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Hi there - Molly again, here with part two of an interview of Marie Newman, a freelance writer. We’re going to delve into the deep subjects, and get to know how she got started, and how you can, too!

Molly: What’s the hardest part of freelance writing, for you?

Marie: The hardest part, for me at least, is sitting down and doing the work. I’m getting past it, but forcing myself, with all of the distractions around me, to work no matter what is tough.

Because of this, I’ve had to take some slightly odd measures. I actually asked my husband to block websites that usually distract me, so I can’t get to any of those until I’ve worked some, and I really have to tell myself, ‘this is what I need to do, not anything else’, no matter what.

Molly: What can you recommend as some tips for freelancers starting out, and are having trouble motivating themselves and concentrating.

Marie: I guess the best advice going in would be to remember that this is what you want to do, and the only thing stopping you from doing it is yourself. Sit your butt down, turn off the TV, turn the ringer off on your phone, and work.

Never give up, either. It may get hard sometimes, but giving up shouldn’t be part of that process. Work through your frustration, and your anger, and you can do it.

Molly: What’s most rewarding about freelancing, for you?

Marie: Tough… I guess, the best thing that I find is being flexible. If I want, I can take a Wednesday off to go out to eat with friends, or take a few hours in the middle of the day to do shopping. It’s all about being flexible.

It also really helped me last October. My father passed away, which was extremely hard for me, and I was able to take some time off, do as much would as I could, and I didn’t have to answer to anyone or deal with a corporate, cold answer because of it. Being flexible, and setting my own hours, is really important to me.

Molly: Wow, okay. I can see how that would be important. What websites do you use to find good freelance jobs? What websites can you recommend to freelancers who are starting out?

Marie: I have accounts and profiles on various places. I mainly use Elance (www.Elance.com), because I love the setup, and there are plenty of good buyers and good jobs that I enjoy.

I also have an account on iFreelance (www.iFreelance.com), but I haven’t done too much with it… I don’t care for Scriptlance (www.Scriptlance.com), but have used it.

I’ve heard very good things about Guru as well (www.Guru.com), but have yet to try a full membership. It’s on my to-do list, which of course, is a mile and a half long.

Molly: Have you ever worked with someone who hasn’t paid you?

Marie: I’d love to say I haven’t. I really would! But I’ve been stiffed several times. The first was for over $400, and I had no idea what to do. Nothing had ever happened to me before; I was pretty shocked. He changed his email address, never answered my messages… I had done hours and hours of work - I had under estimated how long it would take me, and was already losing money - and I had nothing to show for it.

I’ve been stiffed for both articles and sales letters since then, but lucky, I do have several great clients that are wonderful to work with and easy to handle. It takes time, but building that kind of relationship is very important.

Molly: Any final words to those searching for a career in freelance writing?

Marie: Always remember that you’re worth more than nothing, and remember that low balling to get a job is never worth it. Stick to your guns.

Oh, and buyers never want work that’s been copied and pasted, so don’t try! It’s best to spend the time and write original work… you’ll get farther in the industry, and be happier about it in the end.

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