Author: Freelancing Buzz

The world of freelancing and content writing is not only a very lucrative industry to be in, it’s also one of the most competitive as well. One of the best ways to compete and demand higher premiums on your writing, is to make sure you have a domain name and website of your own. This ultimately helps with allowing more clients to find your work, ranking in the search results, and also building a personal brand for yourself in the process. One of the most common obstacles in this process however, is that most writers are site designers or bloggers. The good news, is that WordPress makes this process a whole lot easier. In short, there are pretty much zero technical and design skills required to have a site of your own. This is all done through the power of WordPress, which is a free software solution that can give you the ease to create your own website with all the features of an completely custom site, but without the headaches. It is the most popular platform for blogging as well. In fact, WordPress has helped in the hosting or creation of more than 60% of the websites present on the Google search engine. In this article, today you will learn about the many benefits of using WordPress to power your site and grow your freelance writing business, while also learning more about tools, tips, and tricks for when it comes to using WordPress plugins to rank higher in the search results. Why and How to Get the Most Out of WordPress As covered, WordPress makes the process of site management and content creation extremely easy. All you need to do is pick a domain name, set up your web hosting, and start using WordPress to create content for your site. If you don’t already have a website of your own, be sure to read through these VPS hosting reviews and you can learn more about the different options, rates, and hosting plans out there to choose from. If you’d like to see what’s possible through the use of WordPress, follow that link and see what a customized site with a lot of reviews and a custom theme in place looks like. FreelanceWritingGigs is also running off WordPress as well. WordPress themes and plugins will also come in handy during this process, as they are the little bits of software that are added to your sites to enhance it’s functionality. WP plugins are written in PHP and you can create your plugin in WordPress that suits your requirement. They are very important in improving Google rankings. How are WP Plugins Used to Improve Google Rankings? As freelance writers, you are probably already familiar with the concept of writing content for a site — and then having the client use that content for their site, and also in hopes to rank it in Google. In order for content to rank in Google, it actually comes down to a number of […]

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Tatomm/Getty Images Ever dreamed of ditching your commute and working from home every day — or becoming a freelancer with a flexible schedule and time to travel? You’re not the only one… but as with so many things in life, the reality tends to be a bit different from the fantasy. Reports state that roughly 50 percent of the American workforce will be freelancers by 2020. The increasing number of people opting to ditch their 9-to-5 is the result of numerous factors, from corporate to cultural. And it’s not hard to understand how the desire to be more independent, be your own boss, and work from anywhere is leading more people to go freelance. From the outside, it seems like the perfect lifestyle. When I first became a freelancer, I had the misconception that I’d be living an idyllic life similar to the pictures I’d seen on social media. Little did I know that I would be working more hours than a day job, start stress eating, and lose touch with friends because of work. When you can literally roll out of bed and start work, it can be extremely difficult to leave the house. I once realized I hadn’t showered or left the house in three days. Staying inside to focus on work became an unhealthy habit. It wasn’t until I forced myself to sign up for kickboxing classes that I was actually accountable to leave the house, interact with other people, and destress in a healthy way. Don’t get me wrong — there are definitely perks to being a freelancer. But almost anyone who has made the transition will tell you to prepare yourself for the struggles that often come along with it. Caring for your mental and physical well-being should be part of any plan to move your work life out of the office and into your home. I asked some successful freelancers to share their advice on how they manage their mental health, professional and personal priorities, and stress levels. Plus, I’m sharing a few of the tried-and-true tips that have helped me build a satisfying solo career, too. Try to work a set number of hours each day “When you’re your own boss, you get the flexibility to create your own schedule, but it’s easy to overwork yourself too. We both work more hours having our own business than we ever did with a desk job. It’s especially hard to have work-life balance when you use social media to show a more personal side to your business. The lines become blurred between what you do for work and what is part of your personal life. To avoid burnout, we have to make a conscious effort to set hours for ourselves. This year, we’re trying to max out our hours at 40, and take the rest of the week off once we hit those hours.” Credit: Instagram Set clear boundaries with clients — and yourself “Boundaries are everything. It’s important to only work inside our […]

