Being a freelance blogger sometimes feels a bit like riding a rollercoaster.
First, you’re too busy to breathe, then you’re sitting there with not much to do. You kick it into gear to find more work and the cycle starts all over again.
It’s the old feast-or-famine syndrome and can quickly wear you out, not to mention add a lot of stress to your probably already stress-filled life.
One way to avoid the rollercoaster is to get organized and plan ahead. I know, you’re busy–who has time to plan? But, a careful, well-thought-out plan can make the ride a bit more manageable. Here’s how to do it, fast.
Schedule Weekly Planning Time
The first thing to realize is that your freelance blogging business is a business, so treat it like one.
Set aside time every week to plan: look ahead to the next few weeks to see what irons you have in the fire.
Also use this time to identify work opportunities. Is there a blog out there that you want to write for? Put together that pitch. The key is not to wait until you have nothing going on and then send out a dozen pitches at once.
Even just one hour a week dedicated to planning can make a big difference. I often use this planning part of my week to work on my online portfolio and website that never seem to get off the ground.
This is also a great time to update any invoices you may have for your different clients. There are some high-tech programs to keep track of your time and create invoices, but I prefer to keep track on paper and put together invoices in Microsoft Word. Throughout the month, I keep running invoices for my regular clients and each time I finish a project, I add it on. Then, at the end of the month, the invoice is ready to go.
By the way, it’s a good idea to make sure every first of the month you have time booked on your calendar to send out your invoices and keep all your accounts up-to-date.
Stay Connected
Depending on the type of writing you do, you may want to set aside time daily to check out some of the many sites advertising blog writing gigs. You never know when an interesting job may show up, so it’s good to keep an eye on what’s happening and get your pitch in sooner rather than later.
Lately, I’ve found a lot of success with some Facebook groups, including The Careful Cents Freelance Club and How to Build a Part-time Social Media Business. Both groups feature occasional job opportunities and you also have a chance to connect with other freelancers, who are a great resource when you have questions.
This sounds silly, but it works. Book time daily in your online calendar–just 15 minutes is fine–for you to cruise blogs and discussion groups to stay connected with other freelancers. Don’t just browse aimlessly on Facebook; do something productive. If I’m in the middle of writing when that time comes around, then I make a mental note to do those checks afterward.
Take the Long View
If you’ve been freelancing for a while, look back at the past couple of years and look for any dry spots. Are there some months where you could stand to have a little more work?
For example, history tells me that July is my busiest month. With that in mind, I try not to plan the annual family vacation during that month.
I’ve also learned through the years that December tends to be a bit slow. I’m OK with that, as I’m often busy with non-work activities at that time of year. You can also use these dry periods to refine your skills and maybe attend a seminar or an event where you can network with other people at the same time.
Careful planning can’t eliminate all the bumps in the road–you never know when you’ll get that fast-turnaround assignment– but it can go a long way to making your freelance writing career a smoother ride.
Images: Mike Rohde, Lawrence Rayner
Fantastic post! I recently cut my day job hours because I was making enough money on the side through writing and coaching that I could start making a major transition. Now the problem I run into is being productive and planning ahead with my new schedule. It’s one thing when you’re doing it as a hobby, it’s a whole other thing when you’re running a business and your income now needs to come from it I will definitely be incorporating these tips into my business!
I’m glad the tips were helpful to you. It always seems to be a giant balancing act.
Really great tips in this post! I find that using a calendar system for planning is great to. I designate tasks for different days, i.e ‘send pitch to Blog ABC on Tuesday’. It’s also good to plan for your business as a business; are there any events-virtual or in real life-that you can participate in to gain more exposure? I am also old school when it comes to invoicing. There are so many tools online that help you run your business, but some of them don’t actually provide THAT much value. Excellent insights here.
Thanks for that tip — I am trying to plug more things in my electronic calendar too, such as finish up XYZ otherwise it never seems to get done.
Awesome tips, MaryBeth. I’m learning that it’s important to continue my marketing tasks even during the weeks that I have plenty of work.
Thanks for some nice reminders Mary Beth! On a similar note, I also read a good article this past week titled “Throw Out Your Business Plan and Create a Business Map” http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130531181946-101706366-throw-out-your-business-plan-and-create-a-business-map?trk=tod-home-art-medium_1. Another way to stay organized and goal oriented in this rapidly changing business environment.
Thanks Lori. I’ll look at that post too. One thing about business is that it’s constantly changing!
I stopped to read this while planning! So encouraging to see that reading blogs is considered productive time.
I definitely consider reading blogs to be productive time! Well, maybe not so much entertainment blogs, but anything related to work, writing, marketing, freelancing, or whatever might be relevant to your business.
I also see time spent commenting on and sharing those posts as productive time. If it helps me build up relationships or become a part of community, and helps me become better at my work, it definitely counts as “productive.” It’s just a nice touch that it feels less like work than a lot of other tasks that need to be done.
Thanks for the idea Kristen about reading blogs and commenting on them as another way to be productive. You’re right — it’s also a nice break that doesn’t feel too much like work too!
