Many freelance writers dream of landing contracts with big name companies. But guess what? When they finally have the chance they shy away. Although it can be intimidating to work with companies and publications that are well known, you need to keep in mind that this is your job. If you can get your foot in the door there is nothing to be afraid of. Remember, you are good at what you do and the company you are working for is good at what they do.
There is no reason to be afraid. This is the way I look at this situation: if a company wants to hire me they are doing so for a reason. And the reason is that I am a good writer who has a lot to offer. Many freelance writers get caught thinking that they don’t deserve to work with the “big boys.†This is not the case. If you did not have something to bring to the table you would never get attention from big name clients.
If you want to take your freelance writing career to the next level you need to be willing to work with any company that wants to hire you. You cannot freeze up and turn down big contracts because you don’t think you are ready.
Take for example a member of my freelance writing course. Last month he was offered a large contract by a real estate company with a well known name. While I am not 100 percent sure of the contract specifics, the gig paid quite a bit of money. Unfortunately, he was afraid to move forward with such a project for two reasons: the company was “too big†and he was not confident in his skills. Although I offered my advice to the student, it was his decision to ultimately pass on the job. In my opinion there comes a time in every writer’s career when he either needs to fish or cut bait. If you are scared to take on big contracts, for whatever reason, you will never find yourself making the progress you deserve.
Don’t be afraid of working for the big boys. Big companies are the same as small ones. They are run by people who are looking to move up, jut like you. You have the skills and confidence to do a good job for any client, no matter how big or small.
Believe it or not, many freelance writers have asked me whether or not they have to pay taxes on their income. Although I cannot speak for those in other countries, if you live in the United States you most definitely need to pay taxes on any income you earn as a freelance writer. As you can imagine, this is not something that you want to forget. If you do the IRS is not going to be kind when they catch on.
My best advice is this: hire a certified public accountant to help you with your tax situation. Before I ever started my career as a freelance writer I hired an accountant to go over every last detail with me. She answered all my questions, while also showing me how to pay quarterly taxes on both the state and federal level. This may sound easy enough, but there is definitely a lot of paperwork involved.
At the beginning of every year, usually in February or March, I visit my CPA to file my final return. This is when I learn if I owe additional money, or if I will be receiving a refund check. This is all based on how much money is paid in quarterly taxes throughout the year. Simply put, this is not something I would be able to do on my own. There are entirely too many forms and too much information gather. Even though I have to pay a few hundred dollars for this service, it is well worth it. You cannot afford to make any mistakes on your final return. For this reason I am more than happy to pay a professional to ensure that my return is 100 percent accurate, and that I take advantage of all possible deductions, etc.
Since I am not a CPA I am going to stop here. If you are just starting your freelance writing career I strongly urge you to make an appointment with a professional. This will help to ensure that you understand your tax situation, and that you are setup to pay the proper amount as the year goes by.Â
Most freelance writers work from home. Why would you want to pay for office space if you don’t have to? While there are many benefits of being a work at home freelancer, there are drawbacks that you need to be aware of as well.
Every so often I receive an email asking how I balance my home life with my career. It is very easy for other parts of your life to get in the way when trying to work. If you don’t learn how to avoid this problem you are going to find that your days are much less productive than they should be.
The first pointer I always give is to have a designated work area. I have one room in my house that is used as an office and nothing else. This allows me to stay away from everything else that is going on. And of course, having a designated workspace makes it much easier to stay organized.
Next, make sure you set a schedule. Work hours are work hours. While being a freelance writer means you can have a flexible schedule, you must make sure you are getting your work done. For instance, I attempt to work 7am to 4pm everyday. Does this always happen? Of course not. But that being said, if I try to follow these hours it will allow me to stay away from distractions in the home.
Finally, don’t give into temptations. It would be easy for me to take too many breaks, leave my desk for a nap, or put on the television when I should be working. These are all temptations, but if you want to be a success you should avoid them. Remember, if you are sleeping or watching television it means you are not getting your work done. And if you don’t get your work done you don’t get paid.
If your home life is getting in the way of your career you need to make some immediate changes. My best advice is to designate a workspace, have a set schedule, and avoid temptations no matter how enticing they may be. If you follow this advice you should be able to keep your home life from distracting you during work hours.Â
