Rather, this self-destructive personality is the writer who relies exclusively on third parties to host their content, including articles, photos and other user-generated material that can simply go away in just a moment.

Last month, I wrote “Why Giving Up Blogging May Be Your Worst Decision,” to touch on the importance of maintaining your own site(s). Today, I am going to get specific on how your most valuable content can quickly disappear.

Am I being an alarmist? I’ll let you decide. However, the facts are clear that when you post material to a website or service that you do not control, then you risk having that information deleted, changed or used for purposes other than what you intended.

1. Terms of service. I read recently where a controversial website that was dedicated to exposing the lies of another organization was suddenly shut down. That website seemed to be telling the truth, but it was hosted on WordPress.com, a free blog hosting site managed by the makers of that powerful content management system. The blog’s opponents seized upon WordPress’ “terms of service,” which clearly spell out that “hate speech” is not allowed. The term “hate speech” is loosely defined, but if someone does not like what you have to say and complains to the right source, then your material can be removed. Fortunately for the owners, they had a database backup and were able to transfer their blog to a private hosting company. Others are not so lucky.

2. Rules are changed. Again. The popularity of Facebook is evident with more than 800 million global users registered as we begin 2012. Its strength and influence cannot be denied, but Facebook has lulled legions of users into pouring all of their resources into its vast pit of accumulated content, material that becomes the property of Facebook. Contributing to Facebook isn’t wrong, but it should never be your primary way of reaching your customers or the people you influence. Even if you delete your Facebook account, the process is not an easy one and your information may remain on Facebook’s servers.

3. Strong platforms fade. Facebook has supplanted MySpace in social media and Google has conquered Yahoo in web search. As difficult as it is to imagine either of these newer platforms being overtaken by an emerging entity, that possibility always exists. Back in the 1990s, message boards and forums ruled, and were destinations unto themselves. Users freely shared valuable information that took countless hours to write. Many of those sites are now gone and the content its contributors submitted has long disappeared. You may be satisfied with your content’s short term influence, but if you want what you write to last for the long haul, then only the sites you control can ensure its continued visibility.

4. Your shortened links no longer work. Besides the content you write, the links you share via social media should be of critical importance to you. Those links can attract new clients and be useful for years to come. However, if a link shortener’s service shuts down, then your links will go away with it. Use a stable link shortening platform, particularly one that allows you to track analytics. I recently started using Google’s goo.gl shortener and am impressed by what this service has to offer.

Extreme reliance on others to host your content can adversely impact your business, perhaps forcing you to close up shop. Even if the hit is only temporary, you’ll lose valuable time and will need to expend resources to retrieve what you have lost. I dobut that you can afford to take such a hit nor should you.

Article marketing isn’t about to go away. You probably knew that, but what you might not know is why this form of “getting the word out” still works.

Marketing Expertise

I consider myself an expert of sorts in article marketing. Beginning in 2005, I was hired by a client to write articles for his business and post those articles to various marketing directories, but especially to EzineArticles. “Ezine” is owned by Christopher Knight and if there is any one person who knows article marketing better than Knight, then I haven’t met him. Come to think of it I haven’t met Knight either. Moving on….

Seven years later, I have scads of articles posted to directories. At one point I was No. 10 on EzineArticles’ list, but eventually I shifted my sites to magazines, blogs and websites. Yes, I was paid to write for the directories and to post those articles. Maybe I should change my tense here because I still market articles on a regular basis. These days I write about a dozen articles each month for EzineArticles and other sites for my clients.

I thought article marketing would eventually fade away, but at this point in the game, I still see benefit from having original and interesting articles posted to other sites and picked up, with backlinks intact and posted elsewhere.

Article Marketing

Here is why article marketing will continue to thrive over the next few years:

1. It is free content — Even if an article is eventually posted to multiple sites, the people who are doing the posting are getting free content. Sure, you NEVER want to rely exclusively on content used available for use elsewhere, but with article directories you can find some good reads to include on your site. In exchange, you’re expected to keep the links in the “author’s resource” section in place.

