Staying on Task with Freelance Writing

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” I often ask this to people who have just graduated from college, finished continuing education or made some other major change in their lives. The last few weeks I have been thinking about this question with regards to my freelance writing.

Making money with my freelance writing is necessary for my family at this moment in time. I have been afraid to jump out into my writing passion because I did not know how to make a living with that avenue of freelance writing. My focus has been on regular writing gigs – from travel posts to dentist content. As long as the check would clear I would write the articles.

Spending all of that time writing content for other sites has left very little time for me to write my own content, pursue a speaking career or to edit my novel or write a non-fiction proposal. I lost site of my passion in pursuit for the dollar.

Getting back on track is scary but I have to believe in my gifts, talents and purpose. No matter what I am doing – ghost writing or pursuing freelance writing opportunities that fall under my passion – requires time and energy.

More than a Freelance Writing Job

1. The amount of time I spend going through writing gigs and sending out writing queries has not resulted in a high percentage of results. I suspect the amount of pay that I require is part of my problem. Since I am not going to adjust my pay scale then I need to adjust where I focus my time. Spending that same amount of time on preparing manuscripts to send to print and online publications will result in higher returns.

2. I must cut my budget to the bare bones. Everything that the family does not absolutely need – and that manes the very minimum necessary for survival – will have to be cut if we are going to survive this new direction.

3. I need to spend more time visiting websites and online magazines that are along the lines of my passion and begin to regularly correspond with those sites.

4. It is time to release all of those extras that are eating up resources. The plants that I have spent the last several years accumulating (and are now covered with weeds), the cars (from my husband’s past) that take up the drive way and all of the “collectibles” that we never use or even display all need to find new homes – and they can be yours is the price is right!

Freelance writing may be the avenue that I am using to pursue income but the income can not be the driving force to my freelance writing. Readers can hear the difference between an article written for a paycheck and one written for passion.

To stay on track with my freelance writing dreams and desires I have to pursue my passion. Putting in the same amount of energy to that writing that I have to the dedicated paycheck will end up getting me to a point where I can see both together – my freelance writing passion and my income.