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Your Freelance Blogging Plan B [How to Survive When Plan A Turns to Shit]

Your Freelance Blogging Plan B [How to Survive When Plan A Turns to Shit]

“Oh, holy fuck. Fuck fuckitty fuck fuck….”

That’s what my brain said. That’s probably what my mouth said too, but to be honest I can’t remember because I was too busy panicking.

Why?

Because my freelance blogging career took a nosedive from sweet, easy profit into the frozen, thumb-twiddling hell of I HAVE NO CLIENTS AND NO INCOME.

Plus I was the primary moneymaker in my little family and they were all depending on me to keep them housed and fed. So, y’know, no pressure. 😉

Shit happens

It was early 2012; Google had just updated its algorithms to stop crappy websites from ranking high in search results, and I’d been working 25 hours per week for a client whose websites were definitely kinda crappy. So when Google updated, those websites tanked and my client couldn’t afford to keep me.

I scrambled to pick up a couple of new clients, made sure this time that their websites were not crappy or grey-hatted, and kept on going. I also spent more than $10,000 on coaching and training programs to improve my business skills that year.

Fast forward 3 years to early 2015 and there I am, billing my clients up to $13,000 per month, owning a popular blog, working only part-time and only on projects that suit me, while planning my wedding and honeymoon.

So everything must have turned out just fine, right?

I wish.

Shit ALWAYS happens

In the spring of 2015, two of my teenage stepsons moved into our tiny apartment with me, my fiancé and our daughter. Hello, overcrowding and enormous grocery bills!

Then, later that summer, I got pregnant on my wedding night. Hello morning sickness, back pain, fatigue, lots of medical appointments and not wanting to travel any more.

By the winter, 4 months pregnant, I’d started pruning down my commitments to my favourite client because they wanted me to travel to their office too often. I also knew that the closer I got to the estimated birth date, the harder it would be to start any new projects.

I mean, what was I gonna say in my proposals? “I can totally start this in March, but I’ll be having a baby in May so I can’t actually finish your project until, ooh, a few months after your deadline.” Not gonna cut it.

I looked at the family’s unplanned pregnancy budget (which was, um, zero) and thought…

Yep, fuck fuckitty fuck fuck again.

I got an unexpected opportunity to improve my situation when Danny Iny (an awesome educator-entrepreneur) asked if I was available to join his team. Goodbye, unnecessary travel! Hello, videoconferencing and a gig to go back to after maternity leave!

Yeah, things fell into place for me that time around without too much effort. You think I got lucky? Keep reading to find out the truth.

Survival is your default setting

As long as you’re still breathing, you’re a survivor. You wake up in the morning and life is still there. You might not enjoy it so much when things go wrong, but you survive.

And that’s better than the alternative, but it isn’t enough.

To achieve beyond mere survival, you have to *do* more than simply fail to die. 

Yeah, what you do after a disaster matters. But what you do before a disaster is even more important.

Here’s what I should have done (what you can do, too)

Have a Plan B.

I should’ve had at least a rough idea in my head of what I’d do if my main client went away. I should’ve had at least a rough idea of what I’d do if I got sick for longer than a few days.

And OK, the pregnancy and the stepsons were both totally unexpected, but I should’ve planned for the unexpected to happen even if I didn’t know what form it would take.

Interesting psychology detour: Some researchers say that even *having* a Plan B sets you up to undercommit to Plan A, and that’s a fascinating idea that I don’t disagree with.

But I’m of the opinion that if you don’t have a single tiny clue what you’d do if things go wrong, then your business – and your income – is about as safe as the pubic hair of a teenager who sets his farts on fire.

So don’t waste time drafting a 250-page Plan B with colour coded flow charts, but do know what you’ll fall back on if life knocks your Plan A flat.

How to prepare for the unexpected

When the shit hits the fan, it’s too late to run out and buy a hazmat suit. But planning for unexpected challenges is easier than it sounds, I promise.

Here are the things that can help you fix a wide range of problems – even most of the problems you can’t predict:

  • Friends and family
  • Money
  • Knowledge
  • Time
  • Professional help

As long as you have access to at least one or two of the things on that list, you’ll overcome problems much more easily.

For example, that prime gig that fell into my lap at the precise moment I was interested in finding new, less face-to-face projects? That wasn’t luck; it was a consequence of 3 YEARS of relationship-building, including flying out to a couple of the company’s live mastermind events.

So if you wanna be as “lucky” as me, better start making friends with the people who run businesses you’d love to work with. 😉

If you want to make it through future income dips – and they WILL happen, no matter how confident, hardworking or optimistic you are – pay off any debts as fast as you can and save some “just in case” money for emergencies. If I’d done that myself, I could’ve tapped that fund to cover maternity costs.

If you want to avoid crappy clients, poor business practices and the economic effects of things like Google penalties, you need knowledge of what’s considered good and bad in your industry – not just blogging, but online advertising, search engine optimisation, email marketing laws, all the peripheral topics that affect your clients and hence the source of your income. That way you can spot the clients whose values don’t match yours, and avoid them.

As for time, we’ve all got some. You just have to choose to use it well.

And professional help is sometimes available for free, but often you’ll need either money or a friends-and-family connection to get access to more than a few minutes of a busy expert’s attention.

Prepare for what you can’t predict by putting a few basic defences in place. You’ll be glad you did, later when you need them. 🙂

Now, we want to hear about *your* Plan B.

And we’ve got prizes for the best blog post ideas on this topic!

Enter the Pitchfest

In case you’re not familiar, Pitchfest is a blog post pitching contest we run here on Be a Freelance Blogger every 3 months. You tell us your blog post idea and we choose our favorites, with prizes of up to $100 for the winners.

The contest starts today.

Your theme for this Pitchfest

This time we’re looking for pitches on the theme of “Plan B: What to do when things go wrong.”

Interpret that theme any way you like! You could pitch a real-life story about how your Plan B saved your ass; you could show us your secret stash of Plan Bs and explain what they’re for and how you use them; you could give us a lesson in contingency planning; it’s your call.

We’re looking forward to seeing what YOU come up with.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Your pitch’s theme not only has to involve a Plan B, but it also MUST revolve around freelance blogging (Be a Freelance Blogger’s niche). Whatever idea you present to us has to benefit freelance bloggers or their clients in some way.

The rules

  • Anybody can enter the contest by typing (or pasting) their pitch into the comments box at the bottom of this page.
  • Only ONE PITCH per person, please.
  • Follow the pitch format I’ll tell you in a moment.
  • After you submit your pitch, Lauren and/or Sophie will offer feedback to help you optimize your idea for this blog’s audience and improve your pitching skills. You may also get feedback from other entrants, BAFB team members, and innocent bystanders — pay attention, because they represent your readers here.
  • After you get our feedback, you can revise your pitch if you like and re-submit it by pasting it into a follow-up comment. And yes, that means you can offer us a completely different idea if we’ve told you your first idea definitely won’t work for this blog.
  • If you win, we’ll ask you to send us a draft of at least 1000 words, so bear that minimum word count in mind when you pitch.

The prizes

  • First prize: $100 for your guest post, paid on publication.
  • Second prize: $50 for your guest post, paid on publication.
  • Third prize: A 3-question mentoring package with Sophie via email.

The deadline

  • Submit your pitch before the end of Friday, March 31st, 2017.
  • We’ll announce the winners on April 8th.
  • If we choose your pitch, we expect you to deliver your first draft to Lauren by April 30th. (But if you need a little longer, let us know and we’ll work around it.)

How to pitch

  1. Read our general guest blogging guidelines first, then come back here to submit your pitch.
  2. Suggest at least one headline designed to make freelance bloggers want to read your post.
  3. Follow the headline with the opening lines you’d use in the post. No less than 30 words, no more than 60. You DON’T need to write a whole post (or even a whole introduction) before you pitch — we’d like to give you feedback on your idea before you write a draft.
  4. After the opening lines, give us no more than 6 points you’ll make in your post, and provide a one or two sentence summary of each point. (If you plan to make more than 6 points in your post, only tell us the most important 6 in your pitch.)
  5. Then explain in no more than 3 sentences why this is a great post for Be a Freelance Blogger and why you’re the right person to write it.
  6. Put your pitch in the comment box at the bottom of this page.
  7. Check the little box that says “Notify me of follow-up comments” so you’ll know when we’ve given you feedback.
  8. Submit your comment and if you followed all the steps above, you’re entered into the contest.

Extra tips

  • It’s a good idea to explain how your pitch reflects the theme we’ve set for you — unless it’s blindingly obvious, in which case you can probably assume we’ll see the connection without extra signposting.
  • Remember to tell us why you think your blog idea will interest the people who read Be a Freelance Blogger.
  • To get a better idea of what we’re looking for in your pitch, study the pitches and responses in previous Pitchfests.
  • Save a copy of your pitch somewhere before you post it here — if your comment gets lost in the internet, you don’t wanna have to re-write it from scratch.
  • Your comment may get held in a moderation queue, especially if it contains hyperlinks. Don’t worry if that happens; we’ll get to it and reply!

OK, it’s time.

Let the Pitchfest begin! This contest is closed.

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Comments

  1. Previous Pitchfest winner here! Just wanted to chime in and say that I’m stoked about this topic, and can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with 🙂

  2. We were totally unprepared as happens in life. My elderly Dad, who was healthy most of his life, had blood clots and was rushed to the ICU. A week later, he was about to be released but couldn’t be alone.
    There are five of us but as the oldest, I was the one in charge. I live two hours away. So we had to come up with a plan to take care of him. I was beside myself with worry and on the phone every day with medicare, his secondary insurance.
    My father was legally blind so he couldn’t drive and he needed to go to the hospital for blood work and physical therapy. He agreed to go to a rehab facility for a short stay while I could work up how to take care of him.
    I left my pocketbook at the store and burned the potatoes as I despaired. Then the phone rang. Plan A came into being. My sister, who lived in another state, offered to take my Dad for as long as he wanted until I could set up a home health aide and apply for Aid and Attendance through the VA.
    Plan B would be in effect after Plan A. Eventually he came home to live in his house. It was all falling into place.
    I thought this would be a great blog to help others caring for an elderly parent. Not only did my sister offer to help but one of my brother’s and his wife also offered on weekends. along with me. We were the covering caregivers.
    A truly desperate situation came full circle and ended in a satisfying situation for everyone, especially my father.

    • I’m glad everything turned out OK! 🙂

      Unfortunately, we’re only looking for pitches with explicit relevance to freelance blogging, so we won’t take this one any further.

      • Thanks for sharing the wonderful tidbit. I’m new to the freelance blogging world – still dancing and yet to dive in.

        I live in a van and write about my experiences. Where i’m crafingt a simple, sustainable, and adventurous lifestyle – for those who seek freedom through adventure. My blog is growing but I want to earn a living through writing – i’m trying to branch out and find ways to earn money through my words. The drive for location-independence is what brought me to blogging – and ultimately to this site.

        Thanks for the fantastic content ! I like your style!

  3. What to do when the shit hits the fan.

    No, I’m not talking about the apocalypse, well maybe for you. I’m talking about if your steady client up and drops you. Now you must struggle to find new work, or maybe not. You see, you could have all this figured out before this ever happens. Hopefully, this won’t happen, but if by chance it does you will be prepared.

    Tips for preparing for plan B: Education, staying fresh with your writing style, and tips for relaxation so you can get to work. Optimizing client’s sites so that you don’t get dropped.

    •Staying Fresh with your writing style- Stuck in a rut? Here are some tips to help you get out of that rut and keep your writing style fresh.
    •Relaxation—If shit does hit the fan, you need to make sure you are relaxed enough to start on your plan be. If you are freaking out, this will not help your situation.
    •Optimizing Client Site- This can help your client stay at the top. These tips for optimizing will help keep your client’s website strong.
    •Gig Lists- Having some resources that you can go to if you lose your client. Gig lists are the best way to do this.
    •Job Boards- This is another great resource to find new clients to get paid for blogging. These job boards may take a little more effort to get a client due to some people who apply for these jobs.
    •Networking- This is another great way to get jobs as a blogger. Networking can be very lucrative.

    This blog post would be great because not enough people think about ways to stay updated and fresh as a blogger and have resources at hand to go and find a new client quickly. I would be a great person to write this post because I love being prepared. It makes life more relaxing to know that you have a Plan B if shit hits the fan.

    • I like this pitch. Good points about the continued education and offering ways to optimize client’s sites. Maybe include more about ways to be indispensable by offering your clients more than other writers do?

      • Thank you for the feedback. That is a good idea. I would like to include that in my post. I skimmed it down quite a bit before submitting it the first time

    • I feel like this starts out very focused on the “plan B” theme, but halfway through the pitch it becomes more about ways to find work. How does Plan B differ from Plan A when you’re gig hunting?

      • Thank you for the input. Yes I agree. I really want to focus on the first part of it, but I added in a little more so I could fluff it up. If I were to write an entire post I probably wouldn’t use the last few points about gig hunting. Thank you

        • If you needed to “fluff up” your pitch, then I’d be concerned that you’d have to fluff up your actual post… and that makes me a little nervous. haha.

          The MINIMUM word-count for guest posts on our site is 1,200 words — “all killer, no filler.”

          Your pitch started out really strong (as Sophie said), but now I’m concerned you wouldn’t be able to meet the desired length…

  4. “Why Plan B Should Be Your Top Priority”

    “As a freelance writer just starting out, I would guess I think about what could go wrong or how I could fail, roughly 92,000 times a day. (And that’s on a good day.) While some may say that’s just writers nerves, I call it being prepared.”

    1. Plan B in Perspective- You don’t buy car insurance and wait to be in an accident, but it’s darn helpful to have IF you do. That’s how you should view your Plan B.

    2. Roof Repair When It’s Raining- Why you should start building a plan B NOW, even if business is good.

    3. Determine Your Needs- Plan B’s aren’t going to be one-size-fits-all. Determine what you need your plan B to cover. Your plan B should reflect your individual needs.

    4. Make Your Plan B, Part of The Big Picture- If your plan B is getting another job, try to find something that will further your experience or credibility in your niche.

    5. Add a Nest Egg- Even if you have a plan B, a nest egg is vital to cover any emergencies or to tide you over until your plan B kicks in.

    6. It’s OK to Change Your Plan B- Your needs may change over time as well as your interests. Writers should re-evaluate their every so often.

    Having this kind of post on BAFB would be a tremendous resource for readers as, unfortunately, it’s something that’s all too common in freelancing. I’m the best gal for the job because I’m now a (near) expert in having anxiety over the “what-ifs” with my writing career. I’m someone who thrives on structure and stability, yet three months ago, I quit my 9-5 to take my freelancing full time.

    • Good tips here, but I don’t care for the title. It makes it sound like you should bail on plan A rather than going for what you really want in a career.

      • Thanks for the input! I was unsure about the title and had gone back and forth between a few. Now have a ton of better options floating around in the ole’ noggin

        • I like the title you used! I like the incongruity of saying that Plan B is top priority – it makes people stop to wonder how that works. 😉

          I’m a little concerned that your limited experience of having to *use* these Plan Bs might make the post a bit lightweight – maybe you could frame it as “Freelance Blogging Confidence Tricks for the Risk-Averse Beginner” and show how having backup plans in place helps give you the confidence to take big steps (like quitting the ole day job).

    • You are driving along a familiar route only to discover it is blocked off due to a water main break. Intersections along your route are few and far between, and uncharted territory for you. No detours are posted. Do you (A) Never fear, Google Maps is here! or (B) Life is a Highway, may or may not be riding it all night long!
      And which option would enrich your creative cache?
      Is Plan A akin to technical writing, where as Plan B is freelance blogging?
      I’m clearly past the pitch deadline here… and so, this is my Plan B! 😀

  5. HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR FIRST FAILURE

    You’ve just quit your day job to become a freelance blogger. You applied for the first blogging agency you saw, and you bought a 10-dollar domain name for your new blog. Each 1,000-word post is supposed to earn you $40. “Boy, that sounds simple enough!” but it isn’t, and the agency keeps rejecting your articles.

    1. FAILURE IS INEVITABLE – Every master starts as a beginner. Blogging may sound fun (it is), but it takes hard work to build a blog. Along the way, failures are bound to happen, and you need to accept that early in the game. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

    2. DO NOT PANIC – Despite expecting and preparing for the worst, it can and will come barging through your front door like a wrecking ball. Always remain calm; worrying doesn’t pay the bills.

    3. DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP – With that said, you have to stay positive despite the setbacks. Filter negative thoughts and be your own best supporter.

    4. THINK ABOUT YOUR NEXT STEP – Should you enroll in more blogging courses? Should you start finding other clients right away? Should you blog about a different topic instead? It’s easy to become overwhelmed and lose focus. Slow down, breathe, and take things step by step, thinking about what’s best for you.

    5. PERSEVERE – There’s no other way to put it. There is no shortcut to good results, especially after you messed up big-time. Work to re-build your strengths and don’t stop learning new things about blogging.

