So here it is, a bunch of tools to get you writing successfully by doing the opposite from what I did. Keep reading if you want to avoid hitting your head over and over on your desk from low or nonpaying clients.

1. Showing my heart on my sleeve. When I first started out, I was uncertain about a lot of things. Could do it? Was I good enough? Would anyone ever hire me? I let these insecurities get to me. It dictated the jobs I got, the people I interacted with and the way I conducted my business. Instead of selling my writing as a professional, I was basically groveling at potential client’s feet. Not the way you want to act if you want to get good clients or be respected.
2. Saying yes to everything. Maybe it worked for Jim Carrey’s character in, “The Yes Man,” but it didn’t work for me as a new freelance writer. Out of fear that I wouldn’t get enough jobs, I took everyone that came my way. Here’s what happened. I got paid very little or not at all. I wasted a lot of time and money by not being discriminating.
3. Not having a contract. Ugh! I know it’s stupid. Don’t be a dummy like me. I plead naivete for not having a contract at the beginning. Contracts were foreign to me. But several scams later and I’ve learned. Believe me! When a client says, “I don’t feel comfortable with contract,” I’m going to run the other way.
4. Ignoring my instincts. From the very beginning, I had a weird stomach turning feeling with an editor. I don’t know what it was. She was nice to me so I ignored it. In retrospect, I wished I listened to my gut feeling. She ended up not only being mean, but ended up refusing to pay me for several articles I wrote for her.
5. Not asking enough questions. This goes back to #2. When I took all the jobs that came my way, I didn’t bother to ask more questions. Questions like, “How much will you pay me?” “Will you pay me to write this sample article or test-drive your website?” It’s frustrating to think back to all the times I essentially did things for free, just because I was afraid to ask.

Admitting to my ignorance isn’t an easy thing. Looking back, I really don’t know what I was thinking or doing. But I’ve learned a ton in the process. Don’t do what I did. Every new writer makes mistakes. I hope this post will prevent a lot of you from making the same head banging ones I did!

Freelance writing is kind of like fishing. There’s a lot of waiting involved. You throw out the bait, wait for a bite and then get ready for the fight.

However, instead of thumb twiddling or going to the opposite extreme and getting unnecessarily busy (online shopping or applying for jobs like crazy, for example), this may be a good time to get yourself organized and prepared for the next bite.

Here are a few productive things to do while you’re waiting for your next big project:

1. Catch up on reading. Maybe now is not the best time to get into the latest Vampire craze or Stephen King novel. Unless, of course, you’re doing some research. Instead, I use the time to catch up on what’s going on in the freelance writing field. Besides reading pertinent articles and blogs online, I used the time to read up on books and magazines that cover copywriting, marketing and negotiating rates. All areas I’m hoping to learn more about.
2. Catch up with old contacts. Every week I go through my list of emails and send a quick, “How are you doing? Can I help you with anything else?” to past clients or outstanding queries. It’s a great way to check in and let editors know you’re still interested and waiting for the next step. I have actually received an email in the past from an editor who eventually gave me an assignment that way and apologized for being so slow to catch up.
3. Refocus your goals. It’s great to spend time focusing on your goals. What you wanted 6 months ago as a freelance writer, could be a whole different game now. Take a moment to figure out if the clients you have and the projects you are working on are still aligned with your goals. If they are not, figure out a way to get back on the right path. Let clients know you are open to working on new projects and start applying only for positions that really fit with you today.
4. Take inventory. Measure your successes and areas that need improvement on an excel sheet. Taking inventory of newspaper articles you finished and all the queries you haven’t are important. Find out what is holding you back. What things can you do to improve? If you start working on them now it will help get you that much closer to where you want to be.
5. Organize your paperwork. Take the time to organize receipts and invoices now and it will be much easier for you to get things in order when tax time comes around.

What about you? When things are slow, what things do you to do to help yourself and your business keep going?