Youre NOT Doing Enough as a Freelance Writer

I havent landed a writing job yetwhat gives? Ive pitched soooo much, but havent heard back from any of them!!! Why? I spent hours on my writer website, but still, no gigs! Does any of these sayings sound familiar? Like you couldve said them yourself (or have thought them in the past)? Did you know that after the first year of freelance writing, the majority of writers fail? They stop freelancing for good and never go back. (A unicorn died when I learned this!) Being a freelance writer is also being an entrepreneur, and as an entrepreneur, youre going to face extreme highs and big lows. But, thats one of the reasons I LOVE freelance writing! I get to create those big highs if I wanted to and I can mitigate those lows, so they dont affect my bottom line. So, if you just started freelance writing as a beginner, I dont want you to feel defeated or frustrated because you havent landed your first gig. I want to help you because I suspect part of the reason you arent succeeding is that you dare I say it? arent doing enough as a freelance writer. *gasp I knowsounds harsh, doesnt it? Of course, youre doing all that you can! Of course, you only have 1 hour a day to make this work! Of course I know Straight talking here it is possible to make a living as a writer. Im doing it and have been doing it for five years. But, if youre already thinking of the donts instead of the dos, then youre setting yourself up to fail anyways. So, lets turn that around and get you that first freelance writing job. Ill share with you what I feel youre not doing enough and how you can incorporate that in what little time you have to devote to your side hustle. What Freelance Writers Arent Doing Enough Of 1. Youre NOT Pitching Enough One of the biggest ways you can improve your chances of landing your first writing gig is to pitch more often. Many writers that start out send around 200 pitches or less before they land a good gig. Other writers land their first gig immediately. There really is no right amount of pitches to send before you land a gig (I sent around 50 before I landed my first gig). But, if you dont hear back from the pitches you ARE sending, try sending MORE pitches. A good rule of thumb is: 10 pitches a day for 10 days. Whats great about this tactic is that you set a time frame 10 days and the amount you send per day 10. You can adjust this to fit your commitment, but the only thing I suggest is you extend the time frame if you end up lowering the number of pitches you send 5 pitches a day for 15 days. You can also change the format of what a pitch entails. For example, you can also include guest post pitches or podcast pitches along with your job ad pitches and cold pitches. 2. Youre NOT Available Enough Watching Youtube and relaxing! Did you know that I hire ghostwriters and bloggers to help me with my other blogs? Most of the freelance writers are professional and available, but theres always those few that I have a hard time contacting them or they never reply to my emails in a sufficient time frame. When that happens, I dont hire them. I need a reliable and available writer. This doesnt mean you should be at the beck and call of your clients; instead, be prompt when responding to emails 24 to 48 hours is sufficient. This allows for time changes with your clients or potential clients, as well as for the weekend (if you dont email on the weekend which is something I WOULD recommend for new freelance writers). See, my thing is that I want to remove as many barriers as possible for someone to hire me. So, I do my best to reply to leads as soon as they land in my inbox. And you should too! 3. Youre NOT Flexible Enough As a new freelance writer, you have to be open to expanding your niche or services. If youre dead set on writing about history, it might be hard to find the right client. Why not peruse job boards and see whats out there? Pitch to ones that are remotely interesting to you. This is what I did, and it served me well. This can also help you pick up your first writing gig much quicker when you expand your freelance writing niche. How do you expand your freelance writing niche? Look at related topics in that niche. For example, if you want to write about cryptocurrency, you should also be willing to write about home loans or investments. If your niche is mental health, why not also include mindfulness and exercising as topics? By, doing this, you can search for more freelance writing jobs and get a gig! The same goes for your services. Why not add editing or social media graphics as added services to your freelance writing? Prospects who land on your hire me page will see all you offer and may start you out as their editor, and from there you can pitch your writing after you know the client enjoys your editing relationship. 4. Youre NOT Negotiating Enough Sometimes the issue for freelance writers isnt that they cant find a job; its that the job is low paying. *think content mill rates! You can easily change this around by being firm in your negotiations. Try not to bend if a potential client says in their email: That rate is out of our budget. Can you cut your rate in half? Ouch! Some people! Forget what they say and be professional when you respond, Thanks for letting me know, but my rate is (x). If you need a professional writer later on or if your budget increases, feel free to contact me! Boom! Whos the boss now? Standing your ground will give you confidence, and you know what? That will carry with you on your next pitch, and I wouldnt be surprised if you didnt land that gig! The only time I would write for a lower-paying gig is if it can benefit me later one. For example, if the networking potential is greater than the actual gig. Or, if the gig sounds super fun and super easy and it would look good in my portfolio! 5. Youre NOT Reaching Out Enough Many freelance writers think this is a competition and its not! Instead of giving the stink eye to other freelance writers, connect with them and follow them! Share their blog posts and sign up to their email list! Networking its creeping up again! is soo powerful! It is what can increase your income and move you up the income ladder. By doing this, you will see other freelance writers giving away potential gigs if they have a full schedule. Similarly, if youre booked up, you can connect with your list of freelance writers and see if they want to pick up another writing gig. Some of my best freelance writing jobs came from other freelance writers or from their referral! So, how can you connect with more freelancers? Follow them on Twitter Follow them on LinkedIn Join Facebook groups and search for freelancer And connect with other freelancers like graphic designers and coaches! Maximize Your Time as a Freelance Writer What if you have NO time to start this freelance writing business? What if you only have one hour a day or three hours a week to do this? First, list out the most important tasks you need to accomplish: Create three writing samples Pitch 5 times a day for 10 days Start a Twitter profile and follow 10 freelancers Find five companies to cold pitch to Create a pitch template Once you write down your list, next write out how long you think each task will take and plug that into the time you have during the week. This will give you a framework to work off of. You also should get creative on your time. Instead of vegging out after dinner watching your shows, pitch or find businesses to cold pitch to. You might have to nix Netflix for a month to land a few clients! Totally worth it though, right? If you still find this difficult to execute, why not have an accountability partner? It doesnt have to be your husband or wife or a friend; it can be another freelance writer you connected with on Facebook! Reach out to them and see where they are in their freelance journey and see if you can hold each other accountable to grow your biz together! Wrap Up There ya go! Im telling it like it is! I hope this gives you the motivation you need to get up and take action! I want to help you succeed and find that freelance writing job thats right for you! Tell me in the comments what you feel you arent doing enough! Maybe we can brainstorm some ideas on how to increase your productivity so you can land some writing gigs!

