Author Archives: Elizabeth MacBride

Three Best Pieces of Financial Advice for Freelancers: Part I

Being a freelancer requires a whole different mindset than being an employee. You can make a living — as Elaine and I have, and as we help people do. But there’s no steady paycheck, and no big benefits package. We … Continue reading

Growing Your Business , , , ,

How To Handle Screw-Ups When You Are a Freelancer

When you’re a freelancer, it feels like there’s very little room for error. A series of mistakes that in an employed person would be a mere irritant become an excuse for not renewing a contract. That’s probably why, when the … Continue reading

Growing Your Business

A Visit With An Iraqi Refugee

I returned from my reporting trip to Jordan about a month ago. I’ve written five pieces so far from the trip — linked at the bottom of this article. One more soon to be published by CNBC and I hope … Continue reading

The Lifestyle , , , , , ,

Freelancing Is The Ultimate Job Security

I’m in New York City this week working on a new project, a great new web site, Crain’s Wealth, aimed at helping entrepreneurs manage money. It’s a pleasure to spend time with many journalists who work at Crain, one of … Continue reading

Making the Break, The Lifestyle

Path To A Successful Pitch

I’ve been a writer/editor for 25 years, since the day I walked up the stairs into the office of the diamondback at the University of Maryland. I’ve been freelancing for the past 12. I’ve never, in all that time cold-pitched … Continue reading

Growing Your Business , , , ,

Sample Pay Rates For Freelance Writers

Here’s a nifty piece about freelancing by Noah Davis, sent to me by my friend and colleague Judy Messina. You can check out some of Judy’s work here. He offers some good insights about the media business, including this nugget … Continue reading

Uncategorized, Your Back Office , , , ,

A Measured Response To Lean In

I’ve had two good conversations lately with female friends of mine, both with careers. One of them is a high-powered young woman on the fast track, thinking about having children and wondering about the effect on her career. The other … Continue reading

The Lifestyle, Uncategorized , , ,

Give Your Freelance Clients A Fair Shot

I recently told someone I work with that I’d give a new situation a fair shot. The same day, I told my daughter that she had to give her new softball team a fair shot. Now I’m struggling to define … Continue reading

Growing Your Business , , ,

A Defense of Marissa Mayer From Someone Who Works At Home

Clearly, Marissa Mayer hit a nerve. Ever since the Yahoo! CEO abolished the company’s work-from-home policies, the web has been abuzz with reactions. My favorite so far: this funny open letter from an imaginary Yahoo! employee used to working at … Continue reading

The Lifestyle, Uncategorized

The Secret of Saving For Retirement for Freelancers

The 200kfreelancer’s latest post on the AARP’s Work Reimagined site is live. The post includes five tips for keeping your retirement savings on track when you are self-employed. Among them: Take advantage of the tax breaks for saving through a … Continue reading

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