Eight Violent Truths About Freelancing – Part 2
Posted May 6, 2008 in Writing 21 Comments »
In part 1, I gave you four of the eight violent truths about freelancing. They weren’t easy truths, either. They went like this:
1. Freelancing isn’t for the lazy.
2. Freelancing is damn hard work.
3. Freelancers work for more jerks than anyone else.
4. Freelancing is a thankless profession.
If you’ve made it here, it means you’re serious about freelancing. It also means you probably already know the other four violent truths about freelancing, but please humor me while I go over them anyways:
5. The Freelance Community Is An Amazing Bunch Of People.
For the first three years of my career writing online, I was fairly insulated from the rest of the freelance community. I didn’t have a need or a desire to interact with my peers; I had work enough to do my own thing.
On top of that, I remembered the dog-eat-dog Information Technology world I’d just come from where one of your co-workers would just as soon stab you in the eye as give you credit for a job well done. My policy was live and let live.
But, then, a funny thing happened. I decided to expand my horizons a bit. I began hanging out on some Freelance message boards. I hung out in a writers’ forum on a work-at-home mom’s website. I started reading freelance blogs. I discovered that these are pretty freaking cool people, even when you’re competing with them for work. Eventually, I started my own blog and discovered that the folks with whom I spent the most time talking were just other freelance writers.
There are folks like James and Harry, who’ve been in the biz for a while, and folks like Brett who are in the process of breaking in. And these people, without exception, have been just plain nice, courteous and helpful. It was quite a shock, compared to the IT field.
On top of that, I’ve had conversations on Twitter with the Internet writing community’s big-time folks like Darren Rowse of Problogger, Brian Clark of CopyBlogger, Internet Marketing Guru Chris Garrett, and Maki of DoshDosh. Every one of them was friendly and down-to-earth.
6. Freelancing Provides You With Flexibility To Live Your Life.
Yeah, I work 50 hours a week. But here’s the thing: if my 7 year-old has a class skit at 2:30 on a Thursday, I can go. If I don’t like the look of my desk today, and start to feel stuffy, I can throw the laptop in my bag, drive to the local cafe and work there all afternoon. If Starbucks were smart they’d open up a franchise in my little town, because I’m certain the baristas and I would be on a first-name basis.
I also, for whatever reason, have a heck of a time falling asleep about once a month. When I worked in IT, that meant that I was dead on my feet the next day. Now, it means that I can work from midnight to 3 AM and sleep in until 11 if I want to. I’ve got very few meetings and no “windows” during which I’m allowed to reboot a server.
Sick days aren’t even a big deal anymore. I’m at the stage of my career now where, if I get ill, I can usually catch up within a couple of weekends. And, I can take 4 days to go to Gen Con and not have to stress about whether my boss will let me have the time off.
7. Freelancing Gives You Control Over Your Own Destiny.
Now, I know that this will scare the hell out of some of you. Some of you want another person to tell you what to do and how to live. You want them to lay out the big plans so you don’t have to. Sad to say, but you don’t want to be a freelancer; you want to be an employee.
As a freelancer, I never have to worry about downsizing. If I want a bigger house or a newer car, then I just need to bust my ass finding some new clients, or putting out product that adds significant enough value to increase my fees. I pay for my own health insurance, I save for my own retirement and I’ll be sending my kids to college – all on my own. I don’t need the government or a company or anyone to do these things for me. If I succeed or if I fail I know that, at the end of the day, it was my choices that did it.
8. Freelancing Is The Best Damn Job You’ll Ever Have.
I wouldn’t trade the freelance life for anything. I’ve been down plenty of roads before I got to this one, roads I don’t care to go down again. I can’t tell you any other job I’ve ever had where I have been as happy or as self-fulfilled. Freelancing isn’t for everyone, I know that. But if you can handle working long, hard hours, unreasonable clients and ingratitude, then the friendship, flexibility and control of your destiny more than make up for it.
