What I’m reading upstairs: Shopgirl by Steve Martin
What’s on the iPod: Shut Up and Let Me Go by The Ting Tings
I’m getting a late start this morning. I don’t know about the rest of you, but when the time changes, it always hits me on Tuesday – not Sunday or Monday. Weird. Beware the ides this time.
I spent all day yesterday bouncing between projects – first, the blog posts for a client, which had to be done. But then something even more exciting, which I’m pleased to be able to announce. Devon Ellington and I have teamed up and we are presenting a one-day tele-seminar – The Confident Freelancer! What I love about this partnership, besides getting to work with such a super person, is the mix of both fiction and nonfiction in ways that make sense. It’s an all-day seminar, mostly self-paced, and we’ll be around during EDT hours to answer questions. I’d love it if you’d join us!
Today I hope to get some more client projects done. It’s been very quiet in my email – not a lot of client work coming in. I’m marketing, but the last two days have been busy with getting the course stuff formatted and the landing pages all figured out.
A friend sent a note forwarded through another writer who was blaming both the Internet and two recessions on the lack of good jobs for writers. I get where she’s coming from, but I don’t believe it.
First, the Internet did change writing. Did it kill our chances? Only if you’re not using it correctly. If you’re sticking with job listings and anything that chances along, yes. It’s killing you. I use it in a different way – I research whom it is I’d like to work with, then I seek them out. Besides that, the Internet has brought us Twitter and LinkedIn, two great places to network and find new clients on a much more personal level. If anything, it’s increased our chances of finding work.
Second, the recessions? I’d love to say it’s killing us, but it’s not. Again, opportunity is where you make it sometimes. I have worked very steadily through the recession – my best year being at our worst economic time. Why? Because even if you’re laying off staffers, you need to find someone to get those projects done. Freelancers. And I teamed up with a resume company. What company is going to thrive in a recession? A company that writes resumes for the laid-off workforce. There were times the company’s projects vastly outnumbered their writing team.
Our reality is always shifting. Today I write resumes, but I’m seeing them dwindle in number. That means there’s some other area needing writing. I’m seeing a few more magazines eager to get articles. That’s been a surprising area for me in terms of assignments – I would have figured the budgets were gone and the magazines in turmoil. Not so. I’m also seeing lots of blogs owned by corporations, and they’re willing to pay good money to get good content. Amen.
What disturbed me about the writer’s note to my friend is the willingness to accept conditions as they are. Can’t find anything good because hey, it’s a recession and the Internet is to blame. And yet many of us are making it just fine. Sure, we’ve had to change our client base a bit, but the work is there if we seek it.
How has your client base changed? Have you been tempted to blame the recession? How do you overcome the mindset that outside forces are calling the shots for your career?
Lori, as you know this year I accepted a 12-month contract to serve as Copy Director for one of my clients. His business thrives in bad times – he sells "off the grid" products for self-reliance. He expects company revenue to double this year. So, I am blaming the recession, but for my good fortune, not bad. Certain types of businesses thrive in bad economic climates; smart business people will learn to identify them and make the most of the opportunity.
Amen to that, Eileen! I don't mind blaming it for anyone's good fortune!
You're right – the smart ones know how to make hay even when the sun's behind the clouds.
Nobody calls the shots on my career but me. If you go into freelancing with a mindset that is anything other than that, you're doomed to fail. If you want someone else calling the shots, be a regular employee.
When I left a six-figure job to freelance at the height of the economic crisis, more than one person thought I was nuts. I have never regretted it.
Like Kathy said, nobody calls the shots on my career but me. So, I accept the failures along with the wins and figure out how to benefit from the knowledge.
I think you have to be part bull dog to freelance. 🙂
It's great to hear the collective wisdom of Kathy/Cathy. 🙂
Kathy, I agree. If you're not going to change your own destiny, hang it up now. You've already lost.
Cathy, do you hear me growling? :)) LOL I agree – ferocity doesn't hurt. Well, doesn't hurt the ferocious one!
That's funny that you are talking about this today, because I was just telling my down-and-out friend yesterday "if you want it bad enough, you'll make it work." He's not a freelancer, but I think it applies to many areas in life, whether it be work, relationships, school, or whatever. And obviously there are exceptions, too. But there's always something you can use as an excuse or crutch to be lazy, so to me, you just don't want it bad enough if you're willing to accept "that's just the way it is."
Back in the early years of my freelancing career I attended a regional writers conference. As the first presenter discussed freelancing and the economy, I was shocked to hear her say freelancers had been hard hit by an economic dip, but finding work would be easier once the economy rebounded.
