Please don't hate me if I say "there are many jobs out there" because I do understand how hard it is to find a job in the market today. So if you have a job, hold onto it for dear life and don't let go-no matter how much you hate it.
That being said, there are many jobs out there and I have sampled my share. I've been a 3rd shift cashier at a gas station. I've managed a pizza shop. I've been a "door to door" salesperson of overpriced (but worth it!) cutlery and I've assembled, tested, and boxed many items in the repetitive factory job.
Of all the jobs I have had in my entire life, there is one major reason why my current job (as a freelance writer) is the best job ever. That reason is personal, but it is shared by at least 95% of freelance writers today... and that is because I love writing. I always have, and I always will. When it comes down to it... nothing beats doing what you love most.
However, there are many more reasons why freelance writing is the best job ever. If you're a freelance writer like myself, then you might agree with these extra perks. On the other hand, if you're merely an aspiring freelance writer-then this article might help you understand exactly what to expect when you live the freelance writer life.
1.) You Can Be a Know-It-All
Even if your friends and family members won't always listen to you... as a freelance writer you can offer your advice to hundreds (or more) of complete strangers. Whether you offer general parenting tips, or a step-by-step tutorial for a software program... your words are likely to be followed and thus-you can be a "know-it-all."
But wait, there's a catch! This means that-oh yes-you have to be a know it all. Your advice must be good advice. Your "how to" guides must be well researched, easy to follow, and accurate. For some, this can be a lot of pressure. For others, it's a challenge to test your devotion towards helping others.
2.) Freelance Writers Have Their Own Type of "Job Security"
Technically speaking, job security depends on the shelf life of the product or service you sell, and the importance of the role you play in selling that product or service. Factory workers, secretaries, cashiers, even pizza shop managers can always be replaced.
Freelance writers can also be considered 'a dime a dozen' (and those are the low-priced writers that you should avoid!) but those who are actually any good at what they do can depend on the most ironic case of job security ever.
Now I say this very carefully, because freelancers are always struggling to find work and thus do not feel there is any "security" in their job at all. That's the catch with this benefit... but to offer a different perspective you have to consider the shelf life of the product you are delivering. Articles, for example, can have a shelf life of one week up to 5 years (rough estimate) but there will always be a need for content... and there will always be a need for a freelance writer.
The most secure thing about being a freelance writer, of course, is the fact that you can never lose your job. Sure, you can lose a client but you are still (self) employed, with the same title. Another catch is that you will lose your clients, because almost all contracts are short term... but a successful freelance writer will know how to keep the work coming in...
3.) Freelance Writing is the Most Casual Job, Ever!
Name one other job where you can work in your pajamas all day... or naked even (if that's how you prefer)
There are no dress requirements for a freelance writer, though I do recommend having at least 3 nice outfits ready for brunch with potential clients who happen to be local. Face to face networking is only an option for a freelance writer... but the point is that freelance writing is the most laid back, relaxed job that you will ever find.
There's no catch with that...
4.) Total Freedom
Personally speaking again, freelance writing is the greatest job I have ever had because just like being a writer isn't a choice, the job isn't necessarily a job-that is it doesn't feel like work.
Freelance writing is more of a lifestyle, where everything you do and everywhere you go can be part of your job if you write about it. This opens up the door to do more, to go more places, and to sample more products. If you can write a review about those new shoes... then it's much easier to convince yourself to go ahead and buy them.
As your freelance writing business progresses and you learn about the things you can consider tax write-offs, this is where an individual can go crazy! Freelance writers can take the family out to dinner and use their portion of the bill as a tax write off, providing they use that meal to produce a published article or review on. (Tip- You can write off a larger portion of the bill if you sample a bite of everyone's meal.)
So, it's worth saying again... you look at life differently because you live a different life. But wait, there's a catch! This means that you are always working. Unlike cashiers and secretaries and factory workers, you don't ever "get out" or "come home" from work. Since you are always looking for something to trigger an article or two, you are always thinking about work.
Freelance writers who have a family really must devote more energy into balancing work with a personal life that has nothing to do with work. (Personally speaking, again, I know how hard it can be. My family has grown quite used to my toting around a notebook and camera wherever we go...)
