10 Things You’ve Heard About Freelancing That Are Actually True
Posted February 5, 2009 in Lifestyle 48 Comments »
A few weeks ago, we published an article about Myths, Half-Truths, and Other Freelance Lies. That post covered common beliefs about freelancing that are mostly false. One reader, Jamie, commented that I should also post about some common freelancing truths.
Well, this post is for Jamie and for anyone else who wants to learn the truth about what it is really like to be a freelancer.
Here are some common beliefs about freelancing that are absolutely true:
1. You Can Earn a Full-time Living.
You may have seen freelancers post about supporting themselves on their blogs or in their e-books. You may not believe that they are telling the truth about supporting themselves through their freelance income.
In actuality, many freelancers do earn enough income to support both themselves and their families.
2. Freelancing has Flexible Hours.
As long as you meet agreed upon deadlines, most clients don’t care when you actually do their work. If you are a night owl, feel free to stay up all night working. If you rise with the crack of dawn, then do your work early in the morning.
Within the parameters of your deadlines, you can also schedule your work around doctor appointments, your child’s field trips, or anything else.
3. You Can Work Wherever You Want.
Most freelancers choose to work from a home office, but a freelancer can usually work anywhere that there is an Internet connection and a telephone. I have worked from hotel rooms, restaurants, coffee shops, and libraries.
In fact, with today’s technology freelancing is one of the most portable jobs that you can find.
4. You Can Wear Whatever You Want.
Has the corporate dress code got you down? As a freelancer, you can literally wear whatever you want to work. The stories of freelancers working in their pajamas, sweats, or even in their briefs are probably true.
Of course, if you are meeting with a client then you may want to look a little more presentable for your meeting. The choice is yours.
5. You Can Deduct Your Expenses.
At least, you can deduct those expenses that specifically relate to your business on your U.S. tax return. This could include computer equipment, your software purchases, your phone, and even the space that you use for your home office.
(Check with your own accountant for details. Non-U.S. freelancers should check the tax regulations of their own country.)
6. You Can Turn Work Down.
From time to time, you will be contacted by potential “clients” who just are not right for your freelancing business. Maybe the work is not really what you do or something about the client does not seem legit. As a freelancer, you can say “no” to a potential project.
(Just remember that you are not paid for work that you do not do.)
7. There’s No Commute.
Since many freelancers do their work from home most have no commute time. When I worked for a corporation, I drove about an hour each way to work. That was two hours a day of driving (and two hours a day that I don’t miss now).
If you are concerned about pollution from automobile emissions, freelancing from home is a great way to cut back on your contribution to the problem.
8. You’ll Have Lean Periods.
For new freelancers who are accustomed to receiving a regular monthly check from a corporation, the way that freelancers get paid can be disconcerting at first. As a freelancer you may receive a lot of pay one month and very little pay the next.
It is important not to spend all of your income as soon as you receive it. Wait a few months to get an idea of your average monthly income.
9. You’ll Spend a Lot of Time Alone.
While many freelancers are in frequent communication with their clients and peers, it is true that most of us work alone. This means that there is no office chitchat, no one to go to lunch with, and no one there to help you with a difficult problem.
Successful freelancers understand the importance of building a good support group. You can look online to find peers, or you may find a local group.
10. Networking is Important.
For the non-freelancer, networking may be an optional activity. Many corporate jobs do not require much networking at all. However, for most freelancers, effective networking is vital to their ongoing success.
Look for networking opportunities that give you a chance to interact with clients and potential clients.
Let’s discuss this.
What would you tell someone who wanted to know the truth about freelancing?
Leave your ideas and experiences in the comments.
About the author: Laura Spencer is a freelance writer from North Central Texas with over 19 years of professional business writing experience. If you liked this post, then you may also enjoy Laura’s blog about her freelance writing experiences, WritingThoughts
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48 Comments
Cory
February 5th, 2009 at 11:10 amIn the process of getting a freelance “career” on track. Hoping the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t an oncoming train. Great read.
JohnONolan
February 5th, 2009 at 11:11 amGreat post, I’ve just gone full time freelance this week and I’m writing account of the whole thing on my blog – luckily I think I’m prepared for most of the points which your article covers (the good and the tricky). So I’m hoping that it won’t be too much of a difficult transition!
Laura Spencer
February 5th, 2009 at 11:20 amWow! Best wishes to my new freelancing colleagues: Cory and John O Nolan! I’m glad you liked the article.
Isabel Gil Pereira
February 5th, 2009 at 11:34 amGreat post, thank you for give us, freelancers or – like me – wanna be freelancers, hope and support! This is the light! Yes! I hope one day I can enjoy all this 10 marvellous points! Until now I’m still learning and trying to get further!
