When I started this blog, I planned to be very consistent with it by posting as regularly as I possibly could but somehow, it always ended up as a victim of neglect. Given my new resolution to become a consistent blogger (well, at the rate I am going, I doubt that I can even dream of becoming a ProBlogger!), I am thoroughly ashamed of myself for the neglect I subject this blog to!
What can I say? I have been spending way too much time on my other blog, my website and my freelance work that this poor writing blog got chucked aside as the fourth priority. I have also neglected my other writing places such as Hubpages, Helium and Shvoong.It is not because I have writers block or anything. Even if I have that, we all know, I have my very own tips to get rid of writers block. Nowadays with even more work at my day job (and more stress too), I could sadly say I have very little time to indulge in my private pet project: fiction writing. All these are on top of time for my family.
So, what do I do? How do I ever do so many things in so little time? Well, time management is the key. I know, I have posted an entry of my hopeless attempt in time management before but I have since come up with a system to try to get everything done in times when my plate is too full to handle.
The steps I take:
1. Prioritize - Divide my tasks and assignments by priority. Example: set aside compulsory family time everyday, then write down a list of tasks and assignments I have to do. Write it by priority, the top being the most in want of attention. Sample:
1. Family time
2. House chores
3. Day job writing assignments
4. Two freelance articles due by Friday
5. Research for two more articles for next week
6. Search job boards to bid for more freelance work, place bid
7. Update blogs
8. Research for website and update of website
9. Learn up more about internet marketing, etc.
10. Research and write fiction projects
2. Divide the to-do list according to the available time each day - for example, I will be spending between 8am to 7pm on my day job (including commuting time). From 7pm onwards, I will have to divide the time to do the ten things in my list.
3. Keep to the timetable created from above and avoid all distractions - yep, that means no TV, no online chatting (unless it is for work), no hanging around gossip forums for hours and most importantly stay away from Facebook, Myspace and similar social networking sites (unless it is to keep in touch with your freelance clients). These are the worst time-waster ever!
4. Let your family in on it - ask your family members to cooperate by giving you peace and space to do your work without interruptions. They could also help out with some of the house chores.
5. Use pockets of available time wisely - you know when you have to wait for the computer to boot up or while waiting for a page to load, don't just sit there staring at the screen - use that time to do other things like organize your paperwork or write down new article ideas or even read books as part of your research.
6. Multi-tasking - the reason for high-tech computers is to make our life easier so use it to multi-task. Do your research and check your emails at the same time, just open more windows.
There it is. I have been applying it and though I am still a bit behind schedule on some things ( like this blog), at least I am getting there. The day will come when I will be able to do everything efficiently and even drop by at other blogs to read and leave comments (as I should have done for ages!) in a return favor to those who have dropped by here and left comments.
Showing posts with label freelance work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freelance work. Show all posts
Thursday
Writing foreign topics
For freelance writers, especially newbies, getting writing assignments and winning bids at freelance job boards can be quite a task. In fact, it is an uphill struggle most of the time to get enough to pay the bills, at least in the beginning.
So, for me, I usually put in a bid on as many projects as I possibly could. However, some of the topics are not something I am familiar with. So, what do I do? It is time to break out the research skills and lots of creativity!
Here are some of my tips on what to do when it comes to writing about things we are not familiar with:
1. Even before you put in a bid, do check out the details of the project and what is needed. Is it a long or short article? Or is it an ebook? A blog post? A press release? Then, look at the topics on hand. Is it something you have never written about before? Note all these down and work out how many words or how much facts are required. But why before bidding? Simple, it is so that you will know how much time you will need to put into it and be able to place a bid that covers the time you spent on it.
2. Armed with the initial requirements for the project, you conduct a simple research into it. Then you find out if :
a. it is a topic you could easily understand (not too technical and beyond your understanding that you find it hard to grasp the concept without reading an article about it three times)
b. it is something you could comfortably write about once you have the facts without having to struggle over the technical terms
c. it is something you could complete within the timeframe required with time to spare
d. it is something you could easily find the facts about
3. Once you feel that you will be able to complete the project, then submit your bid. If you win the bid, do bear in mind that you are in for a lot of research before actually starting on the project. However, you have already got your basics covered as you had already done the initial research before placing the bid. This time you will have to do thorough research on the topic. If it is something that relies on facts and figures, you better make darn sure you do your research well! This means really thorough. You can't just go to Wikipedia and extract the information from there.
3. Make full use of all three major search engines, Google, Yahoo and MSN. You can even go to Ask and About. If the topic is about local issues, check out the local media and look for local sites. It is important that you get as many references as possible and double and triple check all your facts to be sure that the facts are right. Sometimes, facts gathered from a site may differ from another site so it is best you check at least three or four other sites for more accuracy.
4. Use specific keywords and phrases in your searches. If the topic is about 'breeding of St Bernard dogs', then try searching for the whole phrase and from there search some more. Possibly, you could start with St Bernard and if it comes with too many unrelated sites, then try to narrow it down with more specific phrases such as St Bernard dogs or the whole phrase. Otherwise, you could also look up 'Pets' or 'Dogs' and from there you can search through pet sites and dog sites for more information on St Bernard. This exercise may take hours to do but the preparation is well worth it.
