The Creative Professional’s Coronavirus Pandemic Preparedness Guide
Disclaimer: As the threat of COVID-19 spreads across the globe, this blog strives to provide high-quality, freely-available, up-to-date, accurate, and verified information for self-described nomadic freelance creatives around the world. However, both of our writers have been reassigned to the U.S. since the end of 2018 due to increasing instability in East Asia as a result of international political tensions. Therefore, the majority of our resources are U.S.-centered, unless we can gather information from other countries. Please help us by participating in the conversation via the comment section of this post. We’d love to know what’s going on in your city and which resources are available for you.
Millions of people around the world have lost their incomes due to the coronavirus pandemic. With governments incredibly slow to act, more people will be scrambling for easy-to-obtain, temporary or gig work simply because that’s what’s available right now. Though freelance creative professionals are no stranger to potential employers low-balling us, it’s pretty much inevitable that they’ll increasingly take advantage of mass desperation by offering insultingly low wages for skilled freelance work. For example, the other day I was offered $10 to write three product description articles in the medical cannabis niche. We all know they’re making a lot more than that off of a single purchase. Basically, they’d have used my content to make continuous profits while denying me a chance at my fair share in lieu of adequate compensation. A less experienced or more desperate writer might have fallen for it, unfortunately. These are the times we live in.
No matter what stage you’re at in your creative career, I hope this list will prove valuable to you as a traveler and/or freelancer. Stay tuned for periodic updates.
Essential Industries
During a pandemic, central governments will attempt to avert the crisis by temporarily suspending all business activities that are deemed non-essential. On March 19, 2020 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a memorandum to specify the scope of essential services. This includes:
- Staffing operation centers
- Utility services such as waste management, water, gas, and electricity
- Essential Construction
- Grocery stores
- Medical/Healthcare
- Telecommunications (including call centers)
- Agriculture
- Transportation & Logistics (Limited public transportation available in many regions)
- Defense & Law Enforcement
- Public Works
Non-essential workers have been asked to work from home, but not everyone can. People who were chefs, entertainers, and bartenders for example, now have to quickly figure out what else they can do to pay their bills. While this is worrying for a variety of reasons, with the right strategy, resources, and community support, you can protect and grow your freelance career even in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
Additional Support for Gig Workers & Skilled Freelancers
With millions of Americans relying on the gig economy to pay their bills, protections for freelancers have never been greater.
General Unemployment Resources
Coronavirus 2020 Unemployment Benefits
FEMA Disaster Unemployment Assistance
Relief Funds for Professional Working Creatives
Disabled Creator and Activist Pandemic Relief Fund
Coronavirus 2020 Artist Relief Funds (Google Spreadsheet)
Writers
Social Media: Reddit
r/hireawriter
r/writing
r/writers
r/freelancewriters
r/writingprompts
r/writingcirclejerk (if you need a laugh)
Social Media: Twitter
#WritingCommunity
Visual Artists
Anonymous Was a Woman (Woman-Identifying Artists Only)
Musicians
Online Conversations for Professionals
If you have any resources to share, especially international ones, please list them in the comments. My team and I will keep adding whatever we find to this list. Good luck out there!
The original post will be updated at least twice per week.