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Freelancing isn’t all sweatpants and snooze buttons. Well, sometimes it is. But most of the time, it’s cabin fever, caffeine withdrawal, fickle cash flows, and fierce competition for clients. When you boil it down, being your own boss is really hard work — and no time is that more apparent than during tax season. Compared to those with a typical 9-to-5 job or even small business owners , freelancers and self-employed workers face a unique set of challenges in terms of filing an annual income tax return. For one thing, you need to maintain thorough records of all your business-related expenses throughout the year so that you’re organized once it’s time to start prepping your return. You’re also responsible for completing relevant paperwork on your own while hoping-slash-praying that you haven’t missed any deductions or tax breaks. Perhaps most frustratingly, you then have to cough up the year’s worth of taxes all at once because the money wasn’t automatically deducted from your paychecks. Oh, and don’t forget about the federal self-employment tax you’re required to pay. Isn’t adulting fun? Bearing that in mind, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that a 2018 QuickBooks survey of 500 freelancers found that doing one’s taxes is among the most difficult challenges facing modern self-employed workers. It’s an obnoxious, tedious ordeal — so obnoxious and tedious, in fact, that more than a third of freelancers don’t even bother paying taxes, according to the same poll. Since tax evasion is sort of a felony, filing your return every year is in your best interest. Lucky for you that tax software exists. What is tax software? Tax software is a type of software program that’s designed to guide users through the process of preparing and filing their returns, and help them comply with tax laws. Essentially, it’s software that makes it less taxing to do your own taxes. What should you look for in a tax software program? As someone who’s freelancing or self-employed, you need to keep your eyes peeled for a few specific features whilst weighing your tax software options. Those include some sort of accuracy guarantee, solid customer support, a thorough review process that helps you find all possible deductions, and a simple, user-friendly interface. Keep in mind that the cheapest tax software option isn’t necessarily the best tax software option. The program you choose should be robust enough to handle complicated tax returns, since those of freelancers and self-employed workers tend to be pretty involved, and capable of promising a high-ish level of protection in case you’re audited. In other words, now’s not the time to get stingy: you want to get your taxes done, but also done right. (That’s not to say you shouldn’t pay for features you don’t need, but just make sure your bases are covered, you know?) What’s the best tax software for you, personally? That depends. Do you want to file on a mobile device? Do you want to take a chance with free software? Are […]

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Older Americans are becoming a larger share of the pool of people employers turn to when it comes to finding on-call help for positions from management consulting to substitute teaching, according to a new report. Between 2005 and 2017, the percentage of people age 55 and older working as independent contractors, freelancers and other types of on-call workers grew significantly, […] A subscription is required to access this content! Please login below or Subscribe today!

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I started “working from home” in 2011. Actually, I was working from home part time, while also still working a regular 9 to 5 job for a technology non-profit. I accomplished my day-job duties before going home to work on my side hustle. It wasn’t until mid-2012 that I made the daunting switch to work from home (WFH) full time. How did I do it? I was able to make the switch partly because I had the time and energy to do both at the same time. At the time, I was unmarried and without kids. But I also really, really wanted to follow my lifelong dream of becoming a total creative. So when I found the perfect opportunity for me to enter the world of publishing, I knew I had to take it. The journey to where I am today—a freelance writer, editor, still-life photographer, and illustrator—was a lot more complicated than I thought. I was naive. I didn’t know how much I would burn out. I didn’t know I’d have to wait months for product to come out. And I didn’t know the “free” in freelance would sometimes mean the opposite. If you’ve ever thought about cutting the cord, here are six tips to consider so you can avoid (or at least expect) the challenges that come with this fulfilling but serious decision to work from home. Walk, don’t run. It may be tempting to drop your job and run for the WFH, especially if you aren’t happy with your current role. Luckily, I didn’t feel this way because I truly loved my day job. But taking my time to ease into working from home set me up really well when I eventually had to leave that role. Long story short: my husband and I got married and moved to Spain soon after our honeymoon so he could pursue an MBA. I was the sole breadwinner in my WFH position for the two years my husband was in school. While we had to be really strict with our budget, we were still able to enjoy our time in Europe because in addition to my WFH earnings, I had a lot saved up in the bank from my former position. Not having to worry about being jobless and penniless if WFH didn’t work out was so worth the wait. Keep an eye out for opportunities. These days, there are a ton of opportunities to WFH that didn’t exist in the past. Most writers I know work from home, as do many artists. Today, you can even find jobs for teachers and nurses that can be done from home. With the growth of the sharing economy (think Uber and TaskRabbit ), you can “see” patients via video, teach English “abroad” in China, and “showcase” your art on social media platforms like Instagram. Forbes reports “freelancers now make up 35 percent of the U.S. workforce, and companies are always looking to outsource and work with them to meet their business […]

