15 Professionals and Cons of Being a Freelance Author

On this publish, I’ll be discussing the principle professionals and cons of freelance writing. Whether or not you’re contemplating a radical profession change, or just enthusiastic about incomes a bit of additional cash on-line on the aspect, this one is for you.

I’ve been doing freelance writing for a few years now. Whereas I completely love the advantages of being a contract author (and there are various – which is why I do it), there are positively a number of downsides as I’ll clarify under.

If this can be a profession you’re contemplating, be sure to take a look at my publish on the finest freelance writing programs on-line, and my evaluate of the Knowadays course (which is at the moment providing a 25% low cost utilizing this hyperlink and promo code GOATS25).

For me, the most important benefits of freelance writing embrace the pliability to decide on when and the place you’re employed, in addition to the flexibility to determine precisely what sort of work you wish to do. Nonetheless, on the flip aspect, there isn’t a job safety and no assured paycheck every month.

It’s necessary that you just bear these items in thoughts when deciding whether or not or not this can be a profession (or aspect hustle) that may be just right for you. Total, I feel the disadvantages of being a contract author are vastly outweighed by the quite a few advantages. However, it’s good to take into account what’s best for you.

Professionals of Being a Freelance Author

Listed below are a few of the key benefits of being a contract author. This listing displays my very own private expertise, in addition to the experiences of different those that I do know who work as freelance writers. There’s various overlap between every level, however I’ve damaged them down for the sake of readability.

Do not forget that each job is totally different, and each freelance author is exclusive. So, the precise professionals and cons of being a contract author will range based on every individual and their particular person circumstances. Nonetheless, the next are some common benefits which might be more likely to apply to most individuals.

1. Flexibility

One among my favourite issues about freelance writing is the large quantity of flexibility it presents. As a freelancer, you could have complete management over your schedule, together with when, the place, and the way a lot you’re employed. This flexibility will be particularly useful for individuals who have youngsters or different commitments.

It’s onerous to overstate fairly how a lot of a recreation changer this flexibility is, significantly compared with a “conventional” job – i.e. full-time, in-person employment. You may set your individual hours and take as many breaks, or as a lot time without work, as you need. It’s superior!

For instance, should you’re feeling burnt out, wish to attend a good friend’s wedding ceremony in Italy, fancy a spontaneous street journey, or just want a change of surroundings, you’ll be able to take a day (or per week, or a month) off with out having to ask for permission out of your employer or boss.

In fact, you continue to have to handle the expectations of your shoppers. Nonetheless, the dynamic is completely totally different from being an worker. You simply have to allow them to know what you’re doing – you don’t have to ask permission. It’s an necessary distinction!

2. Autonomy

One other main perk of being a contract author is the autonomy it offers. This goes hand in hand with flexibility (see above). As a freelancer, you might be your individual boss. So, you set the principles – together with the way you wish to outline “success” in your profession.

You’ve got complete freedom over which shoppers you wish to work with, which tasks to just accept, and the way you wish to sort out them. The period of time you wish to spend researching and writing is totally as much as you, as is how a lot cash you determine to cost on your work.

You even have management over your profession development. No extra inflexible employment hierarchy with another person dictating when or whether or not you get a promotion! Personally, I discover this degree of independence actually liberating and rewarding.

I’m a lot extra motivated realizing that I’ve complete company over what I do and the place my profession takes me. It additionally permits for lots of non-public progress and growth, as I’ll increase on under.

3. Numerous Tasks

One of the crucial thrilling facets of being a contract author is the truth that you’ll be able to work on no matter tasks you need. Some freelance writers select to specialize and area of interest down greater than others. However, primarily, the selection is yours.

If you wish to tackle a various vary of tasks and discover a number of totally different niches or industries, you’ll be able to completely do this. Once more, you get to set the principles (therefore the autonomy, above)!

So, say you’ve at all times fancied dabbling in artistic fiction writing. However, you’re additionally a fan of doing a little bit of journey writing and completely love writing persuasive advertising and marketing copy. As a contract author, you’ll be able to select to do all of these items in the identical week, supplied you handle your time effectively.

You may increase your ability set and discover new matters as a lot as you need. This not solely helps to maintain issues attention-grabbing and difficult, however it additionally provides you the chance for steady studying and progress.

4. Talent Improvement

Following on from the earlier level, selecting to work on a various vary of tasks is, in my expertise, a sure-fire manner of creating new expertise and broadening the vary of your experience.

For instance, as a contract author, you may select to write a weblog publish for an internet site someday, craft social media posts for a model the following, draft advertising and marketing emails the following, after which assist write an e-book or white paper the following… And so forth – you get the image.

Additionally, you’ll be able to select to have a variety of shoppers throughout a broad spectrum of sectors (e.g. journey, advertising and marketing, monetary, enterprise, and so forth.) which helps to make sure you’re always studying. Having a various vary of tasks helps make you a extra versatile author with a broader set of expertise.