Good projects!
Pete
February 5th, 2009 at 11:37 am#8 – One thing I can recommend is taking a down payment, we do 30% of labor & 100% of any 3rd party components, then we bill every two weeks. Obviously this is not as simple a 50% upfront and 25% with two more milestones BUT you get a lot better cashflow, you don’t get clients holding a big check over your head as blackmail, and it helps you identify problem client quicker without having too big of a balance out to them.
derFrankie
February 5th, 2009 at 11:39 amMaybe one point is missing, although is spread along a few.
Freelancer don’t need much expensive hardware/software to do their job.
Many starting freelancers think they need the must uptodate hardware and software and invest too much money before they even earned something.
thenumber
February 5th, 2009 at 11:42 amBeing able to turn work down is a nice luxury. I find it best to be careful when declining work; a lack of tact can result in them maligning you to other potential clients. Wherever possible, I find it best to give a reason that is tied to why you don’t want to work with them. This could be suggesting that someone else may be better in this exact situation, or providing a quote that’s a bit too high for their budget.
James Kurtz III
February 5th, 2009 at 11:44 amAll true! Unfortunately number 8 is true as well, but after awhile you get good at managing the peeks and valleys. Especially if you can afford to build a bit of a savings cushion.
Another thing I’d add that’s true is that freelancers pay more taxes (at least in the U.S.) An employer matches your social security taxes. As a freelancer you have to pay social security as an employer AND as an employee. It sucks. Although I’ve heard whispering that this may soon be done away with. *fingers crossed*
In order to deal with the higher taxes I setup a savings account that automatically gets 30% of everything I make and then I don’t touch it, it’s like it doesn’t exist. That way when taxes are due to the money is there (got into trouble on this one year and won’t make that mistake again).
Gabe
February 5th, 2009 at 11:51 amIt’s true – FREELANCING IS HARD WORK.
Colin Wright
February 5th, 2009 at 11:58 amFreelancing is tough, but the pros outweigh the cons significantly. Especially the commute. Yeesh..I do NOT miss that (and I drove along the beach, against traffic, both ways for my last job…still love to have that extra time).
Great list!
Loren Baxter
February 5th, 2009 at 12:49 pmSome additions to your great list:
- Twitter is vital
- Freelancers have to do their own HR (Healthcare, Dental, Taxes, etc)
- Freelancers should charge 2 to 3 times per hour what they make per hour at a corporate job
- Freelancers should have a laptop computer (otherwise they will be stuck at home all day)
Loren Baxter
February 5th, 2009 at 12:52 pm@James I do that as well. If you want to get smart about it, you can earn interest on the tax money while it sits in the bank account. Don’t take risky investments though!
James Chartrand - Men with Pens
February 5th, 2009 at 2:01 pmTruths:
- You will be discouraged that friends and family will never really *get* what you do.
- You will stress more than ever in your life about your future.
- You will have to seriously remember to stop working at the end of the day and take vacations.
- You will feel incredibly fulfilled at being self-sufficient.
- You will have days where you want to put your head in your hands and cry.
- You will have days where you think crying is for pansies and feel victorious.
- You will get screwed by a client at some point at least once.
- You will need to be dedicated and determined to make it.
- You will always have people online who know exactly what you’re going through.
- You will tell all your friends never to go into business for themselves.
- You will tell all your friends you would never go back to working for someone else.
And my personal favorite…
- You get to impress people when you tell them what you do for a living.
Laura Spencer
February 5th, 2009 at 2:08 pmGreat comments everyone! There’s some really good advice here . . .
Nice alternate list of truths James Chartrand and Loren, although I’m still trying to look for those people who will be impressed when I tell them what I do. Hmmm . . .
James Chartrand - Men with Pens
February 5th, 2009 at 2:11 pm@ Laura – My bank manager when I applied for a mortgage.
She blinked and paused. “I’m sorry… what do you do?”
“I’m an online entrepreneur and a freelance writer.”
She looked at the forms and looked at me. “This is your sole income?”
“Yes.” (smug feeling)
“Wow.” (impressed look) “Okaayy… That’s… pretty incredible.”
“Yes. Yes it is.”
I now own a duplex. :)
Carter Harkins
February 5th, 2009 at 2:45 pmI would add that networking with other freelancers is essential. I get called to do corporate web video production work by web designers all the time, even though I can perform in both roles. But I call on talented web devs all the time, when a project starts to feel unwieldy. It lets me bid on bigger contracts, do the part of the work I am really interested in, and also collaborate with great freelancers. Win/Win!
