Summer season can really feel unusual as a contract author.
One minute your calendar is overflowing with deadlines and consumer calls, and the following factor all of a sudden decelerate a bit.
And that may really feel irritating at first. You’re excited to be busy and dealing (and being profitable) so when it dries up, you don’t know what to suppose or do.
However over time, I’ve realized summer season slowdowns are literally fairly frequent in freelance writing.
Lots of corporations decelerate through the summer season as a result of groups are taking holidays, launches get pushed to fall, and decision-makers are merely much less lively.
Even the Freelancers Union has said that many freelancers expertise a slowdown, and the American Translators Affiliation shared that July and August had been constantly among the slowest months of their freelance enterprise information.
And, I’ve observed this sample in my very own enterprise too.
Some summers keep busy whereas others really feel lighter and manageable.
The primary yr I grew to become a contract author I used to be frightened for the summer season stoop, nevertheless it by no means occurred. I stayed busy with writing.
However over time it modified and as a substitute of panicking throughout slower weeks, I exploit that point to compensate for the components of my enterprise that often get uncared for throughout busier seasons.
Summer season Is Busy in Different Methods Too
Sarcastically, whereas freelance writing work can decelerate a little bit in the summertime, life will get a lot busier for me personally.
Proper now my son has baseball and he’s additionally working as an umpire this summer season.
My daughter has monitor and softball all by way of the season too.
Then on high of that, my son additionally has hockey camps and tennis camps blended into the calendar.
And actually, between sports activities schedules alone, I typically really feel like I reside in my automotive through the summer season.
Then add touring, household plans, and home renovations into the combination.
We’re digging up our driveway and patio to interchange them, and we additionally utterly dug up our yard and have to panorama the entire thing.
So whereas freelance work might decelerate a little bit through the summer season, life positively doesn’t.
That’s really one purpose I’ve discovered to understand slower freelance seasons extra now.
As a result of when work eases up a bit, it offers me respiration room to lastly sort out all of the enterprise housekeeping duties that often get uncared for throughout busier consumer months.
So listed below are the principle issues I deal with throughout slower summer season weeks as a contract author.
Psst….whereas studying this, consider me DOING this stuff outdoors basking within the solar and sipping a fruity drink!
1. I Test All of the Hyperlinks on My Portfolio Web page
Do you know that purchasers can take away your paid article from ther weblog or change the creator to “workforce?”
Yeah, I didn’t know that and even have that thought in my mind for years and years of being a contract author….till it grew to become a thought.
One time I clicked an outdated portfolio pattern I ended up discovering:
- the web page disappeared
- the consumer redesigned their web site
- my byline vanished
- the article now redirects someplace random
This could occur to you too!
And if a potential consumer clicks your portfolio and lands on damaged hyperlinks or 404 pages, it doesn’t precisely create confidence.
So throughout slower weeks, I am going by way of each single portfolio pattern and take a look at the hyperlinks manually.
If a clip disappeared utterly, I’ve to take away it. It upsets me nevertheless it’s bought to be carried out.
Generally I can use the Wayback Machine to search out outdated articles and take a screenshot of them like I needed to with Walmart.
2. I Replace My Writing Samples
It is a good time so as to add any new consumer items you might have and add it to your web site.
For me I’ll additionally replace the titles and reorganize my samples whereas I’m there.
Generally I take away older items that now not signify the type of work I wish to appeal to.
Different instances I replace descriptions or catergorize samples higher by area of interest or service.
Not too long ago I consolidated plenty of my e-mail advertising and social media advertising underneath the umbrella of, “digital advertising” on my portfolio web page.
This simply made it simpler for purchasers to see all the pieces.
And over the summer season, I can tweak and modify as a lot as I would like!
3. I Evaluation My Pitches
One factor I’ve began doing throughout slower summer season weeks is reviewing my older freelance writing pitches.
After years of freelancing, I spotted sure varieties of pitches constantly result in higher purchasers, higher initiatives, and higher-paying work.
So as a substitute of blindly sending random pitches without end, I like trying again at what really labored.
I exploit a the pitch tracker in my Writeto1k course to assist me with this.
It helps me see issues like:
- which pitches bought responses
- which purchasers become long-term work
- which niches transformed greatest
- which varieties of emails led to discovery calls
- the place my highest-paying purchasers initially got here from
Generally I’ll discover patterns I utterly missed earlier than.