2. Authors can build a name for themselves — If everyone knows who you are, then article marketing won’t matter to you. For people who want to make a name for themselves or desire to expand their base, then writing several quality articles and offering these to the directories makes sense. The alternative is to find a website to host these articles, but that doesn’t always work out. Besides, if you want multiple backlinks, then article marketing is the fastest way to gain these.

3. You don’t have to be a writer — Writing for the article directories is one way people who aren’t especially good at writing can hone their skills. Of course, that means some of the articles submitted to and accepted by the directories aren’t first-rate. Still, if you are looking for an audience and can’t afford the services of a copywriter, then the article submission route is a very good way to go.

4. Your article stays in place always — This is where you need to be careful about submitting your articles. Use a directory that isn’t proven or regularly updated and you’ll risk that your article will someday disappear. Personally, I don’t count who picks up my articles and where they get republished — I’m satisfied that the article directory has a copy and that copy will continue to send links back to my sites or my customers’ sites for years to come. Choose only an established directory and avoid those with little to no standards.

5. You’ll get new business — As a writer, I know my articles have brought in new business for me. As for my clients, they’re satisfied on two fronts: 1) backlinks are gradually built up and, 2) more customers find their websites. What they pay for my services is a cost they’ll need to recoup. I’m confident that my services are a moneymaker for them, otherwise why am I still doing article marketing?

Final Thoughts

One bit of advice that should be used is this: when you market your articles, submit what you write to just one directory. Multiple submits are a waste of time — find a directory or two or three that you like and send your articles there. Keep track of your articles including how many times each article is picked up and redistributed. Work on writing catchy titles, use your keywords wisely and put in place your sub-heads too.

I’ve been posting to one or more blogs regularly since 2005. That followed three years of running an online forum and several more years of belonging to one or more groups or forums. I became active online in 1995, but had at least a passing fancy with computers for years before.

Blogging Adventure

A latecomer to blogging, I still have managed to see the blogosphere change dramatically. Technorati was the driving force for many bloggers, a platform by which they got noticed, connected with other bloggers and, hopefully, monetized their sites. Technorati’s influence has gone the way of MySpace and Digg, virtual afterthoughts in all things Internet.

Blogging’s strength can be credited largely to WordPress which took the blogging model and ran with it. Early on, WordPress experienced the usual growing pains, but by the time Word Press 3.0 rolled out, those problems largely disappeared. Today, WP is a stable and broad platform, an excellent content management system whether you use it for blogging or other purposes.

Gone Dark

Lately, I’ve been visiting the blogging sites of some of my colleague writers and have found two that haven’t been kept up in at least six months. Both sites offered engaging and sometimes instructive content, but each appears to have ceased being updated. No word from the blogger that the work had stopped, just an aged post occupying the home page. They’ve gone dark, but nobody has turned out the light.

I understand what may be driving some bloggers to quit, especially writers who have a lot of other projects and perhaps personal websites to manage. Matt’s Musings faded in 2011 as I allowed a steady stream of contributors to fill in. I stopped accepting guest posts last May, realizing that this blog belongs to me and it is my voice I want out there. Besides, I have an ulterior motive for continuing this site. Read on and I’ll explain why giving up blogging may be your worst decision:

It is your site and your voice — How do people find you other than you making regular queries? Querying for work is great and needful, but I must admit that most of my current crop of clients found me. Matt’s Musings was one of several platforms where my writings brought me work. Without it, I would lose an important marketing tool.

You can express yourself — You can’t possibly express yourself to the degree that you want anywhere else including on Facebook, the site that seems to have the most impact on pulling people away from blogging. Sure, longer form writing is possible, but it just isn’t the same. Facebook may also delete your content if Mark Zuckerberg changes the rules again.