5. The writing starts. I could not really tell you how to start writing except to let your creative juices flow and use the facts as the skeleton of the project. It you are still stumped, do drop by for help at writers' forums or better still, go get some inspiration by reading articles by others. Get a feel of how others write it and perhaps you will somehow manage to get your article in motion. Now, please DO NOT do the unthinkable of copying and pasting! It is called plagiarism and your buyer may end up not paying you or worse, you could be sued for copyright infringement!
6. Double check the facts and compare you work with others on the internet. This is your own editing and proofreading process to ensure that your work is no less professional than others. You also do not want to sound too green about the topic even though it is your first time writing about it. So, the best way to see if your article is on par or not is to compare it with others.
7. Deliver it and offer one or two rewrites. Since you are new to the topic and despite much checking and cross referencing, your article may come out different from what the buyer wanted. So, do be professional about it as to offer free rewrite of up to twice but not more. I usually offer one rewrite.
8. When rewriting it is best to first ask the buyer specific questions as to what is really required so that the rewrite will be according to what the buyer wanted. You do not want to waste more time doing a second rewrite. Usually the buyer have no qualms answering whatever questions or uncertainties you may have. The golden rule here is, ask when you are not sure. It is better that you get the rewrite done correctly this way than trying to work it out on your own.
Of course we never aim to do rewrites as it would take up more of our time and at the same time create a really bad first impression on the buyer. But of course, most buyers are understanding and will not decide to drop you just because the article does not suit their taste. As long as the article is written articulately, presented in a format required by the buyer, is factually accurate and does not contain any grammatical mistakes, you are quite safe.
Again, these tips are gathered from my own personal experience so it may work for some people and not for others. Whichever it is, I do hope it helped! Happy writing.
So, for me, I usually put in a bid on as many projects as I possibly could. However, some of the topics are not something I am familiar with. So, what do I do? It is time to break out the research skills and lots of creativity!
Here are some of my tips on what to do when it comes to writing about things we are not familiar with:
1. Even before you put in a bid, do check out the details of the project and what is needed. Is it a long or short article? Or is it an ebook? A blog post? A press release? Then, look at the topics on hand. Is it something you have never written about before? Note all these down and work out how many words or how much facts are required. But why before bidding? Simple, it is so that you will know how much time you will need to put into it and be able to place a bid that covers the time you spent on it.
2. Armed with the initial requirements for the project, you conduct a simple research into it. Then you find out if :
a. it is a topic you could easily understand (not too technical and beyond your understanding that you find it hard to grasp the concept without reading an article about it three times)
b. it is something you could comfortably write about once you have the facts without having to struggle over the technical terms
c. it is something you could complete within the timeframe required with time to spare
d. it is something you could easily find the facts about
3. Once you feel that you will be able to complete the project, then submit your bid. If you win the bid, do bear in mind that you are in for a lot of research before actually starting on the project. However, you have already got your basics covered as you had already done the initial research before placing the bid. This time you will have to do thorough research on the topic. If it is something that relies on facts and figures, you better make darn sure you do your research well! This means really thorough. You can't just go to Wikipedia and extract the information from there.
3. Make full use of all three major search engines, Google, Yahoo and MSN. You can even go to Ask and About. If the topic is about local issues, check out the local media and look for local sites. It is important that you get as many references as possible and double and triple check all your facts to be sure that the facts are right. Sometimes, facts gathered from a site may differ from another site so it is best you check at least three or four other sites for more accuracy.
4. Use specific keywords and phrases in your searches. If the topic is about 'breeding of St Bernard dogs', then try searching for the whole phrase and from there search some more. Possibly, you could start with St Bernard and if it comes with too many unrelated sites, then try to narrow it down with more specific phrases such as St Bernard dogs or the whole phrase. Otherwise, you could also look up 'Pets' or 'Dogs' and from there you can search through pet sites and dog sites for more information on St Bernard. This exercise may take hours to do but the preparation is well worth it.
5. The writing starts. I could not really tell you how to start writing except to let your creative juices flow and use the facts as the skeleton of the project. It you are still stumped, do drop by for help at writers' forums or better still, go get some inspiration by reading articles by others. Get a feel of how others write it and perhaps you will somehow manage to get your article in motion. Now, please DO NOT do the unthinkable of copying and pasting! It is called plagiarism and your buyer may end up not paying you or worse, you could be sued for copyright infringement!
6. Double check the facts and compare you work with others on the internet. This is your own editing and proofreading process to ensure that your work is no less professional than others. You also do not want to sound too green about the topic even though it is your first time writing about it. So, the best way to see if your article is on par or not is to compare it with others.
7. Deliver it and offer one or two rewrites. Since you are new to the topic and despite much checking and cross referencing, your article may come out different from what the buyer wanted. So, do be professional about it as to offer free rewrite of up to twice but not more. I usually offer one rewrite.
8. When rewriting it is best to first ask the buyer specific questions as to what is really required so that the rewrite will be according to what the buyer wanted. You do not want to waste more time doing a second rewrite. Usually the buyer have no qualms answering whatever questions or uncertainties you may have. The golden rule here is, ask when you are not sure. It is better that you get the rewrite done correctly this way than trying to work it out on your own.
