eBook: Greening Your Freelance Business

Greening Your Freelance Business

An eBook by Shannon L. Buck

Greening Your Freelance Business is a very helpful book for any freelance career. In it, you will discover many ways in which it is possible to green your business activities as well as your office. So, if you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet, or if you are looking for more greening tips, then this is the eBook for you.

With the offered Action Steps in this eBook, you will soon be greening your business with the best of them. Learn how to green your freelance business with tips for:

* Paper, mailers, etc.

* Pencils, pens, etc.

* Shopping.

* Computer use.

* Reusing items.

* And more…

This eBook is available through: PDF Format

This eBook is available for: $12.95

Greening Your Freelance Business

Thank you!

Shannon L. Buck

How to Live the Freelance Life

Advice for the New Freelancer

Family Fun Day (Photo credit: Peter Liu – Kaiscapes Media)

Whether you want to be a freelance writer, photographer or (insert career here), I would like to give you some advice to get you started along your path.

1. Find your motivation, and keep it in mind at all times. This may be anything from ‘I need to eat!’ to ‘I want a better life for my family.’ Whatever it is, hold onto it at all times.

Why?

Because sometimes you will want to give up.

2. Stay on course. Sometimes you will wake up and say, I just don’t want to do it today. While this is okay once in a while, don’t let it become habit… at least not in the beginning.

Why?

Because you need to keep your momentum in order to build a successful career. Do at least one quick, easy thing to further your career on these days. This will usually take you out of your funk and get you moving.

3. Be professional, but have some fun with it. Don’t be too serious.

Why?

Because too much stress can be a contributing factor in loss of sleep, weight gain and high blood pressure.

4. Eat well and get your exercise. This is especially important if your career of choice has you sitting a lot.

Why?

To help you stay in shape and maintain overall health. This will lead to a happier you!

5. Stay positive. Keep positive thoughts flowing in your head throughout the day. Do things that keep you happy, such as taking an hour to read or socializing with your neighbors.

Why?

This will also help you to live a happier, healthier lifestyle.

6. Spend time with your loved ones.

Why?

It is important to nurture relationships. This keeps everyone happy.

So, stay on course. Be happy. And strive for a healthy lifestyle. 

These actions will aid you in creating a successful personal and professional lifestyle.

Special Report: Careers for Freelancer’s

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Careers for Freelancer’s

A Special Report By Shannon L. Buck

Are you interested in building a freelance business from home?

Are you interested in expanding upon the freelance business that you have already created?

Careers for Freelancers was written with you in mind. Take a journey into the freelance career base with this special report. Decide what careers interest you, buckle up, and enjoy the ride. There are many opportunities out there for each and every one of you. Which one(s) will you choose?

This Special Report is available through: PDF Format

This Special Report is available for: $3.95

Careers for Freelancer’s

Thank You!

Shannon L. Buck

How to Live the Freelance Life

Tips for Becoming a Freelance Writer

Blog! (Photo credit: solofotones)

Becoming a freelance writer may seem confusing, but it really isn’t. There is a lot that goes into building this type of career, yes, but you can take it slow, getting your feet wet before jumping in head first.

Build up to it.

Don’t be too hard on yourself.

1. Write. Every day. Something. A blog post. An article. Something.
2. Write more. Two or three articles, plus a blog post or two, will get you even further.
3. Edit everything you write.
4. Create a blog. One about the topic you write the most about, or a writers’ blog about you and your business.
5. Monitor comments on your blog. There is a lot of spam that comes through on a blog. Set your controls to indicate you want to read comments first, then allow posts manually.
6. Edit the blog as well. Grammar and punctuation are so important.
7. Find the clients you need to keep yourself in business. Your blog is the first step, but you also have to actively search out writing opportunities. Make sure your query letters are also well written. So many are not these days.
8. Offer guest posts to other freelance writers, or to bloggers who cater to the audience you are looking for. Be sure these guest posts are well written and edited as well, as they are an example of your work.
9. Check your email. Limit the amount of time you do this, but check. Especially if you are waiting to hear from someone about a possible writing job.
10. Meet your deadlines.

Freelance writing is a worthy career choice, but you will have to work at it.