Laura Spencer
February 5th, 2009 at 2:51 pmJames – Congrats on the new duplex! I’m glad you were able to impress the manager. When do we get to see pictures of your new digs?
Carter – I fully agree with you about networking for all of the reasons that you mention.
Steve Atkinson
February 5th, 2009 at 7:28 pmWonderful article and I agree with everything said in the article and in the comments.
When determining the price per hour or cost for the project, one needs to remember to add into it all of the time. Let’s say a job takes 8 hours to complete, that’s only a portion of the time involved. Remember if you are doing your own marketing, billing and collecting, that has to be factored into the cost.
I guess if you put it down in one sentence; It takes a lot of work!
Chad Kettner
February 5th, 2009 at 11:43 pmLoved the article and enjoyed James’ additions even more.
liz
February 6th, 2009 at 1:33 amYep, all of these are TRUE.
My 1year anniversary as a FULL TIME freelancer will be next weekend and If someone wanted me to tell them the truth about freelancing – i would tell them…
it is only for those who have passion spilling out their ears. If you dont LOVE your craft (and i mean LOVE IT) then you’re going to be happier (an more successful) working for someone else. However – if you are one of those passionate types then freelancing is going to be the greatest thing you ever do. You are now in control of your future, so make it a good one.
Melek
February 6th, 2009 at 10:59 amYou will work harder for yourself than you ever did for another company, and it’s totally worth it!
Liz Gregory
February 6th, 2009 at 11:15 amI can really relate to the comment about how your family & friends don’t really *get* what we freelancers do… I design and make theatrical costumes and beautiful ballgowns so when I actually produce a garment everyone says ‘wow that’s great… I never knew you could do that’ … like I’m sitting up here in my little attic twiddling my thumbs all day!
Plus, I am having a hard time with the sharing responsibility for all the domestic stuff that needs to be done – everyone thinks I should do it since I’m a *home* all day! Still, I am just discovering a great network of fellow freelancers and it is really reassuring to know that it’s NOT just me going through all this stuff, so thank you for this very informative and helpful corner of the InterWebThingy :)
TruFashionista
February 6th, 2009 at 11:37 amAll true!!! # 3 doesn’t apply to me to that extent, as a fashion stylist, I work “on set” (shooting film, photoshoots) a lot, but a lot of prep work I do where my suppliers are located. #10 is crucial. You just have to know the write people and follow up, follow up, follow up!!!
Tasha Lee
February 6th, 2009 at 11:46 amgreat article! Completely agree.
Networking is a must, 90% of my business is referral based.
You will have never worked harder, yet you will never want to work for someone else ever again.
Laura Spencer
February 6th, 2009 at 11:50 amWhat a great discussion!
I think that we must have the most helpful readers of all here at Freelance Folder.
Keep the ideas flowing!
Lexi
February 6th, 2009 at 2:16 pmI left my office job exactly one year ago. It has been exciting and challenging. Many times l am filled with self-doubts and fears. But I don’t think I could ever go back.
What i would tell aspiring freelancers: prepare yourself emotionally and financially, especially if you have a family. And be prepared to learn how to be a marketer and entrepreneur – that can be hard for creative types.
Amy
February 6th, 2009 at 2:25 pmExcellent article. It used to be 45 minutes of hectic traffic when I was working at my old desk job which was terrible. :)
Hmm, I must look into #5, especially since I am thinking of buying new software. I guess that is also a dilemma for freelancers – free vs. commercial software and whether you should stick with free software.
Amy
February 6th, 2009 at 2:30 pmOpps, I meant to say freelancing meant no more nasty traffic lines but you get the gist.
Steve Atkinson
February 6th, 2009 at 2:45 pm@Amy
Doing technology consulting for small businesses, I spend some time, although not as much as I probably should looking at and evaluating open source software and other technology solutions.
The biggest caution I would have to give is before you begin using it, read the Terms of Service agreements. Some times it will be clearly stated that the software is free for use for personal use, but not for commercial use.
Will they come looking for you if you break this agreement? Perhaps not. But one never knows.
Some Open Source solutions may be good but, I have also talked with people who have used some of these Open Source solutions and have been very disappointed with them. Free use doesn’t always mean free.
Also some will offer free use and ask for donations. Let’s remember that they are just like use and could be just trying to make ends meet. If it’s worth something to us, let’s give something back.
Webdesigner Depot
February 6th, 2009 at 3:57 pmGreat tips, especially the realistic point that you will have lean periods. Many people see having your own business as a constant flow of money; in reality it takes a lot of hard work to get there. Thanks for a great post.