Of course we never aim to do rewrites as it would take up more of our time and at the same time create a really bad first impression on the buyer. But of course, most buyers are understanding and will not decide to drop you just because the article does not suit their taste. As long as the article is written articulately, presented in a format required by the buyer, is factually accurate and does not contain any grammatical mistakes, you are quite safe.
Again, these tips are gathered from my own personal experience so it may work for some people and not for others. Whichever it is, I do hope it helped! Happy writing.
Friday
The art of bidding at freelance job boards
If you are a freelancer and have been burnt many a time at job boards especially when others outbid you, you are definitely not alone. I have my bids turned down and declined so many times that I almost gave up!
However, I did win some bids (and am up to my neck in projects now...though I am not exactly earning big bucks for it!) and thanks to a really good buyer who gave me a really great review rating, I am able to get noticed more often in my bids. So, how did I win those initial few bids when I do not have any reviews?
Here are the steps that I took:
1) Find out the name of the buyer : I always try to address the buyer by his/her name when submitting a proposal. For example, when I see a job I am interested in, I will first check out the profile of the buyer. If it reveals a name, I will take note of it.
2) Be polite, professional and brief: When I submit a bid, my proposal is always polite, professional and to the point. I start it by addressing the buyer and then I state out in brief, why I could provide the services required. I always end it with a thank you.
3) Pricing: There are a lot of firms / freelancers out there who could submit really low bids from $1 per article to $3 per hour of work. We could never go down to that level of pricing (or else you'd be earning peanuts for a lot of work!) so DON'T! Instead, stick to your original pricing and search out projects which have higher budgets. It is not wise to reduce your prices as it would only lower your standards. If the buyer do contact you about your pricing and asking for a lower bid amount, you could do a bit of adjustment but not much. If possible, offer the buyer a few options as in a range of pricing for certain services. Example: $5 per hour for basic data entry work, $6 per hour for data entry and basic research work, $10 per hour for research and writing of articles, etc. This way, the buyer have a choice and may even accept your bid.
4) Close the deal: Sometimes, the buyer would send a message asking you a few specific questions. Sometimes it is to test your skills, sometimes it is just to get to know you and sometimes it is just to check out your response time. So, ALWAYS check your message board/email on a regular basis, if possible, a few times a day to ensure that you did not miss any new messages. ALWAYS reply to a message immediately and again, be polite and professional about. If it is a test, do your research first before answering the questions. If it is a sort of interview, answer it as eloquently as possible and be genuine and honest. Do not claim to be able to do this or that when you can't as it will only backfire on you later. Buyers always appreciate frank, polite and professional responses to their messages. It reflects that you are serious about your work and that you are professional about it.
5) Get a good review: If you are awarded a project, congrats! But before celebrating, the crucial point is to ensure you deliver the project. Be sure to do it according to the buyer's requirements. Adhere to whatever schedule they set. Always report back to them (if they required it) and always treat them with the utmost respect and professionalism. Remember, they are your clients and you do not want to drive away your clients! Follow instructions and importantly, put your best into your projects. It may be paying you only $15 per article or $9 per hour but it is still payment for your services. Be your own worst critic and go over all your work carefully before submitting it to your client. Once you have a satisfied client, you will get a great review!
These are but a few of my own personal tips. I do hope it helps! Happy bidding out there.
However, I did win some bids (and am up to my neck in projects now...though I am not exactly earning big bucks for it!) and thanks to a really good buyer who gave me a really great review rating, I am able to get noticed more often in my bids. So, how did I win those initial few bids when I do not have any reviews?
Here are the steps that I took:
1) Find out the name of the buyer : I always try to address the buyer by his/her name when submitting a proposal. For example, when I see a job I am interested in, I will first check out the profile of the buyer. If it reveals a name, I will take note of it.
2) Be polite, professional and brief: When I submit a bid, my proposal is always polite, professional and to the point. I start it by addressing the buyer and then I state out in brief, why I could provide the services required. I always end it with a thank you.
3) Pricing: There are a lot of firms / freelancers out there who could submit really low bids from $1 per article to $3 per hour of work. We could never go down to that level of pricing (or else you'd be earning peanuts for a lot of work!) so DON'T! Instead, stick to your original pricing and search out projects which have higher budgets. It is not wise to reduce your prices as it would only lower your standards. If the buyer do contact you about your pricing and asking for a lower bid amount, you could do a bit of adjustment but not much. If possible, offer the buyer a few options as in a range of pricing for certain services. Example: $5 per hour for basic data entry work, $6 per hour for data entry and basic research work, $10 per hour for research and writing of articles, etc. This way, the buyer have a choice and may even accept your bid.
4) Close the deal: Sometimes, the buyer would send a message asking you a few specific questions. Sometimes it is to test your skills, sometimes it is just to get to know you and sometimes it is just to check out your response time. So, ALWAYS check your message board/email on a regular basis, if possible, a few times a day to ensure that you did not miss any new messages. ALWAYS reply to a message immediately and again, be polite and professional about. If it is a test, do your research first before answering the questions. If it is a sort of interview, answer it as eloquently as possible and be genuine and honest. Do not claim to be able to do this or that when you can't as it will only backfire on you later. Buyers always appreciate frank, polite and professional responses to their messages. It reflects that you are serious about your work and that you are professional about it.
