Time after time I talk about how much I love being a freelance writer, and this is the truth. That being said, there are downfalls of a freelance writing career as well. Simply put, I do not want you guys and gals to think that everything is fun and money day in and day out. There are times when I really enjoy being a freelance writer and times when I am frustrated. But as you probably know, this is the case no matter what type of job you are working.
Here are three drawbacks of working as a freelance writer:
1. Working at home can be difficult. While my morning commute is short from my bedroom to my office, it can be tough to work alone all the time. This is why I always make time to speak with clients on the phone, or meet with others when they ask to do so. Some people think that working at home is easy. This is definitely true in some cases, but it can be a drawback at the same time.
2. Like you have probably heard before, freelancers do not have a steady income. For some, this is a definite drawback. Even though I agree that this can be a drawback, I usually don’t look at it this way. Instead, I see it like this: no, I don’t have a steady income, but at the same time my income is not capped. I could earn $5k one month but work harder the next and earn $7k. Could I do this at my past sales job? Of course not. I was paid a set salary no matter how much or how hard I worked.
3. You have to do it all. When you decide to become a freelance writer you will be responsible for everything that has to do with your business. Most of the time you will be writing, but to go along with this you will also be responsible for collecting payments, organizing paperwork, customer service, and much more. Can you multi-task with success?
These three drawbacks are not meant to scare you away from a freelance writing career. Instead, they are here to show you that there are downsides to this career, just like any other.
Imagine this: there is a client that you have been dying to work for. But when you finally get close to receiving an offer, you find out that they want to negotiate with you on payment. What would you do? Believe it or not, this can happen time after time. Just as you want to get the best deal, the buyer is trying to do the same thing. The question is: should you negotiate to get your foot in the door?
On one hand, you may want to take a lower price so that you can become established with the client. This is especially true if you know that the potential for long term work is there. Sure, you may not earn as much as you would like, but long term clients are very important to your continued success.
Of course, there are other freelance writers who will not settle for anything but their “set rates.†In this case, you will have to be firm when negotiating. Tell the client what you bring to the table, and why you think that you are worth your fees. You may be surprised to find that sticking to your guns will pay off in the end.
What do I do? There are times when I will negotiate with certain clients in order to get my foot in the door. Of course, I make sure that I first do my research. If I am going to accept a lower rate for my work, I make sure that I am receiving other benefits such as a long term relationship, etc.
My advice: deal with these situations on a case by case basis. If a client wants to negotiate, you should hear them out. Just remember, negotiating is not a one way street. In other words, do not let the potential buyer push you around. Instead, put yourself in their shoes while also doing what is best for you.
If you can reach a mutual agreement through friendly yet professional negotiations, you may want to consider working for a lower fee. In the end, you may earn less money but your foot will be in the door for bigger and better things in the future.
The more clients the better, right? Is this the way that you think as a freelance writer? Believe it or not, more clients is not always a good thing. Sure, you want to obtain as much work as you can and build your network when possible, but you must also know that there are times when adding a client is not the best idea.
Can you have too many freelance writing clients? The simple answer to this question is yes. While this may sound silly, is it the truth. If you are stretched to the limits right now, you may not want to consider adding new clients. Of course, if you can find time for them you will definitely want to do so. There is no denying that more clients equal more work. And in most cases, this will probably mean a higher income as well.
You do not want to stretch yourself too thin for one important reason: it will affect the quality of your work, as well as your customer service. If you have too much work on your plate, there is a chance that you will begin to slack off in certain areas such as proofreading, editing, etc. Additionally, you must also realize that you need to service each and every customer. Do you have the time to communicate via email and/or phone with each client, while still leaving enough time to complete your work?
With all of the above information in mind, you need to also consider that turning down clients could backfire. This could lead to a situation in which all of your current clients no longer need help, and you are left bored and confused. This is why you need to be very careful when turning down work. Again, if you can comfortably fit a new client into your schedule, you should do so.
As you can see, freelance writers face a difficult balancing act. On one side you want to complete as much work as possible so that you can maintain a high level of income. But on the other side of things you cannot afford to stretch yourself thin. Have you found your happy medium?
