Sometimes it becomes necessary for a freelancer to let go of their day job. While I normally tout the usefulness of day jobs, there can come a point when you have enough work to make a day job superfluous. If you have reached such a point, congratulations! You have done what it takes to make yourself a full-time freelance writer! With this newfound independence comes great responsibility (meeting lots of deadlines can and probably will be tough, even for the best of us.)
Also remember that it is important not to rest on your laurels. Keep seeking additional freelance work until you absolutely cannot take anymore without missing deadlines. This ensures that you not only have the financial buffer to make up for/exceed the income your day job provided, but that you have a cushion against unforseen circumstances.
There are two critical things to consider before you leave your day job. The first is the most important: can I afford to leave the day job? You may encounter a strange situation that leaves you in the position of having lots of work, few hours to do it in and not enough money coming in. If this is the case, seek higher-paying gigs. The bottom line to consider is if leaving your day job will leave you in a financial void. If leaving your day job gives you more time but strains your budget, consider asking a fellow writer (spouses/significant others work great) for help. Most good friends or spouses, should they be of the writing inclination and have some spare time, will be more than happy to help you meet a few deadlines until such time as you can either get better work or cut down your day job's hours.
The second thing to consider is that you may have to go back to your day job. I know, that's the last thing you want to hear as you leave the office/store (or wherever) for what seems to be the last time and enter the world of full-time freelancing. But don't let it fool you; with the economy the way it is and with unemployment at an all-time high, that seemingly rock-solid gig can turn sour and leave you in need of the day job again. Mind you, there are alternatives to giving your boss the finger and never coming back.
Alternative 1: Ask for a reduction in hours. Most non-salaried positions will allow you to cut your hours a little. If you find this works with your freelancing schedule, do it. It lets you meet your deadlines while maintaining the benefits of the day job.
Alternative 2: Ask for a leave of absence. Again, most non-salaried positions allow you to take between one week and a month of two off without pay, and without losing your job. Doing so can be a little strange (and you may have to "develop" a sick relative) but it can buy you some time to get your freelancing life organized.
Alternative 3: Leave gracefully. If you absolutely MUST leave your day job, leave politely and be honest. Tell your boss that you are a freelance writer and have deadlines that must be met. Say you've enjoyed working for them (even if you haven't) and that you were grateful for the opportunity (again, even if you weren't) but that you must take your leave to pursue your freelance projects. Wish them well and give your two week's notice. Most bosses in the world will respond well to this sort of talk. They may not like it, since it means they have to hire someone else, but it's better than "kiss my ass you sonuvabitch, I quit!"
Once last word. Please, for your sanity's sake and to save on future headaches: really consider whether or not it is a good idea to leave your day job. It may seem like a good idea at the time, but sit on it for a while and sleep on it for a few nights. You may wake up one day and think "what the hell was I thinking, I can't quit my day job!" Just make sure you think this through before you do anything you'll regret.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Tips for Successful Freelancing #9: Cracking the SEO Code
If you've never heard of SEO, google it. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and it is the writing term of the decade. Those who know SEO are making money hand over fist above the people who don't. I am one of those who is still learning about it and it's potential. It takes a little while to get used to, but learning how to effectively write SEO content puts you miles ahead of the competition in the freelance world. Here's why.
Search Engine Optimization is the art of keyword placement, keyword usage and careful crafting that gets your content listed higher on search engine results. Consequently, the higher the search engine result, the more traffic your content will receive and the more money you will make off of it. Most sites offer adrevs these days (adrev= advertising revenue; you get a cut of whatever advertising dollars your content makes.) The more people read your content, the more people will statistically click on the ads. The more people that click on the ads, the more sales the sponsors get. The more sales they make, the more of a kickback the website host gets and in turn, the more money you get. Mastering SEO writing is not just good for you; it's a chain that is mutually beneficial for all parties involve.
There are several things you can do to improve your SEO skills, the first of which is simply reading up on it. There are a ton of SEO articles on the net, simply googling "SEO" will get a nice big list of them. Once you've gotten familiar with SEO terminology, find a good keyword generator and start inserting some keywords into your content. No need to go nuts, just add a few here and there.
Good idea for an SEO-friendly article title: "Fallout 3: Walkthrough and Review"
Bad idea for an SEO-friendly article title: "Fallout 3 Walkthrough Review Release Date Official Site"
There is such a thing as "keyword spamming", whereby some fool attempts to publish "content" that is in fact just a jumble of keywords. Search engines are programmed to generally ignore this kind of tripe. However, a few tactfully-placed keywords can greatly increase your traffic and revenue.
Look at all the elements. There is more to SEO than just keyword-friendly titles. Meta Tags and Meta Descriptions of your content are also critically important to driving traffic to you. The Meta Tag is what a user sees when your content is displayed in a search engine and the Meta Description is the text the user sees beneath your entry in the results page. If this content catches the eyes, it will draw people in. If it is boring, stock dialog, it will either bring in few people or flat-out drive people away. Make the description and title interesting, stimulating; invite the reader to come in and take a look.
Marketing is not just a game for people in suits with offices anymore. Your average freelancer, armed with a little knowledge and a list of relevant keywords, can do some heavy-hitting marketing with relatively little investment. All it takes is some time to learn how to write SEO content and some practice doing it. Most sites you freelance for (if you post content online) have some sort of system for SEO, along with tutorials written by in-house experts. Read these, bone up on SEO. It's important.
Search Engine Optimization is the art of keyword placement, keyword usage and careful crafting that gets your content listed higher on search engine results. Consequently, the higher the search engine result, the more traffic your content will receive and the more money you will make off of it. Most sites offer adrevs these days (adrev= advertising revenue; you get a cut of whatever advertising dollars your content makes.) The more people read your content, the more people will statistically click on the ads. The more people that click on the ads, the more sales the sponsors get. The more sales they make, the more of a kickback the website host gets and in turn, the more money you get. Mastering SEO writing is not just good for you; it's a chain that is mutually beneficial for all parties involve.
There are several things you can do to improve your SEO skills, the first of which is simply reading up on it. There are a ton of SEO articles on the net, simply googling "SEO" will get a nice big list of them. Once you've gotten familiar with SEO terminology, find a good keyword generator and start inserting some keywords into your content. No need to go nuts, just add a few here and there.
Good idea for an SEO-friendly article title: "Fallout 3: Walkthrough and Review"
Bad idea for an SEO-friendly article title: "Fallout 3 Walkthrough Review Release Date Official Site"
There is such a thing as "keyword spamming", whereby some fool attempts to publish "content" that is in fact just a jumble of keywords. Search engines are programmed to generally ignore this kind of tripe. However, a few tactfully-placed keywords can greatly increase your traffic and revenue.
Look at all the elements. There is more to SEO than just keyword-friendly titles. Meta Tags and Meta Descriptions of your content are also critically important to driving traffic to you. The Meta Tag is what a user sees when your content is displayed in a search engine and the Meta Description is the text the user sees beneath your entry in the results page. If this content catches the eyes, it will draw people in. If it is boring, stock dialog, it will either bring in few people or flat-out drive people away. Make the description and title interesting, stimulating; invite the reader to come in and take a look.
Marketing is not just a game for people in suits with offices anymore. Your average freelancer, armed with a little knowledge and a list of relevant keywords, can do some heavy-hitting marketing with relatively little investment. All it takes is some time to learn how to write SEO content and some practice doing it. Most sites you freelance for (if you post content online) have some sort of system for SEO, along with tutorials written by in-house experts. Read these, bone up on SEO. It's important.
Monday, December 8, 2008
The First Few Pages
My first forays into writing began with screenwriting. Back in the summer of 1999, I was down on the Oregon Coast for the yearly family reunion. During this time, we stopped by the outlet mall, as we always do, to pick up a few odds and ends. I stopped into the bookstore and happened to find a copy of the Alien: Resurrection screenplay in the bargain bin. I bought it and read it, then thought to myself "this isn't so bad. I bet I could do this." Thus began my first screenplay work.
I wrote several full-length screenplays of varying quality during high school and college, then stopped in my Senior year of college after a disastrous incident in a Film Production class (our sound man attempted to rewrite my script.) I stopped for a little while, then began writing again. What follows here are the first five pages of my latest script, "Muse", in which a Japanese rock star goes on a soul-searching trip to Seattle in a desperate attempt to save her band.
Please enjoy and feel free to hit me with constructive criticism. Yes I know the format is goofy; the text editor here doesn't seem to be able to reproduce Final Draft formatting.
I wrote several full-length screenplays of varying quality during high school and college, then stopped in my Senior year of college after a disastrous incident in a Film Production class (our sound man attempted to rewrite my script.) I stopped for a little while, then began writing again. What follows here are the first five pages of my latest script, "Muse", in which a Japanese rock star goes on a soul-searching trip to Seattle in a desperate attempt to save her band.
Please enjoy and feel free to hit me with constructive criticism. Yes I know the format is goofy; the text editor here doesn't seem to be able to reproduce Final Draft formatting.
Muse
FADE IN:INT. AYA’S BEDROOM - DAY
AYA SAKAKI (mid twenties) sits alone on her bed, staring at a wall covered with photos she has taken of exotic destinations throughout Asia. She is dressed in a grey-striped pant suit that exudes both punk and business in the same glance. She has blue highlights, Costello glasses, a skinny black necktie and a green messenger bag that never leaves her side.
She is strumming on a well-loved black Fender Stratocaster and scribbling notes in a songsheet notebook. The floor is coated with other guitars and crumpled songsheets.
Aya tears off another page of songsheet, crumples it and throws it over her shoulder. She rests her chin on her hands as she continues to strum her guitar and stare at the pictures, attempting to gain some glimmer of meaning from it all. She fails; She has lost her muse.
There is a KNOCK from the door behind her. NOTE: Aya, Yuki, Ishiko, Hiro and Toyo will always speak to each other in JAPANESE, subtitled.
AYA
This better be good!
The door opens. YUKI HAYASHI, ISHIKO ASANASHI, HIRO SUZUKI and TOYO SAITO walk through. Yuki, Hiro and Ishiko are the members of Aya’s band, “Aki Phoenix.” They are all dressed in a style similar to Aya’s save Toyo, the manager, who is dressed in an ill-fitting business suit that is completely sans punk.
TOYO
Why didn’t you show up at the cafe? We waited for you.
AYA
I was busy.
TOYO
Well are you ready to go now? We have to get to the EMP interview, then we have a meeting with Nakamura, from the record label. We’re running late as it is.
AYA
All right.
Aya pries herself away from her exercise in futility and follows everyone else outside. She takes one last look at the wall before she walks through the door, hoping for that last-minute flash of inspiration. It doesn’t come.
INT. APARTMENT - NIGHT
GAVIN HAYLEY (mid twenties) sits on a stool painting a scene taken from a picture of Pioneer Square in Seattle. He wears a brown t-shirt covered in paint stains, ripped carpenter’s jeans, has hair just past his eyes and is scruffily handsome. He is surrounded by paint bottles, brushes, canvasses and is shadowed by a small Juniper Bonsai sitting by the window.
CAMERON BERNARD (early twenties) sits at the other end of the apartment. She is wearing the basics of a sharp business suit and is busy typing a memo for work. She stops to rest her eyes and looks over at Gavin’s painting.
CAMERON
That’s one of the best scenes you’ve done.
GAVIN
(doesn’t look up)
Thanks. I snapped the picture when I came out of Bakeman’s yesterday.
Gavin looks over and sees Cameron writing the memo.
GAVIN (CONT'D)
More homework?
CAMERON
If only it were that simple. Damn office politics, someone’s always pissed off about something.
GAVIN
Who is it this time? Tiberious Tim? Naughty Ned? Or was it Raging Ronnie?
CAMERON
None of the usual suspects. It was the new guy, from logistics. Thinks he’s better than everyone, that he doesn’t need to conform to company policy.
GAVIN
And they haven’t canned him...why?
CAMERON
Because he’s the division VP’s nephew.
GAVIN
I guess it really is all about who you know.
CAMERON
If I’d have had a relative to give me handouts, who the hell knows where I’d be now. Definitely not at Dynatech.
GAVIN
What would you be doing if you weren’t in asset management?
CAMERON
I’d draw.
GAVIN
(chuckles)
What? Since when have you had the slightest inkling in art?
CAMERON
I took classes and worked on comics with friends all through high school.
GAVIN
Then why the hell did you major in business?
CAMERON
Because there’s not a lot of money in comics. Asset management: whole different story.
GAVIN
So you’re a gold digger.
CAMERON
You know what Gavin, you’re right. I’m a gold digger. Shit, what am I doing here, I should be living in Vegas! Thanks to you Mr. Hayley, you’ve figured me out!
GAVIN
Why Cameron Bernard, if I didn’t know you better, I’d think you were being sarcastic.
CAMERON
Pain in the ass.
GAVIN
You know you’re crazy about me.
CAMERON
(semi-sarcastically)
No doubt.
Gavin smiles for a moment, then goes back to his painting. Cameron smiles at him a little longer, then goes back to her memo.
INT. CAR - DAY
Toyo and the band discuss their future while Aya looks out the window, distracted. The band is agitated, with rumors of their breakup flying around and some angry words being exchanged. It all floats right past Aya.
INT. EXPENSIVE SUKIYAKI-YA - DAY
The band enters a very expensive sukiyaki restaurant and stands in the entrance for a moment, expecting to be greeted by at least a few fans or at least a paparazzi. Nobody comes except the HOSTESS. Toyo speaks to her for a moment, then she leads the group to a quiet tatami room in the back of the restaurant. ISAO NAKAMURA (fifties) is waiting for them. He is a well-groomed man and wears a dark grey business suit that costs more than the average salaryman makes in a year. (Everyone speaks JAPANESE, subtitled.)
TOYO
(polite but nervous)
Mr. Nakamura.
NAKAMURA
Thank you for coming. Please sit down.
Everyone sits around the table. The air is tense until Aya breaks the ice by pouring tea for everyone. Nakamura looks relieved that someone else took the initiative.
NAKAMURA (CONT'D)
Let me tell you why you’re here. You’re here because the numbers are slipping. Record sales are down, concert ticket sales are slow and the new album has gotten lousy reviews from every venue we sent it to. It’s starting to look like Aki Phoenix is yesterday’s news. I don’t want that. I’ve invested too much in you kids to throw it all away, but if the numbers don’t add up to the people at the top, they’re going to make some cuts.
