Sologig News - News for technology freelancers, freelance writers, freelance designers and more.

Graphic artist: Mid-level markets ideal for solo gigs

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:30:00 CST

Mark Gonyea is a freelance graphic artist and illustrator and author of two books on design A Book About Design: Complicated Doesn't Make It Good and Another Book About Design: Complicated Doesn't Make It Bad. SoloGigNews spoke to Gonyea about what types of industries are currently looking to hire freelance designers and what skills a soloist should have to get those jobs.

SGN: For starters, describe what your freelancing career consists of. You do design and branding, correct?
MG: For the most part right now my freelancing career consists of a few select clients. I split my time between graphic design for them and working on my own projects like publishing and licensing. I have relatively long standing relationships with the companies I freelance for and do anything from fabric patterns to logos to brochures and business cards.

SGN: What are some clients you've had recently?
MG: Currently I'm working with the New England Equity Group on their brand and collateral material, and one of my largest clients is a company called Her Look. Since they have no on site graphic artist, I provide them with all kinds of needed materials like brochures, patterns, signage and logos.

SGN: What types of markets are in need of a freelancer like you these days?
MG: I think it's a specific level of company over markets. One that's large enough to afford a freelancer, but not so large as to need a full-time graphic artist on site. I've found more companies are willing to hire a freelancer rather than go through the hassle of hiring a full time employee.

SGN: Have you noticed an increase in demand from certain markets?
MG: A lot of my efforts at the moment are centered around the clothing market and patterns. Artwork that a company can use for multiple applications and products.

SGN: You've written two books on graphic design. What would you say are the major points of those books, or, what are the three things every freelance graphic designer should know and practice?
MG: No. 1: Simpler is better. If the underlying design is strong, you can always add the bells and whistles later. No 2: Negative space is equally important as positive space and deserves equal attention. Be aware of the ALL the shapes you create. No. 3: This wasn't in the books but ? know when enough is enough. It's really easy to overwork a design to death and it's good time management.

SGN: You use the theme of complexity, either being good or bad. Do you think there's a misconception about thinking something needs to be complex to be good in design?
MG: It's not nearly as pervasive in the professional arena, but with the advent of computers and the web, everyone's a designer! I think there is a little of that, "if a little is good then a lot must be better" mentality. And I'm not saying something very complicated can't be well designed, but it does need to be designed. It's so hard nowadays because the competition is so great in all areas of business to convince someone that less IS sometimes more.

SGN: What do you think is the biggest fear people have about being a freelance designer?
MG: Obviously the fear of not working, not making any money and not being able to pay your bills. I think I'm very fortunate, it's definitely not the easiest way to make a living but I don't think I could do anything else.

Copyright expert breaks down basics of law for freelancers

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:38:00 CST

Freelance writers love being freelance writers because they work for themselves and their work isn't always beholden to a certain magazine or newspaper. With this autonomy, however, also comes the responsibility of knowing when and how to copyright your material. SoloGigNews spoke with freelance writer, copyright expert and author of GetPaidtoWriteOnline.com Sharon Hurley Hall about some of the finer points of copyright laws for writing and the basics a freelancer should know about them.

SGN: Does a freelancer have to make an effort to copyright his or her work, or is it automatically copyrighted the minute they publish it?
SHH: Work is automatically copyrighted when you write and publish it.

SGN: You say an idea can't be copyrighted, but what's written can be. What constitutes "written"? Being published? If you just write something yourself and nobody else sees it can it be copyrighted? What are ways to prove you actually wrote something?
SHH: Although you don't have to register copyright, you can choose to do so through the U.S. Copyright Office. We have the option of sending a copy of the work to ourselves by registered mail (which is date stamped) and leaving it unopened. This provides proof of the date on which it existed if proof is ever needed.

SGN: What constitutes an independent intellectual effort?
SHH: Independent intellectual effort means that the individual has applied thought and creativity to the production of the written work. In other words, it's not something you've copied or paraphrased, but something new that you've thought up on your own. Obviously, there's a limit to how far you can take this, because several people write and publish on the same topic, but the expression of their thoughts is unique in each case.

SGN: How long does a copyright last?
SHH: The duration of a copyright depends on the type of published work. For most work it's 70 years after the author's death.

