So, about a week ago, I get an email from a good friend and fellow commercial freelancer who’s presenting on an IABC panel on freelancing a few days later. She’s written to me to get my input on an issue of exceptional interest to the many would-be attendees. Her question is:
Can you sum up “the current state of freelancing” in two sentences?
Sounds like a logical question, and one phrased in precisely the manner we’ve all become accustomed to. After all, there’s the current State of the Union, of the healthcare debate, of male/female relationships, of the Atlanta dining scene, etc. So there must be a “current state of freelancing” as well, right? Well, actually, no.
Here’s my reply (with a few embellishments after the fact):
I’d actually take issue with your wording. There IS no “current state of freelancing.” Think about it. That implies some condition pervading ALL of the freelancing market, which, by definition, affects everyone. Sort of a silly notion, actually. There’s MY current state of freelancing, yours, and everyone else’s, and none of them have much to do with the others.
Our respective states are dependent on how good a writer each of us is, how broad a network we have, how aggressively we’ve been tapping into that network, and a ton of other things inherent to us alone and how we run our businesses.
Buying into the idea of a “current state of freelancing” is victimization waiting to happen. It implies a reality to whose dictates we’re all subject, and hence, can do little except ride the wave along with everyone else, and “wait for things to turn around.” Which is exactly what a lot of people are doing, having bought into the idea (after listening to what some “experts” said IS that current state) of a “force” beyond their control. I suppose some people just like to be told what to do next (or not do).
In truth, my current state of freelancing is pretty good, as are those of a lot of others I know. And part of the reason for that is because we realize our commercial freelancing businesses are OUR businesses, largely under OUR control.
Sure, many businesses have pulled, back, but many haven’t, and the work is out there. Magazine and newspaper writing? Absolutely, those arenas are way down, but that’s not our field of freelance copywriting. So, don’t buy into the gloom and doom. Remember: the average commercial freelancer needs such a tiny slice of the overall universe of freelance commercial writing work to do well.
How would you respond to the above question?
Why do you think people are so anxious to be told what the “reality” is?
How IS your “current state of freelancing”?
I think one reason this phrase appeals to nervous freelancers or wanne-be freelancers is that they want the comfortable option of a graceful exit. If an Authority Figure proclaims the state of freelancing to be “bad” then we have an excuse to give up, while if we’re told it’s “good,” then if we fail we can pass the blame by whining that we acted on faulty information.
What’s MY state of freelancing? Texas. What’s yours? 🙂
I think it’s an honest question by those who are carefully discerning what direction to go. I’ve recently decided to amp up my freelance work, and am just starting to dip my toe into the corporate sea. (I’m a mother of five, and the youngest will be in kindergarten next year.) In fact, it’s really more of a tap at this point. (I’m reading your book now, Peter…) So, I’m excited, but at the same time, we had to shut down my husband’s business a few months ago, so I am really keeping my eyes open, watching, putting my finger in the air to see which direction the wind is blowing. I still very much believe in my worth as a writer and what I can offer, but I think it’s prudent to be watchful. I think it’s human nature to have these questions. Will it stop me from trying if I hear a danger call? Probably not, because I’ve beat odds before, but being astute can only be a good thing. It’s also good to have a feel for the market, as well as we can determine it, so we know how to address and respond to potential clients.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this post. I couldn’t agree more. One’s business only thrives if one hustles. It requires one to put oneself out there, try something, and if that doesn’t work, try something else. Period. I’m so tired of folks whining about the recession. Yes, the economy is in the tank. But you know what? We in this country still have more opportunity to succeed than most anyone else on the planet. You just have to make up your mind that you will succeed, come hell or high water.
Hey,
My state of freelancing is that I’ve got a ton of work. Companies need freelancers like never before because most of them have had to let staffers go. Freelancers, go get the work!