5) Get a good review: If you are awarded a project, congrats! But before celebrating, the crucial point is to ensure you deliver the project. Be sure to do it according to the buyer's requirements. Adhere to whatever schedule they set. Always report back to them (if they required it) and always treat them with the utmost respect and professionalism. Remember, they are your clients and you do not want to drive away your clients! Follow instructions and importantly, put your best into your projects. It may be paying you only $15 per article or $9 per hour but it is still payment for your services. Be your own worst critic and go over all your work carefully before submitting it to your client. Once you have a satisfied client, you will get a great review!
These are but a few of my own personal tips. I do hope it helps! Happy bidding out there.
Sunday
Don't DIE for your employer
Because it would go unnoticed and largely unappreciated. Seriously.
I do not know about small companies but when it comes to large corporations, all of its employees are dispensable. Any one of them can drop off from the face of the earth and the company will just rehire a new person as replacement. No tears, no regrets, nothing. Okay, maybe a wreath at your funeral but that is about it.
The people who will miss you most, mourn for you and basically feel like crap when you are gone are your family and close friends. To them, you are indispensable and nobody could ever replace you. You could be someone's mother, sister, daughter, wife, best friend, father, brother, son, husband or soul mate. To them, you matter a lot. Your lives are intertwined and you depended on each other in all of your lives. To them, losing you is like losing a large part of their lives, leaving a void that only time could heal.
So, then. why do so many people work till late hours every day, stay fiercely loyal to their employers and practically spent more time in the office rather than at home with their loved ones?
This is one question that really beats me. It is something I find hard to understand. Admittedly, money is something everyone needs in this material world but do we really need that much?
Will working to death to buy a palatial house be worth it if you hardly have time to enjoy the house with your family? Will tonnes of money in the bank be worth it if you neglected your family and friends to the point that you have none left and you end up spending your retirement days sitting alone in a huge empty house? Will becoming the company vice president through long working hours be worth it if it means you don't get to see the birth of your first child, participate in his activities, watch him grow and finally did not even get to know your own child?
Will working to the bone for a company be worth it at all if you were to fall dead one day without going on the tour around Europe vacation you promised your family/partner or fulfilling your lifelong dream of becoming an artist or fulfilling any of your promises of 'maybe next time when I am free' to your family / friends? Would it be worth it at all to actually die after spending most of your life at work and none of it actually enjoying life with your family and friends?
Well, I think it is really not worth it at all! No money in this world could buy the simple pleasure of watching your firstborn learn his first words or the wonderful moments you spent with your loved ones or just appreciating nature with your loved ones. Nothing is more precious that your family and friends.
So, why does work always take precedence? Why do people keep saying 'I have work. Maybe tomorrow'and the tomorrow never comes?
Sure, we all have commitments, mortgages to pay, bills to settle, debts to clear. A steady income is imperative for us to survive but it does not mean we have to put 90% of our time in it.
That is why,one of my favorite saying is always: Work is just a means to an end, not an end to the means.
It is with this reasoning that I am now working hard (I know it sounds contradictory to this whole post but read on...) so that I could quit my day job and spend more time with my son at home.
I am admittedly putting more hours into my own freelance work at night, which is taking up most of my spare time, but it is with the goal of quitting my day job to stay home. I, too, have bills to pay, but I am not making work a priority in my life. My priority is my family. And perhaps spiritual development. I intend to quit my day job soon and this would mean more time to my family and less time at the office.
So, to all the workaholics out there, do stop and think about the time you spent at the office. Is it worth it in the end? The best way to think if it is worth it, imagine you were told you have only two more hours to live. What were your first few regrets about things you don't get to do? I can bet that it is not about the report that was supposed to be due tomorrow!
Life is fragile. We all know we will die one day so make wise decisions now so that you will not regret it later. Go out and Dream, Discover and Explore!
I do not know about small companies but when it comes to large corporations, all of its employees are dispensable. Any one of them can drop off from the face of the earth and the company will just rehire a new person as replacement. No tears, no regrets, nothing. Okay, maybe a wreath at your funeral but that is about it.
The people who will miss you most, mourn for you and basically feel like crap when you are gone are your family and close friends. To them, you are indispensable and nobody could ever replace you. You could be someone's mother, sister, daughter, wife, best friend, father, brother, son, husband or soul mate. To them, you matter a lot. Your lives are intertwined and you depended on each other in all of your lives. To them, losing you is like losing a large part of their lives, leaving a void that only time could heal.
So, then. why do so many people work till late hours every day, stay fiercely loyal to their employers and practically spent more time in the office rather than at home with their loved ones?
This is one question that really beats me. It is something I find hard to understand. Admittedly, money is something everyone needs in this material world but do we really need that much?
Will working to death to buy a palatial house be worth it if you hardly have time to enjoy the house with your family? Will tonnes of money in the bank be worth it if you neglected your family and friends to the point that you have none left and you end up spending your retirement days sitting alone in a huge empty house? Will becoming the company vice president through long working hours be worth it if it means you don't get to see the birth of your first child, participate in his activities, watch him grow and finally did not even get to know your own child?