SGN: When you let a magazine or newspaper publish an article of yours do you own it anymore? Do you still have rights to it? How do you maintain those rights?
SHH: Usually when you let a magazine publish an article, you are offering the right to publish it in a magazine for the first time, known as first serial rights. After that, the rights revert to you. There is no obligation for you to sell all rights though many publications attempt to lump in online rights and archive rights. If they want those rights, then they should pay more for the piece. The best thing to do is to make it clear what rights you are offering when you sell a piece.

SGN: How do you go about punishing or exposing somebody who stole an idea or a story from you?
SHH: Well, you can take people to court for copyright infringement, but you may not need to do that in all cases. Sometimes informing the person that they have infringed your copyright is enough to make them acknowledge that and remove or apologize for the infringement.

SGN: What happens if you mistakenly write something that has already been done without knowing it had already been done? Can you get out of trouble for that?
SHH: They say that ignorance is no excuse, but if you make a genuine mistake and are prepared to rectify it, then you will probably be OK. That's why you see in some books a statement like: 'Every effort has been made to seek the permission of copyright owners of quoted material' and an invitation to get in touch if you own the copyright to something that has been used.

Helpful Links:

United States Copyright Office

Writer's Weekly article on copyright law

Wikipedia entry on U.S. copyright law

Freelance writing for newspapers can be a 'Catch-22'

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 16:22:00 CST

When a freelance writer looks for assignment opportunities, they usually don't think of looking at newspapers first. Typically, magazines and Internet media outlets rely on freelancers, while newspapers hire full-time staff reporters to handle the vast majority of their content.

But with newspaper budget shortages and job cuts seemingly increasing each day, the industry has begun to depend on the work of freelancers more and more to fill the gaps.

Freelance writer and author of Freelancing for Newspapers: Writing for an Overlooked Market, Sue Fagalde Lick says she hears of dailies cutting staff jobs frequently.

"I hear from cohorts in San Jose [where she used to live], and they tell me how they just laid off 40 people there," she said. "I hear those numbers at other big dailies, and they can't possibly cover everything the way they used to. They just don't have the staff."

This is where freelancers come in.

While newspapers still depend largely on staff writers for hard news and spot coverage, Fagalde Lick said a freelancer's best bet for getting published is to look into feature-type stories, reviews, opinion and travel.

"Some bigger papers have neighborhood sections which they do hire freelancers for, stuff like city council," she said.

Typical of any solo gig, freelancing for newspapers offers the freedom that many writers enjoy, such as not having to show up to the same office everyday. But there are some downsides: you don't get the salary staffers do, nor do you always get a crack at the best stories.

"A staffer has a better in to the good stories," she said, "and you definitely don't get paid as much as a staff writer. A staff writer gets paid to be there even when they're not actively writing a story, whereas a freelancer has to look into the time they put in and how a story and how it stacks up with the money."

Another difference between being a freelancer and a staffer is that a freelancer has to generally come up with their own story ideas instead of being assigned them. This means freelancers frequently have to pitch their ideas to busy editors, and Fagalde Lick says the best way to get in contact with an editor these days is email.

"They're [editors] awfully busy," she said. "With a phone call, they're very likely not going to be there, or in they'll be in the middle of something. [Snail mail] Letters tend to get buried in the stack."

With columns or op-ed pieces, Fagalde Lick said a writer is best served submitting a complete manuscript to an editor. However, if a story requires a great deal of research, she said it's best to pitch a story first and get a go-ahead from an editor before you start working on it.

"Otherwise you don't know if you're doing that work for nothing or you don't have the credibility with the people you interview," she said. "It's much better to say you're writing something for this paper for such and such issue."

Therein lies the conundrum of being a freelance reporter as opposed to a staffer; it's often difficult to gather sources and pool resources when you're not officially affiliated with a newspaper.

"It's hard," Fagalde Lick said. "It's a Catch-22, cause you want to be sure that you can deliver the goods and that you've got the sources."

