This time tomorrow...

I'll be 100% self employed! Today was my day off, as I mentioned below, and I didn't do much writing. *tsk* This level of productivity won't fly when I'm on my own without a paycheck! I finished the article for Western Shooting Horse and sent it off, did some revisions on CH's article and wrote another, and wrote one for Demand Studios. I also sold one of the four articles I submitted to Helium Marketplace last week, and the other three have transitioned to the site to earn pennies. A bit disappointing, but I'm glad to have sold one of them! I have another pending there that will be decided next week.

Earnings: $355
Payments: $75

Assignment update:
1 for EZ (new, due 7/28): first draft sent, waiting for feedback
4 press releases for PB (soon): second draft of #1 sent, #2 started
1 for Western Shooting Horse (due 8/1): done
4 for Demand Studios (8/4): 3 done
3 for Demand Studios (8/7): not started
7 for CH (8/7): 2 done
1 for Saddle Horse Report (due 8/5): research started
1 for Sierra Style (due 8/8): Greg done with research
1 for Back Country Horsemen (due 8/15): not started
Gold Medal article (whenever): started lining up interviews
"winds of change" short story contest on Accentuate Writers (due 8/20): not started
more queries!

Only one day to go...

Tomorrow I am off (flex day that I get off every other week), and then Friday is my last day of work! I am unbelievably excited. I just need to keep up the energy level and get all this work done while lining up more!

Last night I taught two dance classes, wrote two Demand Studios articles and worked on the article for Western Shooting Horse magazine. The latter HAS to be done tomorrow, so it's really pissing me off that the companies whose products I'm writing about are refusing to return my calls and emails!! I'll do what I can in the morning, and then I have to send it off.

Tonight I worked on the second press release I owe PB, worked on the research for the Saddle Horse Report and wrote one article for CH. Not much!

Earnings for the past two days: $100

Assignment update:
1 for EZ (new, due 7/28): first draft sent, waiting for feedback
4 press releases for PB (soon): second draft of #1 sent, #2 started
1 for Western Shooting Horse (due 8/1): nearly done
4 for Demand Studios (8/4): 2 done
1 for Saddle Horse Report (due 8/5): research started
1 for Sierra Style (due 8/8): Greg nearly done with research
1 for Back Country Horsemen (due 8/15): not started
Gold Medal article (whenever): started lining up interviews
"winds of change" short story contest on Accentuate Writers (due 8/20): not started
more queries!

3 Days!

I haven't been very productive the last couple of days. I wrote another horse article for the online horseman at Helium Marketplace and turned it in, finished up the work for Beth and suggested some more Demand Studios topics, which were accepted. That's pretty much it!

Earnings: $10 (hopefully more)
Payments received: $40

How am I doing?

OK, as mentioned below, I will be reporting some of the earnings of the work I did this week next week, so this week is a little low and next week should be high. Despite that, though, I still did pretty well!

Earnings: $427
Payments: $382.50

Catching up

Sorry I haven't been posting the past few days, but I've been so tired by the end of the night I just want to sleep! I have been doing tons of work and I'm not going to list it all out, but let's just say I've been typing my fingers off. Let's see if I can just figure out how much I've made! Some is still pending because I almost completely finished a $250 article, but I'll add that in when it's officially completed--I'm waiting for some companies to call me back. Also, I wrote four articles for a new online horse magazine on Helium Marketplace, and I won't know if they buy it until next week at the earliest, so I'll add that when I know. Therefore, my income will seem a bit low this week but I'll make up for it next week!

Earnings: $267
Payments: $245


Assignment update:
1 for EZ (new, due 7/28): first draft sent, waiting for feedback
1 for Hills & Lagoons (due 7/30): done
4 press releases for PB (soon): second draft of #1 sent
1 for Western Shooting Horse (due 8/1): nearly done
1 for Saddle Horse Report (due 8/5): research started
1 for Sierra Style (due 8/8): Greg started the research
1 for Back Country Horsemen (due 8/15): not started
Gold Medal article (whenever): started lining up interviews
"winds of change" short story contest on Accentuate Writers (due 8/20): not started
more queries!

