Being a freelance writer on International Women’s Day

You may be wondering why we celebrate International Women’s Day. Well, it has been around much longer than you think, as it was first created in 1911 by Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland following the Copenhagen Conference.

Its original aim was to encourage women to press for their demands and was led by activist Clara Zetkin. March 8^th became an important date thanks to the success of women in Russia holding a protest on this day back in 1917.

Every year has a theme, and in 2022 we are focussing on #BreakTheBias, where we imagine a gender-equal world and a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.

How does International Women’s Day impact a freelancer?

As a woman working as a freelance writer in the UK, I’m not subject to any bias from management. It’s nice to only answer to myself.

However, in business, being a freelancer can be a lonely place where you have no colleagues to provide support. I have been lucky to build a network on Linkedin and Instagram that offer inspiration, share their knowledge and make me smile.

And guess what. They are almost always women.

I’m sure plenty of male freelance writers would be happy to provide support, but I was drawn to women. They have been an excellent source of information, and I owe any success I have built to their selfless support.

• They tell me not to undersell myself.
• They offer ideas on how to pitch to clients.
• They share the difficulties about how to manage an uneven workload.
• They remind me to take time off once in a while.

How can we help to break the bias?

In the spirit of this year’s International Women’s Day theme, #BreakTheBias, I will support other freelance women with some words of advice.

• Be confident of your abilities, and don’t be afraid to promote yourself.
• Charge what you are worth.
• Remove negative language in your communication. Don’t apologise. Do be positive.
• Reach out to other women for support when you are struggling. They will understand.
• Speak assertively when you pitch to a client. Understand what you are capable of and what you bring to the table.
• Charge what you are worth. Yes, I am repeating this one because it is far too easy to find yourself working for too little as a freelancer. Your time and skills have value.
• Historically, women have tended to undersell themselves, especially if they have children or other caring responsibilities. Just because you are trying to fit your work around these responsibilities does not mean you have to accept less. In fact, your ability to multi-task and plan is what makes you unique.

Thank you to all the women out there who break down the barriers every day. Thank you to the women who support others on their journey. Finally, thank you to the men who support us.

Happy International Women’s Day!