Freelancing: Can I Really Do It?


Traditionally, my writing style has been "hammer out a helpful and snazzy-sounding piece and cut and paste it into logical order". Apparently, magazine writing requires a tad more...


Like, interviews and case studies and statistics to back up my arguments. Gulp. Then there's the businessy stuff -- invoicing publications and claiming tax deductions and suchlike. I didn't sign up for that.

But wait, I haven't signed up for it yet! I'm still just browsing at freelancing writing as a career. Like a deadbeat boyfriend, I haven't committed.

Right now, I work at Consumer Affairs four days a week and spend Wednesdays writing. Do I want to write more and increase my part-time hours? Should I write full-time? If these are my eventual aims, when do I make the leap?

I stumbled across Pamela Wilson's blog entry with a video on this exact topic. It offers useful advice on planning your freelancing career and how to know you're ready to start in earnest.

In the meantime, there's a big IF to answer first. IF my 'on spec' article is accepted...

5 comments:

  1. Hi Beck, thanks for your comments in my blog, I think everything you do in life require a lot of effort especially in the freelance world where there is so much competition, right now, you have the perfect arrangement, one day a week you dedicate it to write, I think it will be perfect for now, until you can make more from that. Take slow steps in the beginning and things will be better in the future.

    "http://lesanchez.blogspot.com"

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  2. I'd say go for it! I did about 7 months ago and I never looked back. Although there are definite hurdles along the way (I learned a ton!), all of the work has been worth it. You may want to line up a few clients before you officially get started. This way the transition from part-time to full-time won't be so hairy.

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  3. You guys are right -- part-time's good right now until I have a few clients lined up, so I should work towards that. Then I'll be ready to go full-time. Thanks for the pep talks. : )

    Brandi, I love your blog, but wanted to subscribe and couldn't work out how. The RSS feed subscribe thing seemed broken?

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  4. Best of luck! I'm sure it will work out for you. Really enjoy what I've read of your writing on this blog.

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  5. Ta Sadako. : )

    Still stressing about my article. One more day of obsessive checking of my email before I find out, I reckon!

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