7 Things To Keep In Mind Beginning Your Freelance Writing Career

The start of your career can be a very exciting time, but it can also be fraught with anxieties. The reasons you have chosen to embark upon this particular life path will also greatly affect the way you are feeling. Many people choose to work in this manner because:

  1. They are students looking to top up their income
  2. They are semi-retired
  3. They are stay at home parents
  4. They are looking for a part time income on top of their regular job

Whatever your reasons, then it is important to keep these seven things in mind:

How are you going to pay your bills?

This will probably be at the forefront of most people’s minds when they first embark upon this career path. You should be under no illusions. If you are in financial difficulty, this is not going to provide you with an instant cure. Building a successful career takes time, effort and sometimes a small investment in marketing. You need to ensure that you have your other outgoings covered before starting.

Where are you going to work?

Unless you live alone, then you need to give some serious consideration to where you are going to work. It is no good attempting to write articles and reports with kids hanging off you. Finding a quiet, dedicated space is key.

What do you need to get started?

As a bare minimum, you will need a laptop, mobile phone, and I would also suggest a grammar checker. As I have already alluded to you, also need a quiet, distraction-free space.

How often are you going to write?

The beauty of freelancing is that you can work around your other commitments. However, a lot of people make the mistake of underestimating how long a project will take. Or they bite off more than they can chew. Decide at the beginning how much time you can give to this and then you can always tweak it as you go.

Should you use a pen name?

If you are just writing articles and reports, then I would suggest no, you don’t need a pen name. However, many people have reasons why they don’t want to write under their own name. Most freelance writing is a form of ghost writing. You don’t get credit or acknowledged for your work, so there is no need for any name. If you are planning on publishing under your name, then yes, this is something that you might want to consider

What about your taxes?

As a freelancer, you are self-employed and must keep accurate records of your incomings and outgoings as you will need to file a tax return. This doesn’t have to be as scary as it sounds. Simply keeping a weekly spreadsheet will help.

Where are you going to find work?

The internet makes it incredibly easy to find work. Simply register with one of the big freelance websites and it should only be a matter of time before you start getting assignments.

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