What is “Value Added”?

In the most simple terms, value added means giving the client something of value that is not necessarily included in the original quote.

“Something of value” is pretty wide open, isn’t it? This is a good thing. Adding something valuable to your deliverable means you are going above and beyond, and just exactly what you can include is entirely up to you.

Lets look at some options that could be considered value added items:

• Additional resource lists – “Hey Ms. Client, while I was researching your project I came across these resources that you may be interested in. Perhaps they can hep you in the future or provide you with some networking opportunities.” If you were a client, think about how you would feel about a freelancer going above and beyond the project terms to provide this list.
• An additional re-write – Depending on the project, you can include an extra re-write to help wrap up any additional points or concepts.
• Alternate versions – If the client is insisting on a given tack for a project, give them exactly what they are asking for, but also include an alternate version of the same – maybe something that will cause them to see the project in a different perspective.
• Additional sections – If you discover a glaring gap in the project and it’s fairly straightforward, consider adding the component as part of the quoted project and let the client know that you included an extra section and why you did so.
• Other enhancements – If you run across any images that may add a “Ka-POW” factor, include those as extras along with a note suggesting how they could be used. Consider adding the contact information for folks in your network who may have the same interests or may be a good business connection for your client.

What’s in it for me?

I would hope that the answer to this would be fairly obvious, but here goes:

The largest benefit to be derived from adding value to your freelance writing is going to be pleasantly surprised and happy clients. All other benefits trickle down from this main show-stopper.

Word spreads quickly, my friends.  If you delivered the project strictly based on the contract, surely you could end up with a happy client. If you knock their socks off by adding value, you could win a client who will actively seek ways to sing your praises.

Want to set up a testimonials page? Your clients who have received added value will usually be happy to give you big kudos.

Finally, in this dog-eat-dog world in which we live, fewer and fewer folks are giving more than they get. Stand above the fray. Give a little extra to your freelance writing clients and see it come back to you ten-fold.

Posted by: George

This is another beauty from our crazy author Mark Pepper. Mark has finally got his website up and running… big wave everyone… but he still needs to get his mug shot to me so that I can create him a gravatar. Once this is accomplished Mark will get his own log in to this blog. Oh dear what am I going to do so that he can be let lose on the rampage all by himself (err… on second thoughts I might have to rethink this idea!)

“Good morning, Mr Pepper, I’ll be operating on you today. How are you feeling?”

“A little nervous.”

“Oh, don’t worry, you only need one appendix to get by.”

“What?”

“Yes, honestly, you only need the one.”

“I only have one.”

“When did you lose the other?”

“Humans only have one appendix.”

“Gosh, you’ll need a transplant, then.”

“Nurse, could I have my clothes, please?”

“Need to Google the procedure on that one …”

“I don’t need my appendix to survive; no one does.”

“Really? You sound quite knowledgeable. Would you know what it looks like? Where it might be?”

“Nurse!”

“I love using that little knife thingy – so sharp. It’s called a scapula, you know.”

“Scalpel. A scapula is a shoulder blade. Nurse!”

“Ah, both blades, you see; easy to get confused. So … the appendix … I was thinking … near the testicles? I’m right, aren’t I? I’ll start there anyway.”

“NURSE!”

How would you feel if your surgeon didn’t know your arse from your elbow – literally? You’d be fairly horrified, I imagine. So why is it that in the arts you can get away with Blue Murder? Because you can. There seems to be an attitude towards artistic endeavours that anyone can pursue them, and it’s okay to be … what’s the word I’m looking for?

Crap.

Yes, I’m being a snob here, and I’m certainly taking it for granted I’m not in that category, but if we’re being totally honest about this, there’s an awful lot of crap art out there. Crap painting, crap acting, crap sculpture, and reams of crap writing. It wouldn’t be so bad if we were talking about purely amateur efforts, but we’re not.

Don’t get me wrong – everyone should have access to the arts, and everyone should be able to try their hand at them, but that doesn’t mean we should all turn professional.

