Last week, three members of my freelance writing course contacted me with the same worry: they were burning out in a hurry. After so much work, day in and day out, they were beginning to dread spending time at their computer. This is not uncommon among freelance writers. Fortunately, I was able to help as I have burnt out several times myself in the past.
This holiday season it is important to remember that you are allowed to take breaks. This does not mean you should neglect your work and clients, but there is no reason to type until you hit bone. If you do, you are going to burn out in a hurry while also ruining your holidays. Is that a risk you are willing to take?
Personally, I am only going to work for a couple of hours Thanksgiving morning. The same holds true for the Friday following the holiday. Even though I plan on putting in a few hours each day, there is nothing wrong with taking both days off and giving your body a rest.
If you worry about taking a break during the holidays, because you don’t want your work to back up, try this tip: spend a few days working hard to get ahead of your workload. This way when you need to take time off you are able to do so without missing a beat. I use this “trick†time and time again and it never fails.
Don’t let the holidays pass you by as you sit at your computer. You may believe that all your clients are working, but you would probably be wrong. Just like you, they deserve a break during this time of the year.
There is nothing better than mentoring individuals who have a strong interest in becoming a full-time freelance writer. Through my freelance writing course, I have been lucky enough to work with hundreds of students. While many of them have moved on and never looked back, quite a few still send me updates on their progress.
Earlier this month, two of my students, both who were with me for three months, finally took the leap and went full-time. Even though they both decided to discontinue their membership, it was a thrill to hear them talk about how they finally realized their dream.
Now that these members have moved on, I have two spots immediately available. Those who are interested should contact me as soon as possible. As always, I expect the openings to last 24 hours at the most.
I hope to have the chance to work with a couple more of you in the weeks to come!
Many writers believe that their days should be spent indoors, cranking out words and sending queries to find their next gig. While you are going to spend a lot of time at home writing, there is nothing wrong with getting out and meeting clients. This is a particularly good idea if you are trying to sell somebody on the idea of hiring you for a project.
In my early days as a freelance writer I felt that in-person meetings were a waste of time. After all, I had to put my writing aside and spend time on something that may never yield a single dollar. But soon enough I realized that this could actually be fun.
There are several aspects of meeting people in person that can be exciting. Above all else, you get the chance to talk about yourself, your writing, and how you can help the other party succeed. Even if you don’t like talking about yourself, like me, it is still fun to show off your work. Remember, you should be proud of your career.
I also find it rewarding to meet new people, even if we don’t begin to work together right away. The bigger your network grows the more jobs you will secure in the future. For example, late last year I met with a local company that was interested in hiring a writer for sales letters, email marketing campaigns, and brochures. While they did not hire me on the spot, I received a phone call from my contact four months later. Not only did they end up hiring me, but they also referred me to another division within their company.
Don’t overlook the value and excitement associated with in-person meetings. I am making this a bigger part of my business. Are you willing to give it a try?