Great tips on organizing activities for online businesses. I’ll make sure to apply most of the tips. Great job MaryBeth!
I knew the feast and famine cycle was a common part of freelancing, but in the past couple of months that knowledge has taken on a greater reality for me.
To have a week packed with work and deadlines followed by one where suddenly nothing feels pressing is jarring – you keep feeling like there must be something you’re missing!
Of course, I never feel at a loss for work to do. I’m always wanting to spend more time doing research, networking, and writing. The challenge I face is keeping up with those tasks during the busier weeks, and not just falling back on them during the “famine” periods.
Thanks for the shout-out to the CC Freelancers Club MaryBeth! I like your point about not aimlessly wasting time on Facebook but being productive by connecting with other freelancers and new opportunities. Great tips here!
No problem Carrie — the group is a great way to connect! Glad you found a few good ideas in here. Now if only I could follow my own advice…
I’m definitely a fan of weekly planning time! It’s the first thing I do every Monday morning, and I’d feel lost for the week without it. Great post!
I’m glad you found something that works for you Jeffrey.
Thanks Marybeth for the tips. I’ve been freelancing for two years and still feel behind the curve sometimes with my feast or famine cycles. I will try your suggestion to connect with freelancers via social media more often 🙂
I think it’s important to connect with other freelancers to bounce ideas off of and also serve as pseudo-co-workers. Working by yourself can get lonely.
Great tips! I’m currently doing the first two and have found scheduling time to do “business tasks” (like billing which I’m notoriously horrible at) and “finding work” are essential to looking at the long view. Adding just an hour each week of both has made me realize that freelancing is going to be completely viable in the long-run. Ironically, cutting out the hour each week I was spending looking for day jobs.
I can’t wait until I can look at a long view and see the dry spells.
-Stu
Marybeth, you’ve listed some very good tips.
It never occurred to me to look back over the years at the pattern of your career to know when you usually have slow or busy months and to plan accordingly. I don’t have many years to look back on in freelancing yet, but now that you mention it, I’ll never forget that tip for the future. It makes perfect sense. And it can be applied to my other business as an author, in regards to book sales.
Wonderful tip!
I’m glad you found that tip to be helpful. I’ve definitely noticed some times are busier than others. It varies between clients…now of course you don’t want all your clients to be super heavy or super light at the same time!
Thanks for the tips and the reminder. Planning is my weakness and your advice really helps.
Good advice and I should probably follow it. I always resolve to plan and then things heat up and all planning goes out the window.
You’ve give me some ideas, thanks!
Annie
I always resolve to plan too, but it’s sometimes easier said than done. I always feel that if something comes up — a possible assignment — I should take it. I have hard time saying no.
Welcome, MaryBeth!
Great tips and great article.
The part that I found MOST interesting was when you mentioned December as being a slow period. It is for me as well! Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight after Thanksgiving until around mid-January. Every. Single. Year.
It’s nice to know I’m not the only one. 🙂
I’ve followed you on Twitter. I look forward to seeing more from you in the future!
I think a lot of businesses stop doing a lot of work during that time of year so the amount of work they outsource declines too. Many businesses are also at the end of their budget too. Thanks for the Twitter follow too!
That’s a very good point, but I think it’s something that would come as a surprise to *new* freelancers. I know it certainly was to me when I was green!
I came from a primarily “retail” background. In retail (and other crappy minimum wage jobs), it’s often the opposite: They have MORE work–and more hires!–around the holiday season.
So it was a bit of a shock when it was EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE in the freelance writing world. Hahaha.
Again, I think it’s great that you put that out there. For people who didn’t already know and for people (me!) who love that “it’s not just me” fellow-freelancer camaraderie. 😉
I think sharing information with fellow freelancers is so important — we’re off here on our own and wondering if we’re doing it right (at least I wonder if I’m doing it right!)
Well, it certainly SEEMS like you are! 😉
And I think that “wonder” will definitely work in your favor. It’s the people who stop wondering who stop learning–and stop upgrading their skills–and eventually become obsolete.
As freelancers, I think it’s part of our job description to KEEP wondering “am I doing this right?” and then seek out the answer. 😀
Great tips MaryBeth. I am still in the beginning stages of freelancing. I have had busy times and then I drop off and it’s crickets. Thanks so much for the helpful links. I’m looking forward to checking them out.
Alternating between busy and “crickets” is all part of the freelance lifestyle! It happens to all of us.
I found this article extremely helpful as well. Not just for the advice (which was great), but for the sense of “it’s not just me!” Knowing that others go through the “Famine” part of the Cycle too is very comforting.
Thanks for stopping by!
The feast and famine cycle seems to happen to me a lot. When I started writing it was all famine! Then I started pitching and things were going great until about January of this year. It was from Jan to late May that I was stuck in a drought, I couldn’t land any more gigs and I was living off $200 a week from one article a week with a long term client I have.
I think Large portition of my problem is I do the wait till I have nothing and send out 12 pitches thing. I need to be more constant with my job planning.
Yep, the best time to find new clients is when you’ve already got plenty. That puts you in a strong negotiating position, because if you don’t like the deal you can politely walk away.