Define professional

The Collins English Dictionary defines “professional” in eight ways. Five of them refer to payment as a prerequisite, two cite a high degree of competence or skill, and one mentions merely belonging to a profession. Then you look at the entry before, and you see that “profession” is defined in the first instance as “an occupation that requires special training”. Whichever way you look at it, you should be extremely competent at what you do to call yourself a professional.

Writing is an art. It is a craft. It is a skill. It is a profession. The requisite “special training” can certainly be self-administered if an initial flair exists, but however that education is acquired, a professional writer should know his art inside out and be always striving to learn more. Your learning curve should not be a flat line that occasionally pings a millimetre as you stumble across a word you’ve always spelt wrong. That’s the heart-trace of a man barely alive.

Not seeing red

Why is this lax attitude tolerated? What’s wrong with self-improvement? Why is that such a quaint, outmoded notion? My year as a teacher showed me just how dire it has become. Teachers in the UK are told not to correct more than a few mistakes in a page of writing. If a kid makes thirty spelling mistakes and twenty grammatical or syntactical errors, woe betide the teacher who points out more than five misspelled words, and then with no more than a little red dot beside each one. The new theory is that too much red ink is upsetting for the child. It undermines their confidence. Ah, bless. Forget the fact that – if not caught early – they will most likely continue to make those mistakes for the rest of their lives. How undermining will that be?

This is a call to action. This is a call to all writers who actually care about their art to get their heads into dictionaries and thesauri; to study the wonderful nuances of the English language; to educate themselves regarding correct English usage. I know I break rules at times; I’ve been known to start sentences with “and”, “but” and “because”, and I use colloquialisms when it suits. It’s called artistic licence. Knowing the rules does not prevent you from breaking them for effect.

Any writer who cares about the craft should be researching it, reading the great works, soaking up new words, checking spelling, studying grammar and syntax, and experimenting with it all. That doesn’t mean you have to become a bore and start speaking in some strange language all your own. A case in point: my old headmaster spoke Cooperian. One winter’s morning in assembly he announced that “there is to be no gratuitous redistribution of nature’s benevolence”. In other words, don’t throw snowballs. No one understood – probably not even the teachers – and we all went outside and began pelting each other. The information you gather is your armoury. It’s there if you need it. It gives you options and the chance to ring the changes when required.

Gr8 werk, kidz!

What I’m afraid of is that we’ll all one day be reading novels and articles written in mobile text language and riddled with errors, which no one will dare criticise because wrong will have become the new right. It’s already started. School examiners in the UK are told to award marks for the general gist and not pay too much attention to stupid things like spelling and grammar. “Charls Dikkins rote Gr8 Ekspectayshuns” will get you a solid pass these days. I’m deadly serious. It’s why UK exam results have been improving year on year for the past twenty-six years, and it’s why the poor sods who end up having to employ these kids are complaining more and more that their employees are coming to them unable to read or write properly. What happens when this reaches its logical (though insane) conclusion and everyone ends up receiving straight As? There are no more good jobs out there than there were twenty years ago. It’s a breeding ground for delusion, disillusionment, and resentment.

The King is in the altogether …

I blame modern art. Someone leaves an unmade bed in the middle of a gallery at the Tate and nearly wins the Turner Art Prize. That’s one of the more sensible offerings. How about a room filled with white rice over neon tubes? Or a completely empty gallery where the light just goes on, off, on, off, on, off, ad infinitum? These are all past contenders for the Turner Art Prize. I reckon if I were to vomit in the middle of the Tate, some idiot would cordon it off and art critics would gather round, pontificating on what it meant.

However, as far as I’m concerned, this does not mean it’s okay for writers to produce the literary equivalent of such hogwash. The fact that Charles Saatchi later bought the unmade bed for £150,000 does not make it any more professional. It’s the Emperor’s New Clothes. It’s crap. A boxer turns professional when he starts earning money for his fights. If he subsequently gets knocked on his backside every time he steps in the ring, I’d say that’s still pretty amateur.

I make no apologies for taking this stance. I’m certainly not attacking writers because they may not be highly skilled. My argument is with any writer who doesn’t WANT to be highly skilled. If you’re thinking I’m out of line, perhaps you’re one of those people this is aimed at. Considering the message in my last blog, you may also think I’m contradicting myself. I’m not. What I did was offer a more philosophical approach to the oft-damaging quest for published author status; nowhere did I suggest writers should not care about the quality of their writing.