Civil War - Battle of Chancellorsville

Civil War - Battle of Chancellorsville Dates: April 30-May 6, 1863 Other Names: None Location: Chancellorsville, Virginia Key Individuals Involved in the Battle of Chancellorsville: Union: Major General Joseph HookerConfederate: General Robert E. Lee, Major General Thomas J. Jackson Outcome: Confederate Victory. 24,000 casualties of which 14,000 were Union soldiers. Significance of the Battle of Chancellorsville: This battle was considered by many historians to be Lee’s greatest victory. At the same time, the South lost one of its greatest strategic minds with the death of Stonewall Jackson. Overview of the Battle: On April 27, 1863, Union  Major General Joseph Hooker attempted to turn the Confederate left flank by leading the V, XI, and XII Corps across the  Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers above Fredericksburg, Virginia. Passing the Rapidan via Ely’s Fords and Germanna, the Union forces  concentrated near Chancellorsville, Virginia on April 30 and May 1. The III Corps was to join the army. General John  Sedgwick’s VI Corps and Colonel Randall L. Gibbon’s division remained to keep up appearances against the Confederate forces gathered at Fredericksburg. Meanwhile, General Robert E. Lee left a covering force commanded by Major General Jubal Early in Fredericksburg while he  marched with the rest of the army to meet the Union forces. As Hooker’s army worked its way toward Fredericksburg, they encountered increasing Confederate resistance. Fearing through reports of large Confederate force, Hooker ordered the army to stop the advance and concentrate again at C hancellorsville. Hooker adopted a defensive posture which gave Lee the initiative. On the morning of May 2, Lieutenant General T.J. Jackson directed his corps to move against the Union left flank, which was reported to be separated from the rest. Fighting was sporadic across the field throughout the day when Jackson’s column reached its destination. At 5:20 pm, Jackson’s line surged forward in an attack that crushed the Union XI Corps. Union troops rallied and were able to resist the attack and even counterattack. Fighting eventually ended due to darkness and disorganization on both sides. During the nighttime reconnaissance, Jackson was mortally wounded by friendly fire. He was carried from the field. J.E.B. Stuart took temporary command of Jackson’s men. On May 3, the Confederate forces attacked with both sides of the army, massing their artillery at Hazel Grove. This finally broke the Union line at Chancellorsville. Hooker withdrew about a mile and entrenched his men making a  defensive â€Å"U.† His back was   to the river at United States Ford. Union generals Hiram Gregory Berry and Amiel Weeks Whipple and Confederate General Elisha F. Paxton were killed.  Stonewall Jackson soon died from his wounds.  During the night between  May 5-6 Hooker recrossed to the north of the Rappahannock,  due to Union reverses at Salem Church.

