Becks and the City: Freelancing

Showing posts with label Freelancing. Show all posts

Are You Ass-kicking Your Goals in 2013?

The dust has well-and-truly settled since I kicked up my heels at New Year's, but how am I going with my goals for 2013? Completely forgotten, guilty memory, or notched up into achievements already? Let's take a look...

In my blog post, "Hello 2013!", I set my annual writing goals, including 10 magazines I'm fixing to write for:

In these first two months (in fact, by the end of January!), I'd written for two of these mags, Peppermint and Girlfriend. I've also attended a social media course in Melbourne (run by NET:101's Tim Martin) and am currently writing an article 'on spec' for The Big Issue.

I'm feeling like I'm making real progress. I attribute this to:

switching back to 3 days a week in my 9-5 mediator job and having more time to write
being more established as a writer so it's easier to get further writing gigs and, well...
luck.

Long may it continue!

I'll share my articles from Peppermint and Girlfriend as they're published (fingers crossed!), along with my latest query letters to editors, successful and not-so-much.

So, over to you. How are your goals going?

If they're of the writerly persuasion (dreaming of a career in magazines, writing, blogging or similar), I'm here to help!

Here's how:

Magazine Interns and Freelance Writers: I'd love to interview you on this-a-here blog (see examples here and here). And I'll link to your Twitter, Facebook, blog 'n' all as part of the deal. : )
Beginner Writers and Bloggers: Contact me with your best questions about writing and I'll do my darnedest to answer them on the blog, or if you're shy, by email back atcha!
Everyone: Happy to hear from you with any questions, comments, suggestions etc you may have or if there's anything you'd like me to blog about.

Just email me at beckemail@gmail.com or tweet right at me @becksandthecity. Easy!

Hello 2013!

January's almost over, but I've got big plans for 2013...

Overall writing goals:

Write more magazine articles.
Finish my zine.
Pitch my non-fiction book to agents and publishers, hopefully resulting in a book deal. : )

On the magazine front, I'd like to improve my portfolio by writing for more big-name women's fashion and lifestyle titles, including some international publications. My ultimate goal is a commission from Vogue.

I'll continue writing generally on lifestyle, health, weddings etc, but also develop a niche in fashion writing/shopping (especially online -- eBay, Etsy, buying and selling etc)/social media/winning competitions/consumer issues.

With the above in mind, I'll be pitching to:

Online, I'd like to write posts for:

The Punch
ABC The Drum

We'll see how all this pans out! What are your goals (writerly or otherwise) for this year?

Three Pretty Portfolios of Magazine Writers

It's the sincerest form of flattery, right? I figured when I began writing for magazines that the portfolios of established writers offer fantastic guidance in what and where to pitch first, as well as options for your future career path.

Here's three portfolios that have inspired me from the start...

Rachel Hills' portfolio

I met Rachel online when I started this blog and interviewed her about her career. I admire not only Rachel's giving nature, but also her ability to incorporate both substance and style in her work. Her writing proves women's mags are about more than blow job quizzes and tampon ads and that you can have a strongly political standpoint and still succeed in mainstream magazines.

She's written for:

Magazines: CLEO, Cosmopolitan, Vogue and Yen
Newspapers: The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age
Web sites: Jezebel, ABC Unleashed and NewMatilda.com

Sarah Ayoub's portfolio

I think of Sarah pretty much as the next Martha Stewart/Ita Buttrose/Maggie Alderson. She runs women's lifestyle website, Chasing Aphrodite, is a PhD student on gang culture, comments in the media on various issues, and finds time to freelance in between. Along the way, I interviewed her here at Becks and the City. Oh, and she's super-helpful as well!

She's written for:

Magazines: CLEO, Frankie, Girlfriend and Shop Til You Drop
Web sites: ABC Unleashed and The Punch

Laura Greaves' portfolio

Laura's the editor of Dogs Life magazine, which means she's had the thankless task of editing an article or two of mine in recent issues! I first contacted her for an interview on my blog and she couldn't have been more gracious in the process. Laura's background is in health magazines and her portfolio's inspired me in writing for Women's Health & Fitness magazine.