Albert Einstein is said to have defined insanity in the following way: “To continue to do what you’ve always done and somehow expect different results.”

Check your learning curve. Don’t let it flatline.

From: http://www.sodahead.com/music/1991-1997-favorite-song-of-these/question-419809/?link=ibaf

Oh, man. What parent hasn’t uttered those words at one point or another? When the little one is literally bouncing off the walls and out of control a time out works wonders. It allows the little tornado the chance to sit and reflect on their actions and perhaps gain a new perspective before they head on down the road of their next tirade.

So, how are you doing? Do you need a time out? Do you wish that someone would put you in the corner and set a timer for 5 minutes?

Let’s face it. Sometimes our writing lives are spinning so fast we can barely keep up. Project deadlines loom, grumpy or demanding phone calls are fielded and at times it is way too much. I’ve felt like I was bouncing off the walls before. I’ve felt like it was all too much and I really could not see a way out.

Please consider this to be permission to give yourself a time out.

When I reach the point that I know I’m not going to be able to juggle it all much longer, I give myself a time out. Sometimes it’s just a day where I say, “You know what?  Screw this.  I’m goin’ fishing.” Guess what. The work is still there when I return, but now I have a whole new perspective. My batteries are charged and I’ve got a “bring it on” attitude.

Sometimes more than a day is needed. I’ve been there too. I’ve taken as much as a week where I’ve barely opened the laptop. It hurts financially and the folks over at VISA are tres unhappy with me when I pull such a stunt. Life goes on though, and I know I’ll recover.

It’s important for you to know that when you are checking out, you don’t need a lengthy letter of explanation and excuse to every client. A short notification to clients is enough. Don’t even do a blog post about it. Nothing is more boring or irritating than a post whereby a person lists all of the reasons they are going away (or have been away for that matter). No excuses! Just do it! If you’re going to take Vienna then take Vienna!

Taking time to reflect, recharge and relax will move you much more forward in your writing then will 18 hour days filled with caffeine and nicotine (I prefer like, 5 or 6 hour days filled with caffeine and nicotine). You are going to find that when you return from your hiatus your vision for projects will be much more clear and you will be ready to take on most any challenge that presents itself.

I am curious to know. How many of you have just disappeared off the writing radar for a while? Where there any long term consequences? Were you in a better place to write when you returned? Oh, and how many points did your credit score drop?

Posted by:  George

Before you ask – YES, that money was ALL earned with freelance writing! It didn’t include my niche income.

So what did I do? Good question.

My secret to earning several hundred dollars a day every day with a $700 day to boost.

For the past couple of months my freelance writing business has really exploded. It is a combination of my efforts as a Freelance Superstar (my JV eBook that will launch today) and a system I joined a few months back to increase my income. Until then I had earned a satisfactory income by any standards but it wasn’t enough for me because I have  plans for the future that involve some serious LIP living, also called Digital Nomad living.

Our dream (my hubby’s and mine) is to run my business from the road while exploring Oz  and the rest of the world.

Therefore I needed to find a way to supercharge my writing income in order to help hubby retire early.  I’m still working on the retiring hubby bit but given the last couple of months in my business the outlook is very good indeed. I have helped two relative newcomers in the industry earn a full time income last month. This makes me VERY happy. Knowing that I help others while helping myself is the BEST way to do business by any standards.

I’m also happy to report that I nearly doubled my September 09 income in October with September having been my biggest month previously.

Freelance writers do make serious money – at least if they apply the supercharge formula:

Contrary to popular belief in the industry it is very much possible to earn seriously ’sick’ money as a freelance writer. A $100,000 a year is very much possible and I have seen proof of this myself in the last couple of months.

If you want to find out what steps I took to achieve this, you need to be prepared to part with some of your money. If you are totally new to freelance writing then you need to get established in the industry first. To do this grab a copy of Freelance Superstar when we launch today. It is your step-by-step guide to getting started as a freelance writer – even if your are not a native English speaker.