6 Days

Last night was not a good night. I was so tired, I just couldn't concentrate enough to write! I did little administrative things that needed to be done, but didn't cross anything off my list or bring in any money. Today I was much more productive: I wrote two articles for Helium Marketplace for a new magazine called The Online Horseman. The pay is great, so of course there will be a lot of competition. I will hope for the best! I also wrote two Demand Studios articles and started on a press release for PB. I'm too tired to do earnings/payments/assignment update tonight. Will add it all up tomorrow.

Oh...I did get some new assignments over the past few days and Beth gave me some work. So, business is going great!

8 Days

I didn't to a whole lot today. I received two new assignments from oDesk and did one of them, did an interview and added a little bit to the piece I did for Horseman's News a couple days ago, and worked on the revisions for EZ's thing. I probably should do more, but I'm really tired, so I'm going to go to bed instead.

ETA: why am I not asleep yet? I just sent a query to Arabian Horse Times for an article about Patience Prine-Carr and what it takes to get a USDF Gold Medal.

Earnings: $37

Assignment update:
1 for EZ (due 7/21): incorporated feedback, waiting for more feedback
1 for RS: done
1 for Hills & Lagoons (due 7/30): not started
1 for Western Shooting Horse (due 8/1): started
1 for Saddle Horse Report (due 8/5): not started
1 for Sierra Style (due 8/8): Greg started the research
1 for Modern Arabian Horse (due 8/8): done, if she likes it
1 for Back Country Horsemen (due 8/15): not started
"winds of change" short story contest on Accentuate Writers (due 8/20): not started
more queries!

It's 10:00 and I'm going to bed

I took it easy today, although I did work. I did the last two Demand Studios articles I had approved and suggested two more. I can't write any more for them until they approve the two I suggested, and then review the other articles I've written. I wish they'd get on it! I spent a good part of the day working on the piece for Western Shooting Horse magazine and will probably finish it tomorrow. I dug up the last funny story I wrote, Always Wear Clean Underwear, and sent it to Modern Arabian Horse. I sent my non-fiction book proposal for The Mommy's Survival Guide to Autism to a publisher that specializes in autism and aspergers books.

Earnings: $30
Payments: $37.50

Assignment update:
1 for EZ (due 7/21): done, waiting for feedback
3 for Demand Studios (due 7/21): done
1 for Western Shooting Horse (due 8/1): started
1 for Saddle Horse Report (due 8/5): not started
1 for Sierra Style (due 8/8): Greg started the research
1 for Modern Arabian Horse (due 8/8): done, if she likes it
1 for Back Country Horsemen (due 8/15): not started
"winds of change" short story contest on Accentuate Writers (due 8/20): not started
queries: 1

How am I doing?

This week was the second week in a row that I made my goal of 50% of my full time goal (does that make sense? I want $500/week until my job is finished!) This is very exciting, but I may have mentioned I'm exhausted! I hope to keep buiding my client base of higher paying work so I don't have to put in 14 hour days every day.

Week of July 13th Earnings: $520
Payments: $397 (quite a few pending)

Saturday, July 19th update

Today was a productive day. I finished the last article I owed Horseman's News, wrote the review of Sassy, wrote the first draft of the piece for EZ, wrote one for Demand Studios and wrote two articles for Sandi. In addition, I slept in, visited my horse, went shopping with my husband, took the puppy to Petsmart to pick out a birthday toy and sat at the cafe for a drink. If every day is like this, I'll survive!

Earnings: $145
Payments: $97

Assignment update:
1 for EZ (due 7/21): done, waiting for feedback
1 for Horseman's News (due this week): done
3 for Demand Studios (due 7/21): 1 done, 2 not started
Read Sassy by Valerie Howard and write a review (due 7/19): done
1 for Western Shooting Horse (due 8/1): not started
1 for Saddle Horse Report (due 8/5): not started
1 for Sierra Style (due 8/8): Greg started the research
1 for Modern Arabian Horse (due 8/8): not started
1 for Back Country Horsemen (due 8/15): not started
"winds of change" short story contest on Accentuate Writers (due 8/20): not started
queries: not started

9 days

*sigh* instead of writing my second article for Horseman's News, I had to rewrite the one I sent last night because somehow the old version got saved over the new one and sent to the editor. I did start the second article and do interviews for it. I also wrote the two I owed CH and one for Demand Studios that was due today. I'm tired. I am really looking forward to August. Go Girl is my new best friend.

