Hey guys, Lizzie here! This week I’ve got a treat for you. I’m handing the blog over to Maxine Harrison, a freelance writer who is here to share her story and offer some tips and advice to Black freelancers. 

About Maxine:

Maxine is a freelance writer with a niche in black hair and the founder of Remi Reports; a blog dedicated to helping freelance creatives build their business. In this interview, Maxine shares her journey to going freelance and some tips she has for fellow Black freelance creatives.

How long have you been freelancing?

Almost 2 years now and I’m loving the journey!

I didn’t set out to become a freelancer, I sort of fell into it by God’s grace, and have come to realise I wouldn’t have wanted my career trajectory to have taken any other path!

What do you love most about freelancing?

The flexibility!

You can choose to work wherever you want and there’s more freedom in your schedule, compared to if you were working 9-5. I also love the fact that I can make my passion for writing, my paycheque. 

Do you think it’s important to have a niche as a freelancer?

I do! It took me a while to find my niche, but once I did, I found it so much easier to pitch and find ideal clients.

I think finding a niche also allows you to become an expert in that area. When focusing on so many different areas, it becomes much more difficult to do that. As they say, a jack of all trades, is a master of none.

Why did you choose black hair as your niche?

I am passionate about natural hair and have been since choosing to go natural back in 2016.

It is something I love learning about just in my personal life, so being able to join that with my work is such a blessing and something that came- excuse the pun- naturally to me!

I really like working on purposeful projects and therefore intentionally seek to work on projects that are meaningful to me. 

What advice would you give to black creative freelancers?

Find community groups for Black freelance creatives, to collaborate with and share struggles and your journey with. Facebook have a range of groups for this – Black-owned economy, Support Black Businesses UK are a few of which I am a member of and the support is tremendous! 

I would also recommend finding a mentor, to help you on your journey.

Having someone from the same cultural background as you mean you can relate more on a personal and business level. SocialFixt is dedicated to helping ethnic minorities in particular, in the creative industry and they have a free mentorship programme. I found mentor through them and she has been really helpful in my freelance journey.

What challenges have you found through freelancing and how did you overcome it?

One of the major lessons I have learnt as a freelancer is to have a deposit! This can protect you from being scammed with projects and any further confusion down the line.

Also, make sure you make boundaries as a freelancer! I once had a client who would phone me at times like 11.30pm, expecting me to pick up or even return the call, then and there. Ensure you clarify your working expectations when working with a client to prevent things like this from happening.

What resources have you found useful as a freelance writer?

Newsletters! There’s a few that send out weekly gigs for freelance writers. I find Sian Meade’s Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter in particular super handy! 

Any other words of advice?

If you’re a freelancer, keep striving! Resilience is a key characteristic and superpower for freelancers!

Maxine posts tips for freelancers 2 x a week on her blog, Remi Reports. You can also follow her on Instagram here.