I have always been curious about the world of freelance work. After hearing from Abigail Bassett about her career and all of the opportunities she has had as a freelancer, I understand the appeal.

As a freelance writer and content creator, you have the ability to make your own schedule and choose what jobs you want to take. However, Bassett said that ability comes with a lot of responsibility. She said that in order to make it in the freelance world, it is crucial that you are mindful of your deadlines and consistent with the people who hire you. It builds your reputation. If you have a poor one, companies may choose not to work with you. Bassett said keeping up the “hustle” can be tough, but it can be easier if you cover stories and work on projects that are in your niche and that you’re passionate about. If you enjoy travel, write about the best resorts in Mexico during the summer months and pitch it.

I admire Bassett’s technique for setting goals at the start of every year for companies she wants to work with and topics she would like to cover. I think that is a great way to be excited about the opportunities with freelancing. You can build your skills in a variety of areas if you’d like to try, which I find very interesting.

I really connected to Bassett’s statements about her love and appreciation for storytelling and people. This is something I have always enjoyed about journalism, too. As journalists, we are in a position that allows us to meet and tell the world about incredible people who have experienced something great, or possibly something not so great. Sometimes the stories we tell are emotional and have the potential to deeply impact those who read them. Writing that reaches someone on that level is a very unique and special gift, as well as something we should all strive for in our own writing.

One of the things she mentioned about making an impression as a freelancer or while networking was that when you’re speaking with a potential connection, use the “humble-brag” technique. There is a way to talk about yourself without sounding conceited or overly confident, but it’s a skill that takes time and practice to build up. I have struggled with this, especially now as I am entering the time of my life when I need to find a full-time job. Potential employers might say, “Tell me about yourself.” A million thoughts run through my head in that moment: How much do I tell them? What do they want to hear? How do I make this count? I think this will get easier the more that I do it, so like I said, I’ll just have to practice it.

I am very glad that Abigail Bassett was able to speak with us more about freelancing. I learned a lot about what it takes and I hope to continue learning about it as I venture into my career!