An Introduction To Malcolm X And His Life History Essay

An Introduction To Malcolm X And His Life History Essay Malcolm X was a black civil rights leader in the 1960s in the U.S. In the U.S, blacks were segregated by the Jim Crow Laws. Black people did not have equal rights compared to white people in this era. Malcolm X was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, which is in the state of Nebraska. In the U.S history, people knew Malcolm X as a violent, black civil rights activist. His idea was that racial separation was the only way to help and improve African Americans’ lives in the U.S because he thought that white people controlled the U.S society completely. Thus, he taught black people that they should have their own society, economy, and community. Also, he taught that white people were devils, who brainwashed black people. He did not believe the idea of whites and blacks in the U.S living together. So, even if other black civil right activists, such as Martin Luther King Jr. helped black people by using non violent resistance, Malcolm X did not participate in their nonviolent civil righ ts movements. Therefore, Malcolm X thought that violence or fighting against whites is the only way of helping and improving black people in the U.S. So, his idea of racial separation was shaped by his earlier life experiences and the Nation of Islam, however, Malcolm X finally realized that the whites and the blacks could live together under God, Allah, after he visited Mecca. Historical Back Ground: African Americans in the south were segregated by the Jim Crow Laws. (Hickman, 2010) The Jim Crow Laws was â€Å"the name of the racial caste system which operated primarily, but not exclusively in southern and border states, between 1877 and the mid to 1960s. Jim Crow was more than a series of rigid anti – Black laws. It was a way of life. Under the Jim Crow, African Americans were relegated to the status of second class citizens† (Pilgrim, 2000). Black people were segregated in restaurants, public restrooms, drinking fountains, etc. In addition, â€Å"many blacks were the victims of mob violence that ranged from being beaten to actually being killed† (Dean, 1994, pp. 9). So, black people were not protected by the law completely in this era. During the 19th century, American Civil Rights movements occurred many times, such as the sitting movement and the bus boycott in Montgomery. Black people tried to have their civil rights in this era, and black people followed famous civil rights activists. There were two famous protesters, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, who were against the Jim Crow Laws. They were black, and they were the leaders of the American Civil Rights movements. However, there were some differences between King and Malcolm. Martin Luther King Jr. was a protestant, and he used nonviolent resistance. Many black people followed his idea because nonviolent resistance was a more popular approach in the Civil Rights Movement in this era. On the other hand, Malcolm X’s idea was that black people should create their own wo rld without white people, the rejection of King’s method of nonviolence, and the acceptance of violence as an effective means to realize his goal. So, Malcolm X did not suggest that black people should live with white people.