Will working to the bone for a company be worth it at all if you were to fall dead one day without going on the tour around Europe vacation you promised your family/partner or fulfilling your lifelong dream of becoming an artist or fulfilling any of your promises of 'maybe next time when I am free' to your family / friends? Would it be worth it at all to actually die after spending most of your life at work and none of it actually enjoying life with your family and friends?
Well, I think it is really not worth it at all! No money in this world could buy the simple pleasure of watching your firstborn learn his first words or the wonderful moments you spent with your loved ones or just appreciating nature with your loved ones. Nothing is more precious that your family and friends.
So, why does work always take precedence? Why do people keep saying 'I have work. Maybe tomorrow'and the tomorrow never comes?
Sure, we all have commitments, mortgages to pay, bills to settle, debts to clear. A steady income is imperative for us to survive but it does not mean we have to put 90% of our time in it.
That is why,one of my favorite saying is always: Work is just a means to an end, not an end to the means.
It is with this reasoning that I am now working hard (I know it sounds contradictory to this whole post but read on...) so that I could quit my day job and spend more time with my son at home.
I am admittedly putting more hours into my own freelance work at night, which is taking up most of my spare time, but it is with the goal of quitting my day job to stay home. I, too, have bills to pay, but I am not making work a priority in my life. My priority is my family. And perhaps spiritual development. I intend to quit my day job soon and this would mean more time to my family and less time at the office.
So, to all the workaholics out there, do stop and think about the time you spent at the office. Is it worth it in the end? The best way to think if it is worth it, imagine you were told you have only two more hours to live. What were your first few regrets about things you don't get to do? I can bet that it is not about the report that was supposed to be due tomorrow!
Life is fragile. We all know we will die one day so make wise decisions now so that you will not regret it later. Go out and Dream, Discover and Explore!
Tuesday
Creating a website
Nowadays I really have my days brimming with work, work, work and more work. Every single minute of my free time is relegated to work. No, it's not only my day job but also my freelance work and now, my website.
I realized that concentrating on only one source of income, albeit freelancing, will not work in the long run as I may not be able to get projects all the time so I need something to generate income. After reading through countless internet guru's advices and sites, I arrived to the conclusion that having my own website may just help me to earn some stable income. No, this is not another get rich quick scheme. More like an online business scheme.
That is why I have been neglecting this blog and not reading other blogs. I have been too busy completing my freelance projects and creating my own website and researching for the content. It is no simple task and definitely not a get rich quick scheme as I've been at it for almost two weeks now and though I am not earning anything yet (because the website is yet to be completed) I am more than convinced that it may work after all.
I have chosen to start a website through Site Build It! which I feel is the right choice as there was a complete set of guides and instructions and support for me to learn the basics and know-how of creating a great website, generating traffic and ultimately earning income via adsense, affiliate programs or even sale of actual products or services. It is thanks to Site Build It! that I learned the basics of SEO and keywords.
Unfortunately, my days are already so full that finding time for my website is difficult and it is because of this that it is still a work in progress. So far, I only have four pages up and a million more to go...uhhh..well, okay, not exactly a million but it seemed like it due to the shortage of time!
I am not aiming to earn my first million within six months or anything from the website but more of using it to unload my fascination and long-term affair with chocolates (In future, I will be blogging there about chocolates since the site is all about chocolates!). Whilst indulging in my favorite pastime of placing chocolate on a pedestal, it doesn't hurt to earn some income from it, right?
Anyway, to cut a long story short (since I should not be writing this now when I have a gadzillion other things to do), I find that there are many legitimate options to earn money on the net either through freelancing or our own websites. We just have to learn to weed out the fakes from the real diamonds.
I realized that concentrating on only one source of income, albeit freelancing, will not work in the long run as I may not be able to get projects all the time so I need something to generate income. After reading through countless internet guru's advices and sites, I arrived to the conclusion that having my own website may just help me to earn some stable income. No, this is not another get rich quick scheme. More like an online business scheme.
That is why I have been neglecting this blog and not reading other blogs. I have been too busy completing my freelance projects and creating my own website and researching for the content. It is no simple task and definitely not a get rich quick scheme as I've been at it for almost two weeks now and though I am not earning anything yet (because the website is yet to be completed) I am more than convinced that it may work after all.
I have chosen to start a website through Site Build It! which I feel is the right choice as there was a complete set of guides and instructions and support for me to learn the basics and know-how of creating a great website, generating traffic and ultimately earning income via adsense, affiliate programs or even sale of actual products or services. It is thanks to Site Build It! that I learned the basics of SEO and keywords.
Unfortunately, my days are already so full that finding time for my website is difficult and it is because of this that it is still a work in progress. So far, I only have four pages up and a million more to go...uhhh..well, okay, not exactly a million but it seemed like it due to the shortage of time!
I am not aiming to earn my first million within six months or anything from the website but more of using it to unload my fascination and long-term affair with chocolates (In future, I will be blogging there about chocolates since the site is all about chocolates!). Whilst indulging in my favorite pastime of placing chocolate on a pedestal, it doesn't hurt to earn some income from it, right?
