Lost In The Words

It has been quite awhile since I updated here and there has been a lot going on. For awhile I was just super-busy with clients, learning new things about my strengths, weaknesses and abilities. Then, two weeks ago I was totally blind-sided my the loss of my mother, which I don't really feel like rehashing here, but if you want to know a little about what happened, you can check my other blog, From Cribs to Car Keys.

Anyway, I hope all of my friends here are well and hoping to begin posting again on a somewhat regular schedule as I get back to life and work.

I finally scrounged up the courage and made myself a professional website. While it might not have all the bells and whistles just yet, I think it will serve my purpose well enough for the time being.

If you would like to take a look and let me know if I have broken any cardinal freelance writer website rules or if you think you might be interested in hiring me to write for you, stop by Powell Creative Services and see what I have to offer.

I'd love any feedback that you might have on the site, just don't tell me it sucks - I might cry!

I will be the first to admit that I am one of those people. You know the ones - must check my traffic stats forty-seven times a day. Most of my traffic doesn't surprise me. But every now and then, I end up scratching my head.

I haven't had any time to blog or check stats in the past couple of weeks. We have been passing a bad cold around our house and then I had to play a big game of catch up to get all of my work caught up.  I finally reached a point today where I feel like I can take a break.

Tonight, I went digging through my most recent stats to see who had been around. I saw the usual clicks from BlogCatalog, Twitter, Entrecard, and other networking sites, which were no real shocker. Then there were the Google search clicks. Now that is where things got interesting.

I have seen plenty of hits from Google for various work at home and freelance writing searches. I get people searching for my name, which is not so common. That always makes me wonder who it is and why they are looking for me. Tonight though, I had a couple of interesting search clicks that made me laugh out loud.

I am proud to say that this blog post is ranked fourth in Google Canada for the search phrase "good cliche." How's that for SEO! Another unusual search click was "Words To Do With Eggs," which again, I ranked fourth with this post, this time from Google UK. I must say, I am quite proud of my optimization skills!

So how is your blog's SEO working for you? LOL

I finally jumped on the bandwagon and downloaded Windows Live Writer. Just taking a minute to see how everything works and play around a bit. So far, it seems interesting, but I haven't had a chance to check out all of the features.

Now to see if I configured everything right and if the message actually posts...

For two years, I have been going about my business all wrong. I have been attempting to herd two babies, all day long, while running my freelance business from a desktop in the back bedroom.

If I had known what a difference a laptop was going to make, I'd have fought harder to get one sooner. I have only been wireless and able to wander the house, chasing the kids and working at the same time for three days, and already my productivity has about doubled. How's that for an awesome investment!

To some, this may sound silly, but to any mom who has tried to get things done around toddlers, I'm sure this mini post makes perfect sense. It doesn't take a lot to make me happy, I'm a very low-maintenance kind of girl. But now I'm a low-maintenance girl who can get things DONE!

This has been an exciting week for me, with some great new projects in the works and some old ones coming to fruition. Here's a little rundown of what has been going on:

• Received payment from client that had seemed to have disappeared. Woo! Paranoia got the best of me in this case, I guess.
  
• Alternative Health website that I have been writing for has finally launched. Have to love the expert status I get through this one!
  
• Picked up a great new gig through a client, that could be a huge deal for me in the future. I'll share more about that whenever I am able. VERY good stuff though!
  
• Started a new blogging gig with the Today.com network. I'll be talking about cooking with kids. Not much to look at right at the moment, but I think I'll have some fun and exciting posts that many will enjoy
• I now have hosting and have arranged to buy a laptop very soon. Two major goals met! Up next, building that elusive professional site.
  
• On a more personal note, my baby turned one on Tuesday. It really has me feeling a bit sad, but happy at the same time. He's getting so independent now. I just can't believe that it has been a year already.
  

I feel like I have closed out the month of April on a very positive note. My business has grown tremendously and I have hit some short term goals that have been just out of reach for awhile, thanks to the help of some wonderful friends. Diane and Nikki, you girls rock! Hoping that the month of May brings even more exciting news and accomplishments!

How long do you wait before asking for help in getting a client to pay?

I am going through a bit of a struggle with a client who owes me money on a couple of projects. I completed the first project, sent them an invoice on the 1st of April and was asked to do two more projects in the meantime. I completed those and was then told I would be receiving payment within a few days. Long story short, I haven't seen payment for even the first project, much less the other two and they haven't responded to an email since the 11th.

It isn't a vast amount of money, just a couple hundred dollars, but to me it makes a difference. I have bills that need to be paid out of that money.

It has been suggested that I go to Angela Hoy of Whispers and Warnings, but I am not wanting to make the move too soon. How long would you wait before asking for outside help to get a client to pay.?