Why did I think I’d get a thing done yesterday? I had a scheduled MRI in the morning. There went the morning. Then I had a few small issues to clear up, plus contract odds and ends to finalize, and some insurance-related documents to dig out. By the time I looked up, it was 4 pm.
Today is Nano, so I hope to have my 2,500 words down before 10 so I can concentrate on other things, like marketing and getting my portfolio ready for tomorrow’s client meeting (never got to it yesterday). I’m feeling a bit of a sore throat again, so I’m hoping to avoid yet another virus.
New month, new assessment. It’s time to see what all that marketing netted. Don’t forget to post your assessment in the comments:
Queries:
I sent out eleven magazine queries, one with two ideas. Those two ideas were given an immediate yes, but a “next issue” assignment (a quarterly pub). I’m promised a third idea – this one generated in-house. Not bad for a “how are you” note.
Letters of introduction were where I’d concentrated my efforts. Fourteen sent, four responded to. Not bad odds, actually. One resulted in the upcoming client meeting.
Job listings:
Didn’t even look. Those aren’t my clients.
Existing clients:
Right now, I’m looking at two potential assignments from two existing clients. The three-in-one assignment is an editor I enjoy working with. On top of that is overflow work from a PR client. I lost an ongoing client, but I suspect I’ll be back on board once they catch up with blog posts.
I finished a large project for an ongoing client that I thought would be small, but that turned into a few more projects than expected. It was nice to send out a beefier invoice.
New clients:
Post-conference follow-up is starting to pay off. I finally got contract stuff cleared away for work with a conference contact. Also, the conference I go to is five months away, so I started getting in touch with the vendors. One of those notes (mentioned above) is resulting in tomorrow’s meeting.
Earnings:
Not super this month. It’s a little over half what I normally bill. However, I’d billed quite a bit last month, so I have the cushion, and I’ve been waiting for projects to arrive that didn’t happen last month. This month for sure, although I never wait for a maybe. The Five Buck Forum is gaining popularity, and we’re getting some good Webinars lined up.
Bottom line:
Thanks to following up, I’m looking at three projects and possibly a fourth. Sending multiple ideas to the magazine editor paid off, and I’m seeing results from pre-/post-conference contact.
How was your October? What surprised you?
From a revenue standpoint, October was my best month of the year. But, that has been due in part to me gearing up work-wise for my 3-Day Walk this month.
I'll be gone 10 days and while I'll get some work done before I start the Walk, I know it's going to be a slow month with my trip and Thanksgiving.
Can you believe we are talking about November and Thanksgiving? Where does the time go?
What surprised me? It wasn't a total surprise, but worked out even better than I thought – my favorite client left her health care management company and went to a logistics management firm (international exporting and importing transportation). She hired me to help with marketing efforts. I knew exactly a huge big zero about the industry. You think healthcare has acronyms? They've got nothing on the logistics industry. Anyway, a marketing piece, and a few blog posts later, I'm working in the logistics industry – and loving it.
We really can step outside our comfort zone and succeed. 🙂
Congrats, Cathy!
October was a month where I worked hard instead of smart, so I have to get that back in balance. I realized I'm outgrowing a particular work situation, but I want to line up a few things and ease out instead of leaping, so the groundwork for that must be set this month.
I'm happy with the new book's progress, and still struggling to finish another book, so I have to get that sorted out.
From a revenue standpoint, the month made me cry a little. I ended a contract so that I could focus on a full time social media coordinator job that resulted in hours cut from full to part time. It really hit me in a way I wasn't expecting and kind of set me into a funk for the entire month. I woke up this morning to not a not so nice email because I made a mistake in my choice of words online. So I now know where I stand with the job I took on…
What does this mean? I'm taking it as a positive to really get my butt in gear this month and actively market. This means getting over that fear of querying and putting myself out there… REALLY OUT THERE.
As for NaNo… I really want to do it but I don't know if I can squeeze out 2500 words today. But I'll try!
Assessment time again, already?
Nutshell: Bad, but slightly better than last month's dreadful.
