Work At Home - Blog Posts

Writing at The Coffee Shop.

I live pretty close to a local coffee shop, which offers free Wi-Fi. I decided to start working on my writing orders at this coffee shop 1-2 a week. It was going well. I was able to get out of the house a few days a week, and it helped me to focus on my work with minimal distractions. It's only a few minutes from my home, and my niece works here, so we can walk together at times. Now? I'm here 4-5 days a week. My brain associates it with work, so I'm able to focus better on my writing orders. I barely get distracted by anything or even open social media. It's just me, my headphones, and my work. It's not crowded often and the employees are so welcoming. The prices are also reasonable, which is a must because I won't write here without at least purchasing a beverage. It's a small/local business, so I want to support them as best as I can. Having a place to just focus and write has been a game-changer for me. I think I also needed to get out of the house (without constantly walking to the store to do so). It's been working out for me, and I think coming here is one of the best decisions I've made for my writing. Furthermore, I can stay home if I need a mental health day, the weather is unkind, or I feel under the weather. But I also like the option of being able to walk up here at the last minute to get out or focus on an order. :)

It's me, I'm my own culprit lol. But I'm working on it. :)

My Writing Week.

Hey, hey, hey. So here is how my writing week is shaping up: - I'm doing a bunch of orders for one of my favorite writing teams on Textbroker. - I'm starting a project of four writing orders this week. It's not due until 10/28, but they're easy orders, and I would rather not wait until the last minute to get started. - I want to post on here for fun. - I also want to post on MyLot for both fun and spare change. - My goal is to also get back into my journaling and planning offline, as I skipped last week because I was so busy. Whatever you have on your agenda, I hope it's a great writing week for you all. :)

Agreed. Sometimes, I'm so focused on orders on the job board or deadlines, that I forget that I need to take care of myself as well. Remember, you can't pour from an empty cup.

By Top Girl studio.

https://www.instagram.com/topgirl.studio/

Hey, hey, hey, everyone! It's Monday (evening on my end), and a new week is a fresh start. I'm going to work on a few writing orders today, but I don't have any tight deadlines, so yippy-skippy lol!

Regardless of what's on your agenda, I hope it's an amazing writing week for all of you! 😊

Photo Credit: Bellahu123 on Pixabay.

Swamped With Work, But Still Swimming.

Just keep swimming? Or just keep writing? ;) It's Sunday, and I don't normally work weekends if I can help it, but I fell a little behind over the week... so here I am. It's okay though. I didn't have anything else planned for the weekend, other than running an errand yesterday, so I'm fine with working today. I'm kind of swamped with work. Here's what's on my plate: - Finishing up a 4,000-word order on a kitchen appliance. I have already written over 2,000 words, so I have no doubt I'll finish it tonight. It's due on Tuesday, but I would rather submit it before the weekend ends. - Completing a 700-word order on home decor/furniture. I've been receiving work from this client at least once or twice a week for several weeks now, so I found my groove with writing it. It's due by 3am (tonight into tomorrow), but I know I'll get it done on time. And that's what's on the agenda today. If you're writing anything this weekend, I hope the gears are turning well! As for me, I need to stop procrastinating and get my work done. :)

What I’ve Learned As A Freelance Writer

Hello, hello, helloooo. I hope you’re all doing well. :) I’ve been freelance writing for over 10 years, and I thought I’d share what I’ve learned as a freelance writer.

