One of your first purchases as a freelancer should be business cards. It might seem silly at first. If all of your clients contact you online, why do you need a physical business card? You won’t have anyone to give it to, right? Wrong! Here are just a few people that I’ve given my business card:

Image: sxc.hu

• The owner of a local restaurant, who mentioned she wanted to start a blog for the restaurant on her website
• My best friend’s mother, who wanted to recommend me to a friend who needed work, but couldn’t remember my website’s URL
• A member of my church, who mentioned that her daughter’s boyfriend was interested in getting into writing online
• My boss at my part time job, who mentioned he’d like to start a hobby website, but had no idea how to go about doing that
• Almost everyone in my book club, just in case

You don’t need 1000 business cards - but if you don’t have any, you’ll be sorry. People WILL ask you for your card, and saying that you don’t have one looks unprofessional. If you ever have to mail a contract or something else to a client, you shoudl attached a business card so that they have one on file.

There are many companies where you can order business cards. Shop around before you jump on a “free” purchase. After all, most places where you can get cards printed for free actually charge you for shipping, so for just a few bucks more, you can get nicer cards at another website. Remember - your business cards are a business expense!

If you really want to be frugal, you can purchase special business card paper and print your own. I’ve actually done that in the past because I wanted special cards centered on a single blog I help to run, but I knew I didn’t need 500 or even 250 cards. For about $10, I printed my own smaller batch of cards at home. If you have a decent printer, that’s definitely an option.

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We’ve got 49 Freelance Writing, Editing, Blogging, Translation and etc. jobs to day.

The link is to my old site which is becoming my new blog. Yes, today is my last day with The Golden Pencil, but it’s easy enough to find me at www.aboutfreelancewriting.com

Some of you will recognize that address as my old writing site - I’m converting it to a blog, and the transition has already gotten messy. But all the articles you’re relied on, everything, is backed up and over the next few weeks I’ll be getting it together there. I look forward to seeing you at the new site.

Just posted 54 Freelance Writing, Editing, Blogging & Translation Jobs for you today.

That’s a good start for a week.

If you’re new to applying for freelance writing jobs or need a refresher, How To Apply For A Freelance Writing Job may help.

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image licensed by http://www.sxc.hu

Not exactly my kind of stuff, but I suspect some of fiction writers will love this. Enjoy!

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

So I’m on the mend. I don’t ache any more and any fever is long gone. My nose is stuffy and I have a nasty cough that seems to be loosening up. I still, however, feel fuzzy this morning. Which means I don’t really have a good idea for “da d**n blog.”

So I’ll take the easy way out and present some oldie but goodies from way back when:

1. Getting Started in Freelance Writing with Community Newspapers
2. Reading Is So Much A Part Of Writing
3. After Rejection
4. When In Doubt, Just Start
5. Writing Clients Come and Go

Hmmmm, that’s five which is probably more than enough for a single morning. Nothing magic in any of them. You still have to put your behind in the chair and your hands on the keyboard and words on the screen, then paper if you want to be a writer.

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image licensed by http://www.sxc.hu

I just posted some 63 freelance writing, editing and translation jobs. There are more, but one of the sites I count on was down. I’m sure it will be back up soon, but I’m going back to bed.

Apparently two or three hours at a time is all the last gasp of this flu will allow.

If you’re new to applying for freelance writing jobs or need a refresher, How To Apply For A Freelance Writing Job may help.

http://aboutfreelancewriting.com/store/books.htm

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image licensed by http://www.sxc.hu

Sorry everyone, I got a flu shot last week and it put me down low… am better, but no way am I going to get jobs up today.

See you all Wednesday.

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Ugh! Some days it takes me longer to post freelance writing jobs than others… no real clue why.

Today, we end the week with 53 Freelance Writing, Editing and Translating Jobs.

That’s a total of 172 jobs you can do from home for you this week - not bad.

If you’re new to applying for freelance writing jobs or need a refresher, How To Apply For A Freelance Writing Job may help.

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image licensed by http://www.sxc.hu

(www.thegoldenpencil.com)

If you had any doubt I have no understanding of the freelance job market, the fact that I just posted 73 Freelance Writing, Blogging, Editing and Translation Jobs should convince you I have absolutely no idea why or when there will be lots of jobs to post.

Good luck; there are some cool jobs on the list today.

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image licensed by http://www.sxc.hu

Yesterday I posted a video about Blog Action Day. If you missed it, it’s worth a look.

Today is the day. I work to make the goal of a world that works for everyone (the vision of The United Church of Religious Science). Part of what I’ve learned is that I haven’t got a clue about how to end poverty or create a world that works for everyone. Instead, I now ask “how can I help?” and then try to listen closely.

I contribute to Heifer because they listen and they do more than just give. They work to help the people they help become truly self-supporting.

Self-sufficiency combined with sustainability would seem to be one good place to start.

What’s your solution or poverty ending idea?

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

Image used with permission from http://site.blogactionday.org/