Anyway, to cut a long story short (since I should not be writing this now when I have a gadzillion other things to do), I find that there are many legitimate options to earn money on the net either through freelancing or our own websites. We just have to learn to weed out the fakes from the real diamonds.
Sunday
Tis time to celebrate!
Yep, I am so excited and happy that I was awarded two projects after weeks of patiently bidding and visiting job boards. And right before Christmas too! I would definitely see it as a Christmas present as these two projects are definitely one way for me to get some feedback. The extra income is also of course a bonus!
The first project I got was a virtual assistant cum writer sorta job which involved coordinating, composing emails and writing short articles. It should be fun as the subject is an interesting one.
The second project is a writing job where I have to produce articles, blog posts and copy writing for the employer. The topic at hand is a relatively new one for me so it will prove to be an eye-opener and I will definitely get to learn something from it.
On top of that, I have finally got my high-speed internet connection in place so no more waiting for sluggish downloads.
Triple YAY!!!
I have already committed a several hours of work to these two employers each day, five days a week, for at least a month. But I am still going to continue bidding for other projects, perhaps those which does not take too much time to complete. Hopefully, I will be able to manage and still get my required shut-eye everyday. The idea of going around Panda and blurry-eyed like a zombie is not really good in the long run.
Oh and I almost forgot. I was suddenly struck by my long missing muse and have started outlining a new fantasy fiction book. It has promise of becoming a five-series book and I will have to set time aside to work on it too.
And finally, another YAY for the year-end bonus which was banked in last weekend!
It is actually not a bad way to end this year (despite having more out-of-office work to do). As long as I am on the path towards working from home, I am happy as can be.
So, a Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year!
The first project I got was a virtual assistant cum writer sorta job which involved coordinating, composing emails and writing short articles. It should be fun as the subject is an interesting one.
The second project is a writing job where I have to produce articles, blog posts and copy writing for the employer. The topic at hand is a relatively new one for me so it will prove to be an eye-opener and I will definitely get to learn something from it.
On top of that, I have finally got my high-speed internet connection in place so no more waiting for sluggish downloads.
Triple YAY!!!
I have already committed a several hours of work to these two employers each day, five days a week, for at least a month. But I am still going to continue bidding for other projects, perhaps those which does not take too much time to complete. Hopefully, I will be able to manage and still get my required shut-eye everyday. The idea of going around Panda and blurry-eyed like a zombie is not really good in the long run.
Oh and I almost forgot. I was suddenly struck by my long missing muse and have started outlining a new fantasy fiction book. It has promise of becoming a five-series book and I will have to set time aside to work on it too.
And finally, another YAY for the year-end bonus which was banked in last weekend!
It is actually not a bad way to end this year (despite having more out-of-office work to do). As long as I am on the path towards working from home, I am happy as can be.
So, a Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year!
Saturday
Job boards and bidding
It is not easy to bid and win projects in job boards, free or otherwise.
This I have discovered in this past month. In the free job boards, it is even worse as competition is stiff and more often than not, some bidders' rates are so low it is hard to compete with them.
In paid job boards, competition is equally stiff but not as bad and there are also bidders whose rates are so low, you wonder how they could actually make a living with those rates.
Another thing I found out is that it is very difficult for new freelancers like me as we do not have any positive feedback from other employers yet. Many of the employers preferred those who have positive feedback and of course, also the lowest rate.
With this conditions, it is very difficult to break into the market. I noticed many new freelancers lowered their rates in order to win some projects so that they could get feedbacks at last and perhaps, be able to get more customers in future.
I have contemplated that but I could not bring myself to it. I am of the opinion that I should not lower my rates just to get a project when the amount of time and energy put into it cost more than the quoted rate. It does not make good business sense.
In situations like this, it reminds me of a very wise advise from the shoe fashion guru, Jimmy Choo, whom I interviewed a few years back.
"We must always set a standard and pricing for our masterpieces and never lower it no matter how much you needed the money."
The reason is simple, he had said that if the price was lowered, you lose your integrity and customers will expect you to lower it again in future. It would be very difficult to bring the price back up without losing customers.
Not surprisingly, Jimmy Choo was practically broke trying to sell his handmade shoes in the beginning because he placed a very high price for his shoes and were not getting any customers. He only had his big break when his shoes were showcased in a women's magazine and the rest is history.
Despite being world-renowned for his beautifully crafted shoes, Jimmy Choo remembered his poor background and remained a humble, nice and polite man. Even now, he is very friendly and courteous to everyone he meets.
But I digress. To get back to the point of bidding and rates, I decided to follow Jimmy Choo's advise. Considering where he is now in the fashion industry, I am sure he is not wrong about setting a standard for our work and never lowering it just because we needed the money.
So, I shall steadfastly stick to my usual rates and continue bidding till I get my break!
This I have discovered in this past month. In the free job boards, it is even worse as competition is stiff and more often than not, some bidders' rates are so low it is hard to compete with them.
In paid job boards, competition is equally stiff but not as bad and there are also bidders whose rates are so low, you wonder how they could actually make a living with those rates.
