Surviving the Desert
The tough economy has taken its toll on the freelance writing industry. Many companies are cutting back on advertising which means fewer dollars for content writers. But the well is no where near dry. There are still ways that a freelance writer can survive the struggles in this desert.
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1. Go to survival mode – that means rationing your supplies. Cut out ALL unnecessary spending (yes that does mean cable) and make that time that you would normally spend watching television time you spend with family (or maybe with friends watching THEIR television). If you can live without it then now is the time to do so.
2. Aggressively pursue job opportunities. Set aside one hour each day to query print publications or job listings. Look for good fits but still consider thinking outside your normal writing box as well.
3. Look in new directions for writing opportunities. Any print publication in your region is a potential job waiting to be discovered. Contact newspapers, companies with an internet presence (and even those without) or even local governments and pitch your content writing services.
4. Drastic times call for drastic measures. If the money is really tight then consider contacting the people you owe to ask for temporary delays in payments. Some banks will give you a waver of a month or two. You can still set aside any payments that you would have made into a savings account but you will have that temporary relief of not having to make the payment (you will still have to pay any escrow monies and the payments are only delayed to the back end of your mortgage).
These economic times have been hard on many freelance writers. It is particularly hard on those just starting out or on those that have not built up the emergency funds to survive for three to six months.
It does not have to mean the end of your freelance writing career. Changing a few things in your life and in your schedule could be all that you need to survive the desert that most freelance writers are currently walking through.
