In the UK, we’re getting into Christmas party season and it’s a time when those of us who are freelance can feel like Cinderella, watching our employed friends hoof off to office parties.

This little video is an antidote to this – a bit of fun – but it contains an important reminder of how networking is the basis for referral and the main way most jobbing writers get their work. And you don’t need to be a screaming extrovert to do this. For several years, much of my work came though a blog which had just over 100 subscribers, many of whom were clients. Thanks to them.

You need to mix up with other writers. Yes, you may start out in competition for the same work, but the likelihood is as your careers develop that you will specialize in different areas. You may soon find what you write is tangential to each other, rather than vying for the same patronage. When one of you is feasting, another may be in famine, and the well-fed one can recommend the other’s services, if suited. You can help each other through reality-checking, knowing market rates and perhaps having a weekly check in to compare notes on progress.

That’s enough pep-talk. I’d like to thank all of you for taking my courses this year, and I hope they’ve been useful. It’s a privilege to teach you and I’ve been lucky enough to read some astonishingly good writing in 2017, which is awesome and humbling. Please continue writing, stay in touch, send me your inspiring work and remember the Natalie Goldberg quote: ‘Writers live twice’.

Here are some wide-reaching links this month, to give you something to get your teeth into over the holidays – with the turkey, for those of you who eat it…

This is an interesting survey:

with good insights into what readers need to continue reading: How To Write A Book To Market

As we niche down more and more online, opportunities for different types of writing grow. Until I saw this post, I’d never heard personal essay writing described like this, even though I’ve read several of them. A memoir writer friend would love this opportunity, I’m sure.Get Paid To Write Personal Essays

And here are two posts from the same site, because they are such useful deep-dive content, and the site as a whole is excellent.

Here’s a no-cringe, immensely practical look at finding clients: 15+ Reusable Tactics To Find Copywriting Clients Who Pay Well

And Copyhackers have just conducted a state-of-the-business report into rates for copywriting and where the work is, which is fascinating:

Freelance Copywriters Share How Much Money They Earn

Have a great break.