By Kristen Fischer

Here in New Jersey, the summer is coming to an end. With only one month left before hectic fall schedules begin, I’m trying to plan ahead to get in that much-needed summer vacation that I never quite managed to get to. My freelance writing career has kept me busy over the past few months, and I take solace in coffeehouses with air conditioning during these humid weeks.

Most of the world’s careers seem to happen in seasons. Summers are spent working less or taking long weekends. Winter is for being inside cozied up. Fall is consumed with the kids heading off to school, and by the time spring hits most people are trying their best to get outside and lap it up. In between, work happens. But I find that the seasons change a little differently for freelancers.

This summer, for example, I have yet to get to the beach. I live five minutes away and love the water, so it’s a huge shocker. I’ve been busy working on completing my second book, and that’s taking precedence. That and the hoards of work that I’ve had coming in.

I am usually just as active in the fall, minus the month of September when most of my freelance writing clients seem to be frazzled about the return from summer. No matter where my clients live in the United States, it seems that they’d rather be back at their summer houses or out on their boats. They tend to go on a mental vacation.

As fall continues, I finally creep out of my shell and am eager to travel. Living at the Jersey Shore, I don’t get to do too much since it’s a tourism hub. That’s why when October and November approach, I’m on a mental vacation. Of course I don’t get to do much, but I try to give myself more time off, and find I can get around easier without the summer crowds. I head up to New England a lot—I’m a leaf peeper, as they say (someone in awe of the changing leaf colors).

Then the holiday panic sets in. I freak out about getting gifts for everyone and speed upon work. The problem? Many clients are holiday-focused. My emails come back with automated replies about people being “out of the office” for Thanksgiving…Hanukah…Christmas…New Years…

Then the New Year rings in, and I am often overcome by the yearning to revamp my marketing materials. This proves to be a great time to do so, since many clients are not on the ball as far as work. Super Bowl Sunday rules, you know? Many of my clients are just getting their advertising budgets in and seem scared to start spending on it. The new year is my hardest time, work wise. I respond by spending an annual weekend up in a mountains rental house with friends. It helps.

When the frost wears off and spring arrives, I’m in laptopville. That is, I take my laptop everywhere because working outside in a cool breeze and sun is ideal. But I’m careful—I only have until Memorial Day until the hoards of tourists invade my hometown and I’m trapped at home as to avoid traffic.

Seasons change. Our workloads as freelance designers and freelance writers go up and down, and they’re certainly different than the corporate 9-to-5’ers. I’m interested to hear about your seasons.

Kristen Fischer is a freelance writer living in New Jersey. Her first book, Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal with Career Ups and Downs is available at www.creativelyselfemployed.com