6 things I've learned in 6 years of freelancing
I've learned a lot in 6 years as a freelance writer. Here are my top 6 takeaways and how they continue to help me build a profitable business.
Okay, so these lists are pretty cliché by this point. I hope you’ll indulge me anyway! It’s my 6th freelance birthday, after all.
1) Learn to say ‘no’ (it’s the best thing you’ll ever do)
Learning to say no is a delicate art. You need to identify situations where ‘no’ is your best response and then launch into a spectacular ballet of tact and diplomacy. Effort.
Over the years, I’ve found it helpful to outline a list of non-negotiables, so I know what a ‘no’ situation looks like. For example, I try to avoid working out of hours (that includes responding to messages), I don’t do unpaid tests or trials, and I usually won’t work for a discounted rate…even when the client promises more work further down the line.
I also have a set of stock ‘no’ responses that I like to build on so I’m not left flapping around, searching for the most inoffensive way to extract myself from the situation.
2) You don’t have to work 24/7 to make good money
…not if you’re charging decent rates, anyway. Content mills and bidding sites prey on new freelancers, hooking them in with the promise of unlimited clients and work.
Trouble is, if you’re only earning £15 for a 500-word blog post, you’ll need to work like a maniac to scrape a decent living. If you wrote four blog posts a day (which is bonkers, btw), you’d only earn £60 for your efforts. That’s compared to independent freelancers who can earn hundreds of pounds for just one blog post.
If you want more info on how to price projects and set your freelance rates, check out my video 👇
3) Downtime is okay — sometimes, it’s just what you need!
The grind never stops, right? Wrong. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that continually working with no breaks is horrifically bad for you. It shows poor time management and probably compromises your ability to do anything effectively due to mental fatigue.
Okay, sure. If you're just starting as a freelancer, you'll have to hustle for the first few months to get the ball rolling. But after that? Regular time off. Always.
Often, stepping away from my desk helps clear creative and mental blocks. When I'm tired, I swap to another task and save the heavy lifting for another day. I book a week's holiday every 3 months to make sure I don't get burnt out.
No good ever came of bullying yourself into working more.
4) The job is only confirmed when you’ve got the money
Experience has taught me that, no matter how keen the prospect appears, you should only count it as a win when you’ve got your 50% deposit and a signed agreement. Anything up to that point is pure courtship.
Trust me, mate. In the past, I've stressed about potential work, only to have it fall through. I even talked about it here…
TL;DW don’t you count them chickens until the eggs have hatched!
5) Proper onboarding is essential, no matter your business size
Look, babe — almost all of us are ‘lone wolves’ and ‘one-man bands’, but that doesn’t mean our onboarding processes are any less important.
Before you take on that work, no matter how small the proj, make sure you do a proper chemistry call, get a full brief, and get that client to sign a writer’s agreement. Show them you’re a freelancer who means business (and protect yourself in the process).
If you’re not sure how to do it ‘properly’, go here and I’ll tell you.
6) Other freelancers are your greatest ally
Joining freelance communities on Slack, Discord, and Twitter is as good for your mental health as your bottom line.
You can refer prospects to them rather than give a hard ‘no’ when the fit isn’t right. You can hit them up for creative troubleshooting or just troubleshooting in general. You can chat with them at the digital water cooler like you would an IRL colleague.
I can’t count how many times the freelance community has come through for me in the last 6 years — tonnes, mate. Tonnes!
Almost half of my work comes from peer referrals. When my Mum passed away last summer, my freelance colleagues covered my client work for me and sent care packages to my house. When I needed help with a paperwork quandary, they were there.
The freelance community is worth its weight in gold. So dive on in, mate. The water’s fine!
Does anything on this list sound familiar? Do you have anything you’d add? Come and find me on Twitter and let me know.