Unless you have the business basics down pat the high caliber course will do you no good because you will be overwhelmed to say the least.

If you are already somewhat established in your writing business but want to take it to the next level you need to see what made it possible for me to double my income three months after implementing the new techniques.

What you are about to see will blow your mind! Be prepared for serious success.

Monika

Rate transparency by George or why displaying rates are a must:

Rates need to be transparent.

“Hello, sir. May I take your order?”
“Maybe. Hey listen, how much is the triple bacon cheeseburger? I don’t see any prices on your menu.”
“Well, that depends. When would you like that burger? Also, do you plan on being a regular customer? It is your first time here, right? Do you want everything on it or will no frills work for you?”

Customer stares. Blinks.

“Geez, I don’t know. I was just looking for a burger but I’d like to know how much it’s going to cost me. You see I’ve only got so much money…”

“Sure, I understand. Tell you what. You let me know in detail exactly what you’re looking for and I can have a quote out to you by the close of business.”
“Mmm, that’s okay. I’m not really all that hungry anymore.”

If this is how you are operating your freelance writing business then you may want to memorize the above script. Chances are you’ll be taking burger orders soon.

Customers come to your site through referral or search engine and when they arrive there are a few things that they expect. They expect that you will clearly state the types of services that you provide and they may expect to get an idea about cost. With that said, I know that freelance writing is service – not product – oriented. You can’t just put up a picture of your widget with a blazing red sale price underneath.

As well, different projects lend themselves to different rate structures. Sometimes it’s best to have per word rates, sometimes per hour. Sometimes per page and sometimes per project.

Even taking all of these variables into consideration, there is no reason for not being transparent in your rates or rate structure. If you’ve taken the time to put financial goals in place then you know how much you need to make per word, page or project.

Being transparent does not mean you can’t give discounts or incentives for new or returning customers. For that matter it doesn’t mean that you can’t charge for add-ons or special situations. Publishing your rates just means that you are giving your potential customers an idea of what may be in store for their specific need.

Publishing your rates creates kind of an instant trust with your customer. It means that you are a professional and that you know your rates are worthy of publishing.

So, put it all out there. Annotate your rate page with language about discounts or add-ons. Be real with your customers and they will likely return the favor.

Damnation by Mark or why displaying your rates sucks:

Publish (your rates) and be damned.

When I drove a taxi for a living, I would sometimes arrive at a house and be asked if I minded them bringing their dog along. Yes, too right I did. It’s only little, they would say, I’ll keep it on my lap. Oh, okay, then.

They would then go and retrieve some monstrosity that resembled Satan’s rabid pet Shetland pony with pointy teeth. It’s not much fun driving down the motorway with a Rottweiler changing gear for you.

My point is this: given half a chance, some people will not be entirely honest about what a job entails. Either that or they simply won’t realise the work involved. I did a copy edit of a holiday rentals website recently. It had been inherited by a friend of mine and it looked like it had been written by a dyslexic six-year-old over here on an exchange trip from Mars. It took more than thirty hours to sort out. There’s copy editing, and then there’s copy editing that’s actually a complete re-write. I charged by the hour on that one.

You can’t quote on a job you’ve not seen yet. It’s like a decorator quoting $200 for a room. What room? A toilet? A living room? A grand ballroom? Oh, you’re not doing the conservatory? We always considered the conservatory to be part of the living room.

What if your rates quote for a 10-page website makeover? Your client gets a price in their head, and it’s agreed. The fact that the site has 40 pages is conveniently overlooked. No, they’re not pages, they’re sub-pages. In that case, I will sub-tract them from the job. Seriously, do you edit 10 and leave the rest untouched, or do you quadruple your price? It’s certainly fair to quadruple your price, but that wrecks the client’s expectations. You can’t be arguing about money at the start.

I’ll use another taxiing analogy. You pick up a guy to take him from A to B. He’s organized a set fare with the booking office – cheeky sod. As you set off, he says he wants to stop in at several places along the way. The starting point is A and the final destination is B. But he’s going via D, M, S, L, Y and P. So you tell him bollocks to the set fare, it’s all going on the meter. You end up having an argument, throwing him out and leaving him stranded in the middle of the countryside at midnight in the torrential rain. Yeah, I did that. It happened.

