This Freelancer Life The digital magazine for freelancers, by freelancers

What is Freelancing? Our staff members weigh in!

How to Bid on Jobs And get what you’re worth!

FREE Mini-Magazine issue

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Assistant Editor

Katie Joll

Editor

Melissa Van Hoorne In this issue

The magazine for freelancers,

by freelancers

CJ Callen Heather Howell

What ’s in this mini mag?

New tech advances in the top freelancer categories

Heather Howell

This Freelancer Life: What exactly is Freelancing?

Melissa Van Hoorne

How to bid on jobs (and get what you’re worth!)

CJ Callen

This Freelancer Life by Melissa Van Hoorne

The old saying goes “Beauty is in the eye of the

beholder”. For some of us, freelancing has been

a beautiful life choice – one full of flexibility and

passion; for others, it is a bestial life of reluctant

necessity, full of challenges and disappoint-

ments. At least in my experience, the episodic

ups and downs of the freelancing life are coun-

tered by the limitless potential for professional

and personal growth, enough to warrant a full-

time venture into freelancing.

I wrote this article because my roommate's

questions about my job and the magazine trig-

gered an excellent point: as freelancers, we as-

sume that because freelancing is so prevalent,

everyone knows what we do. I'm not going to

judge; obviously from my conversation with my

roommate, I'm just as guilty of it as the next

freelancer. This article is a manifestation of that

very eye-opening conversation: an attempt to

erase any confusion about who we are and

what we do as freelancers. I also thought it im-

perative to introduce you to all the talent we

have on the staff in this first article. So not only

will I discuss the standard, universally accepted

definition of freelancing, but also the very per-

sonal definitions of freelancing from my various

staff members.

I must provide a disclaimer: pieces of this article

may be riddled with inexcusably poor humor or

really great sarcasm – either way, we apologize

ahead of time. I hope you enjoy this article and

feel free to email editor@thisfreelancerlife.com

with comments or questions.

The Etymology of Freelancing In 1820, Sir Walter Scott put the “free” in

“freelancer”. No really, he did. He used the word

to describe a mercenary not sworn to any lord's

services. The “lance” is then available for

“free” (If only the poor lance knew that nothing

is really ever for free!). Since then, the word

“freelancer” has evolved into a few forms of a

noun (i.e. freelancing and freelancer), an adjec-

tive (i.e. freelance writer), a verb (i.e. to free-

lance) and some undeniably colorful variations

of the word probably not appropriate for print.

Don’t put the “free” in freelancer

What does a freelancer do?

Some may know the term “freelancer” as

“independent contractor” (when I said that

word, my roommate's eyes lit up in recognition):

these terms are synonymous. Freelancers hold

no loyalty to one specific client; in fact, many

have several clients for whom they currently

work. These jobs are substantiated (hopefully)

by contracts that dictate all vital terms of em-

ployment including: method and frequency of

compensation, amount of deposit required (if

any), amount and frequency of work expected

and any other professional expectations of ei-

ther party.

Payment varies by contract: some contracts offer

weekly payments, while other contracts provide

payment on a monthly basis. These are often the

most difficult contracts, as they require a sub-

stantial ability to budget finances in order to

have enough money for living expenses over the

course of the month. Payment also depends on

the freelancer's billing methods: some freelanc-

ers charge hourly, while others see more value

to their clients by charging on a per-project ba-

sis.

What industries have freelancers?

Every single one. We aren't pod people, but we

are everywhere. Writers form the most common

and widely-recognized job category for freelanc-

ers, but freelancers exist in specialty areas such

as: teaching, nursing, engineering, accounting,

law, programming, designing and photography.

Benefits of freelancing: Many freelancers enjoy the lifestyle because of

the flexibility in their schedule that it offers. In

most cases, freelancers can work as much or as

little as they choose, which allows ample time for

hobbies, travel and family. Freelancing also al-

lows flexibility in work space. Though freelancers

don't all sit on beaches while working like some

people perceive we do, some of us do work in

eclectic spaces such as lofts, studios, boats, trail-

ers and co-working spaces. With freelancing, you

are essentially your own boss but; be advised,

this avenue is only recommended for the self-

disciplined.

Pitfalls of freelancing: It takes an extraordinary amount of self-

discipline to become a successful freelancer,

and not everyone possesses this quality. In or-

der to make ends meet, sometimes a freelancer

must provide services for multiple clients at

once, which requires self-discipline along with

other skills that might prove difficult for some

such as: time management, assertive communi-

cation, active listening and organization. In ad-

dition, the competition for jobs within the free-

lancing business sometimes sets client expecta-

tions high and expected wages low. Freelancers work in every industry

Freelancers can, and do, work everywhere!

