Looking for some writing inspiration to get through the holiday hump and back on track?
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed…blah…frustrated…during the holidays. Maybe you’re trying to hustle freelance work, entertain family and friends, or even take time off.
Or maybe you’ve felt the gut-punch of COVID-19 more than others.
You’re trying to stay afloat by seeking out writing inspiration to help you keep moving forward. But every day seems like a struggle.
Sound familiar?
It’s been a crazy year. But now isn’t the time to sit back and do nothing if you want to be a freelance writer.
It’s an opportunity to reset, chart your course and tap into some writing inspiration to help you move up and earn more.
So what’s it gonna take to get from where you are to where you want to be in 2021?
Here are 7 tips to help you get over the holiday hump, and start the new year on the path to freelance success.
1. Take self-care seriously
Do self-care this winter, hard.
- Bubble baths
- Baking
- New hobbies & activities
- Exercise
- Mental stimulation: puzzles, crosswords, sudoku, etc.
You might think you don’t have time for self-care. But if you’re not happy, your work suffers and so does everything else.
Take self-care seriously. You deserve it, and you need it to open your mind to writing inspiration.
Me: I’ve added a fitness goal of training for the Columbia Tower Charity Stair Climb by stair-climbing in my house.
2. Write your marketing content and find clients
- Why? Nothing inspires like a deadline
- New business formation is up 43%, which means there’s more clients that need writers
- Target niche winners include: Tech, ecommerce, luxury goods, remote work tools
3. Take time off
- Stop burning out! Take AT LEAST 1 day a week off
- Take a WEEK off, plan for it if you can
- Take long weekends
- Take ONE hour off.
And do what you ask?
Sit and look out the window. Take a long walk. Read. ALL DAY. Take a bath. Or cook. Just do something that gives you joy.
Me: I get a lot of writing inspiration and ideas on bike rides, not staring at a screen.
4. Socialize safely
Some form of COVID-19 restrictions are probably in place where you’re at. But that doesn’t mean you should hole up and cut ties with everyone you know. Your social ties and connections (the real ones, not the social media ones), are important.
- Meet in person if you can do it safely
- Connect via phone or video chat
- Try playing games online together
Me: I meet with my extended family, have virtual friend lunch dates, meet in a park or do a distanced walk with a friend. Also, there’s online mah jongg, and many other games you can play with friends. Just speaking to other people can spark ideas and writing inspiration to help you.
5. Practice gratitude
We are alive to tell the tale. Do a gratitude list every day. Others have it worse. What we have is enough.
Why it works: Staying with gratitude keeps you out of the space of worrying about things you can’t control, about the future.
- Stay with this moment. Stick with what’s in front of you and what you need to do NOW. think about all you have overcome to get to this moment.
- Be grateful for any advantage you have, a computer to type on, hands to type on it with, etc.
- Keep listing all the good things you DO have.
Me: When I practice gratitude, writing inspiration and ideas well up of things I want to say — I think it sparks a lot of creativity.
6. Collaborate
- Get writing prompts from someone else, lots of good sites for that.
- Team up to write with someone — I look at the huge success Sean Platt and Johnny B Truant have had writing hilarious fiction for Amazon’s imprint… you don’t have to write alone!
- Join a writing group, maybe find someone who sparks ideas for you, or who you could co-write with, or could refer to each other to get more work.
Me: I’ve been telling writers struggling to create a great LinkedIn About section to have their buddy write or rewrite it. Which brings me to…
7. Get support
- Find an accountability buddy or partner
- Tap into resources to get help
- For more ideas, read The Recession-Proof Freelancer, or if you’re a mid-career writer and need a robust 6-month program with peer support, check out 2X self study
Boost writing inspiration to kick off a New Year
There’s more to freelance writing success than just cranking out copy. That’s a recipe for burnout. But if you take a step back and follow these 7 tips, you’ll put yourself on the right path. Here’s to health, happiness, and freelance success in 2021.
What helps you boost writing inspiration and creativity? Share your ideas in the comments below.
