Jen A. Miller Update: The Year that (Almost) Was

It's end of the year time, and despite 2018 having three more weeks left, wrap up lists are coming out, including those by freelancers. I'll usually share some of my favorite things of the year, but inspired by them, I'm sharing some figures I usually keep in-house and by in-house, I mean between me and my Excel spreadsheet. 

In 2018 so far, I have turned in 154 assignments, and have 10 more due before January 1. I'm not sharing my exact 2018 income because the year's not over yet, but it'll be close to six figures. It's my second most lucrative year in nearly 14 years in full time freelancing, and I'll bill about $30,000 more than I did last year, which was one of my worst (I worked half time for four months in 2017, so that's not surprising). If you want to take a long range look, in my first year of full time freelancing, I billed $49,684.25.

Back to 2018:

• In my highest month (September), I billed $2,942.
• In my lowest month (October), I billed $15,187.

• 53% from consumer publications
• 26% from custom publications for college, university, research and healthcare organizations (this includes alumni magazines) 
• 10% from association publications
• 9% from B2B publications
• 1% from copywriting
• 1% from copyediting 
• 0% from newsstand magazines – very much on purpose

I work about 30 hours a week (and run up to 10 hours a week, which isn't technically work but is related to work, which is why I put it here). I rarely work Fridays and almost never Friday afternoons. I took five weeks of dedicated vacation – and this doesn't include odd days off throughout the year, and I will mostly be off the last week of the year. The only frantic time I had was for about two weeks in October, a month when I turned in 27 assignments, ran an ultramarathon and finished a book proposal (way way too much in one month). I also lived in Florida for two months, ran another marathon, and bought a house in July. It's been a busy year. 

**Another reason I'm publishing this now is, if there are questions, ask them and I'll answer them in one more newsletter of 2018. You can reply to this email, and I'll get it. You can also contact me through my website, or hit me up on twitter – I'm @byjenamiller.**
 

1. "How I Became a 37-Year-Old Snowbird," New York Times
2. "Why Don't Romance Novels Get the Respect they Deserve?" Washington Post
3. "After Boston, Des Linden Tries to Conquer New York," New York Times
4. "Summer Running is Finally Coming to an End," USA Today
5. "Facing the Diabetes Crisis," Clinical Laboratory News
6. "Why Run Marathons?" New York Times
7. "Clothing Companies are Funding Our National Parks Because the Government Won't" for The Outline 
8. "Turning to Marijuana for a Runner's High and More," New York Times 
9. "The New Retirement: Near the Kids," ​New York Times 
10. "Hear Myself and I: When Someone Else Narrates Your Audiobook," The Writer

Questions? Comments? Concerns? You know how to get me. Hopefully I'll see you one more time before the year's out.

Until next time,
Jen A. Miller
jenamiller.com
runningalovestory.com
twitter.com/byjenamiller
instagram.com/jenamillerrunner