She's written for:

Magazines: Good Health, Weight Watchers, Marie Claire, Grazia, Woman's Day and Madison

Have you career-stalked any of your idols online?

The Lowdown and an Update

So, y'all might have noticed I haven't been posting much of late (apart from Fabulous Friday/Saturday/whichever day I get around to it)...

Well, I've been struggling with the eternal dilemma of "creative types" (except only *ssholes call themselves that)... how to balance a nicely-paying (ie dull-as) day job and fun (ie poorly-paid) creative work.

Since April, I've been back working full-time at my day job as a mediator at Consumer Affairs. The money's nice. But while I enjoy slithering naked in my silky bed of cash each night, I feel like my brain's been hijacked. What it'd like to be doing is planning blog posts, crafting pitches to magazines and plotting story ideas. Instead, it's filled with disputes about shoddy building work and dodgy deals.

I've still be pitching magazines, blogging (albeit on a scaled-back schedule) and writing as much as I can, but I feel about two weeks behind where I'd like to be at all times. It's frustrating as hell.

Of course, there are other activities occupying my time as well. Weve had heating and cooling put in our house and are renovating our bathroom. We're also still searching for our cat, Jemma, missing since April. We're hoping some nice old nanna has taken her in and is busy scratching her behind the ears, blissfully unaware that she has owners who'd like her home. Very, very much.

Still, all you can do is try.

Are you stuck in a dilemma or are you a frustration-free zone? (If you're the latter, I'd love your tips on how to get there!)

I'm on the Contributors Page!

It's my first ever appearance on a contributors page, in the May/June issue of Diabetic Living magazine! : )

As you may have guessed, I added the hearts, just to look extra special. Here's a close-up of what I wrote for my blurb...

It only took me about 5 minutes to write. You may be able to tell. ; ) Oh, and if you want to check out the email I wrote to the mag to score this writing gig in the first place, here it is.

It really is a dream come true to be on a contributors page. I grew up reading this page first whenever I bought a magazine, hoping to glean insights into becoming a writer and working for the (ahem) glamorous world of glossies.

Do you ever read the contributors page (please say yes!)? Which page of your favourite mag do you flick to first?

Workin' 9 to 5 (What a Way to Make a Livin')

After 15 glorious months of full-time writing, I'm back to the ol' office job. To bring you up to speed, here's a quick quiz...

1 My day job is:
a) butt-scratching
b) ball-busting
c) talking about shopping with angry people (ie Consumer Affairs)
correct answer: c (a and b also occasionally correct)

2 In the month I've been back, I've advised customers on our helpline about:
a) a roadside pumpkin shop
b) taxidermied rabbits
c) more head-slappingly dumb deals than I can count
d) all of the above
correct answer: d

3 I've been writing articles in my spare time for:
a) Period Monthly and Flexes Muscles Weekly
b) a dog magazine and a top fashion glossy
c) magazines about tattooed women and bathroom renovations
correct answer: b

4 Since my return, I've become addicted to:
a) cocaine
b) stealing office supplies
c) watermelon juice
d) all of the above
correct answer: c

5 I plan to stay in this office job:
a) to keep getting lucrid perks like pre-chewed biros and cut-price neon lighting
b) until I write that bestseller and then I'll disappear with a PEOWWWWRR like Road Runner
c) dunno, kinda enjoying it some days, but I do wanna go back to writing full-time
correct answer: c (I'll also pay b)

How long do you reckon I'll last caged in a cubicle again? My money's on 6 months, but we'll see...

Hello 2012!

2011 is, like, sooooooooo last year.

And not everything last year went to plan.

I had two writing goals for 2011, to create a kick-ass magazine writing portfolio (tick!) and to get my non-fiction book published (FAIL). To help myself along, I issued challenges to myself with highly desirable rewards for inspiration. When I was satisfied with my portfolio, I treated myself to a beautiful cardigan in the Alannah Hill Challenge. My quest to own a pair of sweet little mouse flats in the Marc Jacobs Challenge didn't fare so well.

