From the day my parents taught me how to sell school supplies in one corner of their candy store when I was about 7 or 8 years old, I learned the joys of working to earn money for myself.
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About Studio Notes
Hi, my name is Shai Coggins. I have been running this site since August 2000. Studio Notes has evolved from being a purely personal site to a personal lifestyles online magazine in a blog format (aka, a 'blogzine'). Here, I write about social media, the web, food, travel, self development, creativity, fashion, craft, books, writing, movies, gadgets, daily living, and anything else that catches my fancy at any given time. So, grab some chocolate and enjoy all the creative geeky goodness that you'll find right here. [Read More …]
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I am still, up to now, too afraid to leave my comfort zone by giving up my fullt-ime job. However, my dear Guru, I am already knee-deep (pa lang! haha) in writing queries, receiving rejection letters and a few acceptance letters. All thanks to you -> for the advices and the inspiration.
Thanks for sharing this article!
kisses to Cam!
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I can identify with #3 especially. I’d add a sub-part to this — “be able to face rejection”. This is part of a freelancer’s life (especially a freelance writer), but some people are deathly afraid of it.
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AnP: Don’t worry. Take your time. It’s never easy to make that call. And, it really depends on each person’s situation.
John: Totally agree. It IS part of a freelancer’s life. Including quasi-acceptances.. You get the ‘job’, but you never get paid… or your pay gets stuck, or you lose a lead, etc. It’s very, very tough. And, it is scary. But, most people who’re freelancing wouldn’t go back to a full-time job, unless they absolutely have to. Me included.
Anyway, thanks for dropping by!
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i wish i could do it but the hard reality of financial responsibilities makes me deathly afraid to cross that threshold into the unknown. editing the scrapbooking blog opened me to a lot of possibilities and i have you to thank
Perhaps one day when I’m brave enough I could take that leap but for now, I take comfort in the fact that I work full time to provide a good, comfortable life to my family and myself and at the same time pursue my passion in the wee hours of the morning
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christine: i can empathise with your fears. i think everyone gets that. in my case, i just made the decision a long time ago and tried to stick to it. it’s not always easy, i know. i guess, that’s one advantage of having a hubby with a FT job — it’ll be tough if i don’t earn money from my freelancing pursuits, but it won’t be a disaster.
and, yes, i’m glad to know that the scrapbooking blog is opening up new opportunities for you. that’s exactly the idea of the network.
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This is me being brave. Being very brave.
First, as I mentioned in my bio, I’m a blog virgin. I have only just ventured into the uncertain waters of online intercourse, and I do so now simply because opportunity quit going door to door years ago. One has to seek it out—especially in unfamiliar places.
Second, I have finally accepted that my assumptions about the “traditional” marketplace have blinded me to the truth. No matter how much I might wish it otherwise or scratch my head in disbelief, the era of 9-to-5 workdays, office coolers, gold watches, and corporate loyalty are gone. Daniel Pink’s “Free Agent Nation” dispelled that myth. But, as any responsible iconoclast ought, he offered a new model, new hope.
So, with all the bravery I can muster, I am redefining myself yet again. To paraphrase Eddie Izzard paraphrasing JFK, “Ich bin ein freelancer.”
Nevertheless, even though I have accepted the passing of the old marketplace, I am intimidated by the advent of this one. Isn’t that the way of it, though, whenever we give up one life for a another, flight for flames?
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