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

Earlier today, I wrote about normal business hours and how it is my opinion that it isn’t necessarily better for every freelancer to work during the day. I work at night and, in fact, I’m writing this post well in advance and scheduling it to appear on Bizzia. As you’re reading this, I’m probably still sleeping.
Just because it isn’t perfect for every writer to keep traditional business hours doesn’t mean, however, that you shouldn’t keep business hours at all. Let me tell you a short story:
A few years ago, I was dating someone with a schedule that was against every …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

Most parents just want to see their children be successful, but unfortunately that can turn into power struggles when it comes to career choices. Although your life is ultimately your decision, it is often hard for parents to stay out of the decision, since many parents help pay for college. They want to see that their money wasn’t wasted. Telling your parents that you’d going to avoid the job search and instead be a freelancer can be daunting.
My parents are supportive, and proud that I can make a living as a writer. That’s not to say that they weren’t nervous …read more

This month, we’re talking about about editing here at Bizzia’s Freelance category. If you’re already great at this task, though, you might not need new tips on how to be a better self-editor. Instead, maybe it’s time to start charging for your services. Maybe writers switch their focus from writing to editing after a few years. Finding jobs is a topic for another day – today let’s talk about how much you should charge for your services.
I’m probably opening a can of worms here. Whenever any blogger mentions writer pay, people come out of the woodwork to fight about it. …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

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

Unless you have a form of dementia or other mental disease, it shouldn’t be hard to keep track of the day, right? At least, if you don’t know the exact date, you should be able to get close and be able to tell others the day of the week. Right? RIGHT?
Thank god I carry my calendar/schedule with me just about everywhere. The other day I nearly drank milk that was over a week outdated, because I really thought that it was still good. I also regularly miss garbage and recycling days because I forget the day of the week. I …read more

Whether you’re an astronaut or a banker or a farmer or anything in between, once you have a few years of experience under your belt, you cringe at the mistakes you made when you first entered the industry. Freelance writing is no different. Here are seven things I wish I would have know when I was a beginner:

You don’t have to work for $3 per article – higher rates aren’t just possible; they’re the norm.
Not every client is going to like your writing style, and some are mean or condescending about it.
Get a deposit before you start or use an …read more