My Writings
WriterGig: Life as a Freelance Writer & WAHM
Hi, My name is Maria and I'm a Work at Home Mom (WAHM). I stay at home with my children and work as a freelance writer at the same time. I enjoy helping my husband provide for our family by doing something I enjoy...while still being a mom to my kids. Here's my story.
After graduating college with a bachelor's of arts in English Literature and Language, I began my post-college career as an editorial assistant for a weekly print publication.
My husband and I married soon after, and our first child was born before our first anniversary. We made the decision for me to stay at home with our son as much as possible, understanding that we'd see a drop in income but willing to sacrifice to raise our family as we saw best.
After my son was born, I worked part time for a nonprofit industry association in Alexandria, VA. As much as I enjoyed researching, writing and editing, it was stressful to coordinate schedules with my husband and leave my young son for a few hours several times each week.
I realized that I wanted to stay at home, and still work, both to help meet our family's needs as well as continue to use my talents and improve my skills. However, I didn't yet have a way to make this happen, and I left my job when we moved. Now I was really a stay at home mom (SAHM) and we were expecting our second child.
It wasn't long after my second child was born that I realized how much I missed my creative outlet and the satisfaction of working in a capacity that drew upon my education and previous work.
I was relieved and grateful to find a position as an educational assistant, grading high school English papers for a homeschool curriculum provider, from my home. Students submitted their papers online, and I graded them and uploaded the grades with my comments and suggestions.
My grading work was an answer to prayers, and I was quite thankful to have it. Within time, however, it became repetitive and I had trouble getting in a consistent 15 hours per week. Some weeks I could do 20 hours, but others I was too busy to work even five. With two toddlers underfoot, I needed more flexibility.Freelance writing was a logical direction for me, and I began the transition slowly, while still working as a grader. I had a few private clients that paid well, including the publication in Alexandria. I soon began to expand into the online world, beginning with a gig with a content company known as Writers' Research Group. I enjoyed writing more than grading--and instead of being stuck with an hourly rate, I could determine my own salary based on my skill and productivity.
What I discovered during my experiment on eHow.com, where I wrote as WriterGig, changed my career ... and my life as a work at home mom to three pre-schoolers.
Imagine, as a work at home mom, beginning your day writing a couple articles, checking email and perhaps composing a short post for your blog ... then feeding the children, getting everyone in the car and off to preschool, school, or activities, grocery shopping, coming home and cooking, cleaning ... and taking a break to check on your daily earnings, happy to notice that between all your residual income streams you've earned $50 or even $100 while you were out and about?
This is what I experience now. I am a work at home mom, but I am able to focus more and more on my kids and spend less time working -- but I earn more than when I was grading papers 3-5 hours a day. Soon, I hope to build up to a full-time income while working very part-time.
And you can too.
Less than a year ago, I earned wages based on hourly work or per article that I wrote. My income potential was limited by the hours I could get in or the amount I was paid for writing assignments.
I made a conscious decision, once I realized the potential of eHow.com, to build up residual income streams including eHow, my own sites and affiliate programs, to eventually minimize the time spent working. This way, I can do what I enjoy and only take on projects that pay well and are appealing to me. And most of all, I can spend more time with my children while they are young.
one.
New How to Site
I'm intrigued by a new how-to site that is in its infancy but has as its goal becoming the top how-to community online. It seems obvious that they are attempting to compete with eHow, with a virtually identical article input tool and similar categories. I think it's great to diversify your income sources, as well as expand exposure of your niche expertise. Best of all, the method in my eBook works here, too!
My Other Blog
In addition to writing and working from home, good nutrition is one of my other loves.
I don't update this as much as the others, but if you're interested in learning about my passion for whole, nutritious foods and natural family living, check out ...