Freelance Writer Resources for the Coronavirus Pandemic

Many freelance writers are seeing a major decrease in projects and writing income due to the coronavirus pandemic. This post shares timely and essential resources to help you boost your freelance writing income now and position yourself to thrive once the pandemic ends.

I could share what I think you should do, but several very smart people have recently written in detail about different aspects of maintaining your income and your sanity during the these difficult times, so I defer to them. I may have more to say soon, but for now, follow the consensus advice of the experts to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and do the things you need to do to maintain your physical and mental health and that of your family and friends.

Freelance Writing Resources for the Coronavirus Pandemic

I’ve been following marketing expert Mark Schaefer’s advice for at least the last five years. He’s a smart and compassionate man who communicates well. He has several recent posts about dealing with the coronavirus pandemic both professionally and personally. My favorite is this one:

“For business to win in the coronavirus crisis, head to the bottom of the pyramid“

Carol Tice shares a wide range of advice to help freelance writers get through these difficult times:

“Prevent Coronavirus From Killing Your Freelance Income: 10 Ideas“

Jenn Mattern is a pro’s pro when it comes to succeeding as a freelance writer. She offers sage advice in this recent article:

“Reader Question: How Can My Freelance Writing Business Survive the Coronavirus Pandemic?”

My friend and fellow freelance writer Lori Widmer lays out a range of things you can do during the pandemic:

“8 Downtime Strategies for Freelance Writers”

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Freelance Writers and Unemployment Benefits

The recently $2.2 trillion CARES Act provides $1200 to most adult Americans, including most working freelance writers who make money at their businesses. More importantly, many self-employed Americans may be able to qualify for unemployment benefits.

Start by visiting the website of your state’s employment department. It almost certainly has specific information (look for updates related to coronavirus and/or COVID-19), and you can likely apply online.

As I write this, state employment departments don’t yet have sufficient guidance from the federal government regarding important parameters, so it could be several weeks or more before self-employed people find out if they qualify for unemployment benefits and then start receiving money.

If your writing income has taken a big hit because of the coronavirus pandemic you should apply right now. You’ll find a lot of useful information in this post from the Freelancers Union:

“What the CARES Act means for freelancers”