This is the second in a series of interviews I’ll be doing with freelance writers and editors. My goal is to share their experiences so that we can learn from and support each other, build our writing community, and grow in our own writing.

Jamie Harrington is a freelance writer who blogs at Totally the Bomb, where she writes about nothing in particular and everything on her mind.

What type of freelance writing and editing do you do? What types of clients do you take on?

I do a lot of mommy related stuff. Before I had my daughter I was a school teacher, so I get asked to write about that a lot. There’s a lot of variety; that’s the great part about freelance, you don’t get bored because you get to develop curriculum one day and write about mommy boredom the next!

How do you find clients, market your services and/or sell your work?

I do the social networking thing. I agree to do interviews with people, I participate in twitter hashtag nights and just meet people. A lot of times people will read my article somewhere and ask me to write something for them. It’s kind of a domino effect.

Why did you decide to become a freelance writer/editor?

Like pretty much everything else in my life, it just sort of happened. Someone asked me to guest post on a blog, and then someone else asked, and so on. I realized that I really enjoyed it so it just blossomed from there.

What portion of what you do is writing/editing and what portion would you say is other business related work (e.g., marketing, networking, querying, etc.)?

I would say like 55%. It’s all about who you know on the internet, just like in real life. I find that making and cultivating networking relationships is the most valuable tool a writer has.

How do you schedule your day?

I don’t. I am horrible with schedules. I have a three year old, so I get sidetracked easily. I try to write while she does her little three day a week preschool, but sometimes I end up having to run errands or just taking care of general house stuff. I don’t write for the money, I write because I love it, and sometimes the housework has to take precedence.

What are your favorite tools for making your work easier?

My iPhone, without it I would really be lost. My laptop makes it so I can write anywhere. I am in love with my Sony Vaio because it has one of the best keyboards I have ever used on a laptop. It’s just a really great computer, and it’s pearly pink, so it makes me feel extra cool.

What resources do you regularly use or have been useful to you in the past?

I have tons of blogs in my Google reader that I check daily. I like to read different things that different people have to say about the industry, so I spend quite a bit of time reading personal and business blogs, etc.

What skills would you say are most important to your success as a freelancer?

Being able to meet a deadline is by far the most important skill. People can edit your work, and you can brainstorm, etc. for topics, but if you can’t get your stuff in on time… you aren’t worth it. I learned this early. No matter how much publishing experience you have under your belt, no one wants someone who is unreliable.

Where is your favorite place to work? What is your favorite time of the day to work?

I have two favorite places. I love working in my office/playroom because I can sit at my desk while watching my daughter play. It makes me happy that we are able to spend so much time together. But, I love to sit in Panera Bread, pop in my headphones, sip a mocha latte and bang out a few thousand words. I am very productive there. I love to write late at night, but I wouldn’t say I enjoy any time more than the others, for me it is all about when I feel creative.

What strategies do you use to stay on top of deadlines and manage multiple projects?

That’s where the iPhone calendar comes in. I just make sure I am VERY aware of my deadlines, and I write until they are met. Sometimes, I have to carve out babysitting time with my husband if I have a ton of stuff going on, but I try not to take on more than I can handle.

What one piece of advice would you give to other writers who are hoping to build a freelance business?

Don’t do it to get rich, do it because you love to write. It’s a lot of work, and if you aren’t having fun with it, then it isn’t worth it.

That’s great advice to end on. Thanks to Jamie for sharing her writing life with us. If you’d like to learn more about Jamie, check out her blog or find her on Twitter.