Benjamin Hunsaker
February 8th, 2009 at 9:13 pmGreat article. I am about to embark on a freelance career and love these type of articles. Keep it up.
Hasan Shirazi
February 9th, 2009 at 7:41 amNice post….but I think networking is very important factor in free lancing & the best thing I like in free lancing is you can even work in any clothes.
Thanks for a great post.
1practicalgal
February 10th, 2009 at 5:08 pmSome really useful advice and truths written by freelanceers for freelancers http://tinyurl.com/SBUfreelance on http://SmallBusinessUnited.com
Brandon
February 10th, 2009 at 11:16 pmTwitter is definitely a solution for #9 (You’ll Spend A Lot of Time Alone). My Twitter stream provides plenty of chatter throughout the day, as well as a vast pool of experts for when I need a quick answer to a tricky problem!
Rebecca Laffar-Smith
February 11th, 2009 at 9:23 amFantastic truths and I LOVE the feedback in the comments. So much value added, great job to everyone. :-)
I think one of the biggest truths is, “It’s ten times HARDER than you THINK it will be.” You really do have to have the drive and passion. Without a ‘boss’ chaining you to your desk and watching your output it can be easy to be lax. You still have those deadlines to meet and while your hours are flexible you HAVE to commit your time and put them in. Often you’ll work longer and harder than you did for that steady wage. Especially in the earlier months.
Networking is a must and you will have to jump out of your comfort zone frequently. You really have to push to get what you want and to make it, you can’t give up. Freelancing is about being there for your business, over and over and over.
Y. Steven
February 11th, 2009 at 12:42 pmYour point are very close enough to all freelancer but about point no. 9 that you’ll spend time alone wasn’t really true. i can make new friend everytime i hop in into someone else company and i used to make a conversation with the staff company to ask how is this has been doing and what the boss really wants. So i actually are indirectly asking for their help and it definitely wasn’t really an ‘individual’ works
mahmud ahsan
February 12th, 2009 at 7:09 amreally a great article. thanks for sharing.
Ben
February 13th, 2009 at 11:17 amMost importantly before you become a full-time freelancer, is to have at least 3 months of financial security blanket. The reason why most people are stuck with their jobs when their heart tells them otherwise is that they’re afraid to take the plunge. We’re too used to what we do everyday and society forces us to conform to the norm, schools or parents tells kids to study hard so that they can get a “good job”, not “start a good business”.
You really don’t have to know if it all works out, you don’t have to see the rest of the staircase, just take the first step.
Take calculated risk and don’t be stupid by stepping out without any clients or money and see how it goes, you’ll go back to work, that’s how it goes.
One of the myths that alot of full time pals think is true, is that freelancing is unstable, they tell me it’s an unstable choice and some look at me in a different light, but today’s economy tells me that I don’t have to fear losing my job because I don’t have a job anyways.
Amber Weinberg
February 18th, 2009 at 9:22 amGreat tips. These are all things I’ve come across as a freelancer. :)
Waseem Sindhu
February 18th, 2009 at 11:55 amIt really is a good read. thanks for sharing.
Jt
February 19th, 2009 at 11:45 amAwesome list and extremely accurate. The money issue is so important. You have to budget… and networking has been great for me. Most of my business is referral based. Great article! Keep it up!
John Pitchers
February 24th, 2009 at 1:48 pmYep! I can relate to all those points. Coming up to 2 years full time freelancing and I’m still learning the business.
blue2x
March 4th, 2009 at 1:24 pmNice article , freelancing is very hard , you need to market yourself to reach potential clients , if you just sit down and wait sometimes it won’t come =)
Joel
March 13th, 2009 at 3:53 am# 9 hits home!
I’ve been a freelance translator for 1.5 years, and you don’t realize how much you depend on the ready-made social networks in an office environment until you are sitting alone in your home office (perhaps in your skivvies) sweating out 5 projects all due today!
I have gotten the knack of managing my workload down, so the next things on my to do list are:
*Join a local civic organizaton
*Volunteer in the pre-school PTA
*Get some blues harmonica gigs going
*Start my own community group (recycling, litter pick up etc.)
* Take some online courses
Dane Morgan
December 1st, 2009 at 11:00 amI’m another new full time freelancer. I’ve learned a few of the points you’ve written in both of these articles already, and a couple the hard way. ;)
Since the reason I went full time freelance had a lot to do with the “real” job moving the factory another hour, on top of the already half hour, away, the no commute thing is pretty awesome for me.
With five and three year old children and a wif that works nights, the flexible schedule is nice too.
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