Sometimes, the freelance world can seem like one big sea with too many fishes. There are plenty of designers, writers, crafters–but then there are a few that stand out. You know the type…you look at their work and you know they are the real deal.

Courtney Mason is that type of illustrator. With a glowing portfolio full of inspiring work and Lemonaid Illustration as her agent, Courtney’s career has gotten off on the right track.

It started with two degrees in graphic design, but it’s her real-world experience and clients such as Hyundai, Ford and Sony/BMG that have helped her carve out her own unique niche. And with a business name like Punky Chicken, well, how can you not be intrigued? Continue Reading

While the end of the year is likely not in the minds of many, it’s closer than you may think.

So before the ball drops and that tax deadline gets even closer, it’s a good time to think about the many things you can do to prepare for the end of the year–and the promising year ahead.

Here are 4 tips to get you started.

1. Create a New Filing System

If you’ve been meaning to find a better way to get organized, now may just be the time to do it. Put new systems in place for organizing your files. I work out of my home office, which is also a hub for my personal paperwork–so having a work file cabinet and a personal one was key to helping me stay together. Continue Reading

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There is no one set strategy for setting your rates, which is why the process can be so confusing for freelancers. Basing your rates off regional competitors’ prices is a very smart tactic, but I think many freelancers forget about something important when putting together rates, and that is their value.

It seems that so many of us are quick to assign the highest price we could be making–but that’s not necessarily the most practical strategy. Why? If you have little experience and a non-brag-worthy portfolio, why should someone pay $100 an hour to hire you?

Instead of pricing yourself at a point that seasoned freelancers are getting, there’s nothing wrong with pricing yourself at a competitive wage that reflects your skill set. You can still make a good salary, plus you won’t be excluding the opportunity to build your skills and your portfolio. Continue Reading

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When I began freelancing, I was open to anything. I would take just about any job, at just about any pay.

I’m still like that, sometimes, although my standards have grown. Still, I don’t buy into the “I’m above that” mindset that many freelancers have. If there’s a gig out there that offers flexibility and the chance to do work I like, I’ll consider it.

So when an opportunity recently came up that offered less-than-stellar pay but plenty of other perks, I wondered why I was intrigued. After all, money is everything, right? Well, not really. It was the work that I thought I would enjoy–and I did.

So I took the job, thinking that there would be some flexibility, and that I would be part of a team that communicated well. Turns out, the only good thing about the opportunity was the work…everything else wasn’t as great as I thought it would be, and I’m not even talking about the pay.

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At FreelanceSwitch, we get plenty of mail from teen Web designers that want to be featured on the site. It’s hard to weed out who has something valuable to say, because we like to interview people with experience and wisdom to share — at that usually comes from having a few years of professional experience. But when we heard from Trevan Hetzel, we knew something was a little different about this “kid” from Iowa.

This 20-year-old has a flawless eye for design, a knack for doing business — and even his own office space. Read on to learn more about how Trevan does business. We think you’ll be inspired!

Tell us how you got into design.

I’ve always had a creative personality. I remember as a little kid playing with Legos nonstop. That’s what my parents used to ground me from when I got in trouble! It may be a bad example, but I really do think those types of toys foster creativity in kids. I actually got into Web design my freshman year of high school when I took an elective class on Web design and loved every minute of it. There were no boundaries to what you could create, and I just loved how there were endless opportunities to learn more.

I spent probably a year tinkering on my own personal project (www.hetzelracing.com) and then got asked to design a site for my school’s elementary sports program. I guess you could say the rest is history! I then got into logo design and spent my study halls and after school hours learning Web and graphic design because it was so much fun! Continue Reading

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“Breathe and reboot.”

I say this to myself a lot; heck, today it was my status message on Facebook. It’s one of my mantras…when something has me really irritated, frustrated, stressed, or angry. I know better than to let those emotions overcome me. Okay, sometimes they win out–I’m an Italian from New Jersey–whaddaya want?

Most of the time, I know to breathe and reboot. Why? Because I don’t want to let one pesky letdown ruin my entire day–or my perspective on life.

When I thought about it, this concept is greatly useful for freelancers. We’re juggling a multitude of tasks and dealing with all sorts of people, so it’s likely that something (maybe more somethings) will disrupt your happiness during the day. What to do? Breathe and reboot.