TOYO
(apprehensive)
What kind of cuts?
NAKAMURA
They’re going to cancel your contract. You’ve got a concert at Budokan in two weeks, the last one on the album tour. This is your chance to show that you’re not yesterday’s news. If you can do well at Budokan, it will show the label that you’re worth keeping. If the show doesn’t bring down the house, that’s it.
Plates of food start arriving, but the mood is too sour for anyone but Nakamura to eat.
NAKAMURA (CONT'D)
I want to see something new. A new song, a new set, I don’t care. I just need to have something to show the rest of the executives that you’re worth keeping. Can I count on this getting done?
AYA
(suddenly empowered)
Absolutely.
All eyes turn to Aya.
AYA (CONT'D)
We can do this!
NAKAMURA
I’m glad to hear it.
The band slowly starts to pick at the food, though no one feels like eating. Aya comes off her momentary high and is visibly questioning the wisdom of her proclamation.
INT. CAR - DAY
The band is sullen as the car takes them back to Saito’s apartment. Yuki, Ishiko, Hiro and Toyo are all exchanging despondent looks and avoiding the inevitable discussion of dinner. Aya occupies herself by watching Tokyo pass by outside. She looks as though twenty years have just been added to her life.
The car passes by a large ad for the JAPAN TRAVEL BUREAU. The ad runs a banner reading VISIT AMERICA! LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK, CHICAGO, SEATTLE! in huge letters. Aya notices the sign and her eyes light up. She knows what she has to do. She turns to everyone else with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
AYA
(excited)
I’ve got it.
AYA SAKAKI (mid twenties) sits alone on her bed, staring at a wall covered with photos she has taken of exotic destinations throughout Asia. She is dressed in a grey-striped pant suit that exudes both punk and business in the same glance. She has blue highlights, Costello glasses, a skinny black necktie and a green messenger bag that never leaves her side.
TITLE CARDS OVER IMAGE.
MUSE
MUSE
She is strumming on a well-loved black Fender Stratocaster and scribbling notes in a songsheet notebook. The floor is coated with other guitars and crumpled songsheets.
Aya tears off another page of songsheet, crumples it and throws it over her shoulder. She rests her chin on her hands as she continues to strum her guitar and stare at the pictures, attempting to gain some glimmer of meaning from it all. She fails; She has lost her muse.
There is a KNOCK from the door behind her. NOTE: Aya, Yuki, Ishiko, Hiro and Toyo will always speak to each other in JAPANESE, subtitled.
AYA
This better be good!
The door opens. YUKI HAYASHI, ISHIKO ASANASHI, HIRO SUZUKI and TOYO SAITO walk through. Yuki, Hiro and Ishiko are the members of Aya’s band, “Aki Phoenix.” They are all dressed in a style similar to Aya’s save Toyo, the manager, who is dressed in an ill-fitting business suit that is completely sans punk.
TOYO
Why didn’t you show up at the cafe? We waited for you.
AYA
I was busy.
TOYO
Well are you ready to go now? We have to get to the EMP interview, then we have a meeting with Nakamura, from the record label. We’re running late as it is.
AYA
All right.
Aya pries herself away from her exercise in futility and follows everyone else outside. She takes one last look at the wall before she walks through the door, hoping for that last-minute flash of inspiration. It doesn’t come.
INT. APARTMENT - NIGHT
GAVIN HAYLEY (mid twenties) sits on a stool painting a scene taken from a picture of Pioneer Square in Seattle. He wears a brown t-shirt covered in paint stains, ripped carpenter’s jeans, has hair just past his eyes and is scruffily handsome. He is surrounded by paint bottles, brushes, canvasses and is shadowed by a small Juniper Bonsai sitting by the window.
CAMERON BERNARD (early twenties) sits at the other end of the apartment. She is wearing the basics of a sharp business suit and is busy typing a memo for work. She stops to rest her eyes and looks over at Gavin’s painting.
CAMERON
That’s one of the best scenes you’ve done.
GAVIN
(doesn’t look up)
Thanks. I snapped the picture when I came out of Bakeman’s yesterday.
Gavin looks over and sees Cameron writing the memo.
GAVIN (CONT'D)
More homework?
CAMERON
If only it were that simple. Damn office politics, someone’s always pissed off about something.
GAVIN
Who is it this time? Tiberious Tim? Naughty Ned? Or was it Raging Ronnie?
CAMERON
None of the usual suspects. It was the new guy, from logistics. Thinks he’s better than everyone, that he doesn’t need to conform to company policy.
GAVIN
And they haven’t canned him...why?
CAMERON
Because he’s the division VP’s nephew.
GAVIN
I guess it really is all about who you know.
CAMERON
If I’d have had a relative to give me handouts, who the hell knows where I’d be now. Definitely not at Dynatech.
GAVIN
What would you be doing if you weren’t in asset management?
CAMERON
I’d draw.
GAVIN
(chuckles)
What? Since when have you had the slightest inkling in art?
CAMERON
I took classes and worked on comics with friends all through high school.
GAVIN
Then why the hell did you major in business?
CAMERON
Because there’s not a lot of money in comics. Asset management: whole different story.
GAVIN
So you’re a gold digger.
CAMERON
You know what Gavin, you’re right. I’m a gold digger. Shit, what am I doing here, I should be living in Vegas! Thanks to you Mr. Hayley, you’ve figured me out!
GAVIN
Why Cameron Bernard, if I didn’t know you better, I’d think you were being sarcastic.
CAMERON
Pain in the ass.
GAVIN
You know you’re crazy about me.
CAMERON
(semi-sarcastically)
No doubt.
Gavin smiles for a moment, then goes back to his painting. Cameron smiles at him a little longer, then goes back to her memo.
INT. CAR - DAY
Toyo and the band discuss their future while Aya looks out the window, distracted. The band is agitated, with rumors of their breakup flying around and some angry words being exchanged. It all floats right past Aya.
INT. EXPENSIVE SUKIYAKI-YA - DAY
The band enters a very expensive sukiyaki restaurant and stands in the entrance for a moment, expecting to be greeted by at least a few fans or at least a paparazzi. Nobody comes except the HOSTESS. Toyo speaks to her for a moment, then she leads the group to a quiet tatami room in the back of the restaurant. ISAO NAKAMURA (fifties) is waiting for them. He is a well-groomed man and wears a dark grey business suit that costs more than the average salaryman makes in a year. (Everyone speaks JAPANESE, subtitled.)
TOYO
(polite but nervous)
Mr. Nakamura.
NAKAMURA
Thank you for coming. Please sit down.
Everyone sits around the table. The air is tense until Aya breaks the ice by pouring tea for everyone. Nakamura looks relieved that someone else took the initiative.
NAKAMURA (CONT'D)
Let me tell you why you’re here. You’re here because the numbers are slipping. Record sales are down, concert ticket sales are slow and the new album has gotten lousy reviews from every venue we sent it to. It’s starting to look like Aki Phoenix is yesterday’s news. I don’t want that. I’ve invested too much in you kids to throw it all away, but if the numbers don’t add up to the people at the top, they’re going to make some cuts.
TOYO
(apprehensive)
What kind of cuts?
NAKAMURA
They’re going to cancel your contract. You’ve got a concert at Budokan in two weeks, the last one on the album tour. This is your chance to show that you’re not yesterday’s news. If you can do well at Budokan, it will show the label that you’re worth keeping. If the show doesn’t bring down the house, that’s it.
Plates of food start arriving, but the mood is too sour for anyone but Nakamura to eat.
NAKAMURA (CONT'D)
I want to see something new. A new song, a new set, I don’t care. I just need to have something to show the rest of the executives that you’re worth keeping. Can I count on this getting done?
AYA
(suddenly empowered)
Absolutely.
All eyes turn to Aya.
AYA (CONT'D)
We can do this!
NAKAMURA
I’m glad to hear it.
The band slowly starts to pick at the food, though no one feels like eating. Aya comes off her momentary high and is visibly questioning the wisdom of her proclamation.
INT. CAR - DAY
The band is sullen as the car takes them back to Saito’s apartment. Yuki, Ishiko, Hiro and Toyo are all exchanging despondent looks and avoiding the inevitable discussion of dinner. Aya occupies herself by watching Tokyo pass by outside. She looks as though twenty years have just been added to her life.
The car passes by a large ad for the JAPAN TRAVEL BUREAU. The ad runs a banner reading VISIT AMERICA! LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK, CHICAGO, SEATTLE! in huge letters. Aya notices the sign and her eyes light up. She knows what she has to do. She turns to everyone else with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
AYA
(excited)
I’ve got it.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Review: Call of Duty: World at War
I've been a long-time fan of the Call of Duty series, though I was a little hesitant to try World at War. The developer, Treyarch, is generally considered to have produced the weaker titles in the Call of Duty series, though I played Call of Duty 3 and found it enjoyable enough to buy it. First thing's first: I enjoyed Call of Duty: World at War, and I think Treyarch did a pretty decent job with it. If this offends you, you may want to go back the way you came. Also, a stern word of warning for any parents: this game is NOT suitable for children. It contains very graphic violence and harsh language. Now I'm no censor, but I believe there are some things kids just don't need to see. This game is one of them.
I'll start with the good. World at War is built on the same technology as the critically-acclaimed Call of Duty 4. As a result, the graphics, gameplay and even the menus have the same shine that CoD4 has. The sets are beautiful and I actually found myself wishing I could visit the castle near the end of the American campaign, were it not being blown to pieces.
The action is, in a word, intense. I have played every other Call of Duty game and I have yet to see a scene (in the WW2 games anyway) as intense as the one I experienced while storming the Reichstadt. I stormed it back in the original CoD, but it sure didn't look anything like it did in WaW; there were enemies swarming out the doors, artillery to blow up, a maze of barricades to work through...it was something else. Speaking of intensity, I've got to say one of my favorite levels was the Black Cats mission. You take the role of Locke: a gunner on a PBY Catalina on duty in the Pacific. You come across a merchant fleet en route to Okinawa and decide to attack. The Catalina has four gun turrets and only two gunners. Not only do you have to shoot down enemy planes, PT boats and fill the cargo ships full of holes, you have to do it while running between four different turrets. The game handles this for you (you press X to change at appointed times. If you don't press it, the games moves you automatically) and this level was just FUN.
While WaW may have returned to the well-tread scenario of World War 2, I did appreciate that they took it to the Pacific. Most WW2 games deal solely with the war in Europe. There is a flipside to this coin though (more on that in a minute.)
Being a weapons man, I enjoyed World at War for two reasons: the M-2 flame thrower and deployable machine guns. CoD3 and CoD4 had these, but in different ways. CoD3 had a portable MG-34 that was horribly inaccurate and only found once or twice. CoD4 has modern machine guns like the Russian PKM and the American M-249. Both act as big assault rifles. WaW gives us a whole new category of weapon. You can get a U.S. Browning .30 cal, an MG-42 and a couple others. They can either be set up as you'd normally see them, or used at the hip to great effect. I doubt I experienced much that was more satisfying than playing the final American mission with a machine gun in my hands.
Some have said that the flamethrower is overpowered. I won't argue, as I agree. It kills instantly and never runs out of ammo. The only limiting factor is that sustained usage will cause it to overheat, initiating a few seconds of cooldown that is easily negated by switching weapons. But really, how long have we been waiting to douse a bunker with purging flame in a Call of Duty game? While I'd say the flamethrower mechanics still need some tweeking, it's still nice to see a new weapon on the block.
The enemies have learned a few tricks too. I can't tell you how many times I got skewerd by banzai bayonet charges or got surprised by enemies coming out of spider holes. Making the enemy more dangerous, even on lower levels, goes a long way toward making a more enjoyable game. While the flamethrower usually takes care of them, it can work against you as well. Almost as numerous as the times I got skewerd by a banzai charge were the times I lit myself on fire by attempting to torch charging enemies. Using flamethrower at point blank range = dead grunt.
The last thing I would like to applaud Treyarch for is their transitions between levels. While they did include graphic images of atrocities and things people generally do not like to see (more on this later) the layout of the cutscenes and the graphics in general look like a jazzed-up version of a history channel special. Nicely done!
The good news is that I believe this was a fun game, a worthy entry to the Call of Duty series and a good blast in the multiplayer/co-op department. Is it worth buying? Maybe, if you like shooters, the Call of Duty series or the history channe and are not easily offended. Now for the bad.
Anyone who thinks the Call of Duty series has grown stale with World War 2 would do well to steer clear of World at War. Many of the scenes visited, particularly in the Russian campaign, are nothing new. Though they may look different, we've stormed the Reichstadt before. Also, fans of the movie "Enemy at the Gates" will either love or hate the intro to the Russian campaign. It's almost an exact recreation of when Vasilli Zaitsev meets Danilov. Not that it isn't fun or that we haven't seen Enemy at the Gates in a CoD game before (let's not forget your crossing the Volga in the original CoD; right out of Enemy at the Gates, even down to where you get handed the bullets instead of the rifle. I know, I know: that actually happened, wheras the scene in the fountain...I know. But it was still laid out almost exactly like the movie.) The good news for this scene is that immediately after it, you and your new friend go on a cool chase through a burning building. Nothing like a little fire to liven up a cold winter.
While the trip to the Pacific in WaW has done something for spicing things up, there is still more to be had. Let's not forget that World War 2 was fought in quite a few places besides the Pacific, France, Germany, North Africa and Stalingrad. What about China, Italy, Sicily, Czechoslovakia? Plenty of other nations have WW2 stories to tell. While you could make the argument that such places and stories are not well-known enough to make a game about, I would suggest that this implies something more about the ignorance of the American public (and if I may be so bold, speaks a little to the American educational system. Yes, that's right. I went there.)
Take CoD3. You spend most of the British campaign working with the French resistance. Why not do something along those lines again? You can keep it as the American or British campaign, just give us a taste of another country's struggle that we might not know so much about. Heaven forbid a mainstream video game should be educational in any way.
