Freelancing Internationally: From Iceland to Seattle & Back Again

Today's entry is a preview of our upcoming entry in the "On Freelancing Internationally" series. This series features first-hand accounts of what it's like to work with/for international clients. We hope you find them useful -- and inspirational.

EXCERPT (full account will be published on 10/6)

International boundaries and time zones have never meant very much to me, and when I decided to drop out of law school it was to try my hand at living overseas. I moved to Iceland and quickly found a freelance/contract-based writing, copy editing and proofreading job, capitalizing on my skills and English-language expertise (and the dearth of others in the labor market who could fulfill the exacting requirements of such a job).

Through the ups and downs of overseas life, I ended up having to pack up and go home to Seattle on a number of occasions, and by my first return stateside, the manager of the company for whom I worked found my services indispensable and decided to give the international freelance medium a try.

Click or cut/paste the following link into your browser to see the complete schedule for this series : http://www.inkwelleditorial.com/CareerCenter/international/intro.htm.
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FREE FREELANCE WRITING CONTACTS!
I have spent the last six months or so compiling a list of freelance writing guidelines. I had hoped to build the list to 1,000, but due to other pressing demands, will not be able to devote the time to it. To date, I have compiled and verified a list 180 contacts.

ONLY 5 DAYS LEFT! This list is free to anyone who orders an Inkwell Editorial e-book during the month of September. It will be sent to you as an attached MS Word file (for ease of opening) after your order has been received. With thanks,Y. Black, ProprietorInkwell Editorial

SAMPLE LISTING: Please note, listings vary, eg, there are guidelines for e-zines, magazines, websites, etc. In short, something for everyone.

COMPANY: Foresight Publishing, Inc.
3717 National Drive, Ste 208
Raleigh, NC 27612
URL: http://www.insurancenewsletters.com/
Submission Guidelines: http://www.insurancenewsletters.com/jobs.htm

About: Foresight Publishing offers content driven marketing tools specifically for insurance agents, providing them a simple, low cost method of growing and retaining their businesses. We are always looking for writers with experience in the markets we cover: employee benefits, commercial lines, personal lines, and personal finance. Writers must have current knowledge of at least one of these markets, and must be able to prepare client friendly articles for use in our newsletter publications.

Pay: Based on experience and the quality of your work. Articles will need to be fairly short at 400-600 words each. Offering steady monthly work.

To apply: Please send resume, writing samples, and requirements to info@insurancenewsletters.com. No phone calls, please.

Freelance Success Story: From the Military to Freelance Writing

Today's entry is our monthly "Freelance Success Story." This series features first-hand accounts of successful freelancers. We hope you find them useful -- and inspirational.

EXCERPT
When I told my co-workers I was leaving the Air Force after 13 years of successful writing to go freelance, they thought I was crazy.

"Stay in for seven more years and get your retirement,” they would say, “You can do seven more years.” I always replied the same way. “I haven’t got seven years to waste waiting around for things to happen.”

I was stationed in South Korea when I finally decided to break with the military, move stateside and go freelance. It was a difficult decision because getting out of the service from overseas meant transitioning back to the USA with no apartment or guaranteed income of any kind lined up, except what I could get saved from my part time writing.

Click or cut/paste the following link into your browser to read the entire post: http://www.inkwelleditorial.com/CareerCenter/success/9-22-05.htm.

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FREE FREELANCE WRITING CONTACTS! I have spent the last six months or so compiling a list of freelance writing guidelines. I had hoped to build the list to 1,000, but due to other pressing demands, will not be able to devote the time to it. To date, I have compiled and verified a list 180 contacts.

This list is free to anyone who orders an Inkwell Editorial e-book during the month of September (any e-book). It will be sent to you as an attached MS Word file (for ease of opening) after your order has been received.

With thanks,
Y. Black, Proprietor
Inkwell Editorial

SAMPLE LISTING: Please note, listings vary, eg, there are guidelines for e-zines, magazines, websites, etc. In short, something for everyone.