Earnings: $45

Assignment update:
1 for LEG (due now): Done, waiting for feedback
1 for EZ (due 7/21): not started
1 for Horseman's News (due this week): started
5 articles for CH (due 7/17): done
4 for Demand Studios (1 due 7/18, 3 due 7/21): 1 done, 3 not started
Read Sassy by Valerie Howard and write a review (due 7/19): book started (about 12 pages left)
1 for Western Shooting Horse (due 8/1): not started
1 for Saddle Horse Report (due 8/5): not started
1 for Sierra Style (due 8/8): Greg started the research
1 for Modern Arabian Horse (due 8/8): not started
1 for Back Country Horsemen (due 8/15): not started
"winds of change" short story contest on Accentuate Writers (due 8/20): not started
queries: not started

10 Days

Today I finished the Ventura County article for Horseman's News and wrote one for CH. Ch's articles are going way too slow--I need to figure out how to get past that. Once I got the idea, it pretty well flowed, but it took a long time to get started. I got a new assignment, a trial article for the Saddle Horse Report. Greg and I as a team also got an assignment for Sierra Style--we'd sent them a letter of introduction asking for work, and it worked! He's going to do this one, most likely. EZ also gave me a new assignment.

Earnings: $80
Payments: $15

Assignment update:
1 for LEG (due now): Done, waiting for feedback
1 for EZ (due 7/21): not started
2 for Horseman's News (due this week): one done, have some info for the other
1 for PB: done.
5 articles for CH (due 7/17): 3 done
4 for Demand Studios (1 due 7/18, 3 due 7/21): not started
Read Sassy by Valerie Howard and write a review (due 7/19): book started (about 50 pages left)
1 for Western Shooting Horse (due 8/1): not started
1 for Saddle Horse Report (due 8/5): not started
1 for Sierra Style (due 8/8): not started
1 for Modern Arabian Horse (due 8/8): not started
1 for Back Country Horsemen (due 8/15): not started
"winds of change" short story contest on Accentuate Writers (due 8/20): not started
queries: not started

11 days and I can't sleep...

Tonight I taught two dance lessons (one private, one group), worked on Ventura County, and finished the piece I owed LEG. I am sure it will need revisions, but at least it's written!

Earnings: $115
Payments: $75

Assignment update:
1 for LEG (due now): Done, waiting for feedback
1 for EZ: Done (final draft approved)
2 for Horseman's News (due this week): started on one, have some info for the other
1 for PB: Waiting for feedback, but so far really likes it
5 articles for CH (due 7/17): 2 done
4 for Demand Studios (1 due 7/18, 3 due 7/21): not started
Read Sassy by Valerie Howard and write a review (due 7/19): book started
1 for Western Shooting Horse (due 8/1): not started
1 for Modern Arabian Horse (due 8/8): not started
1 for Back Country Horsemen (due 8/15): not started
"winds of change" short story contest on Accentuate Writers (due 8/20): not started
queries: not started

There's too much going through my head to sleep. Is it August YET???

12 days left at the coal mine!

Boy will I be glad when this month is over and I can cut back my hours a little! Today I mostly did research, pulling together the results for the press release for LEG--conducted one interview and left a message for another. Also conducted one interview for one of the Horseman's News pieces and left messages for a couple more. Finished the CH article that needed finishing. Sent off the articles to 1 Magazine and awaiting their approval. Received two new assignments, both well paying (yay!). AC made offers on two articles.

Tomorrow I'll be teaching dance all night, so this will be rough! Another week with no sleep.

