Is Going Freelance Worth The Risk?

There are lots of reasons why someone might think it is a great idea to become a freelance writer, but at the same time, they must accept that in doing so they are taking on a certain amount of risk. But is it worth it? Let’s weigh up the pros and cons.

Feast and Famine

Ah, the old feast and famine cycle of being a freelancer! Sometimes you are inundated with work, at other times you are twiddling your thumbs. With lots of work comes the pressure of juggling different assignments and meeting deadlines. Without it, you worry that you can’t pay your bills! It can be tough but making sure you try to plan as much as possible and make provisions to see you through the more sparse times will help you manage these much better.

Stress and Deadlines

As much as you might be able to try and plan your work, there are always going to be times where you are up against it and feeling the pressure. There is also the possibility of having your work returned for amendments which can lead to suddenly having less time than you thought.

Managing Your Finances

As well as good time management it is also essential to be good with money and numbers if you want to be a successful freelancer. Without being willing to do the ‘boring' stuff as well, you could soon find yourself in trouble. Managing finances, filling out tax returns and contingency planning are all part of the job.

Building a Client Base

Without a solid client base, you’ll end up going from job to job never feeling any security and continually worrying about work drying up. Building up a good client base and a solid reputation is so important. However, this takes time - so successful freelance writers need to be willing to put the work in.

No Holiday, Sick Pay, or Pension

Remember if you are ill you won’t get paid, and probably won’t get a lot of sympathy from clients if you miss deadlines due to sickness either. You don’t get paid holiday or a pension or any of the comfortable perks of working a ‘normal’ job. These are all things to take into consideration before going freelance full time.

So there you have it, being a freelance writer can bring you fantastic benefits and freedom and can be a great way to make a living as well. But in doing so, you must be prepared of highs and lows and times where it might feel like you’ve made a mistake. At the end of the day if you stay organized, plan for all eventualities and keep persevering it can be everything you want it to be and an extremely rewarding career too!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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