Why These Truths Are Violent Truths:
You’ll remember that I called these 8 Violent Truths about Freelancing. What is a “violent” truth? Simply put, it is truth with power. It is truth that has power enough to shatter false idols and myths, but it is also truth that has the power to reconstruct reality around itself. Embracing these 8 truths can take your fallen sense of self and self-worth and put you on the path to building an amazing and bright new future.
Living these principles can take your freelance career that’s teetering on the edge of the cliff, push it over, and make it sail off into a new sky.
Bob Younce
******
About the author: Bob Younce is a full-time Internet writer and writing mentor living in Linwood, Michigan. He is dedicated to helping Internet writers to achieve their dreams. Visit Bob at The Writing Journey or follow him on Twitter.
About the author: Bob Younce is a full-time Internet writer and writing mentor living in Linwood, Michigan. He is dedicated to helping Internet writers to achieve their dreams. Visit Bob at The Writing Journey or follow him on Twitter.
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21 Comments
Monika Mundell
May 7th, 2008 at 5:18 amYou didn’t disappoint Bob and I’m sitting here going “yeah, yeah” at your statements.
If it wasn’t for the great people I have met online as a freelancer so far I wouldn’t have half the fun every day that I’m having.
I’m proud to be a freelancer and excited about my future in this amazing business. :-)
Sharon Hurley Hall
May 7th, 2008 at 5:29 amWhat a breath of fresh air, Bob. I especially like the part about controlling your destiny. Sometimes that concept can be scary, but I find it liberating and motivating.
Dave Navarro
May 7th, 2008 at 5:45 am“If I want a bigger house or a newer car, then I just need to bust my ass finding some new clients.”
Preach it, brother.
Bob Younce at the Writing Journey
May 7th, 2008 at 5:59 am@ Monika – Glad to know I struck a cord! If it wasn’t for the freelancers I’ve met, I’d be working longer hours for less money and having less fun. Steel sharpens steel. Each time I interact with my colleagues, I grow from the experience, and I do it with a smile.
@ Sharon – It’s damned scary, but here’s another aspect to the whole destiny issue: every human being, even in the corporate world, ultimately has control over their destiny. Whether they choose to hand that control over to another person is the question. Don’t take me to mean that everyone who works for someone else doesn’t control their own destiny, but that some folks do allow their boss to determine their happiness.
@ Dave – It’s all about waking up, isn’t it?
Brett Legree
May 7th, 2008 at 6:55 amBob,
Thank you – that is a very nice thing to say, and you know, your #5 is exactly what I’ve noticed about this whole thing too, especially with people such as yourself.
Every day it seems, I meet a like-minded person, willing to extend a hand. Money can’t buy this.
Thanks again my friend, for inspiration.
-Brett
PS – as Dave Navarro sez, preach it brother… :)
Paul R. Williams
May 7th, 2008 at 7:15 amBob:
Great post! I agree that freelance work (mine is an innovation management consulting firm) is hard work with many jerks along the way.
The part that I love about it is that the jerks are MY jerks. What I mean by that is that I am ultimately in control. I can chose to fire a client if I wish. Yes…it will cost me money, but the decision is mine.
Ultimately, the VERY BEST part of freelance work is the freedom to make the ultimate decisions.
Awesome stuff…thanks!
Bob Younce at the Writing Journey
May 7th, 2008 at 11:12 am@ Brett – Money can buy it – but it gives you a hand that grabs, rather than a hand that lifts.
@ Paul – You hit it on the nose. Sometimes it is worth it to sacrifice a steak dinner for Mac-n-cheese in order to dump a jackass client.
Brett Legree
May 7th, 2008 at 12:38 pm@Bob,
LOL that is true, isn’t it…
-Brett
Allena T
May 7th, 2008 at 12:52 pmHi! I live just out of Lansing – how ya doing neighbor?
I liked this and the previous 4- did you do those too?
I hate to say it, but to newbies out there, be careful of #5. Yes, there are writing people that I ADORE- JC and Sharon Hurley Hall up there being a couple of them.
