Douglas Paton

#local-vancouver - January 21, 2025 at 06:31 PM

I'm in the Okanagan Valley.

#local-vancouver - January 21, 2025 at 06:20 PM

I'm not quite in Vancouver, but I figure I'm close enough! Looking forward to hearing all the local-ish chatter from folks here 😀

#freelance-gigs - November 21, 2024 at 03:47 PM

This sounds like such a cool gig! I live in an area that burns heavily most years. Solutions like this could be very helpful. Can Canadians apply, or do you need US based specifically?

#freelance-gigs - August 13, 2024 at 04:44 PM

I've worked with companies that serve similar customers in the past (construction, HVAC, contractors, etc.).

#freelance-talk - March 15, 2024 at 06:53 PM

@Amanda Scheldt exactly! There are some topics I wouldn't need much guidance for, but even than a solid outline or a brief really reduces the likelihood of missing the mark.

The only time I've been able to hit the mark with a general topic is when I've been working with a client for years and I knew exactly what they wanted based on our history.

#freelance-talk - March 15, 2024 at 05:00 PM

Good grief. I've been doing this for 25 years and I have no idea what's good. Briefs save lives.

#pets - March 06, 2024 at 08:00 PM

All horses will kill you given the chance. You can see the murder in their eyes.

#intros - February 07, 2024 at 11:43 PM

Great to see you in here, Eric!

#freelance-talk - January 25, 2024 at 06:58 PM

Agreed with the comments about checking with a professional. I'm a Canadian who mostly works with US clients. My US income is taxed a little differently, so I have to track it and know what to report. An accountant is worth their weight in gold for this kind of thing alone.

#freelance-talk - January 24, 2024 at 05:00 PM

If I'm talking to someone on a call, I'll ask what their budget is to make sure we're aligned and to make sure I don't hit them with an absurd number. If it's over email, I'll send over my rates.

The hard part is that every industry has a different idea of what rates should look like. I ask to get a sense of where they're at, but they don't always know.

#freelance-gigs - January 05, 2024 at 07:07 PM

I'd be interested in this.

#CJE3XC0H3-announcements - January 04, 2024 at 02:40 AM

@Amanda Henry good luck! I managed to pull it off in the okanagan before prices really went wild. From what I've seen, assessments are down a little this year. That could work in your favour 😀

#CJE3XC0H3-announcements - January 03, 2024 at 06:40 PM

My goal is to do more writing outside of tech this year. Not a lot, but enough to get creative every once in a while.

#content-collab - January 03, 2024 at 04:49 PM

I'd love to do this. I've been writing professionally for 25 years and freelancing full-time for 14 years now. I could talk about alllllll the things related to that.

#freelance-talk - October 10, 2023 at 03:52 PM

Its pretty critical for me. I'd very likely be miserable if I wasn't at home, even if I was doing the exact same thing. I could probably make a coworking space work, but not long term.

#freelance-gigs - September 15, 2023 at 07:19 PM

One thing you could try doing is interviewing LLM researchers to learn how they talk, the language they use, etc. That would probably help you understand their style quite well. You can figure out certain phrases/any jargon or slang/all that fun stuff that tends to show up in very niche fields like that..

Failing that, listening to podcasts or videos of those folks might also help with the same things.

#content-collab - August 02, 2023 at 07:49 PM

@Liz Melton yeah. I find it a great way to find clients who are a really good fit. Every time I let my weird show up a little online (or in pitches) it pays off.

#content-collab - August 02, 2023 at 07:46 PM

I posted a short video of me playing guitar online. Someone saw it, reached out, and became my client.

#pets - July 24, 2023 at 12:29 AM

I love this!! I'm surrounded by these birds all the time. Tiny fluffball season is always my favourite 😍