One of those days

Today is one of those days. We all have them—days when we’re shattered and can’t concentrate on a single thing for more than a few minutes, when that horrible stressed feeling starts to swirl around in our stomachs making it even harder to sit still and stare at the screen. Days when we realise that it JUST ISN’T HAPPENING no matter how hard we try and how much we will our brains to get in gear and produce something, anything, on the page. But, the beauty of being a freelancer is that it doesn’t matter.

If you’re having one of those days there’s no point getting stressed about it—just accept the fact that you won’t produce anything even remotely coherent and take some time off instead. A few hours, an afternoon or even a whole day, whatever works for you. You’ll have a chance to recharge and you’ll go back to it feeling far more refreshed than you otherwise would, and I’ve realised that it really is the only solution to feeling this way. Getting stressed out is entirely counterproductive and will simply leave you even less able to function, so embrace the flexible working concept and take a break (unless, of course, you’ve got pressing deadlines, in which case SIT AT THAT COMPUTER UNTIL YOU FEEL MADNESS CREEPING IN). That’s what I’m doing for the rest of the day. To the couch, with a book and a cup of tea in hand—much better.

Tax return hell

It’s that time of year again. Nope, not the time when you have to battle through those resolutions and suffer the horrors of the gym only to find yourself weeping into the biscuit tin by the weekend, but the even more terrifying thought of tax return season. Freelancers, if you haven’t done yours yet you’re RUNNING OUT OF TIME! You’ve only got until January 31^st to file your return and pay any money you owe (incidentally, I find it highly unfair that they make the deadline 31^st January—if the good ‘ol January Blues weren’t already getting you down then the thought of the tax man taking all your hard-earned cash certainly will) or you could find yourself subject to fines and interest penalties. As if they don’t take enough of our money already…

I hate tax returns with a passion. It’s the only part of the freelancing life that I really dislike—it’s so much harder to actually hand over physical money instead of just seeing an intangible amount written on a payslip—but it doesn’t mean I can’t impart some (barely) useful information if you’re new to the whole thing. So, here are a few top tips to help see you through without having a nervous breakdown in the process:

• Register early. Never leave it until the last minute because you can’t just head online and instantly file your return—if you haven’t already registered for self-assessment it’ll take a good week for your registration details to arrive in the post, and then you’ll need to leave around 4 working days for any payments to clear (unlike most of the developed world, HMRC hasn’t yet discovered the delights of instant payment processing). Really, you need to get a shift on.
• Be prepared. Know what you’ll be letting yourself in for and do your research to make sure you don’t get any nasty surprises, because going into the minefield without knowing what you’re doing can be even more stress-inducing than it needs to be. Check out hmrc.gov.uk to familiarise yourself with the process and read any guides you need to, and pay particular attention to something called payment on account…
• Payment on account—the most ridiculous thing ever. I can’t explain it in any great detail but it basically means you have to make two payments to cover your current year’s tax, the first one being due before you actually fill in your tax return for that year. It’s worked out according to your previous year’s tax return which doesn’t make the slightest bit of sense (why work on old figures when you have no idea what you’ll actually earn by the end of the year? Madness) but hey, that’s the government for you. Like I said—read up on it so you don’t get a surprise, because if it’s your first tax return you’ll have to pay that payment on account ON TOP OF your current liability, and that can be a big shock if you’re not ready for it (does any of that make sense? Probably not. RESEARCH!).
• Keep accurate records. Keeping records of all income, invoices, receipts and expenses should of course be a central part of business management, but if you’re a bit lax make sure to step it up a notch. This is particularly the case with the new rules set to arrive later this year—I don’t know the ins and outs as yet but as I understand it, small businesses could be fined up to £3000 if they fail to show the necessary paperwork when required (what did I say about them already taking enough of our money? Insert here).
• Go on a course. As Stacey reminded me in the comments below (thanks!), the HMRC run free courses on expenses, self-assessment and other self-employment related issues and can be invaluable when you’re starting out. Get in touch with your local tax office or business advice centre to see when they’re running near you.

What more can I say? Good luck. You’ll need it. And if all else fails, have a stiff drink—I certainly will be *glug*

Start as you mean to go on

It’s hard to believe that the Christmas and New Year celebrations were still in full swing less than two weeks ago. Days quickly return to normal once you’ve back in the daily grind (who’s ready for a bank holiday already?!) but we’re still barely half way through the month, so I thought I’d take the chance to say a few words about getting back into the swing of things freelancing-wise.

I don’t know about you, but after a nice long break I go back to work feeling refreshed and ready to attack. It’s a cliché but the New Year really can be a fresh start—it’s a chance to re-evaluate things and get back on track, perhaps approach new markets with renewed vigour and motivation, and if you start well you’ll have a fantastic kick-start to the year. So, here are a few ways to start it as you mean to go on:

• Increase your marketing efforts. You know that email template you’ve got languishing on your hard drive? Get it out, dust it off and start approaching markets. Search for local clients that might want to use your services or even do a wider search for copywriting/marketing/press agencies – you never know where you might be able to snap up some additional work.
• Get in touch with old clients. If you’ve got clients that have used your work in the past, what’s stopping them from needing your services in the future? Don’t be afraid to be pro-active – a simple email could be all it takes to remind them you’re there and available for work, and even if they don’t need your help straight away you’ll be fresh in their mind should something come up.
• Use social media to your advantage. There’s no denying that social media can be a huge time-sucker (Twitter being my procrastination method of choice), but if used wisely it can lead to fantastic benefits. I’ve managed to nab a few clients using this very site, and just last week I noticed a Tweet from a copywriting agency seeking new writers – a quick email and a test piece later and voila, new client. It’s often the case of being in the right place at the right time but there’s no reason you can’t search for potential clients who might be in need of your services, and besides, who wouldn’t like an excuse to spend more time on Twitter?
• Think bigger. It’s a New Year and that means it’s time to be brave and put yourself out there, because you never know what’s around the corner. Whether you’ve got a fiction idea itching to be put onto paper, a non-fiction proposal waiting in the wings or even a desire to break into journalism now’s the time to get going, because with all that stored up motivation it’s the perfect opportunity to take some risks.

Of course, these are tips that we should always be putting into practice but sometimes it’s easier said than done, with daily life and work stresses often getting in the way of clear, logical thinking. That’s why now’s the perfect time to get back into the proactive mind-set to make some positive changes, so what are you waiting for? Start the year as you mean to go on and get out there and do it!

The Joy of Books

Ok, so I know this is doing the rounds today, but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT and couldn’t resist posting it here too. Isn’t it the best thing ever? It’s so magical and so beautifully done that it just makes me smile to watch it. I love the idea of a bookshop coming alive at night and the music sets it off perfectly, and as it says so well, there’s nothing quite like a real book. Watch, love, enjoy!