Building a commercial freelance writing business involves lots of dedication and hard work. Some days you’re on fire! You’re full of ideas and strategies that seem to pull in new clients effortlessly; but then there are those dry spells when you feel like no matter what you try nothing seems to work.
When motivation starts fading, you have a harder time staying focused. You may even start questioning your decision to freelance full-time. It isn’t until you’re your own boss that you realize motivation is not in unlimited supply. When you need it, you have to do something about it.
Network – in person!
Sometimes a change of scenery is all that’s needed. Working solo is easy for me – I prefer it to a typical office setting working along side coworkers. But even I feel the urgent need to step away from work and interact with others now and then.
Join your local chamber of commerce or an industry organization that has the potential to net you a few good clients. Attend meetings periodically for a change of scenery and networking opportunity. Making a few new contacts can get you back in the groove.
Set goals
Sometimes having something to work toward is all you need to get those motivation juices flowing again. You may have your sights set on taking an anniversary cruise n ext summer, building an extension to your home for a new, private office space or hiring a virtual assistant. Make your goal something attractive enough to make you work for it.
Remind yourself why you decided to become a freelance writer
You were probably never more motivated than when you first had the idea to strike out on your own and make a living as a freelance writer. Wouldn’t it have been great if you could have bottled that feeling?
Did you choose this path for the freedom? More time with your family? More money? Whatever your reason, take a time now and then to recall the reason(s) you chose to start freelancing to reignite your motivation.
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4 comments:
And the realization that bills are waiting, and if butt does not stick to chair and work does not get on page, bills remain unpaid! ;)
When I run out of the positive motivations you mentioned, there's always that one.
Yep, Devon, that's the one I've been focusing on. That one's ALWAYS there.;)
Networking in person is a great one. I know in my own experience that meeting clients face-to-face can do wonders for strengthening your working relationship and digging up more assignments. It's also a welcome respite from the quiet seclusion of a freelancer's usual day.
Another motivator for me is remembering my old 9 to 5 office job. It was boring and I wasn't paid much for the amount of work I put in, nor did I get much appreciation from my bosses when I did a good job for them. Most of the time I was there, I wanted to stab my eyeballs out with a pencil. Remembering what I'll have to go back to if I don't put in the required effort is all the motivation I need to get crackin'!
"Another motivator for me is remembering my old 9 to 5 office job. . . . Remembering what I'll have to go back to if I don't put in the required effort is all the motivation I need to get crackin'!"
The previous poster (janineduff) hit the nail on the head. This, for me, is the 1000% motivator . . . and as I've been at this a while (since 1993), it's still my #1 motivator!
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