Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with freelancer

Can I get individual health insurance coverage for one month?

helios410 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:07:07 -0800

Can I get individual health insurance coverage for one month? Is it possible to individual health insurance for one month. My COBRA ends this month, I am going to be covered by another employer in November. In short, I am a NY resident, 27y/o, and my COBRA expires this month. I'm a freelancer who will begin coverage in November with the Freelancer's Union. What can I do in the meantime about coverage?

How to professionally manage freelance writing about my industry?

Anonymous — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:30:26 -0800

How do I successfully do freelance writing (my night job) about my industry (my day job)? I work in a high-tech industry that is a small, close-knit, incestuous community. As a result, I know most of the key players in it, including CEOs, startup founders, etc. I myself work for a high-profile startup. I'm incredibly passionate about this industry and it's been something I've been psyched about since I was in high school.

Along the way someone happened to notice I was good at writing, so I started being paid to blog about my industry. This worked out fine, and I was completely open about it with my employer, who just wanted any company-related material to be run past our PR folks before I posted it. Then I was asked to write for a somewhat related print magazine. Recently I've been asked to write for an industry analyst report.

This is all very cool, and I've discovered I really love the writing. It's also been a real success for me professionally, where others in the industry will recognize my (somewhat odd) name from the writing I do, and a new professional relationship starts from there. But what was early on an easy agreement with my employer has become occasionally awkward with my entire professional network. Now I'm being asked to speculate about a new company started by an entrepreneur I'm on a first-name, familiar basis with, or to interview a friend whose research project is press-worthy, or to put a writing colleague in touch with a higher-up at my company.

I know the basics -- I have told editors I will not write about my own company or its immediate competitors, and I know where there are lines not to cross when a friend has talked with me off-the-record, over drinks, about their new company or project, but the information is still considered business confidential. If I do need to talk to someone as a writer, I usually start the email/conversation by mentioning that I'm now wearing my "reporter hat". However, I'm starting to see where things could get more difficult to navigate in the near future.

So what I'm looking for is advice on how to manage friendly professional contacts when they're sometimes journalistic contacts. Alternatively, I'm interested in better ways to communicate boundaries to my editors, and how to identify those boundaries in the first place without compromising my usefulness. What are the best practices here?

What should my freelance writer resume look like if I'm actually an engineer?

olinerd — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:02:12 -0800

What's the best way to change my engineering resume into one more appropriate for a freelance writer? I'm an engineer and have a wonderful job doing engineeringy things. On the side, though, I've started doing freelance writing for blogs and magazines -- mostly in technology, related to my day job, but I have some opportunities to branch out.

But now rather than word-of-mouth references, I have to actually submit a resume as a writer. How do I make a good one? On an engineering resume I'd list my relevant skills (engineering design software, machine tools, etc) but I'm not sure what the analog is for writing.

My biggest concern right now is that the list of stuff I *do* have (education, info on the writing I already do) is too short -- I'm used to a good resume filling a page. Advice please!

How do I start an S-Corp/LLC in NYC?

helios410 — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:21:54 -0800

I have to start up an LLC or S-Corp. How do I begin this process? Also, if you have experience with a good accountant in NYC who is familiar with this process, care to pass a recommendation? I freelance in NYC for two cable networks under the MTV umbrella. MTV has just implemented a nine month work limit for freelancers. Once nine months is reached, three months time must pass before being hired again.

In order for me to get around this I need to start an LLC or S-Corp, so I can bill them as a company. So I ask:

1) What are the tax implications and associated costs in NYC to do this?

2) Can you recommend an accountant to help me along?

Thanks!

Help Me Fill in My Blanks

foxy_hedgehog — Wed, 23 May 2007 17:36:05 -0800

Seeking Sample Freelance Contract Suitable for Filling-in-the-Blanking. A few weeks ago I posted this and got all kinds of good advice and cheerleading (thanks to all!). It worked- I had a great time chatting up Mr. Big and they agreed to pay me what I- with bated breath- asked for. Now I need to find a contract to make it legal and am hoping one of you has a sample or suggestions on where to find one. I promise I searched AskMe and did a little Googling, but I'd much prefer your recommendations and possible freebies. Basically, I just need a standard sample contract for a freelance project that covers my ass, defines the terms of the agreement, the scope of the project, the conditions under which we will re-evaluate the compensation (like if they start needing more than I signed up for), and- finally- insures that I have the right piece of paper to wave in people's faces, if necessary.

For those just tuning in: I'm putting together a set of timelines for a book and will be working closely with the editor and designer to make it work.

So. Might any of you freelancers out there have a template I can work with? I know it will probably need a little tinkering, but I'm a freelance contract virgin and don't even know what this would or should look like.

freelancers: family time vs. work time?

clairezulkey — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 08:18:50 -0800

Full-time freelance writers: how do you divide personal/professional time? I imagine, when you work from home full-time, that it can be difficult to separate your personal time from your professional time. Do you have methods of demarcating time to spend with your family (or yourself) and preventing yourself from running to the computer to check up on clients/assignments every few minutes?

How to find a Freelance PHP Programmer?

bleucube — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 20:24:13 -0800

Where can I go to find a reliable freelancer to do some PHP programming for me? Here's the deal, I have a project in mind that's pretty unique. It's either going to be really big and create a stir for a bit or flop real hard.

I've checked a couple freelancer site out where you put your project up and people bid on the job, it just seems a little sketchy to me. Has anyone use a freelance site? Was it a good experience? If not, what other methods do you suggest?

Are freelance writer marketplaces a racket?

johngoren — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 11:54:07 -0800

Anyone out there ever forked over money to join a freelance writing marketplace website, like the one at MediaBistro, or Freelance Work Exchange? What's it like in there: are reputable folks hiring? Is it drawing away employers from free sites like Craigslist, or vice-versa? And was it worth it?

Where to find NYC freelance web developers?

TonyRobots — Thu, 08 Sep 2005 14:28:05 -0800

Is there a good clearinghouse-type site to match organizations offering up web development work with qualified freelancers and small shops, specifically in NYC? Back in the day we had the WWWAC list, which may well still be going strong. A cursory search spits up nyfreelancers.com, but that site seems a little low-end. Does anyone know about anything better? It doesn't have to be NYC-specific, as long as there are NYC people included.