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Moderated by Deepika, EleanorSews
Posted on: 3/3/07 7:56 PM ET
I'm interested in finding contract work providing writing services from my home. I have an M.S. in Technical Writing, I am a teacher, and I can write about technical, scientific, educational, business and marketing topics.
I'd like to either do this work full time or do it part time while I look for full time work. Although I am fully employed at the moment, I'd like to give notice and begin doing contract work as soon as possible. I can't afford to go without income for more than a week, so I don't have the luxury of leaving my job to look for another without having income in place to replace the income I'll lose.
Any feedback you can provide would be appreciated, either in this thread or via a personal message.
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I'd like to either do this work full time or do it part time while I look for full time work. Although I am fully employed at the moment, I'd like to give notice and begin doing contract work as soon as possible. I can't afford to go without income for more than a week, so I don't have the luxury of leaving my job to look for another without having income in place to replace the income I'll lose.
Any feedback you can provide would be appreciated, either in this thread or via a personal message.
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"puhPOjhu"--a river that sinks into a mountain with fury and winds around underground for miles before emerging in calm down the road...
Posted on: 3/3/07 9:11 PM ET
DD just got a part time job writing grants for a local non-profit agency. She had been looking for months for some part-time work doing technical writing, but nothing was available locally. What she found online never really came to fruition. Most non-profits rely on grant money for funding, but don't necessarily have employees who can write well. Some of them look for part-timers to help them.
She has another part time job tutoring in English (composition and literature) at a community college. Most colleges have some sort of study lab with paid tutors, usually graduate students, but at a community college there aren't any graduate students on site. She is the only tutor with a master's degree, the rest are seniors from the university, retirees, or people with a B.S. or B.A. needing a second job. We were reading the faculty bios and noticed that many of the adjunct instructors there don't have master's either.
She is dead set against becoming a professor. But they are awaiting funding at the community college for a new writing center and have promised her a full-time position there, which appeals to her. The grant writing job will help her earn a little more money until then.
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She has another part time job tutoring in English (composition and literature) at a community college. Most colleges have some sort of study lab with paid tutors, usually graduate students, but at a community college there aren't any graduate students on site. She is the only tutor with a master's degree, the rest are seniors from the university, retirees, or people with a B.S. or B.A. needing a second job. We were reading the faculty bios and noticed that many of the adjunct instructors there don't have master's either.
She is dead set against becoming a professor. But they are awaiting funding at the community college for a new writing center and have promised her a full-time position there, which appeals to her. The grant writing job will help her earn a little more money until then.
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Elizabeth
Posted on: 3/4/07 0:36 AM ET
In reply to popoagiesmiles
My advise is to wait to quit your job. If you can, find a few small contracts to work in the evening it will help you build a nest egg- something you need for contract work because you may have to go without work a few weeks at a time. If you can, speak with a financial advisor about the tax implications of contract work. You will probably be offered what looks like a lot of money, but then you have to pay your own SSI and other taxes that your employer usually takes care of. (You will have to pay estimated taxes quarterly, by the way.) Health insurance is the other worry. It can be hard to get in some states as a single payer and is incredibly expensive.
I don't mean to sound discouraging, there is just a lot to figure out before you make such a big change, particularly if you have tight finances.
In terms of finding work, the best way is through contacts. If you have friends who work for tech companies, let them know you are looking and have them ask around for you. It is hard to find a good tech writer so you shouldn't have a hard time finding work.
I don't mean to sound discouraging, there is just a lot to figure out before you make such a big change, particularly if you have tight finances.
In terms of finding work, the best way is through contacts. If you have friends who work for tech companies, let them know you are looking and have them ask around for you. It is hard to find a good tech writer so you shouldn't have a hard time finding work.
Posted on: 3/4/07 1:08 AM ET
The idea to write grant proposals is excellent. I've done that before and enjoyed it.
I have done contract writing and other contract work as well. I agree that there are significant risks and drawbacks.
I'm resigning my job because it's had significant negative impact on my health. I'll spare you the details, but others are fleeing as well.
So, with no savings due to big expenses last year, I need to make money fast. I have the skills, but there isn't much work nearby, and the job that had been offered to me three times has been filled. This is why I'm looking far and wide for ideas.