Let's take a look at the flip side -- my personal goals for 2011. I had nine, I accomplished... two (improving my writing portfolio and going on a girls' trip), and the second one was only because my friend's husband organised it, not me. Yikes, that's not a great strike rate! In the words of Carrie, "If I was a ball player, I'd be batting... whatever really bad is".

Rather than feel guilty (such a wasted emotion), this year I'm going to alter my approach. So, hang onto your fedoras, ladies, here's the plan as we delve into 2012... : )

Firstly, I'm resuscitating the Marc Jacobs Challenge, which since the beginning of 2011, has only had two updates (naughty, naughty!). And, I'm introducing...

The Wheels & Dollbaby Challenge

Picture Alannah Hill clothing with a stronger '50s edge, worn by the likes of Dita Von Teese, Gwen Stefani and Katy Perry and with rockstar prices to match. Check out the gloriously girly eboutique here.

So, if I win this challenge, I'm giving myself dangerously free reign in the W&D store. To earn it? This should hopefully be easy -- finish and launch my zine, Magazine Love. For my first blog post on this new challenge, I'll outline my game plan. : )

Personal Goals

As for my personal goals, I've decided to take a fresh approach. Even though my current bucket list is rather small, it still has enough items to overwhelm me. The multi-tasker in me wants to begin all of them at once and then gets frustrated, so I'm keeping things simple and... where I can see them.

In 2012, I'm introducing a mini bucket list on the Becks and the City sidebar to show you my latest personal goals -- hobbies I'd like to take up, experiences I'd like to try, my travel wishlist, etc. You can even send me suggestions. Big and small aspirations will be included and feel free to share with me whether you've tried any of them or your tips for succeeding! I plan for it to be an ever-changing kaleidoscope of experiences and you'll hear about when I succeed in ticking off an item. Boy, will you hear about it! ; )

So that's the plan. What do you think? And what do you think of my current mini bucket list?

Goodbye 2011

Beck's year 2011...

Enjoyed being part of a live TV audience for a football show, along with Mr Big and friends.
Revelled in the glorious tackiness that is the Eurovision Song Contest.
Completed my first paid copywriting assignment for a recruitment agency's blog.
Placed 3rd in an amateur pole dancing competition by performing a routine to Jason Derulo's "In My Head".
Was a bridesmaid for my very close friends, Alexis and Ying, in a lovely October ceremony.
Experienced my first spray tan, massage and facial and shortest haircut (a bob) in ten years.
Won the Alannah Hill Challenge by compiling a nice little magazine writing portfolio and bought myself a pretty cardigan as a reward.
Became hooked on the fist-pumping, hard-drinking action in Jersey Shore.
Celebrated a delightful first anniversary in Sydney with Mr Big, exploring Taronga Zoo, discovering the amazing Kinokuniya bookstore and eating at Pie Face and Wagamama.
Became hooked on zines and started creating Magazine Love.
Dressed as a Strawberry Shortcake character, in a masquerade mask and as a pirate for friends' birthdays.
Survived the fifty-billion musical numbers we watched in a stage production of Miss Saigon.
Worked as a guerrilla secretary in a private boys' college, tree-lopping company, hospital, car dealership, solar panel provider, law firm and old folks' home, amongst others. Almost worked for Witchery.
Witnessed my football team's worst thrashing in the club's history live in Melbourne.
Hosted the first Becks and the City giveaway.
Let my inner nerd out to play at my first comic convention and saw Lance Henriksen (the android, Bishop, in Aliens) speak live.
Wrote for Women's Health & Fitness and eBayLife magazines, and scored a gig as assistant editor for The Essential Guide to Twitter.
Won a VIP backstage pass to a fashion parade and enjoyed a personal styling session, makeup application by The Body Shop, meeting hot cricket stars and getting a behind-the-scenes view of the modelling world with my mother-in-law and two friends.
Nearly collapsed learning to dance the can-can.
Enjoyed a full 12 months off from my regular 9-5 occupation to write, write, write.