Links:

Fagalde Lick's Freelancing for Newspapers blog

If you find a niche, expert says blogging can be a source of revenue

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 11:00:00 CST

On this site we've frequently discussed how valuable it is for freelancers to keep a career-oriented blog for business development and networking purposes. But with the rise in popularity of blogs as independent media outlets in and of themselves, it's become possible for people to make a profit from keeping one.

Many journalists have blogs which focus on politics, music, or celebrity gossip. It's perfect work for a freelancer because you can essentially write about whatever you want, whenever you want and at whatever pace you decide. Some blogs have 2-3 postings a week, while others have that many in a single day.

According to Chris Garrett, a professional blogger and internet marketing consultant, the first step in deciding if you want to be a blogger is to decide if it's for you.

"It is surprisingly hard to write every day," Garrett said. "And you want to decide how you want to make money: from ads and affiliate commissions or from building an audience and selling your own products and services. I would class freelance blogging in the latter category, as in most cases only bloggers who can demonstrate an ability will get writing work."

A blog can make money a couple different ways. You can sell advertising on your site/blog, sell other people's advertising by setting up a pay-per-click account, or solicit contributions.

Garrett says if you're interested in trying to make money for your blog, you need to make sure it's focused and serves a purpose for readers.

"A self-indulgent blog will not be as successful as writing what people want to read about," he said. "It's like traditional media; you have to target a market and give them what they want. Where there is an audience there is usually a revenue opportunity."

Then comes the task of getting traffic. Garrett says one of the best ways to attract people to your site is to talk with other bloggers.

"The best 'converting' traffic [ie. visitors who will subscribe] comes from fellow bloggers' recommendations," he said. "I advise bloggers to hang out where other bloggers are, for example my forum and also more targeted communities such as Flickr.com."

It also helps to have a blog which looks professional and has a unique Web address, Garrett said.

"Typepad, WordPress.com and Blogger.com blogs have been successful for some people, but they are an exception rather than a rule," he said. "In most cases you want to at least have your own domain and to not be held ransom by a service. There are a disturbing number of reported cases of bloggers having their blog deleted by free services with no explanation."

Garrett said many people build the sites themselves, have friends build them or pay a professional designer.

"It's like anything else; you get what you pay for," Garrett said.

He added that it's tough for somebody to make a profit from blogging, but if you can manage to create value, have quality content and manage it well, it's certainly possible to do so.

"So long as your writing is not annoyingly full of problems, then a conversational style backed by solid information is all you need."

Freelancing: Not as healthy a lifestyle as you might think

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 16:00:00 CST

A large number - maybe even the majority - of freelancers spend their entire day working at a computer. Writers, Web programmers, Web designers and illustrators all likely spend hours at a desk staring at a screen.

At first glance, this lifestyle may not appear to pose any serious health risks. But that's not what chiropractor and occupational health expert Dr. Scott Donkin says.

The author of Sitting on the Job: How to Survive the Stages of Sitting Down to Work, says life at the computer is rife with potential ailments if you don't set up your work place in a way that's comfortable to you.

"You can get chronic recurring low back pain, chronic recurring stress, neck pain, repetitive strain disorders in arms and hands," Donkin warned. "Over the course of a career, those issues can lead to accelerated degeneration in areas where you have the greatest pressure."

According to Donkin, many of the positions you put your body in while working at a desk or a computer go against way it was designed to idle. Humans are most comfortable when they're bodies are in an upward state, but as anybody who works from a laptop knows, you're rarely in that position. This is not good, Donkin said, for being in such a positions can affect your sight, posture and even breathing habits.

"If you're pecking away at your laptop and slumped forward you're not able to breath in as easy," he said, "and if your body can't get the oxygen that it needs you get fatigued."

For an example of what not to do, he pointed to a famous Peanuts cartoon character.

"If you look like Linus - hunched over pecking away at your computer - then you're going to end up like that," he said. "We have something on our site called "Turtle back," which shows long-term effect of poor postures."

Freelancers who do a lot of work from home put themselves at even more of a risk than 9-5ers working at a desk.

"Home offices are notoriously booby-trapped with poor chairs and poor adjustments," he said. "People think those types of things aren't important, but time and repetition [of doing them] determine the importance."

Sounds scary, huh? Well, don't go throwing your iBooks out the window just yet. Donkin says there are many simple things a person could do to prevent these problems.

