Month: April 2018

Anyone can call themselves a freelance writer – just like I can call myself a freelance heart surgeon.

Thing is, I don’t get any work as a heart surgeon. As a freelance writer though, I can barely keep up.

A lot of people ask me ‘What do you actually do?’. It’s hard to say in a succinct sentence, so – for those curious about what I typically do as a freelance writer – here’s a quick breakdown of an average weekday for me.

6.30am

I tend to wake up pretty early these days as I’m most productive in the morning. I try to avoid my phone for as long as possible, although will eventually turn it on and check emails soon enough. Around 7am I have breakfast, or a light snack if I am going to the gym.

By now I will have turned the computer on and will start replying to emails and prepping whatever writing work I’m doing that day.

7.30am

On most Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings I tend to go to the gym to do weight training. If not I will start work at 8am.

9.30am 

If I went to the gym I’ll be back by now and will be ready for my main bulk of work. At this time I’ll usually head to one of my favourite cafes, pop my headphones in and get to it. There’s no typical work day, as my projects differ from week to week.

The bulk of my work today is writing text for the website of a new leisure complex opening in Russia (obviously in English – my Russian is shit). However, before I head out, I have a quick Skype chat with the client who updates me on new changes to the website that I need to consider.

10am

At the cafe I’ll spend a few hours working on this project, although my publisher has unexpectedly sent me the proof of my new book. It’s been edited, proofed and formatted and it’s great to see it all take shape with photos and design.

However, there are a few issues with the photos I requested. This means I have to break from my writing work to look for new photos from a different agency, then forward the reference numbers so they can be added to the book. There are some issues with a few areas of text in the book too, but I don’t have time to go through the entire thing, so add it to the to–do list for later in the week.

12pm

In addition to the website writing, a different client has just emailed me an urgent page of text they need me to look over. It only takes 15 minutes to read and tweak, and I send it back to them.

12.30pm

I usually have lunch in the cafe I spent the morning in. I try not to do this every day as it ends up being a costly way of eating! If not, I return home and make something simple (scrambled egg, smashed avocado and sourdough toast from Kristy’s Bakery is my usual!).

I’ll try not to work while eating, although if I’m really busy I will eat at my desk.

1pm

I find I am the least productive in the early afternoon. So, if I need to go shopping for food, meet a friend for coffee, or sort non-work-related stuff out, this is the time I’ll do it.

Today I am trying to fix my desk chair which has been wobbly for some time. I use glue instead of nails and immediately regret it.

2pm

I am back working, spending another few hours on the Russian leisure complex writing, which has taken up a lot of time.

However, I also spend around 45 minutes preparing a press release for an American software company. I do a lot of work for them and if they need something urgently, I’ll try to prioritise it. I’ll edit this later and send it to them for approval.

4pm

I’ve spent most of the day writing that website and fatigue is setting in. So I call it a day on that project, ready to pick it up tomorrow where I can finish it off.

I now move onto writing a blog post for this website (which is more of a hobby than actual work) as well as replying to some emails. Perhaps I may send a quick book pitch to a publisher. I have no new books planned at the moment, so like to test the water to see if the interest is there (July 2018 update: I am now working on my fourth book for major British publisher Haynes – more details to follow).

6pm

I am usually fed up of staring at a screen by now and, if it’s a Wednesday or a Friday, I head to Titan Conditioning in Swansea University. That’s one of the reasons I love exercise, because it’s one thing I don’t have to do on a computer…

7.30pm

I return home, shower and eat. I need to reply to some emails that have collected over the last hour. These are mainly from people I work with in America (as this is early afternoon for them).

8pm

My evening relaxation is usually either watching a few episodes of something lighthearted on NetFlix or DVD (Bob’s Burgers, King of the Hill, American Dad, etc). I only ever watch comedies – I can’t be bothered with depressing dramas or reality TV.

A couple of days a week, I will play Battlefield (1 or 4) online with friends on the PS4. I try to keep this to an hour or two as I have been staring at a screen for long enough in the day. If the mood takes me I’ll also have a can of craft beer, although I don’t drink much during the week.

10pm

I’m knackered. I’ll usually check my phone to see if there’s anything urgent from clients (I hope not, because I don’t want to turn my laptop on at this time). It can usually wait until the morning anyway. I usually drift off to sleep by around 10.30pm.

