Introduction

1. Are You Ready to Write by a Routine?

Writers need to write, as unglamorous as that may seem. It's a unique experience when you author a short story or personal essay compared to when you write ad copy for an agency. You're exploring your craft. When you write for others, though, you're writing to deliver results. Typically, unless you're writing fiction or creative nonfiction for a client, nobody cares too much about whether you can show off your prowess in and prose.

If I'm writing a press release; I am NOT writing to impress readers with difficulty. If I am writing ad copy, I am producing something catchy and memorable. I am NOT trying to produce something beautiful for its own sake. There is a distinct purpose to a lot of professional writing: sell, persuade, align with a desired brand image. Be careful not to write more than you need to, and make sure you make a routine for both personal and hired projects.

2. Are You Willing to Give Up Your Day Job (Or Work Two Jobs?)

If you want to become a full-time freelancer, you need to accept the workload and a less steady income than you would get with a salary job. Realistically, you can be a moonlighter, working a day job and saving freelance work for the evenings. I wouldn't recommend this if you have a stable family dynamic or any intimate relationships. It leaves you with little time.

If you're willing to make the transition to full-time freelancing income, you can make yourself a reasonable profit. Not to mention, you'll be taking home 100% of your earnings (before taxes). This can appeal to someone like me who feels a little odd earning less than a percent of the revenue I generate. It's one of the reasons I love doing freelance work when I have spare time.

3. Do You Have a Business Plan?

Writing up a short (1-2 page) business plan will help you set important goals that guide you daily, monthly, and yearly as you prioritize the kinds of gigs you seek out and accept. I found the basis for my business plan in Writer's Market 2020. While I urge you to pick up a copy at some point (the publishers, contests and advice inside will long outlast 2020), I will give a quick rundown of Sophia McDonald Bennet's article, "Why Every Writer Needs a Business Plan: And Why Writing One is Easy."

Bennet breaks down her template for a writer business plan into a few categories:

1. Mission, Vision and Values Statements: Determine why you want to do it, how you want to do it and who you want to do it for.

2. Products and Services: What kind of writing do you want to offer?

3. Financial Plan: How much do you plan to make? Figure out your expenses, then cover those (or set the bar higher).

4. Marketing Plan: How will you put your name out there? Google Ads, LinkedIn promotions, a blog site, and social media are some common tools.

5. Timeline/Workplan: How long do you want to focus on projects for? Less than a week, over three months? This will help you keep track of your projects in your calendar.

Again, I recommend reading this and other articles by successful writers in Writer's Market 2020, but this sets a good basis for the prep work of freelancing.

4. Have You Worked Out a Reasonable Budget?

Personal finances are the backbone of freelancing. If you outspend your minimum monthly earnings, you're in trouble. You might need to cut corners to make rent or take on a second job to keep afloat if you don't manage your finances. There are countless sources you can go to for advice, some offered by whatever bank or Credit Union you have an account with. Plan out a budget, track your expenses, and with luck and practice you can make the most of your earnings. I recommend starting at the Freelancers Union Blog, with lots of great advice on finances, business management and more.

5. Do You Plan to Start a Blog?

Blogging is every writer's best friend, whether you write technical manuals or poetry. Good examples of what you can write about can be found all over the web. You can Google in a few of your favorite authors and find their professional websites. Poet Iain Thomas and Stephen King's are two notable examples that show you the value of taking the time to make even a free blog on Wix, Blogger or WordPress. Here's my website, made through Adobe's portfolio service (free if you piggyback off your brother's Creative Cloud Subscription). There's limited blog functionality,

These questions are useful for those wanting to consider full-time or part-time work as a freelancer. These tips apply to any writer, whether or not they're working freelance or writing frequently at all. Especially where blogging and a business plan come in, it feels good when your writing pays for itself, or pays better than that!