Moreover, freelancers usually must handle their very own admin and enterprise operations. For some folks, this can be a drawback of being a contract author. Nonetheless, you would see it as a possibility to develop transferable expertise comparable to time administration, group, and monetary admin. See Additionally: finest apps for freelance writers

5. Work From Wherever

One other huge perk of being a contract author is the flexibility to work from wherever. I’ve gotten paid to do freelance writing from some superb locations everywhere in the world, together with after I was dwelling as a digital nomad in Mexico, Costa Rica, Albania, Italy, Sri Lanka, and even a distant nook of the Scottish Highlands.

On the whole, your shoppers don’t care the place you might be, so long as you get the work executed to a sufficiently excessive commonplace. Once more, that is completely totally different from most employment relationships. (I actually hated being employed, in case you hadn’t figured.)

So long as you could have a secure web connection overseas and an influence outlet, you’ll be able to mainly work from nearly wherever on the earth. That is big for anybody who loves touring and having the ability to do it for quite a lot of weeks per 12 months of annual depart.

It’s additionally one of many the explanation why freelance writing is such a well-liked job with digital nomads and different distant employees. Actually, that is the principle cause I selected to do it.

6. Networking Alternatives

Being a contract author can open up alternatives for networking with folks throughout a variety of sectors. If you happen to select to work with a various unfold of shoppers, you’ll have the prospect to construct a wide-reaching net {of professional} relationships.

That is clearly an effective way to increase your skilled community. Connecting with fellow writers, editors, shoppers, and different professionals in varied niches can result in a wealth of latest job alternatives and but extra priceless connections sooner or later.

Plus, having a powerful community may assist offer you help and sources that is perhaps helpful sooner or later. It’s additionally an effective way to construct your individual private model and get your identify on the market.

7. Work-Life Steadiness

For my part, it’s a lot simpler to take care of a wholesome work-life steadiness as a freelancer than as an worker. I say “for my part” as a result of it’s a little bit of a contentious debate, and I’ve had discussions with different freelancers who disagree with me on this.

I’ve heard folks say that working for your self can provide you a worse work-life steadiness. In keeping with these folks, as a result of freelancing is inherently much less secure than employment, there’s an inclination for freelancers to overwork to compensate for it. That is positively true to an extent.

Nonetheless, in my very own private expertise, it doesn’t must be the case. Whereas being self-employed does, in fact, include its personal pressures, and requires appreciable self-discipline and onerous work, autonomy is vital.

The massive quantity of flexibility you acquire means you can select the way you wish to construction your work life. So long as you’re capable of handle your time successfully, together with consciously permitting your self sufficient downtime, you could have the facility to engineer an incredible work-life steadiness.

8. Inventive Freedom

Inventive freedom is a significant benefit of being a contract author. As a freelancer, you could have the chance to work on tasks that really curiosity and encourage you. And, conversely, there’s no one forcing you to do any tasks that you just actually don’t wish to do.

Moreover, the elevated choices and management over your profession trajectory (mentioned above) means you can select to give attention to areas that offer you extra artistic expression if that is one thing that’s necessary to you.

If you happen to select the fitting tasks (and shoppers), you will get numerous private achievement out of your work. It additionally means that you can select to put in writing for publications or shoppers that align together with your private values and beliefs.

Cons of Being a Freelance Author

Whereas I actually take pleasure in freelance writing for all the causes mentioned above, it’s not excellent. (No job is, proper?) There are positively a number of downsides to being a contract author, which I’ve set out under.

I’m not making an attempt to place anybody off right here from turning into a contract author. I simply need you to enter it together with your eyes open, having made an knowledgeable choice. That mentioned, not all of those points will have an effect on each freelance author, however I’d nonetheless advocate contemplating the next.

1. Unpredictable Earnings

For me, one of many best disadvantages of being a contract author is the dearth of economic stability. As an worker, you usually receives a commission each month, on the identical day, usually the identical quantity. This makes it simpler to plan financially as you could have a predictable earnings.

As a contract author, it’s the alternative. Your earnings can range drastically from month to month, and never all shoppers pay on time. Some months you may earn extra, some months you may earn much less. If you happen to don’t get any work, you don’t receives a commission in any respect.

This lack of economic predictability will be tough to handle. It’s necessary to have a buffer of money in your account if potential so that you just’re not left in a precarious monetary scenario when you have a quiet month or, for another cause, your earnings drops off.

2. Requires Self-Self-discipline

Freelance writing requires a substantial quantity of self-discipline. Since you work for your self, it’s good to be your individual boss. This implies setting deadlines and objectives for your self, being organized together with your time, and guaranteeing you retain your self on monitor.

It’s necessary to have the ability to steadiness the workload of a number of tasks, whereas on the similar time maintaining together with your different duties and common life admin. Talking frankly, this was a little bit of a problem for me after I first began working for myself.