Thanks 2011, you've been amazeballs and awesomesauce!

Wanna see my 2010 list? Here it is.

The Mini-Update

I'm back to playing secretary this week, so between that and last minute Christmas shopping, I can't stop long to chat...

So here's the briefest of updates on my writing projects right now:

Magazines: I emailed a pitch to a gardening glossy tonight about the writer/garden designer I met on my recent seaside holiday.
Blogging/copywriting: My first ever paid blog post (for a recruiting company) was well-received, but the company is still deciding how they want to use it. It remains in the unpublished ether for now. Sigh.
Zine: I'm writing my own zine about magazines. Progress was excellent last week -- I wrote about movies and gifts for mag hags and pasted in some cute and quirky pictures. This week I'm still inspired, but haven't had the time to keep going yet. Stay tuned!

Have you been squeezing writing and other activities around your festive preparations? If you're doing it well, let me in on your secrets! ; )

The 2am Update

Why am I writing this at 2am?

Two reasons:

I've been sleeping off a killer headache all day (no, not self-inflicted from a hangover or anything -- I'm a good girl!); and
I drank a Coke to perk myself up at 4pm and therefore am wide awake now. No fairsies!

The upside of this is that I can share my recent writing-related exploits with you. Project Zine is going ahead well. A bit of back story... For those of you who haven't heard, I've recently fallen in love with independent zines, cute A5-sized booklets put together by rather cool individuals. (To see why I find them so delightful, head to the little Facebook gallery I've compiled of my girliest faves here.)

So, I'm making one myself for magazine-lovers, and plan to sell it on Etsy and zine "distros" (small DIY shops). First, I must finish it and hooray, hooray, I'm starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. It's rather slow going compiling it, but I gotta say I'm having a blast! The picture above is of a new double page in a section on making your own magazine-themed gift baskets. How could I resist recommending a Sex and the City version? You like?

All going well, I'm hoping to launch the zine in early December. I absolutely cannot wait! : )

In other news, my 12-month hiatus from my desk job at Consumer Affairs is coming to a close and it's crunch time for deciding if I'll return in 2012 or continue freelancing and office temping instead. My old manager Steve called on Tuesday and I'll call him back tomorrow. I think I know my decision, but it depends on what he says too.

That's all for now. Hope you're all having a super-exciting, fun week! xx

High Tea and High Hopes

Writing for magazines isn't all sipping tea and glamorous events. In fact, I'm still waiting for the glamour part of the equation to kick in (any day now, right?). Occasionally though, I do enjoy a cup of tea in a classy establishment...

Five of my best gal pals and I went to a seaside high tea yesterday afternoon, complete with finger sandwiches, mini quiches, tiny scones and danishes, tea, coffee and best of all, CHAMPAGNE! We caught up on plenty of Sex and the City-style gossip, went for a walk and generally got some girl-bonding time happening. It was fantastic!

Back down to earth today, I've sent a Valentine's Day pitch and am working on another one to do with flight attendants. It's a very cool topic that I haven't seen covered before, so I'm eager to make the pitch work. We'll see.

I've also made a BIG decision -- I'm not going back to my mediation job at Consumer Affairs in January. I've taken 2011 off as a year of leave without pay and I'm now going to extend it for another year. I don't want to cut ties altogether with them, but I feel pairing magazine writing and being a guerilla secretary-for-hire is working out well. I want to give it more time and see where it leads. : )

In other news, this week I'll be getting stuck into the Magazine Love zine, so I'll be able to show you some more pretty pictures of my progress soon... maybe you'll even get an update tomorrow. You never know your luck. ; )

How about you? What are you working on this week?

Crazy-Busy Week!

Here's another snapshot of the zine called Magazine Love I'm creating (view the first sneak peek here). I'll be beavering away on it in between my five separate jobs I'll be working this week -- yes that's right, FIVE!

