Some Leaps Just Have To Be Made

Well, I did it. I pilled the trigger. I am actively looking at freelance writing and editing work. I have sent out some feelers, I have created a profile on ELance, I have used some of the resources on Freelance Writing Jobs. I am making this official. It is a big step, but I am going to plunge ahead. I already did some volunteer editing for City Union Mission, editing some posts on their "Letters From Camp" blog. Specifically, these posts three saw revisions from me. I'm not saying that I've already found a whole lot of anything. In fact, I am writing this post after sending off a batch of inquiries into possible freelance work.

I am taking my own advice from my last post; I'm working on building my portfolio, and I am going to continue working with City Union Mission. That, I hope, will be a valuable resource for me. I will be looking at other possible avenues to help promote me as a writer. I've also consulted a friend of mine in the Public Relations field. She suggested engaging other bloggers and having insightful and thought things to say, not just the typical "nice post!" If my time on LinkedIn has taught me anything, it that networking is always a plus.

Don't get me wrong, I haven't given up on finding full-time work completely, but I also realize that having been thinking teaching and not writing when I was going to college, I am at a definite disadvantage when it comes to looking for work in my field. Additionally, I have lost most of my schoolwork to various moves and accidents, and all the quality stuff is just plain gone.

This has nothing to do with this post,
I just wanted to add a caption!

Starting from scratch is not fun, especially in the professional world. I have yet to start a professional "freelance" blog, and I realize that my past of whining about not posting and my otherwise silly posts on this blog will turn a few noses. Unfortunately, as I am trying to get a lot of things off the ground and blocking time especially for freelance work, a new blog is not in the cards, and I really shouldn't spend that time creating a new blog, especially not with the plans I have for when that blog gets off and running. Perhaps when I have the time, I will create a freelance/portfolio blog. Honestly, I've been slowing using this blog to test out some things to be better prepared once I can get that other blog off the ground. In a way, this blog is becoming a public experiment in making a professional looking blog.

Pictured: The Internet
(Yes, this is a The IT Crowd reference.)

One of the feature you might notice is the use of pictures in this blog. I didn't always use pictures and I have been slowly experimenting with that feature. The addition of captions is something I will be trying in this and future posts. The features are simple, but I have never played with them. I hope to get a camera of my own soon that I might be able to generate my own images instead of leeching free/generic stuff found all over the Internet. Also, I will be able to make my own graphics like a boss.