Ever get an interesting assignment, land some great interviews, and then struggle for motivation when it’s time to start writing?
A freelancer friend of mine was having a crisis of this sort recently and talked about it in one of the writers forums I belong to. There were a lot of people who empathized. Because I think most of us have been there at one time or another. And you have to remind yourself that it’s normal and it doesn’t mean that you’re a bad writer.
But it’s certainly frustrating when it happens because if you’re a freelancer, you have to write …read more

Is fear ever a good thing?
Absolutely. Fear can help you move off dead center and take positive action. And if used in the right way, it can save you and your business from going belly up. Fear is natural, and it’s there for a reason. But when that natural instinct is overdeveloped, it becomes an issue—especially if you remain stuck in the problem and don’t move toward a solution.

In my book, inaction is the biggest thing to fear about fear.
The other day, I talked about taking action to face your freelance fears—those things that you tend to put off or …read more

What’s the one thing that you’re afraid to do as a freelancer?
Are you afraid to send off a query to a new-to-you editor or publication? Are you afraid to get more assertive with a client about collecting late payment? Are you afraid to fire a deadbeat or slow-paying client? Are you afraid to delve into social media or learn a new skill? What is the one area where you feel stuck?

If you don’t have any active freelance fears (that you’re aware of anyway), congratulations. And please tell the rest of us how you managed to accomplish that. But if you’re …read more

You probably have editor’s brain if you’re always writing five words and deleting four, if you automatically critique every word choice (and everyone else’s), and you can pick up a newspaper or read a book and automatically spot the one error on a page.
Editing skills are great to have—in fact, they have helped me earn a steady income for several years now. But the editing process has a time and place. And if the editor brain is too dominant or is always activated, it can really get in the way of the writing process.
I suspect that most writers have a …read more

If you want to run a marathon, you have to work up to the kind of physical and mental conditioning that makes running that 26 miles possible.
I don’t run marathons (yet anyway), but I have trained for a 10-mile walk for the past two years. And what I’ve learned is that consistency matters more than mileage on most days. In other words, I might be able to walk 10 miles on one Saturday. But there is more of a long-term training benefit if I get up every morning before work and walk or run for three miles. Because over the …read more

Are you putting yourself out of business?
During my interview with longtime freelancer Robert McGarvey yesterday, he passed along a lot of great advice from his 30 years in the business. But one thing that really struck a chord with me was this observation: “Right now, in this economy, it is very easy to be so hungry that the hunger devours good sense.”
Like all freelancers, I certainly understand the pull that any kind of work has right now. But I also think there’s something to be said for exercising discernment and common sense when you’re accepting assignments, negotiating pay, and signing …read more

Are you a paraskevidekatriaphobic?
A what? Someone who has paraskevidekatriaphobia has an irrational fear of Friday the 13th (no, I’m not making this up—you can read all about it here).
I do know some people who have a fear of Friday the 13th, and I think it’s a little silly myself. There may be some freelancers who are thinking: Gee, maybe I shouldn’t send this query today. It’s Friday the 13th after all … Maybe I’ll just wait until Monday. Or perhaps there will be the temptation to delay signing contracts or conducting other freelance business until the day on the calendar …read more

Famed groundhog and weather predictor Punxsutawney Phil predicted last week that we’ll see six more long weeks of winter. But after 40-degree temps in Michigan last weekend, there was a hint of spring in the air and my resistance to tackling the piles of paperwork in my home office started to thaw a bit.
I’m not a neat freak by any stretch, but when the weather warms, I start thinking about tossing, pitching, ditching, cleaning, dusting, and getting rid of unwanted clutter. Sure, we’re probably a few weeks away from some nice balmy temperatures, but why not get a jumpstart on …read more

Even though most writers seem to have a penchant for solitude, full-time freelancing can be one of the most isolating careers around. But even the most solitary lone wolves can benefit from a little contact with the pack every once in awhile.
As you may recall, I recently talked about the advantages of networking and getting to know other freelancers in my post, “Living the Freelance Life: Even Lone Wolves Need a Pack.”
But what if you don’t know where to look for other freelancers? After all, if the other freelancers in your area fit the typical profile, they’re holed up …read more

Are you taking care of your most important business asset? Do you have balance in your freelance life?
Owning your own business—particularly in this economy—can be a tough challenge. And if your freelance business is set up like mine, you’re the manager, administrator, writer, editor, janitor, accounting department, and collections manager all wrapped into one.
Under normal circumstances, I’m one of those freelancers who has a tendency toward overwork rather than the other way around. And if you’re like me, the current economic conditions only amplify that tendency right now. So many of us are having to do more of everything to …read more