by Pádraig Hanratty
Image by Bella H, Pixabay
Back in 1996, I was ‘busily’ trying to complete an MA thesis on Brendan Behan – the self-proclaimed drinker with a writing problem – when I began work as an on-screen editor with a computer-based learning company. (Online learning wasn’t really a thing yet. Indeed, ‘online’ was barely a thing yet!)
Regarding it as a stopgap job until I found my true calling, I stayed with the company – through two name changes – until 2005. Then I began working as a freelance editor, writer, instructional designer (and whatever you’re having yourself) for a wide range of clients. Last year, I returned to full-time employment, taking up the role of Learning Experience Manager with the Digital Marketing Institute.
This latest career transition has got me reflecting on my 18 years as a freelancer, working in a variety of roles on all sorts of projects. I began thinking about the main things I learnt in those years, and what I could have done better.
Here are my six main tips for all you freelancers out there:
1: Manage your finances
2: Build your brand
3: Develop your skillset
4: Find your rhythm
5: Organise your resources
6: Take good care of yourself
1: Manage your finances
Image by Nattanan Katchanaprat, Pixabay
For me, the biggest challenge when moving into the freelance world was getting used to the unpredictable income stream… and the all-too-predictable stream of bills and expenses. And then there were the matters of paying income tax, VAT, and subcontractors.
In order to keep track of which money belonged to me and which money belonged to others (subcontractors or tax folk), I set up different bank accounts where funds could rest:
- A business account held the money coming into the business.
- A ‘payees’ account held the money earmarked for subcontractors and tax.
- A personal account held the money for me to, well, live (if not necessarily live well).
Each month, I’d then transfer money from the business account to the payees and personal accounts as appropriate, based on a guesstimate of the VAT and tax liability that month.
For example, suppose a client pays you €1,230 for a job. You then transfer €230 (the VAT you charged), €200 (the fee you agreed with the subcontractor who helped you), and €240 (your estimated tax liability on the balance) to your payees account, because none of that money actually belongs to you. And then you transfer the remaining €560 to your personal account. And you use it to buy lottery tickets…
Top tip: Do your accounts every month, noting money coming in, as well as subcontractors’ fees and tax liabilities, and expenses. And keep those expense receipts! You must stay on top of your tax liabilities, so if this is an area you’re uncomfortable with, hire an accountant to help. Or ask your butler to find one for you.
2: Build your brand
Image by Gerard Altmann, Pixabay
As a freelancer, you have to build your brand. Think about what skills you can best offer clients, and market these. And don’t forget your ‘soft’ interpersonal skills. For example, if you gain a reputation for being pleasant to work with, clients will come back to you. Work hard at developing those relationships with clients, and remember that different clients require different approaches. Not all people are ‘people people’!
Try to carve out some time each week to establish your brand on social media. You don’t have to pay for your own website or blog if you feel you won’t get a good return on that. Simply join relevant social media groups (such as the Editing Community on Facebook) and contribute to them. And use Google Alerts or app notifications to keep up with the latest news in your area of interest.
Top tip: On social media, don’t just sell your brand. Offer advice, answer questions, and establish thought leadership. Remember the 4-1-1 rule. When planning your content strategy, for every one piece of promotional content you post, you should post one other piece of original informational content and four pieces of shared informational content. And, when sharing content, don’t forget to include your own thoughts about the shared content. Ask insightful questions or start a conversation. Don’t just share and stare!
Bonus tip: While it’s important to promote yourself on social media, also consider promoting your clients. For example, when a product you worked on has launched and is publicly available, you could post about this. And don’t forget to tag your client so they know that you’re promoting them! (You may also want to err on the side of caution and run the post by the client first.) Keep strengthening those client relationships.
3: Develop your skillset
Image by Gerard Altmann, Pixabay
Freelancers must stay up to date with the skills that their clients are looking for. And, unfortunately, freelancers don’t have an employer to pay for the training. However, you have to be willing to learn new skills and go outside your comfort zone, even if it costs you time and money in the short term.
If a client expects you to use a tool that you’re unfamiliar with, you may just have to decide to use your own unpaid time to get comfortable with it, assuming this will lead to a good flow of work. Find online tutorials and videos to help you upskill.
And don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask the client, if you’re unsure. Or post a query in your social media groups. (You may get eight snarky, judgemental replies, and one unsolicited offer of a date, but the tenth reply might give you the answer.)
