Many writers, myself included, were likely attracted to the prospects of becoming a freelance writer because of the numerous opportunities that the position presents. At first glance, the job seems like a great fit for anyone who has a way with words. For someone like me who can barely go a day without writing (whether itâs for my own personal projects or someone elseâs), it seemed like a great idea to monetize my hobby and talent. Yet, there were quite a few things I didnât consider before diving headfirst into the world of freelance writing.
Hopefully if youâre considering becoming a freelance writer youâll have done your due diligence and researched the hard work and responsibilities that come with the job. All things considered, I do believe with my whole heart that freelance writing is a career I can pursue, given time. For those who also want to make a career out of the job, or maybe just some extra income, I wish you all the best!
While Iâm not going to get into how to get clients, or how to prepare your independent contractor taxes (sorry if you came here for that!), I will go into the things to keep in mind when youâre just starting out as a freelance writer. The initial appeal of the job (doing what you love, being your own boss, etc.) sometimes gets in the way of the actual work thatâs done mainly on the end of the freelancer.
For the first part of my Freelance Writing posts, letâs go over some of the factors that youâll have to consider when you start writing for profit.
The Factors
Why list out the factors of freelance writing? Mainly because not all pros and cons will apply to every personâs unique situation. Freelance writing can be done at home, in an office, on the road, while abroad, or any combination of places. Some freelance writers are on contracts while others report their hours to their clients. Some people are finding clients to work with to pay for rent, utilities, debts, and everything other expense they have in life. Others are just pocketing the cash for a rainy day or using it to supplement their income.
All of the factors should be taken into consideration before a person decides whether or not to become a freelance writer. Itâs important to know exactly what you expect to get out of this time-consuming job before you start searching for clients.
Remote vs. Telecommute vs. In-Person
Freelance writers often have the freedom to work for companies and clients around the world without ever having to set foot outside their door. Some clients prefer to hold phone conversations or meet in person prior to a project to ensure that theyâre making the right choice. Itâs hard to fault these companies for being careful – if you want your freelance employee to write in a certain language, you definitely want to make sure that they are fluent by verbal confirmation.
In the past, Iâve had the pleasure of meeting two of my freelance writing clients in person before any work every commenced between us. Since I donât live very close to the nearest big city (Tokyo), meeting with my clients was a full day event for me. I had to make a six hour round trip journey, arrive early to make sure I was in the right place, and go over everything beforehand so I was well prepared and didnât waste anyoneâs time. In the end, the meetings I had were productive and allowed me to better understand my clientâs needs than just reading through an email ever could. Itâs also nice to put a face to a name, and have clients remember that youâre a real person.
Other clients Iâve had in the past didnât require a face-to-face meeting. Many simply ascertained through email that I was indeed a native English speaker and started throwing work at me. More than once Iâve been asked to at least have a phone conversation to ensure my client and I were on the right page with what they wanted moving forward. Phone conversations and meeting in person are especially difficult when your clients arenât even in the same country, so be prepared for such occasions. Skype or FaceTime are often used in substitution, as itâs the closest thing to a face-to-face meeting people in different countries are likely to get.
Before you get excited about a potential contract with a client, be sure you know exactly what they expect of their freelance writers. Some clients and companies want their writers to work onsite and clock in and out like a regular 9-5 job. Others expect regular calls or visits to the office, but expect the majority of the work to be done remotely. Those that allow their freelance writers to be fully remote and work from anywhere in the world can be hard to find, and even harder to renew contracts with. From my own expereince, Iâve noticed that the less personal you are with your client, the higher the chance you have of being easily dismissed or replaced.
Full Time vs. Part Time vs. Contract
Every client is different, just like every situation is different. Iâve talked with clients who pay per project, clients who pay for the hours spent working on a project, and some clients who have offered a salary payment per week or month. My personal preference is to accept payment per project, as itâs rare that clients and freelance writers will have the same idea of how long something will take to accomplish. Iâve looked at some ideas and outlines that clients have presented me with in the past and said, âWow, this should only take about an hour to write up. Easy!â Six hours later, I realized that I didnât consider the fact that there would be extensive research involved, or that I would want to educate myself further on the topic to write a better piece.
In regards to which is best, many freelance writers who are trying to make a living off their work prefer the full time or part time positions as they bring in a steady, manageable income. Knowing that youâll be working for your client for a set number of hours per week allows you to more accurately estimate your relative income. Working on a contractual basis means that youâll have highs and lows of working period, and likely wonât be able to accurately forecast your weekly or monthly earnings.
