3 important lessons established freelancers want newbies to know
Take note.
When a lot of us freelancers began our careers, we had no idea what we were doing. I certainly didn’t. Often the only way to learn is to experiment, try something new, be flexible and open to change and growth.
But if I had access to the network of professionals I do now, I think I’d be in a much better place. So I’ve reached out to them all to ask them: what’s the most important lesson you wish you knew when you began freelancing?
(Updated regularly.)
- Chloé Braithwaite, freelance SEO writer and content strategist
Freelancing can be a lonely endeavour, so pay attention to your network. The connections I’ve built within the freelancing community has been the most positive thing to come out of the pandemic for me. I work hard to build relationships, and it’s been the most encouraging experience: not only to see their successes and to celebrate with them, but on hard days, many of them are there to snap me out of it and build me back up again. Some have even become really good friends!
2. Kit Lee, freelance photographer and artist
Be tough and learn to say “NO.” Even when an opportunity is hard to come by, there’s always an opportunity around the corner that is safer and more honest. Don’t be naïve. Don’t fall into a trap that would potentially put you in a dangerous or precarious situation, like drugs, sexual exploitation, even debt or lost income due to a client that won’t pay up.
3. Akanksha Singh, freelance journalist
I’d say that freelancing is a numbers game. Especially if, like me, you’ve started out in a new career (I transitioned from copywriting with a degree in geology) and don’t have any industry contacts, cold pitching frequently and following up diligently is what gets stories out there. It’s natural to feel disheartened and give up when things are slow or hard, but the more you pitch, the more you write.
