| "Write without pay until someone offers to pay" - Mark | | | | especially in the early months whilst you are looking to |
| Twain | | | | establish yourself as a freelancer, this can be a |
| To be a freelance writer means to be self-employed | | | | particularly big hurdle to overcomeo You need to be |
| and write a variety of different pieces for different | | | | able to cope with rejection. As with all spheres of the |
| clients. Traditionally freelance writers wrote for | | | | writing world, you will often find that your work or |
| magazines, newspapers and the radio, but now the | | | | ideas will be rejected, that publications already have |
| remit has widen and freelancers can contribute to | | | | their list of established freelancers that they work with |
| non-fiction and fiction books, film and television, and the | | | | and they aren't interested in picking up any new talent! |
| Internet. As society's means of communication | | | | Having sufficient determination to pick yourself up after |
| broadens, so do the possibilities for freelance writers. | | | | rejection is a necessary quality in the freelance worldo |
| For many people, the idea of working for yourself, | | | | You can feel isolated. Working alone day in day out |
| usually at home, is very appealing. For others, the lack | | | | can be very difficult and you need to be content with |
| of structure, everyday contact with colleagues and a | | | | your own company. Whilst there is contact with |
| stable salary make the prospect of working as a | | | | current and potential clients, this contact is minimal as |
| freelancer a very daunting experience. As with all | | | | the majority of your research and writing you will |
| career choices and new ventures, freelancing has a | | | | undertake aloneo Being your own boss means having |
| series of positive and negative aspects, all of which | | | | enough self discipline to complete your work to |
| need to be considered when contemplating | | | | standard and to deadline, and dedicate sufficient time |
| commencing freelance work. | | | | to sourcing new clients and keeping up to date with |
| The Proso You are your own boss. You can decide | | | | your research. It can be hard to rise out of bed each |
| which work to take and when. You have a greater | | | | morning when you know the only person making you |
| level of flexibility to build around your individual lifestyle, | | | | get up is you!o You lose some of the corporate perks |
| which means that if you want to start work at 5am, | | | | that you gain when you work for an employer, for |
| but take Friday afternoons off, you cano You work | | | | example developmental training, access to a reference |
| within your own environment, so you don't accidently | | | | library, free access to trade magazines, a computer, |
| end up involved in office politics, or suffer from having | | | | printer, scanner and photocopier!o It can be hard to |
| to work alongside the same colleagues day in, day out. | | | | maintain a work / life balance when your work is |
| Freelancers generally have to pick up work from a | | | | generally wherever your home and family are |
| variety of different clients, which helps keep the | | | | Often the best way to decide whether freelance |
| working life varied and interestingo You have the | | | | writing is for you is to bite the bullet and try to start |
| opportunity to write in a variety of different genres, | | | | breaking into the freelance market whilst still operating |
| and cover a vast subject-matter area. Not only does | | | | as an employee for another firm or organisation. By |
| this keep your work interesting, it allows you to | | | | beginning to actively seek paid freelance writing you |
| develop a range of writing skillso You have the ability | | | | are in a position to get a better understanding of the |
| to live and write wherever you choose, whether that | | | | market, and test how successful you would be in that |
| be your local coffee shop, the pub, the park, the | | | | market, before giving up the comforts of a steady |
| garden, in bed, abroad or simply at homeo You get to | | | | income. This of course means increasing your |
| see your name in lights! Well, in print anyway! | | | | workload for a short time, but it at least gives you the |
| The Conso There is no guaranteed work or cash flow. | | | | opportunity to suss out the freelance world, before |
| Both the flow of work and cash peak and trough, and, | | | | jumping straight into it. |