5.) Be Your Own Boss
This is something that many individuals have noted about the job and it offers a tempting sound to it. In fact, I drink my morning coffee from a clever cup that reads 'I'm self employed and I hate my boss' even though it's only partly true.
It is nice not to have somebody else riding you, telling you what to do and how to do it... treating you like a child. It is nice to be the one who calls the shots... but wait, because there is another catch!
Since you are your own boss, you have to do more than just write. If you want to be successful as a freelance writer, you also have to find work... consistently... and you have to keep good records of all work and income. There are many tasks you must do, things that you might hate doing but since you don't have a boss to do it for you-it's your job. Oh, and that bit about not having anybody tell you what to do and how to do it... that's not necessarily true either. Your job as a freelance writer is to work with a client, under their terms.
6.) Freelance Writing Offers More Variety than Any Other Job
I can't count how many times I used to think that I was sick of pizza. After making it all day, every day... I wouldn't eat pizza. And that was sad, because pizza is my favorite food. Luckily, I can eat pizza again and I have a job that gives me more of a variety.
One day I can be writing about parenting, crafts, and pet care. The next day I could be writing about international shipping and wrought iron fencing. You never know what the day, client, or assignment might bring.
The catch to this is a small one... the variety is good but that means that you won't always enjoy everything you write about. Once in a while, you might have to do a lot of research and write about something that is beyond boring to you... but if it pays the bills then a dollar is a dollar. And that, my friends, is the beauty of being a freelance writer. Oh, and there's one more benefit that I must end this article with, because it is the most definitive characteristic of the freelance writer lifestyle...
7.) A Better Appreciation for Money!
You will learn 27 different ways to eat Ramen noodles as a freelance writer... and whether you publish these recipes or not the point is that you learn to stretch every dollar as thin as possible. Unlike "regular" jobs with reliable income in a regular paycheck... you are never certain enough with your own income to spend more than you need.
So there you have it! If I left out any of the benefits of being a freelance writer... please feel free to comment and add your own opinion on this wonderful lifestyle...
That being said, there are many jobs out there and I have sampled my share. I've been a 3rd shift cashier at a gas station. I've managed a pizza shop. I've been a "door to door" salesperson of overpriced (but worth it!) cutlery and I've assembled, tested, and boxed many items in the repetitive factory job.
Of all the jobs I have had in my entire life, there is one major reason why my current job (as a freelance writer) is the best job ever. That reason is personal, but it is shared by at least 95% of freelance writers today... and that is because I love writing. I always have, and I always will. When it comes down to it... nothing beats doing what you love most.
However, there are many more reasons why freelance writing is the best job ever. If you're a freelance writer like myself, then you might agree with these extra perks. On the other hand, if you're merely an aspiring freelance writer-then this article might help you understand exactly what to expect when you live the freelance writer life.
1.) You Can Be a Know-It-All
Even if your friends and family members won't always listen to you... as a freelance writer you can offer your advice to hundreds (or more) of complete strangers. Whether you offer general parenting tips, or a step-by-step tutorial for a software program... your words are likely to be followed and thus-you can be a "know-it-all."
But wait, there's a catch! This means that-oh yes-you have to be a know it all. Your advice must be good advice. Your "how to" guides must be well researched, easy to follow, and accurate. For some, this can be a lot of pressure. For others, it's a challenge to test your devotion towards helping others.
2.) Freelance Writers Have Their Own Type of "Job Security"
Technically speaking, job security depends on the shelf life of the product or service you sell, and the importance of the role you play in selling that product or service. Factory workers, secretaries, cashiers, even pizza shop managers can always be replaced.
Freelance writers can also be considered 'a dime a dozen' (and those are the low-priced writers that you should avoid!) but those who are actually any good at what they do can depend on the most ironic case of job security ever.
Now I say this very carefully, because freelancers are always struggling to find work and thus do not feel there is any "security" in their job at all. That's the catch with this benefit... but to offer a different perspective you have to consider the shelf life of the product you are delivering. Articles, for example, can have a shelf life of one week up to 5 years (rough estimate) but there will always be a need for content... and there will always be a need for a freelance writer.