Shannon L. Buck

Related articles

• Do You Have What it Takes to Become a Freelance Writer? (howtolivethefreelancelife.wordpress.com)

Special Report: Your Teen Can Help Your Freelance Career

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Your Teen Can Help Your Freelance Career

A Special Report By Shannon L. Buck

In my Special Report, Your Teen Can Help Your Freelance Career, you will see how it is possible  for your teenager to help you out while you are building your freelance career and how much, if anything, you should pay him or her for that help.

Teens can be a big help with:

* Their younger siblings.

* Keeping up the house.

* Your business tasks.

This Special Report is available through: PDF Format

This Special Report is available for: $3.95

Your Teen Can Help Your Freelance Career

Thank You!

Shannon L. Buck

How to Live the Freelance Life

Special Report: A Freelancer’s Helper

A Picture of a eBook Español: Foto de eBook Беларуская: Фотаздымак электроннай кнігі Русский: Фотография электронной книги (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Freelancer’s Helper

A Special Report by Shannon L. Buck

In this special report, A Freelancer’s Helper, I will show you the value of having people to help you with every day tasks while you work. Each person will have different needs, and this report will help you to decide what help would be best for your circumstances.

* A Mother’s (or Father’s) Helper

* A Part-Time Housekeeper

* A Yard Worker

It will also help you to determine what your own needs are so that you can decide what services may be worth your hard-earned dollars.

This Special Report is available through: PDF Format

This Special Report is available for: $3.95

A Freelancer’s Helper

Thank You!

Shannon L. Buck

How to Live the Freelance Life

Do You Have What it Takes to Become a Freelance Writer?

English: One example of a freelance writer authoring directly to the Web. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Becoming a freelance writer sounds easy enough. Getting to work from home, on your own time, and (maybe) even being there for your family.

However, this is not necessarily the case.

Freelancing takes time. You may still need to keep your day job, keep up with household and family responsibilities, and still find time to take care of yourself while you begin building this career.

Not exactly all peaches and cream.

Still, while the beginning steps of creating your freelance career are time consuming, leaving you with not much time for anything else, the career itself is a desirable one.

What will you need to succeed?

• A willingness to learn.
• A family who supports your efforts, if you are not living alone.
• A plan for keeping up with household tasks. Possibly people to delegate things to.
• Stubborness, to see you through the rough patches.
• The desire to succeed, to help you stay motivated.
• The funds to start the business and pay the bills until you start earning your way, or a day job.
• A good grasp on writing and grammar skills.
• The ability to spend long periods of time alone.
• A computer or laptop, with high speed internet access.

At the most basic level, these are what you need to get started. Everything will happen as you progress with your freelance career.

What do you think? Do you have what it takes to become a freelance writer?

Shannon L. Buck

 

Take Chances!

{Take A Chance} (Photo credit: SweetOnVeg)

Last week I made a post about theme words. Mine, for the 2013 year, is Prepare. My desire to be prepared for the next busy season at the inn will have me writing and doing other busy tasks like crazy over the next few months. I am determined to get as much done as possible ahead of time, so my freelancing does not suffer while I am so busy at my day job.

I also have a motto for this year.

Take Chances!

Short and sweet, right?

Last year I felt bad that I did not take any real chances. There were a couple of opportunities that I let slip by because of time restraints, as well as insecurity. i am bound and determined that I will not let this happen again.

I will take chances!

Will I get everything I want? Maybe not. But at least I will know that I tried.

What is your motto for 2013? Thank about the possibilities for a while, then decide. And share your motto with others!

Shannon L. Buck

Related articles

• What is Your Theme Word? Mine is Prepare. (howtolivethefreelancelife.wordpress.com)
• 2013 Writing Goals (howtolivethefreelancelife.wordpress.com)

What is Your Theme Word? Mine is Prepare.

Freelancer Office – Panoramic (Photo credit: lastonein)

Recently, I was reading a post from Christine Gallagher over on she’sgotclients! The post, Refine: My Theme Word for 2013, got me thinking about what my own theme word should be.

I have decided that my theme word will be Prepare.

Why Prepare?

2012 was a difficult year for me:

1. I was still getting used to working at the inn while trying to build my freelance business, and I did not have internet access at home.
2. Also, winter starts out slow at the inn, and I was not ready for the busy season there as far as the writing business went. I accomplished almost nothing for my business during this period.
3. For 2012, I earned significantly less than what I was used to earning with the freelance work.

Very disappointing, indeed.

