Diversify or die | Pinnacle Newsletter #74
#74 Diversify or die
Freedom is one of the good things about being a freelance writer or editor. You are no one’s employee. You can work with a variety of clients, and in most cases there are no restrictions on the work you take on beyond your own time, resources, and expertise. This freedom cuts both ways, though – it can also make you vulnerable.
Many freelancers find that there’s a natural ebb and flow to their work (also known by the scarier phrase ‘feast or famine’). This can particularly affect freelancers who mainly work with a large number of one-off or new clients, but there’s a hidden danger here even if you have a steady base of long-term, established clients – or, if you’re a writer, a small number of established outlets for your work. It’s easy to get comfortable and complacent when times are good, and let marketing and business-building take a back seat to the steady flow of work you have to get done. This is a great situation to be in, but it might not last forever. If your business comes to rely on a small number of regular clients or publishers, the impact of losing one or more of them can be jarring.
I haven’t lost any clients or publishing outlets, in case you’re wondering if that’s what I’m building up to – in fact, I’ve taken a couple of new ones on recently – but a few long-established working relationships are being redefined right now. This has made me realise that my strategy has become too reliant on a small group of regulars: regular editorial clients, and regular outlets for my outdoor writing. The publishing world can be volatile. I need to put some thought into shock-proofing Pinnacle Editorial.
I’ve spent the last few years doubling down on my particular niche, so the idea of ‘diversify or die’ might sound counter-intuitive. But there are ways to diversify without losing focus. Every freelancer and every business is different; I’m going to be actively seeking new clients for the first time in two years, finally launching my new Pinnacle Editorial website so that I can resume marketing efforts, pitching my writing to a much wider range of publications, and taking on more editorial training to expand my skills.
Getting comfortable in a freelance career can feel great, but it can make you less able to see potential dangers that lie ahead. It’s always a good idea to run a few ‘what if?’ scenarios and think about how to make your business more resilient to shocks.
In other news…
Feet and Wheels to Chimborazo, the latest book by Mark Horrell, which I edited, is now out in paperback. Mark describes the book as a ‘humorous study in ineptitude’, and I must say I agree – it had me chortling throughout the edit! If you’re into cycling or mountaineering, it’s a must-read.
Recently published
What I’ve been reading this week – this week’s quality online reads on the environment, outdoors, and more.
There’s an extract from my award-winning feature ‘Summits & Skylarks’ in the latest issue of Outdoor Focus, the quarterly journal of the Outdoor Writers & Photographers Guild.
My photography – November 2019 – I’ve had a decent month for landscape and mountain photography. Here’s a selection of my recent images.
And on my Entanglement blog:
‘The sublime subversion of looking up’ – a passage quoted from an excellent piece on attention by Mel Campbell.
Until next time,
Alex
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