Reality Check!

© 2004
Published in Lotus Magazine Winter Edition 2004
597 Words

To be a successful freelance writer, you don’t have to be published in those major magazines you see at the checkout counters as you pay for your cup of Joe in the mornings. Thousands of websites, small-press magazines, and your local newspaper are always in great need of a talented freelance writer. The pay may be low, but along the way, you get those bylines you have always had your heart set on that may one day lead you to one of those big time magazines that sit on that checkout counter calling out to you.

Are you new to freelancing? Then you may be wondering, can I actually make a living as a freelance writer? The answer depends on whether you’re a good writer and if you do your research on the markets. Find out exactly what the magazine is about, and what they are looking for, develop relationships with previous magazines you have worked for or work with regularly. These opportunities will sometimes open bigger door for your freelancing career and you will grow and succeed in your dream.

The second most asked question is how do I get my first clips? Well, there are a few different ways to achieve those first time clips. When an edotr asks to see samples of your previous work, they mainly want to see your writing style and how you nave mastered the craft of writing, and not so much where the samples were published, if they were, or how much you were paid for them.

A lot of freelance writers work from the comfort of their home and it is quite fitting for many of them. Others have to go out and rent an office space just to be able to get things done. Home freelancers seem to know how to dodge all distractions, and focus on the work at hand. Others on the other hand, such as myself, had a few problems adjusting to the freedom of not having a boss leaning over my shoulder to see how my work was coming along. I would turn on the computer in the morning when I crawled out of bed ready to start on my next big project. I’d make some breakfast and sit down at my desk, staring at the not piled in front of me and that all so endearing blank screen. I would be all set, then the phone would ring, or my favorite talk show would be on the television and now that I was working at home, why not take an hour and watch. That hour soon turned into four or five, and at the end of the day, no work had been completed. The bills soon started piling up, and there was no money being made.

Reality Check! When you freelance from home, you have to treat it like any other job. No television, no phone calls unless they are business related, radios are fine as long as it doesn’t distract you, and lock the husband and kids out of your space. A spare bedroom, an attic, or anywhere that no one will be bothering you, asking you questions, and tearing you away from your work are ideal.

I work best when I know it’s only my cat and I in the house. As soon as my husband gets home from work, all creativity goes out the window and I am totally distracted even if I lock myself in my office. Freelance writing can be very rewarding if you take it seriously and apply yourself to each and every aspect of it.

All Rights Reserved! © 2004 – 2008 December M. Raynes