Comments on: Eight Violent Truths About Freelancing – Part 2

By: Erica Holz

Erica Holz — Tue, 20 May 2008 09:44:55 +0000

Hi 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??

By: Bob Younce at the Writing Journey

Bob Younce at the Writing Journey — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:12:59 +0000

@ 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.

By: Ed Gandia at The Profitable Freelancer

Ed Gandia at The Profitable Freelancer — Thu, 08 May 2008 19:52:55 +0000

“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!

By: steph

steph — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:15:05 +0000

Perfect!! 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

By: Bob Younce at the Writing Journey

Bob Younce at the Writing Journey — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:08:13 +0000

@ Amrit – Indeed, it does brim. Come visit my blog or James’ and see what we mean.

@ James It’s all about the Niebu, bro.

By: James Chartrand - Men with Pens

James Chartrand - Men with Pens — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:08:11 +0000

Thanks 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. :)

By: Amrit Hallan

Amrit Hallan — Thu, 08 May 2008 04:39:48 +0000

Great 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.

By: Bob Younce at the Writing Journey

Bob Younce at the Writing Journey — Thu, 08 May 2008 01:21:57 +0000

@ 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.

By: zowoco

zowoco — Wed, 07 May 2008 21:59:48 +0000

Yeh, 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! :)

By: Melek

Melek — Wed, 07 May 2008 19:38:28 +0000

well 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 :)