This is a guest post by Anne Varia.
Conference calls in your pajamas. Two-hour lunches. Unlimited vacations and endless sick time. Indeed, working at home is every writer's dream.
The truth is, writers and non-writer's alike tend to glamorize the notion of working at home. And the obvious perks don't always outweigh the unique challenges of being your own boss. In fact, many work-at-home writers I know share the same complaints: disorganization, isolation, and lack of motivation, just to name a few. But none of these challenges is insurmountable. Here are just a few suggestions to get your home-based writing business on track.
1. CREATE A WORKSPACE
Lots of writers take their workspace for granted. This is especially critical when you work at home. If you don't have the luxury of a separate office in your home, make the most of the living space you do have available. Avoid high traffic zones like the kitchen. A wall in the bedroom will do - even a corner in the foyer or laundry room if all else fails! But you need space to work, and at least one set of filing cabinets to stay organized. A phone is a given, but you can probably get away with not having a fax-machine at first, as long as you have email.
2. STICK TO YOUR SCHEDULE
While it's okay to enjoy your flexible hours, you do need to set up some kind of schedule for yourself, and stick to it. If you work better at night, sleep in. I'm much more productive in the early morning, and try to finish by three in the afternoon whenever possible. The point is, keeping a schedule helps you focus.
3. MAKE OTHER PEOPLE STICK TO YOUR SCHEDULE
This could be tricky. After all, think about everyone with demands on your time: spouses, kids, pets, friends, neighbors. And when they see you at home, they assume your time is theirs. No. You must clearly set boundaries. Explain that when you are in your little corner in the laundry room between the hours of x and y, you are off limits. You're just a figment of their imagination, a mirage. Easier said than done, but if you stick to your guns on this one (and you have to) they'll eventually get the hint.
4. SAY THE MAGIC WORD: "VARIETY"
No matter how big the project looming before you, work on other assignments as well. After a few hours, it's wise to switch to an activity that will exercise a different part of your brain. For example, if you're in the middle of writing a tedious academic article on Voltaire's use of commas, go to http://www.freelancewriting.com and check out the job postings. The Internet is crammed with exciting new resources for writers, and you should make a point of visiting at least 3 new sites a day. You just might pick up a hot assignment, or find a new market for that piece on Voltaire.
5. NETWORK
Are you enjoying long conversations with the dog? It's time to get out. Working at home can be lonely, and you need to make contacts with others in the business. Join local writer's groups; if your community doesn't have one, start one. There are tons of networking opportunities on the Internet, but cyberspace is no replacement for human interaction. Join the local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary Club, and mingle with prospective clients. It's not only a great way to get inspired and to market yourself, it beats talking to the dog.
6. TAKE BREAKS
No chit-chat at the water cooler for you. Still, you need to take a break every few hours. And that entails physically getting up from your computer, not just staring into space. Stretch. A really good stretch does wonders. Are you caught up on your work? Take a fifteen minute nap; here we have one of the biggest perks freelancing can offer! A quick walk around the block can also have you revitalized in no time.
7. MASSAGE YOUR CREATIVE BRAIN
As Senior Copywriter with an international catalog company, I've had the experience of supervising other writers for several years now. And let me tell you, one of the best ways to motivate writers is to keep them on their creative toes. Brief writing and other types of creative exercises not only come as welcome changes during an often busy deadline period, but they keep the mind sharp. Here are just a few examples: Write a haiku in the classic, 5-7-5 syllable format (this blank screen mocks me/ideas flee like frightened birds/deadlines pounce in twos); you can be as silly or as serious
as you like. Try creating the first sentence of a really bad novel; or a paragraph describing your living room without using the letter "e." Even take out your child's crayons and color.
8. EXERCISE & EAT RIGHT
I'm not going to get on any kind of soap box about this, but staying fit is critical to good health. And good health is critical to creativity. Lots of large companies these days have in-house gyms, or offer compensation for their employees to take out memberships at local gyms. If you're self-employed, you should take this practice to heart. Martial arts, yoga, biking, swimming, walking, the choice is yours.
9. TRIUMPH IN YOUR SUCCESSES
"Great work." "Nicely done." "Good job!" As a freelance writer, you may not hear such accolades. Clients, for whatever reason, don't always gush with praise. You won't get yearly reviews from your supervisor, or bonuses for that matter. Make sure you pat yourself on the back from time to time. And treat yourself to a nice lunch at that new restaurant you've been meaning to try.
10. HAVE A LIFE
Once you start working at home, there's a huge risk of your work life spilling over into your home life. ALWAYS close the books at the end of the day. All work and no play makes you stale. Besides, writing isn't everything. Lucky you, the world is your oyster. So go rollerblading, hiking, and skydiving; throw a dinner party; visit your grandmother; fall in love. The rewrites on chapter 2 of your novel can wait 'til tomorrow.
Remember, if you want to write, you have to live.
About the Author
Anne Varia is a freelance writer and author of the course, "How To Start A Home-Based Business," at the Barnes & Noble.com University site, www.bn.com
Copyright © 2000 Anne Varia.