Thanks everyone, for weighing in,
You’re welcome, Nicole… Glad it resonated. And thanks Sally, glad to hear it (and I’m hearing the same from a lot of folks). And thanks Roxane, as well, AND I have to comment on your comment. I”m sorry to hear about your husband’s business, and that will no doubt color your sense of things, and understandably so. And you’re right in that they may be fair questions, but I still say, only coming from someone who still doesn’t grasp that every business is a separate entity and as such, is NOT part of a overall “current state of freelancing.” And not to be a pain here, but what sort of “danger call” are you envisioning hearing? Some other expert? That’s my point. How can one reporter or expert or “authority” KNOW what’s going on in a whole industry? They can’t. And hence, their pronouncements aren’t credible.
Have half the businesses in our country shut down? Not even close. One-third? One-quarter? One-tenth? Keep going. There’s plenty of business out there. You write: “It’s also good to have a feel for the market.” Again, you’re falling prey to the same kind of thinking. There is no ONE overall “feel for the market.” Like the original question, it implies that there’s ONE common condition to all businesses in the market, and as a result of that one common condition, they’re all reacting similarly, and that’s determining a “feel for the market” which in turn is driving the relative feasibility of the freelancing direction. And nothing could be further than the truth. One thing people forget is how crucial writing is to a business. Writing is the engine of all commerce, and that will never NOT be the case. I wish you the best as you move forward. You sound like you definitely have what it takes to make it…
PB
OK, I’m going to agree with the setup for victimization in the question – I think there ARE those that want an out, wrestling between risk and fear, in search of a good excuse to pack it in. But the spirit of the question is legitimate. I began FLCW’ing full time in 2004 – thank you Peter, your book was one catalyst that moved me to take the plunge. In 2004 through 2008, I rolled past six figures sometime in the fall each year, and raised my rates twice during the period. I enjoyed a blissful life that I only wish I’d discovered sooner. This year, however, I will not even hit 40K by 12/30. I didn’t lose money or time mourning the economy; the industries I serve (mostly industrial manufacturing) have simply fallen off. This IS happening out there, everywhere! I’m guessing many (not all) that say they are slammed with work, are not slammed with work at $110 – $145 per hour level of project fees. I’m not either, but I was…and I’ve marketed more aggressively this year than in any of the previous years.
I’m with Nicole though, it’s hell or high water for me, and I’m digging in for the long haul by reinventing myself slightly (will most likely emerge as a different business early in 2010 – still B2B marketing / PR copy with a caveat or two). A bad year freelancing is still way more preferable to me than a cubicle! But I had to ask myself this year, not “What is the state of freelancing?” – but “Should a guy with two kids in college and three more to go, stake his future on a business where on the same Google search that pulls up my insightfully written content marketing can also reveal a plethora of 250-500 word blog articles written for 5-10 bucks each?” This question deserves careful thought. slr
Peter, I love your enthusiasm. That’s why I’m reading and enjoying your book, and why I’m hopeful about taking my freelance writing to the next level. So, keep it coming! My main point was that it’s honest to ask all the questions, even those that might be fear-based. We need to be able to voice those, too. That said, I don’t think we should get hung up on them any more than you do. Once they’re out there and explored a bit, I think it’s good to release them and get to work. So, there’s really no resistance here on that point. Just sharing another perspective, and yes, my experience most definitely colors mine, but not to a fault. I wish you all well and will continue to hang out here on occasion as one way of staying poised, and learning, of course. Wishing you all the best in your freelancing writing ventures!
Thanks to all for sharing their experiences and perspectives here. And yes, Roxane and Steve, while we can all agree that the question IN question can and is being used as a crutch by many, you’re right – the spirit of the question is legitimate. Just like I can get caught up in my own reality and dismiss to a certain extent the concerns of others, everyone comes at this differently and has their own reality. And Steve, your reality is stark and not at all imaginary, and we all have to respect that. And I’m sorry that’s happened. I suppose therein lies one of the few downsides to specializing. Having a niche is usually a reliable way to stand out in a crowded marketplace and make more money than a generalist (and you obviously did just that for a healthy string of years), but what happens if the industry you’re specializing in takes a hit?
And yes, you also point out one of the downsides of search engine optimization (not that anyone, hopefully, in our business, would put all their marketing eggs in the SEO basket, and as you point out, you’ve marketed more than ever this year). Anyone can end up on top with enough expense and that’s no guarantee of a quality offering. I wish you much success in your re-invention!