    6. PLAN FOR FUTURE FAILURES – Now that you’ve survived your first failure, use the things you learned this time to better prepare yourself for future stumbles.

    This post is about encouraging beginners in freelance blogging, and enumerating steps to take when clients reject your work. I myself am a beginner in freelance blogging, and I plan to share my personal story through this blog post. I feel that aspiring and long-time bloggers can relate to my experience.

    • I like the angle for beginners. That $40 for 1,000 words is funny but true. Oh it hurts to sell your work for so little! Maybe include something about using this low-paying work for building your portfolio in the beginning.

    • This is a good pitch – if you’re basing the whole idea on your personal experiences, we’d like to hear a little more about those in the pitch too.

      E.g. “#5 PERSEVERE: no shortcuts; work to rebuild your strengths. With a personal story of how it took me X number of months to get my business back on track after hitting my first big obstacle, but now I’m exceeding my targets.”

      Do you see what I mean? The specific personal stories you’ll share can make or break a post. 🙂

      • Thank you for the feedback, Sophie.

        With regards to personal stories, I would write about the time I received my first-ever rejection e-mail, which would fall under the first point. The succeeding points would describe my own struggle in dealing with the rejection, and what I did to overcome it. I suppose the updated points would go like this:

        1. FAILURE IS INEVITABLE – Every master starts as a beginner. Blogging may sound fun (it is), but it takes hard work to build a blog. Along the way, failures are bound to happen, and you need to accept that early in the game. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

        When I first submitted a travel article about the local tourism here in Manila, I was confident that it would get accepted–after all, I spent hours doing research, typing, editing, and re-editing everything. Being confident is good, but in my case, I refused to think about what would happen if my article wasn’t accepted. That was a mistake I learned the hard way when the editors said that my piece “wasn’t quite a fit.”

        2. DO NOT PANIC – Despite expecting and preparing for the worst, it can and will come barging through your front door like a wrecking ball. Always remain calm; worrying doesn’t pay the bills.

        Facing the reality of rejection, I began re-typing parts of my travel article in the hopes that the editors would reconsider it. At the same time, I was scared that my editors never wanted to speak to me again (ah, yes, classic overthinking), and I scoured the Internet for other freelance blogging opportunities. Doing both tasks at the same time took its toll on me.

        —
        Similar to the first two points above, I would incorporate the experience of my first rejected article into the rest of post:

        3. DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP – Recalling my depressive tendencies, I would write how I was tempted to blame myself for being too full of myself to expect success immediately, etc.
        4. THINK ABOUT YOUR NEXT STEP – I took a step back and breathed, thinking about what I can do next, one step at a time. (I was reading and re-reading BAFB posts like crazy around this time).
        5. PERSEVERE – This is when I write about the steps I am currently taking to pull myself back up–setting a good schedule and dividing my time, sending at least one application/pitch a day, or writing one piece (an article, blog post, poetry, prose, anything to push me to write) a day.
        6. PLAN FOR FUTURE FAILURES – I would summarize all the lessons I learned from this particular experience.

        • Pretty cool, Caroline!

          If you can get the “just right” combination of telling readers what to do (focusing on THEM) with relaying your personal stories (focusing on YOU), then you’ll really have something here!! 😀

          Personal stories are FANTASTIC, but there has to be balance. The biggest “fail” when it comes to sharing personal stories is that sometimes the writer gets so wrapped up in their OWN stories, they forget to talk to the audience and tell THEM what to do.

          If you’re confident you can find that balance, then this is going on my “To Be Considered” list. 😉

          • Hello Lauren,

            Thanks so much for the tip, I will definitely keep that in mind. I agree that it’s important to emphasize what the reader can gain from reading my blog post. I figure that something like a concluding paragraph with quick bullet points to summarize main points (i.e. what readers should do) would be good!

            Have a great day 🙂

            • Putting both versions of your pitch together, you’ll have a good pitch here once you’ve pressed the seams a bit by condensing and summarising your points and anecdotes. 🙂

  6. Hi Sophie,

    My name is Hana LaRock and I’d love to write an article with the title, “Why I Am The Queen Bee of Plan Bs.” This article would be so relevant to my life right at this very moment, as me pitching this is a plan b in itself!

    It would start off something like this: Having a plan B is imperative when you’re a freelance blogger. There are periods when you’ll have a lot of work coming in, and then all of a sudden, a client will drop you. It just happened again to me today. But, I don’t need to panic, because I am the Queen B of plan bs. I will be okay because I prepared myself for this very situation.

    Six points:
    1) People who have plan bs are resourceful, but you can train yourself to be this way, too. Just because you didn’t grow up having plan bs, doesn’t mean you can’t start now.
    2) Even if your passion is freelance writing, it’s okay if your plan b isn’t in the writing field. It would be nice if it could be, but you always need a way to have income no matter what.
    3) Don’t lose track of your goals. If you need to use your plan b, that’s okay. But, use it as a chance (since you probably have more time on your hands) to pursue things even harder than you did before.
    4) My personal plan b is teaching so I would talk a little bit about that.
    5) Sometimes plan bs happen for a reason. Think about all the times you’ve had to rely on your plan b before. Did it turn out alright? Probably!
    6) In addition to a plan b, it’s also good to have a plan c-z. Always have an idea on the ready, because unfortunately, you never know if your plan b is already used up.

    This would be a great post for Be a Freelance Blogger because it is honest. I am a freelance blogger and I am going through a period right now where I have to resort to my plan b. I have so much to say on the topic because I’m experiencing it. And, in a situation that might normally stress me out, I’m actually feeling empowered! I hope it will empower others as well.

    • I’m actually fascinated by your first point, that you might not be used to making backup plans but you can train yourself to do it well. I’d love to see a pitch from you along those lines – how a disorganised or unprepared freelance blogger can learn to become a planner and finally stop worrying about what-ifs.

    • I agree with Sophie! That first point alone could be stretched out into a full post.

      I also dig your title, but would tweak it to be “How YOU Can Become the Queen/King of Plan B’s.” (You always want to focus primarily on the audience, not yourself).

  7. Three kids, one on the way, what do we do?
    Living with my roommate when we discovered I was pregnant. My now husband had three kids from his previous relationship, and now we had to figure out plan b which was how we were going to combine our group under one roof.
    Finances- with me just going to school, we’d be relying mainly on his income.
    Location- the three older kids live with their mother in Virginia Beach, he works in Chesapeake. Where do we go?
    Break the news- How do we explain this to the kids? Plus it didn’t help their mom wasn’t a huge fan of me.
    Insert new mom panic- Living apart did not help. How do I make this an easy and stress free pregnancy?
    I think this would be a great post for new moms, or moms in general who can relate to my situation. This was all new to me and I would love to share my experiences and tips that helped get me through.

    • If I were you I would absolutely pitch this idea to a parents’n’babies blog! It doesn’t have the freelance blogging perspective we’re looking for, but it does sound like a gripping story for mums. 🙂

      • Thanks for the input 🙂 any suggestions on how or where I could pitch this idea? Sorry it wasn’t what you were looking for, but I appreciate the honesty and getting on the right track

        • Hi Michelle,

          Have you signed up to receive Sophie’s list of 75 blogs that pay for posts? If not, it’s at the top of the BAFB homepage. There is a parenting section on the list, so that would give you some good ideas of where to go next.

          Good luck!

          Elizabeth

  8. Dear Freelance Blogger,

    Title: I see you’re drowning there my friend, need a hand or must I say, Plan B?

    As individuals, we tend to make plans of what we want in our everyday lives yet we leave some things behind. They can include friends, family, or even our pets. Ha-ha, I know. Sadly, it’s true. We need to remember that if plan A doesn’t work, have a plan B. Why you must ask? Well, we can’t just go on with our lives and forget our present. We need to take actions before it’s too late. As a student, plan B saves my ass big time; it’s like having a superhero holding me and not letting me drown underwater. Contingency planning is important since, it makes us plan our small steps to big success. Plan B does not mean that plan A involves failure. It actually means we are determined for success. I will be taking further about how to plan with risks and what success means to me personally. For me success is to do better in any given task; no matter how many times I fall, I will do better for myself! Overall, my experience on finding my definition of success can be summed up with a quote by Søren Kierkegaard, “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”

    I will be using this article to help me write my article: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_51.htm

    Thank you for your time,
    Akampreet

    • Hi Akampreet, please include all the required stuff in your pitch – otherwise I’m sorry to say we can’t count it as an entry in the Pitchfest.

  9. My plan b for not being able to bag groceries is cleaning around the store whatever my cool boss needs me to do! I Cause you see I have a really bad case of carpel tunnel. Actually cleaning lately has been quite dandy thank you! I look forward to doing cleaning projects everyday when I walk into work! Because I clean every day I actually get to interact with customers more and help customers locate items around the store more than ever. If I was still able to bag then it’s hard to help needy customers because I’m stuck up front! This is something I enjoy doing helping customers get there shopping done! It satisfies me which is such a good thing. I wouldn’t change it for the world! This way we have more happy satisfied customers that want to return to our store. Safeway to be exact.

    • Sounds cool – I hope you’re all having a fun time at Safeway! Unfortunately this isn’t related to our core topic of freelance blogging so we can’t accept it as a Pitchfest entry.

  10. Why freelance blogging is a viable plan B for sports people.
    As a sportsman, you deal with some parts of your career where you cant play. Sometimes, its because of injuries, other times simply because its off season (Although globalization of most sports means there is hardly any off season). That is where you need a plan B.
    1. The world of sports is an uncertain world. Injuries can happen out of the blue. Circumstances can take you out of action, so you cant just rely on a sports income.
    2. Another point is that at a lower level, the income is not really that much anyways.
    3. The reason why freelance blogging can help, is because in the sports world, you meet people, you see things, and naturally you are inclined to tell people about it. Freelance Blogging can serve that purpose as well, it can serve as an outlet.
    4. The thing that makes freelance blogging suitable for sportspeople is flexibility, you can work in the off season, during injuries, even during the season!
    5. One thing that we have to accept is that, doing something you love always comes at a price. I personally know that I love football, and I love cricket but to pursue one would mean I have to let go of the other. That is just one example of the sacrifices you have to make.
    6. A very important fact about freelance blogging is that it can help you garner a fanbase, and possibly a career after retirement.

    The reason why this post would be perfect is because it fuses two big niches, sports and blogging, at a great blog. The reason why I am the man to write this post, is because I am a semi-pro sportsperson, and also I have been on the fringes on blogging for a couple of years now.

    • Ooh, an interesting career crossover that we haven’t explored yet! Nice choice.

      My main concern is that we might not have enough sporty readers here at BAFB for your to post to reach its ideal audience. This idea would probably fit better on a blog aimed at sportspeople, because that’s who needs your Plan B the most!

  11. Headline: How Having a Plan A to Z Saved My Writing Career

    Opening Lines: Having a Plan B and C is smart; however, I’ve always been a Plan A to Z person. Because of this, I managed to avoid ever being broke even though I work in an unpredictable industry. This isn’t about creating 25 backup plans. It’s about creating a backup plan after you’re done making a backup plan.

    1. How Plan A landed on my lap – This will cover the story and my learning experience when I started freelancing.
    2. How I learned about Plan B – This will cover how I navigated through the industry as my knowledge grew.
    3. How I realized Plan C was an option – This will cover how I decided to cover my bases and why I did it. I will write about the first time I lost a job.
    4. Developing Plan D to Z – This will cover what happened after I lost that job and what I did to prepare for the next loss. It also tells a lesson about the time I was first fired and the time I was almost fired.

    I believe that this will be a great post for Be a Freelance Blogger because it shows more than the fear of not being hired. It shows what else happens in the middle of work, as well as why these things happen. I want to write this story because I think my story is similar to others’, yet I rarely read stories that tell you what to do in the most unexpected situations.

    • I like the concept, but I’m a bit confused. I don’t get exactly what these individual plans are. It reads like getting a next client is a different plan from the last? Navigating the industry is not a plan B. It’s just a part of your plan A, right?

      • Hi Diedra!

        I guess putting an air or mystery to my pitch was a bad idea. Haha to clarify, this is what I was planning.

        How Plan A landed on my lap will cover how I learned to be a freelancer and the plan I came up with to keep the job running, i.e. scheduling, studying the job, considering the principles. My first job as a freelancer was arranging porn thumbnails. That should be an interesting read. Haha

        Changing the next point to How I Learned to Make a Plan B:
        The section will cover how I wanted to be prepared in case I lost the first job and how I got my second job.

        The third point, Plan C, is a bit backwards now that I realize it. What I mean is that when I lost a job, my Plan B turned out to be effective. I applied to a different industry and got hired. However, it was not working out for me because I was not motivated enough to do the job on most days. I was a transcriptionist then. I decided to prepare a Plan C for the current job I had, which meant agreeing to work for better pay with the same sentiment, but being open to doing jobs that inspired me.

        The Plan D section will explain what happened next. I ended up working with a digital marketing firm, which gave me the portfolio I needed. I lost that job because the company closed down. Luckily, I saved a lot of money. This bought me some time before I could get a new job. One day I received an offer and worked for two years with a company that let me write about relationships and dating. Plan D is all about how I planned to never stop working unless it was my own decision. This is where I will explain how I screwed up Plan D, by getting fired. After that, I forced myself to create a Plan E and so forth. Because all of my backup plans ended up being temporarily useful, I decided that Plan B would never be enough. That led me to learn about adaptation, enhancing my skills, and branching out. Now, I have plans spilling out of my ears. I am ready for anything that comes my way.

        • Ohh, now that I’ve read the story in more detail I want to hear it all! I’d be tempted to give it a different angle, though, about how freelance bloggers can come from almost any background and succeed as long as they don’t stop trying to figure out what works for them. “From Porn Rearranger to Freelance Blogger: How to Plan Your Way Into Your Dream Career” 😉

            • Thank you for the feedback! You’ll be interested to note that I’ve actually been through more than just that. I’m a licensed physiotherapist, graphic designer, social media manager, etc. Serious about the etc. The list would end up as one blog post. Haha. At one point, I had no idea who I really was. But in the end, it all comes back to writing and how I’m the happiest I’ve ever been career-wise.

        • This sounds pretty awesome, Danielle! So glad you came back and gave up on the “air of mystery.” haha.

          So long ad you find that perfect balance between talking about yourself and giving solid tips to the readers, I think this pitch definitely deserves our serious consideration!

          • Thank you Lauren for your feedback. 🙂 I’m actually considering writing it as a narrative, but with practical applications and other real-life examples in between. To keep it direct and creative at the same time, I’ll try to streamline my experiences so it won’t look too much like a short autobiography. Looking forward to seeing this pitch push through! Good luck to us all!

  12. Headline: 6 Steps to Make Sure You Always Have Paying Jobs

    As freelance bloggers, a common goal we share is having steady work. However, it’s not always easy, especially if you’re just relying on one or two clients for all your income. So how can you prepare in advance to make sure you’ll always have something to fall back on? Let me share the system I’ve used to do just that.

    Points:
    1- Create a professional website that promotes your work. This website should include all the information necessary about what you do, and the services you provide.

    2- Add a blog to that website. Don’t treat this as a sample of what you’ll write for clients (that’s your portfolio). Instead, use this to draw the attention of clients that you’d like to work for.

    3- Use social media to connect with potential clients. You’ll be able to find the people who run the blogs you want to write for, and get in contact with them personally. Don’t beg for work, but show them what you can do with words.

    4- Build relationships outside of social media. Once you have a few contacts of potential clients, keep tabs with what they’re doing. Build a relationship through email, or anywhere that’s off the social media scene. Direct them to your blog, and show why it’s interesting to them.

    5- Network with influencers. Follow influencer blogs (like Be a Freelance Blogger), and connect with these people on social media. See what they’re doing, and learn from their methods.

    6- As the ultimate backup, don’t underestimate the help of job boards and pitch sites. This is the option I always use as a ‘just-in-case’. Whenever my main clients fall through, I always have one or two pitch sites that I can run back to for work. I’ll share my favorites in the post!

    Why Me, Why Here: Having a method to get new and consistent work is essential for freelance bloggers, as it prepares in advance a Plan B for when things go wrong. I’ve gone through the panic of not having enough work to support my family, and with time and experience (the hard way) I’ve created a system like the one outlined above to make sure I’m never without work. Having a system can mean the difference between succeeding or failing as a freelance blogger.

  13. When Blogging Gets Tough Go Back to Your True Love

    It’s one in the morning and you are staring at your screen. You’ve just sent off another half-dozen emails. Just like last week, you don’t expect many replies. Suddenly, you get an email – a freelancer website offering you a job. Success. The catch? Its ten dollars for a thousand words on a subject that bores you to death.

    -As it gets tougher to get gigs, you end up taking more gigs that don’t interest you. These gigs turn blogging into a chore & make your writing stale.
    -Writing about what you love can reignite your passion, give you new focus, and improve your writing in general.
    -Writing for free on a subject that you absolutely love is more fun than work, and gives you 100% creative freedom.
    -Personal story: getting featured in the Guardian and subsequently having a stronger portfolio
    -Wrap up: remember why you got into blogging in the first place.

