Taryn bets on herself

Posted on October 12, 2021 Posted in Freelance, Life, Living the Dream, WritingTagged 9to5, author, Bet, Career, Creative endeavors, dreams, Freelancing, Gambling, goals, Humor, Manifest, Millennials, Novel, Poker, publishing, society, work, World Order, writingLeave a comment

I am a very particular person who likes the freedom to come and go as she pleases. As such, that doesn’t bode well for the traditional American life. It’s not a preference; it’s the way I’m hardwired. I don’t see the point in many mainstay behaviors that our collective society deems to be valuable or necessary. And trust me, I’ve tried to fall in line– much to my own detriment. So what am I blathering on about? Relax, this isn’t a manifesto of extremist views; I just am not cut out for the 9-5. And, if I’m getting off of my pretentious high horse, I know a lot of people aren’t either. Just so we’re clear, I’m not proclaiming to be some amazing unicorn that is ‘not like everyone else’. 😉

Road less traveled

When I started this blog, I was a 23-year-old snot-nosed kid who fundamentally understood that things in my life needed to change. It took some trial and error and perhaps, the wisdom of experience, but I am doing what I had set out to do. Funnily enough, though, some part of me had wondered if maybe there was some magical workplace where I could fit in. The truth is, even when I played the game according to the house’s rules, I still lost. So I’ve folded and returned to my own game. After a year and a half of teamwork, I’m running back to the hills of autonomy. But, this time, I appreciate it far more than I did previously.

Thanks for no thanks

I’m a workhorse, through and through. My ability to get stuff done is quite uncanny. Working for ‘the man’ penalizes that in so many ways. Let’s not even get started with the politics of workplaces and the incompetence of leadership, this would turn into a novel rather than a blog post. Running your own business seems like a risky decision, however, when you look at the untapped earning potential and autonomy, one can quickly see it’s actually not as risky if you’re willing to put in some elbow grease. More importantly, I don’t want to work on someone else’s thing. I want to work on mine.

Investing in me

I will 1000% admit that taking my last two contracts was smart for many reasons. That said, it did reaffirm my need to get the lead out and create. Life is short, and I don’t want to waste it on things I have no interest in. So, I’m betting on myself. That means I’m investing in my health, investing in my future– I’m investing in me. There was a time when I couldn’t see the value in that. My thought process was if it wasn’t making an immediate return on investment, it wasn’t worth it. But the long game looks very different than the short game.

Discipline over everything

As I’ve grown older, I’ve seen the value of disciplined behavior. Not obnoxiously overspending, writing everyday, working out regularly. Discipline is what garners success. While I have an arsenal of skills, my lack of discipline through the years is readily apparent to me. So with that being said, I’m pulling out the dreaded S-word (schedule), and I’m setting myself up to win. I’m doubling down on Taryn and doing the work to ensure the odds are in my favor. To my fellow dreamers and schemers, may the odds be in your favor as well!

Office Space

Posted on June 6, 2015June 6, 2015 Posted in FreelanceTagged Amwriting, coffee, concentration, distractions, Expenses, inspiration, investment, Library, office, office space, Reading, work station, writer's life, writingLeave a comment

Writing is tough business– especially when you don’t have a designated place to do so. When I’m home, wherever I try to write, I always lose focus or find myself doing some type of household chore. It’s a pain, really– which is why I go elsewhere. Continue reading “Office Space” →

15 Quotes to Soothe the Freelance Writer Soul

Posted on March 18, 2015March 21, 2015 Posted in Freelance, LifeTagged acceptance, anxiety, blogging, Career, Courage, Freelance writing, Mental Health, Motivation, Robert Frost, writersLeave a comment

Being a freelance writer takes a brave soul. You have to find the courage within yourself to go out into the world as a writer come what may. It’s important to keep your thoughts and mental health in check. The journey is sometimes a rocky one, but for those who trek on the road less traveled, it’s worth the risk. Here are a few quotes to help you on your way. Continue reading “15 Quotes to Soothe the Freelance Writer Soul” →

Me Vs. Me

Posted on March 9, 2015March 21, 2015 Posted in Freelance, LifeTagged anxiety, cbt, cognitive behavioral therapy, dreams, fear, Freelance, negative talk, positivity, writingLeave a comment

Recently, I’ve come to the realization that I may not be my biggest advocate. It’s a terrible thing to know that they only person standing in your way happens to be the very person you see in the mirror. Continue reading “Me Vs. Me” →