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Every week, we get one step closer to the WeSingularity. The sprawling WeCompany, the recently created parent company of coworking giant WeWork, continues to expand and seems poised to enter every single aspect of their clients’ lives. What other postmodern corporation, serving more than 400,000 members in 27 countries, has made investments in office space, retail , housing , preschools and college campuses , food startups , and a wave generator for inland surfing ? Early in the WeWork’s existence, co-founder Adam Neumann described his ambitions for the startup as a “ physical social network ,” something WeWork seems to embody more and more with each new addition to its mission. Though the company has maintained its you-can-make-it-if-you-hustle-harder ethos, WeWork has also become increasingly more focused on large corporate clients, not just the freelance creatives for whom kombucha on tap is a desirable perk. At a time when WeWork’s core business is rapidly expanding—the company recently became Manhattan’s largest office tenant last fall and wants to grow its 10,000-person global workforce by 6,000 new employees in 2019—it’s also continuing a strong pivot toward servicing corporations. The Nashville WeWork Tower near the Cumberland River downtown. The strategy, which includes building and managing entire offices for Fortune 500 companies, is akin to Airbnb seeking out the business-traveler market . WeWork made a name for itself flipping C-class office space into cool hangouts for budding entrepreneurs, and it has moved up the value chain right at the moment when corporate America is hungry for flexible spaces and more engaging offices. “This represents a shift in real estate from a simply commodity to a consumer product,” says Scott Homa, senior vice president of U.S. office research for JLL, an international commercial real estate firm. “You used to go into the market looking for a warm, lit shell you could occupy in nine to 12 months. Now, it needs to be a much more immediate, consumer-friendly, consumer-centric product.” WeWork has long been criticized for its large debt load; Vanity Fair called it “a $20 billion house of cards ” while the Wall Street Journal said it was “ fueled by Silicon Valley pixie dust ”. The company has also been taken to task for its extensive number of long-term leases, leading many to accuse the “ insanely overvalued ” startup of simply playing office space arbitrage. When lead investor Softbank downgraded a significant investment from $16 billion to $2 billion, many read that as a sign of WeWork’s weakness. It’s also true WeWork has yet to become profitable. Its final 2018 financial results, released yesterday , show that annual revenue more than doubled, to $1.82 billion, even as losses nearly doubled to $1.93 billion. The company would argue, as any good startup (and many of its peers contemplating IPOs ) does, that this is due to a rapid—and healthy—period of expansion and investment, one expected to continue as investor confidence has meant the company has $6 billion cash on hand and a valuation of […]

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It can be difficult enough to juggle work and the rest of your life when you have a typical nine-to-five job. When you work as a freelancer, finding such a balance can be even more challenging. When your job involves a supervisor and coworkers, you have a built-in structure of sorts. You generally have clear deadlines and people to whom to report, who often give you regular performance reviews. You have meetings on your schedule and agreed-upon work hours. Sometimes, if you’re fortunate, you develop a friendship with one or more of your colleagues that, whether or not it extends beyond your job, enhances your hours at the office. However, as a freelancer, you set your own schedule. You have only yourself to be accountable to. You decide how much or how little you work. You evaluate the quality of your work. And you are often your only company throughout much of the day. Many, if not all, of these items may be major reasons why you opted for the freelance lifestyle. However, they can also contribute to a lopsided and stressful life, unless you take steps to create and maintain a healthy work/life balance. Some tips to help you on your way: Regularly (at least once a week), remind yourself why you’ve chosen the freelance lifestyle. Was it the ability to set your own hours? More time with family and friends, or for other activities and hobbies? Greater earning potential? Chance to utilize your creativity? The ability to work from anywhere, even when traveling? Determine your “why”, and keep this in mind. Put aside some time for meditation and quiet time at the beginning of each day. Even if it’s only five minutes, sitting quietly before launching yourself into your daily activities will help you to settle your thoughts and calm your body. At such times, ask yourself what qualities you’d most like to embody this day, no matter what else you accomplish. Honesty? Courage? Patience? Kindness? Try to remember your intentions as you move through the day’s projects. Choose your top three priorities for the day. What do you absolutely need to take care of today? What can wait? Why are these goals important to you? When beginning a task, ask yourself: Does this activity or choice support the kind of life I’m trying to create? Proceed accordingly. Create a daily schedule. Know when you’re at your best. Are you a morning lark or a night owl? When are you at your best mentally? Emotionally? Creatively? Physically? Schedule blocks of work accordingly. Set work hours for yourself. Do you work better with four 10-hour days? Five 8-hour days? With several big breaks throughout the day? Make use of technology to manage task lists. Google Tasks & Calendar can be your friend, allowing you to free up your mind for more creative endeavors. Batch – group similar tasks into blocks of time. Similar to mindfulness, batching allows us to put our full energy into one type of task, […]

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Freelancers, we know how easy it is to get swept up in the hustle, but don’t forget to make time for your own professional development. On April 5 & 6, Xpace Cultural Centre (2-303 Lansdowne Ave) is hosting Live Your Best Freelance Life , a two-day conference aimed at giving you tools to better prepare your freelance projects. You’ll learn how to navigate legal matters as an artist/curator, grant writing for BIPOC artists, contract literacy, bookkeeping for creatives, self-representation in the arts and more. Panelists include Anique J. Jordan, Rajni Perera, Elissa Pendergast (CARFAC), Max Rothwell (Artists Legal Advice Services), April Aliermo, Diana Bahr, Heidi Cho, Curtia Wright, Chason Yeboah, Kendra Yee. Plus, there’ll be a pop-up exhibit featuring works by creators who are part of the WE-HUB (women entrepreneurship hub). This conference is free, but it’s recommended you register to confirm your place. Get all the information and register here . Did you like this article? Sign-up for our weekly newsletter and get the best of She Does the City in your inbox or follow us on Twitter and Facebook !

