Thanks for the kind words, Lori, and I am so glad your year was a good one. Because I’m semi-retired from business writing, I expected a downturn. And other than one client, I definitely did experience less work. Fortunately, I’m okay with it. I have other things that keep me busy. 😉

I happen to love the direction you’re going, Paula. I think it’s a smart use of your time to expand your reach into new areas. And I love your fearlessness!

You’re right — that’s the best part of what we do. Who wouldn’t love that? 🙂

As soon as the first bombshell dropped, I redoubled my marketing efforts. So far I’ve only replaced one of those three clients, but I am actively scouting for new and better opportunities. I’ve also sold two articles to a screenwriting publication, but they don’t pay enough to come close to replacing any of my lost clients — one article won’t even pay for a week’s worth of groceries. I wrote those to raise my profile in that niche.

At the same time, I started putting more effort into my creative writing. It’s so much fun. I just need to find a way to get paid for it. I won $25 in a short story competition — prose is not my strong suit, so that really felt great! I’ve entered scriptwriting competitions and even applied for a fellowship (didn’t get it).

One of the best parts about of being a freelancer is the freedom we have to shift and mold our business model when we need to.

I’ve never been this busy. The pandemic has people focusing more on their messaging. The result: 2020 was my best year since I started freelancing.

I’ve done more outreach, but it’s mostly been of the “How are you doing?” variety. The mental health of everyone took a dip this past year. Since we work remotely all the time, it’s nice to offer a shoulder and some advice when needed. We’re all human. The pandemic, for me, has brought humanity to the surface, and it’s a welcome change.