PB
I LOVE this thread, if only because it totally brings home the fact that our future is in our own hands with this business. 😉
My state of affairs: 1,017 days to go until I hit 40 and fly out of this cube. I can taste it, and I’m getting pretty damn hungry. Time for me to take control of my state of affairs and hit the gas…
My current state of freelancing is very similar to Steve’s. After averaging 6-figure billings from 1998 through 2006, my volume has declined each year. Not as far down as Steve’s, fortunately. But not where I want or need it to be.
My main problem is that for too long I have been too dependent on too few clients for too much of my income. Thanks to repeat business, referrals and out-of-the blue contacts from people who found me (sometimes through out-of-print directories) I had not marketed myself since 1996. I am still working for the clients who provided me healthy billings earlier this decade (a combination of what Peter calls “end users” and “middle men”) but they have fewer needs than before.
So at the start of this year, I returned to the type of marketing and self-promo with which I launched my freelance business in 1991, mostly mailing of oversized postcards to ad agency creative directors, design studio principals, freelance designers and marcomm decision-makers in tech companies and associations. I’ve supplemented this with letters to certain businesses where I think I offer a good fit. Plus, I’ve pursued opportunities through the Job Bank of our local (now national) writers’ organization AIW. All this effort has generated some new work from new clients, but no clients with significant ongoing needs.
I’ve never believed in the cold-calling that Peter advocates. And I’ve never been good at working a room at networking events or meet-n-greets. But these are things I’m going to have to consider for 2010.
Despite all this, I remain confident that I’ll turn this around. I launched my business in a recession in 1991. I marketed my way out of a slump in 1996. I can do it again.
To Ken’s comments and all of us who are plowing ahead…keep at it! I mentioned above that I have marketed hard this year, and that I’m in the process or re-invention. The results have been trickling in, proving what everyone above has stated – we are usually rewarded according to our efforts…eventually.
One of the things I’m doing to stand out from the crowd a little (read re-invention) is market to agencies and end users who are international – i.e. they are to do business in multiple countries or languages. The specific skill I offer is that I speak Portuguese and Spanish so I can work with customers in those languages where the writing needs to be done in English. Hey – not everyone can! I communicated with one such agency in the UK this summer about their clients in Latin America, sent them some clips and placed them in my pipeline for work. Two months ago I removed them from my pipeline based on follow up and these potential projects being tabled. This morning the UK agency contacted me about writing 6 customer success case studies involving their client’s customers in Portugal, and I’ll be doing the first one next week. YES!
I can’t even remember where I found the the agency – but it’s good to remember that maketing 101 IS alive and well, even if it is moving slower that we would like and we have to creatively break out of our comfort zone. In anticipation of the fact that in this process I’ll also come across language work I can’t do, I also partnered with a translation company that pays me a percentage of work I refer to them. We’ve only completed one project so far, but as my international contacts grow I look forward to more. slr
What is the state? Sometimes state of despair. I am NOT a positive thinker, never have been, can’t seem to self-hypnotize into that state. But as a full-time freelancer and sole support of my fam for going on 30 years, I must be an optimist to still be alive, right? Out here in AZ, businesses are going under in all the malls (my mother’s hairdresser’s last day was Sat, sad over there). In reporting, which I do a lot of these days, this has turned to “content” and “content” has turned to legalized slavery. Now, check this out–an algorithm will be writing: https://wired.com/epicenter/2009/11/aol-automatic-content/. Maybe they can drive those Demand Media people out, which at least would be fun to watch. Slap fight of the gigantic millionaires! Anyhow, I am still here, will be standing when others are inquiring about who gets the fries, and am creeping by on half my former income. But hey, babies, we are on the right side of the sod.
PS I had a plastic surgeon almost beg me to do web copy in exchange for lasering my facial hair. My sister and daughter fret over whiskers, but I went nuts and bought tweezers. I told the guy I work for MONEY. He said I could hire a bunch of writers so your part would only be worth the facial hair. I said…great as that sounds… If it weren’t for the funny moments, I swear…
Since we are on the subj of desperation and poverty–come visit my recession site… https://hopeycopey.blogspot.com. Two hundred posts so far…I post weekdays.
