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From the President's Desk

Free Your Mind and the Work Will Follow

by Bob Bittner

2007-10

Sometimes nothing is more invigorating and personally rewarding than freelance writing. Most of us can work where, how, and when we want to. And often we are free to pursue the stories that interest us and ignore the ones that don't.

Freedom in our work -- and in our lives -- is precisely what draws so many to the freelance life.

Unfortunately, not every day feels so free.

Every four to six years, I go through a phase where I get bored with what I'm doing. As an employee, I either changed jobs or sought ways to expand my duties. As a freelancer, though, I've had to find other solutions -- adding new specialties, dropping the topics I've lost interest in, exploring new markets, experimenting with new writing styles.

These days, I continually hear from fellow writers who are overwhelmed by their freedom: "If I can write about absolutely anything, how do I decide where to focus?" It's a common concern for those who are moving from part-time to full-time freelancing. But it's something any of us can face at any point in our careers.

It's worth noting too that our interests are going to change over time. Our careers need to be flexible enough to change with us.

Whether you're experiencing your own version of freelancing ennui, trying to make sense of your options, or just looking for a breath of fresh inspiration, I'd like to offer some suggestions from my own experience.

Take stock of where you are now. It's easy to see yourself as a "travel writer," "self-help author," "parenting writer," "biographer." But maybe those words better describe what used to interest you; maybe your interests have changed. Or maybe what you love about travel or biography goes deeper than you've assumed. For instance, maybe what you really love about travel writing is discovering intriguing new cultures -- an interest that could also be explored through writing about food, history, education and so on.

Among the dozens of personality, skill, and interest tests that exist to help you pinpoint your passions and abilities, one of the best tools I've found is called the National Career Aptitude System (NCAS). Six separate, self-scoring tests based on the NCAS are included in the book Discover What You're Best At by Linda Gale. Each test takes about 30 minutes, but it will be time well spent. Although these tests were designed for job-hunters, they can point writers to a vast variety of new subjects to explore.

When I took the tests, I scored highest in Clerical skills, followed by Business and Logic, and then Mechanical and Social. Those results suggested five main career "clusters" I could successfully pursue. Some jobs were no-brainers, involving book editing and reporting/writing. But one cluster also included interesting choices like epidemiologist, detective and psychiatric social worker.

These tests are a great way to brainstorm with yourself about new directions. Am I going to start studying for my private investigator license? Not likely. But I might pitch a profile of a detective or turn more of my attention to stories involving law enforcement. You may discover that the things you enjoy most about your favorite topics also are present in a variety of new subjects you'd find equally rewarding.

Seek feedback from your fellow freelancers. Do you have writing friends who are familiar with your work? Ask them for feedback. Ask them what they think you excel at -- or, conversely, where you might be weak. Then be willing to hear their advice and to respond to their comments. Maybe they'll tell you you're ready to finally tackle that book project you've been putting off. Maybe they'll encourage you to wean yourself from the easy-but-not-all-that-rewarding "10 Tips to . . ." stories you've been focusing on, so you can turn your attention to the kind of meaty journalism you've been dying to try.

Take a chance. The title of this month's column is a paraphrase of a line from a pounding En Vogue song ("Free Your Mind") about the benefits of moving beyond our personal prejudices. If prejudices about what you can or should be writing have been pulling you into a work rut, take a chance and turn your talents to something new. After all, if we aren't exploring all of the freedom that comes with freelancing, we might as well be stuck in a cubicle somewhere, doing someone else's bidding.

And who would wish that on anyone?

Bob Bittner, ASJA's president, lives in Charlotte, MI (which, for reasons unknown to him, is pronounced "shar-LOT"). Reach him at prez(at)asja.org.