You own it — Unless your blog is hosted Blogspot or WordPress.com, you probably own the site and have arranged your own hosting. You dress up your site the way you want it to look and you backup your files automatically. Why contribute content to a site that you don’t own when you can connect with your readers at the home base you do own?

Your expertise can shine forth — People who are experts in anything always have a home site where their thoughts can be shared. Unless you have a redirect to a new website, people may assume you have quit writing. Why degrade your expert status by gradually disappearing or getting lost in a sea of Facebook users?

No blog, no income — It is no secret that bloggers make money off of their sites. Yes, paid links and paid content are no longer part of the mix, but a display ad can certainly be a money generator. Matt’s Musings is not a direct money maker, but I’ve garnered work through this site that pays for my web hosting and my time writing articles many times over.

Having Fun

My points here aren’t meant to dispense guilt on anyone. Your reasons for not blogging may have everything to do with your schedule, your interest and your workload. Still, I would venture to say that you have blogged for the fun of it, not worrying about grammar, syntax and a host of other rules we must follow when writing for our clients.

In nine years of working for myself, only one client has stiffed me. But, he didn’t get away with it.

Unethical Lawyer

I’ve told this story before, how a cheesy lawyer wanted me to write multiple “lemon car” articles that I determined would take me less than an hour each produce. It soon turned out he had something else in mind and expanded the parameters of the assignment after I submitted the first article, wanting more material than what these $25 articles called for. I told him I could accommodate his request, but my rate was now $75 per article based on the expanded research required. He balked, I sent him an invoice, but after repeated attempts at getting paid, he never paid up.

Pay the writer!

It has been said, “the hardest lessons learned are lessons learned nonetheless.” I couldn’t agree more. After that incident, I made sure that all of my future clients were working under a contract. I haven’t had a problem since.

How to Get Paid

This article is based on a conversation I had last week with one of my long term readers. I promised I wouldn’t use her name, but I did ask and received permission to share her story and my tips. The story doesn’t have a happy ending yet, but I believe that said writer’s persistence will result in a positive outcome.

Like most every writer who is self-employed, freelancer “Jane” juggles several clients and has both long- and short-term assignments that she is working on concurrently. It is one of her short-term clients who is giving her a lot of heartburn, someone who came onboard just after Thanksgiving and promised enough work to keep her busy through Christmas and into the new year. Turns out that this client wanted six 1,200- to 1,500-word articles for an online magazine, a project that would pay $150 per article. That’s a low price Jane is charging, but she said it was based on four hours of work per article including research, writing, editing and the rest. That work equals $37.50 per hour.

I asked Jane how she was to get paid and she replied, “Weekly, once each article was accepted.” Her problem wasn’t unlike the trouble I had with my cheesy lawyer client — Jane submitted her first article, the client reviewed it, sent it back for some edits, Jane made the changes and then nothing. Not a word, not a reply to an email, no phone call. Nothing.

Stopping Work

Figuring that the client was busy and that she would still get paid, Jane wrote her next two articles, but decided to wait to submit them until she heard back from her client. That was Jane’s first mistake: assuming that the job was still on and moving forward. Fortunately for her, she made a wise decision not to submit the articles. However, she wasted her time, because it soon became apparent that the client was purposefully out of touch.

On Dec. 14, Jane submitted an invoice for her first article. Three times leading up to Christmas, she sent emails and attempted to contact the client by phone. Still nothing. With the kids home from school and family arriving from out of town, Jane decided to “back burner” the job and celebrate the holidays. On Jan. 3rd with everyone returning to their routines, that is when Jane sent me a note explaining her dilemma. Several back and forth emails revealed the extent of her trouble and a day or two later I suggested a course of action to take. It went as follows:

Send a certified letter, return receipt requested — Jane had no idea whether her client received her invoice or her email follow ups. I told her to write a cover letter explaining what was due and include an invoice. Then, I instructed here to take that letter to the post office and send it out certified with a return receipt requested. This method is the only way to ensure that someone gets a letter from you without going there in person. And that option wasn’t feasible as the client was 1,500 miles away.