Earnings: $25

Assignment update:
1 for LEG (due now): Need more info--started
1 for EZ: Waiting for feedback on third draft
2 for Horseman's News (due this week): Research well started on one, have some info for the other
1 for PB: Waiting for feedback, but so far really likes it
5 articles for CH (due 7/17): 2 done
4 for Demand Studios (1 due 7/18, 3 due 7/21): not started
1 for Modern Arabian Horse (due 8/8): not started
1 for Western Shooting Horse (due 8/1): not started
1 for Back Country Horsemen (due 8/15): not started
"winds of change" short story contest on Accentuate Writers (due 8/20): not started
Read Sassy by Valerie Howard and write a review (due 7/19): book started
queries: not started

Phew!

I had tons of stuff due tomorrow, and I was getting worried about getting it all done. Thanks to working on my vacation, I am finished with all except one piece, and I can't do it until my contact gives me info I need. I should get it tomorrow and will hopefully be able to write the piece and turn it in then. I have more due later this week, but I'm going to get a good night's sleep tonight!

Today I wrote two pieces for Demand Studios, one call for content on AC (not paying but will hopefully get me some of the $25 targeted calls) and made sure the pieces for 1 Magazine were ready to go.

Earnings: $30
Payments: $28

Assignment update:
1 for LEG: Need info--not started
1 for EZ: Waiting for feedback on third draft
2 for Horseman's News: Research well started on one, have some info for the other
2 for 1 Magazine: Done
5 for Demand Studios: Done
1 for PB: Waiting for feedback
5 articles for CH: 1.5 done
1 for Modern Arabian Horse (due 8/8): not started
1 Call for Content for Associated Content: Done.
Read Sassy by Valerie Howard and write a review (due 7/19): book started
queries: not started

How am I doing?

Last week was very busy and my hard work is paying off! I need a more sophisticated method of tracking my earnings...will get to that some time!

Week of July 6th Earnings: $625 (whoa! Unless I double counted something)
Payments: $125

The week of July 13th should be very similar. This is going to be a tough month with very little sleep, but I seem to be headed in the right direction for when August gets here!

Vacation work update

I did get some work done this weekend, although not as much while I was gone as I originally planned.

Friday, I finished up some revisions and sent them off, wrote one article for CH and one for Demand Studios. Was up too late at the horse show to write that night. Earnings: $55
Payments: $75

Saturday: Wrote most of a 1 Magazine article, a CH article, and a Demand studios article.
Earnings: $75

Sunday: Finished up the 1 Magazine article and wrote another, wrote one Demand Studios, wrote the thing for PB, and did some revisions.
Earnings: $80
Payments: $182

Assignment update:
1 for LEG: Need info--not started
1 for EZ: I think this is done. Sent third draft.
2 for Horseman's News: Research well started on one, have some info for the other
2 for 1 Magazine: Done
5 for Demand Studios: 3 done
1 for PB (need to clarify something first): Done (may need revisions)
5 articles for CH (assigned today, thanks to one I turned in yesterday): 1.5 done
1 for Modern Arabian Horse (due 8/8): not started
1 Call for Content for Associated Content: not started.
Read Sassy by Valerie Howard and write a review (due 7/19): book started
queries: not started

Greg has started his own journey!

My darling husband has started his own march toward independence through writing. He is charting his progress at http://gregwalker-independence.blogspot.com/, so please stop by and give him some encouragement!

Time off? Really?

Yes, that is right. I am going to take some time off! Woo! Mom and I are headed to Reno, Nevada, to watch a regional championship Arabian horse show. We are leaving at 1:00 tomorrow afternoon and will be back some time around noon or so on Sunday. I am going to do a little work in the morning tomorrow before we leave and will have to really hit it when we get back to make up for lost time, but it will be worth it! Actually, I may take the old laptop and write an article or two that I don't need the internet to research. Oh, well!


