Freelance writing is like waiting for a bus...

Three turn up at once.

The dry spell is over! Phew! I'm glad! It's sort of been a nice few weeks off, but I'm glad the extra money will be coming in and I can start saving again. I thought I had missed the chance for a new project but I managed to get in there and show what I could offer, so that's one box ticked. The work on PPh has slowed, couple of hourlies sold but I prefer longer term stuff, it's nice to work with the same people as you get to know them over time and they will come to you first with work.

The typewriter works like a dream. I got a new ribbon for it and the words just pop on the paper, it's great to see everything in a clear ink and I'm not pressing as hard. I do need to slow right down though. Typed up a poem and some quotes on it, and I can say my eyes have been spoilt for perfect margins and even line breaks. All part of the vintage experience of writing on a typewriter though. 

The fiction writing had tapered off, I need to pick it up again, but after spending all day copywritng, staring at a screen just hurts and makes me feel tired. I have new glasses with a fancy anti-glare coating on them, but they hurt, I need to get them fitted properly. The typewriter might be frustrating, I have to see but I can't wait to see what I might write on it.

Linkedin has actually done its job...

I joined LinkedIn a few years ago because my uni friends had done it. I've updated it occasionally and used a flattering picture that is semi professional (I haven't dared go for the professional 'author' picture yet.). I haven't relied on it a lot to network as being freelance means I don't tend to make many real life connections, and adding people I've met once isn't my thing even on Facebook. I have 59 friends, and no, I'm not a weird loner or bunny boiler type, social media is a part of my life but it's something I see as a tool to connect with people that mean something to me. 

My profile on PPH has yielded a new connection, a guy has got in touch with me about taking on extra work when he can't handle the flow of it. I consider it a great thing that someone's taken the trouble to find me especially when PPH don't disclose your surname. Anyone who's internet savvy can track someone down with a picture and a couple words.

I take it all as a good sign that someone wants my writing skills, I must be doing something right!

Okay the typewriter dream is back....

Life has a way of telling you something. Be patient and it shall happen. I went for lunch to a nice place with my mum...and so happened to see a very nice blue typewriter. Expecting a huge price tag I sheepishly asked the owner how much it was going for.

'£20.' she replied cheerfully. I gave my mum a look of 'You know how much I love you....'

Mum sighed and withdrew her purse.

But I had learnt a lesson. I got some scrap paper, fed it into the typewriter and tested all the keys. The space bar worked, the ink was a little faded but it was clear to see the machine was in good repair.

'An old man brought it in, it was his wife's and she'd had it for years. Hardly used I think,' the owner explained. 'she died a long time ago but he only got to clearing the rooms out very recently...'

Now that's some inspiration right there. Who says typewriters are useless?

Got to spend money to make money

I've found some freelance pieces of work! I won my first job the other day on PPH! It was only a small blog post but the guy gave me great feedback and it's got my confidence up that I can manage myself on the website. A few things I've learnt on the way:

Put prices up since PPH take 20% (ouch!!)

Get the work done as fast as possible.

Consider the cost of advertising.

You can post an 'Hourlie' a specific service that is meant to be quick and cheap (in my case anyway), I posted a couple but only got some views. It lead me to wonder was I too cheap, or not cheap enough? I thought £7 for 500 words is very reasonable. After no fish biting, I thought 'what the heck' I'll spend the tenner to get the Hourlie featured (that's how PPH make their money, cheeky scoundrels!). I put the post up on Friday morning, went off to help with the pub for the day, and came home to find I had sold three! THREE! And one is keen on repeat business so it's keeping me busy.

Not much money, but it's a start on PPH. Hopefully I'll attain the status of Pro in no time. 

The freelancer's struggle

I think I've had it quite easy for a young freelancer. The company I've worked for has given me a fairly steady stream of work for the last few months, but now it's hit a bit of a dry patch and I can't afford a fancy coffee with some whipped cream on it, I'm thinking it's time to go out and find some work.

I'm a member on the following websites:

peopleperhour.com

elance.com

Now at first I thought it'd be easy to bit and pitch my ideas for potential work, and I know I haven't been hammering it hard enough, but I feel a little bit like a flea on a dog at the moment. There are going to be hundreds of us looking and pitching for work. The bigger, stronger fleas know how to and where to get the fresh blood, and us newcomers just have to keep struggling and jumping about until we land on our break. I got my break a few months back, and I need a new one on one of these websites. I think the trouble is you need to be seasoned and have a good build of feedback, but it's a catch 22 if you can never actually get the chance to build up feedback. 

Just gotta keep trying. 

I think the other half of my problem is I don't always feel confident with the job, that I could actually deliver the work to a high standard, after all I'm competing with people who have written hundreds of guest blogs and such, and I'm a newbie with not much experience under my belt.

The best motivation is to try to imagine what it's like to sign on at the Job Centre every fortnight. I don't really fancy that. Back to the grind of finding work. If that doesn't work, you'll find me at the checkout at Tesco's.

When eBay isn't your friend

I had to send the typewriter back and the whole affair has left me with a bad taste. Not a literal bad taste like I've been eaten ink, I wouldn't ever dare to sample a typewriter ribbon. The experience has left me a bit wary of buying an un-seen item like a typewriter from websites like eBay. The problem is that is you break one the guarantee ran out long before I was born. Only a few specialists who fix typewriters remain and their expertise will go soon, within a generation or so. 

It comes back to the fact that things become obsolete for a reason, they aren't suitable or practical anymore. I think there is still a place for the typewriter, it probably just isn't on my desk for a while yet. 

When best laid plans go wrong

My postman is a lovely chap, he'll actually call my flat and bring my parcel up to me, sometimes up four flights of stairs. You don't get service like that very often. I think they must just enjoy ringing my flat, scaring the living daylights out of me. I have to hastily roll out of bed, don the nearest garment at hand and open the door to them looking squinty eyed and a bit messy. I'm sure they have funnier stories to tell of the state people are in.  I really much stop ordering stuff on eBay if I want to have a lie in more than once a month, but this item was worth it.

The item I purchased I was really excited about. A manual typewriter, that beautiful, noisy thing I was hoping would bring my writing to new heights. 

Except the bloody space bar doesn't work, and writing on it feels like I'm trying to operate some heavy machinery, it feels akin to trying to drive a crane with lots of levers to push and pull. Heck I'm sure I was pedalling with my feet on some imaginary brake too. I've had to open a case on eBay to see if I can get my money back. 

Back to the laptop in the meantime.