Foresight Publishing, Inc.
3717 National Drive, Ste 208
Raleigh, NC 27612
URL: http://www.insurancenewsletters.com
Submission Guidelines: http://www.insurancenewsletters.com/jobs.htm

About: Foresight Publishing offers content driven marketing tools specifically for insurance agents, providing them a simple, low cost method of growing and retaining their businesses. We are always looking for writers with experience in the markets we cover: employee benefits, commercial lines, personal lines, and personal finance. Writers must have current knowledge of at least one of these markets, and must be able to prepare client friendly articles for use in our newsletter publications.

Pay: Based on experience and the quality of your work. Articles will need to be fairly short at 400-600 words each. Offering steady monthly work.

To apply: Please send resume, writing samples, and requirements to info@insurancenewsletters.com. No phone calls, please.

About Freelancing Internationally

This post can now be found at http://inkwelleditorial.com/freelancing-travel-writing-job-from-the-caribbean-for-an-english-company.

Same great content -- in a new design!

NYC Writing Workshop Info

NYC's Hunter College President Jennifer J. Raab and the MFA Program in Creative Writing invite you to the Fall 2005 Distinguished Writers Series

Walter Mosley: Tuesday, September 13, 2005 @ 7:30pm. Faculty Dining Room (8th floor, West Building). Bestselling author Walter Mosley reads from his latest book, Cinnamon Kiss, (due out in September 2005) and will host a Q&A session after the reading. A reception and book-signing will follow. The author of nineteen critically acclaimed books, Mosley has won numerous awards including the Anisfield Wolf Award, an honor given to works that increase the appreciation and understanding of race in America.

A Tribute to June Jordan in collaboration with the Poetry Society of America: Thursday, October 6, 2005 @ 7:30pm. The Kaye Playhouse (1st Floor, North Building). A tribute to the work of June Jordan with poets Cornelius Eady, Joy Harjo, Yusef Komunyakaa, Jan Heller Levi, Donna Masini, Adrienne Rich, and others. Admission is $12 and $7 for members of the Poetry Society of America. (Free for Hunter College students, faculty and staff with valid I.D.). For tickets, please contact the box office at (212) 772-4448.

Louise Glück: Thursday, October 27, 2005 @ 7:30pm. Faculty Dining Room (8th floor, West Building). Louise Glück, a former United States poet laureate, won the Pulitzer Prize for The Wild Iris in 1993. The author of eight books of poetry and one collection of essays, Proofs and Theories: Essays on Poetry, she has received the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry, the William Carlos Williams Award, and the PEN/Martha Albrand Award for Nonfiction.

Colson Whitehead: Tuesday, November 15, 2005 @ 7:30pm. Faculty Dining Room (8th floor, West Building). New York-based novelist Colson Whitehead is a MacArthur Foundation “genius” award recipient as well as a 2002 Pulitzer Prize finalist. His books include John Henry Days and The Intuitionist.

Reservation Information: To reserve seats for Walter Mosley, Louise Glück and Colson Whitehead, please call (212) 772-4007 or email the Special Events Office at spevents@hunter.cuny.edu. To reserve tickets for the June Jordan Tribute, please call the Kaye Box Office at 212.772.4448.

About the Program: The Hunter College MFA Program in Creative Writing, directed by Peter Carey, is a highly competitive program that offers promising writers the opportunity to study and practice the art of writing in small, intensive workshops and seminars in literature.

Address: Hunter College, Office of Alumni Relations, Room E1314, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10021.
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FREE FREELANCE WRITING CONTACTS! I have spent the last six months or so compiling a list of freelance writing guidelines. I had hoped to build the list to 1,000, but due to other pressing demands, will not be able to devote the time to it. To date, I have compiled and verified a list 180 contacts.

This list is free to anyone who orders an Inkwell Editorial e-book during the month of September (any e-book). It will be sent to you as an attached MS Word file (for ease of opening) after your order has been received. Click the following link to access all Inkwell Editorial e-books: http://www.inkwelleditorial.com/bizguides.htm

SAMPLE LISTING: Please note, listings vary, eg, there are guidelines for e-zines, magazines, websites, etc. In short, something for everyone.