For starters, getting a chair with a seat pan high enough that your knees rest at a 90-100 degree angle helps dramatically. Having your computer monitor rigged so you're looking up at it and having your mouse and keyboard in close proximity to one another also helps.

He said it's also a good idea to get away from your desk and take micro breaks every hour or so.

"You don't have to do a full stretching routine; what you can do in a matter of five seconds - sit up right, take breath, smile, shake your wrists - these negative things are less likely to accumulate on you over time."

Dr. Donkin said people who work at computers are more likely to lose their accommodation reflex sooner than the national average. One way to prevent your eyesight form deteriorating is to take 20/20 breaks.

"Every 20 minutes, stop your work and look at something that is more than 20 feet away. It will help your ability to focus."

Time management expert: Multi-tasking can inhibit freelancers' productivity

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:45:00 CST

In today's working environment, the ability to multi-task is considered an essential trait. But when it comes to being a freelancer, time management expert Leo Babauta says multi-tasking might not actually be a good thing.

Babauta, a frequent contributor to FreelanceSwitch.com and author of the Zen Habits blog, said that often times trying to do more than one thing at once can lead to unnecessary distractions. The key to being productive, he said, is having a focused routine and sticking to it.

"Have a block or two of time you set aside every day for freelance work, and make that time sacred - don't do email, IM, talk on the phone, surf the web or do anything but the work you need to do," he said.

Babauta said it also helps to break down a project into easy-to-accomplish pieces.

"Just focus on one sub-task at a time, breaking it down into something you can do in 15-20 minutes. That way it's achievable, and you can knock it out quickly."

When you're a freelancer, and your productivity depends largely on your level of motivation, it also doesn't hurt to find work that you really enjoy doing. Babauta admits this isn't a luxury which every soloist can afford, but it's a goal worth striving towards.

"We have to take whatever work we can get, to pay the bills of course, but over time, you should steer towards work you really enjoy."

One of the biggest productivity obstacles soloists must deal with, especially if they work from home, is the family. How do you get work done when the kids are running around?

"Work when they're sleeping!" he said. "I like to work early in the morning, before the kids wake up, and also at night, after they go to bed. But during the day, I tell them not to bother daddy when I'm working, and then I just zone out everything else and focus. It's not easy, though, because my three-year-old loves to ask me questions."

Not all freelancers are full-time. Many are still working 9-to-5 during the day and doing their freelance side projects at night. Babauta, who is a part-time freelancer, touches on the topic of working on your freelance assignments while at the day job. He says it's a touchy issue.

"I've been honest about this with my employer and we have an agreement - as long as I get my work done, he's happy. But others may not have that convenience. If you have a boss that will allow it, be up front. If they think they can get away with it without telling the boss and still get their work done ... well, I won't make a recommendation. But if doing freelance work at your day job is a viable option, I think it's an excellent idea."

Babauta was once a full-time soloist, and said that even he struggled with the transition from having a structured work life to one that afforded him lots of freedom.

"I know it wasn't easy for me to make that transition, there's too much freedom, too much temptation not to work," he said. "However, if I knew now the things I knew then, and had the same kind of work habits then that I do now, I think it would have been much easier. So I think the key is learning the right work habits and techniques and actually turning them into habits."

Cooperative clients will enhance freelancers' experience

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:45:00 CST

Any freelancer knows that to become successful, he or she needs to know how to deal with clients. But not all companies that outsource to freelancers understand that in order for their projects to be successful, they need to know how to effectively deal with soloists.

Pittsburgh based freelance web video producer and writer Justin Kownacki realized this during his years working with clients who didn't quite understand his mindset. Kownacki, who writes a blog titled Cafe Witness, says there are some guidelines a company should go by when dealing with a freelancer.

"Clients need to be able to communicate clearly," he said. "The longer the links around the communication chain are, the longer the job is going to take. Paying promptly is another one. You don't want to leave freelancers hanging dry, that leads to a cranky freelancer."

Beyond that, Kownacki said it's important for a client to have a clear vision of what a project is supposed to look like.

"Some clients don't always know the specifics [of what a project will look like], but there's a difference between being open minded and perpetually interested in changing your mind. Often times clients will be having a freelancer cycle through hundreds of options before their client chooses a couple ideas. That's being picky. It helps to have a few things crossed out in advance."

