wurk»freelance {Your career. Your say.}

I’m a freelance writer. So that means I spend all of my time writing, right? Wrong. As well as the writing, there’s creating and sending cost estimates, taking briefs over the phone or in person, going to meetings, answering emails, writing emails, managing emails, researching work, making phone calls, answering phone calls, tracking down purchase order numbers, creating invoices, sending invoices, managing invoices, chasing overdue invoices, paying invoices into the bank, tracking expenses, and, and, and…

Oh, and then there’s the actual writing itself - provided I have time after all that lot. Only kidding, clients, only kidding.

But what I’ve also found myself doing recently is spending a big chunk of time researching tools that will help me manage my time. To the point where it’s starting to make my head ache. For example, over the last couple of years I’ve tried…

• Outlook to manage my email, to-do list, and freelance projects
• Thunderbird for email
• Gmail for email
• Microsoft Project to manage my freelance projects
• Ta-da lists to manage my to-do lists and freelance projects
• Remember The Milk to manage my to-do lists and freelance projects
• Google To Do lists to manage my to-do lists and freelance projects
• Basecamp to manage my projects
• Highrise to manage my email
• Relenta to manage my email and clients
• Quickbooks to manage my accounts
• Freshbooks to manage my accounts
• Blinksale to manage my accounts
• Sidejobtrack to manage my projects and accounts
• Word to manage my writing
• Google docs to manage my writing

..and about as many combinations as you can possible make from that lot.

Issues, issues, issues.

I’m still struggling. I’ve had issues with Outlook and IMAP email (it just doesn’t work the way I’d like it to), but I like Outlook 2007’s To-Do Bar, calendar and category support. Thunderbird with IMAP is better for email, but there’s no stable calendar option and the address book is tough to sync with my phone. Microsoft Project is overkill. Ta-da lists are underkill (at least for what I want anyway). Remember The Milk is good (and also has offline access via Google Gears) but it’s completely standalone. Some days I want full integration. Basecamp was good but I’m trying to keep costs down. It also doesn’t integrate with my email. Highrise confused the crap out of me. Relenta looked good but just missed the mark as to what I wanted. Quickbooks can suck my double entries - I’m going to give Freshbooks a proper try again. However, it’s also not integrated with my email. Or my project management software. Blinksale seemed too basic - no reporting. Sidejobtrack looked great visually, but I couldn’t risk losing critical project stuff on a free app. Word was great but didn’t really give me the option to access my documents online. Google docs did, but I didn’t have the patience to deal with its freaky formatting issues.

And no matter what combination I try, I’m just not satisfied.

So where’s my super-all-in-one-freelance-management app?

In the words of Gordon Sting, I still haven’t found what I’m looking for. Which is… one online app which include offline access (Google Gears again), and which offers email, project management and accounting all in one.

That way, I wouldn’t need to enter clients’ addresses into at least two separate applications, I could take a brief by email, create a project with to-do’s and milestones, etc, write the copy, send it back by email, making sure all those emails were tagged with my own Project Number, then once the copy was approved by the client, I could create an invoice inside this project and track it - all inside the same application. And at any time, I could click a project name and instantly see all emails and to-do’s associated with that project, all files I’ve sent or received, and all invoices I’ve created.

It’s Basecamp, integrated with Gmail, integrated with Freshbooks. That’s the kind of thing I want. And you know what: I’d pay at least the total amount I’m paying all these other providers. Surely I’m not the only one.

Does it even exist? Probably not. But I can dream. So in the absence of any developers reading this, and due to the fact that building this myself isn’t really an option, what are you guys using? And more importantly, how’s it working out for you?

Actually, don’t tell me - pen and paper, right? Maybe I’ll give that a go… it’s the one thing I haven’t yet tried!

OK compadres, listen up (read up? whatever) - I received my Absolute Write Newsletter today, and was absolutely appalled by what I found.

I emailed Jenna Glatzer, successful professional freelance writer and Editor-in-Chief of Absolute Write, to ask permission to reprint the newsletter here at Freelance Wurk so you could all take a gander.

Permission was quickly granted (yay for Jenna!) - so click below to read.

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Are you writing a book and wondering how you’re going to get it published? Or, have you already written the book and have no clue where to go now? Keep reading for a list of book publishers, the kinds of topics each publishes, and contact information.

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The response I got to that question was an overwhelming YES! The results of an informal poll I took, “Do you think freelance writers need business cards?” show that 97% of you freelancers believe firmly in, or at least think freelance writers should have, freelance writing business cards. 2% of you are iffy, and only 1% say no.

Why should freelance writers have business cards?

Freelance writers need business cards for the same reasons any other professional needs business cards - for advertising, marketing, and contacting! Business cards show that you are serious and professional about what you do.

Where and when should freelance writers use business cards?

Everywhere and every chance you can. Include them in your submissions, queries, contacts with editors, etc. Carry them to social functions, because you never know who you may run into.

What should freelance writers include on business cards?

Most importantly, your basic information - name, phone, email, Web site (physical/mailing address if you’re that trusting) and something to indicate that you are a freelance writer and what you specialize in. If you have the room and/or the resources, you may want to get a little fancy with a logo or slogan, too.

So, how do freelance writers go about getting business cards?

Business cards can be very inexpensive, or even virtually free, if you approach them the right way.

With VistaPrint, you can get 250 free business cards with the exception of shipping and handling costs.

The PC Man Web Site offers an absolutely FREE business card creator, and you print your cards yourself.

Southworth offers free business card templates, as well as the choice of having them print the cards for you for a fee.

Microsoft Office Online offers free business card templates suited to your specific business - all you need is the program the templates are formatted for.

Remember, if you are creating your own business cards use sturdy, high-quality paper. Make sure your information is thorough, though to-the-point, and organized.

Have any more suggestions? Leave ‘em in the comments!

Well…I don’t know how soon it will be before we get one of those, but, day-to-day appreciation should already be here.

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As much as we hate to admit it, we writers don’t know everything. Don’t roll your eyes - you know it’s true. Or, if you insist that you do know everything, perhaps you occassionally forget how to correctly way to cite a source, or the exact definition of a word. Below are the most basic freelance writer reference tools to help you cope - you can buy them or find them for free online!

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Hello lovelies, I have just a few writing markets for you today, as reported by Worldwide Freelance…

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Good…Saturday morning?! That’s right, instead of enjoying the lovely weekend day (OK, it rainy outside and almost not morning anymore anyway, haha), I’m bringing markets and contests to you, as reported by Absolute Write and Brian Agincourt Massey.

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I’m in a bit of a situation, as are many of my co-writers with a web content client/company. I started an assignment in early March, finished it by deadline at the end of March, and have yet to be paid. Many of my co-writers haven’t been paid, either. Yes, we’ve contacted the company, and we’re each told relatively the same excuse with a few variables.

I’m not too worried - I have a gut feeling that I’m going to get paid. But the onset of this situation has made me do some thinking. It’s one thing for something to come up causing a client to need to pay you a little later than expected, but it’s another thing when the client is well over a month late and offers no explanation unless you initiate contact.

How do freelancers avoid this situation? How can we get paid on time? Or, at least handle the situation correctly if we aren’t?

The simple answer is, “Get everything in writing.” Now, for some clarification.

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Good morning darlings, I have a few contests for you as reported by Absolute Write. (more…)