Being a freelance writer means that you set your own schedule. You can work anytime of the day that you please. I know freelance writers who work a normal nine to five schedule, as well as some who like to stay up in the middle of the night. It really doesn’t matter what hours you work as long as you are completing projects and servicing your clients. With that in mind, you may be contemplating extending your work hours. There are many benefits of doing so. But at the same time you may realize some drawbacks.
The main benefit of working more hours is that you can get more done. This holds true when working on client projects, marketing, and other tasks that you must complete as a freelance writer. If you feel that you never have enough time for all the work that goes along with your career, working additional hours may be the answer.
How many hours are you working right now? This is the main question to answer before you do anything else. For instance, if you are only working six hour days there is plenty of time to extend your schedule. But if you are putting in 12 hour days already, you may not have as much leeway to add onto this.
As you work more you are putting more strain on your mind and body. Even though you can benefit from extending your hours, you have to make sure that you are not harming yourself along the way.
If you are interested in extending the amount of time you spend in your office, give it a try in the near future. You may find that this works out nicely. If not, you can always go back to your old schedule.
There is no denying that freelance writing is a cheap career to start and sustain. This is not one of those jobs that will cost you a lot of money day after day. But remember, there are some freelance writing expenses that you are bound to encounter. Are you going to avoid them? Or will you spend money when you have to so that you can continue to move your career in the right direction? I never shy away from freelance writing expenses. This is not to say that I waste money, though. Instead, if something comes up I consider my options and then make the best decision for me at the time.
What types of freelance writing expenses are out there? Every month I spend money on my business phone line and internet connection. These are two expenses that are sure to come about month after month. Fortunately, I am used to paying them and they do not really effect me that much.
There are other small freelance writing expenses as well. These are things such as ink cartridges, printer paper, pens, sticky notes, etc. As you know, these are cheaper items and if you buy in bulk you will not have to worry about doing so again for many months.
Even though it can be difficult to part with money, as a freelance writer you should realize that this is a necessity from time to time. If you begin to feel bad about how much you are spending, think about all the other careers and businesses that cost much more to sustain.Â
Are you thinking of making the transition from part-time to full-time freelance writer? If so, this is a big leap that you are taking. But if you are ready, it is one that you need to take sooner rather than later.
Here are three tips that can help make your transition to a full-time freelance writing career more enjoyable:
1. Know what you are getting into. Working full-time as a freelance writer is different than doing so as a side job. Make sure you are ready to put in longer days, and that you have enough work to keep you busy. With no other income it is very important that your part-time career scales into a full-time workload as soon as possible.
2. Answer any burning questions before you decide to take the leap. Every freelance writer has different questions. Some want to know how to market more successfully as a full-timer. Others want to know how many hours they will have to put in. There is an answer to every question that is on your mind. You just have to go out and find it. Look online, in books, and talk to other freelancers with full-time experience.
3. Go all in. Some people are so scared of this move that they tip-toe around it and never really dive in. If you are truly ready to become a full-time freelance writer you need to move forward with gusto. When you don’t go all in you are making it more difficult to reach your goals.
The transition from part-time to full-time freelance writer doesn’t have to be overly complicated. The tips above should help you at least a little bit. This is a big career move. Even though you may be scared, once you settle into your full-time freelance writing career you will be glad that you faced your fear and took the leap.Â