—

Of course, sometimes I will have a ridiculously busy day where I don’t go to the gym or cafes. On these days I just sit at home in front of the screen from 8am to 8pm and barely move. But then, sometimes I have a quieter few days, where work isn’t flying in. Perhaps on these days I will wake up a little later, go shopping, or meet someone for lunch.

Working for yourself as a freelance writer gives you great freedom, but just as much insecurity and headaches. But I wouldn’t change it!

Hopefully this has given you some idea of what I do on a day-to-day basis. If not, go back and read it again.

 

For those who don’t know, I have played guitar for around 17 years. I’m no Eric Johnson, but I’m not bad. ‘Decent’ – that’s the word!

As a teenager, playing guitar was my main activity, alongside being moody and awkwardly trying to speak with women. In fact, I used to play in a punk rock band (we played a couple of Battle of the Bands-style gigs, had some ‘artistic differences’, then broke up, naturally).

While I don’t play as intensely these days, I still have ten minutes most days and always get a buzz when I walk past a new guitar shop. I’ve also developed a bad habit of buying guitars I don’t need, then selling them at a loss a few weeks later. Shrewd.

Over the last few years, I have streamlined my collection down to a respectable four guitars. This is likely to change the moment I press ‘publish’ as I’m always on the lookout for something else. But, for now, let’s take a look at my current collection.

Martin Dx1RAE (Steel-String Acoustic)

We begin with my most recent acquisition, purchased second-hand in March 2018. This steel-string acoustic is an excellent affordable model from the iconic American brand, Martin. Similar to Fender and Gibson in the electric guitar market, Martin proves the pinnacle of the acoustic guitar world (along with Taylor).

I’m really glad I went for it. I had sold a pristine Taylor Mini and a beat-up old Art and Lutherie dreadnought to make room (and free up some cash) for it, and now it’s my only steel-string.

I found it on Gumtree for around £375, which is great considering the RRP is still £650ish. When I went to Cardiff to collect it, the guitar was in a tired condition. While there were no scuffs or scratches on the body, the neck was green with a kind of mould (it had been in a student house after all), the strings were disgusting and the action was way too high. So I took it home, cleaned and conditioned the fretboard, sanded the nut to lower the action, then added some Elixir strings. Now it’s perfect. Apart from a tiny ding on the side, it looks and plays like a brand new guitar.

Most interestingly, for a mid-range guitar like this, it’s actually made using very little real wood. While the top is solid spruce, the back and sides are made from a High Pressure Laminate. This is essentially a hardboard with a photo of rosewood printed onto the body. It sounds ridiculous, but works very well and is becoming a popular thing for the guys at Martin, who keep their costs down and tick some environmentally-friendly boxes.

Martin also uses a birch laminate for the neck instead of a solid piece of wood. For me, this makes no difference to playability or stability, and it actually gives the guitar a unique look. Finally, the fretboard is made of Richlite instead of ebony. Richlite is another eco-friendly paper-based material Martin uses and, again, doesn’t detract from the playability or the overall rich, warm and resonant tone this guitar offers.

Kramer Assault 220 Plus (Electric)

I bought this one in early 2017 and it remains my favourite guitar. It was in the window of Cranes Music in Swansea for ages. Every time I walked past, I lingered to look at it – especially as it was on offer for around £350.

However, a few weeks later, when I genuinely considered splashing the cash, it had gone up to around £450! I was gutted. The price didn’t drop again and I decided I wasn’t going to buy it until it did.

However, I couldn’t let it go. Something about it just called out to me. So I asked the manager if he could do a deal and take it back down to the £350ish it was at in the January sales. After a little time he decided that he could do it for around £370. I snapped it up!

This guitar is fantastic. Not only does it look incredible with that neon green-coated Les Paul-shaped mahogany body, but it plays like a dream, especially with the typically Fender-esque 25.5″ scale length. The neck is mahogany and satin-finished, which I love – a much nicer hand-feel than gloss. All frets are easily accessible and the strings bend with ease.

The tone is also a big step up from my earlier Ibanez RG450dx – it’s powerful and aggressive thanks to the duo of Seymour Duncans (an Alternative 8 at the bridge and a 59 Classic at the neck). It does feature coil-splitting and various tone controls, but I am one of those players who keeps it on the bridge pickup, tone all the way up, volume all the way up! Not one for subtle tones then.

Hudson ProjectBass (Bass)

I don’t play bass. But I do mess around on bass. Essentially I have a small repertoire of basslines I know and love (Beer, Roots Radicals, the Frasier theme song…), and will pick it up and have a noodle around when I have five minutes.

