Comments on: A week of journalism: How to be a freelancer without starving http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:06:12 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Big And Tall Office Chair http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/comment-page-1/#comment-216313 Big And Tall Office Chair Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:58:14 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/#comment-216313 Thank you for your resource .. great site ! Thank you for your resource .. great site !

]]> By: Fiona Marsden http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/comment-page-1/#comment-213280 Fiona Marsden Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:36:03 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/#comment-213280 '"What I’m saying here is that the stuff you’re writing isn’t so precious that the editor can’t rip it to shreds and rewrite it in his voice." For most people, especially inexperienced or untalented writers, this might be the case. If you're an expert in your subject area, have a strong writers voice, are dealing with a sensitive subject matter and/or know exactly what you're doing, you have to stand your ground. Above and beyond that, it is your name going on the work. You have to live with it. Your blanket statement doesn't apply to everyone.' Yep Brian, I agree with you. It's one thing for an editor to make minor changes to an article; you just have to accept that. But if they make huge, sweeping changes (particularly without consulting you first) then you have to speak up. What's the point of having your byline on something that doesn't fairly represent your work? The pride you feel on seeing my byline against an article will fade rapidly when you realise that what's been printed isn't what you wrote. Believe me, I know from experience! '"What I’m saying here is that the stuff you’re writing isn’t so precious that the editor can’t rip it to shreds and rewrite it in his voice."

For most people, especially inexperienced or untalented writers, this might be the case. If you're an expert in your subject area, have a strong writers voice, are dealing with a sensitive subject matter and/or know exactly what you're doing, you have to stand your ground.

Above and beyond that, it is your name going on the work. You have to live with it. Your blanket statement doesn't apply to everyone.'

Yep Brian, I agree with you. It's one thing for an editor to make minor changes to an article; you just have to accept that. But if they make huge, sweeping changes (particularly without consulting you first) then you have to speak up.

What's the point of having your byline on something that doesn't fairly represent your work? The pride you feel on seeing my byline against an article will fade rapidly when you realise that what's been printed isn't what you wrote. Believe me, I know from experience!

]]> By: Makarska apartments http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/comment-page-1/#comment-188611 Makarska apartments Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:16:47 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/#comment-188611 You said "I like to write, I should get paid for this." I think its an essential thing whether your writer or whatever your trying to be. Do what you're good at and put some effort in it and only sky is the limit :) You said "I like to write, I should get paid for this."

I think its an essential thing whether your writer or whatever your trying to be.

Do what you're good at and put some effort in it and only sky is the limit :)

]]> By: Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk : Foo Thoughts http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/comment-page-1/#comment-172500 Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk : Foo Thoughts Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:29:07 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/#comment-172500 [...] How to Be a Freelancer Without Starving [...] [...] How to Be a Freelancer Without Starving [...]

]]> By: How To Be A Freelance Writer Without Starving « Let’s Get Organized With Purpose http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/comment-page-1/#comment-170653 How To Be A Freelance Writer Without Starving « Let’s Get Organized With Purpose Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:11:52 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/#comment-170653 [...] September 17, 2008 by terristallcop I stole this title because I love this article by Penelope Trunk, “How To Be A Freelance Writer Without Starving.”  [...] [...] September 17, 2008 by terristallcop I stole this title because I love this article by Penelope Trunk, "How To Be A Freelance Writer Without Starving."  [...]

]]> By: Thoughts on Working From Home and Starting Out as a Freelance Web Worker » Thrilling Heroics http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/comment-page-1/#comment-150200 Thoughts on Working From Home and Starting Out as a Freelance Web Worker » Thrilling Heroics Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:32:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/#comment-150200 [...] A week of journalism: How to be a freelancer without starving [...] [...] A week of journalism: How to be a freelancer without starving [...]