Finally, I would like to speak a little about the graphic nature of the game. Very few would dispute that World at War brings to light a bit more violence and graphic imagery than previous games. Shooting someone produces a lot more blood (and possibly a missing limb) than it ever has. While it may be more true-to-life than one would expect, it's not the kind of thing we're used to seeing in a Call of Duty game. World at War also contains graphic/offensive images of actual footage from WW2 of piles of bodies, hangings and other unpleasantness. There is also the distinct presence of, shall we say "coarse language." Now don't get me wrong: I am not squeemish, I don't mind swearing and I personally am not offended by war footage. I am of the opinion that war is a dirty business. World at War, in my opinion, brings the user closer to actual war than any other game in the series. Some argue that the manner in which it is done is inappropriate; that the game does not handle graphic imagery with a sense of reverence and is using said images purely for shock value.
While I would agree that the imagery was not handled in the most appropriate manner possible, I don't think it was placed there purely for grotesque shock value. I believe that the designers wanted to impart a greater sense of what it was like to participate in the events portrayed in the game. Exposing the player to the graphic images one would've witnessed in real life had they been there to see the event is part of the experience.
I am of the opinion that nobody is trying to shove games down your throat. If a game offends you, don't play it. If a tv show offends you, don't watch it. World at War shows you what it was like to be in World War 2, in all the gory details. If you don't want that, don't play the game. It's that simple. If you can get past the mess that is war, you will find an enjoyable (if short) companion to the WW2 entries in the Call of Duty series.
I'll start with the good. World at War is built on the same technology as the critically-acclaimed Call of Duty 4. As a result, the graphics, gameplay and even the menus have the same shine that CoD4 has. The sets are beautiful and I actually found myself wishing I could visit the castle near the end of the American campaign, were it not being blown to pieces.
The action is, in a word, intense. I have played every other Call of Duty game and I have yet to see a scene (in the WW2 games anyway) as intense as the one I experienced while storming the Reichstadt. I stormed it back in the original CoD, but it sure didn't look anything like it did in WaW; there were enemies swarming out the doors, artillery to blow up, a maze of barricades to work through...it was something else. Speaking of intensity, I've got to say one of my favorite levels was the Black Cats mission. You take the role of Locke: a gunner on a PBY Catalina on duty in the Pacific. You come across a merchant fleet en route to Okinawa and decide to attack. The Catalina has four gun turrets and only two gunners. Not only do you have to shoot down enemy planes, PT boats and fill the cargo ships full of holes, you have to do it while running between four different turrets. The game handles this for you (you press X to change at appointed times. If you don't press it, the games moves you automatically) and this level was just FUN.
While WaW may have returned to the well-tread scenario of World War 2, I did appreciate that they took it to the Pacific. Most WW2 games deal solely with the war in Europe. There is a flipside to this coin though (more on that in a minute.)
Being a weapons man, I enjoyed World at War for two reasons: the M-2 flame thrower and deployable machine guns. CoD3 and CoD4 had these, but in different ways. CoD3 had a portable MG-34 that was horribly inaccurate and only found once or twice. CoD4 has modern machine guns like the Russian PKM and the American M-249. Both act as big assault rifles. WaW gives us a whole new category of weapon. You can get a U.S. Browning .30 cal, an MG-42 and a couple others. They can either be set up as you'd normally see them, or used at the hip to great effect. I doubt I experienced much that was more satisfying than playing the final American mission with a machine gun in my hands.
Some have said that the flamethrower is overpowered. I won't argue, as I agree. It kills instantly and never runs out of ammo. The only limiting factor is that sustained usage will cause it to overheat, initiating a few seconds of cooldown that is easily negated by switching weapons. But really, how long have we been waiting to douse a bunker with purging flame in a Call of Duty game? While I'd say the flamethrower mechanics still need some tweeking, it's still nice to see a new weapon on the block.
The enemies have learned a few tricks too. I can't tell you how many times I got skewerd by banzai bayonet charges or got surprised by enemies coming out of spider holes. Making the enemy more dangerous, even on lower levels, goes a long way toward making a more enjoyable game. While the flamethrower usually takes care of them, it can work against you as well. Almost as numerous as the times I got skewerd by a banzai charge were the times I lit myself on fire by attempting to torch charging enemies. Using flamethrower at point blank range = dead grunt.
The last thing I would like to applaud Treyarch for is their transitions between levels. While they did include graphic images of atrocities and things people generally do not like to see (more on this later) the layout of the cutscenes and the graphics in general look like a jazzed-up version of a history channel special. Nicely done!
The good news is that I believe this was a fun game, a worthy entry to the Call of Duty series and a good blast in the multiplayer/co-op department. Is it worth buying? Maybe, if you like shooters, the Call of Duty series or the history channe and are not easily offended. Now for the bad.
Anyone who thinks the Call of Duty series has grown stale with World War 2 would do well to steer clear of World at War. Many of the scenes visited, particularly in the Russian campaign, are nothing new. Though they may look different, we've stormed the Reichstadt before. Also, fans of the movie "Enemy at the Gates" will either love or hate the intro to the Russian campaign. It's almost an exact recreation of when Vasilli Zaitsev meets Danilov. Not that it isn't fun or that we haven't seen Enemy at the Gates in a CoD game before (let's not forget your crossing the Volga in the original CoD; right out of Enemy at the Gates, even down to where you get handed the bullets instead of the rifle. I know, I know: that actually happened, wheras the scene in the fountain...I know. But it was still laid out almost exactly like the movie.) The good news for this scene is that immediately after it, you and your new friend go on a cool chase through a burning building. Nothing like a little fire to liven up a cold winter.
While the trip to the Pacific in WaW has done something for spicing things up, there is still more to be had. Let's not forget that World War 2 was fought in quite a few places besides the Pacific, France, Germany, North Africa and Stalingrad. What about China, Italy, Sicily, Czechoslovakia? Plenty of other nations have WW2 stories to tell. While you could make the argument that such places and stories are not well-known enough to make a game about, I would suggest that this implies something more about the ignorance of the American public (and if I may be so bold, speaks a little to the American educational system. Yes, that's right. I went there.)
Take CoD3. You spend most of the British campaign working with the French resistance. Why not do something along those lines again? You can keep it as the American or British campaign, just give us a taste of another country's struggle that we might not know so much about. Heaven forbid a mainstream video game should be educational in any way.
Finally, I would like to speak a little about the graphic nature of the game. Very few would dispute that World at War brings to light a bit more violence and graphic imagery than previous games. Shooting someone produces a lot more blood (and possibly a missing limb) than it ever has. While it may be more true-to-life than one would expect, it's not the kind of thing we're used to seeing in a Call of Duty game. World at War also contains graphic/offensive images of actual footage from WW2 of piles of bodies, hangings and other unpleasantness. There is also the distinct presence of, shall we say "coarse language." Now don't get me wrong: I am not squeemish, I don't mind swearing and I personally am not offended by war footage. I am of the opinion that war is a dirty business. World at War, in my opinion, brings the user closer to actual war than any other game in the series. Some argue that the manner in which it is done is inappropriate; that the game does not handle graphic imagery with a sense of reverence and is using said images purely for shock value.
While I would agree that the imagery was not handled in the most appropriate manner possible, I don't think it was placed there purely for grotesque shock value. I believe that the designers wanted to impart a greater sense of what it was like to participate in the events portrayed in the game. Exposing the player to the graphic images one would've witnessed in real life had they been there to see the event is part of the experience.
I am of the opinion that nobody is trying to shove games down your throat. If a game offends you, don't play it. If a tv show offends you, don't watch it. World at War shows you what it was like to be in World War 2, in all the gory details. If you don't want that, don't play the game. It's that simple. If you can get past the mess that is war, you will find an enjoyable (if short) companion to the WW2 entries in the Call of Duty series.
Monday, November 10, 2008
New Header
As you might have noticed, things look a little different. The photo is my workspace, in the spare room of my apartment. Should you have any questions about the esoterica surrounding my workspace, their significance, their purpose or even just what the hell it all is, feel free to ask.
As for the heading "everyone needs a muse", that is the tagline of my screenplay "Muse" (formerly known as "Beautiful Mediocrity" for anyone who happened to read it.)
As for the rest of the formatting change, it was mainly due to making the new header work. I like the new header, but it looked terrible with the old layout and I don't know enough html to make it look right, so there it is.
As for the heading "everyone needs a muse", that is the tagline of my screenplay "Muse" (formerly known as "Beautiful Mediocrity" for anyone who happened to read it.)
As for the rest of the formatting change, it was mainly due to making the new header work. I like the new header, but it looked terrible with the old layout and I don't know enough html to make it look right, so there it is.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Tips for Successful Freelancing #8: Time Invested
There is a quick and easy way to tell whether a gig is worth it or not. Keep a record of how much time you spend at the gig in a given week (let's call this H for Hours.) Divide your monthly paycheck by 4 to find out how much you make in a week (let's say W for Weekly Salary.) Now do the same for your day job (if you're on salary. If you're not, just use your hourly wage. We will call this D for Day Job Wage)
If W/H is ≥ D, then your gig is worth the effort. If W/H <>
If W/H is ≥ D, then your gig is worth the effort. If W/H <>
Concerning Internet Startups
A lot of the gigs you are likely to come across while freelancing involve internet startups. These are businesses (typically websites) that people create and happen to have a need for a writer that they cannot fill. While I have nothing against internet startups (indeed, I had a lot of fun working for one), there are risks involved in working for a startup that you should know before you sign on.
Keep your backups handy. Like all startup businesses, internet startups are subject to unforseen/unplanned for difficulties. A large percentage of businesses (around 80%, give or take) fail within their first year. Why? Most simply don't plan for every contingency or don't think far enough ahead. They don't sell well enough or they don't produce enough, their loans get called in and they're out of the game.
When you sign on to work for a startup, you are essentially becoming part of that business. If it fails, so do you. This happened to me about a year and a half ago. I signed on to write World of Warcraft news articles for the now-defunct Azeroth World News (azerothwn.com). It seemed to be going well for a couple months, but then my editor mentioned budget problems. My workload would need to be reduced, but I could still get paid for a couple articles a month. The next month, they were gone. Funding for the project dried up, and that was that.
The lesson here is that if you sign on to work with a startup (and most will say they are startups; if they don't mention it, ask whoever you're working for how long they've been around. Think of it as a job interview question) you run the risk of them closing down. That is why, once again, I heartily encourage you to keep your day job. Even if it runs you a little ragged, give it some time. If six months go by and your startup gig sees improvement, then maybe you can think about ditching your day job. Don't rest on your laurels just because you got a new gig; it may not last.
The other warning I give concerning startups is with payment. Many of the people running the business have never run one before and are unfamiliar with payroll procedures. Don't expect your paycheck to arrive at the same time each month. As with businesses with their heads up their asses, startups also have a bit of trouble with how much to pay freelancers. Many of them are poorly-funded (or not funded at all) and as such, cannot afford to pay you a lot. Unless you REALLY need the work at the rate they're offering, you have a friend at the company or you need a resume builder, you may want to pass on a low-paying startup job. While it may be mutually beneficial and it *could* turn into something better down the line (that's a favorite of startups. beware anyone who says this), it doesn't mean it will.
Don't get me wrong: startups need employees, they need writers. Just be careful is all. Make sure the startup can afford to pay a decent wage and that they've got a sound idea. A lot of startups fail because they are simply bad ideas. That's the hard and honest truth. You shouldn't have to suffer because of someone else's lack of planning or foresight.
Keep your backups handy. Like all startup businesses, internet startups are subject to unforseen/unplanned for difficulties. A large percentage of businesses (around 80%, give or take) fail within their first year. Why? Most simply don't plan for every contingency or don't think far enough ahead. They don't sell well enough or they don't produce enough, their loans get called in and they're out of the game.
When you sign on to work for a startup, you are essentially becoming part of that business. If it fails, so do you. This happened to me about a year and a half ago. I signed on to write World of Warcraft news articles for the now-defunct Azeroth World News (azerothwn.com). It seemed to be going well for a couple months, but then my editor mentioned budget problems. My workload would need to be reduced, but I could still get paid for a couple articles a month. The next month, they were gone. Funding for the project dried up, and that was that.
The lesson here is that if you sign on to work with a startup (and most will say they are startups; if they don't mention it, ask whoever you're working for how long they've been around. Think of it as a job interview question) you run the risk of them closing down. That is why, once again, I heartily encourage you to keep your day job. Even if it runs you a little ragged, give it some time. If six months go by and your startup gig sees improvement, then maybe you can think about ditching your day job. Don't rest on your laurels just because you got a new gig; it may not last.
The other warning I give concerning startups is with payment. Many of the people running the business have never run one before and are unfamiliar with payroll procedures. Don't expect your paycheck to arrive at the same time each month. As with businesses with their heads up their asses, startups also have a bit of trouble with how much to pay freelancers. Many of them are poorly-funded (or not funded at all) and as such, cannot afford to pay you a lot. Unless you REALLY need the work at the rate they're offering, you have a friend at the company or you need a resume builder, you may want to pass on a low-paying startup job. While it may be mutually beneficial and it *could* turn into something better down the line (that's a favorite of startups. beware anyone who says this), it doesn't mean it will.
Don't get me wrong: startups need employees, they need writers. Just be careful is all. Make sure the startup can afford to pay a decent wage and that they've got a sound idea. A lot of startups fail because they are simply bad ideas. That's the hard and honest truth. You shouldn't have to suffer because of someone else's lack of planning or foresight.
Weathering the Storm
Now is not the greatest time to be a job seeker. With the economy in the shitter, companies are slashing budgets, laying people off and making life generally all-round miserable for the people who still have jobs. For those of us who are short on work, this is an especially hard time. Employers have the luxury of asking the world of perspective employees, while offering little in return. And if you don't want that shit job that's way beneath you and your abilities, the person in line behind you does.
In these times, it is important to remember that, as a freelance writer, you can't rely on what you have. There are a few freelancers out there who, I'm sure, are swooping in and grabbing clients left and right. I'm also willing to bet that the people doing this are going to be run ragged by overwork and will still find themselves struggling to pay the bills.
Remember how I said a while back that you shouldn't quit your day job? That is especially true when the economy is in the dumps. Having something to fall back on in case your clients bail on you is absolutely essential. Let me put it this way: it's much better to fall and have a parachute than to fall and need to find one before you hit the ground. Remember, being a part-time freelancer does not make you any less of a writer. Most of us need to have something else in the "regular" world in order to keep things steady or in times like these, to keep us afloat.
