Overcoming the "Summer Slump"

I’m fortunate. I’m in this freelance writing game for several years, and I’ve been fortunate to have as much work as I’ve wanted in that time. But I think even the most prolific, successful freelancer hits a lull now and then. I had one this summer. Between mid-May and late June, there was zip, zilch, nada on my plate. Even when you’re lucky enough to have a fairly predictable stream of reliable work, the empty calendar makes your heart race just a little faster (at least it does for me). Besides using the time to pack for vacation and catch up on my reading (which isn’t possible, I assure you), I used those few weeks to try some new things to get business. Make no mistake—I’m grateful for my steady clients, but I’ve learned to never get comfortable. Something can change at any moment.

So, as I was facing a bit of a dry spell, and wanting to shift the course of the type of work I do, it seemed like the perfect time to move some of the “back burner” projects closer to the front. Here are the Top Five things I did to tackle my summer slump:

· Launched a website. I’m a little embarrassed (and more than a little astonished) to admit I am only now launching a website after being in the freelance writing game for (gulp!) almost two decades! I’ve relied on the power of LOIs, queries, and good old fashioned referrals to land work over the years. When those tried-and-true methods were less effective, it seemed like a good time to broaden my reach. I’m proud of my small but mighty website, if only because it is a visual reminder of just how diverse my projects have been over the years.

· Boosted my activity on LinkedIn. I updated my profile, removed stale information and broken links, added more clips, and posted, posted, posted. I also reached out to new connections in industries I like writing for and hope to land more work in.

· Reached out to dormant clients. There are some clients I’ve stopped writing for over the years, but in just about every case, we parted on good terms. I reached out to 2-3 of these folks, both to check in and inquire whether the conditions were the same. I managed to pick up a few quick assignments this way. I don’t plan to return writing for them regularly, but it was nice to have some things on the calendar.

· Networked—in person! I have a young son, so making any kind of meeting is difficult. There are a few groups I follow on social media in the hope that I can make a meeting one day. One local professional networking group caught my eye, and one morning, after my son was safely on the school bus, I decided to check it out. I was a little late because of putting son on said school bus, but the vibe was welcoming, and I was excited to learn more. Since then, I’ve had one-on-one meetings with a few members, and look forward to referrals, collaborations, or anything else we can dream up.

· Joined a writers’ group. Not only did I join the group at whose conference I presented this past spring, I volunteered to be the group’s publicity chairperson. I’m excited to share my ideas for getting the word out about the group and their various programs to the media, like-minded businesses, and the general public.

I returned from a 10-day vacation to a full plate of work from existing clients, a solid referral from a fellow writer, and a huge sigh of relief. I plan to continue plugging away at the above avenues keep getting the word out about the services I offer, as I’m a big believer in “you never know where the next opportunity will present itself”.

How do you get out of a slump—during the summer or otherwise?