Generally I additionally discover that working alone for lengthy durations of time could make it tougher to remain motivated, given the dearth of colleagues and coworkers to provide help or recommendation.

In the end, you want to have the ability to inspire your self to work onerous and write creatively, even on days once you don’t actually really feel prefer it. It’s additionally necessary to have the ability to steadiness work with rest to assist keep away from burnout.

3. Doubtlessly Isolating

Being a contract author will be isolating at occasions, particularly should you work remotely by your self.

Earlier than turning into a contract author, I used to work in an workplace in London. Whereas I actually didn’t benefit from the workplace politics and performative tradition, there was a minimum of at all times anyone to go for a espresso with, or to cease by and have a chat.

Now I work for myself, I discover myself needing to make extra of a aware effort to socialize with different folks. It’s not an excessive amount of of an issue for me, however it’s one thing to consider.

Whether or not or not this is a matter for you relies upon, partly, in your persona – together with how introverted or extroverted you might be, and the way a lot you prefer to socialize usually. Working from coworking areas may also be a great way to get a dose of social interplay and fight emotions of isolation.

4. Lack of Job Safety

This one ties in with the purpose about unpredictable earnings. Normally, being a contract author doesn’t supply the identical job safety {that a} conventional 9-5 job does.

Most nations all over the world have authorized protections in place that provide workers a level of job safety. These range from nation to nation (they’re significantly robust in Europe in contrast with the US). Nonetheless, the important thing level right here is that these protections principally apply to workers solely.

As a freelancer, employment regulation protections typically don’t apply to you. If certainly one of your common shoppers out of the blue stops needing your companies or their enterprise goes below, that’s too dangerous for you – you’ll want to switch that earnings from some place else.

This lack of stability will be robust, particularly when you have monetary commitments comparable to lease, a mortgage, payments, or childcare prices to pay. It’s additionally why I’d at all times advocate having a number of totally different shoppers to diversify your earnings streams and defend your self from sudden modifications.

5. No Worker Advantages

Staff usually obtain advantages comparable to medical health insurance, paid time without work, and retirement contributions from their employer. Sadly, these perks should not usually obtainable to freelance writers. That’s the value you pay for all that freedom!

Which means you’ll have to cowl these bills your self, which will be expensive. Medical health insurance, particularly, is usually a big expense for freelancers, particularly in nations the place healthcare isn’t free. It’s necessary that you just finances for these further prices.

And, whereas that is positively not monetary recommendation, it’s extraordinarily necessary to have monetary provisions on your retirement. In any other case, outdated age goes to suck – critically.

6. Having Too Few (or Too Many) Shoppers

One other main con of being a contract author is needing to strike a steadiness between the variety of shoppers you could have at one time. As mentioned above, as a freelancer, you’re typically not assured a gradual stream of labor, and it’s frequent on your earnings to fluctuate significantly.

Some folks select to attempt to fight this by doing a lot of work for one or two shoppers. Nonetheless, what occurs if certainly one of these shoppers out of the blue stops providing you with work or goes out of enterprise? Unhealthy issues, so far as your funds are involved.

So, as we agreed above, it’s necessary to diversify your earnings streams. Nonetheless, working for plenty of totally different shoppers comes with its personal challenges, together with managing competing deadlines, expectations, and customarily increased ranges of admin and problem.

It’s a tough one and requires you to strike a superb steadiness, which isn’t at all times straightforward. Actually, that is one thing that I usually discover most difficult about working as a contract author.

7. Extra Admin

As a self-employed freelance author, you usually must deal with extra admin than an worker. This contains duties comparable to shopper outreach, invoicing, establishing and paying right into a pension, maintaining monitor of your bills, and managing your individual taxes.

Freelancers are often paid gross with none deduction for tax, so it’s good to make sure that you retain enough information to allow you to file your tax return every year. You additionally want to make sure that you really find the money for to pay your tax invoice every time it falls due – don’t make that mistake!

These admin duties require you to be pretty organized. They may also be time-consuming and, for many individuals, a bit overwhelming. But it surely’s essential that you just carry on prime of them to maintain what you are promoting operating easily and stop additional complications down the road.

Professionals and Cons of Freelance Writing: FAQ’s

Listed below are solutions to some ceaselessly requested questions in regards to the ups and downs of being a contract author.

Conclusion

If you happen to’re enthusiastic about being a contract author, it’s necessary to assume critically about whether or not it’s a profession that’s appropriate for you. There are numerous professionals and cons of being a contract author, which range from individual to individual and job to job. It’s a must to weigh up whether or not the professionals outweigh the cons.

For me, the advantages of freelance writing enormously outnumber the disadvantages. However, in fact, all people’s totally different. Both manner, I hope this publish helped make your choice a bit bit simpler.