Small claims court — Taking a client to court can spur the deadbeat into action. However, if the contract shows that legal jurisdiction over such matters is where the client lives, then your claim must be filed there. That is why when you write a contract, you should insist that legal matters be handled in the state where you live, preferably in your country. Being that I’m in North Carolina, I don’t want my California, Illinois and Florida clients to think I’ll show up there to see them in court. For larger claims, a collection agency may be your best recourse. You’ll lose about half of what you are owed in exchange for getting the collector to help your client “make good” on his debt.

Move on — Some battles you’ll win and some you will lose. What you’ll need to do is move on as quickly as possible whether you win or lose. In my situation, I turned a loss into a very personal gain. Jane may find that it isn’t worth the pursuit to keep pressing the issue. An alternative would be to try to sell the article elsewhere, particularly if it remains unpublished.

I’m sure Jane will find a way to make this situation work out for herself. She already knows that it is important to be emotionally detached when dealing with clients and also to not spend too much time with any client that might adversely impact her other gigs. Deadbeat clients are a drag and if you do lose money you may be able to show that loss on your income taxes. Consult with your financial advisor or tax preparer to find out how to do that.

See Also — Pay the Writer, or Else

That’s a lot of articles for anyone to write, but it does provide for a decent living. I’m not including in that total the magazine articles I write for print publications nor the behind the scenes work that I do for my own sites.

Thought Articulation

Blogging offers the most informal way to write as bloggers generally aren’t sourcing other websites nor are they required to follow various style methods. Both options help elevate your authority, but aren’t required. Besides, when you have a thought in your mind, you want to articulate what you have to say and not worry about what others think or say.

For 2012, I’m planning to increase my writing productivity by about 20 percent. This means I’ll have to write at a faster clip or work longer hours — believe me, I want to actually reduce the hours I put in and make more money. I expect to do that by employing the following five techniques for the year so that I can produce more in less time:

1. Laser focus — My main areas of writing expertise are automotive, business, college and consumer topics. This ABCC arrangement means that I can cover those subjects I know and do each one well. Gone are the days where I’ve ventured into other areas only to be weighed down by having to do extensive research to bring myself up to speed. All four topics I know enough about to write most of my articles off of the top of my head.

2. Smarter headlines — I’m being extra careful to write headlines that are catchy as well as smart. You can write the best article, but have those words lost because your title is uninteresting, vague or confusing. Attract your readers with articles that offer plenty of substance, but are accompanied by headlines that attract.

3. Develop idea lists — Most of my ideas are percolating in my brain, but I’m going to start jotting down my ideas and go to that list whenever I’m needing something new or fresh. You can put your list on your computer, in your handheld device or do it the old-fashioned way: on paper. Find a method that works best for you and keep adding to it and subtracting from it when you’re ready to use an idea.

4. Simplicity matters — There are times when I’m writing longer, magazine-style articles of 750 words or more with three or more references. These articles take one to two hours to complete, but are no where nearly as common as the shorter articles I write. Stick with a 400-word minimum and come up with at least three points to following your introduction and to precede your conclusion. Bullets and numbered lists are still the way to go, providing visual appeal and reading simplicity.

5. Write when you’re inspired — I firmly believe that writer’s block does not exist. What does exist is our personal fear of failure and bodily fatigue. Overcome the fear and write, write, write. Get rested and write whenever you’re most productive. There are times when I’ve banged out five articles in two hours, took an extended break and returned to write four or five more before calling it a day.

Have Fun!

Above all else, have fun when you’re writing. The vast majority of your articles should be on topics you’re familiar with and like, allowing you to be the most productive and hopefully making the most money. As long as your interest in writing remains strong, you’ll do fine. If you’re flagging in interest, find something else to do for a while before returning and are ready to write.