Again, when times get desperate, you will be tempted to work for that .75 cents a word. I say again (and please listen if you didn't before) DO NOT TAKE THESE JOBS! The people offering them do not know what to pay a writer and are just looking for cheap content! You will do more work for less pay and will wind up wishing you'd spent your time either at a halfway decent day job or looking for a better job. Don't give in!
It's a hard time right now. Everyone except the rich is struggling (but honestly, when do the rich ever suffer?) and decent gigs are hard to come by. All I can say is: keep your head above water. Sooner or later, the flood will recede.
In these times, it is important to remember that, as a freelance writer, you can't rely on what you have. There are a few freelancers out there who, I'm sure, are swooping in and grabbing clients left and right. I'm also willing to bet that the people doing this are going to be run ragged by overwork and will still find themselves struggling to pay the bills.
Remember how I said a while back that you shouldn't quit your day job? That is especially true when the economy is in the dumps. Having something to fall back on in case your clients bail on you is absolutely essential. Let me put it this way: it's much better to fall and have a parachute than to fall and need to find one before you hit the ground. Remember, being a part-time freelancer does not make you any less of a writer. Most of us need to have something else in the "regular" world in order to keep things steady or in times like these, to keep us afloat.
Again, when times get desperate, you will be tempted to work for that .75 cents a word. I say again (and please listen if you didn't before) DO NOT TAKE THESE JOBS! The people offering them do not know what to pay a writer and are just looking for cheap content! You will do more work for less pay and will wind up wishing you'd spent your time either at a halfway decent day job or looking for a better job. Don't give in!
It's a hard time right now. Everyone except the rich is struggling (but honestly, when do the rich ever suffer?) and decent gigs are hard to come by. All I can say is: keep your head above water. Sooner or later, the flood will recede.
Review: Fable 2
Like so many games to come out in recent months, Fable 2 has been a very highly anticipated title for me. I played the first Fable repeatedly. I know where all the Silver Keys are, how to get all of the Legendary Weapons, and how to open every demon door. When Jack of Blades turned into a dragon, I schooled him something fierce. I bought an original Xbox expressly for the purpose of playing Fable.
Now it's successor has come along. Honestly: I love it. Despite widespread complaints of bugs, I have encountered very few so far, and none of which have crashed my game or forced me to start again (thankfully.) There's not much about Fable 2 that I don't like. It is an improvement on the original in nearly every way. The only things that annoy me are:
-You can't lose weight by running around; you can only lose weight by eating celery.
-You can't bind equipment or oft-used expressions to the D-pad anymore.
-Merchants usually only have one or two of something in stock. Previously, you could find dozens of potions or food items at the same vendor.
What's improved about Fable 2? The interface (you get a dog instead of a minimap. How fun! Also, for those of you who don't like the dog, you can chose to get rid of it at the end) the graphics are amazing, as was expected, the story was epic, though not quite as epic as the first, and the new hero goodies really make things shine. You can play female characters, own castles and you dye your clothing to change colors! Thankfully, villagers don't freak out if you walk around in black clothing (bonus to the goths out there, plus you get an achievement for wearing all black.)
Like the first Fable, the main storyline is quite short; if you play through nothing but that, you can probably finish in under 10 hours. The good news is that the stuff in between the story (owning property, sidequests, jobs and the like) is much better and is almost as fun as the main story. You can take gigs as a blacksmith, a bartender, a kidnapper ('Citizen Displacement' they call it) or a woodcutter to earn extra cash. You can own just about everything in the game (though you can't buy dungeons) including the castle the big bad guy lives in.
Bottom line: if you like a good RPG and/or you liked the original Fable, check this out! If you didn't like Fable or don't care for RPGs, get something else.
Now it's successor has come along. Honestly: I love it. Despite widespread complaints of bugs, I have encountered very few so far, and none of which have crashed my game or forced me to start again (thankfully.) There's not much about Fable 2 that I don't like. It is an improvement on the original in nearly every way. The only things that annoy me are:
-You can't lose weight by running around; you can only lose weight by eating celery.
-You can't bind equipment or oft-used expressions to the D-pad anymore.
-Merchants usually only have one or two of something in stock. Previously, you could find dozens of potions or food items at the same vendor.
What's improved about Fable 2? The interface (you get a dog instead of a minimap. How fun! Also, for those of you who don't like the dog, you can chose to get rid of it at the end) the graphics are amazing, as was expected, the story was epic, though not quite as epic as the first, and the new hero goodies really make things shine. You can play female characters, own castles and you dye your clothing to change colors! Thankfully, villagers don't freak out if you walk around in black clothing (bonus to the goths out there, plus you get an achievement for wearing all black.)
Like the first Fable, the main storyline is quite short; if you play through nothing but that, you can probably finish in under 10 hours. The good news is that the stuff in between the story (owning property, sidequests, jobs and the like) is much better and is almost as fun as the main story. You can take gigs as a blacksmith, a bartender, a kidnapper ('Citizen Displacement' they call it) or a woodcutter to earn extra cash. You can own just about everything in the game (though you can't buy dungeons) including the castle the big bad guy lives in.
Bottom line: if you like a good RPG and/or you liked the original Fable, check this out! If you didn't like Fable or don't care for RPGs, get something else.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Tips for Successful Freelancing #7: Charging for Your Work
Lots of clients you will come across as a freelance writer offer little to no monetary payment. Instead, they usually offer 'exposure.' There are only two instances where I would recommend doing this.
1) If you're just starting out and are desperate to find a client. This can help you find clients who are willing to pay. Fair warning: it probably won't.
2) If you're just starting out and need a portfolio builder. I have only ever worked for one client who paid below my minimums, and that's because I wanted the experience the job offered (and because it was a fun project.) Portfolio builders are good if you're looking to specialize in a different type of writing. If you're just looking to have something to show a prospective client, write for yourself and show them that.
So why not write for exposure, you ask? If it can help, why aren't I doing it? Here's why.
1) Most clients who offer exposure over money don't know what they're doing. Anyone who asks for professional work for exposure either has next to no budget or no clue. Either case, it's not the sort of client you want to work for.
2) You don't ask a plumber or a roofer to do half a job for free to see if they're any good do you? The same is true of freelance writers. You can't expect a writer to do a lot of work for free to see if they're good. That's what resumes and samples are for.
3) The people who pay the least typically demand the most because they don't know what the hell they're doing.
4) You can spend the time you use writing for free looking for a paying gig.
5) Think of writing for free as an unpaid internship. Can you afford to take it without compromising your financial situation? If the answer is no, don't do it! If the answer is yes, you need a time management class. I have yet to meet a working full-time freelance writer who claims to have enough free time (or motivation) to write for exposure.
6) Be honest: wouldn't you rather get paid? So would I.
Along with offering exposure instead of payment, many prospective clients will ask for an inordinately large number of samples and/or a trial period, during which you do not receive payment. Again, I highly recommend passing on jobs that require unpaid trial periods and boatloads of samples. You needn't write a new sample for each gig you apply for. If you find yourself doing this, STOP! The only circumstance under which you should be writing a boatload of samples for clients is if you have none to offer. If that's the case, go back to your day job and write more BEFORE you try to be a freelancer. Getting off on the right foot as a freelancer requires that you already have a portfolio of material to offer clients as samples. Think of it this way: would you show up for a 'regular' job interview without your credentials? Same thing.
NEVER write on a trial period. People who ask for unpaid trial periods are just looking for free content. Good luck getting picked up after the trial period. Be prepared to hear something like "The position has been adjusted" or "We don't think you're a right fit for the job." The jist of it will be: thanks for the free work sucker, now hit the bricks.
Let's recap, shall we?
1) Do not write for exposure unless you are new/desperate or you really like the material and want a new resume builder.
2) Have your samples ready before you try to start freelancing. Think of it as your interview credentials; the stuff you wouldn't walk into an interview without.
3) Do not write new samples for clients unless a) you think you will need the sample later on or b) it's your dream gig.
4) NEVER write for a trial period. Chances are very high you will get stiffed and waste your time.
5) Find yourself another job if you think you have enough free time to write for free. If you have the time to write for free, you have the time to find a paying gig.
1) If you're just starting out and are desperate to find a client. This can help you find clients who are willing to pay. Fair warning: it probably won't.
2) If you're just starting out and need a portfolio builder. I have only ever worked for one client who paid below my minimums, and that's because I wanted the experience the job offered (and because it was a fun project.) Portfolio builders are good if you're looking to specialize in a different type of writing. If you're just looking to have something to show a prospective client, write for yourself and show them that.
So why not write for exposure, you ask? If it can help, why aren't I doing it? Here's why.
1) Most clients who offer exposure over money don't know what they're doing. Anyone who asks for professional work for exposure either has next to no budget or no clue. Either case, it's not the sort of client you want to work for.
2) You don't ask a plumber or a roofer to do half a job for free to see if they're any good do you? The same is true of freelance writers. You can't expect a writer to do a lot of work for free to see if they're good. That's what resumes and samples are for.
3) The people who pay the least typically demand the most because they don't know what the hell they're doing.
4) You can spend the time you use writing for free looking for a paying gig.
5) Think of writing for free as an unpaid internship. Can you afford to take it without compromising your financial situation? If the answer is no, don't do it! If the answer is yes, you need a time management class. I have yet to meet a working full-time freelance writer who claims to have enough free time (or motivation) to write for exposure.
6) Be honest: wouldn't you rather get paid? So would I.
Along with offering exposure instead of payment, many prospective clients will ask for an inordinately large number of samples and/or a trial period, during which you do not receive payment. Again, I highly recommend passing on jobs that require unpaid trial periods and boatloads of samples. You needn't write a new sample for each gig you apply for. If you find yourself doing this, STOP! The only circumstance under which you should be writing a boatload of samples for clients is if you have none to offer. If that's the case, go back to your day job and write more BEFORE you try to be a freelancer. Getting off on the right foot as a freelancer requires that you already have a portfolio of material to offer clients as samples. Think of it this way: would you show up for a 'regular' job interview without your credentials? Same thing.
NEVER write on a trial period. People who ask for unpaid trial periods are just looking for free content. Good luck getting picked up after the trial period. Be prepared to hear something like "The position has been adjusted" or "We don't think you're a right fit for the job." The jist of it will be: thanks for the free work sucker, now hit the bricks.
Let's recap, shall we?
1) Do not write for exposure unless you are new/desperate or you really like the material and want a new resume builder.
2) Have your samples ready before you try to start freelancing. Think of it as your interview credentials; the stuff you wouldn't walk into an interview without.
3) Do not write new samples for clients unless a) you think you will need the sample later on or b) it's your dream gig.
4) NEVER write for a trial period. Chances are very high you will get stiffed and waste your time.
5) Find yourself another job if you think you have enough free time to write for free. If you have the time to write for free, you have the time to find a paying gig.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
A Cure for WoW
My fiance and I were discussing our possible re-entry into the World of Warcraft a few nights ago when we came to a conclusion: WoW is a second job. Not that it's a chore to play (though it can be, particularly if you're honor-grinding) it just eats up so much time that it is, quite literally, a second job. Observe.
My friends and I played WoW every day (no joke, not a day went by when we didn't log on) for an AVERAGE of six hours a day (note: average. Some days were a lot more, some a lot less.)
If you figure that the average American works 40 hours a week for 50/52 weeks a year (2 weeks vacation is probably a little generous, but just for the sake of argument), that translates to roughly 2,000 working hours per year.
6 hours a day, times 365 days comes out to 2,190 hours of game time. I've got to hand it to Blizzard: no other game I've played has ever been a full-time job.
Having considered that I could have gotten a second full-time job in the time I spent playing WoW, I quickly dispelled the notion of returning to the game. It's fun and I met some great people playing it, but it is simply too large an investment of time. And it is an investment that I am no longer willing to make.
My friends and I played WoW every day (no joke, not a day went by when we didn't log on) for an AVERAGE of six hours a day (note: average. Some days were a lot more, some a lot less.)
If you figure that the average American works 40 hours a week for 50/52 weeks a year (2 weeks vacation is probably a little generous, but just for the sake of argument), that translates to roughly 2,000 working hours per year.
6 hours a day, times 365 days comes out to 2,190 hours of game time. I've got to hand it to Blizzard: no other game I've played has ever been a full-time job.
Having considered that I could have gotten a second full-time job in the time I spent playing WoW, I quickly dispelled the notion of returning to the game. It's fun and I met some great people playing it, but it is simply too large an investment of time. And it is an investment that I am no longer willing to make.
A Second Look at Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
I think I might've been a bit too hard on this game. A week has passed since I traded it in and I have a strong urge to play it again. Thank goodness for Gamefly. I also noticed that the second time through the game (I played it twice before trading it in) was much more enjoyable than the first. Once you know the trick to bringing down the Star Destroyer and where to find Jedi Holocrons, the game gets much more enjoyable. That and setting the difficulty down a notch helps too. I'm no newmeat to games like The Force Unleashed, but they're not my usual fare.
In it's defense, the graphics are in a word, amazing. I hadn't given it much thought the first time (mainly because I was gritting my teeth over getting trashed by Purge Troopers) but The Force Unleashed really does have amazing scenery. If you stop and take a look around (there are no respawning enemies; every area has a fixed number of opponents. Once they're dead, feel free to have a look round) the settings really are quite amazing, even if a few of them are recycled. And while the planets may be recycled, the levels themselves are not. Very little is the same between the repeats in levels besides the textures. If you need to recycle levels, this is the best way to do it.
I'll be honest and say I like earning Achievements. I've no delusions about that. It's not because I wish to appear more macho to fellow gamers; far from it. I like the sense of accomplishment you get by earning an Achievement. And The Force Unleashed has some pretty good Achievements. My hands-down favorite is available in the prologue, during which you play Darth Vader. To earn this Achievement, you need to kill at least 12 of your own Stormtroopers. The Achievement is called "Worst Day Shift Manager Ever". I read that and couldn't stop laughing!
In a revised review, I would still only recommend The Force Unleashed to fans of the Star Wars universe and people who like ninja action games. Hardcore gamers and KotOR fans will be disappointed by the unpolished gameplay and the rigid nature of the game (let's be honest; the only choice you have between good and evil is at the very end.) For all it's faults though, I find myself being drawn back to The Force Unleashed. Though I get no say in who he is, I do like being Starkiller. Had he lived, I think he could've made a very powerful Jedi.