I bought it just after Christmas 2017, again from Cranes Music in Swansea. Now, I am fully aware that Hudson isn’t a brand to get too excited about. They make basic, affordable guitars. But that’s exactly what I wanted with this bass. The fact that it looks pretty cool and plays very nicely helps! I don’t actually have a bass amp, so I just play acoustically. Still, that works for me to satisfy my bass needs.

Hudson HI-CL (Classical)

This is another affordable guitar also bought in Cranes, a few years back. This time it’s a nylon-stringed classical model for my classical/fingerstyle playing.

It was under £100, is made entirely of laminates, and is pretty basic. However, the fretboard is nice and wide, the playability is excellent, it’s bound on the top and back, and the tone is very acceptable. I’m no maestro when it comes to classical guitars, but this feels much more than a basic starter instrument. A keeper!

Check back, as I will update this page when I end up buying another!

I love coffee, even though these days I tend to drink more decaf than the actual good stuff. I even had a… tea the other day (gasp).

And, as a freelance writer, I’d rather work from cafes than go stir crazy (or stir crazier) at home.

In fact, much of my working day is spent hopping from cafe to cafe, using free Wifi, drinking coffee and sneakily eating a bar of chocolate I’ve snuck in…

In Swansea we have some brilliant cafes, but not all of them are great to work in. Some make you feel like you have to drink and go (useless for somebody who likes to linger like me). Some want you to order coffee after coffee after coffee (again, I can only handle a few). Some are packed with kids (and for working it’s pointless when you are surrounded by children).

So, I wanted to give a shout out to a handful of cafes I regularly visit – some more often than others – to do work.

1825 Coffee Shop (Marina)

This one isn’t that well known, although it certainly has its regulars (me being one of them!). Tucked away inside the Dylan Thomas Centre, this small coffee shop serves good coffee in a peaceful atmosphere. The Wifi is strong, there’s ample places for me to plug in my laptop and the staff are friendly, although I know most of them personally, so I always feel I get good service!

The food is also great, so a quick and healthy lunch there is usually on the cards at least once a week. Well worth a visit, especially as you can pair it with a wander around the Dylan Thomas Museum, which is housed in the same building.

Brewstone (Uplands)

Aside from 1825, Brewstone is probably where I’ve spent the most time cafe-wise. It’s very trendy (way too trendy for the likes of me), comfortable (although it does get uncomfortably warm at times – probably thanks to the huge pizza oven in the middle), you can linger as long as you like, the coffee is good, and the staff are friendly.

Many of them know what I want before I ask, which is handy! It’s also a nice place to have a beer in the afternoon, if coffee gets too boring.

Brynmill Coffee House (Brynmill)

This little coffee house sits between the two parks and proves a great place to have a few coffees and do a little work. The staff in particular are very friendly and the homemade cakes are a nice treat. While the atmosphere can be very peaceful at times, it’s a popular place for students and families with children, so it can get quite noisy.

This is why I visit it slightly less than the first two on this list, while parking also poses a bit of a problem, especially when the students are around.

Arthur Neave (Uplands)

This has been a new find for me and another great one to add to the roster. In fact, as I write this blog post, I am sat in the back room with a peppermint tea (don’t worry – coffee is on the way next). Like Brewstone, Arthur Neave is very trendy and do great coffee. The staff are also very pleasant.

In my opinion, the food is a bit more accessible than Brewstone, so it’s a good place for lunch, although not the cheapest. It’s a good evening venue too, as they serve authentic tapas and a good wine list. You could literally spend all day here.

Hoogah (Brynymor)

Hoogah isn’t a place I spent a lot of time, but it is on the Official Chris Carra Cafe Route. It’s a relatively new place (2017), with a Danish-inspired vibe. The coffee is great, the staff are nice, and the atmosphere is pretty calming too.

I visit less often due to the parking problem and the fact that I’ve had a few Wifi problems the last few times I’ve been there. Still, it’s definitely one I return to.

Bluebell (Tycoch)

This isn’t a cafe that I visit as regularly as the others, but it makes this list because I always find parking, the coffee is good, the service is great and they do my favourite lunch – a jacket potato!

Like Brynmill Coffee House, this one seems popular with mums and babies, which isn’t a favourite working atmosphere of mine. I don’t always feel I can linger as much here. Still, well worth a visit!