By: Bor Klemenc Mencin
My February has been marked by sickness. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that people were saying “Sick, bro!” to all of my proposals – it was more like debilitating stomach flu paving the way for regular flu to come in just days later and wreak havoc on my mind, body and soul. Needless to say, the situation made writing difficult and stripped me of any funny anecdotes, meaningful encounters or illuminating experiences to share. I guess you could say that my blocked nose resulted in me experiencing somewhat of a writer’s block, hardy har har…
Writing about the troubles I experienced with basically every bodily fluid crossed my mind – anyone who’s had stomach flu knows it can eclipse even the best Stephen King novel – but you’ll be glad to know I decided to spare you the details. Instead, I managed to compile a short list and expanded on a couple of insights I came across since I began my burgeoning freelance career. I hope you’ll pardon my French, but it feels so right in moments like these… Maintenant, s’il vous plaît, sans plus tarder, je présente la liste:
Some people aren’t really able to grasp the value of the service you provide.
Because of the intangible nature of copywriting, a lot of people imagine our work as being fairly uncomplicated. The only thing they see is the result. It’s not like you’re putting in hours of mindful concentration, trying out various combinations and fine-tuning it to make it work as smoothly and efficiently as possible, right? How can it be? It’s just words! Everybody knows words (and Trump has the best words). Come back when you can do something the client can’t do himself like design a leaflet or set up a website…
But on a more serious note: sometimes it is necessary to explain exactly what your role is BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER the project so the client knows you’re not just standing there looking pretty.
Some people feel very grateful when you help them out.
On the other end of the spectrum, you’ll encounter people who sincerely appreciate you taking the time and interest in their project and will do anything to make your process as smooth as possible. They’re also the ones that tend not to be so frugal when it comes to negotiating your fee. Cherish these people because they truly are a rare gem. And don’t get cocky either because after a couple of “normal” projects you’ll jump at a chance to work for them again. Believe me.
The best perk of freelancing is being free to engage in activities that you couldn’t have otherwise.
There are other perks, of course, but in my opinion, this is the best one. Not having to take a whole day off just because you want to attend a symposium, being able to go on a trip without having to notify anyone and planning your meetings so that you can get shitfaced on a weekday are just some of the things that truly put the “free” into “freelancing”. And I’ll be sure to keep on doing them in the future – whenever I’m not pinned down by deadlines, that is.
Everywhere you go, people seem to be very interested in how you’re doing now.
When I talk to acquaintances and colleagues, I sometimes feel like striking out on my own was akin to escaping some kind of safeguarded and well-kept reservation. Nobody’s really sure if they should, but they can’t help asking what’s it like “on the outside”. The question is usually accompanied by a genuinely concerned look and uttered softly, in a confidential tone of voice. Upon replying that I’m doing just fine, I generally get a jolly “Of course! I always knew you’d make it!” Yeah, thanks, mate…
You feel much more guilty for slacking off than you did when you had a desk job.
Becoming a freelancer made me much more mindful of my time. When I was in the office, the feeling of being constantly overwhelmed kind of made me think I was entitled to a break every now and then (not to mention opening up YouTube allowed me to escape the harsh realities of task pile-ups and impending deadlines). Now taking breaks feels kind of like cheating on myself with myself, because it’s me that’s in charge of planning and scheduling. Still doesn’t stop me from doing it, though…
