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Writing Goals Reboot: 4 Moves to Fast-Track Freelance Success
Remember those writing goals you set at the beginning of the year?
How’s it going? A lot has changed since COVID-19 turned the economy upside down, closing businesses, causing layoffs, and putting some freelance niches into a tailspin.
Crazy, right?
It might feel like you’re surrounded by uncertainty, but it’s hardly the time to hunker down, do nothing, and hope you magically achieve those writing goals.
Quite the opposite, actually.
Now IS the perfect time to take a look at those writing goals.
Get this right, and you can be a successful freelance writer EVEN during a recession.
Here’s the thing…a lot of freelancers get the whole writing-goals thing all wrong. And it can kill creativity, crush your confidence, and make you second-guess every move you make to move up and earn more.
But it doesn’t have to be like that. When you learn how to set the right kind of writing goals, you’re creating a pathway to success that you can control.
Ready to reboot your writing goals? These four moves will show you how.
5 Urgent Mindset Fixes for the Recession-Proof Freelancer
Have you been wondering how to keep your writing biz alive in the current craziness of COVID-19, isolation, and economic recession? This doesn’t have to take down your career — you can become a recession-proof freelancer.
How?
It begins by killing the toxic, negative thoughts running around in your head. The fears that are keeping you paralyzed.
In large part, earning well in hard times is a mind game. Your attitude and how you respond to what’s happening will determine whether you thrive despite it all, or you fold your tent and give up.
I know it’s true, because this isn’t my first recession rodeo. Know when I first became a six-figure freelance writer? In the depths of the last recession, around 2008-’10.
(I unpack that whole story in my new, free e-book The Recession-Proof Freelancer – grab your copy here.)
So. You can earn well during bad economic times. I’m living proof.
But many will not. Their negative mindset will do them in. You’ll soon see them bagging groceries for minimum wage.
How can you acquire the winning attitude of a recession-proof freelancer, and earn well in the coming year? Here are five toxic thoughts, and the fixes that banish them:
Productivity Tips: How One Pro Cranks Out 2 Novels a Year
Ever wonder what productivity tips help some writers crank out a ton of content?
You know…maybe it seems like it takes you forever to write a blog post, an article, or a letter of introduction.
And while you’re struggling, there seems to be other writers who keep churning out great content…and making more money. Yes?
So what’s the secret? Is there some mysterious book of productivity tips you haven’t heard about? Or some sinister plot to keep those secrets hidden from freelancers trying to move up and earn more?
If the thought has crossed your mind, you’re not alone.
So what if you could peek inside the mind of a highly-productive writer and learn their productivity tips for success?
You might see your own journey as a freelancer a little differently. Maybe even shed some old habits, change the story you’re telling yourself, and get more work done.
Looking for productivity tips? Here’s how one freelance writer cranks out two novels a year, publishes a weekly newsletter, and inspires hope for freelance writers everywhere…
Getting Ghosted? Use This Writer’s Script to Break the Silence
Getting ghosted by freelance writing prospects?
It happens. And it’s happening a lot more during the COVID-19 craziness.
Some businesses have closed or downsized. Editors and marketing directors are scrambling to adjust to a different publishing environment.
And even without a pandemic in process, there’s a million other reasons you might be getting ghosted by a prospect that sounded promising.
What can you do if a hot prospect goes quiet? How do you follow up without sounding desperate or pushy? The right answers to these questions can turn dead ends into paying gigs.
Ghosting happens to everyone, even to top-earning freelance writers. Ever experienced a scenario like this? You land a discovery call with a solid prospect. You listen and ask pro questions and have a great conversation. You get off the call, send a budget-friendly proposal, and…crickets.
For the next two weeks you tell yourself patience is a virtue. You stay busy with other work and regular marketing. But you can’t stop thinking about getting ghosted.
Want to know how to handle getting ghosted? Here’s the script to break the silence.
Freelance Work Freak-Out? 5 Surprising Tips from a Pro
Feeling like you’re in the middle of a freelance work freakout?
You know…the horror-movie type of freakout where the lead character is running around screaming, tearing their hair out, and making rash decisions.
