The internet is a big pond. Anyone wanting to succeed at doing business online had better find a way to stand out from the ever-growing watering hole like a punk duck.
Do you stick out like a punk duck?
When you apply for a writing job online, do you get the gig? If so, that’s pretty special. There is so much competition for online writing jobs that it’s not rare for a job poster to give up reading replies after the 500th or so response. Your subject lines and cover letters must stick out like a punk duck!
Do clients consistently come back for more? Are you constantly turning one-off job opportunities into long-term client relationships? If so, you must rock at pleasing and persuading clients. Your work ethic must stick out like a punk duck. And your marketing and communication skills probably do too!
When you comment on someone’s blog, do your comments get noticed? Do you receive traffic to your own blog via comments you leave at other blogs? If so, it’s probably because you’re contributing comments that make people think, “Hey, this chick rocks. Now I’ve gotta stalk her.” Your comments stick out like a punk duck!
Want to learn how to stick out like a punk duck?
Over the next few weeks, I’m going to be assembling a series of posts to spark some ideas and discussion on how to punk up your freelance writing or blogging career. So stay tuned for the Punk Duck series. I’m planning to offer suggestions on how to:
- Punk up your client pitches.
- Punk up your job applications.
- Punk up your resume.
- Punk up your services offered list.
Any other areas you want to learn how to punk up? Have something to contribute to the series? I’d love to hear from you.
In what ways do you stick out like a punk duck??
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I’m just who I am - in my comments and on my blog. I don’t know if that’s very punk duck of me, but it’s authentic at least and that is what people mention most often to me about why they like Someday Syndrome - for its authenticity.
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome’s last blog post..Practicing Flexibility to Remain Steady
Alex — I think that’s why you stand out, because you are authentic/genuine. Many folks in Blogland are not. So in my eyes you’re a punk duck.
I’m a punk duck! I’m a punk duck! *does little happy dance*
Oh wait, punks are too cool for happy dances…
Yeah, cool mate, wha’evar. *looks around for a drink and a hotel room to trash*
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome’s last blog post..Practicing Flexibility to Remain Steady
Now I’m laughing picturing a duck doing a happy dance. Hehehehehe.
Hi, Amy –
Since you’re taking suggestions, I’d love some tips on how to punk up my marketing efforts.
(Not sure if I stick out like a punk duck, but I do enjoy a nice bath every now and again.)
Rebecca Smith’s last blog post..The scoundrels’ dictionary
Love this idea and it sounds like a winner. Look forward to the series, Amy. The spin on punky ducky will make it stand out.
Meryl K. Evans’s last blog post..40+ Easy Marketing Activities for Freelancers
Only Amy Derby would think of Punk Duck.
The Derby Punk Duck . It should be an award…
That will be stuck in my head all day. Right next to the Dr. Horrible Laundromat song that I can’t get rid of because my punky husband keeps playing it over and over again.
This sounds fun and informitive…I want to be a Punk Duck. I will waddle around looking forward to it.
Wendi Kelly-Life’s Little Inspirations’s last blog post..Changing Colors
Rebecca — Good suggestion.
Thank you! 
Meryl — Thank you. I am looking forward to writing it.
And yes, I plan to use the duck to make it stand out. Hehe. 
Wendi — The Punk Duck awards? Or maybe the Punkies? LOL (Remember Punky Brewster? That was a fun show.) Sorry you have the laundromat song in your head. Oh, and I think just the amount of careers you’ve had makes you pretty punky. Heh.
Wow, Punky Brewster… I LOVED that show! I never understood why my mom wouldn’t let me wear different colored socks and shoes to school. I wanted to BE Punky Brewster! That show is probably what led to my phase of polka dots and stripes and lots of neon - oh, and can’t forget my obsession with hats! *giggles*
I love the idea of this series, too. It sounds like it’s really going to be awesome! I do get traffic from the comments I leave on various blogs. I don’t feel very punk duckish, though. Maybe I’m still inside the egg, about to crack the shell open and stick my head out.
*smiles*
Michele
Michele’s last blog post..Freelance Writing: Writers on the Cyber Highway
Michele — Now I am going to have to Netflix Punky Brewster. LOL And perhaps dress the duck in polka dots for one of the posts.
I think you’re pretty punky, although I can’t tell you why here, but I’m sure you know… I like that mental picture with the head sticking out of the egg. 
Thanks, Amy! (I know…
) Yeah, I was always fascinated with Punky. Ah, and remember Silver Spoons? Rick Schroder was my guy! hehe 
I thought you’d like the “egg head” picture!
