Ways of Working: How to plan for change
In this final instalment of our 3-part series Ways of Working, Lily Green, No Bindings’ director, will share tips on how to plan for change. These tips are ideal for anyone new to freelancing, project management or working remotely.
Levels of service - do you have different price points to offer your client?
A big part of planning and production is thinking about how to adapt. You and a client/collaborator may really want to work together, but there might be uncertainty around the budget or the timescale. It’s wise to think about the different levels of service or product you can offer at different price points to allow for changes in budget or timescale.
Plan B - do you have a plan B on how to achieve your project?
A big part of working in the creative sector is applications. Grants for projects or personal development provide an amazing opportunity to progress your creative skills and portfolio. It can also feel absolutely crushing if you miss out on these highly competitive opportunities. As such, when going for a commission or grant, think about what your plan B or even plan C is if you don’t succeed. This way, you’ll still feel like you can achieve some of your goals and perhaps pave the way for an even stronger application in the future.
Acceptance - accept that things change
There is no exact science to production and planning. There may be processes that are standard in your creative field and it’s certainly worth taking some time to get familiar with these, but it’s also ok to trust and develop your own methods. Writing a production plan may start with a simple numbered list. Once you have the main points, you might go back and add more detail and move things around. Planning is very much a living process and the faster you accept the possibility of change, the less stressed you’ll be trying to stick to a plan that’s not working.
Planning often requires thinking about other ways to do things. It’s making a guide for you and your team about how something will happen, and thinking about how you’re going to deal with changes.
Conclusion: You are unique. The way you work may well be similar to others, but it’s ok to do things your way. In fact, the more you understand about how you work best, the better your work will be.
Final tip! If you’re just starting out with your creative career, get an accountant! It might seem extreme, especially if you’re doing part-time creative work, but it’s very much worth having a financial footprint of your creative practice. It will help you understand when and how you make the most money as well as how much to charge.