Hi everybody! I’d like to introduce you to Miranda Marquit, professional writer and freelancer. Miranda has the job that I am aiming for, writing and blogging from home. I “met” her as a fellow staff writer for Bargaineering, but she is also a staff writer for many other blogs. Please feel free to check out her professional site, her personal blog, or even follow her on Twitter.
Since so many of you (and myself) are so interested in everything to do with working online, I asked Miranda if she’d answer a few interview questions for me and she kindly agreed. I would just like to say thank you pubicly to Miranda for giving me her time.
1. Are you solely a freelance writer or is this a side job for you?
This is my “full time” career. It’s the only thing I’ve done since finishing my M.A. in Journalism.
2. How did you start up your freelance business? Did you start your site and business with writing in mind or did you sort of stumble into the job like I did?
I knew I wanted to work from home, so I just started after finishing my degree, while my husband took his turn at his degree. We supplemented with student loans for my husband for a couple of years. I started looking online for gigs, and writing for content sites like Associated Content, and providing keyword articles. I did a lot of stuff I didn’t enjoy doing to pay the rent — but I did it decently and consistently, and Robyn Tippins (who saw my consistency on AC), who is with CurrentTV now (and who asked me to co-author with her on Community 101), introduced me to the world of blogging. In the meantime, using my qualifications from a former life as a physical science major, I started writing for a physics web site, and one of my Syracuse contacts hooked me up with some freelance work for Discover magazine. I also started writing a technology column for my local newspaper.
Anyway, I started blogging for hire immediately. It was just ahead of when blogging really exploded. Robyn was part of a company that was helping companies use blogging as online marketing, so I became a corporate blogger. Soon, I applied for work with blogging networks, and began moving away from the content sites, and building up blogging. For some reason, I gravitated toward finance.
3. How did you start building up your reputation?
I just started writing. I applied at b5 media and was paid to develop a personal finance blog. I also wrote for AllBusiness, doing personal finance (I still write for AB), also paid. That’s it. I just wrote consistently, and tried to do research so that I could learn more about personal finance, while also drawing on things I learned from my mistakes in the past. When social media started becoming popular, I did a little, focusing mainly on finance sites like Tip’d. Soon, people saw my stuff on on Tip’d and on StumbleUpon, and saw my blogs, a few people asked if I could write for them, offering to pay me.
4. How do you find your positions?
I used to look at online job boards like http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/, ProBlogger and at Media Bistro. However, it’s been two or three years since I’ve applied for anything. Now I am approached about writing for blogs.
5. What is your favorite part of freelancing?
I like working from home, and the relative flexibility of my schedule. I also really enjoy interacting online and “meeting” interesting people from all over the country — and even the world.
6. What is the biggest drawback of freelancing in your opinion?
When I go somewhere, sometimes I have to take my work with me to meet a deadline.
Again, thank you Miranda!
What questions did I miss for Miranda? Is there anything I may be able to answer?
Miranda is definitely an inspiration for me as I’m building my freelance writing business. Great resources for finding more gigs!
Thanks for this article. Very helpful and provides motivation for me to pursue a similar career.
A couple of questions….Does she ever have to turn work away? Also was there ever a point that she wished she was not a freelancer?
@20 and Enaged, I appreciated the resources too.
@The $60K Project, I’m glad it is motivational!
@Super Frugalette, I won’t speak for Miranda obviously, but I have had to turn away work before. Sometimes a job just doesn’t feel right or we each have different expectations. As for ever wishing not to be a freelancer, I really hope I never feel that way. I don’t know if that happens like it does with all other jobs…
I think the most important thing to learn from this interview is to be consistent. When you do something consistently you become good at it and people always appreciate quality. Being at the right place at the right time also must have helped in expanding her business.
@Nishadha, good point.
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