Making it as a freelancer is a full time job
Making it or not as a freelancer is a full time job for most of us. Competition is hard. It is in many ways as hard or harder even than being a footballer in the different professional European football leagues. Even if you would be the best there is, it wouldn’t necessarily be a free ticket to pass the line of others in wait for an assignment. They may take the first in line or the cheapest on the day. Regardless of quality.
Regardless how successful we may be year after year, we all have times when it all seems to go against us.
Sell, sell, sell is what it is in the end if you intend to eat and live buy paying the bills from your own made money. Selling our services. But to what price.
One sort of price is the plain hours of extra hours of work. Such as working through the nights without a thank you.
Organize is one price as well. Because if we don’t organize our work and say no to fun when it inflicts on office hours. Or when you work tooooooo much.
Inspiration is one important thing to never forget. Set time off if needed. What is inspiration? I usually say inspiration is nothing to sit and wait for. It is either something that comes out of something in your work, or by simply take a walk with your dog and let your thoughts come and to allow the world around come to you. Or why not pick up a book on paper and flipp pages. Or read the paper issue or digital issue of magazines such as Computer Arts. Those Englishmen know how to make graphics magazines. Here is a link to an article that might inspire some of you. It reignited me a bit. I enjoy the magazine in question. And recomend it. Its a good read. They may take up the same topics from year to year, but the business looks mostly the same in its ”framework”. So its natural. But they sure does it well. Wired magazine should learn from them. http://www.computerarts.co.uk/blog/design-studio-handbook-run-thriving-creative-business-133788
Keep the faith and have fun even when times are rough.
Stefan Lindblad
illustrator, graphic designer & artist
