Figuring out a list of possible gigs for that freelance life

Because I’ve been mentally planning for this change in my life–the switch from a full-time, traditional job to one where I freelance write and edit from home full-time–figuring out what kinds of gigs I expect to land isn’t particularly confusing.

However, this exercise in “The Gig Economy,” still spoke to me, as it promised to make me consider gigs I hadn’t before.

What was my best gig? What about it did I love? … (I)t doesn’t have to be for money.

I’m embarrassed at how tough this was for me to come up with. I’ve liked nearly everything I’ve done, work-wise in my life. But I’m not sure I’ve ever looooooved anything.

Except writing books.

I’ve been an avid reader since before I could actually read. Mom has stories that I used to pull sections from the newspaper and baby talk while I traced my finger across the lines of text.

When I decided to major in newspaper journalism in college, it’s because I loved to write, and when I thought, “How can I write for a living?”, “reporter” was the obvious answer.

After Draft III, “Again” went to readers.

At no time in my first 30-plus years of life did I ever consider that the two loves listed above could combine. I don’t even remember what made it dawn on me. But one day, I decided, “Hm, I think I’ll write a book.” My first manuscript is a fiction one. It’s been through lots of drafts and lots of readers, and I even sent it to agents. I never expected to find one this way, by submitting my draft to a slush pile, but I wanted to learn-by-doing.

To my surprise, I actually got a couple really helpful rejections. Sure, most were standard-issue, sent-from-an-intern rejections, but three agents actually reached out. They weren’t interested, but they had really great feedback. (And one told me my writing was superb, which I want to paint on all the walls of my house.)

I’m nearing the end of book No. 3, which I like much better than the first. I plan to revisit my agent search and, now that I won’t have an 8-to-5 to contend with, attend a writers’ conference sometime in the next year. Specifically, I want one that offers pitch sessions so I can meet an agent face-to-face.

Which is all a wildly long-winded way to say: My best gig, which has made me $0 and will likely ever make me $0, has been “author” because, man alive, is it fun.

What would be my ideal gig?

The answer to this has changed over the years. A year or so back, a local magazine was looking for an editor, and I was invited to apply. I took a weekend to come to terms with the realization that I did not want to be a magazine editor.

This. Was. Huge. All I ever wanted in college and the years after was to be editor of a magazine. And somewhere between 22 and 34, that dream got undreamt. I woke up. Or found a new dream, I suppose.

(Which apparently is pretty common. In “The Gig Economy,” Diane Mulcahy writes,

“Defining our vision of success is not a one-time exercise. It’s one we should revisit routinely throughout our lives … We’re in our 40s and on the verge of a midlife crisis because we’re living with decisions we made two decades ago, when we had different values and experiences to draw upon. We never stopped along the way to check in, reflect, reconsider our choices, and make changes to our vision.”)

My ideal gig would be working with writers. I adore taking an existing work and elevating it, asking questions, massaging turns of phrase, saying with 25 words what someone else is trying to say with 50.

Or, you know, author lady.

What are the specific elements that make this my ideal gig?

I love the editing process. I love taking something good and making it excellent. I love working with people. I love that the work is something I can do from the comfort of my home, on my timeline. Or maybe I want to spent a weekend on a beach in Michigan. Guess what? I can edit there, too.

Write out 10 potential gigs that you could do and would want to do. Make sure to include some ideas that aren’t money making.

This list kind of depresses me. Man, am I a one-trick pony.

1. Write books.
2. Edit grants.
3. Write web copy.
4. Serve as a media consultant for small companies.
5. Marry people. (One of these things is not like the other.) (I married my friends Sandra and Kyle this weekend. It was the biggest honor of my life. A few weeks ago, Kyle made us dinner after work, and I interviewed them about their relationship. I got ordained online, registered with the state of Ohio, wrote the ceremony, and performed it on Saturday. I could do that all day long.)
6. Edit graduate/medical school applications/essays.
7. Edit books.
8. Blog.
9. Write/edit resumes/cover letters.
10. Write poems.

I’m giving myself the summer to really nail down a client list and figure out what needs figuring out. But it’s nice to have such a list of places to consider for opportunities.