Cries of a Freelance Writer
“I made so much more money working for someone else.”
Every freelance writer that I know cries out on this subject at some point and time. The money that you thought you were going to make may not have ever materialized. It may just be that the work you get spaces out so far that if feels like you are never working.
Then again, maybe you ARE never working.
My husband dipped his toe into the world of freelance content writing only two weeks back. He sent out his first invoice yesterday and I could hear the cries of frustration all the way through the house. He was not making the money he wanted to make.
This morning I did the math using the numbers from his old job to figure out what would be an acceptable per hour income. It was not all that high once you added in the commute time, over time and weekend work. Then it dawned on me – he worked, in one form or another, around 70 hours per week.
Working for someone else can mean more money because we clock in at a certain time and we leave at a certain time and while we are there we work. Working from home means that I work when I can, take many breaks, and try to stay ahead of the deadlines. I am not putting in the hours for my freelance writing that I would at a more traditional job.
My children often dictate my time. Homeschooling three boys can make creating coherent thoughts difficult. Freelance writing was chosen so I could have that time. When I am honest with myself then I admit that children are not my only distraction. Sometimes the news of the day MUST be watched, or the weather calls out for playtime, or the fact that it is already late so I should just turn off the computer and start fresh in the morning keeps me from writing. I choose another option. The pay is less, but the benefits are out of this world.
That brings me to my point. You may be able to make more money working for someone else, but is it worth it to you? Other people control your day. Freelance writing can be a less time consuming way to make that living you desire, or it may be that the living you desire changes to compensate for the choice.
Answer the cry of the freelance writer by determining the purpose for your journey.