Found this on www.journalism.co.uk today offering tips to freelancers on personal branding. Reckon it really is relevant to anyone that works for themselves though, so you may find it useful too.
Taking a read, there's some good ideas...granted it did make me go, "ah, crap! I don't do any of that," when I first read it and I felt a bit lousy that I've been such a bad marketer of myself, but at least now I have something to kick my arse into gear to sort my "personal branding" out. Basically, I think I need to put it about a bit more...
Showing posts with label new job. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new job. Show all posts
Friday, 22 November 2013
Monday, 18 November 2013
The Winds Of Change
Currently I'm experiencing something new in my freelance career: the (potential) cancelling of one of my regular columns. It sort of came as a surprise, but not entirely and I have mixed feelings about it. Columns, contributions and commissions get cut all of the time I'm sure, but it's yet to have happened to me and I'm what? Two years in at the most? That's not bad going really.
At the moment I'll avoid saying which publication may be canning the feature I write as it's not 100 percent confirmed, but when the issue was raised last week I felt a little bit crestfallen to begin with. They had sort of thrown it open to me, in a very round about way, asking if I'd like to continue writing it and part of me did and part of me didn't. In the end I decided to think on it for a few days.
So I took the weekend and stewed it over. Mostly I've come to the conclusion, depending on the editor's final decision, that this particular feature has run it's course. Realising that actually gave me a bit of a thrill. It's been a while since I've approached any new publications - online or print - and flexed my digits around some different writing styles. There are a couple of projects that appear to be drawing to a close at the moment and on the whole, rather than feel panicked, it's actually quite refreshing.
I apologise for sounding hugely clichéd right there.
Pretty much since my freelancing career began I've been writing for the same titles. This is partly for financial security reasons, partly because they've been on-going projects that have afforded me opportunities to develop a few new skills. It would have been silly to stop any of them in their tracks just because I'd been working on/for certain companies for a year or so.
On the other hand, part of the beauty of freelancing is having the chance to chop and change and test the waters with lots of different publications should I desire to do that and I definitely think that's one area of this whole freelance journalism malarkey I'm yet to really put to the test and experiment with. Although it's sad to loose a regular column - and one that I actually really enjoyed writing - I'd rather see this as a positive. It will free up a bit more of my time each month so I can explore other avenues.
So, it's a little bit out with the current and in with the new and so far the breeze seems to be fairly warm and inviting. Will have to 'watch this space' though.
Over and out for now.
RoseC -x-
At the moment I'll avoid saying which publication may be canning the feature I write as it's not 100 percent confirmed, but when the issue was raised last week I felt a little bit crestfallen to begin with. They had sort of thrown it open to me, in a very round about way, asking if I'd like to continue writing it and part of me did and part of me didn't. In the end I decided to think on it for a few days.
So I took the weekend and stewed it over. Mostly I've come to the conclusion, depending on the editor's final decision, that this particular feature has run it's course. Realising that actually gave me a bit of a thrill. It's been a while since I've approached any new publications - online or print - and flexed my digits around some different writing styles. There are a couple of projects that appear to be drawing to a close at the moment and on the whole, rather than feel panicked, it's actually quite refreshing.
I apologise for sounding hugely clichéd right there.
Pretty much since my freelancing career began I've been writing for the same titles. This is partly for financial security reasons, partly because they've been on-going projects that have afforded me opportunities to develop a few new skills. It would have been silly to stop any of them in their tracks just because I'd been working on/for certain companies for a year or so.
On the other hand, part of the beauty of freelancing is having the chance to chop and change and test the waters with lots of different publications should I desire to do that and I definitely think that's one area of this whole freelance journalism malarkey I'm yet to really put to the test and experiment with. Although it's sad to loose a regular column - and one that I actually really enjoyed writing - I'd rather see this as a positive. It will free up a bit more of my time each month so I can explore other avenues.
So, it's a little bit out with the current and in with the new and so far the breeze seems to be fairly warm and inviting. Will have to 'watch this space' though.
Over and out for now.
RoseC -x-
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
The weather's shit, but I'm happy!
Everything's been a bit topsy turvy lately, with so much going on that if I was to go into it all then it would bore you stupid. Instead I've decided to do a chart-style run down of my most favourite things to have happened over the last...hm, how far should I go back? Right, ok lets say, the last two weeks. I think that's sufficient enough time to fit in all the major dramas. I guess if it's a chart it should start with the least amazing of all the amazing things I'm about to tell you, right?
In at FIVE
The bf is currently living with me. For all of this week he's staying with me in my little room in my, not so little, house with me and housemates. He started his new job in the City, but hasn't found anywhere to live yet so is crashing at mine. There's several reasons why this is good: first it's so nice to have him around for a long time after having been a 'weekend arrangement' for the last year and a half; I haven't had to cook a meal since last Friday because he enjoys cooking and has done it all; he made the most awesome chocolate cake on Monday that makes me want to say he can stay forever...and I won't even care if I get fat(ter).