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On paper, working from home or a café sounds like the dream. You get to dictate your working hours, decide where to work from, and enjoy the freedom of travel. The important distinction worth making here, however, is that being a full-time freelancer isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Regardless of what service you provide or what kind of a business you run, the types of problems you might face are similar everywhere – time management, stress, for example, lack of stability, and more. So, to avoid these, here are some 5 tips you might want to take into consideration when pursuing a productive career as a freelancer. 1. Plan ahead This is probably the most important thing you can do as a freelancer to make it far. Traditionally, we associate freelancing with more freedom, while your typical employees enjoy a more stable life. However, once you grow as a freelancer, and develop your skills, your attitude changes. This is not to say that the road is easy. Rather, you should always plan ahead and prepare for whatever may happen. According to Anthony Teixeira, who offers professional French translation services, “It is a mistake to associate freelance work and lack of job stability. Once you realize you are a business like any other, you organize yourself differently.” In other words, if you want to stay ahead of the curve, you need to look at your freelancing job as a business. You’ll go further this way. 2. Quality over quantity As a freelancer, you should always prioritize quality over quantity. This means that as you gain more experience, you will want to focus on your quality clients who pay more and that you get along with better. When you start out, you might be tempted to bid on gigs on the lower end of the pay scale because you don’t have as much experience. While it is natural for you to bid on as many projects as possible at first, it’s important to eventually drop that habit. One high-quality gig is more likely to get you the job (compared to many low-quality ones) and pay you more, as well. 3. Don’t be afraid to say “no” Like the above, this tip can be a hard pill to swallow. Saying no can be hard, especially if you’re low on cash and generous. You don’t want to disappoint people. So, you offer to help as much as you can, not considering the load it’ll put on you. Throughout your career as a freelancer, you’ll learn to turn down work and, ideally, benefit from it as well! When turning down a gig, consider your financial situation, your time, and–most importantly–your mental health and how stressful the project will be. If you’re going to burn yourself out on a project, it’s just not worth it. 4. Track your time Your time is the most important resource you have as a freelancer. Learn to track it properly. There are countless apps and tools you can use […]

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When Jennifer McShane decided to take a year out to freelance, she quickly realised her perceptions of what she was about to undertake were a little skewed… The first thing I decided to do when I went freelance was to buy very fancy stationary. I would need it, I reassured myself, for all the crossing of lists, for all the note-taking and all the post-its that I’d never seen a real use for before, which would definitely be essential now. I must have spent almost €40 on all that. And I’d hardly emailed one editor asking them to please like – and pay me for – my ideas and subsequent writing. I didn’t keep the receipt, but every time I think back I feel my cheeks burn. And, several months after I took the jump, I realise the fancy stationary delusion was a byproduct of the Instagram-embroiled culture I’ve grown up in. Lie-ins, no commuting, elegantly sipping flat-whites and working in hip cafes while the ideas flow freely (only this time around, literally, unless they are commissioned) – that was my perception of the life of a freelancer. It was a naive one. Related: Trying to kickstart a ‘side hustle’? Top tips on how to be a successful freelancer Time spent having a lie-in is outweighed by the guilt you feel not being more productive, the coffee often goes cold before I have a chance to sip it and my laptop broke (thank you, universe) so I’ve never written a word in a hip cafe – I work from our den where my computer is too big to take on the go. Before I go on, don’t get me wrong: I’m proud I did – and am currently still doing – it. There are quite a few upsides to deciding to go your own way and the main one is that you have done it. For a few months, or a year or more you have left the security of a steady income, paid holidays and office banter and forged your own path. It’s a huge achievement and it gives you a confidence boost like nothing else. The hustle itself? I’m categorically bad at it. But it’s made my imposter syndrome take a backseat. Because I’m trying, learning and I haven’t been late on a bill since I started. Freelance, for all its challenges, teaches you that you can survive, you can do it and the no, if you get one, will hurt less and less the more you do. But there are a few more things I wish had really been pressed upon me before I made the leap and others are the reason I’m glad I did: It is HARD work Really hard. You spend all of your time thinking (or, in my case, panicking about) your ideas before finally getting the nerve to send them before an anxious wait for a reply begins. I’m constantly reading, thinking, wondering how I might write more stories that are […]

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