How I Stay Organized

Posted on March 3, 2015March 21, 2015 Posted in Freelance, LifeTagged Amwriting, anxiety, cleaning, editorial, editorial calender, Freelance, happy, Humor, journal, Life, neurotic, organization, organized, stress, whiteboard, work, writing5 Comments

For those of you who have self-discipline and have no trouble in staying organized/focused, bah humbug, this post isn’t for you. I’m just kidding… maybe. Being organized and staying focused are traits that are not organic to me. In fact, I have a million redundant practices that I have in place to keep me on the straight and narrow. And for 3 easy payments of $4.99 you too can.. errr… wait, that’s not supposed to go there. Without further ado, here’s how I keep my crazy butt in line. Continue reading “How I Stay Organized” →

So yeah… I kind of write stuff

Posted on September 13, 2014September 13, 2014 Posted in Freelance, LifeTagged anxiety, Article, Avoidance, Creative Process, editor, fear, Freelance, Generation Y, Magazine, Millennials, Pitch, success, writingLeave a comment

So I am terrible about bragging about my writing exploits as of late, so I want to share with you guys my latest published work. Way back in June, I discovered this magazine call Millennial Magazine. It’s all about Gen Y and powered by Millennials. They were accepting writers and I knew I’d be a good fit so I quickly wrote the editor and pitched her a few ideas.

The Pitch

For me, pitching an editor is not scary. In fact, it is my favorite part of the process. I introduced myself and spoke on my passion about talking about myself (typical millennial, lol) and sent her some samples and some possible topics. Then I hit “send” and waiting eagerly for the response. Within a few hours, she got back to me and said my ideas were great and to move forward with them.

The Triumph

For a few days I was on cloud 9 enjoying life and feeling validated. She loved my work and ideas! It felt amazing to receive positive feedback. So needless to say my ego was pretty inflated; at a healthy rate though. 😉

The Fear

After the acceptance high wore off, a huge sense of insecurity crept over more. “Am I good enough?” “Will the editor like my work?” were the thoughts that plagued my anxiety-riddled brain. I became stuck and fearful that I could not get it done. Instead, I avoided it like the bubonic plague and just let the project fall to the wayside. I was so bummed and disappointed with myself for following through, but my fear and anxiety had gotten the better of me.

The Comeback

Fast forward 2 months and I still had not written the article. So finally, I took a good look in the mirror, and spoke a few positive affirmations and vowed that I’d get this article written come hell or high-water. So a few hours later and a few revisions (done at a Starbucks, no less), my article was complete!

The Submission

After I finished my article, I sent it to the editor who had positive things to say about it. I made a few corrections and resubmitted it. I was incredibly proud of myself for finishing the article and that it was going to be published. What I was most proud of was despite my initial hesitation, I managed to follow through, and complete it. Maybe it was because the article is a topic that I relate with, but for me, when I have work that hits close to home, I have a tough time getting through with the project for fear that I am not doing it justice. Then I realized I’m not doing anything if I don’t actually do it, so here it is!

The Published Work

The cool thing about my article was that it was published incredibly quickly and I got a chance to show my friends and family. Normally I write a lot of corporate copy so it’s not exactly interesting or shareable, so it was nice to have done some work that I could share with everyone. So without further ado, here is my article! Just click the link below.

Why Millennials Aren’t Rushing to the Alter

The Takeaway

All in all, I’ve realized that the writing process does not have to be as scary as I’ve made it. Also that I love what I do. If you guys have any stories about submitting work, I’d love to hear them! 🙂

Consistently Inconsistent Pt. 2

Posted on July 24, 2014 Posted in Bum Chronicles, Freelance, Humor, LifeTagged anxiety, blogging, Freelance, friends, Fun, hiatus, Humor, Life, Netflix, Posting, writingLeave a comment

Hello everyone!!!!

The one thing you can count on with this blog is to: not count on anything!

My apologies for my whacky sporadic posts, I swear I have good reasons (excuses)!

1. I’ve been making friends! Yes it’s true! This introvert has met a few great ladies here in Satan’s Buttcrack, so you can blame them for me neglecting you. 😉

2. I’ve been marketing my writing services like a madwoman. I forgot that you have to work in order to make money, so I’ve been doing just that! You can check out my website here. Go on, you know you want to.

3. I’ve been hiding under my covers watching Netflix. Sad but true, I’ve been coping with the ever-changing world with Hemlock Grove. It’s a creepy show yet very addicting. Also Bill Skaarsgard is smokin’ hot!