Foresight Publishing, Inc.
3717 National Drive, Ste 208
Raleigh, NC 27612
URL: http://www.insurancenewsletters.com
Submission Guidelines: http://www.insurancenewsletters.com/jobs.htm

About: Foresight Publishing offers content driven marketing tools specifically for insurance agents, providing them a simple, low cost method of growing and retaining their businesses. We are always looking for writers with experience in the markets we cover: employee benefits, commercial lines, personal lines, and personal finance. Writers must have current knowledge of at least one of these markets, and must be able to prepare client friendly articles for use in our newsletter publications.

Pay: Based on experience and the quality of your work. Articles will need to be fairly short at 400-600 words each. Offering steady monthly work. Please send resume, writing samples, and requirements to info@insurancenewsletters.com. No phone calls, please.

Freelance Success Story: Profile of a Freelance Writer

Today's entry is our monthly "Freelance Success Story." This series features first-hand accounts of successful freelancers. We hope you find them useful -- and inspirational.

Profile of a Freelance Writer
by Bart Astor

EXCERPTS
Most freelancers have difficulty responding to the question of what they charge. I really like my answer. I say, “it depends.” That sounds like a cop-out, but I don’t leave it there. I say, “It depends on whether it’s a long-term or short-term project.” I explain that for short-term or one-time projects I have to charge more, and that usually goes over well.

I had been working for several years as a director of student financial aid .... A good part of that job involves writing: brochures, consumer information, memos, even research papers, and I always enjoyed that part most.

When I lost my job I used my contacts to get hired to help write materials for a federal training contract. When that project ended, I spoke with another of my contacts in financial aid who needed to revise his brochures and create better consumer information.

Click or cut/paste the following link into your browser to read the entire post: http://www.inkwelleditorial.com/CareerCenter/success/9-8-05.htm.
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FREE FREELANCE WRITING CONTACTS! I have spent the last six months or so compiling a list of freelance writing guidelines. I had hoped to build the list to 1,000, but due to other pressing demands, will not be able to devote the time to it. To date, I have compiled and verified a list 180 contacts.

This list is free to anyone who orders an Inkwell Editorial e-book during the month of September (any e-book). It will be sent to you as an attached MS Word file (for ease of opening) after your order has been received. With thanks,Y. Black, Proprietor, Inkwell Editorial

SAMPLE LISTING: Please note, listings vary, eg, there are guidelines for e-zines, magazines, websites, etc. In short, something for everyone.

Foresight Publishing, Inc.
3717 National Drive, Ste 208
Raleigh, NC 27612
URL: http://www.insurancenewsletters.com
Submission Guidelines: http://www.insurancenewsletters.com/jobs.htm

About: Foresight Publishing offers content driven marketing tools specifically for insurance agents, providing them a simple, low cost method of growing and retaining their businesses. We are always looking for writers with experience in the markets we cover: employee benefits, commercial lines, personal lines, and personal finance. Writers must have current knowledge of at least one of these markets, and must be able to prepare client friendly articles for use in our newsletter publications.

Pay: Based on experience and the quality of your work. Articles will need to be fairly short at 400-600 words each. Offering steady monthly work.

To apply: Please send resume, writing samples, and requirements to info@insurancenewsletters.com. No phone calls, please.

How To Start Your Own Virtual Assistant Business

Author: Liz Folger

Thanks to the Internet there 's a new way to make money with your computer. You might be surprised at all the different services you could offer with this new home business. Most people have become familiar with word processors, which usually consists of typing manuscripts, letters, transcription and writing resumes, but the new virtual assistant is like word processing on steroids.

Diana Ennen, has been a home-based word processor now for about 15 years. She started to educate herself about all the possibilities a person has when starting a virtual assistant business. Diana Ennen along with Kelly Poelker, a certified Master Virtual Assistant, just finished writing an ebook called, "A Bizy 's Guide: How To Start Your Own Home-Based Virtual Assistant 's Business."

