I recently read another blog that brought up the importance of keeping a schedule as a freelance writer. This is something I've been struggling with since beginning my journey so I felt it was important to touch on this.
As freelancers we are fortunate enough to make our own schedules. This is especially great for those of us with children and other responsibilities. We can rearrange our schedules to meet our other obligations. The problem with this is getting into a habit of constantly rearranging the schedule to fit in activities we really can do later. Examples are watching the latest House episode on the DVR or lunch out with the girls. While doing this occasionally can be good and even necessary for sanity's sake, it really should be limited.
Yes, there's no clock to punch or boss to face, but if you are like most freelancers, you aren't getting paid if you're not working. Time is money. Set a schedule for the week and stick to it. Yes, emergencies arise and we have the flexibility of dealing with them and getting back to work later,but this should be the exception and not the rule.
Treat freelancing like a traditional job. Respect yourself like you would a traditional boss and show up for work on time. Schedule breaks and a lunch hour, but go back at your scheduled time. It won't be long before you fall into a routine and then sticking to it will be easier. This is definitely something you will thank yourself for later.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Becoming a Super Mom Whether You Work from Home or Not
I've been pretty proud of myself lately for having achieved the dream of writing as a career. There is something I'm a little bit "more proud" about though. I'm a single mom with two kids at home that have conflicting schedules and yet I still manage work, dinner, homework and my own college homework. Sometimes late at night, when I finally break from the computer, I think about what I have become. And not just me, but what mothers every where have become. Super Moms.
Older t.v. shows and movies show the stay at home mom as someone who sends her children to school and husband to work and then spends the morning cleaning. Then we see her attend tea or lunch with the "girls." She gets home just in time to prepare a perfect meal and everyone is happy.
Those days are gone. Many women today must work to make ends meet. Some work outside the home, some work from home and some may not "work" but they still work hard in the home making life comfortable for their families. It's all tough. It's all rewarding. It's all enough to make us all become Super Moms.
Some moms today work a full time job outside the home. They must get their children up at the crack of dawn, get them to daycare pronto and battle morning traffic to get to work. After a grueling 8 hour day (and sometimes a 9, 10, or even 12 hour day), battle rush hour traffic to pick up the kids and hurry home. Then it's dinner, bath, homework and then time for bed. Or if the kids are in extra-curricular activities, it's time to shuttle them from place to place before heading home. These moms are exhausted every night and have little time for themselves. Many of these moms are single moms and don't have any help. Yet they still do it all.
I used to work outside the home and I was responsible for carting the children from place to place, preparing dinner and doing the housework. Even though I was married and had help, it was still tough. I thought of myself as a Super Mom then.
Fast forward a year and I am a single mom. Fortunate enough to have found a way to stay home with my kids, I feel even more like a Super Mom. You can read my previous blog posts to get an idea of my schedule. Some days I feel like my head is spinning. Yet I manage to keep it together. I make sure the kids have their bath every night. I make sure they get their homework done. I attend school conferences. I even manage to spend some quality time with them. I still scratch my head in amazement at myself at being able to keep up with every thing. It's hard having no help, but very rewarding realizing my own independence. I have a renewed confidence in myself.
Moms have so much more responsibility now than they ever did before. It's time to honor yourself and other Super Moms out there. It doesn't matter what you do, all Super Moms work, just in different ways.
I declare today Super Mom day! Remember to do something nice for yourself today.
If you feel like a Super Mom, feel free to leave a comment.
Older t.v. shows and movies show the stay at home mom as someone who sends her children to school and husband to work and then spends the morning cleaning. Then we see her attend tea or lunch with the "girls." She gets home just in time to prepare a perfect meal and everyone is happy.
Those days are gone. Many women today must work to make ends meet. Some work outside the home, some work from home and some may not "work" but they still work hard in the home making life comfortable for their families. It's all tough. It's all rewarding. It's all enough to make us all become Super Moms.
