Things You Need to Know when Considering Freelance Writing as Your Career

I have been fascinated with the career of freelance writing, for many years. As a child the only career that I could imagine myself having was that of a writer. My dream of joining ranks with the classically famous Ernest Hemingway, or the now famous Stephen King, was an ambition that I knew one day I wanted to fulfill. As I grew older my aspirations changed, the appeal of becoming a writer for magazines or webzines, was more suited to my tastes. I have learned over the years that, in the pursuit of any career field, someone who is just beginning; with no experience; will be faced with many challenges. In that aspect freelance writing, is no different. In my opinion Freelance writing for magazines or the web can be very daunting; I believe that it takes a very strong individual to find success through freelancing. "There are many advantages and disadvantages to the industry, and sometimes these things may make you want to give up" (Ng,2009). When a writer persists to follow along the road of freelancing, they enter at their own risk, for some it is a burden they are not willing to take for others; it can be a long struggle before their dream comes true.

Advantages of becoming a freelance writer

As a freelance writer one of the advantages and main benefits, is that, you are ultimately your own boss. This is considered one of the most important aspects of freelance writing because as your own boss you decide the when, where, how and why, when submitting your own work to an editor (Adamec, 1994). As the boss you are in charge of finding the best ways to sell you merchandise (your writing), contacting editors, balancing bills, as well as writing your material. (Bykofsky, 2000). In comparison as a staff writer, you have a boss who tells you what to write and often times turns down your brilliant ideas to create filler for a page they need.(Taylor,2003)The option of not having a boss is why many individuals believe in creating their own business.

As a freelance writer, as long as you meet your deadlines, you do set your own schedule by writing at your own convenience. (Adamec, 1994) Being responsible for your own schedule leaves you time to be able to work a full time or part time job, attend school, or raise a family. As a freelance writer you are able to start off small and work big, or even maintain a freelance career as a side job if that is what you want, because of such a flexible schedule. If you were working as a staff writer, you would be punching a time clock, going to work at a specific time every day, and you would be limited to the time you could spend on other things, your career would be the main priority in your life.

Working as a freelance writer, you enable yourself the opportunity to create your own working environment, mainly by working out of a home office. (Adamec, 1994) Working out of your home is great for the anti social, although possibly not too good for your professional image (being antisocial that is). You can play music all day, get some plants, open windows to let in the fresh air, whatever you want around you, is whatever you put around you. Working as a staff writer, you cannot control your environment in this way. Often you get a cubicle or small desk, maybe and most likely you wouldn't have your own office, so you could easily be distracted by others around you. No personal effects is a common notion when it comes to working as a staff writer, personal effects of any sort can be considered offensive in certain places. So you can just forget about inspiration in your surroundings as a staff writer.

Disadvantages of becoming a freelance writer

Just because freelance writing sounds like the glamorous and ideal job, there are also dis-advantages that you do not have if you chose to be a staff writer. Samuel G. Freedman: Author and former winner of the Helen M. Bernstein award for excellence in journalism, gives this warning to his Columbia university graduate school of Journalism students "Many freelancers live with a dream of fantasy that the road to freelancing is an easy path when it can be very hard" (Harper, 2003).

As a staff writer you get a weekly paycheck, but as a freelance writer, you normally do not. As a freelance writer, your regular income is based on how many assignments you get, and how much effort you put into it. Basically if you don't work you don't get paid (Adamec, 1994).

Being a staff writer, you are a full time employee, you get benefits, which includes 401k, medical, dental, and you are guaranteed whatever pay on a regular basis that you were hired for. There are unions that protect you as a staff writer. You get a paid vacation. As a freelance writer it is up to you to take care of your own personal benefits and insurances, often costing more money, you must take out your own health and dental insurances, and you only get the money, that you save. Forget about a paid vacation, unless you are traveling for an article chances are, you won't get paid for your vacation. (Adamec, 1994)

As a staff writer, you do not have to deal with the voice of rejection, which can cause a multitude of emotional distress problems. You write what the editor wants you to, and of course it is accepted. As a freelance writer, rejection is part of the territory, so if you cannot handle it, freelance writing is definitely not the career choice for you. Since you write what you want to write, you may not be what an editor is looking for, your ideas don't always fit what is wanted or needed with a much different market (Adamec, 1994)

Freelance writing education

Many individuals feel that attending college is the first step in beginning a career as a writer. Over the years many have formed different opinions on whether or not it is actually necessary to have a degree and be a successful writer. In one opinion: "Many well known authors' credit early university courses and some aspiring teachers-at-the-elbow for their success; most professionals favor the idea of taking creative writing courses while in college" (Casewit, 1974). The extra help is a wonderful idea for those who want to perfect there skills, but yet, the overall opinion has been and still is: "College teaching can only do so much. You must develop your own discipline, accept a trial and error period, show much patience and have the willingness to throw away what you write" (Casewit,1974). A college degree, maybe, but it isn't always necessary.