    This post will help inspire bloggers in a slump and provide a solution to their recent lack of clients. It tells a personal tale from my own life, and will help those bloggers who don’t have contacts and lots of options for when plan A goes wrong.

    • Oh I like this very much! My primary income is writing for clients’ blogs and informational products, but when I am slow I work on my own creative projects on the side. I’d love to see where you take the idea of how these detours improve your writing business.

    • The point about how this adds more of the work you love to your portfolio is the key here, I think.

      Whatever you put in your portfolio, you’re likely to get offered more of that same type of work – so if you include a few unpaid guest posts you’re super proud of, you’re more likely to get paid assignments on those topics. (And of course if you do scut work for content mills, you end up with a derelict portfolio and nothing to show prospective clients.)

      I’d love to see this adjusted into a post that’s more about why building your portfolio with work you love *is* a Plan B that you can implement even before Plan A fails.

      • That’s a great point, Sophie, about whatever there’s most of in your portfolio is what you’re likely to be offered as gigs. However, the content mills aren’t ALL bad (just mostly). The two I write for help my portfolio in two ways:

        1. Most of the things I write for them are blog posts by any other name. And the assigned topics are so diverse that my portfolio shows I can write on all kinds of topics from “Where boho fashions are imported from” to “Steps to filing a medal malpractice lawsuit.”

        2. One of my mills publishes my posts on their own site with my byline. (Yay!) The other one sends my posts off to their clients where they wind up on god knows who’s site under god knows who’s byline. Yes, it does frost my balls – oh wait, I don’t have any – to see my beautiful posts claimed to have been written by other people, but my portfolio can say that I do ghostwriting, which all the corporate types who have blogs on their site but wouldn’t know how to write a readable, understandable, grammatically- and punctuation-correct blog post if they’re life depended on it are desperately looking for.

        Just a thought. . .

        Kitty

        • Well, shit! Nothing like inadvertently typing “they’re” when I meant “their.” What good is correct grammar & punctuation if I don’t carefully PROOFREAD the damn thing before hitting the Post Comment button??? Shame, shame, shame, Kitty. 🙁

          • Well, shit again. I posted the above at the wrong place! See what happens when I don’t get to bed until 6am because I’m meeting a deadline for one of my content mills? BTW, it’s actually 5:12pm here, not whatever time it’s gonna say I posted this one!

          • WOW! That article you referred me to is absolutely 100% right on! And “New Freelancer Tips” to boot! This one gets printed to PDF and saved to my desktop so I can re-read it numerous times.

            You guys are the best! Thanks so much. And BTW, I thoroughly agree with you that I deserve so much better. So do your other BAFB readers who are currently writing for content mills.

            • Hi Kitty, I too started out with content mills, just within the past 6 months. They definitely helped with my writing skills but that’s about it. I recently started a course called Guest Blogging by John Morrow. (Sophie had mentioned his name.) I LOVE the course! It can be done at your own pace and you can get access to his “Little Black Book” with a tons of different Guest Blogging site opportunities and templates to help you get started. You should take a look. http://www.guestblogging.com

              Good Luck!
              Carolyn

  14. Filip Brunner
    523 Cindy Circle
    Ringgold. GA, 30736

    Phone: 423-356-1721
    e-mail: brunnerfilip@yahoo.com

    Hi, My name is Filip “the Redneck Czech” Brunner
    The post I propose has to do with a subject I am personal equated with: Surviving the Disability Mayhem. My wife Kim and I have six children three with physical and intellectual disability. this blog is our story in a nut shell. I have divided it into two main headings: Physical and intellectual.

    Surviving the Disability Mayhem
    By: Filip Brunner

    Sanity can be in short supply for caregivers who deal with children with disability, I should know, I deal with the disability of my children every day.
    For us disability comes in two flavors. Physical and intellectual
    1. The physical side of things. When our son Glen was born he was not suppose to live past the first month of his life. His condition was diagnosed as “pulmonary arttresia with intact ventricular septum” Try saying that three times fast as you and your frightened to death wife are rushing Vanderbilt University Hospital, when your son is being airlifted over there on a modified Navy Bell, and you are driving gently used Chevy Astro minivan. Helicopters are faster.
    The next 3 to 4 years and 3 open heart surgeries later.
    The next four years were a whirlwind of hospital stays, and countless doctor’s appointments, both In Chattanooga and Nashville. Oh, did I forget to mention that at this time Glen was the youngest of five children? On top of everything else there is a Job to juggle and oxygen tanks and the rest of the children to manage. Sanity?…I don’t think so.
    Pregnant wife and operating tables
    Glen was 18 months when his second surgery was going to be done at Vanderbilt. My wife Kim was 8 months pregnant with our sixth and final child and every Dr. appointment we went to at the hospital prior to his operation people were looking at us like: “I hope she does not go into labor while we operate on her son.” So, recap. Rush to Nashville with Glen, have operation, stay couple of days, come back home, have new baby. No problem.
    Operation number three or “We lost your son on the operating table, not once but twice…but he is OK now. “Oh, well, that’s nice, send us the bill…see you in a couple of days or will he be able to see his cardiologist in Chattanooga for his post opp?”

    “When you find yourself in the midst of such chaotic circumstances, don’t forget to breath. It is the only thing that will remind you that you are still human and not a circumstance created zombie.”

    2. The intellectual side of things
    Once the medical stuff with Glen subsided some, we could focus on some of our other children. And we were introduced to terms like: developmental delay, autism spectrum and we really do not know what the hell we are talking about if we were honest about it.
    Physical disability has something you can point at, intellectual disability lot of times does not. That is one of the reasons why living around people with intellectual disability especially my own children is so difficult for me.
    Let me be brutally honest at this point.
    I am a degreed individual I am a permanent member of the:

    “International High IQ Society and I missed the entrance examination into Mensa by 2 lousy points, so you’ll forgive me if I take an affront to intellectual disability. In short it pains me when the children of other parents get recognized for academic excellence and mine get perfect attendance instead.”

    Yes, my ego gets hurt from time to time, when I look at Kenneth and David, my sons with cognitive and intellectual needs. I have a hard time communicating with my wife Dr. Kim Brunner and “normal” children. Which brings me to my concluding thought.
    Disability can be social in nature as well, all of us are disabled in some way and that is all right. All of us struggle with something. My disability lies in the fact that I have a hard time relating to most people. I can get into a conversation with someone and two minutes into it their eyes glaze over. When my sons talk to most people the same thing happens. So, all in all when it comes to social interaction I am just as disabled as they are. We measure norms, that’s nice, what is normal? And who determines what normal is? Personally I have yet to find one person who is normal. I can only work on myself and my prejudicial attitudes. Filip Brunner

    • I’ll raise my hand to not being normal. 🙂

      Without a freelance blogging related point to your post, though, we can’t accept it as a Pitchfest entry.

    • Hey, Filip!

      I second what Sophie said.

      Side note: The fact that you added ALL of your personal information to the top of your pitch makes me a little nervous on your behalf. There are a lot of weirdos online. Would you like me to go in and edit that out for you…?

  15. I put this Pitchfest itself in the category of “things I should have had a Plan B for”; lately, I’ve been looking at most new opportunities with a clouded eye and a “why are you interrupting me when I’m already crazy-busy?” attitude. Definitely my full proposal will focus on that.

  16. Hi Lauren, Sophie,

    I am relatively new to…well everything…blogging, writing, freelancing…all of it. I was fortunate enough to find your site pretty quickly and love all the help I get from it.

    I swear when I read this “Pitchfest” idea, it was about me, Seriously! I say that, because this was my plan ‘B,’ unknowingly and very unexpectant.

    Plan B: What to do when things go wrong? …What do you mean when things go wrong? Life is “always” rainbows and butterflies, right?

    Opening:

    “I QUIT” I yelled at my scumbag manager as I walked out the door of my low paying crappy gig. If only that were true. It was more like, we pay you more money to work your ass off then we pay this other person to “never” work 40 hours a week. Sorry,…we must lay you off.

    Plan B:
    Do you really want to stay in that line of work?
    What is more important, money or happiness?
    What are you good at? Or even have potential to be good at?
    Do you have what it takes to stick with it?
    Have a plan C, D, and E, if at all possible (can be made up along the way).
    How long do you work on Plan B before it becomes either Plan A or C?

    This is a great post for “Be a Freelance Blogger” because unfortunately life is not always rainbows and butterflies and knowing others may be going through the same situation makes life a little easier to handle.

    I believe I am a good choice for this blog because I am getting a few, very short, months away from having to decide if Freelance Blogging is going to move to Plan A, or get pushed back to Plan C. Keeping my fingers crossed for A!

    I hope you enjoy my pitch and regardless, I want to thank you for the awesome support that you give all of us!

    Carolyn

    • That’s really interesting – the idea that your Plan B becomes either A or C and you have to decide which way it’s gonna go.

      I’d like to see more detail on your 6 points and the tips or insights you’ll share, please!

      • Sophie,

        Thank you for the feedback. It means a lot that you and your team are willing to take the time to speak to each of us! Below are my 6 points a bit more in depth.

        Plan B:
        1) Do you really want to stay in that line of work?

        If you are one of those people that leave high school knowing exactly what you want your lifelong career to be, graduate, and become exactly that…well, that’s completely awesome. I am one of those that started in Psychology (pretty sure this wasn’t even my first plan) through the path of Social Work, ended up starting my family early and finished my B.S. in Computer Information Systems instead. Meanwhile, I fell into Purchasing and loved it. 20 yrs. later. I still enjoy it, but moving to Austin has landed me into the very boring world of Semiconductor Technology. Of course, my dream job would be to buy shoes. (What woman wouldn’t want to do that?) Being laid off from my 3rd tech company, and no shoe companies in sight, I need to decide if I really want to keep pursuing purchasing. I am obviously on the fence about it, but I have recently discovered, thanks to you Sophie, John Morrow and his training program. I think I will have a better idea when I finish, exactly what my options are.

        I guess what I am trying to say, is that, if you decide to possibly look at other roads and get off the beaten path you’ve taken every single day for God knows how long, your Plan B will become a forest instead of just a few trees.

        2) What is more important, money or happiness?

        My husband was previously in the Security/Electronics business. The company he worked for treated him very poorly, but he brought home more than enough for any middle-class family. One day he got so fed up he quit. Just quit.
        My husband has always been into muscle cars. In his younger days, he built his own race car and spent his weekends racing. While he can fix ANYTHING on (or off) a car, his love is for restoring classics. He decided then, he wanted to do it for a living. He hadn’t planned on his hobby becoming plan B, but it did. Although, with breaking into this area, he, of course, took a huge pay cut. It was enough to live, but he had to rethink his budget.
        So, plan B became plan A and turned him into a much happier person. But what would happen if Plan A went to hell? That’s where I came in. He was still working for someone else and would come home frustrated. If that happens too long, the thing we love the most becomes the thing we despise the most. I started talking to him about Plan B, building his own shop. Becoming his own boss. Guess what? My husband now works out of our home, is his own boss, doing what he loves and while the money isn’t close to what a lot of corporate workers bring home, it’s not bad. Again, he’s happy, and he motivated me to get here, to this point, writing, doing something that makes me happy!

        3) What are you good at? Or even have potential to be good at?

        As I was just saying, my husband, motivated me to find something to do that would make me happy. He made me realize that while it was nice to have extra money coming in, it wasn’t a necessity. While he has a natural born talent, he can fix anything, I don’t. I started searching for my “talent.” To be honest, I can’t say that writing is my talent either, but I have always enjoyed it, and if I want to enjoy my life, I am giving it 100% effort. BTW, investing stocks is NOT one of my talents.
        Do you have what it takes to stick with it?

        Every day I pray. I ask for strength and guidance in finding the correct path. Every day I have doubts, some days, especially if I am paying bills, I have melt-downs. My husband is always there to encourage me and remind me that If I am going to make writing my Plan A, I still have Plan B (because I kick ass as a Buyer).

        4) Have a plan C, D, and E, if at all possible (can be made up along the way).

        When I was laid off, I didn’t have a Plan B; therefore, after deciding what I might possibly be good at, I found a Plan B, C, maybe even D. I have always had the mindset that I have to stay in the Supply Chain field. I don’t! Another option that, again, may not bring home $80k a year, is to do several things at once. I recently became a Young Living Essential Oils distributor. I can also earn cash helping my sister-in-law clean houses. We all have options, it is a matter of what we are willing to live with or without.

        5) How long do you work on Plan B before it becomes either Plan A or C?

        This can be a tangible or intangible question. For me it is tangible. I have 6 Months of unemployment to figure out what I am going to do. I have paid up all the bills in advance, so that leaves a little cushion, but I have set my goal. This doesn’t mean I must end my writing career if I am forced to go back to a corporate job. I just won’t have the luxury of staying home all day to do it. I will have to make it my Plan B or C depending; although, next time I decide I am ready to make it my Plan A, will be on my terms. Because then I will know that I have a talent that I can pursue, that makes me happy and will pay the bills.

        I am going to kick ass at this like I do Buying and It will be my Plan A! Speaking of…John Morrow is teaching me that I can combine Plan A and Plan B, why not blog about what I do best, buying and negotiating!

        Thank You Again, Sophie!

        • Hey, Carolyn!

          This sounds like a solid, kick-ass post!

          Unfortunately, I’m not really feeling a focus on freelance blogging coming through. For a pitch to be accepted by us, it MUST focus on how to “be a freelance blogger” (it’s our site name, after all!).

          This feels more like a Plan B for…life in general. haha. Which is freakin’ awesome, but I don’t know if it would work for us here.

          • Hi Lauren, You are absolutely right, I wondered off on a different path. : ) Please read my revised version below.

            Plan B:
            Do you really want to stay in that line of work?

            If your ready to get off the beaten path you’ve taken every single day for God knows how long, your Plan B will become a forest instead of just a few trees. Freelance blogging gives you a million different opportunities. What I am discovering is that I can write about what I know. Who would have thought? While writing about Buying goods and Negotiating Prices is not my idea of an excellent time, it could help me break into the market and eventually write about the stuff that I really have a passion for and find “fun” and “creative.”

            If your current job sucks, start a freelance career because you are only limited by the world; however, if you don’t mind your job, but sitting in traffic is horrid and your boss sucks, start a Freelance Blogging career. Becoming your own boss is the best, and you can still write about your personal career.

            What is more important, money or happiness?

            I understand that we all have to pay bills, but sometimes life throws you a curve ball like the one Sophie is talking about. While Plan A pays the bills, Plan B, your kick-ass writing career, could too. I am finding out that while going back to my previous Plan A makes quite a bit of cash and gives my family less restraint, I am happier with Plan B of a freelance writing career. Until it picks up and I can make it my Plan A, I am not going to make $80,000 or more a year; Therefore, I must decide, is the money or my happiness more important. My family better decide what they can start living without.

            What are you good at? Or even have potential to be good at?

            If you have the slightest writing ability what-so-ever, there are so many possibilities; fortunately, not just in writing itself but also in freelance blogging. Everyone today has a blog. I am taking a course with John Morrow, Guest Blogging, and I am finding out that if you know anything, you can write about it. There are a million sites out there that accept Guest Bloggers, which means there are a million different topics to choose from.

            Do you have what it takes to stick with it?

            Every day I pray. I ask for strength and guidance in finding the correct path. Every day I have doubts, some days, especially if I am paying bills, I have melt-downs. My husband is always there to encourage me and remind me that If I am going to make writing my Plan A, I still have Plan B (because I kick ass as a Buyer). Getting discouraged is OK, but letting it consume me, is not OK. You will never be a Freelance Blogger if you quit after one, not so great comments or reviews. For example, this is not what I wrote previously. Sophie requested I expand on my ideas for Plan B, but after doing so, Lauren told me it wasn’t right for their site. My first thought, no offense Lauren, was “screw you, Lauren,” but I immediately re-read my comments and decided she was correct with her statement. Although my subject was on the right path, my explanations trailed off. So instead of taking Lauren’s comments as an insult, which of course they weren’t, I re-wrote my descriptions and will be returning this to her. She may tell me that I still am not a good fit, or that I straight out suck, but that is why I am taking a writing course. Regardless, even if I have to go back to the corporate office for a while, I am not giving up on writing. I like Freelance Blogging too much to say, “Screw It.”
            P.S. Thank you, Lauren!

            Have a plan C, D, and E, if at all possible (can be made up along the way).

            When I was laid off, I didn’t have a Plan B; therefore, after deciding what I might possibly be good at, I found a Plan B, C, maybe even D. I have always had the mindset that I have to stay in the Supply Chain field. I don’t! Another option that, again, may not bring home $80,000 a year, is to do several things at once. I recently became a Young Living Essential Oils distributor. I can also earn cash helping my sister-in-law clean houses. We all have options, it is a matter of what we are willing to live with or without. Regardless, most of us won’t make money the second we begin our Freelance Blogging careers. Meanwhile, unless your hubby can carry the family financially and still pay for your must-have, luxuries such as getting your nails done and shopping with your sisters, you may have to find a plan c, d, and e for making extra cash.

