As a freelance writer for more than 15 years, I have written many projects and have been able to connect and network with a variety of different people from all over the world! Being a freelance writer isn’t only about writing – there’s a lot involved (which makes my day always different and exciting!). I have to ensure I build my business by answering emails, posting on social media and although I have a lot of long-term clients, there are still new, exciting projects to acquire. Being a TalentEgg Contributor is just one of the many things that I do as a freelance writer.
It certainly takes some time to build up enough clients to work full time as a writer, but it’s a rewarding career once you do! Even if you’re just starting your writing journey, being a freelance writer has some serious benefits. Read on below to hear about the top 5 perks to being a freelance writer!
1. Flexible Schedule
Being a freelance writer, you have the ability to make your own schedule. You can schedule your writing time during the most productive part of your day! If you’re a morning person, get some writing done then. If you’re a night owl, then maybe the best time for you is working in the evening. The beauty of creating your own schedule is being able to work when you want.
2. Working Remotely
This is probably one of the biggest perks for me. I love being able to get up, not be in a rush to get out the door and just do my own thing from home. Not having the stress of a morning commute is a definite pro – I can make a cup of tea and do my journaling from the comfort of my home and then the work day begins.
If being at home is too distracting, you have the flexibility to write from any location. Maybe you love being outdoors or find inspiration from your local coffee shop. Wherever you work, it’s great to have the ability to choose the location that helps your creative juices flowing!
3. Work on Some Pretty Amazing Projects
The great thing about being a freelance writer is that every day can be different. Sometimes I’m writing on my blog, creating a TalentEgg article or ghostwriting a romance novel. I have clients in Canada, Italy and even Japan. I meet people from all over the world and it’s easy to make new connections through referrals in that way. My work is exciting and challenging with new projects that I get to work on daily!
4. You Get the Opportunity to Travel
Part of being a freelance writer is that there are many opportunities out there for you to write. As I mentioned above, when you’re a freelance writer you can work from anywhere, so if you love to travel then traveling around the world is certainly an option for you. There are many positions for travel writers that allow you to travel and to write about those experiences. You could be writing in a café in Paris or rumbling through an African safari. There are also many bloggers out there that tour the world and write about it on their personal blogs.
5. Build Your Portfolio
When you’re first starting out as a freelance writer, the more opportunities you get to write – the better! There are plenty of ways online to make connections with clients who are looking for freelance writers. Networking is a big part of any job you have and can make a huge difference when working as a freelance writer. There are also many job postings online for freelance writers (like the TalentEgg Contributor role!) and these avenues are a great way to get started. After a while, you’ll have repeat clients and people will be coming to you.
I can’t tell you how rewarding my career is and how much joy I take in the life that I’ve built for myself. You absolutely can make a fulltime living off writing, the trick is to focus on building your porfolio, make those connections and continue improving your craft!