If there’s one thing I’ve never really managed to master with the whole freelance writing gig, it’s the waves.
The work comes in waves. It’s either drought or tsunami.
Similarly, the income comes in waves – drought or tsunami (okay, perhaps more drought or trickle, but we can only think positive, right?).
Mastering the ebb and flow of the work is a true skill, and one that I’m still working on. When I’m, er, between jobs, I fret and pace and worry and send out 1000 pitches.
When the work all comes in at once, as it invariably does, I fret and pace and worry and scramble and try to remember to send out a few pitches so that I don’t find myself in this mess again – and then I don’t. And so the cycle begins again.
In an ideal world, I would be channeling the Muse (remember her?) once a week in regular, planned sessions and sending out a couple of pitches on a regular, planned basis. That way the work would flow steadily, always present, never too much, never too little.
I don’t actually know any freelancers who manage this, but if you do, please contact me. We should be friends.
So what’s my tip here? Beyond doing your best to follow that aforementioned calm, steady, regular, planned approach, my only tip would be to try to enjoy the downtime when you do actually get it. Go to a movie. Have lunch with friends.
I should mention that I never do this. I’m too busy fretting and pacing and worrying and sending out 1000 pitches to take the breathing space when it comes.
But you should definitely do as I say, not as I do.
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