Michele’s last blog post..Freelance Writing: Writers on the Cyber Highway
Michele — I never could get into Silver Spoons. Maybe I would like it now, but I didn’t as a kid. But Punky — yes, she was a punk duck. As are you (and your mom). Hehe.
Thanks, Amy! I’ll tell mom she’s a punk duck! hehehe And, I probably didn’t really “get” Silver Spoons either. I think I just really thought Rick Shroder was cute!
Michele’s last blog post..Pickin’ Pears is Priceless!
How about the pudunkies?
Oh don’t get me started on those ’80s shows! But I wanna know why Mark Paul Gosselaar thinks his hair looks better long? It doesn’t!
Meryl — Funny you mention him, because I Netflixed Saved by the Bell last week. I haven’t seen him with the long hair……
*Loved* Saved by the Bell. My youngest has the same name as Mark Paul’s character… except we use H instead of K when shortening it.
Photo
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm919114752/nm0004971
Meryl — You’re right. That hair is bad.
I like the name Zach.
Amy - YOU are a punk duck! Look at all these things you’re planning for us!! Woohoo!!
steph’s last blog post..Letting Go
Steph — Woohoo! I’m a punk! *steals Alex’s happy dance*
Never got into Punky Brewster or Saved by the Bell. I was way too old when those shoes came out.
The Dukes of Hazzard were really big when I was a kid. I had a big crush on Daisy Duke (Catherine Bach…NOT Jessica Simpson).
The two sheriff’s deputies were called Enos and Cletus.
Enos.
Cletus.
Insert Beavis laugh here:
Huh-huh-hhhuh
Friar’s last blog post..Lessons in Pike Psychology
Friar — I think you had to be an 80’s kid or around there to appreciate them. I don’t like the old shows my mom liked when she was a kid. And I’m sure our kids (imaginary ones) won’t like the shows that are out now either. Your Beavis laugh reminds me of Woody Woodpecker.
@Friar - Oh, I SO remember Boss Hog!!! *laughs hysterically* And, I always wanted to ride in the General Lee!!!!
*takes a trip down memory lane, trips, falls down and just stays there pondering life…*
Roscoe P. Coltrane… I can hear him snickering even now! haha! And, that dog! Remember that dog?
@Amy - Don’t even get me started on Woody Woodpecker! I LOVED him. You can imagine how I annoyed everyone around me when I was hung up on laughing like that! hehehe
*smiles*
Michele
Michele’s last blog post..Pickin’ Pears is Priceless!
Michele — I did the laugh too. My mom was annoyed. Speaking of which, my mom says to tell your mom she likes yer mom’s head. And yes, she said to spell it “yer” LOL
@Michele
They still show Woody Woodpecker on the cartoon channel in Canada…!!
Ha-ha-ha-HAH-ha!
Roscoe’s Dog was flash, wasn’t he? (And how did Roscoe laugh, anyway..???
“Kyuk! Kyuk! Kyuk! ”
Friar’s last blog post..Lessons in Pike Psychology
@Amy - I had a funny feeling you were a Woody Woodpecker cackler! hehe And, I’ll tell my mom what “yer” mom said. I’m so glad she liked it!
@Friar - Oh man, I’d love to watch that show again! I even have a little stuffed Woody that I keep on my desk.
Flash does ring a bell. Maybe it was… That sorta sounds like Roscoe’s laugh. It was a sneaky snicker!
Michele’s last blog post..Pickin’ Pears is Priceless!
Great post, Amy. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Sharon Hurley Hall’s last blog post..Getting Back In The Saddle
Amy,
I am so excited for this series! Brilliant hook. I bet you did a happy dance before you hit publish on this one. Nice, really nice.
When punk was just getting old and tired, I was punk for a few moments. Do NOT try to picture Kelly with blue hair, hehehe, and black everything else. I had this black duster coat… I still miss it sometimes.
By the time you were a kid, punk was already “retro,” meaning I am… old. And tired. But that duck is an awesome mascot for your series.
Regards,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..When Is (Overt) Exclusion Okay?
Punky ducky, you’re the one…..
come’on everyone just sing along…
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/rubberducky.htm
….You make bath time lots of fun
Punky Ducky I’m awfully fond of you.
Punky Ducky joy of joys ( are you singing?)
I cannot wait for the series..Amy…just way cool….and ducky.
Janice Cartier’s last blog post..Abstracting The Essence
Friar — One more reason to move to Canada: to watch Woody Woodpecker.
Michele — You are now referred to by my mother as “your friend whose mom has the head.” LOL
Sharon — Thank you. I can’t wait to write it.
Kelly — NOT picture the blue hair? Come on! You knew I was gonna.
Actually, I wrote this (and had the idea) at about midnight one night. So it was more like an insomnia dance. 
