Take a Risk, Become a Freelance Writer
Are you the type of person who likes to avoid risk at all costs? If so, you are just like many others. But at the same time, if this is the way that you run your life you are going to have a tough time becoming a full-time freelance writer. Every freelance writer takes some level of risk at the beginning of their career in order to get things moving in the right direction. While there are some ways that you can reduce the amount of risk that you have to take, it is next to impossible to get rid of it altogether.
What are the main risks of attempting to become a freelance writer?
1. Many quit their job in order to chase the dream of becoming a full-time freelance writer. This is what I did, and in the end things worked out nicely. But of course, this is not the case for everybody who has taken this leap. There are two things that you can to do lower your risk level in this situation. 1. Before you quit, build up an emergency fund that you can draw from while you are getting your career up and running. 2. Keep your current position while working as a freelance writer on a part-time basis. Then when you begin to earn as much freelancing as you do at your job, you can make a smooth transaction.
2. Another big risk of being a freelance writer is that your income is not steady from month to month. If you follow my income reports, you know that some months I earn around $5k, but other months I exceed $7k. With such a great fluctuation in income it can be difficult to plan for the future, and make certain financial decisions. With that being said, once you have a steady amount of work things do get easier.
3. When you work as a freelance writer you are relying on yourself and nobody else. There is no boss to call if you get in a bind, or somebody making sure that you have enough work to stay busy. Is this a risk that you are willing to take? If you have never been in complete control of your career in the past, this may scare you a bit. But when you take this risk and succeed, you will realize just how good it feels to call all the shots.
Remember, risk may seem dangerous on the surface but there are rewards to be had if you forge ahead and work hard. As a freelance writer, once you get past the initial risks listed above, you will have the freedom to work at your own pace from the comfort of your own home. And of course, the biggest reward is that you control your income!Â
