How to Balance Freelance Writing with Your Full-Time Job

One of my goals for the summer was to land at least one new paid freelance writing gig and to start blogging for small businesses. I accomplished both of these goals and by mid-July and was running through my house singing DJ Khaled’s “All I Do Is Win.”

Then the school year started.

Cue the record scratch.

I now had to return to my full-time teaching job and balance all the lesson planning, lecture giving, and paper grading that it brings with these new writing responsibilities.

At first, I panicked. What have I done?! I yelled to the heavens.

After a day or so of weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth I decided to put my big girl panties on and make a plan.

I put on Dua Lipa’s song “New Rules” and drafted a list of guidelines for my freelance writer life. I’m sharing them with you in case you need some new rules, too.

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Currently

Tank and the Bangas

If you want to be a successful writer you must learn to find inspiration anywhere. I often get inspired by shows and movies I watch, music I listen to, as well as the things I read. That’s why I occasionally share on the blog what I’m into in hopes that you can find inspiration in these things, too.

Here’s what I’m currently listening to, watching, reading, and obsessing over.

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Poet Ashley M. Jones discusses her experience as a guest on Code Switch LIVE from Birmingham

On Tuesday, August 14 Gene Demby and Shereen Marisol Meraji of the popular NPR race and identity podcast Code Switch hosted a live recording of the show in Birmingham at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. This event, presented by Birmingham’s NPR station WBHM 90.3, drew a packed house and featured interviews with Mayor Randall Woodfin, WBHM news director GiGi Douban and local award-winning poet  Ashley M. Jones. The discussions during the show tackled important issues about the city’s race relations, economic landscape and more.

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Media Maven: Robin Colter of B-Metro Magazine

Today I’m launching a new feature here at See Jane Write — Media Maven, a series of interviews with women in media. I’ll be talking with women in newspapers, magazines, television, radio, online publications and more.

To kick things off I had a talk with Robin Colter, creative director of B-Metro magazine, a publication for which I write a monthly column. Even though Robin has been editing my work for years I didn’t know much about her journalism journey so I was eager to hear her story.

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Stop Being a Writer Who Doesn’t Write

You’ve heard the saying before: To be a writer all you have to do is write.

But what should you do when you realize that you’re a writer who doesn’t write?

You know what I mean. You used to write all the time then life got in the way and now you can’t remember the last time you put pen to paper or fingertips to keyboard (that wasn’t for your day job or to waste time on social media).

You still think about writing all the time. Characters whose stories you want to create keep you up at night. The memoir you want to write haunts you. Poetry prances through your head.

Or maybe you’re a blogger who doesn’t blog. When you first started your site you were so excited, but it didn’t seem as if anyone else was, so you quit. Or maybe you didn’t want to quit but you just couldn’t figure out how to stay consistent.

Now, this is the part where I’m supposed to inspire you.

Continue reading “Stop Being a Writer Who Doesn’t Write” at B-Metro.com.