The Part of the argument, of whether to attend college, or not, that most intrigued me was, where college was not suggested on the basis, that an instructor would ruin your writing talent. Bernard Shaw's saying, "Those who can, do and those who can't, teach."(Casewit,1974) Only applies now a days to those teaching, who are not published writers themselves. Many college professors that teach aspects of writing are published, and if they are not, they are very skilled in the areas that they teach. I believe that, for any writer to say that they will not attend college because a professor will ruin there "writing talent" is probably not as talented as they think they are. If in any case, taking writing course will expand your talent and allow you the opportunity to be knowledgeable in many different aspects of writing as well as, make you flexible to write many different styles for different editors in the future.

Other ways for freelance writers

After finishing college, or well still in college, or if you decided to opt out of getting a degree, there are still many ways that a writer can become better at their trade. I personally do not know of anyone who wouldn't want to be better. There are a few ways that freelance writers can become better, writers, and find tips to achieve their own success. Join a group/ club for writers ( there are also ones specifically for freelance writers), read and research books written on the topic of freelance writing, and attend workshops.

Joining a club, group or association

Whether online, or locally (typically if you live in the city) there are organizations of writers in every field, from travel to do it yourself writers. There are a lot of benefits in joining these groups ( sometimes for a small fee). By interacting with other writers, you can find out, tips of the trade, where to apply, and even have others help critic your writing. Since freelance writing can be such a solitary career, it will help you to feel less lonely, when you have other writers to talk to.

The most important thing about freelance writing

"Writing can be many things: a craft, an art, a passion, an obsession. Yet for those who lack a trust fund, a wealthy spouse, or a bursting portfolio, spending significant time writing requires something else, it must be a business" Says Journalist and Author Erick Sherman ( Taylor,2003). While almost anyone can become a writer overnight, for true success in the field, skills must be adapted to turn freelance writing from a hobby into a career. Most times to even be published, you have to treat your writing career as a business. Which means; business cards, letter head, and an office (Yudkin,1988).

The other stuff

Going to college, taking workshops, reading every book you can find on freelance writing, creating a business, still does not guarantee success. You have to adapt the right personality traits and productive working habits to be successful as a freelance writer. Humility, so you can accept criticism. Confidence, so you can feel good about yourself even though you are sometimes rejected, as well as sure of yourself and your writing so that an editor feels confident about hiring you. Persistence, so regardless of how many times you get rejected, you do not quit making submissions, when you fall off the horse you get right back up on the saddle (Yudkin, 1988)

If you think you can do it you can

Although freelance writing may seem to be a hard career to get involved in, it is truly up to you, if you think that you can do it, than you can. Your success is up to you and no one else, and it has been done. Writers take on the burden of freelancing every day, some make it and some don't but if you never try you don't know if you can make it.

References

Adamec, C. (1994) Start and run a profitable freelance writing business. Chapter 1 - life as a freelance writer: is it for you? Section b&c. Advantages and disadvantages. International self counsel press ltd. North Vancouver British Columbia. CA

Bykofsky, S.(2000) The complete idiots guide to: Publishing magazine articles. Macmillan USA, inc. Indianapolis, IN.

Casewit,C. (1974) Freelance writing advice from the pros ( pgs. 1,4,5,23). Macmillan Publishing Co. inc. New York, New York.

Harper, T. (2003) The ASJA Guide to freelance writing: a professional guide to the business, for nonfiction writers of all experience levels. St. Martins Press. New York, New York.

Ng, D. (2009 August). 10 Reasons freelancing isn't as glamorous as it looks on Paper.

Retrieved on September 24, 2009 from website:

http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/

Taylor, D. (2003). The freelance Success book: Insider's secrets to selling every word you write. Peak writing press. Savannah, GA.

Yudkin, M. (1988) Freelance writing for magazines and newspapers. (chap. 11, 13, 16). Harper & Row Publishers, New York , New York.