Online Copywriting Sucks, Part II

In fact, it sucks so hard, I'm not all that upset to have been laid off from my day-job writing copy for an online shopping site. Okay, so my husband's also unemployed and we're looking down the barrel of a big, broke gun. What better way to kick my hiney back into freelance mode?

I've already submitted a personal essay, am doing a spec column, and am seeking out more information on a request for pitches. The last time I was laid off was August 2001, which turned out to be more than disastrous and I still ended up doing all right; let's see how I do this time around.

Stay tuned.

Online Copywriting Sucks, Part I

Holy Crap! This is why I hate my job. Because Sephora didn't hire me. Instead, they hired the person who did... THIS!

Here's poop in your eye!

Why Did I Ever Procrastinate Before?!

Good god. Freelancing on top of a full-time job when you have a baby is insane. But I can't give up on the freelance -- it's the work that feels good, where I feel as if I'm using my skills rather than corporate-droning myself to death. Besides, I still hold out hope that I can go back to freelancing full-time.

Anyway, I'm amazed that I ever felt like I couldn't get anything done when I had all the time in the world. What was wrong with me?? Now! Now I need all the time I wasted then! Wouldn't it be awesome if it turned out that's what procrastination was? Banking free time for when you really needed it?

Here's hoping I get my latest story in by deadline, or close enough to it to keep my editor calling.

Ooh, I know -- I'm going to finish that spec personal essay for my pal at the women's magazine. Quick, before the baby wakes up... OOPS she's up.

I Love Being Tagged "Hilarious"

Oops. It's been a while since I updated. I was freelancing quite a bit while out on maternity leave, but with such truncated work hours, I had to make hard choices. Blogging lost. That's not true: I blogged, but not about work.

I thought it was hard not to procrastinate before. Turns out: I had no idea. When a wailing, hungry child brackets your time into three-hour segments, you get a stark lesson in just how much time you screw around. Seriously? Just as I would wind down my "just-for-a-minute" web reading, my husband would wander into the room with my big-eyed schmoo, and I'd have to admit I'd squandered my precious time yet again. 

It has taken some time, but I think I'm getting the hang of it now. 

Anyway, check out my iPhone Oscars, which I squeaked in right under the wire before the real Oscars. Man, I love my iPhone, Dr. Horrible, and Oscars. 

My Baby!

My baby was born this week!

http://www.maclife.com/articles/feature

Oh, also, I gave birth. ;)

Praise!

Oh! My gosh. The "ruining my life" story has been done for over a week, and i haven't stopped in to congratulate myself. Well, of course not-- no project, no need to procrastinate, right?

well, of course I do have my next project on deck -- it'll ruin my life again, for sure. abotu 1500 words/week for 8 weeks or so. but man, what a payday, and it's a fun project, so yay.

but back to the point: i got praise! props! big ups!

I just finished reading the [REDACTED] feature...OMG, if we can publish something this well-written, well-reported, and well-designed every month, we will eat [COMPETITION] for breakfast by end of 2010, no problem.

THANK YOU for your amazing work on this feature--I am so impressed and so proud of this story, and the Dec issue in general.

which prompted this:

And this is a good opportunity for me to thank [MADFOOT] for her great writing (her snark complements mine) and what must have been insanely frenetic (and nerve-wracking?) reporting/interviewing.

now, I did not work on this feature alone -- not by a longshot. i split the work with my editor, but I did almost all the reporting and worked my hiney off.

this post has been sitting here waiting to be published for almost an hour b/c i can't seem to say "I'm proud." but if I were capable of saying it, I would!

Truth in advertising

Right now, I'm truly procrastinating. It's 12:46 and I have the afternoon clear to bang out several chunks of the huge story that has been RUINING MY LIFE! for the past 2 weeks. Hokay. I have the transcribed interviews, I have (detailed) directions from my editor, and I know what to do... but I feel like ASS. I"m exhausted. My feet are balloons. My brain feels cloudy. And my reward, when all this is done, is that I'l be totally exhausted when my husband and stepkids get home and will be a cranky lump.

Okay! Enough bitching. I'm off to work now. But man, freelancing on top of a full-time job when you're pregnant: it is not for sissies.