One cause of my slow down in work from one end user client is turnover in their marketing team. I’ve been working with this client long distance since 2005 (brought in by a long-time contact), but the current marketing and marcomm team is all new, from my direct contact up to the VP. One guy now part of the team was someone who came over from the product side and so was familiar with my work. Fortunately, these people like what I do, but they just don’t use me as much — they either write a bit more in-house or the new people use some of the creatives they’ve worked with elsewhere.
But, fortunately again, the jobs they do bring me are on average larger than the ones I used to get from them. Since 2007, they’ve tended to come to me for case studies, speeches and white papers, which have run $2,500 to $6,000 each. What I have to do next is figure out to build on this excellent foundation.
Besides owning a copy of TWFW and Bly’s Secrets, I’m on the verge of spending money on yet another marketing yourself how-to for FLCWs because I seriously wonder if there’s something I’m not doing right or just not thinking of.
My business is down slightly this year–a result of clients’ shrinking corporate budgets, advertising agency implosions and a flood of new competition, including both overseas and US “content mill” writers.
Despite the gloom, I feel optimistic about staying busy and commanding living-wage fees. More than anything, the downturn has forced me to look honestly at my business model, pinpoint weaknesses and come up with solid, multi-pronged strategy for the long haul.
For years I coasted by with word-of-mouth marketing, worked with a handful of high-paying clients–and suffered through feast-and-famine cycles. This non-strategy was never sustainable, but now it’s untenable.
I use work lulls to amp up and diversify self-marketing. After eschewing blogs and social media–who has time in addition to client work?!–I’ve added both to my marketing mix along with an “old media” quarterly print newsletter. My goal is to reposition myself slightly, home in on higher paying niches and clients and diversify income stream.
In addition to writing copy for clients, I’m packaging other added-value skills that include editing, teaching and website development.
I agree with William’s post at the top. It’s like those who defend working for a pittance per article for content mills because “they don’t have to market.” If I’m going to put the effort and the skill into an article that any paying client deserves, I’m going to sell it for a living wage — and that includes marketing time — not a pittance.
The “state of freelancing” is the state you create. If you’ve got the skills and the motivation and the creativity, you land the good jobs. If you don’t, you don’t. I sort of think of this period of time as a bit of “culling the herd’, losing the ones who are finding out that they’d rather be in a more structured environment or doing something else, because the freelance life is not for them. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s a perfectly valid, individual choice, but too often, they don’t want to own it, they’d rather put the blame/responsibility on “the market”.
Freelancing is about FREEDOM. And freedom brings with it initiative and responsibility.
What is my personal state of freelancing? Tons of work, solid royalties, awesome, and improving every day.
(Other than fighting a stomach bug at the moment, which isn’t fun, but that’ll be done in a few days, and I’ll be back to the “awesome and productive” bits again).
Thanks all,
I’ve been fighting my own cold/sinus thing for 10 days now (hence, the limited commenting in the past week), so I can relate to Devon’s comment abut having things not be so “awesome and productive” right now, but this too shall pass.
What’s so apparent is the courage, resiliency, and resourcefulness I’m hearing in these posts. I know, I’m sure most of you don’t view it that way, but I think it is. It takes all of those to be willing to really examine how you’ve been doing things and retool your efforts. And I hear many of you taking a closer look at what your unique gifts are and making sure you put those things – that NOT everyone else can deliver – front and center.
And yes, Devon, this will cull the herd (downturns like this always do), but I think this one may be different. In the past, a freelancer who realized they weren’t cut out of for this life would just take a FT job somewhere. Well, that option isn’t nearly as available as it once was. Does that mean it might make them more resourceful because they have little choice (necessity being the mother of invention and all that…) or will there just end up being a ton of people WAY under-employed. We shall see…
PB
I’m in the state of denial. Does that count?
