Roller Coaster Ride

by Stephanie Olsen

A long-term copywriting job goes down the drain without warning. An editor you pitched months back suddenly emails a high-paying 650-word assignment. You have to decline several article submissions for your newsletter while dealing with three disappointing rejections of your own. That $460 check finally comes in the mail.

Just another day in the life of a freelance writer.

It can be overwhelming when the pressures of deadlines coincide with lengthy re-writes from valued (but momentarily extremely inconvenient) clients or when submissions and queries — sent at the expense of sleep — are met with blank silence.

In a career encompassing stress, unexpected events and emotional turmoil (both positive and negative), controlling any aspects that are controllable is of double benefit: not only will it help streamline your work, but you'll feel better just by being on top of at least a few things.

Schedule Everything in Writing

Your wall calendar is good for deadlines. Your daily calendar is good for reminders and "to-do" lists. When you get an assignment, take the time to:

1. open a file on your computer with the editor's instructions and guidelines;

2. enter the deadline into both calendars; and,

3. put a reminder in your daily for a few days prior to that deadline.

After you've written a first draft of any article, choose the day you'll work on the revision and note it in your day book.

When you can trust your calendars, you can allow yourself to "forget" an assignment or project and concentrate on whatever's at hand.

One Time Rules

If you see a market that interests you and you have 10 minutes, bring up your query template, fashion a hook, paste in your applicable clips and fire away. When that's just not do-able time wise, don't let a potential sale slip away – make a detailed note in your daily for the next moment you're free.

Take the time to answer emails as soon as you open them if at all possible. Deal with the request for an invoice, a clarification or rewrite or quote – even if it's to say "I'll get back to you," in which case you'll need to pull out your day calendar for a "to-do" entry.

If you just can't be bothered to write that much in your diary, look to your computer. Most email accounts have their own ticklers, file options and reminder systems – learn how to use them. Copy the interesting email, paste it into your auto reminder for a date when you'll have more time and forget about it.

Spurts

You can accomplish a lot between dishes and dinner, doorbells and day jobs. Use a 20 minute break to conduct a telephone interview; schedule an early morning e-conference with editors; search for artwork, do background research or write a few paragraphs in small blocks of time. If you've got a full-time job and/or a family at home, simply accepting that constant interruptions are a part of your writing life will help you become better at dealing with them and using your free moments effectively.