When I started my career as a freelance writer I made a few big purchases. One of the most important was a new computer and printer. I knew that to succeed that I needed to the right equipment from day one. But that was many years ago. Since then I have upgraded my equipment a few times. Listen up: if you need new equipment, such as a computer, you should buy. Of course, this does not mean that you should recklessly spend your money just because you have been craving the latest and greatest technology.
I use my computers and printers until they pretty much die or become so obsolete that I need to upgrade. Some of my units have lasted a few years, and some have disappointed me and hit the wall much sooner. At this time, I have two computers: one is a laptop that I purchased to start my career and the other a newer desktop.
You need to draw the line between knowing when to update your equipment and spending just to spend. If you have the money there is nothing wrong with splurging from time to time. But that being said, making a change, especially to something like your computer, is not always necessary.
To be honest, I hate changing computers. This means that I have to get used to a new setup, transfer all of my files, and take on other tedious tasks. For this reason, once again, I try to keep my computer and other similar equipment for as long as possible.
If you need to upgrade the equipment that you use on a regular basis, go for it. Just remember, there is a fine line between buying something that you need and buying something that you want.Â
No matter what your career choice, there should be something that drives you to work hard everyday. If you cannot pinpoint this detail it is safe to say that switching to another career is something to consider. What drives you to new heights as a freelance writer? For me, there are a couple of things that keep me going.
First off, I love my job. This alone is enough to drive me to succeed, day in and day out. If you like what you do you will find it easy to work hard towards your goals. In past jobs I found it difficult to stay motivated on a regular basis. This was due in most part to the fact that I did not enjoy my position or duties. Once you find a job that you enjoy, such as freelance writing, you will find it much easier to pinpoint the engine behind your career.
Secondly, money is always a huge motivating factor. If you know that you will get paid good money you are much more likely to work hard and do your best. This is something that I have learned time after time as a freelance writer. If you want to get paid and you want clients to hire you again and again, you need to work hard and produce results. I know that there is a lot of money to be made as a freelance writer. And this always drives me to work as hard as I can.
So what drives your freelance writing career? If you cannot answer this question, take a step back and think about it. Chances are that you share my love for this career and the money that can be made.
Staying organized is very important. To do so, I keep a freelance writing schedule by my side at all times. This may sound like a bit much, but it isn’t. In fact, without my schedule/to-do list by my side I would be lost for the most part. For new freelance writers this may not hold much weight. But once you begin to obtain more projects and increase your client base, it is very important to stay organized through the use of a schedule.
Does this mean that you should schedule all of your freelance writing work? In some cases yes, in some cases no. On my schedule I have a list of all the projects that need to be completed on a given day. Additionally, I usually work in the same order everyday. This is not necessary, but for some reason it helps me to work more efficiently.
Of course, there are days when it is difficult to follow my freelance writing schedule as much as I would like. This happens when a new project comes into a play, or a client asks for an edit, etc. In this case, my schedule changes a bit, but even then it allows me to see what needs to be done for the day to be a success.
In addition to the jobs that I need to complete, my freelance writing schedule also outlines my marketing plan for the day, as well as details surrounding my own projects, such as this blog.
In the past, I worked without a freelance writing schedule. And it is safe to say that many of you do the same. Soon enough I found that I was forgetting projects, and making things too difficult on myself. Upon implementing a schedule all of this stopped. In turn, I became more efficient and found it easy to manage my time.
I strongly urge you to keep a freelance writing schedule if you do not already do so. This is as easy as writing a to-do list on a sticky note and posting in next to your keyboard. For most freelance writers, the time that it takes to keep a schedule outweighs any drawbacks of doing so.