Apart from the office temp job I've been doing the past two months on Thursdays and Fridays, I'll be a typist at a private boys' school on Monday and Tuesday, be taking minutes for an annual general meeting Tuesday night, writing an article for a health magazine and completing my first copywriting job. Phew! Oh, and did I mention I have either a dancing class, a party or other social engagement every night this week? Yikes. I'm really not that much of a social butterfly. I'm may have to mainline caffeine to survive.

As for my zine, I'm trying to create my fantasy booklet of everything magazine devotees like me will enjoy -- a quiz, recommendations for the best glossies you might not already read, movies about magazines and much, much more. I'd love to hear your suggestions -- you never know, they might just make it into the finished product. Actually, there's a really good chance they will. So suggest away!

I'll keep you posted on my hectic week. In between shots of espresso.

xx
Becks

Alannah Hill Challenge: Update # 8 and FINISHED!

Fireworks! Music! Partying! I've reached my goal of a whiz-bang writing portfolio of magazine articles to kickstart my freelance writing career!

I finally bought the lovely "Poor Little Fun Mum" Alannah Hill cardie pictured above for my reward. I heart it so much! You can't really see from the dodgy-quality photo I took on my iPhone (sorry!), but it's black with pink bows all over it and best of all, I bought it half price and fit into a size smaller than usual. Sweet! Also, because it's black, it'll go with so much of my wardrobe, but it's still quirky and cute enough to make me smile whenever I wear it. I'm so happy I treated myself to celebrate finishing this challenge. : )

When I started the challenge in January, I was all fresh and eager to succeed this year. I've now accumulated six glossy issues in my portfolio, and more on the way, but I'll be honest -- it's been a hard slog and not everything has turned out as expected along the way. This has been both bad and good...

The Bad:

Being asked to write 'on spec' (with guarantee of publication) by SA Life and, more recently, Good Health and after writing 1,000 words or more each time, having those articles rejected. Grrrrr!!
Receiving a "yes" from a magazine editor in March, saying she'd be in touch later in the year for their summer issue. When I followed up this week, I discovered she's resigned from that role and I was asked to re-send the pitch (ie back to square one). Double grrrr!!
A famous brand of travel guides offering me a gig updating the outback SA section of their Australian book for a scarily low rate. By the time I paid for petrol, accommodation etc visiting all the restaurants, sites and hotels, I would've been earning next to nothing. When I sent a polite reply email clarifying the deal, I never heard from them again. Nice.

The Good:

Learning that feature writing and short stints working as an office temp combine quite well -- you earn a tidy extra income and playing secretary temporarily doesn't interfere with your writing. Also, office work can be quite interesting if you're not at any one workplace long enough to be bored by your allocated tasks or annoyed by the office politics. Yay!
I'm exploring the wonderful world of copywriting. I'd never really considered it before, but I've been approached by a business to do some blogging for them and I'm seriously looking forward to it -- I think it'd be fun. We're still finalising the details. More info will be revealed as it (hopefully) happens. ; )
Other opportunities have taken me by surprise as well, such as competitions to be a magazine intern or paid fashion blogger, writing for smaller magazines on some very entertaining topics and being given a role as assistant editor for The Essential Guide to Twitter.
Exchanging emails with a fellow Sydney Writers' Centre graduate who first wrote to me a couple of months ago. The info and support we've shared has been invaluable in keeping my spirits up and generating ideas.

So it's had a few twists, this Alannah Hill Challenge, but every time I wear this cardie, I'll be wrapped in how far I've come. Thanks to the editors, my email pen pal and the others who've helped me along the way. I couldn't have done it without you. : )

What's your dream job? How have you been working towards it lately?

Alannah Hill Challenge: Update #7

Yes, I'm still on my quest to accumulate a decent writing portfolio. When I'm satisfied with it, I've promised myself a lovely Alannah Hill shopping trip for a frilly cardigan. (See previous updates on this challenge.)