At number FOUR
I received a copy of Adventure Bike Rider magazine last week with my feature in it. It's all motorbike related facts and stats that will literally BLOW YOUR MIND! Granted, I'm not the most savvy motorbike, er, person, but what puts this on my hit list is how cool it was to see my work and name in actual print again. Been a while since that happened so it's quite novel really.
New at THREE
As I've not been earning quite enough from my writing endeavours I've picked up a part time job...in a sex shop!!! Fuck it's awesome. I literally couldn't be happier working there. I get to give people advice on sex toys, and lube, and corsets, and, and, and...ah it's just fab. The other day I sold a vibrator to a customer that had never used toys before. Most awesome and there are some really interesting characters that come in there. There was me thinking you only met oddballs and interesting folk through bar work, well no way. Can't wait for my next shift...oh yeah, I don't have to, it's tomorrow. YAY!
Straight in at TWO
As if I needed any more confirmation that my life was turning into that of fictional wannabe writer Daisy Steiner, which I mentioned in my last post here, not a week after posting that did I meet the actual actress, Jessica Hynes, who played her. I did a total, utter geek out and gushed about how much I loved Spaced. She was cool with it though and she initiated actual, physical touching when she placed her hand on my shoulder first. In between dithering I'm not sure what I said to her. I know I did manage to refrain from telling her my life is that of Daisy's as I didn't want to totally freak her out. Honestly made my week, which is why it's so high up on the list.
The big one at number ONE
If you haven't heard already, and the only way you'll have missed this is if you don't pay enough attention to me on Twitter of FB, I got my first commission from Cosmopolitan magazine. HURRAH! I pitched my little heart out to them and they've decided to run with one of my ideas in an upcoming issue. So massively excited for what it'll do for my profile (and my bank balance). Obviously I can't say much, but rest assured, it's on my favourite subject: sex.
Aahh so overall a good couple of weeks. I have loads more in the pipeline that I'm working on and excited about. Declaring myself as self-employed to HM Revenue and Customs today wasn't one of them. Form filling is not my forte!
Until next time and thank ye for reading.
RoseC -x-
In at FIVE
The bf is currently living with me. For all of this week he's staying with me in my little room in my, not so little, house with me and housemates. He started his new job in the City, but hasn't found anywhere to live yet so is crashing at mine. There's several reasons why this is good: first it's so nice to have him around for a long time after having been a 'weekend arrangement' for the last year and a half; I haven't had to cook a meal since last Friday because he enjoys cooking and has done it all; he made the most awesome chocolate cake on Monday that makes me want to say he can stay forever...and I won't even care if I get fat(ter).
At number FOUR
I received a copy of Adventure Bike Rider magazine last week with my feature in it. It's all motorbike related facts and stats that will literally BLOW YOUR MIND! Granted, I'm not the most savvy motorbike, er, person, but what puts this on my hit list is how cool it was to see my work and name in actual print again. Been a while since that happened so it's quite novel really.
New at THREE
As I've not been earning quite enough from my writing endeavours I've picked up a part time job...in a sex shop!!! Fuck it's awesome. I literally couldn't be happier working there. I get to give people advice on sex toys, and lube, and corsets, and, and, and...ah it's just fab. The other day I sold a vibrator to a customer that had never used toys before. Most awesome and there are some really interesting characters that come in there. There was me thinking you only met oddballs and interesting folk through bar work, well no way. Can't wait for my next shift...oh yeah, I don't have to, it's tomorrow. YAY!
Straight in at TWO
As if I needed any more confirmation that my life was turning into that of fictional wannabe writer Daisy Steiner, which I mentioned in my last post here, not a week after posting that did I meet the actual actress, Jessica Hynes, who played her. I did a total, utter geek out and gushed about how much I loved Spaced. She was cool with it though and she initiated actual, physical touching when she placed her hand on my shoulder first. In between dithering I'm not sure what I said to her. I know I did manage to refrain from telling her my life is that of Daisy's as I didn't want to totally freak her out. Honestly made my week, which is why it's so high up on the list.
The big one at number ONE
If you haven't heard already, and the only way you'll have missed this is if you don't pay enough attention to me on Twitter of FB, I got my first commission from Cosmopolitan magazine. HURRAH! I pitched my little heart out to them and they've decided to run with one of my ideas in an upcoming issue. So massively excited for what it'll do for my profile (and my bank balance). Obviously I can't say much, but rest assured, it's on my favourite subject: sex.
Aahh so overall a good couple of weeks. I have loads more in the pipeline that I'm working on and excited about. Declaring myself as self-employed to HM Revenue and Customs today wasn't one of them. Form filling is not my forte!
Until next time and thank ye for reading.
RoseC -x-
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