Assignment Update (all due Tuesday 7/15 unless stated otherwise:

1 for EZ (first draft done, waiting for his notes, due ASAP): He sent his notes and now I need to incorporate them. Spent almost an hour tonight doing this but not done.
3 for Horseman's News (1 well started--pretty much all research done, one some research done, 1 assigned today): Turned in the one. May need to add to it later or tweak it, but at least the majority is done.
2 for 1 Magazine: Not started
5 for Demand Studios: Note started
1 for PB (need to clarify something first): still trying to connect
5 articles for CH (assigned today, thanks to one I turned in yesterday): not started
1 for Modern Arabian Horse (due 8/8): not started
1 Call for Content for Associated Content: not started.
Read Sassy by Valerie Howard and write a review (due 7/19): not started
queries: not started

Earnings: $145

Going to bed before midnight, at least...

Something really cool happened to me today. The editor of Modern Arabian Horse hunted me down to write an article about my good friend Patience Prine-Carr and the Arabian stallion she rides in grand prix dressage, OKW Entrigue +++// ("Ricky"). I was very flattered she went through that much trouble to find me! I had published "30-year-olds Don't Bounce" in the April-May issue last year (you can read it on my Associated Content page, way at the bottom), and today she also asked if I had another funny story to publish. This is great exposure in a slick magazine with 40k+ circulation!

I had a productive day. I conducted a ton of interviews for the Paint World show (hopefully don't need to do any more), finished up the piece for EZ and sent it for his feedback and the additional info I need (he also said my revision of the last piece I did was good), wrote an article for Sandi that may lead to more work from a higher paying client than the ones I've been doing lately and wrote the piece about Patience and Ricky.

Assignment Update:

1 for EZ (first draft done, waiting for his notes)
2 for Horseman's News/PCJ (1 well started--pretty much all research done, one some research done),
2 for 1 Magazine,
several for Demand Studios,
1 for PB (need to clarify something first).
1 for Sandi (done)
2 for Modern Arabian Horse (1 done)
Read Sassy by Valerie Howard and write a review
I also need to write a couple of queries.

Earnings: $45 (as far as I know)
Payments received: $50

Busy day

Tonight, I am not posting this late because I can't sleep. It's because I had so much work that I needed to get done! What a wonderful feeling! I actually feel like I can't take on any more this week and am hoping I can push some things off to next week. Tonight I taught two dance lessons and spent a little over an hour working for my latest client (currently paying me by the hour--I'll designate him as EZ). I spent some time on him last night as well, incorporating his feedback on the pieces I'd written for him. I also worked last night on the 2008 Paint World show article for Pacific Coast Journal and the pieces I owe LEG. I received an assignment for another new client, whom I will designate PB, and two for 1 Magazine (Greg also took on 3 for them).

Big news is that I won the Accentuate Writers June short story contest--more on this on www.jenniferlwalker.blogspot.com or www.michysthoughts.blogspot.com (sorry, too tired for links)

Assignments I currently owe (all within the next week, preferably by Friday): 1 for EZ (well started), 2 for Horseman's News/PCJ (1 well started, one some research done), 2 for 1 Magazine, several for Demand Studios, 1 for PB. I also need to write a couple of queries.

Earnings for the past two days: $240 (this is GREAT--quite close to my full time goal)

Can't sleep

Here it is, 12:15 AM on a Sunday night, and I can't sleep. This is partly because I worked right up until bedtime and then tried to go to bed, and partly because I have so much work to do! Work...from people paying me to write! It's wonderful!

1. Working through revisions on the About LEG piece.
2. I applied for a job on oDesk this morning and they sent my first assignment a few hours later. I'm a little nervous that it happened so fast, but what could I do but trust that it will all be OK? I wrote the two pieces as asked and turned them in...hopefully they like them. If they do, there should be lots more work there.
3. Wrote my remaining claimed Demand Studios article. I have three suggested pending approval.
4. Wrote one piece for Helium marketplace. I don't know why, because it'll be useless if they don't take it. If they do, it's worth $56 and it didn't take too long to write. There are currently 84 candidates for that one job and I'm rated in the middle of the pack.
5. Conducted two interviews for a 2000-2400 word article for Pacific Coast Journal and started writing that article.
6. Got some info over the phone for a PR about the Golden Gate Classic and got up about 20 minutes ago to start writing it. I'm still pending some info.

