My Top Five Myths About Freelance Writing

I'd like to think I wasn't terribly naive when I started freelance writing. I'd read a lot of books about the freelancing experience, I'd done some work part-time by the time I quit my job, and I thought I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting into. But I definitely made the leap with a few preconceived notions that later turned out to be false. Here are my personal freelancing myths--and the truth about them.

I'd work in my PJ's all day. When I started freelancing, I was in love with the idea that I'd never have to dress in "business casual" again. I got ready to throw away all my dress pants and nylons. But after about a week of typing in my flannels all day, I got sick of it. I felt like a slob--and to be honest, no matter how much writing I did, I never really felt like I accomplished much if I never actually got dressed. As time went by, I actually started looking for opportunities to dress up. Today, I don't necessarily wear a suit to my home office--my dress code is pretty casual. But I do make an effort to look presentable each day, even if all I have in front of me is a solitary day of writing.

I'd have no boss--I'll answer to myself. I loved the idea of having nobody to answer to, picking my assignments, and cutting ties if something isn't working out. And while freelancing definitely gives you more freedom from authority than you'd usually have, I also found it doesn't free you entirely. You still have clients--and they're your bosses. Each time you take on a new client, you have to learn all over again about their likes, dislikes, communication style, and expectations. If you have a few regular clients (like I do), you may find you want to work extra hard to please these folks. And if something isn't working out between you and a client, it's true you can cut ties. But you have incentives to try to make it work first--you may have already spent their deposit, or maybe they're well connected and you don't want to get a bad reputation in their industry.

I'd have total freedom. I had visions of waking up at noon every day, taking vacations whenever I wanted, and working "only when I felt like it." A few weeks on the job quickly proved me wrong. As a freelancer you have to meet your deadlines religiously, respond quickly to client communications, keep up with your marketing, and work to grow your business. With all there is to do in a day, I've found that getting up early is the only way I can get anything done. Working "when I felt like it" is right out; I have to pay the bills, after all. And yes, I can take vacations whenever I want--as long as I have no projects going on that week. As with a regular job, I have to make sure my vacation doesn't interfere with anything pressing.

As a professional writer, I'd never have to do math. I used to be a bit of a math phobic. I avoided taking any math classes in college; my rationale was that since I was going to be a writer, I was never going to need it. This was probably one of my biggest mistakes. I need to know how much to set aside for taxes, how much I need to make each month to survive, and how much to charge. I also have to know a lot of other things I never thought I needed--including basic sales techniques, technical skills, and marketing.

I'd be back in an office in six months. When I made the leap, I wasn't sure how it would work out. While I'd made money freelancing previously, I hadn't made enough to completely replace my full-time job. I had a lot of ideas for getting more business, but I had a secret fear that I wouldn't last long. A year and a half later, it's worked out better than I had hoped--and despite the fact that some of my illusions turned out to be untrue, this is still the best job I've ever had.