Oof. I just keep thinking about The Poseidon Adventure (1972) where (spoiler alert, but if you haven’t seen it by now…) the ship is sinking, and a group of passengers are waiting to be saved in the dining room — which is pretty much upside down and for-sure going under water. 

When the landscape of my business started flipping last year, I nodded and paused. I’d been through slow times before, and a combination of reaching out, and waiting it out, did the trick. But this time, a part of me knew I was waiting in the dining room. Now, I’m done waiting. The ship is not going to right itself. It’s time to scramble towards the air. 

Though it started dipping in 2023, my yearly 2024 income is 20-30k lower than it has been in more than 10 years! This is how I know it’s time to move — and quick.

I guess after nearly two decades, it’s no surprise that my industry has shifted. It’s actually pretty wild that things have been the same-ish for so long now — and that I genuinely didn’t see it coming.

Alas, like I’ve shared in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, here is my 2024 by the numbers. And I damn well hope it won’t be my last one. 

• Years in business — 18

• Total clients — 19

• Clients / partners who are designers — 7

• Client websites written — 1 (This is where I’ve previously made most of my income. In 2023, I wrote 14. In 2022, I wrote 17.) 

• Client blogs + newsletters + case studies written — 30+ (a drop of at least 20)

• Landing pages written — 100+ (This all happened after my scurry began.)

• Clients for whom I write monthly newsletters, case studies or blog posts — 3 (down 3) 

• Un-newsletter subscribers — 1075

• Un-newsletters sent — 4 (That’s 90 since I started, also posted here.) 

• Months since I’ve asked, “Is AI putting me out of business?” — 7

• Percentage of annual income that came from AI + digital copywriting since I stopped waiting in the dining room in Q4 — 35%

• Colorful candy penises I hid around my parents' new house — 100+

• Times my dad almost started a pistachio recall because there was a tiny purple penis in the bag — 1

• Awesome items I’ve thrifted and gifted — 3

• New plants I’ve acquired — 4 (I love African Violets so much.) 

• Times I’ve washed my car since overcoming my fear of the car wash — 15+

• Pints of berries and tomatoes purchased for my son — feels like thousands

• Times a genuine human interaction reignited my faith in humanity — every time!
  
  

What’s my plan for 2025? 

Go where the money is. Figure out my place in this new marketplace. Let go of everything I think I know and open my mind to what is now, and what is possible. 

Writers: What are you experiencing? What’s your plan for 2025? Share your thoughts here.

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Hi, I’m Deidre. In my posts, I talk about my voyage down the road of self-employment as a web copywriter, my achievements and roadblocks along the way, and what I’m learning as I go (with Marketing Mentor as my guide). To keep in touch, sign up for my un-newsletter here and get my freebie download, 12 Sparks to Write Sizzling, Audience-Attracting Website Words.