How to Survive Freelance Life
Written by Christina Poulton
Approximate reading time: 6 minutes
Lots of people working in creative roles fall into being freelance by accident and most of the advice online is very commercial: cold calls and pitching for clients. These tips are specifically designed for the arts and creative sector.
I have been freelance for 10 years, so these are 10 things I wish I’d known at the start.
What you do
1.Own it
Imposter syndrome is real but it’s also a nonsense that stops you from doing the things you want to and you can bet anything there will be someone out there who’s not as good as you, charging more than you and believing their own hype. Don’t let your internal critic win!
Being really clear about what you do and why can help with this.
Do a values exercise and ask yourself questions like “what are the characteristics of the projects I have enjoyed the most?” or “what are my non-negotiables?”. Then create yourself a manifesto: this is what I do, how I work, who with and why. Own it
2. Don’t be afraid to be niche
We often wear many hats so it’s easy to say you do a bit of everything. But rather than reducing your opportunities, having a specific focus for your work can help. It’s a way of building a reputation and becoming the go-to person for a particular thing. Be clear about what your specialisms are. It doesn’t rule out doing other things, it just helps people find you if you’re what they need.
Getting work
3. Build your network
The majority of freelance jobs aren’t advertised. It is worth signing up to Artsjobs, support organisation newsletters or using social media to find call outs, but often work will come via contacts. You don’t have to schmooze; find the ways of building your network you’re comfortable with; offering tasters, having a newsletter, taking part in workshops, doing a regular twitter feature or going to the bar after shows. Map out the contacts you have and groups you’re part of (in person and online) and build those relationships.
4. Own your online presence
List all the places you exist professionally online and check all roads lead back to useful information about what you do and a way to contact you, usually your website.
Write an Elevator Pitch about what you do so this is consistent across all of your channels. Make sure you write for your audience, people who are going to pay you, and avoid art waffle and navel gazing! “I’m an artist, ethnographic maker and facilitator centering the experience of the individual and catalysing change for creative projects” doesn’t give useful information about if you’re the right person for a contract, whereas “I work with visual arts organisations to deliver education projects, specialising in young people’s public art projects” does.
Doing the work
5. Get organised
Get a system for planning and managing tasks. Because freelance work often comes in waves and then there’s quieter times it becomes a habit to say yes to everything. But sometimes saying no is the best thing. You could use a diary, wall planner, spreadsheet, post its or an app, to map out the work you have, the time you have and any deadlines.
6. Get work done
One of the joys of freelance is the flexibility to work in a way which suits you. If your brain is best in the mornings or you only have bursts of creativity after 10pm, make the most of that. If you want to have walking meetings, work in a cafe or only work with the music volume cranked up to 11, you can. There are no rules so create the set up that works best for you.
There are lots of free apps and resources that can help you get work done too. I use Toggl to track my time on individual projects and Calendly for people to book meetings with me (it links to my calendar and creates a zoom link for us both). I also use Miro to collaborate virtually in groups and Fathom as an AI notetaker.
Getting paid
7. Setting up as a sole trader
If you’re freelance you’re usually a sole trader in legal terms. If you earn more than £1000 from your freelance work in a year then you need to register with HMRC and complete a self assessment each year to make sure you pay any tax you owe on your income.
Keep accurate records of the invoices you send, income you make and any expenses. Here’s a full list of what expenses are allowed and how to calculate them. You could keep records on a spreadsheet or using an accounting app like Xero or Moxie. People will often have a specific bank account for their freelance work, putting aside 20% to pay their tax in a separate pot.
8. Charging for your time
Make sure you’re being paid what you’re worth and charge for ALL of the time that you work on a project:
Use a time tracking app to work out how long tasks really take and identify which things are worth it financially
Make sure your fee covers prep time, admin, meetings and travel time.
Be clear about what you’re going to do in the time. GET IT IN WRITING! and agree at the start that extra tasks will incur extra costs.
Invoice quickly and follow up overdue payments quickly. Know your rights on late payments.
For your day rate or fee, it will be a combination of what people are prepared to pay, what other people charge or industry rates and what you need to be paid to cover your costs. The Design Trust have a great article on this here.
Looking after yourself
9. Avoid burnout
When you’re passionate about what you do, it’s easy to forget that no job is worth your health or your sanity. The show must NOT go on if the budget isn’t there and there aren’t enough people to do the work. Overwork is a capitalist trap not a badge of honour. Trust your gut instinct. You always know if a project is going to be a nightmare- walk away. Set boundaries and manage expectations. Someone else’s bad planning is not your emergency. It takes practice but it’s like a muscle, keep doing it and it gets easier.
10. Find your team
Working freelance often means working on your own but it doesn’t have to be lonely. Find your cheerleaders and the people you can ask for advice. Facebook groups and twitter communities, co-working with someone or an email buddy who does similar work. Put that structure in place for yourself.
All the best in your freelance adventures!