Photo by: Wit
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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?
These are some good, productive tips! I would suggest, as well, that when you read you can read a lot of things. Writers can always benefit from reading. Beyond business reading, you could focus on reading within your specialty. Important to stay current!
Thanks for the tip! I am an avid reader and try to read everything from fiction to nonfiction and magazines to newspapers.