This Blog Will No Longer Publish New Material

I started A Guide to Profitable Freelancing in November 2012, and it has been a very challenging yet fulfilling project. I devoted much time and effort to this blog, and now I have decided to stop publishing new articles, hoping to land other writing gigs.

However, as someone who's always believed that freelancing can be a lucrative full-time career (or an excellent way to make extra income), I will occasionally write web articles that link back to this blog.

For webmasters looking for content

You're free to republish any of my articles for your blog or website, or link back to this blog, provided that you acknowledge me as the author.

Events, Celebrations, and Holidays: What Makes Them Your Best Allies in Freelancing? (Part 3)

You may not be aware that the holidays are not just a festive season for celebrations. This is also the time when small businesses or niche enterprises prefer to outsource part of their work load to freelancers like accountants or bookkeepers.

While it's not advisable to look into large placement agencies, corporations, or conglomerates for freelance jobs, you can find a wealth of opportunities among smaller or niche enterprises.

There are businesses that sell handcrafted merchandise that may need to hire "extra hands" to help them keep up with bulk orders. And don't neglect entrepreneurs who sell through stalls, booths, and bazaars. They will most probably want strategically placed ads on social media -- a goldmine for copywriters -- so potential customers can find them.

Most people may not look forward to tax season, but it offers infinite possibilities for freelancers, too. If you can help a small business owner straighten out his ledger or organize his spreadsheets, financial or bank statements, or help him identify possible tax deductions, don't be shy about making a few cold calls or writing several LOIs and offer your services.

If you regularly network with other freelancing professionals and attend conventions, you can make the most of referrals from your fellow freelancers who are swamped with projects, provided you keep up-to-date in paying them commissions.

Events, Celebrations, and Holidays: What Makes Them Your Best Allies in Freelancing? (Part 2)

In my previous post, I gave several ideas about the potential of seasonal opportunities. Since freelancing professionals must be flexible at all costs, they are the ideal group of workers to take advantage of these irregular yet recurring sources of income.

Freelance directors and video editors should take advantage of occasions like a debutante's ball, a wedding, or a wedding anniversary. These celebrations remain to be some of the grandest and most memorable in a person's life, and freelancers will always have clients who would want them to capture those precious moments on video.

If you're a photographer, you may be in demand in the above-mentioned celebrations, too. You may also want to team up with freelance writers who wish to cover events around town, like an indie author in her first book signing, an exhibit of up-and-coming artists, or a new fitness center offering classes. Magazines pay more if manuscripts come with photos that look professional.

Likewise, bloggers may need your services if they want to write a series of articles where pictures might make reading easier for online users. If they publish time-sensitive articles, bloggers will benefit more from photos that enhance their blog's layout and help them get their important points across to their readers.

Also, in this age of social media, niche entrepreneurs don't need a huge budget to "launch" a product. Copywriters, social media specialists, and web content writers can be a huge help in advertising merchandise and services by coming up with a carefully moderated Facebook Page, or an account in Instagram or Pinterest.

And almost any product or service can be advertised on Facebook these days -- from baked goodies and T-shirts to scrapbooking services and making wedding invitations. Christmas is just one of those seasons when customers look for products or services provided by niche enterprises.

Events, Celebrations, and Holidays: What Makes Them Your Best Allies in Freelancing? (Part 1)

As a freelancing professional you need to be aware of the potential of "seasonal opportunities." If you keep books or records, write advertising copy, is a highly gifted artist or skilled craftsman, or a keen organizer, you can be highly in-demand among potential clients or customers.

To illustrate, let's take the case of celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries. If you know at least a couple of a dozen people, you know that they have their own groups of friends, colleagues, and relatives. And someone turns a year older everyday. It could be an aunt or uncle, the boss' wife (or husband), or the utility man's son.

Now, when it comes to shopping for gifts, not everyone enjoys going to a huge commercial complex. And there will always be people with meticulous tastes who look for unique items that stand out. It's a common misconception that popular brands are always sought after.

If you're an artist or craftsman and you can make one-of-a-kind gifts, rest assured that there will be a potential market out there.

In the Philippines alone, a lot of young, single women and stay-at-home moms get to make a living out of the stuff they can do with their hands. They even go a step further and offer classes in order to train participants in making beaded accessories, corporate giveaways, scrapbooks, etc.

Local and international events can serve as a goldmine of ideas for freelance writers who want to pitch ideas to magazine editors. Valentine's day, Halloween, and Christmas offer an infinite number of topics and themes into which freelance writers can look and develop into full-length articles.

If you're hoping to secure a byline in an international publication, several excellent topics would be the Super Bowl weekend, Kwanzaa, or Thanksgiving.