I suppose there are ways around this. You could quote an hourly rate, or a rate per word. But how does a new customer know that your hours are genuine? You could be charging them for the couple of hours you spent guzzling beer at Hooters with the guys. And does the per word rate include any rewrites you do because the client changes the brief halfway through in a blaze of mind-numbing fickleness?

There are so many variations; so many factors at play. To cover all the bases, your rates page will have to look like an Einsteinian theory in genesis.

Just publish your portfolio of work. If it’s good, you’ll get the inquiries. Then you can talk about what the client requires – in exact detail. Then you can talk about rates.

Updated Launch Date: We are launching Freelance Superstar on Tuesday 4November 2009 9.00am EST

I therefore ask all of you to help me spread the word. As you know I never ask for anything from any of you. Quite the opposite actually. I have created this blog in order to help newcomers to the industry and by frequenting my site you should have ample information on starting your freelance writing business from scratch.

But this is my first little baby and I would be honored if you could help announce the launch on your blogs, on your websites, on Twitter, on Facebook, to your email list, in forums and everywhere else you please. I’d really love to see this launch a success.

If you buy Freelance Superstar you too can become a successful freelance writer. Trust me. if I can do this, so can you!

The Freelance Superstar guide is a product aimed at new freelance writers and intermediate entrepreneurs who currently struggle to earn a decent income. The very affordable purchase price of USD 37 can easily be earned back if you follow my instructions in the guide. The idea is to start a business from scratch with little upfront expenses (You can get earning by spending less than $100 and this includes the guide).

Product: Freelance Superstar
Launcher: Gobala Krishnan and Monika Mundell
Launch Date: 4 November 2009 9.00am EST

Visit Freelance Superstar NOW and register your interest to be one of the first to get your hands onto this top value freelance writing guide.

How to be the next Freelance Superstar

Here is an overview of what you will be getting for your money.

Product Details:

Freelance Superstar – Complete guide to freelance writing online

* Step-by-step guidance for absolute beginners.
* The eBook will teach anyone with decent English skills to start their own online writing business.
* Includes the eBook, custom-made WordPress themes, plugins, email templates, bidding templates, article  metrics.
* By following the guide people can start to earn money within the first week.

The specific made WordPress themes help buyers to brand their business with a professional look.

* Instructions are provided with screenshots, so even newbies to WordPress can setup a professional  looking    blog/portfolio site within a day.
* Product features plenty of tips and information to assure the biggest success rate.
* Recommendations given for additional plugins (all free.)
* Includes template guides.
* Everything has been designed and written for the purpose of this launch.
* We have taken great pride in providing buyers with a great affordable product to build a writing business.
* Fantastic value for the price point.

More Info: Freelance Superstar

I thank all of you for helping me to spread the word and hope you will reach the same levels of success I have found in this amazing business.

Monika

Regular readers can look forward to a range of delectable penned ingredients by Mark and George. You guys already know what a hoot this series is going to be and I have no doubt that the boys will pull out all arms to make it more hilarious, entertaining and fun to read than ever.

I for one look forward to see the guys pull out all their glorious weapons and take stance in the evergreen discussions on pro and con for writers and bloggers worldwide.

Keep posted for the first writing duel where setting rates will be the center of attention. Right now the boys are busy sharpening their mighty pens.

May the force be with them!

Image credit: from the gutter

Mark Pepper

The famous philosopher Sting once wrote:

“I’ve spent too many years at war with myself,

Doctor has told me it’s no good for my health,

To search for perfection is all very well,

But to look for heaven is to live here in hell.”

Consider Me Gone, from “The Dream of the Blue Turtles” – 1985

What does that mean when it appears in a blog about freelance writing? Well, that I’m pretentious, for one. And that I’m still prattling on about novels.

I thought I’d keep a little continuity in my blogs for the time being. I wasn’t going to, and then I read the latest thought-provoking offering from Señor Tumblemoose, entitled “Platform Diving”, in which he highlights the issue of a writer’s true direction – not what he is doing, but what his heart tells him he should be doing. Or her – obviously.

