Just like most careers, when you work as a freelance writer there are going to be “busy times†and “slow times.†When things are busy it is safe to say that your head is spinning as you move from one project to the next. On the other side, when your writing slows down you may find yourself looking for something to do.
The last thing on your mind should be taking a break. Instead, you should use this downtime to your advantage. Here are three ways to fill empty time as a freelance writer:
1. Get ahead on your work. For example, you may have a project that is due three weeks from now. Why wait to finish it off? If you have downtime now, finish the project and send it to the client early. Not only will this clear the work from your plate, but it will give your client a sense of satisfaction. On top of this, they may immediately send you more work.
2. Market your services. If you have nothing else to do, this is one task that can always keep you busy. From making cold calls to working on your website and everything in between, when you market your business you are doing what you can to take your earnings to the next level.
3. Work on a blog. It does not matter what you write about, as long as you write something. Although most people are familiar with my freelance writing blog (the one you are reading right now) I have many others spanning a variety of subjects. In addition to giving me another place to publish my thoughts, several of these blogs earn good money through advertising.
When you have time to spare, don’t sit back and wait for things to pick up. Instead, work on one or more of the tasks detailed above.
As I have mentioned before, my freelance writing course stays relatively full throughout the year. While students come and go, many of them are well on their way to a full-time freelance writing career when they bow out for good.
This past month, two members decided to leave my course behind and head out on their own. Even though I had a lot of fun working one-on-one with these students, there is no greater joy than hearing these few words:
“Chris, thanks for your time over the past three months. With your help, I was able to realize my goal of becoming a freelancer – full-time!â€
This was the email that I received from one of my top members this weekend.
When a student leaves a spot opens up. At this time, there are two available openings. If interested in joining, shoot me an email as soon as possible. As always, I don’t expect the spots to stay open for more than a day or so at the most.
Chris, where have you been? Over the past week or so I received this message time and time again from my readers – thanks to all of you for checking in. Although I went a couple of weeks without making a new post, I was still working. But instead of working from my home office, I was on the road.
As you may have found out for yourself in the past, there are both pros and cons of being a freelance writer on the road. In my opinion, though, the advantages far outweigh any potential drawbacks.
One of the main benefits of being a freelance writer is that you can work from pretty much anywhere in the world. As long as you have your computer and access to the internet, you are good to go.
Not only did I work from my hotel while out of town, but I was able to respond to email while driving in the car. In fact, I was connected so much that I never missed a beat.
I know what you are thinking: who wants to work while they are vacationing? This is definitely a negative. Since you are able to take your work anywhere you may be tempted to do so. But even though I was working, I found a happy medium that allowed for the best of both worlds. I did not get behind on my work while still being able to enjoy my time away.
There is no denying the job flexibility of a freelance writer. I plan on touching more on this topic in the near future. Do you have any stories from the road? Do you have any tips on how to balance your time?
