April Fool's Day (Directions Change)

I love that I am talking about this topic on April Fool's Day.

Have you ever plugged away at something and plugged away at it, only to feel like the whole thing was hopeless. Then, as soon as you left it alone, it all came back full-circle?

This is what has happened with me and my freelancing business.

I have plugged away at it for almost 7 years now. Now, admittedly, during that time I had one small child and then added another one to our family. I've also dealt with PPD, sleep deprivation, and massive allergies. We moved. There have been some bumps.

In this time, to pay the bills, besides writing and editing, I have worked reception for a chiropractor, written resumes, and been a moderator on a medical website. I have also learned about SEO (search engine optimization), blogging, and a bit about magazine writing. I've done several stints back in technical writing. Plus, I have edited for role playing games (yes, like Dungeons and Dragons), PhDs, papers for research for the local school board, and blogs. Right now, I am just coming up for air after editing a 1000 page book on labour relations.

After we moved in August of 2011, I spent a year off. I didn't intend to take the whole year off, but with volunteering in my youngest child's preschool room several times a month, being a Beaver leader, and volunteering at my oldest child's elementary school, plus digging through boxes and just trying to figure out where everything went...the year disappeared on me. Life got in the way of work. I'm not complaining, mind you, as I did enjoy myself. However, I got a bit derailed.

Last fall, I tried to put it all back together, with some mixed results. After Christmas, I had decided that I was going back to a regular job (sometimes a regular paycheque calls my name, I will admit). I started to send out resumes. I've even had a few interviews over the last year.

And then Murphy started to giggle.

I got the job editing that massive book (part of me wants to say I will never agree to do something of that size again, but that would be lying to myself and to you) and a former client came out of the woodwork to inquire about blogging. I've found myself starting to make lists of things to do and inquiries to make.

I have my own little side project underway.

The truth of the matter is that my brain is going in high gear again. And the potential for more work keeps occurring to me on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis. It's a little shocking.

Apparently, I am not done with this. Not by a long shot. I do need to learn how to work smarter and get more clients. I need to focus some of my efforts. I need to earn a reasonable living at this, and not play at it. Not that I was or intended to play at it before, but there was an awful lot in the way over the last few years. (Thank goodness for school.)

So, if you can smell a faint burning smell, it may just be my brain. Don't worry...this is more my natural state of being!