6 Lessons from 6 Months
By: Sarah - Sage Copy
Tags: Freelance Life, Freelancers, Lessons Learned, Freelance Writing, Freelance Writer Tips

Maybe it’s because I’m getting to the age my Dad was when he started repeating “time flies… time flies…” as a dazed mantra… or maybe it’s because the world has just been profoundly weird for so long now… but these last six months have gone quicker than a vaccine appointment (make sure you schedule yours as soon as you can!).

Amazingly, I’ve been working full-time as a copy and content writer with her own business for six whole months. Before that, this was my side-hustle: the portion of my work that I infinitely preferred but wasn’t sure would make me a dependable living. Maybe the best lesson I’ve learned over the last six months is to have faith in my skills.

Here are five more revelations that came along the way:

Your dream schedule needs to be established now, not later.

One of the main reasons I dreamed of becoming a work-from-home dog mom with a flexible schedule was to pursue a better work-life balance than I’d ever experienced before.

I wanted to be one of those cosmopolitan women who met their friends for a long midweek lunch at some cute little bistro. I also wanted to be one of those smug Instagrammers who posted their enviable workstations complete with scenic, sunny views.

Now, I can have those things, but my mindset hasn’t quite adjusted to my new reality: I still suffer from the sense that I should be chained to my desk between the hours of 9 and 5, for example. I keep telling myself “once I hit (insert arbitrary milestone here) I will permit myself all that delicious freedom.” Maybe my dream chilled schedule will actually require greater self-discipline to enforce than the manic one! “Niching down” isn’t always necessary.

As I started to build my business, I received a lot of competing advice. Something I heard frequently was “find your niche and stick to it.” This led me down long winding corridors of reflection as I tried to figure out what exactly my niche was.

I liked fashion and beauty, but I didn’t want to write about it all the time. I have a background in education and social work, but I didn’t want to write about them all the time. I was curious about tech, but I didn’t want to write about that all the time. I loved Nicki Minaj, but nobody would pay me to write about her all the time.

I recognized that a big part of what I enjoy about my work is its diversity, and right now, I’m not ready to sacrifice that for the benefits of a “niche.” So far, I haven’t had to. Clients have been more than happy to work with me based on a portfolio that shows range, and the novelty of new topics has kept my skills sharp! Sometimes what you want to do isn’t what works.

I’m an Instagram fiend, so that was where I planned to make my name. I’d seen lots of fun young women posting great business content, and I felt certain that I could build up my presence and attract some super-cool clients there.

In reality… not really! My Instagram has been a great place to connect with other copywriters but in terms of attracting clients… I have to be honest. It has been a bust.

Now, I’m not blaming my beloved Instagram for this failure: I’m sure a social media guru could tell me exactly where I’m going wrong with my approach. However, right now, there’s no need to worry about that. I’ve ended up finding the clients I craved through my least-favorite platform of all: that’s right, the loathed Linkedin.

I didn’t want to end up spending time on the home of long-winded humblebrags, wacky office “characters,” and forced inspirational anecdotes, but right now, that’s what’s working for me, and my millennial soul is in the process of making peace with it. Panic pitching causes problems.

On rare quiet days, I know that I should be settling into bed with a cup of tea and my Kindle (or the Real Housewives of Atlanta.) Instead, I seem to let my most irrational fears take over and enter into a cycle that I call “panic pitching.”

Fuelled by the false belief that any lull whatsoever in my workload represents the end of my luck, I frantically apply to E V E R Y writing job available. Suitable or not. Attractive or not. Anything to save me from the Victorian workhouse of my anachronistic nightmares.

This is a huge time-suck, not to mention a poor use of the energy I really need when regular jobs start to arrive in my inbox again… usually no longer than a day later.

And when those jobs start to arrive? They’re joined by a million responses to the many panic-pitches that I made in the meantime. Note to self: stop doing this. The best laid plans of mice and marketers…

I absolutely loved building my brand and my business plan. One of my favorite parts was developing an extensive marketing strategy, which was going to involve weekly blogs, email newsletters, networking events, video updates, informative reels, entertaining TikToks… everything you’d expect from a business that consists of more than one person.

It didn’t take long for those plans to fall by the wayside. Now, my neglected Medium blog sits gaping at me like a goldfish I keep forgetting to feed. The prospect of filming a funny TikTok sounds as decadent as a midday milk bath. Basically, I’m pretty busy! Busy doing the work that brings in my salary and pays for my sausage dog’s fancy jackets, which has to be the best possible reason for letting an ambitious marketing plan slide.

Ok, I’m not going to be the next influencer in my industry. My blog isn’t going to become a must-read amongst my peers. I won’t be making the Forbes 33 under 33 list (they’d up the age limit to include me.) But I’m making money right now working with great clients and delivering products I’m proud of. This is my new marker of success!

Look, I managed to write a blog too. That’s my sign to cue up Real Housewives…