Although many people believe that submitting the number of hours youâve worked to your client is the better option, many clients donât share the same belief for their remote workers. Unless they have an online check system where you digitally âclock-in and outâ, smarter clients wonât risk freelance writers submitting time sheets on an honor system. As with all things, if you want to have a lasting relationship with your client, you should probably look into making sure your terms are in writing, clearly agreed upon, and signed (physically or digitally) by both parties.
Extra Cash vs. Income
Do you want to start freelance writing to make extra cash or to make a living? The answer is important in regards to how you conduct yourself in your pitches, where you find clients, and how you keep track of your payments and expenses. The ultimate dream of many freelance writers is to live off of their writing work alone, but often times it just isnât possible. In order to live off of your writing, youâll likely need either several clients who offer relatively steady work, or a full-time writing position that might take away some of the freedoms that freelance writers normally enjoy.
Youâve likely heard stories of people who quit their day jobs in pursuit of writing as a career, but itâs mainly only the success stories that get posted online or written about in books. Countless writers have had to give up on their dreams of becoming a professional freelance writer throughout their careers, which isnât a bad thing. If it was a simple process to become a successful freelance writer, many people would give up their jobs to do so, and the market would become saturated.
Freelance writing is fraught with disappointment, setbacks, and dry spells. Even those who do everything in their power to fill up every possible moment of their day with writing work still experiences days, weeks, or even months of no income from freelance writing. Unlike a regular 9-5 job, you canât just show up and do the work to get paid. You have to put yourself out there and work for every single project. For those looking for extra cash, thatâs not a big issue; for those looking for a steady income, it can definitely become a huge problem. Make sure your expectations for how much income youâll be making through your freelance writing are not set so high that you quit your day job before being secure in your freelance work.
Hobby vs. Career
Much like the distinction between doing freelance writing for extra cash versus doing it for your entire income, considering your writing work to be a hobby versus a career is also an important factor in how your freelance writing experience will play out. Many people consider those that do freelance writing full time to be in a writing career, while those that have a full time job and do writing on the side to be hobbyists.
In many regards, freelance writing can start as a hobby with the potential to become a career later on. Consider this situation: a person has saved up enough funds from a full time or part time position to live comfortably without working, quits their job, and focuses the majority of their time and effort into gathering clients and becoming a full time freelance writer. Is it considered a hobby until they have a client or two that give them steady work? Or a career because theyâve given up everything to peruse it?
In the end, your personal goals and drive are what determine if youâre treating your freelance work as a hobby or career choice. Not every freelance writer will start with a job that pays enough to become their only income, and not every freelance writer is willing to give up everything to dive into the world of writing for profit. Itâs up to the individual to decide how they want to approach the job, as well as how quickly they want to advance (if at all) from hobby to career.
Beginner vs. Expert
Similar to the section above, you mileage may very on becoming a productive freelance writer depending on the amount of experience you have in regards to making and maintaining client relationships, being responsible for filing taxes on your income, and keeping a set schedule thatâs both productive and flexible.
If youâre just beginning your freelance writing journey, youâre going to need a lot of things in preparation for the hurdles youâll eventually have to face (and hopefully overcome). The number one thing all new freelance writers need above everything else is quite simply: knowledge. Study the job; the requirements, the responsibilities, the avoidable pitfalls, the pros, and the cons. Hopefully if you are new to the freelance writing world youâre reading this to help give you an idea for what youâre in for.
If youâre not new to ghostwriting, article writing, creative content writing, copywriting, researching, accounting, communicating, and bargaining that go into being a freelance writer, then youâre likely to have a much easier time selling your work to clients. Knowing your way around negotiating a contract, contacting a hard-to-reach client, and keeping all of your paperwork in order are some of the more intricate parts of the job that take time and experience to master. That being said, even if youâre proficient in these skills you may have other places that need work. Never stop trying to better yourself and perfect your craft.
All things considered, whether youâre new to the game or jumping back in after leaving the freelance world for a period of time, educating yourself with the inner workings of freelance work is imperative. Even if youâve been writing commercially for the past few decades, thereâs always something new to learn in this ever growing and expanding profession.
Overall
If you know your limitations, preferences, and writing ability, you should be able to sell your writing skills to clients in need. Knowing what youâre willing to put up with for a side job or career is important for almost any work, though many people overlook that fact and try to just jump straight into a new line of work and hope for the best. If you really want to be prepared to give freelance writing your all, take some time to understand your own working needs before you try and fulfill the writing needs of others.