Freelancing Odds and Ends

Hello, freelance friends!

It feels great to back writing in this space.

The second half of 2023 has been a challenging one in my personal life, but I’m excited to tiptoe back into your inbox with freelancing advice and conversations in the coming weeks.

Like most people, entering the end of the year makes me very introspective on both my business and my life. Here are some thoughts and resources I’m working through over the next few weeks.

My annual review process

In next week’s newsletter, I’ll breakdown what metrics and processes I’m looking at to guide my vision for 2024. I do this with my business and my husband and I always schedule time to talk about what we want the next year (and several years) to look like. It’s a fun thing to do together because you never know what your partner is going to say! This can be a great exercise to do with a friend as well.

What do you do when you’re REALLY sick?

I came across a post on LinkedIn this week about how to handle BIG illnesses and health issues as a freelancer (I tried to locate the post to share but I couldn’t find it!). The author had a health emergency and had to postpone several deadlines with clients. Even though she was worried about it, she wound up not having too many issues rescheduling things.

I was recently in a similar boat. I had a sudden major medical event last month (don’t worry, I’m ok now) and basically told all of my clients, “Sorry, nothing is getting done for the next week or two.”

The results were surprisingly NOT catastrophic. No one fired me, everyone was so kind and flexible (even a new client I had barely onboarded and was expecting to lose), and one client even sent me a DoorDash gift certificate.🥹

As freelancers, we often worry about the worst case scenario with our clients. But when you deliver good work 99% of the time and build ongoing relationships, your business can weather life’s storms that are bound to hit. All that to say, please give yourself some grace when you need it. Your freelance business will bounce back.

Black Friday business shopping

Deals, deal, deals! Are you buying anything for your freelance business this week?

I’m taking advantage of a few sales. First, I sorely need a new office chair. I’ll be scouring online reviews to find the best one, but hit reply and let me know if you have any recommendations!

Another business purchase I’m considering is the Killer Carousels Masterclass (not an affiliate link) from MaHa Copy Co. I follow these ladies on Instagram and love all the free copywriting content they share. I need some creative inspiration for my social media presence on IG and LinkedIn and am taking advantage of their 20% discount this week.

If you need a little motivation and inspo for your business, check out the Write with Lauren shop which is 25% off until next Monday. You can snag my templates or ebook, The Fully Booked Freelance Writer, at a discount using the code SALE23 at checkout.

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving,

Lauren