With an almost four-month-old, I feel as if I’m constantly working — or constantly trying to work — as I go from diaper changes and feedings to email correspondence, interviews and writing, and repeat. But it can sometimes feel like I don’t accomplish much at the end of the day. Time flies by and even though I eventually get it done, blogging while nursing a baby seems to take forever.
Then I came across Gretchen Roberts’ ebook, Full-Time Income in Part-Time Hours: 22 Secrets to Writing Success in Under 40 Hours a Week, and thought this is exactly what I need.
It suddenly dawned on me that although I am wrangling with baby and trying to freelance in between 24/7, I am probably putting in part-time hours when you count up my working hours, so giving this a read — written by a woman who has successfully freelanced while caring for three children — will help me manage my time much more effectively.
The tips come in handy for any freelancer — with children or without. This ebook shows you how to maximize your profits in less than 20 hours a week. (And who wouldn’t want to earn a nice living while working part-time, rather than full-time hours?) You can earn a decent living while writing part-time, and Roberts shows you how to work smarter, not harder. When she opens with saying she doesn’t believe doubling her hours would double her income because we’re never 100 percent productive during a typical 40-hour work week anyway, she immediately grabbed my attention.
Categorized by the most difficult challenges of freelancing (time management, money management, client management), the ebook offers the following:
- Omitting the fact that you’re part-time to avoid marginalization (nobody needs to know anyway)
- Being productive when your writing time is limited by nap, daycare and babysitter schedules
- Scheduling your day around the times at which you work best
- Focusing on a niche or a few specialties
- Establishing a mix of ongoing gigs for steady work and cash flow
- Knowing what assignments to take or how to negotiate them
- Dumping those PITA clients who are a waste of your time and talent
- Moving on to bigger and better-paying clients and assignments to maximize profits
Bonus: The ebook also contains real-life stories of part-time writers making bank in the “Tales from the Trenches” section. I especially loved one writer’s confession of nursing during a Skype interview.
The section on juggling freelance work and child care particularly interested me, as it’s my current predicament. After reading this, I’m hopeful. If you’re diligent and creative, as Roberts illustrates, you’ll make it happen. And viewing your freelance writing career as a part-time pursuit rather than a full-time one makes it seem far more manageable to someone with a newborn at home to contend with. It’s definitely given me some ideas on how to focus my daily tasks and projects so I can have the work/life balance that inspired my decision to freelance.
I found Full-Time Income in Part-Time Hours very relatable with useful information that applies to my freelance life right now. It’s also a great investment at only $7.99.
For more information on this ebook, visit www.writeparttime.com.
Photo credit: africa/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Since I write about home decor and interior design (and study interior design on the side), I thought I’d dedicate some blog space to rounding up writerly stuff you could use in your home office, plus offer some home office design-spiration. True writers can write anywhere, yes, but wouldn’t it be neat to have a cool writer-like office to draw inspiration from? I bring you some of the most unique decor finds and ideas out there for writers. This is the first monthly installment of Cool Writer Stuff. Scroll on.