            How long do you work on Plan B before it becomes either Plan A or C?

            This can be a tangible or intangible question. For me it is tangible. I have 6 Months of unemployment to figure out what I am going to do. I have paid up all the bills in advance, so that leaves a little cushion, but I have set my goal. This doesn’t mean I must end my writing career if I am forced to go back to a corporate job. I just won’t have the luxury of staying home all day to do it. I will have to make it my Plan B or C depending; although, next time I decide I am ready to make it my Plan A, will be on my terms. Because then I will know that I have a talent that I can pursue, that makes me happy and will pay the bills.
            I am going to kick ass at Freelance Blogging like I do Buying and It will be my Plan A!

            • Hi Carolyn, thanks for sending in a revised pitch! In all the revisions, your pitch got less concise and harder to read – it’d be great to see you come back with a tighter-edited version of the idea next time around! (Our next Pitchfest will be in June.)

  18. When things get tough the tougher get going;
    This is one secret that many people don’t know,in life, things will most often get tough and you see as if you have to an end, there are some things that will keep you moving in spite of the challenges that you are facing; many people tend to lose hope and give up , others start to blame others because of what is happening in their life while others involve themselves in vices.
    one thing that you should know is that you are not the first to face the challenges that you are in neither are you the last , many people have gone through what you are facing and they have emerged victorious , this is because they didn’t allow their current circumstances to dictate what they will become in the future, one thing that you need to know is that gold is passed through the fire , not to destroy it but to make it better by removing all the impurities, there are some impurities that are removed in you when you go through hard times, some of these impurities includes; inferiority complex, fear, insecurity, procrastination, bad company, bad habits, ignorance etc.Trials comes to harden you and make you better, trials also comes to help you to understand yourself by making you to come out of your comfort zone and help you maximize your potential , challenges comes so that you can start to think outside the box , they further make you to be independent and not dependent on others, trials makes you to be focused in life and help you to understand your purpose here on earth.It is important to understand that when you are out of you life’s purpose you struggle to meet even the basic needs in life. The following suggestions can help you to accomplish your life’s purpose; to begin with, you need to have a clear vision of where you are going, what you want to do in life and why you want to do what you are doing , you need to have a driving force and passion for certain things in life, these are the things you are prepared to die for. Many people are struggling in life because they don’t know their purpose in life . Success will be evidenced in your life when you are able to answer these three words why , what, where . This are powerful words that when you answer them correctly then your life must change , that is, why were you created , what is your assignment here on earth, and where are you headed in life.Until you understand that you are an original copy created in the image of God, and you are an original copy and not a photocopy of others , then it will be very hard to be happy in life, many people seek the opinion of others about them , a thing that derail them from moving on in life , you must understand that you are the best, and an original masterpiece, what others can do , you can do even better, never allow yourself to be driven by what people are saying concerning you in life, focus on what you have and see opportunities in every challenge never say die in life because there are always better things at the end of the tunnel, the battle in life is not won by the strongest and mighty men of valor ,but by people who never give up in life. Stop chasing the wind of challenges , pursue your vision , dream and purpose and your life will never be the same .Remember to give because it’s the secret to a happy life, ask what you can give to others and not what others can give you. Remember your creator because you did not create yourself , honor God, your parents and your rulers and you will enjoy a happy and long life.

  19. Overcoming Bloggers Block – 3 Go to ideas to get you through.

    All of us from time to time face it – Bloggers Block. Most of the time, the idea for the next blog is right there at your fingertips, but there are times when nothing seems right or your topic just doesn’t go as planned. You have a deadline, what do you do now?

    The blog will then hit on 3 methods that can quickly get the creative juices flowing. These techniques are used by many writers to get over the inevitable writer’s block that every writer faces from time to time as well as making the blog content timely for the approaching deadline. Three methods are chosen because people readily remember three things, thus when you are frustrated, you don’t want to look for a top ten list, you want something now to get you moving.

    Why is this a great guest blog? It is relevant to all writers. It is immediately useful.

    Why am I the best person for the blog? I write a weekly science column for a local newspaper. It has to be timely and something of interest to the general public. It is limited to 700 words. And, I am always asked the question – How do you come up with the topic for next week? These are techniques that I use when the latest science news may not be ready for the general public, but I need to keep my readers engaged.

    • Hey, Frankie!

      Couple things…

      I don’t see how this is a “Plan B” (as per the contest’s theme).

      Also… Only three points probably wouldn’t be enough information to meet our MINIMUM word count of 1,200 words per guest post.

  20. Title: Ready to Leave your FullTime Job to Freelance? How to Prepare a Backup Plan Before Taking the Plunge

    So you want to leave your 9-5 to pursue your dream job as a freelance blogger? The idea probably makes you excited and nervous at the same time. You’re probably asking yourself all of the “what if” questions. What if I don’t make enough money? What if I’m not a good writer? What if I can’t get any clients?

    1) Prepare Financially
    2) Get Clear on what you really want and set clear goals
    3) Invest in Training/Find a Mentor or Coach
    4) Test the Waters (try it out) Before you Quit to verify your plan
    5) Identify a Backup Income Stream (VA/consulting/product/online training/passive income) so that you won’t have $0 income if stuff hits the fan
    6) Have a Strategy and Back Out Plan (ie…savings threshold or timeline for when to go back into the corporate world if things don’t work out)

    This is the backup/backout plan I used before leaving my career to become a freelance writer/blogger. Let’s face it – leaving a full time job is scary, especially when you have to provide for the family. I had to have a plan in place to both prepare and fall back on if necessary. I still use my diversified income streams (I do engineering consulting and have now created a passive income project) to ensure that I will still have income if things get rough in the writing world.

    • Not bad, Melissa!

      I can’t really think of any complaints about your pitch. That’s a good thing.

      My only tiny quibble is that I would have liked to know a little more about YOU (and why you’d rock at writing this post). We like the pitches to have a tiny author bio at the end (pretty sure we put that in the guidelines, but I’ll double-check to be sure…).

  21. Hi Lauren and Sophie,

    Thank you for the opportunity of PitchFest. The email led me to the blog post and I immediately started typing my personal experience with no plan B. In fact, no plan at all. From my personal experience over the past months I learned that having a plan B is better than nothing at all.

    I believe the readers will appreciate this post because it is a raw summary of what I have been going through (the store doesn’t close until April 30) and how I have taken my hubby’s Marine motto and utilized it to invest in our future.

    Everyone has to start somewhere. The seasoned bloggers will say, “been there, done that” and the newbies will say, “wow, maybe I can make it work”.

    Title – Improvise, Adapt, & Overcome

    Everything was going swimmingly. Hubby retired in 2015, we were settled in our 5th wheel, and I owned a brick-and-mortar flea market. Then BAM… the owner of the property where I had my business decided to put the property up for sale. Fact: I had 6 months to figure something out. Fact: Six months isn’t all that long in the grand scheme of time. Fact: I had no idea what I was going to do.

    *Defining your reason/why – Through researching on the internet for freelancing I remembered I loved to write but can I make a living from it? And what exactly is a blog?
    *Learning and honing your skill set – There are so many opportunities out there to learn how to blog and how to freelance. Now let’s bring it together and get the job done.
    *Deciding on a niche – Sounds easy, right? But what if you aren’t even sure what a niche is?
    *Juggling 2 things at once – It’s hard to focus when one thing (freelancing) is what you want to do and thing two (closing the store) is in the way. It’s like working 2 jobs at once but it will all work itself out in the long run.
    *Diversify your income – The blog doesn’t pay for itself, so you must promote and socialize. And it doesn’t happen overnight.
    *Even now I am working on what if… – I had no plan at all and I overcame, what I considered, the impossible. But, what about tomorrow. How am I now planning for the inevitable with a ‘just in case’ scenario.

    Moral of the story – It is worth it to live your dream.

    Thank you for your consideration and have an almost perfect day,

    Lois

    • Hey, Lois!

      Okay. I THINK I get it… You had NO plan, so “Plan A” BECAME your “Plan B.” Is that the gist of it…?

      Everything you listed seems like “Plan A” stuff, but if you frame it like that ^ it MIGHT work. haha.

      Also: Glad everything worked out for you and that you were able to adapt! 🙂

      • Thank you, Lauren, for your insight. I have been working on this post all week. Many times during the process my plan A didn’t work and I switch to plan B. I am also explaining that even with this all up and running (almost) I do have a plan B on the books in case my plan goes south.

  22. Headline: When Your Backup Plan is Your Saving Grace

    Opening Lines: For a split second you forget your Plan B when Plan A has just slipped through your fingers. Freak out mode is in full affect and your mind keeps yelling, “I’m doomed!!” over and over again. Silence that ASAP. You had a backup plan for a reason.

    6 Points:

    1. How to plan for plan B before plan A even begins.
    2. Things that have helped me during times where plan B was all I really had.
    3. How signing up for helpful newsletters is not only essential as a freelance blogger but how it also continues to teach you new things.
    4. How action cures everything.
    5. How to never stop blogging just because plan A didn’t work in your favor.
    6. Even when you don’t think you need help, ask for it anyway.

    Why this is great for Be a Freelance Blogger and Why I’m the Right Person

    Whether you’re just starting out as a freelance blogger or you’re well deep into your freelance career, learning about these points can give a different angle than most people probably take. For the past 5 years I’ve lived off Plan Bs and speaking from experience, it’s truly rejuvenating when I read a post where I could say with a sigh, “Wow, I only thought it was me who went through this.”

    • Hey, Ylani!

      It seems like you might know what you’re talking about here, but it’s hard to tell because you didn’t give us very many details about what you’re ACTUALLY going to be talking about in regard to your points…

  23. How to Survive When Your (Blogging) World Collapses

    Preparing for the unknown is a misnomer. No one can predict disasters, so how can you possibly plan for them? On the other hand, everyone needs a plan B, because you know what they say about the best-laid plans… they often go awry.

    1. The Quick Fix
    Most of us have a plan B in place and we convince ourselves it’s adequate, and it can be in many situations:
    * Rainy day funds help during financial difficulty
    * a set of go-to people we can depend on
    * dreaming of all the things that can go wrong and how we would deal with them

    2. Stack the Deck
    It is possible to get a handle on potential problems, try to avert them or make a plan to handle them if they occur:
    * Make a list of risks
    * Prioritize them from highest probability to least
    * Make specific scenario plans for those with the highest probability

    3. When All Else Fails…
    When your plan B fails and you find yourself in a crisis, what can you do?
    * 6 habits of strategic thinkers (anticipate, critical thinking, interpret, decide, align, learn)
    * steps of scenario planning for the specific problem (define the issue, list what you know and don’t know, brainstorm ideas, assess and eliminate implausible, implement the plausible)

    This post can apply to anyone in any crisis situation; but my examples and stories will focus on bloggers, the problems they face, and how this solution can work for them.

  24. Hey you guys ever feel going on live T.V with a tranquilizer gun? Jumping out of the woodwork and shooting down anyone that stops you from telling everyone how messed up it is? I’ve tried so hard to give writing everything I’ve got, I feel it just takes one blog post to change the world, to ignite that spark, so here it goes. I want to talk about everything that could save this world in 4 sentences, I could utter words that if focused on would solve so many problems in this world, no one likes that though, they want to be entertained, fair enough. I want to focus on emerging renewable resources and the technologies that will save this world? You know there are paper thin solar panels that can save millions in resources to produce this unlimited electricity? There are solar panels that juice the water and snow for electrons, everyone just cares about the oil refineries they invested in though and (it’s sickeningx2,) makes me puke, (spit,) you selfish heartless slugs deserve the worst. What do you people not get about non renewable? The price keeps going up?! Supply and demand remember?

    Why do you think housing prices are so high? Do you think there’s a shortage of wood? No it’s all connected to the banks and the national debt. It’s gotten ridiculous, how is anyone supposed to go to college when all the stuff we need costs 20 times what it should? You want numbers, I’ll give you numbers, 100,000$ is what it costs to build a one story house, you’ll see that marked up 500, 600 percent, (spit,) disgusting.

    Health care, you know doctors you need to keep yourself from dieing?! Why is it 50,000$ to fix a broken arm with what looks like paper mâché?! Why do we always say. “Well we don’t know if we have enough medicine, meh! We don’t know if we have enough?” We’ll you do you just don’t have the ‘buildings to grow the plants that make these medicines cause real estate is too high to make it ‘affordable, well hasn’t it all just come right around to stab us in the back? There’s a reason things are like this and it’s called the housing bubble, some thing we all had a part in but it’s so easily fixable it’s, (spit,) disgusting. Have you heard of pop up homes? It’s housing made from, (gasp!) ‘Differnt materials, yes you can assemble housing for 30 percent cheaper, you could live in your own home for 70,000$, 50,000$, 1 or two years of work, that’s reasonable but no we feel 900,000$ is the fair price for a four bedroom home, the kids are suffering, their parents are barely getting by, ‘why does no one care about the ‘children?

    Politics should be run by scientists! ‘Why isn’t the country run by people educated in every subject? We make people go to school for a sixth of their life to be educated in one thing? Wouldn’t everything be faster if one person took responsibility for all the problems of a project? not this factory line way of thinking where we are all pointing fingers at the guy who’s in a higher rank? The people in politics should keep track of how much resources we have and that’s it, they are responsible for the emenities. No instead we let Political parties get paid by lobbyist groups, our politics should be tooken more serious than anything but it’s all run by this blind fource called money. I’m not saying money is the problem I’m saying it’s the solution and the people that print the money should print enough for the entire world, let’s build greenhouses so we never run out of food and medicine, let’s cover the earth in solar panels so we never run out of electricity. I see all this plastic Syran wrap get wasted everyday and imagine big piles of it that get used once, (spit,) putrid, absolutely putrid, do you guys not see we could make solar panels from that plastic? Plastic is non renewable it’s made from oil,,, ‘what happens when we can’t even make solar panels?!

    Now I understand we have a long road ahead but it all starts with the little things you do, we only have a long road cause there’s 7 billion people, the small steps you take add up ginormously if you multiply it by those numbers. Inform people that’s the best thing you can do, I always wondered what I would stand for that separated me from other writers cause we all stand for what I just listed, I looked at my notes, looked intensely here, looked instensly there and I saw notes everywhere, I really do love writing. I’d be no where without it, our memory is amazing and words help us rememebr tremendously but as great as our memory is it forgets a lot too. People in power forget cause we forget to bring it up. We cannot stop until we get what ne ‘need! I’ve learnt that every bit of effort you put out helps, your brain is constantly talking to the other areas of your brain, thousands of words are shuffled around every minute and a lot of those are negative and uneccisary but when you write your heart out you change extraordinarily over night, those thousands of words that used to be negative from T.V or whatever gets put in there, turn ‘positive and that positivity radiates into the word like a dwarf sun exploding. Your brain produces more happy chemicals and you feel the change. Writing will save this world and when you can type a million words a second why not write a book? Pass down some thing that your kids can remembers you for. Bring up these issues and never give up on making this an amazing life that really is a miracle.

    I think my post is the best because it could, would and should save the world, you should all share this, let the people know or me and my tranquilizer gun will. Doesn’t unlimited food, medicine, electricity and housing sound good? You people are insane to think otherwise, in>sane, do you see how focusing on the details is in>sane, so sane you waste all your sane. It’s a technology ruled world and how does technology work? It tries every possible solution till it gets the right results and I think we should learn a lesson from that before it’s too late.

  25. Hi Sophie, Lauren, and the whole BAFB community!

    Here’s my Pitchfest entry. I honestly think my idea will interest anyone who reads the BAFB blog. Why? Because we’re a diverse group and my story is REAL. Yes, it’s my recent life story and how my freelance blogging Plan B actually is rescuing me from total financial disaster. After all, not all bloggers (or blogger wannabes or needtabes) are Millennials. Some of us are old farts who no employer would hire if we were the only applicant. Long live freelance blogging!

    Title: Old Broads Can Be Freelance Bloggers, Too!

    Opening lines: What do you do when you’re 72 years old, your husband dies, and you’re left with no income to pay the bills? Become a freelance blogger of course! Before you do that infamous thumbs down (or worse), read on. This isn’t as nuts as it sounds and it is, in fact, doable. Of course, it helps if you love to write! But when you HAVE to support yourself NOW and you’re too old to become employed, freelance blogging is a wonderful Plan B. Here’s how to do it.

    1. Plan B lifetime prep: Sooner of later, disaster is going to strike and you’re going to be on your own. Hopefully you’ve contributed blog posts, newspaper articles, etc. over the years to your former employer(s) and any organizations or clubs you belong to – they’re resume points!

    2. Create a web site, associated email address, and resume: You’ll need these to look authentic and professional. While you’re at it, get a free Gmail account and a free PayPal account.