Despite the pitfalls, there is great potential for success in freelancing and I would recommend this lifestyle to anyone. But don't just take my word for it, listen to some of my wonderful staff as they share their own highly personal definitions of freelancing. I present to you, Team “This Freelancer Life”:

Heather Howell

Heidi Lis

Freelancing typically brings to mind web dev and other online-based work

but; in my opinion, being a freelancer can mean a lot more. Freelancers

are individuals who work for themselves in every industry, be it culinary,

skilled trade, consulting or educational. This work can be done in person

or online. A freelancer markets their skills to their target clients and deliv-

ers their product, without the need of a “boss” or other structure. So you

can really freelance anything!

Freelancing provides an

abundance of opportunities

for individuals from different

walks of life to be able to

serve others and share their

capabilities without sacrific-

ing their personal goals and

aspirations.

Cristian Rivera

A type of self-

employment in which

an individual sells his/

her set of skills to mul-

tiple employers. Also, a

hustle.

Anne Alberto

Freelancing is a beautiful system. I can spend my free time doing what I

love, and then share it with people for a little profit. Being able to work

from home, or school, or my other job that is completely menial is nothing

short of incredible. Again, I get to professionally do what I love and share it

with people. Freelancing is an art, freelancing is freedom.

Caitlin Campbell

Freelancing is a way to showcase your own creative thoughts you have

gained with experience. Use your imagination to think outside of the box; let

your skills and talents help you start a business all on your own. Embrace it

and challenge yourself, this has worked for me, and let me tell you what an

awesome adventure it has been.

About Melissa

Melissa Van Hoorne is Editor and co-founder of This Freelanc-

er Life with friend and co-worker Katie Joll. Melissa starting

freelancing two years ago when fibromyalgia started impacting

her day-to-day living. Rather than go on disability, she chose

freelancing.

Now she uses This Freelancer Life as a way to help spread the

message of empowerment to freelancers from everywhere, in

all walks of life.

CJ Callen For me, the ability to work online out of my home was a God-send. My job of

25 years was an extremely physical one: I was dealing with the big boys, usually

the only woman in the kitchen, which made me work all the harder...I had to

prove myself in their eyes (funny how the cook at home is a woman, but in a

restaurant, it's usually a man's world).

Well...

One day I went to the kitchen to get a glass of milk. I reached out with my left

hand, and I was struck by a pain that I can only describe as being struck by

lightning. From that moment on, my life would never be the same. After all

kinds of medical crap, it was determined that my spine was falling apart

(laymen's terms). So, I had to quit my outside job.

Luckily, I was afforded a good education, and writing was a passion of mine

since the fourth grade. I was trying to find out what I could do to make a living.

I was initially sucked in by all the usual sh@#, Write and make money...but give

us money first. That is why I really care about this magazine...people like me,

who had to feel around in the dark, make many mistakes, and earn less than

their worth...TFL (thanks to us accomplished freelancers) will afford them our

knowledge and they can avoid all the trappings that sucks beginning freelanc-

ers in.

Tech Updates For The Top Freelancing Niches

As a freelancer, you need to keep on the ball when it comes to technological advances - it simply

doesn’t pay to get left behind. Whether you’re a designer, programmer, marketer, writer or

transcriptionist, this article will let you in on some of the most recent and interesting advances in

your individual field.

Designers

By far, one of the most impressive recent inno-

vations in the world of design is 3D printing

technology. These printers allow digital design to

become a physical reality. Surely, 3D printing

could change the face of design as we know it,

especially since 3D printers are available to own

as personal printers (albeit at the price of a

small car). This revolutionary piece of technolo-

gy is still being improved upon, so it’s really

something that designers should keep their eyes

on. It also means that prices could drop in the

years to come.

Programmers

One of the most recent advances pertinent to

programmers everywhere is the development

of Firefox OS, the operating system that doesn’t

suffer from the same restrictions and policy in-

terventions that iOS and Android do. This add-

ed freedom allows developers to easily create

web pages and apps, since they won’t be bom-

barded by the rules and regulations of app

stores. Firefox OS is built on Gaia, Gecko and

Gonk software layers (open source), has CSS3

and HTML5 technologies, and can be custom-

ized to individual needs.

By Heather Howell

By far one of the most impressive recent innovations in the

world of design is the 3D printing technology.

spoken word can “magically” transfer onto the

screen in front of you.

One of the most recent advances in this field is

related to the revolution that is “Parallella”,

which has been described as the super com-

puter for everyone: its an energy-saving com-

puter intended to process high loads of infor-

mation simultaneously. It utilizes real time

tracking of objects, speech recognition and hol-

ographic displays.

Transcriptionists are more likely to enjoy the

benefits of voice recognition technology, which

could save hours of typing and re-listening. If

you look at it that way; however, it could also

mean that transcriptionists may soon find that

clients utilize this technology instead of their

invaluable services. Despite this, these great

advances come from some of the most exciting

research in the world, and they are well worth

following to fruition.

About Heather

Heather is a native Southern Californian. She

currently resides in Washington, D.C. She devotes

most of her time to helping freelance

professionals through innovative tools and also

rural development in Bangladesh. Having worked

in the DC financial sector for 10+ years, and spent

over 12 year as a scribe, she enjoys writing on a

variety of topics that range from Infant health,

freelance trends & tech and International politics

to finance management advice.

