Sonya 1New Year's Resolutions for Freelance Writers
December 21st 2008 19:20
With 2009 just around the corner, I thought I would share some great New Year's Resolutions that every freelance writer should adopt. With these simple tips, you are sure to grow your freelance writing career in the coming year.
1. Develop a business plan. Freelancing is a business just like any other, and the key to any successful business is a solid business plan. If you don't already have one, visit the U.S. Small Business Administration for tips on how to write a business plan. A plan will give you specific goals to reach in 2009 and keep you focused on your priorities. It will also provide a marketing strategy.
2. Set a schedule and stick to it. Just because you work from home doesn't mean you have to be on the job 24 hours a day. It's easy to get consumed with work and spend all day in front of the computer screen. This isn't healthy, and it's probably not what you envisioned when you started this gig. To prevent this, create a work schedule and stick to it. When the end of your work day comes, turn off the computer and get on with your life.
3. Write every day. The best way to improve your writing skills is to write, write, write. Just like exercise, the more you write the stronger your writing abilities will become. Even if you are not working on paying jobs every day, find an opportunity to write a blog or another enjoyable writing activity. Practice makes perfect.
4. Find new income streams regularly. Set a goal for yourself to find a new place to write regularly. It could be once a week or once a month, but always be looking for a new opportunity to get paid. I try to find a new legitimate Web site once a week. So far, I've had great luck discovering new places to make money by writing.
5. Start or maintain a blog. Blogging gives you that daily practice in writing, and it also gives you a good place to promote yourself. Blogging can also make you money if you do it regularly. The key to making money with a blog is to write, write, write. You have to stick with it, and eventually your hits will grow.
6. Read books on writing. If you haven't read William Zinsser's On Writing Well or William Strunk's Elements of Style, you are not writing to your full potential. As a writer, it is essential that you read books on how to write well. Consider it your professional development. Make a point to read a book a month.
8. Write for fun. Don't let all the writing you do be work-related. Chances are you chose this profession because at one time you actually enjoyed writing. Tap into that joy and just write for fun sometimes. If you find that all the writing you do is for the sole purpose of profit, you will begin to resent yourself. Give yourself a chance to have some writing down-time, whether it's through a journal or a blog. Have fun in 2009.
9. Connect with other freelancers. Freelance writing can be a lonely profession. You spend all day on the computer, and you get little interaction with other people. Make a point to connect with some of your peers in the coming year. Join a social networking site like Writing.com to share ideas and meet other writers.
10. Pay your taxes. One of the first orders of business for 2009 will be to pay your 2008 taxes. Be sure to have all your paperwork in order so Uncle Sam won't have to hunt you down to get paid. If you didn't make any money in 2008, take this opportunity to get all your files in order for your 2009 taxes.
1. Develop a business plan. Freelancing is a business just like any other, and the key to any successful business is a solid business plan. If you don't already have one, visit the U.S. Small Business Administration for tips on how to write a business plan. A plan will give you specific goals to reach in 2009 and keep you focused on your priorities. It will also provide a marketing strategy.
2. Set a schedule and stick to it. Just because you work from home doesn't mean you have to be on the job 24 hours a day. It's easy to get consumed with work and spend all day in front of the computer screen. This isn't healthy, and it's probably not what you envisioned when you started this gig. To prevent this, create a work schedule and stick to it. When the end of your work day comes, turn off the computer and get on with your life.
3. Write every day. The best way to improve your writing skills is to write, write, write. Just like exercise, the more you write the stronger your writing abilities will become. Even if you are not working on paying jobs every day, find an opportunity to write a blog or another enjoyable writing activity. Practice makes perfect.
4. Find new income streams regularly. Set a goal for yourself to find a new place to write regularly. It could be once a week or once a month, but always be looking for a new opportunity to get paid. I try to find a new legitimate Web site once a week. So far, I've had great luck discovering new places to make money by writing.
5. Start or maintain a blog. Blogging gives you that daily practice in writing, and it also gives you a good place to promote yourself. Blogging can also make you money if you do it regularly. The key to making money with a blog is to write, write, write. You have to stick with it, and eventually your hits will grow.
6. Read books on writing. If you haven't read William Zinsser's On Writing Well or William Strunk's Elements of Style, you are not writing to your full potential. As a writer, it is essential that you read books on how to write well. Consider it your professional development. Make a point to read a book a month.
8. Write for fun. Don't let all the writing you do be work-related. Chances are you chose this profession because at one time you actually enjoyed writing. Tap into that joy and just write for fun sometimes. If you find that all the writing you do is for the sole purpose of profit, you will begin to resent yourself. Give yourself a chance to have some writing down-time, whether it's through a journal or a blog. Have fun in 2009.
9. Connect with other freelancers. Freelance writing can be a lonely profession. You spend all day on the computer, and you get little interaction with other people. Make a point to connect with some of your peers in the coming year. Join a social networking site like Writing.com to share ideas and meet other writers.
10. Pay your taxes. One of the first orders of business for 2009 will be to pay your 2008 taxes. Be sure to have all your paperwork in order so Uncle Sam won't have to hunt you down to get paid. If you didn't make any money in 2008, take this opportunity to get all your files in order for your 2009 taxes.
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Comment by moonglow
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I agree with number eight, especially! I try to write about things that I enjoy. That way, my writing never feels like work!