o you love writing on a variety of topics on your own time? Does learning new information weekly, and sometimes even daily, sound like your idea of a perfect job? If so, freelancing may be just the career for you! Maybe you’ve been thinking about freelancing for a while, or maybe the thought just occurred to you.
Either way, the best way to go about discovering if you’d like to make freelancing your career, is to look at some pros and cons of the job. Looking at these pros and cons can help you decide if freelancing fits your lifestyle and personality.
Whether it's virtual assistance, inbox management, or writing, you will definitely secure the remote job you want. And this blog is going to teach you how!
What Exactly Is Freelancing?
First things first, before we get into the pros and cons of the job, let’s talk specifically about what freelancing entails. If you choose to become a freelance writer, essentially you are setting out on a journey in which you independently write for different companies, blogs, websites, etc.
Basically, you are a self-employed writer who businesses will hire to write pieces for them. It is a great way to discover new things about yourself and the world as you will be writing on a variety of topics!
If this interests you, then read on to learn some pros and cons of freelancing!
How Can I Excel at Freelancing?
Now that we have touched on the basis of freelancing, let’s discuss what characteristics are essential to getting your potential freelancing career started!
Firstly, it is extremely important to be passionate about writing so you aren’t just throwing words down onto a paper. It is important to be able to craft your emotions and thoughts into words, something that is made easier through having a passion for writing.
Some other important skills to develop include
- Grammar skills
- Word eloquence
- Self discipline and motivation
- Time management skills
- Marketing your work to potential clients
Developing these skills will not only give you a leg up on your competition, but will also allow you to quickly adapt to your new role as a freelance writer!
If you’d like some specific tips on how to become a freelance writer, check out this article for everything you need to know and more!
Pros of Freelancing
For those who decide to pursue freelancing, there are several pros you can look forward to! These perks range anywhere from freedom of schedule, all the way to creative expression.
Let’s talk about these pros more in depth!
Choose Your Own Schedule
One of the most appealing aspects of freelancing is the freedom to structure your schedule the way you want it. This can be a very important deciding factor for those who lead busy lives.
If you are raising a family or working a second job, choosing your own schedule is a huge benefit! In fact, even for those who aren’t particularly busy, it is still extremely convenient to be able to decide, on your own terms, when you would like to get your work done.
Are you a morning person? Go ahead and write away in the early hours. A night owl? No problem! Stay up all night writing if you so desire! This isn’t your regular 9-5 schedule you may be used to.
While not having a set work schedule may seem intimidating at first, it’s all about finding the right balance for you, something that will come naturally with time.
Work From Anywhere
Another great pro to freelancing is the ability to work from anywhere. You can travel the world if you’d like! Or, maybe you have a young family, and you’d prefer to stay home during the day with your kids. You can do that too!
Where you work is truly up to you, which means that you can set up a workspace that caters to your needs. When you have a space that lets you stand/sit/lounge as you prefer, stays at your preferred noise level, and has everything else you personally need to succeed right within arm's reach, you can maximize your productivity, and therefore your profit too.
Customize Your Workload
As a freelance writer, you have the benefit of taking on as much or as little work as you’d like. Sometimes, you may want to take on all the writing projects you can possibly handle. Other times, you might want to take a step back, and that’s okay!
The beauty of freelancing is that you decide your workload.
Express Your Creativity
Freelancing is an excellent way to express your creativity and channel your emotions into words! Depending on the writing projects you choose to take on, you can heavily utilize creative writing in your pieces.
Additionally, implementing your creativity is a great way to give your pieces an aura of uniqueness. It’s like placing your own personal stamp on your work simply through the power of words!
Cons of Freelancing
Unfortunately, to balance out the pros, freelancing also has some cons. It is critical to look at these cons in order to discover anything that may be a dealbreaker for you individually.
Near Constant Job Hunt
With freelancing you are nearly always looking for new work. Unlike other writing jobs, such as a copywriter or editor, you don’t necessarily have a consistent company or workspace.
Not having this consistency can be a source of stress for many people, and deters them from pursuing freelancing.
Fluctuating Salary
Another con to freelancing is the lack of a consistent salary. With 9-5 jobs your salaries are defined per year, whereas with freelancing, due to a lack of work consistency, the salary is defined as hourly.
For example, a copywriter averages $53,544/year while a freelance writer averages $25.06/hour (based on data from the U.S.). Because the amount of work you get freelancing varies due to the nature of the job, the salary is constantly fluctuating.
At times, this means you could make significantly less than what you need to provide for yourself.
Lack of Benefits and Company Culture
Because you are essentially self-employed as a freelance writer, you do not get the benefits a full time employee of a company receives. This means you won’t get paid sick leave, vacation days, etc.
You may also find yourself missing out on company culture being a freelance writer due to not technically being an employee for any one company. This can be disheartening for those who thrive in an environment with like-minded individuals they can form relationships with.
You Are In Charge of A Lot
One of the biggest freelancing cons is the need to manage a lot on your own in order to thrive in your career. Not only do you have to write your best work week after week, you also will find yourself:
- Managing client prospects, including keeping up with relationships for the future
- Market your work to prospective clients
- Identify prospective clients
- Attracting enough clientele to keep a consistent, or better yet growing, salary
I would say the hardest part of freelancing is learning how to juggle these various activities that prior to being self-employed you didn’t have to worry about.
Now That You Know the Pros and Cons of Freelancing - It’s Up to You to Decide What to do Next!
Now that you are well informed on the pros and cons of freelancing, it’s up to you to weigh your options and determine if the pros outweigh the cons, or vice versa. The decision will vary from person-to-person and there truly is no right answer.
Whatever you decide, I wish you success in all future endeavors, and if you choose the freelance path, start here in your search for jobs!
