With the internet providing so much opportunity an increasing number of people are deciding to take up freelance writing as a career. There are a number of advantages to this choice and in this article we will share them. This might help those who are scared about the decision to pluck up the courage and make the move to a successful freelance writing career.
- Work your own hours
One of the advantages of being a freelancer writer is being able to work your own hours. You do not have to get up at any set time. If you wish to complete the work in the afternoon or evening for that day then you have the freedom to do so. Some people work better at night whilst others early in the morning so choice is a great thing.
However, you must be disciplined as a freelance writer to get work done. Developing bad habits can lead to procrastination, which means deadlines being missed and frustrated clients. If you’re a procrastinator then you need to develop strategies that work for you.
- Work at home
For some being able to work at home means a lot. This might be because you have young kids that need looking after, or live in a remote location. For instance, if you live in the suburbs and require 2 hours of travel per day to get to work then it’s an undesirable situation. Working from home gives you more time to spend on your hobbies and with your family.
- Bored with your current job
If you’re bored in the career you’re currently in then making a switch is a no-brainer. Life is too short to feel like you’re stuck in a job that does nothing to fulfil you. Freelance writing might not be the answer, but you can give it a shot. It’s the kind of work that provides freedom so you can explore what else is out there while earning an income.
Furthermore, the type of writing job you’ll receive will typically be varied. This means every week you’ll be writing about something new, and learn a bunch in the process.
- No boss or co-workers
Some people enjoy the isolation, cannot cope with noisy co-workers and hate answering to authority. If that’s you then a freelancer writing job might just be for you. It allows you to be your own boss.
You’ll still have to answer to clients, because keeping them happy is at the core of what allows a stable income to be achieved. However, they are typically in another city, state or country.
- Take advantage of tax deductions
As a freelance writer you’re probably going to be classed as self-employed. This means you can fill out the tax forms yourself and deduct a number of items you might never be able to do with a regular job.
For example, the new laptop you bought, the internet connection and the heating in your home are all required for you to work. You can enter such expenses on your tax form and receive huge deductions. You should seek the services of an accountant to figure out what you can and can’t get away with.
- Travel while working
Have you ever wanted to travel the world, but your day job has gotten in the way thus far? By taking up freelance writing you can work from literally anywhere that has an internet connection. This can be in a café in France, a hotel room in Japan or on a cruise ship.
If you manage to find well-paying jobs then it’s not out of the question to pay for your travels whilst you are travelling. You’ll need to get comfortable with working on the move. When on a plane or train you’ll need to get out your laptop and do some work.
Additionally, you’ll need to learn how to make budget friendly choices. For instance, instead of staying at a lavish hotel look for a cheaper alternative on Airbnb.
- Learn new skills
As a writer you’ll learn how to write articles, blogs, email newsletters and ebooks. You can stick to one type of content if you wish, but diversifying allows you to learn new skills. This builds up your resume for future opportunities.
Also if you’re interested in starting an online business where content is required then training yourself as a professional writer will be priceless. Instead of outsourcing the content you can write it yourself to get going.
- You can be creative
Depending on the type of writing assignments you accept you can be highly creative when writing. It’s an art form unless you’re writing dirt cheap articles that only serve the purpose of getting keywords out there for SEO.
Some clients require strict formats to be followed, while others leave the details up to you. Therefore, you can tell stories, use metaphors and include quotes that you personally like. If your old job was mind-numbing then you might enjoy the creativity that comes with freelance writing.
As Peter Adams from Rushmyessay UK explains: “once I started my freelancer writing career I was surprised with the level of creativity in the majority of assignments”.
Conclusion
As you can see there are plenty of reasons to switch from your current career to freelancer writing. Worried that the amount of work is going to dry up? Don’t be, with the increase in people trying to become entrepreneurs the level of written content demand has never been higher.
Just take a look at some of the top freelance writing sites and you’ll see new jobs being posted at every hour of the day. All you need to get started is create a profile and begin sending out those applications. Once you receive a few clients you’ll be able to build momentum and earn a good living.
