I am now developing myself into a freelance writer and stay at home humorist. Not that I am abandoning the performing, but looking after a baby right now you take opportunities where you can.
Back in August, I signed up with a couple of freelance writing sites (Elance and oDesk, specifically). So far the couple of jobs I’ve had have come via oDesk. The first was adding some humorous lines to someone’s memoir that focused on his childhood. I can’t really talk more than that, but it’s a project which has yet to be completed or published. Sorry to sound all mysterious. It was a fun, but tough project (the content was quite heavy-going) but that was the first freelancing I got paid for in a long time. In the past I have sold material to a topical sketch show in England.
Recently, I began submitting jokes, they’re more anecdotal really, to another site. To use baseball terminology, thanks to my wife for help in that area, I am 3/3 in at-bats. This means, every time I’ve sent them something they’ve accepted something. You don’t have to hit a home run every time. The first anecdote I submitted, cultural differences, was accepted. Which means I hit a home run my first time “at the plate”.
Apparently most batters dream of hitting 50%. Hitting .500 means you hit once, every two times you are pitched to. A .300 is a good batting average. This analogy kind of makes sense to me. If I knew cricket, I’d use that instead. But I don’t do sports.
Having written this is like having written ancient Aramaic.
Anyway, check out their site if you get the chance, “Smiles for All”*Their mission is a nice one; “to spread smiles and laughter, one person at a time, through funny true stories and playfulness.”
*Update April 30th 2022 – it would seem the website has gone, or is down temporarily.