    3. Haunt the Be A Freelance Blogger site: You’ll find marvelous blogging ideas, tips, resources, and that crucial encouragement you need. Be sure to sign up for their emails.

    4. Sign up with a freelance writing job site: Do your research first; some of these are outright scams! Find a GOOD one that actually does list freelance writing, blogging, editing, and proofreading jobs.

    5. Write for a few content mills while looking for better gigs: Just suck it up and DO it! At least you’ll have some bucks coming in and every article you write is another star on your ever-growing resume and your web site.

    6. Work your contacts; someone might have a job or at least a good referral: This is no time to be shy! Tell all your relatives, friends, acquaintances, social media buddies, beauticians, grocery store clerks, everyone you know anywhere, about your exciting new career and that you’re open to more gigs. (You don’t have to tell them you’re broke and desperate.)

    OK, folks. That’s my pitch. Hope you like it!

    Kitty

    • Kitty,

      I love the raw real world appeal this post has. You held nothing back. I think that’s important for the audience to see that you are not bullshitting them to get traffic to your blog. Your wisdom and experience alone makes for a good read. I am interested to know if you already have an established solo blog. Please provide me with details if so, I’d love to read more. Good luck and I hope the best for you. Thanks for sharing!

      • Thanks for the great feedback, Jan. I’m definitely not bullshitting. Everything I said is the god’s honest truth. It’s exactly what I did and am doing to save my ancient ass!

        I do have a blog on my http://www.kittywrites.com website. Don’t know how “established” it is, but it’s there with three categories of posts so far: Writing Tips & Issues, Cyber Security, and Antiques & Collectibles. It’s my “About” page that has my “portfolio,” a/k/a my list of the various things I’ve had published.

        • I love your story! Congratulations on finding a way to save your “ancient ass” haha. Very inspiring!

          For this pitch to work (in terms of the contest), I think the title might need to be tweaked to something along the lines of “When Freelance Blogging BECOMES Your Plan B.”

          If we did that, everything else that came after it would still work in terms of the contest (“Plan B”) — and I KNOW our readers would LOVE your story!

          • Thanks for your suggestion, Lauren. I can easily implement the title change, and you’re right. “When Freelance Blogging BECOMES Your Plan B” is a much more universal title-grabber for BAFB readers than my original title. Same story, just a different title.

            Now that I think of it, my original title might cause what probably are the vast majority of your readers to think, “well, I’m not an old broad so this doesn’t apply to me” and skip right over it. Not your purpose at all! So change it is.

            FWIW, the point of my original title is that just because you’re “old” and therefore unemployable — age discrimination is alive and well, even though it’s illegal — doesn’t mean you’re doomed to be consigned to a retirement village with no other option(s) available to you. God, what a miserable prospect!

            No, your birth certificate proves you’re old in terms of the number of years you’ve already lived, but that has nothing to do with the ACTUAL age of your mind, heart, and ability. As my mom used to say, “From my neck down, I’m obviously old, but from my neck up, I’m still 25!” Boy, was she ever right!!!

            At any rate, I’m absolutely on board with your suggested title. Thanks again. Constructive criticism like yours is soooo important in making all of us better writers.

  26. And Then He Said, “I Messed My Britches.”
    Did this kid have a backup plan? Not even close. He had not even planned to shit his pants that day.
    1. Everyone has shitty days.
    a. The problem is, sometimes we cause them. Sometimes we are the ones who think we are going to impress the class, we give it all we’ve got and then? Shit.

    2. It isn’t beneficial to have Plan B set up like everyone else’s, not even the cool kids.
    a. While it is fun to make others happy, they aren’t paying the bills. Make a plan that works for you specifically.
    3. Own it.
    a. There is a point when you must own your failure. The fart turned into a shit, a great post turned into internet fodder, and the house is crumbling faster than a free cake on a teacher workday.

    4. Take care of business. The issue has presented itself, the mistake has been made, and all has fallen silent in the napalm that doused your dreams. What do you do? You try again. You raise your hand and go to the bathroom, walking with poop running down your legs.

    5. Call for backup. You need ideas and fast. Talk to people, talk to your close friends, share your failure, and demand their most creative narrative to get your juices going. That’s what friends are for, right?

    6. Don’t let the stink ruin the rest of your entire life. It left a bad smell, it may have taken your pride down a notch, but one shit-your-pants day does not dictate or determine the rest of your metaphorically shitless future.

    Let’s be honest, when people screw up, we pay attention. Why? Because we screw up. Our human divine nature is drawn to someone else shitting their britches because hey, it happens.
    I am pseudo-perfect for this blog because I am not so arrogant as to think I am perfect-perfect. Which is why I am perfect. It is a funny story about a boy in high school that we can all relate to a little too well, in our most inner soul.

  27. Title: when your plan B needs a plan C, and how kids making messy slime helped me decide to be a lifestyle/outdoors exploring blogger.

    Intro
    My daughter’s father was in the marines and passed away at 28 years old due to ptsd the day after Christmas in 2015.
    My fiancé and I, shortly after, got laid off from our jobs. Our plan B was what anyone would think it would be. Get another job, downsize, and start over. But when my new company cut costs and I was one that was let go again, my plan B needed a C, and we started renovating homes for a hurt family member with our spare time. She, (my fiancé) found her niche. Woodworking. I found out I like to interior decorate and paint when she’s done working hard.

    Next point – Tarzan inducing brain tumors-
    I ran into some pretty scary health findings that changed the way I look at things. I’m probably going to be fine. I’ll probably live a long life, and more than likely it’ll be pretty darn normal. But I realized I don’t want to return to a miserable sit at a desk job that I can’t stand, playing politics with people in uncomfortable panty hose while they fake smile at each other with their take-out lunch in their teeth. *scream. Get me back in nature! Let me see the world instead of read about it in National Geographic while I’m waiting at a dr office for two hours! Get me out of here! But how!? We’re stuck here.

    Next point- the slime connection-
    My daughter came home from school one night and wanted to buy the ingredients to make slime. We made it a family project and before we knew it we were all gooey and the dining room looked like the ghostbusters just left and forgot to clean up after themselves.

    One two skip a few months, and we’re buying the ingredients again. One problem. No glue. Really. There’s a nation wide, news worthy shortage of glue. Luckily there’s michaels that apparently never runs low. Before we knew it it was slime time again in the house.
    Will elaborate on making this and finding blogs and videos etc.

    Next point-
    How fast that caught on!
    The you tube videos that kids are making about this stuff and the colors, the textures, the consistency the creative naming. They’re addicted! Enough to make every wal mart and dollar tree tell me sarcastically to watch the news when I ask what aisle the glue is in.
    And let me tell you why: it is therapeutic. It gives the kids an escape. It makes them feel good about themselves (little scientists,) and it connects them to each other in a little community where they like what they see. Easy. And it spread like wildfire so fast! First we want to roll our eyes and say, how wasteful. With all this shaving cream wasted we will never shave our legs again unless we use this crap to do it. Certainly there is a better use of our money. But we still make a small batch, bonding with our kids and realizing this is truly color and sensory therapy.

    Then it hit me.
    Blogging. Vlogging.
    Why would we as adults not want the same things from what we read and write for each other? And when we do have the power to reach that many people, what do we want to say to the world?

    I realized that day what I want to say to the world. And I realized that it may just be my calling to be a blogger. I want to inspire people to be happier. I want people to not be stuck behind a badly lit desk for 9 hours a day staring at a screen with a background of a place they’d rather be. I want to inspire people to do what they want with their lives, to be healthy, happy, spend time with their families, be active, write about things you learn so that our children know more than we do and treat each other better than we do today.

    And that’s my plan C.

    C for Change.

    Change the world with a blog.

    And hopefully I can achieve just that.

    • Hey, Candice!

      This is a sweet post, but it’s not what we’re looking for here at BAFB.

      Our focus is on FREELANCE bloggers (bloggers who earn money for their writing), and your post doesn’t really touch on that niche at all.

      That said, I hope you continue to share your personal story with others, and maybe even find a publication for it! 🙂

  28. Suggested Headlines:
    -Feeding Your Freelance Famine
    -Fuel for Surviving the Dreaded Freelance Famine

    A few months into my freelancing career, I’d landed several clients and decided not to return to my full-time marketing job at the end of my maternity leave. I was making a living writing…and then it happened. My first Freelance Famine. My contracts ended, and my big projects were complete. I had no job…and a newborn son in my arms.

    Harness Your Head-When you fall into your first freelance famine, your strong, creative writer’s brain can play some dirty tricks on you. You’ll question your talent and it’s easy to become discouraged or dismayed and lose your drive and confidence so this section will contain tips on using your shifting your perspective and getting out of your head to begin building once more.

    Maximize Your Momentum-When you’re feasting in your freelance career, you probably get comfortable or feel like you simply don’t have the time to pursue any other clients or projects. But your feast period is actually the perfect time to locate and keep new client leads warm-which I will tell you how to do here.

    Tap Your Network Nectar-To succeed as a freelancer you have to be incredibly self-reliant and you’re likely somewhat hard-headed about asking for help. But your network is bigger than you may know, and there are some ways you tap into that sweet network nectar: Connect, Communicate, Convince.

    Level Up When You’re Down-What a lot of freelancers miss during that first dry spell (myself included) is that there is a great loom of opportunity during a famine. You literally have nothing to lose so it’s the perfect time to level up and pitch clients you think are out of your league (and why they really aren’t).

    Don’t Let “Your Jam” Get You In a Jam-Finding and choosing your freelancing expertise is vital to long-term success, but you may not always have the luxury of jobs that are “your jam”. I will share how I secured long-term contracts with clients who aren’t in my wheelhouse, but that keep my business afloat when famine strikes.

    Why it’s a great post and why I should write it
    I think this is a great post for freelancer writers, because when you’re in the “famine” of the inevitable feast or famine life cycle of projects and work, it’s particularly hard to get out of your head and know what you can do to rebuild and pursue your dream when things are hard. I think I have some good wisdom to impart to help others learn how to rely on resources inside and outside themselves to feed their famine.

  29. Trying to become a freelance blogger is more than its cracked up to be.
    I said to myself, I enjoy writing and helping others. I said to myself, hey blogging can be fun and I want to do it! I had never written anything for public viewing before. This is the first time I planned to make my writing public. The thing is………… I had no idea what it would take to be a freelance blogger until I researched. And even then, I realized I have a lot to learn. Being resourceful is key.
    • Looking at various sites and signing up to read other bloggers materials
    I realized that the best source of information is from those that have experience in blogging. The truth is that each blogger carry their authentic selves to their blogs.
    • Understanding yourself and your audience to write a blog (hopefully a successful one)
    What I did not know is that information is key. Understanding the needs and wants of your audience can make the difference of a successful blogger. How do you want them to see you?
    • What other small writing projects are available to enhance your skills?
    I learned that you can write in the form of advertisements, web writing, B2B, case studies, grant writing and resume writing. There are a few not mentioned but these things can assist with building an informative blog depending on your audience.
    • When all else fails, how to obtain a skill that can contribute to your blogging
    I noticed that there are bloggers out there that are also coaches. Investing in yourself can be rewarding and can assist with your own personal goal of becoming a freelance blogger.
    • Plan B, never give up even if your situation calls for you to work another job in addition to blogging
    Looking at other at-home-jobs can help when blogging is not creating income is an option. It allows you to work in the comfort of your home and switch to your freelance blogging career as soon as you “punch out”. It can also serve a purpose of additional information that was learned or experienced to help produce your blog.
    This pitch would be a great post for “Be a freelance blogger” because for those that are new to blogging they would begin to understand that they are not alone in the learning process. For those that are experienced bloggers, they may recall at a time when they were beginning and had to learn many things. I should be the person to write the post because it is an authentic, genuine, humanistic approach to my experience and the hope and dream of becoming a successful Freelance blogger one day. In addition, all readers no matter what stage in their blogging career can relate.

    • Hey, Beatrice!

      The “Plan B” theme of the contest doesn’t really come through until your last point. If your last point IS the Plan B, then that should have been your pitch.

      I would have attempted to stretch out that last point to be the entire pitch/post since that’s the only point that has to do with the contest’s theme. You could explain how getting a side job is “Plan B” for when blogging isn’t pulling in the dosh, and then share how to find balance between blogging and your new side gig. See what I mean…?

  30. Hello Lauren and Sophie,

    I appreciate you guys for creating PitchFest, it is a fun way to polish freelance bloggers and freelance writers alike. I was lead to the blog post from pure frustration. I saw the title and thought I am literally here because my previous plans of A did not work.

    Your readers will relate to this post because we all have been at a place where we want to change our unfavorable situations. We all have to have a starting point, a purpose to our work and a passion for our writing, usually we find out our reason when our backs are pushed against the wall.

    Title- Alternate Paths

    You sit down and you create a plan for yourself or maybe someone suggests a life route and you adapt their ideas and make it fit your lifestyle. But then life happens and you are suddenly knocked off course or so it seems.

    1. Analyze your situation- why do you think something is wrong?
    2. Consider your resources- can you fix the problem by yourself or do you need help from others?
    3. Create- implement a system to soften or prevent the blow from future mishaps

    You have to trust the process for progress, every good and bad thing that has happened to you has shaped you into the blogger you are today.

    • Hey, Keynikka!

      Your pitch is a little vague, and your points seem very general (not specifically related to freelance bloggers).

      More details would definitely have benefited you here.

      Also: Three points might not be enough. We usually ask the writers for six (see the guidelines) so we can be sure they reach our 1,200-word minimum for guest posts.

  31. Hi y’all! I’d like to submit something for the Pitchfest. 🙂

    Headline Suggestion: ”When The Blog Bog Goes Dry”

    Opening Lines:
    Let’s face it: social media rocks—and sometimes it doesn’t. Blogging for that hard-earned daily bread has been a long, finicky, BEAUTIFUL adventure. Then you wake up one day to find clients disappearing or disgruntled, and once-full comment sections giving you the puppy dog eyes of loneliness. What’s a freelance blogger to do?

    Main Points:

    #1 Be loyal to loyal clients.
    (Summary) Make a list of your most loyal, trusted clients and keep these clients your #1 PRIORITY! Work out mutually beneficial compromises with clients.
    #2 Give your blog a makeover.
    (Summary) Revise, update, and improve your media content while exploring and sharing new avenues and areas of your blog’s theme. Give tips, tutorials, start a campaign or competition involving your blog’s product or theme.
    #3 Get your ‘blog branches’ growing.
    (Summary) Establish a presence on previously untried social media sites, and provide links back to your blog. Post weekly or, better, daily updates on these sites about your blog and its new vibe!
    #4 Expand your ‘know how.’
    (Summary) Take advantage of free online learning resources to grow your blogging prowess. Get advice from successful fellow bloggers and study their tips and techniques.
    #5 BREATHE YOUR BLOG LIKE AIR AND WORK YOUR HINEY OFF!!!
    (Summary) Seek the support of family and friends, whether through financial aid, fresh ideas, of simply encouragement. Make lifestyle adjustments, physical and mental, to cope with the work necessary to bring your blog back to life and your bank account back to black!

    My reason for entering: I’m a woman who (as of yet) hasn’t had the opportunity to write professionally, but who’s loved to write since early childhood, and am attempting to start a freelance blog. I believe this post would be useful to freelance bloggers because it’s from an ‘outsider’s’ perspective, from analyzing the biggest problems and issues I’ve heard and read online from freelance bloggers.

  32. ALWAYS SEE ‘IT’ COMING.

    Have you heard someone say ‘I didn’t say it coming’ This IT is rarely a good thing. I was stuck with this lamentation for a while and it sucked. Failure is the best motivation cause that’s how I came up with my always see it coming plan. No rude shocks no dissapointing weeks.

    Let me share this enlighting process that has kept me going for a while now.
    1. Get with the programme. First step of having a plan B is knowing that you’ll need it meaning you can’t build a plan B that doesn’t work. Fact is change is inevitable.

    2. Journal up your life. I actually meaner iring random thoughts that come up in your head everyday. You could journal about that shitty traffic you had to tolerate. The random thoughts you scribble come in really handy when you need to write an impromptu article and you don’t have much time.
    3. Overwrite. In the famous words of Barney stinsen (how I met your mother) suit up! For a freelance blogger this means writing all the time. Have an archive with a bunch of unpublished stuff you can just pull out when needed.

    4. Join a community or two. So life happened and now you’re screwed with no source of income. Or youre just going through hello finding a hire. That’s what social media is for. A community of writers more often than not has people who want to hire to. So don’t be shy.Join that community!
    5.Go pro bono. I’m going to assume writers write cause we love to write. If you write for any other reason well… You need to really think about your life 🙂 so why not just write and post your article in a platform like WordPress. That’s how I got my first paying gig. So just write to get your voice heard.

    6. Change it up abit. So in situations where you can’t seem to get gigs maybe the issue is your writing. Okay I don’t wanna sound so harsh but it’s true. Writers are egoscentric and take critisicm of their work personally. It’s allowed. But we’ll you need to make so why not change up abit. I’ve had to compromise on my contemporary approach to writing to get paid. Trust me it’s not selling your soul. Eventually you’ll grow.

