Comments on: Writers Worth Week, Day Four: Define Your Target

By: Ashley

Ashley — Thu, 12 May 2011 19:31:42 +0000

That's a great point, Lori, about each job and how it reflects on your reputation. I have advised a writer friend in the past who has taken jobs she's not proud of that she should drop the client and use the time to find better work that she can respect. It makes me sad to see her doing something she hates just to pay the bills. That's why she left her full time job in the first place!

Because I'm still doing freelance part time, I can be choosier about the jobs that I take. That is very important to me, for the job to be enjoyable AND profitable. My goal is to do it full time, so I think my target needs to be leaning a little heavier on the "profitable" side :)

By: Eva

Eva — Thu, 12 May 2011 16:58:43 +0000

Yeah, Fiona, it's that whole long term-short term thing. Now that I'm getting regular book contracts, I may be working for 9 months on three books that are on deadline in various stages, but also filling in with shorter turnaround projects to pay bills in the interim.

And there's no way of knowing what royalties will bring in, but I must say, royalties make me feel all warm and fuzzy! ;)

By: Fiona

Fiona — Thu, 12 May 2011 16:54:29 +0000

Such a timely post as I am nowhere near on target for this year.

On the other hand, I've completed a book and so have been working steadily, just on work where the rewards will come in later.

By: Paula

Paula — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:53:46 +0000

Money has never been a big motivator for me, so I prefer Devon's method.

This year I did set a modest monthly financial target. If not for that chronic late-payer I probably would have hit or exceeded the target each month. Even if I *earned* enough to meet my monthly target, I never count my income until the checks are in hand. (With new clients, I wait to count it until the funds have cleared.)

Each year I add one long-term goal. In 2010 it was to add blogging and writing about fiber arts. I now write for a knitting blog. This year I have two long-term goals: 1) do more food writing (check), and 2) establish myself with at least one custom publisher (working on it).

I only recently added the custom publishing goal after realizing now many custom newsletters and magazines I receive: two from the grocery chain I frequent, one from my bank, one from my health insurance provider, two from competing local health systems. There may be more. I read each one while thinking, "I could write this!"

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Thu, 12 May 2011 12:53:27 +0000

When I set a specific dollar figure, it doesn't work. When I phrase it (to myself), that I'm going to earn more this year than last year, doing jobs that excite and entice me, earning enough to cover my bills and extra to do what I want, I make more than I expected to earn.

The more rigid the number, the less likely I am to hit it. The more I set the atmosphere in how I want to reach it, the more money I actually earn.

It uses the theory of prosperity consciousness and applies it to my business.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Thu, 12 May 2011 11:58:22 +0000

I think this evolves as you gain more experience. When I first started freelancing, my goals were to increase the number of clients by XX, my income by XX-until I had some solid ground under me. Then I got more specific in my goals - e.g., annual/monthly income, traffic to blog, # of new clients, etc.

My transition from Corporate to freelancing had a learning curve. I think some set their goals too high and then get discouraged and drop out. I found easing into it and raising the bar each year has helped my sanity.