A message from the PIC chair, Sharon Aschaiek

Thursday, October 2, 2014, 7 p.m. and onward  

The Hollywood celebrities have gone after another Toronto International Film Festival, and PIC members and friends are moving in. Join us at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Thursday, October 2.   

PIC's next social event is an evening of noshing and networking that takes place from 7 p.m. onward. We'll be upstairs at the bar on the second floor, enjoying great views of King Street and downtown Toronto.  

IABC/PIC social events allow you to renew acquaintances or make new ones. It's pay-your-own-way for drinks and munchies, but the conversation and company are free.

Help us reserve enough space for everyone with an email to Jane Langille to let us know you're coming. Hope to see you there! 

Yvan Marston has been a freelance writer for 14 years. He works with a diverse group of clients, including the Ontario Hospital Association, a medical device manufacturer, and real estate and construction clients. Yvan can be reached at 647-438-9494 or by email at yrmarston@gmail.com.

 When did you launch your business?

I started freelancing in 2000 after working on trade magazines in the late '90s. I edited Power Boating Magazine and then moved into commercial real estate.

I was on staff for a few months with the commercial real estate magazine and then was told there wasn't enough work for me. I was offered the opportunity to use their office space as a freelancer - doing work for them when it was available, as well as other work. Freelance projects started coming in. A year later, I realized this wasn't just a transition phase, it was a full-time thing and I had to shift to thinking of this as a business.   

What do you enjoy most about being independent?

I like the control. You can determine your day and the path you take. I also enjoy the flexibility and that you are less restricted than you might be in a salaried position. There is more opportunity to live up to your potential.

As a freelancer, I can do projects that aren't necessarily about making more money, but are things I want to do. I'm able to enjoy a nice mix of work, some for the paycheque and some closer to my interests.

 What don't you enjoy about being independent?

I miss the access to internal resources and knowledge transfer with colleagues that happens organically in office environments. As freelancers, we have to seek this out at events or by reading one another's' blogs or Twitter feeds.

I also don't like not seeing the big picture or having closure on some of the projects that I work on. In a corporate environment, you feel more like a team. As a freelancer, you often finish the project, and move on to the next thing.

What advice would you give to someone considering becoming an independent?

Be philosophical about the ebb and flow of work. This is the largest psychological battle and the rest is just about doing the work. There are more resources available than ever before about how to be a freelancer, which can be helpful in developing the right mindset and finding a balance. Otherwise, you will be perpetually unhappy - unhappy when there's not enough work and when there is too much.

I also think there is a myth about being your own boss. When you're an independent, you have more bosses and you're actually more subservient. it's important to think about why you want to be a freelancer and to talk to other freelancers to see if your expectations are realistic.

I've done work for medical device manufacturers and the Ontario Hospital Association, as well as construction and real estate projects. I also worked on a customized magazine for a landlord. I'm writing marketing articles for business consultants, and am one of five writers working on the Chartered Professional Accountants website. I've also done a fair bit of email marketing work and as a result learned a lot about the CASL legislation.

 How long have you been a PIC member and what value do you get from your membership?

I've been a member for about five or six years. I find the seminars extremely pragmatic and not too expensive. And it's nice they are scheduled in the evening as opposed to a long lunch session or something in the afternoon.  

I like the idea of a sub-group that addresses the needs of freelance communicators. It's good to know I have access to a network, which is important when you're not in a corporate environment.