Ruth Kaufman - Award-Winning Author and Romance Writer

Ruth Kaufman is the author of My Life as a Star, My Life as an Extra, My Once & Future Love, The Bride Tournament, Follow Your Heart, At His Command and other books.

10 Feelancer Motivation Tips

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(No, feelancer isn’t a typo. The word freelancer, IMO, implies that the Gainfully Unemployed are willing to work without recompense. So I prefer feelancer.)

Some days being a feelancer is the most enjoyable career. I work the hours I want. There’s no boss breathing down my neck. On the other hand, there may not be a structure to my day. It’s all on me to get revisions done, complete the information form for my next book cover, write that article and submit for and/or record auditions. etc. So there are times when my motivation lags. Perhaps I’ve been super busy, or have a bunch of random things to do and feel scattered. Perhaps I feel the efforts I’m making are floating in the ether, with no responses or incoming opportunities. So why do more?

This morning was one of those times. I’m creating a list of motivation tips I hope will help me in the future, and you, too.

1) Increase your discipline. Sometimes you have to talk to yourself and remind yourself why you need to work.

2) Conversely, maybe you need to decrease the pressure you put on yourself for a bit. Accept that you’re simply unmotivated right this minute instead of trying to force better feelings. Maybe you need to take a walk among the flowers, as a Facebook friend suggested. And you may need to refill the well, even during prime work hours.

3) List every task you need to do, by when and prioritize. Then, as Nike says, Just Do It. Taking the first steps and getting started on something can be the catalyst to continue.

4) Get a pep talk. I asked Facebook friends to share how they maintain a positive attitude. And two close friends saw my post and called.

5) Focus on what you can do in the present moment. Don’t let things that didn’t work out in the past weigh you down.

6) Read or review The Artist’s Way, or other books/articles that enhance your perspective.

7) Keep your eye on the prize, as they say. What will be your reward: the satisfaction of completing a project or checking something off your list, or an actual reward?

8) Work with a friend so you both stay on task and have a sounding board. I’ve done this with several friends

9) Change your environment. Working from a coffee shop or anywhere that’s not my desk at home, even for a few hours, can freshen the process.

10) Instead of getting nothing done, take a short break. Run an errand or two, walk around the block. Sometimes the best ideas pop into your head when you’re not trying so hard.

Any other ideas? Which sounds best to you?

Going Beyond the Call

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A rule of thumb is that talent should be seen and not heard. We’re usually hired to read whatever copy we’re given, whether we think it’s good or not, and usually don’t voice our opinions. That’s because many clients have worked long and hard to come up with the exact verbiage and because most talent probably don’t have extensive advertising or corporate writing/editing experience.

Sometimes keeping quiet is easier to do than others. I’ve bitten my tongue a couple of times. Occasionally I come across copy that is convoluted, confusing, poorly written or rife with enough errors I can’t in good conscience record it. As gently as possible, I’ll tell the client that while of course I will record as written, here’s a suggestion about how I’d change this paragraph.

I can’t think of a situation when such clients haven’t agreed, and then hired me to edit, and/or rewrite or write their scripts. At times I just make the writing a little easier to understand and/or snazzier. But there are times when I also need to do research to verify content and, to create a new term of art, de-engineerize copy. Now I’m helping a client write a multi-hundred PowerPoint slide e-learning course full of technical jargon and equipment models.

Why aren’t scripts 100% ready to record? My theories include:

-too many chefs in some corporate kitchens…perhaps a lot of hands adding content contributions to the pot so it doesn’t blend well.

-work overload and time crunches. Some chefs have too many dishes to prepare at once. Or maybe a sous chef didn’t thoroughly complete his/her portion of the recipe.

The point of the story: in today’s marketplace, offering a variety of skill sets can make Gainfully Unemployed freelancers more marketable and enable us to a) do more for our clients so they view us as resources and b) grow our businesses.

In addition to your primary service, what experience do you have that can benefit your clients? How do you make them aware of additional offerings?

Show them how you can go above and beyond the call.

Do you have enough irons in the fire?

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The Gainfully Unemployed and freelancers know the importance of keeping as many irons in the fire as possible. Given the state of the economy, this practice becomes even more important. Incoming leads and projects may taper off as budgets are cut. So we need to have more “outgo.” We need to consider provide additional services and step up self-marketing to maintain and increase our contacts, clients and earnings.

I and the actor/freelancer friend I work with are taking this to heart. Here are just some of the things we’re doing to get our names out there and grow our businesses.

Marketing:

  • Make sure Web site(s) are current and promote you and your services as best they can.
  • Enhance marketing materials–resumes, demos, stationery, fliers, etc. Now you can send them out again.
  • Use social networking sites to expand your contacts: Facebook, LinkedIn. You never know when a friend of a friend will have a project. But don’t overdo! We probably all have at least one person whose statuses we’ve chosen to hide because they update too many times a day or complete too many quizzes. I suppose I’ll have to start Twittering at some point, but there is a limit to how much time one can/should spend online.
  • Add additional agents or agents for additional media, such as print.

Increase outgoing submissions:

  • Frequently troll the Internet for projects.
  • Apply for at least 3 jobs/projects/auditions each work day. These combined with any incoming auditions/opportunities should yield 20+ new irons in the fire every week.

Offer additional services and save on services you need:
We’ve assessed other things we can do that we haven’t been offering or promoting and are defining those services and rates we’ll charge.

For example, I’m expanding my freelance writing/editing business (need any documents written or edited, faithful readers?), and already had a new client thanks to an author friend who extolled my talents at a writing workshop. I’ve gotten quotes/testimonials from other clients but still need to get my marketing materials in order.

  • If you’re a computer whiz, can you start designing Web sites? Offer classes/training on how to use a computer or certain programs? What makes your approach unique?
  • If you need a new site or changes to a current one, can you design your own via sites like Weebly.com (my friend can, I’m still trying to figure it out)?
  • Barter with friends to save time and/or money.

Stretch the $ you have: Small savings add up fast. These examples may seem obvious, but I know people who don’t take advantage of them:

  • Gas prices in my area currently range from $2.89 to $3.11. That’s .22 saved a gallon.
  • Use coupons and buy things on sale. I recently saved $22 on one trip to Jewel.
  • Learn what’s cheaper where, and shop those stores when you’re in the vicinity.
  • Eat leftovers. Many restaurants serve huge portions, with many more calories/fat grams than we should consume in one sitting . Why overeat or waste food?

What can you do?