For instance, I’ll notice shorter pitches carried out higher. Or that sure industries responded extra constantly. Or that warm-style pitches transformed higher than overly formal ones.
So slower seasons are a good time to step again, analyze what’s really been efficient in your freelance enterprise, and enhance your pitching technique transferring ahead.
4. I Refresh My LinkedIn Profile
I deal with LinkedIn like an lively a part of my freelance writing enterprise now.
Not only a profile I created years in the past and forgot about (like I WAS doing earlier than).
So throughout slower weeks, I’ll:
- add new purchasers
- replace venture descriptions
- refresh my headline
- take away outdated data
- add newer accomplishments or experience
- change my headshot
- replace my LinkedIn banner
As a result of purchasers completely verify LinkedIn earlier than hiring freelance writers now, particularly in 2026.
And, you already know what? Some writing gigs have come straight from merely retaining my profile present and lively.
5. I Do a Full Web site Evaluation
That is a type of duties that will get ignored the second consumer work will get busy, amiright?
As a result of one way or the other your individual web site at all times turns into the final precedence.
So throughout slower weeks, I am going web page by web page by way of my web site on the lookout for outdated data, damaged hyperlinks, typos and something that doesn’t match my model.
Generally I’ll even notice my positioning has shifted and sure pages now not match the type of purchasers I really wish to appeal to now.
That’s often my signal it’s time for an replace…and a fee enhance!
6. I Catch Up on Accounting
That is NOT glamorous however vital.
When freelance work will get busy, accounting turns into a type of “I’ll do it later” duties till all of a sudden you’re buried in receipts and attempting to recollect what random subscription you signed up for 3 months in the past.
So slower summer season weeks are often once I lastly sit down and handle my revenue. I’ll overview invoices, replace spreadsheets, log bills and put together issues for taxes.
It’s not thrilling work however future me is at all times grateful I did it!
7. I Replace My Weblog
Confession time –
My weblog can completely get uncared for when consumer work will get heavy.
By the tip of a full writing day, typically I simply don’t have the power left to jot down for myself too.
And I do know plenty of freelance writers really feel the identical approach.
So when my calendar lightens up through the summer season, I attempt to use that additional house to revisit older weblog posts and replace them.
Generally I:
- enhance search engine marketing
- refresh outdated data
- replace screenshots
- rewrite introductions
- add newer examples
- replace hyperlinks and dates
And infrequently I lastly write a type of weblog submit concepts that’s been sitting in my notes app without end!
Truthfully, slower seasons can find yourself serving to your freelance enterprise greater than you notice.
8. I Plan Forward for Fall Shopper Work
One factor I’ve discovered after years of freelance writing is that fall will get busy quick.
So throughout slower summer season weeks, I attempt to put together forward as a substitute of ready till September chaos hits.
That is the time the place I brainstorm future weblog content material concepts, replace my providers web page, tweak my pitches (if want be), create a brand new LOI, and analysis new begin ups.
I additionally like utilizing quieter weeks to suppose greater about my enterprise.
When consumer work is nonstop, it’s exhausting to step again and suppose strategically since you’re targeted on deadlines and deliverables all day.
However slower seasons give me house to ask what kind of purchasers do I really take pleasure in working with? Ought to I supply one other kind of service?
A few of my greatest enterprise choices occurred throughout slower seasons as a result of I lastly had sufficient respiration room to suppose clearly once more.
And since life will get extremely busy for me in the summertime with children sports activities, camps, journey, and residential renovations taking place continuously, I’ve discovered that utilizing quieter work weeks deliberately helps me really feel far more ready as soon as fall arrives and consumer work ramps again up once more.
Gradual Seasons Aren’t At all times a Dangerous Factor
I do know slower summer season months can really feel uncomfortable at first, particularly whenever you’re used to being absolutely booked.
However now I attempt to have a look at these lighter weeks in another way.
As a result of whereas freelance work might decelerate a little bit through the summer season, life will get extremely busy for me in different methods, as I’m certain it’s going to for you.
So as a substitute of panicking throughout slower seasons, I exploit them as a possibility to reset components of my enterprise that often get pushed apart.
Now in case your summer season feels slower proper now, don’t assume one thing is incorrect instantly.
Generally it’s merely a season to catch up, reset, and put together for the busier months forward.
Within the feedback share with me what your plan is for the summer season!