My 2013 theme word is Prepare because:

1. I need to be prepared for the busy season at the inn.
2. I need to begin preparing by making my freelancing plans for 2013 now.
3. I need to continue preparing by writing blog posts ahead of time (during the slow season at the inn) and scheduling them to post later (during the busy season).
4. I will also write articles ahead of time for my channels (Bangor Easy Meals, Bangor Single Moms and Bangor Frugal Living) and schedule them to post later.
5. I will even continue to learn more about marketing, and to put many of the new marketing tips that I  learned in 2012 into practice during 2013.
6. This blog, as my freelance base, will also be updated.

There are other things I can do to help me to Prepare as well, I am sure, and I will be writing about all of this here on my blog, as well as continuing to offer my  regular posts.

What is your 2013 theme word? Think about it. Act on it.

Shannon L. Buck

Take a Personal Day!

My last post centered on vacation time necessary to keep our minds clear and focused. Freelancers should also schedule a personal day once every month or two. This day will allow you to focus on other things in your life that need to be done, or may be used as a day of relaxation.

These personal days allow us to give our minds a break as well. They help us to unwind, which we all need to do sometimes. One day to refresh our thoughts. It works. Some of the possible benefits, depending on your career path and environmental situation, include:

• Being more relaxed, not only with your friends and family, but for work as well.

• Less stress.

• Time to get other things done.

• Time to relax.

• Better focus when you get back to work.

• More organized thinking.

Take out your calendar and schedule at least 6 personal days over the course of the next 12 months. Schedule one each month if possible. It is important that freelancers take care of themselves.

Shannon L. Buck

Finding Time for A Freelance Career

“Writing”, 22 November 2008 (Photo credit: dr_ed_needs_a_bicycle)

It can sometimes be difficult to find time to work on a freelance business, if you have another job as well or family responsibilities. I work a ‘day job’ then come home to work on my writing business, clean my home, run my errands and try to relax. Sometimes, I would rather be relaxing than working on the business. And I rarely have time to hang out and enjoy the company of friends and family.

With two daughters grown and out on their own, you’d think I would have plenty of time for the writing business. This is not always the case, though. I try to keep up with everything, but it is hard.

I try to schedule out time whenever I can, though. I do want to concentrate more on fiction writing this year, and keep up with the freelance work. I usually have two days off, and these are generally spent writing part of the day and at the library working on other writing tasks the rest.

The important thing to remember is that you cannot do everything. Don’t stress because you don’t have enough time for the business, just keep plucking away at it.

Possible goals may be:

• Work on the freelance career at least half the day on days off from the ‘day job’.

• Spend a couple hours in the evenings, after coming home from work.

• Keep a notebook available to make notes in, so as not to forget the important business tasks.

• Bring the laptop to work, so tasks can be worked on at lunch or while waiting for the bus.

• Schedule specific days for writing, and other days for internet use. (I do not have internet at home, so I have to schedule online use around my job and two separate libraries.)

Do what you can, in between or doing other tasks. For instance:

• Brainstorm business ideas while watching television during the evening hours.

• Do other household chores while doing laundry, so you can have time later to work on a story.

How do you fond time for a freelance career?

Shannon L. Buck

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• Welcome to Year 4! (howtolivethefreelancelife.wordpress.com)
• Year 3 Wrap Up (howtolivethefreelancelife.wordpress.com)

Year 4 Financial Goals

This year I will make a million dollars

LOL

Spotify Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We can all hope, right?

I do not really have a specific amount that I want to earn from my writing this year. In all honesty, my success as a freelancer does not have anything to do with money. It has to do with what I accomplish, and how happy I am with those accomplishments.

However, some monetary rewards are necessary to keep the motivation on track, so I do plan to earn money from my ventures. To begin I am thinking about the long haul, rather than immediate gratification. Revenue share articles, eBooks, eCourses and Special Reports give me income over time, as long as I keep them timely. I have started this process, and am beginning to see the results.

I already earn enough from these ventures to pay for a few extras that I like, such as Netflix and and Spotify. I would like to widen the number of things that my writing money pays for, so the income from my ‘day job’ can be used for other things – things important to me, rather than just the bills and some food.

I have a lot of work to do to pull this off. Eventually I want my writing income to pay all the bills, food and other necessities. Then my ‘day job’ income will be all mine, so I can take time off more often to do some traveling. Traveling writing is something that I really would like to try.

What are your financial goals?

Related articles

• eBook: Greening Your Freelance Business (howtolivethefreelancelife.wordpress.com)