8 Ways to Create a Productive Freelance Work Day (especially now)

It’s really easy right now to kick back and do nothing.

It’s even easier for the ennui and the depression to sink in when you do kick back and do nothing, particularly when it’s a work day and you’re not getting any new work.

What’s a freelance writer to do?

I get it. Jobs may seem few and far between right now. Those clients you thought were about to sign you have disappeared. It happened to me three weeks ago. And honestly, it was completely expected given the evolving nature of our pandemic-addled lives.

But you, freelance writing pro, can remain productive. And you should.

But Lori! How am I going to be productive if there’s no freaking work for me to do?

Ah, but there is, my freelancing dynamo. There always is.

An example — look at the top of your desk right now. Yea, cleaning that. That could be your first job.

But after that, what do you do?

Here are a few ideas:

1. Create a project list/to do list.

I know. You just said you don’t have any projects. Well, you actually might and don’t realize it. What about those personal projects — books, poems, short stories, etc. — that you first got into freelance writing for? You know, those things you never seem to have time for. How about an hour for that?

I tend to make weekly lists, but feel free to make daily lists, if you like. Here’s what your list could look like:

• Pitch a magazine
• Send a letter of introduction (LOI) to one client (you’re still marketing, right?)
• Clean the desk
• Organize online/desktop files
• Research new technology/apps

Whatever is on your list, make it something that creates the sense that you’re advancing your freelance writing business, not just futzing around to fill the hours.

2. Review your website/sales letter.

Imagine having infinite time to redo those sales pieces you didn’t have time to redo. Hello! Right now. Also, imagine that clients, who are all working from home right now (if they’re working) have time to surf a little more (no commute, no boss breathing over the cubicle walls). They could be looking for a freelance writer with your specialty or background. Why not make sure every bit of your image is polished and ready to appeal? Oh, and don’t forget to add some SEO to your website. Make it a little easier to find you.

3. Analyze your former marketing efforts.

Right now, you have a few hours to gather your older queries, LOIs, responses and phone calls together. Get them up on the screen and give them a good look.

• What worked?
• Why did it work?
• What did you say in that note or call that convinced that particular client to hire you?
• What was missing from those notes that didn’t hit the mark?
• Were the people who didn’t respond/said no vetted properly?

Could be that you hit the right client at the right time with your note. That happens. Or it could be you found a way in because you did something specific — targeted a company because you’d read they were expanding, or you studied that magazine right down to the ads to hit on an idea that they couldn’t pass on.

What about your marketing has worked? What needs to change?

4. Create a freebie.

Those clients you want to attract might be looking for some pointers right now. A month ago, I wrote a how-to piece on working remotely. It was then posted on LinkedIn. Think of something you have to offer your clients — maybe you have cybersecurity knowledge or know enough about wellness that you can give some personal advice. Or you can scan the latest industry headlines and post or share a compiled list of the top five. Do something helpful for your intended audience — for free.

5. Find a different focus area.

Look no further than your interests. Let’s suppose you’re a daily yoga and meditation practitioner. Why aren’t you writing about it, particularly now when people are craving a bit more exercise and internal balance? Or maybe you’ve been wanting to write about the cannabis market but never found the time to build that area. Cannabis and stress relief, anxiety relief, you name it — you have built-in topics for magazines. Go on; get that foot in the door.

6. Find new tech.

I’ve learned Zoom. I’m applying it to both business and personal use. What technology have you been wanting to try out? Here are some suggestions:

• Otter.ai (I thank Paula Hendrickson every single time I use this speech-to-text program)
• Evernote
• Voice Recorder (tucked right up there in the corner of your Word document under Dictate)
• Trello

7. Attend things.

My week gets pretty busy with online things: there’s the #FreelanceChat on Twitter each Thursday, the About Writing Squared forum Zoom chat each week, the Zoom yoga class on Sundays and the Zoom meditation group on Sundays. There is the #RemoteChat (which I manage to miss every week) and any number of free courses, classes, chats, webinars … get looking. You’ll find plenty to stimulate your brain and make you feel connected to society again.

8. Write something.

Come on, we’re writers! If you write something each day — blog posts, social media posts, articles, essays, poems, chapters — you’re going to feel as though you’re actually doing what you sit at your desk every day to do. Don’t focus on dollar signs. Focus on moving forward. Money is an issue for some right now, but it shouldn’t occupy every thought. Allow yourself the freedom to spend one hour a day writing something that won’t pay off (right away). It’s all moving you in the right direction.

Writers, how do you keep feeling productive when the world is shut down?