    So now you have a few markers on starting your plan B. Next time something goes wrong pull out one of your many tricks and be like ‘I saw this coming.’

    • Not bad, Jerry. 🙂

      This sentence really caught my eye: “First step of having a plan B is knowing that you’ll need it.”

      I also liked the idea of keeping a journal of Plan B ideas to fall back on when a blogger gets writer’s block.

      So long as you write your post for freelance bloggers specifically, and not writers in general, I think you might have something here!

      • Thank you so much Lauren… The fact that you like my pitch gives me something more confidence… I can’t wait to see the winners of this pitchfest. Cause I’ve been reading people’s pitches and it’s really amazing stuff here.

  33. Potential Headlines: When Plan B Should have Been Plan A All Along; When Freelance Blogging Should Have Been Plan A; Don’t Let a Lack of Confidence Convince You to Make Plan ‘A’ Plan ‘Z’

    Opening lines:

    When I tell people that I’ve just started my career as a freelance writer, I usually have to explain
    that it took getting my PhD before I realized I no longer wanted to be a literature professor. The
    truth is more ironic: academia kicked me out, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me.

    1. I pursued a PhD and not professional writing because I didn’t give myself enough credit.
    (Strange, but true.)

    I had a talent for writing, but I never believed I was “creative” (read: “good”) enough to write on
    a professional level unless I was writing academic essays. I let that assumption steer me away from
    a non-academic writing career.

    2. Only when I was forced to consider “Plan B” did I realize how much better suited it was to my
    personality.

    I went into academia in part because it was “safe”: I had always had strong, supportive mentors,
    and it thus felt safer to stay in school. The irony is that what I chose to do wasn’t “safe” at all: it
    stifled my creativity, wrecked my self-confidence, and wasn’t well-compensated.

    3. Realizing that Plan B should have been Plan A all along has been poignant and painful but
    mostly liberating.

    I now realize that I wanted to become a professor to fulfill other people’s expectations for me,
    rather than because it was the thing I most wanted to do. While I look back at times with regret
    — how much happier would I be if I had started on my writing career earlier in my life? —
    I’m mostly grateful that I’m finally there.

    4. Avoid a long detour like mine on the career journey by dreaming as big as possible not
    only when scripting Plan A but also Plans B-Z.

    As Sophie writes in her original post, there’s some evidence that putting together a Plan B can set
    up your Plan A to fail or underachieve. Head off this possibility by injecting contingency plans B-
    Z with goals you can imagine pursuing with minimal disappointment and no resistance.

    5. Make this happen by embracing as much risk as possible in each of your contingency plans to
    maximize the rewards.

    As you weigh life’s practical realities against your dream job, constantly ask yourself how much
    short-, medium-, and long-term risk you can take. Once you’ve done that, ask yourself again: is
    there any way I can take just a bit more?

    6. If you’ve built in a certain amount of risk-for-reward into your contingency plans, you’ll set
    yourself up not only to succeed if you’ve got to use them but also to enjoy the experience more.

    In essence, you’re taking the idea of a contingency plan and relabeling it “a still pretty awesome
    plan that gets me closer to my ultimate goals.” It removes any hesitation you have about setting
    them up and ensures that you’re still taking some risk in order to make your dreams come
    true.

    Readers of Be a Freelance Blogger will be inspired by this post because it’s an encouraging
    story of a (relatively) older freelance writer who is going through the growing pains of
    building her career but still loving it. This post voices a unique perspective on Plans A v. B that
    will enable readers to reimagine contingency plans not as lesser options if something doesn’t
    work out but as opportunities to further their goals in different ways.

    • Hey, Sara!

      Okay… I think I get it. Your post is going to talk about how freelance blogging IS “Plan B” after “Plan A” fails, and how you need Plans C-Z in order to make Plan B (freelance blogging) a success. Right?

      If so, then I’m interested.

      Maybe it’s just me, but some of your points felt a little vague. But I’m a dummy. lol. I’m sure Sophie will see this one and be like “Hmmm…yes…contingency plans versus risk versus lesser options…of course!” Me though? I’m like most of the readers here: I need it spelled out for me.

      • LOL! That’s a pretty accurate reading of my thoughts, Lauren. 😀

        Sara, I do see the idea and it’s a good one – however, I think your pitch will need some work before we’re ready to assign you a guest spot at BAFB. Ideally, make it so clear and concise that a 13-year-old* could understand your entire pitch.

        *I’m talking about a 13-year-old who knows how to Google. 🙂 So this isn’t about vocabulary so much as about using each word and phrase with care to convey your idea as accurately as possible.

  34. Headline: 5 Backup Plans Required for Success in the Field of Freelance Bloggers: A Guide for the Newbies.

    Opening: The lifestyle available to established freelance bloggers is to be coveted by aspiring writers. These big [yet still attainable] dreams are not easy to fulfill. The market for freelance bloggers is growing rapidly, and clients are very particular about what they do and do not want.
    The first, most difficult lesson aspiring freelancers learn? Most clients do not want you.

    Point 1: Finding a reputable first client, and the level of difficulty entailed. Address the importance of researching clients before applying to work for them. Plan B when falling for a scam and getting “played” by a false client: use the circumstances of the situation as another avenue to research, while researching clients prior to applying.

    Point 2: Criticism is usually quite harsh. For new writers, this can be discouraging. When receiving harsh criticism/ feedback, instead of shutting down and declaring that your work sucks too bad to ever be chosen- incorporate a Plan B wherein you use these criticisms and bits of feedback constructively, to build on the quality of your writing.

    Point 3: Keep at it. Finding a reputable client to work for and generating the income aspiring freelance bloggers anticipate won’t happen overnight; coupled with harsh criticisms to come, the pursuit of clients and gigs will be very discouraging at times. In the meantime, utilize a Plan B that involves various free tools, forums, and pieces of advice that will help you to expand on your current skills as a writer until you can secure a gig that is promising for the future.

    Point 4: Do not put all of your eggs in one basket– do not only submit one application to one client and think that’s how simple it is to get into the field of freelance blogging; because it isn’t. As a Plan B, you should submit samples and applications to many clients, to increase your chances of being selected for a job. Even if you aren’t selected, some clients will provide feedback on why you were not selected, and as I said before, this criticism can be used to expand on your skills as a writer so one day, you will be selected.

    Point 5: Be patient. Freelance blogging to make a substantial living is not something that will be mastered quickly, even for the most naturally avid writers. Be aware that success in this field is not guaranteed, it is achieved through hard work, dedication, and relentless persistence. For the interim, your plan B should be: don’t quit your day job. 😉

    I feel that this is a great post for the freelance blogger website because it is relevant and practical information and advice for newcomers to the field of freelance blogging. This article could inspire the next greatest freelancer to not give up– and that is a great feat! I am sure that I am the best person to write this article because I have spent a great deal of time researching freelance blogging opportunities and outcomes. I have tried, and I have failed, but I know that persistence and growth are key- so I would like to use this article as a means to inspire others to just keep writing.

    • Not gonna lie, Jessica: This is probably the best pitch I’ve seen thus far. Very well done.

      I love that you tell the reader what Plan A is…and then what they can do as a Plan B if Plan A fails. That’s PERFECT. Exactly what we’re looking for. 🙂

      There may be some hidden gems further down in the entries, but you’re going to be hard to beat. haha.

      • Lauren thank you so much for your positive feedback! I am absolutely stunned by your kind words and am feeling more confident in my writings, as of now.

        I sincerely appreciate your outstanding words! [:

  35. How to Weather Crappy Clients, Dry Spells, and Other Freelance Disasters

    “Diversify” is classic investment advice. When you build a portfolio of different assets, you assume less risk overall. The same wisdom applies to a freelance writing career—diversify your income stream so you’ll always have a backup when one gig dries up, a family emergency arises, or you suddenly need to buy a new furnace.

    • My story: In the 3 years I’ve been freelancing I’ve had to quit a low-paid content mill, take time off after having a baby, invest in professional training, and learn how to deal with unpredictable workloads. I was able to weather these bumps in my freelance career because I always had other sources of income.

    • How I diversify my income stream: freelance writing, adjunct teaching/tutoring (most freelance writers could land one or both of these gigs even without a master’s degree), and passive income (from a rental property in my case, but I would suggest other sources of PI such as blogging and investing in the stock market).

    • How I diversify my clients and the type of writing I do: a steady monthly gig for a personal finance website and a literary magazine, ghost writing website copy and blog posts for a private client, pitching guest posts and articles at a wide variety of publications to get my name out there.

    • How I invest in my career: careful selection of professional training (last year I did Sophie’s hardcore mentoring challenge, which took my writing career to the next level; I’m currently selecting the next training I want to do) and weekly time set aside to pursue new opportunities.

    This post is a great fit for the BAFB audience because new bloggers will learn how to start their careers on the right foot and get reassurance that all freelancers experience ups and downs, and experienced bloggers will get ideas for additional income sources to protect against future loss of work. I’m the right blogger to write it because I’m new enough to relate to all the insecurities and doubt that beginners (and hey, bloggers of all levels, right?) experience, but I’m also far enough along to have perspective on building a solid foundation for a long-lasting freelance writing career.

      • Hi, Lauren,

        Thanks for the feedback!

        Perhaps a better title would be “Plan B is a State of Mind.” That’s how I approach my growing career as a freelance writer and I would connect my personal experience to actionable tips for other freelancers.

        For example, if you diversify your income stream you always have a plan b ready, and if you approach your career with a “plan b state of mind” you can be proactive in building a portfolio of guest posts, querying potential clients, and so on. With that mentality there will almost always be a plan b waiting in the wings when you need one, just as Sophie was able to find new opportunities when previous work dried up.

        The plan b I most dread and want to avoid (and I imagine many other freelancers feel the same) is having to find a full-time office job. With the right approach to freelancing, any writer can dodge office drudgery forever.

  36. Hey, Everyone!

    Good work so far on your entries! I’ve been reading them all as they come in! 😀

    I’m going to try to reply to all of you tomorrow! Apologies for the delay.

    Keep up the great work!! <3

    –Lauren Tharp, Managing Editor

  37. Hi! Great pitches everyone, and mine is below. Good luck to us all. 🙂

    Plans B, C, D, and Beyond to Keep Sane and Prolific as a Freelance Blogger

    Like life, freelancing can be maddeningly unpredictable. Unexpected illnesses, recurring health problems, romantic distractions, loss of loved ones, disappearing clients, constantly changing editors and more keep you on your toes, terrified to look at your bank balance. Luckily, you already took efficient measures to keep one step ahead of the damn fast curveballs: your plans B, C, D and beyond:

    B. Stay Updated on Your “Original” Field: Whether it is your favorite writing niche or the area you majored in school, staying atop of on what’s going on in an industry can help you take on extra writing gigs or even a temporary office job, should the need arise.

    C. Save Whenever You Can: Ramit Sethi (author of I’ll Teach You To Be Rich) defines a rich life as the ability to splurge on areas you care about the most and cutting back from areas you aren’t passionate about. Until you become traditionally rich, you don’t need expensive retail therapy, fancy coffee, luxury travel, weekly mani-pedis…… all at once. Save, so that when payments are late or you lose clients, you have money to fall back on.

    D. Invest on Evergreen Skills of Freelance Blogging: Spend time, money or both so that you are not just a writer. You can brush up on your knowledge by taking free or paid courses, reading popular blogs and doing some experiments on your own. Having multiple skills will make you a valuable writer that won’t keep you “clientless” for long.

    E. Always Be Marketing: Let everyone know what you do for a living. You don’t need to shout you are a writer from the rooftops, but let people casually know you are a freelance blogger and what it entails. How much time you spend on this can change, but marketing when you are busy with client work is a lot more fun and a lot less stressful than when you are broke.

    F. Consider Teaching Your Skills: Do you like helping others out? Then consider teaching. Whether it is writing, social media or another skill all together, teaching provides you with extra income, better recognition and a lot of story material. You can teach in-person, online or through an e-book you created. Nothing helps you keep sane and well-fed like multiple income streams.

    *

    I’m an experienced freelance blogger who has been doing it professionally for over seven years. I’m never shy when it comes to marketing. Pretty much everyone I meet knows what I do for a living, I teach ESL on the side, and currently I’m co-creating a course for newbies with a fellow writer. I’ve been published on a variety of sites including The Washington Post, Be a Freelance Blogger, Creative Class, Make a Living Writing, and WOW! Women on Writing among others.

  38. HEADLINE: Opportunity Was Knocking, But I Resented the Noise: How Your Attitude Toward “Interruptions” Can Make or Break Your Blogging Career

    OPENING LINES:

    “There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full.” –Henry Kissinger

    A “crisis” doesn’t have to mean a major war or even a major accident. If you’re anything like me, it’s crisis enough to hear your e-mail beep when you’re rushing like mad to finish the post assignment you THOUGHT you’d left plenty of time for. …

    MAIN POINTS:

    1. It’s happened too often: a potential high-paying lead called me out of the blue, and I fumbled the opportunity because my “official” schedule AND my brain were set on a “Plan A” that brooked no alterations. I’m not the only one who’s missed great opportunities by being caught off guard.

    2. Are you an overplanner? Here are signs you may not be leaving room for better jobs to get your attention.

    3. You may be discouraging opportunities without realizing it. Purge your verbal AND written communications of that “don’t interrupt me” tone.

    4. One good thing about blogging is that your clients need new posts on a regular basis. And one downside to this is that you can overcommit yourself all too easily.

    5. Having mild autism, I know how easy it can be to “absolutely count on” your first plan even when all logic proves it’s dispensable. You can learn not to get TOO married to initial ideas.

    6. When interruptions and course corrections reach unprecedented heights, it’s a sign your blogging career is ready to take a major step forward. Here’s how to weather the special challenges you meet in times of transition.

    WHY THIS POST? WHY THIS WRITER?

    Many freelance bloggers complain “there are no high-paying jobs” without facing up to their own unwillingness to do high-paying-level work (including marketing). They often find it more comfortable to stick to low-paying but easy-to-find “content mill” work—until they get sick of the low per-hour rate and realize they have no plan (or credentials) for moving up to anything better. I’ve learned much of the above the hard way, and have insights to share on making it a little easier.

  39. Changing Direction In Mid Stride – Where was my Plan B?

    I have started building my writing career, but I’m learning the need of a Plan B. I was laid off in September and have not found a replacement job. I wished we had been more prepared for the possibility and could be facing these challenges without the stress.

    1) Putting aside savings from each job is essential. There will be times when you might not have as many clients as other times and you need to be prepared.

    2) Having a clear budget and a clear understanding of the necessary income will help you know how many gigs you need. Having those numbers clear will allow you to better plan your time for the work you need to do.

    3) Scheduling your clients will be a priority. At the beginning, you may find yourself wanting to take on any assignments or opportunities you can find just to make money. This will only lead to being overwhelmed.

    4) Having a backup plan in case you need it. Know what you will do during any type of situation so that you can manage your time, money and energy. Be able to follow a routine no matter what.

    5) Keep your network growing. If one client disappears, have that connection to help find other clients.

    6) Don’t be afraid to reach out. During times of stress, you might not consider the resources around you. That’s when community comes in handy.

    This post would be great for Be a Freelance Blogger because it looks at the whole picture of living a freelance lifestyle. It brings points up that don’t always get considered during the day to day routine. I’d be an excellent choice to write it, as I have experience with following a plan B after being laid off and raising a special needs child.

  40. Bridges Weren’t Made For Burning
    When you are starting a new freelance business it can be hard to control your excitement. Beyond the normal happy dances and squeals of joy you may find yourself contemplating how you’ll quit your current job. As tempting as a dramatic exit is, it’s not usually a good idea.
    1. Resentment may cause you to want to say take this job and shove it, but not only is that unprofessional, it can come back to haunt you.
    2. You never know when you might need a reference.
    3. It’s a small world and your prospective clients may know your old boss.
    4. A safety net can give you the courage to take the chances you normally would hesitate to take. When you burn that bridge, you burn a safety net as well.
    5. Bottom line, be professional and keep that bridge standing. You may never need it, but if you do it at least it won’t be a pile of ashes. So keep your dramatic exit for your daydreams where you can enjoy it without hurting your future self.

    This post would be a good fit for Be a Freelance Blogger because it addresses a common desire in people breaking into the freelance world that can seriously hinder them in the future.
    I think I could do this post justice because I’ve not only been there but I’ve seen others who have burned their bridge only to later regret it.

  41. Don’t Be Dumb

    As a wedding present my parents bought us tickets for a financial planning seminar. At 23 and 24 years old we were hoping for an all expense paid honeymoon to a Caribbean resort, but we accepted the gift and went to the seminar. That 2 hour seminar has saved our asses so many times.

    Post will continue with insights that we took away from the seminar.

