Midnight mentality could be as simple as telling yourself a bunch of lies?
October 1st, 2008