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Carol Tice has made a name for herself in the writing industry. Not only is this Seattle area resident a well-known wordsmith, but she’s carved out a niche for helping other writers to establish and grow their talents through her award-winning blog, makealivingwriting.com and her eBook by the same name. I spoke to Carol to find out how she’s been so successful as a freelance writer.

Q: You have previous experience as a journalist. Why did you start freelancing?

I’d been at the Puget Sound Business Journal (PSBJ) for nearly seven years under a great team of editors…and then they both left, and it just wasn’t the same. It was time to move on.

Q: How did you transition into freelancing?

Into the pool with no preparation really, but a five-figure severance check did help me get started. I’d been thinking about doing it, I knew it wasn’t working out, and then one day I was headed home on the ferry with all my belongings in a big box, and it was time to freelance. I initially thought I’d just freelance until I found another job, but I started earning fairly quickly, and pretty soon I couldn’t imagine going back. I have three kids and two are special needs-ish, so it allows me flexibility in my schedule that I need to help and advocate for them.

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Are you always on the lookout for bad clients? Knowing what to recognize ahead of time can save you tons of grief, wasted time, money, and frustration. But it can also make you jaded and keep you from exploring otherwise valuable client relationships. Are you being too picky about the clients you take on?

Most of us know the tell-tale signs of a bad client. Many freelancers stay away from penny-pinchers, online auction sites, start-ups, or clients that ask for work on spec. While some of those can be deal-breakers, are we being too picky and missing out on the good stuff?

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Not everyone dreams of freelancing. Christine Hofmann-Bourque, a freelance writer from Boston, was just hoping to work at a national magazine — and she did for some time. But when her spouse decided on a career that would require him to relocate, Christine put her creative talents to work as a freelancer. She also decided to leverage connections from her full-time days to help her thrive as a freelancer.

You are now working as a freelance journalist contributing to many premier publications — a career many aspiring and existing writers covet. What was the key to getting where you are? Did putting time in as a full-time employee help to open doors?

When I first set my sights on a career in journalism, my end goal wasn’t to be a freelance writer — it was to work on staff at a national magazine. I got a great job at Meredith Corporation, a big publisher based in Iowa, and eventually moved into the features editor position at Country Home, a fantastic interior design magazine. I loved the staff, I loved the magazine, and I loved the whole creative process of putting a magazine together from start to finish. To this day, few things make me happier than seeing a new magazine in my mailbox! But after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, my husband felt a call to serve in our military. So when he signed away his life to Uncle Sam, I decided to become a freelancer so I could continue to work no matter where he is stationed.

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I’ve been thinking a lot about creativity lately, primarily because I am immersed in Julia Cameron’s book, The Sound of Paper. In it, she details her struggles and triumphs with creativity, emphasizing how seasons change physically–as well as in our creative lives.

That’s led me to realize that creativity is more than our ability to devise a winning slogan or a visually appealing website. Our creative businesses are also about what we create for ourselves. Meaning, you can put all of your energy into producing whatever it is that you’re good at–websites, print collateral, etc. But what opportunities do you create for yourself? Are you working on a book detailing your expertise? Are you getting the word out about your professional aptitude? Are you generating new clients?

Being a creative is not just about the artistic deliverables we physically create. It’s about opening doors–and you have to do that for yourself when you’re in business for yourself–no one else will do it for you. If you don’t, you risk growing stale. No one will know about your business. It won’t grow. And it certainly won’t prosper. Sure, there are off seasons when you’re focused on work. But how are you going forward?

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For many freelancers I know, social media is all-encompassing. We love to tweet about everything from our latest blog post to our favorite brand of coffee. Then there is the other group that never miss an industry workshop and seem to spend more of their time traveling than at home. There are many different types of freelancers and businesses—which type is yours?

In his latest book, The Referral Engine, author John Jantsch has a very interesting section where he talks about what he deems are two different approaches: There’s the business that relies on social marketing, email newsletters, blogs, and online communities—the techies; the other is built around face-to-face networking, print collateral, workshops, and seminars.

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Everyone’s focused on the digital world these days, and rightfully so. There’s always a new technology rolling out and its exciting to be amazed at what our favorite gadgets can do.

But when it comes to customer service and getting clients, you’ve got to integrate the old with the new. Why? Not all clients are using things like social media. And even those that do may appreciate–and respond better to–”old school” techniques. Here are four big ones you may not be leveraging.

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