5 Things to Do Before the End of the Year

There’s lots to keep you busy in December. Need I list them? Christmas, Hanukkah, gearing up for your Resolutions list come January.

But there are a handful of things you won’t want to forget while you’re busy making a list and checking it twice.

Here are 5 things you don’t want to miss if you’re a freelance writer:

1. Say, “Thanks!”

We often forget what it was like when we had no clients. When there were no deadline, no phone calls, no projects in the near future. Or worse, when we had nightmare clients who were worse to work with than having no clients at all. When it comes to cultivating your garden of opportunities it’s always important to be grateful for the garden you have now. Make time to send a card, or even just an email to let your clients (past and present) know how much you appreciate them and how much you look forward to working with them again in the future.

2. Organize your paperwork.

Better to get all your paperwork in order now before things get crazy again next year. This means sending out all invoices due, recording all payment received and keeping track of all of your receipts.

3. Create a list of accomplishments you’re proud of.

The year goes by so fast doesn’t it? I find that by spending time thinking about all the things I’ve accomplished this year, I’m more motivated and excited by the upcoming year. I never would have thought that, for example, I’d finally move to Hawaii, land freelance writing opportunities for national and regional magazines or that I would have gotten a column for The Writer magazine. It’s easy to get caught up as a freelance writer, comparing yourself to other writers and getting down when work gets sparse. All the more reason why you should take a few minutes to list all the amazing things you’ve done this year!

4. Create a list of things you want to accomplish in 2013.

It’s almost here! 2013 is right around the corner. To get jumping on the new year, devote time to writing what you want to still do. Whether it’s completing a short story, novel, or book of poetry, make sure you add it to your list and refer to it every few months. The only way you’ll get things done is if you focus on your goals and take the necessary steps to get there.

5.  Create a “no ways could this ever happen to me, but I wish it would” list.

We do this for holidays, make a list of all the things we wish we could own. Why not do this for your writing? Compose a list of ideal clients, amazing companies, and inspiring projects you’d love to work on. Once it’s out there, you never know what can happen.

What did you want to accomplish before the end of 2012?