So I took Devon’s advice and decided I’d spend yesterday getting busy on one of my books (actually couldn’t decide which one at first). When I opened the document and started typing, the emails started coming in. First the request from a regular client for more work. Cool. Easy job, quick cash, fast payment. A few minutes later, here came another email from the same client. He asked a question and asked for a price on a different project. Within three emails I had another job. Really cool. And the book editing contract I’ve been waiting for the last three weeks? There it was in the next email. Really, really cool.
I went over to my other email to “clean out” and see if anyone from any of my groups or Twitter got in touch. Wouldn’t you know it? There was an email from a long-ago PR contact. Would I be interested in working with them on various corporate client projects? Would I? Darn right I would. Best is I’d befriended this particular contact ages ago and we remembered each other well. She’d moved to a new place and another PR person from her old place passed my name over to her – I’d befriended that person, as well. Amen. I love it when being genuine with someone is remembered! And at the end of the day, my girlfriend came over and shared a little wine, then handed me a project of hers. She’s going on vacation for a week and needs someone to cover for one of her regular clients. What a nice way to end the work day!
It’s because I decided to go on a vacation. Did you ever notice the minute you get your mind in that vacation mode and decide “Maybe next week is the week I’ll get in the car and go”, they sense it and hunt you down. Amen, too. I’d much rather take a vacation with some cash in my pocket!
But it’s pretty tough to get back out of that vacation mindset. Still, if I really must get away, I’ll look at every opportunity and work it out on the schedule. I’ve been idle for a short while. I’m itching for something productive to do. And one project I know I can take with me – and I won’t mind at all. That’s a first for me.
Still, not all of these projects will come through. They rarely do. Some of them will disappear before contracts or prices come about. I had a month of that last month. Three projects vanished in one day, and two looked like sealed deals. You just never know. That’s why we keep marketing, isn’t it?
Is your Murphy’s Law identical? Do you have work pile up just before you head out the door for some R&R? Have you ever lost a gig because of your time off?
11 responses to “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring”
It's uncanny, really. Every time I decide to take time off or think about sneaking away, the work comes in.
The other day I had to go to the hospital unexpectedly. I emailed the new potential client I was supposed to speak with that morning and let him know, asking if we could reschedule for the next day. Five hours later when I got back, there was an email letting me know he'd found someone else. Geez. Sorry for being human! So, yes, I've lost a gig for taking time off, but that's the only time I think. My regular clients are actually pretty understanding as far as time off goes, and I make it a point to give them plenty of notice in advance. Also, I usually take mini vacations. I might be gone for two or three days. I'm still not confident enough in my business to leave for two weeks, but maybe next summer.
Did we call this one or what? Enjoy the income, but not at the expense of vacation or the personal writing!
We did call it indeed, Kathy. Weren't you just saying this yesterday? 🙂
No great loss, Krista. If that wasn't a signed client, I'd figure it was because there was little flexibility in his schedule. At the same time, why not send a note thanking him for his understanding, wishing him well, and letting him know you're there should he need a writer in the future? There's always the chance he and his new writer could part ways for various reasons. It never hurts to leave a good impression, right?
Of course you're right, Lori. Like you, I've just had a really frustrating June, so that was disappointing. I'm glad now I decided to keep a few spare mortgage payments put aside.
It's frustrating, I know. 🙂 July will be better, won't it?
I hope Krista's would-be client remembered to wish her well after an unscheduled trip to the hospital. (BTW – I hope all is well now, Krista!)
Okay. Seeing how well it worked for Lori, I think I'll start a new script or drag out the children's books I've never been pleased with. Or maybe I'll do some knitting or felting.
Ha. I almost dread coming back from the barn after spending a whole day there, because it's almost a guarantee that I'll have at least one email from a client with a new project or something else that needs a quick response. Happens nearly any time I decide to spend a long time at the barn.
That's really great news on the job front – I'll have to try that. She's very good, isn't she? Devon.
No, I've never lost a job due to holiday time. If anything, the holiday brings me more work. When I was doing this full time I'd schedule in the holiday around the work and get everything done before I went. There were times when I was posting the envelope on my way to the airport. I was really, really anal in those days about advance planning and my diary was booked up to 3 months ahead. If month 3 had a gap in it, I'd panic.
With your other question in a previous post about getting yourself out of a slump, what I do is this. I get my dates diary out and my calendar for the coming 6 – 12 months and I find anniversaries of interest. I list all the possible slants, and then I try to identify several magazines/markets that might be interested. Then I send out up to 6 ideas to up to 6 magazines. Law of averages says a good enough percentage will bite, and they always did. Twice I had 2 markets wanting the exact same piece, so I had to do more work on those to make them different.
Another thing I do is go through my old stuff, see what can be recycled as reprints, tidy them up, then send them to a reprint market.
But in future, I'll also do what you have done and what Devon suggests: I'll get going on some non-contracted stuff. Or book a holiday. :o)
Sorry, long one there. I shoud've made it a post of my own. :oD
Diane, thanks for the compliment. Diane is also one of the most motivated people I know.
My next bit of advice — to keep the momentum, you also must keep some time aside for the fiction. If you drop it now and try to pick it up later, the work will dry up again. I find that each arena feeds the other, and if I maintain parallel, steady progress on both, the work continues to flow. If I tip too much one way or the other, I start to hit snags.
It took far too long and with too many obstacles to actually learn that, so I'm sharing it,hoping to save others some time and frustraton!
Glad things are picking up!
I haven't taken an actual vacation since I started freelancing, but I have one coming up later this month so we'll see if this happens to me too!