Since the majority of companies deal with in-house employees, Kownacki said they don't always understand how a freelancer works or thinks.

"Unless they do a lot of freelance work, it's impossible or them to understand a freelancer because they have different priorities," he said. "They're used to working with salary workers who are easy to contact. They [companies] often panic if they can't get ahold of a freelancer right away."

Often times when it comes to paying, Kownacki said clients aren't always empathetic to a freelancers needs. He cited, for instance, a client that pays only on the last Friday of every month.

"If a project goes past the first of the month, you have to wait to the end of that month to get paid. The client will think they have paid you, but really, they haven't paid you at all. That can frustrate you as a freelancer and lead to a tenuous situation."

Knownacki said it's always a good idea for both clients and freelancers to do a Google search on who they'll be working with to make sure they're reputable. This often times prevents working with a client or soloist who will cause headaches.

"If I'm looking to do work with a client, I'll Google them. That's good for prospective freelancers, to see if the company has a whole lot of negative publicity online, or if they have a solid reputation in their field."

Kownacki repeatedly cited the need to be proactive dealing with business development and making sure the relationship with your clients stays positive.

"You need to be able to see the objective more clearly than the client does," he said. "You need to take it upon yourself to be the artistic director of the project, though technically that's not your title. You need to be self-defensive and be able to think about their business from multiple different perspectives. That will help both of you."

Freelance marketer: Avoid office politics at all costs

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:00:00 CST

While working a 9-to-5 job, it's nearly impossible to avoid inter-office politics. The fact that you're surrounded by fellow employees and bosses all day makes it simply unavoidable. But for a freelancer, marketing guru Maureen Rogers says office politics are the last thing in which to get involved.

Rogers, one of the authors at marketing blog The Opinionated Marketers, said that often times freelancers can get very involved with a client on a certain project, but you don't want to get too close. Rogers clarifies this and other marketing do's and do not's in a recent blog post she wrote titled the "Ten Commandments of Freelance Marketing."

"[Office politics] are not typically something you can avoid if you're in a company," she said. "Sometimes you really do need to align yourself and take a stand. If you're freelancing, though, you should not involve yourselves in internal politics. It's just good practice to avoid taking sides."

Avoiding office politics is just one of the ways one can improve client management, which is something Rogers says is essential with being an independent worker.

"You can be a marketing genius, but if you don't know how to deal with clients ? and that means respectfully, truthfully, openly, and intelligently ? you will not get asked back, nor will your clients pass your name on to others," she said. "Freelancing is about relationship building ? and it can't just be relationship building that only "works" when you need work. It means dropping someone a note when you see something that might be of interest to them. Or calling them up just to see how things are going. Or making a business connection for them."

The best way to do that is to keep the lines of communication open with a client. It's been said that the backbone of every good relationship is communication, and that goes for freelancing as well.

"Communication is the name of the game with marketing, so I'd be surprised to find many successful freelance marketers who don't have good communications skills. Not that we don't sometimes drop the communications ball. It's just that it tends to be something we're good at and interested in to begin with."

While maintaining solid communication, she said it's also essential for a soloist to have confidence in themselves and know what your limits are when dealing with a client.

"Having confidence in your ability to help your client, and also knowing that, at the end of the day, you can't solve every last problem your client has," Rogers said are important. "When I worked for companies, I always agonized about everything. And I do mean everything. Freelance may be chancier, but it's less agonizing."

Denver soloist: Wimps need not apply to freelance web design

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 11:24:00 CST

Freelance web designer Matthew D. Jordan doesn't think there are too many other freelance web designers out there. The Denver-based soloist says there's too many people who aren't freelance designers saying they are. Which is something that frustrates him, and likely every other professional designer in the field.

"Whenever someone asks me what I do for a living and I tell them 'I'm a freelance web designer,' they get this idea in their head of someone's kid sitting in a basement somewhere 'making graphics' for his father's law firm," he said. "Saying you're a web designer is like saying you are an artist or a writer - you just say it and *poof* you magically are. Whether you own a black turtleneck or have a ponytail or not. Now, whether you're any good at it is a whole new ballpark. I've spent too much time trying to convince a prospective client that my well researched, attractive and thorough bid is indeed better than the guy who set up a computer in his house advertising 'Free websites if you host with me.'