    1. Credit Card Purchases Are Dumb
    If you can’t pay for it right then and there or know without a doubt that it can be paid off by the end of the billing period for no additional interest you don’t need it. You will find a way around it. It may take some creative thinking, but there is a way.

    2. Don’t Give The Government An Interest Free Loan
    Living in the US, if you think it is great that you get this large check of money back from the government for fun money every year think about the fact that the government is actually getting an interest free loan from you, meanwhile you’re using the heavily interest loaded credit card to make ends meet. Do some upfront work to get more on your paychecks and less back (possibly $0) on your return.

    3. Create A Food Budget & Stick To It
    What’s the average amount that you spend on actual groceries (not the household cleaner or impulse buys) every week? Use that average plus 20% to create a food budget. Want to go to a restaurant once a week? Fine! Just plan for it. Anniversary date night? Plan for it.

    4. Understand That Expensive Events Happen
    The fuel injection system on our old faithful and paid for Honda went out. Because the Honda was so old the part was no longer made. We had the choice of paying more for the repair than the car was worth or scrapping the car and get a new (to us) one. We bought a newer one because we knew that this car would not last forever and we started saving up for a new one immediately after paying off the old one.

    5. Pay Off All Bills Other Than Your Mortgage (And Pay Off Your Mortgage As Fast As
    Possible Too).
    Do you know how refreshing it is that when your company decides that despite your years of devotion, hard work, and some tears they no longer need you can simply say okay (we don’t burn bridges) and you can use the severance package to invest or spend some time deciding what you want to do with the rest of your life. It is bliss because you’re not worried if the collectors will come calling soon.

    This article will be good for freelancers because income ebbs and flows. Having a step by step plan in place by tightening the belt for a bit for the short time and losing the cement bricks of debt on your shoulders for the long term is so relaxing. It only takes a few simple steps, a little patience and discipline even on a meager freelancer salary.

  42. “Plan B: What to do when things go wrong.”

    By Deborah Horn
    Ouch – Plan B!
    Oh, what joy I had landed my first client asking me to write about what I was passionate about. All my efforts were coming together.
    • Landing my first paid blogging job
    • The collapse of this gig
    • Resorting to plan B
    • The failure of plan B
    • What to do next
    • Resurrection of plan A

    This is a true story of my first experience, it is written with a degree of whit and will be enjoyed by others in a similar position. It also ends on an encouraging note.

  43. Topic:

    When your blog idea fails: How to turn Freelance Blogging into a Winning Idea

    Introduction:
    As a blogging enthusiast, you are determined to make a name out of blogging.
    You are fired up to take actions, and this you do without wasting time.
    Months pass by, yet no result. The email list is dry, and err… you aren’t making any money either.
    The motivation to blog begins to dwindle, and you feel dejected and rejected

    Enter Freelance Blogging
    Freelance Blogging is the leeway to your road to becoming a successful blogger. As a Freelance blogger, you manage blogs on behalf of your clients, and perform other tasks assigned to you. With freelance blogging, you break many barriers, become a boss of your own, get popular and of course make more money.

    Why Freelance Blogging?
    There are many reasons why you should consider freelance blogging, these include:
    – Freedom
    – Exposure
    – Multiple streams of income
    – Experience
    N.B: All these points will be explained in the article

    How to turn Freelance Blogging into a Winning Idea

    Achieving success with freelance blogging seems to be a herculean task. But with these tips, if well implemented and followed to the latter, you will see yourself as an established Freelance Blogger in no distant time

    – Identify your niche: Your niche is your reach as a Freelance blogger. You need to identify the niche with which you will portray yourself as an expert. With a niche, you will gain a lot in the long run.
    N.B: How to identify a lucrative niche, how to portray yourself as an expert, and other aspects relating to niche will be explained in the article

    – Build your portfolio: The next big step you must take as a Freelance Blogger is to build a portfolio. Your portfolio speaks for you on the internet and tells the world who you are.
    N.B: The major portfolios you need to build as a Freelance Writer, why you should build them and how to do so will be explained in the article

    – Establish Social Proof: You cannot portray yourself as an expert Freelance Blogger without establishing social proof. With Social Proof, you will go places as a Freelance Blogger.
    N.B: How to establish social proof, and the tricks to achieve success with it will be explained here

    – Improve your know-how: You need to be abreast of happenings in your niche and update your knowledge regularly. Of course you are good, be better.
    N.B: What/ where/ how can you improve your know-how as a Freelance Blogger? Tips such as The Five Hour Rule will be explained in the article.

    – Start Cold Pitching: Though many Freelance Bloggers are stuck on how to get good paying jobs, many others don’t know how to get any at all. Cold Pitching is a form of prospecting for potential clients and eventually turning them into regular clients.
    N.B: How do you cold pitch? What are the tools needed to do this? Where do you get clients’ contacts? and the cold pitching best practices such as the 3-7-7 formula will be explained in the article.

    – The Can-do spirit: This separates the doers from the pretenders, and the go-getters from others. It’s not all rosy with Freelance Blogging, but with the can-do spirit you will achieve tremendous results.
    N.B: The core elements of the can-do spirit and how it will aid your career as a Freelance Blogger will be explained in the article.

    Conclusion:
    We all fail at one time or the other in our life or career. The ability to forget past failures and work hard on how to become better is the key to success. If you have failed at blogging, freelance blogging could be the answer if done rightly.

    How it will benefit the BAFB Community:

    The community is an excellent one. This article if approved will benefit members a lot because of the information it contains. It portrays Freelance Blogging as a viable plan B. It also demystifies Freelance Blogging, and offers in-depth techniques on how one can achieve success with it.

    Why I’m the best person to write this:

    As a Freelance Blogger/ Writer, I think I’m well positioned to write this. I have the requisite experience writing articles like this, and have at one time or the other made use of the tips I mentioned in the post. With some of the tips mentioned in the post, my articles have been featured on The Huffington Post, Engadget, Aha Now, Tech Cocktail, Reaching the Finish among others.

  44. Plan B…Not Just a Morning After Pill!

    Ah, the trusty old “Plan B” for emergencies…imagine my surprise when it all fell apart and I couldn’t fix it with a little pill from the pharmacy!

    Recently I was on my shoddily revised 3rd Plan B; really Plan X, and then…I drove my car off a cliff. In the middle of my revised plan – backwards, off a cliff. Sophie says “fuckity fuck fuck fuck” Yes, maam!

    What do you do when life goes time warp wacky and creates a shitstorm of disaster??

    1. Don’t panic. Seriously, just let go – throw the plan(s) away. Your in fail mode anyway, so just LAUGH. It’s natural stress reliever and promotes feel good mojo.

    2. Call your BFF – all the feels and things BFF can and will do for you, including throwing you in a cold shower or midnight margaritas.

    3. Take Stock – what is the immediate? What resources do I have that can assist? Focus on the most important need – food, clothing, shelter, etc. can bring clarity and allows your brain to reset.

    4. Breathe. I can almost guarantee you’ve been holding your breath. Exhale! Right now! Take long, deep, cleansing breaths.

    5. Make a List. Focus on the needful, based on #3 above. It helps to write things down, then we don’t have to keep extra stuff in our brain.

    6. Forgive yourself. (& anyone else) Blame doesn’t help; you need self love and care the most.

    What an awesome post for Be a Freelance Blogger! We often get so caught up in executing our plan, or focusing why the plan failed that we get lost in panic. If your Plan B crashed and burned it doesn’t mean there isn’t a more perfect plan at play. Because I am a life expert at surviving and thriving when things go time warp wacky, I am the perfect pitchfest fit!

    Lynea Adams

  45. Hi Lauren and Sophie,

    I’ve been following you for years, but this is the first time I’m taking part in your Pitchfest.

    Here it is:

    [Headline] What If Your Client Refuses to Pay? Time to Put In Plan B into Action

    [Opening]

    Have you ever had in a situation where your client refuses to pay you?

    You worked hard, did what the client had been agreed upon before, and delivered your assignment on time.

    And then…

    [Six Points]

    #1. Don’t panic. Ask the reason
    Sometimes your client is honest. He wants to pay you but has some genuine problems. Just ask the reason and issue can be resolved right there.

    #2. Hold the work
    If you haven’t submitted the complete work, and still there is some work left on your side, stop right there. Do not work further if he doesn’t pay the dues.

    #3. Send the contract
    Forward the contract or email you had with your client and remind him what he promised. His own words may gently push him to do the right thing.

    #4. Pick the phone and call
    Ignoring phone calls is a bit harder than ignoring emails. Also, your client wouldn’t get much time to make fake excuses on calls. He has to say something. Most of the time positive.

    #5. Add late fee
    Add late fine in the invoice and clearly states that the more they late, the more it’ll add up. It’s just your policy. This trick works because it puts the mental pressure on your client of paying more than it actually costs.

    #6. Talk to another authority
    Just head over to another authentic person (co-founder maybe) in the company and explain the situation. Sometimes it helps. He’s a part of that organization and could clear your payment in no time.

    I think your readers will love this post because this is the problem most of the freelance bloggers face on Internet (especially beginners).

    Since I’m a freelance blogger myself, I understand this topic well. The pain of not getting paid, and the happiness of recovering your money later on.

    I hope you’ll like the idea and I’ll get a chance to work with you.

    Thanks,
    Munender Singh

  46. So the headline is: LOA, Manifesting and Your Freelance Writing

    Opening lines:
    So what is LOA? It is Law of Attraction. If you are not familiar with it, it is a universal law such as gravity, and it suggests that like attracts like.
    Ever noticed when you say stubb your toe getting out of bed, that the rest of the day goes bad?

    Point 1 The use of the law of attraction and the association with the law of vibration
    Point 2 The use of manifesting techniques
    Point 3 The manifesting technique in enhancing the Laws
    Point 4 The laws enhancing the manifestation process (so the compliment to point 3)
    Point 5 The mind set per the above to enhance the enjoyment of writing
    Point 6 The mind set per the outcomes to you personally to empower you to be able to keep writing and successfully per your terms!

    This post is an underestimated angle for the Be a Freelance Blogger and as I am an Accreditated Inpsired Spirit Life Coach and a passionate writer I get the balance and the importance of understanding the basics of these laws and manifestation techniques to achieve the ultimate goals held by bloggers and freelance writers alike.

  47. Draft Headline: Plan B – The “Day Job” Safety Net: Creating A Fail Safe Plan As You Set-Up Your Freelance Blogging Career

    Feeling too burned out to blog? Faced with the decision between a happy heart or an empty belly most people put their time and energy into a steady paycheck and have “nothing left to give” to building a freelance blogging career. Learn how you can stop the cycle and begin building your blogging profile with these five steps.

    #1 – Identify a “day job” – a “day job” is different than a career, it is what will keep your belly full with the least amount of energy and effort. I will provide tips on finding solid day jobs people with a passion for language may like, for example, I teach ESL in South Korea right now.

    #2 – Create a morning and evening routine – You will still be working, so you need to establish solid routines to maximize the time you have to set-up your site, learn new skills, network and submit posts.

    #3 – Throw yourself into new experiences and environments that inspire you – your day job may put you into a new city or in with a new mix of people, let their stories and interests broaden your network.

    #4 – It isn’t a “mid-life crisis”, ignore naysayers – As you potentially leave a career for a “day job”, or announce you are going to be freelance blogging, be prepared for skepticism and unsolicited feedback. Here’s how to handle and cope.

    #5 – Create a nest egg – paring down your lifestyle so you can invest in your new blogging business as well as future unforeseen issues is critical to boosting confidence to succeed.

    I think many people are afraid to begin freelance blogging without a steady paying safety net. This post will focus on how you emotionally and financially set yourself up for success so that you are able to put your energy into building your blogging business. I recently left my career to become an ESL teacher in South Korea so that I could free my headspace to begin work as a blogger.

      • Thanks, Lauren! I appreciate you taking a look and hearing who wins the pitchfest. If you have any other suggestions for my pitch I’m all ears – I know you guys have been reading a TON of them, I hope you’re not cross-eyed! It is very much appreciated. 🙂

  48. Horns honking, sirens blaring and airplane engines roaring overhead – isn’t it time to get out of the city for a while? The beauty of this road trip is it begins approximately 45 minutes outside the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN, on the St. Croix Trail.

    That’s exactly what your readers will find out about when I share my 910-word story, which focuses on taking a day trip down the St. Croix Trail and six highlights along the way that include towns and parks; this is sure to appeal to your demographic.

    My work appears on an online personal blog at thewriteshot.blogspot.com. My photography can also be viewed on http://www.facebook.com/thewriteshotnb.

  49. How To Maintain Your True North Even When Everything Is Going South

    You have this great vision about blogging full time – it’s so much more than a dream. It’s the first thing you think of when you wake and the last thing on your mind as you fall asleep.

    You can almost touch it, but this vision, as vivid as it is, as real as it feels, just isn’t quite enough. It’s going to take more, but how do you find that extra something, when you have already given everything.

    Henry Ford said “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

    1. Be Positive
    It’s the easy to be positive when everything is going your way, but when the pressure is on, it is so much tougher. When times are hard, that’s when you need to dig deep and maintain an optimistic mindset.

    2. Hold Your Nerve
    You believe in your idea, right? Then don’t buckle – even when things are against you, keep your eye firmly focused on that prize – overcome panic and worry.

    3. Remember Why
    Even the most positive people have doubts – we’re only human. When you have doubts, remember why you are doing this. Maybe it’s a lifelong love of writing or maybe it’s your ticket to a better life. Whatever your reasons, write them down and keep them somewhere accessible, where you can regularly review them.

    4. Learn From Others
    Learning from the mistakes of someone else is always easier and quicker than learning from your own. When you set time aside to learn, you realise that you aren’t alone and what you are going through is normal.

    5. Rethink Ideas
    Making minor changes to your strategy can have a major effect on achieving your goal. Thinking slightly differently can be the difference between success and failure.

    6. Never Give Up
    If it was easy, then everyone would be doing it. You have to be relentless in your approach to a new venture. Never give up until you have tried everything you possible can …. you owe it to yourself…..and your blogging career.

    Why is this a great post

    I think this has the makings of a great post because it teaches the basics of problem-solving which can be used in every aspect of life. It shows that you are not alone and that failing is a part of success. Achievements often take longer than expected, so it’s important not to give up too early.

    Why I am the right person to write this post

    6 months ago, I was in this very position. I felt alone, disheartened and frightened, and I very nearly gave up. However, I persevered and something suddenly clicked and, slowly but surely, I started to get some interest in the content I was writing. I am now able to make a living out of something I love to do.

  50. Hi, my name is John Longsworth. I’m a big fan of the blogging education you have on your website. I’m still developing in my career as a professional writer, and your blog has been a big help. I’d like to propose providing you with a guest post about having a blogging plan B as part of your current Pitchfest.

    The guest post would be titled “Avoid My Mistake! Always Have a Plan B For Your Career!”

    Here are the opening lines:
    Have you ever worried about your career, or what you would do if you lost your job? I know I have, and it caused me to stay in a secure but rotten job longer than I should have. Luckily for me, I’ve found that freelance writing is a great backup plan. It’s something I should have looked into sooner.

    The subheadings would be:
    Why do I need a plan B for my career?
    I’ll discuss how I was forced to find a plan B after leaving my last engineering job. I’ll also discuss some friends job experiences as well; how they needed a plan B and what happened when didn’t have one.

    Blogging as a plan B
    I’ll discuss how I was pretty lost after I left my job, until I stumbled upon freelance blogging. I’ll also talk about how blogging has allowed me to earn a living.

    Blogging for extra income
    I’ll also show how anyone can use part time blogging to supplement their income, even if they already have a regular job.

    The freedom of freelancing
    I’ll talk about how freelancing opens up new opportunities. Plus, it gives me extra security, as I can fall back on writing if I lose my job again.

    Conclusion
    I’ll summarize what I’ve discussed and the prospects for bloggers going forward.

    I believe that I’d be the perfect person to write this post, since I’ve just gone through the process of setting up my freelance writing business. I didn’t have a backup plan when I left my last job, so that puts me in the perfect position to discuss why a Plan B is so important for everyone. I can also show how anyone can make a living through freelance writing.

    Thank you for considering me for this opportunity. I look forward to hearing from you.

    John Longsworth
    john@longjohnwriting.com
    352-440-3480
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-longsworth-10593a10
    http://www.longjohnwriting.com

  51. – What to do when things go right –

    “Just in case” or “rainy day funds” are common terms referring to emergency funds and savings accounts. Some people plan diligently every last detail of life, and even prepare should death arrive sooner than expected. I am not one of those people. The majority of you readers aren’t one of these persons either. Though I may not have a fat wallet or healthy savings account, I do have a few tips to put some aside when that tax refund or lump sum comes along.