Be on the lookout for courses, such as those listed in AFEPI resources, that can help you broaden your skillset. And watch out for what new skills are likely to become important in the future. Concerned about how artificial intelligence might impact your job? Read up on it! Or ask your robot assistant to do it for you.
Top tip: Keep your CV up to date because you never know when a client will suddenly ask for it. After each project, update the CV, noting the client, the work accomplished, and the skills developed. And each year, consider giving the CV a refresh to ensure it has a contemporary look and feel.
Bonus tip: Don’t forget to keep your LinkedIn profile up to date too. This is where potential clients could be looking for contractors. So it’s important to establish your thought leadership on this platform.
4: Find your rhythm
Image by Gerard Altmann, Pixabay
Time is money, and freelancers have to be very careful about how they organise their time. However, your work rhythm is often dictated by your own personal circumstances. So find a schedule that works for you, and don’t get distracted by well-meaning advice on what a freelancer’s daily calendar should look like.
While it’s important to guard your time, be willing to be flexible. Some clients may want you to be contactable outside of work hours, so decide how you can best handle that. And sometimes clients will ask you to do favours. Although no one wants to work for free, sometimes those favours can pay off in the form of a long-term productive relationship with that client. The same applies to doing favours for friends. Sometimes this unpaid work could be a learning opportunity in disguise.
Top tip: Different clients do things differently so find the rhythm that works best with them. Don’t waste time on unnecessary battles. If the client loves the Oxford comma, then temporarily embrace that comma!
5: Organise your resources
Image by Ro Ma, Pixabay
Good resource management is an essential skill for any freelancer. Store your digital files in a logical order, and use as many subfolders as necessary. For example, you might have a different file for each year, and then subfolders for each client, and then sub-subfolders for each project for that client, and so on.
And remember to name your files logically, following client preferences where appropriate. (And yes, we all end up with filenames with the premature suffix “_final_v2iii_updated”.)
If you’re lucky enough to have more work than you can handle, build up a team of trusted subcontractors. This means you’ll be able to take on larger projects. And don’t forget that someday you may be asking those subcontractors to share some work with you.
Top tip: Always try to optimally match subcontractors with clients. Find out which subcontractors your clients are most comfortable with and aim to strengthen those bonds.
6: Take good care of yourself
Image by Marie, Pixabay
To paraphrase an adage, I didn’t become a freelance editor for the money. I did it for the fame and glory…
Although you do need to maintain a healthy bank balance, it’s also essential to maintain a healthy work-life balance. This is more difficult for freelancers because of the unpredictable peaks and troughs of work. However, do carve out time each day for yourself. After all, if your physical or mental health suffers, your work will suffer too.
Avoid the toxic productivity trap. You don’t have to be productive every moment of the day. You don’t have to respond to emails while brushing your teeth. And, during your morning commute, it’s okay to listen to 1980s trash metal instead of an intellectual podcast.
Also, beware of unproductive busyness. Multitasking can seem like a great way to get more done in less time, but it often leads to unfocussed work and perpetual stress. Focus on the task at hand and look forward to the break you’ve slotted in for yourself later.
Take care of yourself in ways that work for you. If meditating doesn’t rock your zen boat, try walking or gardening instead. Get enough sleep. (Don’t listen to those hyper-productive people who pretend that they thrive on just four hours’ sleep.) Eat healthy foods that you like. You don’t have to stock up on kale if you prefer strawberries.
Top tip: Give yourself the time to properly enjoy your food breaks. Grazing and ‘lunch and learn’ have become popular workplace habits, but often ‘lunch and munch’ is better for your mental health. Eat healthily and mindfully.
Bonus tip: Stay hydrated. Those unfocussed feelings of stressful tiredness are sometimes just the grumpy result of simple dehydration. Keep a jug of (strawberry-infused) water near your desk.
Freelance life can be challenging and rewarding. It takes time to find the groove that works best for you. However, keeping an open mind and always being willing to learn (and ask questions) will help you find the freelance work-life balance that suits you.
Pádraig Hanratty has been a writer and editor for more than 25 years. In 2005, he founded QUIP Editing Solutions, a freelance writing and editing agency. QUIP has completed a wide variety of projects for clients such as Skillsoft, UCD, Dublin City University, Dublin Business School, Highwood Education, Dataflow International, Climate-KIC, and RCSI. He is currently Learning Experience Manager with the Digital Marketing Institute. Pádraig has self-published four fiction books. He is also on the board of Irish PEN. You can follow his blog at Quips and Chords.
The views of the author do not necessarily reflect the views of AFEPI Ireland.