freelance writing

Why Freelance Writers Must Practice Goal Setting

On May 24, I announced that I had resigned from my teaching position and would now be a full-time freelance writer and entrepreneur. 

After sharing this news on my blog, social media channels, and with my email list, my freelance cup quickly runneth over. And this is a great problem to have! Through email, Facebook messages, and direct messages on Instagram, people made me aware of writing opportunities — paid opportunities — that I could take advantage of. 

And like any self-employed scribe who wants to ensure she can pay her mortgage, I said “Yes” — to EVERYTHING — including things I had absolutely no interest in doing. 

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My Secrets to Side-Hustle Success

A woman smiling, sitting before a table covered in magazines
Writing for magazines like B-Metro, Birmingham, and Good Grit has been a key part of my side hustle success.

This year my side hustle not only helped me make money but cost me money, too.

During tax season many people use their tax refund checks to plan trips, splurge on fancy dinners or new outfits, or beef up their savings. And usually, I’m doing one or all of these things. But not this year. This year I wasn’t doing any of these things because this year instead of getting a check from the IRS I had to send a check to the IRS — a check for an amount of money that had a comma.

And I was so excited!

You see, when I talked to my accountant about why I suddenly had to pay back all this money he explained it was because I’d had such a successful year with my side hustle — See Jane Write LLC and my freelance writing. This was good news for me since I was planning to make my side hustle my full-time career, which I did last month.

Related Reading: So…I quit my job!

If you’re eager to learn my secrets to side-hustle success, keep reading.

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Girl, Stop Procrastinating!

Last month I read Rachel Hollis’ new book Girl, Stop Apologizing and it has me ready to write a book of my own — Girl, Stop Procrastinating!

Girl, if you really want to be a writer you have to write! You can’t just think about writing. You can’t just talk about writing. You can’t just post quotes about writing on social media. YOU MUST WRITE.

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A Girl’s Guide to Freelancing

I had my first byline when I was only 19 years old. I pitched and wrote a story for The Birmingham Times, the Southeast’s largest black weekly newspaper, and it was published! Since then I’ve had the honor of seeing my byline in publications all over the country including The Seattle Times, The Chicago Sun-Times, USA Today and a number of national magazines. Today I write for several local publications including B-Metro magazine, StyleBlueprint Birmingham, and Birmingham magazine. 

Today I want to offer a few tips on how you can start freelancing for your favorite publications, too.

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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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