See Also — Easy, Breezy Tips for Better Articles

You see, after today I’m taking a 3-day break from my labors, one of the few times in a year I put my work to the side for more than one day. It isn’t because I’m addicted to my work, rather my work is constant and affords me little time to take off. Unless I don’t want to earn money!

This year I planned it so that I would have three days off for Christmas, given that the holiday is on a Sunday and the following day is a legal holiday. Who wants to work when everyone you know will be celebrating?

Today is “finish up” day and I’m tying together all of my loose ends before I log off. Early this morning, well before sunrise, I found myself awake and once I was ready to write I wrote five articles. The writing muse within me took over and I was able to come up with five original stories, source my information, complete my edits and upload each article. That allowed me to finish next week’s assignments for a client days in advance and turn my attention to the loose ends.

Ah, but I also chose to work out of the home today, thinking that the distraction of having my wife and children nearby would make it difficult to work. Nada.

At the cafe I like to call home at least once a week, it is quiet with few people coming and going. Still, I managed to strike up a conversation with someone I hadn’t seen in months and thus began my downward spiral into my “I can’t wait to hang it up for Christmas,” mood.

So, I decided to take a break and write this article, one I have been mulling around in my head for the past few days. Besides wishing you a “Merry Christmas,” I wanted to simply encourage you to take a break too.

If you can’t put your work to the side for more than a day or two, then take smaller breaks and work part of the day and simply goof off the rest of the day. Visit family. Entertain friends. Take in a movie. Go bowling. Relax.

When I do come back to work on Tuesday, it will be only for half days for the rest of the week. My advanced planning has given me that luxury and I know my family will be glad to see more of me and I, them. Come Jan. 2 I expect to be back working at my fevered pace, but maybe with the knowledge that my R&R did me much good.

It’ll do you good too. Your work can probably wait and your clients may have long scattered to their vacation destinations, giving little thought to pending projects, deadlines and a host of other “things to do” that are part of our daily schedule.

Meanwhile, I’m returning to my last article and expect to have it done well before my self-imposed 6 p.m. deadline. Merry Christmas!

Much of 2011 has been devoted to the emerging financial crisis embroiling Europe. Whether you’ve been following these events in detail or only have a passing knowledge of what is going on across the continent, you’re likely sensing that something will come to pass in 2012. Your feelings that it can’t possibly be good are correct. Then again, Europe’s financial woes mean that some people will ride the wave, even thrive.

How you navigate the European economic tsunami will depend largely on how you react to these and other challenges. You might ask, “How can you possibly see opportunity where others only see gloom and doom?” From my personal experience, that’s where.

Recent Experience

Allow me to share with you a story. In early 2008, before the economy nose-dived, there were signs that rocky days were just ahead. One client was so concerned with what was coming down that he warned me that he might have to pursue another approach to business when the worst eventually transpired. That meant I would likely lose his business or at least a big part of it.

Instead of panicking, this client and I discussed ways to ride out the storm, determining that by staying the course we would be okay. Not in perfect shape and certainly not unmolested by the events of those days, but the smarter for it. We rightly determined that others would overreact and pull back just as we continued our advance. Certainly strategies were overhauled and a new approach was taken.

Our approach was proven right — to this day my client is faring quite well. I’ve also managed to retain other clients by sharing a similar perspective on how to stay focused.

Looking Ahead

Undoubtably, Europe’s financial problems threaten to pull down economies across the world, perhaps making the most recent recession look comparatively mild. I’ve followed some of the possible scenarios and the forecasts are as follows: not good, quite bad and most definitely ugly. Were Sergio Leone still alive, I think he would be proud!

Yet, few of us can afford to wait on the sidelines as Europe and the rest of the world get their acts together. You have to make a living. You must eat. Your children need to be clothed and educated. In other words, much of the demands of today will continue. Why be reactive like everyone else? Why not take action?