But I’ve been bilked. I’ve had my content stolen, and I know that the gang mentality happens online a lot. It might not be the tech sector, but it ain’t roses, either:)
Sorry. I can’t locate Linwood on my hand lol:)
Bob Younce at the Writing Journey
May 7th, 2008 at 1:53 pm@ Allena – I sent you a tweet. Linwood’s about an hour and a half from Lansing. And, yes, the last post was mine, too.
I get what you’re saying about being aware, but I’ve not seen too many problems on the peer/colleague side in the Internet writing community; usually it comes via the client side.
Melek
May 7th, 2008 at 2:38 pmwell said! i love the control i have… i take the dog to the dogpark every day from 3:30 to 4:15 and nobody can say ‘boo’ about it! and i can control my clients in that i can drop them if i can’t tolerate working with them.
and the best of all, if i work harder, i make more money. not many salaried jobs promise that :)
zowoco
May 7th, 2008 at 4:59 pmYeh, freelancing is hard, but what else compares rewards? The real alternative is to form your own corporation and work as designer or marketer or salesperson for your own company! Safer and more inspirational. Hire other staff to help out. Stop wearing all the hats. Admit others could be better than you at some aspects of the job.
Build a team instead of feeling all the frustrations of going it alone! :)
Bob Younce at the Writing Journey
May 7th, 2008 at 8:21 pm@ Melek – It’s your last line that does it for me. Many salaried jobs, in fact, are stacked against hard work.
@ Zowoco – Honestly, an dthis is just me, I like wearing the hats. I get a kick out of it. And while others are better than me at some aspects, I still like to rise and fall on my own merits.
Nothing wrong with outsourcing tasks, but I like the variety.
Amrit Hallan
May 7th, 2008 at 11:39 pmGreat thoughts Bob. Although I haven’t yet made good friends in the online freelancing world I know the field brims with them. Really enjoyed reading your post and it really resonated with the experience I have had so far as a freelance writer.
James Chartrand - Men with Pens
May 8th, 2008 at 6:08 amThanks for the kind words, Bob. I agree, too. The community involved and the people I meet – people like me, people who understand what I do, people who work in my field, people who I enjoy being with – makes it worthwhile.
It’s a tough job. You said it in your last post. Only the resilient and flexible will make it. But it’s a good job. And it’s my job. :)
Bob Younce at the Writing Journey
May 8th, 2008 at 11:08 am@ Amrit – Indeed, it does brim. Come visit my blog or James’ and see what we mean.
@ James It’s all about the Niebu, bro.
steph
May 8th, 2008 at 11:15 amPerfect!! I’ve been freelancing for a while now (as an editor mostly) and I’ve been suddenly doubting everything lately. Your post made me realize that, yes, this is what I want to be doing, but it also has made me feel more focused, at least for the time being! Never mind that it completely distracted me from the book I’m supposed to be editing right now…
Back to work!
And THANKS!
Steph
Ed Gandia at The Profitable Freelancer
May 8th, 2008 at 2:52 pm“I pay for my own health insurance, I save for my own retirement and I’ll be sending my kids to college – all on my own. I don’t need the government or a company or anyone to do these things for me. If I succeed or if I fail I know that, at the end of the day, it was my choices that did it.”
Amen, brother! As my family’s sole breadwinner, knowing that I provide based on the actual value I deliver in the marketplace is a POWERFUL thought. I pay for our own health insurance. I pay for my kid’s private school (it ain’t cheap, but well worth the sacrifice), and I fund my own darn retirement.
And I can only continue to do this as long as I deliver real value to my clients (what a novel concept!). I can’t think of a more fulfilling way to live.
Thanks for the article! Your insights are fantastic!
Bob Younce at the Writing Journey
May 9th, 2008 at 4:12 pm@ Steph – Glad I could provide a good sort of distraction for ya. Keep at it, it’s worth it!
@ Ed – Thanks for your comment! Your insights here are just as fantastic. Good form.
Erica Holz
May 20th, 2008 at 4:44 amHi Bob I stumbled across you article and I love the Truths all 8 of them, I am a stay at home wife that is going crazy because for the first time in my life I am unemployed, so I want to chart my destiny and try breaking into freelance work, is there any sites or forums you could recommend to help me get some direction??
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