Bottom line: rent it first. If you play it more than twice through, it's worth buying for you. If you play it through one time or less, it's not for you.
In it's defense, the graphics are in a word, amazing. I hadn't given it much thought the first time (mainly because I was gritting my teeth over getting trashed by Purge Troopers) but The Force Unleashed really does have amazing scenery. If you stop and take a look around (there are no respawning enemies; every area has a fixed number of opponents. Once they're dead, feel free to have a look round) the settings really are quite amazing, even if a few of them are recycled. And while the planets may be recycled, the levels themselves are not. Very little is the same between the repeats in levels besides the textures. If you need to recycle levels, this is the best way to do it.
I'll be honest and say I like earning Achievements. I've no delusions about that. It's not because I wish to appear more macho to fellow gamers; far from it. I like the sense of accomplishment you get by earning an Achievement. And The Force Unleashed has some pretty good Achievements. My hands-down favorite is available in the prologue, during which you play Darth Vader. To earn this Achievement, you need to kill at least 12 of your own Stormtroopers. The Achievement is called "Worst Day Shift Manager Ever". I read that and couldn't stop laughing!
In a revised review, I would still only recommend The Force Unleashed to fans of the Star Wars universe and people who like ninja action games. Hardcore gamers and KotOR fans will be disappointed by the unpolished gameplay and the rigid nature of the game (let's be honest; the only choice you have between good and evil is at the very end.) For all it's faults though, I find myself being drawn back to The Force Unleashed. Though I get no say in who he is, I do like being Starkiller. Had he lived, I think he could've made a very powerful Jedi.
Bottom line: rent it first. If you play it more than twice through, it's worth buying for you. If you play it through one time or less, it's not for you.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
To WoW or Not to WoW
Anyone who has maintained even remote ties to the online gaming world in the last three years has heard of the phenomenon that is World of Warcraft. This game is one of the best-selling games of all-time and currently has a community in excess of 9 million people. That's the entire population of a major city (we're talking on the order of Los Angeles here...) just think if EVERYONE in L.A. played WoW...you've got a really big game.
WoW and I have something of a love-hate relationship. I played the game nearly non-stop for a year and a half, to the exclusion of quite a bit else in my life (though thankfully I didn't lose any friends or a job because of it.) I'm off it now, but as I look at the other games in my library, they all seem to pale in comparison. No other game in my life (and my gaming life extends quite a ways. 21 years if memory serves me correctly) has kept me so enthralled so completely for so long. While I may have really enjoyed them and played them a lot, Quest for Glory IV, Starcraft and Final Fantasy IV didn't keep me playing them every day for a year and a half.
As you can see, I love WoW. I love the world, I love the lore, I love the gameplay (for the most part.) I love creating a unique character, going anywhere, doing anything...I love surprising hapless Hordies in the battlegrounds who think I'm a ret paladin when I'm really a prot paladin in disguise. Oh, did that string of Reckoning crits hurt? Here, have another. Nah, keep hitting me, my shield likes you. That sting a little Rogue? Keep it up, it'll all be over soon.
Classic.
But I also hate WoW. I hate it because it offers gratification too easily. As the new expansion, Wrath of the Lich King draws ever closer, it is becoming easier and easier to get at the high-level content in the game. Why? Because Blizz wants you to experience as much high-level content as you can before it all becomes obsolete. And it will, practically overnight. Just watch.
When Burning Crusade, the first expansion was released, many people found their gear being replaced within 2 levels of hitting Outland. I know I did. Many people grumbled at the ease with which their hard-earned gear was turned into crap by the first green drop in Outland. Those same people are going to grumble again when their Tier 4 is instantly rendered obsolete an hour after they hit Northrend. But I digress.
WoW offers such an easy method of gratification. Instancing, completing quests, arena fighting and battlegrounding are all designed to provide rewards that ultimately can be exchanged for even greater ones. You need but spend a few hours in a battleground or an instance and you can walk away with several new pieces of armor or a new set of weapons. World of Warcraft is great at holding the proverbial 'carrot' in front of you, then continually moving it away. And you want it. DAMN how you want it.
I have realized recently that I hate WoW for an entirely different (and seemingly paradoxical) reason: it's good. Again, I realize that's strange. A game is good, so you hate it. Here's why. It demands to be played. Once you've tasted WoW and found it to your liking, the taste of any other game is bittersweet. Other games I enjoyed playing (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic mostly) jumped in to fill the gap when I stopped playing WoW, but were quickly beaten and forgotten.
I even tried other MMOs. Dungeons and Dragons online is horrendously bad on healers and is practically impossible to play solo (I spent a whole gorram week solo-grinding one effing instance to get to level 2...WoW has you at level six inside of half an hour.) Age of Conan has potential, but is largely PvP focused. I'm not a huge fan of PvP, despite my prediliction for doing it (hey, it's quicker to pvp for gear when you're not in a raiding guild...) That, and Age of Conan has some serious graphical and gameplay issues to sort out before it gets really good. And finally, my computer is, shall we say...'dated.' I lack the funds/motivation to buy another computer, particularly a gaming computer, so Age of Conan is pretty much out. WoW, on the other hand, was designed to work for older machines. I have to sacrifice some graphical features (guessing where your Consecration is is fun, but you get used to it...) but it works well enough.
Bottom line: no other RPG out there is as good as WoW. None of them have the staying power (constant content updates, gameplay updates, tweeks, etc.), the depth or the entertainment value that WoW has. I love it, and I hate it. I love it because it is quite possibly the best game I have ever played. I hate it because it burns up so much of my time.
Anyone who has ever gone to a raid in WoW has gone to both good ones and bad ones. I was never part of a raiding guild and never wanted to be. Not my cup of tea. I do however, like some light raiding. I know how to main and off-tank every fight in Karazhan. I've finished the whole thing in two hours. I've also spent seven or eight hours just trying to get to and kill Maiden (and ultimately went home with her still standing.) It is so ridiculously easy to blow your entire day doing nothing but WoW. And that worries me. I don't want to look back on my twenties and see nothing but WoW memories.
Another thing that bothers me is how much I want to return to it. I left it for a variety of reasons. I had reached the point where I was basically killing time before the next expansion. I didn't raid or do any heavy pvp; I had my Nether Drake, I could make a thousand gold in a couple days or less, I have my Shattered Sun title...not much else to do but raid and I wasn't in for that (beyond Karazhan.) I figured I should find something else to do with my time besides get killed in the arena and pissing & moaning about the Alliance getting crushed in the battlegrounds. So I left. But now, about four months later, I find myself thinking that I'd really like to go back. There are things I miss. I miss the friends I met through WoW. I miss the community, I miss stepping out of myself for a while (I found WoW lets me do this better than pretty much anything else.) It's left a void in my life, and in me. And I fear the only thing that can fill it now is more WoW.
WoW and I have something of a love-hate relationship. I played the game nearly non-stop for a year and a half, to the exclusion of quite a bit else in my life (though thankfully I didn't lose any friends or a job because of it.) I'm off it now, but as I look at the other games in my library, they all seem to pale in comparison. No other game in my life (and my gaming life extends quite a ways. 21 years if memory serves me correctly) has kept me so enthralled so completely for so long. While I may have really enjoyed them and played them a lot, Quest for Glory IV, Starcraft and Final Fantasy IV didn't keep me playing them every day for a year and a half.
As you can see, I love WoW. I love the world, I love the lore, I love the gameplay (for the most part.) I love creating a unique character, going anywhere, doing anything...I love surprising hapless Hordies in the battlegrounds who think I'm a ret paladin when I'm really a prot paladin in disguise. Oh, did that string of Reckoning crits hurt? Here, have another. Nah, keep hitting me, my shield likes you. That sting a little Rogue? Keep it up, it'll all be over soon.
Classic.
But I also hate WoW. I hate it because it offers gratification too easily. As the new expansion, Wrath of the Lich King draws ever closer, it is becoming easier and easier to get at the high-level content in the game. Why? Because Blizz wants you to experience as much high-level content as you can before it all becomes obsolete. And it will, practically overnight. Just watch.
When Burning Crusade, the first expansion was released, many people found their gear being replaced within 2 levels of hitting Outland. I know I did. Many people grumbled at the ease with which their hard-earned gear was turned into crap by the first green drop in Outland. Those same people are going to grumble again when their Tier 4 is instantly rendered obsolete an hour after they hit Northrend. But I digress.
WoW offers such an easy method of gratification. Instancing, completing quests, arena fighting and battlegrounding are all designed to provide rewards that ultimately can be exchanged for even greater ones. You need but spend a few hours in a battleground or an instance and you can walk away with several new pieces of armor or a new set of weapons. World of Warcraft is great at holding the proverbial 'carrot' in front of you, then continually moving it away. And you want it. DAMN how you want it.
I have realized recently that I hate WoW for an entirely different (and seemingly paradoxical) reason: it's good. Again, I realize that's strange. A game is good, so you hate it. Here's why. It demands to be played. Once you've tasted WoW and found it to your liking, the taste of any other game is bittersweet. Other games I enjoyed playing (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic mostly) jumped in to fill the gap when I stopped playing WoW, but were quickly beaten and forgotten.
I even tried other MMOs. Dungeons and Dragons online is horrendously bad on healers and is practically impossible to play solo (I spent a whole gorram week solo-grinding one effing instance to get to level 2...WoW has you at level six inside of half an hour.) Age of Conan has potential, but is largely PvP focused. I'm not a huge fan of PvP, despite my prediliction for doing it (hey, it's quicker to pvp for gear when you're not in a raiding guild...) That, and Age of Conan has some serious graphical and gameplay issues to sort out before it gets really good. And finally, my computer is, shall we say...'dated.' I lack the funds/motivation to buy another computer, particularly a gaming computer, so Age of Conan is pretty much out. WoW, on the other hand, was designed to work for older machines. I have to sacrifice some graphical features (guessing where your Consecration is is fun, but you get used to it...) but it works well enough.
Bottom line: no other RPG out there is as good as WoW. None of them have the staying power (constant content updates, gameplay updates, tweeks, etc.), the depth or the entertainment value that WoW has. I love it, and I hate it. I love it because it is quite possibly the best game I have ever played. I hate it because it burns up so much of my time.
Anyone who has ever gone to a raid in WoW has gone to both good ones and bad ones. I was never part of a raiding guild and never wanted to be. Not my cup of tea. I do however, like some light raiding. I know how to main and off-tank every fight in Karazhan. I've finished the whole thing in two hours. I've also spent seven or eight hours just trying to get to and kill Maiden (and ultimately went home with her still standing.) It is so ridiculously easy to blow your entire day doing nothing but WoW. And that worries me. I don't want to look back on my twenties and see nothing but WoW memories.
Another thing that bothers me is how much I want to return to it. I left it for a variety of reasons. I had reached the point where I was basically killing time before the next expansion. I didn't raid or do any heavy pvp; I had my Nether Drake, I could make a thousand gold in a couple days or less, I have my Shattered Sun title...not much else to do but raid and I wasn't in for that (beyond Karazhan.) I figured I should find something else to do with my time besides get killed in the arena and pissing & moaning about the Alliance getting crushed in the battlegrounds. So I left. But now, about four months later, I find myself thinking that I'd really like to go back. There are things I miss. I miss the friends I met through WoW. I miss the community, I miss stepping out of myself for a while (I found WoW lets me do this better than pretty much anything else.) It's left a void in my life, and in me. And I fear the only thing that can fill it now is more WoW.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Review: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Seeing as how most of my work these days involves video games, I thought I'd post a little something on my latest acquisition. Ok, who am I kidding, video game work is all I do.
**SPOILER WARNING**
So yesterday, I picked up Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, with great anticipation. I'd been following this for a while now, I'd seen the trailer where the guy pulls the Star Destroyer out of the sky and I thought "that's just strong!" I buy the game, I get home, I play it...and I'm having mixed thoughts.
On the one hand, it is a fantastic addition to the Star Wars universe. The story is interesting and compelling (thought much much shorter than I was hoping for) and opens up a world of possibilities while at the same time not interfering with the canon. The action is cool and throwing Stormtroopers several hundred meters just never gets old.
On the other hand, it has some parts that annoyed the crap out of me. The gameplay mechanics need a little tune up, particularly the part where you pull the Star Destroyer down. The damn thing has to be just so, or you can't pull it! I've also read that many people have encountered a bug here that prohibits you from pulling it down at all.
I'm not really a fan of jumping games and I hate to say it, but this is definitely one. If you ever want to upgrade your Lightsaber with crystals that do more than change the color, you NEED to be good at jumping. I also hate games that are filled with mooks who have IWIN buttons. You know, the mooks that knock you down, kick the crap out of you then knock you down again the second you get up? It's boring for a player to have that ability and it really bites the big one when it gets used on you. Getting trashed by cheap moves is no fun at all and there are plenty of mobs in TFO that have chump moves.
Call me crazy if you will, but I like character customization. I think games with fixed main characters are becoming a minority, and this is no bad thing in my mind. I like being able to own my character, I like the feeling that it is *my* character I am playing, as opposed to living out someone else's adventure. With that in mind, I was disappointed to see that you don't even get a choice of premade characters; you get Starkiller, Vader's Secret Apprentice. That's it. You don't even get to choose gender. Again, call me crazy if you like, but I enjoy playing female characters. I know what I guy's body looks like and frankly, I'd rather not look at a male ass waggling at me for hours on end (as much as I love it, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic did a great job of showing off the male ass...) In it's defense, TFO does a good job of covering that up, but still. I would have preferred at least a little choice in character options.
All things considered, I wish I had rented this instead of buying it. It's a good game and is worth money, but for the length of time I spent playing it (<10 hours) I would've liked to have seen a smaller price tag on it. Bottom line: if you like Star Wars and action/ninja-style games, you'll love The Force Unleashed. If you like RPGs, play Knights of the Old Republic; you'll be happier.
**SPOILER WARNING**
So yesterday, I picked up Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, with great anticipation. I'd been following this for a while now, I'd seen the trailer where the guy pulls the Star Destroyer out of the sky and I thought "that's just strong!" I buy the game, I get home, I play it...and I'm having mixed thoughts.
On the one hand, it is a fantastic addition to the Star Wars universe. The story is interesting and compelling (thought much much shorter than I was hoping for) and opens up a world of possibilities while at the same time not interfering with the canon. The action is cool and throwing Stormtroopers several hundred meters just never gets old.