Your Approach

Those action steps are not something I can outline for you. I don’t know you well enough. I can’t get into your mind to find out what your hopes and dreams are. Playing it too conservative will mean that you’ll lose out on opportunity. Taking a very liberal approach may prove to be a folly. You’ll have to find your balance and stick with it — making adjustments on the fly and hoping for the best. To stay on the sidelines, however, means you’ll lose.

On a personal note, I can tell you that I’m much more flexible to making change then I have been before. I cannot go into detail here, but I’m open to considering whatever possibilities are out there including taking a radical approach to how I do business.

Is it scary? Sometimes it is. My personal trust in God is what sees me through all of this. I can encourage you to do likewise, but I cannot make you do what you don’t want to do. In any event, I think whatever faith we have will be sorely tested in the coming months with some of our colleagues despairing of hope as the worst of the crisis unfolds. Where will you be in all of this?

Photo: Pedja Mi

Our two ‘tween boys are avid LEGO fans. LEGO, in case you haven’t been exposed to it, is a line of construction toys that are manufactured by a Danish company. These colorful, interlocking plastic bricks can be put together in countless ways to create objects, vehicles and even moving robots.

Wood, Then Bricks

Founded by Ole Kirk Christiansen in 1932, the original toys were of wood construction, but by 1947 plastic bricks were introduced. Today, plastic bricks and some molded plastic parts are used, consisting of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene that replaced an earlier polymer.

We’re one family that loves LEGO products and have quickly discovered that these bricks and related kits are usually on every birthday and Christmas list. Indeed, our boys took to “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” when it came out four years ago and immediately began to ask for or buy the related LEGO products. My wife and I used to joke about buying LEGO stock since we were so “invested” in the company. Alas, the LEGO Group is privately held even though it is now the fourth largest manufacturer of toys in the world.

Global Concern

The company’s corporate office is located in Billund, Denmark, but has subsidiaries and branches throughout the world. Moreover, LEGO products are sold in more than 130 countries. People attend shows, build figures consisting of hundreds of thousands of pieces and even worship their creations. Well, not quite!

Anyway, when I was given the chance to review a book by John Baichal and Joe Meno titled, “The Cult of LEGO,” I jumped at the chance despite the title’s odd name. Published by No Starch Press of San Francisco, the book offers a fascinating look at all things LEGO. When the book arrived, it was immediately absconded by my oldest son who carefully went through its pages to find out what other people were building and to get new ideas. Not that he or his brother ever need ideas — both boys have created a wonderful supply of imaginary characters based on shows they’ve seen or ideas personally conceived and applied.

LEGO Service

It is almost impossible to do this book justice other than to say that it is a virtual bible of all things LEGO. The authors start off with a detailed look at the company’s humble beginnings and the quality standards that have defined LEGO as LEGO. We know first-hand how important quality is to the company because when a product broke or a piece was missing, the company sent out replacements with their apologies.

If you’re not familiar with LEGO terminology, the authors have provided a glossary to describe some of the terms LEGO enthusiasts use. An AFOL is an adult fan of lego. An NLS is a non-lego spouse — a person who isn’t made out of LEGO, but doesn’t share the rabid devotion of their spouse. The “dark age” is the brief time in an adult LEGO devotees life when he or she quit playing with LEGO. No, I wasn’t even aware of such terms, but I may soon hear such utterances coming out of two young mouths in our home.

Larger Than Life

My favorite section was “LEGO Records” which offered colorful photos of the biggest LEGO creations made. For example, a 95-foot spire tower was made in 2007 and displayed at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. At that time, it was the tallest LEGO structure ever built. Four years later a 102-foot tower was built in Brazil. Both towers are supported by guy wires. The biggest statue, by the way, is a 25-foot tall image of Sitting Bull that is on display at LEGOLAND Billund. How many bricks did it take to make his likeness? Just 1.5 million!