In an attempt to vent his frustration, or at least let his stories be told, he started a blog titled You Suck at Web Design, which includes stories and a series podcasts that range from humorous personal anecdotes to serious how-to advice.

"I kind of go all over the board," Jordan said of the stories on his blog. "Some of the back episodes deal with finding a CPA for your business, to properly handling your taxes, to design, to programming, to the time I ran a riding lawnmower through a horse fence."

While Jordan is attempting to lend his advice to fellow freelancers, he's quick to point out this lifestyle isn't for everyone.

"Some people just can't sit in their home office and stay on task, or deal with customers properly and that's fine. Personally I've never had a problem with staying on task, I just remind myself that if I don't get my work done I can't pay the mortgage and that usually gives me enough of a waking nightmare to get going."

That's an attitude that leads to quite a stressful existence, which his something Jordan says is the biggest downside of freelancing. The stress from work has even taken a toll on him physically.

"Most normal people take their stress and freak out all over the place painting murals on the walls and by talking to inanimate objects," he said. "Personally, I bottle it all up and handle the situation as cool as possible then let it all stick in my guts. Literally. I've had an upper endoscopy (where they stick a camera in your stomach) to scan for ulcers and while I don't have any, I'm on medication for digestive problems."

But he fights through the pain and the stress with the knowledge that he's not the only soloist going through the same types of struggles. Jordan said it's a good idea to keep that in mind during the rough times.

"When you're sitting on the floor your apartment with the lights off and only the moon to illuminate your fears, look up through the window - take a deep breath, and receive solace - you are not alone."

View Jordan's portfolio here.

Freelance programmer says key to pricing is understanding risk involved

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:00:00 CST

Freelance software developer Craig Ambrose has accrued bundles of knowledge about freelancing in his ten years working as a soloist. So he's decided to share much of that information via his Freelancing on Rails podcast.

Ambrose, who works from Auckland, New Zealand, focuses much of his practice on the Ruby on Rails web application.

His podcasts deal with a wide variety practical issues that confront freelancers, topics such as contract agreements, client building, networking and estimating projects. One that stands out the most to him is personal branding.

"Building a good personal brand, both on the Internet, in particular development communities [such as the ruby on rails community], and in the minds of your colleagues is much more important that which accounting program you use or how many hours you work," he said.

Ambrose also focuses a great deal on pricing and estimating projects during the podcasts.

"Most freelance programmers have some experience as employees before they try freelancing," he said, "and their employers should have been asking them for estimates, and providing them with an opportunity to improve their estimates by feeding back the actual time taken into the next round of estimates."

Quoting isn't any harder than estimating, Ambrose said, but it can be difficult to decide how accurate an estimate can be. He said that when working with new software programs it may be tough to gauge how much time you're going to spend on a project.

"It's a little tricky for Rails developers at the moment because most of us have not being doing rails development for too long. My estimation experience in salaried positions is all in other [software] languages, so I was faced with learning how to estimate rails projects, at the same time as having to risk money by offering fixed quotes. However, this is an obstacle that programmers face each time we try a new technology. By and large, we suck at it, but we are certainly going to be better at it than our customers are, so it's our responsibility to try our best to produce good estimates, and to improve them as we go."

He said once you can figure out an estimate, the main thing left with quoting is understanding how much risk you're going to take on a project.

"My advice is to keep it small by breaking up the project and gauging how long all the support tasks [communicating with a client, quality assurance] take, which perhaps you didn't perform as a salaried employee.

"Personally, my advice is to not worry about it too much, just dive in," he said. "Take on a small project with no more than a month of risk. Get yourself in a good life position where you can handle a dip in your income without your house being repossessed, and have a shot. I made pretty large loss on my first project, and so did most people that I've spoken to. It's bloody great fun though, and eventually you'll get it all running smoothly."

With regards to pricing for programming projects, Ambrose recommended Kent Beck's Extreme Programming Explained.

The Freelancing on Rails podcast is also available on iTunes.