Are you aware of the many common freelance writing myths that circulate the industry? If so, some of these have probably worried you a bit in the past and may still be eating away at your mind. But remember, a myth is just that: it is not the truth. By learning about these common myths, including why they are not true, you will be able to move past them and continue building a successful career.
The following are three common freelance writing myths that you should never believe:
1. Let’s start off with the most common and widely known freelance writing myth: you cannot make any money now, and there is no chance of this changing in the future. This is absolutely a myth. If you do not believe it, check out my freelance writing income report from last month. And guess what? The money that I earn is small change compared to other freelance writers out there. This does not mean that making money as a freelance writer is easy, but it is possible.
2. There is too much competition to succeed as a freelance writer. Once again, this is nothing more than a myth. What industry do you know of where there is no competition? No matter what career path you take, you are always going to be up against others who are vying for the same jobs. When it comes down to it, there is plenty of freelance writing work out there for anybody who is willing to search for it. You can write for magazines, newspapers, websites, large corporations, small companies, and much more.
3. It takes too long to become a full-time freelance writer. This is a myth for two reasons. First off, “too long†means something different to everybody. Additionally, there is no saying that it will take you years on end to reach your goal of being a full-time writer. It only took me a few months, and with so much work available, you may be able to build your income to full-time status even quicker.
No matter who tells you these myths are true, you should never believe them. If you do, it will slow you down from achieving your freelance writing goals.Â
Even though every project is unique, there are several steps that I follow with each job that I take on. As a freelance writer, it is very important to stay organized, and to also know how to proceed when a new job comes across your desk. If you a new to this industry you may have yet to perfect your project timeline. Hopefully by taking a look at how I complete projects from start to finish, you will have a better idea on how to proceed.
1. After a client awards me a project, I ask for any details that may be needed. This includes the length of the article(s), keywords, topics, and perhaps most importantly, the deadline. If you forget to ask about any details up front, you can always touch base with the client as you move forward.
2. Either the same or next day after accepting the work, I take the time to set up the project in a separate Word document. This allows me to have a blank slate to work with, and helps to keep my organized. Some freelance writers like to work on paper first, but this is not something that I usually do.
3. If no further research is needed, it is time to work on a first draft. During this step I am not obsessed with being perfect. Instead, I simply attempt to gather my ideas and get an outline for the end result.
4. Once the first draft is complete, I read it over and make notes on changes that jump out at me. As you can imagine, some drafts need changed quite a bit and others are almost ready to send off to the client. This all depends on the type of project, and how much I know about the topic.
5. When putting together the final draft you must always strive for perfection. After all, this is what you are going to be sending the client. Make sure that you take your time during this step; it is always nice if you can catch mistakes as you write.
6. Proof the final result before attaching it to an email and sending it to the client. If you are worn out from a long day, you may want to proof your work the following morning. This will go a long way in ensuring that you do not miss any silly mistakes.
As you can imagine, this timeline is not set in stone. With that being said, I always follow these steps in one way, shape, or form. If you are still working on a freelance writing timeline that you are comfortable with, consider adding a few of the steps that have helped me throughout the years.
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