]]> By: Brian J. D'Souza http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/comment-page-1/#comment-148610 Brian J. D'Souza Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:38:45 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/#comment-148610 "What I’m saying here is that the stuff you’re writing isn’t so precious that the editor can’t rip it to shreds and rewrite it in his voice." For most people, especially inexperienced or untalented writers, this might be the case. If you're an expert in your subject area, have a strong writers voice, are dealing with a sensitive subject matter and/or know exactly what you're doing, you have to stand your ground. Above and beyond that, it is your name going on the work. You have to live with it. Your blanket statement doesn't apply to everyone. "What I’m saying here is that the stuff you’re writing isn’t so precious that the editor can’t rip it to shreds and rewrite it in his voice."

For most people, especially inexperienced or untalented writers, this might be the case. If you're an expert in your subject area, have a strong writers voice, are dealing with a sensitive subject matter and/or know exactly what you're doing, you have to stand your ground.

Above and beyond that, it is your name going on the work. You have to live with it. Your blanket statement doesn't apply to everyone.

]]> By: mary speranza http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/comment-page-1/#comment-146692 mary speranza Thu, 01 May 2008 13:09:53 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/#comment-146692 speaking of entrepneur----i am trying to get mss to read at home; for pay, not for free. no one has answered me. is it that you think my request laughable and you're still laughing? i know that that service is out there; i just don't know how to connect with it. i am a senior citizen and love to read. i'm basically shut in----but don't want to spend my time "doing nothing" i also am a published author myself. so someone get back to me, okay? it shouldn't take long out of your day. just an email to write to, or a person to call on the phone! i would post here and thank you publically. please take this request seriously. mary speranza speaking of entrepneur—-i am trying to get mss to read at home; for pay, not for free. no one has answered me. is it that you think my request laughable and you're still laughing? i know that that service is out there; i just don't know how to connect with it.
i am a senior citizen and love to read. i'm basically shut in—-but don't want to spend my time "doing nothing" i also am a published author myself.
so someone get back to me, okay? it shouldn't take long out of your day. just an email to write to, or a person to call on the phone! i would post here and thank you publically.
please take this request seriously.
mary speranza

]]> By: Barbara Saunders http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/comment-page-1/#comment-146286 Barbara Saunders Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:57:37 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/#comment-146286 Having worked as both a writer and an editor who is also a dyslexic, I have some empathy for Penelope's proofreading deficiencies! The inner editor says: It's easier to copyedit the work of someone who has interesting ideas than to make something interesting out of unoriginal thought that happens to be rendered in polished text. The inner writer says: It is very, very difficult to proofread one's own work. Having worked as both a writer and an editor who is also a dyslexic, I have some empathy for Penelope's proofreading deficiencies!

The inner editor says: It's easier to copyedit the work of someone who has interesting ideas than to make something interesting out of unoriginal thought that happens to be rendered in polished text.

The inner writer says: It is very, very difficult to proofread one's own work.

]]> By: Tim Kern http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/comment-page-1/#comment-107373 Tim Kern Thu, 06 Sep 2007 14:10:29 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/16/how-to-be-a-freelancer-without-starving/#comment-107373 Hi, Anne. When you say, "...I always had a husband with a job who paid the bills," you're not really giving advice about how to have freelancing pay the bills. On the other hand, I'll concede you are answering the question: "How to be a freelancer without starving." I guess that, if someone else's work can finance your life, you can be anything you want to be. It's tough, though, for us (those who make livings as freelancers) to compete against such subsidized talent. No offense; if I could do it that way, I would, too. Best of everything to you! Hi, Anne. When you say, "…I always had a husband with a job who paid the bills," you're not really giving advice about how to have freelancing pay the bills.
On the other hand, I'll concede you are answering the question: "How to be a freelancer without starving." I guess that, if someone else's work can finance your life, you can be anything you want to be.
It's tough, though, for us (those who make livings as freelancers) to compete against such subsidized talent. No offense; if I could do it that way, I would, too. Best of everything to you!

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