Tag: business

Ready for the next step

~ Mike McKibbin

Optimism and growing motivation with a little touch of apprehension.

That may sum up my outlook towards my freelance writing career as a new year approaches. This year has been a pretty good one. I’ve stayed busy with writing projects and assignments, although I know it might have been better if I’d done more marketing and networking, getting my name out there some more.

I’m optimistic I have a good idea about where I want to go with my writing in the coming year. I’ve mentioned before on this site that my goal is to get a full-time work-at-home writing job so I can continue to enjoy the freedom and efficiencies of not commuting. I think this will continue to be the direction many professions move in the coming years. It just makes sense for employers and employees.

So I plan to seek out these opportunities next year, Continue reading “Ready for the next step” →

Pitching my pitch gets closer

~ Mike McKibbin

For freelance writers like me, with a strong journalism background, one of the areas I’ve wanted to learn more about and give a good try is story pitching.

Instead of having an editor assign stories, the writer tries to convince an editor they should publish or post a story. As a reporter, I would often actually pitch story ideas to my editor. But one main difference was those stories often resulted from some event or news release I read that morning. And since stories, or content, is what newspapers, TV stations and any other news outlet need to survive, it wasn’t too hard to get my editor to say “go do it, Mike.” 👍

As a freelancer, I don’t have that relationship with an editor. I get asked by clients to do this story or that story, Continue reading “Pitching my pitch gets closer” →

Finding my mojo again

~ Mike McKibbin

I turned down my first new client the other day. It was mostly a disappointing act, although I have to say part of the reason was I wasn’t overly excited about what I would have been writing.

It was for an air freight publication in England, so there was also a big time difference when it came to communication. The subject matter was not overly exciting, but it would probably be interesting.

It would not have made me rich, of course, but the pay was acceptable. A big factor in my decision Continue reading “Finding my mojo again” →

(I am getting some) Satisfaction

~ Mike McKibbin

Mick and the boys might have a hard time finding fulfillment and maybe a little contentment, but I have to say this year still seems headed forward in a good direction.

Several freelance writing assignments have kept me busy over the last few months, some of them even kind of fell into my lap. After the last few years, it’s nice to finally have people recognize your abilities and ask you to work for them.

Not that I’m getting rich, but I’m making enough to keep me comfortably afloat for my current situation. Continue reading “(I am getting some) Satisfaction” →

Losing focus or seeing opportunties?

~ Mike McKibbin

We deal with a lot of frustration in life. Getting beyond the immediate consequences and deciding how to keep moving forward seems a bigger challenge each time.

Case in point: I applied for a copy editing position a few months ago, had a couple of interviews and was a finalist. But, as you guessed, someone else was offered the position.

It’s not the first time and likely won’t be the last. But every time it happens it seems to get harder to move in a direction I’m certain is the one I want to take.

Do I want a full-time position with benefits? Yes. But having enough freelance clients Continue reading “Losing focus or seeing opportunties?” →