The most secure thing about being a freelance writer, of course, is the fact that you can never lose your job. Sure, you can lose a client but you are still (self) employed, with the same title. Another catch is that you will lose your clients, because almost all contracts are short term... but a successful freelance writer will know how to keep the work coming in...
3.) Freelance Writing is the Most Casual Job, Ever!
Name one other job where you can work in your pajamas all day... or naked even (if that's how you prefer)
There are no dress requirements for a freelance writer, though I do recommend having at least 3 nice outfits ready for brunch with potential clients who happen to be local. Face to face networking is only an option for a freelance writer... but the point is that freelance writing is the most laid back, relaxed job that you will ever find.
There's no catch with that...
4.) Total Freedom
Personally speaking again, freelance writing is the greatest job I have ever had because just like being a writer isn't a choice, the job isn't necessarily a job-that is it doesn't feel like work.
Freelance writing is more of a lifestyle, where everything you do and everywhere you go can be part of your job if you write about it. This opens up the door to do more, to go more places, and to sample more products. If you can write a review about those new shoes... then it's much easier to convince yourself to go ahead and buy them.
As your freelance writing business progresses and you learn about the things you can consider tax write-offs, this is where an individual can go crazy! Freelance writers can take the family out to dinner and use their portion of the bill as a tax write off, providing they use that meal to produce a published article or review on. (Tip- You can write off a larger portion of the bill if you sample a bite of everyone's meal.)
So, it's worth saying again... you look at life differently because you live a different life. But wait, there's a catch! This means that you are always working. Unlike cashiers and secretaries and factory workers, you don't ever "get out" or "come home" from work. Since you are always looking for something to trigger an article or two, you are always thinking about work.
Freelance writers who have a family really must devote more energy into balancing work with a personal life that has nothing to do with work. (Personally speaking, again, I know how hard it can be. My family has grown quite used to my toting around a notebook and camera wherever we go...)
5.) Be Your Own Boss
This is something that many individuals have noted about the job and it offers a tempting sound to it. In fact, I drink my morning coffee from a clever cup that reads 'I'm self employed and I hate my boss' even though it's only partly true.
It is nice not to have somebody else riding you, telling you what to do and how to do it... treating you like a child. It is nice to be the one who calls the shots... but wait, because there is another catch!
Since you are your own boss, you have to do more than just write. If you want to be successful as a freelance writer, you also have to find work... consistently... and you have to keep good records of all work and income. There are many tasks you must do, things that you might hate doing but since you don't have a boss to do it for you-it's your job. Oh, and that bit about not having anybody tell you what to do and how to do it... that's not necessarily true either. Your job as a freelance writer is to work with a client, under their terms.
6.) Freelance Writing Offers More Variety than Any Other Job
I can't count how many times I used to think that I was sick of pizza. After making it all day, every day... I wouldn't eat pizza. And that was sad, because pizza is my favorite food. Luckily, I can eat pizza again and I have a job that gives me more of a variety.
One day I can be writing about parenting, crafts, and pet care. The next day I could be writing about international shipping and wrought iron fencing. You never know what the day, client, or assignment might bring.
The catch to this is a small one... the variety is good but that means that you won't always enjoy everything you write about. Once in a while, you might have to do a lot of research and write about something that is beyond boring to you... but if it pays the bills then a dollar is a dollar. And that, my friends, is the beauty of being a freelance writer. Oh, and there's one more benefit that I must end this article with, because it is the most definitive characteristic of the freelance writer lifestyle...
7.) A Better Appreciation for Money!
You will learn 27 different ways to eat Ramen noodles as a freelance writer... and whether you publish these recipes or not the point is that you learn to stretch every dollar as thin as possible. Unlike "regular" jobs with reliable income in a regular paycheck... you are never certain enough with your own income to spend more than you need.
So there you have it! If I left out any of the benefits of being a freelance writer... please feel free to comment and add your own opinion on this wonderful lifestyle...
No comments:
Post a Comment