Over the past few weeks I have received several emails asking how to start a freelance writing career while still working a full-time job. Since it can take a while to get a freelance career up and running, most people want to stay on board at their current company in order to ensure that they always have access to some cash flow. While it is never easy to start a freelance writing career while still working full-time, it is more than possible.
1. Set aside time for your freelance writing career. If you do not do this, you will find yourself slacking off soon enough. The question is: when are you going to find time being that you will still have a full-time job? Generally speaking, you have two options. You can either rise early in the morning in order to get some work done before shoving off to the office, or you can do so at night when everything settles down. The option that you choose will be based largely on your personal situation. If you have children, you may find that working in the morning before they get out of bed for school is the best option. You may have to try both options in order to determine which one is best.
2. If there is help to be had, make sure that you ask for it. For those who are married, this is something to definitely consider. If you are lucky, your spouse may be willing to pick up the slack around the home so that you can spend your downtime building your freelance writing career. Sure, this could be tough on your significant other at first, but as your freelance career builds, things will settle down. Your ultimate goal should be to replace your full-time job with freelance work. Once you do this, you will find it simple to handle everything at home because you will be there all day long.
3. Do not bite off more than you can chew. This is a common problem among people in this situation, and one that could lead to burnout. Make sure that you only take on freelance writing jobs that you have time to complete. If you have too much on your plate, you will find yourself working well into the night to complete the work. Sure, this means extra money, but you do need to sleep sometime, right?
4. Take breaks when need be. Since you are still making money from your full-time job, you can afford to take days off from freelancing when you begin to wear out. There are going to be times when you simply feel like resting because you have been working two jobs, day in and day out. When you need a break, take one right away. It is better to take time off when you need it than to go too far and make yourself sick.
5. If you are like most people with a full-time job, you probably work five days per week. In this case, make the most of the two days that you have off. This is not to say that you should work eight hours a day when you are not at your full-time job, but this is definitely time that you can use to catch up and make some headway on chasing down your dream of becoming a full-time freelance writer.
It is never simple to work full-time and attempt to build a freelance writing career on the side. But if you follow the tips above and are truly dedicated to making this work, you will be able to realize your goal soon enough.
No matter how hard you try, there will probably come a time when you are going to miss a freelance writing deadline. This can happen for a number of reasons. You may get bogged down with other projects, or have a family emergency that pulls you away from the office for an extended period of time. No matter what your reason, you need to make sure that you appropriately communicate with your client. This way they will be able to make any necessary changes on their end.
If you think that you are going to miss a deadline, the first thing that you need to do is tell your client. You may find that they are open with their cutoff date, and that you have a few more days to get the work done. But even if they are upset, it is better off to tell them sooner rather than later. You do not want to sour a good relationship based on one missed deadline. The relationship may fade away anyway, but if you are open and honest you may earn a shot at a second chance.
Moving on, just because you are going to miss a deadline does not mean that you have to do so by several weeks. Try to work as fast as possible so that you do not put any additional stress on the client. For instance, if your project is due on Monday and you know you will be late, try to send it by Tuesday or Wednesday as opposed to later in the week.
Since you are the one in the wrong, make sure that you listen to and take any suggestions that the client may offer. They may suggest that you hold off on the piece until the next month, or that you cut it short in order to give them something to use. No matter what, make sure that you are willing to work with the client. It is never fun to miss a deadline, and by putting yourself in the client’s shoes you will be able to realize what they are going through.
As a freelance writer, you should work hard to ensure that you never miss a deadline. But if something does come up that gets you behind, you need to do whatever it takes to make the client as happy as possible.
As a freelance writer you probably have many goals. For many, one of the most common goals is to break into a national publication. These are the popular magazines that have a large circulation, and are always found at the doctor’s office. For example, I am a huge sports fan and doing a piece for Sports Illustrated would be a thrill. Not only are national publications a great way to get your name in front of a lot of people, but you can make quite a bit of money at the same time.
The question is: how are you going to turn this dream into a reality? Although my work has yet to be accepted by national publications, I have gotten close a couple of times. As of late querying these magazines has taken a backseat to my other work, but I plan on picking this back up in the near future. When it comes down to it, you have no chance of working with national publications unless you show them that you are interested. Obviously, the best way to do this is through a well written query letter.
Personally, I believe strongly in the power of Writer’s Market. For a small fee you can become a member of the online version which grants you access to information on hundreds of publications. A couple weeks back I queried a sports publication and was promptly rewarded with a 1,500 word feature article at a rate of $.15/word. This is not a huge project, but $225 is much more than I spent to become a member of Writer’s Market. Additionally, it is my hopes that this one article will turn into a monthly gig.
There is no easy way to break into national publications. You have to send out plenty of queries, and hope that an editor thinks enough of your idea to give you a chance. When this finally happens, you will have reached a goal that many freelance writers strive for.