Present and evaluate J.C. Maxwells version of the Golden Rule as Essay

Present and evaluate J.C. Maxwells version of the Golden Rule as discussed in class and in your reading. (Again, this means discussing the argument) - Essay Example What you do is important; but how you do, what you do is more important. Meaning, the process of living is supreme than achieving success in life. In business, seeking wealth is perfect. What is inappropriate is the intentional manipulation of business practices to deceive others. Desires are not bad; but motivated desires and causing intentional pain to others to secure monetary gains is undesirable. Great business projects are fine, but the prerequisite about such projects is creating noble individuals to implement them. When ethics is the foundation stone of an individual viewed from perception of life as a whole, nothing can go wrong for such an individual. He can be a businessman, politician, bureaucrat, farmer etc. The fundamental rules of ethics will not change, only their application in a particular situation may vary. Scandals originate in the heart. An individual must have a cause to be ethical, the heart to be ethical, and pursue the ethical principles with grit, stamina and heroism, and finally receive the rewards or any other types of accruing results with a balanced mental attitude. Even if the results are not favorable in a given situation, one will have the inner satisfaction of following the Golden Rule of ethics. One has to be truthful at all times and at all costs and avoid ‘pressure, pleasure, power, pride and skewed priorities’, to uphold the Golden Rule. In that ideal situation, societal environment will be

The Developing Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

The Developing Business - Essay Example Many organizations refer to sustainability as corporate social responsibility (CSR). Thus, CSR will be used in the essay to refer to social and environmental sustainability. The terms, sustainability and corporate social responsibility refer to the practical contributions that businesses can make to sustainability. Many companies in recent times have incorporated social and environmental sustainability in their financial statements. (Gray, 2006, p.81) said that reporting social sustainability is crucial because the sustainability apprehensions of individuals, communities and governments facilitate shaping the world in which organizations operate.Sustainability reporting at the enterprise level also intends to represent an organization’ssocial, environmental and economic performance. Social sustainability reporting is aimed at reflecting the external costs and benefits of an organization that are not otherwise identified. Conventionally, ‘labour hires capital’ with the prominence on individual, environmental and social profit. On the contrary, capital hires labour with the superseding prominence on making a ‘profit’ over and beyond any advantage either to the industry itself or the employees (Epstein and Buhovac, 2014, pg. 29). These two differences provide a major contrast to how the accountant views of business operation. Another difference that arises is that of the conflicts created by professional values and managerial logic. Accountants view the firm in professional term, meaning any notion that does not involve accounting principles is rendered irrelevant. The CSR function, on the other hand, is based on managerial logic whereby the businesses engross in broad activities so long as profits are recognized from the business endeavours. Theoretical work on CSR accounting has created different theories as to the motivation of firms to report or release information on their CSR actions, many of

Being religious is not a matter of subscribing to doctrines Essay Example for Free