For writers, it might look something like this…
You’re desperately trying to get freelance work. You’re worried about your current clients. Maybe you’ve been ghosted by a solid prospect ever since COVID-19 hit. Or that check you were expecting for a project still hasn’t shown up.
Sound familiar?
If you’re having one of these freakout moments, it’s time to take a step back. Clear your mind. Think. Go for a run. Now is not the time for making hair-on-fire decisions.
In fact, you can still make a good living as a freelance writer. Even though we’re likely heading into a recession, you can still be a six-figure freelancer. And it doesn’t have to take years to get there.
Freelance writer Jessica Mehta hit that goal as a relative newbie. Want to know how she did it? Check out these surprising tips to move up and earn more.
Content Marketing Crisis? 6 Viral Methods to Help Your Clients
Worried about content marketing work drying up and clients freezing budgets for freelancers?
If you’re scared, worried, anxious, or afraid, you’re not alone.
Your first instincts may be to grab onto anything you can to stay afloat and spam pitches scattershot-style
Maybe you’re thinking about going back to content mills even though you swore you never would. Or maybe you’re ready to give up on the dream of being a freelance writer.
Stop right there. When you act from a state of fear, you’re forgetting about the people who may be hurting even more than you are:
Your clients. They’re used to one job and a steady paycheck. That does sound like a content marketing crisis. Chances are pretty good they’re not sure if it’s time to close the doors, cut back, or ramp up content marketing.
Want to know how you can help? It might seem counterintuitive, but now is the perfect time for some one-to-one contact, transmitting positive vibes, and spreading good karma to help your clients. Here’s how it’s done:
25 Writing Tools I Use for Spectacular Freelance Remote Work
Whether you’ve been a freelance writer working from home forever, or you’ve been ordered to stay home in the past month, productivity is important. You want writing tools that help you earn well — tools that impress and build strong bonds with clients.
Over the years, the list of tools and shortcuts I use in my own freelance writing biz has grown. Given that remote work is what nearly everyone is doing as we seek to slow the spread of Covid-19, I thought it’d be a good time to create a fresh list for you.
Many of these tools or sites are free, some cost a bit. All have made it a heck of a lot easier to connect with clients, quickly do my work, send invoices, and more. Most of all, knowing some of the popular tech tools out there helps you impress clients that you’re ready to go.
Note: Because this is a list of writing tools I use and can personally recommend (except for three I mention in the P.S.), some paid tools carry my affiliate link.
If you’re the type of freelancer who loves finding tech help that makes your life easier, dig in and enjoy. I’ve divided them into categories, so you can quickly scan to the type of tools you want most.
Ageism in Freelancing: 5 Wise Ways to Get More Writing Jobs
Are you worried about ageism in freelancing? It’s a concern I hear from a lot of writers.
It’s not uncommon for writers to finally embark on their dream career after retiring or being laid off from a longtime job, or after several different corporate jobs. I also hear from journalists who’ve taken 10-20 years off to raise kids, and now they want to start getting assignments again.
But you worry that you’re “too old.” It’s too late for you. You’re obsolete. No one’s going to hire you.
If ageism in freelancing is your worry, I want to tell you it’s all lies.
I’ve been freelancing since late 2005, have owned an AARP card for several years now, and I’ve never been offered more lucrative projects than I’m seeing right now.
Want to know how to beat ageism in freelancing?
Content Mill Announces Unusual Requirements to Help Writers
Need more freelance work? A leading content mill just stepped up to the plate to help freelancers in an usual way.
If you’ve been thinking about chasing content mill work as a freelance writer, now might be the first time in content-mill history to consider it.
Why? For every day of the shelter-in-place orders around the world, the demand for high-quality, well-written, and engaging content keeps rising…something content mills haven’t always provided.
But that’s about to change.
“Over the last few weeks, we’ve done a thorough assessment of our platforms,” says Content Mill Consortium spokesman Westley Roberts. “We need to do a better job at compensating freelance writers and helping our clients hire great talent. And that time is now.”