Specifically, Monsieur Le Tumblemoose mentions how the necessity of earning a living from his freelance work means his “Great American Novel” sadly has to remain on the back-burner. In this, he is far from alone. Lack of time is one of the most galling aspects for anyone who has their eyes set on becoming a published author.

I’m sure I wouldn’t have bothered with this blog if I thought Signor El Tumblemoose couldn’t write. From what I’ve read so far, he certainly can. But he’s not just an accomplished writer; he’s a thinker. He has something to say. He has every right to believe he can and should get into print.

Therefore, I suppose the purpose of this piece is to offer three things to all the budding novelists out there (who can actually write):

1. Empathy, having known exactly the frustrations of desperately wanting to achieve, but being held back for sundry reasons.
2. Encouragement, because I believe if it’s right to happen, one day it will.
3. Perspective, because I’m the other side of the process now, and I can don my designer Hindsight specs and assess it all a little more dispassionately.

Let me explain …

First off, I’m not trying to be a smart-arse here. I’m the first one furiously ticking boxes when the screw-up questionnaire does the rounds. It’s the price you pay for wandering off the nine-to-five track and getting lost for nearly twenty-five years in that great outback known as Artistic Ambition. It happens to writers, actors, artists and anyone else we used to call Bohemian but now call Mostly Unemployed.

The reason I say empathy rather than sympathy is because I’m not looking to offer any annoying platitudes that sound all cuddly but don’t really mean anything. I’m not agreeing because it’s right intellectually to do so; I’m agreeing because I know how it feels. I left my acting career behind when we moved to Spain, but there really was nothing to leave behind, and my lack of success in that profession still causes me to wince now and then, despite having landed in a lovely spot on the planet.

As for my writing career, you already know how that panned out from my previous blogs. It’s tough when you’re consumed with a passion that you can’t quickly bring to fruition. But, as the cliché-mongers always say: if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

Faith without works

Which brings me to the encouragement part. I have a stone coaster on my desk that my wife bought for me which reads: “DREAMS CAN’T COME TRUE IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY”. Strangely enough, I received it after I had given up on my acting and writing ambitions and I’d embarked on a career as a secondary school drama teacher – which I detested for reasons that will be obvious to anyone who has ever been in a classroom full of British thirteen-year-olds. It seemed an odd gift given the timing, but within a couple of years we were on our way to the sunshine – an ambition that had always superseded even my artistic ambitions, and that came about through a series of events I could never have envisaged nor planned, all melding in perfect synchronicity. (She knows things, my wife.)

I firmly believe that you can achieve your goals in life if you work hard enough at them, truly believe in them, and have the patience to see them through. Belief on its own, though, is not enough. I’m not a religious person, but I still think the Bible has a few wise words to say on many subjects, and one would be that “faith without works is dead”. You have to do things, and although many of these things may not seem obviously relevant to your game plan at the time, they will often be working as subservient little minions to that game plan, slowly and painstakingly creating the necessary circumstances for it to eventually take a recognisable form.

For a writer with ambitions to become a published author, it may seem that leaving your beloved novel one-third-finished on your hard drive for another six months, when you’ve already spent two years on it, is the epitome of failing to carry out the necessary “works”. It’s something Herr Von Tumblemoose obviously feels, and I’ve experienced those awful hanging delays myself. It gnaws at you. Your novel calls to you every waking minute, and you end up dreaming about the damn thing when you sleep. It dictates how you perceive yourself: you’re not a successful freelance writer or a great salesman or a hard-working tradesman, you’re a slouch of a failed author.

Freud is in da house

Don’t pay that any heed. All that’s happening … is life. Bills need paying; the family wants to spend time with you; the car needs taking to the mechanic; the grass needs mowing. You can moan and think: Where’s my time? When do I get to write? When will the world get to read my work? But perhaps the world just isn’t ready yet. Perhaps the circumstances aren’t right yet. Perhaps your life experience isn’t yet sufficient to create the strength of novel you’ll one day be capable of writing. As long as you hold the dream dear and make every effort to fulfil your game plan, chances are that those unseen minions will be busy slotting in the tiny pieces so that one day you can stand back and see the true picture – a picture that may tell you now is the time to write, now you have the time to write, now the Muse is with you.

