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July 23, 2009
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This entry has been moved to The Half-Hogger.
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I’m loving it as the saying goes…great post Spike.
You said the post was long on your tweet, you didn’t say it’s a great read, which it is. Have to agree with you, do whatever feels right for you. Nobody gets very far on secondhand experience.
Thanks,
Sue
Well done.
I especially like the part about paying your dues. The universe has appointed me as membership chair so save time by mailing your dues directly to me. Then I’ll let everyone else know that you’re paid up.
Spike,
This was a long one, but very useful information nonetheless! I wouldn’t have said anything different. Number 9 is my favorite — there are many, many ways to earn as a freelance writer.
“produce work that borders on the unintelligible” Have you been reading my blog again?
I adore your style of writing great post
All: Thanks for the compliments. Glad that all that typing wasn’t wasted!
standup8times: You forgot to include your address, so I mailed my dues direct to the nearest ice cream shop, in exchange for choc-mint-chip.
Kate: Now, now, your blog is vunderbar (and much funnier than mine) and your writing is excellent. Anyone who says different will get a slap with a wet lobster!
If you’ve got that wet lobster to hand could I borrow it?
Thanks for your kind words
I really needed to hear/read that today!
Spike – JUST found your blog because of this post. It’s a must-link! : )
My favorite from your list:
About the bidding sites. So many of the gurus out there poo-poo those sites, but they’re a fantastic way to get started. I spent most of 2008 as the #1 ranked writer on Guru.com (until they changed the ranking system this year – oh well!). You can make some good money on these sites. Sure, there are some awful projects, but just skip them! My recommendation is to use these sites to get started – AND to build your client list from other places, too, so if something (ranking disaster!) happens, you’re still okay.
Excellent, well-written, very insightful post, Spike. Thanks!
Damn.
Spike, you amaze me. One of the best “real” posts I’ve ever seen on the subject. But you really need to learn to be more direct. Seriously. Quit holding your feelings in, buddy. C’mon, let ‘em out to play.
Cheers
George
Kate: Like many (IMHO) really good writers, you underestimate yourself. It’s usually the ones who think they’re good who write rubbish!
Sue: New faces are always very welcome here! Thanks for the input – #1 on Guru… blimey, you must be prolific. Agreed on many gurus: I often wonder how they can claim to be gurus when they totally ignore an income source… I really must look at Guru again (I’ve been promising myself!), but I can’t come up with a decent way to filter through all the jobs regularly. Lack of RSS sucks.
George: Heh, funny you should mention that… this post started out very dry and informative. Then I rewrote it, because it was just SO DULL!! One day, being outspoken will get me in trouble. Again.
Hiya Spike,
thank you for your post. I am new to this blogging game and have just begun to dip my toe in the water, it hasn’t been bitten off yet. Now I just need to set a cunning trap to land myself a gig or three. Posts like yours encourage me to stick with it and KTF (keep the faith).
Will
Will: Thanks for dropping in! Getting started is the really hard part. Stick with it: it does come to fruition in the end!
Thanks Spike.
Not only did you give good instructions with logical opinions but you should know how important it is to other writers to give the type of encouragement that you offered in this post.
Maybe I was out digging for some help, but if you hadn’t yielded to your “muse” I may have still been stuck.
It also reminded me that the majority of information on most news sites ends up as regurgitations of a minority’s originality, but the “communicator” is the one that speaks to and reaches their audience.
Dave
Dave: Gosh, lots of compliments in there, thank you! Glad the post helped: sometimes it’s good to give in to those annoyances and write about them…