A day in the life of a freelance writer
Somewhat glamorous, mildly clamorous
Mondays as a freelancer are bursting with promise. Yet after about a year off, I’m returning to a marketplace that has changed.
What does a freelance writer do? Here’s a peek into yesterday’s routine.
Image courtesy Andrew Neel
My trusty paper day planner
⏰ Morning motivation
Start the coffee and review a rundown of my clients’ needs for a brief, golden moment before the morning school rush begins. Understanding goals is key to plotting out the week and adding to that freelance writer resume (and yes, I still use a paper day planner).
🏆 Early accomplishments
Copy edit media and macroeconomics for a news website. This is daily, deadline-driven work that satisfies my need for achievement. It feels so good to check this off every day.
🗳️ Civic duty
Attempt to vote early, but the line’s too long.
🍜 Lunch hour
Eat leftovers, slice a pumpkin pie, then make a scheduled client phone call. They don’t answer, so I follow up with an email.
⌨️ Website work
Tweak website content to highlight the type of work that really gets me going. Remove old service packages that I either no longer enjoy or haven’t booked in some time. This work is ongoing — from blog posts to website copy, each word matters, as clear communication is the priority and SEO is a game we’re each bound to play.
💻 Research and read
In the time I spent away from work, ChatGPT moved in. Rude, yes, yet some of its suggestions are laughable, and when I attempt to co-work, I’m finding that these tools aren’t yet grasping nuanced brand style guides the way a human can. That's encouraging, yet staying up-to-date on AI potential is a must.
🔄 Client connections
Reach out to past clients and cold-email potential new connections.
🎧 Creative pause
Switch gears for inspiration by taking a quick walk and listening to a podcast to spark ideas and creativity. There’s been more time for this than in the past, which is positive but ... uncomfortable.
🍎 School pickup
2:30 p.m. marks the end of my workday. Unless it’s absolutely unavoidable, I try not to work once my kids are home (although TBH, I did sneak in some blogging while two happily played with a neighbor kid and the third was on a walk with my husband).
Is being a freelance writer worth it?
To me, being a freelance writer and editor is worth the ebb and flow of projects because I always struggled when my career was an occupation and not a vocation. But there’s no doubt it’s a tough space to be in, and without a partner also bringing in money, I probably could not swing it.
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