Another thing I found out is that it is very difficult for new freelancers like me as we do not have any positive feedback from other employers yet. Many of the employers preferred those who have positive feedback and of course, also the lowest rate.
With this conditions, it is very difficult to break into the market. I noticed many new freelancers lowered their rates in order to win some projects so that they could get feedbacks at last and perhaps, be able to get more customers in future.
I have contemplated that but I could not bring myself to it. I am of the opinion that I should not lower my rates just to get a project when the amount of time and energy put into it cost more than the quoted rate. It does not make good business sense.
In situations like this, it reminds me of a very wise advise from the shoe fashion guru, Jimmy Choo, whom I interviewed a few years back.
"We must always set a standard and pricing for our masterpieces and never lower it no matter how much you needed the money."
The reason is simple, he had said that if the price was lowered, you lose your integrity and customers will expect you to lower it again in future. It would be very difficult to bring the price back up without losing customers.
Not surprisingly, Jimmy Choo was practically broke trying to sell his handmade shoes in the beginning because he placed a very high price for his shoes and were not getting any customers. He only had his big break when his shoes were showcased in a women's magazine and the rest is history.
Despite being world-renowned for his beautifully crafted shoes, Jimmy Choo remembered his poor background and remained a humble, nice and polite man. Even now, he is very friendly and courteous to everyone he meets.
But I digress. To get back to the point of bidding and rates, I decided to follow Jimmy Choo's advise. Considering where he is now in the fashion industry, I am sure he is not wrong about setting a standard for our work and never lowering it just because we needed the money.
So, I shall steadfastly stick to my usual rates and continue bidding till I get my break!
The secret to time management...
Is not that easy to find if you have an over-active toddler at home, a demanding day job and a household to run.
These past few weeks of trying to establish myself as an e-freelancer while managing a household and showing a modicum of commitment to my day job, I found myself practically out of breath and running around like a sugar-high toddler.
Darn it, why didn't I ever chose to be born a multi-billionaire and not have to be so bothered with trying to break even from freelancing so that I could stay home for LR?
Day dreams aside, I found myself crashing into bed (yep, you read it right, I really do crash into bed) at around 1am the earliest and 3am the latest. Every day.
Can you imagine the beautiful eye shadows I have obtained from these endless late nights or shall we say, early mornings?
So, I decided to come up with a plan to manage my time so that I could at least go to bed by midnight. After all, I still do need my beauty sleep to keep those panda attributes, wrinkles and other late-night related ugliness from marring my very natural..err..beauty..;-)
The plan goes like this:
Morning plan:
Get up at break of dawn, hurry through my exercise routine (Must always spare time to exercise!), prepare breakfast and pack my lunch, complete some chores, hop into the shower, grab anything from the closet and throw it on (no more spending 10-15 minutes staring at my clothes and wondering what to wear), feed LR, clean him up, change him and out the door to drop LR at the babysitters' but sometimes hubby does that so could spare at least 20 minutes when it is his turn.
Time: 30 - 50 minutes
Work-time plan:
Complete my assignments at record time, sacrifice lunch time by munching on my homemade sandwich while completing my assignments, grab some spare time in the afternoon to check emails/bid for projects at job boards/ monitor job boards/ blog, leave at around 5.30pm.
Time: between 8 - 9 hours
Evening plan:
Curse at the horrendous traffic jams, pick up LR, go home, prepare his evening snack, feed LR, play with LR for awhile (I couldn't find it in me to cut this special time short), bathe and change LR, read bedtime stories, sing nursery rhymes and tuck him into bed, do more house chores, do some light yoga stretching, shower, spend some time with hubby, then finally, take out the laptop to check emails/bid for projects/ monitor job boards/ blog.
Time: between 5 - 7 hours.
Aww...shucks. With this plan, I still end up going to bed at around 2am. I really am at a loss. It is not as if I wasted my time faffing around. Sigh...I better come up with better plans.
These past few weeks of trying to establish myself as an e-freelancer while managing a household and showing a modicum of commitment to my day job, I found myself practically out of breath and running around like a sugar-high toddler.
Darn it, why didn't I ever chose to be born a multi-billionaire and not have to be so bothered with trying to break even from freelancing so that I could stay home for LR?
Day dreams aside, I found myself crashing into bed (yep, you read it right, I really do crash into bed) at around 1am the earliest and 3am the latest. Every day.
Can you imagine the beautiful eye shadows I have obtained from these endless late nights or shall we say, early mornings?
So, I decided to come up with a plan to manage my time so that I could at least go to bed by midnight. After all, I still do need my beauty sleep to keep those panda attributes, wrinkles and other late-night related ugliness from marring my very natural..err..beauty..;-)
The plan goes like this:
Morning plan:
Get up at break of dawn, hurry through my exercise routine (Must always spare time to exercise!), prepare breakfast and pack my lunch, complete some chores, hop into the shower, grab anything from the closet and throw it on (no more spending 10-15 minutes staring at my clothes and wondering what to wear), feed LR, clean him up, change him and out the door to drop LR at the babysitters' but sometimes hubby does that so could spare at least 20 minutes when it is his turn.