Here we go…
Queries & LOIs – I sent about a dozen queries to Favorite Editor, who will probably be assigning within a week or so. I sent four LOIs, heard back from two. One has no freelance budget, the other said my timing was perfect and my background was a great match for their magazine. I followed up on a couple of last month's LOIs, to no avail.
Listings – replied to one, just as about a thousand other people probably did. Yet another reason to seek out your own opportunities.
Existing Clients – sent in two columns and two articles to two different clients, one a long-time one and the other was to the new knitting publication. Over the weekend, another long-time client assigned me a rush job – two short articles due by Thursday. I should be able to write one today and if all of the sources come through I can get the second one in tomorrow. I'm also wrapping up an article for the slow-payer…and they won't see this article until they pay for my 2,500-word article and sidebar that ran in their September issue.
New Clients – as noted above, one of my LOIs resulted in an immediate response. The trade mag's editor and I discussed rates, expectations, etc… and she asked if I'd like to do a specific story. I know from experience that the place she wanted to feature doesn't do trade press, so we've been batting around alternate approaches and ideas. Feels like an assignment may be coming soon.
Earnings – only about half of my modest monthly goal. After last month's near-record low, any "cushion" is pretty much gone, and heating season is here, so my last couple months of marketing really need to start paying off – in dollars.
Hello again, Lori!
What surprised me? That I had a pretty decent month considering the fact that I had surgery.
Earnings are solid, but not great. But I'll take it considering how much time I lost this month. I did very little work for about two weeks, and I'm still not yet working full days. Still very tired!
The stunner is that I landed a new client–and a big one to boot! Right before surgery, I talked to a potential client who needs someone to manage and write for her org's online publication.
I was totally frank with her: I'm having pretty serious surgery this month and I have no idea how future treatments might muck up my schedule. She said, that's fine. We're a bi-monthly, so I think you'll have plenty of time to plan around treatment. Whah?! Anyway, wonderful news!
November is looking fairly average, but that's fine with me, too. My goal is to not lose money while I'm recuperating. So far, I haven't.
And since I'm sure you're all dying to hear, I'm doing great. I was released from the hospital the day after my mastectomy/reconstruction, and I had no lymph node spread. All the other pathology unknowns fell in my favor, too.
I'm currently awaiting lab results that will tell me whether I even need chemo. Odds are I won't, but that's not a definite, and I'm just hanging around with a hopeful attitude. Life is good, so I won't worry about money!
We had very similar earnings months for Oct. For some reason my billings dropped in half last month, too.
I did send out quite a few LOIs and got several responses and requests for clips. So I added some new prospects to the list. 🙂
PS. I love your attitude on job listings. LOL!
"Job listings:
Didn't even look. Those aren't my clients." Ditto!
Good on you, Cathy! I've written on logistics – mostly inland marine and shipping – and you're right. It's another world of jargon! Congrats. And enjoy the new-found specialty. 🙂
Devon, what you said – working harder instead of smarter. Wow. That resonates. Did the same here. We do get out of balance sometimes, don't we? Good luck on sorting the two books at once (you amaze me!).
Nikki, that note you got would frustrate me no end. That client is making your job twice as hard by staring over your shoulder. Market hard, girl. Time to drop that one.
Sounds like a decent enough month, Paula. Lots in the works, eh? I hear you on converting all that to dollars!
Gabriella, that's FANTASTIC news! Oh, I'm so glad to hear things are going well again. Amen!! How are you feeling? And that client – a keeper. What a thoughtful, understanding person!
Denene, it could be the time of year, could be the clients you're reaching out to… could be anything. Try to find the source, but keep digging for work elsewhere.
And you're right – that's the attitude to have regarding job listings!
Clear nodes! Great news, Gabriella. I did an article about chemo a few months back and was surprised to hear only a small percentage of breast cancer patients really need it, and they're getting much better at determining who it helps and who it doesn't.
I had another pleasant surprise this afternoon (in addition to Gabriella's good news). An editor I haven't worked with in over a year e-mailed to say she finally has a freelance budget again, and she was checking to see if I'm open to assignments. Let's see….the pay about the same as the late-payer, but pay like clockwork. Of course I'm interested.
Yay, Paula!