Freelance Writing Isn’t a Job

Got a day job? Love complaining about it? My last day job was many, many years ago, and the chief thing I remember about it was the whining among the staff.

These days, I occasionally browse blogs and forums to see what the chatter is… and mostly it’s complaints about the freelance life.

This amazes me.

I can understand complaints about your day job, because you’re an employee, and lack control. I don’t understand complaints about the freelance life — everything’s under your control: you can work where, when, and how you please. What’s not to like?

Then it struck me that some freelance writers treat writing like a job.

Freelance writing isn’t a JOB! I like to say that it’s a life.

Granted, the complaining freelancers are writing in their spare time, as far as I can tell. You won’t make it as a full-time freelance writer if you’re busy complaining, because all the power is in your own hands. You can change anything you don’t like.

You’re the boss of your own writing business

As a successful freelance writer, you’re independent.

You’re the captain of your ship. Now, as the captain, you have a plan for your voyage (a business plan), and you need to take care of your vessel (you.)

Please notice that I want you to think of yourself as SUCCESSFUL right now — think only in terms of success. As the captain of your ship, there will be occasional storms, and you may even hit a reef, but mindset is vital, and you’ll achieve success, if you keep thinking about what success looks like… You plan for success, and the instrument you use is your business plan.

If you haven’t created a business plan, you can create one in the next ten minutes. Just open a new text document, and tap out some questions, and answer them:

* What does my business do?

This sounds obvious, but answer the question…

* How does my business work?

* Who are my clients?

* What’s my goal for this business, in the long-term, and how will I know that I’ve achieved this goal?

* Five years from now, what will my typical day look like?

Create some additional questions for yourself. Then answer those as well.

The benefit of answering these questions, and thinking about writing as your successful business at least once is week, is that you start thinking of yourself as the captain of your own ship. You’ll realize that you’re in total control. There’s no point in complaining about anything, since you can change it.

Further to our “captain/ ship” analogy. Start keeping a writing log. Ship captains keep a log, and you need to record what happens each day. I like to record my goals for each day, my word count, and at the end of the day, what I accomplished.

You’re a writer, so write things down.:-) This is much more effective than complaining, because once something’s written down, you will automatically make plans to correct anything which isn’t working. This is just a function of how your mind works, so take advantage of it.

OK — over to you. Tell me what YOU think. Do you approach freelance writing like a job? Or as business? Why?

Want to make $500 a day WRITING… from your home office?

Are you make as much money as you could be making? Chances are that you’re not. There’s no shame in this. Writers often struggle to find their own special niche.

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Write what you like, when you like, and make an income you’ve only dreamed of.

Enjoy.