Some moms today work a full time job outside the home. They must get their children up at the crack of dawn, get them to daycare pronto and battle morning traffic to get to work. After a grueling 8 hour day (and sometimes a 9, 10, or even 12 hour day), battle rush hour traffic to pick up the kids and hurry home. Then it's dinner, bath, homework and then time for bed. Or if the kids are in extra-curricular activities, it's time to shuttle them from place to place before heading home. These moms are exhausted every night and have little time for themselves. Many of these moms are single moms and don't have any help. Yet they still do it all.
I used to work outside the home and I was responsible for carting the children from place to place, preparing dinner and doing the housework. Even though I was married and had help, it was still tough. I thought of myself as a Super Mom then.
Fast forward a year and I am a single mom. Fortunate enough to have found a way to stay home with my kids, I feel even more like a Super Mom. You can read my previous blog posts to get an idea of my schedule. Some days I feel like my head is spinning. Yet I manage to keep it together. I make sure the kids have their bath every night. I make sure they get their homework done. I attend school conferences. I even manage to spend some quality time with them. I still scratch my head in amazement at myself at being able to keep up with every thing. It's hard having no help, but very rewarding realizing my own independence. I have a renewed confidence in myself.
Moms have so much more responsibility now than they ever did before. It's time to honor yourself and other Super Moms out there. It doesn't matter what you do, all Super Moms work, just in different ways.
I declare today Super Mom day! Remember to do something nice for yourself today.
If you feel like a Super Mom, feel free to leave a comment.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Writing for Bright Hub
As a rather new freelancer, I have been scouring the web looking for content sites to write for. The first one I found that paid well is Bright Hub. (I know that "well" is relative, but this is very good for someone like me starting out). The pay is $10 per article plus 80% of the ad revenue brought in by your article. I applied to write for the Online Learning Channel and was hired within a week.
Online learning is a very important topic to me. Going to school online is the only way I can right now due to other commitments. To be able to write about something I feel very passionate about is really great. I started in the middle of February and have written a total of 11 articles so far. I get to propose my own topics, which is great.
Bright Hub pays monthly. I haven't made it to payday yet, but don't foresee having a problem. I found out about Bright Hub through the WAHM.com forum. I cruise through the forum often and have picked up a lot of great tips. There was a change at Bright Hub recently and there has been some talk in the forums about these changes. Since I am new, however, I have not noticed the negative aspects.
I really love writing for Bright Hub. My editor is really great to work for. You can check out my articles here http://www.brighthub.com/members/ginvickery/articles.aspx.
Online learning is a very important topic to me. Going to school online is the only way I can right now due to other commitments. To be able to write about something I feel very passionate about is really great. I started in the middle of February and have written a total of 11 articles so far. I get to propose my own topics, which is great.
Bright Hub pays monthly. I haven't made it to payday yet, but don't foresee having a problem. I found out about Bright Hub through the WAHM.com forum. I cruise through the forum often and have picked up a lot of great tips. There was a change at Bright Hub recently and there has been some talk in the forums about these changes. Since I am new, however, I have not noticed the negative aspects.
I really love writing for Bright Hub. My editor is really great to work for. You can check out my articles here http://www.brighthub.com/members/ginvickery/articles.aspx.
Happy Monday!
Well, it's Monday again. Time to hit the snooze button a few times before stumbling out of bed. I had a pretty productive weekend. I got a lot of work done.
How about you? Did you work this weekend? Are you happy with your progress?
How about you? Did you work this weekend? Are you happy with your progress?
Friday, March 6, 2009
A Freelancer's Friday
Today is Friday. Most of the 9-5 working world is rejoicing because the weekend is here. I know because I used to be one of them. After recently transitioning to a full time freelancer, I find that no longer see Friday as anything special.
Well, I take that back. I have 2 children that are in school. Their schedule is a bit hectic during the week. I get up at 7 am and get them both ready. Chase is in first grade and has to be at school by 8:30. Since we live too close to the school for him to ride a bus, I have to drive him. I leave the house at 8:15 and am home by 8:25. Xander does not have to be at preschool until 9:30. He goes to a separate school because Chase's does not offer pre-k.