The plan, spearheaded by one of the top content mills in the industry, outlines changes to improve rates and connect freelance writers with quality clients, says Roberts. But there are also some unusual requirements the plan includes to help the best freelancers rise to the top.
Ready to move up and earn more? Here’s what you need to know.
Content Writing Wins: Tell Us About Your Most Viral Blog Post
What’s your best, most shared, traffic-generating blog post? We want to hear about your content writing wins.
Turn off the news for a minute. Step away from the non-stop coronavirus updates. Take a chill pill (as in…coffee, chocolate, or some other delightful treat you stocked up on the last time you braved the grocery store).
And dig up the best-performing blog post you’ve published or written for a client.
We’re hosting a contest to show off your best work, share tips on content writing that get results, and (drum roll, please) give out some pretty sweet prizes.
What made your best blog post get more clicks, likes, shares, and site traffic?
If you don’t have metrics for your best content writing work, that’s OK, too. Anecdotal proof (like comments on a post, even if they’re from your mom) that show off your content writing superpowers works, too.
Maybe you’ve even written a blog post that went viral…you know like every blog post Jon Morrow writes. Now’s your chance to tell us about your top content writing win.
Here’s a few examples and details about the contest:
Quit Your Job to Freelance? A Teacher’s 5 Sink-or-Swim Moves
If you’ve been thinking about ways to quit your job and freelance full time, you’re not alone.
There’s a lot of unknowns right now. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a little more control over your income, your schedule, and your life?
When you’re a freelancer, you’re not at the mercy of a global pandemic, a hard-to-work-with manager, or the day-to-day drudgery of work you hate.
You make the rules. You’re the boss. Your schedule, your workload, and your income depends on you.
If you’re thinking about this, chances are pretty good you’ve got questions:
Do you have what it takes? Can you get freelance writing clients? Will you be able to pay your bills and do meaningful work?
The answer: Yes, you can. I quit my job as a mid-career teacher to be a freelancer. But instead of taking the side-hustle-for-years route, I decided to go with the sink-or-swim approach.
Ready to quit your job to be a freelance writer? Here’s what you need to know:
Prevent Coronavirus From Killing Your Freelance Income: 10 Ideas
Greetings from Seattle, the American Ground Zero of the coronavirus pandemic! Yes, both my teens’ schools are closed for 6 weeks. If you’ve been frantically reading up on how to avoid catching coronavirus, remember one important aspect of that process: You also need to prevent coronavirus (and fears about it) from destroying your freelance-writing income.
Right? Let’s go!
First off, let’s all breathe for a minute here and just sit quietly. BIG breath in through the nose, and slowly out through the mouth. Good.
We’re going to get through this. I promise.
Yes, I know the stock markets are crashing, too. But it’s still going to be OK.
How do I know? Because I’ve freelanced through previous economic recessions, most recently in 2009. In fact, I built my freelance-writing biz up to earning six figures during that downturn.
The tunnel has a light — and there’s lots of opportunity for us in bad times, too.
Best way to get through this is to focus your energy on what is within your sphere of control. What you can take action on.
Because there’s no point worrying about the rest. Like Erma Bombeck once said, “Worry is like rocking in a rocking chair — it gives you something to do, but never gets you anywhere.”
What can you do, proactively, to prevent coronavirus from putting a hole in your writing income? Here are my tips:
Looking for writing courses & community support?
Our online community, Freelance Writers Den, was founded in 2011. Since then, we’ve helped 14,000+ writers connect with peers, improve their skills, and grow their freelance writing income.
Our lively community is stuffed with useful tools and career-building resources. Use our 24/7 forums to get your questions answered by pros. Tap our 300+ hours of self-study trainings to learn new skills.
The Den has live events and multi-week bootcamps where you can tap experts’ knowledge, an exclusive job board, accountability buddies, live chats, and more. Also, if you want feedback on your writer website, LinkedIn profile, or article draft, we’ve got you.
Visit the Freelance Writers Den site to see if we’re open for new members right now. Sign up on the waiting list if we’re not, and you’ll be first to join when we reopen (plus, you’ll get useful free resources in the meanwhile).