On the other hand, it has some parts that annoyed the crap out of me. The gameplay mechanics need a little tune up, particularly the part where you pull the Star Destroyer down. The damn thing has to be just so, or you can't pull it! I've also read that many people have encountered a bug here that prohibits you from pulling it down at all.
I'm not really a fan of jumping games and I hate to say it, but this is definitely one. If you ever want to upgrade your Lightsaber with crystals that do more than change the color, you NEED to be good at jumping. I also hate games that are filled with mooks who have IWIN buttons. You know, the mooks that knock you down, kick the crap out of you then knock you down again the second you get up? It's boring for a player to have that ability and it really bites the big one when it gets used on you. Getting trashed by cheap moves is no fun at all and there are plenty of mobs in TFO that have chump moves.
Call me crazy if you will, but I like character customization. I think games with fixed main characters are becoming a minority, and this is no bad thing in my mind. I like being able to own my character, I like the feeling that it is *my* character I am playing, as opposed to living out someone else's adventure. With that in mind, I was disappointed to see that you don't even get a choice of premade characters; you get Starkiller, Vader's Secret Apprentice. That's it. You don't even get to choose gender. Again, call me crazy if you like, but I enjoy playing female characters. I know what I guy's body looks like and frankly, I'd rather not look at a male ass waggling at me for hours on end (as much as I love it, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic did a great job of showing off the male ass...) In it's defense, TFO does a good job of covering that up, but still. I would have preferred at least a little choice in character options.
All things considered, I wish I had rented this instead of buying it. It's a good game and is worth money, but for the length of time I spent playing it (<10 hours) I would've liked to have seen a smaller price tag on it. Bottom line: if you like Star Wars and action/ninja-style games, you'll love The Force Unleashed. If you like RPGs, play Knights of the Old Republic; you'll be happier.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Tips for Successful Freelancing #6: Knowing what you're Worth
There's a definite line between a good freelance gig and a crappy one, and that line isn't always drawn with fringe benefits. Quite often, the difference between a gig that's worth your time and one that's designed to give desperate college students a little extra pocket money is quite simply, money. Many writers feel that in order to remain a successful freelancer, they may only take freelance gigs. They obviously didn't read our post on keeping your day job. Taking (or keeping) a day job does not make you any less of a freelancer. Need we remind you? Being able to remain a full-time freelance writer is nothing short of miraculous. There is absolutely no shame in being a part-time freelancer.
With that in mind, hopefully you kept your day job. If you didn't, go get one unless you're making a lot of money as a writer (and by "a lot" I mean "more than 60k/year.") Part of being a good freelancer is knowing what you're worth. Despite what some people will tell you, there are a lot of gigs out there that don't pay jack or shit. Even if you're just starting out as a freelancer, there are some gigs you should steer clear from. I know that the urge to work is powerful and the urge to take any payment, no matter how minuscule, is equally powerful. Believe me when I say that you need to resist this urge. Here's why you should NEVER take a gig that pays an less than 8 cents a word (and even that is pushing it.)
1) You won't get paid jack. Let's take a look at a fairly common example, say, 5 cents a word. You are contracted to write a 350-word article. 350x.05= $17.50, $14 after tax. Not terrible, but you can certainly be doing better. Get the current copy of Writer's Market (or check it out at your local library!) and you'll see that most reputable publications pay at least 10 cents a word. Some large publications like Popular Mechanics pay up to ONE DOLLAR per word! Granted, getting your work into Popmech is like pulling hen's teeth but hey, it could happen.
2) Companies that don't pay well won't treat you well. If you sign on for a gig that pays a penny a word (or worse, even less...) you can expect to give your blood, sweat and tears along with those words you just shelled out. Companies that don't pay their writers well are just looking for a source of cheap content and honestly couldn't give a shit about where it comes from. They probably have some hack in-house who is getting paid a hell of a lot more than you are to do a quick rewrite. And I'll bet you every cent I've got that the hack hates their job. Good deal? Hardly.
3) You can do better. Again, even if you're just starting out, the modern world will ALWAYS have a place in it for freelance writers. The hard part is finding the place in the world that works for you. That's why there are resources like the Writer's Market (plug plug.) Nobody should have to settle for .5 cents a word!
4) Acceptance. In almost every gig you'll get, your articles need to go through a process of revision before they can be accepted. Depending on the company, the revision process may or may not involve you. More often than not, it does. If the company likes your work enough to ask for a rewrite, you may find yourself doing more work than you bargained for. Is a day's worth of work worth it for three cents a word? Not unless your day is twenty minutes long.
5) Don't believe the hype. A lot of writers will tell you to take whatever you can get. That a shitty, low-paying gig is better than no gig at all. This is simply not true. Talk to the same writer in a year or two and ask them how their freelance life is going. You'll hear them say either "it's over" or "lousy." Why? Because if you settle for less than you're worth, you're going to get frustrated at doing good work for jack shit. You're going to burn out and you're going to can a potentially successful writing career.
There are a few minor exceptions to the rule, the most notable being stories. Most of us can't pull this off (yours truly included) but if you can manage to make a living selling stories, you can settle for less than 8 cents a word. Most publications, even reputable ones, don't pay more than seven cents a word for fiction. But that's ok! Your average short story runs around 5-6,000 words, possibly up to about 10,000. Let's take a mean, say 7,000 words. At 5 cents a word, that's $350, $280 after taxes. Not too shabby. That's a whole week's worth of working retail.
Think of it this way: you always have a choice in jobs, just like in the real world. You can either endure some rough times and wait for a job that pays what you're worth, or you can be miserable flipping burgers and scraping by. Resist the urge to take crappy jobs! Nobody should have to work for a penny a word unless they're getting paid to transcribe the Library of Congress!
With that in mind, hopefully you kept your day job. If you didn't, go get one unless you're making a lot of money as a writer (and by "a lot" I mean "more than 60k/year.") Part of being a good freelancer is knowing what you're worth. Despite what some people will tell you, there are a lot of gigs out there that don't pay jack or shit. Even if you're just starting out as a freelancer, there are some gigs you should steer clear from. I know that the urge to work is powerful and the urge to take any payment, no matter how minuscule, is equally powerful. Believe me when I say that you need to resist this urge. Here's why you should NEVER take a gig that pays an less than 8 cents a word (and even that is pushing it.)
1) You won't get paid jack. Let's take a look at a fairly common example, say, 5 cents a word. You are contracted to write a 350-word article. 350x.05= $17.50, $14 after tax. Not terrible, but you can certainly be doing better. Get the current copy of Writer's Market (or check it out at your local library!) and you'll see that most reputable publications pay at least 10 cents a word. Some large publications like Popular Mechanics pay up to ONE DOLLAR per word! Granted, getting your work into Popmech is like pulling hen's teeth but hey, it could happen.
2) Companies that don't pay well won't treat you well. If you sign on for a gig that pays a penny a word (or worse, even less...) you can expect to give your blood, sweat and tears along with those words you just shelled out. Companies that don't pay their writers well are just looking for a source of cheap content and honestly couldn't give a shit about where it comes from. They probably have some hack in-house who is getting paid a hell of a lot more than you are to do a quick rewrite. And I'll bet you every cent I've got that the hack hates their job. Good deal? Hardly.
3) You can do better. Again, even if you're just starting out, the modern world will ALWAYS have a place in it for freelance writers. The hard part is finding the place in the world that works for you. That's why there are resources like the Writer's Market (plug plug.) Nobody should have to settle for .5 cents a word!
4) Acceptance. In almost every gig you'll get, your articles need to go through a process of revision before they can be accepted. Depending on the company, the revision process may or may not involve you. More often than not, it does. If the company likes your work enough to ask for a rewrite, you may find yourself doing more work than you bargained for. Is a day's worth of work worth it for three cents a word? Not unless your day is twenty minutes long.
5) Don't believe the hype. A lot of writers will tell you to take whatever you can get. That a shitty, low-paying gig is better than no gig at all. This is simply not true. Talk to the same writer in a year or two and ask them how their freelance life is going. You'll hear them say either "it's over" or "lousy." Why? Because if you settle for less than you're worth, you're going to get frustrated at doing good work for jack shit. You're going to burn out and you're going to can a potentially successful writing career.
There are a few minor exceptions to the rule, the most notable being stories. Most of us can't pull this off (yours truly included) but if you can manage to make a living selling stories, you can settle for less than 8 cents a word. Most publications, even reputable ones, don't pay more than seven cents a word for fiction. But that's ok! Your average short story runs around 5-6,000 words, possibly up to about 10,000. Let's take a mean, say 7,000 words. At 5 cents a word, that's $350, $280 after taxes. Not too shabby. That's a whole week's worth of working retail.
Think of it this way: you always have a choice in jobs, just like in the real world. You can either endure some rough times and wait for a job that pays what you're worth, or you can be miserable flipping burgers and scraping by. Resist the urge to take crappy jobs! Nobody should have to work for a penny a word unless they're getting paid to transcribe the Library of Congress!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
DeFlocked
I've always been a fan of comics, ever since I was a kid. I can't remember what my first comic was, but it was probably either:
-the classic Marvel set my dad gave me to read which included Fantastic Four, Spider Man and a couple others
-some Far Side comics my older brother kept around
-a G.I. Joe comic I found in a local bookstore
However it happened, my life has been marked with several distinct eras of comic fandom, ranging from Garfield and Far Side collections to manga libraries (Kishiro Yukito's 'Gunnm' is my all-time fav) and most recently, to American comics like Megatokyo (I know it's in a manga style, but it's by an American. Ha!), Strangers in Paradise, Watchmen and Dead Days.
Throughout my life and through my various phases of comic obsessions, I have always had a deep love and appreciation for the sunday funnies. These slices of Americana teach us life lessons, poke fun at current politics and give folks of all ages a good laugh on a relaxing day.
I was recently approached by comic artist Jeff Corriveau regarding his strip, DeFlocked. His strip is nationally syndicated, and is currently on it's trial run in several local newspapers. I have to say, I love his work. His artistic style is unique and inspired, his characters dialog is witty and sharp and is always good for a nice, hearty laugh. His characters, particularly Mamet and Cobb, personify the highest and the lowest points in all of us. Mamet represents the voice in our heads that thinks things we know we shouldn't say while Cobb represents the things we should be saying.
Add to that a lovably innocent brother and a young boy who has trouble fitting in and you've got a recipe for a surprisingly well-developed cast who has more to say than one-line jokes. Stop on by and give the editors a shout if you like his work! Think you know someone who might like DeFlocked? Send them the link!
Best of luck Jeff! You keep making it, we'll keep reading it!
-the classic Marvel set my dad gave me to read which included Fantastic Four, Spider Man and a couple others
-some Far Side comics my older brother kept around
-a G.I. Joe comic I found in a local bookstore
However it happened, my life has been marked with several distinct eras of comic fandom, ranging from Garfield and Far Side collections to manga libraries (Kishiro Yukito's 'Gunnm' is my all-time fav) and most recently, to American comics like Megatokyo (I know it's in a manga style, but it's by an American. Ha!), Strangers in Paradise, Watchmen and Dead Days.
Throughout my life and through my various phases of comic obsessions, I have always had a deep love and appreciation for the sunday funnies. These slices of Americana teach us life lessons, poke fun at current politics and give folks of all ages a good laugh on a relaxing day.
I was recently approached by comic artist Jeff Corriveau regarding his strip, DeFlocked. His strip is nationally syndicated, and is currently on it's trial run in several local newspapers. I have to say, I love his work. His artistic style is unique and inspired, his characters dialog is witty and sharp and is always good for a nice, hearty laugh. His characters, particularly Mamet and Cobb, personify the highest and the lowest points in all of us. Mamet represents the voice in our heads that thinks things we know we shouldn't say while Cobb represents the things we should be saying.
Add to that a lovably innocent brother and a young boy who has trouble fitting in and you've got a recipe for a surprisingly well-developed cast who has more to say than one-line jokes. Stop on by and give the editors a shout if you like his work! Think you know someone who might like DeFlocked? Send them the link!
Best of luck Jeff! You keep making it, we'll keep reading it!
Tips for Successful Freelancing #5: Keeping Busy
Unlike regular careers, freelance writers cannot afford to work for merely one client/company. What if your company goes under? What if your project's funding dries up? What if there is a reorganization and you get downsized? While 'regular' jobs offer a modicum of safety, freelance writing is very fluid. You never know when a gig will get pulled out from under you. Keeping more than one client is absolutely essential.
When I started freelancing, it was for a single client. I was doing lots of work and making great money. Everything was kosher. I didn't know to look for another client even though business was good, so I just let it go. Big mistake. About six months after I started working, the company introduced a new deal. It seemed ok at the time, but it quickly became apparent that this new deal reflected changes in the company's leadership, changes in funding and most importantly, meant a lot less money for me. I tried in vain to hold onto my previous wage, but it just didn't happen.
I was faced with the harsh reality that sticking with only one client is a very bad idea. I struggled to find other gigs and got pretty desperate. I found another gig a couple months later but, much to my chagrin, funding for the project dried up and I was out another client. Finding new clients since then has proven to be more of the same: difficult. I've picked up a few new clients but I have yet to recover my previous salary, even with three regular clients.
While it may not always be true, I have certainly found that the only circumstance under which you can have too many clients is if you can't keep up with the workload. Until you reach that point, you can never have too many clients.
I know it's easy to rest on your laurels, especially if it's your first gig as a freelancer. But don't do it. It's a trap that is all too easy to fall into and very difficult to pull out of.
When I started freelancing, it was for a single client. I was doing lots of work and making great money. Everything was kosher. I didn't know to look for another client even though business was good, so I just let it go. Big mistake. About six months after I started working, the company introduced a new deal. It seemed ok at the time, but it quickly became apparent that this new deal reflected changes in the company's leadership, changes in funding and most importantly, meant a lot less money for me. I tried in vain to hold onto my previous wage, but it just didn't happen.
I was faced with the harsh reality that sticking with only one client is a very bad idea. I struggled to find other gigs and got pretty desperate. I found another gig a couple months later but, much to my chagrin, funding for the project dried up and I was out another client. Finding new clients since then has proven to be more of the same: difficult. I've picked up a few new clients but I have yet to recover my previous salary, even with three regular clients.
