New Year's Resolutions

I've read quite a few blogs lately reflecting on the past year and setting out goals that the authors would like to achieve in the year to come and even some blogs explaining why they're not doing that. My own goals mostly revolve around making enough of a living that I don't have to get a job that requires leaving the house. With that, and my use of this blog as a public deadline/motivational tool, in mind I thought I would jot down a few of the things that I intend to achieve in the next year. Actually, most of them I want done in the first half of the year but we'll get to that.

First, I think I need a web site. This blog is a good start and will have a place on the site but I don't think it is enough. A web site would give me more control in how things appear and would probably be more flexible than a blog such as I have now, although I'm not sure how much I would use that side of things. But I think the most important part is that a web site would appear more professional and so more trustworthy. In a previous post I touched on an airline that I chose not to fly with because their web site was poorly translated and I think this is a similar sort of thing. Appearances count, even if we wish they didn't. 

Second, business cards. I've read a lot of suggestions that freelance translators should have business cards and I agree. Even as connected to the internet as we are, there is no substitute for person-to-person interaction, but making a good impression does no good if the other party doesn't remember your contact details when they need you. Personally, I have both received work from and passed on work to people I know. Business cards are just an extension of that for people that I don't know as well.

Third, I want to go to IJET this year. But before I do, I want my web site set up so it can be printed on my business cards. I think it would be a fantastic opportunity to meet other translators, or even other people for that matter (as I've said before, I don't get out much), meet up with friends I haven't seen in a while, assuming they go, and maybe even get some work out of it, I've heard that can happen too. If what I've read and heard is anything to go by, I really missed out by not going last year and I'd like to avoid making that mistake again.

Finally, I need to comment more on other people's blogs, etc. For the slightly cynical reason that it will improve the Google ranking of my own blog, and eventual website, and because if I can encourage people to comment on my blog as well, the quality of it may improve. My posts probably won't but the blog as a whole might.

And thus wraps up the final blog post of the year. Happy Christmas everyone.