December Lunch and Learn: Jumpstart your freelance business in 2025 

In the first months and even years of freelance writing, your business model may look more like throwing spaghetti at the wall than executing a fine-tuned plan. Especially if you’ve come into freelance writing unexpectedly, like after a layoff, you may take what you can get. 

But if you don’t take time to re-evaluate what you’re writing and whom you’re working for, that non-tactic can hurt your career prospects, mental health, and bottom line, freelancers agreed at the December Lunch and Learn.

During the session, AHCJ members shared how, when, and why they take stock of their clients and bylines, and set goals for a period of time ahead. Here’s a summary of their key suggestions. 

Change your location 

Where you set up to reflect and plan matters. Breaking out of the daily routine can help you think bigger and broader, participants said. Consider splurging for a solo night at a hotel or a remote cabin, or just taking yourself and a notebook to a cozy coffee shop for an afternoon. One speaker, who spends a night in a Chicago hotel twice yearly for this purpose, said she reserves part of that time to visit a museum, too. The time away from home unlocks dormant creativity. “I can’t tell you how many ‘aha’ moments I’ve had until I have that experience,” she said.  

Look at the data

Once you’ve settled on a time and place, there are various ways you can review the past year. 

Some ideas: 

• Tally up what you’ve made at each publication to determine who your biggest money-makers are. If you’ve been keeping track of how many hours each assignment took (participants recommended the tool Toggl for this), factor that in, too. Then ask: How do the hourly rates check out? Who’s worth continuing to pitch or accept assignments from — and who do you want to let go? 
• Another exercise that can yield similar insights: Give each of the year’s clients a grade, one freelancer said. As with the former tip, don’t solely consider fees when evaluating an experience. For example, a publication’s rate might be low but the editor helps hone your craft. Or, the outlet opens doors to other opportunities. Or, you’re passionate about telling those particular stories. But if the rate is low and doesn’t yield other benefits, cutting the publication will free up mental and practical space for projects with perks. “Your D clients are going to prevent you from getting your A clients,” one freelancer said. 
• One participant said she reviews the year’s stories and takes notes about each assignment. Often, she’s surprised to see how most stories can be traced back to just a few people who frequently refer her. She then makes a point to thank those super-referrers so they keep it up. “You kind of forget who knows what you do,” she said. 
• When reviewing your year, make time and space to appreciate what you did accomplish. The exercise is “really fun,” one writer said, and can surprise you — especially if you list professional and personal achievements. 

Set goals

After you’ve looked back, look forward. You might start by considering what’s been left on the cutting room floor from the year’s projects. Great quotes? Sources? A kernel of the idea? Brainstorm how you can repurpose those scraps for future pitches, one participant suggested. “Everything I do, my goal is to make $1,500 off it,” she said. 

Other goals for the year ahead can include:

• Certain publications you’d like to pitch or editors you want to write for.
• Types of projects you’d like to prioritize, whether it’s starting a newsletter, building your ghostwriting portfolio, or taking on more academic clients.
• How you want to work, like limiting your working hours or joining a co-working space.
• Awards or fellowships you plan to apply for. 
• How much money you want to make quarterly. 
• How you will sell your services better or more consistently. 
• Professional development aims you’d like to achieve, like speaking on a panel or taking a memoir-writing course. 

If you want more structure or accountability throughout this review and planning process, freelancers suggested a few resources: 

Listing what you want to accomplish this year is just a start. You also need a plan, support and strategies to achieve those goals. For tips and tools that work for other freelancers, join the next Lunch & Learn on Thursday, Jan. 16.