Jen: You quit your “regular” job in 1999 to freelance. Do you have any tips for those who want to do the same?
Michelle: Yes, I have five keys to succeeding at a freelance writing career:
1. Find out how much you need to bring in each month to make it as a freelancer. Then acquire steady gigs to sell your work to. Develop relationships with editors who like and buy the kind of writing you do, so you can develop a steady stream of work for them.
2. Attend at least two writer’s conferences per year to develop these relationships. It’s all about meeting people, because if an editor has a choice of two articles or books that are equally well written, he or she is going to buy the one from the author they’ve met in person. How did I finance all these conferences? I asked for money for birthday, anniversary and Christmas gifts, and then saved it for the registration fees.
3. Set aside a year’s worth of salary before you go full-time. I didn’t do this, and I should have. You can learn from my “oops!”
4. Follow up on leads, and hone relationships.
5. Write in all different genres’.
Jen: Michelle, thank you for taking the time for this today; I know my blog followers will be encouraged and inspired by your journey.
Michelle: Thank you, Jeanette. You honored me by asking me here today. Keep writing—you are touching many.
Jen: I have three prizes to give away today!
1. Counting Cows, Michelle’s newest board book for young children, a delightful rhyming jingle that will have your preschooler counting and dancing the Moo Cow Jive;
2. “Research: The Backbone of Any Article;” a teaching CD by Michelle; and
3. “Heavenly Humor for the Woman’s Soul.” Michelle contributed several articles to this laughter-filled book, along with Martha Bolton, Patsy Clairmont and Anita Renfroe.
To enter the drawing for one of these prizes, you must:
Be a follower of my blog; leave your email address in the comment section at the end of this post; tell me which answer of Michelle’s interview helped you the most (for part one, scroll down to the Wednesday post). If you’d like to say which prize you prefer, that will help me.
You have until noon on Tuesday, May 11 to enter. I will post the three winners on Wednesday the 12.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME TODAY. I AM HONORED THAT YOU SPENT A PART OF YOUR LIFE WITH ME,
JEN
Those were really great tips. I agree about conferences, but figuring out how much to make every month is good too.
ReplyDeleteSince I have little kids, I'd love to be entered for the cow book. ;)
jessica_nelson7590 at yahoodotcom
I like the advice to figure out what you'll need to earn in advance, and plan for it, instead of winging it. That'd be me. ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! Thanks, to both of you.
jannawritesATyahooDOTcom
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAll of her tips from this blog post were rock solid tips. Spreading yourself out to hit as many targets as possible sounds key.
ReplyDeleteestrella8888 at roadrunner dot com
Mooooooo baby!
Great tips--thank you for this. :)
ReplyDeleteOopes forgot to mention: If you are not currently a follower, you can become one, then enter the contest! Easy peasy, right?
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day,
Jen
Hi Jen -
ReplyDeleteI liked her tips on becoming a freelancer. Hmm, a year's worth of income stashed away before taking the leap is a lot to save.
Please enter me in the contest. (I'm a Follower.) I'd like to win the CD. Thanks!
susanjreinhardt (at) gmail (dot) com
Blessings,
Susan
Great tips! If I ever decide to freelance, I will keep them in mind! For now, I'd rather focus on the MUCH MORE lucrative career of novel writing...
ReplyDeleteLOL.
Patti
patti at patti lacy dot com
Hi Jeanette! I've enjoyed Michelle interview. She is a multi-talented lady, isn't she?
ReplyDeleteI thought it was good to hear that networking at conferences really makes a difference in whether a publisher might choose between projects. That makes sense to me!
I'm always in need of a good laugh, so the Heavenly Humor books sounds wonderful!
sherrinda (at) gmail (dot) com
Hi Jeanette! I've enjoyed Michelle interview. She is a multi-talented lady, isn't she?
ReplyDeleteI thought it was good to hear that networking at conferences really makes a difference in whether a publisher might choose between projects. That makes sense to me!
I'm always in need of a good laugh, so the Heavenly Humor books sounds wonderful!
sherrinda (at) gmail (dot) com
I thought her point about attending 2 writers conferences a year is a good idea. Personal contact. The cow book for my grandkids sounds really great.
ReplyDeleteThis was an awesome two-part interview, Jeanette. I learned so much.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend! :-)
Great interview! I really need to start attending writer's conferences like Michelle suggested. I would love to have the, “Heavenly Humor for the Woman’s Soul" book!
ReplyDeleteAlisa
sanctifiedtogether(at)gmail(dot)com
Loved this interview! Priceless tips about meeting editors/publishers in person at conferences! I'm saving up my pennies to attend a conference this year!
ReplyDeleteI love cows and children's books, so Counting Cows would be my choice!
Thanks for entering me in your contest, Jen!! And a special thanks to Michelle for the interview!
morgan(dot)maria(dot)i(at)gmail(dot)com
Jen:
ReplyDeleteI follow your blog.
I would be thrilled to win either item #2 or #3.
I especially like the idea of asking for monitary gifts for Birthdays, Mother's Day, Anniversary and Christmas. and saving it for a conference.
cll4him(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
Michelle has great advice for us. I'm a freelancer, but not full time. I think I need to take today's #4 to heart: "Follow up on leads, and hone relationships" because that's definitely a weakness of mine. #5 also got me thinking because I don't know that I could write in all the different genres. I'd be interested in why she thinks it's important.
ReplyDeleteHer CD would interest me if I were lucky enough to be a winner.
caroljgarvin [at] gmail [dot] com
Just stopping by to wish you a Happy Mother'd Day.
ReplyDeleteHi Jeanette!
ReplyDeleteI love the tip of getting all your errands done one day a week. That is something I need to work on.
I'd love the CD about research.
Thanks
kristengjohnson [at] gmail [dot] com