While it may not always be true, I have certainly found that the only circumstance under which you can have too many clients is if you can't keep up with the workload. Until you reach that point, you can never have too many clients.
I know it's easy to rest on your laurels, especially if it's your first gig as a freelancer. But don't do it. It's a trap that is all too easy to fall into and very difficult to pull out of.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Tips for Successful Freelancing #4: Taxes
One of the hard facts of freelance life is that next to none of your clients will do your tax withholdings for you like a "regular" employer. This means you will need to take a certain amount out of your paycheck each month for income taxes, state taxes (if applicable), Social Security and Medicare. A good ballpark figure for this is around 25%. This is probably more than you'll need, but it's much better to err on the side of caution. This accounts for what they call the "Self-Employment Tax", which is essentially a replacement for what would be withheld anyway.
If you make more than a certain amount of money in a given quarter, you will also need to file quarterly income tax returns. This is actually a good thing. Quarterly income filings serve two purposes that are beneficial to you, the freelancer. 1) They allow you to pay your taxes incrementally so you aren't lumbered with a $4,000 tax bill come April 15 and 2) they indicate that you are making enough money for the IRS to want a piece. Believe me when I say that if you don't make enough money to necessitate filing quarterly returns, you are in, to use a technical term "deep shit."
The cutoff for quarterly returns comes when you owe at least $1,000 in taxes that quarter. Generally, if you make about $8,000 in a quarter, you will need to file a quarterly return. $6,000> and you will probably not have to file quarterly.
Despite the dread associated with them, the IRS maintains a surprisingly helpful website, complete with all the forms you will need to fill out. If you're having trouble ascertaining whether or not you need to file quarterly returns, here is a link to the IRS Telephone Assistance directory.
http://www.irs.gov/help/article/0,,id=96730,00.html
Above all, remember to take the 25% for taxes out of your paycheck IMMEDIATELY. Either put it into a separate account or cash it and stick it in a jar and hide it. Do whatever you need to do to keep your hands off it! The last thing you want is to face April 15 without having saved for your taxes.
If you make more than a certain amount of money in a given quarter, you will also need to file quarterly income tax returns. This is actually a good thing. Quarterly income filings serve two purposes that are beneficial to you, the freelancer. 1) They allow you to pay your taxes incrementally so you aren't lumbered with a $4,000 tax bill come April 15 and 2) they indicate that you are making enough money for the IRS to want a piece. Believe me when I say that if you don't make enough money to necessitate filing quarterly returns, you are in, to use a technical term "deep shit."
The cutoff for quarterly returns comes when you owe at least $1,000 in taxes that quarter. Generally, if you make about $8,000 in a quarter, you will need to file a quarterly return. $6,000> and you will probably not have to file quarterly.
Despite the dread associated with them, the IRS maintains a surprisingly helpful website, complete with all the forms you will need to fill out. If you're having trouble ascertaining whether or not you need to file quarterly returns, here is a link to the IRS Telephone Assistance directory.
http://www.irs.gov/help/article/0,,id=96730,00.html
Above all, remember to take the 25% for taxes out of your paycheck IMMEDIATELY. Either put it into a separate account or cash it and stick it in a jar and hide it. Do whatever you need to do to keep your hands off it! The last thing you want is to face April 15 without having saved for your taxes.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Tips for Successful Freelancing #3: Time Management
If you're like most of us, you're probably pretty enamored with the idea of setting your own hours. Not being a slave to the nine to five or even worse, that ever-changing piece of paper with your name and different days every week? While it is true that setting your own hours *appears* to offer a certain flexibility in work schedules, the truth is a bit more clouded.
As a freelance writer, you are not bound by regular work schedules. Instead, you are bound by ever-changing deadlines. If you're lucky, you'll land some regular clients that expect a set amount of work at set intervals. I have one such client who requires three articles by the 15th of each month, then another four by the end of the month. It's a sweet gig. But not all gigs are so sweet.
Constantly-changing schedules and continually updated deadlines means that you HAVE to stay on top of scheduling. While you may superficially think you can set your own hours, really all that means is that you set the hours you work. In order to make a living wage, believe me, you will work just as much (probably more) than the average cubicle jockey. You may not work set hours, but you will definitely put in the hours to meet your deadlines.
Staying on top of deadlines is one of the most important things that you as a freelancer must do. If you miss a deadline, you may be forgiven. You make a habit of missing deadlines and your reputation will start to suffer. If your reputation suffers, you will find it increasingly difficult to attract reputable clients. Reputable clients = good work. Without a good reputation to back yourself up, you've got very little to stand on. Now, all of us started with little to nothing. Most clients realize that. Not all of them are willing to take a chance on an unknown. If you lead with your best foot forward and ace deadlines, you'll be in great shape.
If, however, you have trouble managing your time pre-freelancing, you may want to consider taking a time management class. It is all too easy to get distracted by things at home. TV, video games, books; they are all potential distractions that MUST be put aside if you ever wish to get work done on time.
I find it helpful to make a dedicated work area. I have a desk and a computer solely dedicated to work. It is well away from the living room (and the tv, the Xbox, etc.) and away from most distractions. I keep a poster of my favorite movie (which I find inspiring) and a calendar close by. My desk is clean, efficient and organized. Nothing that is not work-related touches this desk. This is what I need to do to keep myself on track. Mind you, this is not absolutely necessary to maintain organization, it's just what I find helpful.
I highly recommend setting aside an area strictly for work. If you find yourself getting distracted by things on your computer, get rid of them. It may take some shuffling to find the right area for you. Keep trying until you get it.
Bottom line: freelancing is a gigantic juggling act with time management being one of the things you must balance. If you can't learn to budget your time and allocate enough time to get things done and get them done well, you probably won't last long. If you can get yourself in order and make a nice little niche for yourself in your place of residence, chances are better that you will be able to work successfully.
As a freelance writer, you are not bound by regular work schedules. Instead, you are bound by ever-changing deadlines. If you're lucky, you'll land some regular clients that expect a set amount of work at set intervals. I have one such client who requires three articles by the 15th of each month, then another four by the end of the month. It's a sweet gig. But not all gigs are so sweet.
Constantly-changing schedules and continually updated deadlines means that you HAVE to stay on top of scheduling. While you may superficially think you can set your own hours, really all that means is that you set the hours you work. In order to make a living wage, believe me, you will work just as much (probably more) than the average cubicle jockey. You may not work set hours, but you will definitely put in the hours to meet your deadlines.
Staying on top of deadlines is one of the most important things that you as a freelancer must do. If you miss a deadline, you may be forgiven. You make a habit of missing deadlines and your reputation will start to suffer. If your reputation suffers, you will find it increasingly difficult to attract reputable clients. Reputable clients = good work. Without a good reputation to back yourself up, you've got very little to stand on. Now, all of us started with little to nothing. Most clients realize that. Not all of them are willing to take a chance on an unknown. If you lead with your best foot forward and ace deadlines, you'll be in great shape.
If, however, you have trouble managing your time pre-freelancing, you may want to consider taking a time management class. It is all too easy to get distracted by things at home. TV, video games, books; they are all potential distractions that MUST be put aside if you ever wish to get work done on time.
I find it helpful to make a dedicated work area. I have a desk and a computer solely dedicated to work. It is well away from the living room (and the tv, the Xbox, etc.) and away from most distractions. I keep a poster of my favorite movie (which I find inspiring) and a calendar close by. My desk is clean, efficient and organized. Nothing that is not work-related touches this desk. This is what I need to do to keep myself on track. Mind you, this is not absolutely necessary to maintain organization, it's just what I find helpful.
I highly recommend setting aside an area strictly for work. If you find yourself getting distracted by things on your computer, get rid of them. It may take some shuffling to find the right area for you. Keep trying until you get it.
Bottom line: freelancing is a gigantic juggling act with time management being one of the things you must balance. If you can't learn to budget your time and allocate enough time to get things done and get them done well, you probably won't last long. If you can get yourself in order and make a nice little niche for yourself in your place of residence, chances are better that you will be able to work successfully.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Film Review: X-Files: I Want to Believe
I went into this movie with perhaps foolishly high hopes. I am a long-time fan of the series, ever since I was a kid. I saw Fight the Future and walked away entertained. While I did walk away from I Want to Believe having been entertained and not feeling like I wasted my $7.50, I did feel a little let down.
Don't get me wrong: I Want to Believe is indeed a stand-alone story in the X-Files universe. While you can't enjoy it fully if you've never seen any X-Files shows or Fight the Future, it can be enjoyed if you know the story of how the tv series ended (hence the reason why Mulder and Scully aren't together, etc.) The story is good, the acting is excellent and the story is everything you'd expect from the X-Files. My only gripe is that this feels more like a 2-hour special episode of the series rather than a feature film.
Fight the Future was big. It was up to Mulder and Scully to stop an alien conspiracy to colonize the earth through hostile means. There were aliens, government conspiracies; it was big time. The stakes were about as high as they can get. I Want to Believe seemed much smaller in scale. The story this time round involves a pedophile psychic priest, a missing FBI agent and a Russian doctor playing Dr.Frankenstein. Again, it makes for a great story and a creepy concept, but I was expecting something grander in scale.
All things considered though, I Want to Believe was two hours and $7.50 well-spent for an old fan. We get to see Mulder and Scully get back together and tackle some old issues, Skinner gets a cameo at the end and the story has a decently happy ending. A couple plot holes remain unfilled (what happened to the FBI agent? The experiment subject? Scully's patient?) but that aside, I'd recommend seeing this if you were/are a fan of the series and saw Fight the Future. If you're not an X-Files fan, skip it unless you have a taste for the macabre.
Don't get me wrong: I Want to Believe is indeed a stand-alone story in the X-Files universe. While you can't enjoy it fully if you've never seen any X-Files shows or Fight the Future, it can be enjoyed if you know the story of how the tv series ended (hence the reason why Mulder and Scully aren't together, etc.) The story is good, the acting is excellent and the story is everything you'd expect from the X-Files. My only gripe is that this feels more like a 2-hour special episode of the series rather than a feature film.
Fight the Future was big. It was up to Mulder and Scully to stop an alien conspiracy to colonize the earth through hostile means. There were aliens, government conspiracies; it was big time. The stakes were about as high as they can get. I Want to Believe seemed much smaller in scale. The story this time round involves a pedophile psychic priest, a missing FBI agent and a Russian doctor playing Dr.Frankenstein. Again, it makes for a great story and a creepy concept, but I was expecting something grander in scale.
All things considered though, I Want to Believe was two hours and $7.50 well-spent for an old fan. We get to see Mulder and Scully get back together and tackle some old issues, Skinner gets a cameo at the end and the story has a decently happy ending. A couple plot holes remain unfilled (what happened to the FBI agent? The experiment subject? Scully's patient?) but that aside, I'd recommend seeing this if you were/are a fan of the series and saw Fight the Future. If you're not an X-Files fan, skip it unless you have a taste for the macabre.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Tips for Successful Freelancing #2: Style Guides
As I have found recently, Style Guides are much more than a standard set of rules to direct the uniformity of documents used by a company. They can also be vindictive pieces of literature that seem to want nothing more than to make your life a living hell.
To save yourself eternal damnation at the hands of an editor with a copy of the latest Style Guide in their hands, make sure that you always, without fail, read the damn thing BEFORE you sign a contract to start work for somebody. Most companies use established styles like Chicago, MLS, MLA or AP. But not everyone. If a company has it's own style guide, it is imperative that you read it and read it well BEFORE you sign a contract or start working. Is it short? Is it cursory? Does it have gaps? If the answer to any of those three questions is "yes", ask the company why.
If the style guide is short, it probably means the company is new and wants to do things their own way. Beware of companies that do this. Short style guides are bound to get longer and if you don't keep up with the changes, it can cost you a lot of time, effort and gnashing of teeth.
If the style guide is very simplistic, it is open to interpretation. If your interpretation of the guide is different from the editor's, guess what: you've got more work ahead of you that you probably aren't going to get paid for.
If the guide has gaps in it, it probably means the company doesn't really know what it wants, but rather has a general idea of what it doesn't want. If this is the case, you are essentially left fumbling in the dark until you either do something they don't want or happen to get lucky and do something they find they do want. Either way, it means more work for no pay.
Bottom line: If the company you are thinking of working for has a sub-par style guide (or none at all) consider one of the following: 1) Find employment elsewhere. I know we all get desperate and we could all use the extra income but believe me when I say it may not be worth the effort. 2) Request an addendum to the contract limiting your liability for edits and rewrites. The Writer's Guild stipulates that if a screenwriter under contract is asked to rewrite or edit their script, they must be paid for doing so. There's no reason you shouldn't. You are putting in billable hours, just like any other employee when you edit or rewrite a document. If the company you are considering working for is not willing to accommodate extra pay after a fair number of edits or rewrites, go somewhere else.
Example: I recently did some work for a burgeoning website which had (when I started) a very brief style guide. My first piece for them went fine, but then they started updating the guide on a near-weekly basis. My second and third pieces went through no less than five edits each. Each time I sent it back, the editor thought of something else they wanted or had some new style guide that needed to be met. I wound up spending more time on the edits than I did in writing the pieces to begin with. Because the contract has already been signed, I can no longer get paid anything more for writing the pieces, even though I spent nearly double the allotted time on each of them due to constant demands for edits and additions.
Admittedly, some of those rewrites/edits were due to errors on my part. I admit that and I think it's fair that a writer should have to fix their mistakes. However, I do not believe that writers should have to cater to the whim of their employer at every turn without suitable compensation. If I'm going to spend 40 hours working on a 20 hour piece for 20 hours worth of pay, the situation must be rectified.
Freelance writers have it rough, and never let anyone tell you otherwise. We have to constantly look for work, constantly interview for new jobs, beg to get paid, fight to get our work read and deal with often harsh criticism of some of our most cherished work on a near-constant basis. We shouldn't have to do twice the work for half the pay. If your employer is not willing to offer additional payment for more than two or three rewrites/edits that are not due to writer error, find work elsewhere.
To save yourself eternal damnation at the hands of an editor with a copy of the latest Style Guide in their hands, make sure that you always, without fail, read the damn thing BEFORE you sign a contract to start work for somebody. Most companies use established styles like Chicago, MLS, MLA or AP. But not everyone. If a company has it's own style guide, it is imperative that you read it and read it well BEFORE you sign a contract or start working. Is it short? Is it cursory? Does it have gaps? If the answer to any of those three questions is "yes", ask the company why.
