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Some Quick Tips for Balancing a Full Time Job While Building Your Freelance Writing Business

February 4, 2010 by david 16 Comments

balance

If I had to pick one of the most difficult aspects of freelancing, it would have to be building a freelance writing business while still working full time at my day job. I did this for two years, from 2000 to 2002, and also in 2008 and 2009 when I had a full time social media job. As much as I love to write, sometimes the last thing I wanted to do after a full day of work was to come home and work again. Plus, many clients want to talk on the phone during business hours, something I couldn’t always give them. I had to find some balance and a way to make it work, especially if I wanted to freelance full time.

You can freelance and work full time and still make it work. Maybe some of these tips will help you achieve some balance too:

Only take as many clients as you can handle

You might be tempted to take as many opportunities as you can in order to build up a client base and save enough money to leave your day job for good. Before you do, make sure you can handle the work load. Also consider how all your spare time will be spent writing. No TV. No reading. No family game night…just work. However, if you take one opportunity at a time until you know how many hours of your time you can devote each evening or weekend, you might find a more doable solution for you and your family. Try one client at a time to start and adjust as necessary.

Set aside time to communicate with clients

Not everyone can call freelance writing clients or handle emails from their days jobs. You might have to handle communication during your lunch hour. You might even have to make those calls from your cell phone from the local deli. The last thing you want is for your moonlighting to interfere with your day job but you can find a workable solution. Not all clients come from 9 to 5 businesses either. Find out whether or not they can talk to you in the evenings or on weekends. You’ll find many are flexible and willing to work with you.

Set a realistic schedule

Working late into the night or rising early in the morning is how many of us found the time to write when we were still working full time. I can’t speak for all the other writers who did this, but I can tell you I was always tired and cranky from rising at 4:00 a.m. If you’re dead tired throughout the day, you won’t be able to focus on your work at night. Set a realistic schedule and don’t let your desire to freelance full time get in the way of everything else you do.

It’s possible

Having a full time job while building a freelance writing business is absolutely doable, but try not to make the mistake of biting off more than you can chew. A common mistake among aspiring freelancers is to keep accepting gigs even if it means sacrificing precious sleeping time. Be careful not to over do it. Start out small and grow as you go.

How’re We Doing? Please Take the 2010 Annual Freelance Writing Jobs Survey

February 2, 2010 by david 1 Comment

Every year I like to poll the Freelance Writing Jobs community to see how we’re doing. Really, this is your community and if we’re not giving you what you want, we’re not doing our jobs. These surveys allow for me and the rest of the FWJ blogging team to learn what you wish to discuss most, and what you like least about this network. Really, the best way to improve is through your feedback. All responses are anonymous, so please feel free to respectfully speak your mind.

Thanks to all for making FWJ such a success. Click here to take survey

P.S. For those who have asked, we’re more than happy to share the results of this survey. Give us a month or two to get in all the results and we’ll let you know what we learned. You may learn sooner because many of the blog posts at FWJ are created as a result of the survey findings.

Thanks and have a terrific week!

– Deb

The Non Traditional Freelance Writer’s Approach to Freelance Writing

February 1, 2010 by david 20 Comments

path less traveled

Every now and then it’s suggested I’m doing this wrong, that my approach to freelance writing isn’t traditional and that the tips shared here are incorrect. It’s even been hinted that perhaps I don’t look out for a writer’s best interests because I don’t follow the old-school rules of journalism or insist you follow the same path as all the other freelance writers. Those insinuations don’t bother me at all. I admit I don’t necessarily do things the right way – if there is a right way. I kind of like marching to my own drummer.

There’s a reason the rumors don’t upset me. It may seem like a big stinking pile of ego to say this, but I don’t mind the criticism because I’m successful. I don’t feel as if I’m going about this the wrong way because my bank account and my list of satisfied customers are convincing me otherwise.

So there it is. I found success as a freelance writer even if I didn’t necessarily follow a well-worn, traditional path.

Should it matter?

I don’t think so. To me, there’s something to be said about breaking the mold and finding your own way even if others might not approve. It doesn’t matter what others feel I should do if it doesn’t match my vision for achieving success. For me it means taking a less flexible approach to a freelancing schedule and using a cocktail of opportunities to maximize my earning potential. For someone else it may mean taking two hours out of each day to seek out and query $1 per word writing markets.

If it’s alright with you, I’d like to toss out a few suggestions for approaching your own freelance writing success. When I’m done, I’d love it if you can add some of your own methods into the mix as well.

Define your own freelance writing success

Figure out what you want early on. That doesn’t mean you can’t change your approach later or redefine your goals and visions. However, having an idea in your mind of what it means to be a success will give you a starting point. Success might be a monetary goal, seeing your name in a particular publication, or achieving a certain status. Define success first, and the rest will follow.

Plot goals and strategies needed to achieve said freelance writing success

You know what you want, now how will you get it? If your goal is to write the great American novel, you know you have to start with an outline, research facts and figures, develop characters, write a certain amount of pages each day, and eventually create a kickass proposal and shop it around. Create your path to success by plotting obtainable goals and milestones.

Keep an open mind

In 2010 opportunities for freelance writers abound. One doesn’t only need to rely on magazines or newspapers. Depending on expertise and experience, the same writers who create web content can become copywriters, article writers for magazines, newsletters and newspapers, ebook and traditional authors, bloggers and more. Creating a cocktail of opportunities might prove to be more beneficial than sticking with one tried and true form of writing. You don’t have to accept any opportunities you’re not feeling, but looking around at what else is out there couldn’t hurt.

Create a schedule

I don’t know about you, but if it’s not in front of my face it doesn’t get done. After plotting out my goals I write them down. I put them on my calendar and work them into my daily, weekly or monthly agendas. Now I have no excuse for not achieving my goals.

Take action

It’s easy to talk about defining, scheduling and plotting but it’s all meaningless if I don’t take action. All the freelance bloggers can offer tips and advice until the earth stops moving, but we can’t force you to take the first – or any steps. So now it’s your turn. How will you take action?

That’s it – that’s my non-traditional approach to freelance writing success, now tell us about yours. What are your goals and what steps are you taking to achieve those goals?