But once Alex started happy-dancing, I did join in. LOL
Janice — You were singing as I was typing. LOL I’m now having visions of the old Sesame street where Ernie was singing Rubber Ducky!! That’s just ducky.
OMG! Janice! You’re brilliant! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that… and even in my 30s, I still sing that song from Sesame Street. It’s a known secret… some of us mommies and daddies actually like the kids’ songs. I also love Sunny day… sweeping the clouds away…
And…
Put down the ducky…
Put down the ducky… if you want to play the saxophone!
Meryl K. Evans’s last blog post..Links: 2008-09-05
Meryl,
Hey, I ‘ll take brilliant, but I thought the little Punky Ducky needed a theme song….for us to happily punk our ownselves out.;-)
Amy–soooo much fun. This is the freelance lounge of choice for me…..
Janice Cartier’s last blog post..Abstracting The Essence
Meryl — Your “put down the ducky” has now replaced the other duck song playing in my head. Nice going.
Janice — I do think he needs a theme song!!
And thanks. I like lounging!!!
Complete lyrics for your listening pleasure… now I gotta buy the mp3! I guess snappy kids songs like these draw me because they’re easier to follow and have a great beat.
Ernie: Excuse me, Mr. Hoots
I hate to bug a busy bird
But I want to learn the sax
And I need a helpful word
I always get a silly squeak
When I play the blues
Hoots: Ernie, keep your cool
I’ll teach ya how to blow the sax
I think I dig your problem
It’s rubber, and it quacks
You’ll never find the skill you seek
Till you pay your dues
You gotta put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
Yeah, you gotta leave the duck alone
You gotta put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
If you wanna play the saxophone!
You didn’t hear a word I said
You gotta get it through your head
Don’t be a stubborn cluck
Ernie, lay aside the duck!
I’ve learned a thing or two
From years of playing in a band
It’s hard to play a saxophone
With something in your hand
To be a fine musician
You’re gonna have to face the facts
Though you’re blessed with flying fingers
When you wanna wail, you’re stuck
What good are flying fingers
If they’re wrapped around a duck?
Change the toy’s position
If you wanna ace the sax!
You gotta put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
Yeah, you gotta leave the duck alone
You gotta put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
If you wanna play the saxophone!
Don’t have to put it on a train
Don’t have to wash it down the drain
Don’t have to lock it in a drawer
Don’t have to shove it out the door
Don’t have to stuff it in your pocket
Or send it flyin’ in a rocket!
Don’t have to get it out of town!
Ernie, put the quacker down!
You gotta put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
Yeah, you gotta leave the duck alone
You gotta put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
If you wanna play the saxophone!
You gotta put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
Yeah, you gotta leave the duck alone
You gotta put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
Put down the duckie
If you wanna play the saxophone!
Meryl K. Evans’s last blog post..Links: 2008-09-05
Meryl — I’m dying laughing over here. You know what’s really scary? I haven’t watched Sesame Street in more than 20 years, but I can still picture the scene where they sing this song.
Thank my oldest daughter (now 14). When it was just her… easy to control what she watched and we had lots of Sesame Street and Barney VHS videos. Those songs stuck with me after all these years.
Now with three kids… they’re influencing each other to watch lesser kiddie stuff like Bakugan and Avatar. Bah. Thankfully, my baby still likes Dora, Diego, and Backyardigans… but the songs aren’t the same.
Meryl K. Evans’s last blog post..Links: 2008-09-05
Meryl — My niece likes Dora.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVtWXtSKJ9I
Oh I so had to revisit this. LOL we all soo ducked up or on the duck train for this series…Woo woo…. fun o rama!
Janice Cartier’s last blog post..Abstracting The Essence
Janice — I love you for finding that video. LOL
Meryl — Check out the video!!!!! LOL
I’m having way too much fun.
Hey, Freelance IS fun. When we need to ‘play that saxaphone’, we’ll put down the duck and play real smooth…..don’t you love all the cameos in the clip! Who’s not loving that!!? I am thinking they are pretty Punk Ducks myself.
Janice Cartier’s last blog post..Abstracting The Essence
Janice — I had forgotten about the cameos, but I remembered the owl.
Thank you, Janice! I have it on VHS, but we don’t watch VHS videos anymore. Favorited! Yes, Sesame Street fan and proud of it!
Now, this has me inspired to come up with a fun theme and create a series. Ugh… no, bad idea… no, don’t like that one either… I guess I will have to keep thinking.
Meryl — You could do a Sesame Street series. Like Big Bird’s Guide to ____. Hehehehe.
This is my favorite song today. Oh yeah, I ‘m singing it AND dancing it. You and your Punk Duck.. smiling big time here. (The owl rocks.)
