We were given a very small number of words to pitch our presentations for FinCon19. Here’s the description of my panel, “From Guest Posts to Six Figures: Actionable Tips for Freelancers”:
Beginning writers often take any jobs they can find, even if they’re poorly paid and/or labor-intensive. You need the clips! But at some point you should ask yourself whether it’s wise to do things like:
– Write for “exposure” (Hint: People DIE of exposure.)
– Write for peanuts (especially for clients who take up waaay too much of your time)
– Take assignments you don’t believe in (“Yay payday loans!”)
– Keep working with First-Ever Client out of loyalty, although other gigs pay better
The takeaways:
– Finding the right jobs
– Learning to say “no” (e.g., to calls/Skypes that take too much of your time)
– Asserting yourself (“My rates have gone up,” or “Sorry, I won’t put together a sidebar without being paid extra”)
– The gentle art of firing a client
It’s your career. Take charge of it, and don’t sell yourself short.
I had three wonderful, experienced panelists – Jackie Lam, Ben Luthi and Miranda Marquit –– and a responsive audience that asked good questions. It was a great experience that went past its alleged stop time and spilled out into the hallway for even more questions.
Sorry you missed it? You can pick up the video version by purchasing the FinCon19 Virtual Pass. The pass features 90+ sessions, including keynoters Sharon Epperson and Ramit Sethi, and it’s the next best thing to attending the Financial Blogger Conference IRL.