An hour is not enough time to thoroughly research and write an article. Or rather it's not enough time for me, yet. So I use that time to drink some coffee, eat breakfast, check my e-mail and plan my day. I leave the house at 9:20 and am home by 9:30. From 9:30 to about 12:20 I work. Meaning I research and write my assigned articles. At 12:20 I go pick Xander up and we come home. I fix his lunch (and mine) and by 1:00 pm he is playing comfortably in his room with Spongebob running in the background.
I work from 1:00 until 2:40. Then I get Xander ready and we go wait in the line to pick up Chase. After finally retrieving my oldest son, we make it home by about 3:15 and everyone gets a snack including me. By 3:30 both kids are playing in their room and I try to work until 5:00 assuming I have no interruptions.
At 5:00 I take a long break and start dinner. After dinner is homework time for both the kids and for me as I am an online student. The kids get their baths after homework and are usually in bed by 8:00. Depending on what I've gotten done that day dictates what I do from 8:00 pm until midnight. Most nights I am working. Some nights I am completing homework. Occasionally I am chilling on the couch with a cup of chamomile tea watching an episode on House from the DVR (love that thing).
So by Friday I am exhausted. I rejoice because most Fridays the kids go stay with their dad. This means that I have the entire weekend to work in peace. What? You expected me to go out with friends or go shopping? Nope, not this working mama. While I occasionally plan a nice dinner out, the weekends are my time to do my best work and complete any homework assignments.
So, once again, it's Friday and I'm happy, but not for the reasons the rest of the world is. Do you feel this way too? Let me know why you look forward to Fridays.
Well, I take that back. I have 2 children that are in school. Their schedule is a bit hectic during the week. I get up at 7 am and get them both ready. Chase is in first grade and has to be at school by 8:30. Since we live too close to the school for him to ride a bus, I have to drive him. I leave the house at 8:15 and am home by 8:25. Xander does not have to be at preschool until 9:30. He goes to a separate school because Chase's does not offer pre-k.
An hour is not enough time to thoroughly research and write an article. Or rather it's not enough time for me, yet. So I use that time to drink some coffee, eat breakfast, check my e-mail and plan my day. I leave the house at 9:20 and am home by 9:30. From 9:30 to about 12:20 I work. Meaning I research and write my assigned articles. At 12:20 I go pick Xander up and we come home. I fix his lunch (and mine) and by 1:00 pm he is playing comfortably in his room with Spongebob running in the background.
I work from 1:00 until 2:40. Then I get Xander ready and we go wait in the line to pick up Chase. After finally retrieving my oldest son, we make it home by about 3:15 and everyone gets a snack including me. By 3:30 both kids are playing in their room and I try to work until 5:00 assuming I have no interruptions.
At 5:00 I take a long break and start dinner. After dinner is homework time for both the kids and for me as I am an online student. The kids get their baths after homework and are usually in bed by 8:00. Depending on what I've gotten done that day dictates what I do from 8:00 pm until midnight. Most nights I am working. Some nights I am completing homework. Occasionally I am chilling on the couch with a cup of chamomile tea watching an episode on House from the DVR (love that thing).
So by Friday I am exhausted. I rejoice because most Fridays the kids go stay with their dad. This means that I have the entire weekend to work in peace. What? You expected me to go out with friends or go shopping? Nope, not this working mama. While I occasionally plan a nice dinner out, the weekends are my time to do my best work and complete any homework assignments.
So, once again, it's Friday and I'm happy, but not for the reasons the rest of the world is. Do you feel this way too? Let me know why you look forward to Fridays.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Welcome
Welcome to A Writer's Haven. I'm a freelance writer and a single stay at home mom. Neither one is an easy job and life can get a bit stressful. This blog is a place for me to post my thoughts and updates on my freelance journey. I will be adding tips and information as I learn them. Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again!
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