Last week, a fellow freelancer emailed asking how to juggle brainstorming, querying, researching, writing, and invoicing without losing your sanity. Admittedly, it's a constant balancing act of assignments and ideas for me, and Mr. Muse would tell you I have my share of hair-pulling, tooth-grinding moments. That said, there are some strategies that can help you stay organized and avoid getting overwhelmed. Here's what I've found that works for me:
- Focus on long-term relationships. It's a lot easier to land a repeat assignment from the same editor or client than to catch the eye of a new one. Plus, over time, you'll learn the kinds of questions the editor asks during revisions or the quirks that drive the client crazy so you can adjust. So, as I'm thinking about which publications to pitch, I try to choose the one where I can see myself writing long-term. Admittedly, it doesn't always work that way and I sometimes find myself chasing lots of different publications at once, but it's a good concept to remember.
- Reslant , repurpose , and recycle your research. This is where having a niche can come in handy. But even if you consider yourself more of a generalist, you can still get more mileage out of your ideas by covering a topic for different non-competing publications. Here are some additional ways to reslant an idea. Maybe that source you interviewed for a trade magazine would make a great alumni magazine profile. Or perhaps you can write about an issue facing teens for a teen website and a parenting pub. It's a whole lot easier than learning a brand new topic each time!
- Insist on earning what you're worth. One area where new (and more experienced) writers unknowingly drive themselves crazy is by accepting low-paying assignments and trying to earn a decent living through volume. Even if they require more research, writing two articles at $300 each is usually less work than six pieces at $50 a pop! So, seeking out high-paying projects and negotiating a raise with the companies you're already working with can help you streamline your process and stay focused. That's not to say you can't occasionally accept a lower-paying assignment for a client or a project you love, but know that you'll usually need to balance that with more lucrative work.
- Learn when to just say no. If you want to maintain some semblance of sanity, there will be times when the best response to a project is a "no thanks." I've written about deal-breakers before, but sometimes it's simply an issue of timing. In those cases, you can try to negotiate a more realistic time line that still fits the client's needs or refer them to another freelancer you trust. Experience has shown me that if my gut is telling me I have too much on my plate already or the project doesn't seem like a good fit for me, it's best to walk away instead of cramming another thing into my schedule or struggling to finish something when my heart isn't in it.