by Rachel Smith
18 December 2015
I was mentioning to a List member on social media yesterday about how I love doing the blog post round-ups at the end of the year. I guess because, when you write a blog (or share it between two of you, and occasionally others), you’re always looking forward to what’s next. So this post is essentially the one time I actually do go back and take stock of what we’ve done and covered throughout the year.
So like Wednesday’s AUW round-up, I’ve trawled our Friday archives from the past year to cherry-pick the best of the bunch. I hope you enjoy it and perhaps find some you missed throughout the year!
We kicked off January with a member post from John Burfitt, who wrote about how being a veteran in the freelance world can work in your favour. Hot on its heels was a post on breaking out of your post-holiday slump (a problem for many of us after the festive season)! We looked at the things you should outsource without the guilt, and why you should switch from a to-do list to a will-do list.
In February, we touched on the tricks to writing faster and earning more, revealed a six-step plan to creating your own WordPress site, and I wrote an indulgent entire post about my love of notepads (some great Xmas present ideas in this one, people). We also looked at a post Leo and I still love and find relevant: the mistakes even smart freelancers make (and of course, how to avoid making them yourself).
March brought one of those million-dollar questions: would you choose the same career again? We also looked at how to start freelancing while juggling a day job, 8 ways to avoid burn-out and 11 quick ways to reclaim an overflowing email inbox. In April, we wrote about how to store your story ideas, the importance of tracking your pitches (and we offered a free tool to help you do it), and looked at how to handle the family/freelance juggle.
John Burfitt returned in May with a great post on avoiding a drought when you lose an income stream. We wrote about how to make editors love you, the new skills you never knew you needed as a journalist, and the reasons why we brought in the annual admin fee for job-seekers. Our last post for the month was all about upskilling and what you should consider first (another goodie from John Burfitt).
In June, we looked at how journalism’s changed, the need to take a brain break and why your online presence matters. We also look at how to shoehorn more hours into your day (yes, it’s possible). July was a big month, kicking off with a great post from List member Debbie Elkind about how freelancing is like online dating. We also revealed our best creativity boosters, Leo shared her personal story about moving interstate and cracking new markets; we included tips on working with international clients and talked about ways to boost your freelance income.
In August, we wrote about why freelancers need a blog, why journalling’s a good thing for writers and good reasons to go to networking events. We also brought you a post from List member Pip Harry, who wrote a guide to writer’s retreats. September brought posts on your deadline tipping point, finding (or creating) your freelance tribe, maintaining good PR/journo relations, and Pip returned with a post on switching from journalism to comms (a great read for anyone contemplating a similar path).
In October, we asked what you’d like to see in our annual pay rates survey, brought you a post from List member Jude Love on pimping your online portfolio with SEO and shared our tips on crafting good client emails. We also revealed how to avoid WordPress hackers, and looked at expert strategies to de-clutter your home office.
November was a big month with a post close to Leo’s heart – what to say when you’re asked to write for free. We posted our annual Xmas gift guide, looked at freelance trends in the US market and considered a curly question for many of us: how DO you stay one step ahead? In December, we launched this year’s pay rates survey (still open, people!) and shared our favourite quotes on writing, by writers.
Do you have a favourite post from 2015 or ideas on what you’d like to see us write about in 2016? Or do you have a unique idea for a post you’d like to write? Get in touch!
