Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Triage

Today is a day of triage.


I am forgoing the gym this morning (sob!) to write, write, write. I have deadlines, and they must come first. I'd love to be working out, but though I chugged along until after 1:00 a.m. last night, the words didn't flow as eloquently or efficiently as I would have liked. So I'm forced to cut out unnecessary activities.


I still love what I do--it's just frustrating on mornings like this. Typically, I would be heading to the health club and having that routine disrupted ("athletus interruptus") bothers me.


Oh, well. I'm not training for any particular events... and I don't get paid to sweat. (Unless it's deadline-driven perspiration, of course.)


Triage. Just another aspect of being a freelancer, an at-home mommy, a modeling/acting instructor (I'll blog about that another day), and a wife. (Sorry, honey... I'm listing that last but it's not a reflection on you or us!)


Back to the land where wordsmiths frolic...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

You'll feel better when those deadlines are met. :)

The Quoibler said...

Jason:

Amen to that. I did have to ask for an extension on one project, but only because I just could not find research on the subject. I spent hours searching in vain! So I contacted the client and all worked out in the end.

Angelique

x said...

Curious how one goes about becoming a freelance writer. Any readings you would recommend?

The Quoibler said...

tiv:

Honestly, I did some research, but the best way I've found to start freelancing is to contact your local magazines/publications. Often, they are eager to work with new (even unpublished) writers. The money may not be great (or even existent), but the experience allows you to build clips.

I started writing for income back in college in the early 1990s. It didn't pay much (and sometimes it paid nothing at all), but I gradually built my portfolio over time. At that point, freelancing was kind of a "game"--I'd publish an article once or twice a year and that was that.

In 2004, I took the bull by the horns and am now able to make a steady income stream by freelancing for various sites, publications, and private clients. The topics aren't always the most engaging in the world, I have to admit, but I always try to do my very best.

Hmmm... I don't think I answered your question at all! :)

Angelique

x said...

No, that was a fine answer. Thanks. I did some freelance journalism out of college and also when my children were little, the very minimal paying type. The two pieces I put the most effort into recently were "literary" and thus involved no payment at all. I suppose that's what my job is for. To support my "volunteer" writing projects (and my family.)