In order to say no to things I try to think of writing as a job. It requires time to be successful.
But sometimes you have to say yes to things.
Maybe saying yes to a project makes money that can pay a bill that needs paying or can lead to more work down the line.
I sew and sometimes there are people who want me to work on projects and while this can be good (extra money) it can also be bad (sewing= not writing).
So here are some things I do when I say yes to things.
1. Set a rate of pay at least as high as my day job. Charge more for things like rush orders or projects that require a great deal of skill. I also remember that doing outside projects takes away from writing time so I keep that in mind when setting rates.
2. Try to get projects on the calendar as early as possible. This can mean still having time to write if I can start another project early enough.
3. Be picky about who I work with/for. I will alter clothes for most of my friends but if someone outside my circle of friends wants me to alter things I try to make sure they aren't too high maintenance.
How do you balance saying no to outside projects? How do you decide what projects to say yes to?
3 comments:
I consider the day job my outside project. Since I'm here for a clear defined amount of time per week, it makes it easier. Your guidelines make sense, though. I'd probably do something similar if I had to.
My day job is my writing and often people think I have all the time in the world. Saying yes is easy for me because I don't like saying no but sometimes I have to say no just to remind them (and myself) I don't have the time.
Which reminds me we need to figure out the gem on that brown dress!
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