What Is a Dry Period?
The worst part is freelancing full-time with no projects. For me, this means being stuck at home. I feel like a huge time waster, and my self-esteem starts going down. I start to believe that I am not worthy to clients, and I withdraw. Yes, I take it too personally, but how can I not? This advice might smooth some edges for the stressed self-employed individual.
Independence comes at a price.
A dry period is a nightmare term for every contract-based worker. The cushion of a salary or consistent work is a far-fetched dream. They consist of long stretches with little to no tasks, coupled with monetary and emotional stress. All freelancers and contractors, knowledgeable or green, go through frustrating dry phases.
Fewer earnings should create less spending.
Will Consistent Work Slow Down for You Too?
Inconsistency depends on the expert’s efficiency and outside factors. Beginners have the most trouble with an unstable workload. Maybe you failed to apply to enough jobs the week before, or maybe a percentage of companies are simultaneously cutting spending. Expect a lack of assignments to hit at any moment.
The best way to avoid lack of productivity is to plan ahead. Keep in touch with other professionals, and meet new potential clients. Small businesses may be considering hiring a writer, or the perfect listing hits you in the face. Always be on the lookout.
Yikes! How Do I Survive?
Combat a shortage of contracting by being prepared. Some ways are obvious, and others I picked up over the years. Keep these in mind, and you will survive.
Trying to find a pattern is pointless. Experienced freelancers understand that droughts hit at certain times of the year. However, as we learned with COVID-19, those hard times can and will hit at any moment. Always be prepared.
Additional Sources of Income
Content writing is only one source of my income. I also submit to Medium and Vocal+, transcribe audio through Rev, and do small side jobs for friends and family. Instead of thinking about the slowness, I switch gears to another form of labor. This keeps me busy, interested, and ready for something new.
If you earn less, then it is time to look into your budget. Spending too much is a problem for most beginner freelancers. Rather than profiting at the end of the month, they barely break even. Repeat after me: fewer earnings should create less spending.
Satiating Boredom
Maybe it is time to learn something new! Always have a side project or innovative idea brewing. I get most of my ideas from browsing social media. It’s grotesque; but where I’m from, they say, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.” What does that mean exactly?
There are multiple ways to get hired as a writer. Discover new things: transcription, translation, proofreading, editing, ghostwriting, newsletters, copywriting, etcetera. Spend time learning about other writers and how they earn money. Ask some of your connections for any one-off jobs or loose duties.
Starting a New Project
When I have absolutely nothing to do, I come up with ideas for new blog posts! Starting a new project is refreshing and exciting. Take some old ideas from the week before, and breathe life into them. The idea is to keep your mind productive. Eliminate discouragement by moving forward on your own, regardless of acquiring clients.
You don’t have any ideas in mind? That is fine! Revamp some old articles, or tailor the perfect post for social media. Ask others what they are working on, and read up on this month’s recent blogs.
Maybe It’s Time for a Break
For a while, I functioned backward. What does that mean? I would try harder when no work was available, and when I finally got hired, I was burned out. This method is inefficient and harmful to future tasks. You want to provide clients the best experience, and you want them to come back. Do not submit your shoddy burnout draft. Instead, take breaks during dry periods, and get back into gear as assignments arrive.
