If you want your freelance writing career to move in the right direction, you need to plan for the future. While there is no way of knowing what the future holds, if you set goals and think about where you want your career to go you will be in a much better position.
Here are three tips for planning your freelance writing future:
1. Set big goals! Although you may not reach every goal that you set, big goals will keep you reaching for the stars day in and day out. It is nice to have small goals along the way as well, but these can only take you so far. What is a big goal, you may ask? This is different for everybody, but a couple common ones may be reaching a certain level of freelance writing income or becoming a full-time freelance writer.
2. Be realistic about where you want your career to go in the months and years to come. As mentioned above, there is nothing wrong with having big goals. But with that being said, you need to stay realistic. For example, it would not be realistic to say that you want to have five novels published by the end of 2008. But it would be realistic to set a goal of completing one novel in this time frame.
3. Plan out the small steps that will allow you to reach your end goal. If you take small steps along the way and can see that you are making progress, you will have a much better chance of staying on track. This is why I suggest that you have a to-do list to work from everyday.
The great thing about a career in freelance writing is that you are 100 percent in charge of your future. When you work for somebody else, you can only move up in the company and make more money if they say so; this is not the case if you are a freelance writer. You can call all the shots, and in turn reach all your goals if you are devoted to doing so.
Are you surprised by the title of this post? Day in and day out I talk about how to become a full-time freelance writer. But when it comes down to it, this is not an attainable goal for many people. Some like their job and don’t want to leave to work as a full-time freelancer, and others simply don’t have the nerve to do so. There is nothing wrong with becoming a part-time freelance writer, and by following the tips below you will be well on your way.
1. To become a part-time freelance writer, set aside some time to work either before or after your regular job. If you are really interested in excelling, you may want to find time in the morning and before retiring for the night. Also, many aspiring part-timers have found that they can do some freelance writing work while at their day job. While there is nothing wrong with this, make sure that you are not violating any rules set forth by your employer.
2. You never want to wear yourself out. If you do, you will find out soon enough that your dream of becoming a part-time freelance writer has died. It can be quite difficult to work eight hours outside the home, and then sit in front of the computer at home for several more. You want to make sure that you get your work done and that you are growing, but at the same time, you can afford to start slow and feel your way through the process.
3. If being a part-time freelance writer ends up being more fun and profitable than you had thought, you may want to consider moving into a full-time gig soon enough. But once again, this is not right for everybody. You need to make the decision based on your full-time job, home life, and available time.
There is no rule that says all freelance writers have to work at this job full-time. If you aren’t up for leaving your day job, find a few hours here and there to write.
As a freelance writer it is easy to stay to yourself, and not communicate with others. While this can be a perk of the writer’s life, this is not something that you want to take too far. By networking with other freelance writers, you will be able to take advantage of many benefits. And of course, these benefits can go a long way in helping you to become a better writer, and hopefully increase your income.
The following are three of the top reasons for networking with other freelance writers:
1. As mentioned above, being a freelance writer can be a lonely and solitary career. If you make friends and network with others, you will find people who you can communicate with via email, instant messenger, phone, and maybe even in person.
2. Even the most experienced freelance writers have questions from time to time. When you have friends in the industry, you can contact them on the spot anytime that you need help. This sure beats having to rely on a message board. Remember, this is a two way street. Make sure that you are always available to help others.
3. I have received numerous referrals from friends that I have made over the years. If you want to increase business, and there is no reason you shouldn’t, increasing referrals is a great way to do so. When you have others marketing on your behalf and sending clients your way, you will find that it is much easier to succeed.
As you can see, there are many reasons that you will want to network with other freelance writers. Take a few minutes each day to attempt to make friends in the industry. The more creative you get, the more contacts you will make!
