Over the years, hundreds of people have come to me asking for freelance writing advice. The worst emails are those from people who are giving up on their dream. They no longer feel that freelance writing is right for them, and for this reason they are moving onto another opportunity. While there is nothing wrong with moving on, remember this: you should have a very good reason for quitting your freelance writing career. If you don’t, it may be time to clamp down and stick with things for a bit longer.
Some people quit freelance writing because they have found a better job. For instance, freelancing offers a lot of freedom but some would rather go back to a 9 – 5 that gives them more “security.†As long as you are doing what makes you happy, that is the most important thing. Just make sure that giving up on freelance writing is what you really want to do.
On the other hand, there are freelance writers who give up because they just aren’t making the expected progress. These are the type of people who really disappoint me. They are very close to achieving success, but just don’t know if they can stick it out any longer. As you know, doubt is a very powerful thing. Even though you may feel like giving up, if you can stay with your career for just a bit longer things will eventually turn around. Unless you have another opportunity that you are comfortable with, giving up will probably make your situation, both with your career and financially, worse.
There is nothing wrong with moving on from freelance writing to a new career. Just make sure you have a good reason for doing so, and that you are not giving up because times are tough.
I am big on to-do lists. I have one for everyday of the week. Some people like to plan even further in advance. On Saturday, a member of my freelance writing course called and asked if it is a good idea to plan a week in advance. This got me thinking.
Before we go any further, keep this in mind: how you do things does not have to be the same as me, and vice versa. Just because I plan one way does not mean it is right. All it means is that it is right for me and my way of doing things.
The main issue with planning a week in advance is that you never know what is going to happen. Even when I plan one day at a time things can change and my entire list will need to be reshuffled. Planning a week in advance will make this even more common.
One thing you can try is putting a tentative schedule in place. In other words, plan a week in advance if it is what you want to do, but realize that things can and probably will change over that time frame. If they don’t, good for you. If they do, make sure you are willing to adjust. The last thing you want to do is have one change throw your entire schedule out of shape – this will lead to more harm than good.
In a very loose way I do plan out every week. But I have found it better to have a daily to-do list. This way I am not looking too far into the future, and every change that comes about is an easy one to deal with.
Do you want to make money from home? Are you looking for an industry that anybody can join? If so, you want to become a freelance writer. Doesn’t sound like me, does it? I am not one to say that it is simple to become a freelance writer. But after yesterday, I am starting to believe that I am the only one.
While doing some research for a client I came across three “make money online†blogs that suggested freelance writing as the simplest way to start a work at home career. Yes, I agree that freelance writing is a great career that you can work from home. But on the other side of things, this is not something that is simple to do. I hate to read the opposite because it means that people are actually thinking that the money will come quick and heavy – and most of us freelance writers know that this is not true.
Just because you have access to the internet does not mean that you can become a freelance writer. To go along with this, the internet is far from the only opportunity for writers to succeed. This is one of the first ways I know that a blogger has not thought through their statement about freelance writing being simple. If you believe that writing for the internet is the only option, you are wrong. Freelance writers earn in many ways. For instance, I write sales letters, press releases, marketing material, business plans, and much more. None of these projects are based exclusively online.
I don’t want this post to scare away aspiring freelance writers. I do want it to show that becoming a freelance writer is not necessarily the simplest way to make money online. Only those who have the skills and are truly interested in this career path will succeed. The rest are better off considering another opportunity that better suits their needs.
