When I was originally offered the job to write for Bizzia’s freelance category, I nearly jumped out of my skin. There have been a lot of great people who wrote here before me, and it seemed almost silly that I should be the one to try to fill their shoes.
Sadly, all good things must eventually come to an end. I was recently informed that Bizzia would be closing it’s Internet doors, and although all of the posts on this site (include those in other categories), will be available to view on Every Joe, b5media (the cool people who own this …read more

For someone who likes writing, being a freelancer is a dream job. On paper. You have a flexible schedule. You get to pick and choose the jobs you do. You act as your own boss. Insert any number of the other advantages here. But I think that often, we all get too caught up in the advantages that we never really take our current happiness into account. Let me explain what I mean.
When someone asks me what I do, I usually spend more than a few minutes explaining my job. I noticed recently that I always end the explanation by …read more

One of the best parts about my job is that I have a flexible schedule. It doesn’t mean that I work less – for every hour I take off, I have to work an hour when I’d normally be enjoying some free time. I had to actually explain that to my boyfriend, who didn’t really see that misplacing hours of work means that they just move, not completely disappear. But I digress. The point is, flexibility as a freelancer is definitely a bonus.
Could some people take flexibility too far, though?
If you have a family (especially one with children), chances are …read more

I’ve met writers who have been insulted when asked to write in plainer language. I can understand that, I suppose – working hard on something only to be told that it is too advanced in terms of reading level can be frustrating.
“Dumbing down” your article, however, doesn’t mean that you have to dumb down the content. You can still create an informative, even technical, article, even if you’re writing for a junior high reading level, rather than for a group of college professors. Here are some tips for making revisions that take your text to an easier reading level without …read more

I’m guilty of mixing up these two words. One means to have an influence on someone or something. The other means a result or outcome. Which is which?

Jane was visibly affected by the news that her dog had died.
There are side effects to most medications.

In short, affect is a verb and effect is a noun, in most cases. I remember this by thinking that affect is an action. 99% of the time, this will work to help you place the right word in your sentence.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule.

Affect can be a noun if you’re describing …read more

As freelance writers, we don’t punch a time clock or wear a uniform. We aren’t 9-to-5-ers, unless we want to be, of course. We have a beautiful job that encourages us to be creative. But it doesn’t always feel that way.
Sometimes, it can feel sluggish and boring and monotonous. Sometimes it feels like clients just want as many articles as possible, all about the same topic. Sometimes it feels like you can’t write fast enough. The beauty gets lost in our work because we’re too focused on the business of writing.
Anything you write, from the next chapter in your work-in-progress …read more

I’m the queen of typos. When I’m writing, I type so fast that the letters just fly off my fingers, and since I’m not a very good proofreaders of my own work, many of those typos go unnoticed unless someone else points them out for me. Thank god I have a great editor on hand to read through most of my work. Still, typos sometimes get through.
Once, I was typing up a document for my great-aunt. She wanted send her doctor an official letter about something or other, but didn’t even have a typewriter, let alone anything capable of work …read more

Criticism is tough to take, no matter how nicely someone says it. I have an especially hard time taking criticism, even though I can see the value of constructive criticism, it is still a hard pill to swallow. I’m not so good with that pride thing. Sometimes, I just get angry.
I’m getting better, though. I’ve learned in the writing world that not everyone is going to love what you’ve written as much as you do. Clients will ask for revisions. Edits will be needed. You’re going to have to change your work, even stuff you consider to be your baby. …read more

When I started freelance writing, I would always send rough drafts to my clients for approval a few days before the deadline. These weren’t totally rough – I read through them to make sure there weren’t any glaring errors – but they weren’t polished. I just got into the habit of sending at least a few of the articles from the batch for feedback, especially with new clients.
I got so used to it, that I forgot or maybe didn’t even realize at the time that not everyone sends in rough work for approval. One day, I sent some rough articles …read more

Earlier today, I wrote about how I often have trouble remembering the day of the week because I’m so busy with freelancing. Ok, maybe saying “often” is dramatic, but when you work at home (and often on weekends), it can be really easy to get caught up in work every single day, never really taking time for yourself. And that’s really not healthy.
I guess I should consider myself lucky, since I don’t have kids or a husband to fill my time, but I do have obligations, like a boyfriend and a pet, as well as a part-time job at a …read more