The world of freelance writing is confusing and uncomfortable right now. Layoffs, the rise of generative AI and natural language processing tools, and internal chaos at many companies have stirred up the market.

It's natural to feel a little insecure; threatened, even. We’re feeling a little uncertain ourselves. In this episode, we talk about the changes we're seeing in the freelance writing world — and what we're doing about it.

Layoffs, AI, and a struggling economy

In the wake of an economic downturn, and increasing layoffs, companies across the board are taking a long hard look at their budgets. Businesses are struggling. Previously thriving tech companies and content agencies are now faced with the tough decision of laying off staff because they don't have enough business coming in or the workflow isn't sustainable.

Can the layoffs spell 'opportunity' for freelance writers? Some people seem to think so. And, in theory, that is true.

However, the reality is that there's also a certain level of internal chaos at these companies. With key staff laid off, they struggle to gather themselves, define their projects and priorities, and identify how freelance writers can help execute them.

“When marketing departments get slashed, freelance writers get thrown into a situation with no clear direction, no writing briefs, no SEO plan.”

Some freelancers are losing writing projects to generative AI - especially the lower-end, run-of-the-mill, undifferentiated writing. But there's so much chatter that it's sometimes hard to make sense of what's real and what isn't. Others doing more nuanced work like case-study writing or interviewing are using AI to their advantage, making it a part of their workflow to get more efficient and productive.

Strategies and tactics

Freelancers are adapting to the new market situation in a few ways. Here are some ideas to get started.

Enjoy the extra time off: If you’re in a position of privilege and can afford to wait out this time of flux, enjoy the summer while deciding to put your head down and work in the fall (when hopefully the market should be better)
Diversify your offerings: Freelancers are getting more flexible and inventive with their services. Former article and blog writers are going into coaching or taking up projects outside of their comfort zone.
Cold outreach: You don’t necessarily need to pitch to a stranger you’ve never talked to before. Be more proactive and deliberate about asking for referrals or reaching out to people with mutual connections to get more work in the door.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket: If you’re reliant on one client or one company for all the work you’re doing, and their requirements dry up, that can be a scary situation to be in.

“I’ve been open to taking on different kinds of projects to see what I like — I'm doing stuff I would have said no to years ago.”

Adjusting to the new normal

What does the economic recession and the recent spate of layoffs mean for our industry, space, and livelihoods? We don’t quite know.

We do know the uncertainty is driving a lot of fear-based marketing that isn't helpful. Sign off linked in if you must, to block out the negative conversations and protect your mental peace. Here’s what you can do instead.

Think about your skill set: What skills do you have outside of freelance writing? Leverage those skills to offer value to people you've worked with in the past or people you’d like to work with.
Be flexible: Recognize that the writing landscape has changed. With AI writing tools, there might be a higher requirement for editorial and content management roles than writing projects. Hiring an SEO editor or a resource for refreshing content might be cheaper for companies than onboarding a panel of freelance writers.
Set a time bound on waiting: If your financial situation doesn't allow you to ride out the storm, define a period after which you will consider a full-time role or even a career change if necessary so you have a reliable stream of income.
Network: This is a great time to get back into face-to-face connection-building. Get coffee, attend conferences, and network aggressively. The jobs you book are usually through people who know you. If they've met and know you, the connection and relationship is much stronger than a random person somebody's interacted with on Twitter.

"I booked a ton of work by attending a few networking dinners in Chicago a few years ago, and I'm still working with some of those clients."

Finally, be strategic about your investments at the moment. Be honest. Share your struggles with others. Finding comfort among other freelancers is helpful, and being vulnerable within our cohort can provide a lot of solace and ideas for how to get through this time.

What is Going On With Freelance Writing Right Now?