Fired.
So, I was fired. From a job I worked a week and a half at. That's pretty damn depressing. I bought a book called "Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer." Because that's such a reliable job. Freelance writing.
I'm sorry I didn't write anything clever or activist here, but I'd like to direct you to the right, where I've added some great blogs. Read those, because they're awesome.
Photography by Al. Taken in March, 2006.
I'm sorry I didn't write anything clever or activist here, but I'd like to direct you to the right, where I've added some great blogs. Read those, because they're awesome.
Photography by Al. Taken in March, 2006.
15 Comments:
delicate picture.
very nice picture again.
Your so beautiful, graceful and smart. Lucky you.
Tell us how this started for you.
Also are the public pictures random shoots, project or do you just enjoy it? Or all of the above.
Well waiting to read more and see more of you.
Anne
bummer
Josh: thanks.
anon #1: if you read the first couple of entries, I answer pretty much all of your questions, and then some. Sorry to make you go digging around the archives.
anon #2: You're telling me.
As the child of two freelance writers, I strongly urge you to find another plan.
You don't have to worry- I'm already hunting for an actual job again.
I'm gonna check out that book, thanks for mentioning it. I've always had an interest in writing but never did anything about it, maybe that will change.
Go for it.
Candy,
I said it before. Get a job as a technical writer. Preferably, a proposal writer. It's a pretty lucrative field with lots of job security and the chance to work some of the time remotely (naked, at home).
I have a great picture of my toddler sleeping across my legs while I am working on some documentation for my company.
I think you would like it.
How do you go about getting such a career? Almost all my writing is either a)this blog or b)school assignments. Granted, I like to think it's decent writing, but what can I do but say, "hey, here's an essay I wrote on 'To
Kill a Mockingbird.' Give me money to write stuff for you."
Candy,
Actually, it's probably a little easier than that.
Technical writing is not creative writing, so you are not expected, necessarily to provide an essay sample. The concern is more what you can do to fix up, format, etc., someone else's text.
Aside from correcting grammar, punctuation, syntax, clarity, you also perform formatting. A lot of this kind of stuff is done in MS Word, but you could also be using packages like QuarkXpress.
Anyway, you would need to develop an eye for headers and footers, paragraph alignment, numbering of headings, references to figures and tables. Also cross references.
It's more about being detail oriented and making something understandable to an end user.
I hired and trained someone who had no experience, but did have an English degree. I taught her to write technical proposals for IT work. I also taught her to create network schematics.
There are lots of entry-level positions out there. Once you get some experience, your hourly rate will go up pretty steadily, and there are always positions out there.
One of the most lucrative positions is proposal manager. Usually, you start as a proposal coordinator. A proposal coordinator basically does minor edits on a proposal and does all the printing, binding, etc. of the finished product.
With more experience you go from proposal coordinator to proposal writer. In this position you are either creating text, or merging and editing other people's text.
After some experience, you become a proposal manager. This person assesses RFP (requests for proposal) and decides who will work on what, and creates and holds everyone (engineers, writers, etc.) to a schedule.
All the positions above are usually held by people who have English or Journalism degrees, or who are just very literate and organized.
By the way, a proposal (if you didn't know) is a large document that is submitted by a services vendor (such as Lockheed Martin) to an organization like NASA. This document is basically a big technically oriented sales contract. It describes in great detail the services being offered, and the price.
To start on this track, you could basically apply for a proposal coordinator position, and say that you have no experience but are a hard worker and great editor (some places will give you an on the spot test involving editing a document) and are willing to get your hands dirty (running the printer, binding, etc.)
If you are in the DC area (like you seem to be in that photo at the top of the blog) there are TONS of these positions out there.
Thanks for the advice- I'll definitely try and look for an opening.
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