Being religious is not a matter of subscribing to doctrines Essay In oral/first traditions, being religious entails much more than simply subscribing to a set of doctrines.   It is instead a world view, a way of ordering society, and a means of reckoning with the natural and supernatural.   It deals with the unseen and, in the absence of science, does not create boundaries between natural phenomena and the divine or supernatural.   According to Walter Burkert, â€Å"Religion is manifest in actions and attitudes that do not fulfill immediate practical functions.   What is intended and dealt with cannot be seen, or touched, or worked upon in the usual fashion of everyday life. †Ã‚   (Burkert 5) Being religious is not a matter of subscribing to doctrines (which, in Western societies, is separate from science and other aspects of human life), but is instead a complex relationship with the surrounding natural world and with other humans. views in oral/first traditions often establish the links between a people and the forces controlling their lives.   This is especially true with folklore and creation stories, which attest to the links between a people and their divine beings, as with Io in Maori myths or Bumba in Bushongo myths.   In essence, these attest to the people’s close identification with their divinities and stress a kind of organic belonging important to these societies.   (Novak 334-336)   Also, creation myths bind people closely to the sources of their sustenance, showing their reverence for the natural resources on which they depend.   For example, the Pawnee root their origins firmly in corn, their chief food source, and their divinity (â€Å"Mother Corn†) is female; indeed, many oral/first traditions venerate female deities along with the male, attesting to the biological nature of divinity in oral/first traditions.   (Novak 338-339)   Resources are not simply seen as spiri tually inert commodities, as in Western societies, but as vital parts of a world infused with spirits. Folklore also helps to explain natural phenomena, addressing the â€Å"why?† in order to coherently explain and help people cope with powerful events (again in the absence of science), often natural calamities.   (Burkert 112)   Burkert explains that such tales typically start with some human folly, often a broken taboo or conflict, link these to catastrophes (which are, in these people’s views, manifestations of evil), and explain how they are ultimately overcome.   Chains of human wrongdoing, dreadful consequences, and ultimate resolution, says Burkert, create â€Å"a context of sense and [premise] a meaningful cosmos in which people can live in health and at ease. . . .†Ã‚   (Burkert 128)   Evil is attributed to supernatural agents aroused by human wrongdoing and brings punishment by the gods.   However, resolution does not always occur.   In tales akin to the story of Adam and Eve, whose misdeeds in Eden led to their expulsion from it, both the Ya o of east Africa and the Hopi of North America blame human misbehavior for driving God away from themselves.   (Novak 344-346) World views in oral/first traditions not only involve folklore, but they are also rooted in social hierarchies, since hierarchy serves as a means of ordering the world.   According to Burkert, this is virtually universal in world religions and early societies.   (Burkert 81)   In oral/first traditions, hierarchy involves not only simple subjugation to the powerful, such as humiliation and shows of deference, but also adherence to mutual obligations by superior and inferior alike.   These help create a stable, ordered society in which inferiors show deference to superiors and superiors are obligated to protect or otherwise assist those they dominate.   As Burkert asserts, â€Å"Dominance makes possible forms of solidarity not easily encountered elsewhere. . . .†Ã‚   (Burkert 82)   Hierarchy also manifests in showing reverence for natural forces.   Again, Novak’s examples of the Sioux relationship to the bison and the Pawnee reverence for â€Å"Mother Cornà ¢â‚¬  illustrates how oral/first religions clearly recognize their dependence on certain natural resources for their survival, and their world views often place the sources of their sustenance at the top of their hierarchies. (Novak 338-339, 363-372) Another key behavior in such traditions is reciprocal giving, which Burkert considers vital because it â€Å"regulates the standards of justice . . . [and] is an unexceptionable expectation or even obligation of return.   Every gift demands a counter-gift.†Ã‚   In these societies, an unanswered gift is a serious taboo which violates the obligations inherent in hierarchies.   (Burkert 130)   Creating reciprocal obligations in such religions is a means of promoting peace and stability by strengthening mutual social bonds. Ritual often assumes a central place in oral/first traditions because it â€Å"grows out of anxiety and is designed to control it.†Ã‚   (Burkert 36)   Rituals involve confronting some aspect of fear or pain in order to better cope with it, or to appease unseen forces.   One such common ritual is sacrifice (pars par toto, Latin for â€Å"part for all†), which Burkert calls â€Å"a manageable loss in order to gain salvation.†   The author mentions ancient Greek sacrifices to hail (Burkert 34-37), while others involve bodily mutilations (such as finger sacrifice or severing hands).   Another fact of this is sacrificing scapegoats, usually social outsiders or individuals guilty of violating certain taboos. Scapegoats are sometimes blamed for arousing divine wrath, and their sacrifice is a means of restoring safety to a perilous situation.   He grounds this in biology, likening it to distracting predators by leaving behind an expendable part, like foxes gnawing off their paws to escape hunters’ traps.   (Burkert 41)   Similarly, Burkert considers ritual castration a means of defying biology: â€Å"The illusion is that by renouncing procreation men may stay clear of the maelstrom of life and death.†Ã‚   (Burkert 48)   It is also a biological means of enforcing hierarchy, as seen with lower primates A less brutal aspect of this is the sacrificial feast (eating certain venerated foods) and ritualized killing of certain animals (intended to show the being reverence, as with the bison).   Life, according to Burkert, is â€Å"a transient stability depending upon the ‘just’ exchange† (Burkert 155), and showing respect for life-sustaining forces assumes crucial importance.   Another aspect of ritual is the oath, in which words are set in a ceremonial context in order to make them sacred and inviolate.   (Burkert 171-173) Another aspect of behavior in this milieu is the importance of signs, which help divine some aspect of the future, usually through the role of the shaman.   Shamans, who often attain their status through ceremonies or rituals, are basically the mediators between the natural and supernatural, capable of reaching an ecstatic state which gives them divine insights and lets them cross the boundaries that other members of these societies cannot.   An example is the Eskimo shaman, whom Novak claims can achieve a â€Å"fit of mysterious and overwhelming delight† (Novak 355).   In this state, they may see signs by watching people’s behaviors, the weather, objects, and other phenomena in which the future may be divined. These signs basically comprise a kind of unwritten language for interpreting the world, and the shaman acts as a designated translator.   Other signs not limited to the shaman include body markings, such as scars, brands, tattoos, and tooth alteration, which set certain people apart and are not simply arbitrary choices or fashions.   These function as a language (often in the absence of a written language) with deep significance for those who embrace it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite the commonalities one finds among early traditions, such as bonds to the natural world, the presence of shamans, and the importance of hierarchy and mutual obligation, conversion does not appear to be a matter one could take lightly.   In these societies, religion is not simply a set of doctrines which can be substituted for another, but a complex system of relationships to a specific group of people, physical environment, and body of folklore.   They are not rationalized as commonalities between cultures, since people in these societies seldom transplanted themselves lightly from one cultural cosmos to another.   For example, while first traditions all share similar creation stories, the nuances and elements of each will differ from one another, as will the rituals and signs associated with their religions.   Changing entire world views appears not to be a frivolous decision, since the world views in oral/first traditions are so intricate.

