The Social Freelancer: Media, Music, TV & Film

I had a horrible dream last night.
Riding in the very back seat of a passenger van on a two lane blacktop highway at night, I looked up to see that I was the only one in the van. No driver, no other passengers and the van was starting to veer off of the road. I struggled to unstrap myself from the seat so that I could somehow climb over all the seats, get behind the wheel and save myself from certain disaster. I woke up sweating. When I told my wife about the dream she pointed out how symbolic it was for my life at this time. Strange, I couldn’t even see the symbolism until she pointed it out to me.
The rest of the story >>> Read more…

Active writing for this blog and sharing content with the world has been an enriching experience for me, if not monetarily successful (there’s still hope!). The interactions with kind people from all walks of life online has given me a different perspective on the world at large. I have found that nothing beats Twitter for expanding your reach and introducing you to like-minded people from all over the globe.

Don’t get me wrong, I dig Facebook, and interact there a lot. It’s fun and it deepens the interactions you already have with people. But Twitter is a different animal, one where multiple messages, and linking to multiple posts many times a day is easy.
Read more…

I’ve got the ham and black eyed peas on the burner as I sit here reflecting on the strangeness that was 2011. I don’t know about you but I am happy to have kicked last year to the curb! It was a difficult one on many fronts…
A BIG positive note for me was the development of this blog, The Social Freelancer ™. I have enjoyed posting regularly (a first for me!) and the interaction of people all over the world via social media (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube).

One thing I have learned on my blogging journey is this:
Nobody is “great” right out of the gate.

Blogging, like photography, songwriting and other art forms (yes I do consider blogs to be “art”) is something that is learned and built through ACTION over time. No one snaps a few pictures or writes a couple of songs or articles and is then “great” at photography, songwriting or blogging. As with my music, I find that after reflection on past material, a lot of it doesn’t “stand up” to the test of time. I believe I am getting better as I go along. What do you think?

Below are links to five posts that were “successful” in my mind. I believe they met their intended goals in a concise, “reader friendly” writing style. These are not necessarily the posts that got the most traffic (although a few of them did quite well). These are posts that I am proud of, looking back at the past year.

Which of these posts do you like best? Worst? Why? Please comment below, thanks for visiting The Social Freelancer ™

Here they Are! Top 5 of 2011 from The Social Freelancer ™: Read more…

Love it or hate it (I am sure there will be lots of hand wringing commentary on both sides) Facebook IS changing, rolling out the new user interface, Timeline. Next week you’ll be changed over. NOPE, no choice on your end. What do you think of all this? Please comment at the bottom of this post. I read every single one, and value your feedback.

Want to have a look before you get switched over? HERE > Introducing Facebook Timeline

Here’s official Facebook video which gives a quick overview of the new Timeline interface: Read more…

I’m no expert, just a freelancer trying to make my way in this world. I watch what others are doing (or not doing), implement ideas that make sense to me, and share it here. I use social media as an outlet of expression and a way to assist growth in my business.

Being “social” can certainly enhance your business, but it won’t MAKE a business.

Where to Begin? Read more…

In recent weeks there has been a lot of speculation about Google’s new social networking interface, Google+. Yes, I am a social media junkie, so of course I have a profile on Google+ and you can easily find me there. Truth is, I am only there because I have gmail and Youtube (Owned by Google) accounts and they naturally made it easy for their current users to migrate into Google+.

My Take on Google+? Read more…

It’s not “Julie and Julia”
Did you see that film? A young woman in New York who desires to be a great cook starts preparing a recipe a day from Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”. She starts a blog site and writes about her experiences. By the end of the story she has become an internet sensation having done nothing to promote the blog. It’s an excellent film that my wife and I enjoyed very much. However, this business about her blogging success was just pure “Hollywood”. It doesn’t happen like that.

Don’t let anyone fool you, it’s a JOB.

READ ON > Is blogging right for you? Read more…

Is your head spinning trying to make an impact for your small business through social media?
Join the club.

On the bright side, prior to this “revolution”, advertising your business even through local radio, TV or print campaigns was an expensive proposition. Now, you have the ability to spread your word for free across the Internet. It’s working for big business, and it can work for small ones, but going it alone makes it tough.
In this video, I try to put it in perspective. My suggestion? Build your own team and help each other. It costs nothing but time, and if you are not working enough (which is the case for many freelancers these days), time is something you have to work with.
Check out this short video for an example of my suggestion>> Read more…

Having worked in “traditional” media (television) for more than 20 years, I have been astounded at the growth of social media and it’s impact on how we do business as freelance media professionals. It’s also apparent to me that many of my colleagues in television and music production are not taking part in this revolution, often because of a lack of understanding of how it all works.

Social media is about people sharing information and learning from each other, not directly pitching products.

READ ON and see 3 concise videos that lay out the basic concepts. >>> Read more…

I have had many friends, colleagues and some very annoying acquaintances flow into my Facebook stream in recent years. In particular, I know family members and close friends who are self-employed and see some value in Facebook but are confused (rightfully so!) about how to use it to benefit their own businesses. Over time I have learned a few things about managing what I do and see on Facebook. Today I am sharing five tips that I hope you will find helpful.

This post IS NOT about how to get on Facebook, create an account or any of that. For all general and technical questions go to Facebook Help.

It IS about making it easier on yourself to interact with others and to promote your own brand responsibly on Facebook.

Freelance on Facebook: 5 Fast Tips>>> Read more…

Why “Reruns” Rule Social Media ….I just jotted down this headline and then thought how funny it would be to hear Elmer Fudd read it: “Why Wewuns Wule” hahaha…
As you may have seen from my post last week “Headed to Hong Kong” I’m out of the country and busy with a corporate production, so I hope you won’t mind that I am posting a “rerun” today. This post was originally titled “Why What’s OLD is NEW in Social Media.” I hope you like it. Next week I will be back in action with something new… Cheers, Trace
>>READ: Why What’s OLD is NEW in Social Media>> Read more…

Last year I had an idea to produce some videos describing my experiences with social media. I did so with the help of some fine friends (watch video #4 to see who they are) and began posting this site:
The Social Freelancer ™.
Since then I have been gratified by the response to these posts. I have also had requests to put multiple videos in one post. So here you go!

Read on and watch the videos>>> Read more…