With that all said and done, I’m back, I swear! Again, don’t hold me to it, but I’ve missed blogging and talking with my fellow bloggers. So talk to me! I want to know what awesome things are going on with you! 🙂

4 Freelance Writing Beliefs You Have to Ditch

Posted on July 16, 2014July 16, 2014 Posted in FreelanceTagged Beginner, Confidence, content, Content Mills, fear, Freelance, Learning, mentor, Mistakes, Pitch, SEO, work, writingLeave a comment

I love being a freelance writer. From the pitch, to the final edit, to the submission; this is what I live to do. Of course, my writing career has certainly not been without its bumps and bruises. I’ve made some faux pas, questioned my abilities, and have failed on occasion. Yet, here I am, still alive to tell the tale! One of the things I have learned is that there are many emerging writers who have had similar experiences like myself. As I progress in my work, I can’t help but notice a lot of my fellow writers hold on to beliefs that I once held, but discarded as they were toxic to my career. In my perfect utopian world, I want all writers to be able to do well in their respective niches, so I’ve compiled a list of ideas that you need to run from as if they were an unpinned grenade.

1. You have to “pay your dues” by taking low wage jobs for an extended period of time

So you’ve just started out and you don’t have any samples. It’s ok, we all have to start somewhere. My best and earnest advice is to do some pro-bono work for a company in exchange for a byline and recommendation. It is a win-win situation as you get to build your repertoire and reputation, while they get some free work. For some reason freelances think they have to go the “starving artist” route and work for low pay. This is absolutely untrue. When you first start out, yes, you won’t be making six figures, but the whole point is to gain experience and then move up the totem pole. Don’t get stuck slaving over low paying gigs because you feel you have to “earn” the right to write. This brings me to my next belief.

2. Content Mills are a reputable and a great source of income

Every time I hear someone raving on about a mill they write for, my soul cries. Why? Because mill writers are literally paid pennies on the dollar (actually less than that) for their writing. Yes, it’s easy to join them and it takes the fear of marketing yourself out of the picture, but it also takes an astronomical amount out of your earning potential. Most mills pay no more than .03 cents a word, and that’s at the higher end of the spectrum. Most writers can knock out a 500 word article in an hour so, $15 an hour isn’t too bad, right? WRONG! Look at it this way, if you are “lucky” enough to earn .03 cents a word, even if you churn out five 500 word articles a day, that is still only $45 a day. Let’s not forget about the burnout, because, eventually it will happen. Yet some writers will defend mills to the death, saying “they’re really nice and treat me well”. Well, if I was having you do all the work on an article that I charged $100 for and paying you $15, I’d be nice to you too. I get the appeal of mills, it’s “steady work” in an unstable work climate. However, mills will burn you out, teach you terrible writing/research techniques, and will keep you in a rat race to stay above water financially. Not to mention whatever you write for them you either can’t use as a sample due to an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) and the fact that the article isn’t worth using anyway. I could go on incessantly about content mills, but trust me, I care about your career and want you to succeed! So stay the hell away from content mills!

3. You have to be well-versed in a subject

I freely admit that I had a lot of trouble on this one. Then, one day, I found the power of Google and research! If you’ve attended college, then there is a big chance that you’ve done a research paper. Writing for industries you aren’t all too familiar on just takes a bit of research, and trust me, you can do it! As long as you do your due-diligence, you can write about anything you’d like. So in short, you don’t have to be an expert however, be willing to put the time in to do some solid research.

4. You aren’t good enough

This is another heartbreaker for me. Too many writers are not confident in their abilities so they either turn to mills or don’t get started altogether. Honestly, I suffered (and sometimes still do) from insecurities with my writing. The psychological barriers that we set for ourselves are incredibly detrimental because they hinder our talents. When I get nervous, I look in the mirror and face the reality that: I HAVE to have a Starbucks fund, therefore I need to write. Ok, I’m kidding (not really), but in all seriousness, being nervous is part of the process and it does get easier over time. You are capable of having a successful writing career, you just have to get in there and get after it!

The best way to combat these beliefs is by doing your research and learning from successful writers in the niche you want to write for. I personally enjoy Carol Tice as she has such a wealth of information and knowledge. I stumbled across her site a few months ago and have been passively reading it ever since. It’s helped me tremendously even though I’m not an actual member (this is not an endorsed post, I just admire the lady. 🙂 ). If you’re beginning to write or are not sure where to start, I hope you learn a bit from my mistakes and make a smoother transition into writing. So my fellow writers I wish you much success and happy writing!

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Taryn Was Here

Category: Freelance