Our boys continue to reference “The Cult of LEGO,” weeks after its arrival in our home. Besides its fascinating historical perspective and helpful engineering exploits, this book is a handy resource to validate one’s work and to come up with fresh design ideas. Although geared more toward discussing what adults still do with their own LEGO collections, children will be fascinated by the scope and breadth of all things LEGO.

LEGO isn’t some kind of toy that you’ll get bored with and cast to the side. What it allows the fan to do is to take an idea and run wild with it, providing endless hours of entertainment and creativity, for children and adults alike.

Resource

No Starch Press: The Cult of LEGO

I love Christmas, but I don’t love the end of the year. That’s because once December hits, I’m fully aware that my deadlines are subject to change as clients go away for the holidays, push off work until January or make some other request that means I will need to react with little notice. I’ll still have my time to celebrate the season with my family and friends, but I am fully aware that planning ahead — like completing my gift shopping early — can help limit my stress.

I’ve been working for myself over the past nine years and have learned a thing or two about the waning weeks of the year and what to expect. Read on if you like because I’ll share with you what I’ve learned:

Talk with your clients — Preferably before November comes to an end and most certainly by the first week of December, contact your clients to find out what changes to deadlines, if any, can be expected. If you’re planning to take time off for the holidays, you should broadcast that fact as soon as possible. For example, if your last day of work for the year is December 23 and you won’t be returning until January 2, then get the word out NOW. Everyone deserves a break — trust me, the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is typically a very slow one. So take some time off.

Discuss billing schedules — As part of communicating with your clients, you’ll want to make sure that your billing schedule lines up. Don’t be caught blindsided to find out later that the entire accounting department went on holiday as your mortgage payment comes due. For long term clients, you should be able to secure an advance on your work, especially if you’ll be supplying articles, writing press releases or copywriting throughout the holiday season.

Consider your rates — Everyone else is reviewing what they charge you (health insurance, car insurance, subscriptions, etc.) and you should do the same. It is still customary to pass off increases at the beginning of the year. If you haven’t raised your rates in some time, then plan to do so now. For example, if you’ve been charging $50 for those 500 word articles over the past two years, your client should be receptive to an increase. Charging $55 is a 10 percent jump, but don’t let percentages scare you. If your client is immensely happy with your work, then she should agree to your increase. If she is crying the blues, then ask that you both revisit the issue in April. Wait no longer than that as you’ll soon forget and an entire year will have passed by without the raise. For new clients, bring them in at your newer and higher rates.

Review your taxes — Self-employed people, whether they have a formal business such as an LLC or simply work on the side, can look forward to lots of deductions come tax time. Besides the interest on my mortgage, our family’s health and dental insurance, and related medical costs can be deducted. Office expenses, a new piece of equipment and many other things can also be deducted. If you were looking to expense something early next year, consider buying what you want now to raise your deductions. Maybe you wanted a new computer anyhow — the sales this time of the year are phenomenal.

Update your records — This is the first year that I actually paid someone to do some of my work. That means I’ll be issuing him a 1099 form in January. I keep a running record of the articles he has written and what I paid him on a spreadsheet. With each payment that information is quickly updated, so I know that there will be no surprises come tax time. I just need to remember to get the form to him by the end of January.

Order your tax software — I still do my own taxes, but must admit that I would be lost without the help of Turbo Tax. In early November, I pay for my yearly update and later that month I can download my federal update. If you use a bookkeeper, an accountant or some other tax preparing professional, why not schedule your appointment now before he is swamped? That will give you the motivation you need to gather all of your paperwork. With the help of Turbo Tax, my taxes are usually done and filed by mid-February.

Plan your quarterly taxes — Speaking of taxes, your fourth quarter taxes are not due until January 15. But don’t be fooled: set aside enough money now to avoid a financial catastrophe after the first of the year. You can’t afford to let this slip by as both the IRS and your state may not be so forgiving.

