Get Organised?

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

I found this little gem of a site whilst reading through back posts on Julie Doyles' blog and it reminded me of what I should be doing - as opposed to reading back through people's blog lists.

At the moment my office is in the smallest bedroom and is the desk bit of a cabin bed contraption that only just fits into the room. The bed part is currently filled with various items that were moved from the 'spare' room for visitors in December as well as a box of stuff I've been meaning to put on eBay for about a year. The 'spare' room is now full of 'things to pack' for our holiday - which I really, really should be doing RIGHT NOW. It also contains various large items from the loft (including a coffee table and TV unit) that were left there by our predecessors 30 months ago and which my OH retrieved 3 weeks before Christmas with a view to selling them on eBay BEFORE Christmas - unfortunately they wont fit into the eBay box. It also contains various bits of furniture that we haven't found a home for yet even though we've been living here for over 2 years.

My 'workspace' consists of a laptop and the coffee table - or for a really big project the dining table or even the living room floor. My OH recently bought his own laptop so he can join me of an evening rather than having to venture into the 'study' and resort to using a webcam to talk to me! We do venture in there on occasion - when we need to use the printer.

I'm afraid that I was no better when I was working in-house - it was a common belief that the office desk moves that happened at least once a year were purely to get me to chuck out half of the stuff hoarded on my desk. Though I've been gone for nearly 4 years and they are still desk hopping regularly!

My excuse is that what ever I am working on gets my full attention and nothing impinges on that - Facebook, household chores, organisation. That way I know I've done a good job AND my OH doesn't think that my being freelance means we don't need a cleaner (we haven't got one but I can dream).

So with a few days 'free' to do all those nagging things that are building up - this years accounts, reorganising the study so I can actually use it, listing that stuff on eBay, giving the house a good clean, packing for our trip - what am I doing? ... catching up on EastEnders and knitting a jumper!

Are clients on the same planet? ... I'm beginning to think not

I couldn't believe my eyes this morning when I opened my in box. The client from another planet had sent me yet another a message.

Now this wasn't the same as the one I'd had a few days ago asking me why I had made certain changes to the MS (because that was what was specifically requested in the brief), or to tell me they'd received my invoice and were paying by return (I can wish), or that they were offering me more work (well it was a really good rate of pay so I'd be tempted).

No, it was a message from the editorial manager asking me to report on the status of the project and when I would be likely to return it

... erm I returned it 8 days ago.

I know they received it as I've had a 'huge thank you' message from the client (and queries from the EM). I did notice that the message was sent to several people so maybe EM forgot to take me off the list, but even so.

I did notice on a forum recently that the client was advertising for a new editorial manager, I wonder ...

Exit Strategy Planning

As a freelancer you aren't supposed to take holidays or be off sick - you should be there day and night at the clients beck and call (and of course only work for them even if they only call on you once in a blue moon for an urgent project) - right?

In my first year of freelancing I didn't understand these rules ...

I booked a holiday.

(Well actually it was booked before I even thought about going freelance but the fact remains that I didn't think it would be a problem.) On top of the holiday we moved house 3 days before we were supposed to fly (obviously this wasn't the plan but that's how it ended up happening). As this was a move of 190 miles, with my OH at one end and myself and the three year old (then 1 year old) at the other, my work was somewhat disrupted but I made sure I got everything done and sent back before my 'break'. The result was that I ended up not working for about 6 weeks because I took a week to move and another 2 for a holiday and therefore wasn't available when needed.

In March last year I ended up in hospital with an infection. I was only in hospital for a week and then out of action for another week because the cocktail of drugs I was prescribed wasn't conducive to sitting in front of a screen. During that week I continued with the projects that had been due whilst I was in hospital and returned them only a few days late (obviously telling the client via my OH that I was in hospital as soon as we realised I would be staying in). I wasn't expecting flowers and both clients involved were sympathetic at the time but the upshot was that I didn't have any work from them for several months. In fact it took until October to get back into a regular level of work - so, on the plus side, it did make me market myself more.

Late last year my sister in law moved to the other side of the world and I was persuaded to book a trip to see her (which I'm taking in about 10 days time). I informed all of my clients and told them that I would have my laptop with me so could do on-screen work and could probably find room in my luggage to take one manuscript.

But I sent my last project back to a client on Wednesday and nothing else is in the pipeline either before I go or lined up for when I get back. I have been asked to collate some proofs but I think the postage cost to Australia put them off :-) I'm starting to worry that being 'unavailable' may lead to another work drought.

Would I have been better NOT to tell everyone my plans and just set up an 'out of office' reply to my email for the period (though as it is web-based that wouldn't be needed as I can access them there, though the time difference could prove a problem)?

If I had been still working in-house I'd currently be doing unpaid overtime to get everything done before I left and would be expecting to do the same once I got back. I would have still been expected to churn out the same number of books as I had in previous months - despite not actually being there and would be 'stressed to the eyeballs'.

