Comments on: The 10 Worst Things About Being A Personal Historian.

By: Dan Curtis

Dan Curtis — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:42:29 +0000

@Mo Morris. Thanks, Mo. Glad to be of help.

By: Mo Morris

Mo Morris — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:04:52 +0000

You ten points really help this newbie understand the potential pitfalls in this profession. Thanks for sharing.

By: Dan Curtis

Dan Curtis — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:21:11 +0000

@Lissa A. Forbes. Thanks for your comment. I agree with you about the problem of FREE. Pretty hard to compete with that. Perhaps some day there will be a certifying body and standards set. Until that time, we will have to “soldier on”.

By: Lissa A. Forbes

Lissa A. Forbes — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:41:28 +0000

#8 hits the mark … not only are there people who work at bargain basement prices, but there are people who offer their version of what professionals offer for FREE! How do you compete with that … and they think they’re not effecting the potential client pool.

By: Dan Curtis

Dan Curtis — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:50:40 +0000

@Mary Ihla. Thanks for your comment. I agree that my 10 points would apply to most freelancers save for item 8 perhaps. Because personal historians are still relatively new on the scene, there isn’t the awareness on the part of the public about the profession. So what we do and the fees that we charge is all an unknown.

By: Mary Ihla

Mary Ihla — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:31:42 +0000

Your 10 points apply to most freelance situations, including copywriting and Web design. For me, #6 is the most difficult to overcome and the most irritating. You can find plenty of online resources to help you market your business, increase your productivity, and improve your technological skills, but there’s not much out there on how to deal with difficult clients.