Everyone I speak to says the same thing - it's gone quiet and bookings aren't anywhere near as many as it used to be.
In all my years in this industry, I have never struggled, thankfully. Even when I left, came back, left, came back, I always managed to pick it back up to a good place.
In this last month, even I have been quiet to the point I checked my website contact form was still working 😅 I don't really use AW, and tbh, don't have good words to say about the kind of clients I get off there (most of them, anyway).
I have always been very optimistic about work, that the money always comes. But September? Made me want to claw my own eyes out. 2 star clients the whole way.
I have some very good regs but even those regs have become less frequent than they were. Weekly went down to twice weekly, twice weekly went to monthly, and I can probably count on one hand the clients that I see as reliable clients who I know will book when they usually book.
It's the sign of the times. There's always work but we certainly have to work more for less money and deal with people we wouldn't normally.
It's shit. But another reason why it's important to have a few income streams, whether that's other avenues in this industry, or avenues outwith.