Last Week’s Link Love: September 6

September 6, 2009 by Leave a Comment

It’s been quite the month, but I can finally breathe again. Thursday was the last day of my temporary, on-site proofreading gig, and Friday was the due date of a legwork-heavy magazine article. Since then, I’ve (finally) signed up for a career coaching certification program, and also turned my attention to another legwork-heavy magazine article (and by legwork, I mean traveling all over my home state and drinking lots of wine; tough stuff).

I’m about to head out to two more wineries today but, before I go, I thought I’d leave you with this past week’s link love:

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10 Interview Tips From a Reporter Scared of Reporting

August 28, 2009 by 1 Comment

audio-recorder

[Photo via]

For the past few weeks, I’ve been working on an article that has required me to interview various luminaries in the NYC-based sex-positive world. This kind of thing always makes me…nauseous. I became a writer, after all, so that I could communicate with others while simultaneously remaining isolated. I even take medication for social anxiety.

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Product Placement: Audio Recording + Transcribing Resources

March 31, 2009 by 2 Comments

rca-audio-recorderolympus-telephone-recording-device

[RCA Rp5022 64 Mb Voice Recorder With Usb, $19.98, Amazon]

[Olympus TP-7 Telephone Recording Device, $17.71, Amazon]

I’ve been doing a lot of interviews lately and, to get the job done, I’ve been using the items above.

My voice recorder (new versions are available) has a ton of storage place, allows me to place markers within my sound files, and includes a USB port for uploading to my computer. My telephone recording device also works like a charm, one end plugging into my recorder, the other going into my ear, allowing me to record all of my telephone interviews. Both of them being quite cheap, I’d recommend them to any writer on a budget.

But once the interviews are done, the worst part still remains: transcribing.

After the jump, a few resources for those who wish transcribing could be easier, or for those who’d like to outsource it altogether!

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Why It Helps To Review the Basics

January 15, 2009 by Leave a Comment

work-it

Check out this book my husband bought me for Christmas!

(I decided not interpret it is as a commentary on the fact that he’s supporting me, as it was on my Amazon Wish List.)

Allison Hemming — founder of the Hired Guns — wrote Work It! as an antidote to the times…times in which an increasing amount of people are losing their jobs, or are at least worrying about the possibility.

While the majority of the content in her book is aimed at those in the full-time, corporate work force, I found that the lessons therein — especially as they pertained to resumes, networking, and correspondence — were applicable to anyone looking to make money.

And the number one lesson I learned from reading Work It!? It’s never too late to review the basics.

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Call For Human Guinea Pigs!

October 23, 2008 by 5 Comments

Hey guys! As I’m only one small picture of what freelancedom looks like (and my, what a messy picture it is), I’m thinking of introducing a new Thursday feature to the blog.

In an attempt to forge connections and share others’ infinite wisdom with readers, I’d like to start interviewing all you freelancers and small business owners out there.

The final interview post would include links to your site, photos of or links to product examples and, if you’re willing, some shots of your home office.

If you’re interested in submitting to my silly and not-so-silly questions, leave a comment here, or e-mail me!

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Informational Interviews: Just Like the Real Thing

August 18, 2008 by 1 Comment

Job interviews can give you the jitters.

Informational interviews, however, have a lot less riding on them, at least as far as the fate of your employment status goes.

Still, when preparing for an informational interview, you should take just as much care…if not more.

Those who grant informational interviews have a lot less to gain from donating their time to you. Because of this, you should show them the proper level of appreciation, and prepare for your meeting in much the same way you would for a job interview.

I mentioned informational interviews briefly last week, as a means of gathering information about possible career paths. Now, I’m about to go on one myself.

What have I (hopefully) done to prepare?

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Continuing Education for Freelancers

August 13, 2008 by 3 Comments

Earlier in the week, we discussed how the very act of being prepared can strengthen one’s self-confidence.

Today, I’d like to go over the various forms such preparation can take.

If you’re teetering on the edge of starting up your own freelance business, such steps toward readiness will take your plans from romantic to realistic.

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