December 2009

Straight From the CPA: Freelancers Need Credit Cards

I’ve recommended credit cards in the past as a simple way to manage freelancing expenses. I got the chance to interview the CPA who I send my taxes to, Travis Raml, for another article not too long ago and something he said stuck with me. Travis explained that you can actually minimize your taxes for [...]

Read the full article

Clients Who Want You to Pay to Get Paid

Earlier this month, Freelancers Union pointed to posts talking about NBC Universal and Time’s practice of asking freelancers to pay a portion of their invoices in order to get paid in a timely fashion. So, rather than waiting the typical 60 days to get paid by Time Inc., for example, you could let them take [...]

Read the full article

Is Your Name Holding You Back?

I know my name makes me stand out. In general, I think that’s a good thing: I’ve had lots of clients choose me because I stand out in a crowd. I’ve also had more than a few clients think they were working with a man and were very surprised to find otherwise. It has occasionally [...]

Read the full article

Advertising Writing Services: Does It Make Sense?

When you need more work, it seems like all ideas are on the table. Cold-calling, offering a free ebook, networking… but what about advertising? Most freelancers don’t advertise their services in the traditional manner. Most of us just don’t have an ad budget big enough to take out even a square inch in the local [...]

Read the full article

Ask Me Anything: Beyond Elance

Jennie asks, My question is about the value of Elance.com and other freelance hiring sites. I accepted a project from an Elance client which will be completed in January 2010. After I complete the project, I am not sure what I will do with my Elance account. Do you believe, as Robert Bly does, that [...]

Read the full article

J.C. Hutchins: Getting A Novel Past Rejection and Into Print

These days, getting a book published isn’t just a matter of getting an editor to take a look at your work. It takes a lot of ingenuity and a willingness to pursue a project on your own. J.C. Hutchins did just that. His book, 7th Son: Descent, was rejected by publishers. J.C. bought a microphone, [...]

Read the full article