Well, we're at the halfway point of my 12 months of freelancing. I can return to my government job at the end of this year if writing doesn't work out and it's great to have this safety net. I'm thinking I may be mooning my old boss on my way out the door permanently in December, but I still have to prove to myself that writing can earn me full-time money. At the moment, I'm using office temping as a financial crutch, which is working out well, but eventually the plan is to be earning 100% of my income from writing. It ain't as easy as it sounds. : )

I've been doing the office temping for two months now, and I gotta say, it's surprisingly fun. I think of myself as a guerrilla office girl, a kind of mercenary secretary-for-hire, waging war on the crappy 9-5 drudgery. If my short-term gigs are pleasurable, then great, if not, then what-the-hey, I'll only be there for a few days before I move on. It's the perfect set-up for career commitment-phobes like me.

As far as the writing portfolio goes, I can almost feel that new, deliciously overdone AH cardigan wrapped around me! It now displays five magazines (admittedly there's two issues of eBay Life, but hey, that still counts!). A couple more will do it -- preferably with at least one more newly-cracked publication. Happily, I've got another article in the works for Women's Health & Fitness coming to contribute to the cause.

Oh, and did you happen to catch that not only did I write for The Essential Guide to Twitter, I scored the role of assistant editor? Hells yeah, I was rather chuffed with that effort. The actual act of editing other writers' work? Not so much (there were grammar mistakes, repetition, scary turns-of-phrase -- the works!). It's certainly a boost to my writing cred though. Bonza!

Hopefully the next Alannah Hill Challenge post will be my last and I'll need your help to pick my brand-new, brand-name cardie once I've reached my portfolio goal. Good times!

Claire Halliday's Feature in "Madison" Magazine

Cracking open the July 2011 issue of Madison magazine, what did I spy? Veteran magazine writer and all-round nice gal, Claire Halliday, is in the list of contributors.

When I interviewed Claire for Becks and the City late last year (read the post here), she shared how she didn't know what she wanted to do straight out of high school and got her big break on an article about crime scene cleaners.

Well, she's now completed two books and written for the likes of Girlfriend, Women's Weekly, Marie Claire, and Madison, including this article, "Is the Home Ownership Dream Dead?".

Head to page 76 of this month's mag to read it. Given I've been on several sides of the housing affordability debate (unable to afford a home, working in a housing area of government and now paying off a mortgage), I'm glad Claire's brought this important issue to light.

Fabulous and thought-provoking all at once. I'd love to write this type of article.

Alannah Hill Challenge: Update #6

The Mission: To amass an impressive magazine writing portfolio and win the Alannah Hill Challenge.
The Reward: Buying myself a pretty cardie from the Alannah Hill collection.
Last Known Status: Living the pauper lifestyle, despiting landing a decent swag of writing assignments.

So what's the current status of my challenge?

Thankfully, I'm much more cashed up, due to applying to temping agencies and scoring two office jobs from them. The first was at a law firm dealing in patents and trademarks for two weeks and the other a two-day stint at a wine industry organisation. I'm eager to keep temping to top up my writing income, as long as I can find the right balance and it doesn't interfere with writing time. I'm also expecting to be paid for several articles in the next two months, so hooray for the money rolling in!

My Women's Health & Fitness article, "Being Left-handed," was published two weeks ago. I returned from buying the magazine on my lunch break and couldn't resist showing my supervisor at the law firm, who photocopied the article and pinned it to the noticeboard. It was like a proud mum sticking a kid's drawing on the fridge! Very cute.

I'm now back on the bandwagon of pitching article ideas to magazines, but there have been no new breakthroughs to report, sadly. In the meantime, I've tidied my current portfolio and linked the entries to my scanned-in articles. Check out the spiffy results here and click on one of the magazine covers to read my articles, if you'd like. : )

It's beginning to take shape...

Alannah Hill Challenge: Update #5

The Alannah Hill Challenge aims to motivate me to build an enviable magazine writing portfolio by dangling a designer clothing carrot -- a girly Alannah Hill cardie. How's my quest going lately?

