Some of my clients have a seasonal schedule. They have a busy season and a season when there is almost no work. When I first picked up these clients, this dry spell worried me. I worried about having little work, which led to few checks in the mail.
However, as time passed, I began to manage my budget better to save during the feast to survive the famine, but even then I had time to fill.
I joined a few associations and became active in them, growing my online presence and credibility and networking with fellow professionals. I used this time to grow relationships by attending in-person and online networking events.
I also began using this down time to expand my skills through live webinars and on-demand training so I could be more valuable to my clients and provide them with additional knowledge.
Finally, I used this time to do or prepare for speaking engagements and work on my own projects, such as writing my own book or preparing to teach a new class resulting in multiple streams of income.
Here at NAIWE, we emphasize the importance of building multiple streams of income. That way, if one stream dries up, you have others to rely on while you create a new one.
April Michelle Davis has been the executive director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) since 2018. Prior to that, she was NAIWE’s Social Media Marketing Expert. NAIWE is an association that focuses on career building for writers, editors, and other professionals in the publishing industry by developing multiple streams of income; it helps its members market their products and services through social media, newsletters, and more.
She is also the coordinator for the Virginia chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association, a lifetime member of the American Copy Editors Society, and a freelance editor, indexer, proofreader and author. April Michelle has taught courses through her own company, Editorial Inspirations, as well as for associations and colleges on topics such as editing, indexing, grammar, writing, and creating macros.
Her credentials include a master’s degree in publishing from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Messiah College, as well as certificates in editing (University of Virginia), book publishing (University of Virginia), and professional editing (EEI Communications).
April Michelle has shared her insights about her career development by contributing quotes and vignettes to several books. She has presented sessions on various editorial topics to many groups, including the Virginia Writers Club, the Communication Central conference, Randolph-Macon College, the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, the EFA, Copyediting newsletter, RavenCon, and the Hanover Book Festival. In addition, April Michelle has published three books.
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