So, started a lot of stuff, but didn't complete much. That's OK, because I have this week to get it all done. However, I also have another piece for Horseman's News due early next week, a book to read and review within the next two weeks, I have two people who are talking about hiring me to write web content, and I have work for Beth to do. Oh, and dance lessons on Tuesday and I'm going to Reno Friday night through Sunday morning. When will I sleep???

Four weeks until I leave my day job....I am optimistic about the future!

Hm, I should find a countdown clock to put on here to count down until 7/31 at 4:00!

Earnings: $65

How am I doing?

Earnings for the week of July 1st (five day week): $287
Payments received: $195

Not huge, but not too bad, either, considering I'm not counting the two days this week from June. Still 1/4 of what I should earn full time. Oh, there was a holiday, too.

Another lazy day

You would think I'd be writing hot and heavy now that I'm going to be unemployed, but I just haven't felt like it the past couple of days. I have been working a little bit on research for big articles, so that's good...and if you didn't read my other blog, the story I spent all day last Sunday writing is a finalist in the short story contest on the Accentuate Writers Forum!

Today I did two Demand Studios articles and converted one to Associated Content, and I wrote two for Sandi. I also saw Prince Caspian (TOTALLY worth $3.50 at the cheap theatre).

Earnings: $46

Happy Independence Day!

Although it is important for freelancers to take time off from time to time to refresh and recharge and avoid burnout, I did a little bit of work today. After all, I am about to declare my independence from working for the man, so I thought I should do something to make sure we don't starve! I did one article for Sandi, one for Demand Studios, and reworked it for AC. Worked a little on my research for the two Horseman's News pieces.

I also went to the Carmichael parade, had breakfast out, had a BBQ and went for ice cream with my family, walked around my neighborhood to look at fireworks, and watched 1776 (a must see for all Americans, IMO). It was nice to spend some quality time with my loving husband where I wasn't attached to a computer at the same time!

Earnings: $23

Thursday update

Today I finished the Fire Evacuation Preparedness article I started last night and sent it in to see if the editor takes it. I also made the final touches on the press release for LEG and sent it to Marnye for her feedback. I spent quite a bit of time sorting through results for the 2008 Paint World show for Pacific Coast Journal. I did two articles for Demand Studios.

Earnings: $30 (possibly more if the fire article sells)
Payments received: $80

Quick update

Today I was given another assignment for LEG and two for Horseman's News. I talked to the person I needed to talk to to finish the LEG article and did some of it. I worked on Fire Evacuation Preparedness. I submitted one article to AC. I taught one private dance lesson. I got an interview for an oDesk job and she's calling me tomorrow.

Earnings: $50
Payments received: $50

Great Day!

Today I received a response from a major horse magazine I had sent a query to. They agreed to review my article on spec--that means I need to write it and send it to them, and they will decide whether they like it. The cool part about this is, half the battle is won--they've decided the subject matter is a good fit for the magazine. I told them I'd have it to them by the end of the week. yay! I did a bunch of research tonight and got a good start in writing it.

I got a call last night from The Ballroom--someone who was in a class I taught a couple weeks ago wants private lessons! Plus, my brother and his girlfriend want them. I start my new couple tomorrow night, so that will be some regular income for a while.

I wrote almost all of the article I owe LEG today. I need to get some more info from them, but once I get it, it will take very little time to incorporate. That is, unless they decide they want a lot more than I planned!

I wrote two Demand Studios articles and submitted them, and then reworded one and submitted it to AC. I suggested four topics to DS and they were accepted.

I wrote one article for Sandi.

Beth showed me what she needs me to do for her--a very simple job, but will pay well and will be steady work for the rest of the year. Phew!

I downloaded some transcription software so we can do some transcriptions to make money.

ETA: I received payment from dj'ing last week. It was $65, so I earned $115 that night for 3.5 hours of work.

Earnings: $138

Payments: $65

June income

During the month of June, working a full time job, I earned $1,139 freelancing! Considering how little time I had to devote to it, that's really not bad. Greg helped a little, too. Now, I just need to quadruple that when I go to full time...and so does Greg. That sounds like a big task, but I'll also have more time!