So What Exactly Is A Virtual Assistant? Diana Ennen explains, "A virtual assistant, or VA, is a highly skilled professional who provides administrative support and other specialized services to businesses, entrepreneurs, executives, and others who have more work to do than time to do it.

Many VAs work as independent contractors from their own home. VAs use leading edge technology to communicate work assignments via the Internet, e-mail, disk transfer or such traditional methods as regular mail, overnight shipping and even pick-up and delivery in local areas. A VAs services typically include word processing, medical or legal transcription, database management, Internet research, e-mail handling, reminder service, bulk mailings, information processing, and any other tasks typically given to the office secretary.

Many VAs also provide web development, design and maintenance, desktop publishing, meeting and event planning, bookkeeping, and business start-up consultations. The services are endless depending upon your knowledge and skills."

Tisha Silvers explains her virtual assistant business as, "One who assists another from literally anywhere in the world. I don't limit it to just business support functions. And I consider the person a few miles down the street to be just as virtual if you don 't meet regularly or at all. I have a few of those kinds of clients myself."

How Can You Market This Business? Showing clients how much you can help them as their VA isn't as hard as you think. Julie McMann explains, "Using a virtual assistant allows clients to outsource any projects that can be done from a remote location. It allows them to accomplish more with less time. Since time is so precious to business owners, anything that frees up time and keeps the business moving ahead is extremely valuable. It's also convenient to be able to hire and utilize a virtual assistant whenever you need them.

One month you may have more projects than another. It's much less expensive than hiring a full-time employee who doesn't get used to their full potential. Clients also benefit by not having to worry about providing employee benefits such as insurance, 401K, vacations, etc. Finally, office space and equipment are provided at the expense of the virtual assistant, which again saves the client money."

Do You Have What It Takes To Become A Successful VA? Here are some questions to ask yourself when you think about starting your own virtual assistant business:
Do you have excellent typing and proofing skills?

Do you enjoy helping people?

Are you familiar with the Internet and enjoy learning new things about it?

Do you already know several people who could utilize your services?

Are you capable of making a great income and will stop at nothing to make it happen?

SKILLS NEEDED
Diana and Kelly explain, "Every virtual assistant has their own unique skills and experience that enables them to start their business. The right skills are those that you have perfected and can perform well. As you further develop your skills, you can expand your service offering. Skills range from the basics such as typing to highly specialized areas like web design, graphic arts, technical writing, and more.

A professional VA will be proficient in the Internet, computers, software, word processing and spreadsheet applications, etc. In addition to the technical skills, a professional VA will have good business management skills as well as knowledge of marketing, advertising, and public relations. Business management skills not only help you in operating your own business, but allows you to aid your clients in running theirs.

VAs must be motivated. You can 't get discouraged when you experience minor set-backs. Start fresh each day. If the phone didn't ring yesterday, make it ring today. Failure is not an option. You need to know that you 're going to make it and will stop at nothing short."

How Much Can You Make? "Our research shows most pricing is centered around a base price of $25 per hour. However, the rate does depend on the services you provide and also how long you've been in business. Another consideration is the area in which you live. In some areas you will receive more than in others. For example, in south Florida you can charge a better rate in Miami, than say a smaller town like Pompano Beach.

There are different ways in which you can charge for services. By the hour, by the project, by the page, or for something like event planning you could charge a certain percentage of the total event cost. Many VAs offer reduced rates for a monthly retainer option. With a monthly retainer your client commits to a certain number of hours per month at a predetermined rate. If you work less than the committed number of hours you are still paid the same.

If you work over the committed number of hours then you would bill the client for the additional hours at that same rate or whatever is agreed upon," says Diana and Kelly.

About the Author: Liz Folger is Work-at-Home Mom Expert and author of "The Stay-at-Home Mom's Guide To making Money From Home." Her book is available at your favorite bookstore or by calling 800-632-8676. Liz has also created a resource site for work-at-home moms at: http://www.bizymoms.com. When you visit, don't forget to sign up for the free e-newsletter.

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