Freelancing during the Coronavirus Pandemic: Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures
Publisher Note: This is the first in a series of posts about freelancing during the Coronavirus pandemic on InkwellEditorial.com.
A new post in the series will be posted every Friday.
Freelancing During the COVID19: About the Series
The series will feature stories of those who have turned to freelancing, are thinking about it, or have had their existing freelance business impacted by the Coronavirus.
The goal of this series is to underscore that you’re not alone; that we’re all in this together.
Also, to offer help, hope and encouragement so that we all come out of this stronger than ever.
I hope you enjoy these accounts, and if you’d like to submit a post, I’d love to hear from you. FYI, Inkwell Editorial pays for guest posts.
Now, to today’s submission.
The following is a guest post. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Here’s Inkwell Editorial’s full affiliate disclosure policy.
Freelancing in Desperation
Over five months ago I decided to make a dramatic change in my life.
I decided to quit my job at CVS and do an unpaid internship in New Zealand for six months while finishing my Master’s in journalism.
It was not an impulsive decision.
I had been thinking about traveling for the entire year and a half I spent working there.
I had been at one of the lowest points of my depression during my time there with low wages, rude customers, and a continuing feeling of despondency over how unfulfilled I felt.
After my dad died of an illness while I was living with him, I had decided to move out to LA to pursue my goals.
But, I wasn’t accomplishing any of that. So, I went to New Zealand to complete an internship.
I went as much for the experience of traveling abroad and having the position as something to add to my resume, as much I did to escape my life at home.
For a while, the trip felt like an extended vacation; a break from my reality. And now suddenly everything has gotten way, way more real.
I have one month left of my internship. And, I finished school.
My original plan when I got home was to start applying for jobs in content writing or editing at places like newspapers, and magazine and book publishers.
It’s not that I thought that finding a job in this field would be easy. But now, my prospects have diminished significantly with the closures of so many businesses.
My best option may be to just not look for a job and hunker down at home.
That’s where the idea of freelance writing comes in.
Why I’m Considering Starting a Freelance Writing Career Now
I had been considering freelance writing since coming out to New Zealand. I even created a profile and a gig at Fiverr back in February before everything went to hell.
I hadn’t advertised it much because I guess I thought I wouldn’t need to start working right away.
Now beyond my Facebook author page, I’ve also shared the gig to my Twitter because hoo-boy, I’m going to need the money.
Remember the slogan, “It’s the economy, stupid!” That’s where I am now.
Even with my hopefully-coming-soon tax return and payment for my recent short story publication in an anthology;
Even with Los Angeles’s moratorium on evictions for late rent payments;
Even with my car insurance company telling me they won’t cancel my policy for nonpayment;
Even with my credit card companies assuring me they’d be willing to help;
Even with Trump postponing student loans for a whopping two months;
Even with all of that …
I don’t know if the amount of money I’ll have with no consistent income will carry me through this.
My Biggest Fear(s) about Freelancing
My biggest fears regarding freelancing come down to what I’m currently experiencing with my Fiverr gig: no responses.
I just recently graduated university and while Inkwell Editorial advises us to highlight our experience to pitch our freelance gigs, I have to wonder, what does my experience actually consist of?
Struggling to Find a Freelance Writing Niche
Another Inkwell article suggests finding one niche to specialize in and sticking to that. To be able to properly detail my relevant experience, I’d have to figure out what it is I want to write about.
I have a Bachelor of Arts in English and now a master’s degree in New Media journalism. This means I know how to write…about writing.
My writing interests cover media and pop culture in general really, with my focus primarily centered on literature, film, TV, and videogames.
I consider myself first and foremost a fiction writer and an adamant reader of fantasy and horror.
So I would chiefly be interested in writing reviews, doing analysis on the different stories we consume and relating these tales to the conditions of our reality.
I have already done some of this on my blog, mostly discussing issues of diversity and the representation of marginalized communities in fiction.
So is fiction my niche? It almost feels impractical to write about subjects so unrelated to the mess we as a world find ourselves in.
Conversely, perhaps reading about the lives and worlds separate from our reality is exactly what is needed. I have other options of course. I have ghostwriting and copyediting as well.
Go Freelance or Go Back to a 9-to-5?
If none of the opportunities I have for freelance writing pan out…I can go back to CVS. It is an essential job, and during the covid crisis, it will stay open. They will likely take me back as I left on good terms.
Working during the Coronavirus as a “High-Risk” Person
The problem with this is that I have a heart condition called Long QT. It isn’t cardiovascular, it is more of a nerve issue.
But, there is so much I, and even doctors, don’t know about the virus and how it works that I can only consider myself high risk. A high exposure job like a pharmacy is not the safest space for me.
Who Can I Turn to for Help during This Pandemic?
The thing is, as a single woman living alone I may not have to worry about taking care of a family, but I also don’t have anyone to help me.
The United States government is discussing issuing $1,200 to citizens to help us.
Considering this is a one-time payment and Canada is paying $2,000 per month, this does not do much to comfort me.
Considering Trump is talking about easing up quarantine placements and comparing covid to car accidents, I imagine at some point the various parts in the machine that is our society will stop being so compassionate.
The banks, corporations, and landlords may point to Trump’s lackadaisical response to the situation and use that as an excuse to start collecting money from us again.
To expect us all to go to work again.
The Push Towards Freelance Writing
I have always wanted to be a published author, so I can work full time at home on writing.
I have long considered taking on freelance as a form of supplementary income as an alternative to a nine-to-five job to support me while I work on getting to the point that I can make a living on writing.
I have considered this, but not until now have I started pursuing it because nothing pushes us into action like desperation.
And though I may not be experienced or certain of my field, I can definitively say I am desperate.
Perhaps the desperation will eventually allow ambition and creativity to override my stifling anxiety. Perhaps I can try my hand self-publishing in more highly marketable genres.
I don’t know exactly what my path is with my writing. But what I do know is this …
If ever there was a time to start pursuing these types of freelance writing jobs, it is now.
About the Author: Amanda Justice was born and raised in Los Angeles, but has spent a significant amount of time living in middle Tennessee. She’s also spent time in England and New Zealand. She has a Bachelor’s in English Literature and a Master’s in Journalism.
When she’s not writing, she enjoys traveling, reading horror, urban and dark fantasy, and playing independent horror and role-playing games.
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