If the style guide is short, it probably means the company is new and wants to do things their own way. Beware of companies that do this. Short style guides are bound to get longer and if you don't keep up with the changes, it can cost you a lot of time, effort and gnashing of teeth.
If the style guide is very simplistic, it is open to interpretation. If your interpretation of the guide is different from the editor's, guess what: you've got more work ahead of you that you probably aren't going to get paid for.
If the guide has gaps in it, it probably means the company doesn't really know what it wants, but rather has a general idea of what it doesn't want. If this is the case, you are essentially left fumbling in the dark until you either do something they don't want or happen to get lucky and do something they find they do want. Either way, it means more work for no pay.
Bottom line: If the company you are thinking of working for has a sub-par style guide (or none at all) consider one of the following: 1) Find employment elsewhere. I know we all get desperate and we could all use the extra income but believe me when I say it may not be worth the effort. 2) Request an addendum to the contract limiting your liability for edits and rewrites. The Writer's Guild stipulates that if a screenwriter under contract is asked to rewrite or edit their script, they must be paid for doing so. There's no reason you shouldn't. You are putting in billable hours, just like any other employee when you edit or rewrite a document. If the company you are considering working for is not willing to accommodate extra pay after a fair number of edits or rewrites, go somewhere else.
Example: I recently did some work for a burgeoning website which had (when I started) a very brief style guide. My first piece for them went fine, but then they started updating the guide on a near-weekly basis. My second and third pieces went through no less than five edits each. Each time I sent it back, the editor thought of something else they wanted or had some new style guide that needed to be met. I wound up spending more time on the edits than I did in writing the pieces to begin with. Because the contract has already been signed, I can no longer get paid anything more for writing the pieces, even though I spent nearly double the allotted time on each of them due to constant demands for edits and additions.
Admittedly, some of those rewrites/edits were due to errors on my part. I admit that and I think it's fair that a writer should have to fix their mistakes. However, I do not believe that writers should have to cater to the whim of their employer at every turn without suitable compensation. If I'm going to spend 40 hours working on a 20 hour piece for 20 hours worth of pay, the situation must be rectified.
Freelance writers have it rough, and never let anyone tell you otherwise. We have to constantly look for work, constantly interview for new jobs, beg to get paid, fight to get our work read and deal with often harsh criticism of some of our most cherished work on a near-constant basis. We shouldn't have to do twice the work for half the pay. If your employer is not willing to offer additional payment for more than two or three rewrites/edits that are not due to writer error, find work elsewhere.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Tips for Successful Freelancing #1: Don't Quit your Day Job
You hear this all the time, and believe me, it's the last thing you want to hear. Most people don't think working and living as a full-time freelance writer is possible. For most of us, it isn't. For those of us who can make it as a full-time freelancer, it's far from easy. Ok, the dress code is "Perma-casual" and the hours are up to you, but in order to maintain your status as full-time freelancer, make no mistake: you WILL work your ass off.
There is something to be said for a guaranteed paycheck every two or even every four weeks. As a full-time freelancer, you can forget about that. You'll be lucky to get paid once a month. Damn lucky. If you're like most of the freelancers, you'll spend a good deal of time sending invoices, doing your taxes (that's right, remember how nice and easy taxes were when you went in to work? Well guess what: next to nobody withholds for you in the freelancing world. You need to budget for taxes yourself,) and trying to get paid for services rendered.
Having a regular day job, even a part-time one ensures that A) you'll get a paycheck every 2-4 weeks, B) you won't starve, C) you might get health benefits if you work for a good company (freelancers typically do not receive benefits of any kind), and D) if freelancing work slows down (and it's bound to sooner or later) you have something else to fall back on.
True Story: About seven months after I started working my first freelance gig, there was a restructuring. Previous to the reorg, I was writing about 60 articles/month at $50/article. That works out to around 2,250/month after taxes. Not bad, beats the hell out of retail. I was working hard, but I was having fun, building my portfolio. But then the reorg comes. My editor leaves and a new company comes in. They offer us a monthly stipend and some ad revenues that amount to a fraction of what I was earning. They expected less of me (12 articles instead of 60) but it paid a hell of a lot less. Because I was doing so well for so long, I ditched my day job and did this full-time. Didn't even bother to look for another client. Big mistake.
By the time it was all over, I was making around $750 a month. Not hardly enough to get by on. I looked around for other freelancing gigs, but if you work in a specialized field, finding a new gig can be tough if not nigh impossible. I was eventually forced to go back to retail for a while until things picked up. It was a rough few months, shoot, it still is rough. But I learned my lesson. I now write for no less than three clients, and am still looking for more.
Bottom line: you never know when your "sweet gig" will go sour, and a shitty day job is better than no day job. Despite what you may be thinking, you CAN work a "regular" job and freelance at the same time. It will be a challenge at first, but you'll get used to it. Besides, co-workers in the humdrum "regular" world love to hear about other people's lives.
There is something to be said for a guaranteed paycheck every two or even every four weeks. As a full-time freelancer, you can forget about that. You'll be lucky to get paid once a month. Damn lucky. If you're like most of the freelancers, you'll spend a good deal of time sending invoices, doing your taxes (that's right, remember how nice and easy taxes were when you went in to work? Well guess what: next to nobody withholds for you in the freelancing world. You need to budget for taxes yourself,) and trying to get paid for services rendered.
Having a regular day job, even a part-time one ensures that A) you'll get a paycheck every 2-4 weeks, B) you won't starve, C) you might get health benefits if you work for a good company (freelancers typically do not receive benefits of any kind), and D) if freelancing work slows down (and it's bound to sooner or later) you have something else to fall back on.
True Story: About seven months after I started working my first freelance gig, there was a restructuring. Previous to the reorg, I was writing about 60 articles/month at $50/article. That works out to around 2,250/month after taxes. Not bad, beats the hell out of retail. I was working hard, but I was having fun, building my portfolio. But then the reorg comes. My editor leaves and a new company comes in. They offer us a monthly stipend and some ad revenues that amount to a fraction of what I was earning. They expected less of me (12 articles instead of 60) but it paid a hell of a lot less. Because I was doing so well for so long, I ditched my day job and did this full-time. Didn't even bother to look for another client. Big mistake.
By the time it was all over, I was making around $750 a month. Not hardly enough to get by on. I looked around for other freelancing gigs, but if you work in a specialized field, finding a new gig can be tough if not nigh impossible. I was eventually forced to go back to retail for a while until things picked up. It was a rough few months, shoot, it still is rough. But I learned my lesson. I now write for no less than three clients, and am still looking for more.
Bottom line: you never know when your "sweet gig" will go sour, and a shitty day job is better than no day job. Despite what you may be thinking, you CAN work a "regular" job and freelance at the same time. It will be a challenge at first, but you'll get used to it. Besides, co-workers in the humdrum "regular" world love to hear about other people's lives.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Rejections
I wrote a short story a few months ago and was utterly convinced it was the best thing I'd written in quite some time. It went through several drafts and various incarnations before I decided I was done with it (and by "done" I mean "if I screw with it any more it'll be a total write-off) and sent it off. Thus far, it has gotten rejection letters from Fantasy & Science Fiction magazine and Analog magazine.
Then I sat on it for a few months until last night when I decided that dammit, it was valid and I just need to find the right publisher. So, tomorrow, off it goes to someone else.
The trick, aspiring short story writers, is to take all your rejection letters and put them in a file. If they give you a reason WHY they rejected your manuscript (don't count on it, but some do) take it to heart and maybe think about revising your piece a little. If they don't, go back to the drawing board and find someone else to submit it to. Above all, PERSEVERE! If you let yourself get bogged down by a couple rejection letters (or even a hundred rejection letters) you'll never know if that next publisher would've taken it. Don't make the same mistake I did and wait five months in between submissions. The day it comes back to you, send it back out to the next publisher on your list.
I know it's hard, but guess what: everyone else works for a living. As a writer, SO DO YOU. You just face different challenges and enjoy a few luxuries and annoyances that others don't.
Then I sat on it for a few months until last night when I decided that dammit, it was valid and I just need to find the right publisher. So, tomorrow, off it goes to someone else.
The trick, aspiring short story writers, is to take all your rejection letters and put them in a file. If they give you a reason WHY they rejected your manuscript (don't count on it, but some do) take it to heart and maybe think about revising your piece a little. If they don't, go back to the drawing board and find someone else to submit it to. Above all, PERSEVERE! If you let yourself get bogged down by a couple rejection letters (or even a hundred rejection letters) you'll never know if that next publisher would've taken it. Don't make the same mistake I did and wait five months in between submissions. The day it comes back to you, send it back out to the next publisher on your list.
I know it's hard, but guess what: everyone else works for a living. As a writer, SO DO YOU. You just face different challenges and enjoy a few luxuries and annoyances that others don't.
Editors make you want to something something
No TV and no beer make Homer something something. Editors constantly wanting you to change things make me something something. Go crazy? DON'T MIND IF I DO! I realize they're only human, but really, is it so hard to tell me everything you want me to fix the first or even second time around? Why is it that every time I hand in a draft of a piece, they find something else wrong with the damn thing?
There are some days when it seems like the world is never quite enough to some people. And yet, with some pieces, they will take it right off the bat, for whatever reason, even if you KNOW it could have been better.
What a strange business.
There are some days when it seems like the world is never quite enough to some people. And yet, with some pieces, they will take it right off the bat, for whatever reason, even if you KNOW it could have been better.
What a strange business.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
New Retro
This has nothing to do with freelancing, but I thought I'd mention it anyways: records are awesome. I bought a turntable recently, along with a few vinyl albums (My Bloody Valentine, Watergate, The Police, Blue Oyster Cult, The Who, Madness, etc.) and I've been having a blast with it. In the age of iPods and music on the go, hardly anyone takes the time to just sit and listen to music anymore. It's like music has become background noise for us, and it's kind of sad.
Don't get me wrong, I'm guilty of it too. As I sit here typing this, I'm listening to the "Lost in Translation" soundtrack on Winamp. I think the world would be a calmer place if people actually sat down and made listening to music an activity in and of itself.
As for the turntable, I was inspired by my cousin and the game Rock Band to buy one and do a bit of vinyl revival. I'm glad I did. You should too. Do your part to stimulate the economy and buy a turntable and some vinyl! Or if you did thirty years ago, dust it off and listen to it! You might be surprised at what you hear.
Don't get me wrong, I'm guilty of it too. As I sit here typing this, I'm listening to the "Lost in Translation" soundtrack on Winamp. I think the world would be a calmer place if people actually sat down and made listening to music an activity in and of itself.
As for the turntable, I was inspired by my cousin and the game Rock Band to buy one and do a bit of vinyl revival. I'm glad I did. You should too. Do your part to stimulate the economy and buy a turntable and some vinyl! Or if you did thirty years ago, dust it off and listen to it! You might be surprised at what you hear.
Oh, the things you'll do
It's funny where you find yourself. I never thought I'd work my way into my ehow job (writing how-to's for video games, and I never thought I'd find myself reviewing porn either. That's right, I got a side gig reviewing porn. The way it works is this site fixes you up with a few free minutes of View on Demand (VoD). You go to the affiliate site with the pron, you watch whatever you can with 20 minutes, then you write a review of what you saw. If they like your review, they fix you up with more free minutes.
You write enough reviews, they get popular enough, and you earn some ad revenue and some kickbacks if anyone buys something after reading your review. I didn't earn anything from it, but I got some free pron and some very amusing stories from it! That alone was worth it.
I also find myself driving up to Martinez (about 1/2 hour northwest of here) every Wednesday morning at 10:15 so I can participate in a study on hearing for $12/hour. It's interesting enough and it beats the hell out of retail. I'd do it more, but I only have one free day a week. Believe it or not, it pays more per hour than my job at Best Buy did (I worked there this last holiday season, selling computers), the only hitch being I can't do it 40 hours/week.
I've been looking to get into technical writing. It pays better than most writing out there and doesn't look to be impossibly hard. I found a book at the used book store up the street (http://www.baybooks.us/ if you're ever in the San Ramon area. They're nice!) that is teaching me the craft, though it's a little dated. The latest copyright on it says 1991. It's funny how it talks about microcomputers being the wave of the future and how microcomputer proficiency will be a requirement for the educated in the near future. Funny, I seem to have this crazy notion that microcomputer proficiency is a requirement for EVERYONE these days, but hey, who am I to judge.
Point being, you never know what you'll wind up doing. I would never have thought I'd be trying to make money reviewing porn. I thought I'd stick to video games, but hey, it's a recession and you get work where you can. Even if it doesn't pay monetarily, it may pay off in other ways.
You write enough reviews, they get popular enough, and you earn some ad revenue and some kickbacks if anyone buys something after reading your review. I didn't earn anything from it, but I got some free pron and some very amusing stories from it! That alone was worth it.
I also find myself driving up to Martinez (about 1/2 hour northwest of here) every Wednesday morning at 10:15 so I can participate in a study on hearing for $12/hour. It's interesting enough and it beats the hell out of retail. I'd do it more, but I only have one free day a week. Believe it or not, it pays more per hour than my job at Best Buy did (I worked there this last holiday season, selling computers), the only hitch being I can't do it 40 hours/week.
I've been looking to get into technical writing. It pays better than most writing out there and doesn't look to be impossibly hard. I found a book at the used book store up the street (http://www.baybooks.us/ if you're ever in the San Ramon area. They're nice!) that is teaching me the craft, though it's a little dated. The latest copyright on it says 1991. It's funny how it talks about microcomputers being the wave of the future and how microcomputer proficiency will be a requirement for the educated in the near future. Funny, I seem to have this crazy notion that microcomputer proficiency is a requirement for EVERYONE these days, but hey, who am I to judge.
Point being, you never know what you'll wind up doing. I would never have thought I'd be trying to make money reviewing porn. I thought I'd stick to video games, but hey, it's a recession and you get work where you can. Even if it doesn't pay monetarily, it may pay off in other ways.
New Look
Some of you may have noticed this little slice of electronica has gone silent in recent months. No need to go into details, but let's just say "I've been busy." Henceforth, this space is dedicated to the trials and tribulations of a practicing, full-time freelance writer.
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