When you first start working with a new client you are sure to be excited. Not only are you ready to take on a new project, but you are making some money as well. Does it get any better than that? While this is definitely an exciting time, you may find out soon enough that you don’t know all the answers. In other words, your new client may stump you from time to time.
If a client asks a question of you and you do not know the answer, you can do one of two things:
1. Make something up, and hope that you can get away with it. Believe it or not, this is very common.
2. Admit that you are stumped, but immediately go out and find the right answer.
As you can imagine, I opt for number two time and time again. The last thing you want to do is lie to a client. If you make something up and it ends up being wrong in the end, you are jeopardizing your relationship.
Your clients do not expect you to know everything. In fact, there are going to be times when you are downright lost. Rather than act like everything is okay, communicate your position to the client and let them know what you plan on doing next. There is nothing better than researching a client question, and coming back with the right answer in the near future. Not only will this make the client happy, but it will make you feel good inside at the same time.
I have been freelance writing for many years, and still get stumped by clients – this is part of the industry. Don’t expect to know the answer of every question that comes your way.
As long as you are willing to find the answer for your client, admitting that you don’t know should never be a problem.
No matter if you work as a freelance writer or in some other line of work, there is a very real possibility that you will begin to burnout at some point in time. While this may sound silly to you right now, it is anything but a joke when it happens. This can quickly drag you down, and force you into taking some time away from your computer.
Simply put, burnout is the result of working day after day without taking enough time off. Some freelance writers don’t experience this very often. Others, it seems, run into this issue on a more regular basis.
If this is becoming a reality within your career you will know it soon enough. Not only will you feel mentally exhausted, but your interest in freelance writing will wane as well.
Is this something that will keep me down for the long term? How long it takes you to recover from burnout depends on several factors. For instance, are you willing to take some time off? Believe it or not, a day or two away from the computer can do wonders for you. If you are the type to forge ahead, no matter how you are feeling, you may eventually run into a brick wall. Often times, burnout can lead to a feeling of downright exhaustion. In turn, you will have no choice but to take some time off in an attempt to recover.
Just because you experience burnout does not mean that you need to change careers. That being said, you do need to think about the schedule you are working and any changes that you may be able to make.
Don’t let freelance writing burnout become a bigger problem than what it really is.
Some people avoid a freelance writing career because they are worried about the costs associated with getting up and running. While this is a definite concern, it is one that you should be able to handle if you put your mind to it. No matter how much money you have, starting a freelance career is a possibility – even if it is a very small amount.
If you are on a tight budget the first thing you should do is search around to see what you currently have. For instance, if you have a perfectly good computer you should use it as opposed to buying a new one. The same holds true for your printer, scanner, fax, etc. Early in your career you should use what you have as opposed to buying everything new.
Once you know what you need to spend money on, weigh your options against your budget. Those who do need a computer, for example, have many choices. Rather than go out and buy a $2k laptop, you could opt for a lesser priced desktop. This may not be the ideal situation, but as you are getting started it is important to get what you need without spending too much money on it.
In most cases, once you get all your expenses out of the way you are in good shape for the time being. You will find out soon enough that there are not many ongoing expenses. Things will come up from time to time, but nothing that should eat too far into your profits.
Even if you are on a tight budget you can still start a freelancing career. It does not take much in terms of expenses to get moving!
