Posts

Riding the Job Hunt Roller Coaster: 6 Strategies That Are Working For Me (and May Work For You, Too)

Welcome back! Today's topic: managing the emotional roller coaster of being laid off and looking for a job. First, I think it's important to note from the start that I'm a naturally positive person, at least most of the time. I call it being a "glass-half-full." I stop shy of toxic positivity (I think!) but I do tend to look at the (mostly) bright side.  And some days, well, that's impossible.  Here's the thing about looking for a job. When I see a position that sounds appealing, I read the job post. I do some research on the company. I consider whether it sounds like a good fit for my background and experience, and if it is, and if the salary sounds reasonable, I apply. I am interested in that position. I'm a little excited. Hopeful. Thinking positive. This could be my next job!  And then, I wait. Actually I don't wait. I continue looking for a job, and I continue freelancing (I have an article due in a couple of days I need to write, and several ...
Post a Comment
Read more

10 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Ghostwriter

I'm finding that one of the unexpected bonuses of experiencing a RIF is that it's given me a chance to think about what I want to do next. As I said last post, I'm keeping my options open. I haven't made any decisions yet. Maybe I'll find a full-time job I'm excited about. Maybe I'll take on a part-time position that gives me the opportunity to freelance and ghostwrite on the side. Or maybe I'll return to ghostwriting and freelancing full-time.  The plethora of options is exciting, and sometimes overwhelming. And that's life, right? Lots of choices, lots of options to consider, and, at the moment, lots of time to ponder them all.  I just sent a response to a potential client who found me online. She has a compelling book idea, and I'm excited about the chance to work with her. But I also realize that she's probably reaching out to a number of potential ghosts. That's smart. This post is for her, and for other people who want to become aut...
Post a Comment
Read more

I'm Baaaaaaack! Welcome to Dollars and Deadlines, Redux

Image
I'm baaaaaaack! And it's been, as my 12-year-old would say, a minute.  I launched this blog way back in 2010, with a simple goal: to help freelance writers make more money, in less time. I wrote hundreds of blog posts covering topics like how to get your first assignment ; how to "reslant," or write about the same idea more than once ; how to get into ghostwriting ; and how to make editors and clients love you .  Over time, I segued from writing primarily articles to ghostwriting books, and my blogging became more sporadic. Then, in January, 2019, I embarked on a new adventure--going in-house as a content specialist with an SEO company. I still wrote for a living, but as a W-2 employee. I cut way back on my freelancing. I worked there for two and half years, keeping notes about the experience and writing a (still unsold) memoir about joining corporate America after 22 (!) years of full-time freelancing. Last June, I left that company for a new position as a copywriter...
Post a Comment
Read more