Instead I am sitting here wondering how I can get out of doing the mountain of housework that needs doing before we leave. My excuse (probably since October when work picked up) has been too much work to do. The result is similar to the one Kate Muir describes in today's Dark Ages (Times Magazine) except probably worse as reading between the lines she 'normally' does the chores she mentions wheras I avoid them at all cost.

I suppose there is still time to send round a begging email to clients on Monday - but then again there is the packing to be done.

I'd be interested to hear how others manage it - or even if they do.

Momentary euphoria turns to nagging doubt

I'm experiencing momentary euphoria due to the fact that the project I mentioned in my last post is finally 'in the post' to the designer. The client and the project manager stopped answering my emails last week so I'm now starting with the nagging doubt of whether I'll ever get paid by them and, if I do get paid, if they will give me any more work - and if so if I would accept it?

You see I've been in the position for the first few years of my freelance career of only having a couple of clients - one of which I worked for in a previous life as an in-house editor - and chugging along quite happily until 1) the work dried up and I realised it was true you can't put all your eggs in one basket and 2) little one went to nursery and I suddenly had more time on my hands - and I'd rather work than do the housework!

My first action when the work started to dry up was to advertise in a few places locally (so far to this date I've had no clients from this :-]), get on as many web forums for freelancers as I could and, of course Facebook.

The second was to chase up my advanced membership of the SfEP which had been sitting in the office for a year waiting for my previous employer to write a reference about my freelance work - which she simply 'didn't have time' to do. Thankfully as I could prove that in the year since I had made the application I had worked 100s and 100s of hours and had undertaken CPD (continuous professional development) the council granted me the status and I was able to add myself to the directory. The result has been several new clients and a very hectic workload but also some bad experiences - unintelligible briefs, contrary clients and late payment. There have been good points too - expanding my repertoire, building up a good client base and in some cases a bit better pay!

So I'm not in a position to pick and choose just yet - but it would be nice! Perhaps when he's at university :-)

Are clients on the same planet?

A regular debate on one of the facebook groups I frequent is 'Do clients speak the same language as us?' with my latest one I'm beginning to wonder if we both inhabit the same planet!

Early December got a 'would you be interested in a quick job for us' email, to which I replied a hearty 'yes' with a view to working over the Christmas period when everyone else was on holiday.

Week before Christmas
Client: 'Glad you can take on the project, will be with you hopefully before Christmas but definitely before the New Year'

2nd Jan
Client: 'Here are the series editors' corrections for the text'.
Me: 'Okay, but I don't have the text to add the corrections to'.

10th Jan
Me: 'I have just received the original but there appear to be 2 versions'.

11th Jan
Client: 'There are 2 different versions of the book one with questions and the other with the answers - here's the email with the instructions that I thought I'd sent before Christmas - can you do the checklist over the weekend and get queries to the project manager early in the week?'

Sun 13th
Me (to project manager): 'Okay I've gone through and here are my initial queries and the checklist you wanted me to fill in. Can you check that I am on the right lines and get back to me?'

Mon 14th
Project manager: 'I'm very pushed at the moment will get back to you tomorrow'.

Tues 15th
Me (to PM and client): 'I've finished going through and there appears to be a lot of text missing - changes have been made to the questions but I need matching information for the answers are there any files missing?'
Project manager: 'I have your queries sent on Sunday I'll be in touch tomorrow with an answer'.
Client: 'There aren't any more files'.
Project manager: 'Can you tell me where you are with the project and how long it is going to take you to finish it?'
Me (to PM): 'Depends on when I get the missing information unless you want me to try to write it'.

Yesterday
Project manager: 'Can you tell me where you are with the project and how long it will take you to finish it?'
Client: 'You don't appear to have sent the information we requested to be with us immediately after the weekend.'
Me (to client): 'Was sent to project manager on Sunday'.
Project manager: 'The stuff sent on Sunday is fine. Can you fill in the attached form to say where you are with the project and how many hours you think it will take?'
Me (to project manager): 'All depends on the answers to the queries.'

Today
Client: 'Can you tell me where you are with the project?'
Me: 'I am waiting for answers to queries sent on Tuesday as I am missing a lot of information.'
Client: 'Please find attached information that we have - does this help?'
Me: 'Not really as it is the same as what I have. Can you confirm what you want me to do? Should I wait for answers to the queries or should I try to rewrite the answers book to match the questions myself?'
Client: 'Oh don't wait for the answers to the queries as we won't send them off until we get proofs. Please do write the answers for the book as best you can. Can you let us know when you will be finished?'
Me: argh!!!!

And, yes, this is one of the clients in my last post about asking questions and Wordsmith was quite right in her observations that there are situations where you can ask too many questions but I dread to think what would have happened with this project if I hadn't!

Payment terms are 45 days - so my hair should have started to grow back by then :-)

OK, rant over, back to work!

Should freelancers be afraid to ask questions?

When I worked in-house we had a favourite freelancer who was initially referred to me as 'good but he needs his hand holding'. When I embarked on my freelance career I went to great lengths to avoid being called the same!