Or that tells you to relax, because it really doesn’t matter any more.

And so to my final point, and the reason for my quoting good ol’ Sting at the start: perspective. Sometimes, the battles we fight most valiantly are against ourselves. We set ourselves challenges and then proceed as though our lives will be forever blighted if we cannot succeed in them. We create self-made voids in our existence through the conviction that we absolutely must carry out certain tasks to feel complete. With regards to writing, we all need to remember that the moment our drive to create stunning literature becomes the need to be a published novelist, our Ego has hopped in behind the wheel.

Mr Ego

Mr Ego is a stupid man. He’s the one that chauffeurs people to American Idol and X-Factor auditions when they’re tone deaf and look like they’ve got their face on upside down, back-to-front and inside out. You know the ones … pass that boy a banjo and show him to the porch.

Mr Ego was in charge of my car for a long time. I’ve largely managed to relegate him to the back seat in recent years, keeping him busy with a blue plastic wheel with a squeaky red horn in the middle, but he still occasionally manages to clamber up front and elbow me out of the way. The truth is that I’m never more lost than when Mr Ego takes control. He has no clue where he’s going. He’s listening to a broken satnav that speaks in a Mr Bean voice. He’ll head straight for the bridge that hasn’t been built yet, or drive down to the port at full speed to join the ferry that left hours ago. He’s not just stupid; he’s dangerously stupid.

The desire to create is pure. The desire to create for the world is often tainted. Don’t worry, if your creation is good enough, the world will catch on in its own time and there will be nothing you can do to prevent it. In the meantime, you just need to do the “works” when you can, and happily accept the constraints when you can’t. And don’t let Mr Ego skew what you think of as constraints. Don’t let him ruin your quality time with friends and family with his insidious little voice, telling you to get back to what’s important: THE NOVEL. Mr Ego is the evil character unmasked at the end of a Scooby-Do adventure: “I wanted to write a novel – and I would have done if it weren’t for you meddling kids.”

Try, also, not to be too focused on the destination; just enjoy the journey as it happens, each moment. Remember that the thrill is in the chase, not the capture. Why do you think so many successful people are so screwed up? It’s dire disappointment mixed with utter bewilderment – that they didn’t become the happiest person in the world when their dreams came true.

If the ultimate does happen, and a publisher does offer you a contract, bear in mind it will probably be for two or three books within a certain time frame. What, you want me to write another? Bloody hell. Then your writing becomes a job, and maybe even a chore. Pressure can splat creativity like a bug.

Just think about this: When your kid wanders in and asks you to play, which is worse? Quitting your novel for half an hour because you can, feeling a tad disappointed, but having a happy kid? Or sending a very unhappy kid away because you have an editor’s deadline to meet, and then feeling guilty as hell?
Glasses by Hindsight – they come at a price

Just to let you know: being a published author ain’t all that. My novels mean next to nothing to me. Not because I wasn’t in the million-dollar advance bracket; I never expected to be. Hodder could have had my books for free. I just wanted to get into print. And not just now, eleven years later; I felt that way within a few months of their publication. The framed book jackets and reviews came down off my study wall, and my precious novels went up into the attic. I’ve always derived far more pleasure from a completed DIY project around the house than from knowing I’m a published author, because the DIY project makes a real difference. Mr Ego is confused as hell about this. Yep, but he’s a moron.

I’m not suggesting you give up. If you want to become a published author you go for it. You just have to write when you can, and not beat yourself up when you can’t. Most importantly, you have to see the bigger picture. You need to kick Mr Ego out from behind the wheel. He needs to be in the back seat; better still in the trunk; best of all left by the roadside. Just enjoy what you do for the sake of doing it, and if you get published, great. If not, remember it’s just a load of words on paper. Will it matter in a hundred years? What are you missing out on while you’re at your computer tapping away for months on end? And what are you failing to fully enjoy when you’re not tapping away at your keyboard, because you wish you were?

