Comments on: Will The Recession Hurt Your Writing Career?

By: Caveman

Caveman — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:47:04 +0000

I’m probably putting myself in a position of being cakefaced but I will say that the recession has actually helped me. A crisis can sort boys from men and once the boys are gone, men will need freelancers more than ever. I’ve only started recently but as the IT sector is going strong, I keep receiving more appointments.

By: Sudheer

Sudheer — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:30:32 +0000

Hi John, Thank you so much for the series of articles on Technical writing. Pretty illuminating for a newbie writer. I am sure the current ebb in the economy will pass on, to make way for better times. Mean while, let's keep hoping and expecting for the best, it will energise our efforts. Believe me, it works ! I was convinced of this after reading The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne. Best. Sudheers last blog post..5 Hypnosis Myths Exploded

By: Darrell Lindsey

Darrell Lindsey — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:38:03 +0000

Brian Killian is absolutely right when he says, "It's not just going to require good marketing on the part of freelancers, but the ability to locate where business is still going on." Darrell Lindseys last blog post..Obama And Small Business

By: Brian Killian

Brian Killian — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:42:27 +0000

Freelancers have the flexibility to go wherever the work is, and there is always work even during a recession. Thee problem, of course, is can you find where the work is?

It’s not just going to require good marketing on the part of freelancers, but the ability to locate where business is still going on. Who is thriving, and who is going under? And can you position yourself in front of the businesses that are thriving? Those are important questions.

By: Freelance Advice from the Blogosphere | Freelance Parent

Freelance Advice from the Blogosphere | Freelance Parent — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 21:49:47 +0000

[...] a rather thoughtful post on how the current economic situation can affect freelance writers with Will the Recession Hurt Your Career? If you think you’re alone in your bad freelancer habits, think again, and check out another [...]

By: John Hewitt

John Hewitt — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:24:51 +0000

@ Julia

Self-promotion is always a good idea. I do mention that in the next article, http://www.poewar.com/surviving-as-a-writer-in-a-bad-economy/

By: Julia Scott-Douglas

Julia Scott-Douglas — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:58:00 +0000

Hi John,

Thanks for the heads up on which writing jobs are slowing and which are doing okay still. I’ve noticed that, as you say, low-paying internet copy jobs are still available. Also, if anyone is having trouble making money, try doing what everyone else is cutting back on – promote yourself like crazy. It can be cheap (emails and phone calls, asking your friends to create word of mouth, starting a blog, social networking, etc), but if others are dropping out of the freelance field, it helps to be the one who’s been shouting “Hey! I’m still here!”

Thanks again for the great evaluation of the “State of Freelancing”.

Julia Scott-Douglass last blog post..Horror Classics – Ray Bradbury

By: Write More, Spend Less « Write More

Write More, Spend Less « Write More — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:27:00 +0000

[...] and it’s a horrible time to be a freelancer. Check out these two articles by John Hewitt: Will the Recession Hurt Your Writing Career? and Surviving as a Writer in a Bad Economy. If you haven’t worried before now, these articles [...]

By: John Hewitt

John Hewitt — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:46:39 +0000

BMAC,

The government definition of recession is like the government definition of war. By their definition, Vietnam was not a war, but if you ask any of the soldiers who went through it, their opinion would differ. This is the same use of “soft terms” that turned “Shell Shock” into “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.” Unemployment has risen virtually every month for a year. If the people are steadily losing jobs, than we are not just “slowing down” we are receding.

By: Bmac

Bmac — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:45:12 +0000

FYI, as writers, I think its important that we know what ‘recession’ means. The term ‘recession’ has a specific definition: recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth. That hasn’t happened yet, so we are not in a recession thus far. Slowdown is accurate — the rate of positive economic growth slowed down last quarter — but we writers should know the difference.