Seven Years a Freelance Writer. Seven Slices of Freelance Writing Advice.

Anyone for freelance writing advice?

If you saw my recent LinkedIn post, you probably knew this was coming.  It’s part of the inevitable reflection that follows a significant career anniversary.

‘Seven years’ feels momentous, partly due to the connotations of that number.  We’ve all heard of the seven-year itch, and there’s a theory that the human body ‘replaces’ itself with new cells every seven years.

I also didn’t expect to make it this far.  When I left my HR career in 2016, it was with no plan other than make money through writing. I had one client already lined up, and savings that would carry me for two months, tops.

My motivation was a strong gut feeling that changing career was absolutely the right thing to do.  It was also the sympathetic head-tilting and the oft-repeated: “It’s OK, you can just go back to HR if things don’t work out.”

Well, no.  I would not be going back to HR if things didn’t work out.  I’d come too far, both mentally and emotionally, just to turn on my heel.  So, on my first self-employed day I cancelled my CIPD membership to get rid of any potential safety nets.  The nice lady on the phone asked me if I was really sure, “because you’ve worked hard to build your career and it’s a shame to throw all that away.”

But sometimes, you just have to.

There’s a quote on my wall from Dostoyevsky’s The Idiot (yes I know how pretentious that sounds) that says: “There are times when it’s all right to burn one’s boats, and when it’s even all right not to go home again…”

I find that very inspiring.

Anyway.

There have been a fair few messages, sent when I started out as a writer and whenever I talk about career anniversaries, from people who’d like freelance writing advice.

I tend to feel like a fraud when people ask me how they can do what I did.  One, because I don’t feel like I actually did that much. (I must have done, because I’m still a full-time self-employed writer, which is really quite stellar, even if I still can’t quite get that fact through my own head).

Two, because so much of my still being a writer is down to plain old luck.

But here are my seven tips – because it’s been seven years and listicles are nothing if not congruent – to prepare would-be career-changers for a freelance writer’s life.

1.Already be writing

When I started out, I’d written the first draft of a novel and several short stories, kept a regular blog since 2007, composed speeches and eulogies for friends, and edited various policies and bulletins at the companies I’d worked at.

So I already knew my own writing style, and how it could be adapted to help tell others’ stories.  I didn’t quite appreciate how useful this was going to be, until I was I the thick of my new career.

2.Put yourself in lucky places

My first serious writing job came not from social media or networking*, but by hand-delivering printed leaflets.

Nobody would have advised this as a marketing strategy.  I have this on good authority from marketing strategists!   But delivering leaflets made me feel like I was doing something real, in a way that posting on social media doesn’t.

I was lucky that I went with my gut, and even luckier that it worked.

*I’m not saying don’t use social media or go to networking meetings.  You should.  But if something else suggests itself and you can’t get it out of your head, do that as well.

3.Be prepared to learn – constantly

You can’t be self-employed and not set aside time to learn.  You’re all you’ve got to offer, so you have to update your knowledge and keep equipping yourself with new skills.

Since I started writing, I’ve taken courses in (to name a few) behavioural science, SEO techniques, meteorology, public speaking, how to focus on important projects, and how to be funnier.

4.Lead with honesty

If you’re not sure whether you can do a particular job – mainly because you’ve never done it before – say so.  Then, clearly explain how you’d approach it.

This will help both to reassure the client, and take unnecessary pressure off your shoulders.

5.Don’t work for free

The best freelance writing advice I ever received was from a friend who isn’t a freelance writer.  He builds websites as a side-hustle instead.  He’s a kind person who always wants to help others, but as he explained, not asking for payment earned him an unshakeable reputation for “doing good work, for free”.

If you really want exposure over money, do the work for a reduced rate, instead.

6.Have an interesting personal project on the go

Freelancing is hard, so you have to love whatever you’re freelancing in.

It also helps to have a ‘magic’ project that’s just yours, as a beautiful reminder of why you love what you do.  Mine is a novel that will never see the commercial light of day, but I really enjoy tinkering with.

7.Do brave things

If you haven’t got an employer to notice your hard work and keep pushing you forwards, you’ve got to do it yourself.

I’ve made myself do lots of scary things over the past seven years.  They include giving personal speeches to roomfuls of strangers, publishing two books, and actually getting to meet one of my favourite authors after writing to him for some advice.

If you’re considering a freelance career, good luck.  And if you’d like me to do some freelance writing for you, good choice.  Contact me here.