Why do you want to work as a freelance writer? Before you ever join this industry you need to know why you are doing so. There are many great reasons to become a freelance writer. Your reasons for following this career path may be different than mine – and there is nothing wrong with that. The important thing is that you are happy with your decision.
Here are a few common reasons for wanting to become a freelance writer:
1. You want more freedom. Time after time I have talked about how much freedom you get when you work as a freelance writer. This is true now and always will be. If you are tired of the rat race and taking orders from others, becoming a freelance writer will allow you to take back your freedom.
2. It is what you love. I enjoy writing and that is one of the main reasons why I chose this career. If you don’t enjoy writing you are probably going to be disappointed with your choice soon enough. Make sure you truly love writing and everything that goes along with it before you decide on this path.
3. Potential to make more money. When you work for a company they are in charge of how much money you make and when you begin to earn more (or less). This is never the case as a freelance writer. Instead, you are working on your own to earn as much money as you can. This potential is reason enough for many to chase their dream of becoming a full-time freelance writer.
Do you have any other reasons? If so, I would love to hear them. It is always nice to show aspiring freelance writers what others are thinking. Any comments would be greatly appreciated!Â
Every aspiring freelance writer wants to discuss income and everything that goes along with it. Does this sound like you? If so, think about this question: why is it important to track your freelance writing income? You may be surprised at all the answers.
1. First and foremost, you need to track your income for tax purposes. There is no longer a company handing you a paycheck with all the proper taxes already being deducted. As a freelance writer you have to track your own income while paying quarterly taxes on a local, state, and federal level.
2. Good for goal setting. Surely you have some freelance writing income goals – all of us do. If you are not tracking your income you will never know for sure if you are closing in on your goals. Remember to set both short and long term income goals.
3. Motivation. At the end of every month I look at my freelance writing income as well as all the details that go along with it. Did I earn as much as I wanted? Where can I improve next month? Is there anything that needs changed? If you earn a lot of money you are going to be motivated to keep this up. If you come up short you will be motivated to change this in the upcoming months.
Now do you see why it is so important to track your freelance writing income? If you are not keeping close tabs on every dollar you earn, you are making a mistake that could haunt you in more ways than one.
Over the past few weeks it seems that questions surrounding my freelance writing schedule have come up time after time. Many members of my course have been asking, as well as some others. Although my work schedule does not have to be the same as yours, this is definitely a good subject to look at more closely.
Before we go any further, keep this in mind: it may take awhile to find the best work schedule for you. Some freelance writers find the right schedule early in their career and do not change very often. Others switch from time to time as they try to get into a groove.
Personally, I enjoy waking up as early as possible. This allows me to get a lot of work done, and to feel as productive as possible. In most cases this means getting out of bed between 6 and 7 am. While this may sound early to some, once you are up and moving it really is not that bad.
Does this mean that I knock off eight hours later? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Generally speaking, my work days last until the late afternoon – somewhere around 4 or 5 pm. Of course, this is not written in stone. There are times when I work straight through dinner because I am on a roll. You never know how you will feel as the end of the day closes in.
To find the best work schedule for you I suggest experimenting as much as possible. Try to get up early, try to get up late, and try everything in between. The more schedules you experiment with the better chance there is that you will find the one that is perfect for you.
