I am going to work in my pajamas. That was my plan. I had this fantasy of working at home that involved comfortable yet unflattering clothing, tons of food and generous sprinklings of television. I was so determined to go against the traditional "work mode" that I was inclined to swing to the opposite extreme. And I think this a common misconception, amplified by "work at home" ads that depict just such a scene. Or claim that you can work on commercial breaks or while the kids are sleeping.
I have not found this to be an effective approach. The truth is, yes you get to work from home but it's still work. It's still a business. The only difference is now you're both the boss and the employee. You should act no differently than you would if you had a regular 9 to 5 job.
Office Space
I highly recommend a designated work space, fully equipped with any tools or references you need. Obviously, the exact materials needed will depend on the nature of your work and the magic of the internet can provide most of the references you need. Still, I like to have a few reference books handy, including a preferred writer's handbook. I like "The Elements of Style" and keep it close by.
The space should be clean and well organized so that everything you need is easy to find. It should not distract you and you should not have to fuss with clutter to get to your computer. I keep a small set of shelves on my desk which acts as my ingoing/outgoing mail box, bill center and storage for professional journals. Everything is within arms reach of my extremely comfortable wheely chair. Because serious professionals need wheely chairs.
I also recommend natural light. Try to plant yourself near a window where you can get sun while you buckle down to the monotony of work. It is very easy to get distracted, discouraged and just generally bummed out while pursuing any kind of freelance work and some sunshine can make all the difference. I work exclusively on portable devices, using a combination of a tablet and a laptop. This does give me the freedom to work where I need to, or want to, be. And I will admit that during the summer I test the power of my WiFi and write outside. But try to make these kind of diversions the exception, not the rule, and use them to keep from burning out.
Schedule
As I said, a home job is still a job and should be treated like one. Which means a schedule. Decide when you will work and work during those times. And only those times. It's very easy, especially for obsessive people like myself to want to work all the time. For the sake of your own sanity and for the love of those around you, stick to your schedule.
This means that you have to be disciplined and focused during your work hours. Know what you want to accomplish at the beginning of each work day and get it done. If your work pays by the job, as it does for many work-at-home writers, determine how much you need to get paid by the hour (this means making a budget) and use that figure to help you decide how many jobs you need to finish per hour.
If you leave it up to chance or a haphazard approach, paying the bills will not be a pleasant experience.
Attire
If you feel confident you will work more efficiently. That is an accepted fact. And you will feel more confident when you are showered, dressed and ready to face the world... even if you never leave your home. You may feel silly at first, getting all ready to go and then settling back into your own home but you will be more alert and more prepared to deal with the work if you feel presentable.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Is Demand Media Studios a Scam or Legit?
Demand Media Studios is one of the largest content mills on the internet. This company employs literally thousands of writers, editors, film makers and others who all work as freelancers. The articles and other content produced by these workers is published on Demand Media's many properties which include LIVESTRONG, eHow, Trails, golflink, Cracked, typeF and Impact Stories.
Once you are hired by the Studio, you will be able to accept general titles but for more specialized jobs, such as for LIVESTRONG, you will have to apply again. Titles selected from a pool and you have one week to submit your work to the editor.
The payment varies from project to project but is generally upfront, upon acceptance of the work. The pay is considerably less then you can get working for private clients or magazines but much more than most other content mills. And in the year that I have written for Demand, I have never had an issue with late or missed payment.
Demand Media Studios has received a considerable amount of bad press but, despite it all, this company is most definitely not a scam.
I began writing for Demand in late 2010, around August, and had steady work until about October 2011. At that point, largely because of changes necessitated by a new Google algorithm, the amount of work available sharply decreased to pretty much none. I haven't had an article with Demand for over a month.
Despite the lack of work in the properties I wrote for, named LIVESTRONG, other writers tell me that there is still a considerable amount to be done for other website so there is still work available but there is a bit of a feeding frenzy for it. For the time being, if you get hired by Demand Media Studios, don't expect a steady flow of work but the issue may resolve itself eventually.
Overall, when they had work, Demand was a wonderful company to work for despite all the negative you might have read about them.
Once you are hired by the Studio, you will be able to accept general titles but for more specialized jobs, such as for LIVESTRONG, you will have to apply again. Titles selected from a pool and you have one week to submit your work to the editor.
The payment varies from project to project but is generally upfront, upon acceptance of the work. The pay is considerably less then you can get working for private clients or magazines but much more than most other content mills. And in the year that I have written for Demand, I have never had an issue with late or missed payment.
Demand Media Studios has received a considerable amount of bad press but, despite it all, this company is most definitely not a scam.
I began writing for Demand in late 2010, around August, and had steady work until about October 2011. At that point, largely because of changes necessitated by a new Google algorithm, the amount of work available sharply decreased to pretty much none. I haven't had an article with Demand for over a month.
Despite the lack of work in the properties I wrote for, named LIVESTRONG, other writers tell me that there is still a considerable amount to be done for other website so there is still work available but there is a bit of a feeding frenzy for it. For the time being, if you get hired by Demand Media Studios, don't expect a steady flow of work but the issue may resolve itself eventually.
Overall, when they had work, Demand was a wonderful company to work for despite all the negative you might have read about them.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Quirky: A Review
Quirky bills itself as a "social product development" site which means that they produce new inventions in a fun new way.
Basically, Quirky works like this: Someone, let's call him "Theodore," pitches an idea to Quirky. It costs him 10 dollars. The idea is then put up against all the other submissions to be voted on by the community. The winning idea goes through several stages of development, all of which are voted on and influenced by the community. Eventually, if all goes well, the product is released and Theodore collects royalties. The entire process could probably take up to a year before Theodore ever sees anything for his invention.
But most people on Quirky don't actually submit ideas, they just influence them. Which can also potentially make you some money. Every time you voted on a product or provide some idea, you can earn "influence." This influence translates to a share, albeit microscopic, in the profits from the invention.
I've been on Quirky for a few months now and influenced a number of products. But, I haven't actually made any money although the cheering little "potential earnings" meter keeps steadily rising. The issue is that once the product is released, it goes into "pre-sale" made until a certain number of orders are made, stalling the process even further.
There are people on Quirky who have supposedly made hundreds, even thousands, through influence alone but... let's just say they are the minority.
Overall, Quirky is fun and probably not much else. You won't get rich off it but the process and the products are enjoyable and interested. I recommend it to pass some time, not to make any money.
Basically, Quirky works like this: Someone, let's call him "Theodore," pitches an idea to Quirky. It costs him 10 dollars. The idea is then put up against all the other submissions to be voted on by the community. The winning idea goes through several stages of development, all of which are voted on and influenced by the community. Eventually, if all goes well, the product is released and Theodore collects royalties. The entire process could probably take up to a year before Theodore ever sees anything for his invention.
But most people on Quirky don't actually submit ideas, they just influence them. Which can also potentially make you some money. Every time you voted on a product or provide some idea, you can earn "influence." This influence translates to a share, albeit microscopic, in the profits from the invention.
I've been on Quirky for a few months now and influenced a number of products. But, I haven't actually made any money although the cheering little "potential earnings" meter keeps steadily rising. The issue is that once the product is released, it goes into "pre-sale" made until a certain number of orders are made, stalling the process even further.
There are people on Quirky who have supposedly made hundreds, even thousands, through influence alone but... let's just say they are the minority.
Overall, Quirky is fun and probably not much else. You won't get rich off it but the process and the products are enjoyable and interested. I recommend it to pass some time, not to make any money.
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