    1. Short term goals
    a. Don’t freak out – take one step at a time. Incorporate your plan B into your short term goals. Make a plan, write it down. Commit to yourself.
    2. Full time employee and Freelance Blogging on the side
    a. Does your company offer Stocks to employees? Nobody wants to dip into retirement funds. In a pinch that may be your best option.
    3. Dollar Baller y’all
    a. When that tax refund hits, you should seriously consider 10 % or so already gone. Out of sight, out of mind and into your savings account it goes.
    4. Build a support group
    a. Mom can’t always bail you out. Start thinking about what other family or friends you can lean on in a time of desperation.
    5. Become a resource Connoisseur
    a. When it rains, it pours. Utilities getting shut off? Hit up your local human services department for tons of assistance from utility bill assistance to food, etc.
    6. Rideshare and other delivery services
    a. In today’s technology driven society – If you have a car, you have a job. Although not ideal, driving for delivery or rideshare can offer same day pay to take those broke blues away. Just like you can write any time of day or night, you are free to drive anytime. You could even blog in between rides.

    When you have more than you need, you can help others. When you have more than you want, you can help yourself. Be your own ride or die bitch. You cannot count on anyone else for the job. I have a rideshare blog that I created for local entrepreneurs of Albuquerque, NM. Growing up poor, you learn fast how to be creative when it comes to getting your basic needs met. I believe my blog will be beneficial because it stems from my own experiences and how the struggle kept the roof over my head and food in my belly. Running low on blogging clientele can be frustrating enough, without having to face the real life consequences to your livelihood and ultimately your survival.

    Thank you for your consideration,
    Jay

    • Hey, Jay!

      First of all, I love the term “Dollar Baller.” lol.

      However, is “Plan B” just a plan to save money…? How are you going to write that for freelance bloggers specifically, rather than just general money-saving tips?

      • Good Afternoon Lauren,

        Thank you for taking the time to read my pitch. The approach that I was taking on Plan B was geared towards: What to do in the event that clientele is low and money isn’t coming in. My plan B is aimed at survivor mode. How are you going to get your next meal? How will you pay rent?

        My Plan B is putting together a first aid kit if you will. In the event that shit hits the fan, this is what you have in your toolbox to ensure you have a roof over your head. Having a Plan B is a preparation for the worst. There will be idle time and dry periods. That is a given. When you have the means to set money aside or should you get caught off guard, what are your alternatives? How will you survive?

        Once the basic necessities are met, I will go into what options you have as a writer. What writing resources can you utilize to bring money in when clientele is low? Should you take those People per Hour jobs? How can you approach your situation without feeling like you sold yourself out?

        Does this make sense?

        Thank You,
        Jay

  52. Succeeding at Being a Freelance Blogger – What To Do When Doing All You Can Just Isn’t Enough

    You’re sending out pitch after pitch and getting little in return, you’re scanning sites for writing opportunities and even cold pitching with your favorite publications, and you’re working non-stop as you attempt to build your client list, but do you still feel like you’re not getting anywhere? Perhaps it has nothing to do with what you’re “doing” at all…

    1. Stop Doing So Much!
    Forcing ourselves to be “on” so much of the time is what leads to burnout, and our work suffers for it. Stepping back and engaging in a little self-care is the most important thing anyone can do when pursuing success.

    2. Get Clear on Your Area of Focus (It’s Quality, Not Quantity- Remember?)
    Are you pitching literally every lead you come across hoping for something, anything to be accepted? You’ll have a lot more success if you get clear on what areas/topics you are good at writing about and dive into them to develop quality, focused pitches.

    3. Eat Some Good Foods (And Not at Your Desk!)
    I know- what does this have to do with succeeding as a freelance blogger? Writing takes brain power, and you need to be feeding your brain if you ever hope to have enough energy to keep up with the mental circus act that is pitching and landing gigs!

    4. Celebrate Your Rejections
    Every challenge is an opportunity to grow, right? So instead of viewing your rejections as defeat, think of them as feedback instead and use that feedback to become a better writer than you were yesterday.

    5. And Most Importantly, Get Present on Who You Are Being
    Are you the ever positive optimist, or are you the Negative Nancy of self-doubt and frustration? Believe it or not, your mindset has more to do with your success than anything else, so getting present and choosing a beingness that serves your goals will get you a lot further, a lot faster, than simply letting life happen to you.

    I think this is a great post for Be a Freelance Blogger, because it applies to freelance bloggers from every area of focus and every level of expertise from beginner to pro. I believe it fits the theme of “Plan B: What to Do When Things Go Wrong”, because everyone is guilty of these pitfalls from time to time, and stopping to check in with ourselves should always be the first item on our Plan B list. And I believe I’m the right person to write this because I have personal experience as well as professional training in personal transformation, and I have written about it in many forums including articles, blogs, and my recently published book.

  53. March 2017 BAFB Pitch Fest – Plan B

    Headline:

    How to Create the Best Freelance Blogger Back Up Plan

    Opening Lines:

    Are you a new freelance blogger?
    Does your blogging revenue bounce around?
    Do you suffer dry spells, with no work?

    Every freelance blogger goes through storms of uncertainty, and self doubt.

    Part of the cure is having a Plan B.
    In this post, we’ll discuss six ways you can put a solid back up plan in your toolbox.

    Six points:

    Always advance from a position of strength
    Financial strength comes from whatever you do to produce income.
    A freelance blogger needs to achieve dependable revenue.
    Multiple sources make it easier.

    Determine your personal monthly expenses
    Costs are fixed or variable.
    The numbers will show how much you need to earn to survive.

    Measure & adjust the numbers
    Financial stability doesn’t come from a 1 or 2 month budget.
    Bloggers need to follow the numbers, and pay strict attention to their cash position every day.

    Make regular retirement plan contributions
    Successful freelance bloggers are self employed.
    Most writing gigs don’t carry a contribution to your 401K or other pension plans. Make a habit of regular contributions from income.

    Use marketing strategies to help sustain growth
    Blogging is a business. It won’t flourish unless you build a brand.
    Marketing is what it’s all about.

    Always keep writing, learning, and don’t quit
    Freelance blogging is a process with writing at its core.
    You get good by practicing, networking, reading, and never giving up.

    Why this a great post for BAFB readers
    We are all writing students. Our struggles are similar.
    These strategies address some of those challenges.

    Why would I be the right person to write about a Plan B?
    I am a part time blogger trying to make the transition to full time.
    Multiple income streams are making it possible.

  54. Plan B
    If at first you don’t succeed then, next….
    ___
    By Steve Vinson

    Murphy’s Law remembered, in 60 words or less
    We all know Murphy’s Law. You had the perfect plan/ proposal/ essay, but it wasn’t good enough, rejected. And forget your Plan B because it was just an afterthought. But what if Plan B was as good as Plan A? What if it were the perfect understudy, the pinch hitter who knocked it out of the park?
    A strategy
    Easier said than done, you are thinking, twice the work to create two equally good plans. So, you need a strategy, a way to make it happen.
    1.Plan as usual, but double your trouble
    The way I begin is to freethink as many ideas and as much as I can, anything that comes to mind for the topic. So, I have a list of ideas, which I work on by eliminating repetition, combining like ideas, and letting loose association add other suggestions in this stage. Then I prioritize, until I come up with the one and two best ideas. From that point on I will work two ideas, making sure that one is equally as good as the other.
    2. Alternate plans, as you list, outline, chart, subordinate
    This step is a kind of trick, designed to get you comfortable with giving equal attention to two plans. If you get used to thinking equal importance when planning, it will be easy to continue this lack of bias in drafting.
    3. Alternate your drafting, repeating each step in the writing process for the two ideas or plans
    This approach is like maintaining two subplots in a novel, where each subplot differs from the other, but both serve to complement the overall plot and theme of the novel. It may even be that each could stand alone. By alternating writing the drafts, you are less likely to create one superior to the other but each stands an equal chance of being the best.
    4. Stop and reflect, make revisions
    Are the two drafts equally good; are they any good at all? In addition to the kind of revisions that you might do with any writing– Add, Remove, Replace, or Rearrange– you must honestly appraise your two plans and try to decide which one you would choose if you were an editor? If you have trouble deciding, that is what you want, two equally attractive essays.
    5. Flip a coin. No, seriously. If you have created two equally attractive essays, it does not matter which one you submit first. Plan A and Plan B each have a equal chance of acceptance.
    _________________________________________________________________________
    Hint: A nice approach is to tie Plan B to Plan A. If Plan A is theory, then Plan B is application. Or an extended example.
    ** Note: It often is not necessary to write two complete drafts, although that would be useful practice. Two equally attractive plans or proposals might be adequate.

    Lucky you, you “Be a freelance blogger” folks. Here is some real practical advice that gives you not only a Plan B, but anticipates Murphy’s Law and preempts failure by supplying a ready to roll, already done response to a rejection. For example, my Plan B for this assignment was imagining a Composition Deathray, a basically generic approach based on an editor’s vanity that would always destroy a rejection. I would research the editor’s blogs and copy the style, either with a topic of my choosing or one matching the assignment. In fact, I like my Plan B so well, that I might as well have used it here!

      • I would appreciate your feedback more if you read the entire blog proposal. I anticipated the objection to too much work, countered it with a suggestion that one need write only two pitches, not two full drafts, and I even provided an example. Hmmmm?!

  55. PitchFest Theme :Plan B: What to do when things go wrong ?

    Headline – How can a freelance blogger transform adversities into opportunities?

    Opening Lines: Blogging as a career is one of the best ways to earn a rich living. However, there are times when things don’t work as planned and during such times; it’s always necessary to have another option ready.

    This if I explain in terms of freelance blogger then not all times are good especially when you are in dire need of something . or what you planned doesn’t happen. During such timings, plan B is very much useful.

    Points to be included:

    1) Types of situations that can create the need for Plan B

    2) Plan B types (based on situations)

    3) How to tackle such situations without disturbing your current business?

    4) What your colleagues, well wishers say you when they know your plan A has failed? Do they encourage you or demotivate you…

    5) Successful outcomes that arrive once you start using Plan B

    6) Do you think anything like Plan B should exist?

    This blog will make it clear why Plan B is important not always but sometimes when there’s no option but to do or die. Hence, I feel this will be an amazing guest post for readers to make them understand the value of “A stitch in time saves nine”.

    I love to write things that are useful to the audience and hence this post will be very interesting and knowledgeable to read for the Freelance Blogger Community.

      • Hi,

        Thanks for the feedback.

        I am going to write about what a blogger can do when things are not happening as planned.

        Regards

  57. Whiner, Weiner, Winner

    What’s a girl to do when life throws you a curve, someone pulls the rug out from under you and you lose the wind in your sails?

    • The unexpected is an issue all human beings encounter. A person feels lonely and isolated during difficult times. Reach out to others you are not alone.
    • Complaining about difficulties never changes the circumstance. Keep your mouth shut, your ears are listening. You are hurt, scared, and defeated, you don’t need to hear it over and over.
    • Doing nothing changes nothing. What has happened is a pain in the rear. Sitting still will make your bottom ache worse. Your heart hurts why should your derriere.
    • Doing something can change everything. You don’t have to have all the answers right now but move out so you can move on.
    • One step in the right direction changes the path toward success. When you hit a wall you must turn right or left. If you plow ahead in stupidity that wall will knock you off your feet.
    • Failure is never final. This too shall pass. It may seem like life will never get better. It will. Winners have to cross the finish line. Press on beloved the race is yours to win.
    Good information is useful information. Life has afforded me a variety of life experiences both good and bad. Practical illustrations (hitting a wall above) is a great way to make a point. Also, humor woven into the practical would be a way to soften the content. I am funny!

  59. So the headline is: LOA, Manifesting and Your Freelance Writing

    Opening lines:
    So what is LOA? It is Law of Attraction. If you are not familiar with it, it is a universal law such as gravity, and it suggests that like attracts like.
    Ever noticed when you say stubb your toe getting out of bed, that the rest of the day goes bad?

    Point 1 The use of the law of attraction and the association with the law of vibration:
    Using the Law of Attraction as a focus point to ensure your thoughts are attractive in nature. That is most people think of trying to attract what they want but if you use it as a tool to assist your focus, it will be easier to keep in a positive mind set for daily tasks as well as attract what you want.
    Point 2 The use of manifesting techniques :
    Utilising manifesting techniques is a form of inspiration for ideas and motivation to stay on track as you effectively visualise what it is that you want in the success and the outcomes.
    Point 3 The manifesting technique in enhancing the Laws :
    So effectively using the manifesting technique and seeing what it is you really want puts you into a great frame of mind which then becomes the Law of Attraction bringing different forms of positive aspects that you are thinking of and feeling about such that it then compliments the manifesting process.
    Point 4 The laws enhancing the manifestation process (so the compliment to point 3):
    As I just finished in the last point, that the Laws of Attraction and Vibration then effectively keep the mood high increasing the chances of the manifestation technique actually working too.
    Point 5 The mind set per the above to enhance the enjoyment of writing:
    Beyond the success in your writing and the outcomes in terms of it being a lucrative career, it is also about enhancing the enjoyment of writing. So often people fall out of love with what they were once passionate about but this will help keep the spark. Manifesting will always assist to bring back the spark.
    Point 6 The mind set per the outcomes for you personally to empower you to be able to keep writing, and successfully, per your terms!:
    It is always a good practice to manifest daily. However, we are busy and things go by the wayside. In this case, manifesting, per point 5, becomes a repair AND maintenance thing. Keep manifesting and see your success and enjoy the feeling of it.

    This post is an underestimated angle for the Be a Freelance Blogger and as I am an Accreditated Inpsired Spirit Life Coach and a passionate writer I get the balance and the importance of understanding the basics of these laws and manifestation techniques to achieve the ultimate goals held by bloggers and freelance writers alike. I would highly recommend a coach to help you with the above…..

  60. Deciding cold pitching.

    Cold pitching new clients is a great way
    to reach out to those businesses that do
    not know you exist. The work you get from
    cold pitching tends to be lucrative and
    long-term. However, cold pitching is
    time-consuming. Before you write a pitch to
    a prospective client, you have to research
    the company and decide how you can
    improve their business. You then have to
    market youself and prove that your worth
    the investment. The conversion is low
    and often takes months.

  61. UPDATE!!

    Due to the number of entries this time around, Sophie and I need a few extra days to reply to y’all and choose the winners.

    We’ll be making the announcement sometime on Tuesday, April 11th, instead of today. 🙂 Sorry about the wait!

    • Cool. I was wondering if my post had gotten missed. Looking forward to your feedback!

    • How exciting!! Thank you for updating all of us; I wish you ladies the best in reviewing all applicant entries! Looking forward to the 11th, now, for sure. ?

    • Hello Everyone,
      (This is not an entry) Haven’t been able to read the bloggers that probably posted the greatest blog suggestions….forgive me but………
      What a day, and week, my computer went hay wire, my home phone sucks and my cell phone charges 1% per hour. The cost to be the boss seems to be pretty steep. I have things on my mind that makes me appear weak. It even causes me to meditate and lack of sleep. I am changing my views about being meek. My mind, my body and soul is awakening….no longer sleep. Even when it comes to following what I seek. Everything from my computer is delete. I am working off a template that is obsolete. Yet the passion roars inside me. A faint understanding that starting anew can be neat.
      I look forward to catching up with your bloggers and their suggestions. I believe the atmosphere that is created on BAFB is one I can learn from.
      Sincerely,
      Beatrice

  62. OK, it took a while but we’ve made our choices. 🙂

    THE WINNERS ARE:

    1st prize:
    Jessica Denne, 5 Backup Plans Required for Success
    (see Jessica’s winning pitch: http://beafreelanceblogger.com/plan-b/#comment-203365)

    2nd prize:
    Katherine Swarts, How Your Attitude Toward “Interruptions” Can Make or Break Your Blogging Career
    (http://beafreelanceblogger.com/plan-b/#comment-203450)

    3rd prize:
    Pinar Tarhan, Plans B, C, D, and Beyond to Keep Sane and Prolific
    (http://beafreelanceblogger.com/plan-b/#comment-203444)

    Other people whose pitches we feel are ready to draft:
    (If your name’s on this list, we encourage you to either pitch your idea to one of the sites in The Ultimate List of Better-Paid Blogging Gigs, or write a full draft and submit it to lauren@beafreelanceblogger.com for publication as a traditional, unpaid guest post on Be a Freelance Blogger.)

    * Kitty Price
    * Danielle Anne Suleik
    * Elizabeth Spencer

    And for entrants who received feedback along the lines of “we’d like to see a different or more specific angle on your idea” or “please change X, Y, Z about your pitch”: feel free to revise your *pitch* in line with our feedback and email it to Lauren for consideration as a traditional guest post.

    Congratulations and well done to everyone who entered!

    • I changed mine and sent it back immediately have never received a follow up. Can you please check?

      Also, congrats to the winners!!!!

    • OH MY GOODNESS!
      ::jaw drops::

      I did it!!! 😀

      Thank you for this opportunity, and congratulations to the other winners.

      For anyone who wasn’t chosen– don’t give up! Keep writing, keep growing, and keep trying! You can do this!

    • Thank you, Sophie and Lauren for all your great feedback and suggestions. I feel honored to have received an Honorable Mention. Good luck to everyone who entered the Pitchfest.