The Dos and Don'ts of Freelance Writing

Janis Joplin once sang, "Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose." The same can be said of freelance writing. Whether out of choice or necessity, freelancing can be as difficult and frustrating as it is rewarding and liberating. If you became a freelancer after your company was downsized and you lost your job, you might have a difficult time adjusting. If, however, you managed to secure enough clients before you went on your own, you will find it liberating and rewarding. Let's examine the former case where you were forced into freelancing. This case certainly demands support and encouragement.

Since you lost your job, the first thing to do is learn how to be aggressive. Freelance jobs rarely fall into your lap. Tell everyone you know that you plan on writing for a living come thick or thin. When I lost my job in a publishing company, sometimes I was too despondent to look on my own. However, my friend e-mailed me a job posting for a music reviewer from Craig's List, and my other friend send me an e-mail about a new Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender newspaper opening up. I might have been a bit despondent to look, but I jumped on these two leads. I forwarded my resume to the music company immediately and got two assignments. And I forwarded my resume and previous clippings to the GLBT newspaper and got a steady gig with them.

The thing about freelancing is it builds upon itself. Once you get one break, others follow. There is no scientific explanation for this but it always seems to occur. Right after losing my job, I networked with everyone in the company. I spoke to a co-worker who knew of an editor she interviewed with. I spoke to her and she was kind enough to advise me how I could break into the community newspaper chain. She told me to hand deliver my resume and clips to a certain person. I did so and followed up relentlessly. Sure enough, when I least expected it, I received a call from an editor who opened the door for me to freelance for the community newspapers. It was a regular gig for me, and I was able to build up my portfolio.