Time: 30 - 50 minutes
Work-time plan:
Complete my assignments at record time, sacrifice lunch time by munching on my homemade sandwich while completing my assignments, grab some spare time in the afternoon to check emails/bid for projects at job boards/ monitor job boards/ blog, leave at around 5.30pm.
Time: between 8 - 9 hours
Evening plan:
Curse at the horrendous traffic jams, pick up LR, go home, prepare his evening snack, feed LR, play with LR for awhile (I couldn't find it in me to cut this special time short), bathe and change LR, read bedtime stories, sing nursery rhymes and tuck him into bed, do more house chores, do some light yoga stretching, shower, spend some time with hubby, then finally, take out the laptop to check emails/bid for projects/ monitor job boards/ blog.
Time: between 5 - 7 hours.
Aww...shucks. With this plan, I still end up going to bed at around 2am. I really am at a loss. It is not as if I wasted my time faffing around. Sigh...I better come up with better plans.
Wednesday
Freelance jobs abound!
Wow, I recently found a very interesting entry in another blog (MakeScratch.com) . It is very informative and helpful for freelance writers who are mainly dependent on online job boards where freelancers have to bid for jobs and sometimes not get any at all.
I have always used Google for most of my research work and it never did cross my mind that I could easily use it to find freelance jobs. Just by using the correct search phrase. Thanks to Justin of MakeScratch, I now know better!
I have always used Google for most of my research work and it never did cross my mind that I could easily use it to find freelance jobs. Just by using the correct search phrase. Thanks to Justin of MakeScratch, I now know better!
Make money fast!
Don't ever trust flashing ads with titles like this. More often than not it is a scam!
In my search for work at home opportunities, I have come across a lot of sites with similar themes ranging from ' easy money by spending only an hour a day online' or 'earn between $200 - $700' each day just by filling out forms' or 'become a millionaire by cashing in on this XXX system' or something like that.
These sites often offer very tempting deals with discounts and offers and even a money back guarantee. They promise earnings beyond your dreams ranging from a few hundred dollars a day to millions per month. Tempting as it may sound to just fill in surveys or enter data and make loads of cash, remember not to fall for it as there is no such thing as free money.
Trust me on this. Do not ever fall for any of their tempting offers.
I took a chance and subscribed to one of these and found that it is nothing but a scam with only a list of survey sites to sign in to. Most of these survey sites do not even pay cash. Some offer special draws and the prizes may not even be cash while some which do pay cash, pay less than $10! The surveys are not even that frequent!
There are also plenty of sites selling ebooks which purportedly teach you how to get around the affiliates system and earn thousands by applying the system. Though I have not actually tried it, I believe it is also another scam. The only person making thousands is the person selling the ebook and duping others to pay between $20 an $120 to download the ebook.
So, I have come to a conclusion that all those flashing ads with tempting headlines are mostly scams.
The only legitimate way of earning an income is to do freelance work online, joining good affiliates programs, joining good pay per click ads program such as Google Adsense, taking part in free online blog writing sites which offer minimal payments for each blog entry and some of the pay per post programs.
I have decided to stick to offering freelance writing services. I have since found several online job boards and have put in bids for freelance jobs. Although I have yet to get any jobs, I am certain I will be able to get to a day when I can earn enough doing freelancing work to be able to quit my day job.
So, if you need any writing job done (which includes articles, blogging, features, short stories, fiction, creative writing), feel free to contact me and I will forward you a quote.
In my search for work at home opportunities, I have come across a lot of sites with similar themes ranging from ' easy money by spending only an hour a day online' or 'earn between $200 - $700' each day just by filling out forms' or 'become a millionaire by cashing in on this XXX system' or something like that.
These sites often offer very tempting deals with discounts and offers and even a money back guarantee. They promise earnings beyond your dreams ranging from a few hundred dollars a day to millions per month. Tempting as it may sound to just fill in surveys or enter data and make loads of cash, remember not to fall for it as there is no such thing as free money.
Trust me on this. Do not ever fall for any of their tempting offers.
I took a chance and subscribed to one of these and found that it is nothing but a scam with only a list of survey sites to sign in to. Most of these survey sites do not even pay cash. Some offer special draws and the prizes may not even be cash while some which do pay cash, pay less than $10! The surveys are not even that frequent!
There are also plenty of sites selling ebooks which purportedly teach you how to get around the affiliates system and earn thousands by applying the system. Though I have not actually tried it, I believe it is also another scam. The only person making thousands is the person selling the ebook and duping others to pay between $20 an $120 to download the ebook.
So, I have come to a conclusion that all those flashing ads with tempting headlines are mostly scams.
The only legitimate way of earning an income is to do freelance work online, joining good affiliates programs, joining good pay per click ads program such as Google Adsense, taking part in free online blog writing sites which offer minimal payments for each blog entry and some of the pay per post programs.
I have decided to stick to offering freelance writing services. I have since found several online job boards and have put in bids for freelance jobs. Although I have yet to get any jobs, I am certain I will be able to get to a day when I can earn enough doing freelancing work to be able to quit my day job.
So, if you need any writing job done (which includes articles, blogging, features, short stories, fiction, creative writing), feel free to contact me and I will forward you a quote.
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