Freelancing as a parent

Well, as you can see, I haven’t posted to this blog lately. Pregnancy really took a lot out of me. Two weeks ago I had my beautiful baby boy, and motherhood takes a lot out of me as well.

But I am looking to balance my life and start blogging again as well as ease back into working. I am slated to take six to eight weeks off of my freelance writing, which will be a good amount of time to learn how to manage taking care of a baby as well as do all the other things I need and want to do (like shower, eat, sleep…you know, the basics.)

In eight weeks, I’ll be a pro at caring for my boy (I hope!) and will be able to manage my writing load again. I will also be able to say that I’m a work at home parent.

But until then, I’ve decided to work on my own writing. I mostly want to experiment with passive income and learn some ways to increase my earnings each month. Writer Gig shares her residual income results each month, and she definitely inspires me to increase my earnings. She earned over $600 this past month in residual income. I would be more than thrilled to be earning that much.

My goal is to be earning $100 a month in passive income by the time I am done with maternity leave. Can it happen? I don’t know, but I’m going to give it my best shot. I signed up for eHow a couple of months ago and haven’t done much with it. I think I’ll get going on that and see how it goes. I’m also going to look into writing an ebook, promoting my blogs better, and getting involved in affiliate programs.

I’ll update here with more information as I get it.

How to Get Started as a Freelance Blogger

I love being a freelance writer. I have always loved writing, and I’m happy I can make a living at it. I’ve discovered, however, that my real passion lies with blogging. Not only do I get the benefit of instantly seeing my words on the Internet, but I also get to use a more intimate, conversational tone than with other writing. Not to mention that I love interacting with blog readers and other bloggers. There is nothing like it.

There are downsides to blogging, don’t get me wrong! Blogging jobs can often come with a daily posting requirement, which can get tiring after a while. Also, a recent article in the NY Times compares the blogging industry with sweat shops. So it’s not always rainbows and roses. But so far, I’ve found that the benefits of blogging outweigh the drawbacks.

As of yet, I haven’t made the transition to earning the bulk of my income from blogging, but it’s something I’m working toward. If you find yourself in the same situation, wanting to make the transition to full-time freelance blogger, welcome! Here are some of the suggestions I have for making it a reality.

1. Create your own blog. If you don’t already have a blog, start one immediately. Potential employers will want to know what kind of blogging experience you have. You can showcase your blogging skills on your own blog. You can use free platforms like Blogger or WordPress, or take it a step further and blog on your own domain. Choose a blog topic you are passionate about!
2. Learn from the experts. There are many blogs out there on how to be successful at blogging, and you will find that some of them are well worth the time investment. Take some time and browse the following useful blogs: Problogger, Daily Blog Tips, Men with Pens, Network Blogging Tips
3. Network with other bloggers. Take time to read other blogs in your niche, making comments on their blogs where appropriate. Bloggers are usually a friendly bunch, and I’ve found that most of them are more than willing to support and friendship other bloggers. Networking is a good idea not only because it may help you professionally, but also, you get to “meet” many wonderful people who can become your friends.
4. Apply for blogging jobs. Once you have established your own blog, you can start applying for blogging jobs. It is best to apply only to jobs with a blog topic you are interested in (and preferably have experience in). Otherwise, you’ll burn yourself out writing about things you don’t really care about. Here are some of the job boards that list blogging jobs:

• Freelance Writing Jobs
• About Freelance Writing
• Problogger Job Board
• CopyBlogger Job Board
• Ghostblogging
• Blogger Jobs.BIZ
• Freelance Blogging Jobs

I can’t promise that breaking into full-time freelance blogging is easy, because it isn’t. It takes time and effort, just like anything else worthwhile. But if you truly want to become a full-time blogger, it can be done!

*Photo courtesy of Andrew

Celebrity bloggers

Did you know that celebrities have blogs too? I’m not talking about bloggers who achieved celebrity status – I mean people who achieved celebrity status through acting, music, or some other means and THEN started blogging.

Celebrity Cowboy lists 66 celebrities that blog. My favorites so far:

Wil Wheaton – I remember way back when Wil Wheaton guest-starred on Family Ties, and now he’s a writer and a blogger. Who knew?

David Byrne – Interesting, and he sure is prolific.

Jamie Lee Curtis – I’ve always liked her, and her blog doesn’t disappoint.

Check them out. As a word of caution, some of the blogs are strictly marketing tools. But there are gems among them.Celebrity or not, some of these blogs are good.