It's been a lean couple of months. Yes, I've been given writing assignments by some pretty juicy publications. No, (sadly) I don't mean I've shed any kilos. Yes, I'm eating my fair quota of Easter eggs. What I mean is cold, hard, sweet, sweet cash -- it's been eluding me.

You see, as a freelance writer you pen your article, send it to your editor along with your invoice and wait for the cash to roll in. If you're lucky, you're paid once the article is accepted. The other option is you're paid sometime after the piece is published, which could be months down the track.

So I was overjoyed to be paid this week. Hooray! I also finished an assignment that saw me take on an assistant editor position for a new magazine about social media. This was pretty exciting, but I learnt editing other people's writing can be time-consuming and frustrating. It was a great resume-booster getting that gig though.

So now I'm back on to pitching article ideas to magazines and (hopefully) my book proposal I haven't even glanced at since time immemorial. In a couple of weeks my article for Women's Health and Fitness should be out as well. I can't wait to see it in print. : )

In the interests of curing my bank account's anorexia, I've also developed a game plan of which magazines I'll pitch article ideas to next.

Here's my new list of magazines to tackle (view the old one here):

Fingers crossed I'll get a mountain of work and be able to afford a little Hill soon.

Alannah Hill Challenge: Update #4

Wow, it's been a month since I last updated you on how the Alannah Hill Challenge is going!

My mission, since I chose to accept it, is to write magazine articles, thereby growing an incredible portfolio of clips from the likes of Cosmopolitan, Vogue and Marie Claire. When I left off, I'd added two articles for fledgling publication eBaylife to my debut Cosmo Bride article and had a tentative yes from local-but-prestigious SA Life.

Unfortunately, SA Life didn't pan out, but my work for eBaylife has snowballed into five articles (I'm just finishing the fourth today) and extras like fillers, tips, news and gossip. Hooray! The articles are really satisfying and fun to write, so I'm well pleased with this arrangement. The first one, "Everybody Loves Lego," is out in the current issue:

I'm also thrilled to announce I've scored a commission to do a piece for Women's Health & Fitness. It's on a subject close to my heart, so I'm looking forward to getting stuck into it.

I'm still aiming to crack the top fashion magazines, but for now I'm pleased to be getting paying work at magazines available at news agencies.

Not too shabby at all. : )

Fashion Retail?

Lately I've been thinking of bolstering my meagre magazine-writing earnings with a fashion retail job. Considering my addiction to all things style, it seems like a match made in heaven, right?

Today I had an interview at Witchery, my intense, long-lasting fashion crush. Freakin' adore their clothes. At one stage, I asked my friend Karen to ban me from buying there until I branched out a little, brand-wise. I was a walking Witchery sales rack.

The interview went well, I think. I've been invited to do a trial run tomorrow at another store. Fingers crossed -- I am already mentally spending the staff discount. These little beauties for starters...

Stripe Knit Dress

$149.95

Dorothy Ballet Flat

$139.95

Animal Print Cardigan

$129.95

The role would be for around 10-15 hours per week, giving me a steady income to supplement the unpredictable pay of freelancing. The best of both worlds.

We'll see how I go. Updates soon!

Alannah Hill Challenge: Update #3

The Alannah Hill Challenge to build up my magazine writing portfolio is still ticking along...

I'm still pitching one article per weekday and have only had one more yes, from eBaylife again. I've written this second article and sent it to them and I'm now focusing on the SA Life one.

Feeling a bit pitch-weary, I'm going to stop doing it every day Monday-Friday and follow up on the month's worth of ones already sent out instead. Like a good earth-conscious girl, where a publication rejects a pitch, I'll recycle it by sending it elsewhere to a similar magazine.

I'll also slow down on adding further magazine guides to this blog. Since my last update, I've uploaded Wellbeing, Shop Til You Drop, Dance Australia, Peppermint, and Girlfriend, taking the tally up to 17. You guys will probably enjoy the rest from the relentless stream as well!

Once I've finished the current article I'm writing, I might start sending fresh pitches out again. I want to be efficient, not lazy. There's a fine line.

Hopefully I'll get a "yes" from one of my dream publications soon...