In Search Of Excellence: Review :: essays research papers

In Search of Excellence is a book dealing with many different principles of economics and what makes big business' excellent. The first idea that Peters discusses is his chart of the McKinsey 7-S Framework. The graph is very simple but the ideas are fairly complex. In their research, they found that their philosophies were too hard to explain and easily forgettable. They made this Framework to deal with strategy, structure, style, systems, staff (people), skills, and shared values (culture). This has 7 S's (easy to remember) and a graphical representation to visualize. This shows the businessman that the intractable, irrational, intuitive, and informal organization can be managed. For example, anyone assuming that a new manager of a Taco Bell will perform exactly as the old manager did is ridiculous. The organization of workers must adjust and adapt to the new manager's way of business. Another more main topic of the novel is the Eight Basic Principles. Their research had shown that the excellent companies had been based on the basics. The companies had to try to keep things simple. Sometimes, to a big business, it might seem logical that business should be run more complex the larger it is. From their research, this is usually not true. The first pricnciple is a bias for action. This is basically saying "Stop talking and do something about it." When Taco Bell has a rush of customers and their supplies for making food are low, they (usually) don't say "You know what, I have no more cheese" or "Could someone get me some more cheese?" They take action and get the cheese, make it if necessary, and get the problem solved as quickly as possible. The second Principle they deal with is to be close to the customer. This means good service and listening to what the customer has to say. If the producer, Taco Bell, is not in touch with what the customer wants to eat, then the business will most likely fail. Although it also refers to customer satisfaction; quality food made right and curteous service: "Have a nice day and enjoy your meal!" The third principle is autonomy and entrepreneurship. This is the innovation principle. 3M is known for innovation and they welcome the changing and rearranging of old and new products. For example, my dad took 3M's basic arthroscopy pump and redesigned it into an in flow-out flow cannula. This innovation on his part temporarilly set 3M back on its feet in that product line. The fourth basic principle is productivity through people. This deals with the indivdual as the best means for efficiency improvement rather