Goodbye to 2007
As Father Time ticks down on 2007, and before the alcohol kicks in too much that I start typing double and you start reading this quadruple, here’s a brief look at some of my highlights of the year as a writer.
January
Start 2007 with a bang - I resign from a gig after a big fallout with my principal.
Seriously considered getting a “proper” job but decided to stick with the scribbling in anticipation of turning the corner and making a break.
February
Having decided to carry on scribbling, I have to deal with the aggravation of my former principal who seems intent on rubbishing my name and reputation as much as possible. It seems they are concerned I might actually do OK without their “help”.
I win $3,000 of work and get paid most of it within February which actually opens my eyes to the potential that really does exist and I start considering raising my fees, but due to a lack of confidence I don’t risk it.
March
Work continues to flow through the doors, mostly writing articles and blogs for the web. I still have to contend with my ex-principal who seems to have taken my resignation personally but I try to just keep my head down and get on with it.
This seems to be the right strategy as I continue to get work in and another good month financially.
April
As the mornings start dawning earlier and that smell of Spring starts to make it’s presence felt, there is an extra zest in my writing efforts. I win a long term contract for articles which provides me with some stability with regards my income.
I still think I’m not charging enough for my work, but I have a serious sit-down with myself and look at my options. Part of this involves conducting some market research of my own to see what pricing is like and though my confidence still fails me I start hiking my fees.
May
Personally, a disaster of a month! Work wise it’s OK.
My fee hikes are having an effect on my income and I hit the $3,000 mark which has become my benchmark for my earnings - if I earn less than this there is a serious problem! I work to live not the other way around.
My increase in fees hasn’t affected my existing clients and most have accepted the increases without any comment. Some actually tell me I’m still cheap for the work product, and I experience a huge boost to my self-confidence.
June
This is a month of turmoil.
A client for whom I deliver 100 articles each month wants to cut the fees but I dig my heels in - we have a contract after all. We agree to part company and suddenly I have a hole in my budget and business plan. I’d started to rely on this contract and so had not been hunting for work as much as I otherwise would.
Financially, I hit my target but it is a great strain. Not least, this has an effect on my family as I have to put extra hours in to get the money and work in.
July
With a rainy summer that does not seem to know which way it wants to go, my writing career seems to be in the same mood.
Work is still flowing in, but I sense that I am still undercharging and the quality of the work I am getting is also starting to bother me. My article contract comes back after the buyer realises that actually, I’m producing far better work than he is ever going to get from India or The Philippines and I take the opportunity to hike my fee again.
Though I have had a very busy month, I have concentrated too much on the work and not enough on getting paid. My debtors are high, over $6,000 but I actually only collect a little over $1,000 in the month for a variety of reasons.
I need to get on top of people who owe me money!
August
I start work for Supaproofread !
I also hike my fees yet again, and though I lose some customers I notice a definite improvement in the quality of the work I start receiving.
I win a contract for a freelance website (GetAFreelancer or GAF) and this really makes a difference to how customers and prospects start looking at me. My day rate starts rising to the $600 mark for these types of customers and the issue becomes finding them in order to close them.
I have my best month ever from a financial perspective as I write over $5,000 for the month and collect over $10,000 for my efforts which thoroughly make up for a poor July.
September
Happy Birthday to Me as I hit 43!
I complete my first eBook and get paid for the work which takes me about a week to research and write. I also start winning projects that are more of a research job in character; this is something of a surprise to me, as I never saw the research skills that have been acquired as a marketable commodity in their own right before.
I note that the number of writing jobs I am taking on and completing falls to below 30 for the month however my fees come in at over $4,500 - a sure sign that I am starting to get the quality work I’m after.
October
For some reason I hit a low gear and don’t actually do a great deal. I feel quite tired and lethargic as I run out of writing steam.
 I take some time to mull a few things over, not least a personal writing project which has been on my mind for some time. This diversion takes me away from paying work and I lose some of my focus as a result. Balancing work, clients and a personal life becomes an issue as I am finding myself in demand from clients but seem to have hit a low in my motivation.
November
Snapping out of the low of the previous month, I get back to paying work with a vengeance.
I win three new premium clients, each worth over $2,000 for website work. An old client also comes up with a web-based project and life seems to have taken off again.  This is just as well as I have some heavy financial outgoings in November and I’m always aware that Christmas is around the corner!
December
The final lap of 2007!
It appears that my tiredness is not just a mental problem. I contract shingles which is what you get from the chicken pox virus when you are a grown-up. Someone should tell the little blighters that though I have the body of a 43 year old, I’m still a kid at heart but the microbes have not yet evolved ears to listen!
It makes no difference to me financially as I bring home the bacon despite a necessary hiatus while sweating it out. My debtors are down to less than $2,000 and I collect over $10,000 in payments for my efforts.
Merry Christmas everybody - Daddy’s home!
All that remains is to say “Goodbye 2007″ and we’ll see you in 2008 - have a good celebration wherever you are!