Don’t Put All Your Eggs In One Basket I’ve seen websites go under, and I’ve had clients disappear on me. It used to send me into panic mode, but I’ve learned not to put all my eggs in one basket. Now, I always make sure I’m on enough writing teams and keeping in touch with my regular clients. I also bookmark other freelance/content writing websites to research as needed. Always Do Your Research Sometimes, a writing website sounds too good to be true because it IS too good to be true. Whether it’s for blogging or content writing, you should always research a website and/or ask for opinions before diving right in. At least that’s what I do. Don’t Be Afraid To Try Something New Even though I had an account for years, it took me until 2018/2019 to even post a gig on Fiverr. It was different from the websites I’m used to, so I wasn’t ready until then. I’m glad I made that leap because that’s where I land some of my writing clients. The same can also be said for joining new writing teams and websites, or taking on a new client. If it’s possible and legit, do not be afraid to take the leap because it could lead to something great. However, Learn When To Say No When my Fiverr gigs started picking up traction, I would try to do anything. If I didn’t feel qualified? I’d turn it down. If I was already swamped with work? I would do it and cut it close to my deadlines, or I’d pull an all-nighter to get things done. I’ve learned when to say “no” and/or put up my away message. It’s good to be productive, but you don’t want to overextend yourself and risk burnout. It’s Okay To Make Mistakes - But Make Sure You Learn From Them When I first joined Textbroker, I made a lot of comma mistakes because I wasn’t knowledgeable in the AP Style. I went from avoiding commas (unless I was sure I was right) to taking the time to learn how to properly use the commas. If I’m unsure of anything in general, I hit up Google to double-check it. I also read out loud when proofreading, and I proofread my longer writing orders twice. You’re a human being. You’re going to make mistakes, and that’s okay, but you want to make sure you learn from them. Write Outside Your Freelance Work It’s good to write for fun and as a hobby. I run this blog, as well as a grief-related blog (because I lost my parents) and a fan blog for my favorite band. I’m a member of MyLot, and I have multiple online/offline journals for sharing my thoughts. Write outside of your work. Express yourself. Keep the creative juices flowing. And mostly, don’t lose your passion for writing.

Those are just a few things I’ve learned as a freelance writer, and I hope they help you to grow into the writer you wish to be. :) What have you learned as a freelance or creative writer?

I’m Looking For Legit MTurk Alternatives

Hello, everyone. I'm going to share a short story followed by a question.

Around 10 years ago, I started doing various tasks on Amazon MTurk. It was a nice way to make a little extra money, even if it was just spare change. There were even times when I could find short writing-related tasks. Basically, I enjoyed my time there because it was nice to change things up every now and then. Then one day, I was told they couldn't verify me, so I couldn't use MTurk anymore. I even contacted them a few years later to try again, which they allowed, and they still couldn't verify me. I honestly have no idea why because I sent everything they required, but unfortunately, I figured I should just throw in the towel. So here is my question, does anyone know of any legit MTurk alternatives? I'd prefer websites over apps (but I'm open to apps) that pay via PayPal. I'm not looking for anything that I need a paid membership to use (I don't know if that's a thing with MTurk alternatives, but I just wanted to clarify that one). Please, I'm looking for serious, legit answers only. I'm not going to respond to any spam. If anyone knows of any alternatives, thank you in advance. I'll also search for alternatives on my own, but I thought I'd see if anyone has any experience on any of the websites or apps. Thank you so much, and I hope you all have a great weekend! :)

I hope you all reach your writing goals for this month. Have a good night! :)

A new month has begun.

A new month has begun.

Cheer up this month! :) ⠀

My First Experience On A Writing Website

Aside from online journals and diaries, my first experience on a writing website was Associated Content (later known as Yahoo! Contributor Network). I submitted a few articles here and there in 2009, and in 2010, I decided to start writing and submitting articles to AC/YCN weekly. I’m not going to lie and say that I made a ton of money off those articles. I received upfront payments for a lot of them, as well as monthly payments for article views. What I really received from my time on AC/YCN was (freelance) writing experience. My articles were mainly things such as “Top 5 Toys For Infants” and “5 Craft Ideas For Valentine’s Day” because those were familiar topics for me. My late Father introduced me to “Top X” articles, and I knew of craft projects because I used to work with children. Other topics were local and seasonal, from museums in my area to autumn-themed activities. Even when I moved on from submitting articles for upfront payments to working on other websites, I would still receive a little each month for views, so I thought that was cool. I did try out other websites, such as Triond and Bukisa, but I still preferred Associated Content. Associated Content/Yahoo! Contributor Network has been gone for several years now, but I’m grateful for my time on that website. I feel it helped me to learn and grow as a writer, and I got my feet wet in freelance writing.

Where did you first get your start in freelance writing? If you’re just getting started, keep at it. I know you can gain experience, grow as a writer and reach your goals. :)

Oh, but I'm finished for the night. :)

I'm a freelance (content) writer, and procrastination and I like to battle it out weekly. This week, I'm determined to win the battle. Sooo, let me get off of Tumblr and other social media platforms and get back to work. :)