Okay, ideas having dried up on the home front, I thought I'd let the 
collective mind of Google Answers take a hack.  Here's the drill. I'm 
looking for work, either full-time, contract, or free-lance jobs that 
I can string together to earn a living. I've been formally unemployed 
since October 2001, although I've filled out unemployment with a few 
free-lance and contract jobs (multimedia, Web, and writing) over the 
past several months. 
 
In brief, I'm an experienced multimedia and Web developer, an 
experienced marketing communications writer, and a published author of
both fiction and non-fiction articles. An excerpt of my resume is 
below, which should give a taste of what I do in the professional 
sense.  As I said, I'm open to full-time employment, contract, or 
free-lance work.  However, I'm more interested in hearing ideas of 
something completely different, such as using Google Answers research 
to supplement my income, such as it is. If I have my druthers, what 
I'd prefer is to string together a few jobs together as a free-lancer 
or contractor, enough to earn a comfortable living (see parameters 
below for what I think is comfortable). 
 
Please read the following carefully, as it's how I'll decide on the 
acceptability of an answer. 
 
What I'm *not* looking for ... 
 
* Links or suggestions on job search, employment, recruiter, 
free-lance, contracting or "bid" sites, specific employer sites, et
al;.  Assume I'm doing my homework already.
 
* Links or suggestions about networking, joining trade 
associations/organizations, etc.  Again, assume I'm doing that. 
 
* Links or suggestions about training/schooling in a new field, 
getting my teaching certification, and so on. 
 
* Links or suggestions about multi-level marketing, get rich quick 
schemes, "earn big money on the Web," etc; 
 
* While they're not scams, forget about ebay and half.com too. Been 
there.  Done that. Got the t-shirt. 
 
What I *am* looking for ... 
 
* Out-of-the box, para-digg`m-busting links/suggestions that will help
me find full-time employment and/or supplemental income. For example, 
if I didn't already know about it, a link to Google Answers would be 
part of an acceptable suggestion as a way that a Web-savvy guy like me
might be able to earn some spare change. 
 
Parameters ... 
 
* In the corporeal sense, if I need to work on location, it has to be 
within a 40-mile radius of Manchester or Nashua, NH (USA). I'm not 
willing to relocate. If I can telecommute, all to the better. 
 
* I'm looking to earn somewhere around $70k per year. Whether you're 
offering one or multiple suggestions, I'll base my decision on the 
acceptability of your answer by whether it's feasible that I could 
earn that amount with a reasonable amount of work within a year 
time-frame. Going back to the "Google Answers" example, I'd consider 
that *part* of the solution, but not the whole solution, for obvious 
reasons. 
 
Excerpt from resume ... 
_________________________________ 
 
Specializes in Web and new media production. Applies new media 
solutions to marketing communications.  Expertise in new media 
development, including concept development, scriptwriting, and 
production of Web sites and CDs.  Writes marketing communications 
collateral including technical data sheets, white papers, sales 
brochures, and video scripts. Experienced executive speechwriter. 
Produces multimedia marketing communications collateral such as, 
 
* Sales tools 
* Sales presentations 
* Online and CD-based demos  
* Banner advertisements 
* Trade show and customer seminar lead generation tools 
* Email marketing campaigns and electronic newsletters 
 
Background in high-tech and financial services industries. Skilled in 
project management, proposal writing, scheduling, and budget 
management. Experienced manager of writing, design, and programming 
teams. Experience with email marketing campaigns, electronic 
newsletters, Webmaster, and Web Editor duties. 
 
Technical skills include proficiency in HTML, JavaScript, and 
Macromedia multimedia software including ColdFusion, Director, 
Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and Flash. 
 
_________________________________ 
 
 
Feel free to ask for clarification, if needed. 
 
rico-ga 

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Request for Question Clarification by morris-ga on 29 May 2002 11:43 PDT

Given your skill set and your apparent trouble with marketing
yourself, I suggest you need an agent. The two big agencies for
computer authors, technical writers, course-developers, etc.. both
send their clients endless notifications of work that sounds right up
your alley. I know people who make over 100K a year doing this work,
though it's still up to you. In other words, agencies open a lot of
doors and take 15%, the don't do the work for you.
 
I figure you can figure out who these agencies are with a single
Google query, but if you want to pay for the info, let me know :-) 

---

Clarification of Question by rico-ga on 29 May 2002 11:59 PDT

Thanks, morris. To clarify, links to agencies should also be on the
list of things I'm not looking for. I appreciate your asking for
clarification rather than simply posting an answer.
 
I have agency contacts, `tho I'm nowhere near the $100k income level. 
More like free copies :-). Fwiw, marketing myself isn't really the
problem.  I'm just looking to accelerate the process and see if I
others have ideas that haven't occured to me.
 
Thanks again. 
 
rico 
 
rico 

just a comment - if you want someone to help you figure out how you
can make $70k a year, I think your question should be worth a little
more than $20.