Writing for a Living - Reality Check.

I haven't updated this blog in so long I'd almost forgotten about it. A friend reminded me when I guest posted on her blog. When I started this blog, it was to be about making my way in the world as a freelance writer. I should keep it up to date because I have learned so much. I really would like to share what I do...and tell you how to do it, too.

Don't hate me because I work in bunny slippers. Join me!

Yes, I really do work in jammies and slippers. Some people find it more productive to stick to a working schedule complete with a morning ritual that includes showering and dressing for work. I'm a messy person in general. I get up in the morning with ideas in my head and the most energy I'll have all day. So I put on a pot of coffee and get right to work. When I start to flag, I shower and change...but the slippers go back on, along with clothing I could sleep in, most often tee shirts and knit shorts or pants. Why should I wear restrictive clothing if I don't have to?


There are other perks to working at home. My hours are completely flexible. I can run errands, do my laundry, take a nap or watch reruns whenever I want to. I am also free to work at midnight if I can't sleep and am obligated at times to work through the weekend to meet a deadline. It's the nature of the beast. I will not miss a deadline if I can help it. The only thing that generally stands in my way is my health. When my blood sugar is high it's difficult to concentrate, and when I can't write, I can't write. Fortunately, I can more often than I can't, and I have the tools and knowledge to bring my blood sugar down when it gets out of hand.


The hardest thing about being a freelance writer working from home is finding your rhythm. You have to learn to focus and finish, on your own, without someone looking over your shoulder. You cannot procrastinate if you have deadlines. Last minute articles are rarely your best work...although I do find that I work much better under a hard deadline. When I am contracted to write a number of articles within a narrow subject, I fall into an easy rhythm that allows me to keep writing smooth and fast to get it all done. It's more challenging to do random articles, but the reality is that the bread and butter of my work is usually just that. Every article a different subject than the last.


Another difficult thing to deal with is perception; how others see you. Far too many people perceive this as lazy, easy work, and they resent it. Your family does not understand why the dishes are unwashed, since you were, in fact, home all day. Expect to be treated like some sort of freeloader in your own home unless your spouse is a fellow creative. I find this to be a common thread, especially among women writers. 


Can you write for a living? The answer to that is complicated. It takes a certain kind of person. If your teachers commended your writing in school and you have confidence in your writing, then you have the skills. The only real requirements are good language skills, excellent grammar, and perseverance. It can be discouraging to get started. I was lucky. I had a friend in the business who recruited me. As I learned the ropes, I met other writers, found other resources, and built a reputation. Right now, I have hundreds, possibly thousands of articles on the web to use as references. I rarely have to find work. Projects generally come to me through friends and acquaintances. Likewise, when I have more work than I know what to do with, I share it with my friends. And that brings us to...


Competition. Your natural instinct is to compete....to hide your resources so another writer can't come along and steal your work. It sounds counterintuitive to cooperate with people who are, essentially, your competition. But the truth is that writers who cooperate make more money and have steadier income. That's why I will always share links to prospective jobs with my networking circle. If you bite off more than you can chew - and you will, we all do - it's good to know that you have friends you can count on to help you meet your deadlines. In the freelance business, your network is your business.


If you want to know more about writing from home, leave a comment or tweet me. I'll be glad to share what I've learned with you.