Category: Freelance Life

The Positive Bloggers

Posted on by Lauren Spear

faces_moniqueHey, Everyone!

Today’s an exciting day for me! I just launched a new brand/business with my friend Monique called The Positive Bloggers. šŸ˜€

Monique and IĀ realized that there were plenty of places online to get ā€œhow toā€ advice when it came to the business side of blogging. But that there were almost no resources to support freelance bloggers emotionally ā€” to help them stay happy and healthy while building their careers. We decided it was time to fill that gap.

Both of us are successful freelance bloggers with over fifteen years of experience under our belts. And we both suffer from severe anxiety issues. We know first-hand the difference positivity can make for both your life and career.

Weā€™re avid dreamers, but weā€™re also big-timeĀ doers. We strive for happiness in all aspects of our lives, but we also know how to organize our time in a way that we consistently meet deadlines and get stuff done. We hope to help you do the same!

Head over to The Positive Bloggers or follow us on Twitter @PositiveBloggy for positive-minded freelance blogging advice!

–Lauren*

It’s Time to Get on Gab!

Posted on by Lauren Spear

gabuser

As of yesterday, I’m now on Gab at http://gab.ai/littlezotz – Follow me if you get on!

I had been using Gab for a few months as someone I ghostwrite for and I absolutely loved it. I believe in Gab as a social network and made some donations to the cause. Then, yesterday, I was invited to join as aĀ verified user (check out my blue checkmark! I feel like a big shot!). And I already have several followers.

I believe that Gab is going to beĀ the network for freelance writers. They already have a large community of writers — and people interested in good writing — and it’s growing every day. Continue reading “It’s Time to Get on Gab!” →

Are Freelancers Allowed to Get Sick?

Posted on by Lauren Spear

get-well

As we all know, freelancers are absolutely invincible! Freelancers never get sick. It isnā€™t allowed! We arenā€™t hired to fall ill, weā€™re hired to work.

But, of course, there are a few of us in the freelancing business who are rebelsā€¦ Sick, sick ā€œrebels.ā€

Your Body Will Betray You

All right.As much as I would like it to be true, itā€™s a myth that ā€œfreelancers never get sick.ā€

No, really. Freelancers are people too! And people, from time to time, get sick.

However, how you handle your illness can mean the difference between keeping your clients (and the gigs they pay you to perform) and losing it all. Continue reading “Are Freelancers Allowed to Get Sick?” →

LittleZotz Writing’s 6 Year Anniversary

Posted on by Lauren Spear

6YearBannerLZW

My name is Lauren Tharp. I started my freelance writing career as a teenager (over 15 years ago) and never stopped. On August 17th ofĀ 2010, I opened up LittleZotz Writing and I made freelance writing + editing myĀ sole source of income.

Through LittleZotz Writing Iā€™ve worked in theĀ writing and marketing departments of a television mini-series, an online radio station, a designer headphone company, andĀ countless small businesses around the world.

My blog for writers has won multiple awards and was named one of the best in the business by The Write Life, Positive Writer, and others.

Iā€™m also the ManagingĀ Editor for Be A Freelance Blogger and the Editorial AssistantĀ forĀ Copyblogger ā€” two of the largest blogs for content creators in the world!

As a freelance writer myself, I know the struggles that writers go through. As an Editor, I know what goes on behind-the-scenes in the blogging world and what it takes to get your pitches read ā€” and your posts published.

My 5 Most Popular Posts (So Far!)

I ran the analytics on my site from August 2010 until today, and my all-time most popular posts are:

  1. What to Do When Writing Keeps You From Writing
  2. 16 Red Flags: Say ā€œNoā€ to That Potential Client!
  3. How NOT to Get Your Guest Post Published
  4. How NOT to Treat a Fellow Freelance Writer
  5. Why Iā€™m a Hardass Pitching Editor

TransparentGhostMy 3 Most Popular Services

  1. Ghostblogging
  2. Editing
  3. One-on-One Mentoring

It’s been an incredible journey thus far! Thanks for sticking with me all these years! I have big plans for the future. šŸ˜€

–Lauren*

How to Define Your Job as a Freelance Writer

Posted on by Lauren Spear

 

not my job
Illustration by Ramiro Roman

When I first launched LittleZotz Writing, I would frequently get e-mails from visitorsĀ asking if I could design their website, create a flyer in Photoshop, or ā€œwhip up someĀ background artā€ for their landing page.

While I was flattered that those people thought I was so artistic, none of the tasks I justĀ mentioned have anything to do with my job.

But what doesā€¦? Continue reading “How to Define Your Job as a Freelance Writer” →