Quiz: What's Your Freelancing Style?

If, like me, you spent much of your pre-teen time pouring over YM Magazine--a fantastic source of horoscopes, embarrassing stories that happened to others and which you'd positively die if ever happened to you, and tell-all quizzes which revealed the enemy in your best friend and the drama queen inside yourself--then this Weekend Break is for you. I can appreciate how magazines as YM and Seventeen used to be, because they weren't merely fixations on celebrity baby bumps and million dollar fashion faux-pas.


Instead of a link list for this Weekend Break, I thought I'd spice things up with a fun quiz, a la teen magazines. So take those cucumber slices off your eyes and stop prank calling that cute guy and take this quiz to reveal your freelancing style.

1. You've been in a writing rut for a week. You scour the job boards daily, but nothing seems to jump out at you. You need to land a gig soon, so you:

a) Take a job that pays lower than your usual rate. It's better than nothing.
b) Peruse the local classifieds. If this freelancing thing doesn't pan out soon, you're going to need a new source of income.
c) Outline an idea for an article to pitch to an editor. If the work doesn't come to you, you're going to go to it.

2. You've landed a gig! Although, it's not really in your area of expertise or interest. In fact, you're half dreading getting started on it. You:

a) Finish the project just to get it over with. It's not your best work, but it's a quick buck.
b) After a few starts and stops, you abandon the project. You might send the editor an email, you might conveniently drop off the face of the Earth.
c) Do the work as best as you can, albeit painfully. You could always use the clip in your portfolio.

3. You're working with a new client, and it seems the client is new to hiring freelancers. She's sent your piece back three times now for revisions that are unclear and seemingly pointless. Before reaching through the monitor and wringing her neck, you:

a) Hand in the project as you think it should be then tell her you've got a family crisis to tend to, then take a few days off to practice your controlled breathing.
b) Tell her you're the writer, but if she wants to make another change to it, she can do it herself.
c) Let her know you'll work in her last suggestion but then you'll have to wrap up the project, and make a note to yourself to never EVER work with her again.

4. You've completed a piece on time, you're proud of it and the client is happy. You've sent off an invoice, waited a week, but still haven't gotten a response or payment from the client. You:

a) In-what?
b) Send a threatening email telling the client they have 24 hours to send you the payment or you're dialing your lawyer.
c) Send an inquiring email to the client along with another invoice, and request a reply so that you know they've received and read the email. You also reiterate the payment required within 30 days note at the bottom of the invoice, just to be clear.

5. You've finished the gig, received payment and are now staring proudly at the numbers in your PayPal account. But what to do with the money? You:

a) Let it sit. You'll figure it out later.
b) Treat yourself! You completely deserve it; that editor wore Prada.
c) Take half of it to pay off a bill, then sock the rest away. Well, maybe you'll stop off at Starbucks today.

If you answered mostly with a's:

Your laid-back calm and go-with-the-flow attitude is great for surfing, but you need to get a grip on your freelancing goals if you want to see success in the long term.

If you answered mostly with b's:

You're a bit of a loose cannon. You slink away when the going gets tough, but get your back up quickly if you think you're being taken advantage of. Striking a more level-headed balance will ensure a secure freelancing career.

If you answered mostly with c's:

You've got it all! Clear goals, steady ambition and you've done your research. You're on your way to success!

Have a great week, everyone!