I’ve denied and pretty much ignored the “R” word. I figure that to accept a tanking economy means to buy in to the idea that – gasp and egad! – work is going to be hard to find. I found it. I’m off last year’s mark by a bit, but that meant I had to look in new areas. That led to new markets opening up. When the economy finally catches up with my confidence level, I’ll have plenty of work to choose from.
It is victimization. Depending on the report you read, we’re either overpaid, overworked, or expecting too much. I’ve read that we’re a dying breed, that we spend so much time marketing that we gain no profits, and that content mills are the new order and we’re dinosaurs to think real work is viable work. I refuse to listen to other people who are aching to define my business. It’s MY business. God help the soul who interferes with it.
Lori says:
“It’s MY business. God help the soul who interferes with it.”
Amen, Lori.
I’d say the state is what it always is: cyclical.
When it rains, it’s a torrential downpour and I can barely keep up with all the work.
When it doesn’t, it’s a drought and I wonder why I don’t go back to being on the corporate payroll.
Fortunately, it’s currently raining. 🙂
To answer her question…
————————-
Q: Can you sum up “the current state of freelancing” in two sentences?
The current state of freelancing is whatever you create it to be. We each create our own set of circumstances we operate our freelancing businesses within.
————————-
And my own “state of freelancing” is quite healthy indeed 😉
Never a lack of projects to work on for quite awhile now.
Hi Peter,
Excellent response and great conversation. I run an association (Int’l Assn. of Self-Employed Communication Professionals) that sprang from IABC back in the mid-90s when people first started getting laid off in droves. Back then, we saw self-employment as THE way to take control of our lives and careers. Our members now span the spectrum of business communication professionals and our group serves as a place for them to meet other collaborative partners and to learn to run their businesses more profitably. We’re still loosely connected with IABC and PRSA in that we’ll let their members know what we’re doing and occasionally we’ll announce their events.
We’ve been disturbed by this very mentality – that working for yourself is just a ‘stop gap’ between jobs. We also cringe at the term freelancer. It’s arcane and out-of-date. Our services are not free and we rarely lance anything. The term is demeaning in itself.
As a group, we have found that the ‘current state’ for the majority of our members is fantastic. Here’s why: We’ve learned to shed the old ‘business as usual’ mentality and to think in new ways. The way business is done has changed radically in the last decade or so, and those who wanted to thrive have seen the changes coming and adapted. This year has been exhilarating with the number of possibilities that have opened up for the self-employed communication professional. The ‘current state’ is irrelevant – it all depends on the mindset of the individual. If you’re sitting around waiting for ‘jobs’ to come back, you’re going down hard. That world is pretty much gone and not coming back. If you choose to seize the opportunity and take control of your own destiny, there’s no limit to what you can do.
I did the newsletter for the local chapter of IABC for years and this was one of the big centers of contention. They steadfastly did not want to acknowledge that change was coming. They did not want to prepare their members in any way; they stuck to the old adage that ‘it’s the way we’ve done it for 40 years’. That doesn’t serve their members at all. We’ve had so many of IABC members come over to our group over the years after being laid off. They’re shell shocked because they didn’t see it coming. How could they not? This is the fundamental problem with IABC (and PRSA). Self-employment is the future of the communication professional. We’re a contingent workforce of experts.
Thanks for opening this conversation. I think that the more people who are feeling dismal about their prospects get the new vision, the more exhilarating it will become. I think that IABC and PRSA had their purposes, but as they are not keeping pace with reality and the new global market, it’s time to offer people alternatives.
Good thread.
Barbara
Thanks Barbara,
Glad it resonated with you (feel free to share the link with your group). And folks, sounds like a good group to consider joining – given that they think like us! Thanks for weighing in!
PB
P.S. As I understand it, the term “freelance” dates back to medieval times as a term for mercenaries. When a knight didn’t have national allegiance to any particular king, and hired his services out, he was known as a “free lance.” And it stuck as a name of independents of all stripes.
Hey Peter,
Thanks for the history of the term Free Lance. I love it! I’ve always wondered what the heck was up with that….
🙂
I’m just full of….interesting information…;)
PB