Been a bit MIA... but here’s what’s been happening

Hey friends, freelancers in the making, and new subscribers.

I know, I know… I went a little MIA these past couple of weeks. Life has been a lot. Between client work, worrying about money non-stop, some big life shifts, and just feeling completely overwhelmed, I needed to take a breather.

But I’m back! And I have updates.

I started a new journalism job!

I’m now working two days a week as a journalist for QNews Australia, an LGBTQIA+ publication, and I couldn’t be happier about it. It’s been a dream to get back into journalism in a way that aligns with my values and interests. Plus, freelancing is unpredictable, so having a little stability in my week has been a welcome change.

Speaking of freelancing… I’ve had a bit of a revelation over the last few weeks when it comes to working with clients.

Quick win: Share your damn opinion

Want to boost your reach and engagement with minimal effort? Weigh in on breaking news and trending topics.

An industry shift, a viral conversation, or something relevant to your niche, it doesn’t matter. Sharing your perspective on something already trending/breaking makes your content more timely, relevant, and likely to land in front of new audiences.

Not sure where to start? Ask yourself:

• What’s happening right now that affects my industry/audience?

• Do I have a hot take or unique insight?

• Can I break it down for my audience in a simple, engaging way?

It doesn’t have to be controversial (though, a little spice works very well), just add your voice to the conversation!

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach

When I first started freelancing, I thought monthly packages were the best way to go. I watched reels, read blogs and articles, and did so much research… and it seemed like people in my industry leaned towards this approach.

Clients like consistency, I like knowing what’s coming in each month, isn’t it a no-brainer?

But recently, I realised it just wasn’t working the way I thought it would. Packages are great, but I’ve felt a bit stifled by them. I don’t know if I want to scale my business so much that I am low-touch and I’m realising I like working with teams in a consultancy-style arrangement.

So, I switched one of my clients from a monthly package to an hourly structure, and have offered that same shift to another.

Some clients need flexibility, and I like freedom that allows for ebbs and flows in workload, and ultimately on both ends it feels like a better fit.

Moral of the story? Being a new freelancer is about finding out what works for different clients (no two clients are ever the same) and also finding what you like.

All this to say, the hourly-based structure works for me and this client for now and I’m glad we were able to shift with what works and how we feel.

That’s all from me this week! Promise I won’t disappear for so long again!

See you soon.

Laura