Janice Cartier’s last blog post..Abstracting The Essence
Janice — The owl does rock. He needs his own series. LOL I can picture you dancing now, even though I’ve never seen a photo of you. How weird is that?
Meryl go for it! We get front row seats though…and a chance to hum along.
I have an idea for a post myself…hm…punk duck fever….very contagious I think…chuckling here.
Janice Cartier’s last blog post..Abstracting The Essence
Janice — lmao @ “punk duck fever”
Note to self: must remember to swallow coffee before reading new comment notifications
LOL… I should do a groovy avatar like yours. I really like it. Must go run with scissors now, got a collage to do.
Super fun today, and big hugs.
Janice Cartier’s last blog post..Abstracting The Essence
Janice — No running with scissors please!!!!!!!!
I love making collages. I think I will make one this weekend. I hope you’ll put a picture of yours on your blog. I always love your creative photos.
I thought you would like that. LOL. Sorry ’bout the coffee mess.
There’s one up today of yesterday’s collage. These are the down and dirty ones that prep the way for other groovey paintings and prints. I hope your collage is fun for you . Oooh, paper, ahhhh……makes me happy. Cheers.
Janice Cartier’s last blog post..Abstracting The Essence
Janice — Must go over to your blog and check that out now.
Here’s a better video from YouTube. I hear it better and it’s clearer. Thanks to Janice for the idea.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLw3rIS__LY
Brainstorming again… horned froggy… hmm, maybe not as people might turn it into a horny topic. I guess I better go fill up on creative juice.
Meryl — Thanks! I can hear that one better too. And yes, I would stay away from any horny topics, lest the spamgods come calling.
Oh Meryl thanks. That one is so much better. I think I ‘ll have to use it very often. Tony Roberts move over, put down the duckie is all we need. Have a good weekend y’all.
Janice Cartier’s last blog post..Abstracting The Essence
That would be Robbins.Tony Robbins.
Janice Cartier’s last blog post..Abstracting The Essence
You have a good weekend too.
I showed my niece that clips and she says “where’s elmo?” Sigh……
Amy, that’s hilarious that your mom would refer to me that way! hehehehe
*smiles*
Michele
Michele’s last blog post..Freelance Writing: Writers on the Cyber Highway
Michele — Yes, she’s pretty funny.
Hope you had a good weekend!
Punk Duck haiku:
floating upside-down
a squeeze makes no sound at all
what am I good for?
Hmm. I guess that’s Sad Duck haiku.
New Age Bitch’s last blog post..The Gratitude Thing: Oprah Was Wrong.
Dude, that is Dead Duck Haiku. Did you misplace your happy pants this morning, Bitch?
I think one reason my blog sticks out is because I refuse to get sucked into “niche” mentality or get boxed — I do a lot of different things, I do them well, and I’m not into definitions — although I can come up with a searing logline, if necessary!
I don’t know, I’m just me. If that appeals, come play, if not, feel free to have a long and happy life far away from me.
Hmm, what would I like to see here? Maybe Magical Marketing Tips — ways to reach a wider audience — SANS the niche b.s. — that’s less time intensive than what I currently do!
To answer your questions — I tend to have long-term relationships with clients (usually I’m the one who breaks it off for unreliable payments or when they have cutbacks and try to cutback my money). I have one client for whom I’ve been writing for fourteen years, longer than I’ve been a full-time writer. I also comment on other people’s blogs and they comment back. I look at this whole blogging thing as INTER active, not just “hey, look at me, keep looking at me, I’m way too busy to bother with you.”
In fact, I’m in the midst of dumping a bunch of sites that are non-recipricol. I spelled that wrong, and am too lazy to fix it. Sorry.
What else would I like to see? How to expand into speaking engagement markets and talking to readers’ and writers’ groups. I’m sure there’s a much more time-efficient way to track them down than the one I’m using.
Many thanks!
Devon Ellington’s last blog post..Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Hi Devon,
Thanks for stopping by!
I love your attitude on “if that appeals, come play, if not, feel free to have a long and happy life far away from me” — a bit like my own attitude, I’d say. 
I’m finished with this particular series, but I always appreciate the feedback on new stuff to talk about! As far as marketing goes, Trish did an article in this series called Punk Up Your Marketing. Public speaking markets and writing/reading groups aren’t my specialty by a long shot, but I’ll see if I can’t find someone to come in and guest post on those topics.
Please do comment and discuss.
We love a good conversation!
Please use a name when commenting. Does not have to be your real name or full name. But responding to folks calling themselves "Make Money Writing Online" and such kinda sucks. Calling yourself keywords will likely get you thrown into my spam filter.