2023 Freelance income report: Q1-Q2

I’m playing with a new format for these posts to lay out things differently and make these posts more clear. But that’s me, always changing things up and nothing is consistent. Note: Because 2023 was a righteous year of survival mode, I’m actually writing this in January 2024. Future self: Things are slowly looking up.

Being pregnant caused a lot of interesting things to happen this first half of the year. As with the other pregnancies, some complications meant a lot of extra doctor visits. Visits to the chiropractor to help with the fact that I literally couldn’t walk any more than was necessary. Visits to the acupuncturist to help manage the physical and emotional side effects of this pregnancy. As I got closer to my due date, the appointments picked up, and the work started dropping off.

It was hard to commit to assignments when I did not know what would happen with this pregnancy. Q1 started off okay, in which I made just under $6,000. Not even close to what I was making last year, but again, this was a weird year.

But then I didn’t work at all in both April or June. In May, I took two assignments while technically on maternity leave, which was the sole income for Q2. But hey, I knew I wanted to take time off after having the baby because I didn’t know what things were going to look like.

The articles ranged from $300 to $1,500 and they ranged from melanoma to birth control to disparities in heart health to sleep topics. Overall, I worked with some really great clients.

The Good and the Bad

What worked in Q1-Q2:

• Going outside my comfort zone. I was assigned a few articles that initially intimated me based on the subject matter. I didn’t initially feel comfortable with my knowledge level, but I’m glad I said yes to them because they stretched me mentally and I learned a lot of really cool things.
• Knowing my limits. I turned down projects. I turned down some really lucrative opportunities and had a hard with that. But I also knew that saying yes would have meant a lot of added stress during a time that was already a pretty awful time, emotionally and physically. I turned down an opportunity to write chapters for a nursing labor and delivery textbook. I turned down a really cool project with a healthcare company that paid really well and the client seemed so nice. It sucked. But it was necessary.
• There are future opportunities. Those clients I had to turn down? I plan on following up with them after the baby is born and I’m back at work and hopefully it will turn into work.

What didn’t go so well:

• My mental health in Q2. I know I was struggling. In more ways than just with this difficult pregnancy. I wanted to work. I wanted to pursue these new opportunities. I started feeling better at the end of February from all the nausea and BOOM. More health issues. More appointments. I wanted to work, especially after the success of 2022 in which I had my highest year of income yet.
• Having to turn down opportunities. See above. It sucked. Necessary, but it sucked.
• Letting my perfectionism get the best of me. Look, it worked out. But oy. I was assigned a piece for a trade magazine that was highly technical. As in, when I started diving into the research, I said something along the lines of OMFG I can’t do this. It was based on a study that even my editor said was technical. And then I interviewed one of the authors and he said even he, as a PhD, took months to fully understand the concepts. But I pushed through. And I’m freaking proud of it. I’ll plan on sharing it in my end of year update in January.

How’s the rest of the year looking?

Look, including my maternity leave, I didn’t obviously work as much as I wanted. But I still made something. I made more in this first part of the year than I did all year during some early years of freelancing. I gave myself grace when I managed it, and I don’t have expectations for next Q3 and Q4. Whatever I make is still income and this time of pregnancy and a newborn aren’t going to be forever.

I didn’t even make an income goal this year because of the pregnancy, so I have no expectations. I’m cuddling a baby, working when I can, and managing a new family of five. That’s all I can do.