Basically, I want to get some income coming in while I look for a permanent job, and I may want to do contract work part time if I am offered a nonprofit director job that I'm interested in.
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I have done contract writing and other contract work as well. I agree that there are significant risks and drawbacks.
I'm resigning my job because it's had significant negative impact on my health. I'll spare you the details, but others are fleeing as well.
So, with no savings due to big expenses last year, I need to make money fast. I have the skills, but there isn't much work nearby, and the job that had been offered to me three times has been filled. This is why I'm looking far and wide for ideas.
Basically, I want to get some income coming in while I look for a permanent job, and I may want to do contract work part time if I am offered a nonprofit director job that I'm interested in.
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"puhPOjhu"--a river that sinks into a mountain with fury and winds around underground for miles before emerging in calm down the road...
Posted on: 3/4/07 9:07 AM ET
One thing that now comes to mind is a woman who took a nonprofit job, and I am looking at one that is very interesting but doesn't pay much, and she signed a contract with the organization such that she made 7% of any grant proceeds from grant proposals she wrote. I may offer this organization my services if they can give me the base salary plus 7% of any grant proceeds plus 7% of any increases beyond their current level of funding. That way, I can benefit from the increases I bring in while they also benefit...and possibly support myself and my son appropriately.
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"puhPOjhu"--a river that sinks into a mountain with fury and winds around underground for miles before emerging in calm down the road...
Posted on: 3/4/07 9:58 AM ET
My job is dependant on grants and grant money (both federal and private foundations) is extremely tight (worse than it has ever been) and I would think very carefully about relying on this as a sole income source.
Posted on: 3/4/07 12:24 PM ET
My couisen is a grant writer, and I believe the going rate is ten percent? She makes ALOT of money, her specialty is with hospitals.
I have written grants too, but it was part of my job, I didn't get the ten percent.
As you know, its not difficult to do. Mine was with arts.
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I have written grants too, but it was part of my job, I didn't get the ten percent.
As you know, its not difficult to do. Mine was with arts.
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"What you WANT is irrelevant, what you've CHOSEN is at hand." --Mr. Spock
Posted on: 3/4/07 4:40 PM ET
I would think if you are not charging anything up front and are just hoping the grant goes through, you could charge ten per cent. I would rather charge a low fee with an additional percentage if they get the grant.
Anyone have more information on doing it that way?
I just took my son to eat for his birthday, and my fortune said, "Your genuine talent will lead you to success." I'm not superstitious, but I like to grab onto affirmations in whatever form they come!
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Anyone have more information on doing it that way?
I just took my son to eat for his birthday, and my fortune said, "Your genuine talent will lead you to success." I'm not superstitious, but I like to grab onto affirmations in whatever form they come!
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"puhPOjhu"--a river that sinks into a mountain with fury and winds around underground for miles before emerging in calm down the road...
Posted on: 3/4/07 5:39 PM ET
Do you have an idea of who your clients will be? I would do this on the side before quitting a job with benefits. I know you really, really want to leave, but maybe finding another job that will allow you to "bridge" over to contract writing would be a safety net, but still moving you in the right direction.
Also, you are always "worth more" when interviewing while employed.
Also, you are always "worth more" when interviewing while employed.
Posted on: 3/4/07 7:19 PM ET
Can you submit sample writings to trade journals? I often think, when reading a magazine, I could have written that! I ought to just do it then, huh? If you start doing this, tell me how you got your foot in the door. I suppose just write and submit?
One I am applying for write now is State Parks Interpreter...you write programs and tours. Its not from home but is so independent its like working from home. That's educational...tours, maybe you'd like that? Benefits too, matching IRA, only 30 hours a week, etc. You might want something like that part time, to take advantage of medical etc.
-- Edited on 3/4/07 10:52 PM --
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One I am applying for write now is State Parks Interpreter...you write programs and tours. Its not from home but is so independent its like working from home. That's educational...tours, maybe you'd like that? Benefits too, matching IRA, only 30 hours a week, etc. You might want something like that part time, to take advantage of medical etc.
-- Edited on 3/4/07 10:52 PM --
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"What you WANT is irrelevant, what you've CHOSEN is at hand." --Mr. Spock
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