I’m not the Grim Reaper so I can’t be sure, but I doubt anyone on their death-bed ever talks about the car they bought with the advance from their first novel; I imagine they talk about the people they love.

Here’s the deal:  This is something you have to get right. It’s important. Really important. Charge too much and your potential clients will beat a path to…  someone else’s door. If you don’t have the portfolio to back up your five-star rates, no one is going to take you seriously. Seriously.

Of course if you charge too little, you are letting money fall right out of your hands. As well, potential clients are not going to take you seriously.  Seriously.

Wow. That’s quite a tight rope to walk, isn’t it? Sorry folks, it is the nature of the business. If you haven’t done so already, you need to get this figured out.

Here’s a little story to give you an idea about human nature and how things work:

Once upon a time there was a devilishly handsome bald guy who sold cars at a Chevy dealership. He wasn’t the best technical salesman but he was a nice guy and he sold a car or two. Through all of the car deals he learned one immutable fact: The people who left the dealership having paid the most for their car were absolutely the happiest customers. The grinding nickle and dimers were always the surliest, no matter how good a deal they received. In their mind they thought that since they were able to work the price down, there must have been more money left on the table.

What I’m saying here is that having rock bottom rates does not necessarily make you some kind of a nice writer that people will adore. It is more likely that folks will take your low rates as a sign of rank amateurism or as an easy mark.  Realistic, savvy clients who understand how things work have no problem paying for the services they receive. These are the people you want lining up at your door. They are excellent referrals  and often times they are repeat customers.

There are a couple of ways that you can come up with the rates that you charge. Let’s looks at them:

• Look it up. There are sources in print and on the net where you can get an idea for what “normal” rates are for different types of freelance work. Gather as many of these as you can to make any rates you are considering more statistically significant.
• Ask. Surely you know other freelance writers. Most of us are pretty decent folk and would be more than happy to provide a bit of guidance – although don’t expect the whole thing delivered on a silver platter. You may receive some guidance but not necessarily the exact rate structure we use.

Once you have an idea about going rates, temper them with your experience level, your income needs and your portfolio.

Myself, I use a flexible rate structure that is quoted on a project basis. Some are 50 bucks. Others are 8 grand. It varies.

Some of this rate business will get sorted out over time. Sometimes you may end up with an open wound or two but they will heal and you’ll know better next time.

Let’s hear it: How do you rate?

But George, why not both?

Good question. Here’s what I think:  As much as I love the variety of work that freelance writing allows, it really is a way of making money whilst working  on the writing I do for me. My writing consists of the short stories and novels  in progress that I hope will one day propel me into the realm of “published author”. I’ve been thinking that having my site focus on the services I can provide as a writer would also work just fine as my author “name recognition” platform.

What I’ve found is that it is very difficult to have one site do both of these things well. Oddly enough, whenever I take on a new freelance job, I’m:

a: relieved. The folks at VISA and the student loans will be happy with me (this month)

b: chagrined. I guess the Great American Novel will have to wait another month.

The site functions well as a place to land writing gigs but is doing virtually nothing in terms of preparing the world for George Angus the novelist. I’ve decided it is best to separate the two. The writing services site is going to take on that focus and I may ratchet the promotion down a bit. I’ll develop a different site to work as my author platform.

So for me it becomes a question of how best to accomplish what I really want to have happen. Maybe I’ll make the writing services site a static site and move all of my blog archives to the George Angus site. Maybe I’ll blog at both.  Maybe I’ll just give up writing and become a cabana boy for rich tourists in some tropical third world country.

I guess my question for you folks is:  What is your web site geared towards and is it geared towards what you really want? I don’t think it is a question that should be answered flippantly. I think it requires a bit of introspection and honest evaluation about what it is you are trying to accomplish. If freelance writing is what you want more than anything, then build your site with that focus and keep everything you do aimed in that direction. Really make it a site about freelance writing and do all that you can to attract those clients.

If you have something else in mind, change things up and clean things up. Don’t be afraid to shift your site to match your goals and priorities.

Okay, let’s hear it.  What do you think?