Can you believe June is here already? I definitely can't! The year is halfway over, where did all the time go? So, it's time for me to take a look at my goals and see how I'm progressing.
In general, I'm doing pretty well on my objectives. I wish I was making more steady growth rather than in spurts, but I'm glad to be developing as a writer.
If you are wanting to know more about my goals, check out my post from March about planning my freelance writing business.
Earnings goals for my freelance writing business
My primary goal for 2022 was to earn $1 per word at least once. In full disclosure, I reached 80 cents per word but haven't quite reached the $1 mark.
I always feel awkward talking about how much money I make but I think rate transparency is important for freelancers. When I first started writing professionally, I thought three cents per word was fantastic pay.
It took me a few years to realize that other people with similar experience were making much. While you won't find me sharing my yearly earnings or pay per project like bolder freelancers, I try being at least somewhat transparent. Even if it feels odd.
If you are interested in learning more, I like this article about rate transparency by Scott Bedgood. I don't know him personally, I just think he did a good job of covering the topic.
Progress on my SEO eBook
While I had the goal of making passive income of any kind in 2022, I set my sights on writing an eBook about SEO. While it still scares me, I have made progress; nothing substantial or share-worthy, but progress is progress.
I've gotten some good feedback about what scares people about SEO most and am excited to address those problems. I'm still not completely sure on how I will actually sell and distribute the eBook but I have a few ideas.
Fun fact: in AP style I should technically be writing it as "e-book" but I don't like that. I like "ebook" but I love the unique capitalization of "eBook" so I've been using that. Other people agree with me, so I'm not totally crazy.
Things I have learned about freelance writing
A lot has happened this year and my business has already grown significantly. Here are the main things I've learned about freelancing in 2022.
Progress is better than perfection
Take others' advice with a grain of salt
Different things work for different people
Trust your gut, it's right more often than your would think
Deep work and flow state are powerful tools
Self-discipline is a muscle
Things I am changing about my blog and business
What is knowledge and reflection without application? Going forward I'm going to adjust to put me in a better position to meet my goals.
The first thing I'm going to do is rearrange my goals and the way I think about my time. I'll be doing this based on the book The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington. The idea is to take your goals and get laser focused for 12 weeks. I actually started my "new year" at the beginning of the year and it is going REALLY well. It's given me good accountability and kind of gamified things for me.
Another big thing I've changed is focusing on my strengths. While this takes regular adjustment and change, I'm trying to nail down and work on what I am good at. The usual example I give is doing more magazine pitches since I am creative and enjoy coming up with article ideas. While this is something I've gotten better at, it's a process I am still working on.
Lastly, I'm going to be focusing my blog post on more about freelancing, writing, SEO, marketing, and business. While I'll still write about gardening and agriculture from time to time, I want to adjust to better fit my goals, interests, and audience.
How is your year going so far? Are you on course to hit your goals? Let me know in the comments or contact me. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn.
I have been a freelance content writer since 2014. I create SEO articles with clarity, quality and authenticity. If you are looking for a writer who delivers results, contact me.