Freelance writers are good at writing—this is a given. NOT all freelance writers are good with the business end of the business, and as such, might just start to lose track of smaller invoices or have issues and questions when tax time rolls around. If this is you, there are a few things that, simple as they sound, you may not have thought of to keep the money side of things in check.

1. Don’t Lose Track of the Small Stuff

For many of us, “smaller” jobs, like $10 blogs or $25 reviews, make up the bulk of our income. Unlike more involved editing or ghostwriting projects, you might do ten or twenty of these quicker jobs a day, and they might all be for different clients. It is imperative if you want to maintain your freewheelin’ freelance lifestyle that you implement some sort of method of organization, which is even easier nowadays with so many apps and software packages that help you keep accurate records. You want to be able to know when April 15th starts creeping up exactly how much money you’ve made from every individual client.

2. Know Your Clients

I’m not saying you have to send birthday cards to everyone you’ve written a press release for, but for every client you work with, maintain current contact information and, again, an up-to-date record of all the work you’ve done for them. If what you’ve made for any individual client adds up to $600 or more, they’ll be sending you the Independent Contractor’s version of a W-2 form, a 1099-MISC. Audits are always a scary phantom looming in the tax process, especially if you’re claiming a lot of business expenses or a home office, so accuracy is essential.

3. Keep an Eye on Your Bank Account

Again, obvious, right? Surprisingly, lots of freelancers have no idea how much actually goes towards work-related expenditures. Membership fees to sites like Guru and Elance, domain name and Web fees if you have your own site, any advertising or supplies like business cards or promo items—all these things are deductible. Even magazine subscriptions to publications that help your craft or memberships in writing or freelance organizations may qualify. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS! Plus, if you work from home, look into exactly what can and can’t be considered when calling it a home office. There’s a wealth of information available via the Internet, but sometimes it’s best to consult a professional at least once.

And that’s where many of us face a dilemma—outside forces in our business? We’re freelancers precisely because we want to do our own thing, not be accountable to someone else. I’ve found that when it comes to the business stuff, sometimes it helps to enlist a number-cruncher, especially if you’re not one, to help you keep everything straight or at least help you create a system that lets you stay on top of ALL aspects of your thriving freelance career, not just the creative parts.