What was she talking about? I was still a baby freelancer, but I was plenty busy. I wasn't getting $1/word, but I was working for a several places paying anywhere from 20- to 50-cents/word. Maybe it was because I wrote for business trades, but I knew that when companies want to cut costs they reduce benefits and the number of employees earning those benefits, but still need someone to do the work. Enter freelancers.
Our recent recession was a little different for those of us who concentrate mostly on articles since so many writers and editors were laid off from newspapers around the country. Many of them went freelance, creating a glut of talented freelance writers. That said, I can't recall the last time I had more than a couple of days between assignments or when I wasn't juggling multiple projects at once.
There's a line from the Sound of Music (I admit it, I'm a sappy romantic)- When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window.
Even if you are not religious, just substitute "Lord" with the name of your choice-(four-lettered or not). 😉
Ashley, just frame that and sell it – "if you want it bad enough, you'll make it work." You're right – the excuses are crutches. It's the modern form of writer's block. 🙂
Paula, that woman had no business spreading that negativity around. How many people were present, starting out, and thinking they should just give up? YOU should have been speaking!
Cathy, I agree. Yet don't some of them read it this way: "When the Lord closes the door, He then closes the window as I'm halfway through it"? 🙂
Lori, I think you are confusing that with Don't let the door hit you in the rear. 😀
LOL! That could be. 🙂
Funny, the recession has been beddy, beddy good to me.
Yeah, a few of my clients lost budgets or actually closed up shop. But I've kept plugging away and been able to find replacement clients. Yep, there were times I was a little slow and wondered if our freelance business model was in jeopardy, and I still wonder how it will continue to shift. But down times have turned into crunches–every time.
The result is that 2009 was better than 2008, and 2010 was my best year ever.
You peeps are right. You make your own career. If you're talented, professional, and work hard enough, you'll be fine in whatever economy.
I don't even remember who that speaker was, Lori. I went to the workshop with folders filled with clips to give to any viable editors I saw and brought all my folders back home. (Granted, I was in a great deal of pain from my first major back injury a week earlier, so I left at noon.)
The second session wasn't much better. I recall the speaker was from Alaska or had written about it. I was looking forward to learning something new and quickly realized she didn't have much more experience than I did. Sure, she'd sold a lot of articles, but they were all to the same place, a niche publication.
My first warning sign should have been when the woman sitting next to me asked what I did for a living, and after I said I was a writer, she said, "But what do you really do?" I showed her one of my clip folders. She promptly asked if I wanted to have lunch with her friends and herself. Luckily I'd already planned to leave early.
I forgot to add congratulations to you and Devon on your teleseminar!
I've been small-scale freelancing for years, but recently I switched to freelancing as a full-time job – meaning I got my start with the economy down in the dumps. You mentioned in your post that layoffs have led to greater need for freelancers, and I've found that to be true. In my market, there've been a lot of newspaper layoffs in recent years, but our local papers still need writers to fill the pages. They're using freelancers like never before – and I'm busy as heck trying to keep up with them. In fact, I even have beats at two different newspapers. A freelance writer with a beat? I could be mistaken, but I think that's a fairly recent phenomenon.
I've also found the same thing happening with other clients. I recently took on a university client, and I'm in the midst of a four-month in-office assignment for a corporate client.
I know this is a feast-or-famine business, so I feel like I need to knock on wood after talking about how busy I am, but I really AM that busy.
Gabriella, that's what I'm talking about! Great to hear you're experiencing what a lot of freelancers are – a wide-open market full of opportunity. 🙂
Paula, my guess is that woman was looking for something of value from that crappy seminar! Your brains would have been picked over like mad, I bet. 🙂
Thanks, Kathy! I'm excited about it.
Stacey, I think you're right. I've not heard of freelancers having a beat, either. Definitely a sign of the times! When I worked on newspapers in the 90s, the beats were off limits to anyone but staffers. Sounds like you've found some great sources of work! What's your favorite?
My degrees and career experience are in two areas: journalism and interior design, so my favorite assignments are ones that allow me to combine them. I'm covering design trends for a general interest pub and the business of design, architecture and the arts for a business pub. I love working for both!
I also have a great assignment going with a corporate client … it's my best gig from a money perspective, which puts it high on the priority list (a writer's gotta pay the bills and all). But I'll be honest – it's not where my heart is.
Ooo, that sounds fantastic, Stacey! I love the ones that allow you to combine passions. I'm the same way about some of the corporate stuff – great clients, but not exactly rip-roaring fun. 🙂