However is it always the case that if you ask too many questions you will be regarded as not up to the job? It certainly wasn't the case with the aforementioned freelancer - I'm sure he was the most used on our list, precisely because he asked questions and therefore the finished result was what we needed.

I've recently had projects from two different new clients where I have had to overcome my fear of being regarded as 'needing a hand holder'. I always worry that it isn't professional to ask lots of questions - however if I didn't ask I doubt it would have been as a professional job as the end result.

The first had lots of information to fill in and sheets of information to read before you started but it was full of jargon that was specific to the company, whom I hadn't worked for before. The end result of all my questions has ended up in a good working relationship with the editor involved who has already passed on more work.

The second was vague from the start and materials arrived haphazardly. From my initial questions I found that there was a lot of information, various checklists and instructions that I hadn't been sent and it turned out to be a much more involved job than I'd initially been led to believe. If I hadn't asked questions I dread to think what the end result might have been.

In addition lots of forums, such as the Line for SfEP members, can help out when you have a crisis of confidence about where to put a comma and they may also have other members who have worked for the same client and can shed some light on your queries.

So in conclusion, from my experience, it isn't unprofessional to ask questions - as long as you ask them in a professional way - and the end product could end up in a better working relationship, a better finished product and ultimately more work.

Take a break!

Being freelance can sometimes be lonely. You don't have the contact with others that you would have if you were employed in an office (in some cases that can be a good thing :-) ), you sometimes don't even get outside during daylight hours and even Facebook can be lonely if none of your friends are online (although it's an indispensable and addictive lifeline when they are). I only work part time, having a 3 year old at home, but with nursery closed and lots of deadlines I've been shut off from the outside world for what seems like forever!

So yesterday I tentatively took up one of my new years resolutions and headed to the gym for an hour before starting work - and realised only visiting 3 times in 2 months has really affected my fitness levels! Feeling a little braver this morning I took the plunge and ventured to the local toddler group to reconnect with people I haven't seen for weeks and give allow my 3 year old to run around (in the hope that he sleeps through tonight - still not luck on that front). Having had that break, and a chance to talk to actual people (rather than by email and instant message), I was able to concentrate on the tasks in hand this afternoon and I was a much calmer mummy.

It's made me realise that I need to add a few new years resolutions to my list - to make a few more coffee mornings with local mums, chat when I do the nursery pick up, make my local SfEP meetings (I made one last year) as meeting up with other freelance editors and proofreaders is always beneficial and most importantly to take a break every so often (with or without the chocolate bar!).

Why can't life be like a book?

With my 'professional' hat on as a freelance editor and proofreader I have to admit that I am a lover of books and from an early age escaped into them.

However my current project has given me great concern - not on the editing side but because of the subject matter. It's a book on childcare and with a 3 year old I should know it all - right? With each new section I hang my head in shame comments like 'Don't turn mealtimes into a battle', 'Children should be encouraged to fall asleep on their own and stay in their own room/bed all night', 'Never raise your voice to a child', 'never bribe children with treats', 'never withhold affection as punishment' etc.

So with the New Year I promised I would be a much better mum - I would not lose my temper or lock myself in the toilet for 5 minutes peace. We would play educational games and go on instructive outings which would also be fun.

So why on only the 2nd January are we under house arrest with half of his Christmas presents confiscated and a ban on pre-school TV?

Well I came to the conclusion at 4am - after constant screaming for attention from 1am - that the books are wrong! They have no section on what to do when you are dragged from sleep by a toddler who has already had 6 hours rest and is ready for breakfast and play when all you want to do is sleep! I could bullet point the emotions, the tactics and the progress from cajoling to pleading, crying and shouting. I could map out the consequences of the fact that my husband only had 40 minutes sleep before heading out for another 12 hour shift or that my patience is on a knife edge. The 'angelic one' is bemused this morning as he claims not to remember anything and can't understand why mummy is cross. Perhaps I need a new book .... or some good ear plugs.

Happy 2008!

Started the new year watching good old Jules on BBC2. Waved our guests off to hear screaming and shouting going on down the road. Thinking it was a family argument we kept our distance until a couple involved saw our light on and knocked on our door for sanctuary. It turned out that they were in their late 60s and had become involved in an argument after the other people concerned drove into the car they were travelling and refused to stop. They'd followed to get the car reg and when the car stopped pulled over and asked for insurance details. They ended up being assaulted, having their mobile phone taken and racing to our house for sanctuary. So my start to 2008 was comforting a hysterical woman whilst my husband searched for their son who'd been told what had happened, but not that they were at our house, and was out searching for them. The police arrived an hour later - when the others concerned had stopped hammering on my door and had been collected and driven away by a friend - and the upshot was that the couple didn't want to take it further in case those concerned found out where they lived. Thankfully our 3 year old slept through all this and didn't wake until 4am (about half an hour after we'd managed to get to sleep!).