Stephen King once said, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”
Sometimes, the things we read will help us with the craft of writing. Sometimes we need to read books that will just keep us going. That’s why I return to books like Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg again and again.
Freelance writing, however, is a different kind of animal and requires a different kind of reading.
Here are 3 books I believe every freelance writer should read.
Because I am a full-time freelance writer, I work from home. Before the Coronavirus forced many workers out of their offices and into remote work setups, many people thought that when I said I worked from home what I really meant was I lounged on the sofa all day in my pajamas watching old episodes of Criminal Minds. And while I do hang out with my friends from the BAU during my lunch break, I think now most people know that working from home is still hard work!
Nonetheless, many people still don’t understand what it truly means to be a full-time freelance writer. Sure, there are glamorous parts. You get to interview amazing people. When the world isn’t in the middle of a pandemic, you get invited to events and you get to check out new venues, books, and experiences before anyone else does. Sometimes you get paid to travel. Building your brand as a writer also means having fun photoshoots and even being featured on websites and in ad campaigns.
But there’s a lot about this freelance life that’s not glamorous – at all. So, I’m here to give you the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Inspired by Mattie James’ blog post on Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Tasks for Influencers, I’m going to share what life as a full-time freelance writer is really like by covering what I do each day, each week, and each month.
As a writer, I’m constantly collecting journal prompts for self-care. When you’re an ambitious writer, prioritizing self-care is tough; sometimes it feels impossible. Going after goals like writing a book, starting a blog, or building a freelance writing business requires sacrifice. And oftentimes the first thing we sacrifice is self-care.
