A variety of skills are needed to earn a consistent income as a writer. Next to writing aptitude and business proficiency, relationship building rounds out the top three. In more than 30 years as freelance writer, I’ve grown to appreciate the power of personal. Building authentic, mutually-beneficial relationships with editors, business clients, and fellow writers has had a positive impact on my income, as well as my overall state-of-mind.

Despite the convenience and widespread use of email, text, social media, and video meetings, a significant percentage of people still feel lonely and disconnected.

“Loneliness is a growing health epidemic,” wrote former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy in an article for Harvard Business Review. “We live in the most technologically connected age in the history of civilization, yet rates of loneliness have doubled since the 1980s. Over 40 percent of adults in America report feeling lonely, and research suggests that the real number may well be higher. In the workplace, many employees – and half of CEOs – report feeling lonely in their roles.”

Sometimes an email or social media shoutout just doesn’t cut it. Call your editor or send a card to congratulate him on a recent award or other professional recognition. Mail your client a handwritten note to thank her for prompt payment. Meet up with a fellow writer for coffee to get better acquainted. Such gestures help battle loneliness and make people feel appreciated. If they’re genuine, such gestures also encourage people to reciprocate that good will.

A few examples:

•    Twice a year, I mail my clients unique greeting cards with handwritten expressions of thanks or good wishes. It’s a treat to receive a card in the mail. We set them on counters or pin them to corkboards, as a reminder that someone was thinking of us. Dozens of times over the years, I’ve received a call or email about a new assignment a few weeks after mailing a card – not because I asked for more work, but because someone looked at the card again and thought of me.

•    Getting together for coffee (or breakfast, or happy hour, or a walk in the park) with a fellow writer is a great way to ward off loneliness. I meet up one-on-one with different peers several times a year. We talk about work, and books, and life. As a result of those relationships, I often give (and receive) referrals for new writing clients and projects.

•    When I receive great service somewhere, I send a handwritten note of thanks to the business owner and mention by name the person who assisted me. I have printed note cards that include my phone number, email address and website URL (vistaprint.com is just one of many inexpensive services that provide custom note cards). People who receive these cards see that I’m a professional writer. I don’t send them to ask for work or as a ploy to gain favor. It’s a genuine sentiment. And kindness gets remembered. On several occasions, my notes have prompted businesses to contact me about freelance writing.

Like many types of writing, there’s a formula to crafting a thoughtful note of thanks or congratulations. A Modern Guide to Writing Thank-You Notes by Heidi Bender is a great resource. The book is easy to thumb through and has hundreds of examples to get you started.

It also helps to have a list of talking points close at hand. You should be able to speak comfortably about the writing or editing services you provide, or to be able to briefly pitch a few story ideas. Having a cheat-sheet comes in handy when you’re making a call or receive an expected one.

BIO – Jessica McCann has written for dozens of publications and organizations, including Business Week, Phoenix, The Writer, Boyd Gaming, Allied Waste and The Phoenix Zoo. She’s also an award-winning historical novelist. Sign up for her free email newsletter and monthly giveaway for readers and writers at https://jessicamccann.com/monthly-e-news-and-give-away/ Her current book, Bitter Thaw, is available for preorder.