Writing out a Recession

Gasp! Yes, the financial pundits are promulgating the "R" word, daring to utter that daunting epithet "recession" out loud. If you've lived long enough, you may just sigh and stop thinking about running off to the tropics on a nice vacation, delay plans to purchase a new car this year, or just drop your nose a little closer to the grindstone. Younger people tend to tense up when they hear the mysterious "R" word, mainly because they don't know exactly how it might affect them.

Let's make it personal. A recession is a slow down in the overall economy. Fewer jobs, more layoffs, smaller pay increases (if any), budget cuts and most of all: a reduction in advertising. You may think you're safe as a freelancer. None of those factors can affect you, can they? When business is bad, companies cut out nonessential expenses, and the first to go is usually advertising. Seems counter intuitive, but that's a fact of life. Less advertising means less revenue for publishers, which leads to fewer pages for writers to fill.

I've never forgotten a page I saw in 1973 taped to a newsroom wall of the Dayton Daily News:

The country was in a recession at the time. I'd been laid off from The Miami Herald and wanted to move back home to Ohio. No go. No jobs for journalists.

When the usual writing jobs dry up, competition increases and editors are less likely to take chances on newcomers. Time to think sideways and find niches you can fill that aren't dependent on advertising income. If you have a good grasp of the mechanics of writing and live near a university, students always need editing help with their papers, theses and dissertations. N.B.: I did not say, "Write their papers." Some other potential money-makers:

1. resume preparation
2. writing for nonprofits (which doesn't mean they can't afford to pay you)
3. ghostwriting memoirs for seniors (market at retirement centers by giving a free class)

Start thinking about it now. What other recession-proof writing jobs can you come up with? Share them with us in a comment.