Marketers

Things are forever-evolving in the world of video

gaming, so marketers are never at a loss for

things to talk about. Marketers in this field

should check out some of the most incredible

advances in gaming tech, such as virtual reality

games and motion sensor games. These games

include the ‘oculus rift’: the headset that sets

your sensory self inside the computer game,

‘leap motion’: the multi touch desktop that can

be controlled by movements of the fingers (even

when they do not touch the screen) and ‘eye

tribe’: the game that uses individual eye-

tracking information to play an on-screen video

game. Amazing.

Writers and transcriptionists

For writers who are dedicated to their blog,

there are always new themes in WordPress, and

each more striking and inviting than the last.

Writers may also love the latest advances in

voice recognition technology, through which the

Three Ways to Bid Your Worth by CJ Callen

How do you know what your worth as a freelancer? Are your bids hitting the target?

Follow these must-knows and never make less than you deserve again.

#1—Be Prepared

You made a decision. You want to be a freelancer, and you’re ready to jump

in with both feet. That’s wonderful—but are you prepared? When you sub-

mit a bid, you’re marketing yourself. You are no longer a person; you are a

brand. You’re selling a brand. The product is the service you provide— the

brand is YOU. Don’t even think about bidding on a job before wrapping

yourself into a nice, neat package. That means you need to write out a re-

sume, gather a portfolio, write a bio (I call it a “Me Statement”), choose a

picture (professional head shot, not a selfie) and maybe start a blog or Face-

book page if you don’t already have one.

Some quick notes:

Resume—don’t worry if it’s not as impressive as you’d like, that will come along with experience.

Just be honest about your education and assets. If you don’t feel comfortable with a resume, try a

CV (curriculum vitae) instead.

Portfolio—put together everything you’ve written that you think really shows off your talent. Make

sure to re-edit them to be sure they’re perfect. If you don’t have much to add to a portfolio, write a

few pieces.

Me Statement—this is where you get to shine in a more relaxed way. Talk about yourself, your

background, your achievements, and goals. Your “Me Statement” should be about three para-

graphs, or so…much more and you’ll lose the reader. Be sure to update it often.

Blog or Facebook—having an online presence is important, especially to your brand. Create a

Facebook page or blog dedicated to your freelancing and the freelancing world.

Are you prepared?

#2—Do Your Homework

You’ve joined a freelancer site. You’ve set up a profile,

uploaded a complete and diverse portfolio, have a

great pic and have taken some experience tests…now

you’re ready to submit a bid—not so fast. Now it’s

time for homework. Take a deep breath, and please no

cursing at the author. You’ll thank me later.

First, some detective work—browse through the other

freelancer’s profiles to see what type of jobs they’re

being hired for and how much they’re getting paid.

Take a lot of notes…this will help when you’re making

your bids. Now it’s time to look through many, many

job postings. You’re looking at not only the types of

jobs offered, but also who is actually hiring and how

much they are willing to pay.

#3—Submit a Bid

We have arrived! You have done a lot of work, and now all

you have to do is win the bid. Easy, right? Well, this can be a

little tricky. You now have to search for the right posting to

apply. All that hard work will be for naught if you submit bids

to jobs that aren’t the right fit for you. Read every posting

that interests you VERY carefully. Employers hate nothing

more than to waste their time reading through bids that

don’t meet the job described in their posting (this can hurt

you later down the road).

Keep yourself available through every possible outlet—your email, Skype,

Facebook, Twitter. Make the potential client feel comfortable knowing they

can reach you, and you will respond promptly. This is of utmost im-

portance, especially when you’re first starting out. You’re building a brand

and a reputation—make it a good one, because it’s hard to fix it later.

Footnote

Though it takes time, if you do your homework, it makes all the difference in the world. You may not

get the first few jobs you bid on, but you can be confident that you made the right bid, because you

spent the time doing the research. Once you have some jobs under your belt, bidding will become

easier. Dealing directly with clients is the best experience of all.

About CJ

CJ Callen is a mother of one son (28), and three daughters (25, 11,

and 7). She lives at Exit Zero off the Garden State Parkway in The

Villas, New Jersey. More than a decade of working from home as a

freelance writer is what shaped her into the perfectionist she is

today. Through highs and lows, she prevailed over all, and has

much to offer aspiring freelancers.

CJ enjoys creative projects with her two youngest daughters and

taking walks along the Delaware Bay. Currently she is into making

homemade hot sauce and loves teaching her kids how to cook.

She is starting a new blog, The Reluctant Editor; but also remains

faithful to ODesk as a contract freelancer. You can find her on her

Facebook page, CJs Right Writing.

We Want YOU in Our Magazine!

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interested in being published?

Send us an email with your freelancer experience to:

editor@thisfreelancerlife.com

We look forward to hearing from you!