Get organized — The week between the holidays is when i go on full housekeeping mode. That doesn’t mean I stop writing, but it does mean that all of the loose ends I left untied will be handled. Fortunately, I’m fairly good at “clean as you go” and won’t have much to deal with. Still, the calendar changes and I will be doing the following: organizing my files, shredding very old and unneeded documents, setting up new files for the new year, putting up a new calendar, backup files, update my contacts list and review my online presence. With the latter, I spend a portion of my time at year end to update my LinkedIn profile to reflect my current projects. I’ll also update some of my websites, decide which ones I want to keep for the coming year and ensure that my domains and web hosting accounts are always up to date.

Have I forgotten something? No doubt that I have. Everything I mentioned here is from the top of my increasingly balding head. No matter, I keep notes in safe places and refer to these regularly. I’ll be on “Christmas mode” through December 26 this year, but when I return to my work on Dec. 27, I’ll swing into my new year mode and complete my year-end transition.

Photo: Hilde Vanstraelen

Winding Down

I’m not ready to put 2011 in the bank just yet, as there are five weeks remaining in what has been a topsy-turvy year. On the one hand, I’ve been working my tail off. On the other hand, new clients come and old clients go. Sometimes the new clients don’t stay around as long as I want either, but at least their sooner-than-expected exit can be attributed to an internal decision and not something I’ve done (or so I’ve been told). At least I’ve been able to replace what has been lost and that is a good thing too: I’d be in financially dire straits if I had no new clients to pick up the slack.

Years ago, I picked up the phrase “an attitude of gratitude,” which is something I try to keep as part of my Christian journey. Of course, you don’t have to be a Christian to be grateful, but then I would wonder who or what would be the object of your gratitude?

To that end, I am offering the following grateful musings on this eve of Thanksgiving 2011:

Steady clients — I’ve been writing steadily for one client since September 2007 and had been used by him on special projects prior to that. This client, who shall remain nameless, has had his own battles too. He could have called it quits long ago, but he chose to stick around…and stick with me. Besides being a loyal client, I enjoy the freedom to write and edit pretty much as I please. No stilted guidelines and no high expectations other than to deliver quality work that enhances his business. Another client has been around since August 2008, offering me immense writing and editorial latitude as well. Thank you, gentlemen.

Enjoyable gigs — Not every client is “permanent” nor are all gigs I take on for the long term. This year, I’ve had taken on several projects that lasted for just a few months, but still managed to deliver much satisfaction. In some cases I’ve delved into new territory or expanded my prime writing field (automotive) to cover other areas such as technical specifications. Although at times this has proven to be immensely challenging for me, the reward of accomplishing a task was evident. Ah….

New vistas — My writing continues to get noticed, as automakers and suppliers are contacting me about my work. I’ve been flown to attend meetings, enabling me to get a first glimpse at new products. I have even been given cars to drive for a week, making it easier for me to write up my reviews. Recently, I launched a niche site, FoorHood.com, enabling me to dig deeper and cover a specific manufacturer up close and personal. Getting to see new product, such as the a pair of Ford ST models before an auto show reveal is fun too. Thanks, Ford. And GM…Nissan…Hankook…and all the rest.

Milestones celebrated — This month I marked my 9th anniversary of freelancing. I started out managing web communities and gradually transitioned fully to freelance writing, preferring to write for others although Matt’s Musings and some other websites I own give me platforms to write for myself. Lord willing, I’ll be celebration my 10th anniversary next year, something I never expected to reach. Then again, if someone woos me away and offers me an opportunity I can’t (or shouldn’t) refuse, I just may chuck it all and work for someone else. Either way, I’m thankful.

Family Thanks

I’m sure that I could add more to this list, but these four points stand out above the rest. Of course, I’m thankful to my wife who has been patient through it all, including seeing work come and go, and wondering if there was something more secure out there for our family. Our two boys, too, have put up with a lot, but I know that they’re glad to see their Daddy more often than what some of their friends are able to do.